What are you reading now? vol. 5

This group has been reading and reading and reading and reading.......

so it is time for a new faster loading thread!!

(please start a new thread after approximately 200 posts to keep it loading quickly!)

I just finished Nightshade - meh. Has some problems. Just started Jealousy - Strange Angels and still sampling short stories from The Best American Short Stories 2007

I am amazed with my current read by Elyn Saks, The Center Cannot Hold. It is a very personal telling of her walk through true madness. The author battles schrizophenia as she earns her masters at Oxford and goes on to Yale. Her story starts very young as she lives at home. As she shares the actual thoughts that were going through her mind I am both frightened and I am just awed with what Elyn Saks accomplished.

Currently reading The Artist's Magazine (11/08) and The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly.

Yesterday, I finished Small Gods, and then read both Mockingjay and Love is Hell.

Today I started Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis. I don't usually like this kind of SF so we'll see how it goes.

Finished Enthusiasm. It was cute.

Now on to White Cat by Holly Black and Stranger at the Wedding by Barbara Hambly.

I'm reading Altered Carbon, by Richard K. Morgan, a science fiction novel. Dark, gritty, it's like the "Big Sleep" set in the 25th century.

And, on walks, I'm listening to Snobbery with violence on my iPod, an Edwardian murder mystery. A light read, don't need to concentrate too much.

Just finished Mennonite in a Little Black Dress - too cute!! Starting Eventide - I liked Plainsong so much!!

Edison's Conquest of Mars by Garrett P. Serviss (1898), a sequel to War of the Worlds

Put Out of the Silent Planet on hold (it was boring me), read two graphic novels, and have started on Goat Girls, which is a compilation of two Francesca Lia Block books.

Just started The Hound of the Baskervilles, and can't believe I've never read any Sherlock Holmes before.

11: That's my very favorite Sherlock Holmes book! I hope you like it!

Martha Grimes Rcihard Jury mystery - The Winds of Change. I love her books.

Just started Peony in Love by Lisa See.

A friend lent me a copy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Going to start it tonight and see what all the fuss is about.

(Edited to try to get the touchstones to work)

Now reading Going Places (May/June 2010).

Just started The World According to Garp. My roommate doesn't think I'll like it, as I wasn't overly fond of The Cider House Rules, though I did love A Son of the Circus.

Just finished Eventide - I love Kent Haruf!! Browsing bookshelf for next victim . . .

Just started Escape by Carolyn Jessop. It is really interesting so far. Also on lighter note reading A Pedigree to Die For by Laurien Berenson.

Just about to start Bad Boy by Peter Robinson.

I started Rings of Change: Alizant by Jane S. Fancher tonight.

I'm reading The Last Witchfinder by James Morrow. It's not really my thing, so if anyone would like to reserve it for mooching purposes after I've finished it, feel free to stake a claim.

Just started Lost and Found and loving it!! I seem to be on a streak of non-fiction lately.

>22 I-_-I: Well, it is technically the first official tragedy in Shakespeare's repertoire, so why not go all out? Julie Taymor did an absolutely gorgeous movie version about ten years ago. The whole thing is a bit weird in terms of how she set it, but the visuals are amazing even when it's horrific.

I'm theoretically reading Out of the Silent Planet and The Ropemaker, but in reality I am doing all the course readings in the world.

Just finished The Clerkenwell Tales and loved it. I'm halfway through Chill, which I like as well as I liked its prequel, Dust; Elizabeth Bear's world building is just so much fun in these.

>12 Heather19:- I did like it! I stayed up late to finish it :)

Just started A Scanner, Darkly - only on page 8, but what an acid trip. I'm not sure where this is going, but I laughed out loud once already - not sure if I was supposed to...

Since Jean Auel's 6th book of her series The Earth's Children is coming out in March, I've decided to start all over with Clan of the Cave Bear and finish the series by March. I read this series when it was published in 1980 and loved it.

>29 I-_-I: I've mooched a couple of his books recently. I'm not really sure quite what to expect. I like sci-fi, but based on summaries and short reviews the rest of the coating isn't my usual style. I am a little apprehensive, but he gets rave reviews from other authors of that time period who I DO like, so I felt I should give it a go.

I didn't know what to read next so I had a friend pick a path on a flow chart (Sci-Fi ~ New Wave ~ List of Titles) and that's how I started reading.

Starting Love Walked In - I know I said I was starting it earlier but I ditched it for another book that had a more "come hither" look but it now strikes my fancy!!

spelling corrected

I enjoyed Love Walked In, nctwila - Hope you do, too!

Just finished reading The Lost Symbol. It is a perfectly good book, just seems to me like a bit of a rerun of the Davinci code (Different secret however) with a bit more blood thrown in and symbolism in Washington. So if you are a big fan of the architecture in Washington, or would love to read something very similar to the Davinci code than this book is for you. If the Davinci code was not something you would re-read then you don't need to move this to the top of your TBR pile. Still a fun read.

p.s.- I only wish it was as easy to hold my students in 'rapt attention' as Langdon seems to do every second chapter :P

#34 rejoice: Have your read the sequel Belong to Me?? I want to read them together - well not exactly together but one right after the other - that's the plan anyway.

#36,

No, I haven't managed to snag a copy yet. I plan to, tho! Maybe it's time to check on availability again, since I actually have some points right now. :-)

>32 I-_-I:

I usually at least have a clue about what genre I feel like delving into and don't need to resort to throwing a dart at the flow chart. I wouldn't be able to pick 7 books in a row because I would never stick to it what with my shifty moods. I already read something else between the last time I posted and right now, leaving me still only on page 8 of the 'official' book in progress. (I have terrible discipline, really.)

