What do you think of the book you are currently reading?

[[deleted user]]

Alien stories always frighten me, so it's no surprise that THE SIXTH SEED by Lee Allen Howard has me reading it only during the day. I'm waiting for the first nightmare... :)

[Irene]

I just finished reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth today. What a cool story! It has an interesting writing style that really stands out as the author's own. The plot is what got me most, though. I've been dreaming about zombies all week. :)

[[deleted user]]

Irene wrote: "I just finished reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth today.

I have to read this, Irene! I love zombie stories.

[Irene]

Absolutely, Heidi. Let me know what you think when you do!

[J.]

Currently re-reading A Test of Wills by Charles Todd, then there's this book on my Kindle called Ambassadora that I'm gonna jump into.

[[deleted user]]

J. wrote: "then there's this book on my Kindle called Ambasadora that I'm gonna jump into."

Ha ha! I've heard of that one. ;)

[[deleted user]]

I will, Irene!

[Chris]

Reading "A Perfect Crime" by Peter Abrahams and "Story Engineering" by Larry Brooks. First is suspense and is excellent in the way I expect all Abrahams books to be. Second is really great fiction instruction.

[W.D.]

It seems like the question should be what I'm I not reading right now. I'm taking part in the Wheel of Time Re-read and I've stalled on The Eye of the World with life just getting in the way when ever I pick it up. This was the book that got me into fantasy so it will be interesting to go back to it after so long. I also got a hankering to re-read the A Song of Ice and Fire books after watching the first season on HBO, so I've just dug into A Game of Thrones Almost finished with Good Omens, still funny every time I read it. And finally, for my site, The Non-Horror Reader Survey, I'm reading Ante Mortem for the next spotlight post.

[[deleted user]]

Chris wrote: "Re-reading Alistair MacLean's "The Guns of Navarone." I was nervous at first: would it be as good as I remembered? Well, there may be too many -ly words, but yes, it is still awesome!"

I wondered if you would still be in SHUWPF mode when trying to read for pleasure. It took me years after the program to stop mentally editing published authors' work as I read.

[[deleted user]]

Chris wrote: "Reading "A Perfect Crime" by Peter Abrahams and "Story Engineering" by Larry Brooks."

I've never read either, but will have to check out STORY ENGINEERING...

[Sally]

Currently reading Chris Stout's "Days of Reckoning." I can only say that it's enthralling. It captured my attention from the first line and held it. It's gritty with great characters. The writing reminds me of Dennis Lehane.

[Ann]

I'm reading an older book: Stalking Darkness by Lynn Flewelling, which is the second book in her Nightrunner series.

I'm very much enjoying her writing and characterization. Kinda wish I had read the books when they came out, rather than 15 years later. But that's one of the great things about books... they can still be there 15 years later!

Re: Editing others work: If the writer is good, the story grabs me enough that when I do see errors or stuff I'd change, I just don't care. Even when I encounter the word "grimace."

[[deleted user]]

Sally wrote: "Currently reading Chris Stout's "Days of Reckoning." It's gritty with great characters."

I can't wait to see if your perceptions about the characters change by the end. I'll say no more, but let us know!

[[deleted user]]

Ann wrote: "Re: Editing others work: If the writer is good, the story grabs me enough that when I do see errors or stuff I'd change, I just don't care. Even when I encounter the word "grimace.""

I encounter grimace in about every book I read--no wonder Esaias wants to wage personal war on the word.

I also try to ignore what I'd change, though head-hopping drives me crazy. Still, I push through for the story's sake.

[Daphne]

Grimaces jump out at me too, LOL.

I recently finished Ill Wind by Rachel Caine which I liked a lot. I'm planning to read book two in that series but I'm going to wait a little. I try not to read books by the same author too close together or I get tired of the writer's style.

So right now I'm reading The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan, which I'm enjoying, and Open Season by C.J. Box, which is also good. And I'm reading a fascinating non-fiction book, Good Calories, Bad Calories.

[Christine]

I've been digging into Writing the Paranormal Novel (by Seton Hill grad Steven Harper) and am also enjoying The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton, The Pack by Jason Starr and Hounded by Kevin Hearne.

Can you tell I'm competing in the library's Summer Reading Club? :)

[[deleted user]]

Daphne, you're like me--you read several books at once!

BTW, I keep meaning to get into Rachel Caine. I pick up one of her books every other time I'm in a book store. Maybe I should get the first one on Kindle since it's so convenient to hit that one-button and have it immediately delivered to me. ;)

[[deleted user]]

Christine wrote: "I've been digging into Writing the Paranormal Novel (by Seton Hill grad Steven Harper)."

This is terrible, but I didn't even know about Steven's book! Thanks for the info, Christine.

[Daphne]

Heidi - I do! I almost always read more than one book at a time. Oh, and I read Ill Wind on Kindle. I love my Kindle. :)

I'm currently reading The Hunger Games and The 4-Hour Body and still working on Good Calories, Bad Calories, which is loooong. I've also read about half of that writing/promoting book by John Locke (can't remember the title) -- the guy who sold a million copies of his self-published books on Kindle.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished ADAM by Jacquelyn Frank and loved it. I got sucked into her Nightwalker series after reading her new SF Romances The Three Worlds series, and her characters have me going back again and again.

Anyone else read anything by her?

[Susan]

Just finished "Outlining Your Novel" by K.M. Weiland. Sometimes I can be very visual/literal so I liked this how-to that provided suggestions and examples of how to use the outline process to build characters, plot, and subplots. It also offered suggestions of different types of outlines (linear, typed, post-it notes, index cards).

[[deleted user]]

Susan wrote: "Just finished "Outlining Your Novel" by K.M. Weiland. Sometimes I can be very visual/literal so I liked this how-to that provided suggestions and examples of how to use the outline process to build characters, plot, and subplots."

I'm a big fan of outlining and very visual as well, Susan. I'll have to check this book out.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished KILLBOX, book four in the Sirantha Jax series. Anyone else read these?

Right now I'm reading another SF Romance by T. K. Toppin - The Lancaster Rule. It's the first in a trilogy. She does this neat thing where she has alternating chapters in third person and first person. I"m amazed at how seamlessly they blend into one another.

[K.]

I was reading Ambasadora by Heidi Ruby Miller, but I'm in the process of moving, so the book got packed up. And I was toward the end, too! So when I get unpacked, I'll finally finish it. Loved the underground world (so cyberpunkish!), and the mind minstrels (very creative). And I was falling in love with Sean, right along with Sara.

[[deleted user]]

K. Ceres wrote: "I was reading Ambasadora by Heidi Ruby Miller, but I'm in the process of moving, so the book got packed up. And I was toward the end, too! So when I get unpacked, I'll finally finish it. Loved the the underground world (so cyberpunkish!), and the mind minstrels (very creative). And I was falling in love with Sean, right along with Sara."

I love Sean, too. *sigh*

Ha! Thanks, Ceres.