Invisapeeps 2.0

Grand Poohbah of Peepdom · All hail the Grand Poohbah, and nobody gets hurt!

Whatcha' readin'?

Saturn · Veteran Member

Oh, and dolly - I read on another thread somewhere that you said a new DT book was coming out. Are we talking a new Roland story or a book with DT "connections"?

eta-couldn't wait for a reply, googled it and I am pretty excited. I had no idea he was going to write more Roland books. I may reread the entire series again.

-- Edited by Saturn on Tuesday 31st of January 2012 11:53:23 AM

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

YAY!

I GOT A BOOK THREAD!

Now what to talk about. Hmmmm......

Saturn · Veteran Member

Any Lincoln Child fans? (Love the preston/child series too) I am currently reading "Utopia" one of his solo books. It is pretty good. I am finding that the technology aspect of it is much more interesting than the characters/subplots.

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

Saturn wrote:
Oh, and dolly - I read on another thread somewhere that you said a new DT book was coming out. Are we talking a new Roland story or a book with DT "connections"?
eta-couldn't wait for a reply, googled it and I am pretty excited. I had no idea he was going to write more Roland books. I may reread the entire series again.

-- Edited by Saturn on Tuesday 31st of January 2012 11:53:23 AM

It's basically a book for in between Wizard and Wolves.

Which is awesome since he did kind of glaze over that whole part anyway.

Very much excited about it, but it is going to be sad to read about Jake and Eddie and Oy knowing what happens to them.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I'm sort of reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. It's slow going, but I'm only at the beginning. I'm also trying to read Baby 411, learn to be a board admin, and wrangle AB, so it's no wonder I haven't been reading it much.

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

Confession- I hated Frankenstein.

She was something like 17 when she wrote it, which to me was very obvious.
I love the idea of it, but the execution sucked big time. For me anyway.

Now Shirley Jackson! She's got some damn scary stuff.

Saturn · Veteran Member

Angel Dolly Farts wrote:
Saturn wrote:
Oh, and dolly - I read on another thread somewhere that you said a new DT book was coming out. Are we talking a new Roland story or a book with DT "connections"?
eta-couldn't wait for a reply, googled it and I am pretty excited. I had no idea he was going to write more Roland books. I may reread the entire series again.

-- Edited by Saturn on Tuesday 31st of January 2012 11:53:23 AM

It's basically a book for in between Wizard and Wolves.
Which is awesome since he did kind of glaze over that whole part anyway.
Very much excited about it, but it is going to be sad to read about Jake and Eddie and Oy knowing what happens to them.

It has been awile since I read the series, I am going to read thru Wizard, then the new one, then finish.

I have been caught up in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan - it is almost finished. One more book left and it comes out sometime this year. I am a fast reader but it takes me months to reread the books in this series - some of them are like 800 pages or more! Anyone else a fan?

I am more in to true crime and mystery etc but the DT and WoT series are awesome. I haven't found any other fantasy/sci fi that I enjoy.

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

I dislike series very much. Especially long ones.

But DT got me.

Other than that, I can't do them because I can never find one book in the series.

Not a fanstasy, sci-fi girl either unless it is something really interesting.

Love HG Wells.

Saturn · Veteran Member

I agree with that. I am also disliking how so many mystery/crime authors are writing tons of books with the same characters. I can never remember which ones I have read and most of the time they don't make much sense if you haven't read the 20 books preceding it. Patricia Cornwell for example. I loved the Scarpetta series at first then it got kind of tedious.

Cactus · Senior Member

I prefer series if they are self contained episodes, not a continuous story arc that must be followed.

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

Agreed with Scarpetta.

I'm looking for a new author right now to sink my teeth into. Will be hitting up the used book store later this aft to see what I can find.

I have a deep and abiding love for "B" horror books.

They aren't written by anyone famous. Generally in the 80's. Horrible cover art. And the plot is insanely awful. Like B movies.

I have so many of them. Nobody wants to buy them so bookstore dude sets them aside for me. Charges me $1 for 10. Lmao.

