Literature What are you currently reading?

[Lou]

Someone (maybe not one of yous), recommended Passages by Justin Cronin It's the first part of a trilogy. I only got thru one third of it before it became due. It's a library e-book and after 2 weeks they evaporate. On my old kindle I would just turn off wifi and I could keep it till I turned wifi back on*. That trick still works on my new kindle.
But I finally gave up and turned on Wifi and let it go back home. There are two more books after this and I just don't like this one enough to commit to two more.
One of you recommended Extinction, a novel by Daniel Preston. When I looked at the cover I didn't think I would like it. It looked sort of similar to Jurassic Park (BTW, I loved the first book and movie). So I thought it would just be a rehash. but it was great. A real page turner. I couldn't put it down. And it had me hooked right from the start. The premise is similar to Jurassic Park but it's a very different type of story.
I got to read it a lot while I've been beating the heat in libraries and by the pool.
Yesterday at the main library, I turned wifi back on and let Passages go back and then got two more books.
One was recommended by you guys, The Soulmate Equation, by Lauren Christina. At first I didn't think I would like this book but I am enjoying it a lot.
I also got the ebook, The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Vegrgesse. I love this author but I'm not so sure about this book. As I was leaving the library I passed a display of "quick hits" and they had the hardcover. So I checked it out in hardcover just in case I don't finish the ebook in less than two weeks**.
They also had The Comfort of Ghosts by Winspear in hardcover. I definitely want to read that, so I checked that out too. I started that last night - Winspear states in the introduction that it will be the last Maisie Dobbs novel (unless she writes another).
Right not I'm reading The Comfort of Ghosts at home and The Soulmate Equation when I'm out and about.
Saving The Covenant of Water for next.


*on my old kindle, I could leave the wifi turned off forever, download library books to my computer and then transfer them via USB to my old kindle. So I had a little library of library books. I don't think that tricks works on the new kindle - but it may. I only tried it once.


** at my library with most hardcovers you get them for three weeks but when they are due they automatically renew - up to 5 times - unless someone else has put a hold on them. the rule is different with new books so I may not be able to keep The Covenant of Water that long. We'll see. We also don't have overdue fines any more. but I don't like to keep books past the due dates regardless.

 

[Raven]

Extinction sounds good. I might look for that.

 

[Chryssie]

I really liked "Extinction!" "Passages" sounds familiar but I am not sure is that is one I have read. I read so many books I can't remember! LOL

 

[Emma JC]

I really liked "Extinction!" "Passages" sounds familiar but I am not sure is that is one I have read. I read so many books I can't remember! LOL

I know the feeling.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

My sister just thanked me for recommending The Familiar.
But it wasn't me.
It's on my "wants to read" list. I have it on hold at the library.
but I haven't read it. so I don't think I could have recommended it to her. And besides it's a fantasy and I know she doesn't read fantasies.

 

[Andy_T]

A facebook acquaintance suggested starting a vegan book club (in this case, a book club frequented by vegans in my city, not specifically focuses on vegan books), and she is very keen on so-called "Romantasy" (portmanteau for Romantic Fantasy, which I assumed to be fantasy written from a female perspective with elements of romance). So, I decided to give it a try and got a book "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros on Kindle, supposedly one of the leading authors in that new genre.

While overall not bad, as far as the fantasy elements were concerned (dragon riders having battled gryphon riders in a setting on an island they inhabit together for a few centuries), I was definitely not sold on the execution.

Suffice to say, I do not really endorse the book or the author if you are mainly interested in fantasy.

Spoiler: The gory details

I was prepared for romance, but not in this way.

While I am, of course, not female myself, I do not believe that as soon as a male protagonist is good-looking with great abs and a trained body, that every woman will then just swoon and not be able to keep her eyes of him (simply because this does not happen to me as a man myself, whenever I see an attractive woman, and I do not believe women in general to be much more shallow in this respect. If anything, I expect them to rely more on their critical facilities than on their eyes in such a case)

Another thing was that the language used by the author in my opinion did not fit the subject.

The story is that the protagonist, a person weakened by a childhood disease, has been alienated from her mother, the top general of her army, for some years, training to be a humble scribe under her (now deceased) father, but then that mother suddenly declares she also has to totally change her life path, and go the very dangerous way to train as an elite dragon rider, a training that typically has a 75% mortality rate. Against all odds (of course), she survives the grueling ordeal and manages to rise to the top of her class.

