So what are you reading right now?

[wellyes]

Fiction or non-fiction recs welcome, anything you're enjoying. I'm needing inspiration.

Thanks!

[lchang25000]

Currently reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. Anything by that author is really good.

[caleymama]

Currently reading Finger Lickin' Fifteen (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Finger-Lickin-Fifteen/Janet-Evanovich/e/9780312383282/?itm=3) by Janet Evanovich.
Before that, I read Three Junes (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Three-Junes/Julia-Glass/e/9780385721424/?itm=1&usri=1) by Julia Glass and American Wife (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/American-Wife/Curtis-Sittenfeld/e/9780812975406/?itm=1&usri=1) by Curtis Sittenfeld, both of which I enjoyed.

For funny, some of my recent favorites:
When You Are Engulfed in Flames (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/When-You-Are-Engulfed-in-Flames/David-Sedaris/e/9780316154680/?itm=1&usri=1) by David Sedaris
The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Know-It-All/A-J-Jacobs/e/9780743250627/?itm=1&usri=1) by A. J. Jacobs
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Year-of-Living-Biblically/A-J-Jacobs/e/9780743291484/?pwb=1) by A. J. Jacobs

Next up for me:
Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Coop/Michael-Perry/e/9780061240430/?itm=1) by Michael Perry (I can't wait! I picked it up from the library the other day.)

[Sillygirl]

The Unlikely Disciple is good if you liked The Year of Living Biblically.
I read The Glass Castle today and enjoyed it - it has about the best first line I've ever read in a memoir - but it is awfully similar to The Liar's Club, and not quite as good.

[jent]

I just read Three Cups of Tea (http://www.amazon.com/Three-Cups-Tea-Mission-Promote/dp/0143038257); nonfiction, about a mountaineer-turned-humanitarian who builds schools in Afganistan.

This puts me in mind of Monique and the Mango Rains, which I read a few months ago (http://www.amazon.com/Monique-Mango-Rains-Years-Midwife/dp/1577664353) about a midwife in Africa.

Finger Lickin Fifteen is sitting next to me as I type but I haven't cracked it since I know once I do I won't be able to put it down.

And I just read those two AJ Jacobs books. Funny and thought provoking, plus easy to read in short bursts.

Next on my list is Animal Vegetable Miracle (http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Vegetable-Miracle-Year-Food/dp/0060852569/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251684180&sr=1-1)

[pinkmomagain]

The 2 books I've read this summer (both nonfiction) are:

A History of God, Karen Armstrong (hard to get through with kid interruptions, but worth it)
Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv (wish I had it to read when my kids were smaller...very good)

I am now reading The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron to help me explore my creativity after feeling very dissatisfied with myself for about a year. Without realizing it, I have found that all three books are interrelated and the sequence in which I have (unintentionally) read them is significant.

On a lighter note, this spring I read American Wife (as pp mentioned) and really enjoyed it!

[kristenk]

I'm reading Suite Francaise right now. I'm going to finish it b/c I've started it, but it's not really my favorite.

A few books that I've read recently that I really liked are The Guersey Literary and Potato Peel Society and People of the Book. (I also ventured into the Twilight and Percy Jackson series this summer for some fun reading. I enjoyed both series.)

I'll add more as I think of them.

[happymom]

The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks

[hellokitty]

I wanted to read something easy, so I'm reading, "Certain Girls" by Jennifer Weiner. I'm almost 1/2 way through and so far it's pretty good.

[jenny]

I just finished The Glass Castle too! I enjoyed it, but thought the ending was a bit rushed. Jeanette Walls' memoir about her family definitely makes my dysfunctional childhood seem normal.

I'm reading Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri: a collection of short stories about Indian immigrants. It's all right. I LOVED her two previous books: Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake. Her writing all deals with the same issue, immigrants trying to deal with assimilation and the struggle of holding on to your culture while adopting a new one. I came to this country when I was two, and Lahiri's stories really speak to me.

[MontrealMum]

I have Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Death by Rubber Duck ready to go, but have not read them yet. Still working on The Thyroid Solution. I usually balance some non-fiction w/some fiction, as well as "work" books...

