What Are We Currently Reading?

[Jenniferbug]

On 3/25/2018 at 12:49 PM, Mindthinkr said:

I loved the way that she describes the town in which the characters live. Her words painted a lovely quaint town in my mind...somewhere I’d like to go visit. 

 

20 hours ago, SallyAlbright said:

I love this series, they are so cozy and perfect to read curled up on the couch during the winter. I think I have read 5-6 of them now, and in my opinion Louise Penny has improved with each book so far. 

Yes! Three Pines seemed like a cute little town to visit, and I had a good picture of it in my head while reading. I'm glad to hear the series keeps getting better. I have the 2nd one checked out but my library didn't have the 3rd so I may have to see if they can borrow it from another library. 

[Black Knight]

2 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

Not quite finished with The White Road by Sarah Lotz, but unless it goes careening off the rails in the last few pages, this will be an all-time favorite.  I must not have read a synopsis before purchase, because it isn't my kind of book at all.  It features caving (I'm claustrophobic) and mountain-climbing (an activity I've never understood). 

It's about a woman who wants to be the first to conquer Everest without supplemental oxygen, and a man who operates a website specializing in pictures of dead people.  Neither character is particularly admirable or sympathetic but I'm invested in them anyway.

Hmm. I haven't read that one, but I read Lotz's Day Four last year. A cruise ship gets stranded on the fourth day of the cruise. It was a good and interesting read but didn't go quite where I expected, to put it mildly. Do circle back and let us know what you thought of the ending of this!

[AuntiePam]

Finished The White Road.  She stuck the landing, boy howdy did she ever.  I was seriously freaked out and wishing that I'd finished in daylight and not at bedtime. 

The last book that had me questioning reality was Flicker by Theodore Roszak.  The ending leaves questions but they're the good kind of questions -- not the kind that make you wonder if the author lost control or got lazy. 

If this ever makes it to film, the ending will leave people glued to their seats, jaws on the floor.

Just my opinion though -- I can see where the story would leave some readers going WTF? 

[Mabinogia]

1 hour ago, AuntiePam said:

The last book that had me questioning reality was Flicker by Theodore Roszak.  The ending leaves questions but they're the good kind of questions

I just looked it up on amazon and sent myself a sample because that book sounds fascinating. I don't really mind a WTF ending if it's done well.

[truthaboutluv]

Just completed The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes and I absolutely loved it. It also confirmed what I've always believed, that a book doesn't have to be over 500 pages to be deep and emotionally powerful. The entire novel was only two long chapters and a total of a 160 pages and yet it still managed to be deeply moving, thought provoking and emotional. 

By the way, I am still annoyed about how much I hated All The Missing Girls and realized what particularly bothered me about the story and the ending. I felt like the author essentially

tried to sell this idea that both Corrine and Annalise were horrible people and so in a way they brought their deaths on themselves. Well in Corrine's case she went as far writing that bullshit "suicide" cop out. And then to further compound this twisted and disgusted notion of the two somehow getting what they deserved, she writes this bullshit "happy ending" for all involved, including the happy home life with the main character and her loser boyfriend and their new baby. It was again baffling that it seemed we were somehow supposed to be rooting for them and it's like, really? I'm actually curious to read any interview the author may have done about the book and to hear what her motivations were. If maybe she meant to write about awful people doing awful things who get away with it or if she really expected the reader to like the main character and root for the characters. Because yeah, no.

[rmcrae]

I just finished The Mother of Black Hollywood by Jenifer Lewis and I highly recommend it. She's painfully honest as well as hilarious. Her writing style seriously borders on self-indulgent a lot of the time, but she does poke fun at herself for it too. I didn't know much about her life so reading about her experiences with abuse, promiscuity and mental illness had my eyes popped all the way open.

Now I'm starting Rose McGowan's memoir Brave.

[helenamonster]

Just finished: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, about a young black couple who are torn apart a year into their marriage when the husband is imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. It's not the sort of thing I usually read...there's not a lot of action and it's very contemplative, but I thought it painted a wonderful, complex picture of what it means to be black in the US today, and how the experience that this couple has isn't any less American than "a white couple in Connecticut who talk about their feelings" per Jones's interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Next up: Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman. I don't watch The Bachelor but its enduring popularity has always fascinated me. I also love books about pop culture, even pop culture I'm not intimately familiar with. This seems like the kind of book where if I was still in school, my professors would pull chapters from it for discussion, and I haven't read anything like that since I graduated.

