Once in a while, I like to poke my head in and ask:
So, whatcha reading?
Like, right now.
What is it?
Is it good?
Should we be reading it?
(My own update: I just finished reading Peter Clines’ The Fold, which is a twisty little sci-fi thriller about a group who creates a teleportation technology based on folding reality — and, duh, it doesn’t go so well. It was really good! Also just polished off Delilah Dawson’s Wake of Vultures, which is so good it’ll make you hate her because it’s too good. Weird Westy fantasy stuff, different from but in line with John Hornor’s totally amazing The Incorruptibles.)
Drop in the comments.
Tell us what you’re reading omg right now.
DO IT OR I RELEASE THE BEES
teachjournalism says:
Just started The Rosie Project, recommended by another book nerd/teacher friend. The humorous first person narration by an aspie who doesn’t know he’s an aspie is eye opening.
March 2, 2015 — 6:56 AM
samhawkewrites says:
Loved it. The second book (the Rosie Effect) is equally charming.
March 2, 2015 — 5:38 PM
Cari Hislop says:
Yesterday I finished “A Warm Place to call Home (a demon’s story)” by Michael Siemsen. It was SO good I’m having withdrawals (If I manage to do some work today I’m going to buy another one of his books as a treat – hell I’ll probably buy one anyway). It’s told completely from Frederick’s point of view (the demon). He’s selfish, irreverent and essentially a complete bastard…and yet…he has other sides as well and you can’t help caring about him and his feelings. I was sucked in from the first paragraph and stayed up all night Saturday reading it (even though I had to be up early Sunday morning). The author did such a brilliant job unravelling the character and the story (and now I need a sequel).
March 2, 2015 — 6:58 AM
smkay70 says:
Cool, I have that in my queue!
March 2, 2015 — 9:25 AM
fakedtales says:
I was reading Reviving Ophelia because it was on a list. I can’t remember where I got the list from, but it included information about teenage girls and depression. I’m writing a teenage girl with depression in a short story and want to make sure I do well by her.
Then, oh my god, there’s a new Kelly Link book! All play stops for the Kelly Link book! All of everything! Wait, no, no, breathing is permitted. Possibly a few other things. Still, I’m really excited by Get in Trouble as it’s the first collection of her short fiction in a while. I enjoyed Pretty Monsters but this is all new and I can only reread the same three collections again and again so many times before it gets weird.
March 2, 2015 — 7:03 AM
Kitten says:
Reviving Ophelia is an amazing work.
March 2, 2015 — 8:55 AM
Nancy Bauer says:
I love Ed Finn….. Been a fan for years. I think you may like this. “Future of the Book”
http://edfinn.net/blog/2014/08/07/future-of-the-book/
I am currently reading his autobiography “A Journalist’s Life on the Left” is wonderful. The man knows how to use his words.
March 2, 2015 — 7:04 AM
Rob Laman says:
Just started Blood of the Water by Jamie Maltman. It is the second in his Arts Reborn series that explores the combination of the arts and magic in a setting that parallels ancient Greece and Rome. Really fun premise and I enjoyed the first book immensely so I’m looking forward to digging into this one. Just finished Suckers by Z Rider; great take on vampires, dystopia, plagues and rock & roll. And I’m listening to The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith during my daily commute. Liking that one too. And +1 for the mention up above of Patrick Rothfuss; I finished The Name of the Wind a couple weeks ago. Excellent book.
March 2, 2015 — 7:05 AM
Anna Dobritt says:
Reading the following:
The Invisible Code by Christopher Fowler
Black Sun Rising by Preston Child
Into the Jaws of the Lion by N.S. Wikarski
The Belial Children by R.D. Brady
Cthulu Mythos Encyclopedia by Daniel Harms
The Necronomicon – The Cthulhu Revelations by Kent David Kelly
March 2, 2015 — 7:17 AM
Paris green says:
The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogan and Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce. Something light and easy after hauling through Brandon Sanderson’s back catalogue last month
March 2, 2015 — 7:18 AM
donnaeve says:
Happy to report…
1)TROUBLE IN THE HEARTLAND
2)REVIVAL.
Just finished DESCENT.
Loving all of them!
