Flights of Fantasy discussion

I hadn't done much reading in July or August (at least of books) and it looks like other members haven't done that much reading lately either!

Having read an eclectic mix - The Finger, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Rendezvous with Rama - over the last two months, I'm now reading (and really enjoying) I Have Lost My Way. I haven't read anything by Gayle Forman before but it looks like I'll be checking out her other books in due course.

I haven't been reading very much either. I read the 5th Harry Bosch novel, Trunk Music, and listened to The Bell Jar, and am TECHNICALLY reading I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons.

I read Gayle Forman's If I Stay years ago and loved it, but was disappointed by the follow up Where She Went, and haven't read anything else of hers. Hopefully you'll enjoy her work. :)

I've been reading The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. It's a bit slow going, mostly 'cause we're away this week so not doing much reading.

Becky wrote: "I haven't been reading very much either. I read the 5th Harry Bosch novel, Trunk Music, and listened to The Bell Jar, and am TECHNICALLY reading [book:I Can't Make This Up:..."

Thanks Becky! I heard that If I Stay was good so what went wrong with Where She Went?

I've been doing horribly this summer. Even authors and series I love just aren't what I want to read right now and I have no clue what would be the right book. I read 10 pages of a book and think "Eh, maybe later..."

Anyway, I borrowed The Hazel Wood from the library today. I'm already annoyed. >:-(

I wonder why there's been such a slump in reading for some (many?) people this summer? Was it the great weather?

Michelle wrote: "I've been doing horribly this summer. Even authors and series I love just aren't what I want to read right now and I have no clue what would be the right book. I read 10 pages of a book and think "..."

I have Hazel Wood on my TBR. This doesn't sound promising.

I feel like it's taking me forever to get through The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. I know my reading has been somewhat curtailed, but even when I am reading it I just find myself not that invested with some of the stories. I mean, some of them are good, and some of them I feel are too long at 31 pages...

None of them are really sticking with me after I read them, though.

Last night I came to a novella of 104 pages, and I couldn't bring myself to start it.

This e-book reverts to the library in something like 6 days, and I'm not sure I can make myself care...

Michelle wrote: "I've been doing horribly this summer. Even authors and series I love just aren't what I want to read right now and I have no clue what would be the right book. I read 10 pages of a book and think "..."

I have I have been trying to read the Hazel Wood for about 6 weeks now. Just can’t get into it. Might be a little too horror-ish for me? Whatever the reason it’s aslog for me.

Started reading The Technician for a group read. Still reading I Have Lost My Way in the meantime.

I've been slumping all over the place.

I finished up the Legend of Beka Cooper - which was fun for what it was. Now I'm just...re-reading old stuff. Again.

I've been reading The Serpent of Venice, the second Fool book by Christopher Moore. I'm not liking it quite as much as the first (some of the bawdy humor that I found surprisingly funny in the first book is played out and wearing thin) ... but the meshing of Othello, Merchant of Venice and Cask of Amontillado is interesting.

I'm giving some serious thought into going down a YA/MG rabbit hole with Tamora Pierce. Beka Cooper reminded me how much I enjoyed Pierce...and she has several series I have read yet.

Finally got around to John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire

I don't think I've ever read any Pierce. Nothing of hers really jumped out at me.

(Haven't read Scalzi, either, for that matter... )

Karen wrote: "Finally got around to John Scalzi’s The Collapsing Empire"

I loved that book - preordered book 2 months ago (signed copy. SCORE!)

colleen the convivial curmudgeon wrote: "I don't think I've ever read any Pierce. Nothing of hers really jumped out at me.

(Haven't read Scalzi, either, for that matter... )"

O_O

As a reader of YA/MG, I am surprised.

I adore Tamora Pierce - the stuff I've read, of course. IIRC, she's the only YA author I actually read around the "correct" age range. I love her. She gave me my first female paladin: Alanna of Trebond.

MrsJoseph wrote: "O_O

As a reader of YA/MG, I am surprised.

I adore Tamora Pierce - the stuff I've read, of course. IIRC, she's the only YA author I actually read around the "correct" age range. I love her. She gave me my first female paladin: Alanna of Trebond. "


I think it's partially because whenever I see Alanna discussed I think I'd read it and didn't like it, but it's a different book I'm thinking about, so I always sort of just skim over it.

That makes sense. IDK if you'd love them like I do, but I think they are all pretty solid (the ones I've read, that is). I've great hopes for the rest of them as well.

Karen wrote: "I have I have been trying to read the Hazel Wood for about 6 weeks now. Just can’t get into it. Might be a little too horror-ish for me? Whatever the reason it’s a slog for me."

It definitely went dark out of nowhere. I kinda wanted a dark retelling, but the first half was too light and disconnected compared to just how dark it went. I was disappointed, though, that the grandmother's whole collection of fairytales was supposed to be true but only some of her fairytales had a prominent role in the book. Like, what was the point of telling us a list of her stories and cherry-picking just a few? I expected The Book of Lost Things, but alas, I put The Hazelwood down to a temporary-to-permanent DNF.

_____________________________________________________


I'm currently reading Tokyo Ghoul: re, Vol. 1, Black Butler, Vol. 26, and Norse Mythology. I managed to finish one book this month, The Exile's Journey, but my reading has been slow going, otherwise.

I finished The Utterly Uninteresting and Unadventurous Tales of Fred, the Vampire Accountant. It was a cute UF kind of story. I'll most likely continue the series, but it's not something I was insanely wowed about.

Now reading Arsenic for Tea.

I really want to start Dreadnought, but I'm supposed to be doing it as a Buddy Read which doesn't start until Oct 1st, so Arsenic is kind of a filler book.

I just finished up Rogue Protocol. <3

Also finished The Immortals series by Tamora Pierce.

I started The Jennifer Morgue but I'm not liking it.

I finished I Have Lost My Way the other day. This was a nice YA/NA read about three young people who meet each other in an unusual situation. All three feel lost and directionless in their lives at the time but maybe, through their newfound friendship, that might change - but not without taking risks.

I'm reading To Green Angel Tower, Part 1, and though I'm not going very fast with it, I'm really loving it. I'm only on page 134 out of 796 (actual novel pages without the appendix), but everything is starting to come together and it's just brilliant. I'm happier with this book than I have been in a while. Yay me! :)