[Athena]

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - As the reviews have said, this is required reading. This book felt so real and authentic; never corny or trite. It really tackled some complex, nuanced issues and it had a lot of sincerity in it too. I wish I knew a teen I could give this too. Really well done. 

[DearEvette]

On 3/26/2018 at 10:09 AM, AngelKitty said:

Now have just started Magic Bites since I need another urban fantasy series to get into.

I know of soooo many people who start this series and are feeling a little iffy after the first book wondering what all the fuss is about.  The first book of this series is the weakest.  Don't let it deter you from continuing.  This is one of the best UF series out there and the books get better as they go on.  The plotting is superb over the life of the series.  IMO, Book three (Magic Strikes) is when the series hits its stride and never looks back. 

Like @GaT mentions the last book is coming out this year.  On  the one hand, that makes me sad because I love Kate Daniels and all the characters.  But otoh, it just makes me respect the writing team of Ilona Andrews more because they understand that there is no need to drag out what has so been a tightly written over 9 books so far.  One thing I hate is a series that, no matter how much I have been enjoying it, drags on endlessly for no real reason.

 

36 minutes ago, Athena said:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - As the reviews have said, this is required reading. This book felt so real and authentic; never corny or trite. It really tackled some complex, nuanced issues and it had a lot of sincerity in it too. I wish I knew a teen I could give this too. Really well done. 

I have this on audio and am waiting for a when I get out of my "fluffy book" reading mode to dive into this.  I have heard so many wonderful things about it.

[Athena]

4 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

I have this on audio and am waiting for a when I get out of my "fluffy book" reading mode to dive into this.  I have heard so many wonderful things about it.

Let me know how the audio is because one of the best things about the book is the wonderfully written dialogue. It'll be a very easy  to adapt the movie since the conversations and speech are already so natural. 

I was uncomfortable and sad reading it, but there are definitely moments of levity and there is a lot of love between all the characters. It's amazing how much she packed into it. 

[hendersonrocks]

I've started Educated, a memoir by Tara Westover about her survivalist upbringing in rural Idaho (she ultimately goes on to college and gets a PhD - she's in her early 30s now). It's really good so far and I'm just keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't go the preachy way of Hillbilly Elegy. 

[proserpina65]

Just finished reading Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann.  It was amazing, sad, depressing, and marvelously written.  I read it in 2 days, and can't recommend it enough.

[Cherry Cola]

I just finished Anne of Avonlea.  I fell in love with Anne all over again on Anne with an E, so I decided to read the series.  

There are so many books on here I have never heard of! I must make a list! 

Edited March 30, 2018 by Cherry Cola

[SallyAlbright]

On 3/29/2018 at 10:17 AM, Athena said:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - As the reviews have said, this is required reading. This book felt so real and authentic; never corny or trite. It really tackled some complex, nuanced issues and it had a lot of sincerity in it too. I wish I knew a teen I could give this too. Really well done. 

My ONLY slight criticism was that I found some of the dialogue to be a little forced, and some of my friends and teenagers that I know (I work in a school) felt the same way. Otherwise, this book is wonderful and eye-opening and I could not put it down. I read it in two sittings and could not wait to get back to it. I also agree that due to the dialogue-heavy writing, it will be easy and natural to adapt and I can't wait for the movie. 

12 hours ago, proserpina65 said:

Just finished reading Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann.  It was amazing, sad, depressing, and marvelously written.  I read it in 2 days, and can't recommend it enough.

Absolutely loved this one and could not believe that I'd never heard the story! Grann is one of my favorite journalists so I was so glad the book was just as good as his articles. 

Edited March 31, 2018 by SallyAlbright

[hendersonrocks]

On 3/30/2018 at 3:36 PM, Cherry Cola said:

I just finished Anne of Avonlea.  I fell in love with Anne all over again on Anne with an E, so I decided to read the series.  

There are so many books on here I have never heard of! I must make a list! 

All of the Anne books are lovely, and my favorite is the last one (Rilla of Ingleside). If you’re up for more L.M. Montgomery, also check out A Tangled Web. It’s my favorite book of hers and is a stand-alone!

[Cherry Cola]

15 minutes ago, hendersonrocks said:

All of the Anne books are lovely, and my favorite is the last one (Rilla of Ingleside). If you’re up for more L.M. Montgomery, also check out A Tangled Web. It’s my favorite book of hers and is a stand-alone!

