It's Friday! (1/19)

[ufcasey]

What have you read this week? What are you currently reading?

Reminder:
Please go vote for the Memoir, Misc, and Young Adult books we will be reading for our book club discussions this year. Voting ends Sunday. Then come back Monday to vote for the final 12th book - the options will consist only of all the second place winners from the closed votings. So if a book you previously voted for got second place, make sure to come back for Monday's vote! After that I'll assign each winning book to a month so people can start to prioritize their library wait lists accordingly.

Vote: Memoir/Biography type book for Book Club
Vote: Misc book for Book Club
Vote: Young Adult book for Book Club

QOTW:
How do you prefer to plan out your vacation time - multiple small trips or only a couple of large week long trips or a combination of both? Have any plans already for this year?

[bex]

We were away this week so I was able to get some reading done! Finished The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin (that's been on my TBR list for a few years now) and loved it, and read Artemis by Andy Weir. I don't want to say I hated it.....but meh.

I'm currently reading Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and so far I love it. I'm about 100 pages in.

We tend to do one long-ish trip (5 or 6 days) once every 18 months and then a few shorter trips throughout the year, maybe some long weekends. I have a ton of vacation time but H has very limited time so that impacts our travel. We just got back from a 5 night cruise and have a long weekend in Disney tentatively planned for August.

[snshne322]

I am in a serious reading rut. I'm still working on The Fifth Season. I'm liking it, but not devoting a lot of time to it. I've also stopped and started several audiobooks, only finishing one.

I'm hoarding all my good books for after surgery in the next month or two. I'll have six weeks at home so I'll have some serious time to devote to reading.

QOTW:  We aren't really vacation people.  We do one or two staycations a year for a week at a time, but we will do weekend trips.  I'm in MA so I have a lot of options for summer.  Lake Winnipesauke, The Cape, Maine.  We sometimes do all three.  We're great at awesome day trips, but not great at overnights.  Good thing is that we love to drive.

[rainbowchip]

I finished Tower of Dawn last night. I actually really enjoyed it. I'm still not a fan of how Maas writes tthe relationships in this series. They seem unnatural.

I started Blood Fury this morning. I'm only 1 chapter in so I don't have an opinion yet.

QOTW: In a perfect world I would do 1 or 2 longer vacations a year. Vacations for me are not about relaxing but about doing and seeing everything there is to do and see where ever I go. If I'm paying to go to a different place, I'm going go get my money's worth! I can relax at home and in fact I can probably only relax at home.

[sassypants]

I'm just beginning The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell. She wrote the Weird Things Customers Say in Bookstores book that has been on my TBR forever but I haven't gotten around to yet. I like it so far. She traveled around to various bookstores in the world and wrote essays about them. I also just finished The Last Tudor which was a huge waste of time. Philippa Gregory needs to move on from this topic. She's clearly bored by it, and bored her readers in the process.

QOTW: It varies. Sometimes, when the stars align, we take a nice big vacation, but most of the time we do quick trips or go to see family.

[jentervention]

Finished:

Hidden - Catherine McKenzie

Born a Crime - Trevor Noah

Before We Were Yours - Lisa Wingate

Currently reading Here I Go Again by Jen Lancaster (one of my favorite authors).

I’ll finish that today and be at 8/52. Thank you, snow days!

[Vespasia]

Still reading the Secret Place by Tana French. It's pretty good and the format is a bit different than her previous books, which is nice. They were getting a bit formulaic. 


QOTW: I am absolutely ridiculous when it comes to travel planning. I spend an obscene amount of time researching trips we may never even take. Right now we have a week in Guadeloupe booked for March and a long weekend to see my family in Boston in February. We're going somewhere warm in mid-December to celebrate my completion of graduate school but I am not sure where yet. We'll probably do a few other long weekends in our general area or to my family summer place in CT.  

We can usually only do 1 week at a time because MH doesn't get paid vacations but next year we're doing a big 2 week trip for my 40th. I am having a terrible time picking a destination!

[Vespasia]

sassypants I love your sig pic. Have you read her autobiography? It's one of the only audiobooks that I have really enjoyed!

