Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion
Let's Talk About: Your Books
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What are you reading AND what do you think?
I'm reading
. It had a bit of a slow start and I thought I might put it away, but after the story finally started I actually really like it so far.
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Karen wrote: "I know so many people who are putting that book on their TBR this year! I loved the movie but I understand the book is quite different"Yes I think it is very different. Luckily I've seen the movie once and it was quite a while ago, so I don't remember much from the movie. But from what I recall it is different. I'll watch it again after I finish the book.
But it starts with a fictional story about the author who is rewriting the princess bride which is in the book originally from a non-existent author. So it's a little confusing and it takes quite a while for the actual story to begin. But once you get into the story itself it's funny/good (so far anyway).
Cécile wrote: "I'm reading . It had a bit of a slow start and I thought I might put it away, but after the story finally started I actually really like it so far."I both loved this book and the movie.
Do I feel a reread coming on?
I am about to finish Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman, am halfway through listening/reading And the Mountains Echoed and began reading Second Honeymoonby James Patterson last night.This morning I am going to pick up the audio of Joylandby Stephen King and the book,The Fever Treeby Jennifer McVeigh.
Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are just right for reading.
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Nancy - I'm going to suggest an informal buddy read around Sept/Oct maybe you can join us then ;)
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which is a fairly new release for one of my RL book clubs.
It is quite interesting, lots of funny observations of human life. I'm not sure where it is going yet, but I'm engaged enough to find out
I just finished
by Barbara Delisnky and gave it 1 star. I used to love this author but think this will be the last book I will read by her. It's funny but one after one I am displeased by fave authors like Nora Roberts and Debbie Macomber and now Delinsky. Don't know why but I will now have to look for some new to me authors who I will enjoy as much as I once enjoyed these authors.
I am about to begin reading
by Yasmina Khadra which is a translated book written by an Algeriran man who writes under this pseudonym. I saw the movie based on this book last weekend and a friend urged me to read the book so we can discuss the book and movie. previously I read this author's excellent book,
.
Since my last post I must say my reading has changed considerably. I thought I wanted to read The Attack but decided I needed more time to elapse since I just saw the movie. Then I began listening to the audio of Flight Behavior but after two disks decided this isn't what I want to read right now. So I continue to read The English Girl which is dragging for me. Maybe I'm just hitting a non reading wall at this time.
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Sarah?I am reading
for our buddy read atm and I'm really enjoying it. The time period is interesting, and in places it reminds me of "Boardwalk Empire".
I began reading
by Daniel Silva last week and today I made an executive decision to put this book down even though I read almost 200 pages. I was plain bored although this author usually finds me riveted to my seat. Maybe it's not the right time or the right book but I put it down. Now I see it is available in the audio version at one of my libraries and I hope it's still there tomorrow morning. I did begin Elegy for Eddie the 9th book (I think it's the 9th book) in the Maisie Dobbs series for a couple of challenges. I first read this book when a clerk at Barnes & Noble suggested to me and am I glad I listened to her. I love this time period - between WWI and WWII and the place, London and most of all the character of Maisie Dobbs. An instantly I fell in love with this author's writings and scenarios.The author Elizabth Berg writing about a female character in her book, Say When, author writing about a female character said, "You know before you know." In this case the woman's husband was cheating on her but in my case I translate this to mean, I generally know when a book is pleasing to me or when it's not within maybe 25 pages.
So, how many pages do you read before you know it's a winner to you and at what point do you give up on a title.
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It is not often I won't/can't finish a book. In fact, there have only been two this year:
because I found the humour forced and the book too naraccistic for my taste. I really tried, but after 70 or so pages knew it was not for me
I tried really hard and when I got stuck I re-read it from the start, but I just couldn't get into it. I felt I couldn't even understand what was happening. I was so disapointed as I really wanted to read it!If
wasn't a BOM I would've given that away too as it wasn't until 110 pages that I got engaged with it
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Karen wrote: "Just started Cinder by Marissa Meyer.I've avoided this book as I have read too many "reinventions" of Cinderella, but based on so many GR friends enjoying it I decided to give it a go. I'm about ..."
Please tell me what you thought when you have finished it, I've hold it off for since its release but some friends thought I might like it. Currently, I have too many books on my stack though.
Karen wrote: "I generally will give up in the first 50 or so pages. Although there have been some books where I have made it much further and then found myself falling asleep. If I am past 50% I will just keep g..."I too generally give up after 50 pages if I get the feeling it just doesnt sit right with me or if I'm struggling I deduct my age in page numbers from 120 and see what's on. The BOM
just didn't get me interested enough to keep going (I put in on hold for a while), I got distracted by
which was recommended to me by my dear GR friends - my first Kristen Ashley book, in the meantime I finished book #3. Fast and fluffy romance/mystery. And now I'm in a book slump, its too hot to do anything at all - the temperature climbed to 37°C today. *ugh* I wish the night would come fast, really fast :)
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I hope your night has brought some cool breezes :)
I am reading little brother by Cory Doctorow. I like it so far... Has a lot of privacy and security issues that are addressed due to terrorism.... Very interesting
Karen wrote: "I generally will give up in the first 50 or so pages. Although there have been some books where I have made it much further and then found myself falling asleep. If I am past 50% I will just keep g..."I must admit that while I have visited Masada twice, taught about Masada, loved Alice Hoffman's books, I didn't care for The Dovekeepers at all. I even tried to reread it but gave up the second time at about page 30.
