What Are We Currently Reading?

[dubbel zout]

I'm just about to start Conversations with Friends, by Emily Rooney. It got rapturous reviews, which can often lead to too-high expectations on my part, so we'll see. If nothing else, it's likely to be quick, so there's that going for it.

[helenamonster]

Just finished: The Cactus by Sarah Haywood. I enjoyed it for the most part. I identified a lot with Susan, the protagonist--an introverted person who generally prefers the pleasure of their own company and gets a little too caught up in their own routines with little to no room for accommodating others. I thought it had a lot of good humor. The ending did feel a bit rushed, and it felt like the book started to lose its very distinctive narrative voice 

Spoiler

once Susan discovered she was adopted. I suppose this could be symbolic of her life spiraling out of (her) control, but it just felt like the air was let out of things a bit. I also thought her deciding to be with Rob came out of nowhere, even though it's ostensibly what the book was setting up. But Susan never has a moment where she thinks the life she's built for herself isn't working anymore. She just all of a sudden decides she's fine to upend things. It felt unearned.

I also felt that the adoption plot twist cheapened things a little. It was always obvious we were heading to the conclusion that Patricia truly did love Edward more than Susan, which was why she left him more (especially as Susan's cold attitude towards Patricia's health became more and more apparent), but I hate the idea that parents can't love adopted children as much (or more than) biological children. It's so tired and outdated. And that realization would have had more power without the adoption cop-out, I think.

Next up: The First Mistake by Sandie Jones

[Anduin]

I bought and finished the latest Rivers of London book today. It's as good as ever! However, I noticed some of Aaronovitch's writing style this time. Different character, but so much felt familiar. I'm not complaining, don't worry.

Also, I spotted something interesting.

Spoiler

Apparently, a supernatural creature loving a mortal can cause that mortal to stop ageing. Nightingale is actually ageing backwards. Could it be Molly's doing?

[BlackberryJam]

Read Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker a couple of weeks ago. I recommend. I had spoiled myself on the ending and think I actually enjoyed it more because of that.

[HazelEyes4325]

I finished The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott last night (oh, okay, very early this morning!) and really enjoyed it.  I don't know why, but I had never read McDermott before--but I'm definitely going to read more by her as I quite loved her writing here.  This book reminded me of an American, slightly grittier Call the Midwife and is a book I would recommend to anyone who enjoys that show.

[AngelKitty]

I just finished Feed by Mira Grant and enjoyed it but not enough to continue the series.

The book I had waiting is Enemy Within by Marcella Burnard. It was labeled Adult Sci-Fi Romance and after a few pages, I decided it wasn't for me. Although I am looking to read some sci-fi romance since I'm writing one so I'll go over to Goodreads and see what else is out there.

I have another book waiting at the library for me called Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill, the first in the Chicagoland Vampires series. I'll pick it up Monday.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, AngelKitty said:

I just finished Feed by Mira Grant and enjoyed it but not enough to continue the series.

I really wanted to like this series, & I did finish it, but honestly, I was just glad when it was over. I think I like her writing when she's Seanan McGuire much better than when she's Mira Grant.

[catlover79]

I just started this last night:

[wanderingstar]

Just finished listening to the audiobook of Bad Blood, the story of Elizabeth Holmes' now-defunct blood testing startup, Theranos, and damn did it give me some PTSD flashbacks to some of my old workplaces. The gaslighting, the threats, the pitting of teams against each other ::shudder:: It's a compelling story, but a bit triggering if you've ever had to deal with a workplace headed by a delusional megalomaniac.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Gillian Rosh

[helenamonster]

Just finished: The First Mistake by Sandie Jones. Yeesh. First of all, both POV characters are bone-deep stupid, which makes reading the book from their perspectives very challenging, especially as the plot is not engaging enough to make up for it. Huge red flags are going up for both the men in their lives and they're just perfectly happy to ignore them. Ladies! If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck!

Also it's one of those stories that is not satisfied with one big twist, but feels the need to drop five or six, even if they're unearned. The last one especially was a big no thanks. You can't expect me to care about a twist like that when you've laid absolutely no groundwork for it.

