View Full Version : What's Everyone Reading?
msnicolea
08-11-2005, 12:00 PM
You started with a good one, catch. I've read them all and that one is my absolute favorite!!!!!! Don't even get me started on his interactions with his French teacher!! HILARIOUS! I'm not allowed to read it in bed anymore--DH's rule. ;)
catch
08-12-2005, 09:23 AM
msnicolea, I was reading that part last night, so funny!! :D I think I'll be done with the book tonight. What Sedaris book do you think I should tackle next? In this book, I think my favorite story so far has been You Can't Kill the Rooster. I was laughing out loud on the subway. :D :o
msnicolea
08-12-2005, 09:50 AM
Catch-- isn't that part hilarious? It kills me every time! My next favorite is Barrel Fever, but honestly, you can't go wrong no matter which one you choose!!!
Aug2002Bride
08-12-2005, 10:00 AM
Im in the middle of the Left Behind series
amberfiddles
08-12-2005, 01:12 PM
just finished time traveler's wife. moving, and not run of the mill at all.
currently working on she flew the coop which is amusing so far.
Carrie K
08-12-2005, 04:31 PM
I finished Woman on the Edge of Time. It was different. I wasn't expecting it to be a utopia/dystopia novel for some reason. Interesting angle on the future of society, and how the so called "fringe" of society are treated. It was really 70's too. Okay, it was written in 1976 so I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised it evoked the decade so well.
Thanks to a girl in my book club who wanted someone to read To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, I finally pulled that out of my TBR books and, once I got used to her "voice" in the book really got into it. Howevah. My next book is either going to be Artemis Fowl or Daniel Silva's Prince of Fire.
I love Marian Keyes. I think my favorite is Rachel's Holiday.
JLRenheos
08-13-2005, 12:53 AM
I just started reading 'One for the Money' by Janet Evanovich. So far, so good! :D This book has me cracking up!!
I just started reading 'One for the Money' by Janet Evanovich. So far, so good! :D This book has me cracking up!!
I just finished that one LAST NIGHT! It was so good that I have to hit the used book stores today to get all the other ones. :D
Raven_Girl
08-13-2005, 01:44 PM
I just finished the new Harry Potter book this morning.
It was the first time I've ever read a Harry Potter book.
It was really good but I was shocked at the end.
msnicolea
08-14-2005, 12:05 PM
msnicolea, I was reading that part last night, so funny!! :D I think I'll be done with the book tonight. What Sedaris book do you think I should tackle next? In this book, I think my favorite story so far has been You Can't Kill the Rooster. I was laughing out loud on the subway. :D :o
My DH actually woke me up this morning because I could hear him laughing in the living room-he was reading this chapter and was almost in tears! The part that kills me is when his brother is telling him about getting his ass kicked and David's like "When did he stop"--"I guess he stopped when he was f'ing finished." Kills me every time.
I must have planted a Sedaris seed recently, because my husband has been on a total DS kick lately!
wendalah
08-14-2005, 01:06 PM
My sister just lent me a book about Chris Everet and Martina Navratolova (SP? too lazy to look it up) and their rivalry. I started it last night. It's pretty fascinating so far!
lawyerlee
08-14-2005, 06:51 PM
My DH actually woke me up this morning because I could hear him laughing in the living room-he was reading this chapter and was almost in tears! The part that kills me is when his brother is telling him about getting his ass kicked and David's like "When did he stop"--"I guess he stopped when he was f'ing finished." Kills me every time.
I must have planted a Sedaris seed recently, because my husband has been on a total DS kick lately!
He's so great. :) Almost makes you feel normal for having some disfunction! ;) :)
Bought Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich yesterday, finished it today. Fun read, just like One for the Money. I think I have to lay off looking for number 3 until Friday...I have a final Thursday that I need to study for. :(
catch
08-14-2005, 10:57 PM
The part that kills me is when his brother is telling him about getting his ass kicked and David's like "When did he stop"--"I guess he stopped when he was f'ing finished." Kills me every time.
That's the funniest part! I've reread the chapter a few times and it still makes me laugh out loud, I can't help it :D
Thanks for recommending Barrel Fever, btw. I'll be sure to pick it up. :)
msnicolea
08-15-2005, 08:51 AM
No doubt, Di--the Sedaris family takes dysfunction to a whole 'nother level! ;->
I love that that wacko family produced both David and Amy!
Jenga019
08-15-2005, 10:28 AM
Just finished "Things you do for Love" by Kristin Hannah. Thought it was a really touching book! :)
Now I am on to something lighter, Bergdorf Blondes. So far so good.
Just finished "Things you do for Love" by Kristin Hannah. Thought it was a really touching book!
I liked that one too. I hadn't heard of the author but after I read that one I went and read her other books.
This weekend I read Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes, which I really liked. Some of her books I can't get into and some are so fun. I also read The Language of Sycamores by Lisa Wingate. It was good but not great. I liked the story, but something was missing. I think it took about half way through to where I started liking the main character just because I didn't feel attached to any of them.
SiValleySteph
08-15-2005, 11:22 AM
I finished The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. I really enjoyed this book, but it didn't end that well. It almost seemed like the author got a bit tired of writing the book and it just, well, ended. Nothing really happened.
I also just read this book over the weekend:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0451207750.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Colored Sugar Water by Venise Berry.
I have a habit of going into the bargain books section of Borders and picking up anything for $1. This was one of those books. I guess it was worth a dollar. A little too religous for me. :)
Now I am reading In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743418204.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I'm trying to read it as fast as possible because this book is really annoying. And what's with the random appearance of Cannie from Good In Bed? Totally random and not related to the storyline. I liked Good In Bed, so I was hoping to like this one, but so far, it sucks (and I'm almost finished).
pocket
08-15-2005, 12:43 PM
oh I really liked In Her Shoes. Not as much as Good In Bed, but it was pretty good. Right now I am reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber. I am really liking it so far!
bookworm
08-15-2005, 06:21 PM
I liked In Her Shoes too, but I'm not sure I realized that until I had finished it. I spent a lot of the book feeling frustrated. I just re-read it this weekend, so I can confirm I did indeed enjoy it :). At least the 2nd time...
I can't find anything I want to read. I have a wonderful little local bookstore, and I have walked out sans book the last 5 times I was there (probably corresponds to a 1-2 week period. I go there a lot, since it's about a 5 minute walk away). I'm still reading, but in a very lazy way...brainless books I already know I like. Enjoyable enough, I guess, but really no way to live....
lawyerlee
08-16-2005, 10:54 AM
Right now I am reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber. I am really liking it so far!
My MIL *loved* that book. It's been on my list ever since, but I haven't picked it up yet. So I'm relying on you to come back and inspire me, OK?! ;) :)
ztaprincess
08-16-2005, 12:37 PM
High Fidelity...just finished the author's newest book "A long way down" and I realized I have never read this one...pretty good so far.
Secret_Squirrel
08-16-2005, 03:35 PM
I am just starting A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and am loving it! Why have I never read this book before??
Oh, that is my most favorite book ever. My eighth grade teacher gave it to me and I re-read it every few years.
Last week I finished The Devil's Teeth, a book about the Farallon Island Shark Research Project by Susan Casey. And I just completed The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair.
Now I'm onto the Poisonwood Bible. The White by Deborah Larsen is waiting in the wings.
sandt8704
08-18-2005, 08:31 AM
I am re-reading the 4th Harry Pottery book (The Goblet of Fire) since the movie is coming out in November and I want to refresh my memory :D
Vorian's_Leronica
08-18-2005, 09:10 AM
rereading Half Blood Prince and The Butlerian Jihad and skimming through some forensic and true crime books for some background info for a story I'm working on.
QueenofCA
08-18-2005, 09:44 AM
I just finished reading Reading Lolita in Tehran which was wonderful. I literally couldn't put it down.
I also recently finished Emma's War. I met Deborah Scroggins, the author, in May at a business conference and she totally piqued my interest in the subject of Sudan and the civil war there. The book is a true story about Emma McCune, a flashy British humanitarian worker who ends up falling in love with a Sudanese warlord and enters into a polygamous marriage with him. The book is actually being made into a movie with Nicole Kidman playing Emma. It is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to know more about Africa!
framboise
08-18-2005, 11:02 AM
msnicolea, I must have planted a Sedaris seed recently, because my husband has been on a total DS kick lately! You totally did plant a DS seed! Over the weekend it was time to pick out a new book & I have had Me Talk Pretty One Day on my shelf for a while so, inspired by this thread & all the discussion about the book lately, I picked it up. I love it so far! I have laughed out loud several times & hate having to put it down. Thumbs up after 60 pages! Thanks for the recommendation everyone!
I'm also listening to the third Harry Potter book on tape right now. I'm just about to the end and will start on 4 today or tomorrow. Like sandt8704, I wanted to refresh my memory but it takes so long to read all 5 so listening in the car is the perfect solution.
Rosebud
08-18-2005, 05:14 PM
Haven't read all the way through this post yet, but am already loving the titles I've seen here.
Just wanted to recommend one of the best books I've read in the last couple of years. It's a collection of short stories and it's just outstanding. It's one of those books that was so great I went out and bought copies for my friends. You don't come across those often! :)
The Interpreter of Maladies
by Jhumpa Lahiri
Link to the book on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/039592720X/qid=1124406567/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-8260904-9032963?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)
I just finished reading The Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (which I liked but didn't love) and have just started The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (having a little trouble getting into it).
kimthebride
08-18-2005, 07:05 PM
Bling by Erica Kennedy. Never would have picked it up on my own, but DH got it for me and I am loving it! So juicy and character-focused.
