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What Are You Reading This Winter?

Home Forums Miscellany General Writing Discussion What Are You Reading This Winter?

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  • #1544370
    Jeff Davis
    Keymaster

      While California may have decided to forgo Daylight Savings Time, here in Oregon we are still trading the light in the morning for extra dark early evenings. In an effort to spend a little less time in front of the screen, I’m digging through some of the paperbacks that a friend left me before she moved to Massachusetts. So, to stave off the night crazies, I’m flipping through a cozy mystery called “French Pressed” by Cleo Coyle. The closest I’ve gotten to cozy mysteries before was some Agatha Christie, so I’m interested to see how this goes.

      What’s everyone else reading at the moment? Got a favorite book to see you through the winter? Maybe looking for a new favorite?

      I’m always looking for recommendations!

      #1544378
      Landipan
      Participant

        I mostly just read romance novels myself, and I go through them like chips! Right now I’m just re-reading old favorites as there aren’t any new one’s I’ve found lately that hold my interest. Currently re-reading the Hathaways series by Lisa Kleypas, a top favorite!

        *Formerly meowmix101
        Not currently open for PYO commissions.

        #1544380
        etruscan
        Participant

          If you like space opera, the Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold is entertaining.

          Cozy mysteries have become a growth category and they all seem to have some gimmick (for better or worse).  It sounds like yours is one of the coffee shop series?

          #1544393
          Melody
          Keymaster

            I’m chewing my way through “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari.  Slow going, because I have so little time to read!

            #1544396
            Bodine
            Participant

              I fall asleep when I read.

              Every act matters.No matter how small💞
              (Wanted......Brimstone Lap)
              Male Hearth....one day🤞Dream on.

              #1544404
              Jeff Davis
              Keymaster

                Landipan, I once got my name dumped into one of those romance novel sweepstakes from way back when and would up with three Harlequin Super Romances. It’s been a while and when I moved they got lost in the shuffle. Maybe I should try another one now.

                Melody, that looks to be a fascinating read! Maybe I should throw some more non-fiction into the mix as well. I’ve been woefully under representing the humanities in favor of shorter reads to pass the time.

                Etruscan, yes it is. My friend enjoyed the gimmick in them and I had mentioned that I saw an entire series in the library based around a tea shop, so she thought I might get a kick out of this one. It’s kind fun how they have little recipes and stuff in the back of the book as well.

                Bodine, that’s why I mostly wind up reading short fiction and thinner books. I could never get through many of the extra thick multi-novel series that most of my friends read when I was younger. I mostly went for anthologies or novellas. I’ve also been thinking of trying out audiobooks since I’ve been enjoying podcasts. Though I might fall asleep to some of those myself.

                #1544409
                pipsxlch
                Participant

                  From the intriguing title, I just looked up Sapiens– think I’ll have to read that one. I see my local library has it, and I enjoy reading on biology (paleoanthropology is a special like), astronomy and geology. Finished The Invaders recently, and plan on rereading The Scars of Evolution after my current read. Sometimes something that’s scoffed at can still raise an interesting question. I remember getting into a big argument with my anthro prof back in the late 80’s about whether there were ever Homo crossbreeds, or at least interspecies relations. He was livid that such could never be, and I was look at human nature. See where we stand now.

                  Mostly I read sci fi and fantasy. Since I do most of my book shopping at thrift stores (and I’m a voracious reader), they’re pretty freely available. I also enjoy mysteries and thrillers.

                  Last book was Glory Season by David Brin, and now I’m rereading The Dark Tower septology by Stephen King. Don’t care too much for horror (or romance), but D.T. is pretty straight dark fantasy to me. Though King is a quick read, if you prefer shorter works that one isn’t for you. One of my favorite works of his is The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and it’s brief.

                  #1544410
                  Jeff Davis
                  Keymaster

                    My fave fantasy novelist was Ursula K LeGuin with the Earthsea Trilogy. I read her and a bunch of Jane Yolen throughout my younger years. Tolken and Jordan were both too verbose for me to really get into. I enjoy a world that pulls you in immediately.

                    I’ve been hesitant to pick up King due to my overactive imagination, the whole Slenderman thing that was floating around a few years back gave me nightmares for a few nights, but I’ve heard many good things about Dark Tower. I’ll look into it.

                    #1544413
                    pipsxlch
                    Participant

                      I enjoyed the Wizard of Earthsea trilogy also! I have LeGuin’s Left Hand of Darkness now, but don’t have much luck finding her where I shop. I had Yolen’s trilogy about the dragon pit fighters too, what were the titles? It was back in my teens.

