Lit ► KHI Book Club - What are you currently reading?

[Audo]

I finished Carry On by Rainbow Rowell the other night. Overall I liked it. It was kind of hard to get into in the start, but yeah, it was nice.

Mostly though I was just thinking "I want to see this as a movie"

 

[Max]

Okay, here's an update on the novels I've read for class since my last post:

The Hunger Games - Ehhhhh. By no means was it bad, but dear lord it was so similar to Battle Royale that I was able to start guessing certain characters fates as I went along.

The Book Thief - This one was alright, it was a sad book. It was kind of a different look at a holocaust story (it's a fictional book taking place during the holocaust).

Lady Mcbeth's Daughter - This one was okay, but it was strange. They tried implementing random uses of magic throughout the book, and I feel like they could have ditched the magic schtick altogether and it would have been fine. Also, sometimes the dialect got me, because it would switch back and forth between just talking like we talk today and then talking in a medieval tone, which I really don't think was the goal.

A Clockwork Orange - Holy shit, this book was genius. I am so glad that infinally got a chance to read it. The way the author shows us what a horrible person Alex is, but then still tries to draw any kind of sympathy from us as he is tormented throughout the book. Some people may not feel sympathy after the things he had done, but the book truly raises questions about how we should be able to treat even those who have committed even the most heinous of acts, or when we might be losing our own humanity in casting these acts upon them. It also makes us consider humans and the nature of change. Phenomenal book.

Waterland - Another great book that just took me by surprise and blew me away. Graham Swift carefully tells his story and his family history (not in chronological order) to his students after learning that history will be cut from his school altogether and he will no longer have a job. His wife goes nuts and kidnaps a baby in the beginning as well, and as he opens his story with the death of a young boy he was friends with, you just have to keep turning pages to see how it all ties together.

The next two books I have to read for class are Aristotle and Dante and The Remains of the Day. I'll be sure to post about them when I'm done.

--------------

Besides the books I'm reading for class, I spent some money on myself yesterday that I really should have saved, but screw it! I bought an American Gods t-shirt from Neil Gaiman's brilliant book. Man, I wish I could find more t-shirts derived from books.

Old Man Logan - I've always heard great things about this Wolverine story, and Wolverine is right up there with Spidey for me, so pretty excited to read that. I grabbed the Mark Millar version!

Wreck This Journal - For those who don't know it, this is literally a book that gives you an instruction on each page that you must follow. My friends and I melted our names into the journal by microwaving shredded cheese into it last night, we spit chocolate milk into it, took a shower with it, walked it like a dog, and all on video! We still have half of the journal left to terrorize as well, so that's pretty exciting.

Good Omens - My friend recommended this to me, and said it was his favorite book ever. Its a collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Terry.... Don't remember Terry's last name. But my friend got the book because he knew Terry, and now he also loves Neil Gaiman, so I will hopefully do the reverse and find a new author through this that I enjoy!

The Outsiders - I FOUND A SIGNED COPY OF THIS BOOK LAST NIGHT! The book store was just selling it, hardback 50th anniversary SIGNED copies! So I snagged it, this is for real one of the greatest books ever written, and I am pumped!!!

 

[hemmoheikkinen]

A few weeks back I read a book about the first world war. It was called The Horrors and Beauty of War, and it was written by a Swedish history professor Peter Englund. It was a really good book. Englund goes trough the war via old letters and diary pages written by people who fought and were in the war. You witness it from their eyes and point of view. It was interesting to see some people being really excited about the war when it broke out, but then sunk into depression in the muddy trenches of the fronts.

I also started a book about the Vietnam War. It`s more of research book than a novel or a fictional work.

I am also currently reading the last book in the Raven Cycle trilogy by Siri Pettersen, and it`s called Power. I am nearing the end of the book and I have really liked it. All the things talked about earlier parts are coming together and I can`t find out how the series ends.
The book series has been so liked that I`ve heard that they thinking about making a movie about in Norway.

 

[Annoyance]

The Hunger Games - Ehhhhh. By no means was it bad, but dear lord it was so similar to Battle Royale that I was able to start guessing certain characters fates as I went along.

Good Omens - My friend recommended this to me, and said it was his favorite book ever. Its a collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Terry.... Don't remember Terry's last name. But my friend got the book because he knew Terry, and now he also loves Neil Gaiman, so I will hopefully do the reverse and find a new author through this that I enjoy!

Yeah Battle Royale is so much better and much more entertaining and enjoyable and Hunger Games is a let down from my experience.