MaineBelle
08-19-2005, 09:07 AM
Just finished Angry Housewives Eating BonBons by Lorna Landvik. I liked it, but it didn't blow me away. There was a quote on the cover that called it a "light and snappy read". I don't think I would exactly call it "light" - it dealt with spousal abuse, homophobia, terminal illness, etc.
It was interesting see what it was like to be a wife and mother during the 60s/70s/80s.
Secret_Squirrel
08-19-2005, 01:27 PM
I just finished reading Reading Lolita in Tehran which was wonderful. I literally couldn't put it down.
I also recently finished Emma's War. I met Deborah Scroggins, the author, in May at a business conference and she totally piqued my interest in the subject of Sudan and the civil war there. The book is a true story about Emma McCune, a flashy British humanitarian worker who ends up falling in love with a Sudanese warlord and enters into a polygamous marriage with him. The book is actually being made into a movie with Nicole Kidman playing Emma. It is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to know more about Africa!
Thanks for the tip on Emma's War. I love reading true stories and that sounds fascinating.
I also enjoyed Reading Lolita in Tehran.
Scoutesina
08-19-2005, 01:28 PM
Would I be considered terminally tacky if I said I've been reading my DH's latest novel? :o But it's true. I usually get kinda sick of them (shhhhh...don't tell!) since I help proofread, but I just keep picking this one up and rereading bits here and there. I just love it and I'm proud! :D Here is a review if anybody's curious. (http://girlondemand.blogspot.com/2005/08/morning-glorys-long-lost-order-of.html)
kimthebride
08-19-2005, 02:00 PM
Would I be considered terminally tacky if I said I've been reading my DH's latest novel?
Well I am just glad you like it! ;) The highest compliment he could get, I'm sure...
EmilyZA
08-20-2005, 11:43 AM
Just finished this:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0758206437.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
It was just okay.
My cousin has been raving about this book, and let me borrow it although I'm only on page 10 and I think I basically have the gist of it and don't need to read anymore:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743486471.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
It's basically about the health benefits of the sun.
looch
08-20-2005, 12:05 PM
Mary Queen of Scots by Margaret George. I have also read Cleopatra, Henry VIII and Mary Magdelegne and am eagerly anticipating her Helen of Troy novel.
jimmysgirl424
08-22-2005, 10:43 AM
Just finished:
From A Buick Eight Stephen King
A Rip In Heaven Jeanine Cummings
Rock Star Jackie Collins
Waiting on a new book delivery from ebay, I think it's Sisters by Pat Booth. (I think I'm in a Hollywood smut book phase at the moment) :o ;)
LovinLife
08-22-2005, 02:28 PM
I just started reading Dive from Clausens Pier by Ann Packer and I love it already!!
pocket
08-22-2005, 03:40 PM
I just finished The Crimson Petal and the White by Micheal Faber. It was OK. I wouldn't recommend it highly, i think it was a bit overambitious and he ought to have shot a bit lower. It's the story of a Victorian prostitute named Sugar and her life and lover and complexities. It's very well-written, the characters are well-drawn, it's very detailed and lush. It's lacking in plot and in motivation, and that makes it fall flat.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0156028778.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Now I am listening to an audiobook, The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks, which is very Matrix-y and so far is pretty good. We'll see!
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/038551428X.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
LeslieR
08-22-2005, 06:00 PM
I just started reading "Vanishing Acts" by Jodi Picoult and I am loving it already. After I finish this one, I only have one more book of hers to read before I've finally read them all.
hokiegirl
08-22-2005, 08:48 PM
Pocket - I just picked up The Traveler from the library and going to start it tonight. Let me know what you think of it!
Georgiana
08-22-2005, 08:53 PM
I just read CONFESSIONS OF A VIDEO VIXEN by Karrine Steffans....
She dishes alot of stuff... LOL
kris97
08-23-2005, 12:40 PM
Shamelessly stealing ideas from this thread, I have these books waiting for my trip to the shore this weekend:
Plain Truth, Jodi Picoult
Kite Runner
Bel Canto
Bergdorf Blondes
and another one I just found in my train station's commuter library, the Birth of Venus -anyone read this?
Rosebud
08-23-2005, 04:36 PM
Here's an article from CNN.com called "What to Read This Fall" that might give everyone some good book recommendations:
WHAT TO READ THIS FALL (http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/books/08/23/fall.books.ap/index.html)
bookworm
08-23-2005, 06:00 PM
I just finished My Sister's Keeper. I didn't want to put it down (read it in a night), but I wouldn't say I liked it.
Next up is The Shadow of the Wind. I don't know anything about it, but my mom gave it to me, so next on the list it is...
EmilyZA
08-23-2005, 06:12 PM
I'm reading "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult and can't put it down.
kris97
08-23-2005, 06:40 PM
EmilyZA, I just skimmed this thread again, and it seems like we are on parallel reading lists! (Scroll up and go back a few pages to see what I mean...) What's next for you - maybe I will have to copy. :)
EmilyZA
08-23-2005, 07:13 PM
EmilyZA, I just skimmed this thread again, and it seems like we are on parallel reading lists! (Scroll up and go back a few pages to see what I mean...) What's next for you - maybe I will have to copy. :)
Too funny! We must have similar tastes!
I'm about 80 pages or so into Plain Truth, and I'm really liking it so far...
Next on my list are the following two... then it's back to Amazon for me! I've been lucky lately b/c I've been swapping books with a lot of friends. These next two are ones that I've purchased but haven't had a chance to read yet.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0805076824.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/031242227X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I'm reading "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult and can't put it down.
That one is so good. She is a great writer.
kris97
08-23-2005, 07:50 PM
EmilyZA I've heard that Running With Scissors is really funny - maybe I will try it.
As for 102 Minutes, though, I don't think I'd be able to read it just yet. I lived five blocks from the World Trade Center when they fell, and it still feels so close. :(
lawyerlee
08-23-2005, 07:58 PM
I'm trying to keep my selections pretty upbeat because I've been so down lately. I just finished Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella, which I loved. It made me laugh a lot. Now I'm reading The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason.
From Publishers Weekly
Caldwell and Thomason's intriguing intellectual suspense novel stars four brainy roommates at Princeton, two of whom have links to a mysterious 15th-century manuscript, the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili. This rare text (a real book) contains embedded codes revealing the location of a buried Roman treasure. Comparisons to The Da Vinci Code are inevitable, but Caldwell and Thomason's book is the more cerebral-and better written-of the two: think Dan Brown by way of Donna Tartt and Umberto Eco. The four seniors are Tom Sullivan, Paul Harris, Charlie Freeman and Gil Rankin. Tom, the narrator, is the son of a Renaissance scholar who spent his life studying the ancient book, "an encyclopedia masquerading as a novel, a dissertation on everything from architecture to zoology." The manuscript is also an endless source of fascination for Paul, who sees it as "a siren, a fetching song on a distant shore, all claws and clutches in person. You court her at your risk." This debut novel's range of topics almost rivals the Hypnerotomachia's itself, including etymology, Renaissance art and architecture, Princeton eating clubs, friendship, steganography (riddles) and self-interpreting manuscripts. It's a complicated, intricate and sometimes difficult read, but that's the point and the pleasure. There are murders, romances, dangers and detection, and by the end the heroes are in a race not only to solve the puzzle, but also to stay alive. Readers might be tempted to buy their own copy of the Hypnerotomachia and have a go at the puzzle. After all, Caldwell and Thomason have done most of the heavy deciphering-all that's left is to solve the final riddle, head for Rome and start digging.
I have a copy of The Wedding by Nicolas Sparks that a friend lent me, but I'm not sure if it would depress me more or not. Has anyone read it?
MaineBelle
08-24-2005, 07:12 AM
Shamelessly stealing ideas from this thread, I have these books waiting for my trip to the shore this weekend:
Plain Truth, Jodi Picoult
Kite Runner
Bel Canto
Bergdorf Blondes
You have picked some great reading for your trip! I've read The Kite Runner and Bel Canto. I loved both of those books - loved them!
LeslieR
08-24-2005, 08:05 AM
I have a copy of The Wedding by Nicolas Sparks that a friend lent me, but I'm not sure if it would depress me more or not. Has anyone read it?
Excellent book, IMO. Not depressing at all. Have you read The Notebook? If not, you need to read that one first (which will depress you! lol).
lawyerlee
08-24-2005, 12:27 PM
Excellent book, IMO. Not depressing at all. Have you read The Notebook? If not, you need to read that one first (which will depress you! lol).
Yes, I have. :) And you're so right about it being sad. That's what made me wonder if this one would bring me down or not. Thanks for responding! :)
pocket
08-24-2005, 01:09 PM
I just finished My Sister's Keeper. I didn't want to put it down (read it in a night), but I wouldn't say I liked it.
I also couldn't put it down and when I finished it I felt so manipulated and dirty! I hated that book!
alootikki
08-24-2005, 01:40 PM
I just finished Clearing the Aisle - fluffy, but not quite as fluffy as the cover paints. If you're looking for a Manhattan, Jewish wedding planning story with disfunctional parents - here you go:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743471105.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-
And I just started Freakonomics today - I've heard great things, and can't wait to really sink into it!
framboise
08-24-2005, 02:25 PM
kris97, my book club read Bel Canto about 2 years ago. Everyone really liked it, except the ending was kind of abrupt. We felt like it was one of those "oh shoot I'm running out of time so I'd better wrap up this book quickly" kind of things. I'd recommend it though. I haven't read The Birth of Venus but I'm not sure what to think about it. Two people whose book recommendations I respect have very differing opinions - one thought it was wonderful and the other hated it & could barely get through it. It's still on my list nonetheless. Kite Runner is supposed to be wonderful. It's high on my list so hopefully I'll get to it soon.
