It's January - what are you reading?

[Rowan]

I'm working my way through the Kathy Reichs Temperance Brennan series. Just finished Grave Secrets. Can't remember the next one - I just know it has a yellow cover.

Edited to add title: Bare Bones.

[mellenhead]

The Strangers on Montagu Street - by Karen White. It was a fluffy mindless read. I thought it was just a mystery, turns out its more a series romance with a little mystery thrown in.

Growing Up Amish - by Ira Wagler - interesting read

The Favored Queen - Carolly Erickson - this was "historical entertainment" about Jane Seymour. It was ok, but I much prefer her nonfiction stuff.

I have 1Q84 from the library, but I'm not sure it's really something I'm in the mood to read right now.....and since it's 500+ pages I need to be in the mood for it.

[Spudd]

I finished a bunch of financial books and now I'm starting the final Stieg Larsson book.

[Rowan]

Spudd, any financial books you'd recommend? Dh does all the $$ stuff in the house (I pay the bills but he does the investment stuff) but I should know more. ONe of my goals for 2012 is to get my 401K in order.

[Spudd]

I mainly read Canadian ones so I doubt they'd be much help to you. I read a couple on stock picking that were American but I don't know if I believe in stock picking or not. I kinda do it a bit for fun but it's more like gambling than investing really.

I've heard good things about "Millionaire Teacher" but haven't actually read it myself.

[Blush]

On this trip I've read less than usual but I did finish "The Hidden Garden" by Kate Morton. It was ok, but there are way too many coincidences in her books that neatly tie the story together.

I also read Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. It's the first book I've read on my PlayBook and I was pleasantly surprised by the reading experience. The book itself was good; I feel like a bad Canadian that I haven't read all of Margaret Atwood's stuff, but I was force fed a bit of it in high school and wasn't ready to embrace her. I liked this fictionalized look into a real historical event.

The other one I read on my PB was 19 Minutes by Jodi Piccoult, about a school shooting. I really liked it.

[Bugsy]

Today I finished "A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin. It's about 800 pages, and the first probably quarter of it was sort of "meh" and hard to get into. But then it really took off and sucked me in. Very good story he has started here. I will start the second one after I read a couple of things from other genres.

Next is Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life by Julia Rothman. It was on my Christmas list, and Jason got it for me. It has really cool illustrations, and I'm looking forward to something different.

[Anna]

I am trying hard to read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, ERic got it for me for Xmas, I had no desire to read it but he got for me so I'm trying. It is boring as hell, though I realize it will get better.

[Rowan]

Anna, if you get in 50-60 pages you'll be hooked. It took me 3 tries to get started.

[Stacy]

Some friends at another board are starting a group read of Anna Karenina, so when my copy arrives I'll be starting that.

I'm also reading Savage Girls and Wild Boys, about feral children, and When Rabbit Howls, about a woman with 92 alternate personalities due to childhood trauma.

I should start A woman's Guide to Painful Sex and Completely Overcoming Vaginismus for my personal problems, but I start my new quarter on Friday, so I have a research methods book, an instructional design book and an SPSS book I will soon be adding to the list.

[Skye]

I just downloaded a Nora Roberts novel called The Next Always. So far it's about what I expected. All of her books, with a few exceptions, seem to follow very similar story lines.

I'm also re-reading Eat to Live by Joel Furhman.

[Anna]

Stacy I read When Rabbit Howls back in the 80s/90s when she was on Oprah. It was very disturbing.

I might check out the Feral Chidlren book

[Stacy]

Thanks for the heads up, Anna. I'm not very far into When Rabbit Howls yet. The feral children book is a historical look at feral children through (I think) Genie from CA in the 70s. The author traces whatever contemporary accounts he can to tell their stories. At times the writing is really dry. When I finish it, I can mail it to you if you'd like.

[Rowan]

Look at all the friends we have here!

Right now I'm reading Fat Vampire - a silly YA novel about a teenage vampire who got turned in his "awkward stage" and no one can believe he's really a vampire. Just fun and silly.

[Sílvia]

I'm reading If Today be Sweet by Thrity Umrigar. I love her style, but the lack of a serious plot after 140 pages is starting to get on my nerves.

[Beverly]

I am just not reading much at all lately. I'm about halfway through both The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and Long Spoon Lane by Anne Perry, and I haven't really read any of either since around Thanksgiving. The former is a terrific non-fiction book about the origin of HeLa cells, and I wish I had more time to devote to it. The latter is good enough, but her stuff has been totally formulaic for years, so there are no surprises.

[Rowan]

Bev,

As a scientist (who's actually worked with HeLa back in the day) I was really excited to read the book but I honestly was disappointed in it. Not trying to discourage you from finishing it because I'm glad I read it but I really didn't like the tone she took with the family.

Anyway....

[Anna]

STacy, I'd love to read it when you're done!

I just read Suddenly Skinny: A Weight Loss Survival Guide by one of my Medifast friends, it was a quick fun read. I know everything in it, mostly b/c I know Freya and was on her journey with her but I loved the realness of it.
Still trying to want to read the DRagon TAttoo

[Rowan]

Finished "Fat Vampire" - meh.

I started "We Need to Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver yesterday. I had tried reading it before but couldn't get into it. Now I'm hooked - can't wait to read more.

[Rowan]

Loved "....Kevin". Well, "loved" is the wrong word but I'm really glad I read it! Wow.