Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Talk about anything under the sun or stars - but keep it civil. This is where we really get to know each other. Everyone is welcome, and invited!
User avatar
Syphon the Sun
Toon Leader
Toon Leader
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:59 pm
Title: Ozymandias

Postby Syphon the Sun » Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:24 pm

The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What's Wrong with America. Oh, Nick Gillespie.
Step softly; a dream lies buried here.

User avatar
Young Val
Commander
Commander
Posts: 3166
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:00 pm
Title: Papermaster
First Joined: 12 Sep 2000
Location: from New York City to St. Paul, MN (but I'm a Boston girl at heart).
Contact:

Re:

Postby Young Val » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:10 am

Finally reading The Hunger Games. So far, so good.

(I had a 13-year old client inform me that I absolutely HAD to promise her I would read it, because it's SOOOO good. I'd already meant to, and we went to a bookstore last night, and so here I am.)

Somehow I TOTALLY missed this. Have you finished? I must know your thoughts!
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

Gravity Defier
Commander
Commander
Posts: 8017
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:32 pm
Title: Ewok in Tauntaun-land

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Gravity Defier » Fri Sep 30, 2011 8:55 pm

I just finished Cinder, by Marissa Meyer, and it exceeded every last expectation I had.

I was sitting in on a YA webinar at work weeks ago when this book was mentioned and it, unlike most of the other stuff that was mentioned, caught my attention. The description, in a nutshell, is: cyborg Cinderella tale set in China. How could I not perk up at that? Sci-Fi? Check. Fairy Tale? Check. Sounds like something that could go very, very, horribly wrong? Check. And yet, it goes very, very, terrifically right.

A strong narrative voice, interesting though, admittedly, predictable in some ways with just enough new twists to keep it fresh, charming, and pardon my pun, I had a ball reading it. I'm just pissed off that it isn't published until January with no release date for part two (it's a four parter) in sight.

Don't want to take my word for it not being awful? See here for further reviews.
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

VelvetElvis
Commander
Commander
Posts: 2535
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:22 am
Title: is real!
First Joined: 0- 9-2004

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby VelvetElvis » Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:13 pm

Don't want to take my word for it not being awful?
"You don't have to take my word for it." -Levar Burton
Yay, I'm a llama again!

steph
Toon Leader
Toon Leader
Posts: 2454
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:36 pm
Title: Rocky Mountain Mama
First Joined: 0- 8-2000
Location: colorado, baby!

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby steph » Fri Sep 30, 2011 9:47 pm

Don't want to take my word for it not being awful?
"You don't have to take my word for it." -Levar Burton
Image
"When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

Noodle
Toon Leader
Toon Leader
Posts: 553
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 6:18 pm
Title: Pastamancer Tony
First Joined: 06 Feb 1916
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Noodle » Sat Oct 01, 2011 4:18 pm

Since my last two posts had to do with John Hodgman, I figured I might as well post what I'm currently reading. I'm finally getting around to reading "More Information Than You Require." The sequel to Hodgman's hilarious "The Areas of My Expertise." I also have the last book in the trilogy "That is All" on order.

If you like the funny, you cannot go wrong with these books, and the best part is, you don't have to read them cover to cover to get the jokes.
Co-Founder of the Canadian Alliance

I'm known as Tony on the internet.

VelvetElvis
Commander
Commander
Posts: 2535
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:22 am
Title: is real!
First Joined: 0- 9-2004

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby VelvetElvis » Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:42 am

I read Water for Elephants recently and it was actually rather enjoyable. And I really like the ending.
Yay, I'm a llama again!

User avatar
Luet
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 4511
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:49 pm
Title: Bird Nerd
First Joined: 01 Jul 2000
Location: Albany, NY

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Luet » Tue Oct 04, 2011 5:15 pm

I just finished a YA novel called Tunnels. I enjoyed it but I found out that it is the first of a planned series of six, of which only four have been written. So, I think I might hold off on continuing the series.

The third and final book of The Maze Runner trilogy, The Death Cure, comes out next week. I plan on rereading the first two in preparation for that.
"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus in Return to Tipasa

User avatar
Platypi007
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 399
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:56 pm
First Joined: 0- 0-2006
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Platypi007 » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:06 pm

DUH, I made a mistake last time posting that I had read Second Foundation, it was Foundation and Empire that I had read. I'm reading Second Foundation now. Also:

The Good Atheist by Dan Barker and Climbing Mount Improbable by Richard Dawkins.