Ditto Mac!!

I used to have those types of book relationships but I have fewer monogamist relationships now. I could never formulate a "to read" list - I am much too fickle. I just go browse my bookshelf. Sometimes if I need points, I will pick a book that I know someone will want so that I can list it right away when I finish. Or if I know my Mother will not want to read it, I will read that one next so that I can list it and reduce my inventory - space is an issue!!

Started and finished Goose on the Loose (Animal Ark) today at work. Slooow day at work.

While I don't think I could form 'to read' lists for specific books to read in a specific order, I started some reading challenges this year to make sure I get specific books read. It does not matter in what order. Other books can be read as well. That gives me some leeway. However I am hoping to (And am well on track) have some specific books read and done by the end of this year. I think I will do this next year too, trying to choose books that have been buried in mount TBR too long.

>30 ArtZest:

I loved Clan of the Cave Bear back in the day -- read it at least twice, maybe three times. Never read the rest of the series, and I had no idea a sixth book was coming out next year! Have you found the books pretty consistent in quality, or would you say there are ups and downs?

I started my ER book last night, The Dissemblers- it's about art forgery which is one of those things I find inherently interesting. It's pretty good- I read half of it last night.

I am reading Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin. It makes me sad that Macsbrains didn't like it much. I am enjoying it immensely! However, I guess I am kind of glad that she didn't like it much, otherwise I would have had a hard time prying it from her clutches. Crowbar, anyone? ;)

I'm glad you are liking it more :) Books belong to those who love them most. That's what I tell myself when I abscond with borrow other peoples books... *shifty eyes*

I re-read Fruits Basket vol. 18 - 22 today instead of the book I should be reading. I'll get there soon enough.

I seem to be in a very fickle book mood right now, so I have also started reading I was told there'd be cake which is a series of short stories. Short stories are usually not my strong point, but I am liking this book more and more as I work my way through it.

>49 Bcteagirl:

The cake is a lie.

(I'm sorry, I couldn't not make that video game reference.)

Great, now I want cake :P

50> LOL You are like my east coast alter ego!

The cake is a lie!!!

>49 Bcteagirl: I'm going to check out this book now, especially since one of the reviewers said some of her previous work was overly New-Yorky. I needed more for the TBR pile, it wasn't mountainous enough :p

>50 macsbrains: It was faerie cake!

^^^^^
Has Cake.
Not a Lie.
:)

Today was a triumph in terms of reading. Seriously, making a note here: Huge success! I finished The Ropemaker, then read The Demon's Lexicon and Zenda and the Gazing Ball; the first two were pretty great, and the third was clearly for ten-year-olds, which I was not expecting. (Nothing wrong with that, it just didn't take me very long.) And now I'm finally on The Moth Diaries, which I mooched forever ago.

Wow good job!! :)

>56 Bcteagirl: Well, I'm fine now, but the extra reading time came about because I was supposed to be somewhere important today and missed most of it by not feeling well . . . so not the best job. But pretty good!

The main problem was staying off the computer the whole day. I kept itching to check my wishlist.

I have had that happen... I am glad that you are feeling better.

I finished reading I was told there'd be cake a series of short stories.. A very fun/interesting selection of short stories. Today I started in on The End of Food. I seem to be on a theme?

I'm always amazed at people who can read multiple books in a day. I usually take multiple days to read one book.

I'm in the middle of The Tiger's Child right now (the one I told myself I wasn't going to read anytime soon 'cause omg emotional), and ended up posting a long rambling entry about it in my blog the other night. .... It's so good. When books are this thought-provoking I *can't* keep it to myself.

I just finished the copy of Squire that I received not too long ago from Bookmooch. It was a welcome break from the other books I am reading (That Noble Dream and The Jewel House) Coincidentally, they are books I'm *supposed* to be reading for class-- it's funny how the YA fiction always seems to trump reading for class in my to do list....

That being said, The Jewel House is an exhilarating book (I have one more chapter to go), and such a fun read!

>60 tophats:

it's funny how the YA fiction always seems to trump reading for class in my to do list....

I knew I was forgetting to do something!

*hastily shoves a giant pile of YA books behind her and pulls out some journal articles*

>60 tophats:- That Noble Dream is a great book, but definitely not easy reading!

I finished Atonement this week, and was deeply affected by the ending. Right now I'm reading Purple for Sky

>62 lahochstetler:

It's not easy reading, that's for sure! It gave me a lot to think about, which is probably why it was assigned reading for all the first year history grad students in my program. That being said, I am glad I am done with it, and can get started on Alchemy Tried in the Fire, which I am really looking forward to!

>61 chelonianmobile:

It's all clear, you can take your YA book out from under the articles. :)

Finished A Scanner, Darkly which had some very thought-provoking themes about society, identity, the self, and the mind. It's an intimate look at emotionally difficult subject matter from a sci-fi-ish perspective.

After work, I had an unusually long commute so I opted for Geography Club as a light read instead of Leviathan Wept which arrived new and pretty in the mail today. I think I will start reading it tomorrow morning.

I MEANT to start reading A Door Into Shadow by Diane Duane but planning ahead continues to never work out the way I intend.

Edited for petulant touchstones.

Currently reading The Artist's Magazine (4/06) and The Absence of Nectar by Kathy Hepinstall.

Reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett while I wait for my 1001 list book to arrive :D

I've just started Foucault's Birth of the Clinic, and I'm finding it to be rather heavy, baffling reading. And, like Discipline and Punish, I was supper grossed out by the examples he chose for the introduction of his work.

