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What is holding your interest this week?

I am happily reading Great Expectations. I gave up on Swamplandia.

Still working through a huge stack of graphic novels from the library. Currently enjoying Fool's Paradise about one man's travels in Saudi Arabia. Hope to start The Yiddish Policemen's Union in a few days, since it's due at the library soon.

Making my way through According to Queeney by Beryl Bainbridge, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens by George Bramwell Evens.

Well, I thought I'd be finished with Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by now, but I got sidetracked and had to skip reading for one or two nights, so I'm finishing up that. Then it's on to The Night Circus. My moms' group has a book club, and this is their pick for March, so I'm going to go to one of their meetings for the first time since I want to read this book anyway.

Vicky wrote: "I had a rough week last week and need to clear my head so right now I am reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. A friend from high school recommended reading it. I just started. ..."

If you want something LOL funny, choose something by Bill Bryson. I haven't read it, but his A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail is supposed to be especially good.

Carol wrote: "I am happily reading Great Expectations. I gave up on Swamplandia."

I also could not get through Swamplandia.

Caroline wrote: "Vicky wrote: "I had a rough week last week and need to clear my head so right now I am reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. A friend from high school recommended reading it. I ..."

I agree about Bill Bryson, especially A Walk in the Woods, which made me laugh out loud. So did P&P&Zombies.

I am in danger of sliding into another slump. The latest Laurie King Russell/Holmes novel isn't holding my interest, nor is P.D. James's effort at Austenmania. Things are looking a little better with The Orphan Master's Son.

Theresa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I am happily reading Great Expectations. I gave up on Swamplandia."

I also could not get through Swamplandia."
I got to the part that started to describe the background of Louis?, and I thought, "What's going on here?" I cannot understand how it was on several lists as one of the best books of 2011.

As I began to read Great Expectations, it helped me to realize what good storytelling is.

I'm working on The Darkest Night: The Murder of Innocence in a Small Town. My enthusiasm has waned as I read this but will finish.

I keep reading Ann Rule's observation on the cover.


"An almost hypnotice read, hard to look away from.... This is a very, very good book written by a very, very good writer."

What bothers me about this is the "almost" and the use of "very, very" twice. Ann Rule better writer than that no? I mean if she is gonna give a glowing review seriously think would be better than that??? Never read Ann Rule so...

I'm about 2/3 of the way through Little Women, then on to The Litigator which is due back at the library this week.

I'm reading Anno Dracula by Kim Newman at the mo and I'm loving it, not sure what else I'm going to read this week but I'm sure there'll be something the rate I'm getting through this one...

**Melki quietly removes Swamplandia! from "to read" stack and places it on the shelf**

Happy Valentine's Day!

I have a few pages to finish up The Spellman Files this morning. I will start The Bluest Eye for my bookclub on Mon.

Sam wrote: "I'm reading Anno Dracula by Kim Newman at the mo and I'm loving it, not sure what else I'm going to read this week but I'm sure there'll be something the rate I'm gettin..."

I really liked Anno Dracula. There were two others, I think, and one was good but the second not so much.

Theresa wrote: "Sam wrote: "I'm reading Anno Dracula by Kim Newman at the mo and I'm loving it, not sure what else I'm going to read this week but I'm sure there'll be something the rat..."

I've read Dracula Cha Cha Cha which is also part of the series which I rather enjoyed (the third one I think). I haven't read any of the others yet (according to the back of Anno there are four in the series, The Bloody Red Baron and Johnny Alucard).

Carol wrote: "I am happily reading Great Expectations. I gave up on Swamplandia."

Carol - good call to give up on Swamplandia - I was so disappointed in it!

Vicky wrote: "I had a rough week last week and need to clear my head so right now I am reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. A friend from high school recommended reading it. I just started. ..."

sorry to hear you had a rough week, Vicky! It sounds like a good call to go with something light:)

Caroline wrote: "Vicky wrote: "I had a rough week last week and need to clear my head so right now I am reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. A friend from high school recommended reading it. I ..."

OH my goodness, Caroline - you simply MUST read A Walk in the Woods! it is soooo funny! His traveling companion makes the whole book. you'll love it!

Theresa wrote: "I am in danger of sliding into another slump. The latest Laurie King Russell/Holmes novel isn't holding my interest, nor is P.D. James's effort at Austenmania. Things are looking a little better ..."

Can't wait to hear what you think of the Orphan Masters Son, Theresa - it's getting some great buzz.

I'm also on my way into a slump. I had the Night Circus checked out of the library on my iPad, and it's expired. I liked it, but it was one of those that I wasn't rushing to get back to. Also, my iPad is 2 weeks old, so I've been spending entirely too much time playing on it:)

Melki wrote: "**Melki quietly removes Swamplandia! from "to read" stack and places it on the shelf**"

good call, Melki!

Stacey wrote: "Happy Valentine's Day!

I have a few pages to finish up The Spellman Files this morning. I will start The Bluest Eye for my bookclub on Mon."

