It's Friday! (2/23)

[ufcasey]

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

QOTW:
Name any place in the world you haven't seen yet but would like to (irregardless of cost, travel time, etc) and/or what place have you been to that you have loved the most?

[rainbowchip]

Another week of Olympics and very little reading. I got about 100 pages into Little Women.

QOTW: I'd love to see Europe. If there was a Robert Langdon tour I would totally do that!

A lot of the places I've been, I would love to go back to.
I'm already planning our next Disney World trip. I want to go back to Washington DC as an adult (I went with a school group in 8th grade and was in awe but I think it would be even better as an adult. I also would love to take my kids to Yellowstone and Hawaii when they get a little older.

[litskispeciality]

I'm still plugging away at 50 Shades Darker. I'm so lame, but finally up to 60%!

QOTW: I really want to see the mermaid statue in Denmark as that's my faaavorite. I've heard it's kinda lame in person though. Also Spain.

I think my best trips compete between Prince Edward Island for all of the Anne of Green Gables stuff (and how pretty and laid back it is) and The Netherlands. I'd love to go back to both.

[monkeyfeet]

I’m about 25% finished with Little Women.

QOTW - I’d like to go thru the Panama Canal, Iceland and many, many others!

[spedrunner]

Feb 23, 2018 9:43:14 GMT -5 ufcasey said:

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

QOTW:
Name any place in the world you haven't seen yet but would like to (irregardless of cost, travel time, etc) and/or what place have you been to that you have loved the most?

This week I read:

50 Shades Freed - I only read because I am going this weekend for a friends bday to see the movie, I saw the others but have not read any books. The book was  a train wreck that I could not put down! LoL  I think I actually did enjoy it   Not sure how I would rate it, bc is it so different from what I read, but it was def entertaining (and annoying)

Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine (4/5) stars

This week I am starting:

 Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica

Killman Creek (book 2) By rachel caine


QOTD:

I would have to say I would love to get to Thailand!! It has been my dream to do a solo yoga retreat there   This summer I am going to Paris with my mom , so I am so excited!

The best place I have been to so far? Hmmm, I really LOVED Venice, Italy and Santorini. Greece
in the US i loved New Orleans 

[travella]

I finished The Radium Girls by Kate Moore and Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. I started The Marriage Lie last night and I'm hooked. I hope that it continues to be a great story.

Qotw: I'd love to go to Santorini, Skye, and stay at an African game lodge where the animals come up to the lodge.
The favorite places I have been: Prague and Spain. Spain will always hold a special place in my heart because I lived there for a while in college.

[Vespasia]

I am giving the Secret Place another shot after dropping it to read a few other books. It's not bad but I just can't get into it for some reason. 

QOTW: The list of places I want to go is ridiculous. If time and money was no issue, my first choice would be New Zealand. I also have several favorites places I have been but the one we keep returning to is Guadeloupe. 

[bex]

I finished The Zookeeper's Wife this week. It was meh. I found it interesting overall but not for the reasons I thought (I liked learning more about Warsaw during the war, but there was not as much information about the...zoopkeeper's wife...as I had expected.)

I'm now reading The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates. So far its pretty good.

QOTW: South Africa or New Zealand. I really want to go to both. I don't know if I have a "place I loved the most." I can't think of any place I've visited where I would NOT go back in a heartbeat if money and vacation time allowed. I like traveling, even if we do very limited traveling right now, lol.

[sassypants]

I'm reading Three Dark Crowns. It's ok but I think I've mostly outgrown YA fiction. I just can't relate very well to the characters, and in this particular book the writing is sloppy.

QOTW: I'm a huge Tudor history fan so I'd love to visit the UK. As for places I've been, I really loved Egypt. It was amazing. And I liked Ontario, Canada, a great deal because it was really clean and people were nice.

[tacokick]

I’m reading the new Laura Lippman! Just finished The Glass Forest on the train this morning.

I’d love to go to Australia but the travel time is killer. I loved Lisbon and would love to live there.

[mpc]

I am still trudging through Shadow of Night. I think I'm at 90% so should be finishing soon.

