book mania.....thanks to fellow lj-ers!

[vernacular_life]

I've been plowing through books the past 2 weeks, luckily most have been very enjoyable, thus easy to read!


Sleep towards Heaven

(think I read this in less than 2 days!) Reminded me of Dead Man Walking a bit...the story of women on death row and the familes indirectly or directly involved with them. My only complaint about the book was that only one woman was really focused on - I'd have like to delve more into the back stories of the other convicted women..


Bringing Down the House

the story of 6 MIT math students who come up with a card counting scheme to beat the house in Blackjack.  Fun, fast read....since I've never been to Vegas, it was hard for me to really visualize it, but a fun read regardless. Really makes me see that if/when I DO go to Vegas, low betters like me are just fodder -- I want the comps like the big players get, too!

Girlfriends Guide to Pregnancy

I checked out an older copy from the library.....not really into this - its written by a upper class woman who seems to moan and complain and be sarcastic about everything ("you can just forget about ever fitting into your old clothes/shoes after pregnancy....or at least tell your husband that so you can go shopping again!") I'm sure that there's some reality in what she writes, but her style just annoyed me, along with her tendency to put things in all caps in the middle of the page like this:

ATTENTION MEN: BECAUSE YOUR PREGNANT WIFE WONT SLEEP WITH YOU DOESN'T MAKE YOU LESS OF A MAN
eh, shuttup....



I'm currently reading:
The Lovely Bones

I'm only about 1/4 of the way through it, and while I find it oddly compelling, I haven't warmed to it yet, meaning that I'm not nearly missing my light rail stop because I'm engrossed.

Need to go update my inter-libraray loan requests! Next up: The Kite Runner, The Curious incident of the Dog in the Night....

Comments

[tinksdust.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked Sleep Toward Heaven. I have the same complaint about the book. I wish I would have learned more about the characters.

I really liked The Lovely Bones. It definitely is a book that drew me in.

I'll be curious (no pun intended :P) to see how you like Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night. I read that in the spring.

[vernacular-life.livejournal.com]

As you might have noticed, I've been getting a lot of my book off of your list! (obviously avoiding the ones where you said "well, not the WORST book I've ever read...")

[tinksdust.livejournal.com]

I actually didn't like Curious. That and Dogs of Babel I heard good things about and didn't care for at all. Dogs of Babel was worse though for me. I still haven't figured out if I fit into a certain category for books that I like.

[harri-cady.livejournal.com]

I loved Curious Incident! Kite Runner is also on my "soon" list. The only one I've read of your four is Lovely Bones. I thought it was good. I would try something else from the author if I come across it, probably.

[onelargecat.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked Bringing Down the House. It's a fun read. :)