paigepea
Drama Llama
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Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Sept 22, 2014 3:47:02 GMT
How is everyone doing? I'm desperate for some adult reading. I'm looking for a great page turner. Something new. I haven't read anything great lately. My last favorite was Big Little Lies, but that was back in August.
Lately, I've been reading my kids' books in order to check their comprehension - so a lot of Critter Club, Heidi Heckelbeck, Clementine and Harry Potter. I am in a good position to make a recommendation for a 5 or 8 yr old girl!
Help!
Paige.
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Post by ntsf on Sept 22, 2014 3:54:56 GMT
just read Lord Good Bird by James McBride. historical fiction about John Brown of the 1850's. a crazy book, but very good. won the national book award. also read the Mathematician's Shiva. a son dealing with the death of his mother, the most famous woman mathematician...and did she solve one of math's most famous equations?? for an intelligent page turner...Coincidence. takes place in uganda and britain. I really recommend it. it is our bookclub pick this month.
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Post by RobbyKay on Sept 22, 2014 5:02:26 GMT
Hi RefuPeas Who Read!
One for me this week. I read Monique Truong's The Book of Salt for my book club. It's about a Vietnamese man who works as a cook for Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas in Paris in the 1920s. It has themes of family tradition, homosexuality and alcoholism all rolled into one. It was good but not great.
Now I'm reading John Darnielle's Wolf in White Van. It's about a young man who has survived a disfiguring accident, and he now makes a living proctoring a role playing game. Some of the players take things too far, and he has to answer for their actions. I'm almost half way, and it keeps building into something bigger. It's up for a National Book Award, so it should be worth it.
Happy reading!
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tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
Jun 26, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Sept 22, 2014 10:40:28 GMT
It's challenging making time for reading once school begins. I just re read two LIW books this week getting ready for the class. On the Banks of Plum Creek and Little Town on the Prairie.
ntfs, thanks for the recommendation for Coincidence; it's only 1.99 today for Kindle. I WILL read an adult book this week!
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Post by MommyofTriplets on Sept 22, 2014 11:32:11 GMT
I finished Life, Animated, a memoir about one family's experience with autism and how their son used Disney movies to understand people and the world around him. I have a daughter on the spectrum and I found this book interesting, but it was tough to relate to this family that has seemingly unlimited funds and connections to procure help for their son.
I started The Bone Clocks, the new David Mitchell book and I already love it. Can't wait to get back to it!
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Post by pjaye on Sept 22, 2014 11:49:57 GMT
I finished I Was Vermeer: The Rise and Fall of the Twentieth Century's Greatest Forger by Frank Wynne. This was so interesting. Non fiction about art forger Han van Meegeren who forged Vermeer painting in the 1930s. He made around $50 million and only got caught after the war when one of the paintings in Nazi hands was traced back to him. Lots of interesting facts about art in general and art forgery. What is fascinating is that when you google his work, it really isn't that good, but the critics and art world at the time were totally convinced. If you like a good non fiction story that is well told you'll enjoy this.
Hoping it would be similar, I then started Caveat Emptor: The Secret Life of an American Art Forger by Ken Perenyi, but this was a total dud. I gave up after 2 hours and had to create a "did not finish" shelf on Goodreads. First book since I joined that I have ever given up on. Very little about art, but lots about the author bragging about the women he slept with and the drugs he took. Very simplistic writing too. Definitely not recommended.
Currently listening to The Heist: A Novel by Daniel Silva. Silva has written a number of books with the same main character, but this is the first one I have read and not finding it difficult to follow. The main story is about art theft which is OK but enjoying the other details about the art. I doubt it's going to be a favourite, but it's keeping me entertained so far.
I think that's all the books on art that I own (I've read 7!) so I'll have to move on to a new theme next week.
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janeliz
Drama Llama
I'm the Wiz and nobody beats me.
Posts: 5,633
Jun 26, 2014 14:35:07 GMT
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Post by janeliz on Sept 22, 2014 13:03:03 GMT
I read Elise Juska's The Blessings and loved it. The book centered around a large, tight-knit Philadelphia family and how their lives unfold before and after the death of a family member. I thought it was beautifully written---very moving and authentic.
I've just started Ruth Reichl's Delicious!
