DECEMBER READS

[rapa]

Christmas is creeping close and I'm at least two months behind. This afternoon started a Kindle book involving a Golden Retriever on the flight home from Utah. Full flight! Excellent wheel chair service and great chats with others; most of whom were carrying books.

Just wanted to ask what you're reading this December. Hope we all find a bit of time in the midst of December to relax with our books. Please keep us posted!!!!!!!!

[rapa]

This was my first Picoult read. I assume it's much different from her usual style. My mother told me that one of my first words was "Elephant." Ergo, my fascination with Leaving Time.

[Carci]

Finished Leaving Time...  I loved all the elephant stuff and will never enjoy seeing them at a zoo or circus again...  so sad...

The story held my interest and I like some paranormal but there were a few discrepancies that did not compute in this offering...  I don't want to say too much and spoil it for others so will PM you, rapa, on one item especially.

I've started Hounded and forgot how entertaining Andy Carpenter can be... loving it!

[Ursula]

Unlike the Louise Penny novels, Jodi Picoult's books are true stand alones, so you can start most anywhere.  This book was different because she usually chooses a newsworthy topic and weaves a story around it.  "Picture Perfect" deals with spousal abuse; "Mercy" with mercy killing; "Nineteen Minutes" with a school shooting;"Sing You Home" with same sex marriage.....and on and on.  I believe she has written 22 books.  "Leaving Time" was definitely a different story for her, but I definitely liked it and am one of those Goodreads members, who gave it 5 stars.

BTW, "Sing You Home" came with a CD of original music that I'm still listening to 4 years after I  bought the book.

[Carci]

The first Jodi Picoult novel I read was My Sister's Keeper and it definitely made me a fan of her writing.  It was so original, so moving and the ending blew me away...  I never saw the movie because I heard they changed the ending.

I've read many but not all of her novels... I've enjoyed every one I read.

[Ursula]

I'd forgotten about the changed ending.  It was annoying, to say the least....oh wait, I was annoying as I blurted out loud, "That's not the way the book ended!". I think my girlfriend was going to disown me on the spot.  Why do they do that????

[Ioruach]

During the past week I finished a couple good thrillers, Spark by John Twelve Hawks and, just today,  Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen. I especially liked Spark because of its originality.

It is a futuristic novel reminiscent of Orwell’s 1984. Well, not in that class, of course, but you can get the idea. The main character is a hired killer who neutralizes people. He was “transformed” after a serious motorcycle accident and no longer has any feeling or moral sense. All his attachments have melted away. Everything within him is darkness, except for  a ”Spark” which is held captive within his Shell of flesh and bone.

I know; I know. It sounds a bit too futuristic and isn’t for everyone. But it is a good read, at least I thought so, and I recommend it for the more daring of you.

Ice Cold was a typical easy to read and hard-to-put-down novel by Gerritsen. I also have her latest, Die Again, on hold at the library.

[Slopok]

Harvested some venison this fall and spent a fair amount of time sitting quietly in the woods. You see a lot of interesting critters while sitting in the woods; bobcat, fox, birds of prey, ect. I live in Davy Crockett territory (Polly Crockett is buried about 5 miles from here) and I think about how life really was in those days. I read Crockett's biography a few years ago. Well, all that sitting and thinking has me in the mood for frontier reading so I'm reading Louis L'Amour's Bendigo Shafter, it's about a ragtag bunch of travelers settling  in the rugged Wyoming mountains, and also, Death rides a Pale Horse by Dusty Rhodes,it's about a cowboy who's dying and must provide for his wife and 3 kids so he becomes a bounty hunter. Both are good reads so far. I haven't read a western novel in years. I'm enjoying both.

[Mandy Muffin]

With the X-mass sales at Amazon, I decided to try a Fire tablet as it was being offered on a one day speccial for just $79!  In fact I bought 2, one for me and one for my better  half.  My first E-book read on the tablet was also a daily special at just $2.99.  "The Painter" takes place in one of my favorite parts of the country, Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado, along the Rio Grande.  Combine painting, fly fishing and some rough stuff and it's an enjoyable read and very well written.  http://www.amazon.com/The-Painter-novel-Peter-Heller-ebook/dp/B00GL...

I am getting used to the touch screen, as I just swipe the pages by, sometimes more than one at a time, but I'm getting better with practice.

Have a great holiday season everyone.  I'm back up north with family and hoping for a white Christmas (or some snow) before I return to the warm comfort of South Florida.

[Grammie Sue]

I have been trying to read Death Comes to Pemberley for awhile now.  It is ok but I am not really into it.  I think I will give it another 30 pages and if it doesn't pick up I'll take it back to the library.  

[Flowergram]

Way to go Mandy - a bargain hunter after my own heart.  I thought long and hard about the tablet but decided I have enough stuff to keep me busy for a while.  I am currently reading Laurie King's - Keeping Watch.  I have never read any books about the Vietnam War - had family in it -do not talk about it.  This book however, held my interest well and I have never read her before - now will read more.  Great to discover another new author.  Everyone have a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or whatever holiday that  you enjoy celebrating this time of year.  Health to all in the New Year too.  Hope we discover many new books together.

[Carolyn Tewell]

Hope everyone had a happy holiday and Merry Christmas!

I have been following all posts but just returned from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida ...Palm trees, balmy breezes, sun and sandbox playing with Grandgirls. Well, somebody has to do it? Lol

I took 3 Playaway Audiobooks (about size of pack of cigarettes) on the plane and when getting to sleep. No way to listen to an Audiobook when playing "gramma on call."

PERSONAL..which I already had tried to listen on Audio and just could not get into it??? Love the Jack Reacher but it was too much "flippant attitude" or something. Plus the storyline was "out there."

SINS OF THE FLESH ...Colleen McCullough. Now, ever since her book in Australia I have tried other stuff by her...bailed on this one in about 15 minutes...plugged in again on return flight and said no amount of Chardonney is going to keep me involved.

SECOND WATCH...J.A. Jance. Now, admit some sappy dialog, some trite analysis of surroundings but for my age and understanding...it was very good. The Hero is a retired cop who just had knee surgery...location Seattle. She does another main character...located in AZ.

I contact on line some other books by her and order from Library.

Moment...another topic.

[Carolyn Tewell]

FLOWER...WOO HOO!

IN THE MORNING I'LL BE GONE...Adrian McKinty ...I have on hold at Library!!! Soooo excited!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! dinner done...get back later