EmilyZA, my book club also read Running With Scissors & everyone liked it. The stuff that the family does is just unreal. None of us could believe that the stories could possibly happen, but at the same time, how could anyone make that stuff up? We still refer back to it a year or more later - sometimes in shock, sometimes in laughter. I'd recommend it & hope you enjoy it.
kris97
08-24-2005, 02:36 PM
Thank you for all of the feedback - I'm really looking forward to these books. I forgot to mention, I'm also bringing along the Rule of Four, which I'm excited about, if only because it's set partly at my alma mater. :)
lawyerlee
08-24-2005, 02:37 PM
Thank you for all of the feedback - I'm really looking forward to these books. I forgot to mention, I'm also bringing along the Rule of Four, which I'm excited about, if only because it's set partly at my alma mater. :)
I'm about 50 pages into that one, and I'm really liking it so far. I think you'll definitely appreciate the Princeton setting. :)
bookworm
08-24-2005, 03:50 PM
I also couldn't put it down and when I finished it I felt so manipulated and dirty! I hated that book!
Manipulated is a very good way to put it. The whole way through, I was thinking "What possible outcome would make me happy with this book?" and then I just felt cheated. I hate that.
I'm still working my way through Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. I took a break for a week to study for finals and am now about half way through Three to get Deadly. :)
pocket
08-24-2005, 04:46 PM
Manipulated is a very good way to put it. The whole way through, I was thinking "What possible outcome would make me happy with this book?" and then I just felt cheated. I hate that.
It was like she was on deadline and trying to finish quickly. If I read a trashy book, I want a formulaic ending. You know we're the only two people in the entire universe who didn't like the book, right?
endymion411
08-24-2005, 05:02 PM
just came back from the library. walked around and picked up at random...
the sari shop--rupa bajwa
brick lane--monica ali
the guru of love--samrat upadhyay
so many books so little time--sara nelson
bookworm
08-24-2005, 05:12 PM
... If I read a trashy book, I want a formulaic ending. You know we're the only two people in the entire universe who didn't like the book, right?
I didn't know that! I hadn't heard about the book, beyond seeing it on the "bestseller" list at B&N. My mother bought it for a trip and then gave it to me (um, it's slightly worrisome how many books I read simply b/c my mother hands them to me...).
But I'm not sure I understood the "trashy" comment--did you think this was trashy? I actually didn't--I thought it was reasonably well-written (until the aforementioned end). Then again, I read some damn trashy books so it's possible I have a very low bar ;).
laura
08-24-2005, 07:15 PM
It was like she was on deadline and trying to finish quickly. If I read a trashy book, I want a formulaic ending. You know we're the only two people in the entire universe who didn't like the book, right?
Please add me to that list; I didn't like it either! The ending felt like an assault, and the rest of it felt like a car wreck - I wanted to look away, but I just couldn't.
EmilyZA
08-24-2005, 07:25 PM
I'm bummed about "My Sister's Keeper." I just bought it today! :eek:
polarama
08-24-2005, 09:43 PM
I had high hopes for My Sister's Keeper, but it really just crashed and burned. I can totally see it as a Lifetime movie. With Mercedes Ruehl as the mom, and Campbell Scott as the lawyer.
pocket
08-25-2005, 11:07 AM
i meant trashy as opposed to literary. It was decently written, but it doesn't make literary pretensions. god, i'm so glad other people didn't like it!
msnicolea
08-25-2005, 11:22 AM
I didn't think "My Sister's keeper" was a particularly "good" book--I just thought the story was riveting--I couldn't put it down.
I don't find her to be a great writer, but I think she's a very good story teller.
bookworm
08-25-2005, 12:56 PM
Gotcha--I think I use 3 categories (not explicitly, but since I'm thinking about it)
Literature
Real books (not literature, not total brain candy)
Trash (Judith Krantz, Nora Roberts)
I like them all, but don't read a lot of literature these days. Anyone have recommendations, since summer is almost over? A.S. Byatt is the only contemporary writer coming to mind for the category.
And msnicolea, "bad writer, good story teller" is how I think of Dan Brown. I really liked a couple of his books, even while I was thinking "wow, that's bad writing."
Jen1098
08-26-2005, 07:27 AM
I just finished Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult-I wasn't to impressed with it. In fact I skimmed most of the book. It was only my second book by here and I was disapointed.
I have a bunch of books set aside to take on vacation-
William Faulkner's As I lay Dying and The Sound and Fury
Me Talk Pretty One Day-David Sedaris
To Have and Hold-Jane Green
The Other Woman-Jane Green
Emma-Jane Austen
Also reading What your Dr. May Not Tell You About Vaccinations
Oh I also read Babyville a couple of weeks ago by Jane Green and I really enjoyed it. Perfect chick lit
RobynScott
08-26-2005, 08:02 AM
I didn't think "My Sister's keeper" was a particularly "good" book--I just thought the strory was riveting--I couldn't put it down.
Agreed - I also agree with the people who 'liked' the book - but not the ending. I totally felt that she rushed into it.
I'm reading another book of hers right now - The Pact - taking me a while to get into it.
I've heard Vanishing Acts is good but have not read it yet.
LeslieR
08-26-2005, 10:19 AM
I thought "My Sister's Keeper" was excellent. One of the best books I had read in a long time. I am surprised so many didn't like it!
I thought "My Sister's Keeper" was excellent. One of the best books I had read in a long time. I am surprised so many didn't like it!
Me too. I really liked it. I choked up at the end, but I still liked it. I finished Vanishing Acts and I thought it was really good too.
I can totally see it as a Lifetime movie.
LOL. I've already read The Pact, but I just saw that one on Lifetime.
Rosebud
08-26-2005, 12:25 PM
I just finished reading "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner. It was okay, not great... but that also isn't my favorite genre. It was a very quick read, lightweight.
pacificbliss
08-29-2005, 03:10 PM
Currently reading Outside 25. It's a colection of adventure/travel writing from Outside magazine. So far I am on my second story but I'll take it on the plane tomorrow.
My upstairs book (the one by the bed) is a book on reading body language. It's kind of fun.
EmilyZA
08-29-2005, 03:21 PM
Just finished this today. Loved it.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0671776134.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Started this today:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0805076824.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
jimmysgirl424
08-30-2005, 08:31 AM
Re-reading: The King of Torts John Grisham
Emily I read 102 Minutes. I am very glad I read it, but it was a very hard book to read emotionally.
What I am Reading I'm reading Camp by Michael Eisner-it's okay-don't love it, don't hate it!
kemaji
08-31-2005, 08:28 AM
I just finished The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant. It was good, not fabulous but good. I read it on the plane and it was an easy read.
framboise
08-31-2005, 03:59 PM
I just finished Me Talk Pretty One Day and I didn't love it as much as I thought I would. I'm pretty sad about that because I thought it was going to be so great. I did laugh out loud in a few places but was overall a little disappointed. I guess maybe I was expecting him to spend more time talking about his adventures in France rather than just maybe half the book, if that. The primary reason I was drawn to it is because I am a complete Francophile but I didn't feed my fix with this one. Oh well.
I was going to start on A Ship Made of Paper (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060933429/qid=1125525437/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-6477465-1975204?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) next because it's my book club's next suggestion. But today at lunch I found a paperback version of Shopaholic and Sister so I'm going to allow myself to get side tracked for a little bit. :D
kris97
08-31-2005, 04:20 PM
Well, I'm back from the weekend trip (for which I borrowed 5 books) and here are my reviews:
Bel Canto: beautifully written novel, intriguing premise. But I agree with the previous poster that it just . kind. of. ended. Nonetheless, I'd recommend.
Bergdorff Blondes: Terrible!! I loved the Nanny Diaries and really enjoyed the Devil Wears Prada, so this was a surprise. I couldn't even finish the book, it was that awful. It made me wonder what the glowing back-cover reviewers were smoking when they gave their blurbs.
Plain Truth : I really liked this book (this is my third by Jodi Picoult), but unfortunately I guessed the ending, which ruined it for me. If you read her, try not to guess what will happen. It's so much better when you just read it.
Up next:
Snobs by Julian Fellowes
Kite Runner
the Rule of Four
Rosebud
08-31-2005, 04:54 PM
I'm halfway though Bee Season by Myla Goldberg and it's great so far. I'd definitely recommend it!
EmilyZA
08-31-2005, 06:44 PM
Plain Truth : I really liked this book (this is my third by Jodi Picoult), but unfortunately I guessed the ending, which ruined it for me. If you read her, try not to guess what will happen. It's so much better when you just read it.
I LOVED this book (I just finished it earlier this week) but I'm sad to say I figured the ending out too. Did you know that they made it into a Lifetime movie? I actually put it on my Netflix list and I bumped it to the top of my queue. Mariska Hartigay plays Ellie.
kris97
08-31-2005, 06:50 PM
EmilyZA That's right - we are on parallel reading courses! I didn't know about hte Lifetime movie, but it totally makes sense, especially the casting. Good for Jodi Picoult, reaping some royalties. :)
doradora
09-03-2005, 04:29 PM
I'm currently reading:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1400082773.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Dreams from My Father : A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama, and am enjoying it so far.
Has anyone else read this? I enjoy Barack as a politician tremendously and was very surprised to hear about his memoirs while browsing a book store. It's very interesting thus far.
EmilyZA
09-03-2005, 04:59 PM
EmilyZA That's right - we are on parallel reading courses! I didn't know about hte Lifetime movie, but it totally makes sense, especially the casting. Good for Jodi Picoult, reaping some royalties. :)
I watched the movie today-- it wasn't that great. They didn't go into much detail about anything, and they deviated from the book quite a bit.
catch
09-04-2005, 08:51 PM
I finally finished reading Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. I started it earlier this year, but after the "Fiyero Incident", I got bummed out and decided to take a break. Then I lost the book. Then I moved. Then I found the book while packing. Then I lost it again after unpacking. And finally last week, I found it again and shoved it inside my purse and finished it during my morning commute. Now I have to read it all over again because I had forgotten a lot of the beginning and was confused by some parts of the story.