Next up: An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

[alias1]

I read BIG SKY by Kate Atkinson, the 5th in the Jackson Brodie series.  It's been 8 years since the last one.  It requires a little bit of patience in the beginning.  There are a lot of characters and a lot of seemingly unrelated plot threads.  Jackson Brodie is a wonderful character because Kate Atkinson is a wonderful writer.  We get her usual wry humor and perceptive commentary throughout.  I don't think you need to have read the previous books to appreciate this one.  

I guess you could call the plot kind of dark and yet the book is a delight to read. I think she leaves a little tease that there might be a Jackson Brodie #6.  I hope so anyway.  I loved her book LIFE AFTER LIFE but I think she has more fun with this series.   

[DearEvette]

I just finished the audiobook of The Queen and The Cure by Amy Harmon.  It is a fantasy romance that is a smart blend of both genres that balances both just right, imo.  Harmon is a new to me author and I had no real expectation of the book except I wanted something to listen to and I liked the narrator's voice from the sample.  But the book turned out to be really good I enjoyed the author's writing.

[HazelEyes4325]

Two books I finished recently and wanted to share quick thoughts:
 

Ayesha At Last - This is a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, set in the Muslim community in Toronto.  I'm not a fan of P&P retellings (because I really despise P&P, go ahead and judge me), but this one was simply delightful.  While the structure is clearly P&P, there seems to be more of a Shakespeare influence.

The Body in Question - This one came to me with a lot of hype, and that probably negatively impacted my experience.  It was interesting, but I would hardly call it "shocking," (which is how it is marketed).  It was short, so I don't feel like my time was wasted reading it, but I probably wouldn't recommend it in most cases.

Last night I started Shrill and I think I'll read Ovidia Yu's The Betel Nut Tree Mystery to balance it out.  I really enjoyed the first book in the series, The Frangipani Tree Mystery so I have high expectations for this one.

[Black Knight]

8 hours ago, SierraMist said:

Jackson Brodie is a wonderful character because Kate Atkinson is a wonderful writer.

I can mostly take or leave Jackson, so when I saw this in the bookstore I picked it up with a feeling of, "Well, I've read all the others, I may as well continue." Then I saw from the cover teaser that Reggie's back for this one, and now I'm excited. Reggie's my favorite character in the series by a wide margin.

[Slovenly Muse]

On 3/3/2019 at 1:01 PM, Slovenly Muse said:

Whew. Well, friends, ever since I saw it listed as #1 on a list of greatest works of English literature back in high school, it has been my personal goal to read James Joyce's Ulysses before I die... Man, oh, man, this book is unlike anything I've ever seen before... I can see why this is the book with one of the lowest reader completion rates... it's hard to keep going! Each section is long and difficult, punctuated by flashes of brilliance that make it worthwhile, but depending on the section, those flashes can be very far apart. Each section is written in a unique style. Some are beautiful, poetic, and absolutely a delight to read, and others are a completely interminable, impenetrable slog. The delight one feels in finally finishing a section is matched only by the dread of beginning the next... But I'm gonna do it. I'm going to finish this book!

Hi, friends! Guess what? I FINISHED THIS BOOK! I finished it this weekend, and while the middle was a terrible slog, I actually really enjoyed the final sections and the conclusion. Some parts were so moving, I even shed a few tears along the way. It took me an entire year to read it, and it was not easy going, but in the end, I don't regret it at all, and I'm glad I finally did it! (Guess I can die now!)

I wanted to give my brain a break and read something dumb and trashy next, but I found myself basically immediately picking up Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy to re-read before the HBO Miniseries premiers. It's been years since I've read The Golden Compass, and I forgot how much it packs into its premise right in the first few chapters! There is so much to chew on, and it is such an enjoyable ride, I'm really glad I'm revisiting this one.

Happy reading, fellow bookworms!

[Haleth]

I finished Good Omens last night, a charming and funny story about the Apocalypse.  I loved that there were answers to some of the questions left open from the show, like what happened to Baby C.  It's a quick read, fun and frothy, just like the show.

