Read any good books lately?

[grapegrl]

Mods: I searched, but couldn't find anything close to a thread like this, but if there is one out there please merge this one and mea culpa...

This is just a thread where those of us who are avid (or not so much) readers can share what selections they have been reading. Also feel free to comment about others' reading choices or ask about book titles you might want to check into.

I'll start off...

Just finished:
The Pale Blue Eye: A Novel by Louis Bayard
Excellent historical fiction. Features a young Edgar Allan Poe during his days as a West Point cadet. Poe accompanies a retired NYC detective on an investigation of the grisly mutilation of an apparent cadet suicide. Plenty of twists and turns in this plot…it kept me guessing right up until the end. Bayard provides an interesting character study into one of my favourite authors.

Just bought today:
A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
Kim Harrison is my favourite new paranormal/fantasy author. This is the fourth installment in her Rachel Morgan series. Kim has created a totally believable world where “normal” people are now aware of their supernatural neighbours (vampires, witches, werewolves, etc…) thanks to a devastating virus that wiped out a large number of the human population. Rachel Morgan’s (a witch) exploits as a bounty hunter with her vampire and pixie partners are suspenseful, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny. I’ll probably start and finish this one over the weekend.

[Dr Morbius]

The only thread I found similar to this was this one:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=321&highlight=books

But that is about seasonal reading...I think this is general enough to stand on it's own, but this aint my forum.

[claymud]

I've been starting and dropping books all over. I was reading Treasure for awhile but it kinda slowed down and the like so I let it go.

I am reading the Mothman Prophesys again and its a excilent book. Its about the goings on in point Pleasnet in 1967 when the Mothman was going around that area, its a great book.

[Zombie-F]

I recently finished Angels and Demons and The Da Vinci Code, both by Dan Brown. I enjoyed the latter more, but both were quite good.

I also recently finished Dracula by Bram Stoker. What a snoozefest. Seriously, if he had just chopped out the middle of that book and made it a short story, it would have worked so much better. I can totally understand why ever movie version ever released strayed away from the original story.

I've just begun reading Stephen King's The Shining, which I've never read before. I'm about 40 pages in and so far it's typical King fare. Lots of character development and not much action. Most of his books are, but that's part of what makes them good. You really get to feel for the characters before the proverbial shit hits the fan.

[Frighteners Entertainment]

Dave if you enjoyed Dan Brown, I think you would like Deception Code.
Pretty interesting and I don't don't read that often.

[faerydreams]

I just finished reading the latest in Kinley McGregor's dark hunters series. That series is pretty interesting. Adds a new twist to vampires.

[MrsMyers666]

In the past 6 months I have read Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz and the sequel Forever Odd. I've also been reading the whole Harry Potter series which I love. I'm almost done with the 5th one and getting the 6th one soon. I may be one of those people out at midnight when the 7th and final one comes out.

[claymud]

I havn't really got to read these two but I thought they were worth mention, I picked up a copy of the Omen and Rosmarys Baby... and if your looking for a good book I recomend JAWS highly, nothing like the movie and just as good.

[faerydreams]

I also like to read Laurell Hamilton's books. She has several good series out.

[faerydreams]

Obviously (with my name), I like Laurell Hamilton's faery series best.

[Otaku]

Just finished "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card, and I plan to read the series.

Mrs M, I read an interview with Rowling the other day. She will definitely be killing off a couple of the main characters in the last book, possibly even Harry.

[MrsMyers666]

Just finished "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card, and I plan to read the series.

Mrs M, I read an interview with Rowling the other day. She will definitely be killing off a couple of the main characters in the last book, possibly even Harry.

I know :( I read about that as well. She doesn't want it to have any way to continue, well the only way to do that is to kill Harry. He's my favorite character.

[claymud]

Just finished "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card, and I plan to read the series.


That was a awsome book! The Ender series I couldn't really read but I did read and enjoy the seried Enders Shadow which was pretty much the same story from a difrrent charecters point of Veiw

[TipoDeemin]

My husband has been picking up lots of Edward Gorey books for me lately, because many of them are going out of print. Therefore, lots of Gorey reading for me! If any of you haven't heard of Gorey, I highly recommend him as both an illustrator and an author.

