club The Great Reading Thread of 2023

[Darciana]

1 hour ago, Shello said:

This is the coolest thing I've heard.  I want to be your neighbor (but totally not in a creepy way).

 

I'm in Texas, so come on over! I met 2 of my neighbors yesterday taking pups for a walk. Everyone is super sweet (and that's coming from a 31 year old who has tattoos and piercings meeting mostly people in their 70s like the two I met yesterday). Lots of people walk around here, plenty of hills (Hill Country region, of course) and it's just a nice little community. 

 

I'm nervous yet excited to meet more neighbors on the 1st when we do this book club meeting. Hoping they're just as sweet as everyone else. At least we will have one thing in common besides living here. There's the walking people and soon the book people. Maybe some of the book people are walking people like me, too! 

 

Edit to add: I have no issue with age, I've just had the misfortune of a lot of older people assuming bad things about me because of my tattoos/piercings. I LOVE old people who are open and friendly. So much wisdom and knowledge and experience. Also most of them don't give a crap what you think and its refreshingly hilarious. BF is 9.5 years older than me and most of my friends are 5+ years older. I don't really get on with most people my own age so I really actually like being around the older community out here. It's also really quiet which I think we all love. 

[Waanie]

Today I finished reading the "Mercedes Thompson"-series by Patricia Briggs . I read everything except the last book before, and I'm still loving it all. Including some non-fiction I read, that brings my book-count this year at 15 already, I guess? I don't have any goal in mind though, and I also don't track.

 

Since you're all recommending "Six of crows", I'm going to try it as well . I can choose between a digital version that's translated to Dutch, or a hard-copy English version for which I have to bike to the library and back. I'll try out the digital translation, and if it's unreadable I'll go to the library next week. I try to not borrow children's books too often because I want children to have the chance to read nice books, but once in a while it's okay to borrow them myself, I think.

[Heidi]

Random:
Here's my goodreads list. 
It's as haphazard as eveyrhitng else that i do.  

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5802068-heidi?utf8=✓&ref=nav_mybooks&sort=rating&per_page=infinite 

[MaeradCase]

Stopping in to give a status report! I finished my re-read of Alison Croggan's "The Naming", which happens to be one of my favorite series that still holds up upon rereading. It's not blowing my mind as much as some of the series I've read as of late, but it's got good vibes. I'm taking inspiration from it to slow down scenes in my second draft when I write it to describe new things and make the world feel more real. I started reading its sequel "The Riddle" and the romantic tension is driving me bonkers. 😆

[Artemis Prime]

On 2/17/2023 at 9:13 PM, MaeradCase said:

Stopping in to give a status report! I finished my re-read of Alison Croggan's "The Naming", which happens to be one of my favorite series that still holds up upon rereading. It's not blowing my mind as much as some of the series I've read as of late, but it's got good vibes. I'm taking inspiration from it to slow down scenes in my second draft when I write it to describe new things and make the world feel more real. I started reading its sequel "The Riddle" and the romantic tension is driving me bonkers. 😆

I never actually made it to Pellinor, will have to put it on the list!

 

I started Naomi Novik's The Last Graduate over the weekend. I'm far enough into it now to be enjoying it, but I struggled at the beginning. More than I remember struggling with book 1, but it was a problem then, too. Usually I'm pretty willing to suspend disbelief while an author establishes their premise, as long as they remain consistent throughout the story, but this one is hard for me. Magic schools in general tend to be rather dangerous, but Novik takes it to a whole new level with her Scholomance and I really find it hard to believe that the collective intelligence of generations of magic users around the world haven't been able to come up with a better education system than locking their children in a death trap for 4 years. 

[Briar Fang]

On 2/21/2023 at 9:14 AM, Artemis Prime said:

I never actually made it to Pellinor, will have to put it on the list!

