What Are We Currently Reading?

[bmasters9]

The Gospel of Self by Terry Heaton

Edited August 14, 2017 by bmasters9

[Qoass]

I'm only 40 pages into The Marriage Pact but I'm really enjoying it so far. The author has a wonderfully light touch and it's interesting to read a book about embarking on a relationship from the guy's point of view that is neither ominous nor schmaltzy although judging by the jacket summary, things will be getting rough soon.

[luna1122]

18 minutes ago, Qoass said:

I'm only 40 pages into The Marriage Pact but I'm really enjoying it so far. The author has a wonderfully light touch and it's interesting to read a book about embarking on a relationship from the guy's point of view that is neither ominous nor schmaltzy although judging by the jacket summary, things will be getting rough soon.

Who's the author? there are about 20 books on Goodreads with this title. (Am I the only one who immediately heads over there to look up recommended books from this thread? probably not.)

All is Not Forgotten (wendy walker) was pretty riveting. I never quite saw where it was going, and nearly every guess I made was wrong. It's very dark and disturbing and the writing is skillful and impeccable. I see Reese Witherspoon has snapped up the rights for a film. It seems like a tough one to pin down for a movie but I will be there to see it, for sure.

Read All the Drowning Girls by Paula Treick Deboard.  It's one of those fast reads, a psychological Fatal Attraction-y kind of thriller, and it  kept me interested throughout but I never liked it as much as apparently most people did, and the ending is anticlimatic. Will likely read more from the author, nevertheless.

Now reading The Violet Hour by Katherine Hill. Just started, but so far the prose is quite beautiful.

[Qoass]

@luna1122, I'm reading the one by Michelle RIchmond so female author writing a male narrator.

[OtterMommy]

44 minutes ago, Qoass said:

@luna1122, I'm reading the one by Michelle RIchmond so female author writing a male narrator.

Okay, that makes more sense.  I think Jeffrey Eugenides has a book with the same title and I really did not like that one....

[luna1122]

40 minutes ago, OtterMommy said:

Okay, that makes more sense.  I think Jeffrey Eugenides has a book with the same title and I really did not like that one....

His is The Marriage Plot. I liked it, but his stuff is generally divisive.

Thanks, Qoass! Added to my 'to read' list.

[Qoass]

I'll follow up when I've read a couple of hundred more pages.

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, luna1122 said:

His is The Marriage Plot. I liked it, but his stuff is generally divisive.

 

Ah thanks..I was close!  I loved Middlesex, was sort of put off by The Virgin Suicides, and The Marriage Plot just bored me.  He's an author I'll definitely read, but I realize that actually enjoying his books is a bit of a crap shoot (for me).

[Athena]

I also love Eugenides. Middlesex was definitely the best of the three. I found Marriage Plot boring as well but he is a fantastic writer that I remember a couple of scenes distinctly even years later.

[PaulaO]

New to this thread but have to say I was so excited to start The Little Friend (Tartt) because I loved The Goldfinch and The Secret History.  Confess I could not finish The Little Friend.  Not only does she overwrite (which isn't bad because I love her style), but it goes onandonandon and veers to a totally different plotline than it starts with.

[Qoass]

Okay, I finished The Marriage Pact and... I will be interested in what others think. I still really enjoyed the writing and it was quite suspenseful but the story went to Crazy Town and never came back even though there were plenty of trucks driving through the plot holes nearby. I'm glad I read it but I'm not sure I would recommend it to others.

[OtterMommy]

I finally got around to starting Priestdaddy.  The writing is absolutely beautiful and it sounds interesting, but I'm not sure where its going.  Okay, I just finished the first chapter, but still...  Yet, the prose is enough to keep me going on it.

[nodorothyparker]

On 8/14/2017 at 2:56 PM, hendersonrocks said:

I am midway through The Underground Railroad and it is awful and amazing all at once. I had to catch my breath last night when I got to one of the bounty notices for escaped slaves that start the chapters told from Cora's perspective - it was for a girl who was believed to be in or around Henderson, NC. That is the town where my username comes from. It made me stop and think how far removed I get to be while reading so many horrible things, but every once in a while something can still slice through my white lady bubble...and more of us need to feel and understand the proximity to this kind of horror if we're ever going to find a way through it.

