hh_clubs | Restricted Section: Term XXVI

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Restricted Section: Term XXVI - Read, Reading, To Read

Activity: Read, Reading, To Read
Points: 10 points for your initial comment, 2 points for every substantial response, max 30 points
Deadline: August 30 @ 11:59PM UTC (Timezone Converter)

Details: Since this will be my only activity of Term XXVI, I wanted to both do something relatively simple AND take the opportunity to get to know you guy, so we're going to have a discussion post about our recent reading habits. For your initial comment, write at least 150 words talking about books you've recently read, are currently reading, and/or what you plan to read next. You can talk about any aspect of the books you wish, but some ideas would be why you selected the books, what you liked/didn't like about them, whether you'd recommend them to others, etc. For your responses, you'll need to write at least 50 words. Make sure you're saying something more than, "I read that book and liked/hated it!" Try to open a dialogue about what was good or bad, or even why you chose NOT to read it. Anything goes, as long as there's substance to it.

If you have any questions, direct them to the appropriate thread. As always, don't forget to sign each comment with your name/house or a sigtag.

Also, do remember that I wiped the roster clean, so if you have bonus items, make sure you register them HERE as soon as possible to earn your extra points. I won't be giving grace periods, so please double-check that you're good to go!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Questions?

Edited 2013-08-20 22:31 (UTC)

Do comic books count? Or just novels? I read both, so just checking.

Oh yes, comic books definitely count! Any form of literature can be discussed, so things like poetry and plays also work.

Thanks!

I've actually had a rather unusual craving for dystopians lately, so I've been reading a lot of them. I tend to like dystopias in general, but I have to be in a very certain frame of mind to want to read them, since they do obviously tend to be depressing, and I mainly prefer my books on the Happily Ever After side of the scale. But the mood struck me, so I began with Matched (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7735333-matched) by Ally Condie, where a Society controls everything about people, including who they'll marry. While the writing wasn't always strong in some places, I really enjoyed the world-building. I liked, for example, that people didn't HAVE to be Matched. They could choose to be Single and were still seen as equal members of Society. And while there definitely is a sort of love triangle, it's not *completely* front and center, and I felt like the main character stood well on her own outside of the two boys. I'm a little wary of continuing on in the series, as the reviews I've read tend to indicate it goes downhill with each book, but my plan is to at least try.

Next I read The Selection (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10507293-the-selection) by Kiera Cass, which was advertised as a crossover between The Hunger Games and The Bachelor, but I can't help but feel that's a bit misleading. In this world, everyone is divided into castes, with Ones being the royal family and Eights being homeless Untouchables, basically. The main character is a Five, and she is deeply in love with a Six. However, the Prince recently came of age and is looking for a bride, so one girl from each province is chosen to compete for his affections. This selection is not based on caste, and is supposed to instill morale in the people to show that anyone can be raised to a One. I didn't feel this was as strong as Matched, mainly because the world building is practically non-existent, and what little is there doesn't make much sense. The love triangle is also a lot more prominent, and I'm not completely sure how I feel about that. Again, the reviews for the second book seem much lower than the first, but I'm still going to give it a shot,

Finally, I had the opportunity to read a book for the museum where I work: Power-Up: How Japanese Video Games Gave the World an Extra Life (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1148240.Power_Up) by Chris Kohler of Wired Magazine. Chris came to visit us to write about our International Center for the History of Electronic Games, so myself and two of my co-workers read the book to familiarize ourselves with questions he might ask. It wasn't the most riveting piece of literature I'd ever read, but I'm very interested in Japanese culture in general, and it's always fun to be "forced" to read things like that for work.

Next up on my plate, I think, will be Veronica Roth's Divergent (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13335037-divergent), to continue with my dystopias while I'm still in the mood. I'm hopeful it will be as good as everyone makes it out to be!

Shannon//Ravenclaw//559 words

Edited 2013-08-20 22:46 (UTC)

I have a tendency to get obsessed when I'm reading. The two things I've been reading most recently are a testament to that.

First, I read Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs. It is set in an AU where fairies and werewolves have announced their existence to the world. (Vampires and other supernatural creatures also exist, but they are still not known to everyone.) The main character is Mercedes "Mercy" Thompson, a mechanic who also happens to be a coyote shapeshifter, and who also happens to be married to the Alpha of the local werewolf pack. The story was interesting and the characters were intriguing enough that I then went on and read all of the other books in that series.

