Beyond Reality discussion

Happy spring! Post here with your May reads!

I'm about halfway through The City in the Middle of the Night and loving it. Can't wait to discuss with you all.

Old Mars. Fun adventures that I don't have to knit my brow over.

Finished An Ancient Strife by Michael R. Phillips, which I thought was better in some ways that the first book and weaker in other ways. Less religious preaching but the part of the story in modern-day were weaker--basically a romance. Still, I really liked the historical episodes and am even more excited about my upcoming trip to Scotland!

I continued with Judith Tarr's Avaryan series by reading The Lady of Han-Gilen. Now I have started another historical fiction, The Forest by Edward Rutherfurd. THEN I will finally read Tiamat's Wrath.

I started Spinning Silver today which I think was a group read here in the past before I joined? Anyway I've never been so quickly hooked before. I am all in after the first chapter.

I am also trying to finish up Tigana a couple of months late. :D I was diagnosed with mono in the middle of it and found I just could not keep up with the plot during the worst part of the illness, but I think I'm turning a corner in the fatigue so I've picked it back up again. I like Dianora's plot better than Devin's.

Kari wrote: "I started Spinning Silver today which I think was a group read here in the past before I joined? Anyway I've never been so quickly hooked before. I am all in after the first chapter..."

Spinning Silver was Book of the Month (BotM) in November 2018. When you finish, feel free to comment in the discussion topic, which is in the Folder for Previous Books of the Month.

The discussion for Tigana is still in its own folder since that was BotM only a few months ago.

Topics remain open for comments or just to read what others said.

I just finished reading The Reckoning which left me angry at two of the main characters and also the author. Now back on topic with The Fated Sky

Christine wrote: "I just finished reading The Reckoning which left me angry at two of the main characters and also the author. Now back on topic with The Fated Sky"

I'm interested in why you were left angry! I gave up reading Grisham a while ago (so I don't mind spoilers) but my mom just started reading this one and was telling me a little about it.

Pete shot the preacher point blank because he thought he had an affair with hi wife while Pete was a POW in the Philippines. The middle third of the book describes what happened to him (Bataan Death march, POW camp, etc) which while interesting really wasn't necessary to the story. Pete refused to tell anyone why he shot the preacher and wouldn't let his lawyer mount any kind of defense (so I'm mad at Pete)

It turns out that Liza (Pete's wife) was hooking up with the grandson of the Black couple who cared for the house and surroundings (cotton plantation); once they knew about this, they sent him to Chicago. When Pete came home (the wife had been told he was MIA, probably dead) and figured out Liza had had an affair, he questioned her and she said the preacher (that is why I'm mad at Liza). Pete packed her off to an asylum with him as her guardian and no one else able to see her

The last third of the book is all legal battles to try to protect the property...I skimmed this...part of the reason I'm mad at John Grisham

Christine wrote: "Pete shot the preacher point blank because he thought he had an affair with hi wife while Pete was a POW in the Philippines. The middle third of the book describes what happened to him (Bataan Deat..."

Sounds ugh. Glad I skipped.

Started with Churchill and Caliban's War

Ghost of a Chance by Dan Willis

I've been reading Tiamat's Wrath. Not quite yet finished.

OMG. I've been trying to get my husband to read it so I had someone to talk to about it, but he's dragging his feet. Mostly likely because I want him to read it and he loves to annoy me.

Next up will be Scalzi's Head On as I am going to need another good book after this one before I go back to the Incarnations of Immortality. One book left to go to finish the initial 5 book series and I might just stop there. I don't hate the books, but at the same time, I'm not exactly enjoying them either.

I finished The Fated Sky a couple days ago and enjoyed it. now reading Places in the Darkness

Actively reading The Blood Mirror and just finished up Green Arrow, Vol. 5: Black Arrow and Green Arrow, Vol. 6: The Last Action Hero. Still trying to get through Debt of Honor. I also need to make myself sit down and buzz through the last 180 pages of Royal Assassin.

Thanks for the tip about the Spinning Silver and Tigana threads, Kathi. I forgot they were BotM choices recently and I actually read them both last year, so I will take a look, too! I recently enjoyed a re-read of Spinning Silver for a book club and that one is definitely fresh in my mind.

I finished The Forest by Edward Rutherfurd. Detailed historical fiction covering about 1000 years, following generations of a few key families. I learned a lot and enjoyed it, although it was a bit slow-going.

Next up is Tiamat's Wrath for our Expanse discussion. Does anyone know when season 4 is coming to Amazon Prime? I read that it is supposed to cover the events of Cibola Burn.

Fade by Daniel Humphreys

Change of plans—a friend lent me Michelle Obama’s book, Becoming, so I will be reading that first so I can return it to her. Then Tiamat’s Wrath.

I’m ready to read TIAMAT’S WRATH after I finish FLEET OF KNIVES the sequel to EMBERS OF WAR.

I'm about a quarter of the way in to Tiamat's Wrath. I'm proctoring standardized tests this morning, so hoping to get some more reading in after I finish a few emails to parents (just taking a quick goodreads break!) :)

I decided to cleanse my palate with some non-fiction before delving into TIAMAT’S WRATH and Im quivering with anticipation for CHILDREN OF RUIN coming out on Tuesday!