[Minneapple]

Just finished the Lemon Sisters by Jill Shalvis. It was pretty good, with great characters. Just a little too romance novel-ly for my taste. Maybe I should have known that when I picked up the book, though. 

On my road trip I read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman. Finally! And yay! Now I'm looking forward to the miniseries coming up. Hopefully they don't butcher it.

[Danny Franks]

I'm eighty pages into The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin. It's kind of interesting, but there seems to be very little exploration of the hook - that is, four people who know the days that they're going to die. And I get the feeling I'm just going to read the lives of four people, without any overarching plot.

[Crs97]

My advice, Danny, is to bail now.

[Rosenrot]

On ‎7‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 8:24 AM, Slovenly Muse said:

Hi, friends! Guess what? I FINISHED THIS BOOK!

Congratulations, sir/madam! I read it too, in 2012 or so. It's so dense, but I did mostly enjoy it.

Just finished Delta of Venus by Anais Nïn. I don't read erotic lit that often (unless I know it's going to be good quality, which it's often not), but as it's by Anais, I gave it a go. It certainly was… interesting. 

Last night I started Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon. It's quite literally been ten years since I read the first volume of the Lord John series, so it's high time I continue! 

[Was-MArsenault]

I'm currently reading the 4th book in the Gossip Girl series called Because I'm Worth It.

[cherrypj]

12 hours ago, Danny Franks said:

I'm eighty pages into The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin.

That book made me mad.

[Haleth]

I didn't care for The Immortalists either.

After finishing Good Omens I picked up where I had left off with Little Dorrit.  After slogging through for a couple nights I decided to bail.  It was just.so.tedious and I hadn't even gotten to the part that dragged for me while watching the miniseries.  There are other Dickens books that I love, but this one was too much of a chore.

[Jenniferbug]

I'm not quite halfway through The Queen Con by Meghan Scott Molin. It's a sequel to The Frame Up. So far it's a little slower to grab me than the first book, but I'm still enjoying it a lot! These books are nerdy, mystery fun and I love it. 

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

There are other Dickens books that I love, but [Little Dorrit] was too much of a chore.

Sometimes it's way too obvious Dickens was writing a serial instead of a novel.

[Mindthinkr]

I just finished Riptide by Douglas Preston. It seems to be modeled after the TV show: The Curse of Oak Island. It’s spun into a fantasy tale of the treasure, where it came from and what happened during the dig and after. (Trying not to spoil it for anyone by saying anymore). I’ll give this for DP. He really did some good research on his subject matter. There also were a few points that were page turners while I held my breath in. Good vacation reading. 

I’m sorry that I couldn’t use the feature that heavily shows the title. Every time I try to use the bar (at the top of where we can respond) it throws me back to my homepage on the PTV site (not the forums). It’s annoying, but now I don’t even try because I understand what will happen. 🙁

[peacheslatour]

48 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Sometimes it's way too obvious Dickens was writing a serial instead of a novel.

I believe he was getting paid by the word.

[truthaboutluv]

10 hours ago, Haleth said:

I picked up where I had left off with Little Dorrit.  After slogging through for a couple nights I decided to bail.  It was just.so.tedious and I hadn't even gotten to the part that dragged for me while watching the miniseries.  There are other Dickens books that I love, but this one was too much of a chore.

I am still traumatized from having to read this book in college. You know a book is long as hell when the exam questions are broken up to focus either on Part I or Part II of the book because even the professors knew ain't nobody reading that whole thing. I made it through Part 1 and about five chapters of Part II and was done. 

Edited July 12, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[HazelEyes4325]

I finished Shrill last night and enjoyed it, although it wasn't quite what I had expected after watching the series.  I had wanted to read the book before watching the series, but so did everyone else in my library system.  

I'm currently reading The Betel Nut Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu.  It's the second in the Crown Colony mystery series and I'm really enjoying it.  I wouldn't say it is a cozy mystery, but maybe a step up from that?

Today, I'll also be starting Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev.  I'm not a P&P adaptation fan, although I really enjoyed the last one I read (Ayesha at Last).  However, I love Dev so I hope this one works out for me.

