Can we talk books?

[seerealsky]

Because I really like books. We should talk about them more often.

We mentioned some guilty pleasure reading. Now tell me about your favorites, or what you're currently obsessed with!

[raechay]

Just re reading outlander over here. Via audiobook this time! Recommend that everyone with an amazon account try Audible's 30 day free trial, download your free book, then cancel & they offer you 3 months for half price. Just do it. It's the only way I get to read anymore.

[seerealsky]

I am currently frustrated with Diana Gabaldon. I blazed through "Outlander", and had a 2 week break from reading before I picked up "Dragonfly in Amber" Monday.

I just want to say how angry I am. Like, I just got to Part II, and am seriously going to chuck this damn book across the room. Fellow fans, please relate to me. I need somebody who understands these feels.

All the feels.

As far as favorites go, I'd be beating a dead horse to mention Anne Bishop again, but I can't help it. Her "Black Jewels Trilogy" and its continuations is the best of her works (there are 9 books total,). Matriarchal, dark, mature romantic fantasy with a strong cast of characters. Hands down my favorite collection of books, but there are some triggers that will exclude some people.

[chicorojo]

My favorite book ever is "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"
Love Harry Potter.
I really read anything.
Sophia Kinsella and Janet Evanovich books crack me up, I love to read them.
I'm embarrassed to admit I also enjoy Jackie Collins books.
There are so many more but I am drawing a blank right now.

[raechay]

I read & loved the Discovery of Witches trilogy, which was a recc back from TB days. My H keeps trying to get me to read Ticker. My fav book of all time is Time Traveler's Wife (the movie sucked, don't bother). Also really enjoyed My Name is Memory. Loved Bossypants by Tina Fey. H and I are listening to Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson, anyone?) on long drives to the in-laws. I think next up for me is Amy Poehler's new book. 

[raechay]

May 7, 2015 23:12:56 GMT -5 chicorojo said:

My favorite book ever is "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"
Love Harry Potter.
I really read anything.
Sophia Kinsella and Janet Evanovich books crack me up, I love to read them.
I'm embarrassed to admit I also enjoy Jackie Collins books.
There are so many more but I am drawing a blank right now.

I've read HP series probably 5 times over. And plan to do so another 5 at least (samesies with LoTR). Couldn't get into the shopaholics. Don't be embarrassed, I had me a good run with Nora Roberts for more books than I care to think of back in my late teens/early 20's!

[bookworm87]

seerealsky Yay books!!! I'm so glad you brought this up, I saw it being talked about on the guilty pleasures page and I was all "yes!! Someone post about books! I love them!!!" Then no one did so I was sad. (And yes I could've done it myself but...you know...done it the past two times. Don't want to be the one constantly being like "and books guys?? Whatcha reading?? Books books books???")

Re Diana Gabaldon. Honestly, read the first four and could not keep going. Why with all the rapes?? It's like no book can be complete without at least one rape attempt and normally more than one. I mean, I get we are talking about an earlier time but I read a lot a lot of historical fiction and most authors can make it seem pretty damn realistic without every darn character getting sexually threatened all the time. Did not like at all.

Currently I just finished The Lives of Tao series by Wesley Chu which was good science fiction which I totally recommend. Aliens crashed on Earth before humans existed. They can only survive by inhabiting a living being. As humans evolved, they started inhabiting "hosts" and eventually divided into two factions at war with one another. Tao, one of the aliens,is forced through circumstances to inhabit a slob named Roen Tan and turn him into an agent. Somebody described it as part Babylon Five and part Chuck and I had to try it. Plus the first one has a really hilarious cover that shows the evolution of the "warrior" which culminates in a video gamer. I honestly bought this book for the cover.

All time favorite books: LOTR. Anything by Brent Weeks. Historical fiction by Sharon Kay Penman and Dorothy Dunnett. Urban Fantasy by Kelley Armstrong.