I just started Magic Triumphs, which is the last of the Kate Daniels books by Ilona Andrews. I've really enjoyed this series and I'm sad it's the last one! I know that the Ilona Andrews team (it's a husband and wife pair) has written a few other series, so I will definitely check them out.

I just placed a hold on Circe with my library, but it's a REALLY long queue so I'm not sure I'll get it in time to read with the group in June.

Finished Tiamat's Wrath last night. Whew!

Going back to Judith Tarr's Avaryan series with A Fall of Princes.

I am keeping the next Hobb book and a couple other things (another paperback and some ebooks) as airport/airplane reading in early June, so I'm not sure what I'll read after the Avaryan book.

I finished Magic Triumphs and I think I should have done some more reviewing of the first nine books before starting it, because I had forgotten a lot of the smaller side characters who all came together in this book for the big final confrontation. I will want to read it again at some point, because I don't think I appreciated it as much as I might have if my memory weren't so rusty.

Starting The Fireman by Joe Hill next.

Judith Tarr’s A Fall of Princes got a solid 9/10 from me. Now I’m reading The City and the Stars for our June discussion, although I will be out of the country for the first part of the month. I am also trying to finish up a few magazines and clear some space on the DVR, so I may not dive into anything else before we leave.

Birds in the Ancient World: Winged Words by Jeremy Mynott

Cloak of Dragons by Jonathan Moeller

I finished The Fireman yesterday. I wavered between giving it 3 or 4 stars and settled on 3 - I had a hard time putting it down, but there were a lot of things that irritated me and got under my skin enough that I couldn't quite justify the 4. It would benefit from stronger editing. Still glad I read it, though!

I am still trying to decide what to start next - was hoping to have Circe from the library but I'm pretty far back in the queue.

I decided I had time to read one more book after The City and the Stars, so I chose Arrows of the Sun by Judith Tarr, the next book in her Avaryan series. I enjoyed it, 8/10. I think there are 2 books remaining in the series but they will have to wait till I am back from vacation as I have them in hardcover and I’m not lugging them on the plane.

Now I am reading sections of a book on lighthouses. It’s one of those books I have for reading during football or basketball games on TV when neither the game nor the book are too enthralling, so I can pay attention to both.

For vacation, to read in the hotel before & after the trip itself, in airports, and on planes:
Killing Floor by Lee Child, paperback, trying this series because my husband liked the books
The Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb, paperback, for our June series read
Ten Women by Marcela Serrano, ebook
About the Night by Anat Talshir, ebook
Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah, ebook
The last 3 books were chosen for 2 reasons—they are ebooks (no weight since I’m taking my iPad on the trip anyway) and they are stand-alone books by authors whose last names start with S, T, and V, which is where I am in the alphabet for my stand-alone books that are not for a Goodreads group.

I have so much trouble choosing what to read that I use a system. I am reading series books moving toward A (right now I am on T, hence the books by Judith Tarr), and stand-alone books moving toward Z. It’s not a strict system and I throw other things in there all the time—not just our BotM choices and series books, but other things that people lend me or that catch my attention for some reason-like my husband wanting me to try Lee Child’s series about Jack Reacher.

I know, way more than you wanted to know...😄

Kathi wrote: "I know, way more than you wanted to know...😄 "

I always want to know people's vacation reads! It's my favorite part of packing.

Another kind of slow month for reading.

I FINALLY finished Tigana! Mixed feelings about some things but there's so much meat to discuss there I couldn't help but like it overall. Also, I had a lot of love for Dianora.

I also finished up Planetfall which is another I stalled during but ended up liking despite its flaws because there's so many interesting things to talk about.

I also read Spinning Silver. Five stars. Beautifully complex characters in a rich, thematic world. Simply a magical, genius book.

Seed was a terrifying read I still think about at night when I'm trying to sleep.

In historical fiction, I read Year of Wonders which was great right up until the end and Burial Rites which was brutal, personal, and fascinating--everything I love in historical fiction.

Kari wrote: "I FINALLY finished Tigana! Mixed feelings about some things but there's so much meat to discuss there I couldn't help but like it overall. Also, I had a lot of love for Dianora."

Yes! She is my favorite, along with Duke Sandre. Feel free to pop back to the discussion threads from a few months back and chime in on the spoiler discussion!

Yiddish Folktales by Beatrice Silverman Weinreich

Been a while, was on Vacation, then came home to a cold of some sort.
Finished the Doctor Who book, not a fan. I have said it before, I dislike the books that make him almost a background character. The plot wasnt even that interesting

When I was way down south read and finished
Smart Baseball: The Story Behind the Old Stats That Are Ruining the Game, the New Ones That Are Running It, and the Right Way to Think About Baseball
It started out very interesting but the last third the book sort of petered out.
Finally started the final Broken Earth book
The Stone Sky

Ken wrote: "Finally started the final Broken Earth book
The Stone Sky"

I read the first two earlier this year and am looking forward to the last but keep putting it off because I don't want it to be over, haha. I hope it's good!

Shel wrote: "Yes! She is my favorite, along with Duke Sandre. Feel free to pop back to the discussion threads from a few months back and chime in on the spoiler discussion!"

done!