Thank you! I will check that out!

[Mindthinkr]

@hendersonrocks Thanks for the suggestion. I just downloaded it and it’s next after the one I’m currently reading. 

[Crs97]

Regarding L.M. Montgomery, I especially love The Blue Castle.  I need to try Tangled Web.

[Jenniferbug]

I always really enjoyed the Emily trilogy too.

[helenamonster]

Just finished: Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman. A fascinating read, even for somebody who doesn't watch the show. A lot of the book was meant to explain how and why The Bachelor and its related series have stayed so popular for so long (she interviews psychologists and sociologists about love and romance, talks about the history of television dating shows, and explains the things the producers do to maximize the fantasy that the show is selling). I was also interested in learning about the process of how one gets to be a contestant on the show, and what life is like for those who make it on. Just reading about it made me upset. What these people go through seems borderline abusive, but I guess once you sign your name on the dotted line the show is removed from any liability. I feel like even though most put-together, mentally stable person would go through a breakdown in this environment. If you like books about pop culture/sociology/behind the scenes stuff, this is a must-read. My only complaint was that I thought it could be even more snarky, but that's a me problem.

Next up: The Flight Attendant by Chris Bohjalian.

[GaT]

I just started Tricks For Free by Seanan McGuire, it's the 7th book in her InCryptid series. The book includes an Aeslin Mice novella, they are my favorite part of the series. The title of the novella is The Recitation Of The Most Holy And Harrowing Pilgrimage Of Mindy And Also Mork. Aeslin Mice are awesome.

[Spartan Girl]

I'll chime in on love for The Hate U Give. Can't wait to see how they do the movie.

Read Unmasked by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Contained some pretty interesting stories about the making of Phantom, Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, etc.

And I just finished White Houses by Amy Bloom. Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the greatest First Ladies in history, and it was fascinating to discover that part of her personal life. Can't believe that relationship was hidden for so long. If it happened today, it would be trending in seconds...

Edited April 3, 2018 by Spartan Girl

[Stenbeck]

American Heiress by Jeffrey Toobin: Its the story of the 1974 kidnapping of Patty Hearst and the drama that ensued. 

I had only heard of her story in passing and I was pleasantly surprised by the book. Toobin keeps the story interesting, although there's a 50-75 page lull when

Spoiler

Patty leaves California, hides in Pennsylvania and travels back to California. 

 

Toobin's Supreme Court related books: The Nine and The Oath are excellent. 

[AngelKitty]

On ‎3‎/‎29‎/‎2018 at 10:56 AM, DearEvette said:

The first book of this series is the weakest.  Don't let it deter you from continuing.  This is one of the best UF series out there and the books get better as they go on.

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 1:59 PM, GaT said:

you'll be able to read the whole series without any big waits.

 

Thanks, I liked Magic Bites just fine so I'm really looking forward to rest.

Now I've just started Fair Game, the third book in Patricia Briggs' Alpha & Omega series. I already finished all her Mercy Thompson series.

Next up is Smoke Eaters about firemen fighting dragons which sounds cool.

[Mindthinkr]

The Return of John Mcnabe  by Andrew Grieg. 

I absolutely loved it. It’s about a particular kind of poaching in Scotland. A great caper and I don’t even hunt or fish! 

Edited April 3, 2018 by Mindthinkr
I had trouble with the bolding.

[rainbowmonkey]

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

I am still in the process of reading it.

Edited April 4, 2018 by rainbowmonkey

[Cherry Cola]

16 hours ago, rainbowmonkey said:

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

I am still in the process of reading it.

I do enjoy those books.  They make you think!

I am currently reading The secret life of bees.  Pretty easy to get into right away. 

[Minneapple]

Currently reading the The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. It's YA fantasy. If you like fairy tales you'll like this one. It's very creepy, like an old Brothers Grimm fairy tale rather than the Disneyfied versions of fairy tales that we're used to.. 

[OtterMommy]

15 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

Currently reading the The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. It's YA fantasy. If you like fairy tales you'll like this one. It's very creepy, like an old Brothers Grimm fairy tale rather than the Disneyfied versions of fairy tales that we're used to.. 

I've heard great things about this one!  I have it on hold at the library, but I'm way down the list...so it might be a while.

