What are you currently reading?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else read Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny? Apparently she lives in DC! I liked some things about this book and disliked others, wish I had someone to discuss it with! Online fora are usually reviews, I always want to ask people what they thought about plot point X or character Y.

I read that a long time ago - sort of loved it, sort of didn't understand how all these light observations came together into a full novel. Thought the same about another novel of hers that I read more recently - Early Morning Riser. Like, I read it all - I enjoyed it. And also, it felt like just little vignettes about a pretty boring couple! The weird thing is that I actually even WRITE novels so I shouldn't be so perplexed about how this works, but I am.

Yes, that's exactly what I thought too! Interesting series of vignettes loosely tied together by a few common themes, some nicely developed characters...but the story didn't really go anywhere. That said overall I found it entertaining and am glad I read it, so it wasn't a waste of time or anything. (--PP).

[Anonymous]

I just finished The Book of M by Peng Shepherd, which I absolutely loved. I'm a sucker for subtle dystopias, so it was great. I read Klara and the Sun before that, which is different, but which I also loved.

Now I'm onto Sea of Tranquility, the latest from Emily St. John Mandel. I really liked Station Eleven, thought the Glass Hotel was meh, so giving this one a try. I'm saving Peng Shepherd's latest, The Cartographers, for a work trip in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sea of Tranquility. I adored Station’s Eleven.

Just got this and am very excited to read it!

[Anonymous]

My Policeman, so I'm ready for Harry Styles in the movie. Very excited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading Ann Patchett’s “These Precious Days.” It’s a collection of short stories. I’m generally not a huge fan of short stories but I will read anything she writes.

I'm a big Patchett fan and loved this book. Did you know the title comes from Charlotte's Web? I learned that from hearing Kirsta Tippett interview Kate Di Camillo.

I loved this book, too. Patchett was both very different and very similar to how I would have pictured her all at the same time.

Her earlier essay collection (This is the Story of a Happy Marriage) is truly fantastic. I listened to the audio version, which she narrated. Each essay is a total gem, but I couldn’t decide if I liked her as a person or not. She definitely has an edge, which makes her a sharp, incisive writer. But maybe not the best company? (Clearly, I found my own fluctuating feelings about her to be a fun sub-plot when listening to the book. 😂)

[Anonymous]

Greenwich Park. So far so good!

[Anonymous]

Just started The Long Game, by Rachel Reid. Sequel to Heated Rivalry.

It is the latest book in a hockey series (called Game Changers) with romance / hockey / emotional intensity / steam / love / sex, maybe or maybe not in that order or priority.

With the exception of The Long Game, each book revolves around two different guys, with those from prior books making some appearances. The Long Game is the first one to involve the same couple; the first, Heated Rivalry (second in the series), was wildly successful, and my favorite. One of my favorite romance books I’ve ever read, actually.

It was the first one I read in the series, and I didn’t feel like I missed much by skipping the first. I did, however, go back and read the others later. Some I loved, some I liked. Role Model is my second favorite. While reading in order would increase the enjoyment of the interactions, especially in the later books, it’s not required to enjoy the main story. Obvious exception would be the Long Game; Heated Rivalry is a must read first since it’s a continuation of the same couple’s story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Currently reading Ann Patchett’s “These Precious Days.” It’s a collection of short stories. I’m generally not a huge fan of short stories but I will read anything she writes.

I'm a big Patchett fan and loved this book. Did you know the title comes from Charlotte's Web? I learned that from hearing Kirsta Tippett interview Kate Di Camillo.

I loved this book, too. Patchett was both very different and very similar to how I would have pictured her all at the same time.

Her earlier essay collection (This is the Story of a Happy Marriage) is truly fantastic. I listened to the audio version, which she narrated. Each essay is a total gem, but I couldn’t decide if I liked her as a person or not. She definitely has an edge, which makes her a sharp, incisive writer. But maybe not the best company? (Clearly, I found my own fluctuating feelings about her to be a fun sub-plot when listening to the book. 😂)

Yes -- me too. Patchett is about my age and for that reason -- and maybe something else as well that I can't quite put my finger on -- I wonder about whether I'd like her or be friends with her if we were to meet. I'm not sure I feel that way about any other writer, and I definitely don't feel that way about celebrities in general. Hmmm . . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just finished a random book I grabbed at the library - The Pessimists by Bethany Ball. I give it 3.5/5, it had some decent satire and some interesting characters so I found it to be an enjoyable read. There were a few flaws though, but overall I think I'd recommend it. Now I'm re-reading High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. I really like this book (I wanted to check out About a Boy but they didn't have it at the library).

What are you reading and would you recommend it? I kind of wish we had a monthly book club post here on DCUM, I always like seeing threads about books but they can be kind of sporadic.

Matt Haig's How to Stop Time - Yes - although I think The Midnight Library is better (so far).

I thought The Midnight Library was sweet and a page-turner, but at the same time, rather predictable in the end. A nice message about accepting oneself and others with flaws and all, but a bit forgettable, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just finished crying in H Mart. Prior to that, I had just binge watched six seasons of the show “the expanse” and found out it was canceled and that there were three more books. So I went to the bookstore and picked up books 7, 8, and 9 and read those in quick succession.

I loved Crying in H Mart!

[Anonymous]

OP here, I just finished "Moonflower Murders", the sequel to "Magpie Murders". It was pretty good even though I figured out the 'whodunnit' pretty easily. I wonder if there will be another sequel or if the plot device would wear too thin for a third book...

[Anonymous]

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Led Zeppelin - The Biography by Bob Spitz

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Led Zeppelin - The Biography by Bob Spitz

That's an interesting combo! I loved, loved, loved Pachinko. And, spinning off from the comments above regarding Ann Patchett, everything I have read about Min Jin Lee makes me impressed with her as a human being. She is kind and forthright and a person of great humility and faith.

Maybe I'll pick up the Led Zeppelin book!

[Anonymous]

Listening to Capote's Women on Audible and reading Beautiful World, Where Are You? So far, liking both.

[Anonymous]

Making my way through Dune. It was a slow start. Even now that I'm more than 50% in, I still find it a struggle to continue. but I will b/c it's an important book and I want to watch the movie after.