Just went to the library and got: Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson One More for the Road - Ray Bradbury Questions About Angels - Billy Collins Native Guard - Natasha Trethewey The Fault in Our Stars - John Green (signed copy!)
I'm reading Daughter of Smokes and Bones by Laini Taylor and let me say that woman is an amazing storyteller. You know how you see those quotes on the front of the book like "amazingly addictive" or "can't put it down once you've picked it up." I must say, those words express exactly how I feel. For me, no genre fits it, but you will find it in the Teen fantasy segment of the bookstore. It definitely deserves another section...not dousing teen fantasy fiction...but it really should be somewhere else. Anyway its focused on a girl name Kaoru who's caught in a war between angels (who aren't like the angels we think of, but who happen to be like men from 300 with wings of fire and mineral,) and beastly creatures called Chimaera. It's good, just good.
I've recently started One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey. Not far in yet, but I'm already enjoying it.
I am currently reading the series 'Maximum Ride' by James Patterson. For now, I still have two books left before I complete the series. So far it's quite entertaining!
Though I hate to admit it, I'm reading Fifty Shades of Grey. Yes, I jumped on the bandwagon & wanted to see what all the fuss is about!
Currently reading The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien, and a collection of George Orwell's essays. Both of these are rereads.
I want to read it myself but I refuse to pay for a book that's been hyped up that much until I know its worth it. Unfortunately, there over 300 holds on the book at my local library. Currently, I'm reading a book called Glimmer by Phoebe Kitanidis. It's about two people who wake up with no memory of their past life. It's written in 1st person and switches views between the man and the woman each chapter. Not bad so far but not that great either.
Over the past few days I've been in hospital. Lots of time to read. So I finished: Omensetter's Luck by William Gass - amazing prose; powerful and unique story The Wanting Seed by Anthony Burgess - biting satire, funny and horrifying by turns The Aerodrome by Rex Warner - classic but strange fascism-in-Britain story that predates 1984 Whistlejacket by John Hawkes - beautifully written but somewhat confused story of murder among the rich fox-hunting set, with lots of stuff about big sexy women and horses
Currently reading Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, and Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay. Reading two books at once isn't something I normally would do, but, you know, sometimes your eyes are too big for your book-belly.
Made it halfway through Terry Goodkind's The Omen Machine. I had to stop there because I couldn't stand to read anymore of it. It's like everyone has come down with a case of terminal stupidity. People kill their own families and then blame the MC for it because he ignores prophecies. The MC, who is only in his 20s, is suddenly smarter than wizards that are a thousand years old. Secondary characters chastize the MC for moving faster to solve a prophecy even thoguh he literally heard it only two minutes ago. After the original Sword of Truth series finally ended, I figured I woudl give Goodkind's new books a try. I'm sorry I did. In the Omen Machine, everyone suddenly has the intelligence of a 6 month old infant. And now Goodkind is trying to write a story of MC vs religion. This was a waste of a good two hours this weekend.
Mickelsson's Ghosts, by John Gardner. 'Bout time for a nice, big, long literary novel, I think, and this one qualifies.
I just finished "I am Alan Partridge". Maybe not a literary masterpiece but the single funniest thing I've ever read. Every page had me laughing out loud which makes people look at you funny. I can't recommend it highly enough
I'm currently reading, and thoroughly enjoying, 'Born Brilliant: The Life of Kenneth Williams' by Christopher Stevens. A fascinating insight into a British icon.
I'm reading SPUD by John Van de Ruit. Actually started with the last one first, loved it. Now I'm reading the first one...backwards reading in a way lol I'm only a few pages in and I love this one too
I'm reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. It's about a 'fireman' in the near future who burns books because they're illegal. It's really good so far, totally reccomend.
I'm currently reading The Eagle's Prey by Simon Scarrow. It's the fifth book in his Eagle Series, which I've really enjoyed. It's about two Roman soldiers, Macro, the hardened veteran with almost sixteen years experience, and Cato, a young lad of the Imperial Palace shoved into the deep end as Macro's Optio (second in command to Centurion, Macro's position) in the first book. All the books have been thoroughly enjoyable - plenty of warfare and deception to keep me entertained. The books are highly recommended to any historical fiction fan. Scarrow's characters are brought to life brilliantly throughout, and you really feel like you know them all. They're the first bunch of books I've read in years and I was a bit sceptical about them at first, but I've found myself getting thoroughly into it. I've been tutting and insulting characters I dislike and everything! A very good read, all of them. So far.
I'm about to read The Great Gatsby for the first time. Also going to check out A half forgotten song by Katherine Webb, to counter-balance the more 'serious' stuff I've read lately.
I was lucky enough to find a cheap version of Dangerous Visions, which is an anthology of speculative fiction stories written by writers like Harlan Ellison, Philip K. Dick, Larry Niven, and Roger Zelazny. I don't usually read SF, but this is a great anthology. I highly recommend it.
