Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 923

carld · 07-28-2012, 07:06 PM

I set aside Red Mars for now, not enjoying it as much as I remembered. I'm reading Pratchett & Baxter's The Long Earth instead. It's different, and not a collaboration I'd have expected, but so far so good.

bert501 · 07-28-2012, 11:59 PM

I've had a busy reading month and thought I would share a few highlights and a couple of stinkers!

Creole Belle, James Lee Burke 4/5 stars. Burke writes like smooth whiskey flowing over your soul...or something like that! I always enjoy his characters and his take on why people do the things they do. This has all the familiar "stuff" of murder, intrigue, extreme violence,innocent victims and bad people getting what they truly deserve. There is a nice subplot for Clete that felt clunky at times but Burke got it all wrapped up in a nice way at the end.

a re-read of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness then into her new release Shadow of Night I give 4/5 stars for both but Shadow of Night was SOOO detailed I almost gave up on it. I appreciated the attention she took to the historical accuracy of the story but there were a few places that felt very "edited" so it wouldn't turn into a history lesson, if you know what I mean. Harkness also had a subplot that ended strangely, and she missed a really great character/opportunity which would have added depth to the main character but I hope she will go back and wrap up in the next book.

Did a quick quick skim/read of Hangman's Daughter and the Dark Monk but they were so awful I didn't even add them to my Goodreads list! Too many characters that went nowhere after excruciatingly detailed introductions.

Also worked my way through the Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane (1) Unholy Ghosts, (2) Unholy Magic, (3) City of Ghosts, (4) Sacrificial Magic, and (5) Chasing Magic. Really interesting premise-the ghosts are NOT like your usual paranormal mischief makers. 4/5 although there is an "issue" with the main character that gets tiresome...deal with it or ignore it but stop going on & on about it...

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen 2/5 stars, this was a cool little book that had some genuinely creepy parts. I gave it 2 stars because itcould have been a great book if 2/3 of the violence was cut in favor of character/plot development...blah blah, my complaint with everything I read!! It's the first in the Living with the Dead series and held my attention at least enough to check out the next book in the series.

Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke 3/5 stars. A super fun and quick read with an unusual premise in that the lead character is also secretly a psychic in Victorian San Francisco! Plot had some nice twists and I hope a couple of the peripheral characters turn up again in the series.

Murder in the PTA by Laura Alden 4/5 I grabbed this for a light read when I don't have time to really sit down & read. But, this thing turned out to be so good I read it in one sitting! The plot is old & familiar: Mom joins the PTA, Principal is murdered, mayhem ensues and it's all wrapped up in time for supper! But there were some nice twists, a little danger I didn't see coming and a nice bit of character development. It's listed as #1 in series so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

The Diva Digs Up the Dirt (Domestic Diva #6) by Krista Davis 4/5 stars Another fun romp with Sophie and the wacko's in her life! This time her ex-husbands new flame sets Sophie up to have her backyard redone by a television home improvement show-of course murder occurs, there is lots of running around, cooking (recipes included!), and convoluted reasons to explain all the plot twists. Very enjoyable if you don't think too hard and just enjoy the fun.

Whew! Hope this helps someone to choose something to read.

tecweston · 07-29-2012, 09:46 AM

Just Finished:

- The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Giant Rat of Sumatra by Richard L. Boyer - It was okay.

Currently Reading:

- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (13%)
- The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (11%)

carld · 07-29-2012, 02:37 PM

Finished The Long Earth. It was an enjoyable read but ultimately a little unsatisfying. It felt almost like there was a whole 'nother book of equal size left to be written.

alansplace · 07-29-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

Wow! There are only 4 Molly Fyde books available and what with the story arc they seem to be telling I'm wondering if the 4th book will conclude it? If just 4 books is all there is then I'm already halfway through the story! This has been, so far, a really fun read.

Now on to a change of pace, first published in 1960, Donald Hamilton's 1st book in the Matt Helm series, Death of a Citizen.

I just finished reading Death of a Citizen by Donald Hamilton which was a good and also a quick read. Happily (IMHO), it was not very much like the Dean Martin series of Matt Helm films from the late 60's.

Now I'm starting to read the next of Dana Stabenow's [the 13th] Kate Shugak book, , A Grave Denied.

pdurrant · 07-30-2012, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm really liking this series. The first is almost a stand-alone, but the remaining four seem to be one big story. This fourth book is very good, and I'm looking forward to the last.

But first another of the Gideon Oliver Mysteries, Twenty Blue Devils by Aaron Elkins.

The Gideon Oliver met expectations - a fun murder mystery involving bones.

Now I'm on "Fortress of Ice". And I find that my previous assessment wasn't quite right. It's the middle three that for one story arc. The first and last are separate. (Although all five fit together naturally.)

