I'm picking up on Kayaalder's suggestion of keeping track of where we are with our Go Review that Book! reads. I thought anyone could drop in and post their progress on this thread if they wanted.

I'm a little over half-way through The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. At the beginning I wasn't so sure I would like it. As I've been reading on I've been liking it more. Yesterday I was reading at my parent's house and sharing parts of the book with my mom. I came to a part which put me in to absolute hysterics, not able to breath and eyes watering! I tried to read it to my mom and wound up having to hand the book over, putting her into hysterics also. Even if I were to hate the rest of the book (which I'm sure I won't), it was worth reading it just for that part.

As I mentioned before Lolita was selected for me, I'm in the middle of This is Your Brain on Music which I'm roughly half way through and loving it. For anyone who plays an instrument or has more than a passing interest in music, I'd already recommend it.

Problem is...we recently bought a Wii. Now, I'm not much of a gamer but this thing is new and well...it's pretty cool. I'm enjoying playing tennis and baseball with my son on it or even moreso putting him to bed and pretending to be the Godfather. Rest assured, my interest in video games is fleeting and I'll be on Lolita (boy if that wasn't a double entendre, I don't know what is) in no time.

Just and update and sorry for the delay.

adamallen

The Wii looks pretty interesting. I like the idea of a video game that gets you off the couch. The only game I play on our family's playstation is The Junglebook which uses a dance mat.

I waited too long to tell Reading Fox on the Game Thread that I've accepted Gorillas in the Mist for reading/review, so I'll just post a progress report here.

I've read about a third of it and find it very interesting. I wasn't so sure in the beginning because Fossey isn't a gifted writer, but the material takes over after a bit.

It raises one big question though: who is this woman and why is she doing this? (Spending years in Africa by herself watching gorillas.) She doesn't reveal much about herself. I feel like I need to find a book about her to read next.

I'm looking forward to reading The Losers as my next GRTB book and will start reading it during the upcoming week. I have a couple library books I need to get through first.

I've just started C J Cherryh's hugo award winning Cyteen and that will keep me completely occupied for a week or so. I'll get onto The Mayor of Casterbridge after that.

Several books later!

Bookwormteri - thanks I'll get onto the Novice probably sometime later this week or early next, I've my current read to finish - To Ride Hell's Chasm and I'll probably want a switch between sucessive fantasies.

I got very carried away about a month ago requesting library books and am still working through my pile. I will be reading my pick of Fang and Fur, Blood and Bone once I've gotten things under control with that pile. I've been very good about controlling my requests lately so hopefully I won't get so far behind again!

Thanks bookwormteri for Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant. I've been thinking I'd like to reread it to see if I like it as much as I did 18 years ago, especially since I haven't liked her newer work as much. I'll be able to start tomorrow.

edited for typo.

Message edited by its author, Jul 10, 2007, 11:41am.

I finished Marching through Peachtree; all I need to do now is write the review.

the novice Is of course the 2nd of the Magician's guild series. I had tagged it incorrectly as the first, which from the name one might suppose it to be. So a bonus for Bookwormteri - I'll review the whole series in order.

I finally finished Lolita (I know...believe it or not). I've been awfully busy the last couple of months with other priorities. I'll post the review later today.

I went camping this weekend so I also made it about halfway through Then We Came to the End. Once I write my review of Lolita, I'll post on the main board and take another assignment.

I should be starting God is an Englishman later tonight or tomorrow, as I'm just about to finish Tom Robbins's Another Roadside Attraction. (I'll probably post a review of that tomorrow if anyone's interested.)

I have to say, though, I'm a bit terrified of it. It came to me from 2 bags worth of "street books" my boyfriend picked up near his office, so I didn't choose it. I actually only kept it for title value alone. The back describes it as an "epic saga" which is so not my usual kinda genre.

Also it might take me a while as its 800+ pages are far more than my attention span prefers. But I'm not one to give up a challenge.

Message edited by its author, Jul 24, 2007, 2:26am.

I finished Oak Mot. Wow. I don't know what else to say. I'll do my best to get the review posted tonight. I'm behind as I still need to finish my review of The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More (can't get touchstone to work) and I need to write one for The We Came to the End also.

Tonight - hopefully.

adamallen-Thanks for the Lolita review! I'm still on the fence as to whether I want to read the book or not, although I'm leaning more towards at least giving it a try.

Currently I'm about 1/3rd of the way through Fang and Fur Blood and Bone A Primal Guide to Animal Magic which has been very good so far. I've been reading it interspersed with trying to keep up with my library reading and my new interest in a manga series. I've never been the kind of person to read more than one book at a time but it hasn't been too bad. Probably because the content is so different between the books.

I had to take a little pause before my assigned book Night because it's on hold at the library and I haven't gotten it yet. Meanwhile I read the very amazing and highly recommended A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. If anyone's interested, my review of it is here.

I'm over halfway now on my GRTB! book. I would have had it done over this past weekend except I had two books that I have been waiting on for months come in from Amazon and had a few books due back at the library that I couldn't put off any more. I should be finished by this weekend.

The book picked for me Sovereign Ladies isn't even available until 9/4/07. Our library system has 4 copies on order and I'm fifth in line so it may be a while before I get to read my selection.

>18

Sorry about that! Should I pick something different from your list?

#19 - No!. I'm looking forward to reading it, just might take awhile. :-) I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't "playing". I didn't realize the release date was September when I selected it from one of my LT friends' libraries. I reading another english historical fiction just to keep in the mood.