[Anachronism]

I just finished reading Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie by Hunter Thompson

[HibLaGrande]

just finished an H.P. Lovecraft compilation book. "Call of Chutulu and other wierd stories". Although none of the stories were all that scary, it did make for a good read.At the time they were writen I'm sure it was the cutting edge of the warped and morbid. I can see why he has such a cult following.

[grapegrl]

Just finished:

Dead and Loving It by MaryJanice Davidson
Pure "brain candy". I read one the books in MaryJanice Davidson's "Undead and..." vampire series and thought it was pretty good (I got it for free, so what the heck). In this anthology of short stories, Davidson explores the hapless love-lives of the Wyndham werewolves. It was a quick read, didn't require much thought, tinged with humour, and was absolutely steeped in sex--almost too much so. If you're looking for steamy paranormal romance that doesn't require too much thought, this is a pretty good summer read. Great for the beach or taking on vacation.

Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison
See my first post. This book was fantastic, just as expected. Can't wait for the next installment in the series.

Just started...
This Spectred Isle - A Journey Through Haunted England by Simon Marsden
A book of legends and true ghost stories from Britain. Simon Marsden's photography is beautiful and spooky.

[pumpkinman]

Just for fun I picked up "The Halloween Tree" by Ray Bradbury.

It was a great story. It was hard to follow at times as it jumped around and some of the language was hard to understand, but overall for any Halloween lover I reccomend

It is a classic... It wont take you more than a few hours to read

The Halloween Tree - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Thehalloweentree.gif" class="image" title="Cover of The Halloween Tree"><img alt="Cover of The Halloween Tree" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Thehalloweentree.gif"@@AMEPARAM@@en/6/64/Thehalloweentree.gif

[Da Weiner]

I am in the middle of a book called "Haunted - One Family's Nightmare". The book has been out of print for some time by I purchased a copy of it on the internet. I always see the movie on tv and it's based on true facts about one family's problem with demons and paranoral activity when they move into their duplex in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. It's about the Smurl family and the demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren who have helped them cope with these forces. The Warrens also dealth with the house in the Amityville Horror. When I watch the movie, it only touches on a few experiences the Smurls had to deal with. When reading the book, I can't believe the shit this family had to endure with the entities. So far this book has been a great read and I only get to read it at night. I am 3/4 the way through.

I think I will have to read "The Amityville Horror" next because of the Warrens and their team to see what they experienced in that house.

[RAXL]

Ah, the Warrens. I'll bite my tongue. :)




Anyways, I've gone through a couple of new hardcovers in the last month or so:

Star Wars Legacy of the Force : Betrayal, by Aaron Allston

Holy Terror by Richard Marcinko

[eidolon]

I just finished "Graves End" by Elaine Mercado, about a family that moved into a house in Brooklyn that was haunted. I thought it was going to be a Amityville rip off, but it was really pretty good..

[Da Weiner]

[QUOTE=RAXL]Ah, the Warrens. I'll bite my tongue. :)


What have you heard about the Warrens. Are they frauds? Let me know before I buy "The Amityville Horror" book.

[RAXL]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, the whole Amityville thing itself was one big fraud, and I believe the Warren's, by accident or on purpose, contributed GREATLY to that fraud.
That case really propelled them to the forefront of paranormal research, and made them a house hold name, so to speak. And, I think the whole thing was one big lie.

Their nephew, though, John Zaffis, is a very credible paranormal researcher, who has a couple of books to his name (see, trying to keep this Book related!:p ), and runs a museum of cursed objects in Conneticut.


We can shift this over to the paranormal forum if we wanna get deeper in.

[Da Weiner]

Thanx Raxl! I did look up John Zaffis online to see what books he had written and when looking at his picture, I realized I've seen him a bunch of times on tv regarding the paranormal. He had wrote a book in 2004, "Shadows in the Dark" and is putting out a new book, "The Struggle Within" in the fall of 2006. I think I'm definitely going to check out his books.

