It's June - what are you reading?

[Annie]

Liars Club is on hold. Now reading "My Sister, My Love" by Joyce Carol Oates. Interesting and different!

[Rowan]

This weekend I read Wife 22 and Someone Like Her. Both were just ok...high end chick lit.

I'm working on The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass. Lots of character development and since I keep picking it up and putting it down I keep having to remind myself who is who but so far so good.

[Sílvia]

I gave up on the Korean lady. Now I'm reading Under the Dome by Stephen King. Bad reviews say he recycles characters, but I haven't read many of his books, so I'm good. More things happened in the first 10 pages than in the first 100 in the Korean book! High brow readers would probably be horrified that I like SK better than I like her, but who cares?

[Rowan]

Syl, I've stopped apologizing for the books I like. I like what I like, bite me.

I read 11/22/63 by King recently and really enjoyed it. I hadn't read anything by him in some time.

[mellenhead]

Sil, I *loved* the writing in Under the Dome. I thought all the characters were very fleshed out and real. I actually couldn't put it down. I am hit or miss on SK. Some of his work I love and others I can't even read because they bore me to tears. And like Rowan, I've quit apologizing for what I like. I give zero fucks if someone thinks that what I am reading is lowbrow.

Anyway....

I started reading The Innocents by Francesca Segal. It's about a young Jewish couple in London who question if they are really happy in life. I'm liking it so far.

I haven't had much time to read lately, which is making me quite grumpy.

[Sílvia]

Yes, guys, that's the spirit. I've also stopped trying to finish books I don't like. If it hasn't grabbed me after 50 or 100 pages, goodbye.

Mellen, I missed you'd read it. Good to know you liked it! I'm on page 180 or so, and I think there are too many characters, and I hope he'll stop introducing new ones soon. It's hard to keep track of everybody. But I'm liking it. Also, Leo's been going to bed super late (=very little reading time) and it's driving me insane. I need my reading time like other people need booze or time with friends or physical activity.

Ro, I read the first chapter of 11/22/63 at the store today and I totally wanna read it. Gotta wait for the paperback, though. No way I'm paying US$50 for the hardback (hardback? is that the word?). I wouldn't pay 50 bucks to hear the story from SK himself.

[Rowan]

Hardcover. I wouldn't spend $50 on it either! But it was good!

Still reading the Widower's Tale...I haven't had much time to read either. I agree it's definitely my way to unwind and get grouchy if I don't have time to read.

[mellenhead]

I finished up The Innocents. The ending was somewhat unsatisfying but I did like it overall.

I started Man Made by Joel Stein. I generally like his reading and find him funny but this books is just him trying to hard to be funny. I kind of skimmed most of it and read some parts.

Right now I'm torn between reading The Chaperone or Game of Thrones because I just finished watching Season 1. (Because in my mind - if the show was so awesome, the book must be amazing?!)

[Sílvia]

Hardcover! Of course. Thanks!

[Beverly]

That might be another of those regional things ... in Idaho we're more likely to say hardback.

[Sílvia]

Really? I've never heard that. I said it because I drew a blank

[Rowan]

I'm halfway through Defending Jacob. I'm liking it so far. Story is teen is murdered, DA is assigned, DA's son is arrested for crime, DA convinced his son is innocent does everything he can to clear him. Sometimes I'm not too crazy about the writing but I can't put my finger on it yet. It's had rave reviews so I"m really hoping for the best.

No boy this week as he is off to Grandparent Camp so I'm anticipating lots of reading time.

[Rowan]

Blush, I saw the latest Penny Vincenzi at the library yesterday and thought of you and almost picked it up but it smelled like an ashtray. I won't take out stinky books because I'm too sensitive to the smell.

I did find a bunch of good ones though. Hopefully I can carve out some time.....

[Beverly]

I saw a Penny Vincenzi book at the Salvation Army yesterday, but I couldn't remember why her name was familiar to me ... now I wish I'd picked it up, since Blush and I seem to have similar tastes.

I'm still working on The Dovekeepers and liking it, but it's hard to find time for it. Yesterday I started At Risk, also by Alice Hoffman, because I needed a smaller book to take in my bag. I'm about halfway through it, and it's very good, though almost unbearably sad.

[Rowan]

Stayed up late to finish Defending Jacob. If you like thriller/murder mystery/law books, READ this. One of the best books I've read in 2012. Let me rephrase that as best stories I've read because sometimes the writing is just ugh and you have to slog through (but it's worth it).

I have the 2nd Shades of Grey waiting for me next.

[mellenhead]

The Chaperone bored me so I gave up after 60 or pages. I just picked up The List and The Receptionist from the libary on Monday. Hoping to start on one of them tonight.

[Spudd]

I'm still slogging through my sailing book. Meh. I'm not really into sailing and his writing is only occasionally amusing.

I got on the hold list for the ebook of "Defending Jacob" from the library. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Bugsy]

I reread Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood for book club and enjoyed just as much as I did the first time.

Yesterday I finished the 3rd in the "Song of Ice and Fire" series, A Storm of Swords. It was really good, and a ton of crazy stuff happens, especially in the last 1/3 of the book. I'll take a break to read lighter fare but will be reading the 4th in the relatively near future.

I'm almost through with listening to the audiobook of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It's amazing. It's filled with sadness and hard times, but it's a truly amazing story. I'm loving it.

I picked up a few audiobooks for our long drive to far northern WI tomorrow (~5 hours each way). I got Ender's Game, a couple by David Sedaris, and Choke by Chuck Palahniuk. Hopefully Jason will be interested in one of those.

[Spudd]

We LOVED the Ender's Game audiobook. Highly recommended!