Duchess by Susan Holloway Scott.
*touchestones might not be working correctly*

I promise Night is next. I just got it out of the library and it should only take me a few days to finish. Expect my review forthwith (uh...early next week?). In the meantime *again*, someone lent me Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott and I had too much to say about it so that review is here if anyone is interested. And I'm starting Night this afternoon. Really. I am. :)

I just moved to Colorado (graduate school, omg!) so I'm still on my book. While moving though, I did get to finish After the Quake by Haruki Murakami and will have to post a review soon. I have been without internet for a week and half so it has been hard to keep in touch.

So yes, halfway through my book and I'll ask for another one soon. :)

Perdido Street Station - I'll start it in a while, I've just picked up some brand new reads which will keep me occupied for a week or two. Station will be on the stack after them.

I'll be starting my next pick, Sorcerer's Legacy hopefully next week. I have two book group books for August that I need to get through first.

BTW-Reading_Fox, I mooched Sorcerer's Legacy right after reading your review! Looking forward to it!

I'm a little slow on getting to Watership Down. Got some other stuff to finish first but I guess from the previos posts that's commonplace about now. Hope everyone's enjoying their picks, I think we've had some really great reviews coming out of this group!

Started The Cave (sorry touchstone problems) last night. I hope to finish it this week.

I'll be starting Fishboy tomorrow. It's not too long so I hope to have it finished by next week.

Working on The Waiting Years right now. Love the book so far (although I feel like I've already read it before) and will hopefully get it done by the end of the week. It's an easy fast read but with me starting my first year of graduate school as both a student and a TA, time management is proving to be devoted to those two things plus cooking and laundry, etc... But it shall be done!

About halfway through The Cave but I have a lot going on at work. I still hope to finish it in the next few days.

Just past the halfway mark on Watership Down. I always thought it was a children's or YA book but it's a pretty hefty 400+ pages long and it's a great read although quite a bit darker than I was anticipating. Hope to have a review on it for y'all soon.

elbakerone, I'm super excited that you came up with a biography for me to read next. I love the genre and it's been a while, despite the several unread ones I have lying around. (here llamagirl pauses in terror at the thought of getting nothing but bios selected for her due to prior statement...)

Anyhow, I'll get started on the Audrey soon, but at the moment I'm about halfway through The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu and I want to finish that up before embarking on a new read...

>30 Glad to hear you're enjoying the book!

I will be starting my chosen book, The Seduction, next week.

Hey Llamagirl - I know you've got lots in your catalog but if you're looking for any other interesting bios/autobios I have some unique (and excellent!) ones in my catalog as well (Tagged quite obviously "biography" and "autobiography"). Looking forward to your review of Audrey. :)

And just to set out the warning it could be a good few weeks before I get to my next assignment, Saving Fish From Drowning. I'm in the middle of another long read and I also got a bunch of books for my birthday that are jumping to the front of my TBR pile since people keep asking if I read/liked the books they gave me.

Well, I won't be starting on The Name of the Rose for a few days, since I'm about halfway through The Modern Weird Tale. Since Name of the Rose is somewhat dense, I think it'll be a couple weeks before I have a review up.

I still need to write out a review to The Waiting Years and start reading Seeing by Jose Saramago (which I'll be reading in Spanish actually). Unfortunately graduate school is kicking my ass and right now I really need to start kicking back.

Hopefully things will get better to the point that I can start reading again.

I've finally started my GRTB! book, The Seduction by Marilyn Wallace. Hope to have it finished by the end of this weekend.

I finished Till We Have Faces. I'll have a review up shortly.

I'm in the middle of a stack of library books (I finally got around to getting a library card), so it may be a bit before I manage to get around to Congo. I'm interested in reading it, though, so it might take precedent as soon as I finish Innocent Traitor - which I'm loving.

Does anybody know how fast a read Congo is?

So I started Audrey Hepburn but I recently went on a comic-book-buying date and picked up the 2nd Fables TPB as well as a collection of Vault of Horror EC comics (which I'm completely enthralled in, so the Audrey's kind of taken a backseat. So far I am enjoying the Audrey, although it is a wee bit on the flattering side. On a different note, why is that biographies are also ultra-flattering or highlight every seedy aspect of their subject? Is there, like, no middle ground in bio-land?

Message edited by its author, Sep 24, 2007, 11:10pm.

#40 Maybe it depends on how famous/iconic the person in question is. Last year I read biographies of Borges, Astor Piazzolla, Phillip K. Dick, and Syd Barrett; none of which seemed to fall into the trap of lacking middle ground. All of them were sympathetic to their subjects, but still willing to deal with the darker aspects.

For example, the Dick and Barrett biographies weren't afraid with addressing their subjects' drug abuse and mental problems while still grappling with what made them interesting/important as artists. Similarly, Borges was hardly a saint when it came to his political leanings, and his bio attempts to deal with those failings in a non-judgemental manner.

Of course, compared with Audrey Hepburn, those all qualify as "cult" figures so there may be less interest, from a marketing perspective, in pushing either uplift or titillation.

I'm also working on some library books at the moment so it may be a little while till I get to my book. But I'm looking forward to my chosen book, The Tin Flute, and have it on my table to start as soon as I can.

Caramellunacy, I read Congo on vacation ten or twelve years ago and found it to take about as long as any other Crichton. If you are a slow reader like I am, maybe eight hours, a faster reader can knock it out in two to five, depending.

Believe it or not, I finally finished Saramago's The Cave. I should have my review online tonight or tomorrow.

Review for Till We Have Faces posted.