 

I started Naomi Novik's The Last Graduate over the weekend. I'm far enough into it now to be enjoying it, but I struggled at the beginning. More than I remember struggling with book 1, but it was a problem then, too. Usually I'm pretty willing to suspend disbelief while an author establishes their premise, as long as they remain consistent throughout the story, but this one is hard for me. Magic schools in general tend to be rather dangerous, but Novik takes it to a whole new level with her Scholomance and I really find it hard to believe that the collective intelligence of generations of magic users around the world haven't been able to come up with a better education system than locking their children in a death trap for 4 years. 

I read the final book in the Scholomance series just a few weeks ago. I felt similarly about the subject matter. Overall I felt the series was mildly entertaining. With that being said, I was disappointed that it was *only* mildly entertaining. - as I loved her books Uprooted and Spinning Silver. She's already got her next project announced, so I hope itll feel more like those other two. 

[MaeradCase]

3 hours ago, Briar Fang said:

I loved her books Uprooted and Spinning Silver. She's already got her next project announced, so I hope itll feel more like those other two. 

Those are two of my favorite books as well. 😃 Have you read "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker? 😍

[Briar Fang]

30 minutes ago, MaeradCase said:

Those are two of my favorite books as well. 😃 Have you read "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker? 😍

Nope, but its been on my very long TBR. 

Tell me more!

[MaeradCase]

38 minutes ago, Briar Fang said:

Nope, but its been on my very long TBR. 

Tell me more!

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😆 Yeah! It's a masterpiece comparable to those two in that it uses multiple perspectives to approach the events in an excellent depth of story telling. The style is different since instead of being Polish in style, it is a cool blend of Arabian and Judaic lore (as can be guessed by the titular characters). Both of them find themselves in New York City (around the time setting of American Tail), surrounded by humans and feeling quite stranded until they come across each other. They class a bit, but they both have some interest in the other, especially as they are facing their own personal and interpersonal dilemmas. Very great story. I was in love with it all the way through. The sequel is good in its own way, though it doesn't quite match the first? But it's a good continuation and further development of the characters. 😍

[Everstorm]

I just finished Deadly Education and am starting Last Graduate now.  While I agree that a)the beginning is a bit rocky b) the tone is unlike that of her other works and c) willing suspension of disbelief is a thing...I still really liked it.  I love an irascible anti-hero and the story certainly didn't lack momentum

[Briar Fang]

5 hours ago, MaeradCase said:

😆 Yeah! It's a masterpiece comparable to those two in that it uses multiple perspectives to approach the events in an excellent depth of story telling. The style is different since instead of being Polish in style, it is a cool blend of Arabian and Judaic lore (as can be guessed by the titular characters). Both of them find themselves in New York City (around the time setting of American Tail), surrounded by humans and feeling quite stranded until they come across each other. They class a bit, but they both have some interest in the other, especially as they are facing their own personal and interpersonal dilemmas. Very great story. I was in love with it all the way through. The sequel is good in its own way, though it doesn't quite match the first? But it's a good continuation and further development of the characters. 😍

Thank you so much for sharing! Personal recommendations are the best! It definitely just moved up in the pecking order. 

[darksaber]

Bookssss. Unfortunately I've been buying more books than reading them lately, so time to hop on here and finish the way too big TBR pile. And find some recommendations for new books along the way. I'm currently reading Deadly Education which I've also seen mentioned around here, I'm halfway through and so far I like it.

My overall goal for this year is reading 30 books.

[Artemis Prime]

20 hours ago, Briar Fang said:

I read the final book in the Scholomance series just a few weeks ago. I felt similarly about the subject matter. Overall I felt the series was mildly entertaining. With that being said, I was disappointed that it was *only* mildly entertaining. - as I loved her books Uprooted and Spinning Silver. She's already got her next project announced, so I hope itll feel more like those other two. 

I did love Spinning Silver. Uprooted was less of a hit for me, but still good. Scholomance was a big tone shift, but she writes well and I still liked it, just had to work a little harder to get into it.

