Ongoing Book Bzz

Just a couple of notes to those who have mentioned books:

kath: I bookmarked your book reviews page. I will go through them when I have a chance. I already have The Sparrow and Children of God on my wish list. That sounds so cool that you get advance books and such and that you get to read so many different sorts of books. I hate spending money on books in case they're duds. I want to recommend one to you if you haven't already read it. It's called Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. It combines time travel with historical fiction and medical thriller. I have reread it more than any other book except perhaps the Lord of the Rings series.

Karen: I called my local bookstore to see if they have any of the Dresden Files books in stock. She only had the most recent, #9 I think, so tomorrow I'm going to go in and pay up so she'll order me 1-9. I guess 10 comes out soon in hardcover, but I'll wait for the paperback. I read reviews on Amazon and they sound perfect. The woman at the bookstore said she's just starting to hear a LOT about these books and the most recent one made it onto the bestseller list.

Thanks a bunch ladies for sharing BookBzz.

I am LOVING the idea of a Book Bzz thread!

Here are my recommendations. All of these are Sci Fi or Fantasy, just cause that's what I like. But I'll probably think of other stuff later.

1. Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
2. Anything Elizabeth Moon writes, but especially Remnant Population
3. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Even if you're a grown-up.
4. Watership Down by Richard Adams
5. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
6. Anything Joan Vinge writes, but she doesn't write much.

And just for little kids,
7. The Cat Club by Esther Averill, and really any of the Jenny Linsky cat books. We liked them so much that my youngest girl's middle name is Linsky.

uh oh......

I can see my wish list growing by leaps and bounds...



I will certainly get Doomsday Book.. have to check my bank balance on monday, but have already added a used copy to my cart.

I have already read:
3. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. Even if you're a grown-up.
4. Watership Down by Richard Adams
5. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein


some I have read and re-read and re-read and.. well you get the picture

Heinlein's Stranger In A Strange Land
Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In The Castle
Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon
T.H.White's Once and Future King

and of course The Sparrow and Children of God...by Mary Doria Russell... I sort of consider them like one book....lol


LibraryThing

is my profile page on LT and a few more of my books are listed there ... I also have a few up for swap or release...
I will add more as soon as I spend more time offline ! Anyway.. let me know if you are interested in any of them..

I get so excited when I have a chance to talk about or review a book... lol
its a sickness!

Oh! and I am going to check out Elizabeth Moon and Joan Vinge for sure......

*runs off to Amazon*

Kath, I've read pretty much all that Heinlein wrote, some I loved, some I just liked, and a very few didn't really do it for me. But Stranger is one of the ones I loved. I've also read and loved Mists of Avalon and Once and Future King. So since you recommended three books I've already read and loved, I'm now really looking forward to reading the three I haven't: We Have Always Lived In The Castle, The Sparrow, and Children of God. Of course, with toddlers in the house my reading is rather limited. I promise to let you know when I've started them (I have to finish a few library books first) and months later when I've finished them. My youngest daughter is morally opposed to my reading, as she feels that this is time that could have been spent paying attention to her.

Oh, and I must warn you that Elizabeth Moon tends towards series. I recommended Remnant Population not only because it's so good, but because it's a stand alone book.

And Lori, I'm adding your recommendation to the list as well. But if I get four books read by the end of summer it'll be a miracle. But once Little Miss starts preschool in the fall, I'm hoping the baby will cooperate and I'll have more time for my much missed reading.

I added that one to my wish list... and I am glad its a stand alone! I usually avoid series reads...

I rarely get involved in series reads....
but I did go through Gabaldons series !

Although looking back.. her first one was the best I think?

so many books so little time/ money!

Shoot, I have been away too long, look what I missed!

The Diana Gabaldon series (3 of them?) was great. I love the sci-fi/historical fiction genre. I didn't make it to the bookstore before they closed early on Good Friday so I'm going now. In doing the math I think I've decided that It'll be enough to have her order 3 or 4 of the Jim Butcher/Dresden Files books for now. Cha-ching!

I'll keep an eye on this are of the Unofficial Board and make a Grand List. Lots of times I add things to my Amazon Wish List just so I don't forget about a book that's been recommended. I have to remember to take it off the list if I get it or find it in the library in the unlikely event that someone looks to my wish list for gift ideas.

Even back when I did have time to read, I hardly ever bought a book that I didn't know I loved first. I use the library, and sometimes request interlibrary loans if my local one doesn't have what I want. I realized years ago that I would never have the budget for all the books I wanted, so I'm happy to just read them, and only own the ones I want to read and re-read and pass on to my kids.

That is the smart way to do it Karen...

I tried that, and did manage to find some that I was interested in reading.

The library in my town is not friendly.. will not call you if you request a book and it comes in
and if you call them... they snap at you like you are wasting their time..
They have minimal hours, too..

the library in the next town is absolutely the opposite.... but there is no parking for blocks!
not bad if you live nearby but not conducive to an after work stop ..

I gave up

I buy used on amazon and then swap or pass them on..

I have a list on my LT profile of books that I want to leave..
and had a taker this morning for Here If You Need Me


When possible I go to book trades and use book stores...

and I do get a fair number of books free.. so...*shrug*

its an addiction

I have about 1/2 of the books that I own listed on my LT library..
too lazy to take the laptop upstairs and add the rest..

oh... and at the end of the day.. Gabaldon had 6-7 so you may have missed some!

kath wrote:The library in my town is not friendly.. will not call you if you request a book and it comes in
and if you call them... they snap at you like you are wasting their time..
They have minimal hours, too..

