Monthly Book Club + What Are You Reading? (June 2018)

[TheBeardedOne]

In one of my other threads somebody recommended Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It's something I had never read before, so I gave it a shot. I guess it's aimed more at younger audiences, but it also seems to be something kind of seminal and important to a lot of people.

I read it this morning and enjoyed it. Some of the stories were pretty cheesy, but some were pretty good. Others I had heard before.

 

[MilkBeard]

In one of my other threads somebody recommended Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It's something I had never read before, so I gave it a shot. I guess it's aimed more at younger audiences, but it also seems to be something kind of seminal and important to a lot of people.

I read it this morning and enjoyed it. Some of the stories were pretty cheesy, but some were pretty good. Others I had heard before.

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These were books my family used to read a lot, and yes when we were children. They were really cool then, but I'm not sure how interesting they would be reading as an adult and without an audience. Still, what really helps is the great artwork. I hope you got the original versions with the superior artwork that looks like this:

Spoiler: Creepy images inside

etc.

In fact, I really think the artwork is partly why these stories were so great. Those pictures creep me out just looking at them even now.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

These were books my family used to read a lot, and yes when we were children. They were really cool then, but I'm not sure how interesting they would be reading as an adult and without an audience. Still, what really helps is the great artwork. I hope you got the original versions with the superior artwork that looks like this:

Spoiler: Creepy images inside

etc.

In fact, I really think the artwork is partly why these stories were so great. Those pictures creep me out just looking at them even now.

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Yeah, I had the original version of the first book. Still do actually, because I haven't returned it yet.

The artwork was great and disturbing to say the least. Some of those images weren't in it though. Maybe they're in the sequels?

 

[MilkBeard]

Yeah, I had the original version of the first book. Still do actually, because I haven't returned it yet.

The artwork was great and disturbing to say the least. Some of those images weren't in it though. Maybe they're in the sequels?

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Yeah, I was just picking some I found in a google search. I don't remember which ones are from which book, but all of them have great artwork.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

I added Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark to my reading list of all the books I've read in the last year/what I will read in the future. It's shorter than most, but I guess it fits.

 

[ara]

Failed to get back into reading with the books I mentioned earlier, so I asked for thriller/mystery recs on discord and was told to check out Devotion of Suspect X.

And damn it was good. Never thought I could get this hooked by what's essentially a murder mystery without the mystery part, at least from the reader's POV. But I really enjoyed it all the way through, even got a bit emotional towards the end.

And it had the exact effect I was hoping for, cause now I'm itching to read more! It's already 2am so I might not pick anything up tonight, but I'm definitely starting something tomorrow. Or today, technically, after I've slept anyway. No idea what to read, though. Guess I'll just pick a random short-ish book from my to-read list on GR.

 

[BrokenFiction]

Dang, Charles C Mann's 1491 was so good. I need a lot more books like it. (I've already ordered 1493.) But I have a super-heightened interest in pre-Columbian/pre-Contact Western Hemispheric history.

 

[Jonnykong]

Finished,

Very good it was, although in a way,

Spoiler

I would have been interested to see the story pan out on a more grounded level, although I didn't mind the back half of the book bringing in the supernatural element, I was excited to read about a supposedly impossible criminal investigation being possible, but nevermind.

It was great to see the return of Holly Gibney as well, I'd quite happily read another novel with her and Ralph from this book working on another case.

Really excited to read Cabin at the end of the world next.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Finished,

Very good it was, although in a way,

Spoiler

I would have been interested to see the story pan out on a more grounded level, although I didn't mind the back half of the book bringing in the supernatural element, I was excited to read about a supposedly impossible criminal investigation being possible, but nevermind.

It was great to see the return of Holly Gibney as well, I'd quite happily read another novel with her and Ralph from this book working on another case.

Really excited to read Cabin at the end of the world next.

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Spoiler

The title is good by itself, but it spoils the book and should not have been used.

 

[FRANKEINSTEIN]

I tried Moore's Sacre Bleu and got about 50 pages in before I gave up. Just wasn't for me. So I was apprehensive to try another Moore book but the synopsis sounded too good to not give a chance. I'm so glad I did. I loved this book. Levi who is called Biff is now a favorite character of mine. It gets heavy at the end, but I guess that was expected.

 

[Sean C.]

