topic Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016 in Book Club

What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

sunala — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 04:03:49 GMT

Happy August to all my reading friends. We're in the dog days of summer, and we continue to relax and spend more time reading new and wonderful books.

Here are some of the suggestions that have been requested...

Underline, "bold" or CAPITALIZE the name of the book you're reading - it makes it easier for us readers to see what it is.

Include the author of the book - first and last name. There are so many books with the same title (if you are recommending a book, we want to make sure we read the right one!)

Post a few words about the book - would you recommend it or not, and why. No need to post the cover.

Tell us the book genre - is it fiction, a mystery, romance, historical fiction, biography, memoir, or any other type of book.

Of course, there is no obligation to do any of the above, but it makes life easier for all of us.

If you have any suggestions, please let me know, as we’re always open to new ideas!

Have a great month, and enjoy!

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

Alter Ego — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 04:37:55 GMT

Hmm - I was going to respond on the July thread as, technically, it's still July where I am, but saw August was already up.

I had previously commented that I was reading The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, and I ended up being disappointed in the final 1/3 of the book. I personally felt that the author just didn't know how to finish it creatively, so defaulted to what she did.

I literally just finished Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty. I think the Amazon reviews are fair. I kind of just didn't care about the story - you don't find out WHAT happened at the BBQ until ~57% into it. And, I was dragging myself along with the story - possibly skimming some things. Was getting tired of the teasing. The people aren't horrible - I liked many of the characters. I just didn't care ABOUT them. But, then again, I do like thrillers, so may just not be the genre for me. Sometimes, I also wonder if I would like a book better if I didn't any reviews?

My next book is nothing worth talking about - Cat Training in 10 Minutes. LOL!! My cat is far too smart and active and hopefully, this will help him (and me!)

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

Imadickens — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 04:56:17 GMT

A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY by John Irving. It's a real creepy book and a lady in our book club suggested it. I loved Cider House Rules but not this one!

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

abbalulu — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 08:10:15 GMT

I just finished The Little Shop of Happy Ever After by Jenny Colgan. It's about a young woman in England who loses her job with the library due to cutbacks. She buys a van, moves to Scotland and opens a mobile bookstore. She also finds romance along the way. It was a very sweet book about someone who loves books and reading.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

joannecha — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 11:22:32 GMT

Just got Daniel Silva's, "The Black Widow" from my library. He writes political intrigue. Has series/non-series, with his series on Israeli spy, Gabriel Alllon as the main character. Have read all of his books, and can't wait to have time to dive into this one. I'm getting my chores done early so that I can finallly sit down & dive into this one with NO interruptions. I have been weeding through my own stash of books & hope to weed out what I never shoud have bought at book sales. Am also re-reading JD Robb's "In Death" series that I own. Am donating the ones to my public library that they don't own & just donating the remainder.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

Judaline — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 12:33:58 GMT

@abbalulu Sounds like, Big Stone Gap goes to England. haha Just kidding. I loved that one and just saw the movie. The reviews weren't good but I loved it.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

Judaline — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 12:40:12 GMT

lori, did you read dawg lover's post on your holocaust thread? It right now is the newest post.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

beckyb1012 — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 13:15:57 GMT

David Dyer, The Midnight Watch. Wonderful book focused on the true story of the ship closest to the Titanic during the night but did not go to her aid.

Not as good as her other works. Still reading after a couple of days instead of being finished in a few hours.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

Dusty1 — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 13:26:56 GMT

I just finished Blood Cross by Faith Hunter. It's skinwalkers & vampires & I love this series. This is the 2nd book by a new author, to me. It's smart & about a strong woman.

Then I went to library (I don't like to read my hoarded books if I can find something at the library-in case one year I can not get to the library & I have to depend on what I have at home.) & I was afraid that I was broken. I could not find any book that spoke to me.

So I went to another library & I just wasn't feeling anything. I was sort of upset. So I saw a Nora Roberts book & it reminded me of the Guardian Trilogy & I checked to see if Bay Of Sighs (Book 2) was available. It wasn't so I picked up the book on the New Fiction shelf, Obsession. I was not totally excited, but it was something to read.

It is a really good book. I have been staying up very late reading every night. Again, a strong female character that I really care about. A story that is not totally predictable. A little romance.

I'm sorry. I'm not good about telling why I like a book. I just like it or I don't.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

fluffie — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 15:19:43 GMT

I agree about Alter Ego's comment on The Woman in Cabin 10. Total disappointment. I really think the author simply lost control of her own story and had no idea how to end it in a satisfactory way.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

smoky22 — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 15:46:45 GMT

@fluffie and @Alter Ego I'm glad I read your reviews on The Woman in Cabin 10. I'm going to cancel my hold on it. I gave up on her last book (In a Dark, Dark Wood) so it doesn't sound like I would care for this one. Thanks to you both!