As far as the Warrens in the book I reading now, "The Haunting" I don't think this story was a hoax because the Catholic church finally had to intervene with an exorcism to get rid of the entities that almost destroyed the family. However, I am keeping an open mind. Again, thanx for your imput about John Zaffis - now I have more reading material that should keep me out of trouble for a while!

[HibLaGrande]

I'm just finishing up Stephen Kings "Dark Tower" series. The ending had better kick some serious ass because I trudged through 7 books for it. Not sure I will read them again. He's trying to pull off a Tolkien influenced epic, where too much needless information is stuffed into the pages in attempt to paint the background of story world too big for filling. Most of the time the story seems to get away from him and he simply puts it back into check with weak parlor tricks. Anyway I'm almost done and, glad for it, "say thankee."

[grapegrl]

OK, I'm reviving this old thread since the weather is getting colder and I'll be curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book during my more abundant free time.

Just finished:
The Meaning of Night-A Confession by Michael Cox
Great story of a tangled deception, betrayal and revenge. The author did a wonderful job of evoking Victorian England. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, though. Hopefully, the author will be able to finish the sequel he's working on...he has a rare form of cancer and is going blind.

In the "to-read" pile:
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

On my "must buy" list for the weekend:
Jane and the Barque of Frailty by Stephanie Barron
(I'm a big fan of this series of mysteries that put Jane Austen in the role of detective!)
The Prestige by Christopher Priest
(The movie was great, but from what JT says, the book might be even better.)

[Sinister]

I have to start visiting the bookstore on a more regular basis myself. I have gotten out of a habit I so loved myself. I even recommended a book in the Horror Movie Picture Game this morning. Strange that you should revive this thread at roughly about the same time, Double G. :ninja:

[Nefarious1]

The last 2 books I have read are:

Jeff Lindsay - Darkly Dreaming Dexter and Dearly Devoted Dexter

I can't tell you how awesome these books are! They are so good that Showtime has taken the premise and made it into a show. My husband and I are both avid fans of both!

To give you an idea, Dexter is a serial killer that has been taught to only kill those that deserve it. There is so much more than that to it but damn... These are a MUST read.

On the shelf to start reading is:

Dean Koontz - Velosity, Odd Thomas and The Husband

I wish he would hurry up and put out the 3rd Frankenstein book!

[Johnny Thunder]

Terminal by Brian Keene

[Hellrazor]

DIRT ... the autobiograpy of MOTLEY CRUE. I loved it. I couldnt put it down and I wasnt going to read it in the first place....

[Johnny Thunder]

I just finished World War Z by Max Brooks, and before that was The Conqueror Worms by Brian Keene. I found WWZ enjoyable and well written, but the narrative style was somewhat jarring at first. However, once you get used to the way the author tells the story, it is very well done and takes a very 'real world' approach (political, societal and governmental) to a zombie plague.

[Ghostess]

I read ICe Hunt abd Sandstorm, both by James Rollins, which I loved and read in one day each. Good fast reads, lots of action, neat stuff that never lost my attention. Then I read The Twelfth Card by Jeffrey Deaver. That one took me a few days since I don't really read detective type novels, but it was a decent book. I'm trying to get through Atlantis Found by Clive Cussler right now. It's a bit slow going though since I just can't wrap my attention around it with the other crap I'm trying to do lately.

I've read a LOT of books lately, and I'd have to say that I love James Rollins right now. His books just keep me interested. My sister just bought one of the new Laurell K Hamilton books, I'm looking forward to reading that too.

[grapegrl]

Well, I went on a reading rampage over the holidays. Here's what I read:

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Excellent tale of the mysterious origins of an eccentric and reclusive authoress as told to her unwilling (at first) biographer.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
This book was much-hyped when it first came out. I picked up a nice paperback edition and really enjoyed it. Sometimes it read like a history book, and things tied up a little too neatly and abruptly at the end, but it was overall an engaging read. Great for those interested in the "real" Dracula, it was an inventive re-imagining of the vampire myth.