It's not my favorite book, so the round it out, I have started to read the Purgatorio, which I got from Bookmooch a few days back. I'm far more excited about this than Foucault! :)

I had a prof in my undergrad years who LOVED Foucault. She would bring him into every single discussion we had as a class. It was interesting at times hearing her interpretation of his works and how they related to the topic. I've read most of his work, and found it very hard to follow at times. He loves using metaphors, which is something I have trouble with at lot of the time.

Oddly enough, I had this discussion yesterday at work too...

Finished The Absence of Nectar.

About to start Absolute Power by David Baldacci.

I'm reading Cast in Chaos by Michelle Sagara- woo, I'm almost caught up on this series. :-D

My reading table now includes The Great Gatsby...I've never read it but my son is struggling with it for school so this appeared to be an opportunity to try a classic and give him some assistance. Also enjoying Boneshaker...interesting Steampunk novel.

Just finished Stolen Lives last night. Once I really started reading it, I could not put it down. Not that well written, but a riveting story! Then started reading Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. Must be just the thing because it is really good too!!

#71 > I never had to read it for school so last year I picked it up to read to see what I thought about it - I did not care for it at all - my sympathies for your son!!

Just finished Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress - it was a quick read. Think I will attempt Write it When I'm Gone again.

71: I never really cared for The Great Gatsby either. Blasphemy, I know..... :)

And 73, how did you like Sijie's book? I got it for Christmas a few years ago from a fellow book-loving friend, and I really liked it (for all that it could be heartbreaking at times).

I'm currently about half way through Canguilhem's The Normal and the Pathological, which is a book in philosophy of medicine, specifically about the definitions of health and disease, and he argues that these categories are normative, because "life is in fact a normative activity" (126). I don't think that the rest of the book is going to say anything much different...

I'm listening to the audiobook Cheating Death: The Doctors and Medical Miracles that Are Saving Lives Against All Odds by Sanjay Gupta and reading Slumdog Millionaire: A Novel aka Q&A by Vikas Swarup.

#74 flpierri . I love Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress!! This is the second time I had started it and I had trouble getting into it the first time but this time around, I could not put it down!! I was reading it @ the hairdressers and talking to her about it & she was not aware that China was communist . . . this is our future!!

After putting it off for a very long time, I am now reading Ulysses. I am enjoying it, but I'm not trying to figure out the classical/linguistic/historical references Joyce is constantly and vaguely making, so I think that has a lot to do with my enjoyment! Some of the prose is just beautiful, which makes me confused as to how his poetry was, (in my opinion), not very good. But, hey, go figure, right?

Read Lambs in the Lane in two hours the other day (sloooow day at work). Today in the doctor's office waiting room I read half of Seal on the Shore. .... I think I'm on an animal-book kick.

The Windup Girl
Makers
The Essential Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
and a survey of the works of Carl Jung

I am afraid that I am about to forsake all other books I'm currently reading, as well as all real life stuff that I should be doing (possibly including sleep) in order to read I Shall Wear Midnight.

Honestly, Wintersmith feels like a lifetime ago.

Finished She Got Up Off the Couch yesterday - think I will resume reading The Zookeepers Wife

Finished Absolute Power.

Next up: The Crossroad by Beverly Lewis.

I've been reading nonstop for the past week, and after finishing both Middlesex and The Woman Beneath the Skin yesterday, I took a half-day break before starting up Mesmerism and the End of the Enlightenment in France this evening, and it unfortunately has a grammatical error in the first sentence! Looks like Princeton will give anyone tenure....

I'm kidding, I'm kidding! It promises to be a good book, and it's not like a misplaced apostrophe is the end of the world.... it just irks me. :)

Finished Slumdog Millionaire and just started my Early Reviewers Rose in a Storm. Already enjoying it. I'm such a sucker for doggie books!

I'm reading The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier. Usually, when I read a book this large, it takes me a while to get into it, but with Marillier I can never put her books down- right from chapter one.

I'm just about to get stuck into The Book Thief. Just need to stop distracting myself on here and finish my work for tomorrow....

I'm working on The Secret Cases of Sherlock Holmes for fun, and The School Law Handbook: What Every Leader Needs to Know for class. Thankfully, I'm enjoying them both!

- edited for touchstones

Finished The Crossroad by Beverly Lewis.

Next up: 16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber.

Finished (& listed) 16 Lighthouse Road.

Next up: Absolutely, Positively by Jayne Ann Krentz.

Scratch that. Next up: 101 Best Home-Based Businesses for Women by Priscilla Huff. Thought I'd check this out.

I'm reading Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff and laughing my butt off. LOL I really needed a light, humorous (and short!) read after finishing The Dark Mirror by Marillier.

>90 Quaisior: I enjoyed that one a lot too.

Currently I am working my way through Jacquelyn Franks "The Nightwalkers" Series. I just finished Elijah. Love the books. Only problem with reading a series is there is alot of recapping and I tend to skip over it. But otherwise I am really enjoying them. Buuuuttt I just got my first win in the Early Reviewers club so it looks like Damien and Noah and just gonna have to wait a bit before I can get to them...:o)

I just finished How They Met, and Other Stories which I really enjoyed immensely. I was expecting something average, but I was pleasantly surprised.

I'm currently halfway through Bujold's Ethan of Athos which is as expected so far.

Not sure what to read next? Maybe something educational? I'm really close to the end of my 75 books challenge (well, I've read 134, but 65 of them were manga) so I'm disinclined to read something heavier. Perhaps it's time to throw a dart at the genre flow chart again!

Well, I decided to read The Synthetic Man by Theodore Sturgeon instead. My copy had traveled from the US to Japan to the UK & back to the States. I wish there was some way to track where our books go - I'd love that!

Next up: 204 Rosewood Lane by Debbie Macomber - the 2nd in the Cedar Cove series.

