THE "BOOKIE JAR" 2

Call it reinventing the wheel or just my obsession with neatness and organization...but I made a few changes to the "Bookie Jar".

1. Please… everyone create your own jar…just like you do the “What are you Reading” list each month. If you have a jar on the original site copy and paste what you have already put in your jar to the newly created one. I’ll include an example below.

2. Once everything is in the new jar on the new topic site just click on the “x” to send the old topic to the ignore topic list.

3. Visit the “Bookie Jar” as many times as you like. On your visit you may pick a book from your friend’s jars…and/or leave a book(s) that you really liked and hope someone else will enjoy. It can be any genre. Hopefully you will all use the “Bookie Jar” to find books that you might enjoy reading…find books to fit a challenge that you are participating in…or just find a new author or even a new genre.

4. When you add a "bookie", along with the author and the title please include the “genre”, as some people may be particular about the genre that they read. Take your best guess if you don’t know. If the book is a part of a series, please include which number book it is in the series. Some happily ROO and others would rather cut off their right hand.

5. Leave as many “Bookie’s” as you want as often as you want….whenever you want. Oh…and don’t forget to put the lid back on.

6. Please use the “What Are We Reading and Reviewing’ site to leave reviews for the “Bookie. What did you think of it? Just a word or two will do…(see example). Hopefully it will keep the site less messy and easier to find the “bookies” in the individual jars.

Example:

Carol’s “Bookie Jar”

Watchers by Author’s name – genre – horror, mystery, paranormal etc….
Ice Twins by……

Carol’s Samplings:

Lightning From Brenda 4.5 stars, "Amazing!"
Coffin Road from Andrew – 5 stars – “loved it”

Just keep adding to your list.

Eadie's "Bookie Jar"
Hothouse Flower or Orchid House by Lucinda Riley - Historical Fiction
The House on the Strand by Daphne Du Maurier - Time Travel Adventure
The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton - Standalone Crime Fiction
Burntown: a novel by Jennifer McMahon - Thriller Fantasy
The Ex by Alafair Burke - Standalone Mystery
Red Leaves by Paullina Simons - Mystery Suspense
The Scapegoat by Daphne Du Maurier - Horror
Say Nothing by Brad Parks - Standalone - Suspense Thriller
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith - Psychological Thriller
Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton - Psychological Thriller

Eadie's Samplings:
✔The Second Life of Nick Mason by Steve Hamilton- From Carol - 4 stars - Exit Strategy Bk 2 next
✔Finding Nouf - Zoe Ferraris - Mystery - From Lynda - 4 stars
✔Simon Said by Sarah Shaber - From Carol
Dissolution by C. J. Samsom - From Lynda
✔The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen - From Lynda
✔Doc by Mary Doria Russell - From Lynda
✔Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - From Lynda - Have to get from Library
✔Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - From LibraryCin
Black Order by James Rollins - From Andrew
The Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine - From Andrew
The Survivor by Gregg Hurwitz - Suspense - From Brenda
The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor - Thriller - From Brenda

Carol's "Bookie Jar" Please help yourself.

Simon Saidby Sarah Shaber - genre: Cozy mystery but a really good story and characters.
This is Our Story by Ashley Elston - genre: Mystery
The House on Cold Hill by peter James – genre: Mystery…but more ghost story
Family Plot by Cherie Priest – genre: absolutely a ghost story
And Then There Were None (.a.k.a Ten Little Indians) by Agatha Christie – genre: Mystery
My Sister’s Grave by Robert Dugoni – genre- mystery – Book 1 in the Tracy Crosswhite series
Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner – genre – mystery – Book #7 in the FBI profiler series
Everything to Lose by Andrew Gross – genre – Thriller
Secret of the Stones by Ernest Dempsey – genre – archeological mystery
In the Blood by Lisa Unger – genre – Physiological thriller
The Second Life of Nick Mason by Steve Hamilton – genre – thriller – Book #1 in the Nick Mason series
Zero Day by David Baldacci – genre – thriller featuring an ex-military Special Agent – Book # 1 in the John Puller series
These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnolly - genre - historical mystery
Grave Doubts by Elizabeth Corley - genre - physiological thriller
The Executioner by Chris Carter - Robert Hunter series Book #1- genre- Physiological thriller
The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter - Robert Hunter Book #2 - genre - Physiological thriller
The Night Stalker by Chris Carter - Robert Hunter Book #3 - genre - physiological thriller
The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz - Jane Hawk Book #1 - genre - thriller