That book took me longer to get through than it should have because the casual cruelty of it had me putting it down in spots and walking away.  I sort of feel like I have to qualify my opinions on it not to dissuade anyone from reading it because while it can be a tough read, I know going into it I also had misgivings just from descriptions about the mashup approach Colson Whitehead took to hundreds of years of black experience with a literal train running through it.  But it all works remarkably well together and is indeed an amazing book.    It also left me reflective on depictions of these experiences in literature over the years, from white plantation stories where the slaves always seem to be in the far background, to the romanticizing of it in Gone with the Wind, to Toni Morrison and Ernest Gaines.

Somewhat relatedly as I'm working my way through my to-read backlog, I just started Ken Wascom's The Blood of Heaven about the winning and settlement of what was then known as West Florida and the newly bought Louisiana Purchase.  It's unrepentantly bloody and sprawling in the best tradition of Cormac McCarthy while also reminding me so far a lot of my recent read of Philipp Meyer's The Son, which also doesn't shy away from looking directly at the terrible awful things that were done in the making of the U.S.

[hendersonrocks]

I am recovering from The Underground Railroad with a far lighter read - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It's light and entertaining thus far, and at this point SO much better than the other book I've read by the same author. It feels like a great last-gasp-of-summer read.

[Danny Franks]

Giving Good Omens another reread, after the news of Crowley and Aziraphale being cast for the TV adaptation. It's such a great little book.

After that, I feel like going for something more highbrow, but don't know what.

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, hendersonrocks said:

I am recovering from The Underground Railroad with a far lighter read - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It's light and entertaining thus far, and at this point SO much better than the other book I've read by the same author. It feels like a great last-gasp-of-summer read.

I'm about to start The Underground Railroad soon for my book club...and I have The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo sitting in my TBR pile...I think I'll follow your lead and use it as a chaser for The Underground Railroad!

[GaT]

43 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

Giving Good Omens another reread, after the news of Crowley and Aziraphale being cast for the TV adaptation. It's such a great little book.

 

I heard raves for this book, so I decided to give it a try, & it was a chore for me to finish. I really didn't like it. I had never read anything by either Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman before, & after struggling through Good Omens, it's pretty much a guarantee that I never will.

[AuntiePam]

13 hours ago, nodorothyparker said:

Somewhat relatedly as I'm working my way through my to-read backlog, I just started Ken Wascom's The Blood of Heaven about the winning and settlement of what was then known as West Florida and the newly bought Louisiana Purchase.  It's unrepentantly bloody and sprawling in the best tradition of Cormac McCarthy while also reminding me so far a lot of my recent read of Philipp Meyer's The Son, which also doesn't shy away from looking directly at the terrible awful things that were done in the making of the U.S.

The Wascom book was definitely raw -- Secessia isn't quite as bloody but it's just as well-written and involving.

I've been reading almost exclusively from Kindle Daily Deals, $1.99 or less.

House of Thieves by Charles Belfoure -- historical, dumped early because of clumsy exposition.  Example -- I'm fine with authors telling me what a character is wearing, but there needs to be a reason for the that description.  It might be to show the character's status in society.  If that's the reason, then don't say "Fred wore velvet because he was rich and only rich people can afford to wear velvet".  Just say "Fred wore velvet".  Let me figure out that Fred has disposable income.  (I realize that's a terrible example, but you get the drift.)

The King's Hounds by Martin Jensen -- historical, and the exposition was definitely not clumsy.  Unfamiliar terms and behavior were revealed by context, not because the author wanted to impress me with his research.  Anyhoo, this is the first in a series -- we're in England in 1018 --a son of a landless nobleman meets up with an illuminator and they solve a murder at the behest of King Cnut, the Danish conqueror.  It was fun.  

The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey -- highly recommend this one.  It's sorta like The Walking Dead crossed with Day of the Triffids.  Kudos to Carey for giving the story an ending and not going for a series, which would have been fine, but an ending is better.

Quote from the Amazon description:

"Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh."