Good so far.

Crusader · 07-30-2012, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carld

Finished The Long Earth. It was an enjoyable read but ultimately a little unsatisfying. It felt almost like there was a whole 'nother book of equal size left to be written.

I think a sequel is in the works if I'm not mistaken.

Apache · 07-30-2012, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

I just finished reading Death of a Citizen by Donald Hamilton which was a good and also a quick read. Happily (IMHO), it was not very much like the Dean Martin series of Matt Helm films from the late 60's.

Now I'm starting to read the next of Dana Stabenow's [the 13th] Kate Shugak book, , A Grave Denied.

I always liked the Matt Helm Series. I hated the movies they made from it. They made the 4 movies into comedies and bad ones at that. I have all 28 of the books and have read them numerous times. The series started in 1960 and ran through the early '90s. Matt Helm was the original tough smart guy, like Reacher is now.
Apache

spindlegirl · 07-30-2012, 10:51 AM

I finished Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson. I bought the remaining four in the July Smashwords July sale.

Sentence of Marriage was an incredible read. I felt drawn into the story after the first chapter and had to keep going. I originally started reading it on transit buses but found that it was not enough and continued reading it until late last night. I did not get much sleep, because how the story was going to carry out kept nagging at me. It is not a happy fairytale ending, and is the perfect segue to Mud and Gold (the next in the series). I really am looking forward to reading more from this author.

GeckoFriend · 07-30-2012, 11:22 AM

I just finished Tales of the Emerald Serpent which was a kickstarter project earlier this year. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the nine stories but didn't really like the way the shared world was handled. It felt disjointed somehow. Although I enjoyed all of the stories, none of the authors impressed me enough to search for more of their work, at least not yet.

carld · 07-30-2012, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crusader

I think a sequel is in the works if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks. I wondered if that was the case. I got to the end and thought "Where's the rest of it?"

I finished Nancy Kress's short story collection AI Unbound, and started Greg Egan's The Clockwork Rocket.

CRussel · 07-30-2012, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Next, Wen Spencer's "A Brother's Price", which I read some time ago, but had completely forgotten. Rediscovery is proceeding with enjoyment.

Devoured A Brother's Price, and then the first of the Ukiah Oregon series Alien Taste. I've definitely found a new favourite author. But I think I'll take a short break before my next Wen Spencer and go back to Weber's Bahzell Bahnakson series. Next there is The War God's Own.

Crusader · 07-30-2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carld

Thanks. I wondered if that was the case. I got to the end and thought "Where's the rest of it?"

I don't know if it's official, but Pratchett and Baxter was on a podcast I listened to and they spoke as if they were working on/planning a sequel.

caleb72 · 08-01-2012, 12:29 AM

Just finished Dead Men Don't Cry by Nancy Fulda, an anthology of some of her short stories over the years. Excellent writing and really interesting tales. It will be a pleasure writing a review for it on my site.

HarryT · 08-01-2012, 03:37 AM

A busy few days reading. Since the weekend I've read:

The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson.

A description of a 13000 mile roadtrip through the US made by Bill Bryson after having living in the UK for many years. This was his first travel book, and it's witty and well-written. Very enjoyable.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

Very enjoyable SF. The story of a treasure-hunt for keys to unlock the fortune left by the creator of a "virtual world" within which the inhabitants of the mid 21st century largely live their lives, all the clues to which are references to 1980s pop culture. I started this with some hesitation, but became hooked by it and, as the saying goes, couldn't put it down. VERY highly recommended indeed.