He said I am the only one he has met who actually WANTS to read that stuff.

the funny thing is, they can be very well written. The plots are just so out there.

Cactus · Senior Member

There are couple of comic book series where I have lost my place. I think I even bought the same volume of something twice. I guess I'm not good at keeping track of things.

I have only read one Cornwell, I thought it was okay.

I like it better if I can read a book here and there, not necessarily in order, and not miss anything, as opposed to having to read them in order within a smaller time frame or lose my place.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

You'd hate the Outlander series, then Dolly. Each book is huge and it's one long story. I personally love them, though!

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

I read so much it's hard to find anything "new".

Neil Gaiman was the last time I was blown away by someone.

I hope there's at least a new Jeffrey Archer coming out soon.

Cactus · Senior Member

May I take this time to remind that there is also an invisapeeps group on goodreads? It hasn't been very active lately but we've had a few discussions and group reads and it might be a good place to pick up some recommendations at the least.

Anyway, to answer the question, I am still reading, as I said on the other board when this question was asked, Great Expectations and a true crime anthology entitled The Anatomy of Murder, which has essays on a few cases by different writers. I just read about the horrifying Constance Kent case.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

Dolly, have you ever read anything by Carol Goodman? She's a mystery writer whom I really enjoy. It's definitely light reading (but not chick-lit light) but she's good.

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

I just picked up a bunch of B books, so I am good for the week!

One is about an elevator which is possessed *rubs hands together*. It's going to be delicious.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

http://www.bookcloseouts.com/

lightning · It was a series of bad mistakes that happened all at once.

Dolly, have you tried Ilona Andrews? I love her Kate Daniels Magic series. Each book is a stand alone but contributes to the series, I think they are five now.
But if I just want a light-hearted romp full of crazy, I go to G.A. Aiken's dragons or Shelly Laurensteen's books. They are raunchy as hell but I find them hilarious.

Angel Dolly Farts · Member

I have not and I will look it up!

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

Try Stephanie Laurens - the Black Cobra Quartet and the Bastion Club series specifically.

-- Edited by Aardvark on Sunday 5th of February 2012 01:11:22 PM

indipit · Newbie

I just finished up the last book in Game of Thrones. Dances with Dragons is the book, and now I cannot WAIT for the next. George RR Martin has managed to throw me for a loop multiple times in this series. I can't believe how invested I become in his characters, and how much I hate him for how he treats them.

ADF: Have you read Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett? That is a good read.

I am now going to read the latest book by Terry Pratchett : "Snuff". I love Terry Pratchett, his books about Discworld are very entertaining. My favorite character is DEATH of course,his horse Binky, and the Death of Rats.

indipit · Newbie

Oh yes, I meant to ask..
Does anyone here read historical romance? My favorite authors are Johanna Lindsey and Julie Garwood, and I have also read the Outlander series. I'm looking for another author to sink my teeth into. I like them tawdry, raunchy and dang near X-rated. I don't like the authors who tease you with the 'almost consummated' scenes, and never allow the characters to hook up until the end.

Yes, Bodice Busters are my dirty little secret.

For anyone who likes mysteries and dogs: Susan Conant does a good job of writing mysteries revolving around the dog world. I love them. She has a new one out this year!

geez louise · Senior Member

Indipit:

Here are a couple of historical, romantic novels (but not romance novels per se):

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. Very very very long - I had to approach it like a miniseries.

The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles. Yes, the movie with Meryl Streep, but the book does not have the movie-within-a-movie plotline, but has tons more historical info about society, culture, and propriety during the 19th century in England.

Cactus · Senior Member

I finally finished Great Expectations. Now I'm reading South of Broad, by Pat Conroy.

Cactus · Senior Member

I finished South of Broad. It was bad.

