Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I just finished American Caesars by Nigel Hamilton, an account of the presidents from FDR to Bush. I really, really enjoyed it: incredibly readable and told me lots of stuff I didn't know. The Bush chapters were especially scary.

Re-started reading (my omnibus volume of) Viriconium by M. John Harrison, and I can't tell you how much I love it.

I am still working on Great Expectations, but I only have 130 or so pages left, yay! I love Dickens, but haven't read in a long time so I forgot to be patient about the pacing. I should finish it over the weekend. Then I'm going to read Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler. I flipped through it at work today and it looks like a great YA book and a quick read.

I'm still working on Henrietta Lacks, but I have three library books that I need to read ASAP or they expire! NOoooooooo! It's OK; I'll just re-request them. Why do they always turn up ready at the same time?

In the Barnes and Noble yesterday I read a bit of White Girl Problems, and I might have to get it. (Hangs head in shame.) It just looks hilarious and light. Kind of like candy.

I just finished reading through the entire Hunger Games trilogy. I thought it started off strong and really liked the first book, but the next two were a bit meh. I don't really know how to put it into words, but the end kinda felt like a cop-out.

I think I'll read Grotesque by Natsuo Kirino. I really liked Out, and Footie recommended both, so I'm sure I'll like this one (once I get it from the library).

It is really, really good. Fairly disturbing in places.

I totally agree.

1984. Should have read it when I was younger but finally picked it up! Just before the remake of the film comes out too....

I stopped reading it, too. Found it boring.

I just finished "a spot of bother". I looooved this book! Anyone read it?

I just read them; liked them more than expected. I didn't mind the ending so much, but I think they would have made one really good long book. I don't begrudge authors the cash cow of trilogies though. I draw the line at this ridiculous trend of splitting the final movie version into two parts.

Katniss is a pretty interesting character overall, and there are some good themes in the books. The writing style veers from descriptive to terse all over the place, which made it hard for me to really get a sense of place a lot of the time.

Glad I read them. Now I need something else to read.

I'm just starting Shutter Island. I want to see the movie but I always have to read the book first.

I just finished White Cat by Holly Black and now I'm reading Red Glove. The third book in the trilogy came out this week, so I guess that was good timing on my part.

I'm about 30 pages in right now and so far, not all that impressed. It's not bad, but I don't think it's particularly great either. I'm thinking if I sit down tonight with a glass of wine and just spend some time reading without interruptions I might get more into it.

I really enjoyed A Spot of Bother. I like Mark Haddon a lot- The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time is fantastic as well.

I absolutely loved A Spot of Bother - it didn't get nearly enough attention as it deserved, in my opinion.

I read John Green's Paper Towns today and now I am starting Ashfall by Mike Mullen.

That's exactly what I thought. I thought the last book was terrible. It seemed like she just wanted to hurry up and get the story over with while quickly running out of ideas.

I enjoyed A Spot of Bother as well. This morning I started reading The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth. It's not every day one encounters a previously unread HG Wells. I do so appreciate Project Gutenberg!

I'm about halfway into A Game of Thrones, I'm liking it so-so, but maybe because I'm not in a fantasy mood. And I like to have magic in my fantasy stories, so this is disappointing so far, it's like it's trying to be fantasy but in a sort of real world, and if you want it to be historical then it's all wrong, and if you want it to be fantasy then it's too normal.

Book 2 has more magic-type stuff in it. I was almost thrown off by it, actually - I forgot that it was supposed to be more than just semi-historical fiction! He really ramps up the fantasy aspect from book 2 on, so you should stick with it!

I just started Ethical Slut. Seems like it will be pretty interesting, based on the first few pages.

Someone passed a copy of Gil Reavill's Aftermath: Cleaning up after the CSI goes home on to me, so I'm quickly reading it in-between more demanding things. Its language is a bit Myth Busters, but at least it's interesting.

just read The Invention of Hugo Cabret
The illustrations are magnificent.

not sure what to read next. Maybe a book called "Prague" about ex-pats in Budapest?

I recently discovered that Tamora Pierce has a bunch of new (as int he past 10 years) books that I didn't know about, so I'm catching up now.


I have so many friends who love this book.

I just started The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillippa Gregory. I'm really enjoying it so far.

I'm reading a book about bananas.

I just started reading The 39 Steps because I didn't get a chance to get to the library for Grotesque. I'm not sure what to think of it. I was wary when it started out with a Jewish conspiracy, but it's set in 1914 and was written not long after that, I think, so ... I still feel really uncomfortable with it. But I've read a few chapters and it hasn't been mentioned again, at least not in that way, so I'm hoping it'll leave off that theme.