User avatar
Syphon the Sun
Toon Leader
Toon Leader
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:59 pm
Title: Ozymandias

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Syphon the Sun » Tue Oct 04, 2011 6:08 pm

The third and final book of The Maze Runner trilogy, The Death Cure, comes out next week. I plan on rereading the first two in preparation for that.
Thanks for reminding me! *goes to pre-order for Kindle*
Step softly; a dream lies buried here.

Gravity Defier
Commander
Commander
Posts: 8017
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:32 pm
Title: Ewok in Tauntaun-land

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Gravity Defier » Wed Oct 05, 2011 9:51 pm

I finally got my hands on The Magician King; I had to email the head Collections Development person a while back and tell them we should get this book and awesomely enough, they listened. Why it wasn't already on order, however, is something I don't understand. I don't know who is in charge of adult Fiction but they dropped the ball.

I have, thankfully, found an ARC for a series I started that my library doesn't own and doesn't appear to have on order. With any luck, I'll get approved for that one and can start it as soon as I finish TMK.
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

User avatar
OSCjunkie
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby OSCjunkie » Thu Oct 13, 2011 4:43 pm

I finally got my hands on The Magician King; I had to email the head Collections Development person a while back and tell them we should get this book and awesomely enough, they listened. Why it wasn't already on order, however, is something I don't understand. I don't know who is in charge of adult Fiction but they dropped the ball.
Magician King was awesome! I had it on pre-order after reading The Magicians. Lev Grossman blew my mind with this. I hope there is a third.
"I aim to misbehave."- Mal, Serenity.

User avatar
v-girl
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 396
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:35 pm
Title: Dr. Posts-a-Lot
First Joined: 23 Mar 2001

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby v-girl » Thu Oct 13, 2011 11:47 pm

I am way behind but attempting to catch up on some of the recommendations from this thread. I just finished Blackout by Connie Willis and now I'm waiting to get All Clear from the library. I wouldn't say I loved Blackout, but I feel like I pretty much have to read All Clear to finish the story.

I'm also reading a book called The Condition by Jennifer Haigh. One of the main characters has Turner's syndrome, so it kinds of interesting to hear her view of the world. The writing is kind of haughty. I feel like she is using big words just to use them, and they don't always add to the story and it makes the dialoague seem fake. I do like the story though and it's told from the point of view of multiple characters. I'm about 2/3 of the way through. Jennifer Haigh's other popular books include Faith and Mrs. Kimble, which I may read in the future.

I'm also planning to read Dashner's series. I'm on the waiting list!

User avatar
OSCjunkie
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby OSCjunkie » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:34 pm

Has anyone else ever read the Seven Realms novels by Cinda Williams Chima? The first one was Demon King and it didn't really get much publicity despite the author's previous successes. It wasn't until the third book in the series, The Grey Wolf Throne, that Walmart started carrying it and Borders put it on display. I thought it was a great YA series on par with (although totally different from) Hunger Games or the Mortal Intruments. Just me?
"I aim to misbehave."- Mal, Serenity.

User avatar
locke
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:07 pm
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby locke » Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:49 pm

I read Snuff (new Pratchett) and I've been reading the Annotated Heir to the Empire (Beautiful edition of the book!) and Wheat Belly and 1493.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

User avatar
Platypi007
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 399
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:56 pm
First Joined: 0- 0-2006
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Platypi007 » Fri Oct 21, 2011 1:34 am

I've been reading the Annotated Heir to the Empire (Beautiful edition of the book!)
Wow, has it been 20 years since that came out? Now I have book lust over that Zahn book... You be careful, I might just sneak into your house at night and steal it.

User avatar
locke
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:07 pm
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby locke » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:06 am

I made it even nicer by putting the jacket in mylar (I do that for all my hardcovers though).
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

User avatar
Platypi007
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 399
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:56 pm
First Joined: 0- 0-2006
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Platypi007 » Fri Oct 21, 2011 2:54 am

Yeah, when I can afford it I want to get some archival materials for my books.

User avatar
neo-dragon
Commander
Commander
Posts: 2516
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:26 pm
Title: Huey Revolutionary
Location: Canada

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby neo-dragon » Fri Oct 21, 2011 5:19 am

I've been reading the Annotated Heir to the Empire (Beautiful edition of the book!)
I'm tempted to get that. I'm a pretty big Star Wars Expanded Universe geek, after all.
"Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic."
- Frank Herbert's 'Dune'

User avatar
Syphon the Sun
Toon Leader
Toon Leader
Posts: 2218
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:59 pm
Title: Ozymandias

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Syphon the Sun » Fri Oct 21, 2011 9:20 am

Has anyone else ever read the Seven Realms novels by Cinda Williams Chima?
I haven't, but I'll definitely check it out. Anything I should know going in? (Like "Book 1 is okay, but Book 2 is where it really picks up" or anything?)

