What Are You Reading?

[MercedesV]

One of my favorite Christmas presents is books. I love to receive them, and I love to give them.

So, have you read anything good lately? What are you reading now? Any new favorite authors/series?

[kaelieanne]

Originally Posted by MercedesV

One of my favorite Christmas presents is books. I love to receive them, and I love to give them.

So, have you read anything good lately? What are you reading now? Any new favorite authors/series?

Great thread, Mercedes! I've just finished reading "The Sociopath Next Door" which is very eye-opening about people like Casey Anthony.

For christmas I got "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. I love her books, but this is one that I've shied away from because its supposed to be quite disturbing. I will read it.

[sunflowerseeds]

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb (love him) and Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher....am reading both of them now and really REALLY am enjoying them.

Reviving Ophelia is about saving our teen girls and understanding the trials and tribulations they are going through. A must read for anyone that has teenage girls.

I am also doing a bible study on the book of Daniel....the bible study is by Beth Moore and she is awesome!!!!

[sunflowerseeds]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

I just finished reading a book called No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. The book is a fiction mystery about a young girl who wakes up one morning to find that both of her parents and her brother have vanished without a trace. When she went to bed the prior evening, everything was fine, but now there is no sign of her family anywhere. 25 years later, she has married and has a daughter of her own. She struggles on a daily basis to move on from this strange, and unsolved mystery which has become a part of her life. Just when she thinks that she has put the disappearance of her family behind her, a series of events change everything. It was very well written. I now plan on going out and getting more books by this author. He is very good.

Currently, I am reading the latest book my favorite author. It's called Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub. The story revolves around a lady who has had many struggles in her life. Her mother vanished when she was a child, and her sister died in a mysterious fall off the roof of a college library less than a year after the mother vanished. The main character in the book, Camden, keeps having visions of missing children before the kids disappear. She is dealing with some marital problems as well, and decides to take her daughter on vacation at the beach. The visions of the missing children caused her to become an alcoholic, so she is struggling to get past that in her life too. A killer is on the loose at the beach, and when she decides to act on one of her visions of missing children, she places herself in danger. I am only about half done with the book, but like all of the books by this author, it is very good.

I loved No Time for Goodbye....it was so well written and it has been a loooooong time since a book had taken me in like that one did!! My 14 year old DD read it as well and passed it on to friends!!! Super book!

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by kaelieanne

Great thread, Mercedes! I've just finished reading "The Sociopath Next Door" which is very eye-opening about people like Casey Anthony.

For christmas I got "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. I love her books, but this is one that I've shied away from because its supposed to be quite disturbing. I will read it.

Why thank you. I love sharing ideas on books and authors. Some great responses. I read 19 Seconds by Picoult and could not put it down. It was, like all her books, a rather dark book. But so moving and well written. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

I just finished reading a book called No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. The book is a fiction mystery about a young girl who wakes up one morning to find that both of her parents and her brother have vanished without a trace. When she went to bed the prior evening, everything was fine, but now there is no sign of her family anywhere. 25 years later, she has married and has a daughter of her own. She struggles on a daily basis to move on from this strange, and unsolved mystery which has become a part of her life. Just when she thinks that she has put the disappearance of her family behind her, a series of events change everything. It was very well written. I now plan on going out and getting more books by this author. He is very good.

Currently, I am reading the latest book my favorite author. It's called Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub. The story revolves around a lady who has had many struggles in her life. Her mother vanished when she was a child, and her sister died in a mysterious fall off the roof of a college library less than a year after the mother vanished. The main character in the book, Camden, keeps having visions of missing children before the kids disappear. She is dealing with some marital problems as well, and decides to take her daughter on vacation at the beach. The visions of the missing children caused her to become an alcoholic, so she is struggling to get past that in her life too. A killer is on the loose at the beach, and when she decides to act on one of her visions of missing children, she places herself in danger. I am only about half done with the book, but like all of the books by this author, it is very good.

Your book sounds very interesting, haven't read that author yet and will have to look them up. I'm a big fan of Staub, so I will probably enjoy your current read too. Or rather the book you just finished. Great write up, thanks.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by forensicpsy

I'm reading "They All Sang on the Corner."

It's the history off doo-wop groups.

The book almost reads like an encyclopedia.

Love that music.


imo

Sounds great. Makes me wish they had a cd of the music to go with it. Or DVD.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

Wow! I have never actually come across anyone that has read Staub, so this feels a bit strange! If you like Staub than try Carlene Thompson. Her books are just as good. Staub and Thompson are two of my favorite authors.

I love to read, and most of my favorite authors aren't the Grisham's and Cornwell's and others pushed by the publishers. I think Staub is great and now I'll look up Thompson. Thank you very much.

