What Are We Currently Reading?

[peacheslatour]

2 hours ago, bmasters9 said:

Speaking of Capote, I'm also considering reading his 1958 classic Breakfast at Tiffany's-- what's that one like?

It's quite a bit less fluffy, shall we say?

[Haleth]

21 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

If you get a chance, watch the movie Capote with Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's a brilliant performance by an actor and shows the toll that case had on Capote's mental and physical health. You see, he couldn't finish the book until the trial was over, so he spent months in Kansas with the two murderers. He mainly spent time with Perry, with whom he developed a strong rapport and kind of sympatico relationship, their childhoods being rather similar. It's a breathtaking film.

I was going to make the same recommendation but then got busy with other things yesterday.  It's a great movie and Hoffman was brilliant.

I'm taking a break from Hamilton to read The Vineyard by Maria Dueñas.  I watched the show a little while ago and loved it.  It is about two people who after eventful lives meet in middle age and sparks fly.  It's sprawling and romantic in the tradition of Outlander or Bridgerton, and gorgeously filmed with settings in 19th c Spain and Havana and Mexico.  The book?  It's all the POV of the man.  I'm halfway through and the woman was just introduced.  It's still a fun read, but the show was better, showing the concurrent lives of both characters.

Edited June 24, 2021 by Haleth

[JustHereForFood]

On 6/22/2021 at 11:47 PM, GussieK said:

I have a confession to make.  I skipped all of LOTR period.  Just doesn't appeal to me.

I loved it when I first read it, but when I tried to read it again years later (this was in college, when I still had the time to reread books 😃), I just couldn't get past the first few chapters. I don't think I will ever try again. I can rewatch the movies over and over though and I sort of consider them to be better than the books (my sincere apologies for anyone who is horrified by that).

[Jenniferbug]

23 minutes ago, JustHereForFood said:

I loved it when I first read it, but when I tried to read it again years later (this was in college, when I still had the time to reread books 😃), I just couldn't get past the first few chapters. I don't think I will ever try again. I can rewatch the movies over and over though and I sort of consider them to be better than the books (my sincere apologies for anyone who is horrified by that).

LOtR is the one book series where I would rather watch the movies than read the books again, so we can sit at a table for 2 😊 

[blackwing]

Next on my reading list is Shiver by Allie Reynolds.  The synopsis looks to be that a group of former friends who haven't seen each other in years reunite at a remote ski lodge in the French Alps.  They all used to be friends years ago until another of their friends mysteriously disappeared.  They are cut off from the world and the secrets of the past threaten their present.

Ummmm... if it sounds familiar, it sounds like an identical general plot as Ruth Ware's One by One and Lucy Foley's The Hunting Party, both of which I read within the past year.  I do like the Agatha Christie locked room genre and will read almost anything that is remotely like And Then There Were None, but I'm curious to see if this book is going to be any different.  I hope it's at least better than Shari LaPena's An Unexpected Guest.

Without even reading a page, I'm sure there are going to be the usual tropes.  A snowstorm blows in, they have no cell service, people's feelings are hurt, one of them has harboured a secret and unrequited love for another for all these years, etc.

Oh and I would not at all be surprised if the ending is that the girl who went missing in the past is actually now one of the reunited friends.  She looked similar enough to one of them, killed her and has been assuming her life ever since.

[MargeGunderson]

@blackwing, after reading One by One and the Hunting Party and 2 other books that were basically the same but different locations (one on an Irish island) I have sworn off of all books with that plot. They are all so derivative and frankly not that good.

[sugarbaker design]

On 6/23/2021 at 10:08 AM, peacheslatour said:

If you get a chance, watch the movie Capote with Phillip Seymour Hoffman. It's a brilliant performance by an actor and shows the toll that case had on Capote's mental and physical health. You see, he couldn't finish the book until the trial was over, so he spent months in Kansas with the two murderers. He mainly spent time with Perry, with whom he developed a strong rapport and kind of sympatico relationship, their childhoods being rather similar. It's a breathtaking film.

