What Are We Currently Reading?

[buffynut]

I've never heard of Joe Hill either. Are his books horror, like his father's?

[AuntiePam]

6 hours ago, buffynut said:

I've never heard of Joe Hill either. Are his books horror, like his father's?

Yes, horror -- supernatural.  Three novels so far -- NOS4A2, Horns, Heart-shaped Box, and a short story collection, 20th Century Ghosts.  I think his short stories are his best work.  The Fireman is a big fat summer beach read, like The Stand, and the book has some winks to fans of The Stand.  Makes for a fun read, despite the chilling theme.  Joe's also written a graphic novel, Locke & Key.

King's other son Owen is also a writer, but I think Owen is into poetry.

[NewDigs]

Started Richard Russo's Everybody's Fool yesterday and while I'm enjoying it I'm not finding it as compelling as other Russo reads. Partly, I think, because I'm wondering if I maybe should have re-read Nobody's Fool as a kind of refresher.

But so far so good, really interesting narratives with some very funny moments and, as usual, intersting characters. Lots going on and he's tied the narratives together well.

[Qoass]

I gave up on Everybody's Fool.  I have really enjoyed the other Richard Russo books I've read but I never tried Nobody's Fool; I only saw the movie.  I just wasn't in the mood for a novel in which every single character was on the road to ruin.  Instead, I picked up Killer Show which was mentioned upthread and it's fascinating.

Edited May 31, 2016 by Qoass

[NewDigs]

23 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I gave up on Everybody's Fool.  I have really enjoyed the other Richard Russo books I've read but I never tried Nobody's Fool; I only saw the movie.  I just wasn't in the mood for a novel in which every single character was on the road to ruin.  Instead, I picked up Killer Show which was mentioned upthread and it's fascinating.

I kind of gave it my recent City on Fire test. Yesterday, at about page 150, I just really did not want to keep reading so marked the page and closed the book. I picked it up again this morning and, unlike CoF, have reengaged.

The character flaws you mention have given me a touch of melancholy that is difficult to suppress but Russo's turns of phrase, strokes of humor and outsized events are keeping me reading.

Not his best effort but I am enjoying it. 

[Qoass]

Well, I've actually put down four novels in the past week or so including Louise Erdich's LaRose which is supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread so I suppose it's just me, not the books.

[proserpina65]

On ‎05‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 2:48 PM, GaT said:

NO, NO, NO, you MUST finish it! I can't wait!!!!!! (hint: keep large quantities of alcohol or other pain dulling items close by)

But seriously, what Roth did to Four (who isn't even Four anymore, he's Tobias) was really painful to read, he wasn't even close to the same character. It was recently announced Roth is coming out with a new series,my reaction to that is in the Book News thread.

So I finally finished it, and I have to say that I found the epilogue to be less egregious in its character assassination than the previous 500 or so pages.  In fact, some of it actually fit Four's pre-Allegiant character relatively well

Spoiler

specifically how he scattered Tris' ashes and him working for Johanna

Spoiler

 

 

[NewDigs]

3 hours ago, Qoass said:

Well, I've actually put down four novels in the past week or so including Louise Erdich's LaRose which is supposed to be the greatest thing since sliced bread so I suppose it's just me, not the books.

Now at page 235 and not sure I can do it. I am getting so bogged down. And disappointed. 200 more pages? Too much dysfunction. Too many absurdities. Too many words.

Spoiler

I was concerned early on when it was revealed that Sully had 1year, 2 years tops, to live. And now I'm not sure I care.

I hate when previously favorite authors disappoint.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, proserpina65 said:

So I finally finished it, and I have to say that I found the epilogue to be less egregious in its character assassination than the previous 500 or so pages.  In fact, some of it actually fit Four's pre-Allegiant character relatively well

  Reveal hidden contents

specifically how he scattered Tris' ashes and him working for Johanna

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

There is not enough rage in your posts (especially about the "big twist") I am concerned for your mental health.

[proserpina65]

20 minutes ago, GaT said:

There is not enough rage in your posts (especially about the "big twist") I am concerned for your mental health.

Spoiler

If by big twist, you mean Tris' death, I knew about that before I started the books, and had gotten past that part when I'd made my previous part; all I'd had left by then was the epilogue.  That's what I meant about Super Special Snowflake - she's so special, she can even withstand the death serum.  Ugh.  When I started reading Allegiant, I'd hoped Tris would have a meaningful death, but pretty much everything that happens after they reach the Bureau was so stupid (except for what happened to Uriah, which was rage inducing) that I was just slogging through it and didn't really care by the time she actually died.

