| Author |
Message |
Pjlover
Member
09-12-2010
| Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 5:07 pm 
The Kindle freebies are great, aren't they Roxip. I downloaded 4 or 5 today in preparation for the ice storm that supposed to hit here in Georgia tomorrow. I love that, even if we lose electricity, I don't even need light to read on my tablet. 
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 6:39 pm
I love the freebies and don't even mind paying a couple of dollars for a good deal.
I just finished B.J. Novak's short stories One More Thing. As with most short stories, there were some that were hilarious (especially Chris Hansen at the Justin Bieber Concert). And some that fell flat.
I am now reading What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty. And I am also reading The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon. I love her books. They are always so dark and just reel you in.
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Jmm
Moderator
08-15-2002
| Tuesday, February 11, 2014 - 8:21 pm
Roxip, If you like bookbub, try bookgorilla.com. I find I like them even better and they seem to always give me even more options than bookbub (they work exactly the same).
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 10:46 am
Finished Fear The Worst -- that Linwood Barclay is such a dependable supplier of thrilling thrillers!
Then read Leslie Jordan's My Trip Down The Pink Carpet - he's the diminutive character actor best known as Beverly Leslie on the "Will and Grace" TV show. A couple of laugh-out-load passages, but the rest of it was fairly bland.
This morning I began Ava Gardner - The Secret Conversations which were compiled by Peter Evans. It should be nice and dishy. 
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Whrlwnd
Member
10-13-2006
| Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 4:39 pm
Thank-you, Pjlover, for the suggestions. I'll make a note to look for those. Yes, I love reading my Kindle at night, because finally I don't have to worry about falling asleep w/ the lights on! LoL
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Wednesday, February 12, 2014 - 6:16 pm
A friend and I are starting a new book club and we've picked Under the Wide and Starry Sky by Nancy Horan for our first book.
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Sunday, February 16, 2014 - 1:08 pm
Finished book 1 of The Bridei Chronicles, The Dark Mirror by Juliet Marillier, the author of the Sevenwaters books, which I recommend. Straight on to book 2, Blade of Fortriu. She's a very good author.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Sunday, February 16, 2014 - 2:37 pm
Finished the Ava Gardner book last night and was very pleasantly surprised by the twist at the end of it. It's one that is unusual in the memoir field. I won't give it away, of course, in case you're inclined to read the book, which I highly recommend, even if you're not an Ava Gardner fan.
I'm now into Autobiography of Us, a novel by Aria Beth Sloss, which got a good review in the New Yorker, I believe it was - the review called it an excellent debut. I hope it turns out to be just that!
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Sunday, February 16, 2014 - 4:43 pm
Finished Chasing Alaska and it was interesting.. the author had gone to live in Alaska for a time and found out that a relative of his was a famous explorer 100 years earlier and had left behind his journals. So he inserts long quotes from the jouornal with his own experiences in Alaska and findings, which included returning to various areas and talking to living family about things that happened. There was another explorer who is evidently revered in Alaska and the Yukon and through Canada who was a totally selfish person, took credit for all sorts of things done by his relative and others and not only did that but discredited, undermined and even caused the death of some others by sending them on dangerous errands and more. Anyway a very interesting read.
Now reading This Star Won't Go Out: The Life and Words of Esther Grace Earl, posthumous journal memoir.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - 8:43 am
Finished This Star Won't Go Out.. just wow. Not just about living with cancer with grace, but about Harry Potter bands, Nerdfighters and Nerdfighteria and actual supportive and beneficial uses of the internet, Skype, youtube, and much more, by young people.
Decided to start next a book I'd had for a long time, by John Green, who knew Esther Paul, the subject/author of the book I just finished, The Fault in Our Stars .
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - 9:14 am
Maybe I am late to the p!arty to recommend "Longbourn" by Jo Baker. It is the "downstairs" version of "Pride and Prejudice."
Have just started "The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress" - quite an intriguing read!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - 10:10 am
That Longbourn sounds tasty, Tnt. I just "got in line" at the library to get a copy -- there are 38 of them in stock and only 51 people are ahead of me.
Finished Autobiography of Us and enjoyed it immensely. It follows the complicated friendship between two women who meet as teenagers in 1958 and how their lives change over the next 23 years. It definitely deserves the good reviews it has gotten.