I finished a couple books while on vacation:

My Dear Hamilton is a historical novel about Eliza Schuyler Hamilton.  Halfway through reading this, I actually saw Hamilton...and it may have negatively impacted what I thought about this book.  This novel is well-written and historically accurate, but there were times when it seemed almost derivative of the musical which was weird.  For one thing, Hamilton is not entirely historically accurate--which is not a problem for a 2.5 hour musical.  However, the book is accurate, but then it seems to try to reconcile itself to the stage show--which doesn't actually work very well.  Because of this, it has sort of a whiff of fanfic, which made me enjoy it less than I probably would have otherwise.

Then, ironically, I read Hamilton's Battalion: A Trio of Romances, which is very clearly fanfic--and I ate it up.  I guess I'm fine with fanfic as long as the authors admit that is what it is and try not deny it.

Outside of the world of Alexander Hamilton, I also read The Elizas by Sara Shepard (who wrote Pretty Little Liars, which I have neither read nor watched).  It was actually a pretty sophisticated psychological thriller.  I did spend a good 2/3 of it having no clue what was going on--but I'm pretty sure that was intentional, so I'm fine with it.

Finally, I read Roomies by Christina Lauren.  It was a fun contemporary romance that made my flight home go pretty quickly.

Right now, I'm reading Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.  I'm on a bit of a time crunch because I have the eBook out from the library and, thanks to the fact that a bunch of my holds came in at once, I have only about week more to get through this one (which is quite long).  So far, though, I'm enjoying it.  I just need to carve out enough time to finish it before it disappears off my kindle.

[Jenniferbug]

I finished Before the Devil Breaks You which is the third novel in The Diviners series by Libba Bray. I really wish I knew when the 4th was coming out, because I'm anxious to know what happens next. I had a few minor complaints: 

Spoiler

Mabel's anarchist storyline was dumb and I thought it was out of character for a smart sensible girl like her to fall for Arthur (?). I wasn't sad when she died. I was way more bothered when Will died and wish he would be around for the 4th book. I'm sure he will be somehow, but I would have liked him to be alive. Also near the end when everyone is having sex was kind of odd- not that they were having sex, but how it was like in one paragraph one couple has sex, next paragraph is another couple having sex, then a third, etc. It felt kind of tacked on, whereas I think if those moments had been spread throughout the book, they would have felt more organic. 

 

I've started The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin, which is my book club's book for May. It's historical fiction, and I'm not sure how much is true and how much is fiction. It's not terrible but I'm not really a fan of the Vinnie (Mrs Tom Thumb) so far. Perhaps it will grow on me as I read more.

[hendersonrocks]

Quote

Toobin's Supreme Court related books: The Nine and The Oath are excellent.

I loved The Nine but have yet to read The Oath, so thank you for this! I'm eager to read - one of my family members is friends with a current Supreme Court-er and it will be interesting to see if I can get anything out of them about how accurate it is from their perspective (I'm guessing no, they're pretty tight lipped about it while still humble bragging at the same time).

I also really liked Toobin's book on the O.J. Simpson (The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson), written in 1996 and what the amazing American Crime Story series was at least partially based on. I dig his research and writing style.

Edited April 6, 2018 by hendersonrocks

[truthaboutluv]

Just completed Big Little Lies and I absolutely loved it. It wasn't the most shocking and twisty book I've ever read, especially since I figured out most of the "twists" almost immediately. For example,

 

as soon as it was confirmed that Perry was abusive, I knew it was one of his and Celeste's twin boys that was really bullying Renata's daughter, once Jane described what happened with Ziggy's father, I suspected it was really Perry because I'd already suspected he was cheating on Celeste with all his many business trips, knew that Tom the barista wasn't gay and knew of course that Perry was the one whose death was being investigated.

But figuring out the twists didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I loved the running commentary by the parents not directly involved in the drama. Samantha was the best. I'm now looking forward to doing a binge watch of the series since I avoided everything about it like the plague, because I didn't want to be spoiled before reading the book. Based on the million awards and recognition the series has gotten, I guess I can assume it was a pretty good adaptation. 

I'm also close to wrapping up The Woman in The Window by A.J. Finn. It's interesting but a little slower going just because the main character, bless her heart is so damn depressing and pitiful, it's making the whole story feel exhausting. Curious to see where it's all leading though. I'm pretty sure I've already figured out one major twist. I'm about 99.9% sure that

 

Anna's husband and daughter are both dead from the accident that left her injured and traumatized her to where she can't leave her house. All these phone conversations she's having with them are likely just in her head.

