For the Love of Books!: Looking for a good read?

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

Read it in a short story anthology.

I've also found it scary how likely it could be true.

 

[Lythium]

Indeed. Also, creepy children are creepy.

One of my co-workers gave me her copy of Fifty Shades of Grey. I didn't have high hopes for it anyway, but it's pretty much the worst book that I've ever read. I'm glad that I didn't pay any money for it.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

Tell me more, bright eyes. I'm dying for a good roast here.

Smooth Criminal

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

I'd put it at about 85% of books about sex are fancy firewood.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

85%? My friend, as someone who reads books about sex frequently, you are being awfully generous!

...95% of 'em or bust.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Lythium]

I agree with Smoove. As someone who reads smut on a semi-regular basis, it's pretty much all trash, haha.

I wasn't expecting much, but it was much worse than that. Again, glad that I didn't pay money for it. It was mostly morbid curiosity that drove me to read it in the first place, as in "why the heck is this so popular?" curiosity. The protagonist was so annoying; she made me want to punch babies. Anyway, things that bothered me:

1) The fact that this got published. On one hand, I think it's neat-o that writers can get their work out there in an electronic format and reach a broader audience, which is how this book got started. On the other hand, in doing so, it basically eliminates the publishing house, so there's no go-between for quality and editing.
2) It was originally a Twilight slash fanfic, and it shows, because the writing is godawful. It's really obvious that the author was influenced by Stephenie Meyer.
3) The fact that erotica is now mainstream (not a bad thing), but that people are like "oh, it's okay for me to read smut now!" What, it was a problem before? Okay.

 

[Lore]

I, erm, never ever ever read erotica (Ever! I swear!), but I do agree that Fifty Shades is the worst kind of trash.

>_>

<_<

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

It was originally a Twilight slash fanfic, and it shows, because the writing is godawful. It's really obvious that the author was influenced by Stephenie Meyer

It was upon finding this out did I realize that this book is everything that is wrong with taste in general.

On another note, I started reading "Killer Angels," which is about the battle of gettysburg. From the couple of pages that I've read, it's pretty good.

 

[Dooms]

So I got my AP English reading list and I was wondering if anyone finds any of these books interesting and would recommend a specific one for me.

[collapse=Book List]In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Black Boy by Richard Wright
Riding the Bus with My Sister by Rachel Simon
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolfe
Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Hunger of Memory by Richard Rodriguez
All the President's Men by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
War by Sebastian Junger[/collapse]

Started reading Angela's Ashes... I think it may be too sad for me to finish. I'm only 50 pages in and I've almost cried twice already. @___@'.

I read "Before I Go to Sleep" by S.J. Watson recently. Very incredible. The plot twists were awesome, the whole memory idea, while not new, was very well done in this book. The journal was an amazing concept. I loved it overall.

Also read "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson. Very sad. I really liked the ending, and the details were beyond incredible. It was an incredible read after considering how much it brought me into the lives of each character.

Any book suggestions (both from the list above and in general) and thoughts on Snow Falling on Cedars and Before I Go to Sleep?

 

[Lythium]

In Cold Blood and Devil in the White City are both pretty good. I remember reading Angela's Ashes, but it felt very exaggerated, at some points. It was a fast read though.

Judging by the other books that you've mentioned, have you tried The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger? It might be up your alley. :3

 

[Dooms]

I haven't! I'll be sure to try it after I get this summer reading done with. Thank you! .

 

[~automatic]

I know that this has probably been suggested already but A Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones series) is a must read. Atm I'm halfway done with the second book and I'm definitely digging the series.
/Necrobump.

 

[¯\_S.(ツ).L.I.D._/¯]

I just read The Picture of Dorian Grey which was really interesting. Also reading Anthony Kiedis's autobiography which is a fun read. Moby **** is next!

 

[Jon Farron]

HOW HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS THREAD EITHER? *gets shhhhhhhhhhhh'd*

*Goes to look for interesting books*

I have had a hard time finding interesting books lately so this thread will help alot.

I'll post some suggestions later when I can go through my collection.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

Looks like some other sucker necro'd the thread for me.

I recently started on Jay Kristoff's Stormdancer. Pretty neat so far.

Smooth Criminal

 

[~automatic]

I'm no sucker!
/easily trolled

Anyways, who else in here likes Carlos Fuentes' stuff? Natural Tales and The Eagle's Throne are both highly recommended if you're looking to explore Latin writers other than Cervantes and Paz.

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

On a somewhat related note, I recently read something that mention a verteran that called Cath-22 (Pretty great book, by the way) the most accurate book he had ever read about the military.

That is legitamately terrifying.



Also, I finished read Sluaghterhouse Five. Loved it

 

[debaser]

Sluaghterhouse Five. Loved it

Word.

if any of you are interested in hard sci-fi more or less in the vein of Asimov's stuff

STRONGLY RECOMMEND

Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. Part one of the Mars trilogy. Blue Mars and Green Mars after that. Good lord it is juicy.