07-28-2012, 11:59 PM	#13832
bert501 Connoisseur Posts: 68 Karma: 263126 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Missouri, USA Device: Kindle	My July Reads I've had a busy reading month and thought I would share a few highlights and a couple of stinkers! Creole Belle, James Lee Burke 4/5 stars. Burke writes like smooth whiskey flowing over your soul...or something like that! I always enjoy his characters and his take on why people do the things they do. This has all the familiar "stuff" of murder, intrigue, extreme violence,innocent victims and bad people getting what they truly deserve. There is a nice subplot for Clete that felt clunky at times but Burke got it all wrapped up in a nice way at the end. a re-read of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness then into her new release Shadow of Night I give 4/5 stars for both but Shadow of Night was SOOO detailed I almost gave up on it. I appreciated the attention she took to the historical accuracy of the story but there were a few places that felt very "edited" so it wouldn't turn into a history lesson, if you know what I mean. Harkness also had a subplot that ended strangely, and she missed a really great character/opportunity which would have added depth to the main character but I hope she will go back and wrap up in the next book. Did a quick quick skim/read of Hangman's Daughter and the Dark Monk but they were so awful I didn't even add them to my Goodreads list! Too many characters that went nowhere after excruciatingly detailed introductions. Also worked my way through the Downside Ghosts series by Stacia Kane (1) Unholy Ghosts, (2) Unholy Magic, (3) City of Ghosts, (4) Sacrificial Magic, and (5) Chasing Magic. Really interesting premise-the ghosts are NOT like your usual paranormal mischief makers. 4/5 although there is an "issue" with the main character that gets tiresome...deal with it or ignore it but stop going on & on about it... Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen 2/5 stars, this was a cool little book that had some genuinely creepy parts. I gave it 2 stars because itcould have been a great book if 2/3 of the violence was cut in favor of character/plot development...blah blah, my complaint with everything I read!! It's the first in the Living with the Dead series and held my attention at least enough to check out the next book in the series. Maids of Misfortune by M. Louisa Locke 3/5 stars. A super fun and quick read with an unusual premise in that the lead character is also secretly a psychic in Victorian San Francisco! Plot had some nice twists and I hope a couple of the peripheral characters turn up again in the series. Murder in the PTA by Laura Alden 4/5 I grabbed this for a light read when I don't have time to really sit down & read. But, this thing turned out to be so good I read it in one sitting! The plot is old & familiar: Mom joins the PTA, Principal is murdered, mayhem ensues and it's all wrapped up in time for supper! But there were some nice twists, a little danger I didn't see coming and a nice bit of character development. It's listed as #1 in series so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. The Diva Digs Up the Dirt (Domestic Diva #6) by Krista Davis 4/5 stars Another fun romp with Sophie and the wacko's in her life! This time her ex-husbands new flame sets Sophie up to have her backyard redone by a television home improvement show-of course murder occurs, there is lots of running around, cooking (recipes included!), and convoluted reasons to explain all the plot twists. Very enjoyable if you don't think too hard and just enjoy the fun. Whew! Hope this helps someone to choose something to read.

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07-28-2012, 07:06 PM	#13831
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I set aside Red Mars for now, not enjoying it as much as I remembered. I'm reading Pratchett & Baxter's The Long Earth instead. It's different, and not a collaboration I'd have expected, but so far so good.

07-29-2012, 09:46 AM	#13833
tecweston Comic book artist Posts: 553 Karma: 1760679 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Detroit Device: Nook Glowlight, iPad, iPhone	Just Finished: - The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Giant Rat of Sumatra by Richard L. Boyer - It was okay. Currently Reading: - Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (13%) - The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (11%)

07-29-2012, 02:37 PM	#13834
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Finished The Long Earth. It was an enjoyable read but ultimately a little unsatisfying. It felt almost like there was a whole 'nother book of equal size left to be written.

07-30-2012, 10:51 AM	#13839
spindlegirl Wizard Posts: 1,594 Karma: 21245891 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Libra h20, Paperwhite 2017, Phone & Tablet w Moonreader	I finished Sentence of Marriage by Shayne Parkinson. I bought the remaining four in the July Smashwords July sale. Sentence of Marriage was an incredible read. I felt drawn into the story after the first chapter and had to keep going. I originally started reading it on transit buses but found that it was not enough and continued reading it until late last night. I did not get much sleep, because how the story was going to carry out kept nagging at me. It is not a happy fairytale ending, and is the perfect segue to Mud and Gold (the next in the series). I really am looking forward to reading more from this author.

07-30-2012, 11:22 AM	#13840
GeckoFriend Guru Posts: 618 Karma: 1164945 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: iPhone 7+, iPad Mini4, Kindle Voyage	I just finished Tales of the Emerald Serpent which was a kickstarter project earlier this year. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the nine stories but didn't really like the way the shared world was handled. It felt disjointed somehow. Although I enjoyed all of the stories, none of the authors impressed me enough to search for more of their work, at least not yet.

08-01-2012, 12:29 AM	#13844
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	Just finished Dead Men Don't Cry by Nancy Fulda, an anthology of some of her short stories over the years. Excellent writing and really interesting tales. It will be a pleasure writing a review for it on my site.

08-01-2012, 03:37 AM	#13845
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	A busy few days reading. Since the weekend I've read: The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson. A description of a 13000 mile roadtrip through the US made by Bill Bryson after having living in the UK for many years. This was his first travel book, and it's witty and well-written. Very enjoyable. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Very enjoyable SF. The story of a treasure-hunt for keys to unlock the fortune left by the creator of a "virtual world" within which the inhabitants of the mid 21st century largely live their lives, all the clues to which are references to 1980s pop culture. I started this with some hesitation, but became hooked by it and, as the saying goes, couldn't put it down. VERY highly recommended indeed.