What Are We Currently Reading?

[peacheslatour]

16 minutes ago, Constant Viewer said:

I also really enjoyed her other book, the Gods of Jade and Shadow

I'm starting to notice a pattern in my reading enjoyment. I really prefer women authors.

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, helenamonster said:

Just finished: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.

Did you see the series, Helena?

[helenamonster]

5 hours ago, Haleth said:

Did you see the series, Helena?

Not yet--I've heard great things though! Will probably get to it after I finish a couple other things.

[Luckylyn]

I’m in the middle of A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare. This is the first in the Spindle Cove series. I really enjoyed Dare’s Castles Ever After Series.  Characters from the Spindle Cove show up at the end of that series which lead me to reading it now.  A battle of the sexes begins in this historical romance.  Spindle Cove is a town of predominantly women and things get disrupted when Bram the new Earl of Rycliff is charged with forming a militia in town.  Susannah  resents the changes the militia may bring and Bram sees Susannah as an obstacle to his making a success of the militia.  They feel an intense attraction along the way.

[Spartan Girl]

I’m reading The Shadow in the Glass by J.J.A. Howard, a Cinderella story as told by Faust, and holy crap, if you like creepy gothic fairy tales, you’ll love this!

[Bort]

On 1/24/2022 at 3:31 PM, Luckylyn said:

I’m in the middle of A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare. This is the first in the Spindle Cove series. I really enjoyed Dare’s Castles Ever After Series.  Characters from the Spindle Cove show up at the end of that series which lead me to reading it now.  A battle of the sexes begins in this historical romance.  Spindle Cove is a town of predominantly women and things get disrupted when Bram the new Earl of Rycliff is charged with forming a militia in town.  Susannah  resents the changes the militia may bring and Bram sees Susannah as an obstacle to his making a success of the militia.  They feel an intense attraction along the way.

I read that entire series. Not in the correct order, but it didn’t matter that much, I guess. The last book ended up being my favorite, it was hilarious.

[smittykins]

I just started Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park by Andrew Mulvihill(son of Action Park founder Gene).  The whole concept(including lax regulations and indifferent enforcement of those that existed)fascinates me, even though I never went there, and most likely wouldn’t have enjoyed it since I’m the world’s biggest fraidy-cat.

[Crs97]

Smittykins may I please sit by you?  I don’t like roller coaster or heights and get sick when I spin in a circle.  Even the book you’re reading might give me vertigo.

[smittykins]

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

Smittykins may I please sit by you?  I don’t like roller coaster or heights and get sick when I spin in a circle.  Even the book you’re reading might give me vertigo.

About a year before we were married, my then-fiancé and I went to Six Flags Darien Lake(between Rochester and Buffalo)for a week’s vacation.  He exacted a promise from me that I would go on the two roller coasters with him. I complied, but being upside down is not my idea of a good time.  Somewhere, there’s a photo of us on one of the coasters, and I have a look on my face like “Get me out of here!”

[BlackberryJam]

I could really use a well-written contemporary romance for my current ride on the struggle bus. Any suggestions? 

[Crs97]

One of my favorite comforting reads is Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.  There is a love story to it that is delightful, but it is more about sisters.  It is an older book, but well worth a read if you haven’t done so already.

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn was also enjoyable.  
 

I hope your ride on the struggle bus is short!  Sending warm thoughts your way.

 

[proserpina65]

One good thing to come out of sitting through the first interminable Peter Jackson Hobbit movie today is that I now feel the need to re-read the book, if only to see how much was actually from the book and how much he added to pad the story out to three interminable movies.

[peacheslatour]

1 minute ago, proserpina65 said:

One good thing to come out of sitting through the first interminable Peter Jackson Hobbit movie today is that I now feel the need to re-read the book, if only to see how much was actually from the book and how much he added to pad the story out to three interminable movies.

Viggo Mortensen was asked to be in those movies and turned it down flat because Aragorn wasn't in the freaking Hobbit. Makes me love him even more.

[proserpina65]

Just now, peacheslatour said:

Viggo Mortensen was asked to be in those movies and turned it down flat because Aragorn wasn't in the freaking Hobbit. Makes me love him even more.

Wow, that is something I can respect.  He's a talented actor and knows when he doesn't need to be in movie.

I don't remember Galadriel and Saruman being in the book but they were in the first movie.  I could be wrong, though, because it's been multiple decades since I read it.

[BlackberryJam]

4 hours ago, Crs97 said:

One of my favorite comforting reads is Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.  There is a love story to it that is delightful, but it is more about sisters.  It is an older book, but well worth a read if you haven’t done so already.