So how logical is it, that, when she is suddenly confronted with her mother after a year of not seeing her, she would exclaim “Hi, Mom!” ??? And that kind of incongruous language does spoil a book for me.

And finally, while I do not mind the description of sex in a book, if it fits and proceeds the story, I am not a huge fan of it. I often just browse through it so I can quickly get on with he main story. So imagine my surprise when the high point of the relationship between the main protagonists (which was clear that it would happen the second the male protagonist was first mentioned) is a steamy sex scene that is described - I kid you not - in vivid detail over 10 pages?

 

[Lou]

A facebook acquaintance suggested starting a vegan book club (in this case, a book club frequented by vegans in my city, not specifically focuses on vegan books), and she is very keen on so-called "Romantasy" (portmanteau for Romantic Fantasy, which I assumed to be fantasy written from a female perspective with elements of romance). So, I decided to give it a try and got a book "Fourth Wing" by Rebecca Yarros on Kindle, supposedly one of the leading authors in that new genre.

@Emma JC , @Chryssie and probably some others have discussed Romantasy here. and even more specifically Fourth Wing. BTW, although Yarros is a "leading" actor in this genre, maybe the biggest author is Sarah J. Maas.
Romantasy is an interesting modern development. My guess is that all the little girls who first fell in love with reading with Harry Potter, and then became Twilight fans in high school grew up and are now fans of Romantasy. I think Yarros' and Maas' appeal to the females in their twenties.

If you want to discuss this book club style maybe we make a new thread or do it in PMs. but just to start to catch you up here are a few of the things I have written on the subject.

Literature - What are you currently reading?

I started to read Colleen Hoover's Too Late but it was just too dark and I couldn't face a whole book of it. Emma JC Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

www.veganforum.org

Literature - What are you currently reading?

This afternoon I read another Mary Kay Andrews book called "The Santa Suit." It was a very quick and very enjoyable read. This book absolutely NEEDS to be a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie! It was a sweet romance with no terrible crime to solve. There was a mystery though but involved a...

www.veganforum.org

 

[Lou]

Finally cooled off today but I spent the whole afternoon reading anyway.
I finished The Comfort of Ghosts by Winspear. in less than 3 days!
This was the 18th and probably last Maisie Dobbs novel and it was Wonderful.

One thing that Maisie always did when she finished an investigation was to circle back and visit all the places and people that were part of the investigation. She didn't do that in this book, she just closed her eyes and settled back and thought about Her Ghosts.

There were two investigations and a couple of related projects so this book was full of Maisie's special brand of investigation. Her investigations brought her back physically to many of the characters that were in her earlier books. The author first reminded the reader of who they were - a necessity for it might have been twenty years since we met them. then the author would tell us how they were and what they have been doing. Some of the people Maisie interacted physically and some were just thought about. A great way to wrap up such an amazing series.

I do wish there could be a 19th book. the author promised this would be the last but then she added, never say never. so there is hope. There certainly a lot of potential and possibility for another book but if there isn't - this book provided a lot of closure.

 

[Raven]

I just bought these books from a charity shop.

 

[Andy_T]

@Emma JC , @Chryssie and probably some others have discussed Romantasy here. and even more specifically Fourth Wing. BTW, although Yarros is a "leading" actor in this genre, maybe the biggest author is Sarah J. Maas.

Interesting, I had missed this!
As I said, it did not work for me, but as she is a best-selling author, it must be what many other people like.

And yes, it is definitely R-rated. (are X-ratings still a thing?)

If you want to discuss this book club style maybe we make a new thread or do it in PMs. but just to start to catch you up here are a few of the things I have written on the subject

Oh, I would love to start a book club, but not with this book.
Any ideas?

 

[Andy_T]

I just read the Kindle sample of “All the worst Humans: How I made news for Dictators, Tycoons and Politicians”, the memoir of a Washington DC spin doctor. While the sample definitely captivated me, I am still debating whether I should buy the book - it is at the more expensive end of the usual Kindle price range, and I am not sure if I want to reward the author for his deeds.

All the Worst Humans: How I Made News for Dictators, Ty…

New York Times Editors' Choice Named a best book of the…

www.goodreads.com

 

[Lou]

Oh, I would love to start a book club, but not with this book.
Any ideas?

Sometimes the books we don't like make for good book club books. Not sure if the Fourth Wing would provide that much fodder for discussion. But I could see a good discussion about Romantasy in general since it's so new.

