Second Wind Publishing discussion

What was the best book you read this summer? What was the worst? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Angel's Game

I wrote a review of this book that appears here (on my page), Amazon and in the summer edition of The Smoking Poet.

I read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle in June and LOVED it. I don't have a worst choice though.

One of the best I read this summer was The 5th Horseman by James Patterson. As opposed to The Shack. It's not that I didn't like the Shack, but I didn't agree with all of it. To disregard the Bible, the Ten Commandments and saying that going to church isn't important. I don't go every Sunday, but I know I should.
To me, that misleading folks down a bad aisle.

the best books i read this summer would have to be Sammy Keyes and the cold hard cash, sammy keyes and the "wild things", death in the air, the nightmare game....and last dance at the frosty creme. all AMAZING books, and i am really tired right now(stayed up till 1 last night doing english paper) so i dont' feel like writing why i like these books so much. worst book would be....bratfest at tiffanys. i'm ashamed to say i read that book about gossiby stupid preppy rich girls, but i wanted to see what the series was like and it's HORRIBLE. if i could through one thing into a burning pit of oil, it would be that book. lol just kidding, but i do really hate that series/book.

I read Lisa Gardner's latest "The Neighbor" which is one of her best thrillers. Currently reading Pat Conroy's "South of Broad" which is lyrical and lovely.

I read the 4th With the Light.
It's so good. Made my eyes slightly wet. I can't remember which book I hated though. I read tons of books. Perhaps I didn't like Thinner by Stephen King so much.
It did have that funny, "This is like a Stephen King book." part that cracked me up, but it was so stereotypical in terms of Romany people.
I read this book called Lush that was good. And also The Sandman Absolute edition was enjoyable.

Pat Bertram wrote: "What was the best book you read this summer? What was the worst? Inquiring minds want to know!"

I enjoyed Haunted Virginia by Pamela Kinney.

OH man I can only pick one best book??

Probably American Gods by Neil Gaimon.

Worst, or maybe most disappointing was Sirena by Donna Jo Napoli. Wasn't horrible but wasn't fantastic either.
Edited to add I have a hard time remembering what book I actually read this summer, they all run together. The "worst" was just probably the most recent and most fresh in my mind

The best book I read was Black Hills by Nora Roberts. I didn't have a lot of time to read this summer. I started about 5 different books but only stuck with Nora. I'm in the middle of Jude Stephen's Scent of a Vampire and I really like that book. I'm not much for really spicey books, but I like this one.

I also read James Patterson's 8th Confession - in the Women's Murder Club series. That was very good as well. I love his books anyway. I need to add two that I just picked up today to my To Be Read List.

probably In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick

Worst book: Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (chit lit, not my forte)

The book I read this summer with most intensity was without doubt "The Unconsoled" by Kazuo Ishiguro.

He is best known for "The Remains of the Day" or "Never Let Me Go".

"The Unconsoled" is a map of the soul, at least it was for me. It by far surpasses any usual standards books display when they offer a story that may entertain you or, through analogy and good writting, dig out feelings from inside you.

"The Unconsoled" neatly and efficiently introduces you into a world without structure, where I would say everything that floats is related to human condition.

Not always too intense... you get both the mediocre and dull aspects of the soul, along with the absurd and funny ones, and, at the climaxes, you get the deep ones.

Highly recommendable, although, I must say, many people say it becomes a long and dense read.

I'd very much enjoy discussing any Kazuo Ishiguro, specially this one, with anyone interested.

Sorry if the post is exceedingly long. First time I publich here!

Hello to everyone!

I just read Dirty Little Angels by Chris Tusa today. I think it jumped straight to top of my list. A truly amazing book. I'll post a review soon.

Autism's False Prophets was very good. This book I read about a woman whose mother had depression was also great.
Various young adult books I read were quite satisfying... Some of them are still hiding in my room. Like this book about these girls who Loved Tupac was also good. He had pretty eyes, but I am not into rap.

There's never any worst book, where I'm concerned. :-) I've truly never read a book that I disliked; my order of preferences comes entirely in varying shades of how much I liked the books that I've experienced.

My favorite book of the summer (so far!), then, would have to be "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins, with Ingrid Law's acclaimed "Savvy" a close 1-A.

