It's August - what are you reading?

[Annie]

Aw, you guys are cute.

Can I just say how much I'm loving "Plainsong". Wow.... It might be passing "Kevin" for the year's top book.

[Rowan]

Spudd, I really liked Defending Jacob too but...I loved the story but I thought the writing was muddy at times. Funny because when I brought it back to the library, the librarian said the same thing of having to slog through it. You did some good reading on vacation!

I'm reading Shadow of Night (30 pp in or so) but I kinda forgot the first one and am a bit lost. Should I give up and reread the first or will I get back into it? Anyone? Mellen?

[Spudd]

Yeah, I also felt the writing wasn't 100% great. But it was entertaining. The twist near the end (the 2nd major thing to happen) shocked the heck out of me. And then the final twist I also didn't see coming. So yeah, I enjoyed it.

[mellenhead]

Yeah, I was lost a bit in the beginning too but I got back into it. I think at the end of the 1st book they were just about to time travel to go look for the Ashmole book and this one started with them already time-traveled.

I finished Dare Me by Megan Abbott - it was excellent. Like a YA mystery/thriller covered in teenage agnst, sequins and pom-poms. Highly recommended.

I also read Becoming Sister Wives (from the TLC show). It was ridiculous. I'm not even sure why I read it or watch the show. Total trainwreck.

Next up is The Age of Miracles.

[Rowan]

Left the Harkness book for something fluffy. I finished My Life Next Door, a YA novel last night. I liked it.

Back to Harkness today? We'll see...

[mellenhead]

The Age of Miracles was lovely. Really enjoyed it.

I finished up Battle Royale today. Eh. After slogging through 622 pages I expected more at the ending.

I started 50 Shades of Grey. I'm about 25 pages in and it's so so bad.

Next real book is Gone Girl.

[Sílvia]

I finally finished The Forgotten Garden. It took me more than a month The first half was super slow and I was busy with the move (read: not focusing), then the second half was very gripping. Editors, people. Hire them. I read the last 15 pages with Leo awake. I don't know how you do this, Mellen. Leo just can't entertain himself for more than 10 minutes, sometimes not even that.

Then I started House Rules by Jodi Picoult. Let's hope her ending won't piss me off this time.

I'd like to reread The Thirteenth Tale one of these days because online reviewers keep saying the Forgotten Garden is very similar to it, but I don't remember much of it to compare. There are certainly some of the same elements.

[Annie]

You all read BOOKS while your KIDS are awake???? How on earth is that possible? I wouldn't be able to finish a freaking paragraph without being interrupted.

I finished "Plainsong". (Really good, people!) Now I'm reading "The Kindness of Strangers". So far, so good.

[Sílvia]

Glad I'm not alone, Annie!

Rowan's M is older, but Mellen said she can do it with Jake, too. I was like I'm lucky enough to be online for 20 minutes when Leo's awake. The other day I was able to read for 15 minutes while he watched cartoons, but he was REALLY sleepy (therefore quiet).

[mellenhead]

I usually can read for a little bit in the morning on the weekends when we get up. He is GRUMP in the mornings until he wakes up a bit so he usually plays on my iPad for awhile. We snuggle up on the sofa and he plays and I read. At night for his snack he gets to watch one show and usually gets pretty absorbed so I read then too (30 min or so).

I also read before bed, read during my lunch break at work, read on the train to/from work.......it all adds up I guess.

[Sílvia]

I guess the lunch break and the commute help. I pretty much only read before bed

[Bugsy]

I read "Bossypants" by Tina Fey and was kind of disappointed. There were cute parts, but overall...meh. I liked Mindy Kaling's book a bit more, I gotta say.

Just started "Weighing In: Obesity, Food Justice, and the Limits of Capitalism" by Julie Guthman. So far it seems like it may be a bit over my head, but I'm going to keep working at it. We'll see!

I have to admit that I'm super antsy to start the 4th book in the "Song of Ice and Fire" series.

[Blush]

I just finished the Lionel Shriver book. It was okay. The middle was boring and a bit of a slog but I liked the ending.

Next is Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan. "Paris, 1940: A brilliant jazz musician is arrested by the Nazis and never heard from again. He is 20 years old. He is a German citizen. And he is black. "

It won the Giller prize so I have high hopes!

[Annie]

That's a bummer about the Lionel Shriver book, Blush. But good to know.

I know I already mentioned it but I'm reading "The Kindness of Strangers" and it's a page-turner!

[mellenhead]

I think I have to break up with Jennifer Weiner books. I tried to read her latest, The Next Best Thing and it just wasn't any good.

I'm about half way through Gone Girl and it's so so good. I'm loving the writing and story.

[Anna]

I just started The Sociopath Nextdoor. Non fiction I hope its interesting

[Annie]

Let me know how that is, Anna. I haven't heard of it but it sounds like something I'd like.

[Annie]

Okay, I finished "The Kindness of Strangers". I went to bed at 8:30 and read until 12:30 because I couldn't put it down. So good!

[mellenhead]

I finished Gone Girl - loved it. I need to read her other books.

I'm slogging through 50 Shades of Grey. Can I also comment that I'm amused that people are totally ok with reading this in public? On the train the other day I saw 4 people reading one of the books.

[Rowan]

I gave up on Shadow of Night. I just couldn't get into it.

I read 3 books on vacation all just ok. I can't even remember what they were. I'll edit to add.