Karen wrote: "P.S I tried Maisie Dobbs, but I accidentally picked up #3 from the library and I felt like I didn't really understand enough about the characters to enjoy the book properly. I have #1 on my TBR"I often wish that on the front of a book whey would include which book that book is in the series. And better than that they should also include whether a book is a reprint of a book you may have read 20 years before and are now buying cause you think it's new.
~~*Julie wrote: "I am reading little brother by Cory Doctorow. I like it so far... Has a lot of privacy and security issues that are addressed due to terrorism.... Very interesting"I wonder if this is the son of the author Doctorow who wrote Ragtime.
Christine wrote: "Karen wrote: "I generally will give up in the first 50 or so pages. Although there have been some books where I have made it much further and then found myself falling asleep. If I am past 50% I wi..."The weather here has broken a bit in NJ - I hope it cools down for you too. As far as book slumps, I suggest reading magazine articles which are short and then rereading a treasured book or even a new book from a favorite author.
I love The Dovekeepers and think that it is a book that gets better and better as the story moves forward.
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for our BR and I loved it. Great characterisations, suspense, good pacing and a really interesting setting (mid 1800s New York). I'm really pleased to see there is a sequel in the works. This is one of those books that you can see would work well as a series, but the book didn't end on a cliffhanger or have unfinished plot lines. A great peice of writing.
On July 26th I was sort of fed up with The English Girl by Daniel Silva. I wrote about this and also that I might be able to pick up the audio version at the library. Well, I picked up the audio and today I am almost finished with three quarters of this book. Originally, I was a bit confused by the thriller plot so I reread the pages I read on my Kindle underlining key points and then I was less confused and switched to listening and see the end of the book in sight. I am also reading Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear which I am really enjoying.
Karen wrote: "Just finishedfor our BR and I loved it. Great characterisations, suspense, good pacing and a really interesting setting (mid 1800s New York). I'm really ple..."
Thanks Karen! I was thinking about adding that one to my ever-growing TBR, but I wasn't sure. It looks really interesting though. I'm glad you gave it a good review. :) I'll have to add it.
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There are 3 discussion threads under "your books" for
- Your Latest Library request(s)/checkout(s)
- What are you reading AND what do you think?
- Your latest book purchase
I think these 3 threads all aim to have us discuss current books, but having them seperate seems to make conversations a bit fragmented. We were thinking of archiving these and just creating one thread as a "what are you reading now"/ book talk kind of thread?
Thoughts?
I just finished Little Brother by ornery Doctorow. Very disturbing but I thought very well written. Very scary stuff. It is all about security in our country. Great premise in the times we are in now.
I finally am getting some reading done and I chose to finish up the Hunger Games series. I have never read books 2 and three.
I'm in favor of one thread. As someone who has (gulp) read 70 books so far this year but bought more than six times that many..... Having one place to report everything might be simpler!
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Looks like we are outnumbered though. Those in the library thread really like having their "own" thread and it seems others in the other threads agree. So we shall leave it :)
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I have never read books 2 and three."
I only read these recently myself. Can't say I was a massive fan. Book 1 and 3 were good, but book 2 was just a duplication of 1 I felt. It seems people with big breaks in between book 1 & 2 enjoy 2 more, so it will be interesting to get your thoughts :)
Karen wrote: "Christine - I really didn't like Cinder! I should've gone with my gut! The writing was ok, but the big "twist" is given to you REALLY early in the book, so then I felt like I was just reading the w..."In that case I think I skip Cinder. I only want to read great books this summer!! I am very glad that we had a storm warning last night - it's definitely cooler now, yeah!
Nancy wrote: "Christine wrote: "Karen wrote: "I generally will give up in the first 50 or so pages. Although there have been some books where I have made it much further and then found myself falling asleep. If ..."I decided to read a graphic novel first :) Batman: Hush
I am crazy excited for Magic Rises which exactly falls in that category - new book by fav author *lol*
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with Cinder, so many people love it, so you just may too! But I think if you prefer "meaty"/"thinking" type books maybe read some others first :)
Finally finished reading
by Daniel Silva and plan on finishing
by Jacqueline Winspear. Then I hope to begin
by a fave writer for me, Luanne Rice. I also have the following library books to choose from although I am running out of time since they are slowly becoming due:
by David Rosenfelt
by Joe Hillalong with all of those downloaded titles on my I PAD.