Loved "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
While "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" by Lisa See was well written, I found it very disturbing to read. The foot-binding descriptions were horrifying.

I didn't read it over the summer, but I can't get over how much I hated Ender in Exile.
Hated that book.
LOATHED it. Even the latest Merry book was more enjoyable than that book and it was weird!
But she did go 100 or more pages without a sex scene, so that was good.

Best: "The Madam" by Julianna Baggott

Don't really have a "worst."


Malcolm

Hello everyone i just got back from promoting my books in Arizona, Im from Texas of course my family took me to this trip since i am only ten. Well i am reading Kiki Strike, its about a girl who goes to an under ground world and joins a mystical creature. I would say the worst would be the Lonely Doll, its just a little creepy for my taste, its a doll that talks to her bear friend in a very lonely house and the picture are just not my taste to go along side the story!
Shanaya

So sorry to say that "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" was my worst book (audiobook) this summer. My husband felt the same way. So long and increasingly disturbing that I felt I wasted a part of my summer as I did finish it.

My best book this summer was "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver for one of my book groups! Wow, there is just so much wisdom packed into this one book.

Though I may have read book that I liked more than others I don't think I read any really bad books. One that I really liked that read recently was Fools Rush In by Janice Thompson.

I tried to read Eragorn and the book afterward off and on, but they are so bad.

I read The Shack by William Young and loved it.

BEST Book: Ink Exchange
Worst Book: Larry's Kidney

But those were only two out of like four that I read this summer, I was focusing a lot on Wuthering Heights

Synesthesia wrote: "I tried to read Eragorn and the book afterward off and on, but they are so bad."

I couldn't really get into Eragon either. I know what you mean. I thought that the first was okay, but I haven't read any of the others.

Best book: All We Wanted Was Everything by Janelle Brown

Worst book: Everything Must Go by Elizabeth Flock

My favorites this summer were: The Five Wisdom Energies: A Buddhist Way of Understanding personalities, Emotions, and Relationships by Irini Rockwell. Also... Blue Rooms, Black Holes, White Lights by Belinda Subraman (which I am about to review on my blog). Both are excellent!

The best book I read was Spirit of Shehaios, but that's because I've just finished writing it and I'm still in that warm afterglow of delight in my new baby. It'll probably wear off.

Seriously, I think the best probably has to be Timothy Pilgrim's The Day The Ravens Died

I don't read bad books any more; probably my least satisfying read this summer was the mainstream published one - Birth of a Nation A Novel by Julian Rathbone. A pessimistic view of humanity.

Best book would have to be Beyond my Control by Stuart Ross McCallum. I do not have a "worst" to offer.

Hi. The best book I read this summer was The bunkie story by Charles Emery. It was so funny. The worst book I read was Vernon God Little. It was such drivel!

BEST: East of the Sun by Julia Gregson

WORST: Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan

Book Reviews By Bobbie

Pinnacle: Author & Book Promotion

Pat Bertram wrote: "What was the best book you read this summer? What was the worst? Inquiring minds want to know!"


Best, hmmm, its so hard to pick just one. Neil Gaiman's "The Graveyard Book" was excellent. For pure entertainment, "Prey" by Rachel Vincent fit the bill. For non-fiction: "The Great Medieval Heretics" by Michael Frassetto was quite good -- and actually rather entertaining, too.

There aren't too very many books that I will consider to be "bad" and none that I read this summer would be "worst." For the most part, if I don't like a book, its usually just that I don't care for the style of the writer -- I don't consider that to be a bad thing. If we all liked the same things, it would be very difficult to learn new stuff.

Haven't had a lot of reading time this summer but I did quite enjoy "Crow Lake" by Mary Lawson. I've spent most of the summer reading David Payne's "Confessions of a Taoist on Wall Street". It's definitely an epic which just can't be read quickly. I'll be posting a review once I finish it.

No real duds this summer thankfully. I've learned to pick my books carefully.