I really want to go on safari somewhere in Africa. Top spot on my bucket list right now. I also want to visit all 7 continents so a cruise to Antarctica would be awesome.

My favorites places to visit were probably Morocco and France. I studied abroad in France so it will always be special to me.

[oliviapope]

Finished - History Is All You Left Me- Adam Silvera 5*

Currently reading- An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

QOTW:
I'm currently obsessed with visiting Blue Lagoon in Iceland. I want to go so bad.

My favourite vacation in tougher as I've had a really good time anywhere I've gone, but Cancun was amazing.

[aurora]

Feb 23, 2018 12:29:54 GMT -5 sassypants said:

I'm reading Three Dark Crowns. It's ok but I think I've mostly outgrown YA fiction. I just can't relate very well to the characters, and in this particular book the writing is sloppy.

QOTW: I'm a huge Tudor history fan so I'd love to visit the UK. As for places I've been, I really loved Egypt. It was amazing. And I liked Ontario, Canada, a great deal because it was really clean and people were nice.

I've read a lot of historical fiction taking place in the UK and had so much fun in London, esp. at the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey.

[aurora]

Feb 23, 2018 13:14:23 GMT -5 mpc said:

I am still trudging through Shadow of Night. I think I'm at 90% so should be finishing soon.

I really want to go on safari somewhere in Africa. Top spot on my bucket list right now. I also want to visit all 7 continents so a cruise to Antarctica would be awesome.

My favorites places to visit were probably Morocco and France. I studied abroad in France so it will always be special to me.

We loved Tanzania (visited Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti, and Ngorogoro Crater). Definitely one of the best trips of my life.

[aurora]

It feels like I've been very non-fiction heavy in the past month (finished Silent Spring, The New Jim Crow, and Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind), so I'm now back to escapist fiction. I'm re-reading Outlander and listening to The Last Tudor by Philippa Gregory. Both are fun and easy.

QOTW: there are *so* many places I want to visit. Top of my list right now might be Scotland and Patagonia.

My favorite place in the world is Alaska.

[ellebebold]

Unfortunately no reading time this week.

QOTW: I would love to visit the Grand Cayman.

[minzy]

I finished Fire and Fury - Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff, 3.5 stars. Deliberately juicy with questionable journalistic integrity, but I don’t doubt 90% of it is probably pretty close to the truth. Not my favorite as I feel like just holding the book raised my blood pressure.

I also read The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory, 4 stars. It was a little cheesy and predictable, but bonus points for showing a strong professional WOC, interracial relationship, express consent.

QOTW: I haven’t yet been to Iceland, which I’d like to see. As for where to return, I vowed the second I stepped off Australian soil that one day I would return... that’s probably a little ways off, I want both of my kids old enough to swim well and remember it. Europe again probably first. I was reading my old travel journals yesterday from my early twenties, and wow, I really miss who I used to be. LOL 😂

[ufcasey]

Read:
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence - fantasy; 3.5 stars; beginning and ending were strong, the middle dragged. I'll still read the sequel when it comes out
A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare - historical romance; 4 stars; surprisingly better than I expected, second best book in the series

Total so far for the year: 18

Currently Reading:
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - classic; 60% through this and I feel like I should get an award for it. This is painful for me.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah - fiction; lots of tension in this book which makes it hard to put down.

QOTW:
Place I haven't been to - New Zealand, Greece, and Spain are my top three
Place I have been to - Egypt. Seeing the Valley of the Kings and the pyramids in person was amazing and my bucket list item

[snshne322]

I finished Now That You Mention It by Kristin Higgans. I ready it in two days. Just the right amount of funny/sad/happy/romance that I needed.

I just started reading Dear Martin last night.

[ThirdandLong]

I'm about half-way through Tower of Dawn. The thing was sitting on my to-read shelf, staring at me for months. It's not a great read. I understand there's info we need to learn in this (should be) novel(la) to enjoy the TOG finale, but it's a real slog. I've not begun skimming yet, but there have been points that I really wanted to. There's just so.much.filler. Filler, filler, filler. Irrelevant to any plot points.

