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#Post#: 73249--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: Paloma Date: February 13, 2022, 4:55 pm
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[quote author=NoLongerAubergine link=topic=68.msg73241#msg73241
date=1644785473]
Hadn't thought of the theme angle. Makes sense.
So, I finished last night. It was an enjoyable book but not a
page turner, for me, until well past half-way. Although I wasn't
surprised by any of it (and anticipated the final twist very
early on even without enough context to even know why), it was a
fun read. Your mention of theme makes me wonder if I should
think about it more from that perspective. I tend to be an
escapist reader, so I'll bet I missed some things
[/quote]
*No spoilers*
I really liked the book, as I read it for "escapism" reasons
too. :) And because a couple of my friends are professors of
poetry and literature, and they talk a lot about the difference
between aspiring to literary greatness vs commercial success in
writing and how one or the other drives people. I thought the
author had the world of writing, of academe, and of publishing
dead on. The main character was so well done as he goes down
the rabbit hole.
I loved the book "84 Charing Cross Road" by Helene Hanff, so I
recognized the middle name of the author immediately.
Interesting to find out that they were indeed related and shared
a love of literature and writing.
#Post#: 75704--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: CaviaPorcellus Date: February 22, 2022, 12:08 am
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I just started In A Country of Mothers today (review here:
HTML https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-679-41568-8)
I'm...skeptical, because "shrink obsesses over client" is not
generally compelling for me, but I bought this for $3 based on
the title alone so I'll stick with it. At least the shrink
doesn't schtup the client in this one - that cliche is so
tedious.
#Post#: 75755--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: Lady_Lessa Date: February 22, 2022, 8:57 am
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Avoid like Covid, "All's Well" by Mona Awad. It is a novel
about a messed up drama teacher in college. She was injured in
a fall off a stage and then became a college professor. The
main character is unlikeable, but did NOT get justice for her
deeds. It involves some sort of magic, (wasn't clear about what
healed her and allowed her to take energy from others (damaging
them at the same time)). The only reason I finished it is that
book club is Monday evening of next week I am going to be
interested to see how others react to it.
For Fantasy lovers: "Under the Whispering Door" by T.J. Klune.
It's a story about a man who dies, and his Reaper takes him to
the portal to the next life. The characters are interesting,
they grow and change. One of the best sentences in the book is
"Beware of bored bureaucrats" I am looking forward to see if
everyone else likes the book as I did. This book club is on
Wednesday evening of next week. This is the second book by Mr.
Klune that I have read. The first was for an on-line book club
(same leader) "The House in the Cerulean Sea"
#Post#: 75798--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: oumuamua Date: February 22, 2022, 10:10 am
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[quote author=Lady_Lessa link=topic=68.msg75755#msg75755
date=1645541870]
Avoid like Covid, "All's Well" by Mona Awad. It is a novel
about a messed up drama teacher in college. She was injured in
a fall off a stage and then became a college professor. The
main character is unlikeable, but did NOT get justice for her
deeds. It involves some sort of magic, (wasn't clear about what
healed her and allowed her to take energy from others (damaging
them at the same time)). The only reason I finished it is that
book club is Monday evening of next week I am going to be
interested to see how others react to it.
For Fantasy lovers: "Under the Whispering Door" by T.J. Klune.
It's a story about a man who dies, and his Reaper takes him to
the portal to the next life. The characters are interesting,
they grow and change. One of the best sentences in the book is
"Beware of bored bureaucrats" I am looking forward to see if
everyone else likes the book as I did. This book club is on
Wednesday evening of next week. This is the second book by Mr.
Klune that I have read. The first was for an on-line book club
(same leader) "The House in the Cerulean Sea"
[/quote]
I really enjoyed "The House in the Cerulean Sea" so it's good to
hear a new one is out by the author. He also has a YA fantasy
novel "The Extraordinaries" which is fun and made me laugh (but
also wince as it's cringy in the way crushes and horny teenagers
and puberty are cringy).