Now I am reading The Island of the Colorblind, by Oliver Sacks, and Red China Blues, by Jan Wong.

geez louise · Senior Member

Cactus,
Did you ever read Pat Conroy's earlier stuff? Most of it was wonderful...well if you like that wordy-descriptive Southern way of writing. The Prince of Tides is one of my very favorites. It's got soooooo much more story than the movie, although I liked the movie a lot too.

Also, his first (I think) book: The Water is Wide. It's nonfiction, a fascinating look at the deep South in the very late 60s/early 70s. I would also highly recommend it .

Did you like Great Expectations? I vaguely remember loving it in school (a long time ago for me).

Cactus · Senior Member

geez louise wrote:
Cactus,
Did you ever read Pat Conroy's earlier stuff? Most of it was wonderful...well if you like that wordy-descriptive Southern way of writing. The Prince of Tides is one of my very favorites. It's got soooooo much more story than the movie, although I liked the movie a lot too.

Also, his first (I think) book: The Water is Wide. It's nonfiction, a fascinating look at the deep South in the very late 60s/early 70s. I would also highly recommend it .

Did you like Great Expectations? I vaguely remember loving it in school (a long time ago for me).

I haven't read anything else of his. From reviews on goodreads, it seems his earlier books were way better. It's not exactly my style of writing but that wouldn't prevent me from liking the book-it was the contrivances of plot, character, and dialogue that did that. I was drawn to this book after visiting Charleston over the summer, and I did enjoy the "beautiful Charleston" aspect, even if it was overdone along with everything else in the book.

I did love Great Expectations.

(And speaking of Masterpiece Classics as we are on the other thread, I hear an adaptation will be aired on PBS in April, so I am looking forward to that.)

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I vowed never to pick up anything by Pat Conroy after his concept of Gone With The Wind sequel. He wanted to have Rhett kill off Scarlett!

I haven't picked up Frankenstein in over a week. I think it's time to move on. I have been making progress in Baby 411, but that's not really pleasure reading.

geez louise · Senior Member

Aardvark wrote:
I vowed never to pick up anything by Pat Conroy after his concept of Gone With The Wind sequel. He wanted to have Rhett kill off Scarlett!
I haven't picked up Frankenstein in over a week. I think it's time to move on. I have been making progress in Baby 411, but that's not really pleasure reading.

As Frank Barone would say, "Holy Crap!" --> Rhett kill Scarlett? If anything, it would be her killing him off! I've never heard of this sequel idea of his...sounds like it never got past the idea stage = a good thing.

I've noticed I tend to love stories that end with a kind of open-ended-ness (don't think that's really a word, but you know what I mean right?).

Like when I asked my dear SIL how she liked The Help, she said, "I didn't want it to end...I want to know what happened next to Aibileen & co". I just laughed and said I liked the way it ended.

Frankenstein = blech (sorry!) I plowed through that one and Dracula a few years ago, thinking I should have read them already. Classics, right? Wrong! They are terrible, and terribly boring!

Here I go repeating myself, but I really highly recommend The Water is Wide to you and to Cactus. See if you can find one with the picture of him on the cover - young, dark hair, thin, kinda good-looking!

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

geez louise wrote:
Aardvark wrote:
I vowed never to pick up anything by Pat Conroy after his concept of Gone With The Wind sequel. He wanted to have Rhett kill off Scarlett!
I haven't picked up Frankenstein in over a week. I think it's time to move on. I have been making progress in Baby 411, but that's not really pleasure reading.
As Frank Barone would say, "Holy Crap!" --> Rhett kill Scarlett?  If anything, it would be her killing him off! I've never heard of this sequel idea of his...sounds like it never got past the idea stage = a good thing.
I've noticed I tend to love stories that end with a kind of open-ended-ness (don't think that's really a word, but you know what I mean right?).
Like when I asked my dear SIL how she liked The Help, she said, "I didn't want it to end...I want to know what happened next to Aibileen & co". I just laughed and said I liked the way it ended.
Frankenstein = blech (sorry!) I plowed through that one and Dracula a few years ago, thinking I should have read them already. Classics, right? Wrong! They are terrible, and terribly boring!
Here I go repeating myself, but I really highly recommend The Water is Wide to you and to Cactus. See if you can find one with the picture of him on the cover - young, dark hair, thin, kinda good-looking!