Wow! My book is finally on it's way to local library from my hold list. I should have it by the end of the week. August seems so long ago when it was selected for me. That will teach me to have others select "wishlist" books instead of TBRs. :-)

Finished Congo, y'all were right, it was a very quick read. I'll have the review up soon (stupid school gets in the way of me taking care of these things ;-) ).

Well, it took me longer to finish The Modern Weird Tale than I expected, so I'll be starting The Name of the Rose today. I suspect, unlike Congo, it will not be a fast read. (Based on my previous Eco fiction experiences.)

Yeah The Name of the Rose took quite some time for me to read, too. Hope you enjoy it!

I just started Saving Fish From Drowning. I got a little sidetracked cause I managed to score an Early Reviewers book. Back in the game now though and should have my "assignment" finished and reviewed within the week. :)

I finally cracked open Name of the Rose. So far, I've only read the introduction in which Eco claims that the book is a translation of a translation of a first-hand account. I originally read Rose years ago, before I discovered Borges, and thought that the intro was just to provide some versimilitude to the story. However, I was thrilled to see how incredibly Borgesian the intro is: invented/lost books, labrynthine quests, translations of translations, mirrors, chess, Buenos Aires! (It does however lack a knife fight.)

WOW!! Finally able to pick up my book from the library. I'm reading Sovereign Ladies: Sex, Sacrifice, and Power. The Six Reigning Queens of England by Maureen Waller. It looks very promising. It covers the reigns of Mary I from 1553-1558; Elizabeth I from 1558-1603; Mary II from 1689-1694; Anne from 1702-1714; Victoria from 1837-1901 and Elizabeth II from 1952 to current.

I didn't finish The Seduction as fast as I thought I would but am moving along with it. I'm a bit over halfway and am determined to have it finished this week.

Hey Jenson - Thanks for picking Twilight for me and thanks from all the people that have been bugging me to read it! I'll be getting to it as soon as I finish The Book Thief (GREAT book by the way).

The hardest part will be ignoring all that I've heard and reading the book with a clean slate frame of mind but I look forward to checking out Stephanie Meyers.

:)

It'll take me a while to get around to my selection. I'm really looking forward to it, but we recently had a family member pass away. And sadly exams, schoolwork, and job don't take a break just because I need one to grieve...

Message edited by its author, Oct 8, 2007, 5:15pm.

Sorry to hear about the bad news Caramel. A death in the family is never easy to get over but perhaps reading will help you escape a bit. Who knows?

I myself have been busy with school as well and have yet to pick up the book chosen for me. It's been sitting by my bed for a while but alas, slowly collecting dust.

Soon enough I hope to start it but graduate school is just so hard. ^^;;

So sorry for your loss Caramel. :( Hope things are okay as you get back into the swing of "normal" life.

And good luck with schoolwork to you and lilisin. Hope things aren't too crazy for either of you!

>56 Lilisin - If I didn't have pleasure reading to distract me from graduate school, I'd go crazy (-ier, yeah, yeah, ha ha.)

I only finally got around to starting Lions of Al-Rassan yesterday afternoon - had to finish the book I was reading while I waited for someone to pick, and then one from the library that couldn't be ignored. I'm only ~50 pages in, but so far so good.

I started Twilight this morning. I'm already 100+ pages into it so it should go pretty fast. Expect my review within the week!

I'm so excited to be doing this! However, with books for school (about one a week), two jobs (one in a bookstore, so it's okay!), and library books (stupid deadlines!), it'll be slow going...especially since Foundation Trilogy, which was chosen for me (I've been meaning to read it forever, so that's a good thing!) is over 500 pages and, technically, three books, even though they're in one volume. But I'm slowly but surely working on it!

I'm finishing The Shadow of the Wind (I have about 150 pages left) before starting my assigned The Age of Reason. I hope to start on it by Monday.

Less than 100 pages left of The Tine Flute so I should be ready to review it tomorrow.

>55 Caramel, you have my condolences as well :(

>54 & 59 Elbakerone, you're very welcome! I hope you're enjoying the story. It is one of those books I wish I could go back and read over new again. Hopefully that makes sense!

I did start Love in the Time of Cohlera (I've probably mangled the spelling of that!) but am facing deadlines on a couple library books I really wanted to read and have already renewed. I'm hoping to get back to it soon!

I'm just starting my 2nd book for this group :-) Should have a review in about 2 weeks.

The Courts of Love by Jean Plaidy.

Down to the last 100 pages of The Name of the Rose, so I should be done by tomorrow and reviewing it either then or Thursday.

Uh yeah....don't expect my review of Death By Suburb anytime soon. I've got a mega TBR list right now AND I'm attempting NaNoWriMo in November so my reading time per day will be drastically depleted. Don't think that I've forgotten though. I will get to it.....eventually. :)

I have about a book and a half to finish before starting The Evolutionists, so I'm not making any predictions on time, but it shouldn't be that long.

Just finished Innocent Traitor by Alision Weir so I'll be starting my book, City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling, for this group today.

10.29.07 - Within 100 pages of being done so a review should be posted by this weekend.

Message edited by its author, Oct 29, 2007, 1:20pm.

I've read a few other things inbetween but I've now started ploughing through Deadhouse gates it'll be finished sometime over the weekend I guess.

I've started The Evolutionists, and it's not a difficult read, but it's not that great, either, so I'm dawdling.

I still have every intention of reading The Foundation Trilogy (I started it and like it so far!). However, I got hit with lots of reading for class, more hours at work, and several library holds, so I haven't made much progress. I haven't given up, though, and don't intend to!

