Oh, Lisa, you'll LOVE Pillars of the Earth!!

And read the info on Stephenie Meyer--she wrote 5 books, and she has more little ones. It'll motivate you to write (and then we can read your book!!).

I've been delving primarily into non-fiction lately:

Good Calories Bad Calories (I know some people find it incredible...I find his arguments somewhat unconvincting)
Queen Bees and Wannabes - What a book! About relationships and behavior among adolescent girls
Queen Bee Moms and Kingpin Dads - From the same author - about how those girls PARENTS interact with the school, other people in their kids lives, other parents, etc.

Hey! I am a huge bibliophile so naturally I couldn't resist commenting in a thread entitled "Whatcha Readin'?" LOL. ;)

Lately I have been on a John Grisham tear, just finished reading The Runaway Jury a week ago and have moved on to A Time To Kill. I am concurrently reading How to Lose Friends & Alienate People by Toby Young. LOL. Interestingly enough, HTLF&AP is being adapted into a movie starring Kirsten Dunst & Megan Fox with a release date of next month, so it should be neat to see that and compare the novel to the silver screen adaptation.

Didn't particularly enjoy TRJ, had to force myself to finish it.

After finishing ATTK, I will be moving on to The Pelican Brief as well as The Innocent Man, which is non-fiction. What can I say, I'm a sucker for lawyer novels. :) Actually, I think I just like JG's writing style. Precise and logical.

Here's what I read in July & August:
Kitchen Confidential--Anthony Bourdain (non-fiction, memoir of a NYC based chef and writer, a good read)
Tweak--Nic Sheff (non-fiction, drug memoir of a young man. There is a companion book written by the father entitled Beautiful Boy. Very honest and straightforward read...deals with a delicate subject matter)
The Memory of Running--Ron McLarty (fiction, has a theme of weight loss, altho that is not the main plot, GREAT read)
Searching for Bobby Fischer--Fred Waitzkin (non-fiction, memoir of a chess father with a talented son, saw the movie when I was a kid, book was interesting in a good, informative way)
The Testament--John Grisham (fiction, great read)
The Last Juror--John Grisham (fiction, good read)
The Runaway Jury--John Grisham (fiction, good read although it runs a bit long for my taste)

I just got a puppy (4 month old black Lab--he's the cutest, sweetest puppy ever!) a week and a half ago so reading has taken a backseat to him of late, but I'm a quarter of the way through ATTK so I hope to have it finished by next week. In general, I like there to be a combo of non-fiction and fiction in my reading repertoire. And of course since getting a puppy I have been reading up on Labs.

Re: Anita Shreve, I don't believe I have read any of her books. Is she any good? I have heard OF her, but have never cracked open anything she's written.

Finished Supreme Courtship last night and tonight start rereading Deception Point by Dan Brown

I just finished The Devil You Know which was pretty good in a Jim Butcher/Harry Dresden way. I am now reading Olive Kittridge. It appears to be a collection of related vingnettes, with the same main characters. I loved loved loved the first "story" but haven't liked the next 2 nearly as much. I plan to keep reading though!

I leave for Seattle tomorrow and I have a delicious stack of new library books to sort through. We'll see which ones are "plane worthy!"

I am reading To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Knee-deep in Bushnell's Sex and the City.

Originally Posted by Shopaholic1204:
I'm reading Vamps and the City by Kerrelyn Sparks. It's pretty good so far. I have no idea why I'm really into Vampire Lit right now, lol.

Oooh is that like Sex in the City with Vamps? If so, "count" me in. Oh that was bad, sorry lol. I am on a total Vamp kick myself. I started with The Southern Vamp novels, or The Sookie Stackhouse series. It's got a series now on HBO and I am really getting into it now. Bill is becoming very sexy to me.

Originally Posted by Wolf Goddess:
Has anyone here read the Twilight series? It's very popular, but I'm scared it will all be a bunch of kinky teenage mush. :S

Um, OMG yes they are so awesome! I have been putting off finishing breaking dawn because I don't want it to be over.

Originally Posted by Shopaholic1204:
I LOVE the Twilight books!!! I'm obsessed with them!!!!!!! I cannot wait for the movie!!!!! Theres nothing kinky about them. If you want kinky..read the Undead & Unwed series, lol. Those are pretty good books though.

I can't wait for the movie either, but I have seen some spoilers and the change some of the things I thought were kinda stupid to change. Oh well, I will hope for the best. I also read in EW that Robert Pattinson (Edward) actually has his own songs in the movie and really plays the piano. Could he get more sexy? sheesh lol

Originally Posted by ZetaMD2Be:
Hi everyone!