[dubbel zout]

2 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

3 hours ago, dubbel zout said:

Sometimes it's way too obvious Dickens was writing a serial instead of a novel.

I believe he was getting paid by the word.

He was. Hence some of the doorstops he wrote.

[Bort]

I'm currently about halfway through The Man in the Empty Suit. I've had the book on my eReader for a month, I've now renewed it twice. I think the fact that I'm able to do that because no one has it on hold is telling enough, not to mention the fact that I can't seem to get moving on it. I may end up just skipping to the end and being done with it, but I figure I'll keep pecking away until one of the other books I have on hold comes through. It's definitely the weirdest time travel story I've ever experienced.

[Danny Franks]

On ‎7‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 10:15 PM, Crs97 said:

My advice, Danny, is to bail now.

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 10:24 AM, cherrypj said:

That book made me mad.

After reading about 130 pages, I'm more than prepared to take your advice and dump this one.

Simon's story was utterly predictable, and came off more like a cautionary tale warning people against 'gay depravity' than anything else. And Klara's started off so boring I didn't bother finishing.

[dubbel zout]

I finished Conversations with Friends last night and was underwhelmed. Sigh. Now I'm reading Queen Victoria's Matchmaking, about the grandchildren she tried to put on all the major (and not so major) thrones of Europe. She was a little gentler with that generation than her own children, but she still had Opinions That Must Be Heard.

[Jenniferbug]

I've been busy reading! I finished The Queen Con, and am anticipating a 3rd book in the series. Then I finished Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield. Now I'm about 120 pages into The Witch Elm by Tana French. I really like her Dublin murder squad books, so I'm hoping I'll like this one too even though it is not part of that series. So far it has been very slow and I'm hoping the main plot will get going soon or I may give up on it. 

[GaT]

5 hours ago, Jenniferbug said:

Now I'm about 120 pages into The Witch Elm by Tana French. I really like her Dublin murder squad books, so I'm hoping I'll like this one too even though it is not part of that series. So far it has been very slow and I'm hoping the main plot will get going soon or I may give up on it. 

I read a few of the Dublin Murder Squad books & I really, really wanted to like them, but I just did not connect. Each book I read became a chore by the time I got to the end. It's been a while, but from what I remember, too slow, &  too much angsty inner monologue. 

[Jenniferbug]

@GaT, I liked The Likeness, Faithful Place, and Broken Harbor. In The Woods was ok, but I didn't enjoy The Secret Place at all, and I barely remember The Trespasser. So I guess I should say that I really enjoyed most of those books, but not all. I don't think you would like The Witch Elm- so far the whole damn thing has been angsty inner monologue!

[BlackberryJam]

On 3/14/2019 at 11:14 PM, rmcrae said:

I'm in the middle of Sally Field's memoir In Pieces. I knew her only for her work and very little about her personal life. Damn, she's been through some things!

I'm on my library's waiting Michelle Obama's book and can't wait to get my hands on it.

Just finished this book. Her stepfather was horrible. The book is really an exploration of her relationship with her mother, and the resentment she felt for not being protected. (I found it odd she doesn’t discuss her role as M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias really at all, since that is a totally different mother/daughter dynamic, but I think it would have been interesting)

It’s odd that as a kid in the 1970s, I’d always had this image of Sally Field as a regular, normal, relatable. Instead she had this horrific childhood experience, a terrible time opening up to other people, few friends an a real inability to bond. 

She’s also not as likable as I’d thought. I get that the book is her personal journey and it’s not written for readers, but rather for herself. I never watched Brothers and Sisters, but she’s pretty dismissive of the show, and honestly of TV acting in general. Which I think is typical of her era, but just came off poorly to me. 

[partofme]

On 6/16/2019 at 5:25 PM, helenamonster said:

Just finished: My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing, about a stereotypically idyllic married couple...who keep things spicy by stalking and killing pretty young women. It had a lot of elements that I like in this kind of book: some fun twists (a few of which I saw coming from miles away but w/e), deconstruction of "missing white woman syndrome", parody of life in the American suburbs. But I think I need to stop reading reviews from other customers to help me pick out books, because they seriously warp my perception and expectations for the narrative.