[GaT]

10 minutes ago, proserpina65 said:

  Hide contents

If by big twist, you mean Tris' death, I knew about that before I started the books, and had gotten past that part when I'd made my previous part; all I'd had left by then was the epilogue.  That's what I meant about Super Special Snowflake - she's so special, she can even withstand the death serum.  Ugh.  When I started reading Allegiant, I'd hoped Tris would have a meaningful death, but pretty much everything that happens after they reach the Bureau was so stupid (except for what happened to Uriah, which was rage inducing) that I was just slogging through it and didn't really care by the time she actually died.

That would explain it. I didn't know about it before I read the book so I had rage induced nervous twitch for a long time. 

Spoiler

but at least Tobias gets to live HEA with his mommy, & that's what's really important, isn't it? />s

Edited May 31, 2016 by GaT

[buffynut]

16 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

Yes, horror -- supernatural.  Three novels so far -- NOS4A2, Horns, Heart-shaped Box, and a short story collection, 20th Century Ghosts.  I think his short stories are his best work.  The Fireman is a big fat summer beach read, like The Stand, and the book has some winks to fans of The Stand.  Makes for a fun read, despite the chilling theme.  Joe's also written a graphic novel, Locke & Key.

King's other son Owen is also a writer, but I think Owen is into poetry.

Thanks AUNTIEPAM. I'm not a fan of horror - the only Stephen King book I've read was The Tommyknockers, many years ago. I enjoyed it, but never read any others.

[proserpina65]

1 hour ago, GaT said:

That would explain it. I didn't know about it before I read the book so I had rage induced nervous twitch for a long time. 

  Reveal hidden contents

but at least Tobias gets to live HEA with his mommy, & that's what's really important, isn't it? />s

Yes, I think if I hadn't known, I'd have been throwing things.

[MeloraH]

I recently finished an ARC of Emma Cline's The Girls and I really loved it, it comes out in a few weeks. It's really beautifully written and it has a really great hazy/summery atmosphere.

[OakGoblinFly]

I am currently reading book 3, Taken, in the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka; it's a series about a mage who runs a magic shop in London and his misadventures.  It isn't deep or a particularly original concept, what it is, however, is a lot of fun in a fluffy, bubble gum sort of way.  This series has replaced the hole left by The Iron Druid Chronicles which fell off the rails around book six (I had to force myself to finish seven and I gave up on eight).

 

Next up in my queue is Stiletto, the long (4 years!!*) awaited sequel to The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (I already have my pre-order in with Amazon).

 

*You'd think I'd be used to long waits between books, having read all of George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, OakGoblinFly said:

I am currently reading book 3, Taken, in the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka; it's a series about a mage who runs a magic shop in London and his misadventures.  It isn't deep or a particularly original concept, what it is, however, is a lot of fun in a fluffy, bubble gum sort of way.  This series has replaced the hole left by The Iron Druid Chronicles which fell off the rails around book six (I had to force myself to finish seven and I gave up on eight).

 

Next up in my queue is Stiletto, the long (4 years!!*) awaited sequel to The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (I already have my pre-order in with Amazon).

 

*You'd think I'd be used to long waits between books, having read all of George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books.

Oooo, I've never heard of the Alex Verus series, but being that I love Harry Dresden, it sounds right up my alley. I will check it out, thanks.

I'm right there with you on Stiletto, the release date has been pushed back so many times, I'm holding my breath that it's actually going to be released this time. It's been so long since I read The Rook, I'm going to have to read it again (not that that's a chore) because I barely remember it.

[Joe]

I saw Stiletto the other day, but I've been holding off on buying it until I can find the time to read it. Maybe this weekend.

[AuntiePam]

Quote

Next up in my queue is Stiletto, the long (4 years!!*) awaited sequel to The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (I already have my pre-order in with Amazon).

Well, phooey!  I just started The Rook, have been avoiding reviews, etc., and didn't know there'd be a sequel.  I was sorta hoping it was a stand-alone.  At my age, I prefer stand-alones, or finished series.

[OakGoblinFly]

14 hours ago, GaT said:

Oooo, I've never heard of the Alex Verus series, but being that I love Harry Dresden, it sounds right up my alley. I will check it out, thanks.