It always baffled me how a promising young writer could wind up a drunken parody of himself.  The movie Capote explained it all.  The relationship may have started off simpatico, but it turned into something else.  Capote had all the power.  Capote delivered legal help, which prolonged Smith's trial.  But Capote also needed an ending for his book.  After Smith finally revealed what happened that awful night in the Clutter house Capote finished his book.  Capote cut ties with Smith, except for showing up at his execution.  I read the book the movie was based on, written by Gerald Clarke.  It's essentially about a writer that sold his soul for his book.  After the execution Capote was more well-known for his NYC party antics than for his literary achievements.

Edited June 24, 2021 by sugarbaker design

[dubbel zout]

Capote knew In Cold Blood was his masterpiece, and the emotional toll it took was immense. I think it was difficult for him to move on after that.

[Taryn74]

1 hour ago, Jenniferbug said:

LOtR is the one book series where I would rather watch the movies than read the books again, so we can sit at a table for 2 😊 

Me three!

Except I never made it through the books. I tried, but lordie the slog. I love the premise but trying to actually make it through the books is painful. And I tried to read them at a time when I was reading often, so it's not like I didn't like to read at all. I admire that Christopher Lee was able to re-read the series every year.

The Hobbit is a very good read, however, since it was written as a kid's book. 

[EtheltoTillie]

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Capote knew In Cold Blood was his masterpiece, and the emotional toll it took was immense. I think it was difficult for him to move on after that.

Years ago--when they first came out--I read Answered Prayers, the stories that alienated Capote from his NYC society patrons.  They revealed scandalous confidences in fictionalized form, but everyone knew who was involved.  You will find these articles interesting.

https://nypost.com/2016/01/24/the-story-that-destroyed-truman-capote/

https://www.nytimes.com/1978/07/09/archives/the-private-world-of-truman-capote.html

One of the society stories was also fictionalized by Dominick Dunne as The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. 

I also remember when Capote was a staple of 60s talk shows like Merv Griffin and Dick Cavett as a sort of court jester. 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by GussieK

[Rushmoras]

So, I finished "Baptism of Fire" (5th Witcher book) just now, and I've got to say, when the most interesting character there is not your titular character, but, um, just recently introduced sentient vampire, I mean... yeah...

I think, I'm going to take a break from Sapkowski, and gonna dig around in my home library; I think I saw somewhere "A Song of Troy" from Colleen McColough.

[Jeanne222]

Does anybody here like John Grisham books?  He has a newer one out titled  Sooley. 

Sounds interesting. 

[Katy M]

15 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

Does anybody here like John Grisham books?  He has a newer one out titled  Sooley. 

Sounds interesting. 

I like all his early ones. After that they're kind of hit or miss.  He's written some good ones and some real clunkers.

[EtheltoTillie]

14 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

Does anybody here like John Grisham books?  He has a newer one out titled  Sooley. 

Sounds interesting. 

I like many of his books, but I wasn't keen on the recent series about a Florida bookstore.  I liked the one he published a year or so ago revisiting Jake Brigance, the lawyer from A Time to Kill.   I'm not sure if I will try this this new one yet. 

[Rushmoras]

1 hour ago, Jeanne222 said:

Does anybody here like John Grisham books?  He has a newer one out titled  Sooley. 

Sounds interesting. 

I liked his books back in the day, but mostly because I was studying law in the university, so they kind off helped me with contemporary criminal law studies.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, GussieK said:

Years ago--when they first came out--I read the Answered Prayers, the stories that alienated Capote from his NYC society patrons.  They revealed scandalous confidences in fictionalized form, but everyone knew who was involved.  You will find these articles interesting.

https://nypost.com/2016/01/24/the-story-that-destroyed-truman-capote/

https://www.nytimes.com/1978/07/09/archives/the-private-world-of-truman-capote.html

One of the society stories was also fictionalized by Dominick Dunne as The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. 

