What are you reading? Showing 501-550 of 28,901

[Katie]

Ok, so in my efforts to dip my toes into the waters of audiobooks, I requested The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao from the library. I popped it in on the way home from work today, hoping to ease the tension of my day...and I'm horrified to say I HATED it!! Not sure if it's the whole audiobook thing I dislike or the book itself, but I was not feeling the experience at all:( I only managed to hang on through about half an hour of the first disc! I think I'll stick to the actual book and this month's group reads for now!!

[Stacie]

Katie, I am with you. I am SO not an audiobook kind of girl. I like the tangibility (I might have just made that word up) of holding the book in my hand - the feel and smell of the pages, especially the really old ones I pick up from library sales. I also wasn't a fan of the "Brief Wonderous..." and actually happily put the book down (something I very rarely do) when I found out I couldn't go to book club. However, it may just be me, as I found everyone in my book club liked it.

[Jen]

I've only read the first page of Oscar Wao prior to purchasing it, but I think I'm going to love it. Regarding audiobooks, reading the book is always better for me, but I have come across some that I like. I have found that the narrator makes a HUGE difference. Characters that would normally sound sad in my head have sounded whiny and pathetic on audio. I still choose to listen to audio when I go for a walk because I can get a book in that I've either already read or don't see reading in the near future because of the full "to read" list. I'm currently listening to Christopher Moore's Lamb and it is very enjoyable. I've also found that non-fiction books come across well. Thirteenth Tale was a good one to listen to (I read it first because it's never quite the same) and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (also read first). It might be worth another try for you, just make sure to read the reviews online (bn.com or similar site).

[Cynthia]

I tried listening to Wicked by Maguire last year..I have to agree with Katie and Stacie I found that I just hated audio books...don't think I'll ever do that again. I just couldn't follow the story like I could with an actual book. Maybe it would have been different if I read the book and then just listened to it for fun...I don't know.

As far as what I'm reading..I just finished The Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed...odd little book that I wasn't crazy about. Next I plan to read The mysteries of Pittsburgh.

[Michelle]

Lori...I am loving Dexter. I love the show, but wasn't sure what to expect and it took me a while to get into the first-person narration style, but Lindsay has a wicked wit and poor Demented Dexter is such an unexpected anti-hero. I am about halfway through Dearly Devoted Dexter. I was planning on taking the series to the beach in a few weeks, but couldn't wait.

As far as audiobooks go, I am also listening The Absistnce Teacher. I think audiobooks are great for long car rides or working out. I would much rather read a book and turn the pages than listen, but sometimes it is easier to let someone else do the work. I think it depends on who is reading the story. I love Campbell Scott's voice and delivery, so while I am not completely enamored with the story, I am willing to listen to it. I also think The Joy Luck Club is a great audiobook. However, I am never a fan of any of the abridged ones.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Michelle, glad you are into the books! I read them before i watched the series, and i watched out of order too (season 2 first. i just bought season 1 and will be watching that soon) but i totally got the show, since it stuck so closely to the books.....

[Michelle]

Lori, Season 1 is quite good, although you already know the answer to the big who-dun-it. I just finished Dearly Devoted Dexter, which I very much enjoyed and instead of working on my online class. I cracked open Dexter in the Dark, but haven't read more than a page, because I think once I start, I won't be able to stop and I really need to try and get some sleep. We shall see if I am able to hold out...

[Mandy]

Finished Second Chance and I really liked it, not your usual light airy fairy chick lit but well worth a read.

Now I'm reading The Thirteenth Tale, about 60 or so pages in and unfortunately I have to put it down to go out to lunch but I wish I could just lose myself in it for the rest of the day, it's great!

[Stacie]

I think my other thing with audiobooks is that I am not an auditory learner at all and it is really hard for me to retain what I hear (for instance in school) unless I am taking notes. So, I also feel like I would miss A LOT of the story.

[alicia]

Michelle I just love the Dexter books and just got into the series as weel.Love both I love the actor who plays Dexter and have loved him since Six Feet Under.


I just got done with Wildwood by Drusilla Campbell a new to me author.Started her Blood Orange and it is very good better than Wildwood a much more complicated interesting story.

[Lorena]

Ok, I finished the Alchemist last night, and I am so sad, it was such great book, I know I will re-read it many times in my life.

I am starting the Thirteenth tale tonight for our group read.

[Sherry]

Finished Blindness yesterday and having a hard time choosing what to read next.Blindness was so good and engrossing(I read most of it yesterday and I don't do that all that often)and I don't want to completely lose the feeling so I don't want something light.I was thinking The Road by Cormac McCarthy or the Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.Hmmm decisions,decisions.

[Chloe]

Sherry, I'd recommend starting with The Road and then, if you're still not depressed enough, moving on to The Handmaid's Tale.

[Sherry]

Thanks Logan,actually I pulled it out and after reading a little realized that was the one to go with.