I'm having problems with Dracula - it's not bad, but I saw the movie for the first time a few weeks ago and now the entire book is being narrated in my head by Keanu. *shudder*

Finally starting The Golden Apples tonight.

I'm almost halfway through Love in the Time of Cholera. I had the hardest time getting through the first chapter but the further I get the better the reading gets which is good.

So I thought Einstein's Dreams was in Denver, but I was organizing a stack of to-be-reads and realized that it's right here with me. It's a tiny little book too, almost a novella, so as soon as I finish my non-fiction book I'm sure I'll be done with it in a flash.

75 -> yea, I finished it in a couple days. It's one of those a-lot going on, but still quick reads. (and I'm a notoriously slow reader).

Speaking of slow reading, I've started Tex and Molly but I'm having trouble getting into it. I read it way back in high school (back when I was very into the whole hippy thing). I feel like I'll get more into it later, and it kind of reminds me of a poor-man's Tom Robbins (can't decide if that's good or not), but I can't seem to focus on it yet.

Oh, well, I'll persevere. Just might be a while till the review is up.

Message edited by its author, Nov 4, 2007, 1:39am.

Almost done with Mallory's Oracle. Review in the next few days!

I'm about halfway through The Other Boleyn Girl so hopefully I will have it finished and a review up by the end of the week.

Danielle

I'm about halfway through The Secret Life of Dust. It's well-written, but my interest in dust is, apparently, somewhat limited. I may stop reading this for a few days and then come back to it.

Struggling with Mary, called Magdalene. I like the writing style of the author, just not much interested in the subject matter. I'm going to give it the weekend and then I may give up.

I just started Billie's Kiss by Elizabeth Knox which was picked for me weeks ago but I've just finished a book that took me a month to read hence my tardiness.

I'm about halfway through The Book of Flying which I enjoy a lot. It's taking me so long to read it because I'm also reading books for school and still writing my two papers... I hope I can finish it by the end of this week.

I'm struggling with A Plague of Frogs the writing is good but it's really repetative baisically the same thing over and over. It may not be grabbing my attention though because were in the middle of finishing the work on our new house and moving in this weekend so it's been really busy. Hopefully, when the hubub has died down I'll be able to get into it.

Danielle

I'm about halfway through All Quiet on the Western Front and have been enjoying it, but I have a whole bunch of library books coming due so I may take a little longer to finish it than I expected.

I'm now a little over halfway through Love in the Time of Cholera. I have to concentrate much harder on understanding what is going on in this story than I usually like to and it is taking me quite a while to get through it. I can only seem to read a bit at a time.

The majority of what I read is fluffy entertainment type romances and young adult lit so this is a bit of a departure from my norm.

I had a lot of library books that I had to get read before they were due but I have finally settled in to read my book Salem's Lot .

I'm reading The Golden Apples now, but it's not a quick read.

I finally dug out Sick as a Parrotfrom my 26 boxes of books (we just moved) but then my first early reviewers book arrived yesterday so I'm going to read that first and start Sick as a Parrot right after.

Danielle

I've managed to finish some of those library books, so I'm back to All Quiet on the Western Front and hope to be done by the end of the week. (Review late this week or early next week.)

I have a few books lined up before I get to mine but I just pulled out my paperback copy of Lirael and it has over 700 pages, soooo it may be a while before I'm heard from again!

I'm reading A prayer for Owen Meany it's going to take a while to finish. I just finished the third chapter and I've figured out how the book is written (if there are no surprises) and really like it. It's not a quick read tho, I have to pace myself because I don't think it would do the book any justice if I rushed through it.

ElizaJane - should we send out a search party if months pass with no sign of you?

I've been away from things for a while with NaNoWriMo and holiday prepwork taking up every ounce of my spare time. I still have Avoid Boring People (my assignment) on my next-up list. I'll got to it eventually and be back around here more often in the next few months. In the meantime though, I've still been keeping up with all the reviews this group has been chugging out. Thanks for the great work everyone!

I'm about 1/2 way through Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell but a bunch of library books just came in so I'm going to have to put it down for a bit so that I can attend to them. Its a long book and its not moving as fast as I would like. It had a slow start but has picked up as I've moved on....and once I get these library books out of the way then I'll get right back to it. =)

>94 Irisheyz77 - I wound up liking Jonathan Strange, but it took me *forever* to read, so don't feel bad about a slow start.

I was recently assigned Island of the Sequined Love Nun, but I still have to finish my current book, and then my Early Reviewer book came in the mail, and it's 700 pages long... so that gets priority. I'll look forward to reading all of y'all's reviews in the meantime, and I'll get back on track eventually.

Back of our winter vacation and finally have the house and pets under control. Tonight I'll be starting The Forget Me Not Sonata by Santa Montefiore that was chosen right before we left town. I need to get cracking on this one as my Early Reviewer's book is here and awaiting.

I'm not sure how to review How to Fossilise Your Hamster it's not something that I'll read through it's like a science textbook for adults. Only I havn't tried any of the experiments yet. Maybe I'll give one or two a go during the christmas break and review it on the basis of those.

->91 Kiwiflowa I'm glad you're liking Owen Meany. Hope you continue to do so.

I'm a little over halfway done with Norwegian Wood, and while it's not grabbing me hard like some books do, I'm starting to care more about what happens. I'm thinking this is going to be one of those books that you need to read all of before you really get it.

I should finish The Semi-Attached Couple tonight or tomorrow and post the review shortly thereafter. I'm loving it!

Yay! I'm so glad you're enjoying it, carlym!