Anne Shirley has kind of gone down in the pop cultural consciousness as forever young and on the verge of adulthood, but of course, the full series of novels penned by L.M. Montgomery took her well into middle age (though by that point the focus had shifted over to her children). Anne of the Island and Anne's House of Dreams are the books that ease the series away from the Avonlea setting the character is most associated with, as she first attends university in Nova Scotia and then moves to another town in Prince Edward Island to begin her married life. Characters like Marilla and Diana fade out of the series, for the most part. Anne of the Island is the book where her relationship with Gilbert moves into its endgame, but it's not primarily a romance, despite what you might think; nor is it honestly all that focused on school; it's Montgomery's charming domestic comedy, for the most part. Anne's House of Dreams is probably the most interesting book in the series other than the original and the concluding Rilla of Ingleside, particularly since, while death and sadness was never wholly a stranger to the series, here Montgomery dips into some particularly painful autobiographical territory, though she doesn't dwell on it to excess by any means. There's some really lovely elegiac passages here. As well as a sideplot that feels a bit like something out of a Gothic novel.

 

[Jonnykong]

Spoiler

The title is good by itself, but it spoils the book and should not have been used.

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I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're completely right.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're completely right.

Click to shrink...

Spoiler

Glad you agree, because it's one of my major complaints. That should never have been the title. It sabotages the book before the reader opens the cover.

 

[Li Kao]

I sorta want to read something. With my reading ocd having nearly killed my desire to read, yeah !
That being said I need some advice.

I read The Willows after seeing so much praises in there and it was really great. Is there anything in the same style you could point me to ? By 'same style' I don't mean the same thing, more with the same vibes. More unsettling than scary, or scary but not in a gory or show off way, I am not looking for (but not agianst if it's good) a monster of the week thing.
Let's say, moody supernatural.

And along the same line, any good urban supernatural ? And by that I don't mean paranormal romance or even urban fantasy, just urban supernatural.

I have had these two books to read for an eternity, Perfect Circle by Sean Stewart and Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney. I don't want the exact same thing, but it's an exemple. Sorta like a mature supernatural fiction, which would't feel the need to be in your face but would still be definitely supernatural.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Finishing up this Dishonored book. On to The Cabin at the End of the World next. I did read one chapter before, but I'm going to start over and read it a lot this week.

 

[Xagarath]

I sorta want to read something. With my reading ocd having nearly killed my desire to read, yeah !
That being said I need some advice.

I read The Willows after seeing so much praises in there and it was really great. Is there anything in the same style you could point me to ? By 'same style' I don't mean the same thing, more with the same vibes. More unsettling than scary, or scary but not in a gory or show off way, I am not looking for (but not agianst if it's good) a monster of the week thing.
Let's say, moody supernatural.

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If you mean Blackwood's The Willows, Arthur Machen is probably what you're after - I'd especially recommend The Novel of the Black Seal, The Great God Pan and The White People out of his stories.

 

[Protome]

I've been in a real reading slump recently and it's driving me insane because I am really enjoying Space Opera, my brain just refuses to read atm.

 

[Li Kao]

If you mean Blackwood's The Willows, Arthur Machen is probably what you're after - I'd especially recommend The Novel of the Black Seal, The Great God Pan and The White People out of his stories.

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Thank you very much for reminding me that I always wanted to discover the work of the people who more or less influenced Lovecraft, according to a French magazine I read a few years back :
Poe, Dunsanny, Machen, Blackwood, M.R. James, Chambers and Hope Hodgson.

Keep the advices coming people, I feel I got a very good one for the Willows part of my post, but there must be others, and there is the modern supernatural part too.
Greatly appreciated Xagarath !

 

[ara]

Started reading

No real idea what to expect from it, but going by the very beginning, it seems interesting enough.

 

[Xagarath]

Thank you very much for reminding me that I always wanted to discover the work of the people who more or less influenced Lovecraft, according to a French magazine I read a few years back :
Poe, Dunsanny, Machen, Blackwood, M.R. James, Chambers and Hope Hodgson.

Keep the advices coming people, I feel I got a very good one for the Willows part of my post, but there must be others, and there is the modern supernatural part too.
Greatly appreciated Xagarath !

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No problem!

For modern urban supernatural, maybe try Caitlin Kiernan, especially The Drowning Girl?
(I'll resist the temptation to recommend my own books)

 

[Deleted member 40953]

Going on holiday next week so I'm planning which books to get on my Kindle.

Feeling a bit of sci-fi so I'm looking at Dune/Hyperion/Enders Game.

Also thinking of going back and finishing The First Law trilogy as I only read the first book.

Any other recommendations?

