JB Book Club

[soon]

my book club is reading the Timekeeper , yuck so far its about situations where people want more time by Mitch Albom. I love a good cozy mystery I dont suppoes anyone is on my wave length???/

[hot-in-texas]

Originally Posted by Kissa

Sorry, will someone explain Steampunk to me?

Here's a good visual example of Steampunk-my son is into steampunk-and this band.

Alkaline Trio - Help Me - YouTube

[hot-in-texas]

Originally Posted by soon

my book club is reading the Timekeeper , yuck so far its about situations where people want more time by Mitch Albom. I love a good cozy mystery I dont suppoes anyone is on my wave length???/

Have not read many mysteries, but have looked for one a Barnes and Noble, just never know what to buy. Do you have any suggestions? I lovvvved Nancy Drew as a kid does that count. Would definitely put them in the cozy category.

[Kissa]

Wow, what a great video, and what a great song too. Which one is you son, all so good looking!

[Kismet311]

Originally Posted by hot-in-texas

Have not read many mysteries, but have looked for one a Barnes and Noble, just never know what to buy. Do you have any suggestions? I lovvvved Nancy Drew as a kid does that count. Would definitely put them in the cozy category.

I have a bunch of "cozy" authors to recommend. I will come back to list them when I get home from work. It is one of my favorite categories!!

[hot-in-texas]

Originally Posted by Kissa

Wow, what a great video, and what a great song too. Which one is you son, all so good looking!

Sorry, he's into that band, not in it lol.
He showed me this video, which made me think of this thread

[mom23kids]

Read The Dex Files by Karina Halle last night, a .5 novella of the Experiment in Terror series. Whew, needed a cold shower after reading that one Next up is a pnr story, It Happened One Bite, by Lydia Dare. I haven't read a vampire themed book in a while so looking forward to it

[KeirasMom]

Originally Posted by hot-in-texas

Has anyone read The Host, and what did you think? Personally I did not like it at all and had to force my to get to the half way point at which point I said forget it and never picked it up again. In all honesty, I thought it was horrible, but everyone else I know that read it liked it and it is one of my friend's favorite books. I just do not get it. Is it just me?

I read it a while back. It was okay. The last half was better IIRC. I believe the movie is coming out soon.

[KeirasMom]

Originally Posted by mom23kids

Read The Dex Files by Karina Halle last night, a .5 novella of the Experiment in Terror series. Whew, needed a cold shower after reading that one Next up is a pnr story, It Happened One Bite, by Lydia Dare. I haven't read a vampire themed book in a while so looking forward to it

I'm reading the first book in the Experiment in Terror series now. It hasn't really drawn me in yet but it's a cool premise. I think I'm having a problem with the less-than-formal writing style. It's more conversational than "story telling " but that's probably more about my style preference than about her writing.

[Zib]

Originally Posted by hot-in-texas

Have not read many mysteries, but have looked for one a Barnes and Noble, just never know what to buy. Do you have any suggestions? I lovvvved Nancy Drew as a kid does that count. Would definitely put them in the cozy category.

I love Diane Mott Davidson's "culinary mysteries". Her main character is a caterer in a small Colorado ski town, recently divorced. Lots of yummy recipes mixed in with the mystery. Here's a list of titles from Wikipedia...

Catering to Nobody (1990)
Dying for Chocolate (1993)
The Cereal Murders (1994)
The Last Suppers (1995)
Killer Pancake (1996)
The Main Corpse (1997)
The Grilling Season (1998)
Prime Cut (2000)
Tough Cookie (2001)
Sticks and Scones (2002)
Chopping Spree (2003)
Double Shot (2005)
Dark Tort (2007)
Sweet Revenge (2008)
Fatally Flaky (2009)
Crunch Time (2011)

[soon]

Zib I love diane mott davidson I do think I have the m all. Ilike Jill Chuchill One of hers is silence of the Hams, Another favorite is Anne George learned alot about alabama with hers, Unfortunately she died and ther is only 6 books in the series

[hot-in-texas]

Originally Posted by Zib

I love Diane Mott Davidson's "culinary mysteries". Her main character is a caterer in a small Colorado ski town, recently divorced. Lots of yummy recipes mixed in with the mystery. Here's a list of titles from Wikipedia...