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Which I am loving. I always like books about books, and this is also about the lovely relationship between a grown man and his terminally ill mother.
Karen wrote: "Laura wrote: "I finally am getting some reading done and I chose to finish up the Hunger Games series. I have never read books 2 and three."
I only read these recently myself. Can't say I was a ..."
I understand why you would think it was just a repeat of book one, but I really liked it.
The game portion of the book was so much smaller than the first book, and you really got to see who the allies were and who they weren't and I actually began to like Haymitch. I didn't like him at all in the first book. I just started Mockingjay and I can't wait to get to the ending.
Currently Reading: Dark Fever by Karen Marie MoningUp Next: The First Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders
I decided this morning that I am not in the mood for either Beautiful Day or The Lemon Orchard. The first is very predictable and trite, the second very sad and I'm not sure when if ever I'll be able to read this book after reading the prologue.With that in mind I picked up my reserved copy of Blood and Beauty, the new book from Sarah Dunant about the Borgia family. I think Historical Fiction is in order at the moment. Also the new James Patterson Alex Cross book, Alex Cross, Run. And another title, the classic book, The Scarlet Pimpernel for a new group which was recently formed called Short and Sweet. The premise of this group is to read books, both classics and from other genres, that are less than 250 pages.
I am currently reading
by Lizzy Ford. This is the third installment from the Witchling series. I was already very excited to read this since before I started reading because I have been a fan already since the first book of the series.
Do you remember the show A Chorus Line when one of the actors singing about trying to feel like a tree said she felt "nothing." Well, that's what I'm reading - nothing. With 8 unread books on my shelves from the library and over 1000 unread books on my Kindle and 500 unread books in my closet, I am reading nothing. There are times in my life when things become so helter skelter that I just open and close books and know that something is wrong. In this case recent deaths, a horrifying accident to a young man we know and some disappointments for family members have me reeling. At some points during the day I feel as though I'm heading down on a slippery slope. And as we all know reading is a great comfort most times. Either I go with the flow and give myself a few days to simply chill about reading or continue to find the book or even a reread.
I am sorry to hear about your friend and family troubles. I hope that everything works out soon. I will be thinking about you and your family.
Nancy wrote: "Do you remember the show A Chorus Line when one of the actors singing about trying to feel like a tree said she felt "nothing." Well, that's what I'm reading - nothing. With 8 unread books on my ..."Nancy -So sorry for all you're going through right now. Definitely take some time off. This is supposed to be enjoyable, not stressful. When you are ready, the right book will be found.
Nancy wrote: "Do you remember the show A Chorus Line when one of the actors singing about trying to feel like a tree said she felt "nothing." Well, that's what I'm reading - nothing. With 8 unread books on my ..."I can completely understand. Sometimes it's all I can do is just read a book to forget any sadness or hollowness, and it's so important that that book transport me to somewhere else that is definitely not here. I really hope that everything gets better, but just know that right now I can totally relate.
I am reading Divergent and I think it is high school set in some dystopian world, the writing is probably at about the same level too. That must be why it is YA fiction. I hope kids are reading stuff better written than this now days. But the story line is interesting.
Nancy wrote: "Do you remember the show A Chorus Line when one of the actors singing about trying to feel like a tree said she felt "nothing." Well, that's what I'm reading - nothing. With 8 unread books on my ..."I just bought
, hee hee.O.K. Nancy - you need time to grieve and this too shall pass. Everybody goes through loss and we all transition into whatever it is beyond this great known world and this physical realm. Energy is neither created nor destroyed it just changes form - that is a basic law of physics right? We are left grief stricken sometimes when the ones we love make this transition but take care of one another and take care of yourself and allow time to heal these wounds and through death learn to honor life. It is sacred. We are so lucky to be here, to experience it all, and you and your family were so lucky to have these wonderful people grace your lives for the time that they did. Oh but they will be missed I am sure, so everyday honor them by living life doing the best we can and hold them in your memories. It seems the older I get sometimes the memories are all I have of so many people that have gone out of my life.
Thank you Laura, Christie, Emily and Sarah. Your words are the source of comfort I need now since my books aren't doing it for me.Our friend who lost her husband lost her hearing during college and wrote two books abut her adevntures with cochlear implants.
The titles of the books are Hear Again: Back to Life with a Cochlear Implant
and
Listening Closely: A Journey to Bilateral Hearing.
She is a remarkable woman and also writes a blog. Justyesterday she posted the eulogy she wrote and read at her husband's funeral. It has been my privilege and luck to know both her and her late husband whose main job was to watch over her. Prophetically, Someone to Watch Over me was their wedding song.
Nothing But Reading Challenges
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I've avoided this book as I have read too many "reinventions" of Cinderella, but based on so many GR friends enjoying it I decided to give it a go. I'm about a third through and it is very predictable so far. It is ok, but not really knocking my socks off