[MeloraH]

9 hours ago, hendersonrocks said:

I am recovering from The Underground Railroad with a far lighter read - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. It's light and entertaining thus far, and at this point SO much better than the other book I've read by the same author. It feels like a great last-gasp-of-summer read.

I was really impressed with Seven Husbands too. I thought it would just be not very good but fun fluff but it ended up being both good and fun.

[Darian]

On 8/24/2017 at 0:07 AM, AuntiePam said:

The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey -- highly recommend this one.  It's sorta like The Walking Dead crossed with Day of the Triffids.  Kudos to Carey for giving the story an ending and not going for a series, which would have been fine, but an ending is better.

Quote from the Amazon description:

"Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh."

I love that book. I'm always telling people to read it or giving it as a gift.  I just put the prequel, The Boy on the Bridge on hold at my library. 

I just started A Separation by Katie Kitamura. I've heard mixed reviews, and I loathe books without quotation marks for dialogue, but I'm  going to keep going. Lincoln in the Bardo is up next. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

On 8/24/2017 at 0:07 AM, AuntiePam said:

The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey -- highly recommend this one.  It's sorta like The Walking Dead crossed with Day of the Triffids.  Kudos to Carey for giving the story an ending and not going for a series, which would have been fine, but an ending is better.

 

Quote from the Amazon description:

"Every morning, Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don't like her. She jokes that she won't bite, but they don't laugh."

I also really enjoyed The Girl With All The Gifts, which is (to me) like Warm Bodies in that Melanie is also trying to figure herself out, and while the ending twists more than you'd expect, the book is well worth picking up,

[AuntiePam]

1 hour ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

I also really enjoyed The Girl With All The Gifts, which is (to me) like Warm Bodies in that Melanie is also trying to figure herself out, and while the ending twists more than you'd expect, the book is well worth picking up,

And the main characters defied the stereotypes -- especially the military man and the scientist.  They could have been one-dimensional but they weren't.

I'm tickled that there's another book set in that world, but $13.99 for an e-book?  Damn.

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, AuntiePam said:

I'm tickled that there's another book set in that world, but $13.99 for an e-book?  Damn.

Ugh, don't even get me started on eBook prices!

I will share my tip, which isn't as easy as it once was.  While some (too many) eBooks are ridiculously priced, they do go on flash sales fairly frequently.  I set up a wish list on Amazon for eBooks that I want to read--make sure to save the Kindle version to the list.  Now, I used to be able sort the list by price and books that were on sale would come to the top.  For some reason that I cannot understand, Amazon has removed that functionality.  So, now I have to scroll through my list and look for sales that way.  It's irritating, but worth it when I find a book I've had my eye on priced at $1.99 for a week before going back up $12.99 or so.

[luna1122]

Finally finished The Violet Hour. I loved it, the prose is beautiful and the story intriguing, it's very reminiscent of Anne Tyler and Gail Godwin, two of my favorites, it's exactly my kind of book--but for some reason it took me nearly two weeks to finish it, and I have no explanation for why. It sometimes felt like a chore to read, instead of a pleasure, yet my overall impression of the book is a good one, and I would definitely read more from this author. I'm sort of baffled as to this particular reading experience for this one, but there it is.

Just began The Passenger, by Lisa Lutz.

[OtterMommy]

I'm starting The Underground Railroad today.  I'm not sure I'm emotionally ready for it, but it's the next selection for my book club.  I'll probably chase it without about a dozen romances...

[PaulaO]

Finished Gone Without A Trace, by Mary  Torjussen, this morning.  Stayed up too late last night reading and got up early.  I usually figure these types out but I was guessing til the end.  I literally gasped at the last few pages.

I subscribe to a service from bookbub.  Fill out a questionnaire, and I get a daily email with low price/free e-books in my selected categories.

[DearEvette]

I am reading I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga.  I read a description in a review on goodreads where someone calls it a cross between Dexter and Scooby Doo and made me sit up to take notice.  It is YA (which I normally don't read) but I am really enjoying the trio of friends who are trying to stop a serial killer.  And the main character is the 17 year son of one of the most notorious serial killers ever caught who is desperately trying to atone for his dad's sins. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Just put a library hold on Unraveling Oliver, the debut novel by Liz Nugent. Psychological thrillers are my latest kick, and the review that caused me to look for it was promising. Might report later on if I liked it or not.