 

17 hours ago, MaeradCase said:

Have you read "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker? 😍

Just what I needed - another title on my TBR. 😆

 

15 hours ago, MaeradCase said:

The sequel is good in its own way, though it doesn't quite match the first?

So often the way with sequels.

 

15 hours ago, Everstorm said:

I just finished Deadly Education and am starting Last Graduate now.  While I agree that a)the beginning is a bit rocky b) the tone is unlike that of her other works and c) willing suspension of disbelief is a thing...I still really liked it.  I love an irascible anti-hero and the story certainly didn't lack momentum

El is really likeable, in her own abrasive way, and I did really like Deadly Education. I think part of my problem with The Last Graduate was that it had been so long since I read book 1, I probably should have done at least a skim re-read. There was a lot of "who is this person again?" for me at the beginning. One of the things I most appreciated about Deadly Education was SPOILERS

Spoiler

how they handled the shift in her perspective of Orion at the end of the book. So often there's this really abrupt heel turn of "You've been a jerk to me the whole book but now I know you harbor secret feelings for me so that doesn't matter and it's made me realize that I am desperately in love with you!" And instead we get "I thought you were a huge jerk because I just assume the worst of everyone, but now I realize that you maybe are a decent guy harboring secret feelings for me and I...maybe don't hate you?" Which is such a better way to handle it and one of the reasons Novik is quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite authors.

 

[Artemis Prime]

4 hours ago, darksaber said:

I'm currently reading Deadly Education

Lots of that going around. Enjoy!

[Everstorm]

16 minutes ago, Artemis Prime said:

I think part of my problem with The Last Graduate was that it had been so long since I read book 1, I probably should have done at least a skim re-read. There was a lot of "who is this person again?"

Oh, I hate that.  It definitely makes it hard to find your groove again when there was a long wait between readings.

 

If anyone loved the Scholomance series and would like a similar book, I recommend A Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

[Briar Fang]

2 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

I did love Spinning Silver. Uprooted was less of a hit for me, but still good. Scholomance was a big tone shift, but she writes well and I still liked it, just had to work a little harder to get into it.

 

Its so neat the different way stories hit each of us. I loved uprooted all the way through. Spinning Silver felt different and it was a bit of a grind for most of it, but the extraordinary ending made me fall in love with it. I figure when I reread it, I'll love it even more. 

[MaeradCase]

36 minutes ago, Briar Fang said:

Its so neat the different way stories hit each of us. I loved uprooted all the way through. Spinning Silver felt different and it was a bit of a grind for most of it, but the extraordinary ending made me fall in love with it. I figure when I reread it, I'll love it even more. 

I read Spinning Silver first, so the absence of the interwoven narratives made Uprooted feel like a much easier read. So I get what you mean experiencing that difference in reverse order. 😅 I definitely recommend it for rereading because of how often the events build up toward the climax. I feel that knowing the climactic end allows for savoring the story all the more. 😍

[MaeradCase]

On 2/17/2023 at 8:13 PM, MaeradCase said:

Stopping in to give a status report! I finished my re-read of Alison Croggan's "The Naming", which happens to be one of my favorite series that still holds up upon rereading. It's not blowing my mind as much as some of the series I've read as of late, but it's got good vibes. I'm taking inspiration from it to slow down scenes in my second draft when I write it to describe new things and make the world feel more real. I started reading its sequel "The Riddle" and the romantic tension is driving me bonkers. 😆

Dang, I read fast! I just finished "The Riddle"! I've already checked out "The Crow" to read next, but I'll enjoy an hour or two of peace with my lunch break ahead. 😅

I'm still taking moments of inspiration from the series, though the second half taking place in an arctic tundra won't provide me much aid in regard to the temperate climate that I intend to use in my setting. 😅 Otherwise the best moment of interest for me is "how would horses react to folks who use magic to speak to them?" for which I had numerous ideas including "they decide that they'd rather pretend they can't understand." 😆

[Artemis Prime]

On 2/23/2023 at 1:46 PM, MaeradCase said:

they decide that they'd rather pretend they can't understand." 😆

As a horseowner, I'd put my money on this one. I thought my old horse had lost his hearing until he heard me say "dinner time" in a normal tone of voice from halfway across the field. Stinker had just decided he was old enough to do what he wanted, including ignoring me calling him for anything except feeding time.