Jane and the Barque of Frailty by Stephanie Barron
I'm a big fan of this series of mysteries that put Jane Austen in the role of detective! As usual, Stephanie Barron never fails to disappoint. As the timeline in these novels progresses ever closer to the actual date of Jane Austin's untimely death, I wonder how many more Jane Austin mysteries she will write. I will be as sad to see this literary series end as the Harry Potter series. :(

The Prestige by Christopher Priest
Loved the movie, so JT recommended the book to me. I got a copy of it under the tree, and read it in a couple of sittings. It really is quite different from the movie, and unlike most movie adaptations, I didn't end up being disappointed in the movie after reading the book. The book was great, but the ending was really weird and left me feeling kind of unsatisfied.

Well, I'm on the lookout for more interesting reading material. The only must-haves on the radar right now are:

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison - due out in hardback (yay!) March 20th More fun with witch/bounty hunter Rachel Morgan and the rest of the gang from the Hollows. (Another series that I follow devotedly.)

A Dance With Dragons by George RR Martin - From his Song of Ice and Fire series...it's taking absolutely forever for him to get this thing finished. He has posted on his website that it might be ready sometime before the end of the year. At this rate, I'll have to go back and re-read the first four books in the series before I tackle this one (when and if it comes out).

[GothicCandle]

Bumping a super old thread.

I Read "The Carnival" by Michael Fedo in highschool and recently found a printed off copy of it in an old box.

Its about this boy who goes to a carnival, with a horrifying twist, it's a science fiction short story. If you can find I you should so read it!

[Bethene]

Love this thread, am a avid reader of many different type of genre's.
I have read some Charlaine Harris, the True Blood show is based on her books. I enjoy them,with vampires, werewolves,, witches, oh my!
Read the "Time Travelers Wife" a while back, it is going to be a movie , opening soon, I liked it, it was different, but not bad. Will post more later, if the thread stays active.

[GothicCandle]

Love this thread, am a avid reader of many different type of genre's.
I have read some Charlaine Harris, the True Blood show is based on her books. I enjoy them,with vampires, werewolves,, witches, oh my!
Read the "Time Travelers Wife" a while back, it is going to be a movie , opening soon, I liked it, it was different, but not bad. Will post more later, if the thread stays active.

I really want to see the time travilers wife, sounds cool. didnt know it was a book too.

[Spooky1]

I've recently read the first two books of the Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Norville series (Kitty and the Midnight Hour, and Kitty goes to Washington). I'm enjoying her take on the Werewolf/vampire genre, and looking forward to picking up the next book.

[HibLaGrande]

st Finishing "The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian: The Original Adventures of the Greatest Sword and Sorcery Hero of All Time" I enjoyed these stories.

[scareme]

Read "Raising Sheep". Never know when it will come in handy to know how to raise sheep. Makes hubby nervous to see me reading a book like that. He said "No way are we buying sheep!". lol

[Wyatt Furr]

Just finished Gregory Maguire's, "A Lion Among Men".
His 3rd book in the "Wicked "series of OZ books.
He delves into the life story of the "Cowardly Lion".
Answered a few questions from the last book.

[Bethene]

some interesting sounding books, I will check Gregory Mcguire's books, and Carrie Vaugh's
I just started reading Turn Coat, by Jiim Butcher,, about a wizard living in Chicago, modern time. I have read others of Jim Butchers books, I think he writes a good story. I read on hte jacker cover that Sci-fi has a show called Dresden Files, (the wizards name is Harry Dresiden) I am enjoying reading this book. Alot of vampire books are kinds geared to the gals, I think this will appeal to every one (has wizards, witches and warlocks, vamps, were wolves and more)

[Da Weiner]

I just finished "Columbine" by Dave Cullen. He was one of the reports that was there from the beginning of the Colorado tragedy and has covered everything regarding about for the past 10 years and what actually took place and set the record straight with regards to what happened with some of the students that the news covered haphazardly. Very good book and delve into the minds of the killers through their writings, interviews, what was on their computer and the evidence collected.

[Zombies Anonymous]

The Strain: Book One of The Strain Trilogy
by Guillermo Del Toro

It reads like a movie, thus is written and being directed into one. Vampires, survival on the verge of being familiar.


