What Are We Currently Reading?

[helenamonster]

Just finished: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari. While I enjoyed the bulk of it (I think it's interesting to look at how human evolution has impacted societal structure/world events, and vice versa), I wish it had stuck more to actual facts and less of Harari's editorializing. I found a lot of the praise of human accomplishments to be very Eurocentric and pro-imperialist, and found the handwaving of any racial motivations behind the Atlantic slave trade to be particularly uncomfortable. Also yes, statistically, now is the safest time to be a human in the entire history of our species, but that doesn't mean we don't still have a lot of problems. I thought it would be interesting to examine how our own progress has created new threats, but I guess because we have antibiotics and no more war (????) it's all rosy.

Next up: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

[Minneapple]

Just finished The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. Very creepy, almost a gothic setting, perfect for Halloween season. It's a horror novel, but it's not supernatural and it doesn't have a BIG TWIST; rather it builds toward a conclusion. It's honestly confusing until you finish the novel and then you'll be like, "What did I just read? Oh, that's what I just read." But I would definitely recommend it as I enjoyed the slow buildup to the end and the characters.

[Anduin]

There are people in here who've read the Expanse series, right? I've started on book 4, but not completed it. As I remember, the primary antagonist is a complete asshole and swaggering bully, with no redeeming features. Also, the bulk of the action is set on a planet, rather than in space. Does this hold true later on? Or does the antagonist get some growth and the characters lift off again?

[Luckylyn]

I’m reading Wayword Son by Rainbow Rowell which is part two of the Simon Snow Trilogy.  It deals with the question of what happens after the chosen one has fulfilled the prophecy.  Simon is completely lost especially since 

Spoiler

he has lost all his magic as a result of the events of book one.  Going from the most powerful magician in the world to having no magic at all has been extremely difficult for him.

I am so happy to be reading about these characters again.   They have flaws but at heart are good people.   Reading them get into trouble and find their way is always entertaining.

[Haleth]

14 hours ago, Anduin said:

There are people in here who've read the Expanse series, right? I've started on book 4, but not completed it. As I remember, the primary antagonist is a complete asshole and swaggering bully, with no redeeming features. Also, the bulk of the action is set on a planet, rather than in space. Does this hold true later on? Or does the antagonist get some growth and the characters lift off again?

Ive read through book 5. The 4th is good, but yes, most of it takes place on the planet. It’s worth finishing though. Book 5, however… there is an even bigger asshole with even fewer redeeming features. This is why I didn’t finish the book series.

I don’t recall offhand if you have commented about the tv series, Anduin. Have you watched it?  It’s superb!  Even with the various assholes. 

[Anduin]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

Ive read through book 5. The 4th is good, but yes, most of it takes place on the planet. It’s worth finishing though. Book 5, however… there is an even bigger asshole with even fewer redeeming features. This is why I didn’t finish the book series.

I don’t recall offhand if you have commented about the tv series, Anduin. Have you watched it?  It’s superb!  Even with the various assholes. 

Great. There's such a thing as a villain that's too good.

I've held off on the TV series so far. For some reason it slipped under my radar when it first aired. Now, I'm holding off. Will I get Amazon Prime for the LOTR show next year? If so, I'll need more than one show to watch.

[Jenniferbug]

I'm reading The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton (author of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle) and I'm really enjoying it so far. It's pretty appropriate for Halloween since there may or may not be a demon involved. 

[SusieQ]

Just an FYI for the Richard Osman fans-- he appeared on the second series of Taskmaster (link below). Taskmaster is a fabulous British competition show with Greg Davies as the "Taskmaster" and five comedians who vie for "prizes" . Sorry my explanation is so bad, but the show is great. And it has GREG DAVIES (anyone who watches Graham Norton will understand my excitement over Greg!)

(I wound up actually embedding the video, hope it works)

[Bookish Jen]

On 10/19/2021 at 11:59 AM, Bookish Jen said:

I'm finishing up singer/songwriter Amy Rigby's memoir "Girl to City." Damn it's good. 

I published my review of Ms. Rigby's book on my blog, and notified her via Twitter. She loves my review!!!!

And I just finished "Did I Say You Could Go?" By Melanie Gideon. Wow, what an intense book. It had me riveted. And it had a twist at the end I did not seeing coming. 