But I'm looking forward to reading it again...someday. Really creative and interesting story.
EmilyZA
09-05-2005, 06:51 AM
I loved Wicked! Enjoy it!
lbs27
09-05-2005, 09:51 AM
Haven't gotten all the way thru this thread yet, but definitely looking for some good ideas. I just finished Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella and really enjoyed it. Very quick read--read over a couple of days, but kept my interest and I was really curious to see how it ended. I also have the newest Nicholas Sparks book, the name escapes me right now. can't really get into it, but will try again. I loved The Wedding, and am hoping this one is as good. Anyone read it?
endymion411
09-05-2005, 02:10 PM
finished the bookseller of kabul yesterday. started emma's war today---certainly learning a lot of history along with a good story!
Wrighty26
09-05-2005, 09:11 PM
Kris - we are definitely reading the same books right now! I just picked up The Kite Runner-- which I have to say, has been pretty interesting so far.
I've been trying to read The Rule of Four-- but haven't made it through it yet...it's not horrible, just not interesting at some points!
As far as Bel Canto goes-- I was so disappointed in the ending. It honestly made no sense to me, especially with the emotional investment involved. Has anyone read any other Ann Patchett (sp) books?
Alioop12345
09-06-2005, 04:48 AM
I'm in the middle of reading 72 hour hold...it's pretty interesting so far.
Just finished The Pact by Jodi Picoult- thought it was very interesting. A quick read.
Next up is Pledged
msnicolea
09-06-2005, 11:55 AM
As far as Bel Canto goes-- I was so disappointed in the ending. It honestly made no sense to me, especially with the emotional investment involved. Has anyone read any other Ann Patchett (sp) books?
I have! The most recent one I read was a non-fiction work she did about her friend, the author Lucy Grealy, called Truth and Beauty: A Friendship. I had already read Lucy's book, "Autobiography of a Face" (HIGHLY recommend it!) so this was an interesting, moving supplememt.
I have also read The Magician's Assistant and the Patron Saint of Liars. I really love her work ( though I, too, was upset re: the ending of Bel Canto).
catch
09-08-2005, 09:36 PM
I'm reading A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway for my Novel class. I liked it the first time I read it years ago, this time...it feels kinda boring. *sigh* :(
VASLP
09-09-2005, 06:08 AM
I am currently reading the Chronicals of Narnia. I found an edition that has all the books bound into one large book. With the movie "The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe" coming out this winter I thought I would get a heads up on the "real story" instead of the children's version I read when I was a kid.
So far so good, I'm still on the first "book" but I am enjoying it so far. :)
msnicolea
09-09-2005, 08:48 AM
I just picked up Barbara Ehrenreich's new book, Bait and Switch-onl a few pages in, but so far so good.
I finally read the Kite Runner--it truly broke my heart. What a well-written book, though-I just wasn't "emotionally" prepared for it, I guess.
catch
09-09-2005, 01:19 PM
msnicolea, I decided to ditch A Farewell to Arms for the weekend and picked up Barrel Fever :D Can't wait to start it during my commute home.
msnicolea
09-09-2005, 03:37 PM
Yay, Catch! Sedaris trumps Hemingway any day! ;)
laura
09-09-2005, 03:38 PM
I cried reading The Kite Runner - on the train, no less, how embarassing! And I'm not a cryer for books/movies either.
I just read The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella; cute (if predictable), quick read.
Delaney21
09-10-2005, 05:15 PM
I just got done reading The Undomestic Goddess and I thought it was cute too. If you want to give your brain a break, this is a good one.
vancouvergirl
09-11-2005, 10:00 PM
The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollingshurst. Exquisite writing. Winner of the 2005 Man Booker Prize Award.
VASLP
09-12-2005, 06:11 AM
Wrighty26 I'm with you on the Rule of Four . It's not bad, I'm just having a hard time getting into it. I'm probably about 120 pages in.
MaineBelle
09-12-2005, 08:33 AM
I just finished The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant. I enjoyed the book. I liked reading about how women lived back then, how they had a sisterhood. It was also interesting to read the bible passages from which the story was adapted after reading the book: http://www.cforc.com/kjv/Genesis/34.html
msnicolea
09-12-2005, 10:26 AM
The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollingshurst. Exquisite writing. Winner of the 2005 Man Booker Prize Award.
Just added that to my library hold llist--really looking forward to reading it!
mgrace
09-12-2005, 11:44 AM
Just added that to my library hold llist--really looking forward to reading it!
My library list is out of control!
kris97
09-12-2005, 11:59 AM
I agree with everyone re: The Kite Runner - beautifully written, and so, so heartbreaking. Highly recommend.
I also read (most of) The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa something, which was interesting enough to get me to read a real history of Henry VIII and his wives, but I thought was pretty poorly written. I was expecting something along the lines of Girl with a Pearly Earring, but ended up feeling like a slightly upscale paperback romance. Anyone else read this?
Now I"m on to Prep and The Time Traveler's Wife, again recommendations from this thread. :)
Juliana
09-12-2005, 12:25 PM
I also read (most of) The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa something, which was interesting enough to get me to read a real history of Henry VIII and his wives, but I thought was pretty poorly written. I was expecting something along the lines of Girl with a Pearly Earring, but ended up feeling like a slightly upscale paperback romance. Anyone else read this?
Now I"m on to Prep and The Time Traveler's Wife, again recommendations from this thread. :)
I read The Other Bolyn Girl and had the same opinion as you- fairly trashy romance novel with historical basis to give it more substance. I guess I should have known better, as the entire back cover was a big glossy color photo of the author. I did enjoy getting a little more context on Henry VIII, as I am shamefully ignorant of a lot of English history, and I did like peeking into the courtly life at that time.
And going back a few posts, count me in the group who was disappointed in the ending for Bel Canto. I loved loved the book as a whole, but the ending just felt so abrupt.
Let me know what you think of Prep and Time Traveler's Wife. I just finished Prep, which I read since I was a "prep" at one time too. Having gone to boarding school, I can say that it definitely captures a lot of the feelings and events in a fairly true sense. However, I did not like the main character at all. I know you're not necessarily supposed to like every main character, but I found her particularly annoying. Overall, not a bad read, but not up to some of the hype I've read.
msnicolea
09-12-2005, 12:42 PM
My library list is out of control!
Mine, too--I have like 18 things on hold! :rolleyes:
bookworm
09-12-2005, 07:08 PM
I liked The Other Boelyn Girl--I have no problem with trashy novels :).
The Kite Runner was great, but I don't feel able to talk about it. A friend had also just read it, and we tried for a little discussion, but it just didn't work. Odd phenomenon.
Anyway, I had never read Clan of the Cave Bear, so I finally read that yesterday. Interesting book! It is about (generally) a tribe of early humans. I liked it enough to want to read the next one in the series. I actually found some of the imagery quite similar to that in The Red Tent (also about a clan, but set much later in history).
I read Obsessed by Ted Dekker this weekend for my book club. Very DaVinci Code-like but still good.
I'm reading The Kite Runner now but am not far enough into it to make any connections with what you ladies have written. I hope it lives up to my expectations!
jimmysgirl424
09-13-2005, 08:29 AM
Bag of Bones by Stephen King.
I am completely mesmerized by the story.
MaineBelle
09-13-2005, 09:13 AM
Anyway, I had never read Clan of the Cave Bear, so I finally read that yesterday. Interesting book! It is about (generally) a tribe of early humans. I liked it enough to want to read the next one in the series. I actually found some of the imagery quite similar to that in The Red Tent (also about a clan, but set much later in history).
bookworm I thought the same thing. Especially with all the honoring of the 'mother' figure.
kris97
09-20-2005, 10:31 AM
Let me know what you think of Prep and Time Traveler's Wife. I just finished Prep, which I read since I was a "prep" at one time too. Having gone to boarding school, I can say that it definitely captures a lot of the feelings and events in a fairly true sense. However, I did not like the main character at all. I know you're not necessarily supposed to like every main character, but I found her particularly annoying. Overall, not a bad read, but not up to some of the hype I've read.
You know, I *really* liked Prep. I went to public high school, but many things she went through resonated anyway because college for me was pretty similar. Can I ask, without giving too much away, why you didn't like the main character? I sympathized (empathized?) with her, maybe because I saw part of myself in her.
jimmysgirl424
09-20-2005, 12:25 PM
Re-reading for the gazillionith time:
The Stand by Stephen King.
Damn, I love this book!!!
mgrace
09-20-2005, 12:35 PM
I'm reading Girls Night In, which is a collection of short stories from various chick-lit authors. Some of the stories are good, but overall I think it is pretty eh.
Amaye
09-20-2005, 02:25 PM
I am currently reading 3 books at the same time.
I'm reading the Chronicles of Narnia - the first 2 stories were great but for some reason, eeh.. I'm starting to get a little bit bored. I think I had too many expectations for the series as so many people recommended it. Though I read a lot as a child, for some reason l never read this series.
Also reading The Traveler by John Twelve Hawkes. So far, very good. Quick spaced and interesting - definitely reads like it was written for a movie though.
Last book - The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman. I've only read 3 chapters but it seems really good. I can't wait to get more into it.
ee_chick
09-20-2005, 05:54 PM
I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn last week. It was excellent. I can't believe I hadn't read it before. Right now I'm about 3/4 of the way through The Pact by Jodi Picoult. I like her as a story teller.