[Irlandesa]

I just finished "reading" You by Carolyn Kepnes. I put "reading" in quotes because I actually listened to the audio version of this narrated by Santino Fontana (Greg from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Saperstein from Shades of Blue) when I was coming home from vacation.  The story is told from the POV of a guy obsessed with a girl and all the twisted actions he takes to get close to her.  I'm glad I listened to the audio version because I think the narration was great.  Some books are made better by good narration while others are worse. I'm not sure how much I would have liked it if all I had was my imagination.  I suspect I would have gone into skim mode.  I will probably do the same when I listen to Hidden Bodies, the sequel which I believe was mentioned at one point in this thread.  It's supposed to be better but I'm not sure if I'm up for it right now.  Santino's narration as Joe has already replaced my own voice when I have obsessive thoughts. 

I also finished Still Star-Crossed after the series got canceled,  They got through most of the book but I think I enjoyed the show more. 

Another book I read while on vacation was The Good Widow about a woman who finds out her husband was cheating on her after he dies.  And she and the fiance of the mistress go to Hawaii, where they died in an accident, to try and fill in the blanks.  It was a quick read but very predictable.  So if you want to get through a book quickly, this is it but if you've seen any Lifetime Movie, you already know how this thing goes.

[Qoass]

@Irlandesa, I totally agree with you that You would be better as an audio book. I read the hardcover and it was disconcerting to read in the second person even though I'm sure that was part of the reason the author chose it. There's a worthwhile sequel out there if you're interested.

I just finished Mrs. Fletcher by Tom Perrotta and I really enjoyed it. He really does write good novels that would make great movies.

[Zola]

"The West Wing: The American Presidency as Television Drama" - Peter C. Rollins

Am a huge fan of this American political TV drama that graced our screens way back in 1999; but trying to find a decent book that gives some insight into the show's workings are few and far between. 

This book shows early promise, although mostly random essays analysing familiar tropes running through the early seasons, mostly from the pen of key writer/creator Aaron Sorkin. Sometimes the analysis really digs far too deep to becoming almost anal with itself, and I found myself skimming past a few pages. But overall it's a pretty good read.

[cherrypj]

The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood was outstanding: it gutted me, but still left me with so much hope (A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra did as well). I don't exactly have my finger on the pulse of the publishing world, but I had not ever heard of this book until my reading club found it. 

[GaT]

8 hours ago, Zola said:

"The West Wing: The American Presidency as Television Drama" - Peter C. Rollins

Am a huge fan of this American political TV drama that graced our screens way back in 1999; but trying to find a decent book that gives some insight into the show's workings are few and far between. 

This book shows early promise, although mostly random essays analysing familiar tropes running through the early seasons, mostly from the pen of key writer/creator Aaron Sorkin. Sometimes the analysis really digs far too deep to becoming almost anal with itself, and I found myself skimming past a few pages. But overall it's a pretty good read.

I have to ask about the great West Wing mystery, does the book explain what happened to Mandy?

[Mindthinkr]

On 8/29/2017 at 6:54 PM, DearEvette said:

I am reading I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga.  I read a description in a review on goodreads where someone calls it a cross between Dexter and Scooby Doo and made me sit up to take notice.  It is YA (which I normally don't read) but I am really enjoying the trio of friends who are trying to stop a serial killer.  And the main character is the 17 year son of one of the most notorious serial killers ever caught who is desperately trying to atone for his dad's sins. 

Would you recommend it for a 14 year old boy? (That Dexter part you mentioned gave me slight pause) 

[DearEvette]

31 minutes ago, Mindthinkr said:

Would you recommend it for a 14 year old boy? (That Dexter part you mentioned gave me slight pause) 

There are no graphic details of murder or sex (so far) and I am more than half way through it. However the book is dark so it would depend on the individual maturity of the reader.  I think a 14 yo could read it, but i think that might be tick young for some of the themes of the book. 

