Eclectic Readers discussion

May's discussion will be on The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. It will take place on Tuesday, May 8th at 8:00 PM, EST.

Please feel free to share comments as you read!

I saw that a copy was available at my library last night, so I rushed to the library today to snag it.

I discovered this reading the book. But when Madeline mention Sturm and Drang, I thought Durmstrang. Connection?

Didn't even notice that! Good catch!

Our current read is The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. Share your thoughts as you read here!

I blew through the book this weekend!! I can't type all I want on a phone but I has to say... aaaaahhhhhhh!! and... waaaahhhh!!!

at Books A Million. it's recommending The Kitchen House as beach reading... I think it may be a little too intense for that

Rurichan wrote: "at Books A Million. it's recommending The Kitchen House as beach reading... I think it may be a little too intense for that"

I agree! I was freaking out in my office. On a beach I would have looked insane.

There are a lot of things about Fool on the Hill that have made me smile or laugh, but the parts near the beginning of Book 3 might be the topper (so far).

My copy of Fool on the Hill is on hold at the library and I'm picking it up today or tomorrow. I'm excited to actually be a part of the discussion this month!

Whoo! I finally got my copy and started reading

Jeannette, let's either remove this or start updating it more frequently... thoughts?

I'm all up for updating it. So whatcha currently reading? ;-)

Alif the Unseen! It's awesome about hacking and magic and yeah! Read it!

Tara wrote: "Alif the Unseen! It's awesome about hacking and magic and yeah! Read it!"

That's on my 'To-Read'! Glad you're liking it!

Sue wrote: "Tara wrote: "Alif the Unseen! It's awesome about hacking and magic and yeah! Read it!"

That's on my 'To-Read'! Glad you're liking it!"

I think I have that on my list too. I needed a break from fantasy after Kushiel's Dart, though. Or at least I thought I did... I'm already missing it.

Are we going to start using this topic/thread for general updates or just ER books? I like the thought of having this used for general reading along with ER reading since we can probably assume most people are reading the current book. ;)

Megan wrote: "Are we going to start using this topic/thread for general updates or just ER books? I like the thought of having this used for general reading along with ER reading since we can probably assume mo..."

I originally intended it for both, but nobody used it. At first I'd remind people to talk about the books as they were reading them, but nobody did that either! So yes, use it for anything you're currently reading! We want to know!

Cool! I'll try to remember to use this in the future :)

yay for reviving dead threads! im (still) reading "the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay". ive been trying to tackle another row in book bingo that i honestly forgot about reading for ER.

Kim wrote: "yay for reviving dead threads! im (still) reading "the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay". ive been trying to tackle another row in book bingo that i honestly forgot about reading for ER."

That's high on my To Read list, Kim! How are you enjoying it?

Before I started 'Kushiel's Dart' two days ago (900+ pages in eight days, let's do this!), I just finished 'I Am in Blood' by Joe Murphy (shameless plug of a mate's book.) Actually really enjoyed it, although at one point I had to throw (read furiously but carefully place) it aside because there was a line that really struck a chord with me.

Sean wrote: "Before I started 'Kushiel's Dart' two days ago (900+ pages in eight days, let's do this!), I just finished 'I Am in Blood' by Joe Murphy (shameless plug of a mate's book.) Actually really enjoyed i..."

Well, that's on my To Read list now!

Jeannette wrote: "Kim wrote: "yay for reviving dead threads! im (still) reading "the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay". ive been trying to tackle another row in book bingo that i honestly forgot about reading..."

Honestly, I feel like that's a loaded question. At THIS point in time, I'm enjoying the book, HOWEVER, it was hard to get into in the beginning and I'm finding it hard to plow through in general. It's very easy to get exhausted by this book and put it down and walk away for awhile. Nothing ever really pulled me back to reading (i.e gripping storyline, suspenseful chapter ending, etc.) other than my obsessive need to complete books that I start.

Having said that, the author has an interesting style of writing and the way he weaves a LOT of topics together rather seamlessly (IMO) is good.

So here's the thing - if you like reading about WW2, magic and illusions, Judaism, the invention of comic books, alternating protagonist POVs, and can handle a unique writing style (i.e. incomplete AND run-on thoughts plus vocabulary of the vague/outdated/topic-or-genre-specific variety), then this might be the book for you!

Kim wrote: " if you like reading about WW2, magic and illusions, Judaism, the invention of comic books, alternating protagonist POVs, and can handle a unique writing style (i.e. incomplete AND run-on thoughts plus vocabulary of the vague/outdated/topic-or-genre-specific variety), then this might be the book for you!

There's a lot going on in this book....

Sean wrote: "Before I started 'Kushiel's Dart' two days ago (900+ pages in eight days, let's do this!), I just finished 'I Am in Blood' by Joe Murphy (shameless plug of a mate's book.) Actually really enjoyed i..."

So, I Am in Blood sounds really scary. Not sure I would read it; I'm kind of weenie when it comes to stories like that. But I'm past the halfway point for Kushiel's Dart. Whoo!

Kim wrote: "Jeannette wrote: "Kim wrote: "yay for reviving dead threads! im (still) reading "the amazing adventures of kavalier and clay". ive been trying to tackle another row in book bingo that i honestly fo..."

A lot of that does not sound like my thing, but a lot of it does? Summer reading list!

Sean wrote: "Before I started 'Kushiel's Dart' two days ago (900+ pages in eight days, let's do this!), I just finished 'I Am in Blood' by Joe Murphy (shameless plug of a mate's book.) Actually really enjoyed i..."