Georgiana
09-20-2005, 06:30 PM
At the moment,I'm reading THE INTERRUPTION OF EVERYTHING by Terry McMillan...
This main character somewhat reminds me of myself...
For some reason I am strugglingwith the book because it moves a little slow. Plus all the "dailogue: between the characters is too distracting for me.
bookworm
09-20-2005, 06:48 PM
I have to fly tomorrow, so I get to buy a book (a fairly dumb rule, but my "use the library" manta gets shoved aside when flights are involved). Last week I chose "Little Earthquakes," which I thought was a good airplane book. I gave it to my friend over the weekend, and so far she is loving it. She has a baby, so she might relate to it more than I did. :)
I'm thinking I will choose "The Virgin's Lover" by Philippa Gregory. I liked most of her other books, so I think it will pass the time. Unless I feel compelled to work, of course...
Brandy
09-20-2005, 10:04 PM
I loved "Prep" too but didn't fall in love with Lee. I just wanted to shake her and say "Just go live your life!!! Stop whining!!" ;) But I could relate to her so well sometimes too (a bit of an obsesser too!).
bookworm
09-21-2005, 03:04 PM
Well, I did buy The Virgin's Lover, and so far (2/3 of the way through), it is quite bad--boring story, bad dialogue, unbelievable (though based in history???) characters. I'll still finish it, but I'm not holding out much hope.
SiValleySteph
09-21-2005, 04:50 PM
I just finished Dreaming Water by Gail Tsukiyama.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0312316089.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I didn't care for it. No plot really at all. I liked Gail Tsukiyama's other books (Women of the Silk and others), but not this one.
Here is a summary of the book:
Tsukiyama's fifth novel details a short span in the life of Cate and Hana, a mother and daughter coping with the onslaught of Werner's Syndrome. This syndrome, which ages a person abnormally, makes Hana look and feel 80 rather than 38. Yet she yearns for all the good things that life will never bring her, and Cate, recovering from the sudden death of her husband, cares lovingly for Hana. When Hana's best friend, Laura, arrives with her teenaged daughters to visit, Hana has a chance to reconnect with this troubled woman after a long absence. Laura and her children are able to help Hana and Cate face the future's uncertainties, while at the same time Hana and Cate discover that they are able to help Laura's girls grow up in numerous unseen ways. Tsukiyama (Women of the Silk) writes beautifully about courage and love, showing us the importance of daily kindnesses and highlighting the beauty found in the relationships among mothers, daughters, and friends.
TX Sweetheart
09-22-2005, 02:41 AM
At the moment, I'm trying to start Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis but haven't found the time...
FallBlanch
09-23-2005, 10:54 AM
Right now I'm working my way through "The Gollum's Eye" the second in the Bartimeaus trilogy..... It's very good... not as good as the first but so few are!
kris97
09-23-2005, 11:00 AM
I just finished The Birth of Venus which was pretty interesting (better than The Other Boleyn Girl, I thought), but not the best thing I ever read. For some reason, clunky writing is really getting to me lately. I guess I need to back to more literary writers. :)
tippy
09-24-2005, 08:32 PM
Well, after years and years of not being able to read for pleasure (mostly b/c I felt like i didn't have the attention span to do it), I have finally rediscovered the joy of reading :). I bought Angels and Demons by Dan Brown a couple of weeks ago, and have been reading his books since then. I just finished with The Da Vinci Code and just started Deception Point today. I think he is a fantastic writer, and he really keeps my entertained.
That brings me to my question...I am actually kind of anxious to finish reading the last couple of his books b/c I really don't know much about any other author to pick a good one. I pretty much read one authors books until I have finished their books. Can anyone recommend some good high action/suspense books? TIA!! :)
lauren f s
09-25-2005, 07:17 AM
Tippy, I'm reading Angels and Demons now! I've got about 200 pages left and had to force myself to bed last night instead of finishing it like I wanted.
Before this I read Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende and it was wonderful. I want to read her Portrait in Sepia and Brown's Da Vinci Code next.
Harry Potter for me. I jumped on the bandwagon late with this one, but they are great books!
tippy
09-25-2005, 01:06 PM
Tippy, I'm reading Angels and Demons now! I've got about 200 pages left and had to force myself to bed last night instead of finishing it like I wanted.
Before this I read Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende and it was wonderful. I want to read her Portrait in Sepia and Brown's Da Vinci Code next.
Lauren, isn't it great?? I had the same problem you did - forcing myself to do things I had to do instead of reading. Da Vinci Code is just as good. I have heard some people say that Angels and Demons is better, but I don't think so. I think they are both equally great!! :)
alootikki
09-25-2005, 06:10 PM
I just finished Goodnight Nobody , Jennifer Weiner's latest. It was very different from her other novels (well, same plus-size main character) - a murder mystery set in the CT suburbs.
It was. . . eh. For a murder mystery, it wasn't much of a page-turner. It all came together in the last chapter...probably the least favorite of her books.
twainny
09-26-2005, 05:47 PM
I just finished reading "Suzanne's Diary to Nicholas" OHMYGOSH was that sad. I totally cried :( My DH was like, "what is your problem???" hehehe
I really llike the book :)
MaineBelle
09-27-2005, 11:14 AM
Right now I am reading the first 3 Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. My Dh and I listened to Ten Big Ones during a road trip and I really got a kick out of it. So, I started back at the beginning of the series (One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to get Deadly). I bought the first 3 in one volume, so I feel I have to read all 3 of them and be done with the book. They are light, entertaining and funny reads, a little different from your normal chick-lit.
Next I am planning on reading Heaven Lake by John Dalton. I picked it up at Barnes and Noble and when I was checking out the woman said it was a very good book.
lauren f s - I'm glad you recommended Daughter of Fortune. I read Portrait in Sepia and really liked it. So, I'll have to pick up Daughter of Fortune.
Right now I am reading the first 3 Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. My Dh and I listened to Ten Big Ones during a road trip and I really got a kick out of it. So, I started back at the beginning of the series (One for the Money, Two for the Dough, Three to get Deadly). I bought the first 3 in one volume, so I feel I have to read all 3 of them and be done with the book. They are light, entertaining and funny reads, a little different from your normal chick-lit.
I read all of those books over the course of maybe 2 weeks in August. HILARIOUS!
pocket
09-30-2005, 06:02 PM
One of the things I like a lot about audiobooks is that it takes me hell-of long to finish them. Recently I’ve “read” The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks, Eldest by Chris Paolini and now I’m reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
MaineBelle
10-07-2005, 08:53 AM
OK - I have been tearing through books lately. I finished Sushi For Beginners, I actually thought this book was pretty good for Chick-lit. Usually I find that the characters in this genre are one-dimensional, but it didn't hold true for this book. You see the strengths and weaknesses in most of the characters.
I read the first three of the Stephanie Plum series and I enjoyed those books. They are great when you want to give your mind a break and laugh out lous. Love that Grandma Mazur!!
I just finished My Sister's Keeper (due to all the talk on this board about it). It was a riveting read - I finished it very quickly. I wasn't so let down by the ending, maybe because I was expecting it after reading some of the comments on this board. The one thing I had a hard time believing was how mature Anna was. Now I'm sure given her situation she had to grow up fast, but her 'voice' in the book just seemed to sophisticated for a 13 year old.
Now I started A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. I also have waiting for me: About Grace by Anthony Doerr, Heaven Lake by John Dalton and Four to Score by Janet Evanovich. I better get reading!
RobynScott
10-07-2005, 02:25 PM
Has anyone read The Poisonwood Bible? I know I saw it somewhere in here. I just started it for our Book Club - but now a lot of the people in the group are saying it's too hard to get into and they want to read something else.
I hate not finishing a book - I just started so not that into it yet. Curious as to your thoughts (but no spoilers please)
ausi2b
10-07-2005, 02:27 PM
RobynScott -
I truly enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible. But it was a difficult book to get into (and a long book to finish). I brought it with me on my honeymoon and it was the ONLY book I brought, so I forced myself to get through it. I loved the story and was happy that I finished it, but it can drag out in the beginning. Let me know if you do end up reading it!
RobynScott
10-07-2005, 02:34 PM
Thanks ausi. I think I will get through it eventually. I'm kind of disappointed my book club wants to give up on it - but it's our first month, so don't want to make it unenjoyable for people either.
Now I started A Million Little Pieces by James Frey.
You will LOVE this book. My book club read it in April on my suggestion. I'm going to school for Addiciton Counseling so it was a really interesting/heart-wrenching read!
Etoile
10-07-2005, 03:34 PM
I have just started three books:
Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination, by Helen Fielding (author of Bridget Jones' Diary)
The Nanny Diaries
Becoming Finola
I'll keep you posted on all three. The Nanny Diaries, is, so far, an interesting look into wealthy parents of NYC, but a little bitter/cynical for my taste. We'll see.
doradora
10-07-2005, 05:48 PM
I just finished Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami, and I absolutely LOVED it. Has anyone read this or any of his other books? I can't wait to pick up another book of his -- I love it when I find an author I enjoy to this degree (and it's been a while!).
RobynScott -- I'm also another one who really really enjoyed Poisonwood Bible! I really couldn't put it down once I started it. I hope you stick with it and enjoy it!
APCullip22
10-08-2005, 05:38 PM
I'm currently reading, Conversations with the Fat Girl by Liza Palmer. So far (only a few chapters in) it's a good light read :)
DianaFaye
10-08-2005, 06:25 PM
The Time Traveller's Wife
MsPeachy
10-10-2005, 06:29 AM
I just got the latest book in the Outlander series this weekend - A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
LittleFredPunkinHead
10-10-2005, 08:13 AM
I'm listening to the audiobook of H.G. Wells' "The War of the Worlds." It's shedding light for me on Stephen King's "Dreamcatcher."
cindylou
10-10-2005, 10:37 AM
I am just starting My Sisters Keeper. Can't wait to finish after the comments I've just read...
