Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 775897 times)

BooksAdmin · « **on:** October 31, 2009, 01:55:30 PM »

This is the place to talk about the works of fiction you are reading, whether they are new or old, and share your own opinions and reviews with interested readers.

Every week the new bestseller lists come out brimming with enticing looking books and rave reviews. How to choose?

Discussion Leader: Judy Laird

mrssherlock · « **Reply #1 on:** October 31, 2009, 02:46:42 PM »

maryz · « **Reply #2 on:** October 31, 2009, 02:57:43 PM »

Frybabe · « **Reply #3 on:** October 31, 2009, 04:15:22 PM »

X marks the spot.

jane · « **Reply #4 on:** October 31, 2009, 04:33:38 PM »

I haven't looked at a Best Sellers list in a long time, so just did...and I found:

Hardcover Fiction
Top 5 at a Glance
1. THE LOST SYMBOL, by Dan Brown
2. THE SCARPETTA FACTOR, by Patricia Cornwell
3. PURSUIT OF HONOR, by Vince Flynn
4. NINE DRAGONS, by Michael Connelly
5. THE HELP, by Kathryn Stockett

and the only one there I have only heard that the #1 is about the Freemasons and my husband read #3...he's a Joseph Finder and a Vince Flynn fan.

I found this list and someone at knitting group mentioned #4 as a good read.

Paperback Trade Fiction
Top 5 at a Glance
1. PUSH, by Sapphire
2. THE SHACK, by William P. Young
3. OLIVE KITTERIDGE, by Elizabeth Strout
4. THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson
5. SAY YOU'RE ONE OF THEM, by Uwem Akpan

Has anyone here read #4?

Both lists are from: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/

jane

salan · « **Reply #5 on:** October 31, 2009, 05:22:08 PM »

Jane, I have read "Girl with a Dragon Tatoo". I thought it was good, but a little dark for me. I probably won't read any more books by Larsson as I have heard that his next one is rather gory. I also read "The Help". It was good and my book club has chosen it for one of our selections. I read "The Shack" because so many people read it and were talking about it. I personally did not care for it. I just checked out "Olive Kitteridge", so it is next on my list to read. Anybody out there read any of these books? If so, what did you think about them?

Sally

mrssherlock · « **Reply #6 on:** October 31, 2009, 05:55:30 PM »

The Help is a book I recommend to everyone. It is special concerning women and bonding and the history of integration. It takes the subject to a very human level without bombast. I read all Michael Connelley's books but haven't read dragons yet. Tattoo impressed me on many levels: the Swedish social mores, the personality of "The Girl" and the plot complexities. I've read Larsson's second book and anxiously awaiting the third, final, book.

JoanK · « **Reply #7 on:** October 31, 2009, 08:08:37 PM »

I agree with you, Jackie, on Larson. But I also am not comefortable if the goriness gets above a certain level.

ALF43 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 31, 2009, 09:22:47 PM »

Jane, I've read The Help #5 on your list #1. I enjoyed it but I'm not sure how much it would lend to a month long discussion.
On List #2- I've read The Shack (and have an autographed copy of it as the author spoke with my son's youth group in New mexico.) I have read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and loved it, yes, I admit, it was dark but I liked it. I just bought the sequel to it and will begin that this week.

nlhome · « **Reply #9 on:** October 31, 2009, 10:22:35 PM »

I read Oliver Kitteridge. It was well-written, but I did not like the character at all.

CallieOK · « **Reply #10 on:** October 31, 2009, 11:08:50 PM »

I liked "The Help".

I didn't care for "Olive Kitteridge".

Haven't read any of the others.

CubFan · « **Reply #11 on:** October 31, 2009, 11:16:11 PM »

I've read the The Help and found it to be very well written. Mary

Babi · « **Reply #12 on:** November 01, 2009, 07:13:52 AM »

I, too, thought 'The Help' was very good. I'm also glad to find I'm ot
the only one who didn't care for the Larsson book. Several people said
they liked it, but I didn't even get very far into it. I simply wasn't enjoyimg it, and couldn't see a good reason for continuing.

Steph · « **Reply #13 on:** November 01, 2009, 09:39:22 AM »

I dont like Gory and have not read the Larrson books because they are supposed to be..

mrssherlock · « **Reply #14 on:** November 01, 2009, 12:42:30 PM »

I read Kitteridge and was titillated by the plot device of Olive turning up in each story in many different roles. That idea, that one can be both the star and in a supporting role at the same time was an intellectual device which held up throughout the book, I felt. Olive was not an admirable person but she was there for every other character. i enjoyed the puzzle of waiting for Olive to turn up and to see what effect she had in each segment.

