The Next Best Book Club discussion

I just started reading The Cordello Quest, which has been on my TBR list forever. It was recommended to me as I searched for books similar to The Celestine Prophecy. I'm hoping it measures up.

I'm reading Indulge: Sensual Tales of Steampunk and Fantasyby Jenny Schwartz

Robert wrote: "I just finished reading 3 books on Twin Peaks after the show was announced as returning in 2016"


I loved the original series and 'Fire Walk With Me'. Were the books good?

Jackie wrote: "I haven't read that either Paula, so you're not in your own lol.

Oh good, I didn't want to be the only one.

i finally finished all of the books that i was reading in my last post, today concluding the end of so i could go to the library again. it has been over 5 weeks ( probably longer than that, i havent been since the middle of october). I have 3 books i am currently reading on my iPod and about 11 more books to read during my month long Christmas break.
Books i am reading on my iPod:
, , and . I am about 80% done with throne of glass so i hope to finish it by Sunday.
Books i am reading now:
1.
2. - this book was a whole lot bigger than i thought it would be.
3. ( never actually read this stuff. i was looking at my books and this one popped p. i that it was at a different library, should be interesting though?!)
4. - reading this for a challenge
5.
6. ( i have my work cut out for me, its why i chose it this time since my month of christmans break is coming)
7.
8.
9.
10.
11. ( for my series read, slowly working through this series. finally made it to the books i haven't read).
As you can see i have my work cut out for me and some of the books i wont be able to read until December 5, when my exams are over with.

I just finished and even though it took me a long time to reading it, i thought it was very good. I have no idea when i will be picking up the next book in the trilogy.

I'm reading Skylark, the second book in the Sarah Plain and Tall series. Short but a pleasure to read. I'm also reading Trip To The North Pole. I have a desire to read holiday books even if it's not December yet.

I finished The Candy Smash by Jacqueline Davies. This is the fourth book in The Lemonade War Series that I'm reading with my fourth grader. Here is my review for whom may be interested.

I'm almost done with Pride and Prejudice. What a great book!

I'll be shortly reading Two Sisters and The Sweetness of Forgetting. I received both to participate in two author-reader discussions in another group next month.

I have begun and put down unfinished a few books but presently I am reading A Paris Apartment which has a good premise.

I am currently about 25% into Think Twice, a legal thriller by Lisa Scottoline.

The Yellow Room by Mary Roberts Rinehart – 2**
1940s, Maine. When Carol Spencer arrives at the family estate to open it for the summer she finds a charred corpse in the linen closet. Before long the police are targeting her as a suspect. I was interested and engaged in the beginning, but about half-way through I began to feel that Rinehart had made this unnecessarily complicated. The final reveal stretched credulity too far.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa – 5*****
A beautifully elegant gem of a novel that explores a unique friendship between a Housekeeper, her son and the brain-injured Professor of mathematics whose memory is limited to 80 minutes. The slow way in which the Housekeeper, Root and the Professor get to know one another is framed by his lessons on the poetry of mathematics and the elegance of prime numbers. Cassandra Campbell does a fine job narrating the audio book; even when reading an equation she makes it sound like poetry.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy – 3***
Binchy writes ensemble pieces that reflect the ways in which we get to know one another. Strangers are drawn together by location and circumstance, and find common ground where they least expect it. Sharing a meal or a bus trip to a different village, the characters reveal themselves little by little to one another and to the reader. It’s an enjoyable read even if the ending is a little too neatly tied up with a pretty bow. By the end I wanted to visit this charming island myself. Terry Donnelly does a fine job performing the audio version.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm reading Deadline which is a thriller and very hard to put down.

I recently read The Slow Regard of Silent Things, the new novella by one of my favourite authors, Patrick Rothfuss. I expected to love it, but I never expected to be quite so deeply moved by it as I was. This is a book for all the broken people - 5★s.

Here is my review:

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

This review can also be seen on my blog at http://feelthepowerofstory.wordpress.com.

I finished reading and it was very good. i am now going to try to finish but i have to return it tomorrow so i don't know how i will get between tonight and tomorrow. I may have to get it again to finish it. i will also start and i will try to read a couple of chapters in but unfortunately this is the kind of book that i can't just read in a couple of days. i will have to read a few chapters at a time. :(

I'm currently reading The Dressmaker, by Kate Alcott. Also, It, by Stephen King.

I was reading Drawn by James Hankins, which was getting good and creepy, but then I got the chance to pre-read The Shell Collector by Hugh Howey, so Drawn is on hiatus for the moment. Really enjoying The Shell Collector so far.

The Grand World of Books wrote: "I'm currently reading The Dressmaker, by Kate Alcott. Also, It, by [author:Stephen King|

I loved both of these books!

Started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Really like it so far.

I'm reading a cute sexy romantic Christmas book, Twas the Night. Really a bit silly but I am enjoying it!

Jackie wrote: "Started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Really like it so far."

It's one of the best books I read this year!

CeDany: My sister and BIL got me hooked on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. I have The House of Hades in Mount TBR, and hope to get book five when I return HoH to my sister. I'm also waiting for her to finish Ridley Pearson's The Insider so I can finish that series. Have you read The Kingdom Keepers yet?

Finished Two Sisters by Mary Hogan. I won it for a author-reader discussion in another group, and I have opposite feeling about it. This is my review.

