What Are You Reading? 2013 version

[:(]

ThatBobbieGirl wrote:
I can't remember the last time I read a published book.

Mostly now I read fan fiction that I find online, for my favorite TV shows, which include (in order of what I read most to least).

Sherlock (BBC)
Star Trek (original series)
Star Trek (reboot)
Doctor Who


A lot are rubbish, but there are some extremely talented writers doing this stuff.


(I've written a few myself - Star Trek TOS only...shhhh!)

Write one for your zaar friends here.
Call it something funny, like
You've got red on you. (red uniformed zombies from TOS invade Zeltron)
or something.
(I am a big Simon Pegg fan)

[NurseJaney]

Nothing very captivating recently -- about to finish "Silver Lining Playbook" -- cannot fathom the hype over the movie ! Basically it is dysfunctional family members dealing with a recently returned mental patient, and FAR too many guys in green Philly shirts doing Eagles cheers ! I only kept reading because I need to find another book !

[Chicagoland Chef du Jour]

Just finished Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas. A nice read


Just starting "Snatched" by Karin Slaughter

[Studentchef]

I just finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Some ome from the old thread, during the summer, when I mentioned The Kite Runner, recommended his second novel.. Anyway, he should write more, the man is a genius.

My own personal summary: It's a tale of two women 19 years apart, growing up in war torn Afghanistan. The older of the two is an illegitimate daughter of a shunned mistress, whose mother greatly detests her fahter. At one point this daughter seeks her father for a birthday promise he didn't keep and finds, after being shunned by him, that her mother commits suicide. Her father ends up marrying her off a brutally abusive man more than twice her age.

The younger girl grows up in a middle class family, and is favoured by her father and is encouraged to study, while her mother pines away for her two dead sons, in a deep depression, after losing both her sons in the war. After she loses her parents in an air raid, she is married off to the same abusive man, knowing she carries the child of her teenage sweetheart, who she believes is dead after a lie about him was told.

At first they are at odds with each other, but after one night of coming to an understanding they become like mother and daughter, and the older woman finds some peace and solace with the younger. At one point, in an attempt to save the younger woman from being murdered by their husband, the older kills him, instead.

Towards the end, it becomes a cryfest. Really sad and heartwarming at times, but really well written.

[Studentchef]

Love2Eat wrote:
Just finished "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn. Loved her first two books (Sharp Edges and Dark Places) and really liked this one.......until the end. Hated the way it ended! But will not give up on her, love her writing style and will definitely read any future books.

Am currently reading "The 100-yr old Man who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared". It's another Swedish-translated-to-english book that's been on the best seller lists. Have just started it but am enjoying it so far!

You have no idea how close I was to buying that book!

[tina rose]

Amazon just delivered three books..."Arm Candy" byChristopher Gaida, "Drinking & Tweeting" by Brandi Glanville, and "Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick.

[Chicagoland Chef du Jour]

Studentchef wrote:
I just finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Some ome from the old thread, during the summer, when I mentioned The Kite Runner, recommended his second novel.. Anyway, he should write more, the man is a genius.

My own personal summary: It's a tale of two women 19 years apart, growing up in war torn Afghanistan. The older of the two is an illegitimate daughter of a shunned mistress, whose mother greatly detests her fahter. At one point this daughter seeks her father for a birthday promise he didn't keep and finds, after being shunned by him, that her mother commits suicide. Her father ends up marrying her off a brutally abusive man more than twice her age.

The younger girl grows up in a middle class family, and is favoured by her father and is encouraged to study, while her mother pines away for her two dead sons, in a deep depression, after losing both her sons in the war. After she loses her parents in an air raid, she is married off to the same abusive man, knowing she carries the child of her teenage sweetheart, who she believes is dead after a lie about him was told.

At first they are at odds with each other, but after one night of coming to an understanding they become like mother and daughter, and the older woman finds some peace and solace with the younger. At one point, in an attempt to save the younger woman from being murdered by their husband, the older kills him, instead.

Towards the end, it becomes a cryfest. Really sad and heartwarming at times, but really well written.

Both books are truly amazing reads.

[NurseJaney]

Just started "Snow White Must Die", translated from German. VERY dark story of release of convicted murderer from prison, back to depressing-sounding town ! Top seller in Europe -- not sure how I feel yet. Too many people !

[duonyte]

Read part of a book that I found too weird to finish "Ash" by James Herbert - about a castle that is supposedly the home of famous infamous people who are believed dead - Qaddafi, Robert Maxwell, etc. The castle is experiencing weird and apparently psychic events and so they call upon a psychic investigator. I rather like the beginning, but it soon got too tedious. I don't mind some gruesomeness, but this was too much for me.

