It's March - what are you reading?

[Rowan]

I'm reading Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell and it is fantastic. Its been described as Pulp Fiction meets Grey's Anatomy. I'm about 100 pages in and I'm so impressed by his description and writing style. if the f-bomb offends then its not for you.

This is the debut for him and he wrote it during his internship at a hospital (which just makes me hate him).

I recently finished The Associate by Josh Grisham and it wasn't bad. I read a review where the reviewer commented on how Grisham had written a book about nothing that was still engaging enough to finish.

[Rowan]

Finished Beat the Reaper. It was pretty good although the end was a little crazy.

I also read Barbara Delinsky's latest While My Sister Sleeps. It was an easy engaging read. I've liked her recent books.

Not sure what's next on the pile.

[Sílvia]

I finished rereading The Shadow of the Wind. I loved it. I'm so glad I reread it. As I mentioned in last month's thread, I was reading it when my Spanish teacher Luci died in 2005, and although I finished it then, I barely remembered most of it. I remember thinking to myself "this seems like a great book. I should read it again sometime when I'm not so sad.". Glad I did!

Now I'm reading Passion India: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Passion-India-J ... 8176211788 It's ok so far, not terribly gripping. I hope it gets better.

[Crystal Meth]

Rowan - there's also a Canadian writer named Vincent Lam who wrote a novel about doctors in between his job as emergency room physician. And then it became a best-seller and won the Governor General's prize. Not that I'm completely jealous and bitter. Where do people get that energy?

I'm reading Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse. It's really cute.

[mellenhead]

I'm reading The Secret Diary of Anne Boleyn by Robin Maxwell and The Baby Catcher by Peggy Lastname(no clue). It's about her midwife career - it's very interesting.

I have The Reader and In Defense of Food on my nightstand for my next books.

[Blush]

I finished the Jane Green book I was reading, which I now can't remember the name of. I started one by Gemma Townley but it was vapid.

Now I'm reading a crime/thriller novel by Minette Walters. I'd read one of hers before (The Shape of Snakes) which I liked. This one is "The Sculptress". She's British and her novels are very graphic but I like her writing style.

[Rowan]

I finished the newest Michael Palmer The Second Opinion which I liked. There were a few over the top things that as a dr he should have known but otherwise was a quick and engaging read.

I'm currently reading the newest Jodi Picoult who I know isn't a favorite among a lot of you but I'm really enjoying this book. Its about a family who has a daughter with OI (osteogenesis imperfecta - when you easily break bones). I don't know a lot about the disease and its pretty interesting.

I've had The Story of Edgar Sawtelle on my to be read pile for a while. Has anyone read it? I'm wondering if its any good.

[Sílvia]

Rowan, I think the consensus was that her endings suck. At least it did in My Sister's Keeper. I still have 2 of her books on my TBR pile, so they'd better be good.

I finished Passion India, which I must say has a very unfortunate title. Before I knew what it was all about, I thought it sounded like a cheap romance novel. It's not. It's nonfiction, and it's based on the story of a young Spanish dancer who married an Indian prince. As all nonfiction (IMO), some parts were a little slow going, but overall it's a pretty good story. I highly recommend it.

Now I'm reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I kind of hate the writing style. I believe the story will get interesting at some point (it's Germany during WW2), but so far it's been slow (I'm on page 120). I still have hope I will like it. It took me half the book to get into Passion India.

[Sílvia]

I'm reading The Reader by Bernhard Schlink (sp?). I like it, but that's easy since I'd already liked the movie. Crystal, did you finish the book?

[Crystal Meth]

Do you like the book? Because then you know what I'm going to say about it given our previous discussions.

I finished it, but I found I didn't care about the characters. Which, for a book about the Holocaust, you would hope wouldn't be the case?

One of these days we'll agree on a book, and I'll drop dead of shock.

I'm reading "The Book of Dahlia" which I think is fantastic. Some people might not like it because it's very in-your-face writing, but it's about a woman who gets cancer (it's fiction) and I have to say I've never laughed so hard about someone with an inoperable brain tumour.

[Rowan]

I just finished Kristen Hannah's latest True Colors. It was ok but I didn't like any of the 3 main characters. You would think that with 3 sisters there would be someone you could relate to but no.

Next up is a GH Ephron novel Obsession. The series is good - kinda like Alex Delaware before Jonathan Kellerman started to suck.

Off to the library to get a new pile. I'm at 25 so far for the year.

[Rowan]

Change of plans. Apparently I had the new Adriana Trigiani at the library so I'm starting that today so I can get it back to the library ASAP. I'm 40 pgs in and its pretty good.

[Crystal Meth]

25? But- but- it's only March! I am in awe.

(I think I'm at 15 so far...)

[Rowan]

But it's nothing if you read some of the people on librarything. Some people read a book a day. Granted they probably don't have jobs but still.....

Really the hard part isn't the reading its finding books. I'm heading to a new library this week as I've exhausted the local one.

[Sílvia]

One of these days you guys will have to explain to me how you manage to read that fast and absorb the info. Not to mention enjoy it! I could read faster for college, but that was because I had to, and I probably skipped half the words.

Anyway, Crystal, I finished The Reader. It was ok, but the movie's much better. Have you seen it? I don't think you were supposed to care about Hanna, and Michael was kind of a loser. Emotionally speaking, at least. So I also didn't care much about the characters. But I still found it an interesting story. One problem I had with it was that Michael was still obsessed with Hanna after what, 40 years? Come on! Also, many people on amazon were saying that it's "such a beautiful love story". Uh?? Love story?? That was no love story! It was manipulation on her side, obsession on his. I did like the last part where he started sending her the tapes, though.

I started Jodi Picoult's The Pact, but passed out on page 8 and have no opinion of it yet.

[Crystal Meth]

Oh my goodness, we are dangerously close to agreeing about a book! I have heard that the movie is way better. (Of course it is, it has Kate Winslet!)

I don't think I read "fast", just normal. But I have a lot of transit time to just sit on the subway with a book.

[Rowan]

Very Valentine was really good for a chick flick type book.

Next up? Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson.

[Sílvia]

Crystal, and we'll always have The Namesake

Btw, I have something to ask you about The History of Love, but I'm going to start a thread.

[Rowan]

Ugh! Sundays at Tiffany's was lame. Don't bother.

Next up is Obsession by GH Ephron. Always a quick read!

[Spudd]

I finally finished Wizard and Glass by Stephen King! Man that book was long.

Next up is Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman.