What's Everyone Reading?

[Camdynlyn]

I know quite a few of you have read Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. I'm currently reading it (about 3/4 of the way through-- right where the trial starts) and wanted to know if some people would be up to discussing it with me more in depth. I'll be attending my first book club meeting for the country club. This isn't my first book club but it is my first book club where I'll be the youngest in this wealthy group of women. My husband is over the club and I know people are already talking about the 'superintendent's wife' coming. There'll be about 25 people there. I want to be ready to discuss and not just comment. Please PM me if you're interested! :)

[MaineBelle]

I read Atonement by Ian McEwan. It took me a bit to get into this book, but I am glad I stuck with it. It was a wonderful book. Some haunting images of WWII.

I read Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Patton. Very good book. I wish I knew more about the history of South Africa.

Currently reading, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Lifeby Amy Krouse Rosenthal. There are some enjoyable parts, but it's not my type of book. I like books with more cohesive stories, this book makes me feel like I have ADD.

Next - The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella.

[endymion411]

i just finished...

bombay time by thrity umrigar

and

bee season by myla goldberg

[SiValleySteph]

I just read The Undomestic Goddess. It was okay, about what I expected. I was able to read it in a couple of hours and thought it was enjoyable. :)

[keska]

I just started

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1586481932.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America and American in Iran by Azadeh Moaveni

[Lizzy]

I've been reading Shogun (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440178002/sr=8-2/qid=1143559314/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-2119633-3699868?%5Fencoding=UTF8) by James Clavell. It's been great so far but I'm looking forward to finishing it, hopefully today!

[Sand]

I just finished My Sister's Keeper - AWESOME book.
http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:eB3gd7eeauZGEM:www.dcsdk12.org/secondary/trhs/Images/SummerReads/sisterskeeper.jpg

I was almost in tears yet pissed off at the end!

[MaineBelle]

Interesting story about Running with Scissors. I remember that a few people here have read it...

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2006/03/28/too_close_to_home/

Maybe the book, a New York Times bestseller for 70 weeks that will soon will be a big-budget movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Annette Bening, is a lie. Maybe like those high-profile imposters James Frey and JT LeRoy, Burroughs is another memoirist who made it up.

The doctor's family says he is. They're suing Burroughs for defamation, saying ''Running With Scissors" is largely fictional. The author, they contend, sensationalized his life to make his story more compelling and, for the pain and suffering of being portrayed as more than a little peculiar, the family wants a retraction and$2 million.

[SiValleySteph]

I just read this book:

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0670034118.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

The Wonder Spot by Melissa Bank (author of Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing)

Totally boring book. I kept reading hoping that something would happen and nothing ever does. The main character is boring and the story never really drew me in.

Oh, there was one laugh-out-loud funny part when the main character in a painting class painting a nude model. The model was coming around to check out the paintings and she realized that she had made him, um, *small*, so she has to quickly add on to her painting. :D

[SiValleySteph]

Oh, I wanted to add this book that I read recently.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/1585422479.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Callie's Tally : An Accounting of Baby's First Year (Or, What My Daughter Owes Me) by Betsy Howie

I really enjoyed this book. This first-time mom keeps a tally of everything she buys for her daughter, but really the book is about the family dynamic. I felt it captured a lot of my feelings on motherhood. Plus, it was engaging and funny.

[wine_o_girlie]

QUOTE=MaineBelle]Interesting story about Running with Scissors. I remember that a few people here have read it...

http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articles/2006/03/28/too_close_to_home/[/QUOTE]

I totally wouldn't be surprised that this book is either made-up or grosserly exaggerated - that's what kept running through my mind when I was reading it years ago. I cannot imagine the book as a movie.

[kissmary]

I'm reading Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood. It's not her best book, but it's fast reading.

[Lizzy]

Right now I'm alternating between The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and The Sociopath Next Door.

[EmilyBronte]

I'm reading, Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

[Rosebud]

Just finished The Historian (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316011770/qid=1144086868/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7949629-4224047?s=books&v=glance&n=283155), which was great. Also, I was looking back through my book journal and thought I'd recommend some other books that I've read and liked lately.

No Great Mischief (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375726659/qid=1144086954/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7949629-4224047?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Alistair MacLeod
Summary: No Great Mischief tells the sprawling story of one Scottish clan, the MacDonalds, who come to Cape Breton from Scotland in the 18th century and struggle valiantly to maintain their pride and identity up through the end of the millennium. Loved this book- beautiful writing and memorable characters.
Kissing In Manhattan (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385335679/qid=1144087117/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7949629-4224047?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by David Schickler
Summary: In this series of linked short stories, a gaggle of young Manhattanites with fancy jobs and fine educations chase each other around town, falling in love or not.
Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609809547/qid=1144087219/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7949629-4224047?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Rita Golden Gelman
Summary: When Rita Golden Gelman traveled to Mexico during a two-month separation from her husband, she hoped to satisfy an old craving for adventure and, in the process, rejuvenate herself and her marriage. Little did she know it was the beginning of a new life, not just as a divorcée, but as a nomad of the world. Since 1986, Gelman has had no permanent address and no possessions except those she can carry. Gelman knew she had embarked on a journey of self-discovery and a way of life that is inspiring and enviable. LOVED this book!
Another B.S. Night in Suck City (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393329402/qid=1144087350/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7949629-4224047?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Nick Flynn
Summary: This is a really moving memoir. Nick is a troubled and directionless young man who is going nowhere in life. He takes a job at a homeless shelter in Boston, where he encounters his father, a drifter and failed writer whom he's met only once before. It's a very powerful story about two lives going in different directions but being intrinsically connected. I highly recommend this book!

[pocket]

I just got the audiobook of Never Let You Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I hope it’s good!

[mgrace]

Rosebud, thanks for posting about the Suck City book. It's on my list.

I'm reading Cooking for Mr. Right.

[Jen B.]

Right now I'm reading the five people you meet in heaven:)

[lawyerlee]

Another B.S. Night in Suck City (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393329402/qid=1144087350/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-7949629-4224047?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Nick Flynn
Summary: This is a really moving memoir. Nick is a troubled and directionless young man who is going nowhere in life. He takes a job at a homeless shelter in Boston, where he encounters his father, a drifter and failed writer whom he's met only once before. It's a very powerful story about two lives going in different directions but being intrinsically connected. I highly recommend this book!
I really enjoyed that book, too. :)

I just finished reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It was fantastic. I love non-fiction that reads like a good novel. And I think that old saying that truth is stranger than fiction was certainly well employed in the crafting of this book!

Now I'm getting started on Arthur & George by Julian Barnes.

[Lizzy]

Last night I began reading Something Wicked this Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury.

[Rose]

Right now I am reading The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. I just started but it's good so far.

[ysolde]

I finished "'Till We Have Faces." Then, I got sick, so I read Stephen King's "Cell." Not one of his best, not one of his worst.

Currently reading "A Rose for the Crown."

[miel]

I usually don't post in here since I'm always reading something obscure and boring to most people. However, I'm right now reading something outside my work called "Confessions of An Economic Hit Man."

It's very engaging. I can't put it down. That and "Chatter" which explains that the government's always been listening to you. (It seems very well documented and is not anything like a lefty conspiracy book.

Of course, I have to go back to reading my regular stuff and can finish neither book so count me jealous.

[mgrace]

Just started Strapped: Why America's 20- and 30-Somethings Can't Get Ahead.

[msnicolea]

I just finished:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0385333412.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Pure fluff but it was ok.

Now reading :

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/140004314X.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I really love Joan Didion.

[MaineBelle]

I recently finished The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. I needed an entertaining, non-thinking read, and this book was good for that.

I also just read Like Water for Chocolateby Laura Esquivel. I saw it in the library and picked it up. It was an interesting quick read, almost like a fairy tale. I loved reading the recipes.

[Belm]

Right now I am reading The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. I just started but it's good so far.

I'm reading this too.

I also finished First Impressions by Jude Deveraux. It was an easy read, but I wasn't thrilled about the ending.

[laura]

I'm currently reading The Tenth Circle, also.

I just finished:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0451217608.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

It was okay. Cute, light, quick - good for a flight, which is where I read it.

[msnicolea]

I just finished The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion--it was wonderful--heartbreaking, but lovely.

I'm starting The Tender Bar tonight.

[Rosebud]

I'm dying to read The Year of Magical Thinking! It's on my list, for sure.


I just finished The Secret Life of Bees for my book club. Liked it, but didn't totally love it.

I tried to start reading Wild Decembers (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0753809907/sr=8-8/qid=1145465298/ref=sr_1_8/102-6467134-0590535?%5Fencoding=UTF8) by Edna O'Brien but just couldn't get into it (really dense, difficult writing). After 40 pages I finally threw in the towel and moved on to The Dress Lodger (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345436911/qid=1145465335/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-6467134-0590535?s=books&v=glance&n=283155), which I'm liking so far.