Steph · « **Reply #15 on:** November 02, 2009, 08:00:18 AM »

I am still not quite sure on The Help.. I think I will eventually read it, but not just now. We are leaving for a few days in the rv.. only going to St. Augustine, but need a few days away.. We would have been gone last week, but our Gracie, the rescue corgi is under treatment for heartworm and she needed to stay close to home.. She is doing very well and so we will all pack up tomorrow and leave about noon.

Babi · « **Reply #16 on:** November 02, 2009, 08:35:34 AM »

Have a great trip, STEPH.

mrssherlock · « **Reply #17 on:** November 02, 2009, 12:13:28 PM »

Steph: You have such a lively time, travelling like gypsies and then going home for R&R. RVing seems like the best way to see lots of the country where everything is so far away. One of the places I'd like to RV to is the Michigan/Canadian border. There are some rock strata there like nowere else, near the Lake. And I'd love to see Lake Louise in Canada.

Frybabe · « **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2009, 12:55:56 PM »

I think if I ever decided to live in Florida, St. Augustine would be at or near the top of my list. I really liked the town.

winsummm · « **Reply #19 on:** November 02, 2009, 02:43:51 PM »

I like Joseph finder. also I find myself agreeing with mrs. sherlock much of the time so I often save her comments as in Olive Kittridge . it's just a matter of a shared taste. does anyone else do that"

I saved three of philippa Gregory's books on the kindle as samples and am into one now along with about four others as in the dan brown book which waits there, well written in the sample so kept for later. Right now I am in 1539 england with the bolyn inheritance. . . written from many points of view but tied together as King Henry having lost Jane to childbirth and beheaded the willful Ann now selects a replacement, Ann of Cleves. Katherine Howard turns fourteen and hopes to be chosen as a queen's lady in waiting.

as for censoring my childrens choice of reading, it never occurred to me. They are, in their fifties now, avid readers and always have been and nothing terrible ever came of that choice on my part.

Claire

mrssherlock · « **Reply #20 on:** November 02, 2009, 07:48:17 PM »

winsumm: Thank you.

Steph · « **Reply #21 on:** November 03, 2009, 08:06:00 AM »

We love exploring the US.. There are so many beautiful places that dont get much publicity as well as other places that are popular. We went all the way to the Canadian border in Michigan as well as New York .. I loved Soo St. Marie and the locks.. Neat.
The upper peninsula of Michigan has some gorgeous scenery.. very stark somehow. Then we swooped down on Wisconsin, which turned out to be a lovely lovely state. Too cold for me in the winter, but in the summer, it was a true delight to visit. Got to eat cheese curds there for the first time. Had no idea what they were.

Aberlaine · « **Reply #22 on:** November 03, 2009, 11:27:55 AM »

I'm in Arkansas visiting my daughter and two granddaughters. When I packed, I put all of my books at the bottom of my suitcase, never thinking I'd need something to read during the two-hour layover between planes.

As I left my house I grabbed a paperback from my bookshelf. It was Dan Brown's Deception Point. I'm finding it a great book to read. Like his others, there is much suspense in the book. Each chapter seems to leave you hanging. I hope to finish it before I leave so I can give it to my daughter.

My hard back books are Outlander and The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Outlander because it's been recommended as a good historical novel and Elegance because my f2f book group is reading it for November.

JoanK · « **Reply #23 on:** November 03, 2009, 03:48:20 PM »

I stayed at Lake Louise 40 years ago. It was lovely, but kind of crowded. But we found that down the road there was another lake that wasn't even on our map that was just as beautiful, but not developed, and we sent an hour there.

I hope they have preserved Lake Louise from being too touristified. My husband and I used to do a lot of traveling around when we were younger, and often found that the places we kept hearing about were too crowded and noisy, but there were often places nearby that wre just as beautiful.

Now that I'm living in California, I realize how many beautiful places there are out here that I've never seen. But it is difficult for me to travel now. Fortunately, I have some wonderful California coastline just 15 minutes away.

Babi · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:34:09 AM »

Me, too, JOANK. One of the 'losses' I most regret is that traveling is
something I can't do anymore. At least, no long drives through lovely
countryside.

Steph · « **Reply #25 on:** November 04, 2009, 08:39:53 AM »

We are well aware that sooner or later we will not be able to travel, especially in the rv, but since just now we can, we do.. The US is a wonderful place. It has so very many places that quite special in different ways..

mabel1015j · « **Reply #26 on:** November 06, 2009, 03:02:54 PM »

marking.............jean

maryz · « **Reply #27 on:** November 06, 2009, 07:33:42 PM »

I've just finished the new Pat Conroy book - South of Broad. I have a feeling I've already posted about this, but don't see it. Oh, well.

This is much more like his early books, which we loved. We hated the last two big novels. This one is truly a love letter to the city of Charleston. I liked it, and John is reading it now.