And, not being content with just that, I then read all of the books in her prequel series, Alpha and Omega. Overall I didn't care for that series as much, but I liked the set up for things that would happen in the later series, such as character choices and the like. I think my main problem with it was that it was so much focused on the love story between the Alpha Wolf, Charles, and the Omega Wolf, Anna. It seemed like basically every outside plot still mentioned constantly something about their relationship or something about how special/exotic Anna was as an Omega. And I thought that made the story drag some. But if you like love stories, perhaps that might be a plus.

The other recent obsession I have started when a friend convinced me to try a comic book. I'd read a couple of comic books in the '80's, but they never really interested me, and I didn't care for the art. She had me start with Astonishing X-Men, because that series was written by Joss Whedon, and I like Firefly. I loved the first ones and liked the next couple. And then I was hooked. There's just something about some of those characters and outlandish plots that makes me want to read more. In the last couple of months I have read every recent-ish X-men title I can get my hands on. I've read New X-Men, House of M, a Daken and X-23 title, The Magneto Testament, and more. I just checked out another library's stock of titles, so I have about 20 more books to go through. I don't know what I'm going to do when I run out of titles at my library as A) this could be a very expensive habit and B) I love being able to just run right through them without having to wait for the next installment!

(I'm totally willing to discuss any books that I've read, and I'd adore more recommendations. Typically I read fantasy, generally urban fantasy, but also high fantasy. In the last couple of years I've read The Lightbringer Chronicles by Brent Weeks, The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss, all of Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire's stories, The Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones, the Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka, and many, many, many more.)

Edited 2013-08-20 23:04 (UTC)

My recent reading habits, for the past year or two, have been taken up completely by ASOIAF! I watched the first series after everyone raved about it, not expecting much, and loved it, so checked out the books. The first book was great, but I realised that I was finding it a hard slog to read because I'd already watched the tv programme and knew what was going to happen (as AMAZING as the programme is, the books are better). So, I made sure I read the second book, A Clash of Kings (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/822995.A_Clash_of_Kings), before the second series, and then I vowed to do the same with the third, except that didn't go too well xD For a myriad of reasons it took me a while to get through A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/768889.A_Storm_of_Swords), and then a month or so ago I finally started on A Storm of Swords: Blood and Sand (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/147915.A_Storm_of_Swords), and I am loving it! I do not want to watch the tv series until I'm caught up, so I've put that on the back-burner for now while I finish A Storm of Swords: Blood and Sand (I'm currently on page 184 of 607, so 30% of the way through).

The reason I chose ASOIAF is because everyone raved about it and I didn't think I'd like it, not really liking fantasy (Harry Potter and a rare few others seem to be an exception :P), but I did. So I continued to read, and it just gripped me. Every chapter brings something new and unexpected, and there are secrets and surprises everywhere. There are little clues to everything that's going to happen, and while some can spot them, I only notice them retrospectively. His characters and his world are just so intricate and complex. I think GRRM is a genius writer, almost as good as JKR, and his books are truly captivating. I'd recommend them to absolutely everyone, and if you want to watch the series too, my advice is to read the books first!

I did, however, manage to sneak in a much smaller and stand-alone book a month or so ago, entitled She's Never Coming Back (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13072709-she-s-never-coming-back) by Hans Koppel. I love thrillers and crime fiction, and when I came across this I had to buy it. The summary just caught me, and I was not disappointed. It was a very easy read so I got through it in a matter of days. It certainly is a thriller! In the last few chapters my heart was racing as I flicked through the pages, reading as fast as possible to see what was going to happen. It was brilliant and I'd definitely recommend it. I actually just leant it to my mum, though not sure if she's read it yet.

At the same time that I bought She's Never Coming Back, I also bought Bunker (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12226040-bunker) by Andrea Maria Schenkel and Talk Talk (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/243911.Talk_Talk) by T.C Boyle, which are both of a similar vein as they're also thrillers. I've started Bunker, I'm on page 36, and so far, so good. It's a nice, easy read with the potential to get your heart going. As much as I love ASOIAF, you do have to concentrate so you don't miss anything important!

I'm happy to discuss anything mentioned here and any books you see that I've read or want to read if you want to check out my GoodReads (http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4775998-fairy) :) You can add me there too, if you'd like, but please let me know so I know who you are :) Ooh, and one last thing, please do not spoil me for A Song of Ice and Fire! ♥

Fairy//Hufflepuff//604 Words

Edited 2013-08-21 00:04 (UTC)

May I friend you on GoodReads? My name is the same there than on LJ.