[jimmysgirl424]

I'm embarassed to admit it but I am currently working my way through Jackie Collins' Lucky Santangelo series. I've read Chances, Lucky and Lady Boss so far and am getting ready to start on the next in the series; Vendetta-Lucky's Revenge. I'm such a smut reader. :o ;)

I will be taking a break on that series when the book I just bought off of ebay arrives: Cell by Stephen King. Its a treat for my upcoming cross-country trip to Las Vegas. I always like to have a new book to distract me from my fear of flying. :(

[Belm]

Laura &Rose
Have you finished The Tenth Circle? I won't post any spoilers but I was disappointed by the ending.

[laura]

I was just coming here to post the same thing. I just finished The Tenth Circle last night and I thought the end was a major anti-climax. Then again, I think I end up feeling that way about most JP books.

[Bastille]

Do you all buy these books or get them from the library?

[laura]

I buy most of mine, or occasionally I borrow from a friend or get books or a GC for books as a gift. I'm terrible about the library.

[bookworm]

One of my new year's resolutions was to use the library more--I have boxes and boxes of books still at my parents' house, and two full bookshelves in my tiny apartment. (I justify this because I re-read :) ).

Having said that, I haven't read anything exceptional, and just read something truly awful, Emily Ever After. Now I'm reading The Divide, by Nicholas Evans. So far, it's fine...nothing special.

[Rosebud]

I buy most of mine, usually from Amazon.com. Now my house is completely overflowing with books, so I'm planning to use the library or borrow books from friends more often.

Just recently I took a stack of books to my local library and donated them. I have some more that I'm going to sell to www.ebookdrop.com. I'm planning to just keep the classics and my very favorites around the house. That's still a lot of books!

[Noniitis]

I used to buy books now once a week I come to this thread and copy the book people here give good reviews of and paste them into my library's website. I put the request in and when the book is available it gets sent to my local library and the send me an e mail to come pick it up. Since there are so many great recommendations here I have a 'queque' of books on request that is about 17 books long where I am waiting for the book but I have 14 book here at home to read. My library also e mails my when a book is due and I can do up to 3 renewal online if there is no waiting list. I Love it.

okokok since I don't post many of the books I read..
I want to Thank whomever posted The Autobiography of God.. I loved that book.

[MsRo]

I used to buy books now once a week I come to this thread and copy the book people here give good reviews of and paste them into my library's website. I put the request in and when the book is available it gets sent to my local library and the send me an e mail to come pick it up. Since there are so many great recommendations here I have a 'queque' of books on request that is about 17 books long where I am waiting for the book but I have 14 book here at home to read. My library also e mails my when a book is due and I can do up to 3 renewal online if there is no waiting list. I Love it.


Ditto this. I love that I have 26 books on my list and when they're in, the library calls me to come pick them up. :)

[keska]

I just finished Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison and now I'm reading the sequel, The Good, The Bad, and the Undead.

[princesse]

I'm reading Mean Girls Grown Up. (No, not the life and times of Constant Chatter.....) It's about how the 'mean girls' syndrome does not stop after adolescence. By the author of Surviving Ophelia. It's a wonderful read so far.

[looch]

I gotta try that library trick! I wonder if I can get them through my university? I have used the service for books for a research project. HMMM.

Any way, I am now reading Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.

[savannahgrl]

I'm reading Mean Girls Grown Up. (No, not the life and times of Constant Chatter.....) It's about how the 'mean girls' syndrome does not stop after adolescence. By the author of Surviving Ophelia. It's a wonderful read so far.

I'll have to pick this book up. Sounds good!

[SiValleySteph]

I was boycotting the library for about 2 years after a bad run-in with a lady working there. During this time, I bought a lot of books. Many of my selections came from the bargain section at Borders. It's hard to pass up $1 books. :p

Now I have a toddler who loves books, so we go to the library once a week. He gets about 8 books or so, and then I get 5 minutes to pick out a couple for myself. I'm always in a hurry so I only look at the "just returned" or the "new books" sections. I'm really loving the library again! :D

[chefker]

Just finished 'Seven Up' by Janet Evanovich (another Stephanie Plum book), and a few days ago I started reading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, after hearing MANY good recommendations about it. :)

[mgrace]

I heart the library. :) 99% of my books come from there.

[keska]

I just started Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson. I guess I'm on a paranormal fiction binge.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

I'm just about done with Solomon Vs. Lord by Paul Levine. If you like Carl Hiaasen and legal thrillers, this would be along your lines. Very entertaining book.

[Jessica]

I usually don't post in here since I'm always reading something obscure and boring to most people. However, I'm right now reading something outside my work called "Confessions of An Economic Hit Man."


miel-I've almost picked this up a few times, what did you think of it?

[bookworm]

I just finished Earthly Joys, by Philippa Gregory (ending my many-month-long boycott after the horror that was The Virgin's Lover). It was decent...not as good as The Other Boleyn Girl or The Queen's Fool, but overall an interesting story. And I learned about tulips :).

[kugrrly]

I heart the library. 99% of my books come from there.


So do I. Just picked up Marley and Me today. I also have a couple of new books by authors that come out next month on hold. I have the new book the CC Book Club is reading for May on hold. Should be coming in the next few days.

I also check out my dvd's from there. Picked up Capote today.

I love the library. :)

[Angelfish]

I just finished Da Vinci Code. I liked it.

[SiValleySteph]

I just read The Other Woman by Jane Green:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0670034045.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

It was alright, not bad. It's all about an annoying mother-in-law. I found the main character to be pretty annoying, as well. She needed to be told off at some point.

There was some parenting advice in there that I found pretty annoying. The main characters friend does thing different than her (i.e. did not follow a rigid schedule and allowed her baby to nurse at night) and of course, the friend's baby then turns out to be a monseter. :rolleyes: I'm sensitive to that because I follow more of her friend's parenting style and my child is the opposite of a monster.

I actually enjoyed this way more than Jemima J, or whatever that other Jane Green book was. I hated that one so much I swore off Jane Green, but I'm in a fast-reading book phase, so I gave this one a try. It was pretty entertaining. I would recommend it for a quick read, but not to be taken too seriously. It does end rather abruptly, though.

I also just read The Booster : A Novel by Jennifer Solow.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0743281837.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V55788827_.jpg
It's about this girl whose life is spiriling out of control and she shoplifts all the time. I don't have much sympathy for shoplifters, but it was still interesting. The ending was a little too neat for me.

I seem to have a problem with the endings in chick lit. :D

[bookworm]

SiValleySteph, I love Jane Green, but I'd say the 2 you've read are among my least favorite (the other being To Have and To Hold). If you decide to give her another try, I recommend Bookends and Mr. Maybe. Of course, I don't know your taste, but I found them to be good light fiction :).

[elladee]

With all the reading I do, I can't believe I've never participated in this thread before.

I've just finished Jennifer Crusie's new one, Don't Look Down. It was pretty good... not quite as laugh out loud funny as usual, but certainly entertaining.

Now I'm almost done with Meg Cabot's Size 12 Isn't Fat. Apparently I'm in a light fiction/mystery phase right now (as I eagerly await the new Janet Evanovich book). I am enjoying this one. It's predictable, but fun none the less. I was an RA in my college days, so it brings back some interesting memories. Looks like Meg Cabot hopes to turn it into a series.

[keska]

I'm reading Undead and Unappreciated and Vamps and the City. Apparently, I have no shame. I did read a werewolf book the other day as an alternative to all the vampire books I've been reading lately.

[lawyerlee]

SiValleySteph, I love Jane Green, but I'd say the 2 you've read are among my least favorite (the other being To Have and To Hold). If you decide to give her another try, I recommend Bookends and Mr. Maybe. Of course, I don't know your taste, but I found them to be good light fiction :).
I agree. Bookends is my favorite of hers. The others have only been okay by comparison. But if you generally like chic lit, I'd bet you would enjoy Bookends. :)

[mgrace]

Ditto on Bookends. I also thought that Babyville was enjoyable.

I just picked up The Bookseller of Kabul, but haven't started it yet.

[pocket]

I started reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon last week and I'm really enjoying it! I finished book 3 today and started book 4. It's a strange combination of sci-fi, historical fiction and romance. Verra fun! I've learned more about 18th century Scottish history than anyone ever wanted to know!

[keska]

I saw the paperback version of A Breath of Snow and Ashes will be out in August.

[SiValleySteph]

I recommend Bookends and Mr. Maybe.
Thanks! And thanks lawyerlee & mgrace! I'll look for these at the library tomorrow.

I'm definitely on a chick lit binge right now. :p

[MaineBelle]

I am reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It is fascinating and I can not put it down. I am sad the I am almost done with it. It is an account of the World's Fair in Chicago. The author also interweaves a story of a serial killer that was in Chicago at the same time. I know it sounds like a strange book, but I highly recommend it.

[lawyerlee]

I loved The Devil in the White City, MaineBelle. So much so that I passed it on to my cousin immediately upon finishing it. It's one of the best non-fiction books I've read in ages. :)

I just finished reading Arthur & George by Julian Barnes. I can't recommend it highly enough. It is a novel, but Barnes uses historical facts from the lives of the main characters, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and George Edalji, as well as snipets from correspondence and newspaper accounts, to weave together a truly brilliant story about the intersection of the lives of these two very different men. It's fantastic. The writing is just beautiful and the story is immensely satisfying.