Also, Pratchett. I believe it is also Sir Terry Pratchett [he was knighted?? or whatever? he was cool. i'm reading his discworld series very slowly]



I recently finished Neverwhere by Gaiman because I saw Taochan's post and I thoroughly enjoyed it, loved reading it.

Then my friend made me read Dresden Files and it was very okay. Not bad, not amazing.
Okay.

I may or may not keep going with it because every guy I know for some reason has lost their shit for this series but it pissed me off a lot in the first book just from the writing alone, not to mention the "oh she's a real lady i gotta treat her like she can't help herself" idfk it's just really m'lady ish before that was a thing.

I'm reading Horns right now.

 

[Chuuya]

I finished Zoo by James Patterson and I was impressed, the show's very different from it in good and bad ways.
I've reread over and over Maximum Ride books especially the first novel and the last.
I'm reading KH mangas which I'm doing at my free time.
I finished reading a book from school which was very sad even my teacher cried while reading.
I'm reading a series called Warriors by Erin Hunter which surprise, it's about cats.
Recently I've been reading Mockingbird of the Hunger Games series.
I've read all the books of The Witch and the Wizard series by you guessed it James Patterson.
I'm wanting to read some mangas at school that I've been seeing.
I've read The Giver and watched the movie of it.
Etc.

 

[Chuuya]

Okay, here's an update on the novels I've read for class since my last post:

The Hunger Games - Ehhhhh. By no means was it bad, but dear lord it was so similar to Battle Royale that I was able to start guessing certain characters fates as I went along.

The Book Thief - This one was alright, it was a sad book. It was kind of a different look at a holocaust story (it's a fictional book taking place during the holocaust).

Lady Mcbeth's Daughter - This one was okay, but it was strange. They tried implementing random uses of magic throughout the book, and I feel like they could have ditched the magic schtick altogether and it would have been fine. Also, sometimes the dialect got me, because it would switch back and forth between just talking like we talk today and then talking in a medieval tone, which I really don't think was the goal.

A Clockwork Orange - Holy shit, this book was genius. I am so glad that infinally got a chance to read it. The way the author shows us what a horrible person Alex is, but then still tries to draw any kind of sympathy from us as he is tormented throughout the book. Some people may not feel sympathy after the things he had done, but the book truly raises questions about how we should be able to treat even those who have committed even the most heinous of acts, or when we might be losing our own humanity in casting these acts upon them. It also makes us consider humans and the nature of change. Phenomenal book.

Waterland - Another great book that just took me by surprise and blew me away. Graham Swift carefully tells his story and his family history (not in chronological order) to his students after learning that history will be cut from his school altogether and he will no longer have a job. His wife goes nuts and kidnaps a baby in the beginning as well, and as he opens his story with the death of a young boy he was friends with, you just have to keep turning pages to see how it all ties together.

The next two books I have to read for class are Aristotle and Dante and The Remains of the Day. I'll be sure to post about them when I'm done.

--------------

Besides the books I'm reading for class, I spent some money on myself yesterday that I really should have saved, but screw it! I bought an American Gods t-shirt from Neil Gaiman's brilliant book. Man, I wish I could find more t-shirts derived from books.

Old Man Logan - I've always heard great things about this Wolverine story, and Wolverine is right up there with Spidey for me, so pretty excited to read that. I grabbed the Mark Millar version!

Wreck This Journal - For those who don't know it, this is literally a book that gives you an instruction on each page that you must follow. My friends and I melted our names into the journal by microwaving shredded cheese into it last night, we spit chocolate milk into it, took a shower with it, walked it like a dog, and all on video! We still have half of the journal left to terrorize as well, so that's pretty exciting.

Good Omens - My friend recommended this to me, and said it was his favorite book ever. Its a collaboration between Neil Gaiman and Terry.... Don't remember Terry's last name. But my friend got the book because he knew Terry, and now he also loves Neil Gaiman, so I will hopefully do the reverse and find a new author through this that I enjoy!

The Outsiders - I FOUND A SIGNED COPY OF THIS BOOK LAST NIGHT! The book store was just selling it, hardback 50th anniversary SIGNED copies! So I snagged it, this is for real one of the greatest books ever written, and I am pumped!!!

WOAH WAIT!!!!! You got a signed copy of The Outsiders?!!!!!!!!!!!!
*High fives*
I read that last year! =D

 

[LightUpTheSky452]

I'm reading "All Together Dead" by Charlaine Harris at the moment. I really like the Sookie Stackhouse books (though I've never actually seen the show), but though I've been a fan of them for about six years... I still haven't finished the saga.

That's terrible, I know! And makes it probably sound like I don't like them (when really I love them), but what can I say? I'm taking it slow and savoring them.

