Book Lovers Club

ruthbru

Interesting. I would say that I'd fit the 'hybrid reader' category, although I will always prefer a 'real' book.

MinusTwo

Ruth - ditto. I only use the kindle for vacations or hospital stays now.

Jackbirdie

Me Three. 🙋💁🙋

octogirl

While I love nothing more than browsing in bookstores, I confess that when it comes to the actual process of reading, I do prefer my Kindle. I have vision issues and just find it easier to read, especially in low light. Large print books bug me, but large print on the Kindle doesn't for some reason. This doesn't stop me from buying books whenever I pass a good used book store (hubby and I have an on-going joke that we shouldn't go to Green Apple Books in SF unless we want to walk out $100 poorer), but I do notice that the print books sit around and I just don't get to them as quickly. Although, actually, that's ok. It is healing just to have lots of books in the house....

Octogirl

voraciousreader

octo.....my favorite author, Geoff Dyer, loves looking at his books sooo much that, when he is in his study, he looks at his books around him and starts to purr.....

Me? I purr when I'm in my local library.....

LilacBlue

VR, thank you for the interesting link and Ruth, I too fit the 'hybrid reader' category.

I'm embarrassed to admit to so little reading over this summer, life felt overly hectic with our son finsihing his GCSE's and now I'm back on a course that will take me to ..blah, blah blah. I'm even more embarrassed to admit to reading on the plane flying back from LA a week and half ago, Summer Sisters, by Judy Blume. I did not take my e-reader and wanted a book to chill with as I hung around LAX forever waiting due to getting there early. I was applaud at what a paperback now costs in the US and could not bring myself to paying $16(!) or more for the titles/authors that I really wanted to read. So I opted for the $5 shelf and well, meh. The first half the book starts out promising enough yet this book for adults leaves a lot to be desired. It started out reading like a young adult novel, and didn't progress much further by the end. I guess you would call it a "coming of age" tale about two girls who grow up together, but that is being vague and kind. It was basically about an extremely dysfunctional girl who dragged her friend into her dysfunctional life. Quite frankly, I am not one who enjoys reading about the sexual exploits of a 15-year-old. If I was not so cheap, I would have had a much better time on my flight back to Heathrow. Learned my lesson.

cp418

So far, I'm still preferring the feel/look of a book. So much fun while on vacation to stumble across a book store - see the novels and read the covers! All the colors and pictures too! Maybe because my job involves a computer is why I prefer a break to a good book.

I just finished 'A walk in the Woods' by Bill Bryson. Recently made into the movie with Robert Redford and Nick Nolte. I'd read it years ago, which is what instigated me to visit some of our national parks for day hikes. Just started the latest Louise Penny mystery now. Happy dance!

voraciousreader

Well! Well! Well! As you all recall, I recommended reading For Laci, regarding her and her unborn child's murder by the hands of her husband, Scott Peterson. Written by her mother, Sharon Rocha, I was more than touched by her story. Now, it appears, there is a new book written by Amber Frey about her experience with respect to Laci Peterson's death.

http://www.today.com/news/amber-frey-scott-peterso...

Although I would be interested in reading Frey's book, I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to read it now. With my own daughter pregnant now, I prefer not to think about what happened to Laci. My heart breaks a little as I think of Laci, Conner (her unborn son), and the Rocha family.....

glennie19

I prefer the feel of a real book, and love my local library. They host a HUGE used book sale twice a year,,, coming up soon the end of Oct. I take a rolling cart with me, so I don't overload my arms/shoulders!

Lilacblue,, I hear what you said about the prices of paperbacks,, they are expensive! I dislike that they print them in bigger sizes, than the old pocket size paperbacks,, wonder if that is why the prices are higher.

Reading the latest Jussi Adler-Olsen. The Hanging Girl. the latest in the Dept Q series. Excellent Danish series. Highly recommended.

M0mmyof3

Reading "The Taming of the Queen" finally

ruthbru

Just finished Fortune's Fool: The Life of John Wilkes Booth by Terry Alford. Based on original research into government archives, historical libraries and family records. Pretty interesting.

MinusTwo

I just discovered the Moe Prager series - a ex-NYPD Jewish cop who has integrity and a soul. Author is Reed Farrel Coleman - born & raised in Brooklyn. Busted Flush Press reprinted the first two in 2008 after he won lots of awards for the 3rd in the series, The James Deans. VR - I think your DH would enjoy these if he hasn't already read them. First book I just finished is Walking the Perfect Square.

glennie19

MinusTwo: He is on my To-Read list. Just haven't gotten to him yet.

Just finished The Hanging Girl by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Excellent!! I highly recommend this Danish series which starts with The Keeper Of Lost Causes.

Working my way thru the Stephen White series. Next up is #10, Warning Signs. I do love going back in time before cell phones and computers!