Edited April 8, 2018 by truthaboutluv

[Minneapple]

I loved Big Little Lies. I couldn't get into the show, which I know was like the Most Popular Thing Ever.  

[OtterMommy]

33 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

I loved Big Little Lies. I couldn't get into the show, which I know was like the Most Popular Thing Ever.  

You aren't the only one.  I think I made it 3 episodes in before I gave up.  It was just too dark and missed the sort of tongue-in-cheekiness that I enjoyed with the book.

[Spartan Girl]

Reading Promise Me, Dad by Joe Biden. God, that poor man has been through so much and yet he's still standing. I loved his stories about his relationship with Obama and how supportive he was during his son's illness.

[Haleth]

I loved both the book and show for Big Little Lies.  The Husband's Secret is also very good.

[nodorothyparker]

In the middle of Ramses The Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra, the long loooong delayed sequel to The Mummy, which has Anne Rice collaborating with her son Christopher in what has to be hella awkward when they hit one of their convoluted sex scenes.  It's Anne Rice at her Anne Riceiest with lots of escapist fare about bored rich immortals (without the bloody messiness of vampires) who are constantly seeking The Meaning of It All.  The 18-year-old me who first read The Mummy would have loved all the world building.  The not 18-year-old me is doing a lot of amused eyerolling.

[SherriAnt]

I just finished Scourged, the last book in the Iron Druid series, and I was so disappointed. The relationships between all the characters was different, the characters themselves felt different, and it just felt like Kevin Hearne was just quickly and messily trying to tie up loose ends, and it was bad. So much that made the series great was missing, there was very little interaction between the 3 leads, and what there was, was awkward and forced. The joy of the earlier books was gone. I think the author was so excited to start his new series (that I hate) that he just wanted to be done with this one. That's what I think happened with Charlaine Harris' Sookie novels. Just disappointed all the way around.

Now I'm reading The Immortals by Jordana Max Brodsky, I'm on chapter 17, and it's good so far. It's yet another take on the ancient Greek gods,  putting them in modern New York. I like how she modernized the gods and their abilities. It's a cross between a modern fantasy, a crime procedural and ancient history.

[GaT]

23 minutes ago, SherriAnt said:

I just finished Scourged, the last book in the Iron Druid series, and I was so disappointed. The relationships between all the characters was different, the characters themselves felt different, and it just felt like Kevin Hearne was just quickly and messily trying to tie up loose ends, and it was bad. So much that made the series great was missing, there was very little interaction between the 3 leads, and what there was, was awkward and forced. The joy of the earlier books was gone. I think the author was so excited to start his new series (that I hate) that he just wanted to be done with this one. That's what I think happened with Charlaine Harris' Sookie novels. Just disappointed all the way around.

Scourged is on my "to buy" list & I've read a lot of the reviews & they seem to have the same opinion as you. So disappointed. I was considering waiting until it came out in paperback to read it, & I think that's what's going to happen.

[Danny Franks]

The Violent Century by Lavie Tidhar. The concept of real life superpowered people working for intelligence agencies in WWII and the Cold War is really interesting. But the writing style is so unfriendly that I'm getting annoyed. All the tics and quirks that I hate about 'literary fiction' are present.

Speech mixed into the rest of the text, with no speech marks or paragraph breaks, changes in tense and narrative (sometimes the book reads as though the narrator is telling you a story, sometimes it reads as normal third person omniscient), flipping constantly between present day and flashbacks. 

[Joe]

33 minutes ago, Danny Franks said:

The Violent Century by Lavie Tidhar. The concept of real life superpowered people working for intelligence agencies in WWII and the Cold War is really interesting. But the writing style is so unfriendly that I'm getting annoyed. All the tics and quirks that I hate about 'literary fiction' are present.

Speech mixed into the rest of the text, with no speech marks or paragraph breaks, changes in tense and narrative (sometimes the book reads as though the narrator is telling you a story, sometimes it reads as normal third person omniscient), flipping constantly between present day and flashbacks. 

There's a quote, but I can't remember who said it. So a paraphrase. 'If you have a good story to tell, tell it plainly. If you don't, tell it however you want.'

[MaggieG]

On 3/27/2018 at 1:11 PM, AuntiePam said:

Finished The White Road.  She stuck the landing, boy howdy did she ever.  I was seriously freaked out and wishing that I'd finished in daylight and not at bedtime. 