Now I'm reading The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.

[keska]

I just started Through the Grinder by Cleo Coyle, the second book in the coffeehouse mystery series.

[emmasart]

I'm in the middle of The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553250426/sr=8-1/qid=1147064463/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0768950-7194539?%5Fencoding=UTF8). Its very interesting and a really unique story line, about a primitive human clan adopting a little girl from a very different race. Its interesting to read how the girl tries to fit in and adapt to such a male dominated society.

[SiValleySteph]

I read Bookends by Jane Green over the weekend.

I picked it up from the library Sat morning and was finished by Sunday night even while entertaining 1 toddler and 1 DH, so I would categorize it as a quick read. :p

I liked it. Not loved it.

I was reading the Amazon reviews and I found myself really agreeing with this one:

Here's why it sucked: It was about 5 college friends, four of them stay together after college and one of they lose touch with. It's clear that it was meant to be about the one friend, Portia, coming back and having significant changes on their lives. I know this because the narrator keeps telling me how Portia has "changed the dynamics of the group" and has "changed the balance." Over. And. Over. Which would be understandable if it weren't for the fact that Portia coming back had NOTHING to do with the changes that occured.

But then I also agreed with this one:
Bookends is just what I expect from Jane Green: a quick, predictable, comfy read for a hot day.

Thanks for the recommendation! I'll probably pick up some of the other recommended Jane Green books as they show up at the library.

[curlyjr]

I am reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls, I am about half way through and I really don't know how I feel about it yet, has anyone read it?

[EmilyZA]

I just finished The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella. A cute, light read.

I'm starting Second Glance by Jodi Picoult tonight.

[kris97]

Due to the awful hours I was working earlier this spring, I went more than two months without reading anything more than magazines. Thankfully, on my recent vacation, I was able to return to fiction. The books I read were great.

Enduring Love by Ian McEwan
--- McEwan is the author of Atonement, which everyone MUST read. While nothing could have topped Atonement for me (it's one of my very favorites) I also loved this book. He's such a gifted writer. Images from this book still stick in my mind, four weeks after reading it.

Oryx and Crake , Margaret Atwood
-- She's another one of my favorite authors, and I'm so glad I picked this up on the cruise ship. This book, like Handmaid's Tale, is a terrifying vision of the future, but one focusing on the ways that messing with science and biology can go awry. I'm so not a science fiction person, but this book had my attention from page one. I loved it.

Keeping Faith, Jodi Picoult
-- I only recently discovered Picoult's books, and really, really enjoy them. While I didn't like this one as much as My Sister's Keeper, it was really good nonetheless. One complaint: sometimes her twist endings are so subtle I miss them! This one I only realized once I read the author notes. :eek:

[am_81]

Bookes from the last month or so:

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini -- I was a bit hesitant to read this one, but I'm so glad I finally plunged in. It was just as good as everyone else has said.

The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve -- I normally like Shreve's books, but this one didnt captture my attention the same way some of her others have. It wasnt bad or anything . . . just a little less than I was expecting.

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank -- Cute, chicklit-y kind of book and a quick read.

Boy: Tales of Childhood by Roald Dahl -- I absolutely loved Matilda, The BFG and Witches, so it was fun to get a little insight on Dahl's childhood. I definitely could see where he got the ideas for some of his stories. Extremely quick read; I read it on the bus to and from work two days in a row, so 3 hours tops.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith -- Even though I've seen the movie a couple times, Highsmith's writing drew me into the story all over again. I will definitely be picking up her other Ripley books in the near future.

Right now I'm halfway through Naked by David Sedaris. I've already read (and enjoyed) Me Talk Pretty One Day and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, but I think Naked is shaping up to be my favorite.

[nawsgirl]

I am reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls, I am about half way through and I really don't know how I feel about it yet, has anyone read it?

I read it a couple of weeks ago... without giving anything away, I found myself very frustrated by the selfishness of the parents, and that the kids did not stand up for themselves more. Maybe I am just used to kids being more strong-willed these days? I'll be interested to hear what you think when you've finished...

[lawyerlee]

I am reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls, I am about half way through and I really don't know how I feel about it yet, has anyone read it?
That one is still on my "to be read" pile. I'm hoping to finally get to it soon. :)

Oryx and Crake , Margaret Atwood
-- She's another one of my favorite authors, and I'm so glad I picked this up on the cruise ship. This book, like Handmaid's Tale, is a terrifying vision of the future, but one focusing on the ways that messing with science and biology can go awry. I'm so not a science fiction person, but this book had my attention from page one. I loved it.
I've considered picking this up in the past, but wasn't sure if I'd be into it. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it, Kris.

I'm currently reading Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen. A total guilty pleasure! ;)

[MsRo]

I am reading "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls, I am about half way through and I really don't know how I feel about it yet, has anyone read it?

I read it about a year ago for my Book Club. I didn't enjoy it at all.

[keska]

I just finished Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison and am now reading Moon Called by Patricia Briggs.

[MsRo]

I just finished Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison and am now reading Moon Called by Patricia Briggs.

After reading some of your posts I've read all three of the Kim Harrison books - loved them all! And I'm a fan of MaryJanice Davidson, too. Her new one comes out in June - did you know that?

[IrisHope]

I'm reading Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Fight Terrorism and Build Nations ... One School at a Time

Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin

[curlyjr]

I finished The Glass Castle today and I just have to say in general the book just pissed me off.

[pocket]

I'm in the middle of The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553250426/sr=8-1/qid=1147064463/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0768950-7194539?%5Fencoding=UTF8). Its very interesting and a really unique story line, about a primitive human clan adopting a little girl from a very different race. Its interesting to read how the girl tries to fit in and adapt to such a male dominated society.

I really enjoy these books! I think I read this for the first time in 6th grade. the sex scenes were a little much - i remember skipping over them. but definitley keep reading! the valley of the horses is great too!

[pocket]

I saw the paperback version of A Breath of Snow and Ashes will be out in August.

sadly, I couldn't wait that long and bought the hardback. i paid with cash so that i wouldn't have to confess to Pita!

[Myra]

I read it a couple of weeks ago... without giving anything away, I found myself very frustrated by the selfishness of the parents, and that the kids did not stand up for themselves more. Maybe I am just used to kids being more strong-willed these days? I'll be interested to hear what you think when you've finished...
I had similar thoughts about it. The story is a little different from most that you read about alcoholic parents in that there's normally the alcoholic parent and the long suffering parent. In this one, the mother had her own issues and didn't seem too troubled by her husband's behavior. Glad I didn't grow up in that household.

[bookworm]

I'm reading The Mammoth Hunters (one of the Clan of the Cave Bear series). It's ok so far... I liked the first one a lot, the 2nd notsomuch, and this one so far is a bit of a chore. The first one was more of a story, and the next two have been more "let's watch man learn to use tools."

Since I last posted, I read the new Barbara Delinsky book (something about Peyton Place), which was pretty much like her other books (old-lady fiction, but fine for a rainy day); The Secret History of the Pink Carnation, which was an interesting premise but not all that well executed; and The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith (author of The First Wives Club). That one was actually a re-read, but I found it on the bookshelf and figured I'd pick it up again.

[keska]

MsRo

I can't wait for that book! The last book was so good. It's on my wishlist over on paperbackswap.com but I'll probably just end up buying it when it comes out.

Have you read Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series? I haven't read them yet, but they come highly recommended. I'm about to start her book A Kiss of Shadows in the Meredith Gentry series. Moon Called ended up being really good, so I think I'll check out more of Patricia Briggs too.

If you read a lot and aren't already a member, check out paperbackswap.com. Paranormal fiction is really popular there.

[MsPeachy]

I'm reading The Mammoth Hunters (one of the Clan of the Cave Bear series). It's ok so far... I liked the first one a lot, the 2nd notsomuch, and this one so far is a bit of a chore. The first one was more of a story, and the next two have been more "let's watch man learn to use tools." This perspective is very interesting to me as I've always felt that out of the 5 books, Valley of Horses and Mammoth Hunters were the best and most interesting of the series. Perhaps because I really enjoy the anthropological and archaeological aspects that both are heavy on. To me, those are the 2 where the story really comes together as the main characters have so many new experiences and growth. I wonder if your opinion will change after reading the last two books (should you decide to do so)

sadly, I couldn't wait that long and bought the hardback. pocket - I couldn't wait either and had the hardback as soon as I saw it in the store. :o

[Rosebud]

I'm reading Colors Insulting to Nature by Cintra Wilson, which is really funny and different. I'm completely enjoying it.

http://tinyurl.com/lw5wc

From Publishers Weekly:
Playwright and Salon columnist Wilson made a name for herself four years ago with her essay collection, A Massive Swelling. In her raucous, hilarious debut novel, she covers similar ground: the ugly side of fame and America's unhealthy obsession with celebrity. The dark Gen-X fairy tale follows the adventures of Liza Normal, a would-be starlet with far more ambition than looks or talent. Saddled with a frightening stage mother, Peppy, Liza—"not a girl ruled by the logic of self-preservation"—endures humiliation after humiliation as she acts in an unintentionally campy family musical, turns punk, dates a drug dealer and a washed-up boy band member, goes to rehab and tries unsuccessfully to make it big in Hollywood. The indefatigable Liza finally triumphs in Las Vegas, creating a stage show based on a character from the softcore slash fiction she's written throughout her travails. Wilson goes out on a limb with her verbal extravagance, and readers may find her post-Eggers postmodern asides to the audience (whom she calls "Young Readerlings") and fancy fonts a bit too-too. But her spirited sendup of celebrity worship is laugh-out-loud funny.

