Around the World in 80 Books discussion

Diane wrote: "Ellinor wrote: "I just started Paper Towns by John Green."

I just finished his book The Fault in Our Stars recently and love it. I hope to read this one next."

Paper Towns was really great. I'm looking forward to reading The Fault in Our Stars too.

I am re- reading One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell

Just finished for Algeria and started for Thailand. Before that I read for Egypt which is one of my favourite reads of 2012.

Ian wrote: "Just finished for Algeria and started for Thailand. Before that I read for E..."

I have heard a lot of people say they like The Yacoubian Building. I need to move that one up higher on my tbr list.

As the quarter dies down, I am now able to read for pleasure again. I just started The Time it Snowed in Puerto Rico. So far I really enjoy it.

I finished reading by Stef Penney this evening. Next I'm going to start by S.E. Hinton.

I'm in the middle of The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. I'm reading it for my USA roadtrip, it's set in Oregon.
It's different from what I usually read but I'm definitely enjoying it.

i'm reading a couple of books that I have had partially finished for a while - Mema (Gabon) and Weep Not, Refugee (Burundi)

I finished reading by S.E. Hinton last night. Today I've started reading by Charlotte Rogan.

Currently reading The Adventure Capitalist: Camels, Carpets and Coffee: How Face-To-Face Trade Is the New Economics, where the author travelled to various parts of the world from Turkey to Africa to China and Mexico, it's pretty interesting so far!

I am reading The Petty Demon by Fyodor Sologub. Till now, the first 60 pages, I am liking it. It talks about a paranoid teacher.

Anne frequent flyer. I am reading The Painted Kiss, based on Gustav Klimt's famous painting.

I'm hoping to get a lot more reading done in the near future, since school is out for Christmas break! Currently, I'm finishing up the Wizard of London by Mercedes Lackey, and the Mammoth Hunters by Jean Auel. Both are excellent so far!

I've finished reading by Charlotte Rogan yesterday. Now I'm halfway through by Sophie Kinsella.

I've finished reading by Sophie Kinsella yesterday. The first half of the book was quite good but I got a bit bored with it during the second half. The book was well-written and it had a lot of extremely funny scenes in it. However, the plot was very predictable. I made a guess when I was at 5% of the way in about how this book would end and I figured it out exactly! The author is not very good at adding "twists and turns" into her plots, which is the main reason I haven't picked up a book by this author for ten years. I thought the author would have learned something in all that time but apparently not!
My full review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...


Now I'm a few chapters into by Christopher Moore.

I've finished by Christopher Moore earlier today. Now I'm a couple of chapters into by Diane Chamberlain.

Reading and loving it.

Hilary Mantel is phenomenal.

Ellie wrote: "I've finished reading by Sophie Kinsella yesterday. The first half of the book was quite good but I got a bit bored with it during the second half. The boo..."

I thought the same thing about this book, although I do appreciate any writer who tries to make us laugh in this often unfunny world...

I started reading The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti, won on GR with the giveaway.

I started yesterday.. The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Today I've started Ali Spezzate (Broken Wings) by Kahlil Gibran

I finished by Diane Chamberlain yesterday morning. The Good Father is a gripping, touching and thought-provoking read. The three main characters are Travis, Robin and Erin and each of the chapters in the novel is narrated by one of these characters. Some of the chapters do jump from the present to the past but I thought the story was still easy to follow. Some parts of the story were very unrealistic and far-fetched and the ending of the novel was a bit of a letdown as I thought it was very predictable. It really seemed like the author had rushed out an ending just to make a deadline. I gave this one 3 stars.
My full review is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...


Now I'm about to start by Sanjay Gupta. I heard this novel is going to be turned into a TV series similar to ER. It sounded like a TV show I'm be interested in watching so I decided to read the book.

I'm reading More Ketchup Than Salsa - Confessions of a Tenerife Barman by Joe Cawley, on Kindle. It is set on the Canary Islands. I'm trying to squeeze in a few more places into my 2012 challenge.

Roses by Leila Meacham

I'm reading by Louise Penny which is set in a monastery in Canada. It's a Chief Inspector Gamache mystery.

I'm currently reading by John Grisham

I'm currently getting into The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. It's been a real popular one for years now, so I decided to give it a try. Liking it so far!

I started to read Pekka Töpöhäntä by Gösta Knutsson.. it's in finnish, but the writer is Swedish and the book is: Här kommer Pelle Svanslös.. it's children's book about cats, well mainly about this one cat especially. I don't know if it has been translated into English.

And I also started to read In Search of Lost Time part 1 by Proust Marcel. Don't know if I ever finish this.. but I'm going to try.

Johanna wrote: "I'm currently getting into The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. It's been a real popular one for years now, so I decided to give it a try. Liking it so far!"

I love that book. I still haven't seen the movie.