 

[Oliver James]

I've just finished The Name Of The Wind and it has got me back on the desire to read books again. It didn't blow me away but it's a great read when it picked up. It was slow at the beginning but when it found its rhythm, it never let go.

Anyway, aside from the book above, my only other forays into fantasy are the books of the A Song of Ice and Fire and one book from the Anne McCaffrey series, Dragonsong I think. Any recommendations?

 

[Deleted member 8861]

Going on holiday next week so I'm planning which books to get on my Kindle.

Feeling a bit of sci-fi so I'm looking at Dune/Hyperion/Enders Game.

Also thinking of going back and finishing The First Law trilogy as I only read the first book.

Any other recommendations?

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The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Though going through an existential crisis might not be what you want from a vacation read :P

 

[Sean C.]

I've just finished The Name Of The Wind and it has got me back on the desire to read books again. It didn't blow me away but it's a great read when it picked up. It was slow at the beginning but when it found its rhythm, it never let go.

Anyway, aside from the book above, my only other forays into fantasy are the books of the A Song of Ice and Fire and one book from the Anne McCaffrey series, Dragonsong I think. Any recommendations?

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Guy Gavriel Kay's novels are among my favourites (The Lions of Al-Rassan or Under Heaven are great introductions).

Katherine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale is a recent publication that I think is excellent.

 

[Donthizz]

I've just finished The Name Of The Wind and it has got me back on the desire to read books again. It didn't blow me away but it's a great read when it picked up. It was slow at the beginning but when it found its rhythm, it never let go.

Anyway, aside from the book above, my only other forays into fantasy are the books of the A Song of Ice and Fire and one book from the Anne McCaffrey series, Dragonsong I think. Any recommendations?

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Give Prince of fools by Mark Lawrence a try. Lies of Locke Lamora is really good as well.

Guy Gavriel Kay's novels are among my favourites (The Lions of Al-Rassan or Under Heaven are great introductions).

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you left out Tigana. :P one of my favourite books.

 

[fakefaker]

Had a craving for some sci-fi and decided to go with the 80's classic, In Conquest Born by C.S. Friedman.

 

[ara]

I've just finished The Name Of The Wind and it has got me back on the desire to read books again. It didn't blow me away but it's a great read when it picked up. It was slow at the beginning but when it found its rhythm, it never let go.

Anyway, aside from the book above, my only other forays into fantasy are the books of the A Song of Ice and Fire and one book from the Anne McCaffrey series, Dragonsong I think. Any recommendations?

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If you enjoyed ASoIAF, definitely check out The First Law trilogy. It's not more of the same, but it's somewhat similar dark fantasy, and the first and third books are some of my favorite books overall along with the third ASoIAF book.

Apparently the later books range from good to great too, though I have yet to read anything outside the original trilogy.

 

[Forerunner]

Too many books...My backlog just keeps growing. I started to read Mein Kampf and I never had any intention to.

So it started at work. An inmate went to the SHU, so I had to pack his property. He is an older man, who is quite intelligent and knowledgeable. He has a PhD and is originally from Germany. So I'm packing his stuff and he has a lot of books and I see Mein Kampf, it's by far the largest book. Then I got curious. So when I got home, I got it on my Kindle. I'm only on chapter two (it's quite a long and heavy read), but it's interesting to say the least.

 

[Xagarath]

I'm reading T Kingfisher's Clocktaur War duology, a likeable, witty heist-fantasy apparently written because the author got really pissed off at Neverwinter Nights 2.

I've just finished The Name Of The Wind and it has got me back on the desire to read books again. It didn't blow me away but it's a great read when it picked up. It was slow at the beginning but when it found its rhythm, it never let go.

Anyway, aside from the book above, my only other forays into fantasy are the books of the A Song of Ice and Fire and one book from the Anne McCaffrey series, Dragonsong I think. Any recommendations?

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Naomi Novak's Uprooted and Seth Dickinson's The Traitor Baru Cormorant are two of my recent favourites.
For more classic fantasy, I'd really recommend Ursula le Guin's Earthsea series.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Although I shouldn't have, I started reading The Woman in Cabin 10 out of curiosity. The author's books have had recommendation stickers on them at the library, have pretty good reviews and seem well liked. I also bought one for 25 cents, but haven't read it yet.

This one has been popular at the library so I will probably have to return it soon. I wanted to read it and see if it was any good to start, then decide about reading the whole thing or returning it soon.

It's been decent so far.