Started reading my Early Reviewers win A Small Furry Prayer: Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life while in the doctor's office. It is really good so far. I'm preparing myself for the sad parts.

Just finished Fallen, about 1/3 of the way through with Claude and Camille. Next on deck - Kraken...

I finished Ethan of Athos, which was a nice change of pace from what I've been reading lately, and moved onto Falcon by Emma Bull.

95: Aaaand another one goes on my wishlist. lol

Today I started reading Born to Race. It was written in the 1960s... I love reading older books and comparing language/grammar/word-usage.

I am now most of the way through Farmer Jane. Series of short stories about how women are running farms or cooperatives or eat local restaurants etc. I am enjoying it although a few of the stories are now starting to run together. Parts are very interesting but I don't really need to know how many degrees they all have and how many years they spent training on which farm when there are that many short stories in one book.

I have also just started The Watsons the unfinished work by Jane Austen. I am ashamed to say my first Austen work! (Although I have a nice hardbound copy of others on mount TBR).

#91, I finished it last night and I loved it. I can't wait to read the other two Keeper Chronicles.

Now I'm reading Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn and I've already read almost 100 pages today during the spouse's 45 minute bike race- I must really love it. ;-)

Finished 204 Rosewood Lane.

Now starting The Bookwoman's Last Fling by John Dunning.

Just finished an excellent book - West Coast by Kate Muir - off to see if I can find any more by her.

Just started Noah's Compass - I was reading other stuff that I have not finished but this just spoke to me . . .

Currently reading 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus and The Time of Terror. I really need to step it up on the latter since I won an Early Reviewer copy of the sequel...

Last night I read Lost in Lexicon (clever, if heavy-handed on the moral), which was the first time I'd seen an ARC really be noticeably an ARC - aside from little typographic things, there are illustrations, and there were a few empty spots that just said "WE DO HAVE AN ILLUSTRATION FOR THIS BIT."

Currently halfway through Island Realm, the first book of the Crystal Doors trilogy. It's mostly okay.

I finished reading The Watsons, probably the shortest Jane Austen work out there since it is uncompleted... only about 50 pages. A good read if you want an introduction to her work, and don't mind the fact that the story is not finished.

Recently I have started reading The Life of Pi as it is on the list of the top 40 books of the past 10 years on Canadareads. I am hoping to read a few other books on the list before they announce the top 10, as I was shocked to see I had read only three.

I have also started reading House of Leaves as I was lucky enough to snag one on bookmooch, and Halloween seemed as 'apt' a time as any to start it. A long book.. with this many on the go at once I will be lucky to finish it by Christmas (Or will it finish me? *insert creepy music*).

Good snag on House of Leaves!! I've been trying to mooch that book for ages! Let me know how you like it :)

Will do! I have a feeling it will be one of those 'read just a little at a time' books :P

Thanks for the heads up jfThing! It has been suggested to me that I might not want to stay up late reading them both while eating Halloween candy, for fear of weird nightmares :P

Sounds good! That is just what I was hoping for. Unsettling is fine, horror (think saw movies, etc) not so much my cup of tea :P

Finished The Bookwoman's Last Fling.

Next up: The Last Coyote by Michael Connelly.

I finished reading The Case of the Missing Books last night. Somewhat annoying and hard to get into. I think it would be ok as a beach read, but I was somewhat disappointed. A friend who was reading it with me did not finish it.

Currently reading the second Kushiel's Legacy book, Kushiel's Chosen by Jacqueline Carey. (At least I think that's the one -- the titles are all so similar!) Although I find the intrigue hard to keep straight, I'm enjoying it immensely.

Soon up: Kraken by China Mieville.

Really enjoying Margaret Trudeau's latest memoir Changing my Mind even though it is not the best-written, in some places.

Need to begin The Help and Sarah's Key asap for two different book clubs.

Hope you like Sarah's Key - I did!!

#117 I enjoyed it, too. I also liked The Help.

I just finished Mathematical Mysteries: The Beauty and Magic of Numbers, which I pushed up the queue after I sent my duplicate to JFThing. Behold Number Theory in all its numerical glory!

Just began Falcon by Emma Bull which I like so far.

The plan after this is to tackle the next part of my Tamora Pierce shelf (yes, it's a shelf) but I can never seem to stick to any reading plan I make.

#118 dadena: The Help is still on my TBR shelf - i have heard nothing but good about it so i can't wait!!

#117 #118 - so far so good with Sarah's Key - thanks girls :)

Coventry by Helen Humphreys jumped the queu due to a book club scheduling mishap - but it's short, so I should be on to The Help in no time (good thing, as I need to have it done by the 18th)!

The Perfect Elizabeth by Libby Schmais - pretty good so far.

Finished Claude and Camille, about 1/3rd of the way through Kraken - liking it, but I put it down for a few days while sick and can't seem to pick it back up. Also reading Ghouls gone Wild - fun quick read, not bad, a beach read I'd say.

I started A Cup of Friendship today, which was my October ER win, and I'm loving it!

Just started Waking Up Blind - Lawsuits Over Eye Surgery by Tom Harbin MD, fascinating esp if you live in Atlanta and are in the medical field.

Finished 311 Pelican Court by Debbie Macomber.

Now reading Trunk Music by Michael Connelly.

I've just started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but I haven't read the other (two?) books that preceded it. Does anyone who has read it think that I should start with the beginning, or can this book be read alone?

I've just started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but I haven't read the other (two?) books that preceded it. Does anyone who has read it think that I should start with the beginning, or can this book be read alone?

I've just started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but I haven't read the other (two?) books that preceded it. Does anyone who has read it think that I should start with the beginning, or can this book be read alone?

