What are you reading right now?

[becke_davis]

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Everyman wrote:

Garden spells is, uh, different.  I think it's more a women's book than a man's.  I found it a mediocre, though acceptable, read, but with very strong undercurrents of not nice stuff which really didn't come out.  The characters were interesting but simply not believable; it's not really a fantasy book per se, but it has  magical elements that take it into the world of the not only improbable but impossible.

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becke_davis wrote:

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Garden Spells is in my TBR pile -- did you like it?  My daughter loved it.

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Well, now you've intrigued me.  My daughter said it reminded her a little of one of Joshilyn James' books but she didn't elaborate and I don't know anything about the plot.  I'll move it up in my pile, just to see if I end up loving it or hating it.

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[TiggerBear]

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Everyman wrote:

Garden spells is, uh, different.  I think it's more a women's book than a man's.  I found it a mediocre, though acceptable, read, but with very strong undercurrents of not nice stuff which really didn't come out.  The characters were interesting but simply not believable; it's not really a fantasy book per se, but it has  magical elements that take it into the world of the not only improbable but impossible.

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Curious, what did you not believe about the characters? I found them highly true, hmpt I know people so close to them. 

[dhaupt]

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becke_davis wrote:

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momgee wrote:

Just finished Rebecca , the fabulous classic by Daphne DuMaurier and Garden Spells  by Sarah Addison Allen and am starting Cross by James Patterson, at least in the daytime, ewww creeeeeepy killer.

Kaye

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Garden Spells is in my TBR pile -- did you like it?  My daughter loved it.

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Hi Becke,

We're discussing Garden Spells this week in the Fiction club.

I really liked the book. Hope you do too!

[dhaupt]

I just finished this weekend Left to Die by one of my favorite women suspense authors Lisa Jackson.

In this book Lisa starts a new series and takes us to Grizzly Falls Montana where she introduces us to a cast of characters that you will really want to get to know better (well some maybe not), they range from by the book cops to a hermit who believes he was abducted by aliens in the past and still gets directions from them now, and a woman who sees and speaks to spirits. You know no different than any town USA.

The book features Homicide Detectives Selena Alvarez and Rachel Pescoli who along with the rest of the Sherriff's department and a couple of FBI agents are trying to catch and stop a grizzly serial killer who leaves women to die of exposure tied to trees in the Montana Wilderness and to give us all a little something extra she throws in a copycat who's trying to kill Jillian Rivers who is the heroine of our story and her would be hero Zane McGregor who's story is told in this book. And while taking us through all of the Montana wilds near Grizzly Falls the detectives have their own personal issues to deal with. 

The only problem I had with the book is that after reading the edge of your seat novel you get to the end of the book only to discover the cliff hanger and guess what, now we have to wait until 8-09 to get the next installment. 

[IBIS]

Saturday morning TV shows, and the serial magazines that featured cliffhangers were great... but you only had a week or a month to wait....

I personally feel that cliffhangers that take a year to resolve are a bit on the cruel side.

IBIS

[becke_davis]

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TiggerBear wrote:

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Everyman wrote:

Garden spells is, uh, different.  I think it's more a women's book than a man's.  I found it a mediocre, though acceptable, read, but with very strong undercurrents of not nice stuff which really didn't come out.  The characters were interesting but simply not believable; it's not really a fantasy book per se, but it has  magical elements that take it into the world of the not only improbable but impossible.

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Curious, what did you not believe about the characters? I found them highly true, hmpt I know people so close to them. 

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Oh, I totally agree with you.  I read a lot of series books but I want each book to resolve something.  If I have to wait until the next book to answer my questions from book one it drives me NUTS.  Patience is not one of my strengths...

[momgee]

Just starting the Cranefly Orchid Murders by Cynthia Riggs. Sleuth is 92 yr old from Martha's Vineyard. Just taking a break from War and Peace for a day or so !

Kaye

[dasz]

I  just finished The Marble Kite by David Daniel (read my first David Daniel a few weeks ago, Goofy Foot and loved the Alex Rasmussen series so I had to get another one). The author is affiliated with a college in Lowell, Mass and that's where the main character lives. The stories are well written and plotted. There are a few more in this series so I look foward to reading more about Alex Rasmussen, P.I.

[dhaupt]

Over the weekend I read MJ Rose's The Reincarnationist. The book was right up my alley, I love novels that have to do with ancient religions, archeology and great mysteries and this had all three. By the title of the book you can guess what the main topic is about and you'd be right. It was a very good read and I would recommend it to any and every one.

[dhaupt]

I just finished The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman. It was the 17th installment of her Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus series.

It was a great who done it that features two murders one recent and one from 15 years ago and they have some similarities. So the good folks in the LAPD go to work to find out "who done it". It's a twisting turning mystery that keeps you guessing. For those of us who read and love this series, we get to catch up with our old friends and for those of you who don't read it never fear this book stands by itself. 

[becke_davis]

Just finished Sliver of Truth, the sequel to Lisa Unger's Beautiful Lies.  (Lisa joined our discussion about her book Black Out, which is a stand-alone book -- so far, anyway.)  I liked Sliver of Truth the best of the three books and I'm excited because Lisa mentioned that Ridley's story may not be over yet.  If there's a third book in the story, I definitely want to read it!

[julestrik]

I have just finished reading ALL the Inspector Lynley series. I am now reading an Anne Perry series.  I read you were reading the Tales of Despereaux and I have to tell you that is one of my all time favorite books!  I was a Librarian in a school library when that book first was published and it was by far one of the most popular books to read aloud!  The kids loved and the adults loved it. 

[karinlib]

I've been getting into the Scandanavian "noir" mysteries.  I just finished 2 of Indridason books, bleak, but good. 

[momgee]

I just started The Letter of the Law by Tim Green after finishing The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith.

[becke_davis]

After reading Sliver of Truth, the sequel to Lisa Unger's Beautiful Lies, I read the new release by romantic suspense author Mariah Stewart.  The men on this board probably won't be interested but I was pleasantly surprised by this author, and went back to buy a couple more of her books.

[RosemaryH]

I just finished Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke. I literally couldn't  put it down.  A fast-paced police procedural.

Rosemary

[becke_davis]

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RosemaryH wrote:

I just finished Angel's Tip by Alafair Burke. I literally couldn't  put it down.  A fast-paced police procedural.

Rosemary

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I love her father's books and I know this book is getting lots of good reviews.  I'll have to check it out!

[JanT]

Just finished reading Anatomy of Fear and The Murder Notebook - both by Jonathan Santlofer (who besides being a wonderful mystery writer is also an artist).  In these books the main character is a police sketch artist - and the books include sketches made by the author (which contribute to the character's story).  I highly recommend these - best to read in order so as not to miss any of the back story of the main character which develops from one book to the next.

[becke_davis]

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JanT wrote:
Just finished reading Anatomy of Fear and The Murder Notebook - both by Jonathan Santlofer (who besides being a wonderful mystery writer is also an artist).  In these books the main character is a police sketch artist - and the books include sketches made by the author (which contribute to the character's story).  I highly recommend these - best to read in order so as not to miss any of the back story of the main character which develops from one book to the next.

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Thanks for the recommendation -- I'll look for these!

[dasz]

I just finished "At Risk" by Stella Rimington (previously read "Secret Asset" which also was very good). Rimington was the first female head of MI5.  I plan to read her autobiography next.  She's a very good writer and knowing she draws her characters and plots on her work experiences makes for an excellent read