[MaggieG]

I just finished The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix and I really liked it. It got a little dark towards the end but overall it was a good book to read during this time of year. Now I want to read some of his other books

[Darian]

5 hours ago, MaggieG said:

I just finished The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix and I really liked it. It got a little dark towards the end but overall it was a good book to read during this time of year. Now I want to read some of his other books

I liked that a lot (admit to skimming some of the gorier parts) so I did read a couple  of others. Horrorstör completely nailed what it's like in Ikea, but I get bored with too many action scenes so  I didn't like it as much as the first. It had some funny parts, though. But I recently read The Final Girl Support Group and liked it better. 

Halfway through Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. I need undemanding books right now and this is a good fit. 

[Luckylyn]

I’m nearly done with Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare.  I read it because it featured Piers the rejected suitor from Book 2 in the Castles in the Air Series Say Yes to the Marquess.  I didn’t realize until I was reading it that this book also connects to Dare’s Spindle Cove series which I haven’t read.  In this book, Charlotte and Piers get found in a compromising position while in the process of trying to avoid getting caught in a compromising position.  While trying to solve the mystery of who is to blame for their predicament, they fall in love, but Piers has some potentially dangerous secrets.  I’m enjoying the characters although Charlotte’s mother was so obnoxious which was intentional.  The bits I saw of the Spindle Cove characters make me want to read that series as well.

[GHScorpiosRule]

On 9/21/2021 at 7:28 PM, DearEvette said:

I just finished the #53 (Yes... fifty-frickin'-third) installment of J.D. Robb's In Death series, Forgotten In Death.  And I have to say after a few lackluster outings, this one was really well done.  She kicked aside her formula  a bit in this one and the book was much stronger for it.

Oh boy, did she ever. I really liked third generation J.B. and

when Joharra's identity was revealed, she really got me thinking:

OMG! is HE really the killer, to revving up my adrenaline when Eve confronted him, to breaking my heart at his reaction.

Nora/JD hasn't done this in awhile. Maybe

Sundown, when I was on the edge of my seat, biting my fingers, praying that that the serial killer wasn't someone we knew. And I remember telling Nora never to do that to me again. Of course she laughed.

And now I'm back to re-reading the series.

What?

[SusanM]

I finally finished "The Boys" the autobiography written by Ron and Clint Howard.  Highly recommend this one.  A caveat - if you are going to buy this one hoping for juicy gossip from Hollywood insiders don't waste your money.  This story is all about growing up in the TV/Movie world for sure but if the Howard brothers have dirt on anyone they didn't dish it here!  Which was fine with me.  

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, SusannahM said:

I finally finished "The Boys" the autobiography written by Ron and Clint Howard.  Highly recommend this one.  A caveat - if you are going to buy this one hoping for juicy gossip from Hollywood insiders don't waste your money.  This story is all about growing up in the TV/Movie world for sure but if the Howard brothers have dirt on anyone they didn't dish it here!  Which was fine with me.  

Well, that's refreshing!

[Minneapple]

On 11/1/2021 at 7:24 PM, Darian said:

Halfway through Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. I need undemanding books right now and this is a good fit. 

Let us know if you liked it. I like Liane Moriarty in general, but I hated Nine Perfect Strangers.

[grommit2]

OK.  Finally finished Slavery, A World History by Milton Meltzer. This is the 1993 edition. Slavery certainly is a toxic topic, so I appreciated Meltzer's mostly even-handed analysis. 
Some key points:

• Clear evidence of slavery goes back to 5,000 BC. 
• In volume 1, Meltzer follows the historical flow of western civilization, addressing  Mesopotamia (Iraq), Greeks, Romans, Egypt, etc. Slavery was practiced EVERY step of the way. 
• Key practice: lose in war and you were either killed or enslaved. 
• Treatment varied significantly: in some cases, it was a short-term, deathly life.  In other cases, you could actually rise up out of slavery, join society, and rise to significant levels.
• Volume 2 takes us through the Renaissance to recent times. 
• There is much stress on the spread of Western Europeans into the Americas. This is where the African slave trade comes into play, although Meltzer stresses that slavery existed in Africa back in those earlier historical times. 
• Meltzer makes is clear that slavery was practiced by Native American (north and south) Indian tribes, on each other, before the western Europeans migrated to the American continents. 
  
  This was a challenging read, on a difficult topic. Certainly not a topic to bring up around the dinner table. This was especially difficult considering my mixed heritage. 

[Luckylyn]

I am reading Allison Arngrim’s biography Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated. I loved watching Little House on the Prairie as a kid and still watch reruns. Allison is hilarious in interviews and on dvd commentary.  That humor is very evident in her book.  I knew before reading that she had been bullied by fans who refused to make a distinction between the actress and her character Nellie.  She’s been yelled at, had things thrown at her, and even been assaulted.  Yet she’s very proud of her work on the show and how playing Nellie helped her get over being shy and made her a more forceful person.  Her family situation was a combination of neglect and abuse.  Playing Nellie gave her a path to escape.