The last book that had me questioning reality was Flicker by Theodore Roszak.  The ending leaves questions but they're the good kind of questions -- not the kind that make you wonder if the author lost control or got lazy. 

If this ever makes it to film, the ending will leave people glued to their seats, jaws on the floor.

Just my opinion though -- I can see where the story would leave some readers going WTF? 

I'm a little hesitant to read another one of her books. I read The Three and could not get into it. I may give this one a shot though, it does look interesting.

Almost done reading The Flight Attendant. I like it. It's not super twisty but I definitely want to see how it ends. Also listening to The Tournament by Matthew Reilly on audiobook. He's my favorite adventure author and his books are always exciting and fast paced. His Scarecrow and Jack West Jr series are awesome. This one, not so much. It's about a big chess tournament that Queen Elizabeth attends in Constantinople at age 13. So a bit of fiction with real historical figures.

[Katy M]

I'm reading Helter Skelter.  Those people were seriously insane!!!

[AuntiePam]

I'm reading The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin.   It was published in 1971, which is surprising to me, because it's quite prescient about things that hadn't happened yet, like climate change.  It's about a man who can change the world through dreaming, and the people who try to control him.  There's a lot of philosophy -- stuff I can't get my feeble old mind around -- but I've long since quit fretting about that.  It's fascinating, but it makes me wish I was smarter.

[Black Knight]

On 4/10/2018 at 2:04 PM, Joe said:

There's a quote, but I can't remember who said it. So a paraphrase. 'If you have a good story to tell, tell it plainly. If you don't, tell it however you want.'

I've heard that before, although I also cannot remember who said it. It's a quote I dislike. It's simplistic and reductive, privileging one style of storytelling while dismissing the medium used - that of words. Writers are painting a picture, and they are using words to paint that picture. To say that they should only write plainly, in a straightforward A to B way, is like saying that painters should only ever paint in a photorealistic manner. No Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism, abstract art, etc. Goodbye Monet. Fuck you, Picasso. Throw out Munch's The Scream. Let us not even speak of Jasper Johns.

Sure, I don't always care for a particular effort at inventiveness, or a particular style, either. Tastes are subjective. But I have absolutely no interest in seeing all literature turn into workmanlike prose just because it's faster and easier to read. Faster and easier is not necessarily better; nor is it necessarily worse, either. Much does depend on the story in question, but not, as the quote says, in terms of the quality of said story; rather, it depends on the type of story. An action-packed thriller probably should be straight to the point prose-wise, to keep up the tempo. (But even then there can be interesting, successful deviations. For instance, I saw the film adaptation of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone before I read the book, and I'd never read anything of Woodrell's before. Given the film, I went into the book expecting short, spare, cold prose, and was surprised. And I made it about two pages in before deciding that I would read everything Woodrell has ever written.) I'm glad to see writers continue to explore how words can be used, just as painters continue to explore how paint can be used, even if it's not always a successful effort to my taste.

Back to the topic at hand, I've begun re-reading Libba Bray's Beauty Queens, because as mentioned here a short while back, my niece is now old enough to read the book herself, and I want it fresh in my mind. Plus, it's hilarious and I can definitely use the laughs.

Edited April 12, 2018 by Black Knight

[Joe]

I see what you mean there, and somewhat agree with you. I feel that the quote doesn't apply to somewhat flowery stuff like say Lord of the Rings, but more like Cormac McCarthy's the Road. Maybe it's a good story, but I found the style completely unreadable.

[helenamonster]

2 hours ago, Katy M said:

I'm reading Helter Skelter.  Those people were seriously insane!!!

Every time I see Helter Skelter mentioned I get the urge to reread it. There aren't many 700-page books that can claim to be so compelling and rereadable.

[Spartan Girl]

Just finished Varina by Charles Frazier. Even if though was fiction, there's some pretty interesting stuff about Varina Davis, the Confederate First Lady. 

[Cherry Cola]

Reading The Cuckoo's calling.  Finished The secret life of bees.  That was pretty good! 

[MargeGunderson]

On 3/25/2018 at 1:49 PM, Mindthinkr said:

I loved the way that she describes the town in which the characters live. Her words painted a lovely quaint town in my mind...somewhere I’d like to go visit. 

I love the entire series, but I enjoy the ones set in the village more than the 2 books that are in other locations. The town is like its own character in the series.