I'm right there with you on Stiletto, the release date has been pushed back so many times, I'm holding my breath that it's actually going to be released this time. It's been so long since I read The Rook, I'm going to have to read it again (not that that's a chore) because I barely remember it.

Alex Verus is similar to the Dresden series (another favorite of mine - I don't care if the quality of the stories has gone down, I just can’t quit him much like I can’t quit the Agent Pendergast books).  As I said, the stories aren’t very deep and the concept of magician in modern world is not particularly unique, however the stories are fun and Jacka’s writing style is very pleasant (even if he does rely on the phrase “to my mage sight” a wee bit too much.)

I am hesitant to recommend The Iron Druid Series by Kevin Kearne (sorta like Harry Dresden and Alex Verus except main character is an ancient Druid fighting gods and creatures of myth), while the first four or five books were pretty good, the remaining books were utter trash – so much so that I stopped reading the series.

Have you checked out the Magic Ex Libris series by Jim C. Hines?  I received discounts (via BookBub) on the first two books and enjoyed the stories well enough; again nothing deep or earth-shattering (frankly I don't want to read deep and earth-shattering as my day is deep and earth-shattering enough - I just want some fun, fast, enjoyable reading to escape into).  These stories center around Issac, a magician of sort who can reach into books, withdrawing objects - and of course there are all sorts of magical threats that must be dealt with.

[GaT]

Thanks for the recommendations @OakGoblinFly, I'll check them out. I'm in the middle of Vacant, book 4 of the Mindspace Investigations series which I thought I would love, but I definitely do not, so I can use a good series like these.

[SmithW6079]

I'm currently reading "On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker" by her great-great-granddaughter A’Lelia Bundles. Madam Walker was an amazing woman -- the first black woman millionaire (or close to it), who helped create the cosmetics industry for black women.

The trouble is, there's not a lot of detail about Madam Walker's life per se (for a poor black girl born of former slaves right after the Civil War, there wouldn't be, and it appears Madam Walker may have retconned or hidden some of her own past anyway). Unfortunately, this leads the author to statements such as, "There's no record Madam Walker was there, but she must have been, given her interest..." or things like that. I'm also finding fascinating the state of race relations in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, the number of business and other civic organizations for black people. That's a lot of stuff I didn't know.

[wanderingstar]

I just finished Gone Girl for my book club, and it really did get on my nerves. I found

Spoiler

the over-reliance on Amy's fake diary to build her characterization

pretty lazy on the part of the writer. Also, characters being unlikable is not a dealbreaker for me, but these folks were downright hateful.

Then, there's the whole notion of the book as a work of feminism. Sure, if you think feminism is about women getting to behave horribly and suffering zero consequences. And while we're on the subject,

Spoiler

I was disturbed by the fact that Amy deployed fake rape accusations at least 3 times in her quest for revenge. That is a pet peeve of mine since IRL the problem isn't too many fake rape accusations, it's not enough rapes being reported!

Most importantly, I was struck by the feeling that the writer was really impressed with herself - like each new chapter had a neon sign that blared "Look how clever and subversive and DEEP I am." Except

Spoiler

the ending basically mirrors every romance novel since time began.

So, um, no.

Edited June 17, 2016 by Gillian Rosh

[SallyAlbright]

Currently reading and/or recently read:

The Vacationers by Emma Straub: I'm not sure I get all the hype for this one (it was on hold at the library for the entirety of last summer). It was okay, but I didn't particularly care about any of the characters and thought they were all pretty selfish. I sure didn't think it was the "perfect beach read" other than the fact it took place during a beach vacation. It was a pretty quick read, though.

Modern Lovers by Emma Straub: Since I didn't entirely hate The Vacationers, I decided to give the author's newest book a try and I like it better. It's more down to earth, with characters who seem more like real people with real lives. However, I still think she tries a little bit too hard to be hip and some of her characters are just annoying edgy Brooklyn hipster stereotypes. She can turn a beautiful phrase on one page, and on the next the metaphors are painful. Still, a pretty easy read, and hopefully she'll continue to improve as an author. 

Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff: Really struggling with this one - is it worth finishing, in anyone's opinion? I kind of admire what the author is trying to do, but again it feels like she's trying way too hard. Some of the writing is downright ridiculous and the characters don't seem like real people (which I like in a fantasy, but not so much in a book about a marriage). This is petty, but the fact that the lead male is named Lancelot, or "Lotto" for short, drives me nuts. 