Certainly! Always happy to have new friends :)

Pst, don't forget to sign your name/house in your comment! :D

Just finished (for the millionth, bajillionth time) "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg. I first read it in Intro to Poetry in university and I was the only one in the class who didn't hate it. I'm really fond of the Beats in general, but particularly Ginsberg. His energy is something that really resonates with me, and his seeming inability to end a sentence reminds me of myself (I have so many words to make up this thought I have and this thought is really damn important so I'm not sure where to stop - I really want you to get the point I'm trying to make here!). What I like about "Howl" is how blunt and descriptive it is; Ginsberg describes the "best minds of [his] generation", his close friends and other artists in his community, in the longest section of the poem, and goes into detail about their sexual debauchery, drug use, and experiences in mental institutions. I keep coming back to "Howl" when I feel disillusionment with the world - technology, greed, money, etc. - because it goes deeply into the same kinds of things, but it ends on a positive, hopeful note. It just gets me in a way that no poetry has before or since.

I'm just about to start reading "Veronika Decides to Die" by Paulo Coehlo. I'd already be reading it but it's taking forever to make it to the hold shelf at my library. A lot of my friends are really big Coehlo fans and have recommended him to me for the longest time, but for some unknown reason, I've never bothered to check out any of his work... until now, of course. A complete stranger on the internet recommended it to me and I looked it up - the synopsis was so interesting that I couldn't pass it up. I'm really interested in works that focus on psychological and emotional issues, and this seems perfect for that.

As for books I want to read in the future... "Last Exit To Brooklyn" by Hubert Selby Jr. I don't really know much about the writing style or anything, but it sounds totally interesting. Again, another book about people with flaws and how they go about their lives. The reason I haven't picked this one up yet is because I'm afraid of how life-ruining it might be. Based on the summary, it's hard to see how this could have anything resembling a happy ending, and I have to go into those kind of stories prepared for that (I'm secretly very emotional, you see).

Julia // Slytherin

In the past decade or so, it seems as though I’ve all but forgotten the existence of a fiction genre in literature. I’ve been reading so many nonfiction books for so long that I had all but convinced myself that I probably don’t even care for fiction any more. Fortunately, I’ve taken to proving myself wrong in that over these last couple of months. I’ve finally found my way back around to reading more fiction, and I’m having a lot of fun with it.

One of my recent reads was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I’m not sure how I managed to avoid reading this book until now, but I’m so glad that I finally took the advice of so many people in my life and gave it a try. This book is everything I love about the fiction genre. I’m utterly convinced that Adams was an absolute genius. His unbelievable dry wit and his ability to craft whole worlds with deceptively simple writing is just second to none. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of his series.

I’ve also recently read The Cuckoo’s Calling by you-know-who. (Not that you-know-who, but… you know.) I’d be more than happy to talk about that if anyone is interested in hearing my senseless yammerings about it. Spoiler-free or otherwise. I’d love to hear what others think of it as well, if anyone else out there has gotten the opportunity to read it.

Also, I’ve really been getting into graphic novels and comic books as of late. I’ve started in with Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye run, and Mark Waid’s Daredevil. Absolutely loving every last bit of the latter, and really enjoying the former as well. (Though I’m a bit hot-and-cold on it at different times.) I’m taking a Graphic Novels course this semester purely for the enjoyment of it, and I’ve got a mile-long reading list that I’m really looking forward to getting started on there. I’m also looking into picking up Wolverine Max, and a couple of Dr. Strange storylines. I’m still very new when it comes to the world of graphic novels and comics, but I’m enjoying it thus far.

Andie; Ravenclaw

It's so hard for me to talk about my recent/current/future reads because they are all mid-series or the end of one.

I am currently slogging through A Feast of Crows by George RR Martin, the fourth A Song of Ice and Fire book. I loved Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings (which I read in June) and liked A Storm of Swords slightly less (which I read immediately before this one), so I'm not sure if I'm just wearing myself out on ASOIAF or if this one just isn't as interesting as the first three. I DON'T KNOW. I plan to read A Dance With Dragons next because I like to power through a series and then mourn the loss of it by gorging on adaptations and fanfic. This is my life now.

