Literature What are you currently reading?
- Thread starter Rosie1
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Just finished a repeat listen of the Nantucket Inn series by Pamela Kelley. It was my first experience when I started audiobooks. I started with the third book, a Nantucket Christmas, not realizing it was a series. I thought it was the best book ever lol, so I listened to the rest of the series. I thought it was really good.
Listening to it again, several years later, I'm laughing, because it's really not well written at all, compared to the hundreds of books I've listened to since. And the narrator is pretty bad, too. But I was still able to enjoy it, for the most part, for nostalgic reasons. But it's pretty amateurish. PK is still writing them and I just listened to her latest installment. Not much has changed.
Listening to it again, several years later, I'm laughing, because it's really not well written at all, compared to the hundreds of books I've listened to since. And the narrator is pretty bad, too. But I was still able to enjoy it, for the most part, for nostalgic reasons. But it's pretty amateurish. PK is still writing them and I just listened to her latest installment. Not much has changed.
SuicideBlonde
Adorkable rockstar!
^ I have just added The Coworker as it is on Unlimited.
One Perfect Couple is quite good so far. I'm going to finish it today.
One Perfect Couple is quite good so far. I'm going to finish it today.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I started reading "The Mercy of the Gods" by James S.A. Corey who wrote "The Expanse" series. This one is book one in a new series. I am sad to say that I am returning it without finishing it. (It is due back at the library) I very rarely do not finish a book but I just couldn't get into this at all. I read most of the Expanse series and I did like it. This has all the things that should be intriguing and interesting. It is an alien invasion story. The aliens are very different from humans. As for the human characters, I just didn't like them. So back to the library it goes. There are too many books for me to force myself to read something that just doesn't "grab" me.
by Ruth Ware or Elin Hildebrand?
Oh nvm I see your post above lol. It sounds good!
I like Elin Hildebrand so I might listen to hers as well.
I got both of them from the library and it confused me at first as I thought I had ordered the same book twice!
Lou
Forum Legend
So I'm still doing a lot of audio books from Hoopla. Especially as bed time stories, but also while driving and walking.
Anyway I thought I had discovered a new series by C.J. Archer called Witch Born.
I read the first book, Honor Bound, and thought it was pretty good. When I started the second book, The Kiss of Ash, the audio version started with the end credits. (Hoopla keeps track of where you left off) Which made me think I had listened to it before. But I couldn't remember much about it and besides - I do like to re-listen to audio books as my bed time stories - so I just stared it over. It was pretty good but not like any of the other C.J. Archer novels I have read or listened to. It had all the basic elements: a historical fiction with a murder mystery at the center. plus romance and a little magic on the side.
However, most of Archers books are Cozy Mysteries. Not much action, usually the readers only hear about a found dead body, not much action, and not much more than some kissing and someone getting married at the end. Pretty much PG.
These books had large servings of both sex and action *. In fact I ended up skipping some of the sex and violence scenes. My first thought was that maybe Archer is responding to the Romantasy fad, and including more sex and violence. However I just looked it up and this book was published in 2011 well before romantasy was a thing. Maybe unlike her other books this book was a more typical Historical Fiction Romance.
Also as I look at her bibliography, she publishes books at a pretty fast clip. Frequently starting a new series even finished the previous one.
*What do you call a book or movie with generous servings of sex and action? there must be a name.
Anyway I thought I had discovered a new series by C.J. Archer called Witch Born.
I read the first book, Honor Bound, and thought it was pretty good. When I started the second book, The Kiss of Ash, the audio version started with the end credits. (Hoopla keeps track of where you left off) Which made me think I had listened to it before. But I couldn't remember much about it and besides - I do like to re-listen to audio books as my bed time stories - so I just stared it over. It was pretty good but not like any of the other C.J. Archer novels I have read or listened to. It had all the basic elements: a historical fiction with a murder mystery at the center. plus romance and a little magic on the side.
However, most of Archers books are Cozy Mysteries. Not much action, usually the readers only hear about a found dead body, not much action, and not much more than some kissing and someone getting married at the end. Pretty much PG.
