Week of 5/12: What are you reading now? What's waiting on your nightstand?

[SusanH]

What are you reading this week? What are you looking forward to reading soon?

You can just list the book or books you're working on, or you can add a few sentences about them, or you can write a short review for us, if you like!

Share your book experiences with us here. :)

[SusanH]

Last week I read Confessions of a Shopaholic, which was a very light, fun read in the Bridget Jones style.

Then I began the group read, which I'm enjoying very much. :) I expect to be done with it today or tomorrow.

Next up is either The Colors of Snow by Kate Fenton or Ann of Cambray by Mary Lide.

[tandpsmom]

Susan, the next shopaholic is even better then the first and I can't wait to read the 3rd one!

Anyway this week I am reading Bittersweet by Lavyrle Spencer, I couldn't believe I found one of hers that I hadn't read so I am about half way through it.

Erin

[k-mom]

I just started Life of Pi and I am very intrigued by the story. I can't wait to get deeper into it. I am looking forward to reading The Thornbirds.

[carissanboys]

Erin...I love LaVyrle Spencer! I've read everything of hers which stinks she's no longer writing :(

I am just about to start reading "Into the Wilderness" by Sara Donati which will be followed by "Dawn on a Distant Shore" thanks to recommendation by Susan :)

I also have "The Nanny Diaries" waiting in the background, but I'm hoping to save that for our long plane ride to Australia next month.

[tandpsmom]

I know, I was so excited to find one that I hadn't read I just love Lavyrle Spencer.

K-mom: the Thornbirds is Fabulous!!!!! I cannot praise that book enough! One of my all time favorites!

[eviesmom]

Evie and I both had the flu last week so I had to put off the group read since it required to much concentration. Instead I read a couple of books by Nora Roberts. I like her books because they are light, fluffy and don't require much brainpower, as well as being entertaining. She is one of those writers that I read secretly :o

I just finished The Secret Life of Bees this morning and I think I may be the only person on Earth who did not like it. I liked all the stuff about the bees but I didn't connect with any of the characters. I did not grow up in the 60's. I was not raised in the South. I did not lose my mother at a young age and I was always secure in my parents love for me. I couldn't understand what the fuss was all about.

[MaryB23]

I finished Mary Higgins Clark's Daddy's Little Girl on Saturday evening. I started Sue Grafton's Q is for Quarry this morning. (Actually, that's not entirely true. I read chapter 1 in January, but couldn't concentrate that close to my due date so I am trying it again. ;) )

[Caryl]

I'm reading Janet Evanovich's Seven Up right now. I hope to get Secret Life of Bees in a few days, and Lost in a Good Book should be ready for me at the library soon. :)

[Kathleen]

Oops! I posted on last week's thread! Well, I just finished <u>Girl With A Pearl Earrning</u> and am planning on starting <u>The Secret Life Of Bees</u> as soon as I get a copy - hopefully tomorrow or the next day. I can't wait! :)

[amykw33]

I'm reading Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" for the second time.

I also got the new book of essays by Jonathan Frantzen, "How to Be Alone" from the library today. I hope to finish the Lamott and pick up the Frantzen soon.

[SusanH]

eviesmom - Don't tell anyone, but I secretly read Nora Roberts too. In fact, I'm reading one right now. She's not deep, but she's a good storyteller. And she's amazingly prolific! She must write in her sleep!

k-mom - I really enjoyed The Thorn Birds. I hope you like it! I also liked the miniseries, which I finally saw not that long ago on cable.

Kathleen - What did you think of Girl with a Pearl Earring? I really enjoyed it, although at times I was more interested in the art lessons/history aspect of it than the actual plot.

[Kathleen]

Evie'smom and SusanH, it so funny that you mention Nora Roberts! Someone handed me three of her books recently, and I pretty much sniffed at the thought of reading them. But...they are sitting on my nightstand right now, so who knows, maybe after I finish The Secret Life Of Bees, I'll pick one up! ;)

Susan, I liked Girl With A Pearl Earring a lot. I was fascinated by the descriptions of how Vermeer made his colors, and the evolution of how how his paintings were made. I loved the descriptions of Delft as well. I think the author really did a good job in making that era come alive. I did like the plot and story, but there were some things that bothered me about it as well. All in all, though, I'd have say that I enjoyed it immensely!:)

[kimmy]

I'm reading "Drop Shot" by Harlan Coben. It's a mystery in his Myron Bolitar series.

