All things books and reading thread - 2016

[Primula]

Yes, The Martian was a very good movie.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3659388/trivia?item=tr2509566

When I was 4 years old, going on 5 (very important at that age

), late one night my father came into my bedroom and told me to get dressed and put on my snowsuit, very quietly so as not to wake my mother who was in the middle of a difficult pregnancy.  Then he took me outside and showed me the stars.  He showed me how to find the North Star.  He showed me the Milky Way.  He explained about constellations and how far away the stars were.  And then he showed me a star that was moving, unlike all the others.  He wanted me to someday be able to tell my children and grandchildren that I saw Sputnik.  When I was older, one morning my mother woke me up early along with my brothers and we all went into my parents' bedroom and snuggled between them in bed and watched the television at the foot of the bed as John Glenn made history.  I grew up with the space race, and I cared and care about space travel deeply.


Margret

Here is a funny link between us...that Sputnik...When I was very small, my parents' best friends were Mitchell and Chubby Sharpe, and my best friend was there daughter Becky.  We were Big Bekki and Little Becky.  Mitch was Von Braun's right hand man at Red Stone Arsenal.  This was before the days of cells and beepers, so when they were at our house, Mitch left our number for the base to reach him.  One night at a party, there was a call.  He took it in my parent's bedroom, and called all of us, his wife and daughter and my family, back there.  Said, be quiet now, I have to make a call, and I want you all to here for it.  He dialed, and said, "Mr. President, the Russians have successfully launched Sputnik.  Yes, sir, I'm calling Mr. Von Braun right now,"    And THAT is how I heard about Sputnik before the President of the US did.  Of course, I was only about 3, and didn't remember it, but Mitch and Daddy told Becky and me about it later, so that we would know that we were a part of history.

 

[rubysmama]

 
Honestly?  As much as I have enjoyed this series (and remember...I re-read the whole thing about every 6 months...I REALLY enjoy it!) I almost hope the next one is the last one, or the one after that.  I don't really want to be there when either Jamie or Claire dies.  I want to leave them sitting on the porch of the New House, watching the sun set over their valley, content. 

If she continues to have each new book start 2 seconds after the last one ends, that shouldn't be a problem for a long while.  As much as I enjoy the extended family and friends, I don't want the books to continue without Jamie or Claire.

Am anxiously waiting for the ninth Outlander book. I've read and reread and reread that series so many times. Right before Season 3 starts, I'll grab Voyager again and reread it.

That was a close call !!!!  When I quoted your message the spoiler was visible. I deleted it before I read anything. Whew.

------------

@Mamanyt1953  & @Winchester  Did you guys become Outlander fans when the first book was released, or sometime along the way?  I've enjoyed reading them one after the other and can't imagine having to wait years between the books. I also can't imagine rereading them, as it takes me 3 weeks to read just one of them!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Originally Posted by rubysmama  

@Mamanyt1953  & @Winchester  Did you guys become Outlander fans when the first book was released, or sometime along the way?  I've enjoyed reading them one after the other and can't imagine having to wait years between the books. I also can't imagine rereading them, as it takes me 3 weeks to read just one of them!

For me, I bought the first one as a hardcover the week it came out, and never looked back.

 

[Winchester]

A GF talked to me about the series several years ago. I didn't read them then, but later on, I was over at the library and took Outlander at that time. I think I read it in two days, went back and got all of the rest of them. It took me a couple of weeks, but I finished them. I devoured those books. And I can't tell you how many times I've reread them. As I mentioned, I am anxiously waiting for the ninth book, so I cannot imagine having to wait between the earlier books! As it was, I had to wait a while to get WIMOHB and I was getting impatient. I'm really wanting the new book.

I don't know if any of you are watching the series on Starz, but it's really quite good. The first season was excellent. The second was good, but not as good as the first. It was about them fleeing Scotland for France....I didn't like reading about it all that much either, so I wasn't so enamored of the second season. But I will continue to watch as new seasons unfold. 

I found this somewhere along the line, smiled when I first saw it. It's now on my bulletin board at work...

Jamie (played by Sam Heughan) is center.

Rupert MacKenzie, Murtagh Fitzgibbons, James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser 

Superplaid.jpg

• Winchester
• Aug 31, 2016

 

[rubysmama]

You are a FAST reader. I started reading the series in January and am still reading them.  I did have to take breaks in between for the e-books to become available at the library, but still I'm in my 9th month of reading! 

I don't have cable, so I haven't seen the tv series.  The library has season 1 on dvd, so I may borrow it sometime.

I wonder if the show will last till the final book? It could get boring with all the battles in the later books.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I'm also watching the series.  I came to it late, through a oddity of TWC, whereby it became cheaper to have STARZ than to NOT have it.  So, I binge watched two seasons on On Demand.  I hate that they went a year without shows, but I understand that there are at least two more seasons to come.  These guys are doing a much, MUCH better job of bringing these books to TV than I ever thought would be possible.  That's a good looking group of men there...but, like Claire, I find ANY man in a kilt more attractive than that same man in trousers.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

i just finished the book, The Romanov Stone, by Robert C. Yeager. really a very good book! though fiction, the author did well at making the older parts of the story historically accurate.

next up for me is The Templar Agenda, by John Paul Davis.

