It's Friday -- 11/23 -- US Thanksgiving Edition!

[Nonny]

Happy Friday and happy Thanksgiving to those in the US.  What is everyone reading this week?

QOTW:  Eggnog, yay or nay?

[Nonny]

I'm still working on Click Here to Kill Everyone and I need to get my butt in gear on it because I think it's due back soon and it's brand new so I can't renew.  I've also started on Crazy Rich Asians, which is a great fluff read.  I've also checked out, but haven't started reading, the graphic novel Sex Criminals, because I needed a shorter banned book for my reading challenge and I knew I just wasn't going to get to The Kite Runner this year (which I had originally planned to read).


QOTW:  I love the Darigold brand eggnog, but I only recently in the last decade or so decided I like it, and I wasn't a huge fan when a good friend of ours decided to make a homemade version (it was too bland).  But I also have to be careful to not drink too much, and to eat food with it, because it contains a lot of xanthan gum, which sets off my stomach in a bad way.

[rootbeerfloat]

I'm reading Wildcard, which is the sequel to Warcross. So far, it's better, but also my expectations weren't high to begin with lol.

Yay (in small doses).

[mrspez07]

Just finished You Think it, I’ll say it. Most of the stories were good, overall though, I am realizing that I am not a huge fan of short story collections. It’s hard to read them back to back, so you kind of have to stop reading in between each one.

Used to love it, but not so much now. DH likes it a lot tho, so I might have a sip or two every year.

[meowmaps]

I'm still working little by little to plod through The Labyrinth of the Spirits. I'm 60% there. I'll admit that I'm not enjoying it as much as The Shadow of the Wind. Maybe I've changed but I'm just not as impressed with the flowery, descriptive language and the film noir kind of ambiance.

I have There, There from the library waiting to be read. I was just visiting with my brother's girlfriend and she didn't love it. :/ We seem to have similar taste so now I'm not as excited about that.

QOTW: I've never been into eggnog but my H loves it.

[rainbowchip]

I'm reading Legendary (Caraval #2) I should finish it up tonight. It's good. Not great but it's keeping my attention.

I'm also reading We Were Eight Years on Power. I'm trying to read a chapter a day so that I have time to think about each chapter more.

QOTW: I like eggnog.

[travella]

I finished The Bear and The Nightingale by Katherine Arden, 4*. I cannot wait to talk about it in December. I started Warlight by Michael Ondaatje. I'm having trouble getting into it. I hope it picks up.

QOTW: Eggnog 🤢

[minzy]

I finished Fear by Bob Woodward a couple of weeks ago.  I also read Ordinary People by Diana Evans, about two middle aged London couples, and I thought it was really thoughtfully written.  I wish the ending had been a bit different, but I liked it a lot.  It reminded me of An American Marriage, so if you liked that, you might like this one, too.  I'm still working on Drawdown (about reducing carbon in the atmosphere, edited by Paul Hawken) and I've just started We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates for next week's book club.

QOTW:  I'm usually a nay on eggnog, at least, I passed on it yesterday.

[tacokick]

American Fire by Monica Hesse. I’ve been in the area the events occurred in so that’s interesting.

QOTW: I like it! There is a small chain near here that makes my favorite and I always have a glass or two each year.

[ssmjlm]

DNF- Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes. So slow, so boring, and too many characters and POV.

Currently reading- The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory. It’s ok. I’m not that far into it, but the internal dialogue is a bit much.

QOTW- meh, but DH LOVES eggnog.

[wesleycrusher]

My reading was all over the place as I have been trying to finish up some reading challenges before the end of the year.

The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra by Helen Rappaport - I think I liked this more than those of you who read it for the book club discussion. 4

Only Enchanting (The Survivors' Club, #4) by Mary Balogh- easy romance read, although there wasn't much romance for a lot of the book. it was slow moving, as many of her novels seem to be lately. 3

The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeonseo Lee- this book sucked me in. The story was so good, it was a page turner. But at the end of every chapter there would be a phrase like "Little did I know the worst was yet to come." Something to that effect- the story was compelling enough on it's own that I wanted to keep reading, it didn't need these baiting phrases. 4.5

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui- graphic memoir of her parent's life in Vietnam. 4.5

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders- I had been listening to the audiobook for what seems like forever. I loved the large cast, which is why I wanted to listen to it, but since the story wasn't
traditional there wasn't enough plot that it compelled me to listen. 3

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel. another graphic memoir. 3.5

You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie- here is what I wrote on goodreads: I read this book for a reading challenge with the prompt "A book written by a Native American author" then googled the author only to find out there are many reports of him sexually harassing women, so I will refrain from rating it and can't recommend it.

Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll by Peter Bebergal- this was book club book form a year or two ago, I couldn't attend the meeting so never read it and finally got around to it. I think the title would have been better if it was "shaped" rock and roll instead of saved. 3

Peter Darling by Austin Chant- So Wendy is Wendy in England but Peter Pan when in Neverland, and he has a thing with Captain Hook. It was a short story, and I'm glad because I don't think there is a way to make that premise less interesting. 2

When Comes the Spring by Janette Oke- does not hold up well. 2

Currently reading: The Feather Theif by Kirk Johnson (audiobook), The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee and The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams

QOTW: I've never had eggnog

[spedrunner]

This week I read:

Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser - 3.5 stars
Vox - 3 stars

Currently Reading

The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain and I am pleasantly surprised with it and am really enjoying it!  Not like her other books!

QOTD:  no thank you

[aurora]

I'm reading the third book in NK Jemisin's The Inheritance trilogy, The Kingdom of Gods. It's good but I do like the Broken Earth trilogy better. Also pro tip: if you want to buy Inheritance, buy the individual books because the combined trilogy is really big to lug around!

I'm listening to We Were Eight Years in Power in prep for next week's book club.

QOTW: I don't like it enough to buy it but will drink a cup if someone hands me one.

[krystee]

I am three-quarters through An American Marriage for my book club Monday night.

Next on the list are Becoming by Michelle Obama and Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. I am hopeful for three good books in a row!

Egg nog kind of nauseates me. I was handed a cup at a party once and tried it, and it took everything in me to swallow it. Never again.

[jmliongrrrl]

I finished:
Flat Broke with Two Goats by Jennifer McGaha ** The title was the best part of this memoir. It's mostly about back taxes and breeding animals, neither of which is terribly enthralling.
The Late Bloomers' Club by Louise Miller **** I really l liked this book. I am a sucker for a story that involves cake.
Home Front by Kristin Hannah *** I listened to this on audio, and like any Hannah novel it made me cry. Not so good when I'm listening to it while driving. I think I would have liked it better if I had read it on paper.

I'm currently reading My Squirrel Days by Ellie Kemper and listening to Wrath of the Storm by Jennifer Nielsen. Both are ok so far.

QOTW: I don't care for eggnog.

[msmerymac]

Still reading Heir of Fire. No on the eggnog, but my H likes it.

[sassypants]

I plowed through Charlaine Harris's new book An Easy Death. It's part of a new series she's begun called the Gunnie Rose series, and I was surprised with how well I liked it. I think having a fresh story arc is a good thing for her creativity. I'm also a good way through Sleep Like A Baby, which is part of her Aurora Teagarden series. It's comfort food. I don't generally read mysteries but I like these. We also listened to Fool by Christopher Moore on our drive to and from visiting my family in NE Ohio this holiday. It was fun but DH wasn't as in to it.

QOTW: I find it revolting, but DH loves it. The one exception I do make is that a local place, the Homestead Creamery, makes an Eggnog ice cream and that is actually pretty delicious.

[krystee]

I forgot that I also read Sometimes I Lie. I can't decide if I really liked it or really didn't. If you have read it, can we talk about the ending in a separate thread? I am confused!

[tacokick]

Nov 25, 2018 1:28:25 GMT -5 krystee said:

I forgot that I also read Sometimes I Lie. I can't decide if I really liked it or really didn't. If you have read it, can we talk about the ending in a separate thread? I am confused!

I read it but it was awhile back. Happy to talk about it though!

[spedrunner]

Nov 25, 2018 1:28:25 GMT -5 krystee said:

I forgot that I also read Sometimes I Lie. I can't decide if I really liked it or really didn't. If you have read it, can we talk about the ending in a separate thread? I am confused!

I read this too ( a bit ago) and would be happy to discuss as well!

[ally]

Last week I finished Bellewether, Susanna Kearsley, 4*.  It was a good read.  As others have said, she is a bit formulaic, but it works for me!

I have started The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and We Were Eight Years in Power (audio book).

QOTW:  Not a fan!

[litskispeciality]

I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and hopefully a long weekend!

Ready Player One (audio) finally came up on my Overdrive so I read a lot of that this weekend. I'm glad I'm going for the immersion reading, the audio by Will Wheaton is awesome. I think I'm almost 50% through. Hoping to finish this and one more before the end of the year.

QOTW: Meh, depending on how it's made I'll do a glass or two, but won't actively seek it out. A coffee place near me does Eggnog coffee, I usually get one or two a season and then regret it lol.