New for July
Most Dangerous Place by James Grippando - Jack Swyteck Book #13 - genre mystery, courtroom drama based on a true event
The Late Show by Michael Connelly - Renee' Ballard Book #1 - genre - mystery, police procedural
Yesternight by Cat Winters - genre - historical, paranormal...deals with reincarnation

New for August
A Killer Harvest by Paul Cleave - genre a mix of murder and medical mystery
The House Next Door by Anne Rivers Siddons - genre - thriller hint of supernatural
A Winter Haunting by Dan Simmons - genre - supernatural mystery
A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner - gene - historical supernatural
The Family Plot by Cherie Priest - genre - thriller/supernatural
The Whispering by Sarah Rayne - genre - historical supernatural (Touchstone not right)
Starter House by Sonja Condit - genre - supernatural
This House is Haunted by John Boyne - genre - historical supernatural

New For September
Ghosts of Idlewood by M.L. Bullock - genre - paranormal mystery
The Bone Labyrinth by James Rollins - Sigma Force Book #11 - genre- thriller
Follow You Home by Mark Edwards - genre - thriller
Wish You Well by David Baldacci - genre - just a heart warming story
Yesterday's Echo by Matt Coyle - genre - mystery

New For October
Comes A Horseman by Robert Lipuralo - genre - a bit paranormal
Shattered Echoes by B.A. Shapiro - genre - mystery & paranormal

New For November
Lie To Me by J.T. Ellison - genre - domestic mystery (standalone)

Carol's Samplings I'll check them off as I read them.
✔ ★

Fade To Red by Linda Castillo - from Sushi -
The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley - from Andrew
✔Rivers of London a.k.a. The Hanging Tree by Ben Aaronvitch - from Sushi - 4★- Liked it but it was a little hard to follow in places. I plan to read more of this series.
✔I Let You Go by Clare MacKintosh - from Lynda - 4★- great read.
✔Every Dead Thing by John Connolly - from Lynda - 4★ - very good addition to the series.
✔Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt - from Lynda - 4.5★Wonderful story
✔The Ex by Alafair Burke - from Eadie - 4★- Great story & I loved the legal side of this book.
Shake Hands With The Devil by Romeo Dellaire - from LibraryCin
✔A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig - from Sergei - 5★- Brian absolutely loved it.
Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine - from Andrew
✔Blood Men by Paul Cleave - from Sushi - 4.5★ - quite graphic but I loved it.❤
✔I See You by Clare MacKintosh - from Lynda - 4★ - really liked it
✔The Dry by Jane Harper - from Brenda - 4.5★- outstanding first novel.
The Midwife's Tale by Sam Thomas - from bluebird
✔Say Nothing by Brad Parks - from Eadie - 4.5★ Couldn't put it down. Excellent read.
✔Wolf by Mo Hayder - from Sushi - 4.5★- love this series. great read

Brenda's "Bookie Jar"

The Survivor by Gregg Hurwitz - Suspense
One Second After by William R. Forstchen - Post-Apocalyptic, #1 in John Matherson trilogy
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell - Historical Fiction, #1 in the Saxon Tales
The Bastard by John Jakes - Historical Fiction, #1 in Kent Family Chronicles
Watchers by Dean Koontz - Horror, Suspense
The Lions of Lucerne by Brad Thor - Thriller, #1 in Scot Horvath series
Term Limits by Vince Flynn - Thriller (technically a standalone but related to the Mitch Rapp series. Could be considered a prequel)
The Dry by Jane Harper - Mystery
Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb - Fantasy, #1 in the Farseer trillogy
Farthing by Jo Walton - Alternate History, #1 in the Small Change trilogy
The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss- Historical Romance (it's a Bodice Ripper)
Watership Down by Richard Adams - Classic
Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - Fantasy, #1 in the Wheel of Time series
Forever War by Joe Haldeman - SF
The Lion's Game by Nelson DeMille - Thriller, Suspense

Brenda's "Samplings"

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - from LibraryCin
My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni - from Carol
Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith - from Eadie (enjoy the movie so going to check out the book)
Songs of Love and War - from Sergei
Irene by Pierre LeMaitre - from OM
In Pale Battalions by Robert Goddard - from Andrew
Fade to Red by Linda Castillo - from Sushi (I'm doing the Kate Burkholder series right now)
Wool by Hugh Howey - from Bb (had this on my tbr for a while)

>4 bhabeck: you recommended Assassin's Apprentice to me last year, and I still consider it a great favor - I loved it, and have continued through the second trilogy and am looking forward to the Fitz & The Fool segment of the series. It's a good recommend for anyone who likes medieval fantasy - she is so great at devising interesting characters.

