Your Book Activity - February 2017

[Nollaig]

 

No, I didn't.  I'm cogitating my words for my review, but it was definitely not a book I'd go back to.

 

I didn't really like it either. The writing was pretty but thats about it. Some people love it though. She has another one coming out this year, which I'm gonna try, but I'm not getting my hopes up about liking it too much!

 

I finished You by Caroline Kepnes. I did really enjoy it, but it felt a little flat, so I'd give it a very high three stars. I reserve fours and fives for books I actually want to own hardcopies of.

 

Must try and get The Trees finished.

 

Not sure what to read next - I kind of want to get The Girl Before but the Kindle edition is a couple of pounds more expensive than the hardback, and I really don't like that. Might wait til it comes down a bit. Or I might cave. Who knows!

[chesilbeach]

I didn't really like it either. The writing was pretty but thats about it. Some people love it though. She has another one coming out this year, which I'm gonna try, but I'm not getting my hopes up about liking it too much!

I don't think I'd bother trying her writing again, unless I see that you or someone else here who read this one and didn't like it, writes a glowing review of another of her books, which might make me reconsider.

 

Only text book reading for me again today, so no "enjoyable" reading! Hopefully, back to proper reading tomorrow.

[Alexander the Great]

I started reading John Irving's The Cider House Rules last week. At work, a book written by two judicial officers-to-be is circulating and I was next on the list, though. Because Irving's book's 684 pages, I thought I'd take the other book with me to read during travel to London. I thought I'd be adventurous and not take a spare book... then on the way noticed this book had 204 pages. So I obviously finished it and had no choice but to sleep and listen to music on parts of the way back.

 

I went to London and as one does in London, I bought books.

 

I read about Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London many years ago and was interested. I saw this one in London, so I had to buy it. I saw there were two more, Moon over Soho and Whispers Under Ground, as part of a series. Obviously, I had to buy those two. Then I also bought a collection of stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Tales of Mystery and the Supernatural. 

 

I almost bought Misery by Stephen King because I read a fanfiction based on it years ago. I ended up putting it back since I was buying the three Ben Aaronovitch novels already. Of course I now regret not getting the Stephen King one.

[pontalba]

Finished The Night Manager, a definite 5/5, and have restarted A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra.

[Nollaig]

I started Coffin Road by Peter May and am really enjoying it so far. He's a bit mad about his adjectives but the writing is good. I read a third of the book yesterday, would like to get it finished today if possible.

[chesilbeach]

Ended up doing some more text book reading today but I did manage to squeeeeze in one of the short stories from Reader, I Married Him too.

[EricaRobynReads]

In honor of Valentines Day, I have picked up a few romance themed books to read this month. The first is Romeo And/Or Juliet: A Choosable-Path Adventure by Ryan North. I am on my first read through and I am having so much fun with it! The sarcasm has me laughing on almost every page. 

[More reading time required]

I've only got 41 pages left of The Shepherd's Crown left. Back in the day I would have just raced through the rest of that at bedtime, but now I'm older and tireder, if I try to do that now, I end up waking up with a book falling on my face several times before I eventually give up.

[frankie]

 

No, I didn't.  I'm cogitating my words for my review, but it was definitely not a book I'd go back to.

 

Oh boy  

 

I finished Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld last night and have no idea what to read now (a library loan, but which one). I miss Eligible  

[chesilbeach]

I've picked up Time Travelling With A Hamster again today, and I'm getting into it now

[willoyd]

Finished Love of Country (Madeline Bunting).  Great read - thoroughly recommended.

[Athena]

I've decided to read Cassandra Clare - The Mortal Instruments 2: City of Ashes next.

[Lau_Lou]

I bought myself 4 new books the other day. Two by Dawn French, so I started reading one. Despite the fact I have a few others on the go already, and that was something I wanted to try and stop this year. But that is another story.

Anyway the book is awful!

I really want to finish By Myself and Then Some because I have been reading that for over a year now.

[Sazed]

I read about Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London many years ago and was interested. I saw this one in London, so I had to buy it. I saw there were two more, Moon over Soho and Whispers Under Ground, as part of a series. Obviously, I had to buy those two. Then I also bought a collection of stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Tales of Mystery and the Supernatural. 

 

 

I read Rivers of London a couple of years ago, but really didn't like it... I hope you enjoy it more!