I'm not a world traveler, so as a midwesterner, I have enjoyed the mountains of Vail, CO and the desert of Tucson, AZ the most. I've traveled very little along the west coast, just a quick trip to Catalina Island, so I would like to see northern California, see the Redwoods, see the coast of Oregon, enjoy the beauties of the Pacific northwest.

[snshne322]

Feb 23, 2018 16:46:40 GMT -5 ThirdandLong said:

I'm about half-way through Tower of Dawn. The thing was sitting on my to-read shelf, staring at me for months. It's not a great read. I understand there's info we need to learn in this (should be) novel(la) to enjoy the TOG finale, but it's a real slog. I've not begun skimming yet, but there have been points that I really wanted to. There's just so.much.filler. Filler, filler, filler. Irrelevant to any plot points.

I'm not a world traveler, so as a midwesterner, I have enjoyed the mountains of Vail, CO and the desert of Tucson, AZ the most. I've traveled very little along the west coast, just a quick trip to Catalina Island, so I would like to see northern California, see the Redwoods, see the coast of Oregon, enjoy the beauties of the Pacific northwest.

I've been worried about this.  I finally finished Empire of Storms and was eager to start TOD, but the first 25-30 pages are like 2 minute scene.  I know we often need a refresh but oh my goodness... I was so bored.  

I put it away and now I'm not super eager to go back.  It's nearly 700 pages!  

[Nonny]

I read the Y: The Last Man, Vol. 6 earlier this week, and finished my re-read of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things last night.  I think I'm going to start Artemis next.

In case anyone was wondering from our group read of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things from last year, it's probably even more disturbing and uncomfortable on re-read, but still oh so beautifully written.  I'm hosting my IRL book club with it tomorrow, so if anything interesting comes up, I may bump the thread.


QOTW:  My dream trip is Antarctica.  But in just over a month we're doing a pretty fabulous vacation to Australia for our 15th wedding anniversary and I'm crazy excited.  

[Nonny]

Feb 23, 2018 10:53:25 GMT -5 monkeyfeet said:

QOTW - I’d like to go thru the Panama Canal

We did this 5 years ago for our 10th anniversary, and for a friends 30th birthday.  It was so much fun and so cool! I'm really glad we had our friends along too because the cruise was 2.5 weeks and the age demographic, was... how do I put this politely... about 40-50 years our senior.  

It never would have even been on our radar except that on our honeymoon a couple at our table (Alaskan cruise) were super cruisers and they couldn't stop gushing about the Panama Canal being their favorite place ever.  We decided we'd put it on our "must see" list and we definitely didn't regret it.  

[dorothyinAus]

Feb 23, 2018 19:35:57 GMT -5 Nonny said:

Feb 23, 2018 10:53:25 GMT -5 monkeyfeet said:

QOTW - I’d like to go thru the Panama Canal

We did this 5 years ago for our 10th anniversary, and for a friends 30th birthday.  It was so much fun and so cool! I'm really glad we had our friends along too because the cruise was 2.5 weeks and the age demographic, was... how do I put this politely... about 40-50 years our senior.  

It never would have even been on our radar except that on our honeymoon a couple at our table (Alaskan cruise) were super cruisers and they couldn't stop gushing about the Panama Canal being their favorite place ever.  We decided we'd put it on our "must see" list and we definitely didn't regret it.  

I did a partial transit of the Panama Canal in January. We went in the Gatun Locks, turned around in Gatun Lake and back out through the Gatun Locks. It was fantastic! I really enjoyed it. Going through the locks the first time, I was out on deck at the bow of the ship and that was a great experience. Coming back, because it was raining, we were in the Crow's Nest for the first of the 3 locks and that was a really interesting experience. And then I went down to my cabin, an ocean view on the lowest passenger deck, for the last two locks. That was phenomenal. Because it's a view not everyone can have -- we saw the walls of the locks as we descended and it was so fascinating. The room get very dark as the ship descended and then sailing to the next lock it was bright again before getting dark as the walls of the lock appeared out the window. My parents' room was on the other side of the ship and they said the ship scraped the wall of the lock, and as it sailed to the next lock, they could see the scrape of paint. At the next port we saw the crew repairing the damage. I cannot recommend transiting the canal, even a partial transit, enough. And if you can get a cabin (or a lounge, depending on the ship) window while you are transiting the canal it's well worth it for a lock.

