What are you reading?

[the_wolfs_howl]

We're studying Edgar Allen Poe (one of my favorite authors!), so in the past week I've read "Ligeia," "The Masque of the Red Death," and lots of his poems. Even though I count myself a Poe fan, the number of his stories I've actually read is woefully small, so I'm really glad I could devour some more! I just love the way he crafts atmosphere <3

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
Reading this was a strange mix of positive and negative, which led me to try the author's other series...

While I haven't gone back to Dresden yet because I wanted to take a break and read other things, I actually found the fourth book to be a vast improvement over the first three.

Speaking of which, I am reading A Wizard of Earthsea, which is the first book to make me excited to read it since I read Dune last year.

[mysngoeshere56]

Going through the last Narnia book ("The Last Battle"), as well as the 3rd books in both Artemis Fowl and Harry Potter.

[ich1990]

“The Conspiracy of the Rich” by Robert T. Kiyosaki

The more books I read from the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” series, the more I am convinced that they are a waste of time. I consider this book, despite its promising beginning, to be the final nail in the coffin.

Let's get the major issue out of the way first: this series is a cash cow for Kiyosaki and he is milking it for all it is worth. Every chapter tries to sell you his $200 board games and multi-thousand dollar seminar tickets; it is relentless. This is a man who makes money telling other people how to make money and it shows.

Now I said the first half of the book was good; it is. Kiyosaki takes a look at the future of economics through the Austrian (read: cynical) lens, but instead of being depressed by the facts, he encourages his readers to get motivated and do what they can to withstand the economic storms ahead.

The first half seems woefully short once you start mucking through the second half. It opens with Kiyosaki bragging about how he dodged the housing crash of 2007. This is in spite of the fact that one of the books in his series, “The ABC's of Real Estate Investing”, advocates an extremely highly leveraged investing strategy under the supposition that the real estate market can't crash like the stock market can. He is practically spitting in the face of those readers who follow his (or his “advisers”) advice. The rest of the second half is a rehash of a rehash of a rehash. If you have read any other book or article Kiyosaki has written, you have heard it already.

My recommendation? Quit buying this man's products and then see how well he survives economic meltdowns then. 3/10

[GeneD]

Found Bone vol. 1 at a sale the other day and am almost finished with that. Not 100% sure I'll be looking into the rest though but I'll see.

[bigsleepj]

Bone is, I think, a pretty good book, but it does start slow. I have the single volume edition and I occasionally use it as a bludgeon against muggers.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Finished Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. (Apparently, my library had it after all.) I definitely liked this one better than the last. I'm very interested to see how the trilogy concludes, since I've heard so many conflicting things about it.

Yesterday I started Search for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi. But then my library got Goliath by Scott Westerfeld, so guess what got cast aside?

[uc pseudonym]

Shadows Linger by Glen Cook
The overall format of this series continues to fascinate me. It uses some very traditional tropes, but with such a different tone I'm not sure where it's going. I need to go back to this more often so I finish it in reasonable time.

The Challenge for Africa by Wangari Maathai
It's refreshing to see someone who acknowledges the complex factors contributing to modern Africa, but also willing to lay blame where it's appropriate. I'm not sure it's quite up to the blurb hype, though. While it's all very insightful, it's mostly a new perspective of the same criticisms you find in most modern development books.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
This has been called a "Nigerian Harry Potter" and that's fairly accurate, for good and for ill. I can see this being highly interesting if it's describing an environment that is new to you, but I found it more familiar than expected.

While I haven't gone back to Dresden yet because I wanted to take a break and read other things, I actually found the fourth book to be a vast improvement over the first three.

Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher

The fourth book introduced elements that have me more involved in the series. I have misgivings because this took four books (and wasn't glad to hear the series might be around 20 books) but I'm in for at least a few more.

[Atria35]

As I Lay Dying- You know, watching Baccano! made this infinitely easier to understand. I totally can follow this. What on earth are my classmates confused about?

[Lynna]

In English Class, we're going to read Lord of the Flies
From what I've heard, I might not be able to stomach it.

[AdriTan]

I'm reading Airborn by Kenneth Oppel.. again.. for like the umpteenth time he-he my favorite trilogy!

[FllMtl Novelist]

Finished Goliath, the conclusion to the Leviathan trilogy.

It was... satisfactory. I wasn't blown away, but it was an exciting read, and had an okay ending. And... that's that, I guess.

Also, Bovril is the best animal sidekick ever. "Mr. Sharp."

[Popyman]

In English Class, we're going to read Lord of the Flies
From what I've heard, I might not be able to stomach it.