I do want to provide a trigger warning.  Allison suffered sexual abuse by her brother starting at a young age.

[Vanderboom]

1 hour ago, Luckylyn said:

I am reading Allison Arngrim’s biography Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated. I loved watching Little House on the Prairie as a kid and still watch reruns. Allison is hilarious in interviews and on dvd commentary.  That humor is very evident in her book.  I knew before reading that she had been bullied by fans who refused to make a distinction between the actress and her character Nellie.  She’s been yelled at, had things thrown at her, and even been assaulted.  Yet she’s very proud of her work on the show and how playing Nellie helped her get over being shy and made her a more forceful person.  Her family situation was a combination of neglect and abuse.  Playing Nellie gave her a path to escape.

I do want to provide a trigger warning.  Allison suffered sexual abuse by her brother starting at a young age.

Oh! I read this last year and loved it, but it was an emotional rollercoaster. One moment I was cracking up at the description of Michael Landon "giving the female viewers what they want" and then feeling so angry and sad because of Allison's home life.

[Tom Holmberg]

Reading Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather by Mark Seal.  in-depth look at the movie starting with Puzo's writing of the novel.  If you like the movie, well worth reading.

[SusanM]

I just started re-reading an old favourite of mine "The Lark Shall Sing" by Elizabeth Cadell.  Anyway I love this book but was seriously thrown off stride when they are discussing their late mother whom they describe as "elderly" and doing the math I realize elderly mum died at 54!  Ok I do get that life expectancies were not what they are now but this book was written in the '50s.  Was 54 really considered elderly then?

[Luckylyn]

I’m reading The Darkness Outside Us by Eliot Schrefer.  Two teens from opposing countries are on a spaceship for a rescue mission.  When the book begins one of them has no memory of his days leading up to the launch.  Things are tense between the two guys because of the conflict between their nations but the situation forces them to work together leading them to develop feelings for each other.  Some things happen that lead them to believe that they may be in danger.   My theory is 

Spoiler

That they are clones.  I think their mission failed and the ship is keeping them alive for it’s maintenance.  It keeps them alive until they figure out something is wrong,  eliminates them, and starts over with new versions of them.

 

[meowmommy]

I am working my way through Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series.  Currently on #5, The Brutal Telling.  I really liked the earlier books, but the more I get into this series, the more I feel like I'm in Cabot Cove, Maine.  Is this little hamlet with its irritatingly twee central characters (I mean, come on, enough with the old bitchy poet and her duck!) the only place in Quebec where the head of homicide for the entire province is solving murders?  There are, I believe 17 books in this series.  Someone tell me it gets better.

[Tom Holmberg]

6 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I am working my way through Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series.  Currently on #5, The Brutal Telling.  I really liked the earlier books, but the more I get into this series, the more I feel like I'm in Cabot Cove, Maine. 

Similar problem with the TV show "Death n Paradise" after 10 seasons I'm surprised anyone's left alive on that island.

[Jenniferbug]

17 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I am working my way through Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series.  Currently on #5, The Brutal Telling.  I really liked the earlier books, but the more I get into this series, the more I feel like I'm in Cabot Cove, Maine.  Is this little hamlet with its irritatingly twee central characters (I mean, come on, enough with the old bitchy poet and her duck!) the only place in Quebec where the head of homicide for the entire province is solving murders?  There are, I believe 17 books in this series.  Someone tell me it gets better.

It does start to branch out a bit more, though Three Pines is always a feature. However, I wouldn't necessarily call the branching out an improvement. 

[sugarbaker design]

42 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

Is this little hamlet with its irritatingly twee central characters (I mean, come on, enough with the old bitchy poet and her duck!) the only place in Quebec where the head of homicide for the entire province is solving murders? 

If you're referring to the core characters as twee, and if you're sick of Ruth and Rosa, then perhaps this isn't the series for you.

[Danny Franks]

I'm sixty pages into Sharon Kay Penman's last novel, The Land Beyond the Sea. So far, it's pretty solid and pretty much what I'd expect from her work - real historical figures brought to life so their stories can be told.

This time it's Balian of Ibelin (the man who Orlando Bloom's character in Kingdom of Heaven was loosely based on) and Maria Komnene, the Queen of Jerusalem who he married.