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn was also enjoyable.  
 

I hope your ride on the struggle bus is short!  Sending warm thoughts your way.

 

Grabbed the Clayborn on Kindle Unlimited. Nice easy reads are on the menu for this weekend. And maybe some fanfiction. Thank you for the rec. 

As to Mortensen, after the shower fight in Eastern Promises I realized he is an actor who just commits. I'd love him to get a nomination for something.

 

[Anduin]

2 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

One good thing to come out of sitting through the first interminable Peter Jackson Hobbit movie today is that I now feel the need to re-read the book, if only to see how much was actually from the book and how much he added to pad the story out to three interminable movies.

Quite a lot. Though apparently it was WB who forced a lot of changes. Anyway, the Hobbit book is still as good as ever.

[Browncoat]

6 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

I could really use a well-written contemporary romance for my current ride on the struggle bus. Any suggestions? 

I liked "Shipped" by Angie Hockman.

[dubbel zout]

6 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn was also enjoyable.  

Yes! It's rather predictable, but sometimes that's what you want.

[scarynikki12]

I second Shipped and add the following: anything by Emily Henry, Ten Rules For Faking It by Sophie Sullivan, Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall, The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochran, and Battle Royal by Lucy Parker.

[GaT]

I'm reading The Emperor's Wolves by Michelle Sagara, It's the first book in a companion series to the Chronicles of Elantra series. I'm finding it to be slow going. It might be because it covered some of the same ground, but it's also because it seems like the story is getting dragged out more than it should. Not sure if I'll read the next book in the series.

[Haleth]

16 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

I don't remember Galadriel and Saruman being in the book but they were in the first movie.  I could be wrong, though, because it's been multiple decades since I read it.

They were not.  Neither was Legolas.  The Hobbit movies are an abomination.

I started reading The Eye of the World after watching The Wheel of Time series.  Manoman, it is so different!  The show fleshed out the characters so much better that nonreaders were unsure who the requisite chosen one would be.  I'll continue reading to fill in the plot points that were missing from the show, but at this point I can't see being invested in such a long book series.  

Edited January 29, 2022 by Haleth

[Anduin]

56 minutes ago, Haleth said:

They were not.  Neither was Legolas.  The Hobbit movies are an abomination.

I started reading The Eye of the World after watching The Wheel of Time series.  Manoman, it is so different!  The show fleshed out the characters so much better that nonreaders were unsure who the requisite chosen one would be.  I'll continue reading to fill in the plot points that were missing from the show, but at this point I can't see being invested in such a long book series.  

I started reading EOTW too. However, I don't much like the characters. They're a lot younger in the book, and written in a way I don't find appealing. Even when I try to picture the show characters as the book characters, they're very different. Also, there are a some more stops along the way. Will I stick with it? Unlikely. I've started it several times before, I don't see this time being the winner.

[peacheslatour]

19 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

Grabbed the Clayborn on Kindle Unlimited. Nice easy reads are on the menu for this weekend. And maybe some fanfiction. Thank you for the rec. 

As to Mortensen, after the shower fight in Eastern Promises I realized he is an actor who just commits. I'd love him to get a nomination for something.

 

He's had a few nominations and one award.

He is the recipient of various accolades including a Screen Actors Guild Award and has been nominated for three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards.

[Haleth]

6 hours ago, Anduin said:

I started reading EOTW too. However, I don't much like the characters. They're a lot younger in the book, and written in a way I don't find appealing. Even when I try to picture the show characters as the book characters, they're very different. Also, there are a some more stops along the way. Will I stick with it? Unlikely. I've started it several times before, I don't see this time being the winner.

I got into it knowing you didn’t care for it, Anduin. Perhaps that unfairly swayed my opinion. 

[Anduin]

2 hours ago, Haleth said:

I got into it knowing you didn’t care for it, Anduin. Perhaps that unfairly swayed my opinion. 

The show could have done with another episode or two, but I much prefer that to the book.

You know, Daniel Greene did a video called 'Why is WOT so beloved yet so hated?' I really should watch that.

[Angeltoes]

I just finished Valerie Bertinelli's Enough  Already.  Let me sum it up for you:  She has always been obsessed with her weight, she likes to eat/cook, she is learning to love and forgive herself, her son, Wolfie, is amazing and she was once married to Eddie Van Halen (although, if you didn't know better, you'd get the idea from this book that she was his widow and not his ex-wife).  Repeat all that for 200+ pages.  I have always liked Valerie because she seems like a fun person but I couldn't believe she got paid to write this.