I also remember when Capote was a staple of 60s talk shows like Merv Griffin and Dick Cavett as a sort of court jester. 

 

I read The Two Mrs. Grenvilles a few years ago and I remember Capote being kind of the pet wit on the talk show circuit. Dominick Dunne was kind of a gadfly too.

[Jeanne222]

1 hour ago, GussieK said:

I like many of his books, but I wasn't keen on the recent series about a Florida bookstore.  I liked the one he published a year or so ago revisiting Jake Brigance, the lawyer from A Time to Kill.   I'm not sure if I will try this this new one yet. 

A Painted House I really liked. He went way off track with that one .

Recently I read his Playing For Pizza. Neither good or bad just a Summer read!

[Crs97]

Melanie Benjamin wrote The Swans of Fifth Avenue about Capote’s friendship and betrayal of his high society patrons. It was an interesting read.

[peacheslatour]

50 minutes ago, Crs97 said:

Melanie Benjamin wrote The Swans of Fifth Avenue about Capote’s friendship and betrayal of his high society patrons. It was an interesting read.

I just ordered it. Amazon, used, for under five bucks. Thanks, Crs97!

[blackwing]

3 hours ago, Jeanne222 said:

Does anybody here like John Grisham books?  He has a newer one out titled  Sooley. 

Sounds interesting. 

I read all of his books without fail up until "The Partner", and then I just tired of his formula.  One little guy up against the big bad corporation, there was almost invariably an obvious political bias in the plots, and I always felt like he decided he was tired of writing the book so each book had a sudden and abrupt ending.

Maybe he has changed over the years, but I don't find myself with any desire to read them.

Grisham certainly was groundbreaking when he first came on the scene, but there are much better writers of legal/political thrillers.  Scott Turow runs circles around Grisham.

[BlackberryJam]

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

Melanie Benjamin wrote The Swans of Fifth Avenue about Capote’s friendship and betrayal of his high society patrons. It was an interesting read.

I so enjoyed that book, especially the different POVs. I felt for Babe Paley. I would love a fictionalized account of the life of Slim Keith.

That NY socialite vibe is always a fun read. 

[babyhouseman]

Thanks for the recommendation of the Swans of Fifth Avenue. I found it in the ebook library. It looks interesting. I know some of Truman Capote's life  including his relationship with Harper Lee.

I'm reading Zero Fail in hardback. It's about the Secret Service and how they've responded to political assassinations and attempted assassinations. . 

[Haleth]

LotR and The Sil will forever be my favorite books.  (Thus my avatar.)  I don't do a yearly read anymore but I'll pick them up every few years.  The language is exquisite.  I do confess to skipping the songs though.  I enjoy the movies (haven't watched in years) since they do add a 21st c sense of fun and adventure, plus more open emotion (and less British stoicism).  However I'll never forgive Jackson for completely missing the point of the kidnapping of the hobbits at the end of FotR.  

My 30yo son began reading FotR some months ago.  His comment was "they sure do a lot of singing, don't they?"  I'm not sure he'll be able to get through the books.

[BlackberryJam]

17 hours ago, babyhouseman said:

Thanks for the recommendation of the Swans of Fifth Avenue. I found it in the ebook library. It looks interesting. I know some of Truman Capote's life  including his relationship with Harper Lee.

Swans is really more about Babe Paley and her relationship with Truman, and the NY socialite scene that he drew from for his stories, and in the process, alienated the very people who supported him. It's completely fictionalized, but most of the facts, dates, etc are on point.

You also get the origins of the Black and White Ball which is loads of fun.