Oh, I'm having a hard time with Making Love: A Conspiracy of the Heart; and I really wanted to like it--the premise sounded so cool. Maybe it will catch fire soon--I trudge onward.

Oh, I hope it'll get better! I picked it for you because I loved the title!

I'm finally finished my early reviewers book and will be starting Sick as a Parrot shortly.

Danielle

I stopped reading The Patron Saint of Red Chevys for a while to read my Early Reviewer book the memoirs of a beautiful boy. I have to say I wasn't enjoying it. Oddly though both it and the memoir are centered around larger than life southern mothers. Perhaps that is an archetype that I just don't like.

Jonanthan Strange and Mr Norell is still on hold for me. I promise I'll get back to it after the new year. I still have three library books to get through and I picked up another book today because it was short and fit easily into my bag. Sometimes commuting sucks because space for books is limited. However, that book kiosk in south station is beyond dangerous so I always try to carry two books on me at a time...so I have something on me already if I finish one while in transit. I have a real hard time buying just one book in a book store (even one as small as the book kiosk!) and I have WAY too many unread books at home already. lol

Don't worry, Thalia--you actually picked the book I was hoping someone would pick! I don't hold its duddedness against you! 8^)

The Singapore Grip is taking a while--I read some other books first, and although I like it so far, it's not the sort of book that I can't put down. I will post a review eventually, though.

I'm *finally* getting around to A Natural History of Sex, which was selected for me before Christmas! Part of the problem was that I keep it in my office, so I didn't get my hands on it before I left for holiday travel, and after 2 weeks or so had passed, I forgot I was supposed to be reading it for another few days!

The good news is that it's related-enough to what I do that I can read it at my desk and it still looks like I'm working. :)

I'm being *really* slow reading Jorge Luis Borges' Fictions - partly because I've been a bit distracted by other books but also because there's so much to think about! I'm enjoying it though. But given how skinny it is!

I'm still in a holding pattern with Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell. The book is just so heavy....and its been so cold outside that I haven't wanted to carry it with me on the train. I need to see if maybe I can exchange my hardcover copy for a paperback. I'll have to check out the BPL catalog this weekend.

After getting held up by a couple of quick reads and a book for my book group, I am finally getting started with The God of Small Things. So far, which is admittedly only 30 or so pages in, I am really finding it beautiful.

Finally finished The Golden Apples. I'll get a review up shortly.

I'm almost finished with The Color Purple, but it will be a few days, probably, before I get a review up--I like it, but I'm not quite sure what to say about it in a review.

I'm the same way, carlym--sometimes a book has to "percolate" for a few days before I have anything useful to say about it.

It's going to be at least a few weeks before I even get started on The Summer Tree. I'm really looking forward to it, but a bunch of library holds all came up at the same time, plus my Early Reviewer books need to get read sooner rather than later.... but I'll get there, I swear!

Hmmm. I still haven't tried any of the exeriments in How to Fosilise Your Hamster: ... and I cna't really review it until I've tried some. I'll get there someday.

reading_fox, sorry to have chosen that book for you!

fyrefly, I'm in the same position before I start my book A Great Deliverance which I'm really looking forward to. I have a couple of ARCs that need to be read (one from ER) and a stack of library books.

If all goes according to plan I should still get to it this month.

I'll get to Ellis Island and other Stories as soon as I can find it. It moved when I entered it into LT, and my physical books aren't QUITE as organized as my virtual ones.... My vague memory of it is so-so, but I'm willing to give it another look.

I'm making progress with Roadshow: landscape with drums by Neil Peart. It's weird reading about someone talk matter-of-factly about their yacht, but interesting hearing about how Rush, a band I really like, goes on tour.

I'm about a third of the way through Tibet, Tibet, but it's not as interesting as I had hope. I just moved, so anything that's not totally gripping has gotten put to the side.

I've been out of the loop for a while. I am actually enjoying Pale Fire quite a bit, but I've fallen into a fluffy-reading kind of mood and put it down for a bit. All I seem to want to handle lately are comic books and political humor. I do plan to pick it up again this weekend but will probably start over since it's not so fresh in my noodle, so it may be a while til I finish...

Really great book though!

It's taking me forever to read Outlander, but I enjoy it quite a bit. I started it in January, but school and real life kept me from finishing it. I'll hopefully finish it this weekend though.

I finally went to the public library this weekend to grab the book that was chosen for me to review-looked high and low, asked for a bit of help (sure I have Library of Congress memorized-I don't know Dewey at all!), even checked juvenile, YA and reference to make sure it wasn't misshelved. There is no way that book was stolen and it can't be in very high circulation-I have a feeling I might be the first person to ask for it in a long time. But it is officially in their black hole-I have it on reserve if it ever shows up, but I think I might have to give up on it. It was only in my list for my Library of Congress challenge, anyways...

I've started Ellis Island, and so far the writing is wonderful, but I have a problem continuing reading books of short stories -- I'll read one story, then move on to something else... Eventually I'll finish it, but even unfinished, it's a good read.

I'm still working on Cien años de soledad/A Hundred Years of Solitude. I read more slowly in Spanish than I do in English, plus my edition has a series of essays about the novel. And though I know I could just skip them, it would feel like a bit of a cheat (at least to me) not to read them. So, it'll be a while longer before my review is up.

Just a quick note. It irks me a little how touchstones on this book don't work when it's spelled with the ñ. I guess I'd feel rather silly posting about A Hundred Anuses of Solitude.

Message edited by its author, Mar 17, 2008, 6:13pm.

A Hundred Years of Solitude seems to work fine.

