CKBC discussion

I thought it might be nice to have a thread to share about books that aren't our monthly read. So, what else is everyone reading lately?

Just finished Lexicon by Max Barry, which was excellent. Now I am reading a (terrible!) Mary Higgins Clark as a filler till my next books come into the library.

I'm currently reading The Name of the Wind. It's pretty interesting so far, but I'm not terribly far into it.

I'm currently reading Heat Wave. It's something light & easy before I start Organic Chemistry/BioChem come late August.

Still finishing up Authority by Jeff VanderMeer and got through the first chapter of The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman. I never did get through Origin and decided to put it on hiatus along with another book Dark Eden by Chris Beckett, as I find both have incredibly annoying protagonists that I lack any empathy for (especially considering the last book we read). I'll probably leave it to my bookshelf jar to pick an additional book soon.

I recently read We Were Liars (interesting writing style, easy to get through, and chilling plot), I'm almost done with A Storm of Swords (the third Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones book [finally got really interesting!]), I just powered through The Book of General Ignorance (great if you love random trivia), and I just started The War of Art and The Paris Wife. Lots of bus/train travel lately = lots of reading.

So many of those sound like fun! I'll be adding to my to-read list for sure.
I just finished reading The Girl With All The Gifts, and it was not at all what I was expecting. I felt a little tricked, but it was still so good, and the ending was satisfying. I just started The Bees, and I'm enjoying that. The Merciless by Danielle Vega is next on my list, I'm reading it with a friend.
In between all of that I've also been working on my comics backlog, currently reading Black Science, Hawkeye, and East of West vol 2.

Yeah Black Science! I still need to read Sex Criminals vol. 1, catch up on Black Widow, and start up Rat Queens (which sadly the GN I bought met with an unfortuante water bottle accident).

Kayzee wrote: "Yeah Black Science! I still need to read Sex Criminals vol. 1, catch up on Black Widow, and start up Rat Queens (which sadly the GN I bought met with an unfortuante water bottle accident)."

Sex Criminals is on my list, but I haven't managed to pick up a copy of the first trade yet. It sounds so good! Also, RAT QUEENS OMG. Rat queens is so perfect.

I just started Lord of Emperors which is the second book in the Sarantine Mosaic trilogy. So far I'm enjoying it

I finally finished Cancer Ward: A Novel (Solzhenitsyn), which was funny/poignant, although it took me a long time to read. Now I'm working on Cat's Eye (Atwood), which is a great depiction of childhood/girlhood. I also just joined another online book club that'll be reading only books by Native authors - so next I'll be reading Creek Mary's Blood.

Update: Finished Authority and decided to start The Maze Runner since there will soon be a film adaptation. It was not a good idea.

I've been reading Heartsick in preparation for a Palahniuk/Cain/Monica Drake/Lidia Yuknivitch event happening in Portland next week. It's pretty rad, and I like that it switches between narrators. I also think that Cain did a really good job creating a female serial killer and developing tension.

Update: Finished Lord of Emperors (which isn't a trilogy just a duo I was tired and mixing up series when I wrote that) and decided to start P.S. Your Cat Is Dead

Kayzee, let me know how The Maze Runner is. I'm curious to read it (once my brother finishes re-reading it again and I can steal it from him)

I thought The Paris Wife was interesting, but kind of frustrating. I didn't like the main character (though some things were character flaws that became self-realized and improved upon), and the whole thing felt overly prolific and nostalgic. It did tempt me to read more Hemingway, though.

The War of Art had some interesting points, but also felt almost like a one-size-fits-all fix for creative blocks, and was a bit too self-important.

I enjoyed the last half of A Storm of Swords more than the rest of the series up until that point, but I think it's going to be the last book in the series that I'll read. All of the violence, overabundant exposition, and excessive characters have gotten tiring. I am watching the show now, though.

I have a few things I want to read next, but I'm going out of town soon so I won't have time to get anything from the library. I guess this probably means I should read one of the several books I'm currently borrowing from a friend...

I finished The Bees,which was good, but like, in a mediocre kind of way? I enjoyed reading it, but it wasn't exactly memorable. I am currently working on The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman. It's the final book in the trilogy, and I'm stoked about it. Each book in the trilogy stands alone really well, and I'm excited to see what else these characters can do. Next I'm thinking about some Nonfiction. I'd like to finally get around to reading Gulp by Mary Roach.

Blow Pop wrote: "Update: Finished Lord of Emperors (which isn't a trilogy just a duo I was tired and mixing up series when I wrote that) and decided to start P.S. Your Cat Is Dead

Kayzee, let me know ..."

I'm about 130 pages into The Maze Runner, and overall I really dislike it. It goes on for five pages what really only needs five sentences, none of the characters are particularly likeable, and half the stuff that happens happens because of reasons. I will say that my friend Whitley has done her chapter snarks on this book and it's made it somwhwat barable to get through.

Kayzee wrote: "Blow Pop wrote: "Update: Finished Lord of Emperors (which isn't a trilogy just a duo I was tired and mixing up series when I wrote that) and decided to start P.S. Your Cat Is Dead

Kay..."

Hmmm. I have this sitting by my bed to read since I found a book at the library the other day I wanted to read (even though I was looking for a different one that's apparently out right now)so I think it will continue to be on the back burner for now.