>5 Darth-Heather: I hope to get to this book over the Summer.

Sushicat's Jars

I'll split my offering into three jars:

Mystery jar (seems to be overflowing...):
Rivers of London (Peter Grant #1) by Ben Aaronovitch - paranormal mystery - go for the audiobooks, they are brilliant!
Fade to Red by Linda Castillo - romantic suspense
Blood Men by Paul Cleave - psychological thriller
The Moose Jaw (Fergus O'Neill #1) by Mike Delany - psychological thriller with a touch of the supernatural, set in Alaska
Candlemoth by R.J. Ellory - historical - a blind date originally proposed by Eadie, this one made me cry
Defending Jacob by William Landay - legal thriller
Wolf (Jack Caffery #7) by Mo Hayder - psychological thriller - my favorite in a great series
The Cold Cold Ground (Sean Duffy #1) by Adrian McKinty - police procedural set during The Troubles
Fragile by Lisa Unger - psychological thriller
The Collini Case by Ferdinand von Schirach - legal thriller - his books always explore issues of law vs ethics
This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston - psychological thriller - a recommendation from Carol

Other fiction jar:
My Real Children by Jo Walton - an interesting take on alternate history
The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon - a touch of the supernatural - a blind date originally proposed by Carol
Lock In by John Scalzi - science fiction
Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa - about what it means to be on opposite sides of protests
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison - again: do the audio, it's superb!

Non fiction jar:
Fire Season by Philip Connors - about spending time as a fire lookout in the mountains of New Mexico
Into the Silence by Wade Davis - about Mallory and the Everest and how this all fits with WW1
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing - about a trip to Antarctica and coming back against all odds
Winterdance by Gary Paulsen - about preparing for the Iditarod, the longest dog sled race
Mind of the Raven by Bernd Heinrich - all about Ravens, their antics, their smarts, their relationships - and what it takes to get to know them

Sushicat's nibbles

Doc by Mary Doria Russell - from Lynda
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - from LibraryCyn
✔ Columbine by Dave Cullen - from LibraryCyn - 4.6 stars
Shake Hands With the Devil - by Romeo Dallaire - from LibraryCyn
My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni - from Carol
In the Blood by Lisa Unger - from Carol

Lynda's Bookies

Ordinary Grace - William Kent Krueger - Fiction/Mystery
Dissolution - C. J. Sansom - Historical Mystery
The Professionals - Owen Laukkanen - Thriller
I See You - Clare Macintosh - Thriller
I Let You Go - Clare Macintosh - Thriller
Every Dead Thing - John Connolly - Thriller
Finding Nouf - Zoe Ferraris - Mystery
Crocodile - Maurizio de Giovanni - Eurocrime
Irene - Pierre LeMaitre - first in an excellent trilogy followed by Alex and then Camille
This Is Our Story - Ashley Elston - Mystery
The Kill Artist - Daniel Silva - Thriller - first Gabriel Allon
Day After Tomorrow - Allen Folsom - Thriller
Doc - Mary Doria Russell - Historical Fiction
Lilac Girls - Martha Hall Kelly - Historical Fiction

I'm adding one more historical fiction that I just read. It's a different look at WW2 Jewish regpfugees that's set in China.