The main character's father is a serial killer (now in jail) and the main character, Jazz, was brought up with his dad giving him tips in what/ what not to do in serial killing (of women).  Jazz often is afraid that he might become a serial killer too (but the book makes it clear that that is just a thing he has in his head, not because he has a tendency).  He teams up with two friends to solve a series of murders copy cat to what his father did.  The scenes with the friends & girlfriend is typical teenage stuff and lightens the book. but this book is squarely in suspense thriller territory.

[Mindthinkr]

2 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

There are no graphic details of murder or sex (so far) and I am more than half way through it. However the book is dark so it would depend on the individual maturity of the reader.  I think a 14 yo could read it, but i think that might be tick young for some of the themes of the book. 

The main character's father is a serial killer (now in jail) and the main character, Jazz, was brought up with his dad giving him tips in what/ what not to do in serial killing (of women).  Jazz often is afraid that he might become a serial killer too (but the book makes it clear that that is just a thing he has in his head, not because he has a tendency).  He teams up with two friends to solve a series of murders copy cat to what his father did.  The scenes with the friends & girlfriend is typical teenage stuff and lightens the book. but this book is squarely in suspense thriller territory.

Thx for the synopsis. I think I'll wait until you are done. He's a do good kid (Scouting and sports) and I don't want to expose him to something too dark at his impressionable age (on get his parents wrath). Let me know what you think (even PM me) when you are done. Enjoy. 

[MaggieG]

I read The Girls and thought it was ok but I feel that the story of the Manson Family is crazy and fascinating and terrifying, you really don't need to write fictional story about it

I just finished Final Girls by Riley Sager. I enjoyed it. The main character, Quincy, is the only survivor of murder spree. A Final Girl. Then another Final Girl that she knows commits suicide and another Final Girl, Sam, shows up at her doorstep. It's told from Quincy's POV. The interesting is that she doesn't remember what happened to her that night and the story goes back and forth between the present and the night her friends were murdered. It kept me guessing. I'll probably do it for my October book club meeting since it has a slasher/thriller movie vibe.

Just started the Lying Game by Ruth Ware and liking it so far. 

[feverfew]

On 23/8/2017 at 9:59 PM, Danny Franks said:

Giving Good Omens another reread, after the news of Crowley and Aziraphale being cast for the TV adaptation. It's such a great little book.

After that, I feel like going for something more highbrow, but don't know what.

Oh, I love Good Omens! If you're looking for something a bit more serious, I would suggest The Nix by Nathan Hill. It's a cracking good read, superbly written - there's a bit Michael Chabon in there, some bildungsroman, humor and tragedy in equal measures. It might be the best book I've read this year.

[Bunty]

On 8/29/2017 at 5:54 PM, DearEvette said:

I am reading I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga.  I read a description in a review on goodreads where someone calls it a cross between Dexter and Scooby Doo and made me sit up to take notice.  It is YA (which I normally don't read) but I am really enjoying the trio of friends who are trying to stop a serial killer.  And the main character is the 17 year son of one of the most notorious serial killers ever caught who is desperately trying to atone for his dad's sins. 

Hope you don't mind an unsolicited rec but I recently read a series you might find interesting in the same vein-- Dan Wells, John Cleaver series.  The first one is entitled I Am Not a Serial Killer

Quote

John Wayne Cleaver is an extremely self-aware young man who has spent most of his adolescence fighting a predilection for violence toward others. Like Dexter Morgan, Jeff Lindsay's serial killer protagonist (e.g., Dexter by Design), to whom he'll at least initially be compared, John knows what he is, or at least what he could become, which is why he lives by strict self-imposed rules. When mutilated bodies start to turn up around town, however, John realizes that he may be able to use his tendencies to solve the crime himself. What starts out as a typical serial-killer scenario, though, takes a much darker turn with Wells, one that makes this debut stand out. John not only works to track down the killer but to take matters into his own hands to protect those close to him. VERDICT Though it will appeal to Dexter fans, Wells's story stands well on its own. Great pacing, a likable character, and a combination of horror and supernatural elements make this title in a new trilogy appealing.—Craig Shufelt, Fort McMurray P.L., Alta. Library Journal

I also recently read a fantasy I really enjoyed by a brand new author--

The Empire's Ghost by Isabelle Steiger.  It is fantasy of the epic variety with a large cast of characters that weave in and out of the story line and I found myself going back and rereading in order to wrap my head around the complex plot and political intrigues between the 6 nations represented.

