Time to get all nosy up in your reading list – what are you reading this weekend?
I'm reading several books at once, which is NOT good for my brain, especially when I mix genres, but I started too many things that I like. I have one book on the phone, one on the coffee table, one on my Kindle – it's getting messy. But Pig was right – Liz Fielding's Tempted by Trouble [Goodreads | Amazon | BN | HQN] is really adorable. Plus, Tessa Dare's A Week to be Wicked [Goodreads | Amazon | BN] has been pushing all the happy-joy-joy buttons in my brain, too, and I'm trying to savor that book as well. That's not working as well as I'd planned.
So what books are pushing the happy-joy buttons in your brain this week? What books are you looking forward to reading this weekend? Share, share!
I just finished Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, which I know has already been raved about here and elsewhere online. I was afraid it would be a letdown after all the praise I’d seen, but it wasn’t, not in the least. I loved it, and I’m almost certain it’ll be on my 2013 Top Ten list.
I probably should read some of the Christmas novellas I’ve added to my Kindle TBR pile over the past few weeks, but at the moment I’m reading nonfiction—The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food, by Jennifer 8. Lee. It’s something of a history and travelogue of American Chinese food and how it differs from authentic Chinese cuisine. Since I love me some General Tso’s Chicken and Mongolian Beef and fried rice and the like, but tend to struggle with the textures and flavors, and I’m fascinated by culinary history, I’m enjoying the book so far.
The Fault in our Stars by John Green and it was brilliant. The audio book is proving to be excellent too.
The first poster for the 2014 film of TFIOS has just been released. Lovely photo but utterly tone deaf tag line.
You can form your own opinion here: http://thats-normal.com/2013/12/first-poster-fault-in-our-stars-movie/
Summer holiday reading will also include the most recent Temeraire and Charlaine Harris and Meljean Brook/Iron Seas which I’ve been saving. Forty degrees Celsius today, an excellent opportunity to sit in front of a fan and read. Too hot for much else.
For my bus & work reading currently it is The Dark Horse by Craig Johnson. After that it will be The Long Lavender Look by John D McDonald. I just finished Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen.
For my at home reading I just finished Once Upon A Winter’s Eve by Tessa Dare. I am reading No Good Duke Goes Unpunished and The Countess Conspiracy right now. I have The Bully Pulpit by Goodwin on hold at the library and I may get it just as I finish these two.
Just finished “louder than love” per pamilea @ 34. I really liked it too. I second her comments about it. – been having a bit of a book drought. Shall now go back up the list to find something else to read.
I recently read Fangirl, I wasn’t overwhelmed by it but it was a cute story. I liked how the heroine angsted about going to new places, where does everyone sit, how does it all work etc – thats what the inside of my head sometimes says LOL
Devoured all 7 books in the Emperors Edge series by Lindsay Buroker – first book is free as a taster and if you like good fantasy with a hint of steampunk and romance and great characters and a romping plot then I highly recommend. I got the first book in a spin off series am about to start, and have queued another series as well. I like her style.
Got Governess affair and Duchess War, my first Courtney Milan, which I enjoyed and I may pickup the rest as I see them on special.
I had an exam beginning Dec so no recreational reading for me much in Nov and been super busy at work and now got a new kitten, so hoping to have time over Xmas to indulge, lie around eating cherries and chocolates and reading 🙂
I’m between books. The last two I finished were Julia Quinn’s The Sum of All Kisses (audiobook) and Courney Milan’s The Countess Conspiracy.
I have a pile of books on my nightstand, a couple of dozen in my Kindle and three audiobooks in my iPod. I just have to choose something. It’s hard since the books I actually want to read right now are either in the library waiting for barcodes and tags (Maggie Stiefvater’s The Dream Thieves) or not yet published (Maya Bank’s After the Storm, out on January 7th).
Just realized I left out a phrase in the sentence above—I struggle with the textures and flavors in authentic Chinese food. I’m just fine with General Tso’s, Mongolian Beef, etc. because those flavors and textures have been carefully calibrated over time to my American palate. :-/
I’m reading SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT: 50 YEARS OF BEAUTIFUL. Or is that gazing at it… It’s both imformative and beautiful—and pretty big too!
Just finished Ian Rankin’s Standing in Another Man’s Grave. So good to spend time with John Rebus and Siobhan Clarke again! Now onto all those Christmas novellas I downloaded!
Am currently reading Jennifer Ashley’s The Wicked Deeds of Daniel MacKenzie and Ruthie Knox’s first 5 episodes of Roman Holiday and am enjoying both.
Just finished Courtney Milan’s The Countess Conspiracy which I did not enjoy quite as much as her others. Her hero and heroine had emotional issues that were just too parallel in some ways. Still, a disappointing book by Courtney Milan is better than so many other people’s best, and the last third of this one was simply outstanding.
