You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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What are you currently reading and why? (CLOSED)
Dem wrote: "Brenda wrote: "I've just finished Sarah's Key because my friend recommended it - it was OK, there were 2 stories interwoven,one historical and one in the present day. I preferred the historical sto..."I felt the same way - the modern story was totally forgettable and boring with cliches and stereotypical characters. But I loved Sarah's story.
I will be starting Ava's Man. It looks terribly inteeresting, being about the author's grandfather and mother growing up in the Appalachian foothills during the Depression. I think I am going to like the grandfather. Also it was available for my new Kindle :0)I just finished Nicholas and Alexandra. The book description is incorrect - this is the whole book, not part of two books! I chose this becuase I wanted to try a book by the author Robert K. Massie. I am terribly pleased. I must read more by Massie. He is one of those authors that makes history and people's lives so darn interesting, and never, ever dry. Don't read a crime novel, read this instead. I gave it five stars! Here is my GR review which explains why!
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I loved The Tudors show on Showtime. It got me interested in King Henry VIII & all his wives & children. I am trying to learn as much about them as I can. I have some history books & non-fiction books.
Just started the The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East and just a few pages in and so far loving it.
YES, Dem, it is so good! I have blotted out in my mind the title of another novel that came out that everyone raved about. Sort of the same theme, but really not good, at least not if youhave read TLT. I kept sying - no, no, read The Lemon Tree instead.
I'm reading A Thread of Grace. I absolutely loved The Sparrow by the same author. So far so good but I get nervous when there is a 2 pages list of characters at the onset of the book.
Michelle, TTOG is a wonderful book! Don't get worried.
Reading a rather magical little book called Haunting Jasmine about a bookstore where the dead authors talk and mystical things happen. It is by Anjali Banerjee. Also reading the Evolution of Bruno Littlemore which I have just started. First novel by Benjamin Hale.
I'm reading the Lincoln Lawyer, because I want to go and see the film when it comes out here (UK) - quite enjoying it!!
I will now start The Confessions of Catherine de Medici because a group of which I am a member is reading this now, and I have had it waiting to be read for ages! Oc course I am curious about her, living myself near France! She has been so maligned, and I believe this book looks at her with a more balanced view. Furthermore, I have read another book by the author, and I loved it!I just completed Ava's Man, which I very highly recommend. My GR review explains why: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... It is about the author's grandfather, who lived in the Appalachian foothills during the Depression.
Chrissie wrote: "Brenda, why is it so popular now-a-days to have a modern and an historical thread in the same book?! Most often the reader prefers the historical... as both you and I did with this book! For me the..."Chrissie: I agree totally - it really spoiled the book (Sarah's Key) didn't it? Although when I started it I didn't really want to read another book about the holocaust, but I found that to be the part I enjoyed the most.
Just starting The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. Never read anything by her before, but I keep hearing good things ;)
I just started Feathered by Laura Kasischke. I don't know what to think of it yet. I read her first book and it was okay and this one sounded alright too but her writing style kind of gets on my nerves. She does this weird flashback thing that doesn't seem to fit with the story but I'm only about 1/4 of the way through so we'll see!
Susan wrote: "I'm starting Room by Emma Donoghue...I have heard so much about this book!!"Let us know what you think, Susan! I loved it, but can understand why some people didn't like it.
Valerie wrote: "Just starting The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen. Never read anything by her before, but I keep hearing good things ;)"I think her books are interesting and different. She has a new one out next week called Peack Keeper which I am looking forward to.
I am reading Night Road by Kristin Hannah and am loving it! It grabbed me right from the get go! I have the tissues close by........I had to put Room aside to get this book read quick!!
Here I am again. I will now start A Child al Confino: The True Story of a Jewish Boy and His Mother in Mussolini’s Italy. I have been lent this ebook for my Kindle. I wanted to see if this would work, and it did. Of course I like memoirs and reading about the Holocaust - this time in Italy. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... is my spoiler free GR review for Gortner's The Confessions of Catherine de Medici. I gave it four stars. It was rough for me at the beginning, but ended up a wonderful, exciting and informative book.
Caitlin wrote: "I'm currently rereading The Vampire Lestat, I'm in the mood for vampire books."I've had that one on hold for about 3 months. it's not that I don't like it, it's just so dark and gloomy.
I am getting ready to start
because I just saw the movie yesterday and want to read it while it's fresh in my mind! I've heard that they left the ending out of the story so I'll have to search online for it afterwards haha
I am currently reading Imperfect Birds by Anne Lamott. I grew up in the San Francisco area and I love that she sets her novels in the area. I also wanted something contemporary after Ransom, by David Malouf--which I loved.
I just started a James Patterson book (this will be my first JP) called You've Been Warned. I have to say that I've enjoyed it from the very first page. His writing (at least in this book) is very first-person conversational, with just enough third person to move the story along. So in the first 30 pages I've found out that the main character (heroine, i think) a)is a photographer who loves her work, b) may have ESP, c)is a nanny for an upperclass bitch and d) is having an affair with her husband. Oh, yes, and she hears music in her head...I'm looking forward to this and it feels like it is going to be a fast read. I only have 330 pages to go...
