EPBOT Readers discussion

Hi Everyone!

Been a busy week with a couple of new kitties we're working into our household. They're very sweet, so I think it'll be worth it!

This week I finished:

The Shadow of the Wind - FInally! I liked the book overall, but it was just so long to read. I think it meandered to much in the middle, with too much time spent in flashbacks. The story was interesting and I liked the ending, but I don't really feel compelled to continue the series.

The Best Paranormal Crime Stories Ever Told - Finished this off just to get it off the list. Like most short story collections, it was pretty hit or miss. I liked some of the stories, others were ok, a lot were just bad.

I also read a bunch of comics, I'm behind on most my titles.

Currently reading:

Spinning Silver - Really loving this so far. I like fairytale retllings in general, especially when they really turn the story on it's head. This is nominally Rumplestiltskin, but the titular character isn't really a thing. The focus is really on three women all caught up in this tale, and the gender issues brought on by class. There's a peasant woman, a Jewish moneylender woman, and a daughter of a Duke, yet all are caught in the circumstances of their lives and just have to make the best of what they can. Been devouring it, will probably finish in the next day or so.

QOTW:

Now that we're getting into fall, how is everyone's reading going? If you're doing challenges, are you pleased with your progress? If not, are you getting to do all the reading you wanted to do?

This is the first year I'm tracking my books (since 5th grade when I think I read about 250 in a year). I read a lot (but not as much as fifth grade) so set a goal of 104 for the year. I'm at 94 so should have no problem meeting it. I also wanted to read at least 12 new authors and 12 classics; I've definiely hit 12 new authors thanks to FoE but am behind on the classics. I'm also trying to read some favorite series in order. I've reread the Deborah Knott, Vicky Bliss, Leviathan, Jacqueline Kirby, and am on my last Parasol Protectorate.

The weather this week was blah, and I had a few long drives, so that means quite a bit of reading. Finished:

- La femme qui fuit, which had been recommended by my librarian. A woman leaves her two children behind and never looks back. Her granddaughter tries to piece the story of those missing years back together. Written in the second person by a partial writer. Still not sure how I feel about the author putting words in her grandmother's mouth. Did not count toward any reading challenge.

- The Wind in the Willows ATY prompt #46: element of air. Didn't blow me away (pun intended).

- To Kill a Mockingbird ATY prompt #50: warm atmosphere centered on family or summer. This one lived up to the hype for me.

- Le Spleen de Paris Book Riot prompt #1: a book published posthumously. I hadn't read any Baudelaire yet, other than the poem which inspired one of Jason Momoa's tattoos. This was an uneven collection, but with some striking moments,

- Le Petit Prince No challenge prompt. I just stumbled upon it and had not given it the attention it deserved in high school. Charming, quaint, but still not my cup of tea.

- SLAM! #1 Book Riot #18: a comic not published by the big three. Loved the graphics - reminded me of Tank Girl. Not totally hooked after a single issue. Would read more if I could access it, but wouldn't go out of my way to purchase.

- Heart of a Dog No associated challenge. I knew of the author, as many were picking another of his works as posthumous. A strange little story.

I'd set out in January to complete the Popsugar challenge (+ advanced), so 50 books. I now stand at 76, with 7 books to go to complete a total of 4 different reading challenges (Popsugar, Modern Mrs. Darcy, ATY and Book Riot). I am delighted with my progress and will be repeating the experience next year. I can see where you would burn out after a few years, but this is my first year so I still have plenty of ideas before I start feeling too restricted.

Hello All,

I'm still working away at Norwegian Wood. I hope to finish it in the next few days. I'm still very much enjoying it, but just this afternoon I think I figured out something that was supposed to be a major "reveal" toward the end of the book (I'm only 60% though it), and, if so, I'm a little sad that I'll miss the impact of that being handled as the author wanted it to be. Usually I feel SMRT when I figure something out ahead of time, but this time I would have rather been SHOCKED...SHOCKED I tell you!

I've got my next three books already checked out of the library, so I have go start picking up the reading pace. Clearly I'm over Moby Dick, haha.

QOTW: Related to that, MD really put me behind in my reading plans for the year. I guess you could say it was my own personal white whale (ba-dum-dum). This is the busiest time of year for me so I had hoped to be further along. Still, I'm on track for finishing the Pop Sugar challenge (just!), so I'm happy with that. I do need to start building up my audiobook list again as I haven't listened to anything in a while. I just haven't had a chance to sit down and figure our what I'd like to listen to next.

This week I returned the book on Alexandria to the library when a different book on hold arrived. It was just not catching me. While there I picked up a couple of books from the New Books shelf and started reading The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul. I only started it last night but I hope this non-fiction is as enjoyable as Get Well Soon was.

I picked up listening to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe again. Looking at the description on Wikipedia, I think I'm about 65% or so through the book. My audioplayer seems to mess up the times so isn't a good indicator. But I'm still enjoying it when I'm walking alone and my neighbor is away.

I'm holding off saying what my other two library books are until I actually start reading them!

I am not doing a challenge, but still love participating in these discussions. I read what I can and don't feel pressure. But who knows, one of these times I may decide to take that plunge.

Stephanie, I took a full year to read Moby Dick. In fact, I stopped reading the book and started reading War and Peace instead, and then checked the Moby Dick audiobook out of the library so I could finish it. It was so hard to read, mostly because of entire chapters on whales, or the color of white. And because the writing has a certain slow pacing.
I am currently reading Housegirl, which has a certain oddity of pacing of it's own. I don't know enough of Ghana to know if the language is accurate, or not, but I've been reading it has though they are singing, rather then as a dialog. I find that tricking myself like that can make certain passages in harder books easier.

Susie, I agree. I now know more about what Melville knew about whales than I ever thought possible!

Stephanie wrote: "Susie, I agree. I now know more about what Melville knew about whales than I ever thought possible!" Oh, yes... it's kind of amazing to think that whaling was a vital industry, and now we've found other sources for the things whales used to provide. Or we just do without.