[Crs97]

 

2 minutes ago, Angeltoes said:

although, if you didn't know better, you'd get the idea from this book that she was his widow and not his ex-wife

And Eddie had been married for a long time to someone else when he died.

[Spartan Girl]

Bought myself not one, but two new books I’m reading now:

Antoinette’s Sister by Diana Giovinazzo: Historical fiction book about Marie Antoinette’s sister Maria Carolina Charlotte, who was married off to the King of Naples, after her other sister and the original betrothed Josepha died of smallpox. It doesn’t sound like she fared much better than Marie…

Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar: Dark retelling of The Nutcracker. Very lush descriptions descriptions so far. Drosselmeyer is kind of a creep in some versions (at least that one movie version), so it isn’t a complete stretch to make him the villain.

[BlackberryJam]

On 1/28/2022 at 12:06 PM, Crs97 said:

Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn was also enjoyable.  

This was a nice, simple romance where people didn’t behave like idiots for reasons of plot. It was perfect escapism. Thank you.

[Grrarrggh]

Re-reading Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria by Julia P. Gelardi. Absolutely amazing women, especially Marie of Romania and Ena of Spain.

[Katy M]

5 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

Re-reading Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria by Julia P. Gelardi. Absolutely amazing women, especially Marie of Romania and Ena of Spain.

Read that. Loved it.

[sugarbaker design]

21 minutes ago, Grrarrggh said:

Re-reading Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria by Julia P. Gelardi. Absolutely amazing women, especially Marie of Romania and Ena of Spain.

That sounds so good, I'll have to check out used options on abe.com.

eta:  Done!

Edited January 31, 2022 by sugarbaker design

[dubbel zout]

Same! There's also a book about Victoria's daughters (called, logically, Victoria's Daughters) that's really interesting. Victoria had definite ideas for her daughters, which didn't always coincide with what they wanted.

[Luckylyn]

I’m halfway through All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  The story interweaves the story of a blind French girl and a german orphan during WW 2.  Marie Laure copes with the German occupation of Paris requiring her and her father to leave the only home she has ever known carrying an object that may be as dangerous as it is valuable.  Werner’s technical skills give him the opportunity to escape poverty but his education with the Nazi troubles him. 

[Starleigh]

On 1/28/2022 at 11:28 AM, BlackberryJam said:

I could really use a well-written contemporary romance for my current ride on the struggle bus. Any suggestions? 

I recommend books by Carol Snow. I enjoyed them all. My favorite was Been There, Done That. 

[Haleth]

9 hours ago, Luckylyn said:

I’m halfway through All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  The story interweaves the story of a blind French girl and a german orphan during WW 2.  Marie Laure copes with the German occupation of Paris requiring her and her father to leave the only home she has ever known carrying an object that may be as dangerous as it is valuable.  Werner’s technical skills give him the opportunity to escape poverty but his education with the Nazi troubles him. 

I don't know if you are aware, but this is being made into a limited series.  

[grommit2]

On 1/31/2022 at 9:07 PM, Luckylyn said:

I’m halfway through All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.  The story interweaves the story of a blind French girl and a german orphan during WW 2.  Marie Laure copes with the German occupation of Paris requiring her and her father to leave the only home she has ever known carrying an object that may be as dangerous as it is valuable.  Werner’s technical skills give him the opportunity to escape poverty but his education with the Nazi troubles him. 

Hi LuckyLyn...agreed.  That was an exceptional book. Well worth the time. Enjoy!

[EtheltoTillie]

On 8/8/2021 at 8:19 AM, Haleth said:

I just got around to reading The Dutch House.  It was very good but in the end kind of pointless.  I guess the message of letting go and forgiving is a point.

Searching here for anyone who read Dutch House, as I am just reading it now.  I was quite involved for the first half, but then I got annoyed at the lapses in logic and just started reading plot summaries to find out what happened.    Danny was SUCH a unreliable narrator.  I predicted that the mother was still around and not divorced at the beginning.  The sister seemed to be a character there just as a symbol.  Eh.

[SusanM]

Thanks to kindle I've managed to get the final 7 Rex Stouts that I needed for my collection at far less cost than I would have had to pay a few years ago.  So that's the good news.  The bad news is it has been a few years since I've read any Nero Wolfe's and while I am enjoying the books for the quality of the writing and the plotting - I am having a harder time overlooking the misogyny.  

[Crs97]

I have been reading a lot during this cold snap:  

Finished Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger and now am excited to read more of his Cork O'Connor mysteries.  Quick questions for those of you who have read them:  Was I the only person who really disliked Cork's grandmother Dilsey, and does she play a big role in the other books?