 

[Winchester]

I read something totally different for me....a Beverly Lewis book about the Amish: The Atonement. It was OK, but way too religious for me. I finished it, but won't read another.

Reading Bones and Roses by Eileen Goudge now

 

[Mamanyt1953]

HAH  I just ordered a copy of "Naked Came the Sasquatch," by John Boston,  OLD book, out of print, hard to find (not as bad as Palmer's "Emergence," but up there).  I am SO excited!  I ran across this book the first time in a bin at a SciFi convention for half the cover value, read the blurb, and was hooked before I ever opened the cover.  I  mean, "This is a who-dunnit that turns into a WHAT-dunnit, that turns into a WHICH what-dunnit" is gonna get my juices flowing every time.  And it was a wonderful, humorous romp through myth and mayhem, with just s soupcon of light and occasionally twisted romance thrown in (Sasquatches at a drive-in movie...nuff said).

 

[foxxycat]

I'm jumping around in my reading. Today it's Danielle Steel Echoes. WONDERFUL book! Takes place in the 1930s and through the German war. Some of it is gritty but not sure if it's fact or fiction-just makes me think...

I recently finished the apartment, Power Play ( I found excellent) and Blue (about a young run away). Precious Gifts-not bad,  Friends Forever by her. Winners is a good one. One Day at a time is the next one I want to read.

I also read a few books on my kindle app about the end of days for when the Grid goes down. I like reading about government suspense. Lady Liberty by Vicki Hinze is another one I just started. About a vice president who is female and has some interesting situations to deal with.

My reading is all over the place. Sometimes it's city romance like Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan or it's those gritty survivalist books by Don Pendleton/Mack Bolan type novels-there's another author who has numbered books-the executioner-I love those. Learned quite a bit about survival techniques in those but the story is pure fiction because if they really happened he would have been dead long ago.  

 

[Winchester]

The past several days, I've finished a couple books, largely some of the free ones from Amazon and B & N that I got through Book Bub, etc. Also a couple from the library through Overdrive.

Red Gold - Robert D. Kidera

Sourdough Wars - Julie Smith

Hope's Peak - Tony Healy

Downfall - JA Jance

I tried reading the new Harry Potter book. I tried. I let it expire as I really didn't like it. I may try again later on.

 

[Winchester]

 
HAH  I just ordered a copy of "Naked Came the Sasquatch," by John Boston,  OLD book, out of print, hard to find (not as bad as Palmer's "Emergence," but up there).  I am SO excited!  I ran across this book the first time in a bin at a SciFi convention for half the cover value, read the blurb, and was hooked before I ever opened the cover.  I  mean, "This is a who-dunnit that turns into a WHAT-dunnit, that turns into a WHICH what-dunnit" is gonna get my juices flowing every time.  And it was a wonderful, humorous romp through myth and mayhem, with just s soupcon of light and occasionally twisted romance thrown in (Sasquatches at a drive-in movie...nuff said).

That sounds interesting!!!

 

[rubysmama]

'Tis the season for light and fluffy stuff, so I've been reading sappy Christmas romances:

Finished: Starry Night by Debbie Macomber

Reading: The Mysterious Stranger  by Susan Mallery

Next up: Snowfall on Haven Point  by RaeAnne Thayne

 

[foxxycat]

love those authors. RaeAnn is an up and coming author that I have been selling like crazy in my book booth. I love those kinds of stories. I have read all of Susan Mallerys newer books. I have a ton of her silhouette special editions she published  a decade ago or so. Deb macomber is another great author. I love the Yarn stories. I have not read all of numbered the series yet. I got up to book #5. I love her books-have some of her books from the 1980s that are silhouette romance=those skinny ones. I kept them because I felt having the original copy is cool. Nora Roberts too. read all her early stuff=her silhouette intimate moments ones rock. those are from the mid 1980s. (that's what I read as a kid in the 1980s).

Haven't tried Harry Potter-not sure I would enjoy it but maybe some day I will try.

@Winchester  JJ Jance is great-I love that her's take place in Arizona. Good mystery/suspense.

Have you tried Karen Rose or Lisa Gardner? I think you would like those.

 

[rubysmama]

 
love those authors. RaeAnn is an up and coming author that I have been selling like crazy in my book booth. I love those kinds of stories. I have read all of Susan Mallerys newer books. I have a ton of her silhouette special editions she published  a decade ago or so. Deb macomber is another great author. I love the Yarn stories. I have not read all of numbered the series yet. I got up to book #5. I love her books-have some of her books from the 1980s that are silhouette romance=those skinny ones. I kept them because I felt having the original copy is cool. Nora Roberts too. read all her early stuff=her silhouette intimate moments ones rock. those are from the mid 1980s. (that's what I read as a kid in the 1980s).