Read all of Helene Tursten's Detective Irene Huss series that has been translated into English. The next one #8 will be out in English in Dec. #9 & #10 still to be translated. Wondering how long we will have to wait.

Now starting the Boys in the Boat which was recommended on here.

MinusTwo

Glennie - so glad you're enjoying Stephen White. He's one of my old obscure favorites. Compound Fractures (2013)was his 20th & last in the Alan Gregory series

Another favorite is John Dunning's series with Cliff Janeway, the ex-Denver cop turned used book dealer. The first in that series was Booked to Die. Mysteries about & surrounded by books - complete circle.

I'll look up Helene Tursten.

glennie19

I'll add him to my ever-growing list of to be read authors. I like having an "old" series to work my way thru, in between other books and new books by beloved authors.

WaveWhisperer

Glennie, thanks for mentioning new detective series! I thought I had run out of them. I especially like the British, Danish and Norwegian ones. Recently finished Louise Penny's latest.

They're not detective series, but I highly recommend all of Tana French's novels.

I was one of those recommending "Boys on the Boat." Hope you enjoy it.

For those who like real-life spy stories, I highly recommend "The Billion Dollar Spy," the true story of one of the CIA's most effective Russian spies of all time. An uncommonly frank account of day-to-day dealings of CIA case officers in Moscow.

M0mmyof3

Finished "The Taming of the Queen" yesterday. As if I didn't already know from reading a lot about Henry VIII, this book really gives you a look as to how he was as a king. Can we say paranoid to the max?????????????? The way he treated people was horrible, including his wives.

MinusTwo

Wave - I've heard from several devoted Louise Penny readers that they didn't think the newest book was as "good". Of course it's subjective - but what did you think?

glennie19

WW: are you on Goodreads? They have a Scandinavian and Nordic crime fiction group. You might find some new authors over there. Have you read James Thompson? Jo Nesbo? Jussi Adler-Olsen? Lene Kaaberbol?

And I'm Glennie over there, if you want to "friend" me.

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/49772-scandinavian-and-nordic-crime-fiction

ruthbru

WaveWhisperer

Glennie, I am on Goodreads, or at least get the monthly letters, but often miss the emails because ithey come into an old email account. I'll definitely check out other Scandinavian authors. Have read all of Jo Nesbo's but not some of the others.

As for Louise Penny, I think she's having the same problem so many prolific authors do. Whether because of pressure from their publishers or their own drive to write--and earn income--their later books often are not as compelling as their earlier ones. I love the characters in Three Pines, but I have learned that any new resident will either be killed or will be the killer! The plot in the last one also was a little far-fetched, and I think the urge to make it "current" with links to modern-day "monsters" (trying to not reveal too much) was a stretch. And some of the new characters seemed caricature-ish. I still have a soft spot for Inspector Gamache and his family, so that's what keeps bringing me back to the isolated little village that must have the highest per-capita murder rate in all of North America

glennie19

WW: I LOVE James Thompson. Sadly he passed away this year under strange unknown circumstances. He was a Kentucky native who moved to Finland. I think he only wrote 3 books before his passing.

Ruth: that is a great sign!

Jackbirdie

Ruth- I loved that meme!

SusanHG123

I really enjoyed The Martian. Or most of it. Very interesting concept.

I have a kindle and use it some. My youngest daughter gets the downloads also and I like giving her an opportunity for a break from law school. Which means I also have her textbooks from university and law school! She minored in anthropology and I loved having the books to read.

About to finish the Jody P book that was published in March. Guess I missed it due to a new port being placed and IV iron. Tuesday I downloaded Margaret Atwoods newest book. She may be my favorite author ever. No telling how many copies of The Handmaiden's Tale I have purchased to give to people.

My newest book to purchase in large quantities is The Unit. Cannot remember the author and am away from my access. The cover is white and the author Scandanavian i think. I am thinking of having my psychiatric nursing students read it in the fall for the ethics component.

glennie19

Finished The Boys in the Boat. Excellent story! Highly recommended.

voraciousreader

Author Henning Mankell passed! He was known for the Detective Wallander series of books which was among the DH's favorite authors.

glennie19

oh wow,,,, he is on my to-read list,, I have a couple of his that I haven't gotten around to yet.

WaveWhisperer

Sorry to hear that, too, I've read all his Wallender books and watched maybe 3 seasons of the TV series. Wallender is one of my favorite characters--so human.

ruthbru

Just finished Jamie Ford's "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet." A very nice book. The narrative switches between the 1940's and 1986. The 1940's sections tell the story of a young Chinese-American boy and Japanese-American girl fall in love shortly before her family was sent to an internment camp during WWII. the 1986 sections look at life through that same boy a now 50 something widower. It covers a lot of ground; including prejudice, cultural differences, tradition, loyalty, family relationships, love, duty....and also jazz.

kathindc

I thoroughly enjoyed Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. it was the first WWII book I've read that dealt with the unfair internment of Japanese-Americans With a very "sweet" ending