March 2, 2015 — 7:20 AM
Mozette says:
On Friday night – around 10:30pm – I listened to some creepy-ass shit on the internet… haven’t really been able to get to sleep since. It was about the Russians and stay-awake gas…. found out it was Fan Fiction. Woah!!!! Never again!
So, I’ve been reading some light stuff.
‘Eucalyptus’ by Murray Bail
‘Good Reading Magazine’
‘Hour’s The Limit: Great Meals in 60 Minutes’ by ‘Fast Ed’ Halmagyi (yep! a cookbook I scored for nothing… I love cooking).
‘Wizard & Glass’ book 4 of the Dark Tower Series by Stephen King
March 2, 2015 — 7:22 AM
percykerry923 says:
Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon. It’s fascinating. And since it’s also her Nobel-winning book, I would surely commend it. This is my Lit-Fic phase, where I’m reading any and every lit-fic author I can find- Richard Flanagan, VS Naipaul being among them.
March 2, 2015 — 7:27 AM
Rebecca Grubb says:
Song of Solomon is excellent. Toni Morrison is excellent. Excellent.
March 2, 2015 — 10:15 AM
Maya Langston says:
I concur.
March 2, 2015 — 1:15 PM
Argoscan (@argoscan) says:
I’m not really reading nothing right now but I try, and I try, and I…
March 2, 2015 — 7:31 AM
Will Humphreys says:
Recently finished The Rabbit Back Literature Society by Finnish writer Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen. Really really good & I’m recommending it to anyone who’ll listen. Now onto Partick O’Brien’s biography of Picasso. Enjoying it too.
March 2, 2015 — 7:38 AM
Will Humphreys says:
I mean Patrick… Pesky phone keys
March 2, 2015 — 7:41 AM
Jamie Chavez says:
Just finished On Immunity by Eula Biss (and Zuckerberg had nothing to do with it) and started Case Histories by Kate Atkinson, because I so loved her Time After Time.
March 2, 2015 — 7:53 AM
Shannon Janeczek says:
Reading “Annie’s Ghosts” – a nonfiction book about a family member who “disappeared” into the mental health system in 1940s Detroit.
March 2, 2015 — 7:55 AM
travis says:
just finished Redemption Falls. Great demonpunk firefly replacement series.
March 2, 2015 — 7:58 AM
Gene says:
The Dead Colonies by Robert Tozer. Spenser has a one goal: get to the west coast with his companion Lexi, find a boat and sail to a tropical island–hopefully without any of the DEAD occupying
it.
March 2, 2015 — 8:06 AM
strugglingwriter says:
I started and finished Scott McCloud’s graphic novel “The Sculptor” last night. The central theme about the desire to be remembered when we’re dead really stuck with me.
(Atlanta Burns is next on my list 🙂 )
March 2, 2015 — 8:11 AM
Annie Howland says:
Spent the rainy weekend with a selection of short story anthologies, devouring them like a bucket of popcorn with a few beetles tossed in. In other words…lovely and horrifying at the same time. “Lovecraft’s Monsters” edited by Ellen Datlow and “The Spectral Book of Horror Stories” (some choice morsels in here, and the cover is awesome) edited by Mark Morris. Yummy.
March 2, 2015 — 8:15 AM
Rebecca says:
I’m reading 4 books.
Just started your The Blue Blazes, Moonshine by Rob Thurman, JR Ward’s Lover Avenged and Christopher Hitchens’s Arguably Essays.
I read Moonshine before bed, Hitchens on the treadmill, The Blue Blazes during the day and JR Ward while on chauffeur duty sitting in the parking lot waiting for my kids to get out of school.
They are all good so far.
March 2, 2015 — 8:22 AM
Kay Camden says:
I like how you have a book for each part of your day.
March 2, 2015 — 8:53 AM
Rebecca says:
I’m not sure when I started doing that but I found I actually read better. When I would just sit and read one book, I realized I would start skimming instead of reading.
With as busy as we all get, I think I was treating the books like another chore, hurry up and get in done.
Takes me longer but I enjoy them more.
March 3, 2015 — 6:52 AM
Laura Quirola says:
Just finished Lover Avenged a few weeks ago. I honestly have to say I kind of stopped reading J.R. Ward after that… Would love to hear how you like it/the series.
