Pick-a-Shelf discussion

Sorry I missed last month. It was hectic on a lot of levels. But we are back, so please list a favorite quote from your summer reads books. If you are having trouble picking one, just go with page 46....It always works for me!

from Inferno, p. 46

"The problem is, I have no idea what I'm supposed to seek."
Sienna let out a long slow breath, her expression grave. "I think I may know. And what's more ... I think you may have already found it."
Langdon stared. "What are you talking about?!"
"Robert, last night when you arrived at the hospital, you were carrying something unusual in your jacket pocket. Do you recall what it was?
Langdon shook his head.
"You were carrying an object ... a rather startling object."

Susan - I love Dan Brown's books and pre-ordered this one, unfortunately, it is sitting here while I spend a bunch of time reading borrowed books...I have to get to it soon.

For first 80% of Inferno was fantastic - fast paced and riveting. The last 20% was disappointing though - I didn't like the way the story was resolved.

Lauren wrote: "For first 80% of Inferno was fantastic - fast paced and riveting. The last 20% was disappointing though - I didn't like the way the story was resolved."

I agree, Lauren. I found the resolution frustrating. Then again, I'm not sure what ending I might've been happy with that would've been true to the story. It's definitely thought-provoking.

From The Light Between Oceans, page 47:

"It surprised Tom how much he looked forward to seeing Isabel. Somehow she had crept under his defenses. He enjoyed her stories of life in Partageuse, and its history; about how the French had chosen that name for this spot between oceans because it meant 'good at sharing' as well as 'dividing'."

Susan wrote: "Lauren wrote: "For first 80% of Inferno was fantastic - fast paced and riveting. The last 20% was disappointing though - I didn't like the way the story was resolved."

I agree, Lauren. I found the..."

OK. you two are peaking my interest. Really got to get this book going!

LynnB wrote: "From The Light Between Oceans, page 47:

"It surprised Tom how much he looked forward to seeing Isabel. Somehow she had crept under his defenses. He enjoyed her stories of life in Partageuse, and ..."

Great quote, Lynn. This is another book that I have been trying to get to. Your quote makes me want to bump it up the list.

Oops. This needs to be starred to stay at the top. At first, I had trouble finding it.

from Legend, p. 46:

My first tracking mission: Day ...
I close my eyes and try to think.
Day killed my brother. I know this because we found a stolen ID tag lying halfway up the third-floor stairwell, which led us to the soldier pictured on the tag, who stammered out a description of what the boy looked like. His description didn't match anything we have on file for Day -- but the truth is, we know little about what he looks like, except that he's young, like the kid at the hospital tonight.

from Ghostman, pp. 49-50:

Transforming has always been the easiest thing in the world for me. I unbuckled my safety belt and retrieved my bag from the overhead compartment. In the side pocket was a trio of faded passports, and stuffed under the covers were matching driver's licenses. ...

I wasn't going to Atlantic City anymore. One of these three men was. ...

I stared at his picture until my muscles slowly relaxed into the shape of his face. I could feel my expressions changing to fit his appearance. My resting heart rate slowed down, and my hands seized up with the tension of sudden middle age. It's hard to age twenty years in twenty seconds.

I took a long breath, let it out slowly, and became fifty-six years old.

Susan wrote: "Oops. This needs to be starred to stay at the top. At first, I had trouble finding it."

Thanks for the reminder. How bad of me.

Susan wrote: "from Ghostman, pp. 49-50:

Transforming has always been the easiest thing in the world for me. I unbuckled my safety belt and retrieved my bag from the overhead compartment. In the side pocket was ..."

This looks fascinating. I may have to add this book to my list.

from Good Omens, p. 46:

"But after we win life will be better!" croaked the angel.
"But it won't be as interesting. Look, you know I'm right, You'd be as happy with a harp as I'd be with a pitchfork."
"You know we don't use harps."
"And we don't use pitchforks. I was being rhetorical."

And I really loved this, from p. 231:

They [kids Pepper, Wensleydale & Brian] were sharing a thought that none of them would be able to articulate very satisfactorily even in normal times. Broadly, it was that there had once been real cowboys and gangsters, and that was great. And there would always be pretend cowboys and gangsters, and that was also great. But real pretend cowboys and gangsters, that were alive and not alive and could be put back in their box when you were tired of them -- this did not seem great at all. The whole point about gangsters and cowboys and aliens and pirates was that you could stop being them and go home.

From Broken Homes, don't know what page but it is chapter 11.

'Fuck me,' I said to Toby. 'We're living in Isengard.'

Susan wrote: "from Good Omens, p. 46:

"But after we win life will be better!" croaked the angel.
"But it won't be as interesting. Look, you know I'm right, You'd be as happy with a harp as I'd be with a pitch..."

Those are great, Susan. I especially like the ones about cowboys and gangsters. Something that is certainly true, but that you never think about.

Karen wrote: "From Broken Homes, don't know what page but it is chapter 11.

'Fuck me,' I said to Toby. 'We're living in Isengard.'"

I fell off my chair laughing, Karen.

from The Sandcastle Girls, p. 46:

"Quick," Ani whispers, "lie on top of the child."
"What?"
And rather than waste a second answering or explaining, Ani crawls over Nevart and spreads herself atop Hatoun, using her own blanket like a cape. She murmurs into the child's ear, "It's nothing, don't move. Don't make a sound."
...
A moment later, the gendarme takes a second child, another boy, and then a third, this one a girl.
...
"Whjere do they take them?" Nevart whispers to Ani. "Do you know?"

Wow, you are a reading machine this month, Susan. How many books have you read this month??

BTW - this last book is a great one. Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors. I have read several of his books and they were all 4 and 5 star reads for me.

Lyn M (readinghearts) wrote: "Wow, you are a reading machine this month, Susan. How many books have you read this month??

Ever since how slow A Suitable Boy went, everything else seems to go fast by comparison. But I think only 6 so far that I started in August and finished in August. Hoping for at least 2-3 more.

And I agree about Bohjalian. Have yet to read anything I didn't enjoy of his.

From Siege and Storm
I loved the addition of Nikolai to the cast of characters. He had some great one liners...

“Watch yourself, Nikolai,” Mal said softly. “Princes bleed just like other men.”
Nikolai plucked an invisible piece of dust from his sleeve. “Yes,” he said. “They just do it in better clothes.”

and

“You heard Prince Perfect," Mal said, and joined us at the table. Nikolai grinned. "I've had a lot of nicknames, but that one is easily the most accurate.”

Those are great one liners, Tara. I can just see the petulant look on Nikolai's face.

From Life After Life, page 32

"Ursula opened her milky eyes and seemed to fix her gaze on the weary snowdrop. Rock-a-bye baby, Sylvie crooned. How calm the house was. How deceptive that could be. One could lose everything in the blink of an eye, the slip of a foot."

LynnB wrote: "From Life After Life, page 32

"Ursula opened her milky eyes and seemed to fix her gaze on the weary snowdrop. Rock-a-bye baby, Sylvie crooned. How calm the house was. How deceptive that could b..."

LOVED this book!! I rated it the best book of 2013 for me and the most interesting book I have read in a long time. There was so much to discuss and think about.

From

“Aw, hell, Tessa. I was in ninth grade. By the time I got to the part where I imagined a girl without panties on, it was all over.”

D.G. wrote: "From

“Aw, hell, Tessa. I was in ninth grade. By the time I got to the part where I imagined a girl without panties on, it was all over.”"

LOL, D.G. That one made me laugh out loud. Great quote!

LOL, I know! The book wasn't very good (for me) but it had some funny quotes. ;)