The Jezebel Book Network discussion

Let's talk about the books we are currently reading or planning to read.

I'm on 'The Outcast' by Sadie Jones. I know its a really good book but it isn't grabbing me. I am also a third through 'What I Loved' by Siri Hustvedt. Again, good, but not grabbing.

I'm reading "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. I was planning on going straight to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" after I finish, but I'm thinking I need to read something light and fluffy to purge my brain of all the nightmare fuel that Russell is throwing at me in this book (suggestions are welcome, if anybody has them!).

Sarah wrote: "I'm finishing up re-reading "Dangerous Liaisons", and then I'll probably be reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," but I have such a big pile of books next to my bed that that might change."

I don't know if we could upload pictures of our TBR piles. Mine is kinda big.

I'm reading Catching Fire, but also taking a break from The Golden Notebook because it is longggg and I am very curious about The Hunger Games trilogy that seems so popular.

Lauren wrote: "I'm reading "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. I was planning on going straight to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" after I finish, but I'm thinking I need to read something light and fluffy to ..."

I LOVE THAT BOOK SO MUCH but yeah, nightmare fuel. I've reread it a bunch of times (yes, I am an emotional masochist!) and it hits me every time. Um. . .happier books. . .To Say Nothing of the Dog? I Capture the Castle? Austenland?

I am currently reading The Likeness. I just finished In the Woods and found The Likeness on the bargain bin at Borders. Not normally a huge mystery reader but these aren't too bad.

I just finished "A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines" by Janna Levin and "A Heart of Stone" by Renate Dorrestein. And then I needed a break (lol), so I'm rereading "Lamb" and "The Daughter of Time," afterwhich I have a stack of birthday books from Peresphone Ltd, so will probably head for "The Village" by Marghanita Laski (I loved Little Boy Blue") or "Someone at a Distance" by Dorothy Whipple.

I was planning to wait for the whole Hunger Games trilogy to come out in PB, but people were so excited I gave in, and then Amazon lost my order. WTF, Amazon?

Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan!

I'm so glad I finally picked up Let the Right One In. It's deliciously creepy and twisted. Tender Morsels is pretty good, too, except I sort of have no idea what's going on.

I've started reading the Nancy Drew books. Right now I'm on number two, The Hidden Staircase and I've also picked up The Blind Assassin by Margaret Attwood.

Megan wrote: "I'm reading Catching Fire, but also taking a break from The Golden Notebook because it is longggg and I am very curious about The Hunger Games trilogy that seems so popular."

I finished The Hunger Games today, and I am officially hooked. Honestly, I had never really heard about it until recently, more specifically on io9. The boyfriend works in a bookstore so he has heard about it for quite a while. But since he works there he can take out hardcover books, and luckily the first 2 are still in hardcover, otherwise I was 45th on the library waiting list.

I have so so many books to choose from right now. I read the first chapter of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare today, as well as starting Sandman vol. 4, by Neil Gaiman. But I am getting my hands on Catching Fire tomorrow, so I might push the others aside.

I'm reading Eat, Pray, Love. My mom gave it to me as sort-of a book club thing with her. I find myself a bit ruffled by the whole economical situation of the woman in the book, but I do relate to her struggles of not being able to let go & simply enjoy herself. (I'm only on the Italy part of the book.)

Rosemary wrote: "Let the Right One In by John Lindqvist and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan!

I'm so glad I finally picked up Let the Right One In. It's deliciously creepy and twisted. Tender Morsels is pretty good..."

Ooh, I love Let the Right One In! I saw the movie first, but actually think they are really complementary: the movie makes sense, but the book fills in the gaps I didn't realize were there when I watched it. I consider it one of the rare movie:book sets where they come out fairly equal.

I'm reading a biography about Anne Hutchinson called "American Jezebel" (it seemed appropriate). It is interesting, but I'm having a hard time making my way through it. I think I need some light, fun reading for the last weekend of summer.

