Read a Good Book Lately?

If you enjoy fantasy - I hear the Dynamis series by Nancy Golden are a lot of fun ;) Alien Neighbors got a recommended review as well :) https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Fate-Dynamis-Novel-Book/dp/1956891056 https://www.amazon.com/Ring-Rosin-Dynamis-Novel-Novels/dp/1956891153 https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Neighbors-Nancy-Golden/dp/1956891013 Happy Reading!!

My husband and I listened to that audiobook on a road trip last year, Suzanne Bronson! It made us laugh a lot. We really enjoyed it!

Last book I read was The Book of Elsewhere a one off by China Mieville who played in the sandbox of Keanu Reeves' imagination. The novel crosses multiple genres among them science fiction, military thriller, fantasical elements, differing points of view, existentialism . I'd describe it as being absurdist science fiction. This was my first exposure to Mieville's fiction and while his prose can be dense, it can serve as an introduction to his other tales . He is not to everyone's liking.

While Mieville physically put pen to paper, Reeves created the character B, an 80, 000 year old warrior who questions what it means to die. B is immortal who lives a blood soaked existence.

But Reeves has larger concerns in mind and strives to answer the questions Who are we? Why are we here? Does this Life have meaning? And as Queen so eloquently sang Who Wants To Live Forever? And while most of us would answer a resounding yes! Would we really? And how you respond says more about you than the ultraviolent B. (The violence did not bother me but for some it can be upsetting)

That sounds awesome, Annie Marie Burdeos! I've never read China Mieville's work before. I'll have to check it out!

Will be adding as well Annie :) I'm intrigued!

I never read this series, but I remember when all of my friends did and loved it. I'll have to go back and read it someday!

I haven't read this but I love the cover art.

All of the covers in this series are gorgeous, Lark Anderson! This is the cover for the sequel that I'm reading now-

Ashley Renee Smith gorgeous! I am a pro at Photoshop but I don’t have the vision and I’d never think to make this.

I am reading "Hotel Laguna"! It's a historical fiction novel set primarily in post-World War II California. The story follows Hazel Francis, who moves from Kansas to California to contribute to the war effort. After the war, she finds herself in Laguna Beach working for an interesting, famous local artist. It's a coming-of-age story set in the post-war era, with elements of finding peace in the present moment, history, art and love ! Would recommend :)

I read Cyberstorm and I'm going to read The Noonday Demon

Lindbergh E Hollingsworth I love Education of a Wandering Man! Sydney Summers Hotel Laguna sounds very interesting. I am putting that on my list. Currently, I am reading Agency by William gibson.

I just got done reading The Rise of the Dragon, GRRM's accompanying 'encyclopedia' to his world: A Song of Ice and Fire.

I highly recommend Babel by RF Kuang. It was one of my favorite reads of the last year!

I saw this on stage when I lived in New York. Definitely a pessimistic but also realistic view of what the future could be.

I recently read Down and Out in Paris and London, which I definitely recommend. All about Orwell struggling to get by in those cities during the Depression. For all that, we see a quite funny side of Orwell and his writing.

Debbie Croysdale On that Note- If you look for similarities you can see this one is a current event.

Animal Farm G.Orwell is the Pen Name

Manor Farm is like any other English farm, expect for a drunken owner, Mr Jones, incompetent workers and oppressed animals. Fed up with the ignorance of their human masters, the animals rise up in rebellion and take over the farm. Led by intellectually superior pigs like Snowball and Napoleon, the animals how to take charge of their destiny and remove the inequities of their lives. But as time passes, the realize that things aren't happening quite as expected. Animal Farm is, one level, a simple story about barnyard animals. On a much deeper level, it is a savage political satire on corrupted ideals, misdirected revolutions and class conflict-themes as valid today as they were sixty years ago.

@Simon Thanks for info on Animal Farm. @Malcolm Thanks for info on Down and Out in Paris and London. I've got those two titles on my must read list!

Great review, Debbie, I really enjoyed it. Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm were life-perspective changing books for me. Those, along with Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451...

Hi, Jaye! Thanks for sharing these! I am going to check them both out :)

I just read Wild Conviction: Sixteen is Power by Mary Dezember. This book is incredible. Set in pre-civil war America, it focuses a keen eye on slavery from the perspective of a young white woman who discovers she has black roots. It is superbly written and brings you front row and center of her world, practically wearing her frock. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much for sharing Mike! I will check this out as well. I hope you're having a nice day!

I’m currently reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, which is the first of a trilogy so I plan to read the other two this summer. I’m also reading Holly Black’s Elfhame series and the next book on my nightstand is Caraval by Stephanie Garber.

Just finished Chase Darkness With Me by Billy Jensen. About how a True Crime Journalist started solving cold cases using crowd sourcing. Now, I'm reading Agency by William Gibson.

I love the cover! Simple, yet striking. I haven't read her work, but I might in time.

Very cool cover, will add to my list! Thanks Ashley!

I enjoyed this book but it was not my favorite, but I haven't gotten around to finishing the series yet. Sometimes things get so hyped they can't possibly live up to expectations.

I agree, Jaye Viner. It's not my favorite book that I've read this year or even in the past month. But it set things up well for a stronger sequel and I'm actually looking forward to reading the third book in the primary trilogy soon.

Agreed, Lark Anderson! I actually think all the covers in this series are really striking.

I do like those things. How have I not heard about this podcast? Are you a SJM super fan?

I’m definitely a fan, but I don’t know if I can rightfully call myself a “super-fan”. There are some people who truly live and breathe all things SJM and I’m not versed enough to claim that status. But, I love her books. I probably feel more comfortable calling myself a Throne of Glass superfan. Lol! What about you, Jaye Viner?

I am not a super fan. But I did enjoy the Crescent City series. I know what you're saying about not being versed enough to claim status. It's amazing what people know, or have interpreted from the books. It's interesting for me to think about where she's coming from. As in, there's a clear lineage coming down from Tolkien and the way she structures worldbuilding with the lore and the way armies are described. But there's also a mother Anne Rice figure in the sensuality of these immortals and in the way that darkness and desire fit together. I never would have thought it would make sense to say Rice+Tolkien, but I'm happy it exists! Its paved the way for the rest of us who want to bring large and complicated stories to life.

I completely agree, Jaye Viner!

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, Lark Anderson!

Let us know what you think Lark Anderson

Did you ever post your thoughts about this somewhere? I'm hard into experimental fiction and this book was really something.

I have a LOTR-style Sant Claus origin screenplay titled CLAUS that was recently in the Top 25 of the Emerging Screenwriters Sci-fi&Fantasy contest.

I will have to check out this book!

That sounds like one I need to add to my list Sydney Summers too!

Currently I am reading, The Mirror Crack'd by Agatha Christie and The Natty Professor by Tim Gunn. Listening to Levaithan Falls by S.A. Corey the last book in The Expanse Series.

How is the Expanse series, Suzanne Bronson? I loved the television series, but I haven't read the books.

If you loved the television series @ashley you will enjoy the books. I watched the series then got into the books. They are 500 pages a piece!

Yoooo this book rocks!! Such amazing LA/Celeb porn at times, it's an exciting read