I just finished another 100 pages of A Feast for Crows and am about to start The Island of Dr. Moreau. Can't wait! =)

I've finished reading by Liane Moriarty. I really loved this novel! The plot was very intriguing, compelling and well-written with an interesting and unique premise. I loved the author's writing style. The story was very funny and some parts were quite touching and made me want to cry. The characters were all well-developed, vivid and believable. I found it easy to relate to Alice and the other characters. I was unable to put this book down for long. I was desperate to find out what was going to happen next! I gave it 5 stars!
My full view is here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I'm about to start by Kate Alcott.

Diane wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I'm currently getting into The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. It's been a real popular one for years now, so I decided to give it a try. Liking it so far!"

I love that book..."

I just finished it last night and it was amazing! I hear that the movie isn't as good as the book, but in my experience, that's how it is 95% of the time anyway, haha.

Johanna wrote: "Diane wrote: "Johanna wrote: "I'm currently getting into The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory. It's been a real popular one for years now, so I decided to give it a try. Liking it so far!"

I ..."

I'm so glad you liked it. Philippa Gregory can be hit or miss. That one is definitely a hit.

I am reading Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West for North Korea and The Sound and the Fury for the US (Mississippi).

I just finished The Round House by Louise Erdrich for USA North Dakota, and I'm in the middle of Silent Tears by Kay Bratt for China and Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino for Japan! YAY for reading challenge!

Reading Empress Orchid, which is set in China.

Reading The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner. Talk about a tough book.

I am reading a YA book right now called Lauren by Julia Crane. I very interesting but good book.

I'm partway through a Japanese mystery called Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino, one of Japans' most popular mystery writers.

Diane wrote: "Reading Empress Orchid, which is set in China." How is it so far?

Currently reading both China Safari: On the Trail of Beijing's Expansion in Africa and Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa for my current African addiction. Its interesting to get a past and a present view of economic colonization on the continent.

Its hard to nail down a book for each country in Africa since the ones I enjoy span several countries but I'm sure I'll find some more specific books soon.

Yangsze wrote: "Diane wrote: "Reading Empress Orchid, which is set in China." How is it so far?"

I really enjoyed it, but I am a total sucker for Chinese historical fiction. I look forward to reading the sequel The Last Empress.

I started reading From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet by Vikram Seth.

It talks about a hitch-hiking trip made by Vikram Seth: from China he goes to Tibet and from there to his homeland India. I have read only 50 pages but till now it seems interesting.

Currently reading - set in wartime Leningrad.

I am reading Stefan Zweig's Beware of Pity which is an excellent psychological exploration of the role of pity and guilt. Set during the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the turn of the 20th century near the border of Austria and Hungary, Lieutenant Hofmiller befriends a wealthy young woman who has been crippled by an illness. Why does he continue to come visit her? What is the pull?

I've just finished by William Landay. Defending Jacob is a well-written, disturbing and gripping crime thriller with plenty of twists and turns throughout the novel to keep you interested. I really enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the very beginning to the end. The reader is kept guessing as to whether Jacob is innocent or guilty until the very end of the novel. Throughout the trial I kept changing my mind about whether Jacob was guilty or not. I thought this was a excellent read so I’m giving it a well-deserved five stars!
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Now I'm about to start by Jamie Ford.

I started reading Five Past Midnight in Bhopal: The Epic Story of the World's Deadliest Industrial Disaster and it is very very interesting; it is hard to put down this book!

I've finished reading by Jamie Ford last night. I really loved this book! Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a beautiful, fascinating, tender and moving story from beginning to end. Like the title suggests, the story is such a bitter-sweet tale, heartbreaking at times and so warm and sweet in others.All the characters were vivid, well-developed and realistic. I really loved the characters of Henry, Keiko and Sheldon, and really cared about what happened to them. I found it really hard to put this novel down and I look forward to reading more from this author! I gave this novel 5 Stars!

My full review is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...


Now I'm a few chapters into by John Steinbeck.

I just finished Eden and it was brilliant. It's a real genre bender and a page turner. If you like adventure, sci-fi, paranormal, mystery or even horror you are sure to love this book. I'm pretty sure this came out fairly recently so enjoy it while it's still the best book you never heard of.

Right now I'm reading Прощание с иллюзиями by Vladimir Pozner, a new, extended, updated edition of Parting with Illusions (though in Russia it's the first edition published, which the author translated himself - he's French, American and Russian all simultaneously, with the passports to go with it) which is an autobiograpy/memoirs, about being born in France, to a Russian father and French mother, escaping the Nazi Occupation to the USA, growing up there until about 14, then going to Soviet Occupied Berlin and eventually to Moscow just before Stalin dies, at about 18, I think, and then an equally eventful life, to end up being perhaps the most famous, and definitely at least one of the most interesting, experienced, well-informed and modern-thinking, of Russian journalists. Now I'm writing about it I wonder how I could get distracted from reading it. Time to go.