Janet Evanovich's stuff is fabulous. Metro Girl was good, but there is nothing like Stephanie Plum. I loved The Time Travelers Wife. Another favorite is Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. I really enjoyed the entire Harry Potter series, it's not just for kids. The John Sandford books are really good as well as the Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell that someone else mentioned. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden was excellent. Another one I loved... I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb. Oh, and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Kidd, really good...
I need to stop because I keep thinking of more...:)
EmilyZA
10-10-2005, 10:48 AM
Janet Evanovich's stuff is fabulous. Metro Girl was good, but there is nothing like Stephanie Plum. I loved The Time Travelers Wife. Another favorite is Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. I really enjoyed the entire Harry Potter series, it's not just for kids. The John Sandford books are really good as well as the Scarpetta series by Patricia Cornwell that someone else mentioned. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden was excellent. Another one I loved... I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb. Oh, and The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Kidd, really good...
You and I have very similar tastes in books! I think I'm going to have to put some of those others on my wish list... I love TTW, Memoirs, and IKTMIT is my favorite book ever (although TTW runs a very close second.) Also loved SLOB. (Whoa, I meant Secret Life, what an awful acronym!)
I just finished Goodnight Nobody. It was alright. I wouldn't have bothered if I didn't like that author.
Next I am reading Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell and A Million Little Pieces.
EmilyZA
10-10-2005, 08:40 PM
I'm starting this tomorrow:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/031242227X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
chiffani
10-11-2005, 08:53 PM
I am also reading My Sister's Keeper and so far it's great! I haven't had enough time to read with DD keeping me busy but now I'm motivated to get off of here and go read it *Gasp* ;)
Cosmogirl
10-12-2005, 05:38 PM
Girls, I need a suggestion for a quick book, no brainer... Something like "the Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella. ()really liked it, right what I need now!) I don't really have time for a big thing, or something really hard or emotional...
Any suggestions???
bookworm
10-12-2005, 05:49 PM
Cosmogirl, try Mr. Maybe by Jane Green. Actually, I like nearly all of her books, but that is the most fun one.
TMat13
10-12-2005, 06:45 PM
I just read "Bet me" by Jennifer Crusie and it was pretty good. It was an easy read and not real emotional:cool:
I LOVED My Sisters Keeper.
I'm currently reading the book of About A Boy, its a nice easy read. I'm waiting to buy a second hand copy of A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon.
nawsgirl
10-12-2005, 11:45 PM
Has anyone read I am Charlotte Simmons? I just read it last week. I am wondering what others thought of the book. It was my first Tom Wolfe.
Bloomwood, I read Charlotte Simmons a couple of months ago, also my first Tom Wolfe book. I think he did his research well in that I thought he captured what college life is like nowadays, but Charlotte herself annoyed me a bit. It was like he wanted to point out how over-the-top today's college students are, so he created this overly naive backwoods girl, through whose eyes everything would seem outrageous. I got a little sick of her being so shocked about everything. What did you think of it??
I started reading Middlesex a few nights ago and just can't seem to get into it. I'm still in the part before the main character is born. Does it start to pick up at some point?
pixiecat
10-13-2005, 12:34 AM
ejs - stick w/ Middlesex... it ended up being one of my top ten favs!
Currently reading Sammy's Hill - very Bridget Jones-like. Silly, but I keep laughing out loud!! :D
I'm currently reading the latest Jennifer Weiner, Goodnight Nobody (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0743470117/104-5507801-7978309?v=glance)
LovinLife
10-13-2005, 10:05 AM
Im currently reading Stephen Goodwin - Breaking Her Fall
msnicolea
10-13-2005, 10:33 AM
I am a big Tom Wolfe fan but I didn't love "Charlotte"--I recommend The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test for a real "taste" of Tom!
mgrace
10-13-2005, 01:41 PM
ejs
Currently reading Sammy's Hill - very Bridget Jones-like. Silly, but I keep laughing out loud!! :D
I loved Sammy's Hill. :)
Cosmogirl
10-14-2005, 10:27 AM
Bookworm Thansk for the suggestion. I'll check into that!
jellybeany
10-18-2005, 10:59 AM
I'm working on reading The Dark Tower series by Stephen king. Two and half books left to go ;)
Last month we read Obsessed by Ted Dekker. Not great, not terrible. Since I seem to gravitate toward the same types of books, does anyone have a suggestion? We're all busy professionsals so Anna Karenninaesque books are not good choices.
Some of the ones we've read are:
Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America
My Sister's Keeper
While You Were Gone
I Capture the Castle
Angels & Demons
Skipping Christmas
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister
Good in Bed
A Million Little Pieces
A Clockwork Orange
TIA!
Currently reading Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper - its great! I love the witty sarcasm, descriptions, and play on words. I laugh out loud a lot!
framboise
10-18-2005, 12:47 PM
I am currently reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Yeah, I'm a little slow getting to it. I had to wait for it to be available at the library because I didn't want to shell out for the hardcover myself. :p Anyway, I really like it so far & have a hard time coming back to the office from my lunch break because I want to know what's going on! :D
Before Harry, I was readingFlowers for Algernon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/015603008X/qid=1129660208/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books) for my book club. It was a quick read and something of a "classic" that I has not read before so I'm glad we chose it for this month. It wasn't my favorite book ever, but it was a subject I had never read about so it was a change of pace.
In the car I just listened to The Annunciation of Francesca Dunn (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060559209/qid=1129659928/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books). The narrators were a little too dramatic for my tastes and I didn't particularly even like the story so it's not high on my list of favorites. I am just about to start listening to The Bluest Eye (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0452282195/qid=1129660541/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books). It's on my list of things I want to read but I found the audiobook at the library so I hope it makes my commute tolerable.
framboise
10-18-2005, 12:52 PM
MsRo, here are some of my book club's recent reads. I'm just trying to remember them off the top of my head so I'm sure that I've missed some, but I hope something catches your eye! :)
The Tapestries (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006HQLOQ/qid=1129661293/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
The Education of Mrs. Bemis (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0060512598/qid=1129661385/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
Middlesex (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312422156/qid=1129661412/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
Running With Scissors (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/031242227X/qid=1129661443/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0375758992/qid=1129661471/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
Dogs of Babel (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0316778508/qid=1129661504/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
The Girl in Hyachinth Blue (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/014029628X/qid=1129661543/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-7367575-3291303?v=glance&s=books)
laura
10-18-2005, 12:57 PM
Everyone said stick with Middlesex, so I did, but it just ended up being "eh" for me.
Recently I went on vacation, so I read a lot of mindless trash between the flights and the beach:
Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger - She's the same woman who wrote The Devil Wears Prada, and it was along the same lines, but I didn't like it as much. In fact, I like it a lot more in hindsight than I did when I was reading it - but do NOT buy it in hardcover [like I did]. It definitely isn't worth that!
Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. Eh. Kind of a flat "drama" for me, like Desperate Housewives, but with less likable characters and minus James Denton & Jesse Metcalfe to ogle.
Lifeguard by James Patterson. I read this on our flight home and I have no recollection of it whatsoever. Oh - jogged my memory by reading the Amazon summary. It was okay - nothing out of the ordinary for JP and fairly predictable.
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant. Not in the same mindless category as the others, but I was in the middle of this when I left for vacation. One of my favorite books that I think everyone should read is The Red Tent, but I didn't like this AS much. It was pretty slow moving throughout, though I found it pretty interesting. I love the Boston/Gloucester areas, though, so that part was more interesting to me than it might be to someone else.
And of course People and In Style. ;)
I tossed A Hundred Years of Solitude in my bag yesterday for my commute, but I haven't started it yet.
ETA: MsRo - if you haven't read Wicked, I'd recommend that. I liked that a lot more than Confessions...
msnicolea
10-18-2005, 02:48 PM
I am reading How to Be Lost by Amanda Ward--just started it last night.
wendalah
10-18-2005, 03:00 PM
A Million Little Pieces...it's about a drug addict's experience in rehab. It's very sad and depressing but interesting at the same time.
craftyT
10-18-2005, 03:17 PM
I started reading Middlesex a few nights ago and just can't seem to get into it. I'm still in the part before the main character is born. Does it start to pick up at some point?
I had the same problem with this book but about 5 chapters into I really was hooked. I was surprised by my interest in these characters (I didn't think I'd make it through in the beginning) but it was a subtle hook and in the end I thought the book was a really good read... I only wished there were more chapters... in the end, my curiosity was not satisfied.
mgrace
10-18-2005, 03:33 PM
I am reading How to Be Lost by Amanda Ward--just started it last night.
I've heard it is a good one.
EmilyZA
10-18-2005, 03:47 PM
I just finished Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs. Loved it! If you've ever read David Sedaris, and liked him, you'll like Augusten. I actually liked Augusten better b/c it's an ongoing story, as opposed to Sedaris (I've only read Me Talk Pretty...) which is a bunch of different stories.
I started In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner yesterday. I want to see the movie but figured I would have to read the book first-- I can never do it the other way around.
pocket
10-18-2005, 04:25 PM
I just couldn’t control myself and shelled out for the hardcover of Robert Jordan’s new book Knife of Dreams. I also picked up Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I’m looking forward to reading both of them, but I am trembling with anticipation over the Jordan book!
I just finished Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
I am just about to start that one. I just finished A million little pieces a few minutes ago.
kcgray
10-18-2005, 04:56 PM
I'm reading "Life is Not a Fairytale" by Fantasia. Very touching and moving. She's one of my favorite artist out right now.