Catering to Nobody (1990)
Dying for Chocolate (1993)
The Cereal Murders (1994)
The Last Suppers (1995)
Killer Pancake (1996)
The Main Corpse (1997)
The Grilling Season (1998)
Prime Cut (2000)
Tough Cookie (2001)
Sticks and Scones (2002)
Chopping Spree (2003)
Double Shot (2005)
Dark Tort (2007)
Sweet Revenge (2008)
Fatally Flaky (2009)
Crunch Time (2011)

Thank you! I will pick one of these up, have not read a mystery novel since I was probably 12, excited to give it a try again

[Zib]

I do hope you like them hot-in-texas. Another cozy series is the #1 Ladies Detective Agency. Takes place in Botswana and our heroine inherits her father's cattle money and decides to do what has always interested her - become a private detective. Lots of fun characters. The author, Andrew McCall Smith also writes The Sunday Philosophy Club series, about a woman in Edinburgh, comfortable but not wealthy, who edits a Philosophy newsletter and finds herself involved in mysteries.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Zib

I do hope you like them hot-in-texas. Another cozy series is the #1 Ladies Detective Agency. Takes place in Botswana and our heroine inherits her father's cattle money and decides to do what has always interested her - become a private detective. Lots of fun characters. The author, Andrew McCall Smith also writes The Sunday Philosophy Club series, about a woman in Edinburgh, comfortable but not wealthy, who edits a Philosophy newsletter and finds herself involved in mysteries.

I second the recommendation for the Botswana series, for people who like cosy-style detective mysteries. The PBS series based on it (and shot in Botswana) is also very enjoyable. It's really about being insightful about people, rather than crime/violence focused, and I learned something about a different culture--and the main characters are very likable. A gentle sort of mystery.

[mom23kids]

Finished It Happened One Bite, by Lydia Dare. It was nothing special-gave it a weak three star rating.

Next up is a steampunk romance, Heart of Brass by Kate Cross

[Kismet311]

Ok, I finally have time to list some cozy authors. There are probably some I am forgetting but these are pretty good ones.

M.C. Beaton-Agatha Raisin books
Laura Childs-she has the Tea Shop mysteries, Scrapbooking mysteries and another cafe type mystery
Cleo Coyle-coffee shop mysteries
Jessica Beck-Donut shop mysteries
Joanne Fluke-Cookie shop mysteries (yes, many of these involve food LOLOL)
Rita Mae Brown-Sneaky pie brown mysteries (cats and dogs help solve mysteries)
Kate Carlisle-Bibliophile mysteries
Joanna Carl-chocolate shop mysteries

I will see if I remember any more tomorrow!

[hot-in-texas]

will check these out, thanks so much!

[mom23kids]

Just finished Heart of Brass by Kate Cross and loved it Next up, is I'm the Vampire, That's Why, by Michele Bardsley. This one looks like a lot of fun

[Zib]

Originally Posted by mom23kids

Just finished Heart of Brass by Kate Cross and loved it Next up, is I'm the Vampire, That's Why, by Michele Bardsley. This one looks like a lot of fun

That does look like a fun read, Mom23kids!

I'm currently in a non-fiction mode and just finished "Nancy Wake" by Peter FitzSimons.

What an amazing woman! As a teen she was given £200 by her aunt and immediately booked passage on a cruise ship from Sydney to Vancouver, then went on to NYC and London with the goal of getting to Paris. When the ***** invaded, she became a courier for the resistance and eventually was leading fighters in the mountains. She's been awarded medals by France, England, US and Australia.

edited to add: hmmmmm - anyone know why my use of the name of Hitler's political party in WWII is bleeped?

[KeirasMom]

Zib, I'm thinking it may be considered political.

[krow134]

no one seems to read my type of books, but if you read and liked the hunger games....you really should check out Matched, crossed, and reached by Ally condie......Omgosh I couldnt put it down til I read all of them!! I just started on Delrium by lauren oliver. Another along the lines as hunger games, and this one is starting off quite well....only got 5 chapters in but should be read by monday!!! After I read pandimonium (sp?) the second book in the lauren oliver series, I am gonna start on Legend by Marie Lu. The second book in that series comes out next week so I can go from on to another!

