The 2012 Annual Reading Challenge - Discussion Thread! - Page 13

HomeInMyShoes · 01-18-2012, 10:41 AM

^John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. It's brilliant!

HomeInMyShoes · 01-18-2012, 10:44 AM

I just finished A Portrait of the Young Man as an Artist by James Joyce. Joyce is infuriating. So hard to read some times, so dull in places, but then he goes and writes just little brief moments of brilliance. I find myself just reading the words for the joy of words themselves.

victauria · 01-18-2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spindlegirl

Well, so much for a racing head start.

<sigh> My sentiments exactly. Here it is more than half through the first month, and I have little to show for it. Technical issues did me in, a lack of interest in the MR Book Club selection, and household time constraints were more slow downs. It's downright appalling and completely out of character.

However, part of my 2012 challenge was to read each MR BC selection, broaden my genres and authors, and so I have persevered. And I have figured some minor work-arounds for technical and other issues, so hope lives on for my 2012 challenge...haven't quite made it to the realm of the paper tiger to clear out p-books, though. Hmmmm.

Well, can't sit around here all day--time to read something!

JSWolf · 01-18-2012, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I've not found anything to hold my interest too well this year.

What sort of books do you like?

MrsJoseph · 01-18-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

What sort of books do you like?

Fantasy (NOT SF), romance, erotic romance, murder mystery and the occasional thriller. I throw in some classics & non-fic here and there.

JSWolf · 01-18-2012, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Fantasy (NOT SF), romance, erotic romance, murder mystery and the occasional thriller. I throw in some classics & non-fic here and there.

Try Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. I recently finished it. Quite good. It's alternate history/steampunk and it is not heavy. It's a trilogy. I'll have book 2 ready to go when I am done with a few other books.

tponzo · 01-19-2012, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I finished up The Trial by Franz Kafka.

I love this stuff. Just so many levels to read this on.

You are so right. The Trial is one of my favorite books. Looks like I'm gonna have to add it to my list to re-read. (there goes my plan to try and only read books I haven't read already. I wonder if I can count it as not read before if I last read it over 30 years ago.

So far out of the 12 books I've read this year seven are re-reads (gotta update the ticker). I'm gonna head over to the Illiad thread and maybe join in that reading. That's one I've never read before (at least not entirely).

tponzo · 01-19-2012, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Fantasy (NOT SF), romance, erotic romance, murder mystery and the occasional thriller. I throw in some classics & non-fic here and there.

Have you read the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carringer? Alternate reality/romance/steam punk all rolled into one and hysterically funny to boot. Victoria is a young queen of England. Vampires, werewolves and ghosts are "out" in society. Main character is "soulless" which means something quite different from what you usually find. I thoroughly enjoyed them and am waiting eagerly for the fifth book in the series.

Also the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. The Napoleonic Wars fought in the air as well as on land and sea. Aerial Corps of dragons. Good stuff.

MrsJoseph · 01-19-2012, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Try Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. I recently finished it. Quite good. It's alternate history/steampunk and it is not heavy. It's a trilogy. I'll have book 2 ready to go when I am done with a few other books.

Thanks for the rec! I'll check it out.

MrsJoseph · 01-19-2012, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tponzo

Have you read the Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carringer? Alternate reality/romance/steam punk all rolled into one and hysterically funny to boot. Victoria is a young queen of England. Vampires, werewolves and ghosts are "out" in society. Main character is "soulless" which means something quite different from what you usually find. I thoroughly enjoyed them and am waiting eagerly for the fifth book in the series.

Also the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik. The Napoleonic Wars fought in the air as well as on land and sea. Aerial Corps of dragons. Good stuff.

I 've read book 1 and I thought it was great! I'm just having an issue getting started in 2012...

CRussel · 01-19-2012, 03:27 PM

Had George Passant on my TBR, and got ~25% into it, but just couldn't get into it at all. I'm dropping it off the TBR, though I might come back to it later if I have a period with a lot of time to read without interruptions.

Instead, read three short stories from Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Quiet Magic). Enjoyed them, left me wanting more.

Overall, I'm staying about even on my TBR. At least it's not growing.

Fbone · 01-19-2012, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Fantasy (NOT SF), romance, erotic romance, murder mystery and the occasional thriller. I throw in some classics & non-fic here and there.

For Victorian style steampunk I enjoyed Infernal Devices by KW Jeter.
For mysteries the "locked door" style of John Dickson Carr.
For good warm-all-over feeling there is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Haddon.

HomeInMyShoes · 01-20-2012, 02:01 PM

+1 for the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

MrsJoseph · 01-20-2012, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

For Victorian style steampunk I enjoyed Infernal Devices by KW Jeter.
For mysteries the "locked door" style of John Dickson Carr.
For good warm-all-over feeling there is The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Haddon.

Thanks for the recs!

mikaelalind · 01-21-2012, 03:32 AM

So far I have read um... 10 unread books. I think. ( But downloaded 30 freebies from Amazon

)

Last night, I finished Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus. It was a chilling romantic suspense. And really, really good. ( But I stayed up 2 am finishing it, which was a bad idea since I slept badly.)
I also tried to read Charmed ever after by Gabriella Hewitt, but it didn't work for me. So, a DNF. In fact, I think I'll delete it from my Calibre library.

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01-18-2012, 10:41 AM	#181
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	^John Steinbeck's Cannery Row. It's brilliant!

01-18-2012, 10:44 AM	#182
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	I just finished A Portrait of the Young Man as an Artist by James Joyce. Joyce is infuriating. So hard to read some times, so dull in places, but then he goes and writes just little brief moments of brilliance. I find myself just reading the words for the joy of words themselves.

01-19-2012, 03:27 PM	#191
CRussel (he/him/his) Posts: 12,159 Karma: 79742714 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Device: Oasis (Gen3),Paperwhite (Gen10), Voyage, Paperwhite(orig), Fire HD 8	Had George Passant on my TBR, and got ~25% into it, but just couldn't get into it at all. I'm dropping it off the TBR, though I might come back to it later if I have a period with a lot of time to read without interruptions. Instead, read three short stories from Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Quiet Magic). Enjoyed them, left me wanting more. Overall, I'm staying about even on my TBR. At least it's not growing.

01-20-2012, 02:01 PM	#193
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	+1 for the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

01-21-2012, 03:32 AM	#195
mikaelalind Fanatic Posts: 590 Karma: 788068 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Sony PRS 505, Cybook Odessey	So far I have read um... 10 unread books. I think. ( But downloaded 30 freebies from Amazon ) Last night, I finished Deadly Obsession by Katie Reus. It was a chilling romantic suspense. And really, really good. ( But I stayed up 2 am finishing it, which was a bad idea since I slept badly.) I also tried to read Charmed ever after by Gabriella Hewitt, but it didn't work for me. So, a DNF. In fact, I think I'll delete it from my Calibre library.

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