The man knows Mars. All the geography in the book is taken from real things we've observed. He makes it come to life so vividly with GREAT characters. Ends up being an extremely plausible scenario for the colonization and subsequent human development of Mars. It is my favorite sci fi book series.

Yes I've read Martian Chronicles. Very different book. MC mainly concerns human interaction with the martians. Red Mars concerns humans becoming Martians. Really explores the philosophical and even spiritual implications of humans adapting to a completely different planet. Gets into a lot of utopian and apocalyptic themes too. I think it's brilliant.

 

[victra♥]

Been hearing good things about World War Z for the longest time. Finally came around to picking up a copy and it's been enjoyable so far.

Also, after reading Battle Royale years and years ago, I decided to give the Hunger Games a read. Not sure if I'm just horribly bias but I found it to be pretty awful

 

[Lythium]

I thought the first Hunger Games was okay, if a little mediocre.

The second and third ones are just terrible though.

 

[GoldShadow]

Been hearing good things about World War Z for the longest time. Finally came around to picking up a copy and it's been enjoyable so far.

Also, after reading Battle Royale years and years ago, I decided to give the Hunger Games a read. Not sure if I'm just horribly bias but I found it to be pretty awful

I enjoyed World War Z. Didn't like Brooks's Zombie Survival Guide, though.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

I thought the first Hunger Games was okay, if a little mediocre.

The second and third ones are just terrible though.

Seconded. The main character gets a little silly in the second and third book.

I started reading The Black Prism by Brent Weeks. Typical fantasy so far, save for the setting's odd color-derived magic, which is interesting and (somewhat) unique.

I also finished reading Farlander by Col Buchanan. Fair warning: I hope you like a side of flatulence and defecation with your characters, because this author loves to throw it in at certain points for effect (especially at the beginning). Things like fear, anxiousness, whatever...

In all seriousness, it's an okay book. Starts off really freaking slow (almost to the point of molasses pacing), but it picks up later. The author's style is sparse, graphic (the farting and defecation thing wasn't exactly a joke) and "gritty" (as in, a bit rough and inelegant). While it's not terrible, it certainly isn't engaging at points, and I found myself questioning the significance of certain details. I might pick up the second book in the series; there are a couple of interesting characters. Who knows, though.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Jon Farron]

HUNGER GAMES SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!



Finished the Hunger Games series! I LOVED the first 2 books, but the 3rd was kinda disappointing

I kept waiting for the big exciting part to happen, but it never came. The ending could've been a bit better also, I felt the author was trying too hard for an emotional ending and failed. I was expecting tears of joy/sadness or w/e... but they never came *sigh*

Had a lot of interesting stuff in them, I liked the mind programming of Peeta, I thought that was pretty well thought out. Katniss could've been less of a drama queen, idk I liked her a lot in the first book, but in the second book she was ok... 3rd... not sure what to say, I guess everything that happened to her changed her personality a lot. I also felt there should've been a more dramatic scene between her and Snow when she went to kill him. That scene was boring, outside of Coin being randomly killed. I was also kinda rooting for Gale... too bad for him lol. Although... he could probably do better ;D

Overall, a pretty good series, but a bit over hyped. Can't wait for the second movie!

 

[Lythium]

I actually really disliked the Hunger Games. First book was alright.

Second book was basically the first book, been there and done that. Might as well have called it Hunger Games: The Remix. Mockingjay was just awful. It's like she spent no time on that book and the characters she had created, and threw it all away to wrap the series up.

I felt kind of cheated when I finished the series, haha.

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

The second book really felt like a "Where do we go from here?" thing after the first. With no hunger game, it tried to awkwardly juggle a teen romance and comments on the government and just came out as a jumbled mess. The last part, where Katniss

Spoiler

Has to Enter the next hunger game

just felt like it was shoehorned in because the author realized that the reason why the first book didn't suck was because it kept the focus on the Hunger Games.

 

[Smooth Criminal]

The second book really felt like a "Where do we go from here?" thing after the first. With no hunger game, it tried to awkwardly juggle a teen romance and comments on the government and just came out as a jumbled mess. The last part, where Katniss

Spoiler

Has to Enter the next hunger game

just felt like it was shoehorned in because the author realized that the reason why the first book didn't suck was because it kept the focus on the Hunger Games.

This x1000.

My biggest issues with the series, right here in this little blurb.

Smooth Criminal

 

[Saux]

imo the only reason those books are exciting or enjoyable to read at all is simply because the idea of actual event of the hunger games is so exciting. I did find the second hunger games saved the book, although you can't really beat the straight-up go into the wild and fight for your life style that the first book did. But anyways, the characters are meh, I didn't really feel alot for any of them. Also the books are super-predictable....

 

[Insom]

Recently I read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I highly suggest this book if you like video games(and considering your on smashboards, you probably do). Brief summary:
In the year 2044, WW3 has happened, and everything has pretty much gone to ****. There's and MMO called The Oasis, which is what most people spend their time on, since it's infinitely better than reality. The creator of the Oasis, James Halliday, is dead, and in his will he revleals that he has hidden an easter egg somewhere in the game, and whoever finds it inherits his entire fortune.
There's also a lot of references to videos games and 80's pop culture.