I am presently also reading an ancient Marion Zimmer Bradley series that I started when I was in h/s (I am a sci-fi geek), and am not nearly as enthralled w/it as I was back then, but am plowing through just to have the satisfaction to be finished. I am also reading The Sea Road, which was published awhile ago, but I never got around to reading it; and I'm enjoying it. Thinking about finishing off the Sophie Kinsella books that I didn't read while in school, but I soured on them awhile ago, so not sure if it would hold my attention or not. Was given the latest Nick Hornby (who I usually like) but it seems to be about suicide, so I'm not sure if that's quite what I want to be reading right now when I'm really stressed out....maybe later. As you can tell, I'm a bit of an anglophile in my reading tastes, and am taking notes on this thread...Also, MIL bought me the Potato Peel Society, but I haven't got around to it yet, glad to hear someone else is looking at it...

[firsttimemama]

I just finished Sunshine. If you liked Twilight, you may like it.

I'm reading The Discipline Book by Sears, The Highly Sensitive Child, just finished How to Talk so your kids will Listen and Listen so your kids will talk...

but yeah those parenting books are not as fun as fiction. I'm actually on the hunt for my next fiction read..

[rlu]

Just finished Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran last night. I actually read the sequel first, not realizing it was a sequel, and enjoyed both.

I'm about 100 pages into The Space Between Before and After by Jean Reynolds Page and it's hard to put down.

I'm on the reserve lists for the second Sookie Stackhouse and forth Outlander books, both series have been recommended here several times.

eta: enjoyed the Three Cups of Tea and Potato Peel books recommended by pp as well.

[graciebellesmomma]

I'm reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rossay and The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews.
I've got The Shanghai Girls and Fingerlickin' Fifteen on my bookshelf!

Sarah's Key is intense and very difficult to read, so I balance it with the light hearted southern charm that Andrews writes!

I've read so many good books in the last year or so.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The Help
The Rosetti Letter
Trail of Crumbs
Queen of the Road
Shadow of the Wind
The Thirteenth Tale
The Book Thief

[AngelaS]

I'm cruising thru Karen Kingsbury's Fistborn series. I read the Baxter series last week and these follow up. I'm on book 2 of 5 and then there's a 4 book series after these. :)

[maestramommy]

I just finished the Twilight series, and caught up on my magazines (we get Christian Science Monitor and Atlantic). My SIL just gave me a parenting book called Growing a Girl, so I'm about to start that.

[bnme]

Everyone is Beautiful by Katherine Center
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

[MichelleRC]

I recently finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (sp)--really good if slightly convoluted mystery due to some awkward translation, and have just started The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

[alexsmommy]

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
South of Broad by Pat Conroy (love his stuff, but if you pick it up, don't get discouraged by the first chapter - waaaaay too much "Charleston is beautiful" hyperbole - but once he gets into the story it's typical Conroy. It's just slower to start than some of his other books.)

[mumofboys]

"Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen

[Seitvonzu]

a sweet friend just sent me all the sookie stackhouse books- so i'm currently on the third-- they go FAST :) so it's good to have the next one ready to go!

i'm also reading "happiest toddler" --eh, not as fun :)

[caleymama]

Just read through PPs recs:
Loved The Help by Kathryn Stockett, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Enjoyed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society.

I also wanted to second the rec for anything by Jhumpa Lahiri. I too loved The Namesake and Interpreter of Maladies and read Unaccustomed Earth earlier this year.

Last Child in the Woods is great too!


The Unlikely Disciple is good if you liked The Year of Living Biblically.
Good to know, Katie. I'll add that one to my list. :)

[mommylamb]

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society.

ETA: Other books I've read this summer are the Twilight series, A Mercy by Toni Morrison, Enemies by Isaac Bashevis Singer (excellent if you like post WWII New York stuff), and I read the 8th Sookie Stackhouse book. I tend towards fiction, but as you can see, I go from your very serious fiction to very light hearted kiddy stuff.

[fivi2]

I'm reading Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rossay and The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews.
I've got The Shanghai Girls and Fingerlickin' Fifteen on my bookshelf!

Sarah's Key is intense and very difficult to read, so I balance it with the light hearted southern charm that Andrews writes!