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Post by GamGam on Sept 22, 2014 13:33:16 GMT
Many thanks to the Pea who recommended Trapeze by Simon Mawer. Set in WW2, it tell the story of a British woman who became a spy and was assigned to Paris. The character development was good and the details about her training was interesting. I was, however, disappointed with the ending. I felt it was rushed. But overall, a good read. Tried to read Up a Road Slowly but it really was slow.
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Post by lillieleigh on Sept 22, 2014 13:36:22 GMT
I read The Blood of an Englishman, the newest of the Agatha Raisin series by M.C Beaton. I enjoyed it. It was a quick read and kind of quirky , as this series is.
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Post by craftsbycarolyn on Sept 22, 2014 14:39:54 GMT
I went to see the movie "The Giver" and liked it so much that I bought the e-book and read it. Good and easy read. I also started reading Gathering Blue, another book by Lois Lowry. So far, I like it.
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Post by kckckc on Sept 22, 2014 15:14:19 GMT
I finished four books this week.
Like ntsf, I finished The Good Lord Bird. I actually listened to this on audio. I thought the narrator was excellent. It is the story of a young slave who somewhat by accident ends up a part of abolitionist John Brown's group. 5/5
The Flight of the Silvers by Daniel Price. A science fiction/fantasy novel. When the Earth is destroyed, a small group of people are transported to an alternate Earth. This one was definitely a page turner. It is the first of a trilogy. 5/5
Worthy Brown's Daughter by Phillip Margolin. Margolin usually writes legal thrillers, but this one was historical fiction, based on a true story. A man takes his slaves (Worthy Brown and his daughter) to Oregon with the agreement that he will free them after he is settled. The owner goes back on the deal and will not release the daughter. Her father takes him to court. There were a couple of subplots also going on. Margolin wrote this many years ago and only recently rewrote and published it - I think it showed. Although the book was interesting, the writing seemed a little amateurish. 4/5
The Death Factory by Greg Iles. A novella that bridges the gap between Iles last Penn Cage novel and his most recent. 3/5
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gottapeanow
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,742
Jun 25, 2014 20:56:09 GMT
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Post by gottapeanow on Sept 22, 2014 15:51:58 GMT
"The Death Factory by Greg Iles. A novella that bridges the gap between Iles last Penn Cage novel and his most recent. 3/5"
Loved Natchez Burning, so I will be looking for this!
Only one for me last week. However, this week should be a little slower, so hopefully I can get some extra reading in. I might watch some extra TV this week to see if there will be any new shows I want to catch.
City of Lies by RJ Ellory. Here is the GR summary:
"John Harper has just made a discovery: the father he believed to be dead for more than thirty years is alive, though lying in a coma in a Manhattan hospital. Returning home to New York brings with it memories of childhood, many of them painful, and yet Harper could never have prepared himself for the truth.
Confronted with the reality of his father's existence, Harper finds himself seduced by a lifestyle that he seems to have inherited--an underworld life of power, treachery, and menace. As he desperately tries to uncover the facts of his own past, he is faced with one lie after another, and with each new discovery he becomes more and more entangled in a dark and shocking conspiracy."
I gave this 3/5 stars. Ellory wrote the best book I read last year, A Quiet Vendetta, so he has a lot to live up to. This one just didn't cut it for me. Still, it was decent.
Lisa
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
Jun 25, 2014 19:53:37 GMT
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Post by Mystie on Sept 22, 2014 16:55:02 GMT
I have been in a real reading slump, nothing is keeping my attention! Right now I'm working on The Other Family by Joanna Trollope...normally I like her books, but every character in this one is giving me a pain! I read a book about van Meegeren several years ago, can't remember if it was the one you read or not, but that's what blew me away about him--his stuff was terrible! How on earth he managed to fool so many people I have no idea. Fascinating story.