Quote

"In The Empire's Ghost, Steiger has succeeded in crafting a fantasy novel at once familiar and refreshing in its refusal to adhere to any one trope of the genre. Female characters are more than mere pawns to be married to other nations; friendships and loyalties lie in a grey area, open to contextual interpretation; politics are at once a driving force of the plot yet far removed from the day-to-day life of citizens. Most impressively, Steiger succeeds in managing a multitude of characters and complexities in a way that, though overwhelming at times, is never sloppy or confusing.... A debut fantasy novel features powerful female characters, detailed worldbuilding and a complex narrative that will leave fans hungry for more." —Shelf Awareness

[helenamonster]

On 8/31/2017 at 4:37 PM, MaggieG said:

I read The Girls and thought it was ok but I feel that the story of the Manson Family is crazy and fascinating and terrifying, you really don't need to write fictional story about it

I just finished Final Girls by Riley Sager. I enjoyed it. The main character, Quincy, is the only survivor of murder spree. A Final Girl. Then another Final Girl that she knows commits suicide and another Final Girl, Sam, shows up at her doorstep. It's told from Quincy's POV. The interesting is that she doesn't remember what happened to her that night and the story goes back and forth between the present and the night her friends were murdered. It kept me guessing. I'll probably do it for my October book club meeting since it has a slasher/thriller movie vibe.

Just started the Lying Game by Ruth Ware and liking it so far. 

Thought the same thing about The Girls. An alright book but every few pages I wondered why I wasn't just rereading Helter Skelter instead.

I also just started The Lying Game (I'm about a third of the way through; I'm a slow reader naturally and I also just don't have a lot of time for it right now), and I'm also enjoying it.

[Haleth]

11 hours ago, Bunty said:

The Empire's Ghost by Isabelle Steiger.  It is fantasy of the epic variety with a large cast of characters that weave in and out of the story line and I found myself going back and rereading in order to wrap my head around the complex plot and political intrigues between the 6 nations represented.

Quote

"In The Empire's Ghost, Steiger has succeeded in crafting a fantasy novel at once familiar and refreshing in its refusal to adhere to any one trope of the genre. Female characters are more than mere pawns to be married to other nations; friendships and loyalties lie in a grey area, open to contextual interpretation; politics are at once a driving force of the plot yet far removed from the day-to-day life of citizens. Most impressively, Steiger succeeds in managing a multitude of characters and complexities in a way that, though overwhelming at times, is never sloppy or confusing.... A debut fantasy novel features powerful female characters, detailed worldbuilding and a complex narrative that will leave fans hungry for more." —Shelf Awareness

Gee, maybe she can take over for GRRM and finish the damn books.

[Melgaypet]

I just did a re-read of Avatar: Book One by S.D. Perry for a twitter book club for Star Trek books. Also reading Ellis Peters' The Virgin in the Ice, the sixth book in her Brother Cadfael mystery series. Tomorrow I plan to start A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable.

[starri]

2 hours ago, Melgaypet said:

I just did a re-read of Avatar: Book One by S.D. Perry for a twitter book club for Star Trek books.

Can you link to that?  The books have gotten less appealing of late, but they were really firing on all cylinders for a decade and change after Avatar.  Would love to have people to discuss with.

[Melgaypet]

Sure! Here you go: Trek Book Club

[starri]

Yay!  Thank you!

It's not like I can actually participate with my schedule being the way it is, but I hold on the hope that I will be able to eventually.

[AuntiePam]

Dropped Names -- Frank Langella reminiscing about actors and others he's known and worked with over his long career.   $1.99 on the Kindle and a delicious read.  I crushed on Langella after seeing him in Dracula (the movie version) -- boy howdy, that man was hot. 