I've read so many good books in the last year or so.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The Help
The Rosetti Letter
Trail of Crumbs
Queen of the Road
Shadow of the Wind
The Thirteenth Tale
The Book Thief


seconding The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (sequel is out now - Girl Who Played with Fire)
Shadow of the Wind
The Book Thief
I tried to like Thirteenth Tale, but the circumstances in which I read it were not good.

I also loved the Know it All, which others have mentioned.

I am currently reading a couple YAs - The Knife of Never Letting Go and Soon I Will Be Invincible. Not sure if I recommend them or not - haven't gotten far enough.

eta: and ITA that The Last Child in the Woods is interesting also.

[fortato]

I tend to be really late on reading the recommended books, so I just started reading "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"- Yes. It's really good!!!
I finished "Julie and Julia" and loved that too. (As much as I loved the movie!)

"Finger Licking Fifteen" was great... I just want Stephanie to pick Morelli and be done with it.

[mm123]

Two of my most recent favorites:

- The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

- A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini (same author as the Kite Runner)


Right now, I'm reading:

- The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill.

I CANNOT put this book down. It's historical fiction- the life story of a woman who was kidnapped from her African village at age 11, and sold into the slave trade. It's by a Canadian author, but should be available on Amazon, if not in bookstores in the U.S. It's a #1 bestseller here in Canada.

[713abc]

I just finished The Help....loved it!

[jerigirl]

Anita Shreve's Strange Fits of Passion and Testimony.

[wellyes]

I'm so glad I asked :cheerleader1:

Based on this thread & a previous book rec thread I'm reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, set in 12th century England..... so far I'm really enjoying it! I always though Follett was just one of those authors who wrote books about spies that men bought in airports. But no, he's good!

Also picked up at the library:
- Playful Parenting & Unplugged Play
- The Geography of Bliss, a Bill Bryson-esque travelogue by an NPR correspondent
- A Secret Alchemy by Emma Darwin, historical fiction about the War of the Roses that got good reviews
- Born on a Blue Day, the autobiography of an autistic savant who also has synesthesia - I heard an interview of his on the radio, fascinating how differently his mind works from most of us

[cono0507]

I read the first 9 books of the Sookie Stackhouse series over the past 2 months and am anxiously awaiting book 10 due out in October!

Currently reading Julie/Julia

Recently read
The Glass Castle
The President's Wife
Mrs. Kimble
Three Cups of Tea

[cindys]

My fav of all times..

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers..

[infomama]

When do you guys find time to read...I'm jealous. I have to wait for vacations to get a book down.

[Melaine]

The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery. Yep, I'm re-reading some of my old favorites because I haven't had time to find new stuff lately.

[caleymama]

Right now, I'm reading:

- The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill.

I CANNOT put this book down. It's historical fiction- the life story of a woman who was kidnapped from her African village at age 11, and sold into the slave trade. It's by a Canadian author, but should be available on Amazon, if not in bookstores in the U.S. It's a #1 bestseller here in Canada.

I just searched goodreads for this by title and didn't find it and then searched by author and found it. It's called Someone Knows My Name (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Someone-Knows-My-Name/Lawrence-Hill/e/9780393333091/?itm=1) in the US, evidently. Best part of my search - I already have it on my "to read" list! :ROTFLMAO:Just didn't recognize the name. No wonder I thought it sounded like a good read, LOL.

[cono0507]

When do you guys find time to read...I'm jealous. I have to wait for vacations to get a book down.

I always read for about 30 min when I go to bed at night (I should probably sleep but I need to unwind a bit) and I also read for about 10 min while I dry my hair in the morning. :)

[DietCokeLover]

Return to Sullivan's Island by Dorothea Benton Frank

[Gena]

I'm currently reading The Math Gene: How Mathematical Thinking Evolved And Why Numbers Are Like Gossip (http://www.amazon.com/Math-Gene-Mathematical-Thinking-Evolved/dp/0465016197/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251856454&sr=8-1) by Keith Devlin.

I'm also re-reading Sensational Kids (http://www.amazon.com/Sensational-Kids-Children-Processing-Disorder/dp/0399533079/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251856788&sr=1-1)by Lucy Jane Miller.