Sara Paretsky has a new book out called Bleeding Kansas. I always enjoy her books and I'm looking forward to reading it. Anyone read it yet?

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by forensicpsy

Try googling "Doo Wop 50" for the Doo Wop Reunion show DVD on Public television.

Also youtube has all the original groups.

That sounds great, I'm going to try looking that up. Good music.

[sunflowerseeds]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

No Time For Goodbye was probably one of my favorite books that I read this year. The funny thing was that right after reading this really good book, I read probably the worst book ever in my view (You've Been Warned by James Patterson). The contrast between these two books is startling (especially when you read one right after the other). I guess with books you just have to take your chances and hope that you get more hits than misses.

ITA about You've Been Warned! James Patterson is always a gamble.

My family loves the Janet Evanovich series with Stephanie Plum....we pass those around like they are some yummy treat!!! They are just an easy read!

[nellbell]

I love Suzanne Brockman. Most of her books are related. The characters she writes about continue in each book. Each book tells a different story about a cop,p.i. or a Navy Seals. She writes in the present and she is very creative. Read in order though. She has a website so you can read parts of books to see if you like her writing. Lee Child is also an awesome author. Read those in order too. He has a character named Jack. Both are great authors. I like reading books that interact with each other.

Dean R. Koontz . . . "The Darkest Evening of the Year".

[daniel green]

Originally Posted by GrettaJ

snipped
Me Talk Pretty One Day

One of my favorite things ever written. I've read all of Sedaris' stuff and laughed out loud reading them. This one is one of my favorite books of his. If you have not read it--not sure if it's in this one or Barrel Fever?--pls read the chapter/story, The Santaland Diaries. There is an audio of Sedaris reading the story at NPR. He read it outloud when my daughter and I went to a reading of his a few yrs ago, and I still laugh remembering it.

I read his latest a few months ago--cannot think of the title--and it's great to see he has not lost his bite, his wit or his quirks.

[5boxersmom]

Scarpetta by Patricia Cornwell. It was a Christmas present.

[daniel green]

Originally Posted by GrettaJ

Is the Santaland Diaries about his adventure as an elf? I listened to that one on CD not too long ago. I'm going to see him in a few months and can't wait. He has a wicked sense of humor.

He does have that wicked sense of humor.

Yep, the SDiaries is when he was an elf for Maceys in NYC. I never get tired of the last line in it. Priceless.

His newest book, When You Are Engulfed By Flames, has a lot of politics in it. Loved it.

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

I only recently started reading Koontz, so I have only read a few of his stuff. I got hooked on his books after seeing a late 90's TV movie version of one of his books called Intensity. That was probably one of the best things I have ever watched, and so I ran out and got the book and have been reading him ever sense.

My oldest son and I love his books. First one I read was Lightening and I passed it on to my son. Then he bought/read Watchers and then I did. We were hooked! That was many years ago and many books read/shared.

This newest book has the return of a Golden Retriever.

[mood*ring]

Originally Posted by GrettaJ

I've started New Moon. Christmas gifts waiting on the shelf are

Eclipse
Breaking Dawn
The Road
Me Talk Pretty One Day

My friend and I have also done twilight, new moon, eclipse and we are waiting for breaking dawn. We checked them out from the library as audio books. I love taking them to work and listening to them instead of the radio. and dowloading them to the ipod for when I am doing things by myself.

Stephenie Myers has also wrote a book called The Host. I checked it out and will start it when I go back to work after the holidays.

that is supposed to be about an entity that takes over the body of a woman and falls in love with the same man and in a sense its a type of love triangle. my friend says its awesome, i'll let you know.

[desmom]

After my day of true crime, my down time are cozy mysteries....

Right now I am reading a Jacobia Tiptree Home Repair is Homicide series...

"A Trap Door" http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Tra...3588026/?itm=6

[Wukong]

The New York Trilogy by Paul Auster

I am on the first story which is about a writer of detective stories, who writes under a pen name who has taken over his life and then he gets a mysterious phone call, a wrong number looking for a detective, and he pretends he's the detective. He gets involved in this case and the new detective personna takes over his life. Really interesting...not sure if I like it yet though. LOL

[cassidy]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

Wow! I have never actually come across anyone that has read Staub, so this feels a bit strange! If you like Staub than try Carlene Thompson. Her books are just as good. Staub and Thompson are two of my favorite authors.

I read Staub too! One of my favorite authors. Thanks for the tip on Thompson, I'll look for her books.

[razrbladromance]

I'm reading "Inside the Mind of BTK" by John Douglas. It's about Dennis Radar and John Douglas' pursuit of this elusive serial killer.


It's an interesting read.