 

[peacheslatour]

3 hours ago, Haleth said:

LotR and The Sil will forever be my favorite books.  (Thus my avatar.)  I don't do a yearly read anymore but I'll pick them up every few years.  The language is exquisite.  I do confess to skipping the songs though.  I enjoy the movies (haven't watched in years) since they do add a 21st c sense of fun and adventure, plus more open emotion (and less British stoicism).  However I'll never forgive Jackson for completely missing the point of the kidnapping of the hobbits at the end of FotR.  

My 30yo son began reading FotR some months ago.  His comment was "they sure do a lot of singing, don't they?"  I'm not sure he'll be able to get through the books.

My son read them in high school and he was having trouble with the FotR and I just kept saying "Wait until they get to Bree, it really picks up there." So he stuck it out and was so glad he did.

[lasu]

On 6/24/2021 at 9:34 AM, Jenniferbug said:

LOtR is the one book series where I would rather watch the movies than read the books again, so we can sit at a table for 2 😊 

Game of Thrones was this way for me.  I read all the books (that are out so far), but I tell people if they are interested in the series, just watch the tv show.

[grommit2]

OK.  Finished Bombs Away by Harry Turtledove.  Dr. Turtledove is a master of alternative history.  In this one, he has President Truman sanctioning Atomic bombs to stop the Chinese from interfering in the Korean War.  Certainly a premise that was discussed by General MacArthur at the time, but, of course, never used.  Thus we have an alternative history...as to what would have happened had the bomb been deployed.  An ok book, gets into the lives of soldiers and their families as atomic bombs are deployed by everyone who had one. 

[Luckylyn]

I have been reading and really enjoying Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston which about the son of the first female president having a hate to love romance with a prince from England.   They have an altercation caught by the media at the royal wedding and have to publicly act as friends to stop the negative publicity.  Over time a genuine friendship develops which leads to love.  Alex can be a bit much at times, but he really grew on me.  His sense of humor won me over.  Plus under his bravado he ultimately is good hearted.   The combination of outgoing Alex and reserved Henry really worked.  I like a romance where the pairings bond is allowed to develop organically.  They have things in common and differences that compliment each other. I also find the supporting characters interesting.   I would love the see this as a movie.  

Edited June 27, 2021 by Luckylyn

[dubbel zout]

I finished The Idea of You, by Robinne Lee, about an older woman–younger man romance. It got a lot of buzz because of the topic, but I was disappointed. The main problem is that Hayes, the 20-year-old boy band member, is way too good to be true. (He'd be too good to be true if he were older.) And the nearly 20-year age gap between the lovers is gross and remains gross regardless of gender. The book isn't nearly as thought-provoking as it wants to be.

I also read The Last Flight, by Julie Clark. If you can buy the premise—two women exchange boarding passes at the airport to escape their lives—it's a fun read.

[Spartan Girl]

Just got Daughters of Sparta by Claire Heywood, the retelling of the Trojan War from Helen and Klytemnestra’s POV. Already can’t put it down!

[BlackberryJam]

Finished a Ashley Grant mystery by Vicki Delaney. It was short. Fine, but short. I could use some more to my mysteries.

Just started Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff. So far, I’m thoroughly enjoying it. It’s a look at a marriage over many years, but it’s very…not Hallmark if that makes sense to anyone. It’s not saccharine, but it’s not tragic. 

[stewedsquash]

Any insight into Ruth Rendell and her alter Barbara Vine? I am debating downloading Asta's Book by Barbara Vine from the library. I was led to it via a BookBub deal for Ruth Rendell, The Best Man To Die, which is a series (there is a waiting list for this one). The Barbara Vine book above is comparing her to Turow/P D James/Ian Larkin. 

eta I deleted the question of what this author writes about because it came across as things I was interested in and that was not my intent. I am not interested in books that are gory or creepy.

Edited June 27, 2021 by stewedsquash
clarity

[Spartan Girl]

Okay, finished Daughters of Sparta, and this take on Helen of Troy was interesting. I’ll admit I have a soft spot for evil versions of Helen, but this is the first time I’ve seen her portrayed as someone who is flawed and vain, but genuinely owns up to and regrets her actions without playing the victim/blaming the gods. And Menelaos comes off similarly flawed and sympathetic, which makes 

Spoiler

their reunion at the end much more believable.

