The Next Best Book Club discussion

I just finished The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. I loved the ending!

Now I'm resuming The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

I've finally starting reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I can see what all the hype was about, it's great.

I love the trilogy Robert, although the first is the best :) x

Claire wrote: "I love the trilogy Robert, although the first is the best :) x"

A 4th Girl/Dragon book is going to be published by a different author in the near future.... I plan to avoid it.

William wrote: "Life of Pi"

I liked it a lot. Hope you enjoy it.

Just starting Beneath the Skin by Nicci French.

Reading For Every Solution, A Problem, translation of a German book.

Finished reading Code name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (Book on CD performed by Morven Christie & Lucy Gaskell) – 4****
This is a young-adult book, a war story, a spy novel, and a story of an unforgettable friendship. “Verity” is arrested by the Gestapo in northern France. Deprived of sleep, clothes, and food, subject to various tortures, she finally begins to write her “confession.” War is never romantic, and this book certainly points that out, but it also brings to light the role that many women played in the war. And I particularly liked the way it explored a multi-faceted and deep friendship, and how the situations they found themselves in forced them to make difficult decisions in the name of that friendship. Morven Christie & Lucy Gaskell do a fine job narrating the audio version.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

Now starting The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe.

Trying to finish the iron queen and will read the iron knight and the iron traitor also the book if you find me

Finished reading Mary Coin by Marisa Silver – 4****
Starting with Dorothea Lange’s iconic image from the Great Depression - Migrant Mother, Silver has crafted a novel that reimagines the lives of the woman and her children, as well as the photographer. The prose is beautifully simple, the images powerful, and the story poignant and haunting. So why four stars instead of five? I couldn’t get over the fact that Silver borrowed so completely from the lives of these two very real women, yet changed their names and called it fiction. There are plenty of works of historical fiction based on real people that use the real names. Why put that iconic photo on the cover and still hide the real women behind different identities?
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here is my review of The Pillars of the Earth, which I found to be a real page-turner, even though there were a lot of pages to turn!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Going to start Human Punk by John King today.

Sally wrote: "Here is my review of The Pillars of the Earth, which I found to be a real page-turner, even though there were a lot of pages to turn!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

I loved this book Sally. I still haven't read the sequel but hopefully this year! LOL

Just started The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

Just finished The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. I really wanted to enjoy it, but unfortunately I didn't.

Now startingMrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini.

Roar and Liv by Veronica Rossi

Finished reading Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry – 2**
Billy Allman is a gentle soul. Unassuming, steadfast, loyal, and humble, he is also a sort of “hillbilly genius.” He’s a stellar musician and an electronics wizard, and his gift has led him to start a radio station to serve the residents of Dogwood, West Virginia. There is a pretty good story in this novel; unfortunately, it is nearly suffocated by heavy-handed preaching. I couldn’t help but think how much better this book might have been had Fabry trusted his readers to get the message without hitting us over the head with it.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm reading

listening to audio of Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe. Lou Diamond Phillips is doing the audio and he is excellent. Also, just started Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, which I think is going to be very interesting.

I just finished The Age of Innocence, which I really really enjoyed and will review soon, plus Collected Poems: Edna St. Vincent Millay, which I also gave four stars. My review is here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I'm onto The Bean Trees and Orphan Train.

Sally, let me know what you think of The Bean Trees. It has been here at home waiting for me for a while.

Right now I'm currently reading 2 books, one on kindle called 30 Days by K. Larson, and the other is the third book of The Arthurian Saga, The Last Enchantment by Mary Stewart.

I'm not that far into 30 Days but it has potential, about a woman trying to escape her abusive husband.

As far as The Last Enchantment, Mary Stuart's writing could probably be considered boring to some but she takes a lot of time and effort in describing the scenery and feel of the setting as well as telling the story which is something I rather enjoy. :)

Reckoning by Jeaniene Frost

I'm reading Born Under A Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Just began reading two books simultaneously. Getting further into S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst and started Blackett's War: The Men Who Defeated the Nazi U-Boats and Brought Science to the Art of Warfare

William wrote: "Claire wrote: "Divergent by Veronica Roth"

Fantastic. Is it good?"