[Katt2]

I am reading an old Maeve Binchey book "The Glass Lake". I go to yard sales in the summer and buy books. Doesn't matter to me when they were written as long as I have not read them.

[Katt2]

Originally Posted by OBAMAnanacan

Nearly all of the Maeve Binchey books are wonderful, in my opinion. There have been one or two clunkers but even those are soothing books to read. May I recommend Light A Penny Candle as one of her best, and also, if you enjoy Maeve Binchey you might like Rosmund Pilchers The Shell Sheekers.

What a fun thread! I have a list of books now to go look for!

Oh "The Shell Seekers" is one of my all time favorite books. I also read somewhere it was also Nancy Grace's favorite book.

[courtsinsession]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

I just finished reading a book called No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. The book is a fiction mystery about a young girl who wakes up one morning to find that both of her parents and her brother have vanished without a trace. When she went to bed the prior evening, everything was fine, but now there is no sign of her family anywhere. 25 years later, she has married and has a daughter of her own. She struggles on a daily basis to move on from this strange, and unsolved mystery which has become a part of her life. Just when she thinks that she has put the disappearance of her family behind her, a series of events change everything. It was very well written. I now plan on going out and getting more books by this author. He is very good.

Currently, I am reading the latest book my favorite author. It's called Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub. The story revolves around a lady who has had many struggles in her life. Her mother vanished when she was a child, and her sister died in a mysterious fall off the roof of a college library less than a year after the mother vanished. The main character in the book, Camden, keeps having visions of missing children before the kids disappear. She is dealing with some marital problems as well, and decides to take her daughter on vacation at the beach. The visions of the missing children caused her to become an alcoholic, so she is struggling to get past that in her life too. A killer is on the loose at the beach, and when she decides to act on one of her visions of missing children, she places herself in danger. I am only about half done with the book, but like all of the books by this author, it is very good.

Hi and Merry Xmas: I just bought this book and began reading it last night; looks pretty good so far.

[courtsinsession]

what a riveting (but depressing book); it is about the torture and murder of three year old James Bugler in England in 1993; the book takes you through the day it happened when his mom was shopping and was in a butcher shop; she lost track of her son for a few seconds and in that time two 10 year old boys had abducted him and had killed and tortured him within a matter of hours; There is video which captures little James going away with his abductors.
The book itself is not that well written in my opinion but the content is riveting. The police were astounded when interrogating these two children; they couldn't believe they were so small and that they could have committed such a horrific murder. I never forgot about James Bugler and this book provided so many details I never knew like what became of these two child killers. They were freed from Prison at age 18 in 2001 and given new identities. If you read the details of this murder you will believe that these two miscreants are capable of committing murder again. Poor little James Bugler, a delightful intelligent child that died so tragically.

[TealMermaid]

Originally Posted by Katt2

I am reading an old Maeve Binchey book "The Glass Lake". I go to yard sales in the summer and buy books. Doesn't matter to me when they were written as long as I have not read them.

I read that book years back, and I LOVED it! How do you like it?

[sunflowerseeds]

Originally Posted by OBAMAnanacan

Wally Lamb is one of my favorite authors. I loved She's Come Undone and the other about the twins...I have forgotten the name. Wonderful to hear he has another book out - off to Borders I go!

I Know This Much To Be True (?) is the name of his other book. He is such an awesome writer!

[TealMermaid]

I just finished "Three Little Words-A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter. It's a great book about a girl who spends 9 years in 14 different foster homes. One home is very abusive, and Ashley clings to fantasies about returning to her drug addicted mother.
It's inspiring how Ashley rises above all this!

[nc1948]

Originally Posted by kaelieanne

Great thread, Mercedes! I've just finished reading "The Sociopath Next Door" which is very eye-opening about people like Casey Anthony.

For christmas I got "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. I love her books, but this is one that I've shied away from because its supposed to be quite disturbing. I will read it.

I just finished reading "My Sister's Keeper" very intense book. But well worth reading.

[nc1948]

Originally Posted by MercedesV

Why thank you. I love sharing ideas on books and authors. Some great responses. I read 19 Seconds by Picoult and could not put it down. It was, like all her books, a rather dark book. But so moving and well written. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend it.

I too recommend "19 seconds". Her books are rather dark, but the are well written and once you get started you cannot put them down.

[Kether]

Originally Posted by GrettaJ

I've started New Moon. Christmas gifts waiting on the shelf are

Eclipse
Breaking Dawn
The Road
Me Talk Pretty One Day

I just finished New Moon. It is not what I expected, but it is a good read. I read Twilight first, then new moon. I will start Eclipse some time this week. Stephanie Myer has another book that you would probably enjoy if you like New Moon. It is called The Host.