I also loved how they did Klytemnestra, who up until now is usually portrayed as the scorned wife and vengeful mother. She is much more three dimensional this time around. I’m kind of glad the novel ends 

Spoiler

years before Orestes comes back to kill her, but it’s depressing knowing what’ll happen.

So everyone who loved Circe and A Thousand Ships should definitely check it out. Also just read Stephen Fry’s Troy and it’s worth a read too.

Edited June 27, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[stewedsquash]

I edited my above post because the items I listed where ones that I am not interested in reading and it came across as something I wanted to read. Which, double yikes! No I am not, for real! Those were things I avoid in books. I went ahead and downloaded Asta's Book from the library and will read a few chapters to see how it is. Hopefully I have found an interesting new author. I do think I will have to pick and choose her books, based on the descriptions.

I have started The One-Way Bridge by Cathie Pelletier .  It is a mystery set in Maine. Not sure if it is considered a cozy mystery or just the regular type. It has blurbs by Richard Russo and Fannie Flagg. I hope it is more the Richard Russo type, although I have only read two of his books. I know blurbs don't really mean that those authors have read the books. 

I have downloaded The Best Seller by Olivia Goldsmith twice and I can't seem to get beyond the chapter where the mother comes to the apartment. Has anyone read it? I can usually get through the set up chapters at the beginning of books but with this one, both times by the time I get to that above I just feel weighted down with the book and give up. 

I have these on hold for download with wait times at the library:

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz  six month wait, down from eight

Who Is Maud? by Dixon Alexandra Andrews   8 weeks

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny  14 weeks

Bounty by Janet Evanovich/Steve Hamilton This is book seven in the Fox and O'Hare series. I haven't started it yet but the wait time for this book is down to 11 weeks from the initial 18 weeks (but the math isn't working on those wait times, I bet shenanigans are going on down at the little town library, ha!). It is a bit of a shuffle when dealing with library hot books so I will start the series soon since the other books in it are usually available. 

Anyone read those holds above? Are they worth my four book library imposed limit if another book with wait time comes along? That is a back and forth with library downloads. It usually works out okay but there have been a few "ugh just hit the delete hold and get it over with" moments when there are too many good choices.

Edited June 27, 2021 by stewedsquash

[BlackberryJam]

The One-Way Bridge seems to be the fourth in a series. Does that matter?

 

[Crs97]

Our book club just finished Leaving Coy’s Hill based on the story of Lucy Stone.  Who is Lucy Stone, you ask?  She was an amazing leader of the women’s rights movement whom nobody knows because Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Stanton literally edited her out of history.  The book could have been better, but we all appreciated learning enough about this woman to seek out more information.

[stewedsquash]

@BlackberryJam I read that it was originally a trilogy and now the fourth book (One-Way Bridge). My library only has the fourth so I just decided to read it and if it is good, request the trilogy. I wrongly wrote above that it is a mystery, it is actually a character driven story, not a mystery. It, and the preview I read of the third book, just seems like a book that takes you to a place and you are peeking in on their lives type of book, which I love. Also there are many years between novels which also is appealing, not like they are churned out on the regular. I also like that they were written in the moment, not written in 2013 for the 1989 viewpoint. 

Someone above asked about Grisham novels. I was probably nineteen, early twenties when he wrote the first book and I devoured it. Then waited for the next and the next and the next and then, there was a noticeable shift in his writing. It relates to the "churned out on the regular" comment I made above and also, he changed the type of books he wrote. His churned out books and his different books just seem...there. I think he probably lost his writing mojo, between being Whoa who is this guy with this book/Let's cast Tom Cruise!/ book contracts/lots of money/and finally looking for his, I don't know, epic novel? All that to say that I loved his first books but haven't finished his current books. He is worth reading. 