  Hide contents

This book did play on one of my fears, though: that the terrible things I, as a young woman, see happen in the news to other young women could just as easily happen to me. The couple targets their victims relatively arbitrarily, and it's freaky to think of how many unfortunate things we avoid by just not happening to cross paths with the wrong person at the wrong time.

I just finished My Lovely Wife last night.  I really enjoyed it despite several of the twists being very predictable.  The only thing that was odd to me was that 

Spoiler

Holly didn't tell the main character(I've already forgotten his name) that she didn't do any of those things when he confronted her at her job, but then there wouldn't be a book.

[Lovecat]

1 hour ago, partofme said:

I just finished My Lovely Wife last night.  I really enjoyed it despite several of the twists being very predictable.  The only thing that was odd to me was that 

  Hide contents

Holly didn't tell the main character(I've already forgotten his name) that she didn't do any of those things when he confronted her at her job, but then there wouldn't be a book.

[From under the Spoiler tag]:  ...the main character(I've already forgotten his name)...  

He actually is never named, so you haven't forgotten anything 🙂

[rmcrae]

23 hours ago, BlackberryJam said:

Just finished this book. Her stepfather was horrible. The book is really an exploration of her relationship with her mother, and the resentment she felt for not being protected. (I found it odd she doesn’t discuss her role as M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias really at all, since that is a totally different mother/daughter dynamic, but I think it would have been interesting)

It’s odd that as a kid in the 1970s, I’d always had this image of Sally Field as a regular, normal, relatable. Instead she had this horrific childhood experience, a terrible time opening up to other people, few friends an a real inability to bond. 

She’s also not as likable as I’d thought. I get that the book is her personal journey and it’s not written for readers, but rather for herself. I never watched Brothers and Sisters, but she’s pretty dismissive of the show, and honestly of TV acting in general. Which I think is typical of her era, but just came off poorly to me. 

I found that strange as well. It seemed like after “Smoky and the Bandit” she fast forwarded through the rest of her film career (aside from “Lincoln”). 

As for her image, it’s like that old saying about looks being deceiving. It’s true of today’s celebrities (particularly child/teen stars) today, but especially back then. I remember reading Patty Duke’s book “Call Me Anna” (highly recommend it if you haven’t read it before) and she had the same “girl next door” image, but was experiencing so much dysfunction behind closed doors. 

[BlackberryJam]

7 minutes ago, rmcrae said:

I found that strange as well. It seemed like after “Smoky and the Bandit” she fast forwarded through the rest of her film career (aside from “Lincoln”). 

As for her image, it’s like that old saying about looks being deceiving. It’s true of today’s celebrities (particularly child/teen stars) today, but especially back then. I remember reading Patty Duke’s book “Call Me Anna” (highly recommend it if you haven’t read it before) and she had the same “girl next door” image, but was experiencing so much dysfunction behind closed doors. 

YES. I think at one point she says, "And I earned an Oscar for Places in the Heart too." And that is the only time that film is mentioned. She's completely vague about her second marriage, who he was, how she met him, why they divorced, nothing. 

Not my favorite memoir, and not one I would recommend to others. 

[MadyGirl1987]

I just started both "The Vacationers" by Emma Straub and "Lock Every Door" by Riley Sager. Enjoying both so far!

[DearEvette]

On 7/8/2019 at 6:33 PM, HazelEyes4325 said:

Ayesha At Last - This is a modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice, set in the Muslim community in Toronto.  I'm not a fan of P&P retellings (because I really despise P&P, go ahead and judge me), but this one was simply delightful.  While the structure is clearly P&P, there seems to be more of a Shakespeare influence.

Oh man, I finished this a few days ago.  And I agree it was really delightful.

And I will one up you, I am not only NOT a fan of P&P but not a fan of Jane Austen at all.  That is what stopped me from wanting to read  this at all, but a book buddy told me to shuddup and read it.

