The Smart Chicks Book Club discussion
What are you reading right now and how goes it?
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Mod
Yay! Looking forward to your thoughts."
I'm adding this book to the group bookshelf. Thanks for the recommend.
I finished Fire Season: Field Notes from a Wilderness Lookout. This book was about a forest service employee who watches for wildfires in the summers in Gila National Forest. He described the area, what it was like to live by himself on the mountain for 10 days or more at a time without seeing or speaking to another human, discussed his hikes and camps and wildfires. It was an interesting book with some history of wilderness areas, the forest service and some Indians thrown in. It made me want to get out in the mountains and hike. Only 3 more months and I can get out in our Utah and surrounding high mountains.
Mod
Hi Linda. I've already added "The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet to the group bookshelf. It must be good because you are not the first to mention it here. Let me know how you like "The Salt Road" when you are done.
I just finished reading Scarlet, the second book in the Cinder series by Marissa Meyer and these books are really entertaining. Cinder is very loosely based on Cinderella. Scarlet gives you more back story on Cinder's life and introduces some new characters. They were both really entertaining.
Now I'm reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This is one strange book. I'm about halfway through it and I'm still not sure what the point of the book is. I think the author is trying to say we worship the wrong things like the internet, tv and credit cards but it isn't clear and I may be just making that up. Has anybody else read this?
I just finished reading Where'd You Go Bernadette and I thought it was really good and I had a hard time putting it down. The mother's rantings about other people started to get a little old but I know they were necessary to show us how off kilter she was getting and to lead us to the fact that she needed some professional help. I couldn't believe how much she was getting her personal assistant to do for her. Asking someone in India to make a dinner reservation for you in Seattle seemed to go too far. I was curious about what she was actually doing in the Gulfstream all day long every day in the back yard. It also seems hard to imagine that someone so handy would let their house get into such disrepair even though she was depressed and had problems but I've seen a lot of hoarders shows where the same stuff happens. Psychosis can make you do some crazy stuff:) I was furious at the dad for what he did but then I was just as furious at Bee for the way she was reacting to him. (view spoiler) Overall I really enjoyed the book and gave it 4 stars. Where'd You Go, Bernadette
I just started reading Game Of Thrones. It's my second attempt and apparently I had to be in the right mindset to get into because this time I'm really excited about reading it. So we'll see how it goes. :-)
Denise wrote: "I just started reading Game Of Thrones. It's my second attempt and apparently I had to be in the right mindset to get into because this time I'm really excited about reading it. So we'll see how it..."I've read those. They are some pretty hefty books so it takes some commitment to stick to it. I liked the first one the best. The others were good but he just kept adding characters and eventually I was getting lost and forgetting who some people were. Let me know what you think about it after you're done:)
I must be missing something, I thought The Language of Flowers was on our list. I'm almost done and LOVING it but I don't see a discussion topic or in the book's reading schedule. Only The Salt God's Daughter....what am I doing wrong? or is that another book club?
Mod
Some mysterious force deleted it. Grrrrr... I'm adding it back now.
I'm reading The Grapes of Wrath for the first time. I am liking it a lot better than I thought I would. I thought a book about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression would be super depressing but there are funny parts to it and the language in the book is so country that it reminds me of home:) I'm really enjoying this and I think I'll read more Steinbeck after this! I was walking to lunch the other day with the book in my hand and just as I was stepping into the road to cross the street a guy behind me yelled STIENBECK! It scared the crap out of me. I finally realized he was talking about the book in my hand. I said yeah, I like him. He kept yelling across the street about how much he loved Steinbeck and he was his favorite author. Well, this gave me more incentive to keep reading it because surely a guy on the street corner yelling about Steinbeck can't be wrong, lol.
Hi, everyone. This is my first post here. I'm also enrolled in the 50-book challenge group this year, and am therefore plowing through a bunch of books in rapid fashion, but luckily, many of them have been winners. I just finished The Aviator's Wife and really enjoyed it. It's a good title for historical fiction fans. Next up is Nothing To Envy, a non-fiction about North Korea, which should be intriguing. I'm seeing lots of good ideas here from all of you, so thanks!
Mod
Hi Tracy. I've added it to our group bookshelf. Let us know how it goes. (It is sitting on my real life bookshelf at home.)
Mod
Linda, I've added the Aviator's Wife to our group bookshelf. Please let us know about the beautiful books you discover.
Tina wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I'm reading The Grapes of Wrath for the first time. I am liking it a lot better than I thought I would. I thought a book about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression would be super de..."I really did end up liking The Grapes of Wrath. The ending was a little surprising and things weren't tied up neatly at the end which I think fit this book perfectly since their day to day survival was so uncertain. I thought it was a great classic read and has become one of my favorites:) The subject matter is sad but the way people came together to try to survive gave me a more positive outlook on human nature. Even though they were fighting day by day to get enough to eat they still went on living their lives and some hooked up and got married in the midst of the craziness. Unfortunately there were a lot of stillborn babies since nutrition was so bad, but that would have just been another mouth to feed. Real thought provoking book!
I just finished the 5th book in the Anne of Green Gables series. These books are fun and whimsical and you can usually guess what is going to happen from the word go but the author paints a nice peaceful picture of life on Prince Edward Island and I am kind of envious:) The 5th book, Anne's House of Dreams, was enjoyable but probably my least favorite so far in the series. The author just brushed over major life events in Anne's life. I would think since she is the main character that we should get to be there with her pains and joys as she is pregnant for the first and second time but the author doesn't even mention it until she's almost in labor. I think she said she had something to look forward to in the Spring but it was mixed in with normal conversation so I didn't even know what she was talking about. I thought that was a little weird.
Mod
How did it go?
Mod
Tracy, I'm impressed with the number of books you pour through. High five.