[Mona]

Yeah Lorena, I am so glad you enjoyed The Alchemist! It's such a good story.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Yeah, Sherry, i would second Logans recommendation, but I see you have already begun :)

I forced myself to read Something Wicked This Way Comes quickly yesterday just to get it over with. Its was just ok as far as a novel. much prefered the movie to this... sad to say.

I am currently reading Motherless Brooklyn. I like the main character Lionel. His Tourettes really makes the story. Im about 60 pages in at the moment.

[Chloe]

I'm so glad you like Motherless Brooklyn. Jonathon Lethem is in the upper echelon of my preferred writers.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Logan, what else have you read by him... there is one other novel of his that sounds interesting. Called "and she leaned across the table" or something like that, about a woman who falls in love with nothingness/Lack?? Sounds weird but like something that might be worth reading.

[Jen]

Tianna - I have great respect for anyone who can reread a novel. I have several that I would love to reread but too many unread, so I never seem to get the rereading part.

Lori and Logan - Thanks for the post on Motherless Brooklyn. I've had it for about two years now and haven't gotten to it yet.

I just started reading The Art of Racing in the Rain which is a book told from a dog's perspective. So far, so good but I'm only on page 10.

[Lorena]

That is so interesting, I have re-read several books once I find them in Spanish (if that was the original lenguage they were written on), and I have re-read Illusions and John SeaGull several times.

[Chloe]

Lori, the other books of Lethem's that I've read are As She Climbed Across the Table and Fortress of Solitude. I really loved As She Climbed.... Being the scifi junkie that I am, it was the first book of his that I read.

Fortress of Solitude is more of a coming of age tale about two comic-book loving kids growing up in Brooklyn in the 80s and falling in love with graffiti and hip-hop, and the different paths their lives take. It's a fun read, but not of the same caliber as Motherless Brooklyn or As She Climbed...

I also own Gun With Occasional Music, but I haven't actually picked it up and read it yet. Maybe that should be my treat for when I finish Infinite Jest.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Logan, I added As She Climbed and Gun W/Occasional Music to my to-read/to-buy shelves. They both sounded good. I will have to take a look at Fortress again. Thanks :)

[Cynthia]

I just finished The Mysteries of Pittsburg by Chabon...very bizarre book, not my typical read at all (I added him to my authors to read because of other books he's written)...although a few passages were interesting overall it was just an ok book. It's been two lackluster books in a row for me...hopefully the next one will be more interesting. I plan to read THE TEA HOUSE ON MULBERRY STREET by SHARON OWENS as my first book for my summer reading challenge starting tomorrow.

[Melanie]

I am juggling a few right now: On Chesil Beach
by Ian McEwan, Dirty Job, and Four Corners by Kira Salek (travel memior about Papua New Guinea).

[Sherry]

Melanie,what do you think of On Chesil Beach?It's in my to read pile and I haven't heard a lot of feedback about it yet.

[Mandy]

I'd be interested to know what you think as well, Melanie. I read it a couple of months back and it was a quick read. I thought it was okay but to be honest I think the book took on more meaning after I'd finished it and thought about it for a while, you know how sometimes that happens? I could see how good the writing was after I stepped back for a bit and also checked on what other people said about the book - I often do this and it brings to light things I wouldn't have thought of otherwise.

[Katie]

Jen -- I just bought The Art of Racing in the Rain a couple days ago on a whim at Target...you'll have to let me know how it is!!

[Neeraj]

Hmmmm...well i am reading,"The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostovesky...

[Jen]

Sherry - I read On Chesil Beach some months ago for a book club and I loved it. McEwan writes with elaborate description so some people love him and some don't have the patience for him. I really identified with the theme in OCB - the idea that things left unsaid or misinterpreted can change the course of one's life.

[Sherry]

Jen,that's what drew me to the book.Having a long marriage I could identify with the topic.It happens so easily!I appreciated March by Geraldine Brooks for much the same reason.
Maybe it will encourage me to read Attonement.I'm a strange kind of person who doesn't like reading something just because it's popular(and I'm not much of a Keira Knightly fan,another reason I was put off by the book,dumb I know but I'm sure I'll be picturing her as the character and be annoyed.)

[Katie]

Thanks ladies, your discussion of these two books prompted me to add On Chesil Beach and March to my ever-lengthening TBR list! Now I need to stay off of GR for a day & use this rainy day off to actually get to some reading! *LOL*

[Lori, Super Mod]

Neeraj, i just bought Brothers Karamazov tonite at the bookstore, how far into it are you? Are you enjoying it? It is scary to look at, such a big book..... looks like a huge commitment :)

[Celeste]

I did absolutely love Water for Elephants. If will join the ranks of books I don't give away. There aren't many on that list, considering the amount I read, but this is definitely one.