The After Party by Anton DiSclafani: Enjoying this one. The main character is sympathetic, and I like the attention to historical detail as I feel like I've been transported to Texas in the 1950s. I don't quite understand the protagonist's obsession with her selfish friend, but I'm willing to go along with it. 

Sister, Husband, Mother, Dog by Delia Ephron: I am a huge fan of Nora Ephron, and I knew that she often collaborated with her sister Delia but hadn't read any of her work. It's a lovely collection of essays, and she is clearly just as talented as Nora. It was fascinating to read some of the most famous lines that were contributed to Nora yet actually "borrowed" from Delia. 

A Fine Imitation by Amber Brock: I love period pieces and historical fiction, so I like that this book bounces between 1913 and 1923. It's more of a lightweight read than I thought it would be, but entertaining. Pretty predictable, though. 

[AuntiePam]

Finished The Rook by Daniel O'Malley.  So much humor, and so much blood and gore and death.  Disconcerting!  Not sure if I'll bother with the sequel.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer.  I've been going back and forth between this and other books -- 20 years of Hitler and Nazis is a lot to take in one sitting.  Shirer was there, knew many of the players, and his writing style is clear and concise.  My only issue is that he refers to homosexuals as "sexual perverts".  I suppose that's a sign of the times, but it's bothersome. 

Also reading a collection of stories by Willa Cather, one of my favorite writers.

[Danny Franks]

The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson. I love this man's sense of humour, and the warmth of his writing. His books are always a cosy little pleasure to read. And this is essentially a sequel to Notes From a Small Island, the first of his books that I read, many years ago.

[Snow Apple]

32 Yolks by Eric Ripert. His childhood was both happy and tragic. His descriptions of training to be a chef, especially during his time at chef Joël Robuchon's establishment was, in a word, Yikes! He was actually relieved when he got his letter for France's mandatory army training requirement just so he can get a break. 

I have a feeling he is planning a second book because it ended abruptly just as he's getting on an airplane to America.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Snow Apple

[Qoass]

Yes, SallyAlbright, do stick with Fates and Furies.  I cannot guarantee you'll enjoy it but the second part is quite different from the first part and I think it's worthwhile.  If you're already into the wife's point of view and are still struggling, well, then, ditch it.

I've just started Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman and am really enjoying it so far.

[SallyAlbright]

14 hours ago, Qoass said:

Yes, SallyAlbright, do stick with Fates and Furies.  I cannot guarantee you'll enjoy it but the second part is quite different from the first part and I think it's worthwhile.  If you're already into the wife's point of view and are still struggling, well, then, ditch it.

I've just started Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman and am really enjoying it so far.

Thank you :) I am almost finished with the husband's point of view, so thanks to you I will at least power through to see what hers is like. 

[GaT]

I'm currently reading "fated" by Benedict Jacka. It's the first book in the Alex Verus series. Alex is a diviner who has a magic shop in London. If you're a fan of the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher, you'll probably like the ALex Verus series.

[Misslindsey]

Quote

32 Yolks by Eric Ripert. His childhood was both happy and tragic. His descriptions of training to be a chef, especially during his time at chef Joël Robuchon's establishment was, in a word, Yikes! He was actually relieved when he got his letter for France's mandatory army training requirement just so he can get a break. 

I have a feeling he is planning a second book because it ended abruptly just as he's getting on an airplane to America.

I enjoyed this book. I do love me some Eric Ripert. I kept thinking I should get the audiobook, because I could listen to Eric Ripert read anything. 

[Crs97]

I found "What Alice Forgot" at the library book sale and bought it for $.40 before remembering I didn't like "The Husband's Secret."  Thought I would give Liane Moriarty another try.  Nope, still don't like her books.

Too bad because the premise was interesting (Alice wakes up from a fall thinking it is 1998 and she is expecting her first child with her wonderful husband. She finds out it is 2008, she has three kids she does not remember, and she is going through a bitter divorce.  How did she get here?) 

Unfortunately, it seems to boil down to 

Spoiler

Once Alice stops being a bitch everyone will love her again.  Thank goodness for that head injury!

Frankly, I can't believe a woman wrote this.  

[alias1]

4 hours ago, Crs97 said:

I found "What Alice Forgot" at the library book sale and bought it for $.40 before remembering I didn't like "The Husband's Secret."  Thought I would give Liane Moriarty another try.  Nope, still don't like her books.