Inkheart is killing me. I keep putting it down and feeling very reluctant to pick it back up.

I just finished Inkheart about a week ago. I agree, it was a bit of a slow moving story but I ultimately did enjoy it.

I have to dig Who Are You People? out of my upstairs book case and am looking forward to starting it over the weekend. I'm reading a couple other books right now as well, but since I can't seem to stick with any one thing this will add a nice contrast to the mix.

Between vacation last week and a bunch of stuff coming in at the library and family visiting, I don't know when I'm going to get around to In the Name of the Rose. Eventually, I swear!

I'm finding it difficult to finish Brave New World, I'm two thirds of the way through but I've hit a very steep concentration hill, not because of the book but because of time issues, family stuff and study. I'll get there though.

I've been very busy with a mom in the hospital and a daughter giving birth to my second grandson. Wouldn't you know that the day I forget to stick The Pillars of the Earth into my purse is the day I spend 7 hours sitting next to mom in the PACU, spend the night with dad, and then spend a whole bunch of hours the next day at a sleeping mom's bedside (she's doing better today, thanks). So many lost reading hours! Luckily I had the mp3 player with me and could get in a few chapters of Pompeii (not a GRTB book though) during the quiet times. So the going is S L O W right now, hopefully soon I will have some spare time to read with. 8-)

>ireed110
I hope your mother gets well soon. My best wishes are sent y'all's way. And I hope you have spare time to read soon, too. :-)

I've just started The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and I'm liking it so far. It should be a quick read. Although I didn't plan this, a book I just read, The Great Cat Massacre, has turned out to be relevant to this book. In The Great Cat Massacre, the author talks about the changing way readers related to writers in the late 18th century, specifically to Rousseau. I'm seeing some of the same things in Franklin--things I would not have picked up on otherwise. It's nice when things work out like that :)

I'm about four chapters into Who Are You People? and do like it. So far we've covered Barbie, Ice Fishing and Pigeon Racing :-) I always have trouble sticking with non-fiction books so I've set a goal for myself to do at least 2 chapters per week.

nooo! I feel like I've put everyone off with my huge list of unread books! *sighs* Ah well. War and Peace it is. My wrists will take it ;-)

I'm working through (and enjoying) It Must've Been Something I Ate. I'm a little over halfway through.

Njal's Saga - shouldn't be taking me so long, but I'm not quite half way through it. All the Icelandic names are making it hard for me to read, but otherwise this is a totally readable edition. I'm glad I'm having the chance to re-read this. I wish I knew more about this culture, etc. The introduction just hints at all there is to know!

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead finally got here from Netflix! I should have the review up soon. I didn't want to review a play without having seen a performance of it (particularly since this gives me an excuse to spend some time with Tim Roth and Gary Oldman).

Caramellunacy, that was one of my favorite movies in high school, and I always associated Tim Roth with Gary Oldman even though they've gone on to do, I believe, absolutely zero movies together. Hope you enjoy it!

I'm now a little over halfway through Who Are You People? and am enjoying it! Great bits of trivia, like when I was at the Y working out and reading I found out that Montana has a "Testicle Festival" to celebrate cattle ranching and bulls who give up their manhood (bullhood?). I'm hoping to finish the book by the end of this weekend. Right now I'm reading about Josh Grobin devotees.

I'm reading The Importance of Being Lazy during lunch breaks, so it might take a little while to get through. I'm on the second chapter and resiting every single implus in my body to go through and fact-check his numbers. That would not be in keeping with the laziness theme. :)

Edit-Jenson, I just read your review of Who are you people?-sounds like an interesting book. I almost want to read it so I can get the line you quoted in full context. :)

Message edited by its author, Apr 20, 2008, 9:33am.

I was last here an embarrassingly long time ago. I finished my last assigned book The Bafut Beagles an embarrassingly long time ago. I will write a review, I will, I will, I will.

Sorry, guys. If you want to hit me with your abandonment issues, I'm braced.

I'm just finishing Death in the Clouds, then I'll read Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception and when I've finished that one I'll go and read the book I'm meant to review for the group. I should get to it bij the end of the week, and hope to have the review up before Sunday.

Ambitious, no?

>141 The line was kind of a surprise, which is why it cracked me up so much. I think she was surprised by her own enthusiasm for participation LOL!

Eragon is going pretty quickly and I'm enjoying it.

>144 I've read Eragon too, and it's great. I can't wait to read your review and see what you thought.

Alright, I've started The Blessing Stone, so I should be able to review it before Sunday.

It's been about 2 months since my last review for this group, so I feel a little guilty. I've been swamped with life and reviews I was supposed to do for official review sites, so I didn't have time to go back and re-read.

Pscindy chose Details of the Hunt for me and I'm getting around to re-reading it. I don't think anyone was that desperate for it though :) It's coming along.

I started Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe on Monday and I'm more than half way through already. I think this will be my fastest read here so far.
I'm absolutely loving it and I already don't want it to end. But I guess I will finish it tomorrow. So thanks to Caramellunacy for picking it for me!

I'm STILL reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. Lot's going on in my life - I finished only one book in the month of April, and it was audio, and I didn't like it. Dang. I'm thinking another 2 weeks and this one should be done though. I like it, it's Michneresque (did I just make up a word?).

>146 Ryes - Details of the Hunt is actually on my Amazon wishlist. I'm not sure if I'll ever buy it because it is so expensive, but I would be really interested in reading what you think of it.