I've just started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but I haven't read the other (two?) books that preceded it. Does anyone who has read it think that I should start with the beginning, or can this book be read alone?

I've just started The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but I haven't read the other (two?) books that preceded it. Does anyone who has read it think that I should start with the beginning, or can this book be read alone?

Yesterday I finished Maus, Maus II and Firefox 4. I am still working my way through Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Diseases and Coping and the The Mummy Case

For some reason the touchstones are being touchy today :P

I'm reading Crossroads and Other Tales of Valdemar edited by Mercedes Lackey. It's okay, but I think everything is going to seem like a letdown for a while compared to Cryoburn by Lois McMaster Bujold, which I finished earlier this week.

I started Petty Magic by Camille DeAngelis a few nights ago, but I've only been reading a few chapters at a time. It's a bit silly.

On the other hand, the latest Skulduggery Pleasant book just arrived . . . and it looks very tempting.

>133 Quaisior:

Cryoburn is a new one? I am still only very early into the Vorkosigan series, though I've managed to mooch most of them.

>134 chelonianmobile:

Skulduggery Pleasant does look tempting! Do let us know how you like it.

I recently finished Falcon by Emma Bull, which I quite liked but the ending was unfortunately anticlimactic. :( It also suffered from a weird pacing (the two halves of the story almost felt like different stories), but overall I thought it was good.

I'm currently reading Steampunk Prime: A Vintage Steampunk Reader which is my latest ER win. Old school sci-fi.

>127 tophats:

Definitely start with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

The title character is one of my all time favorite characters in literature-- so complex-- you need the background from the two books before Hornet's Nest. Even after reading all three and seeing the first two films, there's so much I wish I knew about Lisbeth that I may never get to know as the author is deceased.

> 135, Yes Cryoburn just came out. The Vorkosigan series is one of my favorites. If you have an ebook reader, all of the books but Memory are available here: http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/24-CryoburnCD/ (There are a lot of other Baen books available at this site too).

I just bought Falcon at a library sale last week and when I read reviews of it after I brought it home, I didn't know if I would like it, but I'll give it a try.

Thanks CMS. I'll wait until I find a copy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo then. And, I had no idea that there were movies out! I must be out of the loop!

135> No fair! I haven't gotten my copy of Steampunk Prime yet! :-P

>140 Belladonna1975: I didn't get it until I posted on the "Books not received yet" thread over in the ER group. I took a chance that if I did so I would then be guaranteed to get it the next day so I would have to make a 'never mind, now I feel stupid' post. Sure enough :)

Maybe now that you've posted about it it will show up.

>139 tophats:

Only the Swedish version. The first two are available to "watch now" on Netflix and the third is in theaters now-- not sure where you are located. We have a collection of theaters in Philly that show great independent and foreign films.

They have cast the American version but I can't imagine that they will be as good as the Swedish. The Swedish cast is so-- not Hollywood! All three books are quite violent and disturbing and the Swedish films are pretty graphic, perhaps more so than the American ones will be.

Anyway, I loved the books and really enjoyed the first two movies. Enjoy!

>135 macsbrains: Well, if you enjoy stubborn teen heroines and action and magic and skeleton detectives . . . I love the Skulduggery Pleasant books so, so much. Despite frequent mortal peril, high body counts, and breaking my heart more than once, the books are pretty hilarious, with great character relationships.

Thus far (2/3 now?) Mortal Coil is highly enjoyable, but it's about two hundred pages longer than any of the other books in the series, and I seriously can't believe HarperCollins has it down for 9+. One of my cousins is nine, and I would absolutely not give her this book. Not that my nine-year-old self wouldn't have been perfectly happy reading all of the Skulduggery Pleasant books, including Mortal Coil. Ah, hypocrisy.

I am currently reading The Sherlockian. It is not too bad so far. But I got sucked into the WGBH Mystery series "Sherlock" http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/index.html . SOO GOOD! It was kind of funny watching the series at the same time as reading a book about the same subject.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and I can see why it has been enjoyed by so many!

>144 Macophile: Sherlock is pretty awesome, although the middle episode (I hate to admit this) was a bit crap. And apparently PBS made some cuts?

Somewhat on topic, though, Benedict Cumberbatch reading "Little Red Hen" is . . . well, what I'm listening to someone else read now! :)

I've only seen 1 of the Sherlocks, but I quite liked it.

Just finished Trunk Music by Michael Connelly.

About to start 44 Cranberry Point by Debbie Macomber.

I've just gotten about 1/3 through The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch. As the book itself has just explicitly said that people should take a break (and, if tired, go to sleep) before reading the next chapter, I am putting it down for the night. :)

I just finished reading The Book of Negroes which is a great read. A very quick moving book. I am still slowly working my way through House of Leaves (Don't want to get lost!) and have started reading American Terroir for the Early Reviewers program.

I'm having fun reading The Second Summoning by Tanya Huff.

Finally finished Steampunk Prime. As seems to be the case with all of my ER wins I really wish I had enjoyed it more than I did.

Today I started Wild Magic by Tamora Pierce in an attempt to start making more of a dent in my Pierce shelf. I am loving it so far :) but then I expected I would.

>150 Quaisior: I just got the Summoning series by Huff (thanks to the lovely and generous Belladonna) and might tackle it next.

I am starting Steampunk Prime today and finishing Dust City. I have been really unimpressed with most of my ER wins. I guess I should be more selective about what I request!

I am working my way steadily through the Sherlock Holmes novels of late. Finished The Sign of Four the other day, now almost done with Hound of the Baskervilles.