Steph · « **Reply #28 on:** November 07, 2009, 09:22:42 AM »

I like Conroy and am sure I will read this one. I was thinking about what you said and I think that my favorite was The Lords of Discipline..
Have found the first David Liss.. Conspiracy of Paper and will get it through my swap club.

Babi · « **Reply #29 on:** November 08, 2009, 08:03:00 AM »

I'm currently reading a really good book, despite bits of horror. It's Neil Gaiman's "Amrican Gods". One reviewer described it most accurately as "by turns thoughtful, hilarious, disturbing, uplifting, horrifying and enjoyable". It's all of that.

Steph · « **Reply #30 on:** November 08, 2009, 09:46:11 AM »

I like Gaiman.. He cowrote a book with Terry Pratchett. He is quite different, but good.

Babi · « **Reply #31 on:** November 09, 2009, 08:07:14 AM »

"Quite different" is a good description, STEPH. I knew about the book with Terry Pratchett and may read it later. I believe my library has it in the YA section. Gaiman is also the author of the popular "Sandman" graphic series,
tho' I haven't gotten into graphics. My son suggested I read "American Gods".

Steph · « **Reply #32 on:** November 10, 2009, 08:22:37 AM »

Am reading The Wheel of Darkness. I tried one the duos books years ago and hated it, but everyone seems to love them, so decided to try a later book and see how I feel.
I dont like the Manga or
Graphic novels at all. Wrong age group, I suspect.

JoanK · « **Reply #33 on:** November 10, 2009, 03:03:15 PM »

My sister is always trying to get me to read Terry Patchett. Those who read him love him.

Steph · « **Reply #34 on:** November 11, 2009, 07:42:55 AM »

Terry is wonderful.. He has the gift of absurdity.. Witches and Death ( who is a distinct character), how to cure the post office and reinvent banks.. Mort who sort of inherits being death.. All in all, a major funny writer..

pedln · « **Reply #35 on:** November 18, 2009, 10:48:18 PM »

You are invited to a

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE for Book and Food Lovers

December 1 - 20

Guests will be YOU and authors of your favorite books that combine a good story with good tips on food. Do drop in and tell us about your favorite foodies, real and otherwise, be it Rachel Ray or Kate Jacobs or Tyler Florence or Joanne Harris. Who's your favorite cook?

Aberlaine · « **Reply #36 on:** November 23, 2009, 09:51:08 AM »

My f2f book group chose The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery to read this month. I'm finding it very difficult to read. We meet on December 3rd and I'll do my best to finish it.

As a "relief" from that, I've picked up Outlander by Diane Gabaldon. It was recommended to me as historical fiction. Well, that's a stretch. It's a romance novel set in the 1800s in Scotland. But it doesn't tax my mind the way Hedgehog does, so I'll probably finish that, too.

I'm hosting our group this time so I get to choose the book we read for December. And since we don't need any more stress during the holidays, I'm going to choose a Christmas book, just for the fun of it. I've chosen A Christmas Guest by Anne Perry.

Nancy

nlhome · « **Reply #37 on:** November 23, 2009, 11:00:46 AM »

Aberlaine, I tried to read The Elegance of the Hedgehog this year, but was unable to finish it. Something about did not appeal.

Anne Perry's Christmas books are a pleasant read. I have decided that after I finish the one library book I have out, I will look for the Christmas books. Might boost my spirit.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #38 on:** November 23, 2009, 01:11:52 PM »

Just finished Carley's Song by Patricia Sprinkle. I had read her book The Remember Box many yrs ago and had marked it w/ 3 stars in my "read" list, but i couldn't remember - no pun intended - what it was about.

C's S is narrated by a precocious 12 yr old who lives in a small town in NC. It's the almost daily happenings of a yr in her life in the early 1950's. Even tho those two books were not shelved in the "mystery" section of the library, they both have a little mystery to them and apparently she has a series of mystery books, altho i haven't read any of those yet...............i think i will look for them, i enjoy her writing. It flows very well and her descriptions give me a very clear picture of what the environment and people are like.

This is a very small town and has the characters of a very small town. She lives w/ her uncle's family, he is a Presbyterian minister, which lends an interesting aspect to the stories as he has a more progressive philosophy than many in the town. Carley can sit in her closet and hear the counseling sessions that he has w/ other characters - a nice way to move the story along. ..................jean

JoanK · « **Reply #39 on:** November 23, 2009, 10:06:56 PM »

I like Anne Perry's Christmas books too. They cut down on the wordiness of her other books, and give minor characters a chance at center stage.

:Carley's Song" sounds interesting. I've noticed a number of mystery books not marked as such in my library.

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Author Topic: Fiction ~ Old ~ New ~ Best Sellers #2 (Read 775897 times)