Oh Stacey - I so envy you for just being at the beginning of The Spellman Files series. I just adored it! I think each one was equally good and so miss that family!

Carol wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I am happily reading Great Expectations. I gave up on Swamplandia."

I also could not get through Swamplandia."
I got to the part that started to describe..."

I don't remember where I gave up. I think I skimmed for a while to see if it got better, but it didn't. I guess I just wasn't swept up by the Swamplandia craze.

Sam wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Sam wrote: "I'm reading Anno Dracula by Kim Newman at the mo and I'm loving it, not sure what else I'm going to read this week but I'm sure there'll be s..."

The Bloody Red Baron I found very inventive.

Theresa wrote: "Carol wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Carol wrote: "I am happily reading Great Expectations. I gave up on Swamplandia."

I also could not get through Swamplandia."
I got to the part that start..."

I am an optimist, and I hoped that the lives of the children might improve, but when I began to glance ahead, I could tell the story became more muddled. I have a feeling there was not a happy ending.

I read the end of Swamplandia and lived to tell the tale...very disappointing ! I need to add the Spellman files to my list! Right now I am alternating between "It" and "Wuthering Heights"

Nearly finished Mister God, This Is Anna by Fynn - lovely book really enjoying it.

Theresa wrote: "Sam wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Sam wrote: "I'm reading Anno Dracula by Kim Newman at the mo and I'm loving it, not sure what else I'm going to read this week but I'm sure t..."

I've got it on my list to hunt down and get as it does look very good :-)

Aaaa! My age is showing! When I read the title The Bloody Red Baron, THIS is what I thought of:

Melki wrote: "Aaaa! My age is showing! When I read the title The Bloody Red Baron, THIS is what I thought of:

"

My age, too, Melki!

Leslie wrote: "I read the end of Swamplandia and lived to tell the tale...very disappointing ! I need to add the Spellman files to my list! Right now I am alternating between "It" and "Wuthering Heights""

You'll like The Spellman Files, Leslie. I've added Izzy to my list of favorite characters.

Melki wrote: "Still working through a huge stack of graphic novels from the library. Currently enjoying Fool's Paradise about one man's travels in Saudi Arabia. Hope to start [book:The Yiddish Po..."

Melki I am looking forward to your review of The Yiddish Policeman's Union. This novel along with Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay are two of the best things I have ever read...I would like to check into your opinions.

Currently reading In the Garden of Beasts, The Dark Horse, and Torch Song Trilogy....busy week.

Melki wrote: "Aaaa! My age is showing! When I read the title The Bloody Red Baron, THIS is what I thought of:

"

I can remember this!

Oh, Annika, I'm definitely planning to read A Walk in the Woods. I've heard SO many people say it's really good and really funny. I've only read one Bryson book, Neither Here Nor There:: Travels in Europe and although I found it amusing at times, it didn't really wow me, so I'd like to read a Bryson book that will. :)

I am presently immersed in health psychology research articles, protcols for the study I'm working on and resources for the undergraduates I'm mentoring. Therefore I must have historical fiction for my down time. So I'm about half-way through with Shaman. I discovered Noah Gordon recently, this is the second of his books I've read and enjoyed very much.

I started The Queen's Hidden Garden: Buckingham Palace's Treasury of Wild Plants earlier this week just to keep my geeky side happy and a friend has lent me Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam which I plan to make a start on at lunchtime having finished Anno Dracula last night (loved it by the way)

Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ tells me Anno Dracula is number 49 on my "to read" list. Sigh...I can still remember when that list was only in the double digits.

Melki wrote: "Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ tells me Anno Dracula is number 49 on my "to read" list. Sigh...I can still remember when that list was only in the double digits."

Lucky you! Mine is in 4 digits now!

I'm managing to keep mine in the treble figures but it's taking a monumental effort!!!

I am beginning to wonder if I have enough digits in my life span to cover the digits in my reading list. Oh well, it will be a great pleasure to try. Peace, love and soul on your journies fellow reading travellers.

I'm going to have to put the Policeman's Union on hold for a while and get busy reading some classics for the genre challenge.

I guess you could say I've been reading cookbooks because I've done more baking than actually reading my books, Handling Sin and The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary. Handling Sin has been a bit of a struggle for me; it's a big book and it's for a bookclub I'm considering joining here in Cleveland. Sigh. Most critical is that for work on Tuesday I have to read Chapters 3 and 4 of Multicultural Competence in Student Affairs. Sigh.

I'm reading Wuthering Heights and am enjoying it! I downloaded a bunch of classics onto my Nook for the challenge and chose this one.

I looked at what I have on my Kindle and the books in the 2nd bedroom closet (the ones I brought with me) and realized I have to stop downloading and need to start reading what I have. I have so many wonderful books to read. I never used to amass books like this.

laurel - it is better to collect books than cats.

Oh, so true.....and so funny! I love that, Andrea.

I agree better to be the book lady than the cat lady!!!

House will smell nicer too!!