I'm reading Kasey to the Rescue: The Remarkable Story of a Monkey and a Miracle by Ellen Rogers which is my early readers selection. It is wonderful. Ellen tells her story so well and I never knew about using monkeys as assistants for the handicapped. I'm also listening to Working With You is Killing Me: Freeing Yourself from Emotional Traps at Work by Katherine Crowley. I'm finding the part about figuring out what type of boss you have very helpful.

#154: I just "ran" and requested the second book you mentioned from the library.... oh, does that seem like a really useful book!!!!

Actually, my library doesn't have the audio so I interloaned it & it will eventually get to my library, but my library has the book & I'll work with that to start!

#155 - Actually since the audio is only available as abridged I have wishlisted the book on PBS so I can read the parts I missed and have a hard copy for future reference. I had the audio wishlisted too but the wait was so long I broke down and ordered it and a copy of other long waitlisted books from Amazon. PBS also has it in the PBS Market.

Finished 44 Cranberry Point.

Now reading Angels Flight by Michael Connelly.

Another Holmes down - finished with Hound of the Baskervilles, now onto The Valley of Fear!

I've been reading Holmes lately too- I just got the complete Holmes in two volumes. I just finished The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Kate O'Brien's The Land of Spices. Now I'm in that wonderful yet befuddling position of trying to figure out what to read next off my giant TBR.

Last night I finished reading American Terroir. This is a fun, educational, foodie book. See link for review.

I am still working my way through House of Leaves. I have just started The World Without Us. Should make for some interesting dreams :P I am also a few pages into Adam Bede as it was a book I selected for a 2010 reading challenge, and we are getting nearer to the end of 2010!

Just finished Love Walked In - starting Belong to Me.Not sure how I feel about this author . . .
edited for spelling - if only I could type . . . sigh

Finished Angels Flight.

Now reading 50 Harbor Street by Debbie Macomber.

Recently started The World Without Us and coming back to it tonight.

Finished 50 Harbor Street.

Next up is Absolution by Murder by Peter Tremayne.

#161 hey nctwila, I'm on Chapter 9 of Loved Walked In. It's been rather slow so far. I have the audio as well as the book, audio has not helped much with the slowness, I keep hearing it get's better. I have the Belong To Me as well, not thinking I'll pick it up back to back though.

Bons:

I had the same problem w/Love Walked In - a little slow and it DID get better and then I could not put it down. I DID pick up Belong to Me right away and it was better right off the bat - go figure!! Hang in there a little longer - it picks up speed!!

I finished the 4 books of Tamora Pierce's Immortals series, which I liked, but they kinda fizzled a bit at the end. Today I'm more than halfway done with The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry. It's a little outside my normal reading zone, but I am rather enjoying the quirky tone of it. It's a nice change of pace. I'm sure the author is making all sorts of comments about the detective genre, but they're mostly going over my head since I read very little in this area.

I am finishing up The Maze Runner by James Dashner and starting Pegasus by Robin McKinley. The latter was sent to me by a wonderful friend! I love getting surprises in the mail! ;)

167> I just read The Immortals too - and I agree, I like Wild Magic the best. The Realms of the Gods is better than Emperor Mage, though, and Wolf-Speaker is the second-best of the series. At least it didn't end with Emperor Mage.

Ditched Absolution by Murder.

Will probably start Acceptable Risk today.

I'm reading The Heirs of Hammerfell by Marion Zimmer Bradley. It's better than Two to Conquer, but still not very good. I'm sad that I was so looking forward to reading the Darkover series and now it's mostly a huge disappointment, aside from the Renunciates books.

Well, I ended up reading Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.

Next up: Blood Work by Michael Connelly.

Just about to finish Witchfinder: Dawn of the Demontide, coincidentally the first book I ever mooched from BM! Considering it's YA (don't look at me like that :P), it's actually a remarkably good read!

I finished reading House of Leaves last night. An interesting and unusual book. I agree with those who say it is in no way a 'horror' book, more of a suspense. Eerie at times, and like The Life of Pi can be read on two different levels. It can be frightening but I did not get the 'This is the scariest books I have ever read' or 'freaked out' experience that others who have read this book have reported. One friend said she had been to scared to read the translated letter. This books follows a non-stereotypical format, jumping from narrator, descriptions, letters etc, including copious footnotes and some pages with very unusual spacing (Think poetry where the pacing is part of the poem). Occasionally drifting off into minute detail on some small point. For some reason that didn't bother me at all, wonder what that says about me :P Interesting to see the author himself slowly going mad. I am very glad I read this book, it was a fun read (Long!) and I had not read a book in this format before.

I love the idea of the house that defies physics. I would have loved to have seen more of the scientific analysis of the house (Also says something about me I suppose :P). The ending irked me a bit. If you accept a more psychological interpretation of the book you can make it make sense, but if you are trying to think about the house physically, it is totally out of character (Both physically and 'character' wise). Anyway, if you read this book would love to hear from you what you thought about it!

Started reading A Christmas Carol. Am ashamed to say this will actually be the first time I actually read this book rather than watch it :P

I´m reading in spanish Zombie the survival guide and a romantic novel Con solo nombrarte.

Heh.. I read The Zombie Survival Guide. Fun stuff :P

On a lighter note, I am reading Animal Farm. i am ashamed to say this is the first time I have read it. Not what I expected.

Just started Small Town Christmas by Debbie Macomber. Time to get in the mood for the holidays!

179: Animal Farm is one of my very favourite books! :) I only read it a couple of years ago, so no need to feel bad.

180: I am starting to figure out what Christmas books I have buried in mount TBR as well. :)

180, 181: That is such a wonderful idea... why didn't I think of that?

Perhaps once I finish Wondrous Strange I will brave the avalanche risk and try to find some Christmas books. I *know* I have lots in the pile.