The Margaret Mitchell estate went with someone else to write another book. Rhett Butler's People was better than Scarlett, but it still wasn't that great. It made a few changes to the cannon of GWTW and that's unforgiveable in my book!

Cactus · Senior Member

louise, The Water is Wide is the one about teaching on one of those small coastal islands? That actually sounds very interesting.

The whole GWTW thing does not surprise me after South of Broad!

geez louise · Senior Member

Cactus wrote:
louise, The Water is Wide is the one about teaching on one of those small coastal islands? That actually sounds very interesting.

The whole GWTW thing does not surprise me after South of Broad!

Yes, that's the one. He got a job teaching in a one-room type schoolhouse on a tiny island off (I think) South Carolina. All the kids were black, extremely poor, and virtually illiterate (funny: I don't know how to spell illiterate=is that right? hmm ). It was the late 60's, he was a baby-boomer, an idealist, and a liberal. It's fairly political and typical of the times. I just remember being mind-blown that people could be so bigoted and narrow-minded as recently as that (like when I read The Help last year). But then, I am almost as old as Conroy, so I remember the times well. Oh - plus - it's all true.

I decided years ago that I would never read any 'sequel' to GWTW, just on principle, kwim? Don't plan to now either. Gah.

Cactus · Senior Member

geez louise wrote:
Cactus wrote:
louise, The Water is Wide is the one about teaching on one of those small coastal islands? That actually sounds very interesting.

The whole GWTW thing does not surprise me after South of Broad!
Yes, that's the one. He got a job teaching in a one-room type schoolhouse on a tiny island off (I think) South Carolina. All the kids were black, extremely poor, and virtually illiterate (funny: I don't know how to spell illiterate=is that right?). It was the late 60's, he was a baby-boomer, an idealist, and a liberal. It's fairly political and typical of the times. I just remember being mind-blown that people could be so bigoted and narrow-minded as recently as that (like when I read The Help last year). But then, I am almost as old as Conroy, so I remember the times well. Oh - plus - it's all true.
I decided years ago that I would never read any 'sequel' to GWTW, just on principle, kwim? Don't plan to now either. Gah.

I'm not necessarily against stuff like this, but it seems in this case what was produced was mostly bad. It seems like they were looking for pot boiling romance novels, nothing new or interesting or that would shed light or insight on the original.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

Cactus wrote:
geez louise wrote:
Cactus wrote:
louise, The Water is Wide is the one about teaching on one of those small coastal islands? That actually sounds very interesting.

The whole GWTW thing does not surprise me after South of Broad!
Yes, that's the one. He got a job teaching in a one-room type schoolhouse on a tiny island off (I think) South Carolina. All the kids were black, extremely poor, and virtually illiterate (funny: I don't know how to spell illiterate=is that right?). It was the late 60's, he was a baby-boomer, an idealist, and a liberal. It's fairly political and typical of the times. I just remember being mind-blown that people could be so bigoted and narrow-minded as recently as that (like when I read The Help last year). But then, I am almost as old as Conroy, so I remember the times well. Oh - plus - it's all true.
I decided years ago that I would never read any 'sequel' to GWTW, just on principle, kwim? Don't plan to now either. Gah.
I'm not necessarily against stuff like this, but it seems in this case what was produced was mostly bad. It seems like they were looking for pot boiling romance novels, nothing new or interesting or that would shed light or insight on the original.

Exactly! I've also read The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall. It's GWTW told from the POV of a slave girl and it was a lousy, agenda-driven piece of crap. Don't waste your time on it.

