What are you currently reading?

[Hazel]

Those are the stories that make me cry. Seriously, I cry reading history books sometimes :P

[Mara]

I don't usually get teary-eyed when reading - mostly because I'm not an emotional sort. But I did cry during "Never Fall Down."

Finished: and . 3 stars both. "Grave Mercy" almost got only 2 stars because of content. Had the Author gone into detail about a few certain incidents, it definitely would have gotten only 2.

Now reading: "The Academie" by Susanne Dunlap. For some reason, I can't find a picture of the book, even though it's listed in GoodReads - and normally has a picture.

[Hazel]

I caught the emotional side of the Celtic heritage ;)

I just started I love it, it's hilarious =)

[Mara]

My emotions go into my characters, and my German side decrees that I show no emotion outwardly. ;) Unless, of course, I'm debating about books or other topics I'm passionate about. *grin*

Finished: "The Academie" by Susanne Dunlap. 3 stars. It was one of her better ones, but I didn't connect to any of the characters, so it didn't get 4. I liked it, though, and it was a blessedly clean book!

Now reading:

[Hazel]

You'll have to tell me how Bloodline is, it's on my to-read list. It sounded pretty good.

[Mara]

Finished: 4 stars. It was good. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about Essa being able to "leave" his body and occupy an animal's, but he didn't do it too often, so I got over it. The writing style is almost as good as Rosemary Sutcliff and Elizabeth Alder ("The King's Shadow").

Also finished: 4 stars. It was cute. If you're looking for another story with mice, but want something short, this is a good pick.

And finished: 4 stars as well. Much better than I was expecting. I think the Author did a tremendously good job in capturing what Jane Austen was probably like in her teen years. The only real complaint I have is the Author didn't portray the close relationship Jane and Cassandra had. They were very close sisters, and I didn't once feel that connection in this book.

Now reading:

[Hazel]

You got to read so much this weekend! Glad all the books were good. I was recuperating from finishing my book before I start editing ;)

Finished LOVED IT!!! 5 stars!!! This has to be one of the best fairy tale parody stories I have read in a long time. It was so funny and also very engaging. It's a really easy read, but it's not childish either. Everyone here should give it a go.

[Mara]

Yeah, I'm proud of the dent I managed to make in my book pile this weekend. And I'm still plowing away at it. "Hourglass" is actually shaping up to be a fairly good supernatural story, amazingly enough. But I haven't yet met the "love interest," either, so . . .

[Hazel]

And that's usually when things fall downhill in supernatural/paranormal stories :P

[Mara]

Yup. Which is why I'm still withholding my complete judgement. Right now, I'm thinking in the 3-star range, but if the romantic interest proves to be unbelievably bad (which is entirely possible), then I can see a 2-star rating in the future.

[Hazel]

I'm excited to get to all the Rosemary Sutcliff books on my shelf, but first I need to finish my library ones and work on my editing before I get into any ;)

[Emily :)]

i have a bunch of books that came in from the library all at once so i have to read them before i can continue any other book.

[Hazel]

Haha, I know what you mean ;) I am finally on the last library book I have so hopefully I'll be able to start the ones I own after I'm done.

[Emily :)]

yeah when i am done i can get back to Sherlock Holmes which i am almost tempted to read before i finish my library books.

[Hazel]

He's definitely addictive ;)

[Mara]

Extremely addictive. :)

Gave up on: As soon as the romantic interest arrived, the story went downhill and got boring.

Now reading:

And finished: 5 stars. It was an inspirational story, but it was still very dark and creepy and I absolutely loved the illustrations.

[Emily :)]

i am reading:

and:


and i hate to read multiple books at once. :)

[Hazel]

Haha, I can't help but read multiple books ;) I am a serious multitasker and I think I have to do more than one thing at a time. Some people think I shouldn't be able to get anything done, but I would go insane working on just one thing at a time :P

[Mara]

Ditto. I always have more than one book going. Right now, my "alternate read" is "The Pickwick Papers."

Finished: 4 stars. The Author did a very good job in shedding light on what Marie Antionette was probably really like. She doesn't justify what Marie did, but what she says makes sense. Marie wasn't an evil and cruel person - I never did believe that. But she'd never been required to think about money, and she took solace in riches. She was sent to the French court at age fourteen; that had to be difficult. And then she was surrounded by people she didn't know who did not like her because she was Austrian. Marie just didn't think about money; she never had to.

Now reading:

[Hazel]

I never thought Marie was evil either. Not the smartest person, but not malicious.

[Mara]

Ditto. The French automatically had a hatred for her from the beginning because she was Austrian, and when the monarchy became the target for their Revolution, it was all too easy to blame the foreign queen for everything. And the Author made an interesting - and true - point in her historical notes: Marie's spending definitely harmed the French economy and began the spiral downward, but it was really the money they spent on the American Revolution that threw the country so completely into bankrupcy. Given Marie's spending habits, that alone certainly would have eventually sent France into poverty; it just would have taken a little bit longer. It was tempest in a teapot from the beginning, and it finally boiled over.