Recently I finished the Spiritwalker Triology by Kate Elliot with Cold Steel and tbh I've recc'd Cold Magic (the first of the triology) so many times here that I'm sure everyone has heard of it by now. But to sum up: magic, strong female characters, familial relationships, romance, sword-fighting, revolutionaries, spies, lawyers that are feathery trolls, etc etc.

And somewhere on my list is Plague by Michael Grant, which I can't find a copy to borrow for free currently so I keep putting it off. It's book 4 (lol a series~) of a 7 book series about what happens when everyone over the age of 15 disappears and a dome forms around your town and everyone starts developing super powers and some of the kids are straight up sociopaths. It's actually really disturbing considering the age of the characters and audience (definitely a "young adult" series).

caitie / puff

Edited 2013-08-21 00:49 (UTC)

I think what's good about ASOIAF for non-fantasy readers is that it doesn't really come off as fantasy. I mean, okay, the very first prologue is about the white-walkers but the characters don't even believe in them and they always find a way to rationalize things that are actually supernatural. I was convinced for like the majority of GoT that there was no fantasy element at all!

And my copy of A Storm of Swords as a kindle version that had it all as one book which I am grateful for. The second half was so much more interesting so I hope you like it! Even though the Starks are my favorite characters, I find myself more interested in King's Landing (especially Tyrion!) than any of the other plots.

caitie . puff

I feel like I'm in the super minority in that I didn't love Divergent. I thought it was fine & I was super interested in the factions and how that worked but I found the characters kind of boring and stupid :( I think I would have liked it better if it wasn't from a teenager girl's POV because she seriously has bigger things to worry about than a boy she likes but instead that's what we hear about.

caitie / puff

What did you think of Delirium? I thought I would hate it because I like dystopian futures but hate stupid romance but ended up falling in loooove with it. Did you finish the trilogy? I was a bit disappointed in the final novel.

And along the same lines of Delirium & Divergent -- have your read Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi?

caitie puff

Exactly! I think that's it as well, to be honest. It's not so over-the-top that it's unbelievable, and anything that is fantasy related is gradually introduced and explained, so it definitely helps.

Lucky that you got it as one book! And yes, I definitely agree that the second half is more interesting than the first; my husband thought that too. I'm so mixed with the Starks; Sansa's my favourite character and I love Arya too, but I don't care much for the others (though Jon is another favourite of mine, but it depends if you want to class him as a Stark xD). I also agree that King's Landing is more interesting than what's going on elsewhere, and I adore Tyrion and his plot too. I think the Lannisters' Slytherin-esque actions and thoughts are what makes them so fascinating (and I'll be cryptic, but I'll just say that what I just read, I did not see coming at all!).

Fairy//Hufflepuff

It's not Alpha/Omega as in ABO universe that people do for fanfic. This is her own universe with her own rules.

In this universe, Alpha wolves are dominants who have strong desires to lead and protect their packs. Most wolves are Alphas, although only one at a time can lead a pack. (The most dominant among the Alphas. They will fight for this honor if they perceive weakness.) Betas are wolves who have no desire to be anything other than submissive. They do not fight for dominance, nor do they have any power in the pack hierarchy. Omegas have the same strong desire to protect the pack that Alphas do, but they have no desire to be dominants. Their power comes through the ability to soothe and calm the others. Alphas can usually use their power (especially the lead Alpha of a pack) to make wolves less dominant do what they want; Omegas are outside of that and don't follow anyone's orders. They have their own power.

Usually pairs are an Alpha to an Alpha or an Alpha to someone outside the pack, as Betas and Omegas are so rare. Everyone is free to pick their own partners, there is no compulsion, as there is in ABO fanfic verse. Sometimes someone's wolf will call to someone else's wolf and they will want to be paired before the humans involved do (each werewolf tends to think of their wolf as a separate part of themselves), but, again, it is totally consensual.

It's not so much a factor in the Alpha and Omega series, but in the Mercy Thompson series, there is even a love triangle through the first books. Mercy has to decide between Adam and Samuel, both of whom are incredibly strong Alphas. (And she, being a coyote, is completely outside the Alpha system.)

Oh, and there is none of the kinkiness from the ABO fanfic verse. There is no knotting or going into heat or Mpreg. (Werewolves actually can generally not get pregnant. As they feel forced to change into a wolf at the full moon and the change into a wolf causes female wolves to miscarry babies.) And the sex is never really fully described. It is much more about the stories (even if it is more of a love story in the A/O verse) than about the sex.

Meredith // Hufflepuff // 1

Edited 2013-08-21 01:35 (UTC)

Too late. As someone already replied to it. I did do it in my follow up comment to that person. Will that be enough?

