Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 376

amoroso · 07-16-2010, 04:31 PM

I've started reading The Mercury 13: The Untold Story of Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann. It tells the story of the 13 women who underwent some of the same physiological selection tests of the Mercury 7, the first 7 NASA astronauts selected in 1959 for project Mercury.

DixieGal · 07-17-2010, 11:03 AM

I am captured by HistoryWes' sequel to the wonderful "Voyage of the Minotaur" called "The DArk and Forbidding Land". I got it yesterday and am happily devouring it. There's a link around here somewhere for the discount code at Smashwords. I highly recommend both books.

ficbot · 07-17-2010, 02:41 PM

Just finished 'Look Again' by Lisa Scottoline. It was pretty awful. I finished it because I had paud, but this book is exactly the reason why I get more of this sort of thing from the library now. Overwrought, annoying characters, pat ending and totally unrealistic plot events. This author came highly recommended to me and I was not impressed.

Hoping to make some inroads on my Smashwords backlog next. And my Fictionwise backlog. And my library books. *sigh*

jgaiser · 07-17-2010, 05:21 PM

Finished "His Majesty's Dragon" and now on to Lois McMaster Bujold's "Shards of Honor".

For somebody who never (ok, almost never) reads novels, this has been a heck of a month...

Steve Anderson · 07-17-2010, 06:34 PM

Just started If the Dead Rise Not by Philip Kerr. Probably paid too much for the Kindle version, but I'm a fan of this mystery series set in 1930s/40s Germany with rebel detective Bernie Gunther. Not exactly the best place to be a rebel.

BexBits · 07-18-2010, 12:03 AM

Jumping in. . .

I just finished "Maids of Misfortune" by M. Louisa Locke, a mystery set in Victorian era San Francisco. I stumbled over her on Smashwords and am glad I did as it was fully as good as many conventionally published books.

For commuting and lunch I'm working my way (for the third time!) through "The Fall of Ile-Rien" trilogy by Martha Wells.

Helen Smith · 07-18-2010, 08:44 AM

I just read Bill Bryson's Notes From a Small Island and really enjoyed it. It's amazing how much has changed in a relatively short time (7 years) since it was first published - I'm thinking of details like the smoking ban in pubs and restaurants, for example which instantly make a book feel 'historical' if they are mentioned. It made me laugh out loud a few times which doesn't happen very often.

I'm reading a book of short stories called The West: Stories from Ireland which I picked up because I saw a post from the author in the kindle forums on Amazon. I'm glad I did, they're beautifully written; timeless stories of an Ireland left behind as its citizens emigrate to America or shuttle back and forth to England to find work.

thinkpad · 07-18-2010, 08:59 AM

Just finished Tongues of serpents, the 6th book in the Temeraire series and was not impressed at all. I've liked Noviks previous books in the series but this one was very slow.

MickeyC · 07-18-2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helen Smith

I just read Bill Bryson's Notes From a Small Island and really enjoyed it.

If you liked that Bryson, I can also highly recommend A Short History of Nearly Everything and The Mother Tongue both by Bryson.

The Mother Tongue is about the English language and how it got that way.

I found both fascinating.

BearMountainBooks · 07-18-2010, 10:04 AM

Finished "A Curious Affair" by Melanie Jackson. I reviewed it at Amazon. I struggled whether this was a 3 or 4 star...I don't like Gothic much--too much atmosphere and not enough...other, but I thought it unfair to knock it down because Gothic isn't my favorite (which means I don't read it often so don't have tons of comparisons to make.) The thing is, the book is slotted as paranormal romance--which I thought was COMPLETELY incorrect. Yes there is a paranormal element. Yes there was romance. But the book was noir, yet it's being marketed as fluffier romance. Gothic mystery with many noir elements ain't that.

Libby Cone · 07-18-2010, 10:54 AM

I finished "Alison Wonderland" a while ago and enjoyed it. I'm now reading "World Without Visa" by Jean Malaquais and a history book called "Empires and Barbarians." I completely revised "Flesh and Grass;" it's back on Amazon and Smashwords.

BearMountainBooks · 07-18-2010, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libby Cone

I finished "Alison Wonderland" a while ago and enjoyed it. I'm now reading "World Without Visa" by Jean Malaquais and a history book called "Empires and Barbarians." I completely revised "Flesh and Grass;" it's back on Amazon and Smashwords.

Heard good things about Alison Wonderland.

Latinandgreek · 07-18-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassidym

If you liked that Bryson, I can also highly recommend A Short History of Nearly Everything and The Mother Tongue both by Bryson.

The Mother Tongue is about the English language and how it got that way.

I found both fascinating.

The Mother Tongue sounds like it's right up my alley, I think I'll give it a try.

Ea · 07-18-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

No, Tina is a vampire, sort if Sinclair's Grand Vizir, or sidekick, or... something

That Tina - of course!

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Just finished Jasper Fforde's "Shades of Grey" - an odd book - wildly inventive yet based in fact (Munsell was real, as was his numeric code for colors) - slap stick funny but with very somber undertones - this is a futuristic wacko society based on color perception - that kills its members for not preserving stasis. The first volume of a trilogy. Very odd.