 

[Get Low]

Oh good, this thread is at least semi-active.
When i originally discovered it, it was completely dead.

Anyways, are there any horror fans in here?
If so, if you haven't read Richard Laymon, you're missing out.

 

[Lore]

I'll have to check him out sometime.

 

[Deleted member]

Eww Books, who reads those? omge ur guise r al nerads

lel

No but really

The only books I've actually read, without being forced to, are "The Lightning Thief" and "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.

I'm pretty lame

 

[Knight Dude]

So, did anyone read The Importance of Being Ernest? I read it a while back. And it might be one of my favorite books. Though I don't think anything will beat Call of the Wild.

 

[Damixxx]

Virginia Woolf's book would be great for book lovers

 

[Lythium]

So, did anyone read The Importance of Being Ernest? I read it a while back. And it might be one of my favorite books. Though I don't think anything will beat Call of the Wild.

Importance of Being Ernest is so good! And really funny too.

Virginia Woolf's book would be great for book lovers

Book? She has more than one.

Also, I've read two of them and didn't enjoy either. To each their own, I guess!

 

[Altais]

Just finished reading A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford. This book...was simply exceptional, one of the most memorable novels I have ever read. Over this passing week, I simply could not put the book down. I cannot believe I did not decide to get into this author's books sooner. Emma Harte is an amazing heroine; I never thought I would like any heroine more than Sally Lockhart. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone whom is into the drama and romance genres. Barbara Taylor Bradford is officially on mine "Favourite Authors" list. I will certainly be buying more of her books in the near future.

Reading has always been one of mine greatest hobbies, though mine tastes have always been abnormal. I am also rather fickle and finicky, and thus am extremely selective with any book I buy. Mine preferred genres are Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, and Fantasy.

Anyhow, good thread. I am honestly surprised to see any readers on this website.

 

[LivewiresXe]

I'm just going to say I discovered literally $100 worth of unused Chapters gift cards over the summer and bought all 5 "A Song of Ice and Fire" (Game of Thrones) books. I'm in the last 150 pages of the second book (A Clash of Kings) but holy crap are they long...each book is like, at least as long as Under The Dome.

Actually, I have to recommend Under the Dome, especially for people who watched any of the TV show over the summer. Even if a bunch of things in it are pretty different. It's just so well written and despite being 1000 pages long, it reads pretty quickly.

 

[Sarki Soliloquy]

So I recently moved into a new home; we had to salvage and dispose of many goods laying around our home. I knew my dad was a fond reader of fantasy and sci-fi novels. He kept boxes full of his reads in a junky part of our basement. But since my parent's divorce, he wasn't able to take them back. And I am glad he didn't!

I found five moldy, poorly-conditioned cardboard boxes containing his novels. Some of them appear to date back to circa 1950! For example, there is a collection of some sci-fi pulp fiction novels such as Doctor Savage. There's also plenty of J.R. Tolkien, Terry Goodkind, Terry Brooks, Dennis L. McKiernman, Robert Jordan that I've uncovered so far. Also have some Warhammer 40K novels from the Dawn of War series that I never got to reading through. Only dabbling.

Once I get enough shelves, I'm going to erect an archive of these books in his honor. I shall read them through and emulate them into my writing. But it's going to take a damn long time to get through it all.

As for my current reads, I'm going through A Game of Thrones and The Golden Compass. I'm growing more fond of the characters and settings within A Song of Ice and Fire as I read on and I'll probably watch the show as a companion to my reading. The theme line of the His Dark Materials series also really intrigues me. The books are like an anti-Christain Lord of the Rings.

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

The books are like an anti-Christain Lord of the Rings.

And that's really what starts killing the books, especially with the third one.

 

[TimeSmash]

Currently reading the Kurt Vonnegut book "Cat's Cradle" because of the DS survival horror game 999. It's written very well, but I could do without the mention of this Bokononist religion every other page. The book is unqiue in that its "chapters" usually are only a couple pages long. Sometimes the boog can drag, but pulls you back in with a twist to the story every now and then. It's perfect for a college student because you can pick it up whenever and start reading again without being lost in the plot--it's a little complex, but easy to remember.

My favorite book of all time is The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. That book is a craft, painting a world of ancient China and 1990's America quite vividly.

 

[#HBC | Dark Horse]

Currently reading the Kurt Vonnegut book "Cat's Cradle" because of the DS survival horror game 999. It's written very well, but I could do without the mention of this Bokononist religion every other page. The book is unqiue in that its "chapters" usually are only a couple pages long. Sometimes the boog can drag, but pulls you back in with a twist to the story every now and then. It's perfect for a college student because you can pick it up whenever and start reading again without being lost in the plot--it's a little complex, but easy to remember.

Bokonism will all make sense in due time