Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club discussion
Welcome and greetings!!
Hello!I was Elizabeth on the VBC but with the more casual appearance over here :) I'm just Beth. Glad to see you all again!
Beth wrote: "Hello!I was Elizabeth on the VBC but with the more casual appearance over here :) I'm just Beth. Glad to see you all again!"
Welcome back!
Beth wrote: "Hello!I was Elizabeth on the VBC but with the more casual appearance over here :) I'm just Beth. Glad to see you all again!"
E/B,
Glad to see you back, what have you been up to? I shortened my name too, once accidentally and then it just seemed natural. Seems we are beginning to get our feet under us here...Glad you made the leap!
Jen
Jen wrote:E/B,
Glad to see you back, what have you been up to? ..."
Crazy busy with work and enjoying the sunshine. It's been raining recently so I had some internet time to get book fandom life organised. :) I just started Califia's Daughter so am looking forward to joining the discussion if I finish it in time --don't want any spoilers!
None from me! I don't do dystopia! Can't wait until we read something more "sedate" for the timid like me!Jen
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BTW, a big welcome to all our wonderful new members over the last few weeks; it has been quite an influx!
John.
I'm on pins and needles waiting for the list! I go into withdrawal without a good book.
Yikes Pat, seems like you found us just in time. I don't know of a group more qualified to recommend a good book. Have you heard of Flavia De Luce? She's the main character in "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" by Alan Bradley. We read the book a few years ago and then I read it (that's the usual sequence of events, me being a slow coach...) and the bottom line is, it's a very good book and there are 3 additional books in the series. Flavia is a precocious 11 year old, chemistry prodigy, member of a very curious but talented family living in the north of England on a heavily-indebted estate about to go to the auction block... And she has a nose for a mystery. It's not a children's book but written in a style that could appeal to many ages. Tell us what you like to read, mysteries I'll assume, what else? We can literally bombard you with potential good reads...Jen
I usually wait until Sweetie Pie Brown gets to the more affoardable phase of publication...and my thing about 'cat' mysteries comes from a 'professional' interest. I like to read "cozy mysteries" to decompress between more serious works... .My favorite book is probably "The Name of the Rose" by Umberto Eco. I grew up with most of the classic scifi writers when the genre wasn't respected and haven't dabbled much in it since...but would like to...I've found some of the fantasy more to my liking...I'm one of those people who reads the LOTR every time I am going through a life crisis so that makes it about 17 or 18 times...lately I've taken to watching the movie instead.
Think P.D James is a great writer but she and John LeCarre seem to take more stamina then I have these days. :O(
Some of my favorite books have been young adult fiction: The Hunger Games trilogy, The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, and recently "The Giver"...love Madelaine L'Engle.
I thought I might start selecting books from the Edgar Awards list next...but I will certainly check out your lists...
Thanks, so much...I'll be ready for a new read this evening...
Oh and do consider "The Last Lion!" I am having a great time listening to it even though the current topic is very technical and probably not so suited to listening. It's all about the military build-up in Germany, how numbers were manipulated, how Hitler managed to finagle his way out of the Treaty of Versailles, secret minutes and the politics of Labor vs. Tories, Winston's lone voice crying in the wilderness...But it's a real education!Jen
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Pat, my favorite Fantasy series is by Tad Williams, the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series, which starts with The Dragonbone Chair. Tad Williams is really a great Fantasy/Sci-fi author.
Thanks Sabrina...I'll check it out.Thanks John! I'm already started on the reading list you so thoughtfully loaded...some great books I've already read and some authors I am not familiar with...Le Fanu's "Uncle Silas" read years and years ago, haunts me still...I actually had a hard bound copy. I hope that "Say Nothing to the Dog" is better edited then "The Doomsday Book" which I'm sure I am in the minority here having given it three stars. I really do need to learn how to skim!
Thanks again sooooooo much for this group's book list--I learn so much and appreciate what I read much more when I see how this group reacts to a book....
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Have you read Tamora Pierce? I just found her last year and totally flew through her entire canon of work. I got pulled in by her latest trilogy (the Beka Cooper set) and then ended up picking up everything else she's written. Awesome!
Also, if you liked Hunger Games, try Graceling by Kristen Cashore. It came out at around the same time as HG and had a lot of comparisons made to it because of similarly named main characters, but it's really a totally different book. Though equally unputdownable. =)
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Vicki wrote: "Pat--John has posted (thank you, John!) our list of past selections! Go to the group shelves and you should be able to find them. Happy perusing!"I was on it like 'fleas on a dog.' Have already added a bunch to my 'to-read' list. And I've got so much to check out from all the great suggestions above...I'm into my books again...thanks everybody...
