November already! What are you reading?

[Rowan]

Re: What the Nanny Saw. M likes to ask me about the books I read and last night he asked me about this one and whether I finished it. He then asked me what the nanny saw...I had to reply "nothing good really". His reply? Well Mom that book just sucks.

I started The Giver by Lois Lowry last night. It was recommended to me a few years ago when a friend was experiencing a school uproar about assigning it to her 4th-5th grader. Honestly, this book is the start of all the YA new community/end of the world books (eg: Divergent, Matched). It is truly a "children's" book and not HS age but I'm liking it. I think I figured out what might have been the problem that parents had and if so, it's really ridiculous IMHO.

[Rowan]

Finished The Giver. Honestly, I thought it was just ok. It won the Newberry Medal in the 90s. I'm just wondering if the YA/Childrens writing has gotten better over the years because I just felt it lacking....

Next up, Reached by Ally Condie (the last in the Matched YA series). Excited to read it. I took home 14 books on Wed night in preparation for my vacation next week. *so happy*

[mellenhead]

Finished up The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her own making by Catherynne Valente and Ghosts of Manhattan by Douglas Brunt. Both were pretty decent. Ghosts of Manhattan was a fictional account of a guy working as a trader at Bear Stearns right before the market crashed.

Not sure what's up next. I have an Emily Griffin book at home (Where We Belong, I think). I need to get to the library and get Breed by Chse Novak and This is how you lose her by Junot Diaz.

[Bugsy]

Both "Tell the Wolves I'm Home" and "Gone Girl" came in at the library for me this week. I started "Wolves," as I'm also on the wait list for the audio version of "Gone Girl" and will be needing a new audiobook soon. I'm already almost halfway through "Wolves" after starting it just two nights ago. It's excellent so far and a very quick read. I can't wait to find out more, as it's still seeming rather mysterious.

And I'm oh, about 2/3 through the audiobook of "Big Stone Gap" now and am still really liking it.

[Blush]

Glad you are liking Big Stone Gap! If you are looking for more memoirs I would highly recommend Nora Ephron's "I feel bad about my neck". It is funny and her voice is both soothing and energizing. I also loved Michael Moore's memoir that came out last year, "Here comes trouble". I read it in book form.

[Bugsy]

Sweet! Thanks, Blush.

[Rowan]

My week of delicious reading is going well.

Finished Reached by Ali Condie last night. The final in the trilogy. Felt rushed but still ok.

Read These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen this morning. Stopped for a workout and will head to lunch and bring my book.

Told M I would read 4 books today to hit my 100 this year. Don't think it will happen but I should be able to get another 1.5-2 done today. Glad I stopped for a workout becaues I feel great now.

[Sílvia]

I finished So Much for That at the beach. Holy depression. But it was good in that twisted Lionel Shriver way. DEFINITELY original. Have you finished it, Spudd?

Now I'm reading Gone Girl. It seems. good so far.

[Spudd]

Silvia, I'm still working on it. I think I'm like 3/4 of the way through. I really enjoyed Gone Girl (except I found the ending to be a bit of a letdown).

[Annie]

I also loved Michael Moore's memoir that came out last year, "Here comes trouble". I read it in book form.

I have that from the library right now! I'm still finishing up The Glass Castle though. Reallllly good.

Glad to hear you like Tell the Wolves, Bitsy. I MEAN BUGSY.

Sil and Spudd, I think I'll add So Much For That to my list.

[Blush]

I just read Tiny, Beautiful Things (Dear Sugar) by Cheryl Strayed. I had read most of the columns online but some of them were new to me. Definitely a tear-jerker, wakeup call and soothing hug all in one.

[Annie]

I listened to an interview with her on NPR and got really interested in her book. I'll have to put it on my list.

[Sílvia]

I gotta say I'm kind of unimpressed with Gone Girl so far (page 250 or so). It's readable, but I'm finding it kind of slow. Apparently there'll be tons of twists, so we'll see.

[Annie]

Ugh, I started and gave up on Michael Moore's "Here Comes Trouble" in a span of 2 nights. The first chapter was okay. At least it felt relevant enough that I could overlook the writing.

Then he started at the beginning of his life, his birth, early years and I was like, dear God, I don't have it in me to read his entire life story. Especially after having just finished the wonderfully written memoir, "The Glass Castle".

So now I'm moving on to "Eventide" by Kent Haruf.

[mellenhead]

I'm about half done with Heads in Beds - A Reckless memoir of hotels, hustles and so-called hospitality by Jacob Tomsky. It's pretty funny and interesting. Cool look behind the scenes of the inner workings of upscale and not so upscale hotels.

[Rowan]

Over the weekend I read two books. Potboiler by Jesse Kellerman which I really didn't like. I've loved the other 2 novels he's written but this one not so much. No Time for Goodbye by Linwood Barclay which was ok. The premise was good but I didn't feel it was well written; again I love the author so this was a bit disappointing.

Going to start Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton in a few minutes.

Not as much reading as I would have liked but got some great workouts in and played a couple of marathon Monopoly sessions with the family.

[mellenhead]

Finished Heads in Beds, totally enjoyed it. Some funny (and frightening) stuff in there!

I had a bunch of holds come in at once.....Breed, This is How You Lose Her, My Heart is an Idiot, The Middlesteins, Bran on Fire....and 3 more that I'm blanking on.

Kind of bummed I won't hit my 100 book mark for the year. I'm at like 78 ish books right now.

[Rowan]

mellen, take a week off from work and just read.

[mellenhead]

I would *LOVE* to do that Rowan! The one time my parents took Jake to Lake Erie for a Saturday and Jeff was working I didn't leave the house and read 4 books. It was awesome.

And I just got a notice that The Twelve by Justin Cronin (which is like 500 pages, I'm sure) is on the hold shelf. WTF, Library Gods? Why is everything coming in at once?!

[Rowan]

That happened to me the other day...I got like 6 books in that I was dying to read. I hate that!

I just hit 100 the other day. I thought I would read more last week but alas I did not.

Will you post your list at the end of the year?....