Michael

Hi, Pat--the worst of books, the best of books: "Germs, Guns, and Steel: the Fates of Societies." 500 pages of teeny-tiny print. I considered it more as a textbook, because I simply could not sit and read it as a novel--it's non-fiction, touted as fascinating to read. It is a wonderful set of historical studies. I selected protions to read and think about.
The most enjoyable book--not necessarily the best--but the one I loved to read was "Smooth Talking Stranger" by Lisa Kleypas--the first one I've read of hers. It was delightful from page one to the end.Kept me happily entertained while recovering from some yucky foot surgery. Celia

The BEST book this summer was, "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan (Loved the whole series). The WORST book was "the old man and the sea" by Hemmingway. I wanted to stab myself in the eye while reading that book. Save yourselves and don't bother to read it.

Oh yeah, the graveyard book was excellent as well.

That is a good book.

Colleen, I loved The Old Man and the Sea... however, I did LOL when I read your graphic comment. That's a great review. hehehe

Thanks, I know a lot of people loved The old man and the sea, maybe I'll re read it when I'm much older, it was just way to slow for me (like watching the grass grow. I like fast paced novels at this point in my life.

The worst book I read this summer was probably The Dragons of Babel.

The best is harder to pick. Maybe Graceling or Blood and Iron

The most disappointing book, however, was Melting Stones. I didn't hate it, but I didn't really like it that much either. I don't think it was anywhere near as good as any of Tamora Pierce's other books.

The most fascinating book I read this summer is "The 7 Daughters of Eve." Non-fiction--human genome stuff. Fascinating!

My favorite book was either Airhead or Being Nikki. Both are by Meg Cabot and in the Airhead series. My least favorite book was the Kite Runner. It was a good book, but not my favorite and the plot wasn't my favortie.

I do not think I liked In this Sign very much.

I also didn't like Kite Runner when I read it. It was so... creative writing class.

Best was Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Wonderful story, creatively written about an aspect of WWII history most of us know little about. Wonderful characterization.

Worst was Happens Every Day. Bad things happen to everyone, but I thought this one wallowed in it a bit too much.

I read several really good books this summer:

The Traveling Death and Resurrection Show and Atlas of the Human Heart--both by Ariel Gore

Dry--Augusten Burroughs

Lost Paradise: From Mutiny on the Bounty to a Modern Day Legacy of Sexual Mayhem, the Dark Secrets of Pitcairn Island--Kathy Marks

A Prayer for Owen Meany--John Irving

I started lots of books and didn't finish them, so those would have been the worst. The worst of the ones I did finish were:

The Memoir Club--Laura Kalpakian

One about a lady and her family leaving the Jehovah Witness church that I can't remember the name of

Celia wrote: "Hi, Pat--the worst of books, the best of books: "Germs, Guns, and Steel: the Fates of Societies." 500 pages of teeny-tiny print. I considered it more as a textbook, because I simply could not sit a..."

Another very interesting book which will broaden many ideas or intuitions you may have of society and its inner mechanisms is Critical Mass by Philip Bell.

If a book is really dreadful, I don't finish it (even if the author is a friend ... which has happened once). I have read far too many books to say that one was the best and brightest, although there were many I loved and have re-read numerous times over the years. Here are a few of those:

Sharon--very interesting choices. I hadn't thought to add favorite children's books. It made me remember the Strawberry Girl series--loved those. The Phantom of the Opera tale is fascinating, no matter the venue. I believe it's one of the most passionate, heartbreaking stories ever. thanks for the reminders--Celia

Dear Pat:

The summer is not quite over. So I might not have read my favorite book of the season yet.

Reading "The Loose End of the Rainbow," by DB Pacini right now, and I enjoy it even though it's a fantasy for the YA set. I'm not that into fantasy.

I read a story some time back, the name of which I've forgotten, by an author I've read many times and have always enjoyed reading. Well, I got halfway through this detective novel thinking I was reading a straight-up tale. The bad guy starts talking smack to the protagonist, and thinking himself in dire straits with this cat, the hero whips out his trusty gat, and shoots the bad guy in the face. Not too bad, until the next sentence reveals that the gun he shot the bad cat with was a water pistol. I tossed that baby up against the wall. Somehow I had missed the fact I was reading a detective farce.

Anyway whatever the name was, that was my worst read of the summer--of my entire life, really.

Thanks,
Sumner Wilson

I know it isn't summer, but I'm reading Wally Lamb's The Hour I First Believed--it's so good--best for the year, probably!