What are you reading?

[Sheherezade]

The Secret History was featured on a Diane Rehms podcast -- sounded like something I'd enjoy. Let me know what you think.

[BonBon]

I just finally started Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. (SO far behind on both my book list and my netflix queue) I'm really enjoying it! I thought she'd be a real piece of work, but she's quite witty and I can understand her reasons behind her methods. I'm only a quarter of the way through it, so my thoughts may change.

[ladymoreta]

I just finished Fallen, looking forward to the rest of the series! It's nice to be reading fluff again. Prior to this, I'd read Mom, Jason Is Breathing on Me and All Joy and No Fun. I shouldn't read two nonfiction books in a row, but I was looking for a solution to the bickering.

[Curegirl]

I'm reading Sister Carrie and trying to get back into fiction after a long nonfiction kick.

[Curegirl]

I do not know how you do it!! I can hardly seem to finish anything. I feel like I have maybe 1/2 hour a day for reading time, and I can't keep my attention on just one book. I'm listening to A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius right now, and frankly I don't understand all the Dave Eggers love. The overblown neuroticism annoys me. I'm also reading The Emperor of All Maladies since it applies to both my work and DH's future specialty. It's very interesting so far, but long. There are at least 3 other books I've started and not finished in the last month.

I really don't understand the Dave Eggers thing either. Friends who've met him say he's kind of a dick. I believe it.

[migirl]

I just finished Bittersweet! It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it ended up sucking me in and I enjoyed it.

[WolfpackWife]

I just finished Bittersweet! It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it ended up sucking me in and I enjoyed it.

I'm on the wait list for this at the library. Looking forward to it!


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[MAPPLEBUM]

The Secret History was featured on a Diane Rehms podcast -- sounded like something I'd enjoy. Let me know what you think.

I did not like A Secret History as much as The Goldfinch. It flowed well and had interesting characters but they seemed forced. She's obviously very good at creating characters with alcoholism, childhood trauma, and drug abuse but the snotty / academic traits just didn't seem natural. She did a pretty good job of creating characters that you liked and disliked at different times. She's great at creating a plot that flows, but the quotes and literary references just didn't jive. I also don't think I like books where the end is presented at the beginning and the rest is just leading up to that. It's hard to have plot turns when you already know what's going to happen. Ultimately I'd say it was "pretty good." She's a fine writer and her books are easy to read. I wouldn't be surprised if I read more of her stuff later on.

I'm back to Houellerbecq, reading The Elementary Particles. Far more dense. I'm also really enjoying WCI's book.

Oh, and going through the second season of OITNB like a feign.

[MsSassyBaskets]

I've finally gotten around to reading the Goldfinch. Honestly? Not loving it that much. The first couple hundred pages were really intriguing, and I've enjoyed a lot of it, but the last couple hundred have just been dragging so hard. I'm about 50 pages from the end. There are so many sections where I wonder why she's going on about something for such a long time, and I feel like she could have gotten away with about half as many words. She's great at creating tension, but she never resolves so much of it, and it starts to feel stagnant and sort of painful. We're talking about a 560 page book - I feel like there need to be more ups and downs, more suggestion of hope to keep me feeling like all the constant tension and negativity are worth it. I'm really struggling through the last little bit. I was really interested in the Secret History, but I'm not sure if I'm going to bother now.

[Vanquisher]

I just finished Looking For Alaska. I'll likely download another John Green.

[WolfpackWife]

I just finished Looking For Alaska. I'll likely download another John Green.

I've read all of his except 'Will Grayson, Will Grayson'. TFIOS was my favorite, obviously, but my second favorite was probably 'Paper Towns'. His books start to follow a fairly predictable pattern, but I liked Paper Towns more than I liked 'Looking for Alaska' and 'An Abundance of Katherines.'

I finished "The Language of Flowers" last week, which was fabulous - I loved it! I started listening to "Middlesex" which I am also loving and started reading "A Visit from the Goon Squad" on my Kindle, which is good so far.

I can't wait to tear into my vacation books:
"The Vacationers"
"All The Light We Cannot See"
"All Fall Down"
"The Happiness Project"
"The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie"

[WolfpackWife]

I've finally gotten around to reading the Goldfinch. Honestly? Not loving it that much. The first couple hundred pages were really intriguing, and I've enjoyed a lot of it, but the last couple hundred have just been dragging so hard. I'm about 50 pages from the end. There are so many sections where I wonder why she's going on about something for such a long time, and I feel like she could have gotten away with about half as many words. She's great at creating tension, but she never resolves so much of it, and it starts to feel stagnant and sort of painful. We're talking about a 560 page book - I feel like there need to be more ups and downs, more suggestion of hope to keep me feeling like all the constant tension and negativity are worth it. I'm really struggling through the last little bit. I was really interested in the Secret History, but I'm not sure if I'm going to bother now.

I agree with some of this - I did find the last 60 or so pages of "The Goldfinch" to be unnecessarily dense. It would have made a much bigger impact on me if it had ended before all that dense wrap-up started. I loved her writing and Theo so much I didn't notice long drawn out sections until that last bit! I definitely see how it's not everyone's cup of tea and "The Secret History" did not grab me initially so that's why I put it down in favor of something else, but do intend to revisit it in the near future.

[MAPPLEBUM]

I enjoyed Welcome to the Goon Squad!

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[Cleave]

I just finished Overwhelmed and thought it was pretty incredible. A Pulitzer winning journalist looks at how women (mostly working women with kids but SAHM and non-kid-having working women too) spend their time and the challenges of finds leisure. Really great...


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[Thirteen]

I just finished Overwhelmed and thought it was pretty incredible. A Pulitzer winning journalist looks at how women (mostly working women with kids but SAHM and non-kid-having working women too) spend their time and the challenges of finds leisure. Really great...


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This sounds fascinating -- what was your biggest take away?


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