[ufcasey]

Read:
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne - historical romance; 2.5 stars; the heroine is supposed to be some kind of low-key genius given her lack of formal education, but she was kind of dumb really. The hero was bland and in love for no real reason.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward - fiction; 4 stars; I almost loved this book but then this weird ghost thing happens and even though the backstory of the ghost was very interesting the ghost itself was not and then the end was even weirder, and I had to give it one less star.

Total so far for the year: 8

Currently Reading:
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee - historical fiction; still reading this, set in 1910 to 1989, and I'm now up to 1960.
A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran - historical romance; there was a twist I happily was not expecting in this book so now I am very interested to see how this plays out
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney - fiction; for some reason I had low expectations for this but I am actually really enjoying it so far

QOTW:
We always plan one big vacation for a week or two every year and then use up the rest of our vacation on long weekend type trips. Every other year the big trip is a family trip with the kids, and then the next year it's just me and my husband (grand parents are the best). This year it's just us and seeing as it's our 10 year anniversary we're going back to Italy (where we went on our honeymoon). I'm really really looking forward to it. Sorry, not sorry kids!

[ufcasey]

Jan 19, 2018 8:51:35 GMT -5 snshne322 said:

I am in a serious reading rut. I'm still working on The Fifth Season. I'm liking it, but not devoting a lot of time to it. I've also stopped and started several audiobooks, only finishing one.

I'm hoarding all my good books for after surgery in the next month or two. I'll have six weeks at home so I'll have some serious time to devote to reading.

QOTW:  We aren't really vacation people.  We do one or two staycations a year for a week at a time, but we will do weekend trips.  I'm in MA so I have a lot of options for summer.  Lake Winnipesauke, The Cape, Maine.  We sometimes do all three.  We're great at awesome day trips, but not great at overnights.  Good thing is that we love to drive.

I'm sorry to hear that you have to have surgery and be out of commission for so long! Hopefully some good books will make the time fly by.

[litskispeciality]

In a bit of a rut. I finally finshed the 19th Wife (hooray!) so now I'm torn on if I want an uplifting book. I really just crave a good story. Thinking about starting "A Light Between Oceans" because the movie is on demand now and I want to see it, but I know it's not uplifting.

QOTW: I like to spread it out. One short weekend away in the spring, a few days and a weekend away at the beach in the summer, then a week (or two) in the fall, although I've only taken two two week vacations in my life. Hopefully going to CA this fall for the first time, but budget will play a big factor.

[sassypants]

Jan 19, 2018 9:43:40 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

sassypants I love your sig pic. Have you read her autobiography? It's one of the only audiobooks that I have really enjoyed!

Oh yes! I just adore her. 

[Vespasia]

Jan 19, 2018 10:19:26 GMT -5 sassypants said:

Jan 19, 2018 9:43:40 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

sassypants I love your sig pic. Have you read her autobiography? It's one of the only audiobooks that I have really enjoyed!

Oh yes! I just adore her. 

We have the same exact birthday so I joke that she's my long lost twin.  

[oliviapope]

Finished:
This Is How It Always Is- Laurie Frankel 5*

Read:
Stillhouse Lake- Rachel Caine 4*
Killerman Creek- Rachel Caine 4*

I'm at 8/55 for the year.

Currently Reading:
We Were The Lucky Ones- Georgia Hunter
Mean Streak- Sandra Brown (listening on Audible. Not particularly enjoying it.)
Parenting Beyond Belief- Dale McGowan

QOTW: We typically do one long vacation and a couple weekend getaways when we can.

[travella]

I finished Killers of the Flower Moon (2*) and We Should All Be Feminists (3*). I started Into the Light by Aleatha Romig. I don't know that I can say that I am enjoying the book because I can't read it without becoming infuriated, but I'm hoping that was what the author was going for in the book. So, I guess I like the book so far.

Qotw: It really depends. Lately we have been doing a lot of smaller trips since we just moved, checking out all the new places.