I just finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog and The Girl Who Stopped Swimming. Also, I finished Gods Behaving Badly which is pretty much the best brain candy ever. I think I'll reread Oryx and Crake next, as I'm a sucker for anything involving Margaret Atwood and dystopias.

I've been reading I Capture the Castle, but stopped for Mockingjay and now A Gate at the Stairs. Year of the Flood is next on the list. It's been a good reading summer.

I'm rereading Robin McKinley's Sunshine for the fourth or fifth time, and then I'm not sure what I'm going to pick up next.

Right now I'm rereading Sometimes a Great Notion—it's my favorite book of all time and I first read it in high school.

I'm also reading The Book of Lost Things for a real-life book club I'm in.

I just finished If I Die in a Combat Zone and The Things They Carried—one's nonfiction, one's fiction and it's interesting to see which of the writer's real experiences he put in his fictional account of the Vietnam War.

I'm reading Shantaramand loving it so far.

Lauren wrote: "I'm reading "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. I was planning on going straight to "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" after I finish, but I'm thinking I need to read something light and fluffy to ..."

The Sparrow is so good - so imaginitive about alien culture. IO9 just had it in it's SciFi 101 list of must-reads: http://io9.com/5626861/a-syllabus-and...
http://io9.com/5626861/a-syllabus-and...

I'm reading "Song Yet Sung" by James McBride. Next up is either "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" or "Artifacts" by Mary Anna Evans. "Artifacts" is a mystery (not my favorite genre, but this is well reviewed). I'm mostly drawn to it because it takes place in Florida, where I live.

I'm reading Post Captain. I'm having some trouble getting myself into reading mode lately, though. It's the second book in the Aubrey-Maturin series (Master and Commander). This one is very Jane Austen, and so far is centered around Jack and Stephen's life in the English countryside between naval assignments and there are balls and many goings-on with the family of young ladies who live nearby.

I'm also reading the third Sookie Stackhouse novel, which is decidedly NOT as good as True Blood, but it's something I can do on my computer screen while bored at work without logging into the internet ;)

I'm reading World Without End by Ken Follett. It is the sequel to Pillars of the Earth. I also just finished Mockingjay & Bonk by Mary Roach for a book club.

I am reading "Fortress Besieged" by Qian Zhongzhu (Chinese literature is an interest of mine.) The first chapter was great, but it's kind of slowing down.

I so, so want to read David Mitchell's new novel. That's my reward for finishing my current book!

Joanna wrote: "I'm also reading the third Sookie Stackhouse novel, which is decidedly NOT as good as True Blood, but it's something I can do on my computer screen while bored at work without logging into the inte..." The fourth one gets a whole lot better. Trust.

KarenW wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I'm also reading the third Sookie Stackhouse novel, which is decidedly NOT as good as True Blood, but it's something I can do on my computer screen while bored at work without loggin..."

I agree, the fourth book is still my favorite out of the series.

When I started watching the show I had already read all the books released up until then, so it took me a while to like the series. I can see how the opposite is true, as there are big differences.

I started reading Catching Fire this evening and I'm about halfway done with it. There are so many books that I own, and then ones I get from the library that I want to read, so I'm already trying to decide which book to read next!

The Lovers by Vendela Vida and Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis. Dipping in and out of My Hollywood by Mona Simpson.

Desiree (WickedLittleHigh) wrote: "KarenW wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I'm also reading the third Sookie Stackhouse novel, which is decidedly NOT as good as True Blood, but it's something I can do on my computer screen while bored at work..."

They're also really poorly written, so there's that, too.

I've decided to put Tender Morsels on the back burner for awhile in favor of more lighter, albeit crappier YA novels. I'm reading Immortal by Gillian Shields and Let the Right One In still.

I also requested Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick from the library the other day, so I hope it comes in soon. I heard it's kind of terrible, too.

Yes, I delight in reading awful YA books, why do you ask?

