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Post by Becca Mills on Oct 1, 2018 17:13:20 GMT -5
I'm reading a collection of shorts from the Dresden Files universe by Jim Butcher. It's called Brief Cases.
Also reading Bridge to Terabithia and Wizards at War, by Diane Duane, with my kids.
Just finished Between the Shade and the Shadow, by Coleman Alexander, and Phoenix Unbound, by Grace Draven.
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Post by Victoria on Oct 2, 2018 1:49:38 GMT -5
Rescuing the Prince by Victoria . Actually not quite finished with this one, but will be by bedtime! Loving it so far and have some questions when I'm done. Oh, thanks for reading it! Fire away with any questions, you can PM me here or on Twitter  I'm re-reading The Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett. It's an accessible, funny but also completely fascinating book about how the brain works. Very highly recommended. |
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Post by Becca Mills on Oct 2, 2018 11:30:20 GMT -5
[quote source="/post/57506/thread" timestamp="1538410823" I'm re-reading The Idiot Brain by Dean Burnett. It's an accessible, funny but also completely fascinating book about how the brain works. Very highly recommended. Ooo, I love science-y books!  |
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Post by Daniel on Oct 3, 2018 14:36:04 GMT -5
Ooo, I love science-y books! Have you read Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything by Ervin Laszlo? My sister recommended it to me, and it was fascinating. It explores the concept that everything is connected to everything else through an information field (aka the Akashic record.) It's an interesting blend of philosophy and physics. |
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Post by kateelizabeth on Oct 3, 2018 16:55:55 GMT -5
I finished The House With a Clock In Its Walls, by John Bellairs, this morning, and I'm currently reading A Ring to Take His Revenge, by Pippa Roscoe. Next is a book about George Washington's spy network.
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Post by Becca Mills on Oct 3, 2018 21:51:24 GMT -5
Ooo, I love science-y books! Have you read Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything by Ervin Laszlo? My sister recommended it to me, and it was fascinating. It explores the concept that everything is connected to everything else through an information field (aka the Akashic record.) It's an interesting blend of philosophy and physics. No, I haven't read that, or heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation -- sounds fascinating! Kate Elizabeth, would you recommend The House With a Clock In Its Walls? |
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Post by katiev on Oct 4, 2018 7:13:32 GMT -5
And now I'm crying. Thanks.  Almost finished UPROOTED by Naomi Novik. It took me about a hundred pages to get into it, but I'm really enjoying it now! I'm amazed by just how much happens. It seems like every few pages, new information or events morph the main character's goal significantly. I'm really enjoying being kept on my toes. Also, it involves a romance between a young woman (18? 20? I forget) and a centuries-old immortal-ish man. My friends were talking recently about how creepy those romances are in fiction, but I'm not creeped out in the least--I'm completely rooting for the relationship. Stuff to think about. |
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Post by Miss Terri Novelle on Oct 4, 2018 9:08:16 GMT -5
Have you read Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything by Ervin Laszlo? My sister recommended it to me, and it was fascinating. It explores the concept that everything is connected to everything else through an information field (aka the Akashic record.) It's an interesting blend of philosophy and physics. No, I haven't read that, or heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation -- sounds fascinating! Kate Elizabeth, would you recommend The House With a Clock In Its Walls? If she doesn't, I will. It's an excellent book, well, series actually. And I'd never heard of it until my husband made me read it years ago. He had the first two and I went out and bought the rest. I should re-read those before we go see the movie. Oh, and he'd also recommend the Leven Thumps series. It's not a classic, but he enjoyed it. And I'll throw Edward Eager into the hat as well. |
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Post by ameliasmith on Oct 4, 2018 10:09:01 GMT -5
I read Uprooted sometime last year. I have been thinking about getting her next book, but haven't yet.
I'm currently in between books, skimming light non-fiction while the library gets the next book in this Robin Hobb trilogy for me.
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Post by Miss Terri Novelle on Oct 4, 2018 10:36:26 GMT -5
I was behind on the In Death books by Nora Roberts (J.D. Robb) so I am reading one of those--Secrets In Death, I think. It's number 45 of the series. People say she's not writing them herself anymore and hasn't been since 5 or so books back. I can tell you that if she's writing these, her heart is not in it and she should stop. This does not feel like her writing at all. First time I've ever been tempted to DNF one of these.
I'm also reading Hook, Line, and Murder by Tegan Maher and Verbalize (a writing craft book) by Damon Suede. Next on deck is the same set of Dresden shorts Becca's reading.
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Post by Suzy on Oct 4, 2018 11:15:17 GMT -5
I just finished The Other Side Of The story by Marian Keyes. I love her books because they're so funny but there is also quite a dark side there. She is a brilliant storyteller. This book suited me right now because I'm not in the mood for anything sad or scary. I don't think I ever will be, actually.