This is a book series I like to read one of every few years, if I have nothing else to read at the moment, if that makes sense--because it heightens my excitement to read them and ensures that I always have something to read that I care about.

Anyone else do something similar to that, or am I just crazy? LOL.

Anyway, I also recently read "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke for the first time and adored it (it's such a book lover's book). I'm definitely going to have to read the second one, "Inkspell", now when I get the chance.

I've also fallen head over heels for "The Zarryiostrom" series, and recommend it to everyone here (it's a self-published tale that's gaining popularity, and it honestly it deserves all the attention it can get). It's a lot like "A Song of Ice and Fire" in some ways, but I actually think GRRM eventually bit off more than he could chew, whereas this narrative doesn't. And the world is amazing.

Though tbh, I had trouble getting into the first one (and I feel like the third one--the last one out thus far--was a bit rushed, though I also don't know how it couldn't have been), but book two, man. Book two's probably one of the best and moving novels I've ever come across, and definitely where everything starts shining, imo.

Anywho, I really need to be getting to the last "Lorien Legacies" book and the new "Magnus Chase" one soon, too

 

[KingdomKey]

Anyway, I also recently read "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke for the first time and adored it (it's such a book lover's book). I'm definitely going to have to read the second one, "Inkspell", now when I get the chance.

That series is the best. All three books were enchanting. I absolutely loved the final book. Hearing you read it makes me want to read it again because, I adore the characters and the originality the book contained within its depths of storytelling. <3

I'm reading "All Together Dead" by Charlaine Harris at the moment. I really like the Sookie Stackhouse books (though I've never actually seen the show), but though I've been a fan of them for about six years... I still haven't finished the saga.

That's terrible, I know! And makes it probably sound like I don't like them (when really I love them), but what can I say? I'm taking it slow and savoring them.

This is a book series I like to read one of every few years, if I have nothing else to read at the moment, if that makes sense--because it heightens my excitement to read them and ensures that I always have something to read that I care about.

Anyone else do something similar to that, or am I just crazy? LOL.​

I actually enjoyed the books better because, some of the plot made more sense. I like the better use of characters. However, I didn't read the entire series myself either. But I hear a ton of fans were upset with the final book. As for the show, it's a lot more different from the books. Some characters don't make appearances in the show either. Since Sookie likes to change romantic partners a lot. But I think both are decent to a degree. If you like vampire books, I recommend the 'Morganville Vampire' series. It doesn't go beyond pg-13, but it holds its own incredibly well!

 

[Max]

Yeah Battle Royale is so much better and much more entertaining and enjoyable and Hunger Games is a let down from my experience.

I agree 110%

I recently finished Neverwhere by Gaiman because I saw Taochan's post and I thoroughly enjoyed it, loved reading it.

Gah, I let my mom borrow it because I was in the middle of a book when I bought it and my mom usually blows through books, but she literally JUST gave it back to me this past Sunday, so I'll be reading through it soon. Love Gaiman though, I have his new book Norse Mythology pre-ordered!

I'm reading Horns right now.

I FUCKING LOVED HORNS!!!! That book was such a page turner for me, oh my god finish it and then talk to me about it.

WOAH WAIT!!!!! You got a signed copy of The Outsiders?!!!!!!!!!!!!
*High fives*
I read that last year! =D

Hell yeah! I couldn't freaking believe it, I snatched it up and wanted to jump up and down in the store so bad.

 

[Chuuya]

God, I wish I had a signed copy of The Outsiders *squee* you lucky! I have this book my Grandmother gave me called Little House On the Prairie. That book looks ancient. I'm planning on reading it soon. Also I've been into reading Esperanza Rising which talks about a girl who loses her Papa and her and her mother after their house burns down must force them to move to California. This book's interesting so far. I've also read a sad book called Walk Two Moons which really became a tear-jerker. That book was something else.

 

[Griewer]

My friend lent me Jonathan Stroud's "The Amulet of Samarkand" so that's what I'll be reading.

 

[Chuuya]

^ I've heard of that book and have done a little research on it. Never have been able to read it sadly. :/

 

[Max]

God, I wish I had a signed copy of The Outsiders *squee* you lucky!

I know, I'm quite lucky! I also have a signed copy of Looking for Alaska. Signed books would become an expensive hobby, but I've come across some good ones.

So I finished Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe for a class... Let's just say that book wasn't exactly my cup of tea.

 

[Chuuya]

^ I've also watched the movie of The Outsiders which was done pretty well. I finished reading for my class a book called A Lesson Before Dying which was a sad novel. The Maximum Ride novel series I'm starting from the beginning again for the 8th time so far. The series is really one of my favorites, while I also bought one of the manga volumes of the series, the 9th and last one so far. Narae Lee does an amazing job with the mangas. :3

 

[VoidGear.]