But I'm done with my mini historical lecture now. ;)

[Emily :)]

finished:
it was pretty good and it kept up the action. i got really confused at the end and kind of mad when i found out that all this would be repeated over and over again. the characters would just keep going back in time over and over again to repeat history. it got really confusing when it came to going back in time. and also unless i missed something then the same person would be multipied over and over again until there was like twenty of one person, even if he is death. all in all it was good up to the confusing parts.

now reading:

[Hazel]

That does sound like a confusing annoying book.

[Emily :)]

i may have made it sound more annoying then it really is but the beginning books in the series are really good.

[Hazel]

Oh so it was a later one. Sometimes it just seems that author's run out of ideas.

[Mara]

Finished: 2 stars. The "evil" regime wasn't convincing, events were just kind of so-so, the romance was super fast, the Author loved describing things like dust particles, dry spit and tears, and other nasty things in way too much detail, and compared to other dystopian books I've read, it just didn't live up to the expectation.

Now reading:

[Emily :)]

i think i would get tired of reading very detailed stuff like that expecically if it was little stuff.

i bet that is what is was Hazel.

[Hazel]

I get very tired reading the same descriptions over and over again. Those parts die very violently if I find them in my own books :P

[Mary]

Im new to the group but thought i would share what im reading currently. Im about halfway thru amy tan's "saving fish from drowning", so far, so good. Her characters are always well developed and their evolution from begining to end is quite remarkable.
im also trying to stomach reading "sybil exposed" a non fiction work about the famous multiple personality disorder case from the 70's. Its a hard, dry read.

[Hazel]

Amy Tan is another author that I've never read, but I know she's pretty popular. Are you reading Sybil Exposed for school? I've never heart of that one either but I don't usually read those types of books.

[Mary]

Hazel wrote: "Amy Tan is another author that I've never read, but I know she's pretty popular. Are you reading Sybil Exposed for school? I've never heart of that one either but I don't usually read those types o..."

No, ironically im reading sybil exposed for fun. I challage myself to read a handful of nonfiction books a month and this time i struck out.

Amy tan's novel 'joy luck club' is a great way to get introduced to the authors writing style plus its a quick read.

[Hazel]

Reading non-fiction is a good thing. For a while I challenged myself to read a biography every month and I learned a lot doing so. Though most of it was for research for upcoming books as well so it wasn't completely for fun ;) Though I do love doing research--I'm having a great time researching for an upcoming mystery novel I'm writing.

I'll look up some of Any Tan's books. Got so many to-reads though ;)

[Mara]

I need to get back to my monthly nonfiction read. Bad me have neglected it for a long time now.

Finished: 3 stars. It was good, but not my favorite Rinaldi book. It was kind of on the slow side.

Also finished:
(2 stars)
(3 stars)
(3 stars)
(4 stars)

Now reading:

[Hazel]

The New Policeman sounds interesting. You'll have to let me know how it is. Also I'm so happy, I just finished reading through my manu on the computer!! Yay, my eyes can rest again!! haha ;) Now all I have to do is format and send for my proof!! =)

[Mara]

Well, it has a lot of Gaelic in it so far (which is awesome!). I definitely don't think it's going to be boring; at least, I hope not.

Yay!!! :)

[Hazel]

Yay Gaelic! When I write my Roman Britian book, I really want to put some Gaelic in it. My British character's name is Caolan (but with an accent mark)

[Mara]

I assume you'll put a pronounceation guide in the back? :) So far, I'm really not sure what to think of "The New Policeman." The first 100 pages are kind of slow; there's no indication of what the storyline is really going to be, and nothing has really happened. But the Author just enough of a "what the heck is this all about?" element that it keeps me, at least, reading.

[Hazel]

Oh yes, I would do my best with the pronunciation, haha ;) At least as well as I can. My little Scots Gaelic dictionary tells you the different conjugations but not pronunciation.

Hmm, it might be one of those books that picks up in the middle.

[Emily :)]

yeah like the "Hunger Games" it took at least the first 150 pages for something really interesting to happen.

congrats in the books Hazel. :)

[Hazel]

Haha, thanks ;) I just finished the insides last night with formatting. Now I just have to finish the cover!

[Mara]

Hazel wrote: "Oh yes, I would do my best with the pronunciation, haha ;) At least as well as I can. My little Scots Gaelic dictionary tells you the different conjugations but not pronunciation.

Hmm, it might b..."
You might be able to find an online Gaelic dictionary that has a pronounceation key.

231 pages in to "The New Policeman." A few more things are happening, but I can't say that I especially like the Author's depiction of Tir na n'Og, and while things are happening, it still has a very slow-pace feeling.

[Hazel]

I've looked for Gaelic dictionaries online and have found nothing. I learned most of how to pronounce what I know by 1, learning songs, and 2 reading David R. Ross' books because he is always nice enough to tell you how to pronounce place names ;)

How does the author describe Tir na n'Og? I find that is one of those things that people describe quite differently since obviously it's all legend ;)

[Mara]

Babblefish.com I think offers pronounceation. It might not for Gaelic - it did for Welsh, though, so it might. If not, maybe you could contact another Author who has written some books with Gaelic and maybe they'll have some suggestions or would be kind enough to act as pronounceation guide. ;) Holly Bennett would probably have a good dictionary suggestion - she's rewritten several legends and uses quite a bit of Gaelic in them.

Tir na N'Og mirrors the modern village the protagonist, J.J., is from, with a few subtle changes, and very few residents. I kind of like that concept, it mirroring the mortal world, but just the way she writes about it lacks any of the mystery or old magical feel that Tir na n'Og ought to have. Maybe it'll get better; J.J. has more or less just arrived, but compared to other portrayals of it, this one lacks a lot.

[Hazel]

Awesome, I'll have to check that out. You know, I find Authors are usually more willing to help with information than experts :P (Though most of us are experts by the time we're done writing several books)

Hm, yeah, I can see how that would work, and yet not be very interesting as well. I think the whole Celtic legend thing loses something when transcribed into the modern day anyway.

[Mara]

Experts just get snooty - especially if they find out that you're a young person - and then they lecture on things that have nothing to do with what you asked. There was someone on a forum I'm a member of like that. He has a Masters in Victorian history, and a couple of times I asked him about something that I couldn't find on the internet or in my books (like where were the doors to coal chutes found). He'd get all high-and-mighty and be like, "Well, you probably don't know this, but . . ." The funny thing is, a lot of his historical facts were wrong, he rarely actually answered my question (I think it's because he didn't know), and then he'd lecture about things he didn't know anything about. Like maritime history, which my sister is an expert in. Fellows Authors are so much more helpful - and friendly.

Finished: 3 stars. There were aspects I liked, and the general story idea was a good one. But there was a complete lack of climax, and the new policeman's role in events was totally sudden and unexpected in a bad way. The story felt very slow, too.

Also finished: 3 stars. Good historical story, the romance wasn't too annoying, the Author's writing style was nice enough, though she went into nitty-gritty details too often (I couldn't eat when I read this one).

Now reading:

[Hazel]

Yeah, people like that really annoy me. I mean just because someone asks YOU something doesn't mean you have to pretend to know when you don't :P

I'm reading and I'm going to start Finally got the first one from the library.

Really loving The Lantern Bearers, of course :)

[Mara]

I stopped going to him for historical advice when he tried to give me a history lesson on life-preservers (that's what sailors calls blackjacks). He stopped talking to me after that incident, too, actually; I copied and pasted a HUGE thing about blackjacks from "Ashley's Book of Knots," which is essentially the sailor's Bible for all things knot-related. Ashley was the number-one authority on such things, and he talks extensively in his book about sailor's life-preservers - AKA blackjacks; they'd carry them into unfriendly ports. I did a post about in on my blog: A Proper, Yet Deadly, Weapon. My sister made me a blackjack for when I had to walk from the college to the library; rough neighborhood, that little stretch.

Let me know how Montmorency is. It sounds good. If you weren't enjoying Rosemary Sutcliff's book, I would be wondering if perhaps you had hit your head. ;) I'm immensely enjoying "Flame-Colored Taffeta." I love the fat little pony, Snowball! Sutcliff clearly knew British ponies.

[Hazel]

Like the club-like blackjacks? Or are they something else. I have a picture of one in my weaponry encyclopedia.

Haha, yes, I would be wondering what was wrong with myself too if I wasn't enjoying her books ;) I know I loved Snowball! I just read that story again not too long ago.

[Hazel]

I finished I liked it, 3 stars. and I put up a review for it because I really need to get back into reviewing books again. Mara, I kind of stole your review formating idea :P

I did a bad thing today, I went to a different library and came back with a whole slew of books! (NOO!) They had so many things I have been looking for and some that sounded good. I did cut back because there were more I could have gotten, but these are the ones I brought home:

Not the first in the series, but they didn't have that one, so I'll give this one a go. It sounded funny.

Been wanting this one for a while.

I was happy to find the second one of these.

Thought this would inspire me, sooo... kind of research?

And this is another one, that I believe Mara suggested, and I've wanted to read it.

And I did get some more research books as well, so I can justify it, haha ;)

[Mara]

"Viking Warrior" is very good, though I'll warn you right now that the fourth book is only available as an eBook because the publisher has stopped publishing the Author's book and he has to self-publish now. :( And that's all right about the review format: I more or less stole it from someone else, too. ;) And as for the blackjack, yeah that's the type. Though sailors carried several different kinds of blackjacks/life-preservers. A typical type was a small canvas bag filled with lead shot, sewn shut, and then with ropework all around it and a lanyard. Mine is a nicer kind, made out of wood. My sister filled the bulbous end with lead and then did ropework around it.

Finished: 4 stars. Loved it, totally disagree with all of the critics who say, "Oh, people will have trouble getting through the long sentences and commas," and it was a wonderful novella, but it ought to have been longer.

Now reading: