Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading? - Page 960

alansplace · 10-14-2012, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

...Now I'm going to try out Carmilla. This novella intrigues me because I knew nothing about it until it was nominated for the book club read this month. Pre-dating and heavily influencing Bram Stoker's Dracula? This I have to read.

Thanks for the tip, I downloaded a copy from the Patricia Clark Memorial Library and am currently reading it (a chapter at a time) while I'm reading other books.

covingtoncat73 · 10-15-2012, 05:28 PM

I finished The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt yesterday. She paints a rather vivid picture of the world back then but I am wondering whether to give it a 3 or a 4 (out of 5). I I think she was trying to do too much, make too many points. Also, the ending was frustrating.

Okay, so we have 5 families in 1890s England. This makes for a lot of characters and 4 of the families have quite a few secrets. By the end of the book, you know all these secrets, except for the two main ones. This is what makes the ending so infuriating. Yes, you have maybe an 80% certainty of what went on but you'll never really know (I'm being vague for brevity and lack of spoilers).

With all the different characters and quite a bit of exposition about the times that sometimes feels like a textbook (yes, an engaging textbook but a textbook, nonetheless), the moral, thesis, point, thing gets muddled. Also, I wasn't able to become attached to any of the many characters, with the possible exceptions of Dorothy and Phillip. I'm not sorry I read it, though.

Nyssa · 10-15-2012, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyssa

I'm finally back on the horse again..

I've started my reread of Dark Lover (Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) by J. R. Ward.

And I'm done! Yay!

I enjoyed that and will be starting Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood #2) tonight, before I go to bed.

Synamon · 10-15-2012, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by covingtoncat73

I finished The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt yesterday. She paints a rather vivid picture of the world back then but I am wondering whether to give it a 3 or a 4 (out of 5). I I think she was trying to do too much, make too many points. Also, the ending was frustrating.

Okay, so we have 5 families in 1890s England. This makes for a lot of characters and 4 of the families have quite a few secrets. By the end of the book, you know all these secrets, except for the two main ones. This is what makes the ending so infuriating. Yes, you have maybe an 80% certainty of what went on but you'll never really know (I'm being vague for brevity and lack of spoilers).

With all the different characters and quite a bit of exposition about the times that sometimes feels like a textbook (yes, an engaging textbook but a textbook, nonetheless), the moral, thesis, point, thing gets muddled. Also, I wasn't able to become attached to any of the many characters, with the possible exceptions of Dorothy and Phillip. I'm not sorry I read it, though.

I agree wholeheartedly. She tried to do too much and it felt like she included every tedious detail of every day in the character's lives. I felt like I aged a year reading this. Byatt came highly recommended and although I can see the appeal of her writing style, when I finished The Children's Book I wasn't in any hurry to read another of her books.

NickyWithNook · 10-15-2012, 11:58 PM

I just finished The Kitchen House. Today, I started I, Zombie; however tomorrow The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton comes out, so I'm in a bit of a fix. I will end up reading two incredibly different books at the same time.

John F · 10-16-2012, 10:16 AM

Currently reading: Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan
On deck: Anno Dracula: Dracula Cha Cha Cha by Kim Newman

HomeInMyShoes · 10-16-2012, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

I'm currently reading Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior by Leonard Mlodinow (as he points out when discussing how hard-to-pronounce names affect a company's sales, his name is pronounced Ma-lah-DI-nov). What a fascinating subject tackled by a scientist with more than sufficient street cred to do it justice.

This is the book the MobileRead Book Club should have chosen for its September selection, but did anyone listen to me? It didn't even get a second!

Your subliminal messages weren't getting through. Perhaps a simpler delivery would have worked?

And everyone knows they should have chosen Mythologies anyway.

I finished up South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami. An enjoyable little read.

I also finished up Storm Front by Jim Butcher. I think I should have liked this more, but I didn't. The action was good, but the jokes were tired and unfunny and I found the first half of the book just kind of dull. Brief moments that were good, but too brief.

auntiem · 10-16-2012, 12:11 PM

I'm reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and quite enjoying it!!

I just finished The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy. If it hadn't been for bookclub I doubt I would have made it through.

HomeInMyShoes · 10-16-2012, 01:13 PM

^I really enjoyed The Graveyard Book. Just a fun story.

Kindoll · 10-16-2012, 01:22 PM

I'm going to start Bright Young Things by Scarlett Thomas. It was a bargain 20pence on the Kindle UK store.

fantasyfan · 10-16-2012, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^I really enjoyed The Graveyard Book. Just a fun story.

I'm reading Gaiman's M is for Magic and some of the short stories are quite dark. I intend to read The Graveyard Book next.

HomeInMyShoes · 10-16-2012, 01:33 PM

^^Damn. $8.66US for Canadians from Amazon US. I've wanted to read that one for a while. Can I actually buy it from Amazon.co.uk for that price? It's giving me a buy now with 1-click button.

covingtoncat73 · 10-16-2012, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^^Damn. $8.66US for Canadians from Amazon US. I've wanted to read that one for a while. Can I actually buy it from Amazon.co.uk for that price? It's giving me a buy now with 1-click button.

I imagine you can. I got American Gods on eBook, even though I have the pBook, for $2.99 on sale (from American Amazon as I'm in the U.S.).

pdurrant · 10-16-2012, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

[*]October 12th: The King's Buccaneer by Raymond E. Feist.

A good story, with the pairing off sub-plot making it almost a romance. A few too many OCR errors for a new commercial book.

Next up: Simon The Coldheart by Georgette Heyer

And early Georgette Heyer, and it shows. I can understand why she didn't want it republished! But interesting just the same.

covingtoncat73 · 10-16-2012, 08:40 PM

The Twelve! I'm so exicted! I've been waiting for this one.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Hey hey! I found the first Kindle 3 bug!	WilliamG	Amazon Kindle	22	02-14-2012 06:28 PM
Advice on Action	jaxx6166	Writers' Corner	5	06-25-2010 01:29 AM
Hey! From Reading - P.A. that is.	GlenBarrington	Introduce Yourself	3	01-01-2010 10:00 PM
Seriously thoughtful Affirmative Action	Jaime_Astorga	Lounge	39	07-07-2009 07:24 PM

10-15-2012, 05:28 PM	#14387
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	I finished The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt yesterday. She paints a rather vivid picture of the world back then but I am wondering whether to give it a 3 or a 4 (out of 5). I I think she was trying to do too much, make too many points. Also, the ending was frustrating. Okay, so we have 5 families in 1890s England. This makes for a lot of characters and 4 of the families have quite a few secrets. By the end of the book, you know all these secrets, except for the two main ones. This is what makes the ending so infuriating. Yes, you have maybe an 80% certainty of what went on but you'll never really know (I'm being vague for brevity and lack of spoilers). With all the different characters and quite a bit of exposition about the times that sometimes feels like a textbook (yes, an engaging textbook but a textbook, nonetheless), the moral, thesis, point, thing gets muddled. Also, I wasn't able to become attached to any of the many characters, with the possible exceptions of Dorothy and Phillip. I'm not sorry I read it, though.

10-15-2012, 11:58 PM	#14390
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: American living in Australia Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Fire, Kindle Pwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	I just finished The Kitchen House. Today, I started I, Zombie; however tomorrow The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton comes out, so I'm in a bit of a fix. I will end up reading two incredibly different books at the same time.

10-16-2012, 10:16 AM	#14391
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,006 Karma: 71261339 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	Currently reading: Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan On deck: Anno Dracula: Dracula Cha Cha Cha by Kim Newman

10-16-2012, 12:11 PM	#14393
auntiem Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 522 Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: By the water in Nova scotia Device: nexus 7	I'm reading The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and quite enjoying it!! I just finished The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy. If it hadn't been for bookclub I doubt I would have made it through.

10-16-2012, 01:13 PM	#14394
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	^I really enjoyed The Graveyard Book. Just a fun story.

10-16-2012, 01:22 PM	#14395
Kindoll Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 500212 Join Date: Aug 2012 Device: Kindle	I'm going to start Bright Young Things by Scarlett Thomas. It was a bargain 20pence on the Kindle UK store.

10-16-2012, 01:33 PM	#14397
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	^^Damn. $8.66US for Canadians from Amazon US. I've wanted to read that one for a while. Can I actually buy it from Amazon.co.uk for that price? It's giving me a buy now with 1-click button.

10-16-2012, 08:40 PM	#14400
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	The Twelve! I'm so exicted! I've been waiting for this one.