[scarynikki12]

I lost interest in John Grisham with The Partner. I didn't enjoy it so that's where I stopped. If you've never read Grisham I recommend his early books because they are great: A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and The Client. I reread The Pelican Brief and The Client last year and they're still great books. I remember reading The Chamber and liking it but I've forgotten everything about it other than that the movie version cast Matt Damon. The other four I still remember my favorite parts and where the movies diverged from the books so I would start there. 

[peacheslatour]

Quote

His churned out books and his different books just seem...there. I

That happened with James Patterson books too, even before they became James Patterson with...books.

[sugarbaker design]

16 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

Any insight into Ruth Rendell and her alter Barbara Vine? I am debating downloading Asta's Book by Barbara Vine from the library. I was led to it via a BookBub deal for Ruth Rendell, The Best Man To Die, which is a series (there is a waiting list for this one). The Barbara Vine book above is comparing her to Turow/P D James/Ian Larkin. 

I read Asta's Book when it came out in '93-'94, I must've read it 3 times since.  Here's a link to an article which contains a letter from RR explaining the differences between Rendell and Vine.

"Fatal Inversions: The Barbara Vine Information Web" https://www.gusworld.com.au/books/vine/why.htm

[Jeanne222]

I’m going to put in a request for John Grisham new book Sully. I hope I’m spelling that right. 

It’s the story of a basketball player. I read another book Playing For Pizza  .

I wonder what connection Grisham has with the game. 

I’m currently struggling through Daisy and The Six.   She’s a singer and The Six is a band 

It’s a Reese Witherspoon book club book!  Praying it gets better soon!

[Darian]

9 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

I edited my above post because the items I listed where ones that I am not interested in reading and it came across as something I wanted to read. Which, double yikes! No I am not, for real! Those were things I avoid in books. I went ahead and downloaded Asta's Book from the library and will read a few chapters to see how it is. Hopefully I have found an interesting new author. I do think I will have to pick and choose her books, based on the descriptions.

I have started The One-Way Bridge by Cathie Pelletier .  It is a mystery set in Maine. Not sure if it is considered a cozy mystery or just the regular type. It has blurbs by Richard Russo and Fannie Flagg. I hope it is more the Richard Russo type, although I have only read two of his books. I know blurbs don't really mean that those authors have read the books. 

 

I have these on hold for download with wait times at the library:

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz  six month wait, down from eight

Who Is Maud? by Dixon Alexandra Andrews   8 weeks

 

I just got both of these (it helps that I have--and this is going to sound a little insane--eight different library system ebook accounts, so I have most of my state covered.  I don't put everything I want on hold at all of them, and take them off when one pulls ahead. And the second I finish a book I return it, but there are some books I'm eager to read that I put on hold in different systems). 

I read What Comes After by JoAnne Tompkins and The Revisioners by by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, both of which I recommend. Everything since has been disappointing, but I'm going to try The Liar's Dictionary tomorrow and if not am dumping it and trying The Plot, which I've heard good things about. 
 

[Black Knight]

I've always preferred the Barbara Vine books to the Ruth Rendell books.

I just finished Alex Michaelides's mystery/psychological thriller The Silent Patient - it's out in trade paperback now since his new book is out. It was an absorbing read, but I'm ultimately split on it. The good is that I didn't figure out the twist, which is rare. The bad is that it's at least partly because he cheated. Among other things, there's one paragraph early on that should have been deleted by an alert editor.

The other thing is that he wrote the diary entries of one character after he wrote the rest of the book, and it shows - there's a rather big secret in them revealed early on that should be extremely significant to another of the characters, but there is no reaction to it by that character when the time comes. That's because it's clearly something that he came up with only when he was writing the diary entries, and he forgot to go back and edit the rest of the book accordingly. An alert editor should have caught that too.