I'm almost halfway through Candide and it is so much better than I ever expected. I was really nervous that I wouldn't be able to get through the first couple pages. It is kind of horrifying in a "must watch the car accident" sort of way, but compelling nevertheless.

Jenson, I felt the same way! My first copy was pushed on me by a friend. I felt obliged to read it and return. I approached it as a chore and was most surprised.

I still haven't started my assignment Alias Grace but I am looking forward to reading it! I've just had a pile of arcs to read recently and it kept moving farther down the pile but it is getting closer to the top again so I'll start sometime soon. I'm expecting it to be an easy read.

I'm making my way through War and Peace, not hugely quickly because of the perils of the PhD but I'm loving it! I will get there eventually...

I have a confession to make, and confession is good for the soul (or is that Chicken Soup?). I have not yet started Hollow Man. I actually own it, but my copy is in storage so I was going to check it out from the library but when I finally got there after much procrastination, I found it had been checked out.

I've finally started my assignment! I started Alias Grace today and can already tell it's going to be an enjoyable read.

I've put Revolt of the Angels on hold to read my early review book (which is coming along quite nicely, thank you). I'll get back to the other one as soon as possible. I haven't gotten a chance to start it, but I think it's going to be right up my alley. Thanks for choosing it.

I'm working on Pompei, but it's slow going, because I'm also reading The Sorrow of Belgium, and that's reserved so I only have three weeks to read it completely, and I don't have much reading time at the moment.

I have started Birds' Nests in Their Beards, but it may be a while before I finish--I just started studying for the Texas bar exam, and that requires tons of reading.

I'm about halfway through Other Lives The Story of Reincarnation which has been interesting in that so far it has quoted many philosophers and talked about many ancient nationalities whom I've heard of but never really studied before. This might lead to further investigation for me in the future.

I'm really bogging down on Welcome to Your Brain - it's a library book and is probably past due, so I must either get busy or dump it. I'm more than half in, so I've probably got enough for a review. I don't dislike it, I'm just not finding it to be a good cover-to-cover read - more appealing just to graze.

Winter Fire is temporarily on hold while I finish reading some rentals. I expect to have them in the mailbox tomorrow and begin my first assignment.

I'm looking forward to my assignment of the Robin McKinley Collection but have about 6 books in que ahead of it, 4 library books, one I'm reading for an author for review purposes and Shadow's Return due out Tuesday that I must read as soon as I get my hands on it!

After all that it will probably still take a while since the "collection" is a box set of three separate books. From what I've heard, they're all very good so it should be enjoyable. So far I've read two books by McKinley, one I didn't care for and one that I really liked a lot so it will be interesting to get into these. I certainly have my reading cut out for me!

I've been temporarily derailed from The Double Helix by catching up with Middlemarch for Group Reads - Literature Group. Nearly at the end of it now and so will be back to The Double Helix next. So many books, so little time!

Hey there! I posted an assignment on the Game thread yesterday, and am holding my breath (just metaphorically) hoping someone gets on that thread and assigns me a book to read and review!

I started reading Of Mice and Men yesterday. I'm reading another book at the same time (I always do), but I would have chosen to go slowly anyways because even though it's a short book it's laden with description and I feel like I'll miss something if I read it in a day.

Going slow, about a third through Winter Fire. Recieved and reviewed my Early Review book, and next thing I knew four more rentals came in the mail on turn-a-round. Should have them read and in the mail first of the week. I can then get back to reading my assignment and working on my library. I keep thinking about canceling the rentals but I enjoy them so much, I can't bring myself to do it.

I'm almost finished with The Archimedes Codex, which is turning out to be really interesting. A review should be up either today or tomorrow, as I plan on finishing it today.

It seems I've always got a pile of ARCs and library books that push my assignment books down the pile BUT my assignment Pig Island is next after the one I'm reading now (a library book due back in the next few days) which is a quickie YA vampire tale Vampire Mountain. So I'll be starting my assigned book in the next day or two!

Well, I thought I'd get to The Last Temptation by Neil Gaiman--touchstone not working on title--before moving...but apparently not. I like to read graphic novels in just one or two long sittings rather than stopping and starting, and just haven't had the time yet with packing and trying to see all my friends before I move off. It should happen soon though--I move next week, and then I'll be in a strange city, boyfriend elsewhere, for about a month before my new schoolyear starts up. So yep, I'll have a full month of nothing but unpacking/organizing and reading--you guys will hear back from me then :) In the meantime, wish me luck....

Best of luck, whitewave!

As for my most recent assignment (Animal Farm), I am looking forward to reading it but right now I'm happily swimming in a sea of ARCs and feel compelled to place them at the top of my TBR mountain. Hopefully I'll get to Animal Farm by early August. :)

I'm planning on reading my assigned book at the end of the month, because I've got a pile of other must reads before that, and I want to read the two previous parts of the trilogy before I start the last one.

I've finished The Blue Sword, which is the first of my three book assignment, A Robin McKinley Collection. Now that I've read it I think I probably should have read The Hero and the Crown first, as the main character in there shows up as a long deceased spirit in this one. I liked The Blue Sword but think I will be taking breaks between the three books, so it will be a bit of time before the next one.

I started The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett, but put it down when my mother was diagnosed with an illness and came to my house for an extended stay. I heard so many good things about the book, and I wasn't finding it funny. I wanted to wait until that was at least a possibility.
So, hopefully, I'll pick it up again soon and finish it off.

I started Birds' Nests in Their Beards ages ago, but it's been slow going as I've been studying for the bar exam. The exam is next week, so I'll be back to normal reading soon!