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Jen wrote: "Yikes Pat, seems like you found us just in time. I don't know of a group more qualified to recommend a good book. Have you heard of Flavia De Luce? She's the main character in "The Sweetness at the..."Jen, I will finish it tonight and like you I have completely succumbed to Alan Bradley's precocious heroine...I feel very comfortable with his "golden period" style of prose and as you suspected I will have to read the series...I found an article about him that says he had signed book deals for six books...
I have developed the habit of listening to the music that Flavia is hearing while reciting her story...it adds an additional dimension to the telling.
Youtube is wonderful for that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD8jaT...
Yes, Flavia, it's my favorite too!
Pat, Here's the version I found! I think it's particularly poignant to see the pianist, playing so expertly and completely immersed, then in the blink of an eye, she quickly turns her own page!
Jen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vihM0H...
But I will admit, you picked up on the Toccata much quicker than I did! I can't wait for the next book!
I recommended this book to my 11 year old niece who, like Daffy, always has a book in her hand (or Nook)...told her to be sure to keep her dictionaries and Wiki close.If Alan Bradley were American instead of Canadian, I can see the book having been nominated for a Newberry.
Vicki, not sure what took me so long to find my way here, but I am glad to come be a part of this. I hope to start with the club reading next month. Also hoping I may get to meet some people if I have money to go to Bouchercon (it is in my backyard!).
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If you're close to B'con, you *definitely* must come--you'll kick yourself if you don't! You need to have the experience of rocking an LRK B'con panel via the preferred method (taking up the front rows, bedecked in LRK swag, cheering loudly for Laurie, and exhorting other attendees to read LRK books). :D
You need to have the experience of rocking an LRK B'con panel via the preferred method (taking up the front rows, bedecked in LRK swag, cheering loudly for Laurie, and exhorting other attendees to read LRK books). :D You do that?
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But I don't think it's a requirement Pat!
Vicki wrote: "Wooohooo, Jessica's here!! Glad to have you in the house, girl--pull up a chair and hang with us. Scone? *offers virtual tray* Anyone else hungry? *Looks around hopefully*If you're close to..."
Why, yes, Vicki, I would very much like a scone, especially if they are flown in from Mrs. Hudson. ;)
I live 30 minutes from downtown Cleveland, and I know the great sites. And best ice cream. Well, there are many places for great ice cream and custard, so it is a bit tough. But I don't have a job right now so that $175 is a bit steep. But that first row cheering sounds a ton of fun! And Mary Higgins Clark is being honored. She wrote the stuff I read after the Agatha Christie period in junior high. Before BEEK came out. Then I was obsessed with that and Dianne Day's series on Fremont Jones, which was the other great historical mystery series I enjoyed of the 90s. Sadly, there was some sort of odd thing with Doubleday that meant she couldn't write any more of the series.
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I've been meaning to get to the Fremont Jones series. What is the first one? I need to at least put it on my to-read shelf.
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Vicki! Is there a button for I'd like to "read" this on audio?
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Yes, I did email audible.com and received a very nice but non-committal reply. At least they heard me.
I live 30 minutes from downtown Cleveland, and I know the great sites. Jessica C. - I emailed the powers that be for Bouchercon and while they are not now offering one-day or partial registrations, they said to keep checking back at the B-con site because they may. Even if they don't, check with those of us who are going to find out our get-togethers so you can join us for at least one if not more. And did someone mention ice cream??
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A one-day pass would make a lot of sense for local people who may only be able to swing in for a single day. I hope they offer such a thing. One thing that's fun is that, since B'con is an all-volunteer event, you can get in on timing panels and that sort of thing, and meet authors and other people involved in the publishing/mystery world.
