^ I've recently started reading 'Invisible Monsters'. Enjoying it so far. And recently finished reading 'All the bright places' by Jennifer Niven. Read it in one sitting and it was so so good.
Picked up a nice, pocket-sized hardcover of the complete ghost stories of M.R. James, a writer I really love, a novel called Time Split by Patricia Smith - a writer I know personally, and rereading Nature and Selected Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Just finished a book called The Ice Man - Confessions of a Mafia Contract killer by Philip Carlo It was a history of the Ice Man [Richard Kuklinski] but written as a novel. The movie that came out in 2013, and as most movies do it left out major points and information.
Jane Carver of Waar by Nathan Long. Basically a parody of the Princess of Mars, except it has its own story. The narrative is funny and the fast action pace is great. Very modern since the book was published two years ago. If you like sword and planet books with something a little new, I recommend this book.
Comics I'm reading: Saga by Brian K. Vaughn- A little Romeo and Juliet meets Space Opera meets Family Adventure, I love the dialogue. Rachal Rising by Terry Moore- Black and white art with a strong suspense factor to the horror, this is about dead girls, angels, demons, witches, and revenge. The Unwritten by Mike Carey, Peter Gross, and Vince Locke- A very trippy concept that anyone who loves stories might like. The basis is that stories contain power, where they were written, the location of the story in the world, and other's belief in that story can generate a power strong enough to change the world...and everyone wants a piece. Novels I'm reading: The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume One Edited by Jonathan Strahan- I picked this up on Amazon today and started reading the short stories. So far I think I'm going to learn a lot from this book. A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin- This book got so slow! We have so many moving parts and so much exposition to build up to the battles. It is getting more interesting now. Recently finished books I enjoyed: Legacy Code and Paragon by Autumn Kalquist - Gritty, largely first person Science Fiction. I loved this from the first few pages and I can't wait until she writes more. She has excepts out too which I devoured. The excerpts really show you more about the world she has created than the two books I listed here do.
I'm about halfway through Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God." I'm surprised because it reads to me like a romance book!
Finished Daughter of Smoke and Bone, starting book two, Days of Blood and Starlight. I hope my book will be just as intriguing with its sci-fi world building but without the magic and fantasy.
I read this in college and all I remember off the top of my head is the ending. I'd love to hear what you think of it!
Overall, I liked the book. I thought the ending was out of left field, but I can see why the author used it to close the book. The main character and her beau were settled into a nice seasonal life and I didn't see anything upsetting it otherwise. And I think the book's message, about living life fully without regret or fear of regret, was better that way.
Yeah, that's why I remember the ending. There were girls in my class in college that said they cried. It did make a change to the message as well. I think, when we read it, it was to study the almost magical elements of the story? Man, it's been a long time. I took a lot of lit classes.
I'm currently reading The Republic by Plato which has opened my eyes to what is a just man and what is not. It has also given me a great idea for a book which I am currently writing.
Got 80 something pages left of City of Bones. It can be really awkwardly worded and cheesy at times, but somehow I've found that's its been a fairly addictive read. I guess that's another book for my guilty pleasures list. Also, I'm reading my first Xanth novel, Castle Roogna. Its weird and full of dumb puns, as is to be expected from this series.
Currently reading The Trouble With Physics by Lee Smolin. I'm 160 pages in, and my brain hurts. Jumping from GCSE standard casual interest science to post-doctoral theoretical physics is a bit mind-boggling.
Yesterday, I finished 'The Legacy' by Gemma Malley. It's the third in a trilogy and I loved the series. Recommend it to anyone who likes dystopian fiction.
I am currently reading The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Damn, this guy never ceases to amaze me! I love how he manipulates words.
I went off him after reading Tender is the Night. Quite liked The Great Gatsby, it should be said, but his other stuff has never held my attention. Just got cracking on Broken Monsters by Lauren Beukes. I loved The Shining Girls so hopefully this will live up to my high expectations.
Ah, thanks for the heads up. I've heard his short stories are fantastic, but the friend who said that has an odd taste in books that I don't trust for myself.
I don't know about his short stories to be honest. I might have to give them a go - as it's summer, I have little better to be doing outside work than reading (and training for this bloody 10k), so I'll get through all sorts. I've already marked Helen Marshall's first collection down to get me up to speed with horror. As always, I'm neglecting short stories and I really shouldn't!