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

smoky22 — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 18:08:45 GMT

I'm reading Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye. It's 1845 in a gritty, underworld New York (with too many unwanted Irish arriving every day because of the potato famine). The main character, Timothy Wilde, has just become a reluctant policeman. I can't say enough about this author. Her language is beautiful and brilliant and the historical research of the period seems impeccable. This is the first in a trilogy and I'm quite sure I'll be reading all of them.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

CANDLEQUEEN — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 17:28:13 GMT

Just Started THE PERFECT STRANGER by Wendy Corsi Staub.I love her books and this one so far seems to be really good, it grabs you from the very beginning!

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

LoriLori — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 18:06:40 GMT

@Judaline wrote:
lori, did you read dawg lover's post on your holocaust thread? It right now is the newest post.

Thanks, @Judaline! And thanks @dawglover! I had not seen it.

I haven't read anything in weeks and just broke my rule of no buying new books if there's no room on the TBR shelf. But I take note. Sometime those spots will become available and I take note!

Right now I'm reading I Hate to Leave This Beautiful Place by Howard Norman. Autobiographical nonfiction stories by one of my favorite fiction writers.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

catmama — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 19:44:19 GMT

I so enjoy this Daniel Silva series too. In fact when I get the latest book, I have to remind myself to slow down and savour it.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

ChynnaBlue — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 21:02:04 GMT

I'm reading You're Never Weird on the Internet, by Felicia Day. I got the audio book because she reads it herself and I really like her.

I'm also reading Isle of the Lost, by Melissa de la Cruz. It's a fun YA novel about the kids of the Disney Villains after the villains have been exiled to the Isle of the Lost. The Disney Channel did a movie musical called Descendants last year and this is set in a time right before the movie. It's run and a quick read.

I just finished Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts Faith and Threatens America, by Randall Balmer. Balmer is an Evangelical Christian and this is not a book bashing Christianity or religion. This book is about how the far right uses religion for political gain and the mythology they've created to do so. I learned a lot and really enjoyed this one.

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

sunala — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 04:25:33 GMT

Today I finished a book I started yesterday. The title is My Mrs. Brown, by William Norwich. I gave it five stars because that was the most Goodreads would let me give! If there were ten stars, I would have given it all of them.

This is a jewel of a book, short and sweet. Mrs. Brown is a widow living in Asheville, Rhode Island. She's a quiet, plain woman who works in a beauty shop, cleaning up after the beauticians, making coffee, and doing errands. She has one good friend who lives in Mrs. Brown's rental apartment, right next door to hers. She is visiting her family in Vancouver, and her granddaughter is staying there until she returns.

Their friendship blossoms, the young and the old. I don't want to say much more about the book because I'll give too much away. I always do that! But trust me, I think you're going to love this one.

I also read a five-star book, The Forever Bridge, by T. Greenwood. I loved it with all my heart. T. Greenwood is one of my favorite authors, and there are still several I haven't read. I highly recommend both books.

Enjoy!

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

Judaline — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 20:43:55 GMT

I just read The Passenger. Never would I have picked up this book if it hadn't been for the raves. OK, this is me. I'm raving. Loved it and it's not even my type of book.Lisa Lutz.

Also finished One Thousand White Women, which was very good. I looked for more from Little Wolf. He was just too aloof. Indians have always intrigued me so 'I learn much.'

My Laura Levine is finally in so YEA!!!!!! The icing on the cake. The new Stephanie Plum will arrive just in time for Thanksgiving. Turbo 23. It's been a long wait. I'm going in my room for 2 days and don't anybody even think about disturbing me. (right).

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

sunala — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 13:55:43 GMT

@Judaline wrote:
I just read The Passenger. Never would I have picked up this book if it hadn't been for the raves. OK, this is me. I'm raving. Loved it and it's not even my type of book.Lisa Lutz.

Also finished Ten Thousand White Women, which was very good. I looked for more from Little Wolf. He was just too aloof. Indians have always intrigued me so 'I learn much.'

My Laura Levine is finally in so YEA!!!!!! The icing on the cake. The new Stephanie Plum will arrive just in time for Thanksgiving. Turbo 23. It's been a long wait. I'm going in my room for 2 days and don't anybody even think about disturbing me. (right).

@Judaline I'm so glad you enjoyed One Thousand White Women! It was recommended by someone on this board several years ago, and many of us read it and loved it! I'd love to read it again, but there are just too many other books on my TBR list.

The Passenger is on my TBR list, although I haven't gotten to it yet. I'll have to keep it in mind. Thanks for the heads up.

Happy reading!

Re: What are You Reading? ~~ August 2016

dawg lover — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 14:16:49 GMT

I'm excited to go to the library today and pick up the new book from David Rosenfelt, called "OUTFOXED", as well as the new James Patterson book, "BULLSEYE", in the Michael Bennett series. If you enjoy Robert Crais' books, give David Rosenfelt a try. His protagonist, Andy Carpenter, is a wise-cracking lawyer, with a soft spot for dogs. His first book in the series is "OPEN AND SHUT", and the books do get better as the series progresses.

For the British mystery fans out there, there is a company that has started re-printing vintage mysteries from lesser-known authors. If you Google "British Library Crime Classics Goodreads", you will get a list of 38 novels that are being re-published. My library has some of these, so I am going to try a few. I have never heard of any of these authors before, and I am a huge fan of mysteries.