This morning I began the sequel to Game Change, which focuses on the 2012 election: Double Down - Game Change 2012 by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. It's 482 pages of delicious inside glimpses of the Obama and Romney campaigns.
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Rieann
Member
08-26-2006
| Tuesday, February 18, 2014 - 1:34 pm
I got in line at the library for Longbourn as well. I'm #47 in line at my library. Must be good!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 11:59 am
I bet you get your copy way before I get mine, Rieann. I'm endlessly fascinated by how the library system works. I checked this morning and I'm now #45 in line, so I moved up 6 spots in one day.
The key, of course, is to remain patient to the nth degree. I got in line for the latest Michael Connolly on December 18 and my opening position that day was #929 (against 268 copies available to lend). One month later I was #609 and two months later (this morning), I am sitting in position #204. So...at this time next month, my copy should have already arrived (fingers crossed!).
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 12:25 pm
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Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 8:35 pm
Tonight I finished The Pyramid & Four Kurt Wallander Stories; they were the "prequels" for the novels Mankell wrote, and I thoroughly enjoyed each of them. I think I'll read another of his Wallander mysteries (The White Lioness) since I'm mired in essays and need the lighter reading to keep my sanity!
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 8:23 am
While I've read many classics and "quality" literature, I enjoy some lighter reading myself.
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Mamie316
Member
07-08-2003
| Friday, February 21, 2014 - 5:46 pm
I'm reading The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman. Love her books.
And I am also reading After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman. I am enjoying both so far.
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, February 24, 2014 - 2:12 pm
Finished Double Down yesterday and was sorry to see it end. I hope they write a book about the 2016 election, too.
I dived into Morrissey's Autobiography this morning and I'm really looking forward to reading it nice and slowly (to make it last). I was very late to the party in getting into The Smiths and one of my biggest regrets is that I never got to see them perform live. But their recordings and Morrissey's solo stuff will live, as they say, forever.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, February 24, 2014 - 4:40 pm
I finished The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and it was really very good, though young adult in genre. I can see why so many kids love this author. I then read another book of his I'd had for some time, Looking For Alaska.
Now a total change, On Hallowed Ground a history of Arlington Memorial Cemetery, which started with the estate of Robert E Lee and right now I'm learning how torn he was. He had devoted his life to the US and the military and had expected to continue. He didn't want a war between the states, didn't want the southern states to cecede. But he also couldn't bear to fight on the opposite side against his beloved Virginia. He was approached by both sides and had been counseled by his mentor in the US military that he might want to resign before things came to a head, so he did that and then accepted a position as general in the Confederate Army.
But the book is just getting started...
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Monday, February 24, 2014 - 5:56 pm
The Arlington book sounds fascinating, Sea. I took a peek at some of the sample reviews on that Goodreads thing and was not surprised to find a sea of 5-star reviews. Can you believe the L.A. Public Library has only one copy to lend? But no one's ahead of me in line, so I should get it within the next week or so.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, February 24, 2014 - 7:14 pm
The book is back up to $9.99 but I snapped it up when it was on sale for $1.99 and so far I'm really enjoying it.
It is lendable, one time, once I finish reading it. (lendable on a Kindle and I am not sure about kindle apps.
Nice that you can get it so quickly!!
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Heckagirl631
Member
09-08-2010
| Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 2:57 pm
Finished "Blade of Fortriu" by Juliet Marillier. Onto Book 3 next, The Well of Shades. It's interesting they are actually based on history, even though they are fiction. Bridei, himself, his mentor, Broichan, and the various territorial kings were all real people. Anyway, they are really good books.
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Tntitanfan
Member
08-03-2001
| Thursday, February 27, 2014 - 11:59 am
Sea - I need an author for "On Hallowed Ground." Our library doesn't have it, and I need the author information to request it from the statewide system - TIA!
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Uncle_ricky
Member
07-02-2007
| Thursday, February 27, 2014 - 3:39 pm
My copy is on its way, TTF - here's what I copied from the LAPL website (hope you don't mind that I replied in case Sea doesn't see this right away):
On hallowed ground : the story of Arlington National Cemetery
by Poole, Robert M
Call #
975.51 A724Po
Edition
1st U.S. ed.
Publisher
New York, N.Y. : Walker & Co., 2009.
Description
352 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., map ; 25 cm.
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