In the last month or so, I happened to read The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie, The Rosie Project, and The Theory of Attraction—a veritable festival of heroes on the spectrum. Reading them in such close proximity made for an extremely interesting exercise. Makes me nostalgic for school with its compare & contrast essays. It might be interesting some time to have a thread for people to suggest groupings of books that might be read together due to some random linking element other than author or series. (The Rosie Project was wonderful by the way. Best book I’ve read this month.)
I’ve just bought, read & finished ‘The Countess Conspiracy’, by Courtney Milan. I love it! I love it! I love it!
Next:
The Grand Sophy – Georgette Heyer
Gone Too Far – Suzanne Brockmann (the 6th book in Troubleshooter series, which I’m now reading in order)
I’m reading Tessa Dare’s “The Scandalous, Dissolute, No-Good Mr. Wright” (in PAPERBACK, y’all) right now and having fun with it.
After that, I have the following on my nightstand:
“Walden, Or Life in the Woods” by Thoreau
“The Ghost Bride” by Yangsze Choo
“Astor Place Vintage” by Stephanie Lehman
“Madame Tussaud” and “The Second Empress” by Michelle Moran
“Oryx and Crake” by Margaret Atwood
“The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
…. and a few others. LOL
I’ve been super stressed lately, and for the past three months just keep reading my favorites over and over and over.
So, I’ve been reading a lot of Terry Pratchett’s books, specifically his Night Watch and Tiffany Aching series. Also, the Bridal Quartet and the Seven trilogy by Nora Roberts.
I’m pretty in love with the strong, competent, flawed females in Nora Roberts’ books. I know romance novels are not always the best place to find romantic advice for real world situations, but I feel like I’ve taken away a lot from her books that helps me feel better about dating. And I feel like she’s extremely good (especially in Whiskey Beach and the aforementioned books) about having characters use their words. The problems are character driven, not communication driven. Ah, so much love for Nora Roberts.
I’m going to be the odd woman out and say that I was severely disappointed by The Countess Conspiracy—the disappointment being keen because I’m a big Milan fan. I’d sum it up like this: there is such a thing as too much happy ending! In the first half of the book, Milan does a fine job of depicting two severely unhappy characters, and the bond they have with each other; it’s dark and compelling. But then she starts resilving problems, and just sweeps them out of the way. For example, Sebastian’s brother does a complete 180 after a single conversation. And as to the countess of the titular conspiracy, not only does she make an important scientific discovery in advance of the real world (that’s okay) not only is her discovery accepted by scientists (I’ll buy it), not only is she hailed as a celebrity by adoring crowds (just about passes), but she starts getting offers of empliyment from King’s College, Harvard, and much more? At that point I felt like the author had given up on making it believable; why not orovide a triumphal parade on a flying horse? I always feel cheated when an author wraps up the story too prettily and especially when she pulls a happy ending out of a hat.
That said, the next book in the series is still on my autobuy list!
I’m reading The Katerina Trilogy by Robin Bridges. On the last book now. They are AMAZING!!!! So glad I discovered them on the library’s website.
Oh yes—on the recommendation of another reader in this thread, I read The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers, and it was indeed very good.
I’m actually taking a rare break from romance and I am reading NOS4A2 by Joe Hill. I’ve been telling people how it seems like something ‘old school’ Stephen King would have written and then I found out that Joe Hill is actually SK’s son so… Who knew (clearly not me)? It’s a pretty big book, but I’m finding it to be fast reading.
I had a run of not so great reads but was very happy to run into some surprise goodies. Those were Keep Me Ghosted by Karen Cantwell and Cry Baby Hollow by Aimee Love. The first is a light paranormal romance with ghosts which was cute and fun and the second is an urban fantasy that is set in, funny enough, rural Tennessee. Loved the main, her family and the depiction of the Hollow (I’m reliably told it is pronounced ‘holler’). Fun, romantic and there is some paranormal stuff that I completely didn’t expect.
To keep in the holiday spirit and not read anything that will bring me down, I’ve been limiting myself to light romances and YA books – currently listening to Airborne by Kenneth Oppel on audio and HIGHLY recommend Etiquette & Espionage and Curtsies & Conspiracies by Gail Carriger – audio read fabulously by Moira Quirk. Kept my commute full of smiles.
Bitch. It’s -3 here, that’s -19 to you.
At the beginning of the month, I read the 3 Julie Rowe “War Girls” books (Saving the Rifleman, Enticing the Spymaster, and Aiding the Enemy, not necessarily in that order), Roberta Gellis’ Fires of Winter, and Doreen Owens Maick’s Clash by Night. they were all excellent (I think I liked Fires of Winter best), but with the bustle of the holidays, I haven’t really had time to sink into a book lately. I have Forbidden Lady ready for the After-Holiday lull, and I keep meaning to buy one of the HABO books discussed last week—Indigo something, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.
Just finished “Passage” by Connie Willis and have moved it into my top 5 favorite books of all time. *sniff*
Now I’m starting “Never let me go” by Kazuo Ishiguro.