Cactus · Senior Member

Aardvark wrote:
I decided years ago that I would never read any 'sequel' to GWTW, just on principle, kwim? Don't plan to now either. Gah.
I'm not necessarily against stuff like this, but it seems in this case what was produced was mostly bad. It seems like they were looking for pot boiling romance novels, nothing new or interesting or that would shed light or insight on the original.
Exactly! I've also read The Wind Done Gone by Alice Randall. It's GWTW told from the POV of a slave girl and it was a lousy, agenda-driven piece of crap. Don't waste your time on it.

That's too bad, as it actually sounds like it could have been interesting, like it was at least trying to look at the story in a different way. Oh well!

geez louise · Senior Member

That's too bad, as it actually sounds like it could have been interesting, like it was at least trying to look at the story in a different way. Oh well!

Yeah, isn't it sad when you can see (or read) that there is a good concept, but the execution is sorely lacking.

Did anyone read Toni Morrison's Beloved? I tried and tried...couldn't get into it, it was just too obtuse (not sure that's the right word) - ok, hard to follow! (It was the same with Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury for me. I hated that book with a passion.)

Did any of you read The Color Purple? Now there was a fabulous book.

Ooh - I just remembered another one that I liked: The Oldest Living Confederate Widow (or something like that). It was about a young girl who married a much older man who had served in the Civil War when he was just a teenager.

Cactus · Senior Member

I read and liked both Beloved and The Color Purple, though it was quite a while ago that I read them! When I read Beloved I was on summer vacation (from high school) and I think it helped to have so much uninterrupted time to get immersed in it. Also, it seems in a way I was a better reader then. It's like I had better focus or something.

I didn't read The Sound and the Fury. The only Faulkers I've read are As I Lay Dying and Sanctuary. I liked them though, and want to read The Sound and the Fury.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I have given up on Frankenstein for now and have decided to reread the sixth Outlander book. I am enjoying it!

Cactus · Senior Member

Now I am reading The Group, by Mary McCarthy, and so far I really like it.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I finally finished the sixth Outlander book and moved on to the seventh. I bought 13 new (to me) books last week between Gabe's and Half-Price Books, so my excitement for reading has sparked back up.

Cactus · Senior Member

Aardvark wrote:
I finally finished the sixth Outlander book and moved on to the seventh. I bought 13 new (to me) books last week between Gabe's and Half-Price Books, so my excitement for reading has sparked back up.

That's cool-what are some of the books?

I tend to accumulate, so I have so many books at home I have yet to read.

I am still liking The Group a lot. I enjoyed the prior two books I mentioned-The Island of the Colorblind and Red China Blues (perhaps with reservations) and read a few others since then that were okay too.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I got:

The Red Queen - Philippa Gregory
The White Queen - Philippa Gregory
Fried Green Tomatoes - Fannie Flagg
Hell's Corner - David Baldacci
Divine Justice - David Baldacci
The Book Borrower - Alice Mattison
Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Knit Two - Kate Jacobs
The 19th Wife - David Ebershoff
The Interior - Lisa See
The Other Tudors - Philippa Jones
Eat This, Not That for Kids
The Beginner's Guide to Cake Decorating

Cactus · Senior Member

It sounds like an interesting mix of books-the only one of them I've read is Fried Green Tomatoes. Are you getting into cake decorating?

-- Edited by Cactus on Sunday 15th of April 2012 12:41:14 PM

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I just want to learn a few things so I can do cakes for AB.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

Oh, and my book binge apparently hadn't run its course yet, because this past week I also bought Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger at a close-out store and requested Homicide: Life on the Killing Streets by David Simon on paperbackswap.com.

I'm not too sure about Her Fearful Symmetry, though. I hated The Time Traveler's Wife and I thought I'd like it based on the back of the book. HFS was only $3, though, and it was a popular book, so I can post it on PBS and get rid of it easily.

Homicide came in the mail today, so when I finish my current book (Outlander #7), I'll start it next.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

And I have added another bajillion books to my library! Someone ban me from Half-Price Books!

Cactus · Senior Member

I have the same problem, Aardark. I can't resist them.

Aardvark · But my mom says I'm cool!

I think I did pretty well, though - 14 books for $50!