Vicki, we have some great ice cream places, so it will be tough to decide. Though I would imagine that distance might play a role. Weber's is awesome, and they have a role in the history of the Downtown Higbee's Frosted Malt, of which the building has been turned into a casino that will be opening shortly. Here's a link to some of their history, but their website that was up a couple years ago seems to be down. http://westlife.northcoastnow.com/vin...Then there are the Malley's parlors, which are old school ice cream parlors paired with their candy stores. Malley's candy is the NE Ohio thing. If you are a sweet tooth, you might enjoy the Bordeaux sundae, with toffee crunch ice cream, to die for hot fudge, pieces of Bordeaux candy (chocolate covered almond toffee rolled in almond dust), almonds, and maybe whipped cream, though I could never finish a whole one (they make a smaller one too). It is sickening sweet. The classic thing to do is get a hot fudge sundae, which is 2 scoops of ice cream and a little pitcher of hot fudge to dole out yourself. Their candy website is http://www.malleys.com
Mitchell's opened its first store in 1999, and soon they will have 8. The first time my mom and I had some we chose coffee chip, and the chips were huge chunks of dark chocolate. Somewhat recently they decided to go more natural, so they use a fairly local organic dairy, local fruits when available, and so forth. Lots of restaurants in Cleveland use them, and Mitchell's makes special flavors for some of them. http://mitchellshomemade.com/
Pierre's brand ice cream is made in Cleveland. Sweet Moses, http://sweetmosestreats.com/, is supposed to be good, but the one time I tried to go there with friends it way way too crowded. Following is a list of some newish places, though Hinkley and Kent are nowhere nearby downtown. http://www.cleveland.com/taste/index....
There is also East Coast Custard and Honey Hut among others. Not counting national chains.
Wow, I kinda went overboard?
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The Greenhouse Tavern and NoodleCat are both owned/exce chef by Jonathan Sawyer, who was a semi finalist for a Beard award. I have been to the latter, and it has an awesome happy hour that is really long! Yes, Chris Hodges owned two food trucks, Dim and Dem Sum and then he had to create a new one for the show because they already had a Korean themed truck. Hence Hodge Podge. Haven't been there at all.Of course Lola is downtown, Iron Chef Michael Symon's first restaurant. A B-Spot, his burger chain? will be in the casino food court.
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Aww, come on. Work out when you get home. Oh, and a warning for any vegetarians, Michael Symon places are not where to go. Especially the B Spot, where anything fried is done so in lard, and the only vegetarian sandwich is a portabella called Why?, on which you can get free bacon. :)On the other hand, Tommy's in Cleveland Heights has the best milkshakes ever! They also have an eclectic mix of diner fare, vegetarian, vegan, middle eastern, macrobiotic, etc. And it is connected to an indie bookstore, Macs Backs. And just down from that is Big Fun, a toy store for grownups and Coventry Cats, a store devoted to cats with stuff for them and art depicting them. http://tommyscoventry.com/
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So glad I found you folks. I was over at the LRK VBC and couldn't find any conversation re: Sherlock. I am in Canada and we've just seen episode 3 of season 2 and I was very much interested in what folks were thinking about it. As you see,I found the future of VBC thread and read thru until I found Vicki's link to where we are now. Not sure I could get here again on my own but as long as Vicki's link is good I can get here. There is much to catch up with. I have only participated with one other online book club and they are still structured much like the original LRK VBC. Lately due to poor health I haven't been much even of a lurker at either site. I will try and find my way thru this site and think about good / bad of each site. Thanks for "test driving" a possible new format. For a few minutes I really did panic when I couldn't find any conversation about Sherlock! Figured you couldn't 'not' be talking about it so just kept looking. Posted as lizbet before, I guess we'll be posted here by our own names? I wasn't asked for screen name suggestion. Guess when I hit post I'll find out. Its now tomorrow better say goodnight and post. Hope to be back.
farmwifetwo thanks. I hadn't received my confirmation email from GR when I first posted. Since then I've received email from them and I see where you have refered me to. thanks.
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Hey Eric!Glad to have you and we all agree, Mary Russell is hard to put down! Tell us about yourself when you get the chance. We all have our own literary loves and peeves and we love to chat. Right now, I am on a quest to puzzle out the last episode of the BBC's Sherlock series. And we are reading a very fine book "Dust and Shadow" as a group. I just got it so I have some catching up to do
Best regards,
Jen
Laurie R. King Virtual Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
A Letter of Mary (other topics)The Strange Files of Fremont Jones (other topics)
The Strange Files of Fremont Jones (other topics)
Graceling (other topics)
The Trachtenberg Speed System of Basic Mathematics (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Mary Higgins Clark (other topics)Dianne Day (other topics)
Tamora Pierce (other topics)
Daniel J. Levitin (other topics)
Steve, I have those books that get me through the 'tough times' too--I've returned to them over and over for a lifetime... maybe that's the definition of a true book lover...even in extremis we crack a book!