ETA: I'm working my way through the second Heroes of Olympus (the second Percy Jackson series). I like it so far.
Step softly; a dream lies buried here.

User avatar
Platypi007
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 399
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:56 pm
First Joined: 0- 0-2006
Location: Columbia, SC
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Platypi007 » Fri Oct 21, 2011 3:34 pm

I've been reading the Annotated Heir to the Empire (Beautiful edition of the book!)
I'm tempted to get that. I'm a pretty big Star Wars Expanded Universe geek, after all.
Ditto, and that novel was really what kicked my Star Wars geekieness into full-blown geekieness and not just being a fan of the movie.

User avatar
OSCjunkie
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby OSCjunkie » Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:29 pm

Has anyone else ever read the Seven Realms novels by Cinda Williams Chima?
I haven't, but I'll definitely check it out. Anything I should know going in? (Like "Book 1 is okay, but Book 2 is where it really picks up" or anything?)

ETA: I'm working my way through the second Heroes of Olympus (the second Percy Jackson series). I like it so far.
All three that are written are very fun reads. I can't tell why, but I liked the second best so far. I think it left off on the best cliff hanger which made me really wait on the third (There seemed to be a significant increase in danger and romance too). Now I'm waiting on the fourth which is supposed to finish the series sometime in Fall 2012. CWC seems to split her time between the intertwining stories of a boy streetlord and fairly kick-A princess so its a great read for both genders. Let me know when you've checked it out.
"I aim to misbehave."- Mal, Serenity.

User avatar
OSCjunkie
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby OSCjunkie » Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:06 am

I finally got my hands on The Magician King; I had to email the head Collections Development person a while back and tell them we should get this book and awesomely enough, they listened. Why it wasn't already on order, however, is something I don't understand. I don't know who is in charge of adult Fiction but they dropped the ball.
Magician King was awesome! I had it on pre-order after reading The Magicians. Lev Grossman blew my mind with this. I hope there is a third.
Ok, so I'm quoting myself and I'm sure thats against some well know rules of netiquette, but I just read a blog a couple weeks old on Lev Grossman's website that Fox has bought the rights for The Magians tv show! For those of you who haven't read it, Magicians is Harry Potter for grownups complete with sex, drugs, cussing, and violence. Fox will probably have to edit some of that out but still...
"I aim to misbehave."- Mal, Serenity.

Gravity Defier
Commander
Commander
Posts: 8017
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:32 pm
Title: Ewok in Tauntaun-land

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Gravity Defier » Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:06 am

I just read a blog a couple weeks old on Lev Grossman's website that Fox has bought the rights for The Magians tv show!
Oh. God. No. I do not trust Fox to create a decent show and let it live. I'm also not convinced anything other than a cable channel (HBO, Showtime, etc) would do it justice. I'll probably take a look, if/when it's aired but I'm nowhere near optimistic it'll be worth a damn.
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

User avatar
OSCjunkie
Soldier
Soldier
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2011 12:01 pm

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby OSCjunkie » Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:52 pm

I just read a blog a couple weeks old on Lev Grossman's website that Fox has bought the rights for The Magians tv show!
Oh. God. No. I do not trust Fox to create a decent show and let it live. I'm also not convinced anything other than a cable channel (HBO, Showtime, etc) would do it justice. I'll probably take a look, if/when it's aired but I'm nowhere near optimistic it'll be worth a damn.
That was exactly what went through my mind as well. I heard Firefly got cancelled in part because Fox thought Mal was too dark. What'll they think about Quentin? There is very little hope that they won't botch it, but maybe it'll be ok.
"I aim to misbehave."- Mal, Serenity.

User avatar
Mich
Commander
Commander
Posts: 2948
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:58 am
Title: T.U.R.T.L.E. Power
First Joined: 02 Apr 2002
Location: Land o' Ports
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Mich » Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:31 pm

I just started reading, after years of recommendations, World War Z.

It's pretty entrancing. I've always thought zombies as literature would be boring, but this approaches them in a way that I find so engaging I don't want to put it down.
Shell the unshellable, crawl the uncrawlible.