#Post#: 75807--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: animaniactoo Date: February 22, 2022, 10:29 am
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Oracle. Book 6 of Michelle West's House Wars series. I was
borrowing exclusively from the library for many years now, and
they have not been quick about acquiring her newest books in
digital format, so I treated myself to the last 3 books (now
that the series is completed). I already have the first 5 in
print and am really enjoying picking up where I left off (I did
re-read the first 5 about 3 or 4 years ago, because I had also
just re-read the Sun Sword series. She is a fantastic world
builder, and her characters make SENSE in a real world way, not
just a fictional "of course that character would do that" kind
of way. Sometimes it gets complex and I have to put it down for
awhile to digest what I've just read, but I like that kind of
complexity.
#Post#: 77325--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: Lady_Lessa Date: February 26, 2022, 12:43 pm
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May I recommend "1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows" by Ai Weiwei.
This is a memoir/biography of Ai Weiwei and his father. Both
are/were artists, the father a poet and the son contemporary art
(installations, documentaries, etc) and both social activists in
China. Both men spent time in prison or exiled or forbidden to
leave the country.
While I don't get modern art, I enjoyed reading about what Mr.
Ai was thinking with his work. His father's poetry reads like
poetry..
#Post#: 81342--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: Lady_Lessa Date: March 13, 2022, 10:50 am
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Another book recommendation:
"Once There were wolves" by Charlotte McConaghy.
This is a novel about a woman who is leading a group to
reintroduce wolves into Scotland. The story is dark in places,
and jumps from the present to the past, to give some indications
about how the present happened. I had a hard time putting it
down, because I wanted to know who killed one of the men who was
very much against the predator introduction, even though the
reason for doing it was to control the deer population.
There is physical abuse in abundance, and the main character,
Inti, reminds me of Gem in the (original series) Star Trek
episode "The Empath"
The ending was satisfactory, not unicorns and rainbows happy,
but with what we learned about the people involved, it is good.
#Post#: 81351--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: MidwestmikkiJ Date: March 13, 2022, 11:32 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Lady_Lessa link=topic=68.msg81342#msg81342
date=1647186648]
Another book recommendation:
"Once There were wolves" by Charlotte McConaghy.
This is a novel about a woman who is leading a group to
reintroduce wolves into Scotland. The story is dark in places,
and jumps from the present to the past, to give some indications
about how the present happened. I had a hard time putting it
down, because I wanted to know who killed one of the men who was
very much against the predator introduction, even though the
reason for doing it was to control the deer population.
There is physical abuse in abundance, and the main character,
Inti, reminds me of Gem in the (original series) Star Trek
episode "The Empath"
The ending was satisfactory, not unicorns and rainbows happy,
but with what we learned about the people involved, it is good.
[/quote]
I just found this thread. As a reader I don’t know how I missed
it.
Because of our upcoming move I’ve been going through all of the
100s of books I own and donating any I’m not sure I’ll read
again to the Friends of the Library. I’m also working my way
through some of the series I have, mostly mystery, and then
either donating the whole series or deciding I’m keeping it. (I
love rereading books).
Currently I’m gradually working my way through Marcia Muller’s
Sharon McCone series. I’m still in the very early ones and don’t
have them all so I’m trying to find either library or e versions
since I don’t want to buy more. It’s interesting to watch the
character and scene develop as the world changes.
We read American Dirt for my book club last week which was very
intense. So going back to a mere murder mystery was a relief.
#Post#: 85785--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: Lurknomore Date: March 29, 2022, 9:33 pm
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Reading Caste by Isabel Wilkerson to fulfill my self imposed
rule of an occasional educational/thought provoking book. It
came out a year or so ago and was highly touted. It’s good and
mostly interesting, but author gives way too many examples to
substantiate her theory, and at this point I’m skimming as am
nearly done. Whew!
#Post#: 89824--------------------------------------------------
Re: What are you reading?
By: Lady_Lessa Date: April 16, 2022, 5:55 pm
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Two book recommendations:
For an excellent biography, may I recommend "A Note through the
Wire" by Bruce Gold. It is a story of a Slovenian woman and a
New Zealand soldier in WWII. It is a true story and the author
is the son-in-law of the couple who met, continued to fight the
Germans the best they could considering their situations, and
made it safely (finally) to New Zealand.
For a quick tabloid type read "Brothers and Wives" by
Christopher Andersen. This is about Princes William and Harry.
From what I gathered from the reviews, there isn't much if
anything truly new about their relationship and the relationship
that their wives have. But sometimes junk reading is fun. The
author is a Megan fan and thinks that she did no wrong.
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