I recently finished reading The Devil Wears Prada, I coulda slapped the chicks boss myself...whew
I finished reading "Marry Your Baby's Daddy" 2 nights ago. Very hilarious and I got all wrapped up in this one. But "Grandma June" taught her 3 granddaughters a very valuable lesson and it was a great book.
Already scouting out my next novel to read. Sometimes I get mad at myself, I can sit and read a 300 page book in one day. I just get all wrapped up and lost into the characters and their lives. It's crazy.
Any suggestions, anything new or interesting out?
kissmary
10-19-2005, 07:44 AM
pocket, I'm almost done with Robert Jordan's Knife of Dreams. I think it's much better than the last book (what I remember of it)! And I like that there's only one more book left, finally.
EmilyZA - if you like Sedaris and Burroughs, you should like Book of Joe (Jonathan Tropper).
pocket
10-19-2005, 11:58 AM
And I like that there's only one more book left, finally.
FINALLY! I am so happy to be reading this book at long last.
Speak was really good! I loved it!
EmilyZA
10-19-2005, 04:06 PM
EmilyZA - if you like Sedaris and Burroughs, you should like Book of Joe (Jonathan Tropper).
Thanks for the tip!
Txfish
10-19-2005, 04:40 PM
OK, for my birthday I went on ebay found used copies of some of my favorite old books. So I just read:
Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfield
The President's Daughter, Ellen Emerson White
Long Live the Queen, book 3 in the "President's Daughter" series.
(White House Autumn is great, too, but *rare* as they are all out of print, and the cheapest p-back was like $20. Gah! I'll get it someday...)
These are such great little books.
alootikki
10-20-2005, 06:51 PM
The Glass Palace - Amitav Ghosh's Burmese/Indian family saga from 1885 through today.
Under the Banner of Heaven: A story of Violent Faith - Jon Krakauer
I'm ready for something lighter now, after those two - I'm planning on picking up Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore.
mrsdrummer
10-21-2005, 01:41 PM
right now my favorite author is Marcia Evanick, I've read
A misty Harbor Christmas (short story in the book Let it Snow)
Christmas on Conrad Street
A Berry Merry Christmas
Harbor Nights
I need to read Blueberry Hill, and Catch of the Day
They are all a series about a small Maine town, I just love these books.
LeslieR
10-21-2005, 07:01 PM
I put down my last Jodi Picoult book, Songs Of The Humpback Whale, in favor of At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks. So far, so good.
bookworm
10-21-2005, 07:20 PM
I was flying today, and I picked up the ultimate trash classic, Scruples. I've read it before, probably a couple of times, but that was many years ago. I was in the airport, it was there, and it totally passed the time during 2 flights and a connection.
For a real book, I have The Crimson Petal and the White. So far, so good--but not at all what I was in the mood for today.
keska
10-22-2005, 01:56 PM
If anyone likes Jane Green, I just posted Mr. Maybe, Straight Talking, Babyville and Bookends over on paperbackswap.com.
tippy
10-23-2005, 02:14 PM
I am currently reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0743272935.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I am having some time getting through it just b/c it is not as fast paced as the Dan Brown books I read before. I do like it though.
I am hoping to read A Million Little Pieces next.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0307276902.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I'm reading Random Family.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0684863871.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Alioop12345
10-24-2005, 07:26 AM
I just finished Conversations with A Fat Girl. It was ok...I had a tough time getting started but finished it quickly. Now I am starting The Missing person
SiValleySteph
10-24-2005, 08:56 AM
I just started Bee Season yesterday.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0385498802.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
LeslieR
10-24-2005, 10:21 AM
I finished At First Sight last night. I would consider it a tearjerker if I had not figured out the ending. Pretty good book, but still not my fave of his.
keska
10-24-2005, 01:43 PM
I just finished Eragon and The Ladies Guide to Rakes. I am now reading Metro Girl.
Just picked up from the library:
The Red Tent
Breath, Eyes, Memory - Edwidge Danticat
Like Water on Stone: The Story of Amnesty International - Jonathan Power
In the Time of Butterflies - Julia Alvarez
The Hand's Tale - Margaret Atwood
Almost a Bride - Jane Feather
MsPeachy
10-25-2005, 05:26 AM
For a real book, I have The Crimson Petal and the White. So far, so good--but not at all what I was in the mood for today. I just started this yesterday and am about 2 chapters in. The POV is a bit bizarre. I'm not sure I will like that for the whole book.
Vishenka69
10-25-2005, 08:56 AM
I'm currently reading The Autobiography of God. It was really good at the beginning but now it's getting freaky. The author is implying that God has taken on the image of a man (as Jesus) to try and teach people to be better and love each other. But that didn't work, so he got pissed and "reincarnated" himself as Hitler. I'm curious how it'll end but it's getting more strange by the page.
mgrace
10-25-2005, 09:50 AM
From Here You Can't See Paris
pocket
10-25-2005, 11:18 AM
For a real book, I have The Crimson Petal and the White. So far, so good--but not at all what I was in the mood for today.
honestly that's how I felt about the whole book. it was certainly a good book. Certainly a well-written book, an interesting book and even masterful for the genre. but every time i picked it up it felt like i was forcing it.
Somehow, I had managed to not read anything by Dean Koonz until this summer when I picked up Odd Thomas. I found the characters so compelling that I ran back out to the bookstore and got another Koonz book, The Taking. It almost seemed to me as if the two books were written by different authors. I'm curious to read his version of Frankenstein but haven't had time to start it yet.
framboise
10-25-2005, 01:40 PM
mgrace, what do you think of From Here You Can't See Paris so far? I desperately want to do what the author did and spend a year or more in a little French Village. I could do without some of the foie gras talk :eek: , but all the rest I'm cool with.
catch
10-28-2005, 09:04 AM
I'm reading Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut for school. It's pretty funny and interesting so far. I might pick up more of his books.
Vorian's_Leronica
10-28-2005, 10:49 AM
I'm reading Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut for school. It's pretty funny and interesting so far. I might pick up more of his books.
Is it good?
my husband read it and said it was wonderful but we have such different tastes in books sometimes that I haven't gotten around to actually looking into it.
I'm currently rereading the Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazney. I picked one of them up out of boredom one day and got hooked, read all ten in less than a week and then went and bought the Great book of amber that has them all together.
I also just finished reading Devil MAy Cry Code Dante...can't wait for Code Vergil. I have a devil may cry obsession (as you can tell by my avatar)
Rosebud
10-28-2005, 11:29 AM
I'm reading Let's Don't Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller. It's great! I'm really enjoying it-- such a unique story.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0330412302.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Has anyone read her other book, "Scribbling the Cat: Travels with an African Soldier"?
Posted by SiValleySteph:
I just started Bee Season yesterday.
I loved "Bee Season"!! I'm curious to see how the movie comes out.
catch
10-28-2005, 12:26 PM
Is it good?
my husband read it and said it was wonderful but we have such different tastes in books sometimes that I haven't gotten around to actually looking into it.
I think it's good. It's not really the kind of book I would usually pick up but since it's mandatory...I had no choice. It's about a guy who does some time traveling, but it's not really time traveling...at least I'm not sure yet, lol. It's funny though.
I haven't heard of any of the books you mentioned so I'm not sure if it's your kind of book. It's a quick read, you might want to give it a try if you're bored or something.
framboise
10-28-2005, 12:47 PM
Rosebud03, my book club read Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight about 3 or 4 months ago & everyone enjoyed it. The stuff that family experienced is almost hard to believe! It reminded us of Running With Scissors (another choice about a year or so ago) a little bit because the stories were so wacky - both books have to be memoirs because you can't make stuff like that up! :eek:
jbenny75
10-30-2005, 06:56 AM
I'm in the middle of The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and I just started Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. I love her writing style, she's hilarious.
EmilyZA
10-30-2005, 12:55 PM
I just finished In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner. I like her a lot, and I had wanted to read this for a while, but now that it's a movie I had to read it right away-- I want to see the movie, but I have to read the book first, that's just how I am! So now I can go and see it! BTW, I really liked the book a lot, but did feel that it dragged a little at times.
I just started Pledged by Alexandra Robbins. I'm only a few pages in, but it looks like an interesting read...
APCullip22
10-31-2005, 07:12 AM
Here's my recent list of reads....
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000AXRTY2.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
This book was alright, in my opinion.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0375400370.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I really Loved this book!
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00076VE0M.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif
Thought this was pretty good.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0316579254.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
This book was alright, in my opinion.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1400033764.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
I enjoyed this book; however, it was not as well written as the Kite Runner, in my opinion....
APCullip22
10-31-2005, 07:13 AM
I'm working on the following 2 books right now~
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1594480702.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
and
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0140280499.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
msnicolea
10-31-2005, 09:34 AM
I am reading this:
http://images.syndetics.com/hw7.pl?client=sclsp&isbn=0465029787/LC.JPG
mgrace
10-31-2005, 10:41 AM
framboise , so far I really like From Here You Can't See Paris. I haven't read the foie gras part yet.
nawsgirl
11-01-2005, 12:09 AM
I just finished Encore Provence by Peter Mayle... I also read French Lessons- both are very funny. Mayle is a Brit who lives in and writes about Provence so it is very sarcastic and about the oddities of the French people and culture- but he has great respect for them and their way of life, particularly when it comes to food and wine.
I'm midway through One for the Money by Janet Evanovich, I'm enjoying it so far although some of Stephanie Plum's mishaps are almost painful to read about!
Just started The Summons by John Grisham, but I'm not far enough into it to know what I think yet.
mgrace
11-01-2005, 08:54 AM
I just finished Encore Provence by Peter Mayle... I also read French Lessons- both are very funny.
I love Peter Mayle's books!