I'm enjoying it so far :)

I'm reading Dead Stock. The title refers to donated clothes that still have the tags on but are out of fashion.

I finished . Loved it. I'm now reading and I'm really liking it so far.

I finished Hard Magic and started Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Hi guys, I'm new here but want to share that I am reading Everyone Burns by John Dolan among a few other. So far so good!

Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

I just finished The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, which was wonderful and I cannot wait for the next book. Seriously, do I have to wait a whole year? Unthinkable.

I'm now starting Night Film. I got the ebook from the library. I'm excited to read this one.

I'm reading Life and Death are Wearing Me Out by Mo Yan. I like it so far it's pretty strange and funny.

Currently reading The Fifth Mountain. I loved The Alchemist but for some reason have never read another Coelho book since, so I'm finally giving it a go.

I read by firoozah Dumas, which I LOVED, and and Alexander McCall smith, and now I'm reading by Steven Callahan

Currently reading Afterparty and then will read Article 5

Chris wrote: "Currently reading The Fifth Mountain. I loved The Alchemist but for some reason have never read another Coelho book since, so I'm finally giving it a go."

Is The Alchemist good?

Finished reading Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (Book on CD narrated by Rebecca Lowman) – 4****
Katey Kontent looks back on her life in New York City from 1938-1941, and how she came to be introduced to the world of the Upper East Side. Katey, the daughter of Russian immigrants, is intelligent, well-read and ambitious. But when she learns the truth of certain people’s situations, she begins to reflect on whether the “rules of civility” are nothing more than a mask. Towles has a gift for describing the city its residents: I poured myself a gin that was sized to make my apartment see less depressing. Rebecca Lowman does a fine job narrating the audio version. There are a lot of different characters and she managed to give them sufficiently unique voices.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Gabriella wrote: "I read by firoozah Dumas, which I LOVED, and and Alexander McCall smith,..."

I've also started reading by James Herriot

When Eight Bells Toll by Alistair MacLean

Rachel Marie wrote: "Chris wrote: "Currently reading The Fifth Mountain. I loved The Alchemist but for some reason have never read another Coelho book since, so I'm finally giving it a go."

Is The Alchemist good? ..."



Rachel, in my opinion, it's not just good, it's great. It's one of the few books I took the time to re-read (which I normally don't do just because there are so many books and so little time).

Chris wrote: "Rachel Marie wrote: "Chris wrote: "Currently reading The Fifth Mountain. I loved The Alchemist but for some reason have never read another Coelho book since, so I'm finally g..."


Thanks! Good to know I've been meaning to read it, I'll move it up on my list :)

I'm just starting Saint Nick. Dead Stock I really enjoyed.

Going to start The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.

Finished reading Iron and Silk by Mark Salzman – 3***
This is a memoir of the author’s experiences teaching English in south central China in the early 1980s. Salzman is an astute observer and writes in a clear yet atmospheric way about his experiences. The people he meets – professors, bureaucrats, fishermen, students – come to life as he describes their clothing, customs, habits, living conditions and demeanor. I’ve visited China a few times, but reading this memoir gave me a glimpse of China that I do not know. It’s an interesting book, though I cannot help but wonder how accurate the portrayal is today, given the Chinese government’s efforts to modernize.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just finished The Light Between Oceans.
Still working on Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.

Just finished reading the new book by Erik Brynjolfsson called The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. The book charts the rise of digital technology and how it contributes greatly to economic productivity (but also how it contributes to the growing gap between the rich and the rest). Brynjolfsson also offers up some recommendations on how the increasing inequality of the second machine age may be mitigated. It's a very insightful look into digital technology and its consequences. I've written a full executive summary available here: http://newbooksinbrief.com/2014/01/28...

Jackie wrote: "Going to start The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom."

I hope you enjoy Kitchen House - I loved it.