I just borrowed A Song of Ice and Fire from my roommate. I hope it'll entertain me more than Game of Thrones as a show.

 

[Noel]

I make no promises that my spirit animal isn't a teenage girl.

I'm reading milk and honey.

My heart is in shards.

 

[Max]

Almost finished with The Remains of the Day for my Contemporory British fiction class, and then it's on to my final novel for that class: Atonement.

About to read Judy Blume Forever for my AYA class. For real, this teacher has picked a very mixed bag of books for us to read, which is good and bad.

Rereading the first compendium of The Walking Dead for a review I need I write in Advanced Writing.

Finally, I'm wrapping up American Gods (which should have been finished a long time ago) by Neil Gaiman and Joyland by Stephen King. Yay for still reading for fun despite constantly reading for class.

 

[Chuuya]

I just finished the first novel of Maximum Ride *sweat* it had 133 chapters and and prologue and epilogue. Not as bad as books I've read with 250-300 chapters that takes me just about a full week to read. Esperanza Rising was actually fast to read. Must need to go to library and get more books.

 

[FangirlfromHell]

I just finished a rather interesting take on Disney's Beauty and the Beast called 'As Old as Time: A Twisted Tale' by Liz Braswell. It is actually very engrossing read that runs on the basis that Belle's mother was the enchantress. The first half of the book is retelling the movie with some new details and some chapters that set up the curse, the scene with Belle and the Rose is where it finally full-out diverges. I decided to include he summary from the cover for you guys.

"Belle is a lot of things: smart, resourceful, restless. She longs to escape her poor provincial town for good. She wants to explore the world, despite her father's reluctance to leave their little cottage in case Belle's mother returns--a mother she barely remembers. Belle also happens to be the captive of a terrifying, angry beast. And that is her primary concern.

But when Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, intriguing images flood her mind--images of a the mother she believed she would never see again. Stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful Enchantress who cursed the Beast, his castle, and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is twenty-one years in the making." - Book Dustcover

I hope you guys are interested and might give this a read one day ^-^

 

[Lonbilly]

Finished Where Am I Now? by Mara Wilson about a week ago. It's been a LONG time since I connected so much with a memoir. It had me laughing, lowkey tear up, and overall feel vindicated as a person. Never grew up with the actress like a lot of other people, but this book has easily made me a major fan of her now.

Currently juggling a few books: first is Boy Robot by Simon Curtis, which is a debut novel from this year and vaguely reminds me of I Am Number Four but if it were written better. Also, I have been promised a gay in this novel. So that's promising.

The second book I started was Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, though that was initially via audiobook, and guys, I hate the audiobook. I got twenty minutes in before I had to stop - I found everything in the story annoying now because of the writing or characters, but because of the narrator. So guess I'll be switching to the actual book, though I'm really hesitant now about the book and expecting virtually nothing from it.

Lastly, I have The Last Girl by Joe Hart, another book released this year, which is part of an adult dystopian trilogy (and the second book is out already and the third is about to release). I mostly picked it up because it was $2 on the Kindle store, but a lot of the reviews were generally positive, and one said it was like a "watered down version of Stephen King's The Stand," but in a positive light. I'm about 40 pages in it and it is pretty intriguing and well-written thus far. Plus, one of our characters talks about female masturbation as an act of defiance and rebellion. So that's pretty cool.

I just finished a rather interesting take on Disney's Beauty and the Beast called 'As Old as Time: A Twisted Tale' by Liz Braswell. It is actually very engrossing read that runs on the basis that Belle's mother was the enchantress. The first half of the book is retelling the movie with some new details and some chapters that set up the curse, the scene with Belle and the Rose is where it finally full-out diverges. I decided to include he summary from the cover for you guys.

"Belle is a lot of things: smart, resourceful, restless. She longs to escape her poor provincial town for good. She wants to explore the world, despite her father's reluctance to leave their little cottage in case Belle's mother returns--a mother she barely remembers. Belle also happens to be the captive of a terrifying, angry beast. And that is her primary concern.

But when Belle touches the Beast's enchanted rose, intriguing images flood her mind--images of a the mother she believed she would never see again. Stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful Enchantress who cursed the Beast, his castle, and all its inhabitants. Shocked and confused, Belle and the Beast must work together to unravel a dark mystery about their families that is twenty-one years in the making." - Book Dustcover

I hope you guys are interested and might give this a read one day ^-^

Holy shit, I'm a sucker for B&tB retellings. Adding this to my TBR.