Well, I had grand plans to start the month with Animal Farm but I forgot that Breaking Dawn was coming out and that had to take priority on my TBR list (reviewed here). I'll try to get to AF soon though but I just got another ARC in the mail so I guess it's getting put off....again....

p.s. hope the exam went well carlym!!!

Message edited by its author, Aug 6, 2008, 12:01pm.

Dirt, Undress, and Difference is going veeeeeeeeery slowly. It's very academic, not really intended for the layperson, and it's been long enough since I took those anthropology classes that the introduction alone almost killed me. The actual case studies have been better, but it's still going to be a while. I'll have to ask for something lighter for my next assignment.

The Solitary Envoy took me over a month. I feel kind of bad for giving negative reviews to both books I've reviewed so far....To the people who've given me the books, I'm still glad I read them so please don't take it personally!

The Double Helix is plodding at the moment. I remember whipping through it the first time ... ho hum! For a short book, it's taking a lo-oo-oo-o-ng time!

The Promise of the New South is going, albeit a little slowly. But that is probably because I am reading Bleak House at the same time. They are both quite dense.

178: I know I picked a slower read for you, but I really am interested in it, and it doesn't have any reviews yet. I hope it's worth the time!

It's worth it, carlym - I'm just not breezing through. Passed the halfway mark about an hour ago. Hope to be done before next weekend - or sooner if possible. You just never know what the week's going to bring.

I've been bad and have been reading other books not chosen for me via this thread. Oops!

Still need to review The Waiting Years.
Still need to read Notre Dame de Paris.
Still need to read Ensayo sobre la lucidez seeing as how I requested a book after that forgetting I already had one.

Plus I still haven't finished La Reine du Sud which is why I was behind in the first place.

Goodness me I've been bad!

On another note, I read Don Quixote this summer and I'm now quite entranced with Crime and Punishment. Perhaps I should write reviews for those two to make up for my lack of reviews in this department.

Message edited by its author, Aug 29, 2008, 5:09pm.

Im still waiting on Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me? I have a sneaky suspicion it will come in while I am away and I will loose my place in the que grrrr.

I've started again on The Hero and the Crown which is the second book of The Robin McKinley Collection that was assigned to me a few months ago. I think this time I'll make a go of it, I just wasn't in the mood the last time I started it. After this I'll be reading Spindle's End to finish up.

I am still slogging through The Story of the Irish Race. Although it is very informative it is proving to be a difficult read. I will succeed though. *smile*

I haven't yet started Airframe which was recently assigned to me because I need to finish up some library books first. But I'm looking forward to it and I'm sure it will be a quick read.

Like bell7, I'm looking forward to reading Staying Dead but have a bunch of library books out right now. Many have just come in from requests I've made over the last few months. Kind of curious they all decided to come in at once!

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society had to go back to the library before I got very far into it. "No problem" I thought, "I'll just re-order it". No problem, indeed. There were about 215 people ahead of me in line. That was over a week ago, and now I'm up to #198. It will probably be a while before you hear from me again! However, I will keep checking in here regularly, as I really enjoy reading everyone's reviews, and "found" several good books as a result. (I need something to read until Guernsey is available!)

Notre-Dame de Paris was assigned to me April 27th and I finally read it this past October. I updated my review onto the list (number 275) and it can be seen from my profile. :)

5 stars! :)

I'm afraid my assignment from last month hasn't been touched (Next by Michael Crichton)---right around the time it got assigned, I got two ER books in and my semester as a new PhD student went insane. I'm keeping up with the message board when I procrastinate as I too enjoy reading the reviews, but it'll probably be Christmastime before you guys see another review from me (aside from the stuff I'm reading in my program and reviewing as I go if you're curious).

I managed to read a bit more of Fire by Sebastian Junger last night. The problem I'm having is that this first essay seems to be written like my science textbooks from high school, the ones that made my eyes cross and my mind wander. I know that this first essay is one of the writer's earliest ones and I do plan on sticking with it because I see the potential for his writing becoming more interesting.

I'm waiting until after the first of the year to start my latest pick, Wuthering Heights as it is also on my 999 Challenge. I'm a little nervous about reading it because sometimes I have problems with older prose.

Still chipping away at Dickens by Peter Ackroyd. My, it is a giant book, isn't it? Wish I liked Dickens better. (The man, not the novels.)

I have been waiting almost a week for my next pick...What's up everybody? How're you doing? :)

Message edited by its author, Jan 18, 2009, 3:14pm.

hi, lilyfyrestorm. :-) I'm afraid I'll be no help, as I haven't even started my last pick, 68 Knots, yet. I've been whittling down my library book pile instead.

>193
got you covered!

>195 Thank you so much!!!

After putting it off for months I finally started Wuthering Heights yesterday and, to my surprise, am actually enjoying it! I was able to get about halfway and hope to have it done by tomorrow or the day after.

I've been reading new books and an ER that arrived, and now that I'm ready to read why call them back form heaven the DIY in the front room - ripping up floorboars replacing joists etc - means I don't have easy access to bookcases at the moment. Hopefully within a week or two my house will be back to normal and I can get down to this one.

#198: reading_fox " I'm ready to read why call them back form heaven ... [h]opefully within a week or two my house will be back to normal and I can get down to this one."

Great! Still looking forward to it.

Message edited by its author, Mar 27, 2009, 7:03pm.

I just had to share...while looking over my books read this month I discovered I read three Go Review That Book! picks which is certainly a record for me! I'll be starting my next one today although it is doubtful I'll finish it before August.

Thanks to everyone for helping me work through my tbr pile!