Too bad because the premise was interesting (Alice wakes up from a fall thinking it is 1998 and she is expecting her first child with her wonderful husband. She finds out it is 2008, she has three kids she does not remember, and she is going through a bitter divorce.  How did she get here?) 

Unfortunately, it seems to boil down to 

  Hide contents

Once Alice stops being a bitch everyone will love her again.  Thank goodness for that head injury!

Frankly, I can't believe a woman wrote this.  

I am really over Liane Moriarty.  I recently read The Last Anniversary and it will be the last one.  I read What Alice Forgot, as well as The Husbands Secret and Big Little Lies.  To me there is a pattern in her writing of treating serious subjects in a very flippant way.  I guess she thinks it's cute to be frivolous, and I just find it superficial.  

Edited June 22, 2016 by SierraMist

[alias1]

I finished The Summer Before The War and thought it was a waste of my time.  The characters were poorly developed and the writing felt like a paint by numbers work.  And then, there was the stupidly superfluous killing of a dog.  Sorry if that's a spoiler.  It's really such an insignificant part of the book, and it's treated as such.

I also finished MaddAddam and what a difference in character development and quality of writing.  I found a lot of unexpected humor in this last book in the trilogy.   Margaret Atwood is a brilliant writer.

Now I'm reading The Passenger by Lisa Lutz.  I'm not very far into it but I was hooked from the first page, not something that usually happens with me. 

[dcalley]

2 hours ago, SierraMist said:

I finished The Summer Before The War and thought it was a waste of my time. 

I accidentally have this checked out (I meant to suspend my hold) and am kind of dreading it after reading so many reviews from people who liked her first book but not this one. I should probably just return it and try it some other time (or not).

[NewDigs]

On June 22, 2016 at 0:11 AM, Misslindsey said:

I enjoyed this book. I do love me some Eric Ripert. I kept thinking I should get the audiobook, because I could listen to Eric Ripert read anything. 

Ditto.

Unfortunately he does not narrate the audiobook.

I'll have to give 32 Yolks a try. Thanks!

[psychoticstate]

On 6/22/2016 at 5:25 AM, Crs97 said:

found "What Alice Forgot" at the library book sale and bought it for $.40 before remembering I didn't like "The Husband's Secret."  Thought I would give Liane Moriarty another try.  Nope, still don't like her books.

 

On 6/22/2016 at 9:29 AM, SierraMist said:

I am really over Liane Moriarty.  I recently read The Last Anniversary and it will be the last one.  I read What Alice Forgot, as well as The Husbands Secret and Big Little Lies.  To me there is a pattern in her writing of treating serious subjects in a very flippant way.  I guess she thinks it's cute to be frivolous, and I just find it superficial.  

 

I'm glad I'm not the only person who doesn't "get" Liane Moriarty's books.  I listened to the audio version of The Husband's Secret."  I finished it with a big WTF.  I just didn't like it.

[ratgirlagogo]

On 6/17/2016 at 3:33 PM, Gillian Rosh said:

 

I just finished Gone Girl for my book club, and it really did get on my nerves.

 

Is it a spoiler to say that the ending is basically kind of  the ending of Ethan Frome?   Except for it not being a great book or anything.

Edited June 26, 2016 by ratgirlagogo

[hendersonrocks]

I started Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi yesterday, and it is magnificent (so far). It stands in stark contrast to what I started & finished the day before, The Girl on the Train. I'm a few years late on that one...and eh. I think it could be a great movie with Emily Blunt as Rachel, though. 

[Rick Kitchen]

I'm reading David Weber's Safehold series, which is up to, I think, seven books as of the latest one.  The first is Off Armageddon Reef, which I just finished, and am starting By Schism Rent Asunder.  They're almost fantasy, but everything has a science fiction basis.  The first book starts off in the 2400s, when humanity is out among the stars and has colonized several planets, but they encounter aliens who are bent on totally wiping out all trace of humanity.  The aliens eventually succeed in destroying Earth and all of its colonies, but a single giant space ship is in space with sleeping colonists, and they decide that the only way for humanity to survive is to hide in a low-tech civilization, because the aliens can track traces of technology and home in on it to find civilized human colonies.  They wipe the memories of all of the colonists, except for the scientists who do the seeding, and institute a strict religion which teaches that technology above the level of steam and gunpowder is a sin punishable by death.  The Church controls everything, even though there are individual countries.  And after 800 years of the colony, the last lone human from the original ship wakes up, in an android body, and she sets out to overthrow the Church and start humanity back on the path of technology.

