Topeka & Shawnee Co. Public Library discussion

Welcome! This ongoing discussion is your place to share what you are reading and what you think about it!

I started "The Future of Us" by Jay Asher (thirteen reasons way) and Carolyn Mackler (The Earth, My butt and other large round things). So far it is great. Perfect holiday read for any 15 and up. Premise. Its 1997 Emma gets a new computer with Windows 95 on it and a disc for 100 free minutes of AOL - anyone remember those days. When she signs on,however this weird webpage called "facebook" appears and seems to tell her where she will be in 15 years. She is freaked out because she doesn't like her future, she thinks its her ex-best friend's, Josh, idea of a joke. When he assures her it isn't and looks at his "face book" page and finds out his is marrying one of the schools hotty hotty hotties he can't believe it. So then she continually tries to change her future to one she likes and he continually tries to make sure nothing happens to his. While they go about trying to change their future they learn about themselves and their present.
So Far, Asher has hit another homerun and I am looking forward to reading Mackler's works. What really makes this book great is that it is told from both characters so you get both male and female teen perspective. Also, these characters are good, smart, rational kids. Kids you would like.
Next I am reading Sword of Waters, number 2 in Hilari Bell's "Shield, Sword and Crown" Series. Then I plan on taking on "Legend" by Marie Liu.

Yesterday I finished Rob Lowe's autobiography, "Stories I Only Tell My Friends." I found this to be an enjoyable read and finding out how the entertainment industry works. He doesn't spread Hollywood gossip nor go into detail on his past partying ways. After reading this book I have more respect for him, and find Rob to be an interesting person.

Now I'm just a chapter into South of Broad by Pat Conroy. This is for my book club. I loved Prince of Tides, so I'm hoping that this will pick up in a few chapters.

This weekend I read and finished Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. Before I finally started it, I probably pick it up and took it home in a stack of books on a few occasions when I wasn't sure what I wanted to read. I'm glad I finally cracked it open because I could not put it down. It opens with Franny being on a date with her college boyfriend, and that short story ends with her fainting. In the novella, Zooey, portion of the book we find out why she fainted in the first place. That is pretty much a long conversation between Franny, her brother Zooey, and their mother. The book can be funny, but touches on serious issues like death and religion. I enjoyed it because I felt I could relate to the characters and the subjects they discussed. Good book!

Right now I'm reading Like One of the Family by Alice Childress. It's a collection of short stories that are one sided conversations between Mildred, a maid in New York in the 1950's, and her friend. It was recommended to me by my mom after she read an article about what books you should read if you loved The Helpby Kathryn Stockett. She loved both books, so I'm giving it a try. On the side I'm also going to read A Life in France by Julia Child.

Melanie, I've heard from a couple different friends that Stories I Only Tell My Friends is pretty funny. I'm glad to hear you liked it too because I'm on hold for it at the library and should be getting it soon!

Andrea wrote: "I started "The Future of Us" by Jay Asher (thirteen reasons way) and Carolyn Mackler (The Earth, My butt and other large round things). So far it is great. Perfect holiday read for any 15 and up. P..."

Andrea, I just saw The Future of Us on the new books cart and was very intrigued by it. Thanks for your recommendation- it sounds really good! I also like Hilari Bell, but I've only read her Knight and Rogue series. Is the Shield, Sword and Crown series good?

I just finished When Elves Attack by Tim Dorsey. I wanted to read a holiday themed book that wasn't too serious and this crime comedy did the trick.

I'm currently reading the final book of Guillermo Del Toro's Strain trilogy called The Night Eternal. The books in this series are quick reads with lots of action. I also like the scientific twist of vampirism.

Stayed up late finishing South of Broad by Pat Conroy and really enjoyed it. I can see where some people would have issues with all the violence that occurs - yes, one person can actually live a live similar to Toad/Leo. I think Pat Conroy does a great job with character development - the characters stories are from 1969/1970 then 1989. I also think he does a good job bring people into a story.

Just started reading A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard. I'm 40 pages into a 250 page book. Knowing what little I know of her story it is amazing she was able to survive like that for 18 years and two daughters.

I finished A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard a few days ago. Great story about strength and hope.

I'm now on the 3rd book in the "Marked" series by P.C. and Kirsten Cast titled Choosen. It is a nice little escape and brainless read.

Getting read to start Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilence, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. She wrote Seabiscuit. It should be good.

Marked had taken some turns that I didn't expect. I like to have something like that every now and then. There are points I've read too much so need to alter with nonfiction or classics. Lately there has been quite a bit of nonfiction find its way into my hands.

Melanie wrote: "Getting read to start Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilence, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. She wrote Seabiscuit. It should be good.

Marked had taken some turns that I di..."

Melanie, please report back on Unbroken. I've been meaning to read that for awhile now. I am on a nonfiction kick right now, too. After a down year of reading nonfiction, I'm in the middle of three right now: And So It Goes, a biography of Kurt Vonnegut, and I'm dipping in and out of two essay collections, The Ecstasy of Influence by Jonathan Lethem and Pulphead by John Jeremiah Sullivan.

I also just finished The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, which won this year's Booker Prize. I loved this book, which is full of beautiful writing and interesting ruminations on memory, our perceptions of others, and whether life can measure up to literature. One of the book's main characters says, "History is that certainty produced at the point where the imperfections of memory meet the inadequacies of documentation.” This quote is a perfect encapsulation of the novel, which begins when the narrator, Tony Webster, encounters people and documents from his past, which call into question the narrative he has constructed of his brief relationship with ex-girlfriend, Veronica, who left him for his friend, Adrian. It's one of my favorite books of the year. I also really enjoyed Barnes' story collection, Pulse.

Lena wrote: "Andrea wrote: "I started "The Future of Us" by Jay Asher (thirteen reasons way) and Carolyn Mackler (The Earth, My butt and other large round things). So far it is great. Perfect holiday read for a..."

I read the future of us in less than a day, it's one of those annoying books that just makes you keep going "one more chapter" and before you know it you've got a major case of sleep deprevation.

I'm in the middle of "Clockwork Prince" it's a prequel to one of my favorite series by one of my favorite YA authors. So far it's quaint, but a lot can happen in five hundred pages.

I am currently reading A Death in Vienna by Daniel Silva. It is the fourth in his Gabrial Allon series. The book is a mix of great spy action and history. Allon is an Israeli spy trying to track down a former Nazi. I have enjoyed all of Silva's books that I have read and I don't think I will be disappointed with this one.

Melanie wrote: "Getting read to start Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilence, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. She wrote Seabiscuit. It should be good.

Marked had taken some turns that I di..."

I have heard nothing but good things about "Unbroken". It is on my list of books to read, but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. It's supposed to be quite an amazing true story.

I'm listening to the Physick book of Deliverance Dane.

It's pretty good so far, it's about a woman doing research on a historical figure -- Deliverance Dane --who just may have been a practicing "witch" at the time of the Salem trials. I can tell that there is going to be some connection between this Deliverance and the main characters family. As she researches she also finds romance and she is learning a lot about herself.

I finally finished Unbroken about 15 minutes ago. I would have finished it sooner, but hadn't had a lot of time to read. This book was very good. I will warn you it is not for the light hearted because there is a lot of abuse. Louie Zamperini is an amazing man. Highly recommend this book.