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pudgygroundhog
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,643
Location: The Grand Canyon
Jun 25, 2014 20:18:39 GMT
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Post by pudgygroundhog on Sept 22, 2014 19:01:40 GMT
Lately I've read:
Big Little Lies. Latest from the author of The Husband's Secret. I liked this one even more. Quick, engrossing read. She deftly balances the light and dark. 5/5
The Martian. Great sci-fi book. Heavy on the science and has a great protagonist. 4/5
The Secret Place. Latest Tana French book. I love her writing and thought her last two books were terrific. I didn't like this one as much for a couple of reasons, but still thought it was a good read. 4/5
The Book of Life. This is the last book in the Discovery of Witches trilogy. It was okay. 3/5
And I just finished We Are Not Ourselves. No gimmicks here - just good old fashioned writing and character development. Characters not always likeable, but it is honest. 4/5
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Post by cadoodlebug on Sept 22, 2014 19:05:44 GMT
I've just started reading the book Adrenaline, the first book in the Sam Capra series by Jeff Abbott. Liking it a lot already. It ticked me off though when I got the second of the series for DH to start and right on the cover is a HUGE spoiler from the ending of the first book.
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,017
Jun 25, 2014 19:25:50 GMT
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Post by mimima on Sept 22, 2014 19:38:05 GMT
I read a fluffy, enjoyable, chick-lit While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax about three women who live in a condo complex in Atlanta, who bond over the concierge's showings of Downton Abbey each week.
I also read What Would You Die For? which contains the early 3rd century writing of the Martyr Perpetua, and some scholarly articles by a Loyola University Seminar, a discussion of the historical context, and poetry. It was a really good read, and offered a lot of spiritual food for thought.
Then, I read a disappointing Historical Fiction, The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. by Sandra Gulland. It begins a trilogy about Josephine Bonaparte. I'd read and greatly enjoyed the second one, but this one wasn't as good. I still have the third one around and will probably read it at some point.
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Post by sues on Sept 22, 2014 19:59:35 GMT
I finished the Stephanie Plum 21 book- I forget what it's called. I liked it. It wasn't as predictable as the last few. After all this time, I wish she'd give Lula more than 'she's a big woman' and 'I want a doughnut'. It seems like a no brainer, but it's never happened.
I moved on to Mambo in Chinatown, which seemed like it would have an Amy Tan-lite feel to it. It wasn't a bad read. It wasn't really poorly written- but I can't recommend it. Every time it would really get in a groove, she'd veer off track. It was sort of like she couldn't decide what kind of a book she wanted to write. In a lot of ways it was predictable. Sometimes the dialogue was good, but too much of the time, it was bad. It was stilted or sometimes really inauthentic. Instead of reading it and 'hearing' the character's voice, I was very aware of the words- if that makes sense. There were just too many times I thought 'People don't talk like that' - or the manner of speech was uneven. She'd have someone speaking like an everyday 20-something, or an older person for whom English is a second language- and out of left field, there would be a word that just stuck out like a sore thumb. It just didn't go with the rest of the dialogue. By the end, I was ready for it to be over. There was one twist near the very end that made me go "Are you kidding? What did that add to the story?" It was a really dumb sub-plot.
Still waiting for the Gabaldon WIMOHB book to come back up- (it will be later this week, I have to believe) - I moved on to China Dolls by Lisa See. It seems like I have a pattern going- but this one popped up as a recommendation based on Mambo in Chinatown, and it looks good.
My purse book is There's More to Life Than This by Theresa Caputo. If you watch her show, you already know a lot of what she says in the beginning. Some of it drags a little- maybe because I've heard it before. But she writes like she speaks and it's not a hard read at all. She's interesting and there's a lot in the book that I've heard her allude to on the show, but never heard the whole story.
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Post by birukitty on Sept 22, 2014 21:02:01 GMT
I'm about a third of the way through book 5 of the Outlander series "The Fiery Cross" by Diana Gabaldon. While this one is a bit slow going in the beginning I'm sure it'll pick up as I've been told by other readers. I'm really enjoying it nevertheless, as the author is such an amazing writer.
Debbie in MD.
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Post by Erica on Sept 23, 2014 1:01:32 GMT
Many thanks to the Pea who recommended Trapeze by Simon Mawer. Set in WW2, it tell the story of a British woman who became a spy and was assigned to Paris. The character development was good and the details about her training was interesting. I was, however, disappointed with the ending. I felt it was rushed. But overall, a good read. Tried to read Up a Road Slowly but it really was slow.
I feel that most books have that rushed ending feeling now. Or at least the books I've read.
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Post by Erica on Sept 23, 2014 1:08:48 GMT
This week I'm reading Dark Places by Gillian Fleming. It's ok, certainly better than Gone Girl. I read Sharp Objects last week that was a lot better than Gone Girl too.
I think my selection for next week is The House Girl.