Tracy wrote: "I would think since she is the main character that we should get to be there with her pains and joys as she is pregnant for the first and second time but the author doesn't even mention it until she's almost in labor. I think she said she had something to look forward to in the Spring but it was mixed in with normal conversation so I didn't even know what she was talking about." In that time and day, pregnancy was rarely mentioned. Even today, once a woman has had a late miscarriage or a stillbirth, she is often wary of mentioning a pregnancy for fear it will go awry again. I love all the "Anne" books and discover great observations on human nature and subleties every time I re-read.Currently reading The Language of Flowers and loving it, although Victoria certainly is a thistle of a girl/woman!
Mod
I was pleased with The Language of Flowers and happy to pass it on to more enthusiastic readers. And yep, Victoria is flawed character we can't stop rooting for.
Tina wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I just finished the 5th book in the Anne of Green Gables series. These books are fun and whimsical and you can usually guess what is going to happen from the word go but the author pa..."Thanks, I'm not sure if it is an accomplishment or just a way to put off cleaning the house, lol:)
I'm reading The Storyteller right now. I'm about 1/5 of the way through. It is a really interesting story and I can't wait to see what's going to happen:)
I finished The Ocean at the End of the Lane finally:) this was an odd little book but as always Gaiman created an interesting world where strange things happened and it was easy to accept them. I felt sorry for the little boy of 7 having to deal with these issues but he had three neighbors who helped him through his journey and it was a fun story:)
I am working on The a Mists of Avalon. It is a chunkster for sure. I'm liking most of the characters but I can't stand Queen Gwen.
I'm about twenty percent into Girls in Trucks. So far my streak of liking books with lousy GR averages continues. :)
I just finished Miracle at St. Anna, a story about a small band of buffalo soldiers and their experience in a small Italian village during WWll. I loved this book. The chapter "Statue Head" was one of the most interesting/best chapters I've read in a novel in a long time. About to read Out of Africa again.
I finished No Book but the World. I love the author's writing style. I was not however in love with the story itself.
Just finished The Moon Sisters; have yet to review. Parts were lyrical and enchanting - never read a character with synthesia (sp?) before, the "bleeding" of one sense to another, so sounds have color, sights have tastes, etc, and that part was wonderful. However, it moved rather slowly and was kind of uneven. Am about to start I Shall be Near to You for my in-person book club. Along with reading about cancer and treatments for same (my sis has it).
I'm reading Rules of Civility. I hated the preface, but now that I'm into the actual story of the book the writing style is reminding me of Pride and Prejudice.
I'm 20% into Up at the Villa. My first W. Somerset Maugham.I'm still in the set-up, so I don't have an answer for the second part of the question yet.
I'm reading The Gunslinger by Stephen King and it hasn't gripped me at all. The story is jumping around too much with no explanations or character development.
I'm reading The Hottest State because every Reality Bites and Before Sunrise fan should. ;)It's a decent read, although he's a little too metaphor happy.
Just finished You Know When the Men Are Gone eight short stories about the soldiers and their wives living at Fort Hood. In spite of the name most of the stories are really about what happens when the men return home from deployment. It was pretty good.
amber wrote: "Just finished You Know When the Men Are Gone eight short stories about the soldiers and their wives living at Fort Hood. In spite of the name most of the stories are really about wha..."That sound interesting, Amber.
Tracy wrote: "amber wrote: "Just finished You Know When the Men Are Gone eight short stories about the soldiers and their wives living at Fort Hood. In spite of the name most of the stories are re..."I would recommend it Tracy!
I just read People of the Book, it was an amazing story. I loved how the book tied the lives together of so many over time.
I'm about 20% in on my buddy read with Pam Euphoria. I really like the way Lily King puts words together.
I read Euphoria. I love the way King puts words together. But I'm just middle of the road on the story itself.
I'm reading Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King. This is the fifth book in the Dark Towers series. I like these books the further I get in the series.
I've just started Butterflies in November. I've never read an Icelandic author before. So far so good.
I have just finished reading The Syrian Virgin by Zack Love. It is one of the best books I have read. You follow a young girl from her life in Syria and all the devistation it is facing to her new life in the USA. Along the way she has a bit of a romance but this story is mostly about her journey and everything that happens along the way. The book is being compared to The Kite Runner. I have yet to read that book, but I really enjoyed The Syrian Virgin.
I just made a list of my top 10 favorite books I've read so far this year and the are:1) Home Front
2) Ready Player One
3) The Rosie Project
4) The Golem and the Jinni
5) Flowers for Algernon
6) A Thousand Splendid Suns
7) I Shall Be Near to You
8) The Poisonwood Bible
9) The Heretic Queen
10) Divergent
What were your favorites this year? Two of these came as monthly reads from this group.
Mod
1) Home Front
2) Ready Player One
3) The Rosie Project
4) [book..."
For me it might be (top three) Second Glance, The Golem and the Jinni and the History of Love.
In no particular order but using my challenge - so my most recent reading order :)1. The Girl You Left Behind
2. What Alice Forgot
3. People of the Book
4. The History of Love
Should finish Cutting for Stone by end of year....let's see if it makes the cut. Have heard amazing things
I've just finished my first audio book - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and I loved it! This is definitely one of those books that grips you from the start. It's a thriller that is written from the perspective of three women and there are so many plot twists, my head was spinning - but in a good way! I couldn't stop listening!If you like thriller and mysteries, this is the book for you.
Mod
I just added this book to the group bookshelf. Thank you.
The Smart Chicks Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
On the Island (other topics)The Rosie Project (other topics)
Home Front (other topics)
Ready Player One (other topics)
Divergent (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Lily King (other topics)W. Somerset Maugham (other topics)
Julian Fellowes (other topics)
Yay! Looking forward to your thoughts.