Kath, our library is so wonderful. They have a favorite authors club. You sign up for Steven King, or James Patterson, or one of a few dozen bestselling authors, and when that author comes out with a new book, your name automatically goes on the hold list. You'll get a call one day out of the blue saying that you have a book on hold. And you'll say, but I didn't ask for any holds, and they'll say, but John Grisham's got a new book and we put it on hold for you. I have even had their librarians order books that they weren't planning on getting just because they thought that my son or daughter might like them. They noticed that my son had checked out all the elfquest books that they had, so they ordered more in the series for him. And they noticed that my daughter liked the Gregor the Overlander books so when a new one came out, they ordered it and put it on hold for her. The librarian asked if I minded! And they have wonderful programs for the kids. They have a story time for toddlers, of course, but they also have craft times for bigger kids. They do tie-dying every summer, led by a dead-head, hippie librarian. And they don't just do it for the kids. They have a grown-up session, too. And they taught my daughter how to crochet, and when I went to pick her up and commented that I didn't know how either, they invited me to join in, too.

They are closed for this month while they move into their new building, and our whole family is in withdrawl.

OMG!!! Bliss!! that is what a library should be.. a community center. Such wonderful customer service!!!

The one in my town only uses a computer to use the interlibrary system. They do not have internet, and both of the cranky old
erm... librarians...itake pride in not knowing how to use the internet..

the on in Ambridge is better, and they used to have a story hour... maybe they still do... and a few other things... but
as the years have passed they have less and less.

Funding is part of it, but funding has nothing to do with the things you mention..
that is just good customer service.

Where did you say you live again? lol
maybe i can move.......

UGH!!!!


I just put up a review of a book that was sent to me ...
An advance readers copy... I did not like the book.

I felt that it did not give enough credit to women who choose to stay at home for whatever reason.

Anyway, It had a positive aspect to it, but it is always hard for me to diss a book sent to me free..
it is impossible for me to lie about it!

It took me way longer than it should have to do the blasted thing..


oh well...
done now thank the goddess!

Oh I love all the Sci Fi that's been mentioned! I'm a HUGE sci fi and fantasy fan! I've read all of Heinlein, he's just amazing. I read the entire Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series, unfortunately Mr. Jordan passed away last year, so the series will never be finished. I love Sara Douglass' Starman series, and Anne Bishop is pretty great too. I've read almost everything by Mercedes Lackey too. I like most of the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

On the lighter side I really love Undead and Unwed series. It's a VERY fast read for anyone that doesn't have a lot of time.

On the more traditional side, my favorites are "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert and Memoirs of a Geisha. I also loved 10,000 Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner. Awesome, awesome books!!!

On occasion I like a good Anne Rice book too!

Starrlyte wrote:Oh I love all the Sci Fi that's been mentioned! I'm a HUGE sci fi and fantasy fan! I've read all of Heinlein, he's just amazing. I read the entire Robert Jordan Wheel of Time series, unfortunately Mr. Jordan passed away last year, so the series will never be finished. I love Sara Douglass' Starman series, and Anne Bishop is pretty great too. I've read almost everything by Mercedes Lackey too. I like most of the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

On the lighter side I really love Undead and Unwed series. It's a VERY fast read for anyone that doesn't have a lot of time.

On the more traditional side, my favorites are "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert and Memoirs of a Geisha. I also loved 10,000 Splendid Suns and The Kite Runner. Awesome, awesome books!!!

On occasion I like a good Anne Rice book too!

I Just wrote a reply and somehow lost it, so if this is a repost forgive me.

Starrlyte, I'm so excited by your list of books, most of which I'm not familiar with. I hardly ever get time to read because I have four kids, two not in school yet. My son (14, reads constantly and quickly) loves wheel of time, but because the books are so big I'm waiting to start until the babies are in school or preschool. I want to be able to finish the book while I still remember the beginning. LOL Undead and Unwed sounds perfect. Who writes it?

My oldest son is 12 and reads like crazy too. He's really into the Warhammer 40K, so if your son likes Sci Fi you might want to find it.

Undead and Unwed is by Maryjanice Davidson. The premise is hysterical. A blond with a shoe fetish gets turned into a vampire on her 30th birthday, the rest is just too funny for words! LOL! There's a whole series of Undead books.

For those that love historical fiction, I can also recommend Sharon Kay Penmen. Big books, but well worth the read (at least the older ones, I have not read the more recent books). Here be Dragons is the first in her series.

I like good sci-fi and fantasy..

I have read all of Heinlein .. most I liked.. Stranger in a Strange Land is my favorite

my all time fave sci fi?
The Sparrow

and its sequel by Mary Doria Russell

Of course, Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley


ANYTHING written by Charles deLint

so many more!!!

OH oh oh! and We Have Always Lived In The Castle



fabulous book!

I ordered a used copy of The Doomsday Book from amazon..

It came today! it is on my TBR stack.....

Right Now I am reading Raising Atlantis by Thomas Greanias

Then I have two that I have to review.. then maybe I can get to that one.. either that one
or The Eight by Katherine Neville
or Foucaults Penduum by Umberto Eco

not sure

Oh Kath, let me know how you like Doomsday Book!

While in FL I read:

* Devil in the North Woods by Walt Shiel, historical fiction about a huge wildfire that occurred in MI in 1908. It was an interesting read because this area is where I live, rated G.

* 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill, a collection of short stories by Stephen King's son. Loved it!

* And I'm halfway through We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates. I'm loviing it so far.

Muvaneys is one of the few books that I gave up on... I tried to read it... I tried and tried...
finally I gave up and put it into the donate pile for the animal shelter...lol


the book about the fire sounds interesting......

I got through it Kath. Around the middle of it it got to be a bit hard to believe. Things got worse and worse...until the very last part of the book when all is well again. Whatever. LOL I guess I can pass this one on through BookCrossing.

Kudos! I just did not have what it took to get through that one! lol
I have avoided her books ever since...