[MargeGunderson]

3 hours ago, meowmommy said:

I am working my way through Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series.  Currently on #5, The Brutal Telling.  I really liked the earlier books, but the more I get into this series, the more I feel like I'm in Cabot Cove, Maine.  Is this little hamlet with its irritatingly twee central characters (I mean, come on, enough with the old bitchy poet and her duck!) the only place in Quebec where the head of homicide for the entire province is solving murders?  There are, I believe 17 books in this series.  Someone tell me it gets better.

It does get better - the next one in the series is not set in Three Pines, and the 8th is also set mainly elsewhere. My favorite (#9) How the Light Gets In, is mostly in Three Pines, but features Myrna (my favorite secondary character; I can do without Clara altogether) and has quite the “hell yeah!” moment. Then it gets tiresome in other ways, in my opinion.

[sugarbaker design]

13 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

My favorite (#9) How the Light Gets In, is mostly in Three Pines, but features Myrna (my favorite secondary character

How The Light Gets In is my favorite also, as is Myrna for secondary character.  I would love to see her character get a more filled-in back story.

[Snow Apple]

I finished Hayley Mills' book and almost finished with Ron and Clint Howard's book. Both are worth reading, but of the two, I prefer the Howard book. Lots of interesting stories and even a few incidents that were bad or traumatizing for the boys. The world wasn't as politically correct or aware back in the day.

[dubbel zout]

Last night I finished Mexican Gothic, which I really liked. Super creepy, super gothic, just a great read if you like the genre.

Next up is The Eighth Detective.

[Spartan Girl]

Finally reading You Can’t Be Serious by Kal Penn. I already knew he had to deal with racism and stereotyping both at school and when he was just starting out in Hollywood, but JFC some of the stories he tells made my jaw drop. For instance, he was happy about getting a part on Sabrina the Teenage Witch—until the producers made him do it with an “Indian accent.” And when he politely tried to ask if he could maybe do it without it because he wanted his little cousins watching to see that an Indian character on TV didn’t always have to be a stereotype, the producer just snapped, “They should be happy you’re on the show at all. We brought you to do the accent, do the accent.” GEEZ.

He also brings up how he was the butt of all the “Apu jokes” in school and reads The Simpsons for filth, calling out how their “we make fun of everybody” excuse doesn’t actually work. Best part of the book so far.

Edited November 10, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[SusanM]

3 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

The world wasn't as politically correct or aware back in the day.

The incident they recount about what happened to Ron's on set tutor was particularly unsettlingly.  Especially when they talk about the attitude of the rest of the cast and crew - including their own parents.  It wasn't so very long ago that "she was asking for it" was an attitude held all too often by even otherwise decent, caring people.

[dubbel zout]

Just now, SusannahM said:

It wasn't so very long ago that "she was asking for it" was an attitude held all too often by even otherwise decent, caring people.

This attitude is still held by far too many people today.

[Snow Apple]

40 minutes ago, SusannahM said:

The incident they recount about what happened to Ron's on set tutor was particularly unsettlingly.  Especially when they talk about the attitude of the rest of the cast and crew - including their own parents.  It wasn't so very long ago that "she was asking for it" was an attitude held all too often by even otherwise decent, caring people.

Yes, reading that horrified me. 

I was also horrified by what they made Clint do to the vulture on the set of The Red Pony.

On the lighter side, I always loved the character Leon (and his sandwiches) on the Andy Griffith Show and enjoyed reading about that.

[andromeda331]

8 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

I finished Hayley Mills' book and almost finished with Ron and Clint Howard's book. Both are worth reading, but of the two, I prefer the Howard book. Lots of interesting stories and even a few incidents that were bad or traumatizing for the boys. The world wasn't as politically correct or aware back in the day.

It still blows my mind sometimes. I know times were different but their kids. Even then kids are kids. You shouldn't need to be aware or anything when it comes to dealing with kids.   

[sugarbaker design]

8 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Last night I finished Mexican Gothic, which I really liked. Super creepy, super gothic, just a great read if you like the genre.

Next up is The Eighth Detective.

I loved Mexican Gothic!  I'm on the library's waiting list for Moreno's latest Velvet Was The Night.  Moreno is switching genres frim horror to noir this time.  Can't wait, it got a rave from Sarah Weinman, the crime fiction critic from the NY Times.

[GaT]

Just started re-reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It's been a long time since I read it, & I just picked up Ready Player Two, so I thought I would give it a re-read first.

[truthaboutluv]

Been way too long since I've posted in here, even though I've been regularly reading multiple books a month. 

I recently just completed The Lying Game by Ruth Ware. It's the third book of hers (this one, In A Dark, Dark Wood and The Woman in Cabin 10) I've now read and I have to admit that I officially don't get the hype.