You can do this! 900 pages SOUNDS like a lot, but really after page 300, it's nothing. ;-)

Is I Am in Blood more of a mystery or more of a horror story? I am a sucker for mysteries, but a wimp about horror stories. Always willing to help someone out, but I like my sleep. :-)

Sean wrote: "Before I started 'Kushiel's Dart' two days ago (900+ pages in eight days, let's do this!), I just finished 'I Am in Blood' by Joe Murphy (shameless plug of a mate's book.) Actually really enjoyed i..."

The Podcast comes out on the 15th! So, while we will post an official book for next month sooner than that - you still have a bit of time. :) But you can do it - like Jeannette said, after the first 300 pages it goes quick!

I'm currently reading Kushiel's Avatar, the 3rd book in the trilogy. Once you get over that initial hump of world-building in book one, it gets a lot easier to blitz through the rest!

I'm technically also reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I haven't picked it up since starting Kushiel's Dart...maybe I'll get back to it soon!... :)

Jeannette wrote: "Is I Am in Blood more of a mystery or more of a horror story? I am a sucker for mysteries, but a wimp about horror stories. Always willing to help someone out, but I like my sleep. :-)"

As paradoxical as it may seem, its both and neither. It's more a cross between a crime and a psychological thriller. As a psychoanalysis major it was right down my street.

Meredith wrote: I'm technically also reading The Picture of Dorian Gray, but I haven't picked it up since starting Kushiel's Dart...maybe I'll get back to it soon!... :)

I haven't picked up another book when I started reading Kushiel's Dart either!

Meredith wrote: "I'm currently reading Kushiel's Avatar, the 3rd book in the trilogy. Once you get over that initial hump of world-building in book one, it gets a lot easier to blitz through the rest!

I'm technica..."

That's because you should do what I did and just finish the trilogy. I couldn't concentrate on anything else until I finished it all.

What can I say, I am a completest.

Yeah, Tara, especially with this series, there are SO many characters, I figured it would be easier to keep going, rather than try to remember who the heck everyone was sometime down the road.

The problem is we pick a fair amount of books from series, so I still want to go back and read the rest of the Wool series and the Gentlemen Bastards series!

Ok just finished Alif - now I am between picking up the Left Hand of Darkness or Holly Black's The Darkest Part of the Wood. Thoughts?

Tara wrote: "Ok just finished Alif - now I am between picking up the Left Hand of Darkness or Holly Black's The Darkest Part of the Wood. Thoughts?"

I'd say go with the Holly Black. You've been dying to read that for a while, haven't you?

Either way, you're going to the dark side. :-)

Holly Black it is!

Started reading a book on Greek and Roman political theory today. Really just a 'second', just to have something else to dip into, read.

Sean wrote: "Started reading a book on Greek and Roman political theory today. Really just a 'second', just to have something else to dip into, read."

Awesome! During my literature studies I did a lot of reading into the Greeks and Romans. Let us know how it goes!

How are you enjoying Kushiel's Dart so far?

It's going well enough, though I'm about a third through it now. It reminds me of a few fantasy series I've already enjoyed (Farseer as I've already mentioned, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy and Trudi Canavan's Black Magician , which had made it all the more enjoyable to read.

Sean wrote: "It's going well enough, though I'm about a third through it now. It reminds me of a few fantasy series I've already enjoyed (Farseer as I've already mentioned, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy ..."

Both Farseer and Mistborn were on my list... and now I have to add Black Magician. :-)

Holy cow, I just received a notification that Girl on the Train is already waiting for me at the library, I thought I was going to have to wait much longer than that - I guess I know what I'll be reading for the three day weekend! :)

Megan - I love when that happens! it's always such a pleasant surprise. =D I'm going to finish The Nightingale before I start Girl on the Train.

Megan wrote: "Holy cow, I just received a notification that Girl on the Train is already waiting for me at the library, I thought I was going to have to wait much longer than that - I guess I know what I'll be r..."

That's exciting! My copy came right before the meeting so I was like, yeah! My pick! Ok, maybe not that enthusiastic, as Nette can attest to, but still, it was good timing.

I assume The Girl on the Train is the next group read? Just bought a copy to be on the safe side.

I did it! I finished Kavalier and Clay. 2 months, 3 ebook checkouts, finally done. Now onto Girl on the Train!

Sean wrote: "I assume The Girl on the Train is the next group read? Just bought a copy to be on the safe side."

It is Sean!

Kim wrote: "I did it! I finished Kavalier and Clay. 2 months, 3 ebook checkouts, finally done. Now onto Girl on the Train!"

Sean wrote: "I assume The Girl on the Train is the next group read? Just bought a copy to be on the safe side."

Go Kim!!!

And yes, Sean! On my To Do list for today is picking it up at the store.

I just finished White Teeth by Zadie Smith and I don't know what to read next. Finish the "Unearthly" series? The next "Kushiel" book? The Lightning Thief (My friend and I have a deal that I will re-read that this summer) ? Head start on The Girl on the Train?

READING IS HARD, GUYS.

Jeannette, I'd only say the next Kushiel book, just to keep the characters fresh in your mind! I've got a few hundred pages left in the last book, and it's been quite a ride! (But I wish I could count each of these books as more than one book each on my reading challenge, because, seriously, each one is the length of two to three other books, haha!)

Meredith wrote: "Jeannette, I'd only say the next Kushiel book, just to keep the characters fresh in your mind! I've got a few hundred pages left in the last book, and it's been quite a ride! (But I wish I could co..."

Isn't the third one SO MESSED UP/GOOOOOOD?!?!?!