[Rick Kitchen]

Has anybody read The Interestings?  I had not even heard of it, though I guess it's a best seller.  I stumbled across the pilot episode of a proposed series on Amazon Prime, which is asking for people to vote on whether or not to proceed with the series.  Now, like I said, I had never heard of it, but I looked up the novel and after reading what the book is about, I'm definitely not going to watch any further episodes, if they're made.  The book just sounds way too depressing.

The episode has a really good cast - Lauren Ambrose was great, Broadway star Cory Kott (who is far too young for the role), Jessica Pare', and David Krumholtz  (who has put on a lot of weight!)

[GaT]

I'm reading The Last Star by Rick Yancey, it's the final book in The 5th Wave trilogy, & I am just not feeling it. I'm really having a hard time remembering who the people are & what the various plot points from the previous 2 books were. Maybe because it was almost 2 years since the second book came out, or maybe because it's just not interesting. Either way, I'm slogging through & I probably won't be reading anything else by this author.

[MeloraH]

3 hours ago, Rick Kitchen said:

Has anybody read The Interestings?  I had not even heard of it, though I guess it's a best seller.  I stumbled across the pilot episode of a proposed series on Amazon Prime, which is asking for people to vote on whether or not to proceed with the series.  Now, like I said, I had never heard of it, but I looked up the novel and after reading what the book is about, I'm definitely not going to watch any further episodes, if they're made.  The book just sounds way too depressing.

The episode has a really good cast - Lauren Ambrose was great, Broadway star Cory Kott (who is far too young for the role), Jessica Pare', and David Krumholtz  (who has put on a lot of weight!)

I thought it was overrated but I think I'm definitely in the minority. I don't really remember that much about it even but it was definitely one of those books that it seemed like everyone was reading when it came out so I'm sure they'll end up making the series regardless of how the voting turns out...

[Crs97]

I agree, Melora, that the book was highly overrated. I really didn't like it at all.

Edited June 29, 2016 by Crs97

[Qoass]

I liked it; didn't love it.

[Pepper Mostly]

How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran. Loved every word and laughed like a hyena. Gave it to a young friend to read, since I am old but kept thinking "I wish I was 20 so I could read this at that age". Well, I wish I was 20 for a lot of reasons...I read How to Be a Woman a year or so ago so I knew I loved her writing, but I don't read novels that much.

Most recently I've read Dear Leader by Jang Jin-Sung, about an elite poet who flees North Korea. Cannot get enough of North Korea, it seems. In other news, I read A Nurse in Time and A Nurse in Action by Evelyn Prentis, a nurse's memoirs of her training and early career in the 30's in England. They remind me of the All Creatures Great and Small books-they capture an bygone era and are charming and heartwarming and funny, but with serious moments, especially the second book, which details the run up to WWII and the war years. Highly enjoyable and a throwback to my childhood, when I read every nurse book at my public library!

[alias1]

On 6/28/2016 at 11:31 PM, Crs97 said:

I agree, Melora, that the book was highly overrated. I really didn't like it at all.

I agree.  I know I read The Interestings but I don't remember anything about it.  I think it wasn't really that interesting.

[alias1]

I read Britt-Marie Was Here and ended up liking it, but with reservations.  It wasn't as good as A Man Called Ove, but I liked it much better than My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry.

[SmithW6079]

I'm reading two at the moment:

"Anne of Cleves: Henry VIII's Discarded Bride" by Elizabeth Norton. I came later to my interest in this wife of Henry, but she's interesting because she's the one who thrived after Henry was done with her. It's a slim volume (there's not a lot of info on Anne), but the author leaves the contemporary quotes in Middle English, without "translating" them into modern English. I don't know if it's to show off her scholarship, but it's annoying because you have to read the quotes phonetically. 

The other is "Natural Born Heroes: How a Daring Band of Misfits Mastered the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance" by Christophet McDougall. It's part history of a Resistance plot to kidnap a Nazi general during the invasion of Crete and part fitness book.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, SmithW6079 said:

It's part history of a Resistance plot to kidnap a Nazi general during the invasion of Crete and part fitness book.

Um, really?

[Cobalt Stargazer]

2 hours ago, GaT said:

Um, really?

Yes, really. I hadn't heard of it, but here is the synopsis:

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/207378/natural-born-heroes-by-christopher-mcdougall/9780307742223/
 

I may have to give that one a shot. It seems just weird enough to appeal to me.