I am now reading something I picked up a few years back on the bargain table at Barnes and Nobles called We Remember by Jeanne Marie Laskas. It's true stories of women that have lived to be close to 100 years of age of more. Very interesting. The women are from all walks of life: from Brook Astor to Bessie Marshall, whose father was a slave to Minnie Littlebear, who can remember being sent to a reservation.

We Remember is very interesting. I'm enjoying reading about these very independent women from all walks of life. They range in age from about 92 to about 104. If you ever come across a copy pick it up, us girl can definitely learn from one another.

[Sherry]

Just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy this morning and sat and cried for about 15 minutes when I was done.Beautiful,sad,amazing novel.

Not quite masochistic enough to tackle a Handmaid's Tale but masochistic enough to take on another McCarthy novel.Just not ready to part with Mr McCarthy yet.So I have started No Country For Old Men and so far I'm glad I did.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I think I'm going to start The Omnivore's Dilemma, by Michael Pollan today. It looks very interesting.

[Chloe]

Susanna, that was one of my favorite reads so far this year. You're in for a treat.

[Celeste]

Finished We Remember a little while ago and will be starting What a Girl Wants by Liz Maverick. Just a little fluff, it is summer time, and we all need some down time now and again.

[Cynthia]

I finished THE TEA HOUSE ON MULBERRY STREET today for the summer reading challenge, really great story; a little difficult at times to keep track of all the characters (basically the book is about a tea house in Belfast, Ireland and all these characters lives intertwine and connect there)...but the author did a good job of tying up all the loose ends and there was a very satisfying conclusion. I gave 4 out 5 stars.

Next I plan to read Manless in Montclair: How a Happily Married Woman Became a Widow Looking for Love in the Wilds of Suburbia by Amy Holman Edelman - my new author for the book challenge.

[Lori, Super Mod]

Finished Motherless Brooklyn this morning (loved this book!) and started Metamorphasis by Kafka.

[Cynthia]

I just finished Manless in Montclair by Amy Holman Edelman...I'm whizzing through these summer reading tasks (3 tasks down - 35 points - yeah). It was a good book it's one that I had on my to read list that I lost when I lost my usb storage device back at Christmas and forgot to add when I re-wrote the list...then my dad found the usb drive in his truck and I merged my two lists and added this back on...I'm glad I did because it was really a nice story.

Next THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM OF LOVE BY JOSEPHINE CARR...MY ROMANCE NOVEL FOR THE CHALLENGE.

[Jen]

Katie - I finished The Art of Racing in the Rain. I loved it. The first two hundred pages were good and I enjoyed them but the last one hundred really made the book. I love the way the story comes together and the perspective of the dog is perfect.

Now onto Stolen Innocence to indulge in my obsession with the FLDS.

[Mandy]

Jen, I've now added The Art of Racing in the Rain to my list - thanks!

[[deleted user]]

I just finished reading Book Thief, I absolutely loved it!! I checked it out from the library and now I really wished that I would have bought my own copy. Actually I just might :-)
I really hope you enjoy it!

[Katie]

Jen -- I'll have to bump it up my TBR list...I have three days off this weekend, and that's already going in my bag to take with me:)

[Cynthia]

Having only a part time job may not be good for your bank account but it sure does give you lovely amounts of time to read...I finished THE DEWEY DECIMAL SYSTEM OF LOVE by JOSEPHINE CARR a few minutes ago. Another short read but cute chick lit romance...not great but enjoyable...made more so because it was all about a librarian lol. Next I think I'll switch gears and read a non-fiction book...BECOMING JANE AUSTEN by JON SPENCE.

[Lorena]

I just finished the thirteenth tale (and loved it!) now I'm going to start memorias de mis putas tristes, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, its a small book, I should be done by the week's end. I am trying to complete my library with all his works, I have 6 more of his books to buy!!!

[Lori, Super Mod]

I finished Metamorphasis this afternoon and started Wrinkle In Time (as a reread) for Sawyers Book Club on myspace.... god, I got myself into ANOTHER reading circle.. what is wrong with me? Between this one, the Lost Lit List Challenge I created, Sawyers Book Club and the Authors Alphabet Challenge, (And im considering the 1001 Books challenge now too) EGads.... what is wrong with me??!! Im an addict. I need help!

[Chloe]

The nice thing about the 1001 challenge is that there's a lot of overlap for other challenges. I've been working on the Book Title Alphabet Challenge and have nearly completed it with only books on the 1001 list.

Not all sicknesses require treatment...

[Lori, Super Mod]

Hee hee hee....
Well, i must admit, I too try to read books that cover me on more than one challenge.. Its a great way to test my mutli-tasking!

BTW Logan, I noticed you just logged Metamorphasis and Wrinkle In Time, are you rereading those, or just updating your read-list?

[Lorena]

Lori, Logan - I agree, plus the 1001 its a great starting point for ideas when you are in the mood for buying classics. I did see a bunch of other books that I really like in the addendum ... is that what it was? or did they take titles out and put those books in?