[dorothyinAus]

This week was a slow week reading due mainly to the Olympics. I just can't concentrate with the Olympics on in the background, so I'm still reading The Scottish Play Murder. I have listened to 2/3 of Little Women and should have it finished in time for the group discussion. But I'm anxious to get back to reading after the closing ceremonies on Sunday.

QOTW: I want to go to Perth. I read once that it's the most isolated city in the world and I want to see that for myself. I also want to see Oslo to complete my tour of Nordic capitals.

My favorite place to visit is Quebec. I could be perfectly happy with a vacation in Quebec in the fall when the foliage is at it's peak every year and not just Montreal or Ville Quebec. I really enjoyed my cruise stops in Saguenay, Sept-Iles, Gaspe, and Baie-Comeau. I'd love a land vacation to explore more of those little towns.

[spedrunner]

Feb 23, 2018 19:58:23 GMT -5 dorothyinAus said:

This week was a slow week reading due mainly to the Olympics. I just can't concentrate with the Olympics on in the background, so I'm still reading The Scottish Play Murder. I have listened to 2/3 of Little Women and should have it finished in time for the group discussion. But I'm anxious to get back to reading after the closing ceremonies on Sunday.

QOTW: I want to go to Perth. I read once that it's the most isolated city in the world and I want to see that for myself. I also want to see Oslo to complete my tour of Nordic capitals.

My favorite place to visit is Quebec. I could be perfectly happy with a vacation in Quebec in the fall when the foliage is at it's peak every year and not just Montreal or Ville Quebec. I really enjoyed my cruise stops in Saguenay, Sept-Iles, Gaspe, and Baie-Comeau. I'd love a land vacation to explore more of those little towns.

JUST looked this up and Perth is now moved up on my MUST see list. Love the natural beauty and all the outdoorsy stuff! Oh my!  breathtaking, not to mention most isolated? Now we are talking!

[ssmjlm]

I’m in a reading rut. I finished Silent Victim which was an amazon prime one, but it was not good.

So I decided to re-read Big Girl Panties to give myself a break.

Currently reading the latest Lucy Kincaid which I think is #13.

QOTW- another one who wants to do the Panama Canal. I doubt we can do the full cross with the kid, but I hope in a couple years we can do into the lake and then back.

[mrspez07]

I’m reading Priestdaddy and Listening to Little Women and am almost done (I feel it gets better at 45-50 the way thru). It has not been a good reading month for me. I had to put Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane down because it just wasn’t grabbing me. I might try it again if I can renew. I’m starting to crave an easy murder mystery or romance to get me out of my sluggish reading pace.

Favorite places I’ve been: Ticino area of Switzerland (and we are going back with the boys this summer!). I also want to go back to Argentina and the coast of Uruguay.
Someplace I haven’t been? Greek coast and southern France, and Portugal

[krystee]

I just finished Are You Sleeping, which is about a podcast like Serial and it looks at how the family of the victim is impacted by reliving it. It was pretty good.

Currently reading Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate.

I really want to go to Scotland, a Mediterranean cruise, Hawaii...and about 50 other places.

[jmliongrrrl]

I had a little staycation this week so I was able to read more than usual.
I read 3 books by Robyn Carr (I'm really loving this Virgin River series. It is total chick lit but sometimes you need fluffy reads).
Moonlight Road 4*
Sheltering Hearts 5* and kudos to Carr for writing about domestic violence and the people who are saving lives every day.
Promise Canyon 3.5*
Zachary Taylor by John Eisenhower 4* I really enjoyed Eisenhower's writing and Old Rough and Ready was more interesting than I was expecting.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 5* I listened to this on audio, amazing! Everyone should read this book.

QOTW: I'm not very well traveled, hubby doesn't enjoy being away from home. I'd love to go on an African Safari or a tour of Scotland.