[Onion Budgie]

I finished The Great Forgetting by James Renner.  The first half of the book was great, I was thoroughly enjoying it; and then along came the second half, and everything went um-bongo.  Too overblown and ridiculous for words.  I gave it 3/5 on Goodreads.

 

Next up:  The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls by Chris Morton and Ceri Louise Thomas.

[frankie]

I've started reading The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, but only maybe 30 pages in. 

[willoyd]

After one false start last year, I'm having another go at Lorna Doone.  Amazing how different a book can feel - have just about caught up to where I left off last time, about one-eighth of the way in, and have loved it.  Just shows how much successful book choice depends on mood.  It helps that I've been able to have a good run at it, as am off sick from work, and not up to much more than sitting around on the sofa (lying generates too much coughing!).

Edited February 9, 2017 by willoyd

[Anna Begins]

I have 100 pages left of The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer. I still have Roots and 1984 (reread) to finish up.

[Lau_Lou]

I've started reading The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, but only maybe 30 pages in.

 

I've got this on my TBR. Sounds right up my street.

Hope you're liking it so far.

[Nollaig]

I've started reading The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, but only maybe 30 pages in.

 

I've got this on my TBR. Sounds right up my street.

Hope you're liking it so far.

 

 

I've read this, I quite liked it but I wasn't crazy about it. One of those 'I enjoyed it at the time' books.

 

I decided to change my Goodreads reading goal from 120 books to 100, and I've gone from being 2 books behind schedule to 1 ahead! Suits me!

[willoyd]

I decided to change my Goodreads reading goal from 120 books to 100, and I've gone from being 2 books behind schedule to 1 ahead! Suits me!

 

Interesting one this.  Have to say that I have completely abandoned qualitative reading goals, as I started fixing too much on the number rather than the enjoyment/quality.  Ironically, as soon as I did that, the actual number of books I started reading shot up, and last year saw me read more than ever before (but nowhere near 120 or even 100).  But even if that wasn't the case, I'm certainly enjoying my reading more.  Still have goals, they just don't involve numbers.

Edited February 10, 2017 by willoyd

[Nollaig]

Interesting one this.  Have to say that I have completely abandoned qualitative reading goals, as I started fixing too much on the number rather than the enjoyment/quality.  Ironically, as soon as I did that, the actual number of books I started reading shot up, and last year saw me read more than ever before (but nowhere near 120 or even 100).  But even if that wasn't the case, I'm certainly enjoying my reading more.  Still have goals, they just don't involve numbers.

 

I use it purely as a motivational tool. Most of the time if I'm not reading it's because I just haven't picked up a book, and if I pick up a book and start reading I'll happily read for an hour or two. So seeing that I'm 'behind schedule' motivates me to 'just read a few pages', which turns into burying myself in a book. I also have a tendency to wander from books sometimes if I get distracted from them for too long, so it motivates me to pick up a book and finish it sooner, rather than leaving it til later and possibly abandoning it (even though I was enjoying it. This is currently happening with The Trees - thoroughly enjoying it but have been distracted by cross-stitch and it would become easy to abandon the book if I left it much longer. So, I need to pick it up this weekend, and things like staying on track helps motivate that). I usually have a goal of 120, being happy with anything over 100, but am just making leeway this year in that motivation for the fact that I spend a lot of time cross-stitching now too. I still only read books I want to read, regardless of numbers

 

Sorry for the convoluted explanation hehe I talk too much

[Madeleine]

Glad you're enjoying Lorna now, Will, hope you feel better soon, from a fellow cougher, horrible isn't it!

[More reading time required]

I finished The Shepherd's Crown (review to follow when I finally get round to putting a new thread up ) and started The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson.

[chesilbeach]

After one false start last year, I'm having another go at Lorna Doone.  Amazing how different a book can feel - have just about caught up to where I left off last time, about one-eighth of the way in, and have loved it.  Just shows how much successful book choice depends on mood.  It helps that I've been able to have a good run at it, as am off sick from work, and not up to much more than sitting around on the sofa (lying generates too much coughing!).

 

I've actually only listened to the audio book so far - I had intended to use the WhisperSync on my Kindle and switch between the two, but the narrator is really good, so I've just stuck with that so far.  I'm enjoying it too.