I'm loving the Twilight series. I'm about to start Breaking Dawn... I couldn't put the others down, but school has gotten in the way with this one.

I know the feeling, that is partially why it's taken me so long to finish Breaking Dawn. I have been reading a little more the past couple of days but I am so close to the end now, it hurts.

Originally Posted by BornToFly:
I just started Twilight.

I almost evny you.

Originally Posted by Shopaholic1204:
I read Twilight when I'm out of other books to read. Which reminds me, The Host by Stephanie Meyer is also really good!!!!!!!!!!!!

I plan to check that out too sometime.

Originally Posted by queenofthehouse:
I'm more than 3/4 through Twilight in only a day! I am surprised I am enjoying it so much!

Yeah I had heard and read reviews that were very mixed. But after reading 8 books in the Sookie series I needed more vamps, so Twilight was the obvious choice.

Originally Posted by stacylambert:
I'm working my way through the Harry Potter series. Again. Currently on the Goblet of Fire.

I really want to go back and reread these too. If nothing else I plan to read the Half Blood Prince again before the movie.

Originally Posted by Shopaholic1204:
I'm reading The Undead Next Door by Kerrelyn Sparks

Will have to check that out too.


I do have The Watchmen, it's a graphical novel. They are making a movie for it right now. It looks very cool. I don't usually do graphical novels, but it is highly acclaimed. I will read that after Twilight time is over. :(

Christina~Actually..How to Marry A Millionair is the first book in the series. Then its Vamps in the City. And its not really like SATC, lol. I mean..theres a lot of sex in it..but its about this reality show. I really liked the book. I'm totally reading the books out of order, lol. I think The Undead Next Door is like the 4th book or something. I really wanted to watch that vampire show on HBO..but we didnt get it!! I told my hubby over and over to get HBO..and they ended up giving us Showtime for free. Like wtf!!! I was sooooooooo mad. So I guess I'm just gonna wait for it to come out on dvd. I loveeeeee all things vampires now!! LoL!!!

Ahh Twilight... I should have come here when I wanted to talk about it (the other forum I visit was complete rubbish and really bummed me out). Love love LOVE the series, finished it a few weeks ago, started reading it a few weeks before then, read it a couple times since. Even when I was reading it for the first time, I was rereading parts. I just don't want to read anything else, just keep rereading these an they NEVER get old. I can't put my finger on what it is I love about them. These are not my "normal" type of book, but maybe they are and I just didn't have a type before. I've tried to read other things since then, but I have NO INTEREST. Sheesh, I feel like a doof but I don't care. They make me happy. They are an easy read, and even though they aren't going to cure cancer or end world hunger, I look forward to getting to read them. (I'm actually HOPING the craving will lessen and I will move on...)

I am also looking forward to the movie, even though it is only a screen play based on the Twilight book. I know there is a bit that has changed, but it has all of the main characters from the book. And even now, when I read the books, the characters from the movie don't look like the characters in my head. I do think that Kristen Stewert will make a wonderful Bella and Robert Pattinson will make quite a convincing Edward (plus, I am a fan of Peter Facinelli and Nikki Reed and Rachelle Lefevre).

So yeah, to everyone in the Twilight-ness, I'm right there with ya!

Originally Posted by mandalinn82:
Queen Bees and Wannabes - What a book! About relationships and behavior among adolescent girls.

manda, I've been DYING to read this since I heard about it as a teenager! I also want to read the follow up!

Originally Posted by EsperanzaBella82:
Tweak--Nic Sheff (non-fiction, drug memoir of a young man. There is a companion book written by the father entitled Beautiful Boy. Very honest and straightforward read...deals with a delicate subject matter)

Esperanza, I read "Beautiful Boy" for my bookclub, and loved it. I heard Nic's version of events is quite different. I would love to read "Tweak" once I get through a ton of other books.

To answer the question, I started "Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood" by bell hooks ( :cloud9: ) early this morning.

Does anyone know of good forums for readers?

Ohh, I also read The Memory Keepers Daughter, which was really good.

OMG... why have I never seen this thread before?
 

I love this thread, I now have a huge list of things to read. As my hubby is deployed, and all my kiddos are in school now, I will actually have time to read some of them.

I just finished rereading the Harry Potter books for about the 3rd time. I'm also reading them with my kids, so still getting my HP fix regularly.

Whoever asked about Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series... I LOVED it.. it is my all time fav series.

Currently, I've been reading Christian fiction in the form of Terri Blackstock.. I've read most of her stuff in the last couple of months. I also have been rereading Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality.. I saw them at the library the other day, and remembered that they were good long ago when I read them the first time. Still good, I am sending them to hubby as he wants to read them.