I just finished A Thread of Grace so now I need some light reading. So I am reading I Feel Bad about My Neckand Off Keck Road. Both are quick reads. My mother lent me The Kindly Ones - I am not sure if I am up to it as I have heard it is so depressing. Anyone read it?? It's also nearly 1000 pages long...
I'm reading The Boleyn Inheritance. I'm really interested in The Tudors. I own about 10 books about them.
Michelle wrote: "I just finished A Thread of Grace so now I need some light reading. So I am reading I Feel Bad about My Neckand Off Keck Road. Both are quick reads. My ..."Major Pettigrew's Last stand was light and amusing. I took it with me on a recent trip to Africa and it was very diverting.
Finished (by skimming late last night) the James Patterson You've Been Warned, and I have to say I kind of wished I hadn't started it. It wasn't what I expected to say the least. Don't get me wrong, the writing itself was excellent, I didn't like the subject matter/storyline/ending. Not to spoil it for anyone really interested in reading it, I think you should know what you're getting into. The most objectionable part of it to me was the undertone of religiosity, especially at the end. I've had enough hellfire and damnation in my life already, I don't need any more.
I am currently reading
I bought it about a month ago and haven't read it yet so I'm finally getting around to it. I'm not very far but I love the blue ink!
The Paris Wife. I won this book through the giveaway and I am really enjoying it. It is the story of Hemingway and his first wife Hadley.
THE FORREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, AND THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR
Beth - loved Forest of Hands and Teeth! I think its one of those love it or hate it books
Amy wrote: "I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I loved The Tudors show on Showtime. It got me interested in King Henry VIII & all his wives & children. I am trying to learn as much about them as I..."I too am enthralled with anything Tudor. Have you read anything about Catherine of Aragon? I believe it was the Constant Princess by Philipa Gregory! Loved it!!
I just finished Mudbound by Hilary Jordan. Excellent read. It was selected as Pasadena, CA's One City One Book this year and it is well worth it.
finished Shiver, now I'm reading
because I needed some quick, easy, guilty pleasure reading, and no one does that better than VC Andrews haha
Kristina wrote: "finished Shiver, now I'm reading because I needed some quick, easy, guilty pleasure reading, and no one does that better than VC Andrews haha"kristina, its so good so far :), and ive been wanted to read shiver, how was it?
Cynthia wrote: "Amy wrote: "I'm reading The Other Boleyn Girl. I loved The Tudors show on Showtime. It got me interested in King Henry VIII & all his wives & children. I am trying to learn as much abo..."I haven't read anything on Catherine of Aragon but I did just order Constant Princess. I've been curious about her.
Beth wrote: "Kristina wrote: "finished Shiver, now I'm reading because I needed some quick, easy, guilty pleasure reading, and no one does that better than VC Andrews haha"k..."
It was good! The first half seemed really slow to me but the second part was much more fast paced and had more action. I liked Isabel and Sam the most. I will read the next books but I didn't like it so much that I had to rush out and get Linger, if that makes sense?
Oh Yes, I forgot to say - I finished The Confessions of Catherine de Medici and here is my review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I disliked the the portryal of love as it was presented in the book, but by the end I was rooting for Catherine and had learned a lot. The author did an excellent job of teachig a very complicated time period and doing it in a manner that pulled the reader in. I ended up giving the book 4 stars.
Then I read A Child al Confino: The True Story of a Jewish Boy and His Mother in Mussolini’s Italy and here is my review of that: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... Spoiler free as usual! Nobody classifies this as a young adult book. I do. I think a boy of 10-14 would go bananas for this book. It is not bad for adults either. I llearned a lot about the specifics of Italian racial laws in WW2. I do recommend the book. Maybe it should have gotten four stars rather than three.
Now I am reading Thanks to My Mother and have started a running spoiler-free review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
At the beginning I was confused about who was who and had to start over a second time writing down all the family members. This was a bit tedious. In retrospect, maybe this wasn't necessary. From around page 60 the tempo took off and it became very exciting and moving. I have read about half. This and the last book have wonderful photos.
I have chosen all the above books b/c I expect to learn something in an enjoyable manner. So far all have fulfilled this requirement!
I just started Doomed Queens: Royal Women Who Met Bad Ends, From Cleopatra to Princess Di. It sounded very interesting, about all the royal women who have met bad ends.
I just finished Thanks to My Mother. I recommend it to just about everybody! So why three stars? Well, I have explained in my GR review: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...I will now start Smuggled. Why? Well because the book description drew me in. It also has a cool cover. I know this is particularly stupid since I am reading an egalley, but you sell a book by its cover too. It does play a role. Cross your fingers for me. Will my hunch prove right?
i am now reading this, the 2nd book in the series! i loved the first, hope i jut as much love the 2nd
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
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For my commute I'm listening to Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815. I'm enjoying it quite a bit - once the 13 colonies won the Revolutionary War - what happened? Bit of history I haven't been exposed to.