[Luckylyn]

I’m currently reading the biography  The Happy Bottom Riding Club: The Life and Times of Pancho Barnes by Lauren Kessler.   I really like the writing style for this biography.  I remember watching a TV movie about Pancho Barnes life with Valarie Bertinelli when I was a kid.   I realized the movie was heavily sanitized and didn’t really capture her when I read The Right Stuff which mentions Pancho a bit.   Her evolution from wealthy girl to hard living pilot is an entertaining read so far.

[stewedsquash]

21 hours ago, scarynikki12 said:

I lost interest in John Grisham with The Partner. I didn't enjoy it so that's where I stopped. If you've never read Grisham I recommend his early books because they are great: A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and The Client. I reread The Pelican Brief and The Client last year and they're still great books. I remember reading The Chamber and liking it but I've forgotten everything about it other than that the movie version cast Matt Damon. The other four I still remember my favorite parts and where the movies diverged from the books so I would start there. 

I read all of those and I honestly can't remember if I have read more titles or when exactly it was that I stopped being excited about a new Grisham book and stopped reading him. I still browse his new stuff to see if I am interested, have started a couple and stopped. 

19 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

That happened with James Patterson books too, even before they became James Patterson with...books.

I have never been on the James Patterson boat nor Jack Reacher books. 

19 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

I read Asta's Book when it came out in '93-'94, I must've read it 3 times since.  Here's a link to an article which contains a letter from RR explaining the differences between Rendell and Vine.

"Fatal Inversions: The Barbara Vine Information Web" https://www.gusworld.com.au/books/vine/why.htm

You re-reading Asta's Book is encouraging. I read the linked article. I get what she is saying but it does seem a little convoluted (the reasons for the pseudonym), ha. I know some writers and their other names but most of the time I am whoa, seriously? that is so and so? That link did give me perspective that I will enjoy Barbara Vine more than Ruth Rendell. 

14 hours ago, Darian said:

I just got both of these (it helps that I have--and this is going to sound a little insane--eight different library system ebook accounts, so I have most of my state covered.  I don't put everything I want on hold at all of them, and take them off when one pulls ahead. And the second I finish a book I return it, but there are some books I'm eager to read that I put on hold in different systems). 

I read What Comes After by JoAnne Tompkins and The Revisioners by by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton, both of which I recommend. Everything since has been disappointing, but I'm going to try The Liar's Dictionary tomorrow and if not am dumping it and trying The Plot, which I've heard good things about. 
 

I don't think it is insane! I have two accounts since we have one of our farms in the connecting county. How do you get so many? Here in NC you have to either have land or live in the county. Maybe it has changed since I checked before. I am going to check again. The other county I use doesn't use Overdrive but something else that is very hard to navigate so I don't really use it much. 

What Comes Next has a 24 week wait time for me when I came across it last week. I will probably add it when the time comes down. The description of The Revisioners doesn't interest me. The Liar's Dictionary does interest me because I love books about the book world (which is one reason why I am so disappointed that I can't seem to get into The Best Seller I mentioned above). 

Edited June 28, 2021 by stewedsquash
editing while typing almost always leads to mistakes that are never seen until you read your post after hitting add reply

[Darian]

4 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

How do you get so many? Here in NC you have to either have land or live in the county. Maybe it has changed since I checked before. I am going to check again. The other county I use doesn't use Overdrive but something else that is very hard to navigate so I don't really use it much. 

I'm lucky and I know it. The first two I got because I was regularly using libraries in two different systems. I live in MA, and it's a small state, with little counties, so there are a lot of different systems close by and one was the Boston Public Library system, which is excellent. I had those two when I got an e-reader. I was a very, very early adopter, because between vision and motor issues, I was starting to read less but the e-reader gave me back reading, basically.

Back then, libraries had a limited catalog of ebooks, so I got two more cards in neighboring counties. You just have to live in the state. Then all those systems and several more, eight in total, extended ebook borrowing privileges to each other, so I signed up for e-accounts only with the systems I didn't have physical cards with. I hope where you live they've started or start doing something similar. I know in most of our state's you can now sign up just for e-accounts and never go near the physical library to sign up. 