He's known or worked with just about everybody -- from my generation anyway -- and his comments and insights are thoughtful and interesting, sometimes sad, often funny.  The man has a sharp wit and he's not afraid to use it.    

[GaT]

1 hour ago, AuntiePam said:

I crushed on Langella after seeing him in Dracula (the movie version) -- boy howdy, that man was hot. 

 

I remember hearing about how when he did the Broadway play, women in the audience kept screaming out "bite me!" during the performance.

[Qoass]

I just finished The Final Girls too and enjoyed it once I finally let go of hoping the main character would stop being an idiot.

I just started How to Fall in Love with Anyone: A Memoir in Essays by Mandy Len Catron after hearing one of the essays read on the Modern Love pocast and already I've stopped twice to jot down some of her prose for safe-keeping. As a romance-challenged ice-cube, I'm finding it very enlightening.

Edited September 5, 2017 by Qoass

[funkopop]

On ‎4‎/‎2‎/‎2017 at 7:11 PM, tenativelyyours said:

Finished a couple of ARCs I was lucky enough to snag.  Robin Hobb's Fool's Fate.  A fantastic finish to, for me, her strongest series yet.  Which is saying a lot.  I was sad to get to the end in part because I knew it is planned to be the last book in that setting.  I hope she already has a lot of worked out ideas for whatever comes next.   She is definitely one of my favorite authors period, let alone in the genre.

 

I also read Kevin Kwan's Rich People Problems.  The third and possibly last in the sequence he started with Crazy Rich Asians.  I liked this.  For some reason this progressive minded person adores the crass tawdry over-the-top label dropping soap-froth materialism in these books.  I think because it is so unapologetic in what it is delivering.  It has a "two consenting adults" feel to it in terms of the tone and style Kwan delivers.  Each subsequent book though is a drop off from the first.  Not huge, but there always is a bit of a lack from the pure whiz bang charm of the first one.  He does know his stuff about this certain class of people having just ridden in the companies versions of Trenti to go on a shopping spree with my bosses two wives in a really surreal "how the hell did that just happen" kind of way. 

I'd really like to find someone who approaches wealth as a storyline like Kwan does.  It is so gleeful and unabashed in many ways but it also fits into the plot and not just label after label inserted willy nilly.  Kwan drops labels plenty but for the most part it fits and doesn't stand out and detract.  I know there is a part of me that simply does not understand why I find such books fun (the entertaining part I get because Kwan has a style that for me, makes for fast and immersive reading).

I'm working on Brian McClellan's Sins of the Empire.  I like his writing but it is a bit slight.  Not a negative thing, it makes for an easy read, but maybe a little too easy.  I also have some catching up to do in the historical fiction department.  I let Sally Christie's Mistresses of Versailles drop to the side and I need to see if it can engage more fully this time.  Love me some decadent court drama (especially ones that don't involved the over done Tudors!).  It checks so many boxes that I truly am baffled I haven't gotten this read and "shelved" since the writing seems decent enough.  Also have the latest Sarah Dunant on the Borgias.  Another box checker as it were.  But I can't remember how I felt in particular about her first Borgia book.  I might have to do a search and come up with the synopsis.  I know I read it.  I just don't recall what I felt was good or bad about it.  With the Borgias it seems most authors go to extremes.  Either Lucretia was a poor misunderstood pawn or a complete vamp (though more tend to veer to the former and not the latter lately -- too few can balance the reduced role of women in general and the fact that it didn't mean that all were hapless victims -- to get and maintain any type of power there had to be drive and even ambition, yet authors seem to find that all negative even as they apply a modernist approach to genders).

I have the first 2 novels of Kevin Kwan on my bookshelf, I didn't realize there was a third!  I started reading the first and have to agree with the way extreme wealth is interwoven into the story. 

[PaulaO]

Read The Woman in Cabin Ten over the weekend.  Yet another psychological thriller in which the scrappy heroine.....  don't bother to read it.  Now reading The Last Days of Night, a fictionalized account of the Edison/Westinghouse/Tesla battle over the lightbulb.  It's quite good, and I have an intense interest in Tesla (who I imagine to look like David Bowie from the movie The Prestige.).