[seerealsky]

bookworm87 Yeah, I noticed how rapey "Outlander" was. Ugh. I think I may trudge through in spite. It's not nearly as excessive as the first one the whole way through, is it? Like, why are all these men trying to crawl on top of Claire??

Anne Bishop's also kind of rapey, which is where the triggers come in with the Black Jewels. However, her new urban fantasy, "the Others" (which is quickly rising as some of my favorite reading) is not rapey. But the main character, Meg, relies on cutting to reveal prophecy. Bishop can be intense, but she is totally worth it for the characters. Her world building is also a charming quality.

I have never heard of a lot of these! My book list is going to be growing. Song of Ice and Fire series may have to sit on the shelf a while longer. lol

[chicorojo]

Miss peregrines home for peculiar children and hollow city were good. I'm excited they are making a movie of miss peregrine. The Orphan Train was good too. I like to read really quick books when schools in, because I get book addicted and won't study.

I've never read LOTR or seen any of the movies :/

[jesster88]

I am amazed you ladies find time to read...Sandra Boynton has been the extent of my reading lately and before that it was all books about babies. I am looming forward to vacation reading this summer.

[danizee]

I used to LOVE to read or "listen" I commuted 8-10 hours a week and did audiobooks through iPhone/library system.
I read Red Rising while pregnant and LOVED it. The second book came out in January and I still haven't gotten to it yet. Mini dictator makes it hard to read and when I do have the time I feel like I can't focus.

[kimmie7714]

May 8, 2015 12:22:18 GMT -5 @mariahv said:

I just finished The Nightingale, it was really good. It's about two sisters and their experiences in WWII occupied France. It's pretty sad in spots, and definitely contains some triggers, but overall a wonderful book. I tore through it in like 3 days.

For lighter reading, I've read a couple Liane Moriarty books lately, which are mostly about dramas within families and small communities.

Thanks for this thread! LO still wants to be held for most naps, so I have plenty of reading time. I love the kindle because it's so easy to hold and flip the page.

I just read The Nightingale too!  Definitely was a page turner and I really liked it.  I heard there will be a movie made from it, should be good. I also read The Secrets of Midwives, which was good. 

 Right now I am reading the 1st Harry Potter book to LO at bedtime.   He seems to like it.  I am trying to currently read Serena, but it is not capturing my attention.  Maybe it will get more interesting!  

[pdxlaurens]

I just finished One Kick by Chelsea Cain. It's the first of a series and I'm looking forward to more. Her books are generally cop crime solving books and are rather dark and twisty. Plus they are set in Portland and I enjoy books and TV set in my town. I used to average a book a week but post baby it's been closer to one a month. I need to work on this!

[FCtwinmom]

Recently I have been working my way through the all the books Jojo Meyes has written. I started with Me Before You (water works lots of water works). I have mixed some fluff (total Nota Roberts guilty pleasure reader they are just so quick and mindless).

Favorites though are def Harry Potter and pretty much any historical fiction. I also recently read We Were Liars and thought it was beautiful. I read while I pump at work and it is glorious.

[seerealsky]

May 9, 2015 8:00:00 GMT -5 vigorousbabymama said:

May 9, 2015 7:37:07 GMT -5 FCtwinmom said:

Recently I have been working my way through the all the books Jojo Meyes has written. I started with Me Before You (water works lots of water works). I have mixed some fluff (total Nota Roberts guilty pleasure reader they are just so quick and mindless).

Favorites though are def Harry Potter and pretty much any historical fiction. I also recently read We Were Liars and thought it was beautiful. I read while I pump at work and it is glorious.

Me Before You was INCREDIBLE!! Have you read any of her other books? I read One Plus One when I was pregnant. It was fine but nothing like the other. I think if I hadn't read Me Before You first I wod have liked one plus one better but now I just expect so much from her books.

Other favorites or interesting books....