178> I love Cosmicomics. I've read it at least 4-5 times. It is so utterly weird...I like the earliest ones best, I think - the mark in space, and the one where they can't tell themselves from their environment...I like all of them, though.

I just finished The Historian and enjoyed it. Even though I'm not a big fan of the modern day addiction to vampire stories, I thought it was well written and a great chase. And I love books about books!

(Edited: touchstones acting up)

I've just started A Time of Gifts, which despite the title isn't christmas themed!

I just started The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn.

re 178:
I love Cosmicomics too.

The first time I "read" it my husband had to read it to me as we only had an Italian copy. Glad I mooched an English one now.

What I like most about it it how it mixes the scientific and the mundane to a very absurd-comical effect. E.g. the cleaning lady who is there when everything is still condensed in one point (before the Big Bang), and who can't clean anything because there is only one point, so she decides to gossip instead.

Finished my latest ER win A Question of Manhood by Robin Readon and it was ok. I still have to write the review and I have no idea what I'm going to say. I may be a reader, but I'm certainly not a writer.

I've started, and am three-quarters done with Dispossession by Chaz Brenchley. I really enjoyed his fantasy series set in Crusades-era Middle East (The Devil in the Dust) and so I'm seeking out his other books. This one is a mystery involving a man who got in an accident, lost three months of memory, and in those three months he'd completely changed his life and he has to find out why. I don't normally read mysteries, but it has a fallen angel for no reason! (Well, no reason YET, but I don't really need a reason for fallen angels!) So, it has my attention.

I just finished my ER copy of 10387850::The Devotion of Suspect X and I *really* enjoyed it. The style of writing, (or translating), wasn't overly wordy, which normally puts me off of books, but the plot was just wonderful. A great murder "mystery" mind game.

I just love books that I can't put down... haha.

I am almost done with Solomon's Oak by Jo-Ann Mapson. It's an ER copy, I read the description on the dust jacket and didn't expect to like it (sounded too depressing) so have been putting it off. But now I really like it, and will be posting a review soon.

Currently reading The age of Kali : Indian travels & encounters, Homer Hickam's latest The Dinosaur Hunter: A Novel (an audiobook) and my Early Reviewers ebook Mistress of Molecules. My Christmas reading: The Australian book of atheism.

Still on a Christmas theme. Just finished A Fatal Grace, a Christmas murder mystery set in Quebec.

Am now working through This year it will be Different, which is a series of short stories with a Christmas theme.

Finished Blood Work by Michael Connelly.

Next up: Hearts Divided by Debbie Macomber.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. Quite good, at the moment!

I finished Instead of Three Wishes by Megan Whalen Turner the other day and now I'm reading Star of Danger by Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Finished Half the Sky (amazing!) and The 10pm Question and now I'm onto The Translator. Don't think I'll reach my reading target by the end of the year unfortunately.

Are we not reading anything or did all you folks go somewhere else & not tell me . . ??

I am a long-time fan of Sherlock Holmes, and as such, I would definitely recommend A Study In Scarlet as your next read because it is a great story that includes the beginning of the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Twas the weeks after Christmas & all through the houses...
Not a BMer was stirring, not even for smooches...
The books they were tousled all through the rooms...
the TBRs so huge, no room for the brooms..

edited for better words

197: *giggles*

I feel so guilty! I haven't read in... almost a week. Granted, this past week has been hell, but I'm right in the middle of a fairly good book (Hostage by Willo Davis Roberts) and I feel kinda guilty for not giving it the attention it definitely deserves.

After all the great books I got for Christmas that I REALLY want to read (including Poison Study and A Conspiracy of Kings among others) I decided to read Moby Dick instead.

I am SO not a classics person usually, but I've always liked the story (I vaguely remember studying it in school, but I definitely didn't read the original), and I read the first page at some point recently which led to this totally ridiculous overwhelming urge to mooch it. So I did. And now I'm reading it. And I think it's totally awesome so far. I think I hit my head or something... I have been anticipating these other books for SO LONG, and now I'm just... reading something else entirely, what?

200> I have also not read in at least a week. I keep starting books but can't seem to get into them. I have started about 5 books in as many days and nothing is holding my interest. I guess I will just go back to watching Supernatural.

I wasn't reading much and then in the last two days I've read several. Long bus ride! The latest two were The Accidental Sorcerer by K.E. Mills, and then a reread of Get Off the Unicorn by Anne McCaffrey, which I had not read in probably ten years. What a difference a decade makes!

I've been reading! Finished & gave away Hearts Divided by Debbie Macomber. Read & gave away A Darkness More Than Night by Michael Connelly. And now I'm almost finished 6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber.

Next up: City of Bones by Michael Connelly.

I'm reading 'The News Where You Are' by Catherine O'Flynn, she writes in a really unique way and I'm enjoying this one as much as her debut 'What Was Lost'.

I've been reading 'Georgette Heyer with magic', as recommended by Robin McKinley (on her blog and on Twitter). First Patricia Wrede's Mairelon the Magician and Magician's Ward, then the Sorcery and Cecelia trilogy by Wrede and Caroline Stevermer - finished The Grand Tour (first one that didn't touchstone correctly right off!) and almost done with The Mislaid Magician. Then...I forget. I have some others in a pile to read, but I forget what I wanted to read next. Oh, and the second volume of Castle Waiting is at the library for me - I didn't make it there today, hope I can do it tomorrow.

Let's see... I read Mourn not your dead by Deborah Crombie, the The Einstein Syndrome by Thomas Sowell (got that one from my mom's library, since mine didn't have it), and just finished The Beekeepers Apprenticeby Laurie King.