The most thought provocative book I have read this year was When Women Were Dragons. Amazon somehow creates a list of Top Book Club Books. I've only read two of the ones on the list and I concur that they would be great book club books. I think I'll go and put the rest on my Want To Read list.

Your local library probably has a book club. what is great about those is that they are local, usually meet in the library (sometime after it closes or at least in the evening), and provides the books)

Over the years I've belonged to several book clubs. But I found problems with each one. but now I'm wondering if it isn't time to check out my local library's again.

An online book club is cool tool. I bet there are lots on Facebook

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=top+ten+book+club+books&hvadid=694670661542&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9195170&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=16083891885619251303--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16083891885619251303&hvtargid=kwd-326788943954&hydadcr=6590_13207706&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_1tkrgj5b5p_e_p67

 

[Chryssie]

I read "The House Across the Lake" by Riley Sager. It was a really good thriller with lots of twists and supernatural elements. Told in first person by Casey, a 35 year old actress who becomes an alcoholic after her husband drowns at their lake house. She is fired from her acting job after a drunken performance and retreats to the lake house. She becomes obsessed with her neighbors across the narrow lake and watches them with powerful binoculars through their glassed wall house. After she saves Katherine, a former supermodel, from drowning in the lake, strange things start happening. Good fast read with lots of surprises.
This is the second book I have read by this author and will read more.

 

[Lou]

And yes, it is definitely R-rated. (are X-ratings still a thing?)

Something to think about.
Both Yarros and Maas are found in the YA section of the library. They do fit the criteria.
However I think these books give the word Adult In YA a different emphasis.

 

[Lou]

if you are looking for a sciency, romantic, sexy, heartwarming read... Christina Lauren, The Soulmate Equation... loved it

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

I took your advice and read it. Not my typical fare no murders, no mysteries, no magic or space ships. it's good to try new things. I really liked it.

 

[Emma JC]

I took your advice and read it. Not my typical fare no murders, no mysteries, no magic or space ships. it's good to try new things. I really liked it.

I am so happy you liked it - I read a lot of those type and I feel they give me insights into a lot of different people / thought processes that may not be a part of my day to day life. That is true with most books, however, when I don't have a mystery/murder to solve in my head then I tend to pay closer attention to the rest of the book.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

I am so happy you liked it - I read a lot of those type and I feel they give me insights into a lot of different people / thought processes that may not be a part of my day to day life. That is true with most books, however, when I don't have a mystery/murder to solve in my head then I tend to pay closer attention to the rest of the book.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

Romance type novels are my least favorite. But with your recommendation, the blurb being interesting, and that its ebook was immediately available... Besides as one of the characters suggested "try something new" Sundays.
I should mention that as @Andy_T suggested regarding Fourth Wing, I skimmed/skipped the steamy parts.

also worth mentioning the character are so darn likable. especially the little girl. oh and I just realized it is sort of Science Fiction-y

 

[Emma JC]

Romance type novels are my least favorite. But with your recommendation, the blurb being interesting, and that its ebook was immediately available... Besides as one of the characters suggested "try something new" Sundays.
I should mention that as @Andy_T suggested regarding Fourth Wing, I skimmed/skipped the steamy parts.

also worth mentioning the character are so darn likable. especially the little girl. oh and I just realized it is sort of Science Fiction-y

not sure if you read up on the authors, as they are two friends who write together and they have lots of other cool books - I do not remember them all but have read each and everyone Books - Christina Lauren

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

 

[Lou]

not sure if you read up on the authors, as they are two friends who write together and they have lots of other cool books - I do not remember them all but have read each and everyone Books - Christina Lauren

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com

looking thru her Bibliography and I see that the True Love Experiment has the character Fizzy from the Soul Mate Equation as the main character. These guys are very prolific.

 

[Chryssie]

Just finished "The Kids are Gonna Ask" by Gretchen Anthony. This is the second book I have read by this author and I have reserved another one. This is a coming of age story about 17 year old twins, Thomas and Savannah, who lost their mother in an accident when they were 13. She was a single mother and never told them or her mother, Maggie, who raised the kids, who the father was. The twins are very into social media and have a podcast so they decide to try to find their father through this channel. Their lives become chaotic when the podcasts go viral and the trolls and haters come out. The book also has their father, Jack's story. He never knew about the pregnancy as the relationship was a vacation fling. This is really good. Lots of family drama and commentary on how lives are affected by social media.