These books had large servings of both sex and action *. In fact I ended up skipping some of the sex and violence scenes. My first thought was that maybe Archer is responding to the Romantasy fad, and including more sex and violence. However I just looked it up and this book was published in 2011 well before romantasy was a thing. Maybe unlike her other books this book was a more typical Historical Fiction Romance.
Also as I look at her bibliography, she publishes books at a pretty fast clip. Frequently starting a new series even finished the previous one.
C.J. Archer Books In Order - Books In Order
Glass and Steele Books In Publication Order The Watchmaker's Daughter (2016) The Mapmaker's Apprentice (2016) The Apothecary's Poison (2017) The Magician's
www.addall.com
*What do you call a book or movie with generous servings of sex and action? there must be a name.
Lou
Forum Legend
A while ago my sisters chipped in and got me a 10" Kindle Fire for my birthday. I don't like it for reading books. It's too heavy and doesn't fit in a pocket. But I take it the gym and watch Netflix TV shows on it.
But lately I have been finding more ways to use it. Like I can put an ebook on it and read it while I use the exercise bike. I find the recumbant bike has a good reading position and it has a stand for the book.
The regular kindle doesn't do apps (Its just has Kindle). But the Fire does have apps, like Hoopla and Libby - so I can get some more books from there. Libby also has magazines and the 10" Fire isn't too bad for magazines.
Hoopla also has TV shows and movies that I can watch at the gym. Plus there are movies and TV shows from Kanopy. And I can also access YouTube TV on the Fire and watch some shows there.
What I like to do is just pick a tv show - and then only watch it at the gym. If the tv show is good enough it provides me with extra incentive to go to the gym. Plus at home I spend way too much time trying to decide what to watch. by picking something out in advance it saves me from trying to figure it out at the gym.
So now I have a lot of choices. For my next tv show I'm trying to decide on one of the Witch series.
But lately I have been finding more ways to use it. Like I can put an ebook on it and read it while I use the exercise bike. I find the recumbant bike has a good reading position and it has a stand for the book.
The regular kindle doesn't do apps (Its just has Kindle). But the Fire does have apps, like Hoopla and Libby - so I can get some more books from there. Libby also has magazines and the 10" Fire isn't too bad for magazines.
Hoopla also has TV shows and movies that I can watch at the gym. Plus there are movies and TV shows from Kanopy. And I can also access YouTube TV on the Fire and watch some shows there.
What I like to do is just pick a tv show - and then only watch it at the gym. If the tv show is good enough it provides me with extra incentive to go to the gym. Plus at home I spend way too much time trying to decide what to watch. by picking something out in advance it saves me from trying to figure it out at the gym.
So now I have a lot of choices. For my next tv show I'm trying to decide on one of the Witch series.
SuicideBlonde
Adorkable rockstar!
The coworker was good, twisty, but not as twisty and never lie.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I found another "cozy mystery" series that features a cat cafe/rescue by Cate Conte. This one is "Shock and Paw" and is the newest one and I will find some more. It was a quick fun read with a murder, cute cats, and quirky characters. It took place at Christmas time in a small New England town.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I read another cozy mystery yesterday afternoon. Fun quick read called "Beignets and Broomsticks" by J.R. Ripley. This is another series. I have read one other one. It is about Maggie Miller a 38 year old single woman who owns a cafe called Maggie's Beignet Cate. Of course she gets involved in a murder mystery. Enjoyable light reading and I will read more of this series. No cats though. LOL
I didn't think One Perfect Couple was all that great. It was readable. I was looking on Amazon after at the reviews and people were saying it is similar to another book called The Villa as it is based on another reality show. I started that as it was on Unlimited and I was up until 1.30 this morning finishing it off as I couldn't put it down!
The author is Ruth Kelly so I bought another book of hers that was 99p called The Escape and then pre-ordered another book called The Ice Retreat that comes out tomorrow.
