Short & Sweet Treats discussion

As an introverted person, I'd love to read this. Thanks for posting your thoughts, ladies.

I am in love with #fifty shades of grey trilogy... Reading it again...
The way author has given the notions is just excellent

I am currently reading 4 books:

The Baker's Daughter, a WWII historical fiction piece.
Witch Hunt, a fantasy piece for YA.
A Year with Rumi: Daily Readings, my yearlong project which I'm blogging.
Invitation to the Lifespan & Study Guide, my summer class book.

...and I am enjoying The Baker's Daughter thanks to you, Jen!

I'm glad you're enjoying, so am I! Interesting to read about the similarities between Elsie and Reba :)

I'm hoping to start The Baker's Daughter next week:)

I hope you enjoy the story Ashley :)

Just finished re-reading The Golden Compass & Death of a Salesman and finished reading American Born Chinese. Three quarters of the way through Cat's Cradle. Just starting The Raven and Other Poems.

I just finished The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry; my review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I love your reviews Julia! thank you for sharing it!

:-) You're most welcome, Laura! Thanks for starting this great group.

Just started Cat's Cradle and The Lady Astronomer

how are they Jen?

Julia wrote: ":-) You're most welcome, Laura! Thanks for starting this great group."

♥ ♡ ♥ ♡

I just started Tiger Lily, a YA tale about Peter Pan and Tiger Lily that already has me using sticky notes :-) I'm always looking for YA books for my 14 year old granddaughter--this one may be a keeper! The Amazon blurb says:

"In this stunning re-imagining of J. M. Barrie's beloved classic Peter Pan, New York Times bestselling author Jodi Lynn Anderson expertly weaves a gripping tale of love, loss, and adventure.

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair… Tiger Lily. When fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan deep in the forbidden woods of Neverland, the two form a bond that's impossible to break, but also impossible to hold on to. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. However, when Wendy Darling, a girl who is everything Tiger Lily is not, arrives on the island, Tiger Lily discovers how far she is willing to go to keep Peter with her, and in Neverland.

Told from the perspective of tiny, fairy-sized Tinkerbell, Tiger Lily is the breathtaking story of budding romance, letting go and the pains of growing up."

I'm really liking Tink as the narrator :-)

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "how are they Jen?"

Just started, will keep you posted :)

I am reading The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad-Boy Brother Proved to Me There's Life After Death A woman claims she is communicating at her deceased brother. I am not sure what I think of it yet. has anyone read this?

I have not read the book, Laura. How'd you come across it?

I saw a quote from it on pinterest and it got my interest.

Cool :)

I'm reading A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II by Adam Makos. The story of these two pilots is incredible--and that they met 40 years after the incident amazes me! Good intro youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkVc5...

My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Yesterday, I finished Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which was one of the lovliest books I've read recently, such exquisitely subtle and deep characterizations ... but one warning - it's extremely sad and, for me, devastatingly affecting. So a little warning there depending on what you like. For me, 5 stars. I'm about 3/4 of the way through two books of poetry, The Raven and Other Poems by Edgar Allen Poe and The Speed Of Darkness by Muriel Rukeyser. I'm enjoying those so far. Also, today I just started listening to an audiobook of The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman.

Eager to hear your reaction when you finish Pullman's trilogy, Greg.

I finished Tiger Lily, and my review is here; it affected me much more than I thought it would.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thank you for posting your review, Julia. I've added the book to my fantasy shelf :)

it's on my list too now, ladies!

I have discovered the most amazing anthology of Holocaust literature, entitled "art from the ashes", edited by Lawrence L. Langer. This is a major find for me, a collector of period literature! Short stories, essays, poems, and authentic diary entries from both oppressed and oppressor, with insightful introductions of each author. I highly recommend this read for anyone interested in historical literature of the finest sort.

Will return to The Subtle Knife after I get back from vacation. To make best use of my long stretches of plane time, I picked up a book for my trip that as far as I know isn't available in audio version - The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. I'm enjoying it so far (about 1/4 way through); the narrator is pleasantly eccentric! I also finished The Speed Of Darkness by Muriel Rukeyser yesterday night. I've read a couple other books of poetry by her in the past. As with her other books, I found this one sometimes beautiful, sometimes pleasingly daring, and always engaging. I also like how she incorporates scientific concepts in her poetry - mathematics, biology of the paramecium, etc. She even wrote a strange poetry/biography hybrid book about the scientist Josiah Willard Gibbs that struck me as intriguing, though I've only read anthologized excerpts of that one.