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Post by hockeymom4 on Sept 23, 2014 1:32:57 GMT
Just finished THE DINNER by HERMAN KOCH...... Unfortunately this was my choice for book club, not sure I will be asked to pick again!!! It was interesting but a bit hard to follow and no redeeming characters.
Starting the third book of KEN FOLLETT'S CENTURY TRILOGY, EDGE OF ETERNITY
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Post by mnmloveli on Sept 23, 2014 2:48:04 GMT
Starting to read some scarier ones to get in the mood for Halloween. Finished a trilogy by Blake Crouch; Desert Places, Locked Doors and Break You. Book 1 starts with a man, Andrew receiving a letter saying there's a dead body buried in his yard and the bloody knife with his blood on it is hidden in his house. Book 2 continues with Andrew hiding out in a cabin since he can't go home. All the people he once knew n loved start to get killed. Maybe someone he thought was dead is still alive. Book 3 wraps things up. Bk 3 actually more of a short story. Should mention these were a little on the "gory" side. After finishing Bk 3, found out it continues in the book Stirred by Blake Crouch and JA Konrath. Just started this one which is more about the deranged killer getting his due.
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Post by smokeynspike on Sept 23, 2014 4:03:58 GMT
I am reading The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness and Early Decision by Lacy Crawford. I don't normally read two books at once, but I need to this week.
Melissa
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Post by Crack-a-lackin on Sept 23, 2014 5:49:12 GMT
Finished Gone Girl. I really enjoyed it. Of course I hated the ending, but in a way I also liked it. I normally need a happy ending in my books and movies but the ending of Gone Girl didn't bother me. It's not what I would have chosen but it fit the book.
Now, onto All the Light We Cannot See.
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lovemy4js
Junior Member
Posts: 76
Jul 4, 2014 5:12:51 GMT
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Post by lovemy4js on Sept 24, 2014 0:25:01 GMT
I try to read at least one classic a year that I haven't read before. I usually read it over the summer when I'm not working, but I just wasn't in the mood for a classic until lately. I'm reading My Antonia by Willa Cather. One of my colleagues said it was one of her favorite classics, so I thought I'd give it a try...it's a little dry so far.
OP... My favorite page-turner of the summer was In The Blood by Lisa Unger. Kept me up late a couple of nights until I finished it! I highly recommend it.
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Post by lynnek on Sept 24, 2014 2:11:08 GMT
I finished The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. I have seen it compared to Gone Girl and I can see why although it seems that any book that has twists and turns are now the new Gone Girl. I did enjoy this book and was surprised by some of the twists. The book is about a young woman who was kidnapped and supposed to be turned over to another group who would hold her for ransom, except the man that took her decided to keep her and leave. I would recommend it.
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Post by peasapie on Sept 24, 2014 2:39:34 GMT
I am finally getting around to readingOlive Kitteridge. The prose is lovely, but I am not sure how I feel about a collection of stories rather than one continuous (or back and forth) tale.
Last week I read Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigani. Not thrilled with it, but it was ok.
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Post by flanz on Sept 24, 2014 3:31:57 GMT
How is everyone doing? I'm desperate for some adult reading. I'm looking for a great page turner. Something new. I haven't read anything great lately. My last favorite was Big Little Lies, but that was back in August. Lately, I've been reading my kids' books in order to check their comprehension - so a lot of Critter Club, Heidi Heckelbeck, Clementine and Harry Potter. I am in a good position to make a recommendation for a 5 or 8 yr old girl! Help! Paige. Paige, it's not a new book, but have you read ROOM by Emma Donoghue? It was unique and I found it to be a page turner.
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Post by eebud on Sept 24, 2014 13:47:30 GMT
I was looking at a list of books that B&N lowered the price on for their nook version. There is one that I would like to know if others liked if they have read it. The Time Keeper by Mitch Alborn. I think I have seen this book mentioned on reading threads but I might be mixing it up with something else. Would love opinions on it. It is currently $2.99.
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Post by heartland on Sept 24, 2014 16:55:22 GMT
I read a fluffy, enjoyable, chick-lit While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax about three women who live in a condo complex in Atlanta, who bond over the concierge's showings of Downton Abbey each week. Just checked and my library has this - I'll have to pick it up next time I swing by. Sounds like a fun read.
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