I tried ASOIAF a long, long time ago, well before the television show aired, because I adore fantasy and it was getting raves. However, I only made it about 2/3 of the way through the first book. I appreciated the story line, and the complexity, and everything, but I couldn't find a single character that I liked. And as much as I love story and plot, character comes first to me. (I'm well aware this isn't the case for most people. Just for me.) I've thought about trying the television show and seeing if that captures me and makes me interested in the characters such that I can read the books, but I haven't been able to bring myself to do that yet.

I think that She's Never Coming Back sounds fascinating, though. It's at the library near where I work on Saturdays, so I think I'll have to check it out. Thanks.

Meredith // Hufflepuff // 2

I can understand that; there's a lot of characters that I don't like, and that can get annoying when you have chapters dedicated to them, but for me, I persevere because there are characters they interact with that I love, and I like the story as a whole. But I completely see where you're coming from! Hopefully if you try the show you'll like it :) The actors may help with that, as I think they've got the casting spot on.

You're welcome! I really hope you like it :) I was glued from the moment I started, and then that ending is just so thrilling and powerful and really gets your heart racing. It's definitely made it to one of my favourite ever books.

Fairy//Hufflepuff

Edited 2013-08-21 01:50 (UTC)

I've actually read quite a few books (I've been on summer vacation). Yesterday I read the 7th book in the Diary of the Wimpy Kid Series (it's a nice break from the other books I read, quick and funny). Right now I'm reading a Doctor Who Book called Borrowed Time. I love reading the Doctor Who books because they're a great escape from reality and can hold my attention. I picked up a couple of books to read (I doubt I'll get to them before school starts, but I'm going to try). I finally got The Casual Vacancy by our beloved JK Rowling. I've been wanting to read this book for a while, but I hate paying exorbitant prices for books in hardback (even though this was still $18 in paperback). Then I bought The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostava. I really loved her book The Historian so I'm hoping I'll enjoy this one as well. As for the other books on my To Be Read shelf I have more Doctor Who books, a book about the Titanic Inquiries in Britain and America (reading about the Titanic is a pasttime), a couple books by Symon Elkeles. I also have The Red Pyramid series to read too. As you can tell I read a variety of different books. If you're looking for something fun and quick definitely give the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series a chance. I know one night in the ER I was reading it and was laughing myself silly. Which kind of concerned the nurses. Haha. Also if you like Doctor Who definitely check those books out. I know there are a ton of them. I stick to the newer series books myself because I've never watched Classic Who. If any of you guys have read The Swan Thieves Let me know if it's any good. Or if you have any suggestions let me know. I'm always open to new books :)

Edit: I also wanted to throw in that I finally got around to reading The Book Thief. Amazing book. If you haven't read it I strongly suggest you do. It wasn't a fast moving book, but I couldn't put it down. That's how intriguing I found it.

Shawn//Hufflepuff

Edited 2013-08-21 02:17 (UTC)

How was The Cuckoo's Calling? I don't generally like mysteries, but come on the author is fantastic. Who wouldn't want to give it a shot?

Also I loved The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. That was an entertaining series. It definitely brought to life the amazing and funny part of science fiction didn't you think? The movie didn't do that series justice at all.

Shawn//Hufflepuff

Edited 2013-08-21 02:17 (UTC)

Divergent really was an awesome book. Have you read the next book Insurgent? I didn't really like it as much as the first, but it was still pretty good. What is Delirium about? Is it dystopian fiction too? For some reason I can't quite get enough of dystopian fiction.

I remember reading the Box Car Children. I loved that series. Secretly I always wanted to live in a box car like they did. I've told my parents this, but for some reason I never got my own box car. I loved Nancy Drew too. I think I read a few of her books where she was in college? I remember reading those anyway. Sadly I can't find any of those books here in Tennessee like I could in Arizona. :(

Shawn//Hufflepuff

Edited 2013-08-21 02:10 (UTC)

I kind of agree with you. Then in the second book in the Divergent series she seemed to become like Katniss from the Hunger Games, who I adore. But it didn't seem to fit with the setting of the first book. If you haven't read Insurgent Caitie I suggest you do. It gives a good plot twist at the end, and I think you may enjoy it more.

Shawn//Hufflepuff

Edited 2013-08-21 02:18 (UTC)

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Restricted Section: Term XXVI - Read, Reading, To Read

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