Happy Friday! What are you reading? (7/18/14)

[christy082]

How do you like it so far?

[christy082]

I'm reading Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano. I'm not very far into it, but I'm enjoying it so far.

[charlatti]

I just finished World of Trouble by Ben H. Winters, the last book in an apocalyptic mystery trilogy. It was really good -- very satisfying ending and a fascinating look at what people might be like if they knew the actual end of the world was approaching.

I think I'm going to start California by Edan Lepucki. It's the only library book I have out that has a waiting list, so I try to read those quickly, but two dystopias in a row could lead me to my tinfoil hat and bunker.

[msmerymac]

I'm reading the Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. It's YA, but I'm enjoying it. It would be a great book for 7th/8th graders, I think. For those who haven't read it, it's about a boy who grows up on an Indian reservation in eastern Washington and ends up transferring to an all-white school about 20 miles away, and basically how he has always not fit in anywhere. There's a lot about being an adolescent in general, but a lot about race, culture and identity that I think other adolescents could identify with or learn from.

This is book 29/50 for the year. I read August: Osage County on Wednesday. Um, remind me to read more plays! They go fast!

[frog]

I'm reading a Storm of Swords. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend.

[Wallflower]

I'm reading The Phantom Tollbooth. It's one of those books that I just never encountered when I was a kid and I'm enjoying it quite a bit - really a feast the reader. There's a movie of the book, but I can't quite imagine what that would be like.

[rootbeerfloat]

I read Jason Priestley's memoir, which was about as expected. I have The Invention of Wings next.

[dulcemariamar]

Still reading Gone with the Wind. On page 400ish so I still have a long way to go.

[2curlydogs]

I just finished The Great Gatsby. Never read it before and I really enjoyed it.

I'm now currently reading:

Audio: The Canterbury Tales

Print: Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World's Most Ancient Pleasures by Paul Lukacs. 

[labbie]

I'm reading Goodbye Emily by Michael Murphy. Really enjoying it so far.
I'm listening to Salt a World History (non-fiction) by  Mark Kurlansky and while it's very informative, I'm putting it on hold for now to listen to something lighter. I am going through a busy time at work so am in need of something lighter when I do get to read/listen to a book.

[Pippin]

I'm reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and Blood Promise, VA#4. I'm not very far in to ether to tell if I like them or not.

[BlackCanary]

A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin (taking me forever!)
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

[aurora]

Jul 18, 2014 14:17:03 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

Audio: The Canterbury Tales 

How is it on audio? This is one of the few assigned books I didn't get through in high school (well, we were only assigned sections).

[aurora]

I just today finished The Maytrees by Annie Dillard on audiobook. It was really different but I enjoyed it.

I'm reading One Thousand and One Nights by Hanan al-Shaykh. It's a retelling of the classic that I heard about on NPR. I'm really enjoying it and I feel like I'll (maybe) understand more literary references after reading it.

[Deleted]

Just finished Life After Life today. It grew on me. But I kept thinking of Groundhog Day, the movie.

Just started Abide With Me by Elizabeth Strout.

Also still reading A Dance With Dragons.

[dorothyinAus]

I almost finished Mr. Churchill's Secretary Friday (woke up early Saturday morning and finished it before getting out of bed).  It was good.  I enjoyed the mystery, and the descriptions of day-to-day life in war-time London, but I felt the current political preachiness overshadowed a bit of the story.  It's fine to give your characters your opinions, but too much is too much.  And combined with the anachronistic aspect of forcing mainstream acceptance of alternative lifestyles and it got to be a bit much in this book.  I'll continue with the series to the second book, but not further if the tone does not change.

After Mr. Churchill's Secretary, I began Enslaved by Ducks, but have only gotten through the list of characters, so I don't have a real opinion of it yet.

[krystee]

I am reading The Aviator's Wife and enjoying it, but I'm only a few pages in. I tried Marian Keyes' most recent one (a mystery) and I cannot get into it. I am finding the main character super unlikable and not worth reading about. I'm bummed because I usually like her books.

[cabbage10]

I just finished reading Elizabeth is Missing. I enjoyed it but it broke my heart. My SO's mom has very late stage Alzheimer's and the entire time I was just thinking of what all he is gone through.

I need to stop by the library today because I have Orphan Train on hold and want to start that.

[msmerymac]

Jul 18, 2014 18:50:03 GMT -5 BlackCanary said:

A Dance With Dragons by George R.R. Martin (taking me forever!)
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

This one is so good (and short). About 20 years after it came out, people started developing all of these theories about the real meaning of the book. Basically considering the governess to be and unreliable narrator and taking a second look at the symbolism. I highly recommend looking into it! 

[2curlydogs]

Jul 18, 2014 21:20:29 GMT -5 aurora said:

Jul 18, 2014 14:17:03 GMT -5 2curlydogs said:

Audio: The Canterbury Tales 

How is it on audio? This is one of the few assigned books I didn't get through in high school (well, we were only assigned sections).

It's ok. The narrator is a little rough - doesn't quite have the cadence correct, pauses in weird spots. It's kinda like listening to a 9th grader recite Shakespeare. I don't know if there's another audiobook version to get. This is just the one my library had.

[itsme]

Still reading A Dance with Dragons. Only at 28% or so. Oh man this one is going to take forever!

I was listening to Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers. It's book 2 of a two book series. I enjoyed it. I am now listening to Her Mother's Hope which is book 1. I didn't know it was a series when I picked up the first audio book.

I think I will start Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson today.

[apelila]

I finished I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou this morning. I liked it alright. I haven't decided what I'm going to read next.