March 2, 2015 — 10:10 AM
Rebecca says:
I like the series. Nothing in it that has really turned me off to reading them.
The one thing that kinda bugs me is the build up of characters continues book after book until that Brother gets his book and then, poof….you rarely hear about him or their wives anymore.
It’s like, What happened? lol
Where’d they all go.
It’s suppose to be this close knit group and one by one they fall off.
These boys had ISSUES! LOL that we get invested in and it’s like well……. o_0
I get how she was introducing the Brothers and why but kinda wish they’d be more present in the following stories.
Regardless, I am going to stick with it.
From what I have been able to read in comment sections, some of the Brothers play a larger part in The King.
So I’m hoping that now that everyone’s been introduced there’s going to be more cohesion.
There’s also a 3rd group called The Band of Bastards (I think it comes out in the 13th book that gets released this month) that sounds like it could be interesting.
If you haven’t read the BDB companion guide that was done after Phury’s book, it’s worth a read.
The first part is a short story on Z and Bella, then Ward interviews each brother and goes at length to discuss the characters/development.
She also includes deleted scenes and her original outline of the first book which shows that some of the characters started out different then how they ended up in the books. An example, in the original outline Phury had a wife and kids who were killed and he lost his leg in battle. So not how he ended up when it came to the books.
It does help with the hows and whys.
I think it would be cool if she could pick up doing The Slices of Life again that she has on her web site. There hasn’t been an entry to that since 2007 but my guess is she’s a tad busy. lol
As long as she doesn’t kill off Z or V, it’s all good. 🙂
March 3, 2015 — 10:53 AM
Christy says:
Currently reading “Sparrow Hill Road” by Seanan McGuire, and I’m enjoying it. Also currently reading “Thud” by Terry Pratchett. I always enjoy the Discworld novels, so that may be a bit bias to say I’m enjoying it, especially since it’s a re-read.
March 2, 2015 — 8:30 AM
Rick says:
From NetGalley I received an ARC of Normal by Graeme Cameron. Wonderfully written serial killer yarn about apart lovable but frightening young man who keeps young women in a cage below his garage. Trouble is his newest catch is a little feisty and he has fallen in love with two other women he doesn’t know how to desk with if he doesn’t want to kill them . Funny frightening and absolutely enjoyable
March 2, 2015 — 8:32 AM
JD Savage says:
Storm of Swords, the third in the Game of Thrones saga, and Inferno by Dan brown. Storm is just as good as you might think, (I’ve purposely avoided the HBO show), with a richness for language not quite to the Tolkien level, but excellent in its own right. Inferno is not as good. It’s a bit hacky in a Clive Cussler sort of way, but good enough to read before turning the lights out.
March 2, 2015 — 8:35 AM
dperdue6865 says:
I am juggling two books: 1) The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer and 2) Sundiver by David Brin. Please, do not piss the bees!
March 2, 2015 — 8:37 AM
Beverly says:
As always, I refrain from pushing client books here. Oddly enough, I picked up a kids’ book: Holes, by Louis Sachar. I’ve never read it, as I was too busy being a 21-year-old when it arrived on the scene. These days all the smartest kidlets I know like it, and it has a weird, creepy premise, so… in I go. I’m sure it will be a veeeeeery fast read, but I’m looking forward to it!
March 2, 2015 — 8:38 AM
Wendy Christopher says:
I just finished reading ‘The Demon of Darkling Reach’ by P.J. Fox, and enjoyed it so much I’ve just bought the sequel. If you like your paranormal gothic romances dark and with an absorbing level of accurate medieval history, this is a book I can definitely recommend.
March 2, 2015 — 8:39 AM
mechanteanemone says:
“Klee Wyck” by Emily Carr, the 2009 restored edition. And it’s really good.
March 2, 2015 — 8:41 AM
luraj2612 says:
Currently reading for fun:
Blameless by Gail Carriger
Body of Evidence by Stella Cameron
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
And for research:
Women of the Wild West by Katherine Krohn
Wild Women of the Wild West by Jonah Winter
(Both are aimed at kids, but were the only books in my local library system that came up when I searched for Belle Starr. And now I may not even be using her in the story I’m planning.)