We have Overdrive, which I use because I use a dedicated ereader, but they made it easy to use, and Libby for androids, etc. My husband uses that to read library ezines on his tablet. 

[Jeanne222]

Does anybody read Harlan Cobin books?  I see one 'Caught' I might be interested in.

I used to read all his books then he got a bit strange writing under a different name.  So I stopped.

But this one caught my eye.

[JustHereForFood]

38 minutes ago, Jeanne222 said:

Does anybody read Harlan Cobin books?  I see one 'Caught' I might be interested in.

I used to read all his books then he got a bit strange writing under a different name.  So I stopped.

But this one caught my eye.

I like his Myron Bolitar novels, but with his standalone novels I stopped caring after a few of them. He basically uses two types of twist over and over again, so it got a bit uninteresting for me. With Myron Bolitar series I keep reading just for those characters that I like, not for the plot.

But if you haven't read many of his books, you might like Caught, it wasn't bad, it just wasn't particularly surprising or clever. JMO of course. 

Also, I was not aware he also writes under a different name. Can you specify?

[Ohiopirate02]

5 hours ago, stewedsquash said:

I don't think it is insane! I have two accounts since we have one of our farms in the connecting county. How do you get so many? Here in NC you have to either have land or live in the county. Maybe it has changed since I checked before. I am going to check again. The other county I use doesn't use Overdrive but something else that is very hard to navigate so I don't really use it much. 

 

It really depends on what county you are near in NC.  My county grants a full library card to every NC resident.  The nearby county charges a fee for ebook access to non-residents.  We are all funded differently and the local governments we are beholden to all have different rules.  

[DearEvette]

On 6/27/2021 at 11:15 AM, stewedsquash said:

Bounty by Janet Evanovich/Steve Hamilton This is book seven in the Fox and O'Hare series. I haven't started it yet but the wait time for this book is down to 11 weeks from the initial 18 weeks (but the math isn't working on those wait times, I bet shenanigans are going on down at the little town library, ha!). It is a bit of a shuffle when dealing with library hot books so I will start the series soon since the other books in it are usually available.

Are you a big fan of the Fox and O'Hare series?  If so, I am curious about how you are finding it after Lee Goldberg stopped co-writing. 

I ADORED the first five books and got really nervous when book six showed up in pre-publication with someone named Raymond Benson as the co-author and no sign of Lee Goldberg.  And then got even more nervous when suddenly Raymond Benson was gone and her son Peter was named as co-author.  My fears seamed validated when some of my reading group buddies and Goodreads friends  said the tone was completely different and there were glaring continuity issues.  This books sounds like it is along the same lines especially as it sounds like it is saying that Jake and Kate never got along (a flat out LIE!!  He helped Kate parachute into a monastery illegally in the first book, he sent her a rocket launcher in a care package to help her get away from pirates. Jake is Dad goals !!)  So I am holding out hope that Lee Goldberg will re-appear because given what I know of Janet Evanovich, the elegant long con plotting feels like it was all due to Goldberg. So for me the series ended at book 5 but I would love for Goldberg to return.

 

On 6/27/2021 at 2:18 PM, scarynikki12 said:

If you've never read Grisham I recommend his early books because they are great: A Time To Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and The Client. I reread The Pelican Brief and The Client last year and they're still great books.

I remember reading The Firm when it first came out and thinking it was just... one of the most exciting, tense reads  I loved it.  I quickly went back and read A Time to Kill.  I think I read everything he wrote up until The Runaway Jury,  And then I just stopped.  I am not sure why But i simply lost interest in his plotting.  I did read the first book in the Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer series to vet it for my son who was interested in reading it at the time.  I thought that was nicely written.

Edited June 28, 2021 by DearEvette