[Amuse Bouche]

I bought A Breath of Snow and Ashes in hardcover, but had put off reading it until I reread the previous 5. Then I went to a Diana Gabaldon reading and got her to sign my copy, so I don't want to read it and mess it up. I'm almost finished rereading The Fiery Cross and now I'm trying to decide if I want to borrow from the library, buy another hardcover used, or wait until August.

[alootikki]

Just finished Baby Brother's Blues, Pearl Cleage's new book. It was a sequel to an earlier novel. While i absolutely her What looks like crazy on an ordinary day and I wish I had a red dress, this book left me feeling a little confused and unresolved....still enjoyable though.

Currently reading nonfiction Elizabeth & Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn. So far, so good....

[bookworm]

MsPeachy, I liked The Mammouth Hunters more as I got into it. I finished it yesterday and took the next one out of the library today. I'll probably hold off until next week b/c I need a little break between those books.

I spent today reading The Lighthouse by P.D. James. I believe someone in this thread recommended the author? Anyway, it was an entertaining detective story and a nice way to pass the afternoon with a cup of tea.

I think next up is The Forsyte Saga by John Glasworthy. Several people have recommended it over the years, and I've just never been inspired to pick it up. But it is now on my coffee table, so maybe this is the time I actually read it.

[linda_loo]

I am 3/4 through Peace Like A River, by Leif Enger - so far, it is amazing. One of my favorites.

I have too many on my to-read pile right now, off the top of my head:
Goodnight Nobody, by Jennifer Weiner
The Confessions of Max Tivoli, by Andrew Sean Greer
Goodbye, Jimmy Choo, by Annie Sanders
Son of a Witch , by Gregory Maguire

[LaughAtlantis]

I'm currently racing through Falling Angels by Tracy Chevalier. I finally got around to reading one of her books recently and found that I love her writing style and the detail she puts into things. Very nice.

I'm also reading Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks. Funny book that can be read in short chunks, a chapter at a time here and there. I tend not to read a lot of non-fiction because it can be very dry, but this is playful and goofy fun.

[LeslieandPaul]

I'm currently reading Priceless by Marne Davis Kellogg. It's the sequel to Brilliant, which is the last book I read. They're okay-not fantastic, but fun, easy reads. Before those I read The Nanny Diaries, which was meh. The end kinda sucked because there were no real conclusions. I hope they do a better job with the movie.
Once I'm done reading Priceless, I'll hopefully have the Magician's Nephew and the Last Battle from the Chronicles of Narnia and I'll have read the entire series.

[nylons73]

I am currently reading Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It's a non-fiction about Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet. Unllike many administrations, when Lincoln was elected President in 1860, he chose for his cabinet, the 4 men who had opposed him for the 1860 Republican Nomination. (Republicans were like today's Democrats back then.)

Some of these men really didn't like Lincoln and were unlikely choices for key positions in his administration. However, Lincoln knew they were all brillant and he valued each of their opinions and intellect. By his death, these men had all come to deeply respect Lincoln, and some had become his dearest friends.

It's a mammoth book, but I have a good start on it, and Goodwin's story telling is truly amazing. You feel like you know these people, even though they lived over 100 years ago!

[tlew12778]

I am currently reading My Invented Country by Isabel Allende. After that I will read Zorro, also by Allende. She is one of my favorite authors hence why I am reading 2 in a row by her.

Previous to that I read Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. It was ok... not like her other books really. I sort of felt like it was a long diatribe against the government of Myanmar. It took me 6 weeks to finish which is probably the longest is has ever taken me to read a book. Normally I fly through books, but I felt like I was reading this for a political novel class.

[Angelfish]

I am currently reading and enjoying Evening Class by Maeve Binchy.

[ginastorm]

keskaI saw that you had read "Size 12 Isn't Fat" by Meg Cabot and I just finished it. I enjoyed it because I didn't have to think too much! I'll be reading the next in the series although I wish that she wouldn't wait until Jan 2007 for the new one!

It is a mystery where the main character used to be a teen pop queen but she was dropped by her record label, she gained weight, and her mom and manager ran off with her money. She takes a job at residence hall for a New York City college. It was a light and fun read.

[ruledbymercury]

I'm almost halfway through Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

Next up is either Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, or Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser. I also want to read A Cook's Tour, another book by Anthony Bourdain.

[Rosebud]

Next up is either Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, or Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser. I also want to read A Cook's Tour, another book by Anthony Bourdain.

I thought Under the Banner of Heaven was very good! Really interesting.

[Alioop12345]

I just finished reading Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark---pretty good, fast read...now I am reading Beach Road by James Patterson, which is also reading very quickly. On my Nightstand, I also have the Doctor's Daughter, Everyman by Phillip Roth, and Body Heat by Carly Phillips

[curlyjr]

I just finished "Memoirs of a Geisha" and I am a bit disappointed. I loved the detail of what a geisha's life is like and reading about the culture was fascinating but I felt that there wasn't much of a plot at times. I guess I expected more drama or something.

[njdiva]

I am reading "Just One Look" by Harlan Coben... has anyone read this before?? It's pretty interesting so far - but it's like reading a movie because I can only imagine what will happen at the end...

[kissmary]

I'm currently reading Book 5 of Stephen King's Dark Tower Series, The Wolves of the Calla.

[Lizzy]

I've been reading Lolita along with a book on time management and a book on natural health.

ruledbymercury - I love Jon Krakauer! His other books are very good too, although very different.

[lawyerlee]

I finally got to The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. My main impression at this point (about halfway through the book) is that Jeannette and her siblings are remarkably resilient people. True survivors. In many ways, her family reminds me of my mom's family, except that my grandmother is super mean to boot. I don't know if this will be addressed in the remainder of the book, but I'm really wondering what kinds of mental problems her parents might have. Obviously her dad is an addict, but it certainly isn't unheard of for addicts to also have mental health issues. They both seem to function at a very low level considering that they seem to be intelligent people.

[nawsgirl]

lawyerlee, I'll be interested to hear what you think when you've finished. The parents didn't really start aggravating me with their selfishness until they left Phoenix.

I am listening to March by Geraldine Brooks. It imagines what the father of the "Little Women" did while he was away, with flashbacks to his past. Some of the flashbacks seem a little indulgent, and March's abolitionist views are in such sharp contrast to many of the people around him (in the Union army) that he seems unbelievable, IMO. It also portrays Marmee as a hot-headed woman who loses her temper too easily and needs to be controlled, which is totally not how I have pictured her.

[Alioop12345]

I just finished reading Beach Road by James Patterson...anyone else read it? I was so pissed with the ending...I found it moronic and felt like the last chapter was written by someone who didn't read the book... it made no sense to me. BOO!

[msnicolea]

I just started The Tender Bar--really liking it so far.

[pocket]

I'm listening to Bag of Bones by Stephen King. I'm loving it so far - he's great!

[keska]

I'm reading Beyond the Pale by Savannah Russe and Shattered Bonds: The Color of Child Welfare by Dorothy Roberts.

[lawyerlee]

I just finished reading The Glass Castle. It truly warmed my heart and gave me hope. I know it probably sounds weird to a lot of you because I get the sense that most people who've read it really didn't enjoy anything about it. Don't get me wrong - I found myself hating their parents. Just hating them and wishing for them to change. But I am so inspired by Jeannette's beautiful writing and the way she captured the kind of enduring loyalty and love that a child can experience for a parent, even a really bad, neglectful or mean parent. And even though I would never wish to have the experiences she and her siblings did, I truly admire the way she, Brian, and Lori never gave up on their dreams of having meaningful, happy lives.

I've got a few different things in my pile right now, and I'm not sure which book I'll pick up next. Maybe something a little lighter? ;)

[bookworm]

I couldn't get into The Forsyte Saga. It's not off the list, just haven't gotten very far.

Last night I started The Plains of Passage. Someone might have warned me there was mammoth porn. I feel dirty.

Last weekend was a re-reading beach weekend... Coming Home (yes, again); The Saving Graces (I don't know why, but this is always a first-beach-weekend-of-the-year book), and Paradise, a nice trashy novel by Judith McNaught. Oh, and something really awful... Remember by Barbara Taylor Bradford. I liked A Woman of Substance, in that classic-70s/80s-trashy genre (a la The Thorn Birds and Scruples), but this was really bad. And I don't generally object to bad, as long as it amuses me.

[Adaya]

Babylon Sisters by Pearl Cleage.

