So... whatcha reading?

Ravenclaw

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:10 pm

I am totally spamming the Reading Room lately. What can I do? Most of my old goodreads friends aren’t active anymore, and I need new reading friends. Or at least a place where I can shout things out into cyberspace.

I just started reading The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black. I like it so far. It’s interesting world building because it’s contemporary fantasy, but unlike most contemporary fantasy everyone is aware of the magic and its commonplace.
It’s the first book I am reading by this author... I like her writing style too and think she may become one of my favorites.

What are you guys reading right now?

Rubber Ducky

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:20 pm

Ravenclaw, thanks to your incipient Imamother Book Club, I'm about to be reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett! I just finished all 21 chapters (so far) of the fanfiction Goldstein which follows Anthony Goldstein, a barely mentioned character in the Harry Potter series — if Anthony "Yehuda" Goldstein were frum. He's a Ravenclaw like you.

Cheshire cat

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:35 pm

I'm adding your book to my bucket list. Thanks.

Last week, I went to the library armed with a list of recommendations from Imamother. I checked out 13(!) Books- what was I thinking?

I just finished 'Kosher Chinese', which I enjoyed. It was laugh-out-loud funny at times, yet very poignant and eye opening as well. The author travels to China as a peace corps volunteer, and his experience there is just fascinating. Not a very Jewish Jew, the author.

Just started 'The devil in the White City' by Erik Larson. So far, it's doing nothing for me. It feels overdramatized and the story is stretched out, almost unbearably so. Maybe I'll get into it yet

rachel6543

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:36 pm

I also read The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, maybe 1-2 years ago? I randomly checked it out of the library, knowing nothing about the book or author. I guess this book wasn't very memorable for me, because I don't remember too much about it. I remember it being a dark tale and not a book I was ever interested in reading again.

Right now I'm reading Philippa Gregory's The King's Curse. It's about Margaret of York who married Richard Pole. Margaret was a cousin of King Henry VIII (the English king famous for having 6 wives). It's a long book, 600+ pages and I was able to read the first 100 pages or so far this Shabbos. It's definitely been an interesting read so far.

I'm also currently reading Imperial Women by Pearl S Buck. It's a fictionalized biography of the last Empress in China who began as a concubine. I'm just not sure I want to finish reading this novel. It's interesting to read about Chinese culture and the royal Harem in the Forbidden City. But I find I get bored with reading Pearl Buck after a few chapters. I'm not sure what it is about her writing style, but I have a hard time finishing her books. She is famous for writing the Good Earth, which I had to read in high school or middle school.

Last edited by rachel6543 on Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

youngishbear

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:40 pm

The complete list or the abridged version?

These are the ones I've checked out of the library and actually started or completed reading:

Howl's Moving Castle - fun and funny fantasty/fairy tale. I highly recommend to anyone who likes the genre, and even if you don't.

An Anonymous Girl - a psychological thriller about manipulation and trust.

Conan Doyle for the Defense - the creator of Sherlock Holmes got on the case in the real world to save a Jewish man from being executed for a crime he did not commit

Einstein's Dreams - very strange little book about the nature of time

The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization - exactly what the title says it is

Les Miserables - I look forward to comparing it to the popular media versions. There is a lot more history in this one, that's for sure.

These are sitting in the to-read:

Wolf Hall - Thanks to your thread!

The Red Badge of Courage - A classic to check off my list

Gulliver's Travels - another classic. I had read the abridged version long ago; time to grow up!

London: The Novel (also thanks to your thread!)

Milkweed

Atom Land: A guided tour through the strange and impossibly small world of particle physics

rachel6543

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:49 pm

youngishbear wrote:

I enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle. I believe there is a sequel or sequels to it, which I have not read. I think I may have to see if my library has any of the sequels. I totally forgot about this book.

Gulliver's Travels unabridged is very good! I read it for the first time about 10 years ago. There is a reason it's considered a classic.

youngishbear

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 9:55 pm

rachel6543 wrote:

I put a hold on the sequel. A friend who read it says it's even better than the first one. I'm looking forward to it! I don't remember laughing so much while reading a book in a long time. Probably since the umpteenth reread of Harry Potter.

Maybe it's just the books I choose...

I'm interested in recommendations for truly funny books. Any suggestions?

rachel6543

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 10:01 pm

youngishbear wrote:

If you want a fantasy series that makes fun of Fairy Tales I highly recommend The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C Wrede. I reread it every few years. It a clean, light, fun series. The first book is about a princess who doesn't want to be forced into an arranged marriage to a prince & runs away on the advice of a frog and volunteers to be a dragon's princess.

youngishbear

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 10:03 pm

rachel6543 wrote:

Thanks. Sounds sufficiently fantastical!

Ravenclaw

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 10:30 pm

rachel6543 wrote:

This is one of my favorites! It’s a tongue-in-cheek fairy tale.
Did you ever try Terry Pratchett? He writes very funny fantasy books. I especially enjoyed Guards! Guards!

Ravenclaw

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 10:46 pm

youngishbear wrote:

I just remembered that I found PG Wodehouse really funny.

I tried Pratchett's first Discworld novel but I got too bogged down by the world-building to enjoy the humor. I'll try his work again with more patience this time.

I made the same mistake until my friend who is a diehard fan told me that I should skip The Color of Magic because it is basically only world building. So I started out with other ones and enjoyed them.

LiLIsraeli

Sat, Feb 23 2019, 10:50 pm

I'm reading The Coincidence Makers by Yoav Blum. It's been translated into English from the original Hebrew. It's kind of a sci-fi/fantasy about people who are in charge of orchestrating nature to make things happen. It's kind of heavier than I prefer, but I'm getting through it. The writing style is also much more Israeli than the typical American/British chick lit.

gingertop

Sun, Feb 24 2019, 7:37 am

I took "The Help" and "Exodus" out of the library this week, thanks to your other thread Ravenclaw.

I actually read Exodus in the past but now reread it and also reread the Haj (which I have in the house) because Leon Uris.

I also took out The Goldfinch by Donna Tart. Meh. Too much drinking, drugs, death, too little plot or character development. Highly overrated.

From the kids' section in the library I'm also rereading the Harry Potter books because there is a limit on how many adult books I could take out and because HP makes me happy. I know, I'm still such a baby.

"A Beautiful Mind" is my favorite recently read non-fiction book.

Mostly, except for this week with the historical fiction, I've been reading a lot of Holocaust books, "The Summer that Bled" by Masters last week.

Ravenclaw

Sun, Feb 24 2019, 7:53 am

Did I get a hug because I am reading... gulp...YA? :0
Honestly it’s my favorite genre. Took me awhile to own it. Reasons are like it mostly I like the message brought across, that change is possible, the future is full of opportunity, people are inherently good, breakups aren’t inevitable...
You don’t find that in most adult fiction IME.

amother

Magenta

Sun, Feb 24 2019, 8:02 am

Read 4 or 5 books in the past month and a half.

Elinor Oliphant is Completely Fine - light read, but funny and quirky. Didnt like the end. Still a very good light read

The Cows by Dawn O'Porter - too light, not my style

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer - really enjoyed it once I got into it

Normal People by Rooney - an interesting read, but could not identify with the characters at all. They seemed to spend 90% of their time in bed

amother

Apricot

Sun, Feb 24 2019, 9:52 am

For YA alternative history/fantasy, I highly, highly recommend The Queen's Thief series. The first book is not as strong as the rest of the series, but you really do have to read them in order. At least 2 books in the series have won major book awards, I think. The author, Megan Whalen Turner is very highly regarded in lit circles.