The author is Ruth Kelly so I bought another book of hers that was 99p called The Escape and then pre-ordered another book called The Ice Retreat that comes out tomorrow.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I read "Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners" by Gretchen Anthony. I had enjoyed the other book of hers so I requested a couple more. This one is her debut novel published in 2018. I loved this book! It takes place in Minneapolis like the other one and is about a couple of very interesting families. The title refers to the Christmas letter that Violet Baumgartner writes every year and these letters are featured throughout the book going back in time to when she was first married. Present day Violet is a 68 year old "church lady", helicopter mother, of Cerise who is in a same sex relationship with Barb. Cerise is pregnant and will not reveal the father so Violet becomes obsessed with finding out. Violet is very judgemental and controlling and pretty hilarious. She is active in her church and community and has always controlled her family. Ed Baumgartner has just retired from an important scientific job at a lab which does research and development of products for IBS and other gastrointestinal ailments and he loves to insert his knowledge of such things into conversations. He lets Violet "rule the roost." Then there are the Endres best friends of the Baumgartners. Another quirky family. Their son Kyle has been Cerise's best friend since childhood. There is lots of drama and some really funny parts that had me laughing out loud. There is also some touching moments between the characters. It was a really fun read!
SuicideBlonde
Adorkable rockstar!
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias meet Dracula i…
Library pick ups today.
@SuicideBlonde That book club's guide to slaying vampires sounds like something I'd like.
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
I read another Gretchen Anthony book called "Tired Ladies Take a Stand." I love this author! Her writing is humorous and her characters are very real and funny people. This book is about 4 women in their 50's who have been BFF's for decades. Fern is a writer who published a successful book of essays about the friends' adventures in their 20's that is going to be a movie. Fern has not informed her friends she signed the contract without their blessings. Emma is frantically planning her daughter's wedding. Andi is a civil rights/immigration lawyer dealing with human trafficking and other disturbing things. Carolina works for a software company that is downsizing and works herself much too hard. This book is about families, friendships, secrets, and some romance. It was a great read!
Chryssie
Internet Junkie
Something different this time! An new memoir by Whoopi Goldberg called "Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me." This is a short, easy to read book about Whoopi's (real name Caryn Johnson) relationship with her mother and her older brother. It is a very touching tribute to her mother who raised the kids as a single mother in New York City. Very interesting to learn about a very famous person's early life. I like Whoopi Goldberg and enjoy watching her on "The View."
Lou
Forum Legend
Last week I read an article about sleeping. In this article, the author, who had a lot of credentials and experience in the field suggested not to listen to audio books (or anything) to go to sleep. He had some good points so I'm trying to just use mediation for now.
However, I seem to be sleeping poorly now.
Before I stopped listening to audio books for bed time I found some good audio books on Hoopla. The Heralds of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey were probably the first books I read by Lackey. And I read them something like 20 years ago. Since then I have read many books by Lackey - but I was never a huge fan. Didyouknow that she is considered the most prolific fantasy writer? I liked Tamora Pierce better. Cometothinkofit, I should see if there are any new Pierce novels.
Anyway, I just finished her first trilogy, the Heralds of Valdemar and I really enjoyed them. Been listening to them all the time: in the car; on walks; at the gym; doing dishes.
The story consists of a large cast of likable characters that have to defend their kingdom from various evil forces. throw in a coming of age aspect and a little romance. I suppose you would find these in the YA section.
However, I seem to be sleeping poorly now.
Before I stopped listening to audio books for bed time I found some good audio books on Hoopla. The Heralds of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey were probably the first books I read by Lackey. And I read them something like 20 years ago. Since then I have read many books by Lackey - but I was never a huge fan. Didyouknow that she is considered the most prolific fantasy writer? I liked Tamora Pierce better. Cometothinkofit, I should see if there are any new Pierce novels.
Anyway, I just finished her first trilogy, the Heralds of Valdemar and I really enjoyed them. Been listening to them all the time: in the car; on walks; at the gym; doing dishes.
The story consists of a large cast of likable characters that have to defend their kingdom from various evil forces. throw in a coming of age aspect and a little romance. I suppose you would find these in the YA section.
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