Have you read any of Fforde's other books? They are all quite odd. "Shades of grey" is probably his most serious yet. I love his style - it's very unique and interesting.

poohbear_nc · 07-18-2010, 04:20 PM

Just finished "Think of a Number" - by John Verdon - new author whom David Baldacci highly praised on Amazon - specially priced at $3.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Think-Number-N...9484309&sr=1-1).

Excellent serial killer thriller read - although I preferred my (erroneous) choice for the killer! Very well written.

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07-16-2010, 04:31 PM	#5626
amoroso Groupie Posts: 185 Karma: 1004070 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Italy Device: Kindle for Android, Google Play Books	I've started reading The Mercury 13: The Untold Story of Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight by Martha Ackmann. It tells the story of the 13 women who underwent some of the same physiological selection tests of the Mercury 7, the first 7 NASA astronauts selected in 1959 for project Mercury.

07-17-2010, 11:03 AM	#5627
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I am captured by HistoryWes' sequel to the wonderful "Voyage of the Minotaur" called "The DArk and Forbidding Land". I got it yesterday and am happily devouring it. There's a link around here somewhere for the discount code at Smashwords. I highly recommend both books.

07-17-2010, 02:41 PM	#5628
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Just finished 'Look Again' by Lisa Scottoline. It was pretty awful. I finished it because I had paud, but this book is exactly the reason why I get more of this sort of thing from the library now. Overwrought, annoying characters, pat ending and totally unrealistic plot events. This author came highly recommended to me and I was not impressed. Hoping to make some inroads on my Smashwords backlog next. And my Fictionwise backlog. And my library books. sigh

07-17-2010, 05:21 PM	#5629
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Finished "His Majesty's Dragon" and now on to Lois McMaster Bujold's "Shards of Honor". For somebody who never (ok, almost never) reads novels, this has been a heck of a month...

07-17-2010, 06:34 PM	#5630
Steve Anderson Addict Posts: 226 Karma: 260821 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon USA Device: iPhone, laptop, more	Just started If the Dead Rise Not by Philip Kerr. Probably paid too much for the Kindle version, but I'm a fan of this mystery series set in 1930s/40s Germany with rebel detective Bernie Gunther. Not exactly the best place to be a rebel.

07-18-2010, 12:03 AM	#5631
BexBits Zealot Posts: 134 Karma: 184000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Colorado Device: Nook classic, Nook Simple Touch, Nook HD	Jumping in. . . I just finished "Maids of Misfortune" by M. Louisa Locke, a mystery set in Victorian era San Francisco. I stumbled over her on Smashwords and am glad I did as it was fully as good as many conventionally published books. For commuting and lunch I'm working my way (for the third time!) through "The Fall of Ile-Rien" trilogy by Martha Wells.

07-18-2010, 08:44 AM	#5632
Helen Smith Zealot Posts: 149 Karma: 200000 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: London Device: kindle	I just read Bill Bryson's Notes From a Small Island and really enjoyed it. It's amazing how much has changed in a relatively short time (7 years) since it was first published - I'm thinking of details like the smoking ban in pubs and restaurants, for example which instantly make a book feel 'historical' if they are mentioned. It made me laugh out loud a few times which doesn't happen very often. I'm reading a book of short stories called The West: Stories from Ireland which I picked up because I saw a post from the author in the kindle forums on Amazon. I'm glad I did, they're beautifully written; timeless stories of an Ireland left behind as its citizens emigrate to America or shuttle back and forth to England to find work.

07-18-2010, 08:59 AM	#5633
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	Just finished Tongues of serpents, the 6th book in the Temeraire series and was not impressed at all. I've liked Noviks previous books in the series but this one was very slow.

07-18-2010, 10:04 AM	#5635
BearMountainBooks Maria Schneider Posts: 3,746 Karma: 26439330 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Near Austin, Texas Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard	Finished "A Curious Affair" by Melanie Jackson. I reviewed it at Amazon. I struggled whether this was a 3 or 4 star...I don't like Gothic much--too much atmosphere and not enough...other, but I thought it unfair to knock it down because Gothic isn't my favorite (which means I don't read it often so don't have tons of comparisons to make.) The thing is, the book is slotted as paranormal romance--which I thought was COMPLETELY incorrect. Yes there is a paranormal element. Yes there was romance. But the book was noir, yet it's being marketed as fluffier romance. Gothic mystery with many noir elements ain't that.

07-18-2010, 10:54 AM	#5636
Libby Cone scribbler Posts: 117 Karma: 246 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Philadelphia USA Device: Kindle	I finished "Alison Wonderland" a while ago and enjoyed it. I'm now reading "World Without Visa" by Jean Malaquais and a history book called "Empires and Barbarians." I completely revised "Flesh and Grass;" it's back on Amazon and Smashwords.

07-18-2010, 04:20 PM	#5640
poohbear_nc Bah! Humbug! Posts: 63,478 Karma: 135239851 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Just finished "Think of a Number" - by John Verdon - new author whom David Baldacci highly praised on Amazon - specially priced at $3.99 (http://www.amazon.com/Think-Number-N...9484309&sr=1-1). Excellent serial killer thriller read - although I preferred my (erroneous) choice for the killer! Very well written.