I just finished reading Kokoro by Sōseki Natsume It is a fascinating story of a friendship between a young man and his mentor. In the second half of the book we learn more about sensei. It examines the feelings of loneliness and guilt on a deep level.

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "I just finished reading Kokoro by Sōseki Natsume It is a fascinating story of a friendship between a young man and his mentor. In the second half of the book we lear..."

That one looks interesting and right up my alley Laura. I can't seem to find an audiobook version on Audible or the library websites, but I would like to read it!

Finished this the previous evening: The Lady Astronomer. Was an enjoyable story, reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle with a steampunk twist.

Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "Finished this the previous evening: The Lady Astronomer. Was an enjoyable story, reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle with a steampunk twist."

"Madeleine L'Engle with a steampunk twist" sounds pretty intriguing!

Greg wrote: "Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "Finished this the previous evening: The Lady Astronomer. Was an enjoyable story, reminiscent of Madeleine L'Engle with a steampunk twist."

"Madeleine L'Engle with..."

Lots of clockwork mechanisms :)

Almost done with The Picture of Dorian Gray for another group. I'd read it a long time ago, but it was good to read again. It's interesting how different Wilde's works are: the plays, the novel, and the fairy tales. There must have been a lot more to that man than appears on the surface. And the "Ballad of Reading Gaol" is so strikingly sad.

Looking forward to starting Gulliver's Travels and Leaves of Grass this week!

I'm in the middle of The Snow Queen by Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours, and I'm remembering how much I can enjoy a book just for the way the author writes sentences!

I just started reading Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. Has anyone else read it? It's on Boxall's 1001 and I saw the Broadway show so it counts toward our Masterpiece Theater Challenge.

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "I just started reading Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow. Has anyone else read it? It's on Boxall's 1001 and I saw the Broadway show so it counts toward our Masterpiece Theater..."

Yes Laura, I loved that book! So interesting with all the historical characters and, to my mind, beautifully written besides. Fascinating some of the lesser known labor history as well. Doctorow has an agenda for sure, but I loved it anyway.

I liked the book much better than the show (saw it when it came through LA). I liked the show but didn't love it. My favorite musical at the moment is Next to Normal, and many of my friends weren't crazy about that show; so my taste in musicals might be a bit odd :)

Hope you enjoy the book!

Thank you, Greg! I am looking forward to really getting started on the book.

And I haven't heard of Next to Normal but I love that title!

I started Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore for a f2f book club. So far an intriguing story, quite a puzzle!

A bit of a non-sequitur on my part, but here's a link to a song from Next to Normal :)
: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uq_sdaQ5CU

Just finished You Know When the Men Are Gone eight short stories about the soldiers and their wives living at Fort Hood. In spite of the name most of the stories are really about what happens when the men return home from deployment.

Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "I started Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore for a f2f book club. So far an intriguing story, quite a puzzle!"

What does f2f mean?

face to face

I just finished reading Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xiran and loved it. It's 204 pages and if you are doing the A-Z author challenge it takes care of the letter X.

Greg wrote: "A bit of a non-sequitur on my part, but here's a link to a song from Next to Normal :)
: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uq_sdaQ5CU"

beautifully done! that Singer is talented! it makes me miss seeing Broadway shows. We should start a Broadway show/Plays thread!

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "face to face"

Thanks, Laura :)

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "it makes me miss seeing Broadway shows. We should start a Broadway shows/Plays thread!"

Sounds like a great idea Laura! :)

I just finished The Snow Queen by Michael Cunningham. My review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I just finished The Program by Suzanne Young. It was okay...not my favorite. I was drawn to the plot. However when I began reading it was more about teenage love triangles and angst. All of which just isn't my thing.

But it was a nice fast paced book to get me back into reading since the baby arrived. Starting to read The Plague by Camus today.

I am currently reading Under the Skin by Michel Faber. It is such a strange and mesmerizing book, for I simply cannot put it down. I really like his use of allegory and his use of the English language is superb! Did I mention it was also made into a movie! Anyways, I would highly recommend it to anyone!

I just started Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children !