I started this morningThe Zookeeper's Wife: A War Storya non-fiction about a couple of zookeepers in Warsaw who saved hundreds of jews by hiding them in the empty cages of the animals.

CeDany wrote: "Hi Heather, glad to read this - nope I haven't heard of that one yet... Mind you it could be in the house and in either daughter or son's room. If not, it's another one to add to the list - thanks dear!"

You're welcome! If you like Disney and YA fantasy/adventure, I'm sure you'll enjoy the Kingdom Keepers series. I can't wait to read the conclusion!

I'm almost done with Hand to Mouth by Linda Tirdado, which is one of the better books written on the subject of poverty, especially since the woman who wrote is still currently living below the poverty line. Two other books on the subject that are also good are Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich and The Working Poo: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler.

i have been in a small reading slump this week. I think it has to do with this week having exams buti am not sure. Luckily i don't have an exam tomrrow but i have my last one on Friday. I did just finally finsh after being stuck on it for about 3 weeks. On my iPod i am going to try to finish by the end of the weekend so i can start next week. I will also be reading . I just hope that i get out of this slump so i can get through some of the many books i have planned for this month.

Jackie wrote: "Started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Really like it so far."


Excellent novel, Jackie.

I am currently reading Doc by Mary Doria Russell and I'm also reading aloud The Red Pony by
John Steinbeck to my son.

Karen, yes it is. I think I might be giving it a 5. Loving it!

Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?

Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

Definitely a must read Luke!

Ok thanks Paula! Will start it as soon as I can (:

Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

One of my favorite novels ever. I have read it several times as well as read it aloud to my daughter when she was a teen. She named her first child Harper Leigh.

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn – 4****
On a fictitious island nation off the coast of South Carolina, the people pride themselves on their literacy and writing. A monument in the center of town immortalizes the pangram “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” in ceramic tiles. But when one of the letter tiles falls off and breaks, the Council decrees that the letter should no longer be used. It’s just one letter. But then another falls… and another. This is a wonderful little satire on the use/abuse of power, but it is also a love letter to all of us who love and cherish words.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

Absolutely. I've read it about 5 times since I was in high school.

Karen wrote: "Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

One of my favorite novels ever. I have read it several times as well as read it aloud to my daughter when she was a teen. ..."

And I have a friend whose granddaughter is name Scout.

Nancy from NJ wrote: "Karen wrote: "Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

One of my favorite novels ever. I have read it several times as well as read it aloud to my daughter when sh..."

Love that, Nancy!

I am about to begin The Martian by Andy Weir and The Pearl by John Steinbeck.

Orchard by Larry Watson – 4****
What a gem of a novel. This is a character-driven story involving two couples: Sonja and Henry House who live and work on the House orchards that Henry's family has farmed for generations, and Henrietta and Ned Weaver, a wealthy and famous painter and his long-suffering wife. When Sonja begins to pose for Weaver jealousies flare. Beautifully written, and so evocative of time and place. Of course, I know Wisconsin's Door County Penninsula very well, so I'm sure that helps.
Link to my full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

My favorite book - no contest. I've read it about 20 times.

Karen wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. Really like it so far."


Excellent novel, Jackie.

I am currently reading Doc by Mary Doria Russell and I'm also r..."

I've also got Doc and can't wait to read it. But I started Best Kept Secret by Jeffrey Archer, then realized that it was actually the third in a series and switched to Only Time Will Tell. I'm racing through it. Good thing Kindle had a great price for this one and the second in the series, The Sins of the Father!

Thanks to all who have kindly responded to my question about To Kill a Mockingbird! I have taken all of your positive comments on the book into account, and will start the book as soon as I can (:

@Jackie, finally saw the movie for "Never Let me Go". Not as good as the book as they took out a lot of conflicts.

I'm currently reading Horns.

I'm in a real dilemma. As I've often said I am definitely a mood reader and found last night after finishing Land of Dreams, that I found myself wanting to finish the Century trilogy by Ken Follett. I began the book and got into it but this morning feel as though I don't remember too much and may want to go back and reread the first two books. I already read Fall of Giants again before I read before Winter of the World but is reading close to 2000 pages in order to read the third title a bit silly. With a cast of thousands and families which criss cross and almost 10 pages are devoted to these charts etc.., I can hardly figure out who goes with whom bu using by using these and then I thought I might just read a synopsis of the first two books and move on to the last book. I think in the future I should wait till all three books are published especially if they are as involved as the first book was from the beginning.

Anybody care to comment on my dilemma?

That sounds incredibly complicated. I would say most trilogy books don't fall into that category. I think the synopsis idea is a good one for your particular dilemma. You could start book three afterward and see if you are lost. Hope that helps.

Thanks Roderick.. It's not that complicated but I am somewhat compulsive when it comes to my books. I'll begin with the synopsis for the first book and see how that goes.

Oh that's a shame Roderick, a lot of the time the books are better I find. Thanks for letting me know, you must have a good memory!

@Jackie, I just peek at this thread. My memory is the exact opposite of an elephant :-)

@Nancy, see how it goes and let us know if you have the elephant's memory. You might need one!

I decided this afternoon to read only the third book and try to fill in with synopses, etc. This idea may have come from the fact that my reserved copy of James Patterson's new Alex Cross book which I reserved at the library came in for me today.

i just finished reading and i will start at some point. I am now trying to finish bt it is slow going. I will then start and .

Luke wrote: "Would any of you recommend the book To Kill a Mockingbird?"

I strongly recommend it!