What are you reading?

[SFC Ollie]

The Elf Queen of Shannara

Terry Brooks.

 

[Mustang]

"An Evening of Long Goodbyes" by Paul Murray


An Evening of Long Goodbyes

 

[Mustang]

"Morte D'Urban" by J. F. Powers

Another fine reissue by the New York Review of Books, first published in 1962. 360 pp. It was awarded the National Book Award for fiction in 1963.

Morte D?Urban by J.F. Powers | New York Review Books


Morte D'Urban

 

[Mustang]

"Far North" by Marcel Theroux


Far North

 

[Noomi]

Web Of Dreams by Virginia Andrews. Last one in the series so I figured I may as well read it.

 

[koshergrl]

Good grief, have you read all of her 20000 books?

Have you ever read anything else?

 

[Patric7olicoe]

I'm about halfway through it and I must say it is quite interesting and very well written.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Currently reading the Temeraire Series by Naomi Novik on book 5.

Napoleon wars with dragons )

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I recently read "Promise Me Darkness" by Paige Weaver, which was one of the stupidest books I've ever read. Apparently it was written for adults based on the explicit sex, and a warning that the book was for readers 17 years and older, but the mentality of the characters was about like 12-year-olds. Well, the mentality of the author is that of a 12-year-old.

Now I am reading "Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick (his first book!). I'm really enjoying it, it's quite different from anything I've read lately.

And then...I go in WalMart this morning to pick up somethings and there it is...a movie!! They made movie of the book I'm reading, so when I get done with the book I can watch the movie! I love when that happens. : )

(I don't care if they ever make a movie of "Promise Me Darkness." Oh, and there is a sequel called "Promise me Light" coming out soon! I won't be reading it.)

 

[Montrovant]

Currently reading the Temeraire Series by Naomi Novik on book 5.

Napoleon wars with dragons )

I may have to check that one out.

 

[Montrovant]

I recently read "Promise Me Darkness" by Paige Weaver, which was one of the stupidest books I've ever read. Apparently it was written for adults based on the explicit sex, and a warning that the book was for readers 17 years and older, but the mentality of the characters was about like 12-year-olds. Well, the mentality of the author is that of a 12-year-old.

Now I am reading "Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick (his first book!). I'm really enjoying it, it's quite different from anything I've read lately.

And then...I go in WalMart this morning to pick up somethings and there it is...a movie!! They made movie of the book I'm reading, so when I get done with the book I can watch the movie! I love when that happens. : )

(I don't care if they ever make a movie of "Promise Me Darkness." Oh, and there is a sequel called "Promise me Light" coming out soon! I won't be reading it.)

I've actually read good reviews for Silver Linings Playbook the movie. I haven't seen it, but it's supposedly a step above the average romcom.

 

[Mustang]

"Rogue Male" by Geoffrey Household

First published in 1939


Rogue Male

No, it's not the story about the former "First Dude" of Alaska.

 

[Mustang]

"Alas, Babylon" by Pat Frank

This is a post WW3 US/USSR nuclear conflagration story with a spared central FL community as the backdrop. First published in 1959, it was a sobering early look at what life might be like in a world where modern conveniences (like electricity and plentiful food) were no longer available. The book is dated and isn't quite as scary (or even as interesting) as later post apocalyptic stories. But it's an easy read, and the book still maintains an enviable rating of 4.03 on Goodreads.com. That's especially true considering that the book has been rated over 14,500 times and overall ratings over 4.0 are fairly rare.


Alas, Babylon

 

[Book of Jeremiah]

the bible

 

[Mustang]

"Salvage the Bones" by Jesmyn Ward


Salvage the Bones

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I finished reading "Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick. It was very good. Simple and straightforward. Kept me up late a couple of nights because I wanted to see what would happen. The ending was very sweet. Made me smile.

 

[Noomi]

Never Saw It Coming by Linwood Barclay

Bout a woman who pretends to have visions. She offers her services to those who have missing relatives, and cons them out of cash. She turns up at one house, claims to have seen a missing wife, and is further to the truth than she realises.

Not a bad read.

 

[mudwhistle]

Sorry, but I'm not reading anything.

Print is dead.

 

[Mustang]

"The Passage" by Justin Cronin


The Passage (The Passage, #1)

This post-apocalyptic story (766 pages worth) is reminiscent of Stephen King's "The Stand." I probably wouldn't have read this book (just finished it yesterday) if it wasn't for the fact that the author actually received the PEN/Hemingway Foundation award for his previous work, "Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in Stories" which is not a formulaic end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it type read.

Naturally, there's a sequel ("The Twelve") published in Oct of 2012, and a third book on the way scheduled for publication next year some time.

I've started reading the second book if for no other reason than to tie up some loose ends from the first book. The first book mostly takes place a hundred years in the future. And so far, 175 pages into the story, the second book's narrative has spent more time in our present day. Frankly, the second book seems to be more tightly and better written than the first book. But I think any reader who starts the second book without reading the first one would be missing too much of the history of the characters and the events surrounding the gov't project gone wrong to get the most out of the story.

Look for a big budget movie based on the book some time in the next few years. IMDb already has something about a project in development.

Edit to add: If you want to read a much better book in the same genre, try "Oryx and Crake" by Margaret Atwood.


Oryx And Crake (MaddAddam Trilogy, #1)

You'll certainly get all that "end of the world stuff," but the book doesn't hand you the story like a recipe for a cake. You'll be required to do some mental work (but no heavy lifting) in order to figure out some of what happened because the narrator (survivor) of the story tells the story in flashbacks, and his sanity is questionable at times. You'll also get some social commentary, but it's not offered up in an in-your-face, judgmental way. (For example, the story takes place in a not too distant future that's recognizable based on current trends.) Atwood also surprisingly captures the fundamental nature of the male friendship which is at the heart of the story. Much better book, IMHO. This book also is the first part of a trilogy. The second book (a companion book as opposed to an actual sequel) is entitled "The Year of the Flood." The third book is being published later this year. It's title is "MaddAddam." Atwood is an exceptionally fine author and story teller.

 

[Noomi]

Taboo by Casey Hill.