[minzy]

I finished Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. I waver between 4.5 and 5 stars, because I thought it was well written, sweeping and thought provoking, but I did not totally love it. It reminded me a little of Memoirs of a Geisha and the lengthy passage of time it covered was sort of like A Thousand Splendid Suns or Cutting for Stone. I think if you liked those you would appreciate this one. I have not seen much on the treatment of Koreans in Japan after WWII, so that aspect was interesting.

QOTW: The last several years with kids we mostly do long weekend type trips, because at least for us, traveling with kids is a major PITA. I am itching to go further and longer, and now that the little one is a little older and somewhat better behaved we might this year.

[krystee]

I am reading Fire and Fury (the Trump book), but have to take it in small doses so I don't get too infuriated.

Also just started Turtles All the Way Down and finished Elin Hildebrand's Winter Road series (three stars).

We usually do one week long-trip and a couple of long weekends. I get much more PTO than my H does, so I also usually take a couple of staycations with my son (now sons! Our second was born this week) when daycare is closed. This year I am tacking on two solo days to Scotland for a work trip and we'll probably go to my parents' lake house for a long weekend and my in-laws' in Orlando for a week.

[abs]

I have started and put down Pachinko. I will come back to it eventually but I need something faster right now. Started The Good Daughter the other night and so far it's perfect for keeping my attention.

QOTW: I just like planning vacations, lol! We usually do one week long trip and one smaller more local trip. This year we have two week long trips planned though and one smaller one. My MIL is taking us all on a cruise in the summer (hopefully...DH may not be able to go) and we are going to WDW in November. We are doing San Antonio over Spring Break.

[ufcasey]

Congratulations krystee!

abs - I am feeling the same way about Pachinko, I like it but it isn't fast paced or a page turner particularly. I'm reading some other books at the same time too. I'm hopeful that I will like it as much as you, minzy, though I have read zero of the three other books you mentioned so who knows! BTW your screenname is so similar to my actual last name that I always do a double take when I see it. Random thing I felt like sharing lol

[rootbeerfloat]

Congrats, krystee !

I have about a day to finish Wonder, which I haven't started lol, but I'm guessing it will be a quick read.

QOTW: I also like planning vacations. Our bigger trip this year will be during spring break. We're visiting H's family, but also going to Universal. (I plan to re-read HP 3-6 before we go.) We'll do a staycation/long weekend during the summer. And if finances allow, maybe we'll visit the ILs at Christmas, but that's tbd.

[snshne322]

Jan 19, 2018 9:48:29 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

Jan 19, 2018 8:51:35 GMT -5 snshne322 said:

I am in a serious reading rut. I'm still working on The Fifth Season. I'm liking it, but not devoting a lot of time to it. I've also stopped and started several audiobooks, only finishing one.

I'm hoarding all my good books for after surgery in the next month or two. I'll have six weeks at home so I'll have some serious time to devote to reading.

QOTW:  We aren't really vacation people.  We do one or two staycations a year for a week at a time, but we will do weekend trips.  I'm in MA so I have a lot of options for summer.  Lake Winnipesauke, The Cape, Maine.  We sometimes do all three.  We're great at awesome day trips, but not great at overnights.  Good thing is that we love to drive.

I'm sorry to hear that you have to have surgery and be out of commission for so long! Hopefully some good books will make the time fly by.

Thanks! It's really a good thing though.  I wish it were sooner, it will make my quality of life SO much better.

[monkeyfeet]

Reading The Radium Girls and really liking it!!!

A mixture of both. Being a sahm, I like to get away but I’m also a creature of habit...

[charlatti]

I’m reading The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman. I read the series at least 15 years ago, so it’s a reread but I really don’t remember much. This book is slower than the first, and I feel like I should be noticing the anti-religion theme more than I am. It’s there but I don’t feel like it’s as hard-hitting as some readers make it out to be.

QOTW: Neither? Both? We don’t do a lot of true vacations, but they’re more like a week when we do. We do some shorter family visits but those don’t count as vacation to me.

[dorothyinAus]

After finishing 7 books in the first 15 days of the month, I slowed down this week and only finished 1 book. To be fair, 5 of the books were Kindle freebie novellas, so it's not quite as impressive as it would be otherwise, but hey, a book is book, right?