The Far Side of the Sky by Daniel Kalla

Andrew's Bookies

In Pale Battalions by Robert Goddard (Thriller)
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (Contemporary Fiction)
Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer (Family Saga : 1 of 7)
The Light Between Oceans by M L Steadman (Literary Fiction / Historical Fiction)
Library of the Dead by Glenn Cooper (Mystery / Thriller : 1 of 3)
Black Order by James Rollins (Thriller / Suspense : 3 of 12)
The Storm Sister by Lucinda Riley (Historical Romance : 2 of 3)
Here Be Dragons by Sharon Kay Penman (Historical Fiction : 1 of 3)
Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy (Contemporary Fiction)
The Child of the Phoenix by Barbara Erskine (Historical Fiction)
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Literary Fiction)
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (Historical Mystery : 1 of 13)

Sample Books (Will be September at the earliest)

Eadie : Hothouse Flower by Lucinda Riley, Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton
Carol : In The Blood by Lisa Unger, My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni
Brenda : Term Limits by Vince Flynn, Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
Sushicat : Wolf by Mo Haydee, Candlemoth by R J Ellory
Lynda : Doc by Mary Doris Russell, Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
Sergei : Songs of Love and War by Santa Montefiore, Tuppeny Hat Detective by Brian Sellars
Bluebird : Still Life by Louise Penny, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Sergei's bookies

I've searched my Librarything bookshelf and found 3 books that I really enjoyed but which might take Mystery and Suspensers off their beaten track:

Songs of Love and War (aka The Girl in the Castle) by Santa Montefiore, an Historical Romance set in early 20th century Ireland (5★s from me)

Tuppenny Hat Detective by Brian Sellars, an Historical Crime aimed at adults and children alike, set in 1950's Sheffield, England (4.5★s from me)

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig, Fantasy - supposedly children's but it worked for me (5★s + ❤️)

Bookies I'd quite like to sample:

✔️ Carol's And Then There Were None 4.5★s - 4 October 2017
✔️ Eadie's The House on the Strand 4★s - 13 July 2018
OM's Doc (If I can get the library to buy the ebook!)
✔️ Andrew's The Storm Sister 4.5★s - 31 October 2017
✔️ Cin's The Firebird (I'm not a great fan of nonfiction, YA or dystopian books, Cin, so I checked out your profile page. There's a link on the right of the page under 'Books you share/Compare books' - "What should you borrow?", which suggests 'The Firebird' among others; seeing as I have this on Kindle I'm going with it, even though you haven't read it yet either!) 5★s - 31 July 2017
Sushi's Defending Jacob
Brenda's Term Limits

The list will be added to, as and when an interesting book makes someone's list; books will receive a ✔️ when read.

Great idea! As usual, I'm coming late to the party.
Many of my favorites have been recommended by others already:
Doc, Rivers of London, Dissolution, Ready Player One and Assassin's Apprentice. I loved them all!

My Mystery Bookie Jar:
Still Life by Louise Penny Police Procedural. 1st of 13 in the Chief Inspector Gamache series
The Midwife's Tale by Sam Thomas. Historical mystery 1st in series but can stand alone.
House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz. Historical Mystery--Sherlock Holmes
The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille.

Off the mystery track:
Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah--memoir
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff-- memoir. written in the epistolary form and may resonate with younger folks used to instant communication and no memory of life with snail mail.
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore--History
Theft of Swords by Michael J Sullivan--Fantasy: Volume 1 of the Riyria Revelations
Pillars of Earth by Ken Follett--Historical Fiction 1st of a trilogy but works as a standalone (book 3 comes out this year. YAY!!!)
Wool Hugh Howey--Science Fiction

Bookies to read:
Hothouse Flower - Eadie
Simon Said, The Late Show - Carol
The Last Kingdom - Brenda
Fragile, Endurance - Sushi
The Kill Artist, Lilac Girls - Lynda
Only Time Will Tell , Maisie Dobbs - Andrew
Into Thin Air, Unwind, The Last Queen - Cindy

>11 bluebird_: I loved The House of Silk. I've now read the first 7 (out of 13) Maisie Dobbs books in a year.

I know I listed a bunch before, but I'll have to go find them. I really should take some time to pick out a few from everyone else's lists! Or at least something from someone else's list! Anyway, commenting here, so hopefully I'll remember to come back to do so. May not get to any I choose until after I finish off my current two "games" (US Road Trip and PBT Prosperity - I only have one more to finish this one off).

