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December 2010: What are you reading?

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Amanda
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Posts: 910
Joined: August 2008
Location: Sydney, Australia

Post by Amanda » Mon December 6th, 2010, 3:29 am

I have started listening to the audiobook of At Home by Bill Bryson. Very good so far with lots of trivia tidbits, and things that get you thinking. Also branches out into related topics, for example he talks alot about the 1851 Great Exhibition and the building of Crystal Palace. I think I will be asking Santa for the book to read, as although Bill Bryson is reading it himself, he goes through things just that little bit too quickly. I feel like I need to pause it to have a think and ponder what he has just been talking about.

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LoobyG
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Posts: 568
Joined: April 2010
Location: Derbyshire, UK

Post by LoobyG » Mon December 6th, 2010, 8:12 am

[quote=""Alisha Marie Klapheke""]I'm about half way through The Golden Compass because a dear friend of mine will not leave me alone until I read it. I have to say I don't care much for it so far. Not because of any devilish stuff--it's fiction after all--but I just am not in the mood for a young adult book. Or is this middle grade?[/quote]

I finished this book last week and I thought it was alright, but like Ash I think I'd have liked it a lot more if I'd read it when I was younger. The second half of the book was better and I love the daemon idea. I'm still pondering whether to keep the next two books in the series or give them away... :)

SCW
Avid Reader
Posts: 286
Joined: October 2010
Preferred HF: Lately World Two or the time immediately before and after this period
Location: Australia

Post by SCW » Mon December 6th, 2010, 10:23 am

I've just bought Water for Elephants, but would appreciate any recommendations for newly released Historical Fiction, thanks!

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Madeleine
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 5860
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: "Mania" by L J Ross
Preferred HF: Plantagenets, Victorian, crime, dual time-frame
Location: Essex/London

Post by Madeleine » Mon December 6th, 2010, 3:26 pm

[quote=""Alisha Marie Klapheke""]I'm about half way through The Golden Compass because a dear friend of mine will not leave me alone until I read it. I have to say I don't care much for it so far. Not because of any devilish stuff--it's fiction after all--but I just am not in the mood for a young adult book. Or is this middle grade?[/quote]

I enjoyed TGC (or Northern Lights as it was called in the UK back then!) and loved the second one, wasn't so keen on the 3rd book - it seemed to go on and on forever - so it's up to you if you want to read the next one!
Currently reading "Mania" by L J Ross

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Elysium
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Posts: 182
Joined: December 2010
Location: Finland
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Post by Elysium » Tue December 7th, 2010, 6:19 pm

I'm reading The White Boar by Marian Palmer and I've liked it so far.

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Vanessa
Bibliomaniac
Posts: 4378
Joined: August 2008
Currently reading: The Farm at the Edge of the World by Sarah Vaughan
Interest in HF: The first historical novel I read was Katherine by Anya Seton and this sparked off my interest in this genre.
Favourite HF book: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell!
Preferred HF: Any
Location: North Yorkshire, UK

Post by Vanessa » Tue December 7th, 2010, 8:18 pm

I'm just about to start A Conspiracy of Violence by Susanna Gregory.
currently reading: My Books on Goodreads

Books are mirrors, you only see in them what you already have inside you ~ The Shadow of the Wind

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Berengaria
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Posts: 307
Joined: July 2010
Location: northern Vancouver Island, BC Canada

Decisions! Decisions!

Post by Berengaria » Wed December 8th, 2010, 2:35 am

I have a new copy of The Distant Hoursand another oneHammer of the Scots. Plus I'm trying hard to finish the book in mysignature. I don't where to begin or continue! :eek:
Image My 4 girls!


“No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting. She will not want new fashions nor regret the loss of expensive diversions or variety of company if she can be amused with an author in her closet.” ~Lady Montagu

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Divia
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Posts: 4435
Joined: August 2008
Location: Always Cloudy, Central New York

Post by Divia » Wed December 8th, 2010, 2:38 am

Just finished Bright Young Things from the author who brought us the Luxe Series.

I have to say I enjoyed this one way more. The girls weren't bed hopping. Imagine that! :D
News, views, and reviews on books and graphic novels for young adult.
http://yabookmarks.blogspot.com/

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boswellbaxter
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Posts: 3066
Joined: August 2008
Location: North Carolina
Contact:

Post by boswellbaxter » Wed December 8th, 2010, 3:07 am

I started Bloody Mary by Hilda Lewis after giving up in disgust on two recent HF novels. One was a whinefest, the other was a genealogical table with dialogue.
Susan Higginbotham
Coming in October: The Woodvilles


http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/
http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/blog/

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emr
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Posts: 840
Joined: January 2009
Location: Castilla

Post by emr » Wed December 8th, 2010, 9:01 am

Started The Game of Kings by Dorothy Dunnett a couple days ago and almost gave it up after 50 pages of latin-french-not-quite-english gibberish but I'm glad I persevered (and the gibberish improved) Accepting that Lymond talks like that, I find hard to believe that everybody else has the cultural level to understand him. Anyway I've got to like his quest for justice always destined to fail...

I think I'll need something brainless next :D
"So many books, so little time."
— Frank Zappa

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