 

[Jonnykong]

Although I shouldn't have, I started reading The Woman in Cabin 10 out of curiosity. The author's books have had recommendation stickers on them at the library, have pretty good reviews and seem well liked. I also bought one for 25 cents, but haven't read it yet.

This one has been popular at the library so I will probably have to return it soon. I wanted to read it and see if it was any good to start, then decide about reading the whole thing or returning it soon.

It's been decent so far.

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Is Cabin not gripping you? Thought you'd have prioritised that over everything else.

 

[ryanfadholi]

Hi guys, do you have any fiction recommendations for beginner reader?

I'm trying to start reading, particularly english book to improve my english. I finished my first book, When Breath Becomes Air last week. I enjoyed the read, but found that I often stumbled into foreign words. Coupled with my slow reading speed, and a relatively short book like it took me a little more than a month.

I figured that my reading speed and comprehension will improve with practice, but googling for book recommendations always results in children books, which I don't mind, but I'm not really into it either.

Do you have any resources/personal recommendations? I'd like something that doesn't have many... "fancy" words. I usually enjoy mystery/thriller, but I'll take any genres. Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 8861]

Hi guys, do you have any fiction recommendations for beginner reader?

I'm trying to start reading, particularly english book to improve my english. I finished my first book, When Breath Becomes Air last week. I enjoyed the read, but found that I often stumbled into foreign words. Coupled with my slow reading speed, and a relatively short book like it took me a little more than a month.

I figured that my reading speed and comprehension will improve with practice, but googling for book recommendations always results in children books, which I don't mind, but I'm not really into it either.

Do you have any resources/personal recommendations? I'd like something that doesn't have many... "fancy" words. I usually enjoy mystery/thriller, but I'll take any genres. Thanks!

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I've got two broad recommendations.

1. Try to see if you can get your hands on an ebook reader. Their screens don't cause eyestrain and more importantly, it takes less than 10 seconds to look up a new word you might see in a book.

2. Young adult books in general have simpler language and are quite approachable. You might want to gie those a try.

As for a book suggestion... I might recommend Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea.

 

[ara]

Hi guys, do you have any fiction recommendations for beginner reader?

I'm trying to start reading, particularly english book to improve my english. I finished my first book, When Breath Becomes Air last week. I enjoyed the read, but found that I often stumbled into foreign words. Coupled with my slow reading speed, and a relatively short book like it took me a little more than a month.

I figured that my reading speed and comprehension will improve with practice, but googling for book recommendations always results in children books, which I don't mind, but I'm not really into it either.

Do you have any resources/personal recommendations? I'd like something that doesn't have many... "fancy" words. I usually enjoy mystery/thriller, but I'll take any genres. Thanks!

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Look into young adult stuff: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/young-adult

Not exactly adult, but not kiddie stuff either. Plenty of different genres to pick from, and since the books are primarily aimed at teens, they're usually pretty easy reads.

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Is Cabin not gripping you? Thought you'd have prioritised that over everything else.

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It's been pretty good so far. I'm not terribly far into it though, and it will probably keep getting better.

Hi guys, do you have any fiction recommendations for beginner reader?

I'm trying to start reading, particularly english book to improve my english. I finished my first book, When Breath Becomes Air last week. I enjoyed the read, but found that I often stumbled into foreign words. Coupled with my slow reading speed, and a relatively short book like it took me a little more than a month.

I figured that my reading speed and comprehension will improve with practice, but googling for book recommendations always results in children books, which I don't mind, but I'm not really into it either.

Do you have any resources/personal recommendations? I'd like something that doesn't have many... "fancy" words. I usually enjoy mystery/thriller, but I'll take any genres. Thanks!

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The Thief of Always by Clive Barker may be something you'd enjoy. It's written for a younger audience, but doesn't exactly scream that. It's also really good.

 

[FRANKEINSTEIN]

Just finished up Motherless Brooklyn. Interesting premise of a "detective" with tourettes. I could have done with a lot less of the chapter of Lionel and the Minna Boys. That part dragged. But once got past them as kids to teenagers was all great.

 

[Keyouta]

Going to be starting Leviathan Wakes because I love sci-fi and have been looking at it for a while, but also hearing good things on the Expanse TV series.

How'd everyone else find it, if you've read it.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Loving The Outsider. What's up with all the product placement though? iPads, Fitbit, Firefox. Seems weird that he calls some of those things out so specifically.

 

[Fallout-NL]

Going on holiday next week so I'm planning which books to get on my Kindle.

Feeling a bit of sci-fi so I'm looking at Dune/Hyperion/Enders Game.