Lord of the Flies is great, one of my favorite books. It isn't that bad, the only violent/creepy stuff happens right at the end and then it's over.

As for what I'm reading, no books just Batman: The Long Halloween. :3

[Derek_Is_Me]

I'm currently reading The Son of Neptune. The second book in the Olympian series by Rick Riordan.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Finished Spilling Ink, by Anne Mazer and Ellen Potter. It's a YA/Children's book about fiction writing, and surprisingly good. Like, really good.

Aimed at writing newbies, it covers all the basics in a kid-friendly way without feeling stupid. The mix of encouragement ("It's okay, write whatever you want! Don't give up!") and honesty ("Writing is unbelievably difficult--also, expect to do several rewrites") was excellent. Highly recommended for any beginner who doesn't mind a little wackiness.

[MomentOfInertia]

I also finished Goliath, the conclusion to the Leviathan trilogy.

I agree with what Fu said, except I found the ending somewhat disappointing. The action was good, but the wrap-up was ... not what I was hoping for. To say more would spoil it.

As for the Leviathan trilogy overall, the story is decent, the action well written, the illustrations are cool, and he slips some good humor in now and then. But I have to say that its the world that held my interest the most, the bizarre creatures and crazy machines.

[FllMtl Novelist]

I also finished Goliath, the conclusion to the Leviathan trilogy.

I agree with what Fu said, except I found the ending somewhat disappointing. The action was good, but the wrap-up was ... not what I was hoping for. To say more would spoil it.

As for the Leviathan trilogy overall, the story is decent, the action well written, the illustrations are cool, and he slips some good humor in now and then. But I have to say that its the world that held my interest the most, the bizarre creatures and crazy machines.

Yeah, thinking on the ending more, Certain Parts of it felt forced.
[spoiler]Alek in particular really suffered. And he wasn't a great character to begin with... XD]

[Twister980]

Reading the Clone Republic. The language makes it kinda eh. But I like it otherwise.

[Popyman]

Reading Frankenstein for the first time. The movies really ruined the poor guy. T_T

[bigsleepj]

Currently reading The Dracula Tape by Fred Saberhagen, a sly, screwtapish novel where everyone's favourite bloodsucker retells the events of Bram Stoker's novel from his own perspective.

[mysngoeshere56]

Reading Frankenstein for the first time. The movies really ruined the poor guy. T_T

Oh my gosh! I *loved* that book so much! ^_^

I'm currently going through several novels at once, but mostly focusing Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries. Right now I'm reading "The Hidden Staircase", which is the second book in the original Nancy Drew yellow hardback books.

[Atria35]

I'm currently going through several novels at once, but mostly focusing Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries. Right now I'm reading "The Hidden Staircase", which is the second book in the original Nancy Drew yellow hardback books.

I owned those once upon the time. They're not the originals- they're the 1950's/1960's reprints. Nancy Drew has been around since the 20's.

[mysngoeshere56]

I owned those once upon the time. They're not the originals- they're the 1950's/1960's reprints. Nancy Drew has been around since the 20's.

Yeah, I know. They were the original stories, but reprinted (mostly to make the series more "politically correct"). That's what I meant - probably should've specified, but thanks!

[Popyman]

Finished Frankenstein, it was fantastic! Now I'm reading the first book of Dean Koontz' Frankenstein series. I like it a lot so far but Victor is pretty much just a mad scientist which is totally lame. T_T

[Xeno]

Currently reading "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson. Very interesting learning about his personal life. Lots of things I had no idea about.

Also reading "Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will, or, How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Impressions, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc." by Kevin DeYoung.

[Kaori]

The Crucible by Arthur Miller. I find it highly ironic that one of the most famous lines from this play is John Proctor’s “I have given you my soul; leave me my name!â€

[MomentOfInertia]

The Android's Dream by John Scalzi.
I enjoyed it. I was expecting something a little closer to I robot and got something halfway between a Tom Clancy novel and one of the later Foundation books.

It should be noted that there is an unusually high "wait what?!?!?" curve on this one, though by the end you're okay with most of it.
Content wise I'd put it about even with Old Man'sWar.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Finished The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. I liked it a lot, but the ending made me go, "What? That's it?" because if she'd wanted to end the book with that kind of tone, she easily could have ended it about a hundred pages earlier. I liked the rest of it a lot, though. It's very different from what I usually read.

[Htom Sirveaux]

Volume 1 of the two-volume Batman story arc, Knightfall. Good stuff.

[ich1990]

“The Apology, Crito, and Phaedoâ€