Finished The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and laughed out loud so many times.  Not sure I loved the ending, but will definitely read the next one in the series.  Such a fun group in that retirement village!

Finished Catch Us When We Fall by Juliette Fay and really enjoyed it.  A quick read, but not fluffy.

Finished The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett for book club and liked it.  I thought the ending was a little rushed and thought maybe she tried to raise too many issues for the story she was telling.

Now getting ready to read Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney for book club.

[Anela]

The Cottage, by Lisa Stone. (?) It's okay, but I'm skimming parts of it, on my kindle. It's one of those that starts off creepy, but I'm not sure if I'll like the rest.

The House in the Cerulean Sea, finally, after buying it in paperback, last October. 

[Anela]

I've finished a few books recently, like the last one in the Practical Magic series. Another one that I have to be in the mood for. 

[akiss]

On 2/4/2022 at 9:54 PM, Crs97 said:

I have been reading a lot during this cold snap:  

Finished Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger and now am excited to read more of his Cork O'Connor mysteries.  Quick questions for those of you who have read them:  Was I the only person who really disliked Cork's grandmother Dilsey, and does she play a big role in the other books?

Finished The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman and laughed out loud so many times.  Not sure I loved the ending, but will definitely read the next one in the series.  Such a fun group in that retirement village!

Finished Catch Us When We Fall by Juliette Fay and really enjoyed it.  A quick read, but not fluffy.

Finished The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett for book club and liked it.  I thought the ending was a little rushed and thought maybe she tried to raise too many issues for the story she was telling.

Now getting ready to read Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney for book club.

I loved the THURSDAY MURDER CLUB. I totally agree with you. 

[OtterMommy]

On 2/4/2022 at 11:54 AM, Crs97 said:

I have been reading a lot during this cold snap:  

Finished Lightning Strike by William Kent Krueger and now am excited to read more of his Cork O'Connor mysteries.  Quick questions for those of you who have read them:  Was I the only person who really disliked Cork's grandmother Dilsey, and does she play a big role in the other books?

 

The Cork O'Connor series is a great one.  I'm currently about halfway through it.

Disley doesn't actually appear in any of the Cork O'Connor stories, so don't worry is she didn't work for you.  I will say that Lightning Strike is sort of a bridge in style between his literary standalones (Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land) and the more plot-based, propulsive Cork O'Connor standalone.  I only say this because if you go into the series with Lightning Strike as your starting point, the change in style might be a bit jarring.

[Crs97]

2 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

I will say that Lightning Strike is sort of a bridge in style between his literary standalones (Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land) and the more plot-based, propulsive Cork O'Connor standalone.  I only say this because if you go into the series with Lightning Strike as your starting point, the change in style might be a bit jarring.

Good to know; thanks!  I have only read those three so that is a great heads up!

[andromeda331]

On 1/31/2022 at 1:26 PM, Grrarrggh said:

Re-reading Born to Rule: Five Reigning Consorts, Granddaughters of Queen Victoria by Julia P. Gelardi. Absolutely amazing women, especially Marie of Romania and Ena of Spain.

 

On 1/31/2022 at 1:46 PM, dubbel zout said:

Same! There's also a book about Victoria's daughters (called, logically, Victoria's Daughters) that's really interesting. Victoria had definite ideas for her daughters, which didn't always coincide with what they wanted.

I have both books. They are both really good. Victoria definitely was not easy to have as a mother. Marie and Ena were both very interesting women.

[dubbel zout]

5 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Victoria definitely was not easy to have as a mother.

I'll say! She sounded like a nightmare if you didn't agree with her choices for you. Being the queen added another layer of baggage.

[Tom Holmberg]

5 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

 Marie and Ena were both very interesting women.

But apparently Victoria was nor amused.

[grommit2]

Just finished another Jack Reacher novel. Better Off Dead. 
I found other Lee Child/Reacher books far more entertaining.  This one just seemed to drag along. The short sentence technique often works for describing critical moments, but this one used the technique to describe everything...making it quite slow.  Oh well.  

[andromeda331]

10 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

I'll say! She sounded like a nightmare if you didn't agree with her choices for you. Being the queen added another layer of baggage.

Pretty much. She'd writing letters to her other kids about how horrible one was being to her. Somehow she didn't see why her daughters wouldn't want to devote their entire lives to tending her. I remember hearing a story about one of her relatives seeing her out walking the grounds toward him and quickly hid from her. I imagine that happened a lot. 

10 hours ago, Tom Holmberg said:

But apparently Victoria was nor amused.

Good one!