I had started The Finishing Touches (I needed some light reading), but I'm putting aside to read Mockingjay.

Nichelle wrote: "The Lovers by Vendela Vida and Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis. Dipping in and out of My Hollywood by Mona Simpson."

How is Imperial Bedrooms?

Sarah wrote: "I've been reading I Capture the Castle, but stopped for Mockingjay and now A Gate at the Stairs. Year of the Flood is next on the list. It's been a good reading summer."

How I loved I Capture the Castle! I wish I could read that again for the first time. Let me know how Gate is--I'm curious but heard mixed things.

I so relate to read-two-pages-and-then-put-it-down books -- way too many are falling into that category for me so I'm starting the Skimmers Book Club blog to poke fun at myself :)

I just read My Hollywood by Mona Simpson for an interview and while it took a little bit to get into her style, I ended up loving it. It's a similar plot to The Help, I think (which I'd like to read as well -- anyone here read it?)

Now I'm reading Adland by James Othmer for another interview -- very interesting look at his career in advertising.

A friend has persuaded me to start reading Treasure Island on Sept. 19, National Be a Pirate Day :) I've never read it but I'm taking his challenge.

Deanna wrote: "I so relate to read-two-pages-and-then-put-it-down books -- way too many are falling into that category for me so I'm starting the Skimmers Book Club blog to poke fun at myself :)

I just read My H..."

I read Treasure Island in high school and I really liked it!

I had Treasure Island read to me as a child and I had nightmares for weeks. It is so good.

I couldn't get through that Immortal book. I could not do it. Now I'm reading Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It's kind of ridiculous so far.

Rosemary wrote: "I couldn't get through that Immortal book. I could not do it. Now I'm reading Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It's kind of ridiculous so far."

Rosemary: hush hush is equally ridiculous.. let me know how you like the male "hero". Edward Cullen's lovely compared to him.

I'm reading I Capture The Castle as well. I love Cassandra :)

Karen wrote: "I had Treasure Island read to me as a child and I had nightmares for weeks. It is so good."

Oh ;) I'm highly suggestible so hoping that I mostly enjoy!

I'm reading Spook Country, by William Gibson. The sequel has just been published, and I haven't read this one yet, so...

I just finished So Cold the River, which was a great read. I think I'm going to start I Capture the Castle next (after seeing posts from others about it).

I'm reading a ton of things now, including Need by Carrie Jones, The Hollow by Jessica Verday, and Hearts At Stake by Alyxsandra Harvey.

I just finished Valley of the Dolls which was mentioned a couple of weeks ago in a Jezebel article about trashy beach reads. I highly recommend it! It's so trashy and engrossing you want to keep reading until the very end. Then I started the Twenty-Seventh City by Jonathan Franzen, and although I'm more than a hundred pages in I still have no idea where the story is going.

Nicole wrote: "I just finished Valley of the Dolls which was mentioned a couple of weeks ago in a Jezebel article about trashy beach reads. ."
I read The Valley of the Dolls a few weeks ago, I was sobbing at the end. I think I gave too much thought to it for it to be a trashy beach read for me.


I just stumbled upon Trash by Dorothy Allison in a thrift store not knowing anything about Dorothy Allison. What a woman.

Kayla wrote: "Nicole wrote: "I just finished Valley of the Dolls which was mentioned a couple of weeks ago in a Jezebel article about trashy beach reads. ."
I read The Valley of the Dolls a few weeks ago, I was..."

You know, I didn't find it that "trashy" and I kept shaking my head at the last 15 pages. What is Trash about?

I've lost interest in any books I had been reading, so I'm hoping, Let the Right One In will keep my interest. The library doesn't have it, but I have access to a Nook in which I don't have to pay for any downloads, so I finally get to read it.

Just finished Imperial Bedrooms by Bret Easton Ellis. It's a sequel to Less Than Zero. Aging hipsters.