[summit]

I am reading a really good mystery by Margaret Maron it's Death's Half Acre. It's a Deborah Knott Mystery. I have really enjoyed all her books. She writes so well you feel like you know all the folks in her books. She makes each person come alive both good and bad ones.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by OBAMAnanacan

Nearly all of the Maeve Binchey books are wonderful, in my opinion. There have been one or two clunkers but even those are soothing books to read. May I recommend Light A Penny Candle as one of her best, and also, if you enjoy Maeve Binchey you might like Rosmund Pilchers The Shell Sheekers.

What a fun thread! I have a list of books now to go look for!

I was thinking along the same lines as you. Maeve Binchey is great, and I thought of Pilcher. The Shell Seekers is just great. May I also recommend Pilcher's son, I believe his name is Robin, who is also an author. I've enjoyed his books a great deal as well.

I agree it is a fun thread and I love getting ideas about what books to look for and authors. Thanks to all.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by summit

I am reading a really good mystery by Margaret Maron it's Death's Half Acre. It's a Deborah Knott Mystery. I have really enjoyed all her books. She writes so well you feel like you know all the folks in her books. She makes each person come alive both good and bad ones.

I agree about Maron, enjoy the books in the Knott series. She also has another series that isn't nearly as popular. In fact I can't think of the name right now but different than the Knott series.

Okay, I stopped being lazy and looked it up. It is the Sigrid Harald series, about a police lt. in NYC. It appears she hasn't added to the series in a long time, 1995. But also very enjoyable.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

Wow! I have never actually come across anyone that has read Staub, so this feels a bit strange! If you like Staub than try Carlene Thompson. Her books are just as good. Staub and Thompson are two of my favorite authors.

Did a little research on Thompson and thought you might like to know she has a new book being released on March 3,2009 titled You Can Run.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/as...opyourekilling

[TealMermaid]

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

I just finished reading a book called No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay. The book is a fiction mystery about a young girl who wakes up one morning to find that both of her parents and her brother have vanished without a trace. When she went to bed the prior evening, everything was fine, but now there is no sign of her family anywhere. 25 years later, she has married and has a daughter of her own. She struggles on a daily basis to move on from this strange, and unsolved mystery which has become a part of her life. Just when she thinks that she has put the disappearance of her family behind her, a series of events change everything. It was very well written. I now plan on going out and getting more books by this author. He is very good.

Currently, I am reading the latest book my favorite author. It's called Dying Breath by Wendy Corsi Staub. The story revolves around a lady who has had many struggles in her life. Her mother vanished when she was a child, and her sister died in a mysterious fall off the roof of a college library less than a year after the mother vanished. The main character in the book, Camden, keeps having visions of missing children before the kids disappear. She is dealing with some marital problems as well, and decides to take her daughter on vacation at the beach. The visions of the missing children caused her to become an alcoholic, so she is struggling to get past that in her life too. A killer is on the loose at the beach, and when she decides to act on one of her visions of missing children, she places herself in danger. I am only about half done with the book, but like all of the books by this author, it is very good.

Hi!
Thanks for recommending "No Time for GoodBye". I got it out of the library today, and I don't want to put it down.

[MercedesV]

Originally Posted by OBAMAnanacan

here is a 'tween or young teen series for those with kids or grandkids.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/39_clues

The first two books are out now and I think each new one will be released every 4-6 months.

My grandkids grew up on Harry Potter, Pendragon, Warriers so this was a natural progression.

Sounds interesting. I love the Harry Potter books. It's great to see kids learn to read and learn to love books.

[sunflowerseeds]

Originally Posted by TealMermaid

Hi!
Thanks for recommending "No Time for GoodBye". I got it out of the library today, and I don't want to put it down.

Check back in when you are done and let us know what you thought of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Mr Unknown

These are the ones that I have read by Dean Koontz:

-Intensity
-The Voice of the Night
-The Face of Fear
-The House of Thunder
-Strangers
-Midnight

I liked all of them, but the one that creeped me out was The House of Thunder. Just the fact that the lady was in the hospital, and kept on seeing all those dead people from her past was creepy enough. When I was reading it, I kept telling myself: Thank goodness you aren't in the hospital right now. Thank goodness you aren't in the hospital right now! ....LOL!

LOL. So true. I felt that way with Face of Fear. Took me forever to go in a high-rise building!!!

[txsage]

Originally Posted by MercedesV

I was thinking along the same lines as you. Maeve Binchey is great, and I thought of Pilcher. The Shell Seekers is just great. May I also recommend Pilcher's son, I believe his name is Robin, who is also an author. I've enjoyed his books a great deal as well.

I agree it is a fun thread and I love getting ideas about what books to look for and authors. Thanks to all.