My Bookie Jar:

Nonfiction:
Shake Hands With the Devil / Romeo Dallaire (nonfiction, history, Rwanda)
The World Without Us / Alan Weisman (nonfiction, the environment)
The Longest Day / Cornelius Ryan (nonfiction, WWII, D-Day)
Escape / Carolyn Jessop (biography, FLDS)
Columbine / Dave Cullen (nonfiction, the shooting at Columbine)
Bitter is the New Black / Jen Lancaster (biography, humour)

Fiction:
Into Thin Air / Jon Krakauer (nonfiction, Mount Everest)
The Best Laid Plans / Terry Fallis (fiction, humour, Canadian politics)
Will Grayson, Will Grayson / John Green (young adult)
Ready Player One / Ernest Cline (dystopia, virtual reality, 1980s)

Adding in more
Midwives / Chris Bohjalian (medical ethics, fiction)
This House is Haunted / John Boyne (historical fiction, ghosts)
Kindred / Octavia Butler (historical fiction, slavery)
Me & Emma / Elizabeth Flock (child abuse, fiction)
The Last Queen / C.W. Gortner (historical fiction, Juana of Spain)
A Time to Kill / John Grisham (legal thriller, fiction)
Unbroken / Laura Hillenbrand (WWII memoir, nonfiction)
Isaac's Storm / Eric Larson (disaster, nonfiction)
Black Beauty / Anna Sewell (classics, children's lit, fiction)
Unwind / Neal Shusterman (dystopia, fiction)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks / Rebecca Skloot (cancer, medicine, nonfiction)

....and I could keep going, but I'll stop there. :-)

Possible Samplings
Strangers on a Train / Patricia Highsmith (Eadie)
Lilac Girls - Martha Hall Kelly (Olivermagnus)

Does it count if they are already on my tbr!? I have three, all recommended by bluebird!
Born a Crime / Trevor Noah
Radium Girls / Kate Moore
Wool / Hugh Howey

I could have added in some mystery/thriller, as well, but the ones I thought about adding, most people here have likely already read them! So, I guess my list is for those who read wider than mystery/thriller and/or would like to stretch a bit.

>14 LibraryCin: Great list Cindy--I've read and really enjoyed many of them. I hope it counts as some of the ones I chose were already on my TBR shelf. This just means we'll get to them sooner!

I'm reading Isaac's Storm right now. It was very slow to start and has too much information re: weather tracking, but I'm enjoying it now. I love Erik Larson!

I'll pick Into Thin Air, Unwind or the Last Queen from your selections.

>16 bluebird_: It is actually my favourite by Larson, but I might be a bit of a weather-geek, as well! LOL!

>17 LibraryCin: I'm such a science and history geek that I thought I'd gobble up all the weather details. I guess this is where my geekiness draws the line: it can't possibly be Larson's writing!

>18 bluebird_: I thought last night I should double check my review. It is my favourite by him, but it was still "only" 4.5 stars. Going to check my review to see where it lost that 1/2 star...

Ok, it was the start of the book that kept it down for me:
"The book starts with a combination of Isaac's life and some weather history mixed in. This part was a little bit slower, but once the hurricane hit, wow! The suspense was incredible! I did not want to put the book down. Like with Larsen's other books, his nonfiction reads like fiction. I think the hurricane and the aftermath are enough to raise my rating to above 4 stars, so 4-1/2 stars from me!"

>19 LibraryCin: Thanks! I think I'll end up agreeing with you. The water is rising, the hurricane is closing in and I'm riveted!

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly - From Lynda - 487 pgs. - ★★★★★ - 8/11/2017
Lilac Girls is an excellent debut novel by Martha Hall Kelly. It's a story of New York socialite Caroline Ferriday, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, and an ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser and their history of what they suffered during WW II that should not be forgotten. It was inspired by actual events and people. I found the story to be a definite page-turner and hard to put down. It is not for the faint of heart as the vivid descriptions reveal the bravery, cowardice, and cruelty of those days. The characters are well-drawn and will not be forgotten long after finishing the book. I look forward to reading the next book from Martha Hall Kelly as I found her writing to be very moving and memorable. I would highly recommend this book to those who like to read historical fiction.