Right now I have a books in various stages:

Just finished  - 99% Mine  by Sally Thorne - this book was a big mess on every level.  I kept wondering why I was still reading it?

Currently in the middle of - Under Currents by Nora Roberts - started off really great.  Is dragging in the middle.  The heroine is a landscape architect an there is a lot of landcape architecting happening.  I find myself skimming over those parts and only interested in the suspense plot.  The suspense stuff is well done but book def needs a TW/CW for Domestic violence and child abuse.

Just starting - The Bookish Life of NIna Hill by Abbi Waxman.  Fingers crossed, this sounds so charming.  The main character is a bookish introvert.  What is not to love there!?

Edited July 16, 2019 by DearEvette

[GaT]

I am about 45 pages into The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross, the first book in The Laundry Files series. I had heard that this was a great series from a number of places, but I am already having a hard time getting through it.  It seems to be 90% jargon, & I can't even tell what's real jargon & what's made up. If it continues like this, I won't be able to finish it, & I've only not finished one other book before, so that tells you how hard going this book is.

[Anduin]

21 minutes ago, GaT said:

I am about 45 pages into The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross, the first book in The Laundry Files series. I had heard that this was a great series from a number of places, but I am already having a hard time getting through it.  It seems to be 90% jargon, & I can't even tell what's real jargon & what's made up. If it continues like this, I won't be able to finish it, & I've only not finished one other book before, so that tells you how hard going this book is.

I can see that. It's worth noting that the early Laundry books are written in the style of assorted existing spy fiction. This one was in the style of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Book 2, the Jennifer Morgue, goes for another familiar but better paced style. I prefer it. Maybe jump straight to that and circle back here if you like it?

[catlover79]

The Trouble With Patience by Maggie Brendan

[HazelEyes4325]

1 hour ago, DearEvette said:

And I will one up you, I am not only NOT a fan of P&P but not a fan of Jane Austen at all.  That is what stopped me from wanting to read  this at all, but a book buddy told me to shuddup and read it.

I don't like Jane Austen either, but I am now reading my second P&P retelling in a row.  This one, Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, is not nearly as successful for me.  For one thing, unlike Ayesha at Last, this one makes sure the reader knows that it is a P&P retelling.  Also, they need to get past the pride and prejudice and get on with the story because I'm really sick of the two leads sniping at each other.  I've come close to DNFing it, but I love Sonali Dev (usually) and I hold onto hope that she'll redeem this.  Also, I'm 60+% through it, so I might as well finish.

In addition to that, I'm planning to start Miracle Creek tonight.  I'm a little worried that my expectations are too high because I've heard nothing short of "this is the best book of the year!" about it...

[catlover79]

[Black Knight]

On 7/16/2019 at 4:12 PM, GaT said:

I am about 45 pages into The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross, the first book in The Laundry Files series. I had heard that this was a great series from a number of places, but I am already having a hard time getting through it.  It seems to be 90% jargon, & I can't even tell what's real jargon & what's made up. If it continues like this, I won't be able to finish it, & I've only not finished one other book before, so that tells you how hard going this book is.

You're not alone. I managed to finish the book, but only because, like you, it takes a lot for me to quit a book, and I had zero interest in continuing the series.

I do think a large part of my problem is that I haven't read much Lovecraft; I've got the complete works sitting in my to-read bookcase, but haven't gotten to them yet. I felt like as a result there was quite a lot I was missing while I was reading Atrocity Archives. I plan to try it again once I get through Lovecraft.

[GaT]

1 hour ago, Black Knight said:

You're not alone. I managed to finish the book, but only because, like you, it takes a lot for me to quit a book, and I had zero interest in continuing the series.

I do think a large part of my problem is that I haven't read much Lovecraft; I've got the complete works sitting in my to-read bookcase, but haven't gotten to them yet. I felt like as a result there was quite a lot I was missing while I was reading Atrocity Archives. I plan to try it again once I get through Lovecraft.

I'm still reading, & it's a struggle. Once I'm done with it, I'm done. I've never read Lovecraft, but just knowing it might be like this is enough to totally turn me off from it.