                      Hah Tolkien was my introduction to reading! I was given The Hobbit for my 6th birthday and The Fellowship of The Ring the following Christmas. I got Dread Companion by Andre Norton when I was 7, so I guess that set my likes. She was a constant friend for me.

                      I don’t like a lot of King, but I do like D.T. and Tom Gordon. The 1st book of D.T. (The Gunslinger) is a short quick read. It’s dark, if you find it giving you the heebie jeebies I’d stop with it. Tom has a monster/evil spirit in it, but the heroine is triumphant at the end. Blaze is another short work of King’s that’s a tragedy, not a bloodbath. I like The Green Mile, a long work as a whole but each individual book is short. No monsters except the human kind. Probably the lightest work of his I’ve read is The Eye of the Dragon, aimed at the youth market and very loosely set in the D.T. universe.

                      Hmm, for shorter works I suppose you’ve read Anne McCaffery’s Dragonsinger trilogy? It’s set in her Pern universe.

                      #1544416
                      etruscan
                      Participant

                        Heresy though it may be, I don’t understand the enthusiasm for McCaffrey.  I tried a couple of her books and thought they were very badly written.  I did manage to struggle through “The Ship Who Sang” but never finished anything else by her.

                        #1544418
                        dragonmedley
                        Participant

                          Right now, I’m at the end of the 4th Dalziel & Pascoe novel by Reginald Hill. My mom was an avid reader in general, but mystery was her thing, and out of all the English novels she had, the Reginald Hill ones were the ones I kept.

                          Otherwise, I’m also ready a weird series by Tim Davys called Mollisan Town about stuffed animals.

                          Read my books! Volume 1 and 2 of A Dragon Medley are available now.
                          http://www.sarahjestin.com/mybooks.htm
                          I host the feedback lists, which are maintained by drag0nfeathers.
                          http://www.sarahjestin.com/feedbacklists.htm

                          #1544427
                          Susie
                          Keymaster

                            I’m into the Longmire Mysteries by Craig Johnson.  For anyone who’s seen the show (I binge watched it!  Its sort of a modern cowboys & Indians) the books are different stories than the Netflix shows and the characters are a little different – but its first person told by Walt Longmire and therefore you feel as if you are finding out what the quiet man on TV is thinking during his silent bits, and the differences are not bothering me.  The books go pretty fast and I feel like they could have been all one giant book but he broke the story up.

                            I haven’t read much Stephen King but I did take an entire year to read the Dark Tower series and I really liked it – its a “stew” – you’ll see why when you get half way through!   Its not real scary (like The Pet Semetary…  …shiver!… )

                             

                            #1544517
                            Melody
                            Keymaster

                              Heresy though it may be, I don’t understand the enthusiasm for McCaffrey. I tried a couple of her books and thought they were very badly written. I did manage to struggle through “The Ship Who Sang” but never finished anything else by her.

                              You need to read the dragon ones. They are not literary masterpieces, but they are psychologically well designed fantasies about what people long for: a powerful, life long companion that gives you unconditional love…and can fly…and is a dragon.

                              #1544518
                              Bodancia
                              Participant

                                Oh boy – I read a lot!  Usually have three books going at once!  Just finished the last Longmire book by Craig Johnson.  Currently reading the Kate Daniels novel by Ilona Andrews (intense fantasy/romance), Worlds of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson (fantasy – massive book).  Ready to start the latest Lee Child Jack Reacher book.  Loved JRR Tolkien The Lord of the Rings.  Read it again at least once a year.  Loved the original Dragon books by Anne McCaffrey (Dragonflight, DragonQuest, The White Dragon).  Really enjoy CJ Cherryh’s books (SF and fantasy).  Her long running Foreigner series is quite good, but I like the Fortress series the best.  Also Rider at the Gate and Cloud’s Rider (horses that mentally communicate with their rider, very cool), fantasy with some scary stuff thrown in.  Mercedes Lackey Valdemar series was good (again, horses that communicate with their rider).  Last non-fiction I read was Rocket Men, story of Apollo 8.  Happy reading!

                                Always looking for a lovely GB Young Unicorns, TP Male Dragons or TP Male Griffins!

                                #1544520
                                Melody
                                Keymaster

                                  I am reading  Arthur C. Clarke’s classic sci fi “Rendezvous with Rama”  because of Omuamua.

                                  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181115093324.htm

                                   

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