Haven't tried Harry Potter-not sure I would enjoy it but maybe some day I will try.

Both RaeAnn Thayne and Susan Mallery are new-to-me authors. I will have to try some of their non-Christmas books.

I've been reading Debbie Macomber for a while now, though none of the 1980's ones. At the back of the Starry Night book there were copies of her Christmas letters from back in the 80's and the first one she mentions getting the book deal. So that must have been the Silhouette ones.

I've read all her Cedar Cove series and loved them. Wished she'd kept them going.  At least we got a few of the characters in the books about the bed and breakfast.  I've also read the ones about the pilots in Alaska. And some of her standalone ones.  

@foxxycat  you will have to give the Harry Potter books a try. I was hesitant, but once started was immediately hooked. I came into the series late, but before the last 2 were released, so I got to enjoy some of the hoopla leading up to the releases.  And also got to read several in a row without having to wait for the next one. I managed to stay spoiler-free except for one thing, which unfortunately was a big spoiler. 

I haven't read the latest Harry Potter one yet. I've had the e-book on hold at the library since Sep 14th.  I'm still only # 366 on 10 copies, so I think it'll be a while yet. 

 

[foxxycat]

yeah you will love Susan Mallery. another one I love is Sherryl Woods. If you like Debbie macomber you would like her. Robyn carr is another one. Robyn does a long series of 20 books-virgin river series=each book is a familie's  story. I think you would like that. Emily Richards did some books about quilting and the history of quilts through the family. I found her years ago like deb macomber=I loved silhouette intimate moments=many big authors wrote them before they became big names- nora Roberts, Heather Graham Pozzesserre (sp) Jayne Ann Krentz for example. Emilie Richards did one that took place in another continent and I was enthrawled. It was I think about kangaroos and the study-I can picture the cover in my mind but not the title. Anyways I hated history class but when I read these books I seem to retain some of the info.

I also read hundreds of American Indian Romance novels back then. Georgina Gentry is my fav author hands down. She went to each site to research- and added a chapter at the end of each book and stated facts from fiction. it was fascinating! If you like western American history-since I have always been a tomboy and one of the earth so to speak I could relate to lots of their views. I never was one into consumerism. Give me my kindle or a stack of books and a cat=I am good to go!

 

[rubysmama]

 
Robyn carr is another one. Robyn does a long series of 20 books-virgin river series=each book is a familie's  story. I think you would like that. 

Definitely sounds like something I'd like.  Will check them out.

 

[Margret]

 
HAH  I just ordered a copy of "Naked Came the Sasquatch," by John Boston,  OLD book, out of print, hard to find (not as bad as Palmer's "Emergence," but up there).  I am SO excited!  I ran across this book the first time in a bin at a SciFi convention for half the cover value, read the blurb, and was hooked before I ever opened the cover.  I  mean, "This is a who-dunnit that turns into a WHAT-dunnit, that turns into a WHICH what-dunnit" is gonna get my juices flowing every time.  And it was a wonderful, humorous romp through myth and mayhem, with just s soupcon of light and occasionally twisted romance thrown in (Sasquatches at a drive-in movie...nuff said).

Emergence?  I love that book.  I keep hoping that he'll have enough money to be able to write a sequel.

A long time ago I read a book named Sorcery and Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer.  It started as a game the two authors were playing with each other.  They wrote letters back and forth as their characters, with the first letter setting the basic conditions -- who her character was, when she lives, what sort of an alternate universe she lives in, and her relationship to the other author's character.  Then they took it from there, with each author writing a new letter after receiving the most recent letter from the other author, playing off of the developments in the life of the other character, turning the whole thing into a story line.  Since these were both established authors already, the result was publishable (although that wasn't their original intention -- they were just playing a game together).  The whole story is contained in the letters.  It's a young adult fantasy, set in Regency England in a universe where magic not only works but has been systematized and is a respected profession.  My mother read it at the same time; we both enjoyed this book immensely.

So when I got a BookBub offer for the entire trilogy, I grabbed it -- I hadn't even been aware previously that a couple of sequels existed.

The three books are:

• Sorcery and Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
• The Grand Tour, or The Purloined Coronation Regalia
• The Mislaid Magician, or Ten Years After

I've just finished the entire series, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Better yet, it's still on sale for $1.99:
And now that I'm done with that, which was a lot of fun, I'm reading The Assault on Reason, by Al Gore.  It's copyright 2007, and describes the current political climate perfectly, and it's not an easy read.  Al Gore did his homework and documents all of his numerous sources.  It took me an entire day to get through the preface!  And it's well worth every bit of effort I'm putting into it.  Sadly, this one is no longer on sale. 
Margret

 

[rubysmama]

@Margret  Per your purraise, I meant HP and the Cursed Child when I mentioned the "the latest one".  I also have Fantastic Beasts on hold and am 1 on 3 copies on that one, so it will be available pretty soon.  Have you read either of them?