March 2, 2015 — 8:41 AM
mattblackattack says:
The “Black Tide Rising” Series, by John Ringo. ZOMBIES
It’s pretty great. I like it a lot. It’s a pretty long series, though.
March 2, 2015 — 8:42 AM
Nick Nafpliotis (@NickNafster79) says:
-11/22/63 by Stephen King, which is remarkably good.
– That Ain’t Right: Tales: Historical Account of the Miskatonic Valley. Very good short story collection so far.
– Tons of comics, the best of which might be The Walking Dead (still) or Birthright
March 2, 2015 — 8:47 AM
Kay Camden says:
Ann Aguirre’s I WANT IT THAT WAY. So so so so so so so so soooooo good. I normally don’t like New Adult but I’ll read anything Ms. Aguirre writes because her words. OH HER WORDS. And her love scenes? Steamy but so REAL and utterly emotional. No one writes love scenes like her. She’ll make you fall in love again.
March 2, 2015 — 8:51 AM
BarbH says:
In the middle of Rebekah R. Ganiere’s “Dead Awakenings” a twist on zombies and I’m loving this story! Strong characters, intriguing plot and different from others that I’ve read in this genre.
March 2, 2015 — 8:52 AM
Kitten says:
Trying to get through For Whom the Bell Tolls and wondering when they’re going to blow up the damn bridge.
March 2, 2015 — 8:54 AM
Demonified™ (@swtlyevil) says:
Hmmm.. I finished book 2 of the Heartland Trilogy called Blightborn. Still having nightmares about corn. Thanks, Chuck. *shudders*
I started reading Fate by Nikki Sex just last night. I’m not sure about it yet. I’ve been having issues about finishing what I’m reading because with some of it, if it were an actual book, I’d throw it across the room, but since it’s usually on my laptop or phone, I refuse.
March 2, 2015 — 8:58 AM
Sara Crow says:
Almost two-thirds of the way through Murakami’s 1Q84. It is FANTASTIC. Definitely a commitment of a book (it’s over 1,000 pages), but entirely worth it so far. My reading goal this year is to get through as many of the “great big books” that I’ve wanted to read for years and haven’t, and this one was on top of my list. Really engaging, straightforward language and some fantastic and well-developed characters. Highly recommended.
March 2, 2015 — 8:59 AM
mannixk says:
I love Murakami, even though his women sometimes come out sort of one-dimensional. I didn’t think that in 1Q84 though.If you haven’t, you should check out his short fiction too. Makes me wish I could read Japanese so I could access it in its original form.
March 2, 2015 — 9:15 AM
Carla Lee Suson, Novelist says:
The Outsourcerer’s Apprentice by Tom Holt. It tries to answer the question of why are wolves always dressing in grandmother clothing and trying to eat little girls when they always fail? Also, where do all the dragons come from so that dragon slayers can have constant work?
March 2, 2015 — 9:01 AM
partlowspool says:
About to start book three of the Unwind series by Neal Shusterman. Holy crap. One of the most chilling dystopian futures ever created. There’s one scene, toward the end of the book, that I will never be able to regret–it was so impactful and so perfectly written, gritty and chilling. I can’t believe everyone isn’t talking about this series.
mb
March 2, 2015 — 9:02 AM
Erik Buchanan (@erik_buchanan) says:
Currently reading “The City & The City” by China Mieville. It’s… odd. It’s trying to be an alternate world police procedural in a place with two cities that coexist in the same physical space and occasionally overlap. I’m not sure it’s succeeding.
March 2, 2015 — 9:05 AM
Kate says:
Reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Think William Gibson writing The Westing Game with loads of 1980’s trivia.)
and
Jam by Yahtzee Croshaw (The Jampocolypse. This is farce at its best. Hilarious and wonderful.)
I recommend both.
March 2, 2015 — 9:07 AM
Mike Hays says:
Reading P. Craig Russel’s graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s GRAVEYARD BOOK, Volumes 1 & 2 and re-reading THE OUTSIDERS by S. E. Hinton. Needless to say, I’m happy.
March 2, 2015 — 9:21 AM
Anthony says:
I am presently reading this weird book called Blightborn. The author is some new guy. You’ve probably never heard of him. Goes by the name Wendigo. Charlton Wendigo I believe.