[Artemis Prime]

Just finished The Last Graduate. I didn't think the cliffhanger was quite as bad as people made it out to be, although maybe just because I kind of saw it coming. That being said, I immediately logged onto my library's website and downloaded The Golden Enclaves, cause Novik definitely knows how to pull you in and make you want to know what happens next.

[MaeradCase]

8 minutes ago, Artemis Prime said:

As a horseowner, I'd put my money on this one. I thought my old horse had lost his hearing until he heard me say "dinner time" in a normal tone of voice from halfway across the field. Stinker had just decided he was old enough to do what he wanted, including ignoring me calling him for anything except feeding time.

Thank you for this valuable nugget of information. 😆❤🤣

[Everstorm]

7 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

Just finished The Last Graduate. I didn't think the cliffhanger was quite as bad as people made it out to be, although maybe just because I kind of saw it coming. That being said, I immediately logged onto my library's website and downloaded The Golden Enclaves, cause Novik definitely knows how to pull you in and make you want to know what happens next.

I am so jealous.  I also just finished, but the wait for Enclaves at my library is months long 😭😭😭  I totally cheated and read the sample to get an idea for what happens next, but I don't know if I can wait behind 30 other people on 2 copies.  I might break down and buy it.

 

Maybe at the used bookstore...

 

Wait, it's only 5 months old.  That's not good odds lol

[Darciana]

Just finished month 2 book: Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) and in usual Darciana fashion, I simply want more and more and more.

On Wednesday I go meet book club ladies and get my first book from them. Depending on the books and my ability to finish them (I find it hard to finish books I cannot get into at all), I may continue on and read the Shadow and Bone trilogy on top of book club.

 

Will keep y'all posted with the books I inherit through club in case they're interesting!

[Artemis Prime]

Stayed up way too late finishing The Golden Enclaves last night. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads, which is maybe a bit questionable, because I am super stingy with that 5th star. Usually it's reserved for books that stick with me long term, and it's a bit early to decide that for this one yet, but I'm willing to give it the bump for how thoroughly it sucked me in and made me want to keep reading. Plus, I love the way Novik drops seemingly separate things throughout the story and then at the end weaves them together in a way that is so satisfying. I kind of knew what the end result would be, but I had no idea how she was going to get there, and there was almost an audible click at the moment that I realized what she was doing, and the ability to pull everything together like that is worth another star for me. It's still not on Spinning Silver level for me, but it's definitely a book that I want to acquire and have on my shelf.

[Darciana]

13 minutes ago, Artemis Prime said:

Stayed up way too late finishing The Golden Enclaves last night. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads, which is maybe a bit questionable, because I am super stingy with that 5th star. Usually it's reserved for books that stick with me long term, and it's a bit early to decide that for this one yet, but I'm willing to give it the bump for how thoroughly it sucked me in and made me want to keep reading. Plus, I love the way Novik drops seemingly separate things throughout the story and then at the end weaves them together in a way that is so satisfying. I kind of knew what the end result would be, but I had no idea how she was going to get there, and there was almost an audible click at the moment that I realized what she was doing, and the ability to pull everything together like that is worth another star for me. It's still not on Spinning Silver level for me, but it's definitely a book that I want to acquire and have on my shelf.

 

Thank you! I just had to look up the series and turns out I have Book 1 (A Deadly Education) in my list on Goodreads. Definitely bumping this up a little higher on the TBR list. I love a good, clever weaving of pieces at the end.