The Professionals by Owen Laukkanen - From Lynda - 496 pgs. - ★★★★★ - 8/9/2017
Book Descripton
Four friends, recent college graduates, caught in a terrible job market, joke about turning to kidnapping to survive. And then, suddenly, it's no joke. For two years, the strategy they devise-quick, efficient, low risk-works like a charm. Until they kidnap the wrong man. Now two groups they've very much wanted to avoid are after them-the law, in the form of veteran state investigator Kirk Stevens and hotshot young FBI agent Carla Windermere, and an organized-crime outfit looking for payback. As they all crisscross the country in deadly pursuit and a series of increasingly explosive confrontations, each of them is ultimately forced to recognize the truth: The true professionals, cop or criminal, are those who are willing to sacrifice . . . everything. A finger-burning page-turner, filled with twists, surprises, and memorably complex characters, The Professionals marks the arrival of a remarkable new writer.

My Review
This is an excellent debut by Owen Laukkanen. It's a fast-paced plot that grabs you from the start and does not let go until the very end. The characters are well-drawn and fascinating. I love the short chapters that leave you hanging and wanting more. The book is action-packed with lots of twists and turns. It leaves you rooting for the bad guys and is one great reading experience. I can actually see this book as a movie. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. I would highly recommend this book to those who like action thrillers.

Simon Said by Sarah R. Shaber - From Carol - ★★★★★ - 8/6/2017
When Professor Simon Shaw begins investigating the murder of a woman who turns out to be the long missing heiress to the Bloodsworth estate, he finds himself trying to find answers to a case that is more than seventy years old and that someone wants to keep unsolved.

This is a cosy mystery that is light and fun to read. I found the history of the North Carolina house and area around 1926 to be very interesting. The characters are well-developed and draw you immediately into the plot. The twists and turns made the book hard to put down. The book is well written and I look forward to reading the others in the series. I highly recommend this book to cozy lovers who enjoy mysteries with an academic and historical touch.

Maisie Dobbs

My selection from Andrew's Bookies. I'd intended to read this book for years but never quite got around to it. Thanks for the nudge Andrew!

This book totally surprised me. I love historical mysteries and was intrigued by the 1920's-1930's setting featuring a female private investigator. However, I wasn't expecting to like Maisie as much as I do! She's a unique, likable and interesting character. The book was more short on the "mystery" side of things than anticipated, but well worth it for the wonderful backstory or our intrepid PI's. I'm hooked!

>26 bluebird_: Glad to see you liked it. I think they only get better too. I've now read 7 of them in the last year and hope o get to an eighth before the end of the month.

>27 Andrew-theQM: : )
I've so very many books I want to read (soon) that I'm interspersing my "next in series" in between new books. I hope to read the 2nd book sometime in September.

>28 bluebird_: That's the problem, too many books too little time!

>29 LibraryCin:. True. However if I read as many books each month as you, Eadie, Lynda or Carol I'd be in good shape. Retirement is too far away!!!!

>30 Andrew-theQM: Retirement is too far away!!!!

Agreed!!!

>30 Andrew-theQM: >31 Sergeirocks: I third that!

>30 Andrew-theQM: I found extra reading time by giving up TV.

>33 bhabeck: I haven't given up tv altogether, but I watch far less than I used to. But then, I bought a tablet. Now, I also play games on the tablet! (Though usually while watching tv!) :-)

>33 bhabeck: I did that too. I just realized the other day that I hadn't had the tv on for almost 2 months. I only realized it when someone asked what I thought of Game of Thrones this season and hadn't watched it. Of course, football is about to start so there go my Sundays for the next 5 months :)

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - From LibraryCin - 5 stars
Book Description
In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines-puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win-and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

My Review
This was a very fun read with lots of reference to the 80's pop culture. I don't typically read sci-fi but I was totally engaged in this book. It is a book full of adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat from the first page until the last. I found it to be a great story with unique characters and plot. I'm looking forward to reading another book by Ernest Cline in the future and hopefully, I will like it as much as I liked this one. If you've got an interest in video games and 80s pop culture, you'll love this book.

>36 EadieB: - This is one of my favorites and a great choice in audio.

>37 bluebird_: I agree the audio was well done.

>33 bhabeck: I seldom watch TV these days in order to have more time for reading. There are a few shows I can't miss. >35 Olivermagnus: Games of Thrones is a favorite, but I've not seen this season yet. I plan to binge watch it during the Labor Day holiday weekend (I've got The three days off-yay!)

>36 EadieB:. Glad you enjoyed Ready Player One! I loved that one and agree with Lynda about the audioboo. The narration by Wil Wheaton was excellent.