Beyond that I’m also dipping into some non-fiction reading with a book called “Wings, Women, & War” which is about female combat pilots in the Soviet Union during WW2. It is pretty interesting, and I’m enjoying it a lot.
March 2, 2015 — 9:25 AM
mckkenzie says:
Just finished _Caliban’s War_, the second book in the The Expanse trilogy by James S.A. Corey (a pen name for two guys who write these, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck). Awesome hard-sci-fi — ships and space and physics and stuff — with a liberal dose of organic ick, hostile alien artifacts, and political maneuvering. Very cool series!
Up next is _Half a King_ by Joe Abercrombie.
March 2, 2015 — 9:32 AM
Spofforth says:
Just started Gone by Michael Grant. Loving it so far.
Just finished The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham. Loved it, though part one is written oddly; It has a very light-hearted tone.
March 2, 2015 — 9:38 AM
Ashley Rowe says:
I just finished The Sculptor by Scott McCloud
Reading Monstrous by MarcyKate Connolly ( Making sure its age appropriate for my 8 year old plus its actually a good book)
Hero with A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
By the way thanks for asking that question my to be read pile just got bigger.
March 2, 2015 — 9:39 AM
Lauren says:
Amazon recommended The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg. The premise sounded intriguing so I bought it (and it’s sequel The Glass Magician). I may never take Amazon recommendations seriously again. This is one of the most horrific examples of a main character with no agency that I’ve ever seen. Nothing hapens in the story because of her decisions or actions, everything hapens to her. On top of that, she spends a huge chunk of the book wandering though someone elses memories, doing absolutely nothing but watching this persons history unfold. Awful. A truly miserable read.
March 2, 2015 — 9:41 AM
Hannah Fairbairn says:
We Were Liars by E.Lockhart…. I’m halfway through and I started it last night… the more you read the more you know there is something wonderfully shocking going to be revealed… and I just can’t wait to find it out.
March 2, 2015 — 9:42 AM
lisboeta1 says:
My writing is really getting in the way of reading. LOL. Amidst editing hell I am working on a mainstream novel called Room. I am about half way through and I am not sure yet if I like it. It is told from the POV of a five year old born and raised in captivity (his mom was kidnapped 7 years ago and kept in a room). It took me a while to get used to the childish talk but I am interested in finding out where the story is going. Not the stuff I usually read for fun but it’s for one of my book clubs. In my cue I have so many books I don’t know where to start… I want to go back to fantasy:)
March 2, 2015 — 9:42 AM
conniecockrell says:
I’m reading Lawrence Sanders, The Tomorrow File. Written in the mid-70’s it is a wonder of world building. Author of the Anderson Tapes and The First Deadly Sin, I hadn’t expected a SciFi type book from him. I’m totally enjoying it.
March 2, 2015 — 9:49 AM
Laura Quirola says:
I love the days you ask for suggestions, because it always ends up bolstering my to-read list, which is never a bad thing.
I just finished reading Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance). They’re weird and fantastic and at times made me feel like there were bees under my skin and behind my eyes (See? The bee-theme continues). It’s about something (can’t say for spoilers) that invades Earth and seems to be making it ‘different’ by inches, starting off in mysterious Area X. Best money I’ve spent so far this year.
Right now I’m re-reading Wuthering Heights as part of a book club. If you haven’t read it, do. If nothing else, it’s a great study on a variety of passionate, misunderstood, and painfully vengeful characters.
That it’s considered a Classic with a capital C doesn’t hurt, I guess. If that normally turns you off, I can assure you that it’s one of the easier to read and the language isn’t overly flowery or pretentious.
Next up: Atlanta Burns, by the one and only C. Wendig, aka Peer (Pee-er?) of Bees.
March 2, 2015 — 10:08 AM
Evaine says:
I’m a little more than halfway through Touchstone by Melanie Rawn and enjoying it muchly. It’s a story about a theatre troupe that uses magic to produce their performances. First of a series that has book 4 being published next month, I believe with a projected book 5.
March 2, 2015 — 10:09 AM
R. A. Opp says:
Just started Red Rising.
March 2, 2015 — 10:11 AM