One book which surprised me was called the 'Hunger games' by Susan Collins. Its a teen book, but well put together. Set in the future where different society sections offer or are forced to offer their children as fodder for a Running man type game.

[Bethene]

I finished Turn Coat by Jiim Butcher, I really enjoyed it, like I said earlier, it has wizards, were wolves, vampires, shapehifters, and more. Very good story.

I have now started a book by Robin Cook, "Foreign Bodies" for those that haven't read his books he is a doctor, that writes medical mysteries, I haven't read on of his in a while, saw this at the library, and grabbed it. Sometimes the books that could possible happen,are alot scarier than true horror.

The book by Susan Collins sounds intersting, I will have to look it up at the library!

[Johnny Thunder]

"After Dark" by Manly Wade Wellman

[Johnny Thunder]

"Urban Gothic" by my man Brian Keene.

[Johnny Thunder]

"Frankenstein: A Cultural History" (2007) by Susan Tyler Hitchcock.

Recommended!

[Tralan]

Finally got all my books from storeage and the first thing I read was River God by Wilbur Smith.

Takes place in ancient Egypt. It's the writings of a ficticious renaisance man/slave eunuch named Taita. It follows the life of his mistress, Lostris and her rise to power as the Queen of Egypt and he eventual demise. It was wrought with, love, action, plenty of battles, and some comedy... a little something for everyone.

Jurassic Park: the late but never last Michael Chrichton. IMO, Chrichton's greatest work. Chrichton was an MD prior to becoming an author. And this comes through in his work. He gets a little technical sometimes, but it doesn't detract form the story one bit. Plus, it has not 1 but TWO T-Rex's. How can you go wrong? The answer: you can't.

[Johnny Thunder]

"How I Became A Famous Novelist" by Steve Hely.

Hysterical read. Definitely recommended.

[fick209]

On Sunday I read the Amityville Horror by Jay Anson. Awesome book, wish the movie would have followed the book better. Then last night I started on the VonCarstein Trilogy by Steven Savile, This is an awesome trilogy imo, but parts of it do move rather slow, not for readers who easily lose interest.

[The Archivist]

Dave if you enjoyed Dan Brown, I think you would like Deception Code.
Pretty interesting and I don't don't read that often.

Actually FE, its Deception Point. I'm waiting for the library to get a few copies of his new book. I refuse to buy a new book when I can get them free from the library. They cost WAY too much.

I just finished a book called "Sims" by F. Paul Wilson. Good read, easy to follow.

Basic concept is Sims takes place in the very near future, when the science of genetics is fulfilling its vaunted potential. It's a world where genetically transmitted diseases are being eliminated.
A world where dangerous or boring manual labor is gradually being transferred to "sims," genetically altered chimps who occupy a gray zone between simian and human.
The chief innovator in this world is SimGen, which owns the patent on the sim genome and has begun leasing the creatures worldwide. But SimGen is not quite what it seems. It has secrets . . . secrets beyond patents and proprietary processes . . . secrets it will go to any lengths to protect.

[Bethene]

sounds interesting, will have to try to remeber to get it!
I agree with you on the Library, Archivist! I either can't afford it or don't need more things cluutering up the house! So i made a decision a couple of years ago to go to the library, adn gave the library alot of my books except for a special few, they sell them and raise money for programs.
Any way, was always going to read the Jason Bourne series, never remember to, but finally gott the first," the Bourne Identity" I am enjoying it so far, good story, but being a older book, it does date it with references to the Soviet Union, etc. but if you can over look that, a good book in my opinioon,so far anyway

[Johnny Thunder]

"The Mexican Masked Wrestler and Monster Filmography" by Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter

[Zombies Anonymous]

Going Bovine - Libba Bray

16 year old gets Mad Cow must find a dr. X with the help of a paranoid dwarf and a gnome lawn ornament. if you liked bubble boy then you'll like this one.


Zombie Movies: The Ultimate guide - Glan Kay

[The Archivist]

I found this book at my local library. It's titled, "A Halloween How-To, Costumes, Parties, Decorations, and Destinations" by Lesley Pratt Bannatyne.

Pretty good book for starters. Has a decent amount of possiblities for home haunting.