When I was a teenager I read very serious, classical books and loved drama, excitement and scary stuff. But I have been through so much dark stuff myself through the years so now I want to read uplifting, feel-good stories that make me smile. Is that so bad?
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Post by Becca Mills on Oct 4, 2018 11:46:28 GMT -5
I just finished The Other Side Of The story by Marian Keyes. I love her books because they're so funny but there is also quite a dark side there. She is a brilliant storyteller. This book suited me right now because I'm not in the mood for anything sad or scary. I don't think I ever will be, actually. When I was a teenager I read very serious, classical books and loved drama, excitement and scary stuff. But I have been through so much dark stuff myself through the years so now I want to read uplifting, feel-good stories that make me smile. Is that so bad? I feel the same way, Suzy. I'm making an exception to read some classic children's books to my kids <passes the tissues to katiev, with apologies> but in general, no thanks on the sads. Thanks, Laura, have ordered the first Leven Thumps book and the first of Eager's Half Magic series! Downloaded the sample for Uprooted. |
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Post by katiev on Oct 4, 2018 14:10:52 GMT -5
I read Uprooted sometime last year. I have been thinking about getting her next book, but haven't yet. I'm liking Uprooted enough that I'm 99% going to buy Spinning Silver. I'll let you know how it is! |
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Post by Daniel on Oct 4, 2018 14:18:53 GMT -5
But I have been through so much dark stuff myself through the years so now I want to read uplifting, feel-good stories that make me smile. Is that so bad? I'm with you. I won't read anything that I know has a tragic ending. If I'm reading along and the hero goes from one horrible experience to another without ever winning, I jump to the end and see if all the suffering is worth it. (It rarely is.) Unfortunately, fantasy (and sci-fi for that matter) is rife with stories that leave you exhausted and shocked at the horrible cost of the hero's final victory. Sure, she won, but at what cost? One of the reasons I started writing fantasy is because I grew weary of the grimdark and post-apocalyptic novels that had taken over the genre. Story needs drama, but that doesn't mean every story has to be steeped in angst, sorrow, and pain to be interesting. It's nice to get a glimpse of the positive human emotions once in a while, too.
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Post by ameliasmith on Oct 4, 2018 14:31:24 GMT -5
Miss Terri Novelle I went to a presentation by Damon Suede at the local RWA conference a couple of years ago and it was brilliant -- very funny and smart. If you ever get the chance to catch him live, I recommend it.
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Post by Miss Terri Novelle on Oct 4, 2018 14:36:42 GMT -5
He was at NINC which I did not attend because of this house stuff.
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Post by kateelizabeth on Oct 4, 2018 16:02:40 GMT -5
Becca, I really liked The House With a Clock in Its Walls, but I may have enjoyed it more as a child. It's the beginning of a 12-book series, I believe. Someone online on one of the boards (I think) said that the movie was nothing like the book (big surprise).
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Post by katiev on Oct 4, 2018 16:07:37 GMT -5
But I have been through so much dark stuff myself through the years so now I want to read uplifting, feel-good stories that make me smile. Is that so bad? I'm with you. I won't read anything that I know has a tragic ending. If I'm reading along and the hero goes from one horrible experience to another without ever winning, I jump to the end and see if all the suffering is worth it. (It rarely is.) Unfortunately, fantasy (and sci-fi for that matter) is rife with stories that leave you exhausted and shocked at the horrible cost of the hero's final victory. Sure, she won, but at what cost? One of the reasons I started writing fantasy is because I grew weary of the grimdark and post-apocalyptic novels that had taken over the genre. Story needs drama, but that doesn't mean every story has to be steeped in angst, sorrow, and pain to be interesting. It's nice to get a glimpse of the positive human emotions once in a while, too.
Which would you say are some of the worst offenders? Morbidly curious--I seem to have mostly avoided stories like this so far. Or perhaps my tolerance for masochism is just unusually high |
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Post by scdaffron on Oct 5, 2018 8:15:00 GMT -5
Miss Terri Novelle I went to a presentation by Damon Suede at the local RWA conference a couple of years ago and it was brilliant -- very funny and smart. If you ever get the chance to catch him live, I recommend it. I've heard he's better in person. I bought Verbalize and mostly got through it. The book is incredibly repetitive to the point that I found myself saying to myself, "Okay, dude, I get it. MOVE ON." Anyway, the idea is cool, but the book could have been about 100 pages shorter. |
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Post by ameliasmith on Oct 5, 2018 8:33:47 GMT -5
I've heard he's better in person. I bought Verbalize and mostly got through it. The book is incredibly repetitive to the point that I found myself saying to myself, "Okay, dude, I get it. MOVE ON." Anyway, the idea is cool, but the book could have been about 100 pages shorter. That's probably true. I have another one of his books and haven't gotten through it, either. |
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