Next up, I'm thinking I will do Twilight and see what all the fuss is about.. Hope I won't be disappointed.. I love vampire stuff.

Tanith Lee's Secret Books of Paradys. I love this book.

I'm reading...The Vampire Seduction by Raven Hart

Here is a short list of books I have recently finished. I have currently moved onto keeping my nose stuck in craft books and cook books, but I think you all might enjoy these...

Made in the USA By Billie Letts (Author of Where the Heart Is)
Such a Pretty Fat By Jen Lancaster
DRY By Augusten Burroughs (he is addicted to alcohol, however it's good for anyone with an addiction)

I just finished "Good in Bed" by Jennifer Weiner...such an enjoyable book!

I just started reading another novel by her: "Little Earthquakes."

Originally Posted by Tamara:

Does anyone know of good forums for readers?

try goodreads.com

Thanks, Shopaholic! I'm looking to finish "Bone Black" before the day is over. It's a quick read, but definitely gives insight to bell hooks's life. I HEART HER, so I try to read any titles I can get my hands on.

Next on deck is "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed" by Jared Diamond. Its 528 pages, and it looks like an INTENSE read. I hope I enjoy it and learn alot from it. Has anyone read it?

I just finished:

Hunger Games - This was a little too young adult/Twilighty for me. It had a very interesting premise (A little like Long Walk by Richard Bachman) but it really didn't deliver for me. A very quick read.

Waiter Rant - I put myself through college waiting tables so this book was almost hard to read. I'm so glad my rent no longer depends on the kindness of strangers.

I am currently reading:

More Than it Hurts You

your welcome!!! you can add me too: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/719305

Has anyone read any of Robin Hobb's books? I absolutely fell in love with The Farseer Trilogy and was so sad when it ended, then elated to find the next trilogy to finish up the story The Tawny Man. If you love fantasy you might really enjoy these, they were just as good as anything vampire (and you should know by now how I feel about that genre) but they go much deeper in my opinion. Great characters to fall for and hate, reminds me a lil of LOTR's in the details or the realm, but she doesn't over do it.

Hi Everyone,

I am reading "The Pillars of the Earth" by Ken Follett.

Great so far...

Originally Posted by ChristinaGetsFit:
Has anyone read any of Robin Hobb's books?

I liked her Liveship trilogy a lot.

I LOVED Pillars Of The Earth, such a great book. I tried another of his books and never made it past the first chapter..ick.

I'm reading a book about a girl entering a convent to become a nun. I'm not catholic but I bet all catholics would love this book. It's one of those books that really lets you into another life completely. While there is a little background about the main character, it's really mostly about becoming a nun. She pulls up to the convent, smoking wildly with her girlfriends who have also decided to become nuns. They go in and everything is different right there and then. She is not 'dealing' with anything in a negative way so far, except nicotine withdrawls. She tells of the uniform they wear, the sound and feel of silence and how she enjoys it.

Okay, I'm making it sound lame. It's good. :) LOL

Finished Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood by bell hooks. Great book... I love bell hooks' writing, especially when she's discussing her life experience. It was a super easy read, and I learned a lot about how her worldview was shaped by childhood. I loved that almost every chapter (62 in total) was about another person or experience she dealt with. I will definitely read it again, for better understanding at some point.

Starting "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed" by Jared Diamond in a bit!

One of my books
 

I bet you might like my book :) It's what I secretly call a believable Harry Potter based on Biblical 'magic'. See, that's why I say secretly! ;) It's not Biblical in any way that anyone would really even notice, and the magic is not flying and turning people into animals. It's about a boy who finds himself in a world of other people who have come through an abusive life to end up in a world of Knights, Tellers, Healers and (the only really overtly magical part) dragons.

Originally Posted by deeinthekeys:
I love this thread, I now have a huge list of things to read. As my hubby is deployed, and all my kiddos are in school now, I will actually have time to read some of them.

I just finished rereading the Harry Potter books for about the 3rd time. I'm also reading them with my kids, so still getting my HP fix regularly.

Whoever asked about Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series... I LOVED it.. it is my all time fav series.

Currently, I've been reading Christian fiction in the form of Terri Blackstock.. I've read most of her stuff in the last couple of months. I also have been rereading Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality.. I saw them at the library the other day, and remembered that they were good long ago when I read them the first time. Still good, I am sending them to hubby as he wants to read them.

Next up, I'm thinking I will do Twilight and see what all the fuss is about.. Hope I won't be disappointed.. I love vampire stuff.

I'm about 100 pages into The Pillars of the Earth and really enjoying it so far. I wish I had more time to read, but just when I get into it the baby needs me! That's ok, though -- he's a sweetie. :)