I think my favorite of the three was The Woman In Cabin 10, only because while there was no big surprise in the mystery, I liked how action packed it was. The story never stopped moving and if anything, it felt like the reader barely had time to catch their breath. 

Not the case with The Lying Game. Lordy that shit dragged. And the so-called twist was the lamest, most obvious shit ever. Meanwhile the main character went from dull asf in the first half to a complete full of shit raging bitch whose partner needed to dump her ass and save his kid from her. Just a hot mess.

I'm currently near the end of Ask Again, Yes and that one I really loved. It was definitely sad in many parts but overall I really enjoyed it.

Next up on the reading list is Scythe by Neal Shusterman (I'm excited for this one because I read and loved Challenger Deep so I'm a fan of his writing) and Miracle Creek by Angie Kim (this one has been on my TBR for like three years). 

Edited November 12, 2021 by truthaboutluv

[scarynikki12]

Oh, man, I HATED The Lying Game. Hated it so much that it turned me off Ruth Ware. I enjoyed Dark, Dark, Wood and I loved Cabin 10 but The Lying Game was such a pile of bullshit that I just couldn't read anything else. I recently read One By One after hearing my boss describe it as similar to And Then There Were None and liked it but The Lying Game was such a turn off that I'm going to get reviews before even considering any of her other books. 

[OtterMommy]

On 11/10/2021 at 10:52 AM, dubbel zout said:

Last night I finished Mexican Gothic, which I really liked. Super creepy, super gothic, just a great read if you like the genre.

Next up is The Eighth Detective.

I loved The Eighth Detective.  It's probably in my top 5 of books I've read this year.

[dubbel zout]

I'm really liking The Eighth Detective. It's another kind of creepy story, just enough that I'm disturbed but not having nightmares.

[Luckylyn]

I am reading The Girl In his Shadow by Audrey Blake.  After the death of her family from Cholera, Nora was raised by the doctor who treated them.  She grew up assisting the doctor and has become highly skilled and knowledgeable.  It’s 1845 and so she doesn’t have to option to go to medical school and become a surgeon despite her level of experience and knowledge.   Nora’s work in the clinic must be a secret or she and the doctor could face criminal charges.   The situation becomes more tense when a new doctor joins the practice.  When Nora’s work lead’s to an important medical discovery should she claim her work and risk the consequences or allow the men around her to take the credit?  It’s frustrating to read the limitations forced on Nora.

[festivus]

On 11/11/2021 at 2:56 AM, GaT said:

Just started re-reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. It's been a long time since I read it, & I just picked up Ready Player Two, so I thought I would give it a re-read first.

I did the same thing but I still haven't had time to read Two yet. It's in the pile!

[JustHereForFood]

I'm not sure whether to use this topic or some other to seek advice about a book, but this one has most traffic, so I hope it's ok. I was wondering if anyone here has read The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen? I am searching for books for my mother for Christmas and this one has been suggested as something that fans of Jane Austen and similar books might enjoy. If anyone has read it, does it focus heavily on romance, or more on the relationships among family and/or town community? I am looking for more of the latter.

[peacheslatour]

17 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

I loved The Eighth Detective.  It's probably in my top 5 of books I've read this year.

I'm thinking about reading it but boy, did it get mixed reviews.

[dubbel zout]

It sort of deconstructs detective stories, so if you don't like that sort of thing, I'd avoid the book.

[Luckylyn]

7 hours ago, JustHereForFood said:

I'm not sure whether to use this topic or some other to seek advice about a book, but this one has most traffic, so I hope it's ok. I was wondering if anyone here has read The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill by Julie Klassen? I am searching for books for my mother for Christmas and this one has been suggested as something that fans of Jane Austen and similar books might enjoy. If anyone has read it, does it focus heavily on romance, or more on the relationships among family and/or town community? I am looking for more of the latter.

I haven’t read the book you mentioned but there’s a book of short stories by Maeve Binchy that your mother may enjoy titled This Year It Will Be Different .

[JustHereForFood]

9 hours ago, Luckylyn said:

I haven’t read the book you mentioned but there’s a book of short stories by Maeve Binchy that your mother may enjoy titled This Year It Will Be Different .

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[dubbel zout]

Finished The Eighth Detective last night, and I did not see that ending. I get the meta aspect of it, but I don't at all like the denouement itself. It ruined the book for me, alas. What a disappointment.

Now I'm reading The Enigma Code, by Elizabeth Wein. I've enjoyed her other WWII stories, so I have some hopes for this one.