[sophiapb]

Oh. My. God. I FINALLY read this whole thread and have three pages (in tiny print) of book recommendations to prove it. I'm exhausted but have to jump in on some of the books:

Bel Canto-I loved this book. I got it at the "book swap" shelf at my commuting center and would have never read it based on the subject matter except I had nothing to read other than the back label of my water bottle. So glad I picked it up. I loved the characters and thought the writing was beautiful. The relationships between some of the characters were surprising but I think that is totally possible in a hostage situation.

Nanny Diaries-Appreciated this book but found it very frustrating because I was a nanny for 11 years and would have never put up with some of the crap that the main character does. I interviewed with a lot of people like the employer in the book and never accepted the jobs because they were trouble. The main character acted desperate for a job when in fact, a good nanny or babysitter can demand her weight in gold in New York and GET IT so I don't know why she even took the job to begin with. There was an awful lot of truth in that book though. I should flippin' write a book for everything that I've seen during my nanny career too.

The Plains of Passage-Yup, there's mammoth porn. Sorry about the late warning. This is my least favorite of the series because I waited for four years for it to come out and the ending didn't have what I was waiting for. I got that in The Shelters of Stone but had to wait TEN years for that book. Talk about frustrating! Yet, I waited because Jean Auel is an amazing author despite the fact that I can jump over whole pages of her description of making stone tools without missing anything in the story (even the mammoth porn). ;) Truth be told, The Clan of the Cave Bear is still the best of the series but all the other ones are wonderful too.

Okay, ladies, keep the books coming. I've got a fourth page ready for some more tiny printing!

[mili04]

I am listening to March by Geraldine Brooks. It imagines what the father of the "Little Women" did while he was away, with flashbacks to his past. Some of the flashbacks seem a little indulgent, and March's abolitionist views are in such sharp contrast to many of the people around him (in the Union army) that he seems unbelievable, IMO. It also portrays Marmee as a hot-headed woman who loses her temper too easily and needs to be controlled, which is totally not how I have pictured her.

I read March a few months ago, and enjoyed it. It certainly isn't the view I had of the characters from Little Women, but I found it interesting anyway. I can see how you might be disappointed, though.

Right now I am reading The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter. I picked it up at a library book sale and its been sitting on my bookshelf for a few months. I like it so far.

Next on my list is The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency for CC book club and then Circle of Quilters. Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilters novels are my guilty pleasure reads. I've been waiting forever for this one to come in at the library.

[lawyerlee]

I hit Borders today to pick up a few books (including March by Geraldine Brooks) because I just wasn't in the mood for anything in my pile at home. I started reading Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse tonight. I recently read an article about his practices regarding the formulation and writing of opinions while he was on the Supreme Court that included an excerpt from the book, so I decided to give it a shot. :)

[ilovepink]

How to Murder a Millionaire by Nancy Martin

and just finished

Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

REALLY anticipating Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

[ysolde]

Intuition by Allegra Goodman. She and I took a class in college together, and one of the characters in the book is named after the course Teaching Fellow! Love it! :D

[Myra]

JPod by Doulas Coupland. I love him.

[lauren f s]

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

[Adaya]

Right now I am reading The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter. I picked it up at a library book sale and its been sitting on my bookshelf for a few months. I like it so far.



Love that book....it's in my top 20 favorite books!!

[princesse]

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. It is a great book so far.....

[bellaprincess]

I picked up Mirage by Soheir Khashoggi at the airport bookstore the other day during a layover and it was a such a good book I found it hard to put down .

[LaughAtlantis]

I'm reading 'he Chamber' by John Grisham. I used to read John Grisham all the time - whenever a new book came out, I'd be in the book store. But I grew weary of his writing. I haven't read a book by him in easily ten years, but I got this as an extra in a box of stuff I bought off eBay. I thought I would give it a shot.

[nawsgirl]

I've been listening to The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde- really funny so far! Jack Spratt is a detective and head of the Nursery Crime Division in Reading, England. He deals with crimes committed by and against nursery rhyme characters, and the story is about his investigation of Humpty Dumpty's death (of course, he fell off a wall). Police investigations are all written up in true crime magazines, and the goal is to pace the investigation so that it will be a good article and eventually be turned into a made-for-tv movie.

[Rose]

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah for a quick read.

[kris97]

I am in what I call a "pink" book phase. Every book I've taken out from the library in the last several weeks has been pink. You can imagine how (not) heavy the reading is. ;)

The Thin Pink Line -- I thought this would be a fun, pregnancy-centered chick lit book. It was terrible! Stay away, really. Don't be fooled by the cover.

The Washingtonienne -- this is a chick lit book about interns in DC, based on the Washingtonienne blog that was "unmasked" about a year ago. It was pretty bad, but passed the time. Imagine porn with unlikable characters, set in Congressional office buildings.

The Ivy Chronicles -- a Nanny Diaries-inspired book about a consultant who helps Manhattanites get their children into the top pre schools. Overall, I enjoyed it, but the ending was way too pat and contrived.

Clearing the Aisle -- (in the middle of this now) A wedding-focused chick lit book, in teh vein of Something Borrowed, but so far, I'm finding it more intelligent and enjoyable than most other books of this genre. We'll see if it lives up to its promise.

[BumbleB]

I'm reading The Devil Wears Prada for a fun, quick read and then I will be starting Empress by Shan Sa, a historical novel about China's first and only female emperor.

[curlyjr]

Just finished Helter Skelter. Probably the most messed up and chilling thing I have ever read. But damn it was good.

[princesse]

Funny quick summer read......

The Three Martini Playdate.

Hilarious!

[Brandy]

The Three Martini Playdate.

Love this book!

[greengables]

LaughAtlantis, I love Grisham, and like you when I read "King of Torts," I thought he had run out of ideas. I just finished "The Broker" and was thrilled to read a book more like his early ones. I think "The Chamber" is probably one of the best ever, so stick with it. I kept wondering how Grisham would ever make us even care what happened to Sam Cayhall, let alone like him. If "The Chamber" renews your interest in Grisham, I hope you will try "The Broker."

[Brandy]

I'm reading The Full Spectrum edited by David Levithan and Billy Merrell. My friend was a contributing author!

[princesse]

Love this book!


Of course you would!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fenway]

I just finished Must Love Dogs. I kept waiting for it to get good. Unfortunately, it never did.

[mili04]

I've been listening to The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde- really funny so far! Jack Spratt is a detective and head of the Nursery Crime Division in Reading, England. He deals with crimes committed by and against nursery rhyme characters, and the story is about his investigation of Humpty Dumpty's death (of course, he fell off a wall). Police investigations are all written up in true crime magazines, and the goal is to pace the investigation so that it will be a good article and eventually be turned into a made-for-tv movie.

I read The Eyre Affair a few years ago and loved it. Thanks for reminding me to pick up more of Fforde's books.

[ruledbymercury]

Finally finished Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. Just starting Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser.

[lawyerlee]

I recently read Becoming Justice Blackmun by Linda Greenhouse (loved it) and The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan (pretty good). Now I'm reading Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond and The Testament by John Grisham.

[Noniitis]

I am in the middle of 3 books

Conversations with the fat girl by Liz Palmer

Teacher Man by Frank Mc Court

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

I really like all of them for completely different reasons.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

Just finished re-reading "The Switch" by Elmore Leonard (love it). And I'm now listening to the audiobook of "Cell" by Stephen King (and I'm loving it, as well).

[LyLMyssChaos]

I am currently reading:
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory McGuire. It is a rather interesting book. I'm only a couple of chapters in to it (the witch is only about a year old for those of you that have read it.) It definitely is painting a completely different view of the original story.

I'm also reading:
Godless: The church of Liberalism by Ann Coulter. I am guessing not too many here would be interested in this book, but I am liking it well enough.

[pocket]

I just picked up three books for my vacation – The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, Neverwhere by Nick Gaiman, and Breakup Babe by Rebecca Agiewich

[Smillow]

I just finished Anyone Out there? by Marian Keyes. I really liked Part One, it was very well done I thought. Part Two & Three were good, but didn't live up the the promise of Part One, in my opinion.

[lawyerlee]

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on this one. It was different than I expected.

[kugrrly]

I am looking for some fun summer by the pool reads. Anyone have any suggestions?

[lawyerlee]

I am looking for some for some fun summer by the pool reads. Anyone have any suggestions?
What genres do you like?

[kugrrly]

Well I have read all of the usual summer reads... shopaholic marian keyes some jane green.

I am just looking something with a little substance but not something too heavy. KWIM?

[Alioop12345]

Just finished reading Hitched by Carol Higgins Clark... really bad....stupid plot....I'm really bummed, the last few books I've read have been a waste of time...Up next is The Girl from Botany Bay, I forget the author but it was highly recommended by a friend who is a librairian.

[chefker]

Currently reading Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon. It's good, but I enjoyed Outlander better.

Next up will be My Life in France, a Julia Child memoir. Her nephew wrote it based on conversations he had with her, and various correspondence the two exchanged through the years.

[keska]

I'm reading The Royal Treatment by Mary Janice Davidson and The Case Against Wal-Mart by Al Norman.

[lawyerlee]

Well I have read all of the usual summer reads... shopaholic marian keyes some jane green.

I am just looking something with a little substance but not something too heavy. KWIM?
I do! Those are hard to find, aren't they. :)

For nonfiction: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

For novels: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

And maybe this NPR article will have something that sparks your interest. :)

Summer Pages for the Mind, Heart and Tastebuds (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5454652#email)

These titles are on my "to be read" list, but I haven't read them yet. They might be something you'd be interested in too!

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Rumspringa: To Be or Not to Be Amish by Tom Schactman
Everyman by Philip Roth
The Poe Shadow by Matthew Pearl
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

[linda_loo]

I finished Peace Like A River (Leif Enger) last week, and I LOVED it (which is saying a lot about the writing, because it has many Christian references that I normally stay away from).

Finished Goodbye Jimmy Choo (Annie Sanders) last night. It was a little guilty-pleasure chick-litish, but the plot was a little too predictable and convenient.

I started Behind the Scenes at the Museum : A Novel last night.

[Baxter78]

I usually lurk in this thread...I have a huge list of books I working on reading based on recommendations from here!

I am a bit obsessed with John Irving right now, and I am in the middle of The Cider House Rules.

[MaineBelle]

I am looking for some fun summer by the pool reads. Anyone have any suggestions?


For fun summer pool reads, I recommend the Stephanie Plum series (http://www.evanovich.com/novels.html )by Janet Evanovich. They definitely are not of any substance, but they are fast and they are fun and I think they are a little different from the usual chick lit. I know they have been mentioned in this thread before.

[tlew12778]

I just finished The Nanny Diaries which made me laught at times. It made me remember why I moved away from NY and why I never want to go back. There are just too many people like that there.

I also finished Zorro by Isabel Allende which I loved. It's probably the closest to House of the Spirits out of all her works. I am reading (and have been since I last posted here) My Invented Country but it's non-fiction, autobiographical so it's sort of slow... you have to have read all her other works (or at least a good part of them) to appreciate the book though.

[megs7384]

I've just started reading Wicked. I know the CC book club read this a while back. I have been wanting to read it for a long time but being in college didn't really lend itself to pleasure reading. So I finally graduated and this week I borrowed the book from the library. It is pretty dense and detailed but is very interesting so far.

[Lizzy]

tlew - I just started reading My Invented Country also. I have not yet read any of her other works. Maybe I should pick one up before I continue.

[tlew12778]

Lizzy - If you haven't read any of her other works, read The House of Spirits. It's her first and probably best novel (I've read all of them except Paula, which I tried to read in Italian and gave up, and Aphrodite which is a cookbook with a story). She references A LOT of her characters in her other works in My Invented Country so I think it is harder to appreciate without having read the books in which those characters appear.

[pocket]

I just picked up three books for my vacation – The Plot Against America by Philip Roth, Neverwhere by Nick Gaiman, and Breakup Babe by Rebecca Agiewich

The Plot Against America - a terrific premise but a real snoozer - give it a miss.

Breakup Babe by Rebecca Agiewich - I thought I would like this because it has a blog component. But while it was really well-written, it had no plot. Boo.

Neverwhere by Nick Gaiman - a cool book, the best of the three, but still not that great.

Now I am reading Innocence by Kathleen Tessaro - I hope it's good. I'm kind of in some bad book karma.

Some dreams never die.

It's 1986 and eighteen-year-old Evie dreams of being an actress. Leaving her hometown of Eden, Ohio, for the first time, she's heading to London to study drama. Together with fellow students Imogene (a born-again Laura Ashley poster child and frustrated virgin) and Robbie (a native New Yorker, budding bohemian, and very much not a virgin), Evie's flung into a thrilling new world -- a world illuminated by the glamorous, outrageous Robbie. Together, anything's possible.

But then life, and love, intervene.

And everything changes.

Fifteen years later, Evie's a single mother teaching drama to night students and living with the eccentric Bunny in her house of artistic renters. Robbie's gone now, killed in a car accident. And Evie's doing her best to forget the past, as well as the dreams they once both shared.

Then an old friendship comes back to haunt Evie.

Literally.

And suddenly everything is about to change again.

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

Finished the audiobook of "Cell" by Stephen King. It was excellent.

I'm not reading anything right now, but I did start a new audiobook, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582344167/ref=sr_11_1/102-7320786-6006562?%5Fencoding=UTF8).

It's loooong (32 hours!) but so far I'm finding it very entertaining.

[am_81]

Since the last time I've posted, I've finished . . .

-- Naked by David Sedaris -- Awesome, I love that man!

and read . . .

-- In The Drink by Kate Christiansen -- Barely remembered it, quick chicklit read

-- One-Hit Wonder by Lisa Jewell -- See above

-- The Beach by Alex Garland -- Much, much, much better than the movie; DiCaprio was definitely not the right actor to play the main character. And this book definitely renewed my desire to travel to some more "exotic" locales.

-- Gathering Lies by Meg O'Brien -- Mediocre mystery my mom gave me for Xmas

-- The Killing Game by Iris Johnasen -- Ditto above

-- Primary Colors by Anonymous -- The "candidate" was so very obvious, and the idea that it was an insiders view of the campaign trail was very believable.

[mili04]

I just finished Labyrinth by Kate Mosse. It was a good idea for a story, but overall, just a so-so book.

I'm about to start Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

[KrissyCat7]

Reading Shopaholic Ties the Knot. I love it!

[lauren f s]

The Other Bolyen Girl by Phillipa Gregory

[pocket]

Bad Book Karma continues...

Innocence by Kathleen Tessaro was not very good.

Also picked up The Coffee Trader by David Liss and that was a real snoozer too. And I love both coffee and Jews, so you would think it would be good.

[ysolde]

And I love both coffee and Jews, so you would think it would be good.

LOL!!!

[udsweetpea]

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella.... so far so good for a light summer read.

Also got done reading Slightly Engaged by Wendy Markham. Cute book!

[kris97]

Some more books I finished recently:

The Pact, by Jodi Picoult: I'm a fan of her books, and really enjoyed this one, though I must admit I was a little disappointed that there was no OH MY GOD! suprrise ending. I think reading My Sister's Keeper and Plain Truth (whcih both had jaw dropping endings) as my first Picoult books has spoiled me.

Clearing the Aisle -- A chick lit book about wedding planning, this one was better than most, and I enjoyed it.

I Capture the Castle -- I loved this!! Such a lovely little book. I'm so ahppy that CC members recommended it. :)

Up next: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime; I Am Charlotte Simmons; and Goodnight Nobody.

[ee_chick]

This month I read

The Life of Pi - I really enjoyed this book, but it is a bit strange

prep - good, though full of teenage angst. I finished it in two sittings - highly enjoyable.

Intuition - it follows the story of a research lab and their possibly too-good-to-be-true cancer drugs. It was just okay.

My Life in France - this was an enjoyable audiobook about Julia Childs time in France, and how she fell in love with French food and cooking.

[looch]

I finished Freakonomics, loved it. My boss is now reading it (in German) so we will compare notes when he comes back from vacation.

I also finished Pledged by Alexandra Robbins. What an eyeopener, I couldn't put it down.

Next on the docket is A History of the Wife, I forget the author.

[chefker]

Well, I've abandoned Diana Gabaldon's Dragonfly in Amber, and picked up the next in the series, Voyager. I just couldn't get through Dragonfly--got maybe 3/4 of the way through and got bored. Maybe I'll go back and finish it another time. It's very rare I don't finish a book I start reading, so I wonder if anyone else found this book boring?

Also began reading Julia Child's memoir, My Life in France. So far I'm really enjoying it....it's so very warm and personable; even though it's written by Julia's nephew, you can almost hear her 'voice' on the pages. Really a delightful read so far...and the food descriptions, of course, are bar none. :)

[Noniitis]

I just finished reading 52 fights by Jennifer Jeanne Patterson. I loved it! Its about her first year of marriage and some of it hit so close to home.

[lawyergirl25]

I just finished The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and am almost done with Freakonomics. After that, I'm moving on to The Red Tent and Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Office.

[SeptSapphire]

I just finished Margaret Atwood's the Handmaid's Tale...oh it was so good. Really, extremely thought-provoking.

*shiver*

[KNK81]

I just started Memoirs of a Geisha. I loved the movie (and remembered to watch the movie first since movies are rarely as good as the book), so I'm hoping I'll like the book as well.

Before that I was reading The Starter Wife by Gigi Grazer. I really enjoyed the story and the characters (though the Britney Spears connection was just too silly).

[redhead11381]

right now I'm trying to get through the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. it's really good so far!

[elladee]

I recently read Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Wiener. I really did enjoy it, but I think because I have a 5 month old DD. Otherwise I'm not sure I would have liked it so much.

Now I'm reading City of Light by Lauren Belifer, a historical fiction book set in Buffalo and Niagara Falls during the very early 1900's when the hydroelectric power station was being built. The story is ok, but it full of local history. That I find facinating.

[lawyerlee]

I'm reading The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue. It's really good so far. I'm about 1/3 of the way in. :)

[ilovepink]

Finished Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich last week. SO funny.

[Rosebud]

I've given up (at least for now) on Life of Pi and have started reading The Dante Club.

[SpanishRose]

I'm reading "The Devil Wears Prada"

[Rose]

I just finished The Girls by Lori Lansen. It's a novel about conjoined twins. It was *so* good.

[Brandy]

This week I've finished: The Truth About Diamonds by Nicole Richie (cute and funny, not the best read ever though), Swapping Lives by Jane Green (LOVED it!) The Au Pairs by Melissa de la Cruz (so cute! I feel so bad sneaking aroudn the Young Adult section of the library though!) and I'm halfway through A Dialogue of Love by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, but I fall asleep every time I pick it up!

[kugrrly]

I am reading Kitchen Cofidential. I noticed it was a popular read on here. At home I have several other books that I picked up at the library that have been recomindations on this thread.

Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!! :)

[Rose]

Swapping Lives by Jane Green (LOVED it!)

I just read read that one too. I liked it a lot. It wasn't my favorite of hers but it was very fun.

[eli1126]

Between, Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson

So far, so good, I'm about halfway through.

Beth

[littlemia]

I just finished The Girls by Lori Lansen. It's a novel about conjoined twins. It was *so* good.

I'm a librarian and I just added this book to our collection. It came with a bunch of free books from our local paper. I usually don't add a lot of non-classic fiction due to space constraints (it's a college library) but this one looked really good. I'll have to check it out when it comes back from cataloging.


I've never posted in here but I've been lurking. I read a lot of stupid mystery/suspense novels so there's not much to talk about since they're all so predictable. But now I'm reading The Devil in the White City. It's good but I've been so tired lately that I'm only reading a little bit every night.

[bellaprincess]

I currently reading The Testament by John Grisham.
It is pretty good so far!

[bookworm]

I read a bunch this weekend...mostly re-reads, I think, and an unusually high number of cold-war era spy novels (they were on the shelf at the beach house; I go with what's convenient!).

The Charm School, Nelson DeMille
The Man from St. Petersburg, Ken Follet
Sweet Liar, Jude Deveraux (not a spy novel, just utter trash, but fun)
First Among Equals, Jeffrey Archer
Lie Down with Lions, Ken Follet
The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult

I think the last was the only new one. I didn't want to read it because I had hated My Sister's Keeper, but this was a decent read (at least she wrote a real ending this time).

I think now I'll go back to Outlander, because I am determined to make it through the series this time.

[mgrace]

There's No Toilet Paper on the Road Less Traveled: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure (Travelers' Tales)

[schmeevee]

currently trying to get through DEVIL WEARS PRADA. I tried it last week but couldn't get into it after 100 pages. Put it down and tried THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER. Couldn't get past 100 pages either. So now I'm back to DEVIL WEARS PRADA. It's getting better, but not like "can't put it down" interesting. I want to read it before watching the movie.

Before that, I read KITE RUNNER. Brilliant. LOVED it.

[endymion411]

i'm reading mole people by jennifer toth

[lawyerlee]

My thoughts on my last two books:

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue
Simply fantastic. I love it when an author can be this creative and fresh without taking the fantasy element too far. This story is grounded in reality. I connected with the two main characters so easily and felt deep empathy toward both of them for their circumstances. I highly recommend it.

The Testament by John Grisham
It was okay. I felt like I had to push myself to keep going toward the middle, but it picked up a lot after that. I enjoyed the story, but I wouldn't recommend it with much enthusiasm.


Currently reading:
- March by Geraldine Brooks
- Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

[littlemia]

Currently reading:
- March by Geraldine Brooks
- Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond

What do you think about Collapse? I have it (got it for free) but haven't opened it yet. It took me forever to read Guns, Germs, and Steel because I just kept falling asleep. I thought the subject matter was interesting but he just kept going on and on and on.

[JamBray]

I just finished One for the Money, and am currently on Two for the Dough, both by Janet Evanovich.

[lawyerlee]

What do you think about Collapse? I have it (got it for free) but haven't opened it yet. It took me forever to read Guns, Germs, and Steel because I just kept falling asleep. I thought the subject matter was interesting but he just kept going on and on and on.
It's good, but it is taking me forever to read it! I've read about three novels since I started it, but I'm trying to keep plugging away at it. :)

[schmeevee]

devil wears prada is DONE (finally). we're going to watch the movie, hopefully this weekend. By the way - 2 out of 5 stars. just could not get into it, i was only slightly (if that) amused. i put it down the first time i read it. then after picking it up again, i forced myself throught it because I was more than 1/2 way done and i really wanted to read it before watching the movie.

now i'm reading MANGO SHAPED SPACE. i found it in the young-adult section (on sale at borders - 4 for 3!), but the plot intrigued me. it's basically a story about a girl who has some sort of condition that allows her to give color to everything - even numbers, letters, sounds, and people's names. The whole mental condition thing has intrigued me since reading "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime"

INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOOK FROM AMAZON.COM (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316058254/sr=8-1/qid=1152292319/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-9507696-8458405?ie=UTF8)

[tgr68]

I'm currently reading Godless by Pete Hautman (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0689862784/sr=8-4/qid=1152309612/ref=pd_bbs_4/002-8153556-0177602?ie=UTF8). While I'm glad I can say that I've read it (award winning teen novel), I probably won't pick it up again. It definately makes you think, but I found it to be rather blah.

[Little Angel '77]

JUST FINISHED
Good In Bed. Loved it :) Cute ending.

Might pick up the newest nicholas sparks book, but the next time I will be at the beach is August so it maybe awhile before we get there.

[schmeevee]

finished MANGO-SHAPED SPACE. excellent book, mostly because i was fascinated by this condition that i didn't even know i existed. 4.5 stars out of 5. would've given it a 5, but i wasn't entranced by the writing style as i was with the fascination with synthesesia.

next will be:

SISTER OF MY HEART (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038548951X/sr=8-1/qid=1152387832/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3379598-4328664?ie=UTF8) by chitra banerjee divakaruni


plan on starting it sometime today or tomorrow.

[Belm]

I just finished reading Jamaica Me Dead and Bahamarama by Bob Morris.

They both have the same central characters and the novels take place in Florida and the Islands. They are easy and funny reads - perfect for the beach.

[bevvied]

Just finished Tempest Rising by Diane McKinney-Whetstone

now I'm reading Eric Jerome Dickey's new book Chasing Destiny

[schmeevee]

if you liked the KITE RUNNER... i think you'd also like...

SISTER OF MY HEART.

i just finished reading it. OMG. beautiful. simply beautiful. i want to - need to - read the book again.

basically, it's a story about two young girls, cousins, who are raised together and share a fierce loyalty for each other - even when they are in different continents. the book started out good and with each delicious page, it got better and better. which is why i have to read the book again. awesome. just awesome. i think i may have liked it even beter than the kite runner! a new favorite!! :)

not sure what i'll be reading next. i'm still in awe from this one. haha

[bookworm]

Schmeeve, Sister of My Heart is one of my all-time favorites. Such a lovely book. You might also enjoy Mistress of Spices, by the same author. It's a very different book, but very lyrical.

[schmeevee]

Schmeeve, Sister of My Heart is one of my all-time favorites. Such a lovely book. You might also enjoy Mistress of Spices, by the same author. It's a very different book, but very lyrical.


I LOVED IT. I'm still thinking about it!! *sigh* I tried to explain it to DH but I was too excited about it and couldn't keep my thoughts straight. LOL.

anyway, since I've been hit by the baby bug, i've decided i'm going to read a chick lit novel next - called Baby Proof (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312348649/sr=8-1/qid=1152497794/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3379598-4328664?ie=UTF8) - a story about a couple who go into marriage thinking that neither wants to have a baby. then one of them changes their mind....

tun-tun-tuuuuun! should be interesting. :)

[LittleFredPunkinHead]

Just finished "Gone" by Jonathan Kellerman. It was entertaining enough, but like most series detective stories, I find myself rolling my eyes at some of the cliches and trite behavior.

I'm in the middle of a few books right now. Two paper, two audio.
The paper books are "Unknown Man #89" by Elmore Leonard and "Diary" by Chuck Palahniuk.
The Elmore Leonard isn't one of his best, but it's still an Elmore Leonard and therefore, great reading.
"Diary" is good but depressing. Which is why I'm switching it off with the Leonard.

The audiobooks are "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell" by Susanna Clarke and "Odd Thomas" by Dean Koontz.
"Jonathan Strange..." is great- I've heard it described as a Harry Potter crossed with a comedy of manners- but at 32 hours long (800 pages hardcover) I find I have to break it up. Hence "Odd Thomas." "Odd Thomas" is no masterpiece (at least, not that I can tell so far) but it's easy and entertaining.

[Alioop12345]

Just finished Coming Out by Danielle Steele- Not sure why I bothered to read it as I find her books boring and "cookbook" style. It was a fast read but very predictable

[alootikki]

Schmeeve - there is actually a sequel to Sister of My Heart - but don't read it! Seriously. It is awful, awful, awful. I hated what she did to the characters, and how they acted. It's called Vine of Desire - I tell you this so that you can AVOID it ;)

I just read A Wedding in December by Anita Shreve - did not like this at all, especially with the second novel-in-a-novel storyline.

[Lizzy]

I recently finished Of Love and Shadows (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553273604/sr=8-1/qid=1152545730/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-8816276-3859125?ie=UTF8). I can't say that it was incredible, but I enjoyed it well enough. Now I've started The Lord God Made Them All (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312966202/qid=1152545813/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-8816276-3859125?s=books&v=glance&n=283155), the fourth book in James Herriot's series. It's an enjoyable read but not as good as his first two books.

[schmeevee]

Schmeeve - there is actually a sequel to Sister of My Heart - but don't read it! Seriously. It is awful, awful, awful. I hated what she did to the characters, and how they acted. It's called Vine of Desire - I tell you this so that you can AVOID it ;)

thanks for the tip! i read some it's reviews and found that there were more negatives than positives and was actually wondering if i should read the sequel or not.

that happened to me with something borrowed and it's sequel something blue (EMILY GRIFFIN) LOVED something borrowed, but was annoyed with something blue.

[schmeevee]

finished BABY PROOF (emily griffin) last night. 4 out of 5 stars. it was pretty good chick lit. gives new meaning to "you don't know what you have until you lose it". it's not great, but i wasn't trudging through it. :)

now i'm reading THE GOOD EARTH (pearl s. buck)

[laura]

I'm reading Our Underachieving Colleges: A Candid Look at How Much Students Learn and Why They Should Be Learning More by Derek Bok for work - riveting! :p

[ginastorm]

I read something blue and I'm now reading something borrowed (I know, out of order)! I loved something blue and I tried to readbabyproof, but I couldn't get into it. I liked something blue because I was interested in finding out about a character that I didn't like.

[keska]

I'm reading Laurell K. Hamilton's Obsidian Butterly. It's the 9th book in her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. Interestingly, I was buying the next book today and saw that she's doing a book signing at the Border's in Union Square tonight.

[schmeevee]

I read something blue and I'm now reading something borrowed (I know, out of order)! I loved something blue and I tried to readbabyproof, but I couldn't get into it. I liked something blue because I was interested in finding out about a character that I didn't like.

how did you like something blue? i know exactly what you mean about wanting to find out about a character you didn't like. i almost put down that book because i was sooo annoyed with her. hahah. baby proof was ok, really, it's like a 3.5 than a 4. i'm still trying to figure out my rating system. LOL.

[ginastorm]

I enjoyed something blue, although I tend to like books that have happy endings with all the loose ends tied up. I was interested in Darcy because she was one of those "perfect" women that never had a bad hair day, always had a boyfriend, pretty, etc. I was interested in reading about what it might be like to be someone like her, although I hope that I am nothing like her! Well, it would be nice to have her wardrobe!

[schmeevee]

I just finished reading THE GOOD EARTH. I was reading it while waiting in the juror room for jury duty and there was a part that I had to look away from the book because I started tearing up! i didn't want to start crying in front of everyone. LOL. glad i re-read the book. I think I may have caught a typo tho, I tried looking up the word, but it didn't come out. hah! anyway, i was not accustomed to the language, (she used "hither and thither" alot) and had to re-read a few parts. Overall, 4/5 stars.

Interpreter of Maladies (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039592720X/sr=8-1/qid=1152768140/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-0764539-8404913?ie=UTF8) is next on my list!

[Maggie8202]

I just finished reading The Wedding ( 5 stars) by James Paterson and The Next Best Thing (4 1/2 stars) by Johanna Edwards. I really enjoyed both of them even though they were completely different. I am going to be reading some from Meg Cabot. I have loved her books in the past (easy reads), Queen of Babble and Size 12 is Not Fat.

[schmeevee]

just finished INTERPRETER OF MALADIES. LOVE Lahiri's writing style altho I think I discovered that I'm not a big short stories kind of gal. i found myself trying to make all of the stories make sense together. hahah. 4 out of 5 stars.

Next, I will read.... GOOD IN BED. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743418174/sr=8-1/qid=1152851415/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3379598-4328664?ie=UTF8) by Jennifer Weiner :)

[mili04]

I recently finished Can You Keep a Secret? by Sophie Kinsella. I finally decided to give her books a try this year and I'm really enjoying them. I think they may be my new book candy.

I am currently reading Tara Road by Maeve Binchy. It was my vacation read and I'm almost done. It's good so far.

Next up is Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich. I'm so excited to finally read it!

[schmeevee]

I am currently reading Tara Road by Maeve Binchy. It was my vacation read and I'm almost done. It's good so far.


i remember reading Tara Road a couple years back. Don't remember *what* I read, but I remember LOVING IT. I tried Maeve Binchy's other books, but was disappointed because it wasn't anything like I experienced with Tara Road :)

[Rosebud]

just finished INTERPRETER OF MALADIES. LOVE Lahiri's writing style altho I think I discovered that I'm not a big short stories kind of gal. i found myself trying to make all of the stories make sense together. hahah. 4 out of 5 stars.

I loved, loved, loved Interpreter of Maladies. Isn't Lahiri's writing style amazing? I hadn't read many short stories since college, but this collection really drew me in. This book is one of my favorite reads of the last several years and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I'm currently reading Gatherings (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0671703153&itm=1) by Marina Rust (the Vogue columnist and Marshall Field heiress). She's a distant relative of my DH, so I was curious. The novel is quite autobiographical in parts.

[lonestardawn]

I just finished "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss. I loved it - a wonderful story that I really recommend. My book candy is usually mystery books and right now I am working my way through Sue Grafton's Alphabet Series. I am on "M is for Malice" and I think it is going to be one of the best in the series. "S" is out right now so I am trying to catch up before "T" comes out.

[princesse]

I just finished My Sister's Keeper and it is one of the best books I have ever read.

[schmeevee]

I finished GOOD IN BED last night. 4/5 stars. Good, light, fun read.

I'm debating between TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE & MIDDLESEX next..... hmmmm

[jessied1025]

I finished THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion. It was a great book and really got you thinking about how a person's life changes after they lose someone.

My next book will be MARLEY & ME (can't remember the author's name). Ordered it last week and should be here sometime this week...I can't wait to start it!!

[EmilyZA]

I just finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith-- it seems that everyone had to read that in high school except for me. Loved it.

I just started Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin.

[Rosebud]

I just finished "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss. I loved it - a wonderful story that I really recommend.

This is coming up on my book club's list pretty soon and I'm really excited to read it. I've heard nothing but good things. It's good to read another endorsement!

[Baxter78]

I am in the middle of Trying to Save Piggy Sneed by John Irving. It is a collection of short works. I have a one track mind lately; I discovered John Irving about a year ago and fell in love with his books!! I am trying to read everything he wrote.

[lawyerlee]

I recently finished reading March by Geraldine Brooks. It was very good. Now I'm reading The Other Boleyn Sister by Philippa Gregory.

[mili04]

I just finished A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith-- it seems that everyone had to read that in high school except for me. Loved it.

ITA with all of this, except I finally read it 2 months ago.

[kris97]

I recently finished I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolfe. Bonfire of the Vanities is one of my favorite books, all-time, and I was really excited to see Wolfe's take on college life, particularly since I went to a school similar to the one featured in the book. For the most part, I enjoyed it, though I think he got some aspects of college life completely wrong (I must have missed the complete hedonism and debauchery all students are apparently engaged in; and, even if there is a lot of sex and drinking, the majority of students at a top 10 college ARE going to do some schoolwork). I kept sensing the old-man-Tom-Wolfe-aghast-what-goes-on-at-his-children's-college in his portrayal of the characters, rather than actual, realistic college students.

Now I'm reading Everybody Worth KNowing by Lauren Weisberger (author of the Devil Wears Prada). Complete fluff, but reasonably fun.

Next up is Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfield (I loved her first book Prep, and wanted to read this despite the luke warm reviews)

[kris97]

Oh, wanted to comment: I love so many of the books that people have been enjoying, particularly: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn; Interpreter of Maladies; Sister of My Heart; and Good In Bed.

To the prior poster: Read Middlesex!! Another AWESOME book.

[schmeevee]

Oh, wanted to comment: I love so many of the books that people have been enjoying, particularly: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn; Interpreter of Maladies; Sister of My Heart; and Good In Bed.

To the prior poster: Read Middlesex!! Another AWESOME book.


hehe, i just started time traveler's wife (1/3 way done) will start middlesex next ;)

[keska]

I enjoyed Interpreter of Maladies too. I'm currently reading Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K. Hamilton. I don't know how much more of this series I'll be able to take. There were no sex scenes in the first few books, then some romance development, and suddenly the series shifted into basically erotica held together by a little plot. Not my style. Apparently, a lot of her fans are upset by this change in style.

[schmeevee]

just finished reading TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. Before reading it, I had my hesitations because of the whole science-fantasy/time travel thing. So needless to say, my feelings for the book were accurate - I have to say, because I I didn't like it as much as many others did. I guess that's why I have never read/seen Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter. hehe To each his/her own, right? Anyway, for me, this book gets 3/5 stars.


Next, I will start with Middlesex (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312422156/sr=8-1/qid=1153340189/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3379598-4328664?ie=UTF8)