OFF Readers--What did you read/What are you reading?

Hi everyone!

Wow, another month flies by!  I'm back now after spending the day out with my DH for our wedding anniversary.  Hope everyone had a terrific June 1st!

In May, I read:

The Circus Fire by Stewart O'Nan.  It's about the devastating fire that hit Barnum & Bailey's circus in 1944

The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant.  Set in the early 1800s, it centers around the lives of the last residents of a dying town.

Symptoms of Withdrawal by Christopher Kennedy Lawford.  It was a sort of interesting memoir written by one of the younger generation of the Kennedy family--a priviliged young man who got lost very early in his life.

Prodigal Son by Dean Koontz.  It's the first in his Frankenstein trilogy and it was pretty okay.  I've suffered from Koontz overdose and hadn't read anything by him in almost two years.

Healing the Inner Child by  Charles L. Whitfield, M.D.  I learned a lot about myself reading this book.

I just started reading Les Misérables

How about everyone else?  Looking forward to seeing what everyone's been reading!

Cassie

I'm currently reading Koontz's The Husband... so far it's hard to put down!  Some of his stuff had gotten to be pretty predictable or even worse, oh-that's-enough-pages-so-wrap-it-up... ugh....  However, if you're ready for more Koontz and haven't read them, the Brother Odd series was GREAT!

I loved the first Odd Thomas!  I think I was already on Koontz overload when I read the second book because I felt annoyed at many points.  I definitely want to read the third in the series ... but not yet.  I'm not going to read the Frankentein trilogy back to back either.  Yes, unfortunately, he got to be too predictable and definitely on-that's-enough-already!  LOL...  There was one I really liked a *lot* and that was Life Expectancy.

I love talking about books and I agree about author overload. 

The First Odd Thomas was terrific and the other two went downhill - I finished the second and gave up on the third, what disappointments.  Life Expectancy was fantastic.

I picked up King again after about 20 years - The Cell - really enjoyed it - the ending was soso as is so King, but it didn't negate the rest of the book. 

Did you read Follett's "Pillars of the Earth" and the sequel "World Without End"?  Wonderful books about a cathedral town in England 1200 and then 1400.  Big, wonderful books.

I'm presently on the third Steig Larsson (sp?) books - in each I've had to fastforward (I have a Kindle) thru too much heavy Swedish secret service details, but pretty entertaining.

Special mention:  The Help - unlike any other book I've read.  Also Halfbroke Horses and its
prequel (dont remember the name) by Walls. 

K

Have not read anything that great, but lots of mysteries.  There was a collection of short stories from J. Konrath.  Also, Shot of Tequilla by the same author. 

Rage of Angels by Sydney Sheldon.  Old one, but I had never read it.  Decent.

And Executive Privilege by Phillip Margolin.  Pretty good. 

All were mysteries.

I used to be into mysteries, especially series books.  I think I overdosed though.  I'm sure I'll go back to them again one of these days.  I've heard of Phillip Margolin but haven't read any of his books yet.

Hi Cassie,

I bought Gary a Nook for Christmas. Normally, after he read a book, I'd read it. Well, I can't pry the dang thing out of his hands long enough for me to read anything, so I resorted to buying a copy of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Nothing is getting done around here. It's very, very good.

LOL one difference between a book and a Nook is that with the paper copy you've got to put it down when you finish.  With a nook, there's always another one to read!

I've been on vacation for 5 weeks and I have devoured many books  -  unfortunately, I have forgotten the names of most of them!

Right now, I am reading

She's Come Undone  -  Wally Lamb  -  what a wonderful writer/story teller.  Young woman grows up in dysfunctional family.
I Know This Much is True  -  another Wally Lamb  -  this one is about twin brothers, one schizophrenic, the other feeling guilty because he isn't.  Their immigrant grandfather's autobiography gives insight into their family and therapy helps one brother come to terms with all that his family is about and has concealed.  I can't say enough about how wonderful Wally Lamb is  -  no wonder both of these books were on Oprah's list.  He is my age and refers to things/names/TV shows from my childhood (like Boston Blackie) that I thought no one remembered but me!  Love Wally Lamb!
Listened to one of Steve Martini's books on tape while I travelled to and from Toronto - 3 hours each way.  Martini writes in the style of John Grisham.  Sorry, can't think of the name of the book, but his mostly centre around a lawyer and his clients  -  mystery.
Margaret

I love Wally Lamb's books!!!  He wrote one about women in prison that was awesome and now he's got another one (it's on my TBR).  I think the newer one is The Hour I First Believed.  Interesting how he uses song lyrics for his titles!  The one where he interviewed women in prison is called Couldn't Keep It To Myself.