[mom23kids]

Originally Posted by Katiebubb

no one seems to read my type of books, but if you read and liked the hunger games....you really should check out Matched, crossed, and reached by Ally condie......Omgosh I couldnt put it down til I read all of them!! I just started on Delrium by lauren oliver. Another along the lines as hunger games, and this one is starting off quite well....only got 5 chapters in but should be read by monday!!! After I read pandimonium (sp?) the second book in the lauren oliver series, I am gonna start on Legend by Marie Lu. The second book in that series comes out next week so I can go from on to another!

I looove YA dystopia books

Some great YA dystopia books I read last year-
Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
Angelfall by Susan Ee (one of the most amazing books I've ever read!)
Hollowland by Amanda Hocking (last time I checked this was still a kindle freebie on Amazon)
The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner
The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy by Carrie Ryan
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion (movie is coming out soon!)
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Enclave by Ann Aguirre
Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith (this one is really intense)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Well I ended up abandoning I'm the Vampire, That's Why, after about 30 pages-the author reminded me too much of Katie MacAlister's writing style, which I despise

[Librarygirl]

I really enjoyed Hunger Games, so I will check those out, Katie!

[mom23kids]

Rootless by Chris Howard is another YA dystopia book I recently read that's really good


For my next book I've decided to tackle Stephen King's massive 849 page book, 11/22/63. I've heard this veers away from his normal horror themes and is instead a fantasy/time travel story. Lots of reviewers are saying it's his best book, so I'm excited to finally get to it. It's probably going to take me most of next week to read through it though lol.

[Zib]

Originally Posted by mom23kids

For my next book I've decided to tackle Stephen King's massive 849 page book, 11/22/63. I've heard this veers away from his normal horror themes and is instead a fantasy/time travel story. Lots of reviewers are saying it's his best book, so I'm excited to finally get to it. It's probably going to take me most of next week to read through it though lol.

I just ordered that for my Nook and am looking forward to it. I'm not a Stephen King/horror fan, but do love time travel books. I'm saving it for a road trip I have coming up.

[Librarygirl]

My trouble with S.K. has been that he veers so far off into ridiculous scenarios in most of his books. I was persuaded to read a huge book not too long ago of his, and now I can't remember the title, lol. Waste of time. I hope this one is different. Keep us updated.

[mom23kids]

Originally Posted by Zib

I just ordered that for my Nook and am looking forward to it. I'm not a Stephen King/horror fan, but do love time travel books. I'm saving it for a road trip I have coming up.

I'm already about 50 page in it and loving it! It I think it's a book that will read fast, even though it's really big

[Shpongle]

Have you guys read the outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
I cannot express just how much I love these books....am totally obsessed with them and they got me interested into so many topics I never thought I'd be curious about.
Diana Gabaldon is my absolute favorite author ever! I'm a bookworm and love to read and I've never come across a series as captivating and absorbing as outlander It made me really wish the characters were real and I was in 18th century Scotland
Cannot recommend these books enough!

[LoCarbGal]

I've never read any of Diana Gabaldon, but it's been on my list for a long time. She's a local author, IIRC. A friend of mine tried to read her years ago and couldn't make it through the first book, and I think I let that influence me. But it was a busy, stressful time for her. I know I've had that happen with books, and then at a different time and situation can't put the same book down.

You've re-inspired me to read her, Lia!

Another local author for me is Donis Casey. If you like American historical rural settings, and mysteries, you'll love her. I went to a "meet the author" session with her several months ago, and she's just wonderful too. Her books are set in early 1900's in Oklahoma. Really fun.

Anyone ever read Celeste de Blasis? I LOVED her books when I was a young woman. Proud Breed was one of my favorites. I reread it several years ago, and I believe I may have outgrown that basic genre, but I sure did enjoy it while I was reading her. Sadly, she passed away several years ago. I wrote a letter and sent it to her publisher in the early 1990's and was shocked to receive a very lovely, sweet letter from her in response!

[Kissa]

I am currently loving Eowyn Ivey's The Snow Child. Set in Alaska and very moving.