On deck is "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown. I've heard great things about this, but I usually don't shell out the $$ for hardcovers. Luckily, my dad bought it and loved it and passed it on to me.

[rebeccav]

I just started "The No-Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley since I'm planning to move DD to her crib in the next month or so.

For fiction, I have a gift card to Chapters, so I'm going out this afternoon to spend it! I am debating whether to get "The Secret Life of Bees", "The Red Tent", or "Famous Last Words" by Timothy Findley.

Edit: I'm back from the bookstore - I got "The Secret Life of Bees" and "Spadework" by Timothy Findley. It took me forever to decide, though - so many books, so little time!

Also wanted to add - I read the second "Shopaholic" book and loved it! I laughed out loud in parts! If there really is a third book, I'm going to pick that up!

[SusanH]

Evie'smom and SusanH, it so funny that you mention Nora Roberts! Someone handed me three of her books recently, and I pretty much sniffed at the thought of reading them.

Which ones did she give you? I've only read a few of her 100's of novels. I still sniff at the thought of reading them, and yet I do. ;)

[tandpsmom]

rebeccav:
I saw a third shopaholic in hard back a few months ago. Shopaholic gets married so I am soooo excited to get that one. I usually wait until they are in paperback though so I have a little time to wait.
I loved the second one too it was so great!

Erin

[Kathleen]

Susan, I'll have to check back with you on those titles. They are upstairs next to my bed under a large pile of books and magazines. If I recall correctly, though, they take place in Ireland. Ring a bell?

[Lisa Jo]

Yikes - it has been weeks since I posted here! Can't believe that...

My last fictional read was The Deep End of the Ocean, which was pretty depressing and hard to recommend. Others in the past few weeks include Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods (thoroughly enjoyed), The Hip Mama Survival Guide, and at least 4 or 5 books on homeschooling. I am getting ready to partially homeschool my son for 5th grade next year and both really nervous and really excited. It's been a little tough finding good HS books that aren't religiously oriented. One book in particular really annoyed me because there was absolutely nothing on the jacket, in the title, or in a casual perusal to suggest that her book was going to be loaded with Christian references. Not at all what I'm looking for in HS info.

K-mom, let's talk when you've finished Life of Pi. I read it a few months ago and found it fascinating, but.... nope, not giving anything else away! :D

Would you believe my very well-stocked public library carries the Shopaholic books only as audio books? I have been wanting to read them for a long time but can't believe I'll have to buy them to do it. Audio books don't really work for me right now. I would have loved them when I commuted 50 minutes each to work years ago.

I am dying to sink my teeth into a light, fun, fictional read!

[SusanH]

If I recall correctly, though, they take place in Ireland. Ring a bell?

I've read three of her trilogies, and two of those took place in Ireland. One was the Born In... trilogy (each title started with those words). It's not bad. The other was about two brothers and a sister who owned a pub. I think one brother was a songwriter and the sister was a singer. That's pretty much all I can remember about that one. I think I liked it.

I'm hesitant to recommend her novels, because they aren't exactly great literature. I find them entertaining, though, which is clearly what she is aiming for. It's kind of like watching a Meg Ryan movie - a little humor, some romance, a likeable heroine. It's not a Bergman film, but life would be pretty depressing on an all-Bergman diet!

[Caryl]

I've been meaning to reply to this for awhile. I had some comments for a few of you!

k-mom: I'd like to hear what you think of Life of Pi. I've heard such good things about it, and I'd like to try it now that it's out in paperback.

eviesmom: You are not the only person on Earth who didn't get into The Secret Life of Bees. ;) My aunt had borrowed my mom's copy, and was going to lend it to me when she was done. Well, she gave it to me before she finished it; she just couldn't get into it. She was three-fourths of the way through, and asked me to tell her how it ended since I'd read it before. She adores books, and we generally have similar tastes, so I thought this was interesting. I told her about you, too! :)

MaryB23: I love Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone mysteries! Enjoy!

LisaJo: I've read parts of The Hip Mama's Survival Guide and The Mother Trip. You should try Mother Trip if you haven't yet.