Amaye
11-01-2005, 10:20 AM
I'm reading Naked by David Sedaris. My SIL recommended it to me and so far, it's hysterical. He is so exaggerated!
msnicolea
11-01-2005, 11:22 AM
I'm reading Naked by David Sedaris. My SIL recommended it to me and so far, it's hysterical. He is so exaggerated!
Have you read his others? Me Talk Pretty One Day and Barrel Fever are even funnier than Naked, IMO. I LOVE him!
Amaye
11-01-2005, 02:58 PM
Have you read his others? Me Talk Pretty One Day and Barrel Fever are even funnier than Naked, IMO. I LOVE him!
No, this is the first one l've read. My SIL randomly bought Naked and loved it. So now she is reading Barrel Fever and plans to order the rest. I can't wait to read his other books!
CheartsQ
11-02-2005, 12:48 PM
Wow, you ladies are really adding to my book list with all of these interesting recommendations! I love to read, and I'm trying to find books that will interest me that aren't just "chick-lit"!
Chinelle
bookworm
11-02-2005, 05:02 PM
I finally finished The Crimson Petal and the White. It was...good, I guess, but not particularly compelling. I might give it to my mom to get her opinion--her brain is not as numbed by trash as mine is, so maybe she'll have a different reaction.
Although I believe pocket mentioned having similar thoughts about this book, and I haven't read about her reading trash ;).
Next up, Shadow of the Wind. I read about 3 pages a month ago, so this time I plan to get further than that.
pocket
11-03-2005, 12:05 PM
I finally finished The Crimson Petal and the White. It was...good, I guess, but not particularly compelling. I might give it to my mom to get her opinion--her brain is not as numbed by trash as mine is, so maybe she'll have a different reaction.
Although I believe pocket mentioned having similar thoughts about this book, and I haven't read about her reading trash ;).
tsk! i read trash! i'm reading Bangkok Tattoo by John Burdett right now! and last week I read the new Robert Jordan book. that's pretty trashy. but yeah, i wasn't that in to CP&TW.
APCullip22
11-07-2005, 07:45 PM
I just started Jemina J by Jane Green this morning...
Sarah6690
11-08-2005, 07:03 AM
I just finished "Can You Keep a Secret" by Sophie Kinsella. I thought it was hilarious. I am now ready "Must Love Dogs", I'm not too impressed so far.
II just started Pledged by Alexandra Robbins. I'm only a few pages in, but it looks like an interesting read...
I finished Pledged about a month ago and really enjoyed it. When you think about what the author had to do to research and write the stories of the main characters, it's pretty amazing. I also thought she did a pretty great job of presenting a real and balanced view of sorority life...but that's JMHO! :)
Getting some great ideas for my next book run!
katmg
11-09-2005, 09:25 AM
Finishing up The Kite Runner for my book club meeting next week. It really has me hooked. I've been reading at lunchtime at work and I've been crying at my desk the past few days!
shillikm
11-09-2005, 09:57 AM
The Kite Runner hooked me too, I think the whole thing over a weekend. I just finished Under the Banner of Heaven, and I thought it was an interesting book. A few more recent reads were The Thorn Birds, Girl with the Pearl Earring, and Ships of Gold. All very good.
Rosebud
11-09-2005, 10:05 AM
I just finished Under the Banner of Heaven
I also read this book a year or two ago and thought it was very interesting!
MrsBrooke
11-11-2005, 04:11 PM
Just started, and then finished Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman. I really enjoyed it, although I usually want to prolong the experience past 4 hours! :) Couldn't put it down though!
Sarah6690
11-14-2005, 10:13 AM
I finished Little Earthquakes over the weekend. I thought it was pretty good. I just started Hissy Fit by Mary Kay Andrews. I've only read about 10 pages but it had me laughing out loud.
shouldaeloped
11-14-2005, 01:21 PM
I just started Memoirs of a Geisha. thought it was important to get that done before the movie came out.
just started Jemina J by Jane Green this morning
I loved this book. good easy read and made want to read more of hers.
APCullip22
11-14-2005, 07:39 PM
I just started Memoirs of a Geisha. thought it was important to get that done before the movie came out.
I loved this book. good easy read and made want to read more of hers.
i finished the whole thing in one day! Loved it...I can't wait to red more from jane Green. I have also read Memiors of a Geisha and really enjoyed it.
SiValleySteph
11-15-2005, 12:03 PM
I just finished The Kid : What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant by Dan Savage.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0452281768.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
At first, I wasn't sure I like the author's writing style (a little too in your face) but I ended up really enjoying the book. It's about a gay couple's path to adopting a child through open adoption.
msnicolea
11-15-2005, 02:22 PM
I just finished The Kid : What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant by Dan Savage.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0452281768.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
At first, I wasn't sure I like the author's writing style (a little too in your face) but I ended up really enjoying the book. It's about a gay couple's path to adopting a child through open adoption.
Dan Savage is great--he writes a weekly column called "Savage Love" for papers like the Onion, if you are interested in reading more by him!
EmilyZA
11-15-2005, 02:59 PM
I just finished Pledged which I really liked (Alexandra Robbins is the author.)
I started The Kite Runner this morning.
msnicolea
11-15-2005, 07:06 PM
I'm starting The Myth of You and Me tonight.
bookworm
11-15-2005, 07:11 PM
I am so bored with everything I'm reading. I'm still working through Shadow of the Wind--I like it while I'm reading it, but I'm not inspired to pick it up after work.
So I pulled out Babyville, which is not my favorite Jane Green book but I haven't read it in awhile (I'm a chronic re-reader), and it's not inspiring either.
I read a couple of things last week--Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons and The Summer I Dared. The first was a pretty good up-with-girlfriends story, the 2nd was a grandmother book :).
kugrrly
11-15-2005, 07:18 PM
I just finished A Million Little Pieces and I needed a nice simple after that. I am rereading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to get ready for the new movie.
Amaye
11-16-2005, 11:16 AM
I'm reading The Bachelorette Party by Karen McCullah Lutz. It's hysterical - laugh out funny! It's slightly raunchy but that totally fits in with the topic.
tippy
11-16-2005, 04:16 PM
I just finished A Million Little Pieces too. Amazing Book! Very inspiring!
I just got 3 more books from the library, so now I am reading One Hundred Years of Solitude
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060740450.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Rosebud
11-16-2005, 07:41 PM
I've just started reading Waiting by Ha Jin. I'm three chapters in and totally fascinated. It's great so far!
Synopsis:
The demands of human longing contend with the weight of centuries of custom in acclaimed author Ha Jin's Waiting, a novel of unexpected richness and universal resonance. Every summer Lin Kong, a doctor in the Chinese Army, returns to his village to end his loveless arranged marriage with the humble and touchingly loyal Shuyu. But each time Lin must return to the city to tell Manna Wu, the educated, modern nurse he loves, that they will have to postpone their engagement once again. Caught between the conflicting claims of these two utterly different women and trapped by a culture in which adultery can ruin lives and careers, Lin has been waiting for eighteen years. This year, he promises, will be different.
bklynhamptonian
11-17-2005, 01:05 PM
I just started reading "Prep" last night. I'm only a few pages in so I have not decided if I like it or not yet.
MrsD108
11-17-2005, 05:59 PM
I just finished Geisha, A Life by Mineko Iwasaki with Rande Brown. It was a fantastic read. I could not put it down for 2 days. I was looking her up on the internet and found out there is another book that she was the main character for but her name was never to be used:
"Controversy
After the novel was published, Arthur Golden was sued by the geisha (Mineko Iwasaki) with whom he worked, for defamation and breach of contract. According to the plaintiff, the agreement was supposed to be total anonymity for the main character of his story. This was because there is a code of silence among the geisha community and breaking that code is a serious offense. Once the plaintiff's name was printed in the book, she received numerous death threats and requests of censure for dishonoring her profession. However, she opted to sue Golden for putting her name in the novel. In 2005, Iwasaki won her case when Golden settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money, though reports suggested that it was quite substantial.
One issue that Iwasaki never mentioned in public, but became quite clear after she published her own biography, Geisha of Gion, was how closely Memoirs of a Geisha mirrored her own life. Indeed, many of the main characters all corresponded to people she knew or was close to. But such characters, nasty and bitter as they were in Memoirs of a Geisha, were actually very kind to her in real life. When Sayuri enters the teahouse, she is treated like a slave. But in real life, Iwasaki was shown much love and attention, given a very privileged position. "Sourpuss" was actually a sister that she developed a close relationship with, and "Nobu" was a lover that she cared deeply for. Though she could never have said it in public (a traditional Japanese woman would not share her inner-most, personal feelings), Golden's book would have been like reading a warped version of perfectly happy events in her past. She had opened up to Golden, and he had broken her confidence to write a one-off bestseller."
I guess I am off to Border's to see the other books. I usually get to involved with reading one subject until I totally understand. I hope the movie is still out when I am done reading everything.
granada
11-17-2005, 06:09 PM
I've just started reading Waiting by Ha Jin. I'm three chapters in and totally fascinated. It's great so far!
Synopsis:
The demands of human longing contend with the weight of centuries of custom in acclaimed author Ha Jin's Waiting, a novel of unexpected richness and universal resonance. Every summer Lin Kong, a doctor in the Chinese Army, returns to his village to end his loveless arranged marriage with the humble and touchingly loyal Shuyu. But each time Lin must return to the city to tell Manna Wu, the educated, modern nurse he loves, that they will have to postpone their engagement once again. Caught between the conflicting claims of these two utterly different women and trapped by a culture in which adultery can ruin lives and careers, Lin has been waiting for eighteen years. This year, he promises, will be different.
This book sounds so intriguing. I will have to pick it up sometime soon. :)
PinkPanther
11-17-2005, 06:34 PM
I can not get into the kite runner. what is wrong with me??? everyone I know has read