I'm reading Imperial Requiem: Four Royal Women and the Fall of the Age of Empires. I'm only through the introduction but it's looking very interesting as it's discussing a few royals I see very little in other books on similar subjects. The four women are:  Czarina Alexandra (Czar Nicholas II's consort), Empress Augusta Victoria (Kaiser Wilhelm II's consort), Queen Mary (King George V's consort), and Empress Zita (Emperor Charles I of Austria-Hungary's consort). I haven't seen very much written about Zita, Augusta Victoria or Queen Mary in their own right, just as adjuncts or side notes in other histories/biographies.  And it's an interesting title subject, especially considering England is the only country that still has a Royal head of state, though the British Empire did fall.

QOTW:  I like to plan long vacations, because I generally head to the US for my vacation and it's really not worth it for just a few days. But we also plan a few long weekends throughout the year. This year we have already taken our vacation (a 11-day cruise followed by a week in New Orleans), but we have left open the possibility for some long weekends in Melbourne or spa towns just to get away.

[spedrunner]

Recently Read:

Beauty Sick 3/5 stars
CyberStorm 4/5 stars

Currently reading:  

Truly, Madly, Guilty 
Pachinko 
I am about 75% through both

QOTD:  Hmmm, I think i would prefer to travel all the time and never have to work , BUT if i had to choose a vacation time, I think I would prefer to have a longer time off versus sporadic days here and there. I would fall into a routine and not do anything new/interesting and feel like I did not get a "vacation"

I do not have any specific plans , but am planning to do a yoga workshop in either Dallas or Scottsdale in the next few months, my long term goal is to do Thailand and would love to go back to Europe and visit the countries I have not been to yet

[brewco]

I finished
Second Chance Pass (Virgin River #5)
The Glass Castle

I have a bunch of books laying around for my TBR pile, so I'll pick something up tonight but not sure what.

QOTW: We have a camper, so a lot of our summer is spent in that. We also try to plan at least one 7-10 day trip every year.

[ssmjlm]

@tooshort , I ended up disliking Behind Her Eyes. I thought it would end up ok, but the end was just too much.

I was in a rut, but finally finished Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena.  It was better than the Couple Next Door, but still only 2 stars. The only good character in the book was Detective Rasbach.

I can't decide if I should try and keep reading a free kindle book Walk into Silence or get Killman Creek from prime lending.

QOTW: We usually do 1 week vacation somewhere away and then 1 week plus a ton of weekends at our beach house. Last year it was Disney. This year we're going a kid free cruise for our 10 year anniversary!

[mrspez07]

I just finished Who Thought this was a Good Idea by Alyssa Mastromonaco. I liked it. It’s fun to read about someone, and by someone the same age I am.
I am very close to finishing The Martian.

We try to do a few days here and there 3-5 days throughout the year. This year we’re planning a trip to Switzerland but keep getting stuck on itinerary. That will eat up most of our vacation time, but we also have a camping/cabin weekend in July with some neighbors we do every year.

[idahome]

Work has greatly hampered my reading lately. I decided to pick up a book I started a few months ago on English history called The Plantagenets. It’s good so far and definitely satisfying my need to feel like I’m doing more than reading fluff.

QOTW: We don’t get to do many vacations because we are trying to pay off debt. Last year we did spend a week in Myrtle Beach and that was pretty awesome. We were both able to completely check out of work and I spent a ton of time reading, napping, and being in the water. Typically I just take long weekends throughout the year because our work schedules aren’t all that conducive to long vacations.

[minzy]

Jan 19, 2018 13:36:11 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

minzy, BTW your screenname is so similar to my actual last name that I always do a double take when I see it. Random thing I felt like sharing lol

Ha, too funny, especially as it’s actually pretty far from my real name. I kind of made it up as a nod to southwestern PA - “yinz” is a local term for “you guys.” When my husband and I first got together we joked that he was the you (yinzy) and I was the me (minz). Sometimes I call my sister a version of it too. I’m sure your name is lovely! 🙂