Row--row.

Eaquae Legit
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 5185
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:30 pm
Title: Age quod agis
First Joined: 04 Feb 2002
Location: ^ Geez, read the sign.

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Eaquae Legit » Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:50 pm

The Secret of Father Brown

:love:
"Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul." -- Pope John XXIII

Gravity Defier
Commander
Commander
Posts: 8017
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:32 pm
Title: Ewok in Tauntaun-land

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Gravity Defier » Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:41 am

I just started reading, after years of recommendations, World War Z.

It's pretty entrancing. I've always thought zombies as literature would be boring, but this approaches them in a way that I find so engaging I don't want to put it down.
:thumbs:

I read this a few years ago; it was one of the things that pushed me from the fringes of "Eh, I kind of, sort of appreciate zombie culture" to "Wow, who knew it could be such a rich, rewarding genre? Zombies are great."

I came to the zombie show a bit late but whatever.
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

User avatar
Taalcon
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 625
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:04 pm
Title: Prodigal Son
Location: Cumming, GA
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Taalcon » Fri Nov 04, 2011 2:48 pm

I'm listening to an audiobook of Stephen King's Under The Dome. Really enjoying it. Haven't read/listened to King in a few years - last thing I read/listened to was Cell, which I actually quite enjoyed.

User avatar
Luet
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 4511
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:49 pm
Title: Bird Nerd
First Joined: 01 Jul 2000
Location: Albany, NY

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Luet » Fri Nov 04, 2011 3:17 pm

I just reread The Maze Runner and Scorch Trials but haven't gotten The Death Cure yet. Hurry up already, library! Grr.
"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus in Return to Tipasa

User avatar
locke
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 3046
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 1:07 pm
Contact:

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby locke » Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:46 am

I finished Wheat Belly. Davis is an irritating writer in print and for the most part seems far too committed to elisions, selection/confirmation bias in order to pin the blame on wheat. Starches and sugars have a lot to blame them on, but I don't think hybrid wheat introduced in the sixties is really the cause of the obesity epidemic. Going from eating around 60lbs of sugar a year to eating around 170 lbs of high fructose corn syrup a year probably has a lot to do with it. But a lot of that sugar is eaten in conjunction with wheat, so both are confounding factors on each other. I want to isolate the variables and test them against each other. Stupid dietary science "research" and it's lack of "Science!" ;)
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

Dr. Mobius
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 2539
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 12:11 pm
Title: Stayin' Alive
First Joined: 17 Aug 2002
Location: Evansville, IN

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Dr. Mobius » Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:22 am

This seems like the best place, or at least as good as any, to post this.

Literary Pin-up Calendar
The enemy's fly is down.
Image

User avatar
starlooker
Commander
Commander
Posts: 3823
Joined: Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:19 pm
Title: Dr. Mom
First Joined: 28 Oct 2002
Location: Home. With cats who have names.

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby starlooker » Sun Nov 13, 2011 12:34 am

I spent today re-reading Anne of Green Gables. I love it more the older I get, I think. If the day ever comes when Matthew's death doesn't make me sob, you will know something is desperately wrong with me.
There's another home somewhere,
There's another glimpse of sky...
There's another way to lean
into the wind, unafraid.
There's another life out there...

~~Mary Chapin Carpenter

Gravity Defier
Commander
Commander
Posts: 8017
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:32 pm
Title: Ewok in Tauntaun-land

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Gravity Defier » Thu Nov 17, 2011 1:17 am

I just started Dashner's Death Cure, am a few chapters in for Kate Elliott's Cold fire, have a new take on Snow White by Yolen, am struggling through and might have to admit defeat on Haddix's Torn, and am expecting Crossed, the sequel to Matched, by Condie. I of course also just finished a bunch of EG comics.

I've had decent reading material lately/ 8)
Se paciente y duro; algún día este dolor te será útil.

User avatar
Luet
Speaker for the Dead
Speaker for the Dead
Posts: 4511
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:49 pm
Title: Bird Nerd
First Joined: 01 Jul 2000
Location: Albany, NY

Re: Currently Reading / Just Read (Books/stories/whatever)

Postby Luet » Thu Nov 17, 2011 7:38 am

I just finished Death Cure, as well. Let me know what you think. I'm terrible at giving reviews but I was satisfied overall.
"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus in Return to Tipasa


Return to “Milagre Town Square”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot], Semrush [Bot] and 57 guests