Next up is one that's been on my TBR shelf for more than a decade, really! Meetings with the Archangel by Stephen Mitchell.

I have seven brand new books , thanks to Christmas B&N gift cards and post-holiday sales. Plus SantaThing coming one day, and another gift card yet to spend. Oh, and a birthday this month.

Sheer joyousness!

I'm reading my ER What a Difference a Dog Makes. Cute very cute.

I am working my way through Adam Bede a leftover from 2010. It seems to be going faster now that I have a kindle version I can take with me as well. Also leftover from late 2010 is The Handmaid's Tale by Margret Atwood. Since I seem to be in a book-wandering type of mood I have also started 1984 for a bookclub. First time through this one for me.

Like Belladonna, I have started a number of books, but seem to be unable to finish any of them, until last night. Just finished Bangkok 8 by John Burdett, which I started yesterday! Just could not put it down.
In the meantime, Mapping the Edge by Sarah Dunant , The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt and Girl in Blue Dress by Gaynor Arnold languish on my nightstand, with their bookmarks barely past page 50... hmmm

I just started The Help by Kathryn Stockett and so far looks like one i'll be willing to finish.

{edited to add what I am actually reading now...lol}

I reading Killbox by Ann Aguirre and I'm still playing The Sims 2 (along with Sims 3), so I'm reading the Prima Guides I've been getting on BM and PBS. I also attempted to read another Darkover book that wasn't grabbing me, so I've decided to attempt the rest in my TBR pile, but DNF them if they aren't interesting.

#210 Glenda, The Help was a good one. I'd get upset and then I"d also be laughing out loud.

I'm finishing Al Roker's The Morning Show Murders it is just ok. I finished True Colors by Kristin Hannah which deals with an man serving years, is he innocent?

I have Kate Mortons, The Distant Hours to start and my husband downloaded my first Ebook A Big Little Life by Dean Koontz.

We are up in the Ga Mtns for a few days bracing for an ice storm. (looks at TBR stack and grins devilishly).

212: Stay safe. There is nothing like a good storm to put a dent in the TBR pile. It's storming up here too, so I'm catching up on some reading tonite.

I finished The Angel's Game which was okay. It just did not capture me as well as The Shadow of the Wind, which I loved. It was still a good book, but I found myself not really engaged in it, or at least as much as I would have liked.

Ah - here are my Peeps!!
I am still plodding through Belong to Me. It is really good -just have been really busy. i know once I start reading it in earnest i will not be able to put it down.

Stayed up late reading Rx Alibi by Renee B Horowitz. Need more mysteries with a pharmacist heroine! ;-) ;-)

rxtheresa.....you mean a pharmacist heroine dog owner! = )

I just finished Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner, for a BookClub read....HAHA, whew, our group ranges from 48 to a proper 67 I will be anxious to see how the sex scenes were received by the group. Author held no words back! = )

Now back to my Distant Hours with Kate Morton........(purrrr, kneading my blanket for a long "curl up")

>216 BONS: You know one of the characters in the book had a beautiful golden retriever service dog named Trafalgar. He made the book just perfect!

I am reading Howl's Moving Castle after which I will start Mockingjay

>219 Belladonna1975: What a combo! :) I wonder what you will think of the latter.

I'm currently 85% through Atashi wa Bambi #1 by Maki Youko which I could finish if I'd gotten any sleep at all these last few weeks. (Haven't been awake enough to read on the bus in the morning, especially in a secondary language and with print that is so so tiny.)

Am about 15% through Moby Dick which I've been liking, but see above about being too tired to read in the morning.

So considering I haven't read anything at all since early December, and am starting off the year with a big fat ZERO books read this month, though not for lack of trying, I decided to start reading Poison Study this morning. We'll see how it goes since YA books are easily devourable.

220> I think you will really like Poison Study. It is one of the books I own that I would like to read again (not that I have time to re-read with so much to read for the first time!)

Finished City of Bones by Michael Connelly.

Next up: How to Make Yourself Miserable for the Rest of the Century by Dan Greenburg.

221> So far I like it. I have heard many good things, and I expect it to hit my buttons.

Half the reason I don't get any new reading done is because I reread a lot. Every 4 years or so I spend a month rereading the entire original Dune series. Just long enough to forget bits and then I start getting itchy if I don't. Some stuff is better the second/third/ninth/teenth time around. :)

I'm already looking at my 2007 list and going, "I really liked that... I want to read it again..."

Wow, I am very glad to hear that you made it out ok!!

I'm reading Valor's Choice by Tanya Huff. I don't know why it took me so long to read Huff's books, but I ended up reading 13 of them last year and intend to read the rest of her books this year.

I didn't understand Harlequin rebranding Poison Study as YA because it didn't read like YA at all to me, but then I don't read grim YA that's so popular now. I thought Poison Study and Magic Study were okay but there's one plot device that's really getting on my nerves in that series that I'm hoping isn't in Fire Study, which I hope to read sometime this year.

This week I finished reading both The Handmaid's Tale and 1984. Both very powerful books and well worth the read!

I am still slowly working my way through Adam Bede (I know, since 2010, but almost halfway there!). I have started Nurtureshock and next up is To Kill a Mockingbird.

I finished Dark Matter: A Ghost Story the other night - surprisingly chilling. Now I am currently experiencing severe indecision over what book from my TBR pile I should tackle next!

I'm experiencing TBR-indecision right now as well. Finally finished Hostage, and I'm not sure what I feel like next.

I'm reading Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody, Book 1) by Elizabeth Peters. I heard the Amelia Peabody series was good and I'm enjoying it so far.

I read the first three last year, glad to hear that you are enjoying them :)

Time for a new thread --> Vol. 6