Also thinking of going back and finishing The First Law trilogy as I only read the first book.

Any other recommendations?

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Hyperion is really, really good. One of my all time favorite sci fi novels.

 

[Eduardo Corrochio]

I just finished Wool, by Hugh Howey.

It was interesting enough but by the end I found myself pushing through just to see how it ended as opposed any particular love for the writing, characters or story. Not sure if I'll read the rest of the trilogy.

Torn between starting The Goldfinch, The Outsider or The President is Missing next.

Any recommendations?

 

[TheBeardedOne]

Do you all use bookmarks? Or some other way of saving place? Where do you get your bookmarks if so?

I got some Nintendo bookmarks years ago when the Wii was current, with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Samus, Toad(s) - male and female, Link and the Wii on them. I ripped the Wii one up but use most of the others in the books I have on the go, though I gave one (Samus) away to someone else who just got into reading and didn't have one. I also got a few from Chapters with my order, and use those sometimes.

I didn't find the Toads one until afterwards else I would've given that one away because they wouldn't have cared.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

Do you all use bookmarks? Or some other way of saving place? Where do you get your bookmarks if so?

I got some Nintendo bookmarks years ago when the Wii was current, with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Samus, Toad(s) - male and female, Link and the Wii on them. I ripped the Wii one up but use most of the others in the books I have on the go, though I gave one (Samus) away to someone else who just got into reading and didn't have one. I also got a few from Chapters with my order, and use those sometimes.

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I have like 10 of those ones with two magnets you fold over a page, scattered around my drawers and stuff. They work extremely well

 

[TheBeardedOne]

I have like 10 of those ones with two magnets you fold over a page, scattered around my drawers and stuff. They work extremely well

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I'm not sure if I know of those. They sound helpful though.

My childhood bedroom probably still has quite a few bookmarks in it. I used to be in Cub Scouts, and when we sold apples we would give people a paper bookmark with Cub Scouts on it. They were really cheap and flimsy, but I used them as a kid and probably still have an unused pack of them put away somewhere at home.

I'm curious because I recently read that people use the dust jackets from the books they buy and I don't understand why people would damage their new books instead of using something else.

 

[Jonnykong]

Do you all use bookmarks? Or some other way of saving place? Where do you get your bookmarks if so?

I got some Nintendo bookmarks years ago when the Wii was current, with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Samus, Toad(s) - male and female, Link and the Wii on them. I ripped the Wii one up but use most of the others in the books I have on the go, though I gave one (Samus) away to someone else who just got into reading and didn't have one. I also got a few from Chapters with my order, and use those sometimes.

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I do at the moment. I bought a lovely red bookmark from the British library when I visited last year which has a quote on it from Einstein.

"The only thing that you have to absolutely know is the location of the library"

 

[Dec]

I just use receipts from the library usually

 

[Xagarath]

Do you all use bookmarks? Or some other way of saving place? Where do you get your bookmarks if so?

I got some Nintendo bookmarks years ago when the Wii was current, with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Samus, Toad(s) - male and female, Link and the Wii on them. I ripped the Wii one up but use most of the others in the books I have on the go, though I gave one (Samus) away to someone else who just got into reading and didn't have one. I also got a few from Chapters with my order, and use those sometimes.

I didn't find the Toads one until afterwards else I would've given that one away because they wouldn't have cared.

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A lot of indie bookshops and online booksellers send out promotional bookmarks when you order from them, so I have a small stash of cardboard ones, each of which usually lasts me a few weeks' train travel.

 

[Deleted member 8861]

I'm starting to read Consider Phlebas, and I think it might be one of the first books I'll be enjoying in a while.

It feels both approachable and intriguing so far (15 pages in).

 

[Sparky2112]

Torn between starting The Goldfinch, The Outsider or The President is Missing next.

Any recommendations?

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If you get 100 pages into The Goldfinch and aren't feeling it, bail. I stuck it out to no avail.

 

[FRANKEINSTEIN]

Blowing through books this month. Helps that I quit my job at the end of last month to get ready for a move to another state. Finished Authority by Jeff Vandermeer. Definitely a different feel from Annihilation. The new characters were easier to understand than from Annihilation as well. Plus this one added understanding of the Psychologist from Annihilation. I'm excited to get to Acceptance but I have a few other books out from the library I need to finish before leaving this state next week.

 

[Xagarath]

Feeling slightly embarassed I haven't read Stanislaw Lem before now. These are excellent.