[jent]

I always read for about 30 min when I go to bed at night (I should probably sleep but I need to unwind a bit)

This is why I can't read detective novels, mysteries, or anything too engrossing-- I will stay awake to finish them!

[lchang25000]

When do you guys find time to read...I'm jealous. I have to wait for vacations to get a book down.

I go to the bookstore to read when my part-time nanny is here.

[rlu]

When do you guys find time to read...I'm jealous. I have to wait for vacations to get a book down.

two-hour baths after DS goes to bed, seriously. I fill the tub part way and then do "warm-ups" through-out my reading time. I don't do a bath every night, so the other nights I read about 10-15 minutes before bed. Sometimes I take the book to work to read during lunch but most days at the office I work through lunch so I can go home earlier.

[wellyes]

My reading time is to & from work - I take public transportation (commuter rail). I thought I'd miss driving, but I love the train! 25 minutes each way of uninterrupted reading time. It's nice to be surrounded by so many other people who are reading, too, you don't get to experience that in many places as an adult.

The other thing is that don't watch much TV anymore, which gives me waaaay more time for books. New TV season starting soon, though. Hopefully the new shows are lousy because my to-read pile is HUGE!

[maydaymommy]

I also read for about 10 min while I dry my hair in the morning. :)

Wait. . . what??!?

Please teach me how to read and dry my hair at the same time! I have curly hair which I blow dry straight. Huge investment of time and energy. I'm imagining that you can only read while doing your own hair if you are sitting under one of those warming helmets or something. If not, really, share the secret!!

In regards to books, I finished a great one I loved. Beginner's Greek, by James Collins. The reviews were not great, but I found it to be like ChitLit done right. Smart and witty and fast and fun.

[fauve01]

I'm so glad I asked :cheerleader1:

Based on this thread & a previous book rec thread I'm reading Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, set in 12th century England..... so far I'm really enjoying it!


Pillars is one of my all time fav books! so glad you are enjoying it (i've recommended it many times...). I'm not sure if you know that there is a sequal...

http://www.amazon.com/World-Without-End-Ken-Follett/dp/045122499X/ref=ed_oe_p

I haven't read it yet, but it is in my stack.:)
Anne

[kijip]

I have been re-reading Assassination Vacation because it is fun and easy and because I am trying to remember a passage from it and need to find it for a friend's b-day card. If you have not read it yet, it is hilarious.

[JTsMom]

I'm almost through Kids, Parents and Power Struggles, and just recently finished The Explosive Child. Not very fun reads, but full of good stuff!

[mommylamb]

I usually read for 20 minutes (or thereabouts) before I go to bed. It helps me unwind. Also, when I can drag my sorry a$$ to the gym, I read on the stationary bike.

[wellyes]

I have been re-reading Assassination Vacation because it is fun and easy and because I am trying to remember a passage from it and need to find it for a friend's b-day card. If you have not read it yet, it is hilarious.Sarah Vowell is an awesome writer, and I love that she is such a history buff... because of her, I was inspired to learn a lot more about Lincoln (her hero) and Andrew Jackson (who, she reminds us, advocated genocide). Plus she is funny as all get-out.

[MommyofAmaya]

For the Jhumpa Lahiri fans, have any of you read Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni? It's much of the same subject matter with a much different tone.

Arranged Marriage and Mistress of Spices are my favorites, but I really like them all. DH put her newest on my Kindle as part of my bday gift. I haven't read that one yet.

[cono0507]

Wait. . . what??!?

Please teach me how to read and dry my hair at the same time! I have curly hair which I blow dry straight. Huge investment of time and energy. I'm imagining that you can only read while doing your own hair if you are sitting under one of those warming helmets or something. If not, really, share the secret!!

In regards to books, I finished a great one I loved. Beginner's Greek, by James Collins. The reviews were not great, but I found it to be like ChitLit done right. Smart and witty and fast and fun.

Nope, no helmet! :) In my bathroom there is a part of the counter that is like a desk/dressing area with a chair so I can sit there. I put the book on the counter and prop it open so I dont have to hold it and read while I dry my hair. It makes the chore of drying my hair much less annoying to have to do!