We are all completely beside ourselves
A Month of Sundays by Julie Mars (one of my most favorites)
This is the story of a happy marriage (short stories)
Vintage (cute chick lit written by a fellow bumpie/TCFer and D14 loss mama)
The all girls filling station last reunion
Anybody out there

Is "Vintage" about Violet Turner and her vintage clothing shop that is in danger? If so, it showed up as a suggested novel for me on the D14 store a little while back and I definitely overlooked it. Just checked it out now, and knowing that one of our TCFers wrote it makes me that much more curious!

[FCtwinmom]

May 9, 2015 9:29:55 GMT -5 seerealsky said:

May 9, 2015 8:00:00 GMT -5 vigorousbabymama said:

Me Before You was INCREDIBLE!! Have you read any of her other books? I read One Plus One when I was pregnant. It was fine but nothing like the other. I think if I hadn't read Me Before You first I wod have liked one plus one better but now I just expect so much from her books.

Other favorites or interesting books....

We are all completely beside ourselves
A Month of Sundays by Julie Mars (one of my most favorites)
This is the story of a happy marriage (short stories)
Vintage (cute chick lit written by a fellow bumpie/TCFer and D14 loss mama)
The all girls filling station last reunion
Anybody out there

Is "Vintage" about Violet Turner and her vintage clothing shop that is in danger? If so, it showed up as a suggested novel for me on the D14 store a little while back and I definitely overlooked it. Just checked it out now, and knowing that one of our TCFers wrote it makes me that much more curious!

Just finished one plus one! I liked it but wasn't struck by it the way I was with Me Before You. Did you know there is a sequel coming out called After You, it comes out in September.

[bookworm87]

May 8, 2015 8:08:17 GMT -5 seerealsky said:

bookworm87 Yeah, I noticed how rapey "Outlander" was. Ugh. I think I may trudge through in spite. It's not nearly as excessive as the first one the whole way through, is it? Like, why are all these men trying to crawl on top of Claire??

I didn't think the second one was as bad but I think the fourth one is? Maybe that's the one? Anyway, I just didn't find the main guy as sexy as people apparently do. I would put humor and intelligence and caring much higher on my list then someone who would belt me after I didn't follow their instructions. Yea. That just destroyed him for me, I will forever hate him, there is no recovery. So I just stopped reading them. I did add Anne Bishop's stuff to my amazon list after the last time you recommended them though so I'll be getting around to those eventually!!

@mariahv I'm getting The Nightingale for my birthday! I'm glad to hear you liked it!

[seerealsky]

May 10, 2015 4:53:55 GMT -5 bookworm87 said:

May 8, 2015 8:08:17 GMT -5 seerealsky said:

bookworm87 Yeah, I noticed how rapey "Outlander" was. Ugh. I think I may trudge through in spite. It's not nearly as excessive as the first one the whole way through, is it? Like, why are all these men trying to crawl on top of Claire??

I didn't think the second one was as bad but I think the fourth one is? Maybe that's the one? Anyway, I just didn't find the main guy as sexy as people apparently do. I would put humor and intelligence and caring much higher on my list then someone who would belt me after I didn't follow their instructions. Yea. That just destroyed him for me, I will forever hate him, there is no recovery. So I just stopped reading them. I did add Anne Bishop's stuff to my amazon list after the last time you recommended them though so I'll be getting around to those eventually!!

@mariahv I'm getting The Nightingale for my birthday! I'm glad to hear you liked it!

Claire annoys me, personally, so I was not too upset about the spanking. I mean, he told her he would, and in those times men had a legal right to do so. (That makes me sound like I'm a terrible person, like I condone wife beating. I most certainly don't.)

I'm not drawn to the idea that Jamie is this smoldering, sexy Scot, either. I like his character for his character, not his sex appeal. I'm also liking the way having him around is improving Claire's character. She really annoyed me the first half of "Outlander", being so thoughtless. She seemed rather immature and careless for a grown woman, and a field nurse to boot. I'm a sucker for the romance, though. I'm super curious how the whole "still love Frank" scenario will play out as things continue!