I think I must have either liked the short description in the library catalogue or confused the author with someone else. Anyway It's going back to the library.

Listening to an audio book that so far is pretty good - science fiction type - if it pans out, will report back.

[CHRISSYG]

I Started and am already about 1/3 through The Language of Flowers. It’s a really good story so far and very well written. This is one of the few books I’ve read where I feel I can really ‘see’ in my minds eye every room, street, garden… I think it may turn into a romance story, but I’m okay with that


Random House synapse of the book:
The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable young woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

[CHRISSYG]

tina rose wrote:
Amazon just delivered three books..."Arm Candy" byChristopher Gaida, "Drinking & Tweeting" by Brandi Glanville, and "Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick.

Tina, can you let us (me) know what you thought of Silver Linings Playbook when you’re done reading it?

[CHRISSYG]

NurseJaney wrote:
Nothing very captivating recently -- about to finish "Silver Lining Playbook" -- cannot fathom the hype over the movie ! Basically it is dysfunctional family members dealing with a recently returned mental patient, and FAR too many guys in green Philly shirts doing Eagles cheers ! I only kept reading because I need to find another book !

We’re Eagles fans in my house… it’s kind of a “thing” (as I’m sure it is with other football teams) to have these busses, and tailgate and wear your team jersey and eat certain foods, and the chant….. yeah… it gets old in the book too, but to be honest, maybe because I’m used to that in real life, that’s not even what kinda made me not be thrilled with the book, I think it’s the writing style

The Main Character goes from sounding like a dunce, to sounding intelligent, to sounding like a dunce… I get the “bi polar” thing but I don’t think that bi-polar personality disorder has anything to do with intelligence

[Barefoot Beachcomber]

I just finished 'The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry'. I was a bit skeptical about why my friend thought it was such a good book, but now I'm on board. I really enjoyed it. Very well written.

From GoodReads -
Harold Fry is convinced that he must deliver a letter to an old love in order to save her, meeting various characters along the way and reminiscing about the events of his past and people he has known, as he tries to find peace and acceptance.

Recently retired, sweet, emotionally numb Harold Fry is jolted out of his passivity by a letter from Queenie Hennessy, an old friend, who he hasn't heard from in twenty years. She has written to say she is in hospice and wanted to say goodbye. Leaving his tense, bitter wife Maureen to her chores, Harold intends a quick walk to the corner mailbox to post his reply but instead, inspired by a chance encounter, he becomes convinced he must deliver his message in person to Queenie--who is 600 miles away--because as long as he keeps walking, Harold believes that Queenie will not die.

So without hiking boots, rain gear, map or cell phone, one of the most endearing characters in current fiction begins his unlikely pilgrimage across the English countryside. Along the way, strangers stir up memories--flashbacks, often painful, from when his marriage was filled with promise and then not, of his inadequacy as a father, and of his shortcomings as a husband.

[stormylee]

How funny - I, too, just bought The 100-yr old Man who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared (in Swedish, though) and The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry! I think I'll start with The 100-Year Old Man; let's see how long it takes for me to get through it as it's been quite a while since I last read something in Swedish.

Just finished Jane Harris' Gillespie and I, which I absolutely adored - gloriously verbose & old-fashioned language for us word lovers, and a wonderful twist-y plot.

[Love2Eat]

Barefoot Beachcomber wrote:
I just finished 'The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry'. I was a bit skeptical about why my friend thought it was such a good book, but now I'm on board. I really enjoyed it. Very well written.

From GoodReads -
Harold Fry is convinced that he must deliver a letter to an old love in order to save her, meeting various characters along the way and reminiscing about the events of his past and people he has known, as he tries to find peace and acceptance.

Recently retired, sweet, emotionally numb Harold Fry is jolted out of his passivity by a letter from Queenie Hennessy, an old friend, who he hasn't heard from in twenty years. She has written to say she is in hospice and wanted to say goodbye. Leaving his tense, bitter wife Maureen to her chores, Harold intends a quick walk to the corner mailbox to post his reply but instead, inspired by a chance encounter, he becomes convinced he must deliver his message in person to Queenie--who is 600 miles away--because as long as he keeps walking, Harold believes that Queenie will not die.

So without hiking boots, rain gear, map or cell phone, one of the most endearing characters in current fiction begins his unlikely pilgrimage across the English countryside. Along the way, strangers stir up memories--flashbacks, often painful, from when his marriage was filled with promise and then not, of his inadequacy as a father, and of his shortcomings as a husband.

This one's on my TBR list; glad to see you enjoyed it! I'm still slugging through "the 100 yr old man who climbed out the window and disappeared". My reading time has been limited and it's been one of those books that doesn't read quickly, if you know what I mean. I am enjoying it for the most part, just wish it read quicker!