Currently Reading Thread w/o 6.1

maureenmce

Hey ladies! In an earlier GTKY post, a few people expressed interest in a Currently Reading thread so I thought I'd get it going. Are you reading anything awesome? Would you like suggestions? Let's talk books!

maureenmce

So, I'm trying to decide what to read next! The book I just finished was a potty training book, haha, so I'm thrilled to read something in the adult universe. I'm torn between the two books on my nightstand (Testament of Youth, which is a WW1 memoir that's supposed to be very, very good and Winter is Coming, which is about Russia/Vladimir Putin) OR should I order the new book that just came out called Bad Blood which is about the completely insane story of this blood testing start up that was based on a total lie and is just a completely crazypants story.

OR should I have some lighthearted fun and read a comedy book? I finished the John Hodgman essay collection Vacationland recently and it was so delightful it reminded me that I can read, you know, fun stuff too! Haha. I sometimes get in a Very Serious Book rut.

Have you guys read or heard of any of these? Also, if you guys haven't heard the story behind Bad Blood it is just NUTS and I should give you the highlights.

PensiveCrayon

@maureenmce Ooh is it about Theranos? That’s just a crazy story all around. That’s where my vote is. 

I’m about halfway though Slouching Toward Bethlehem, by Joan Didion, and am nearing the end of the third book in Amitav Ghosh’s Ibis trilogy, Flood of Fire. I’m having trouble feeling inspired by either. I dunno. Flood of Fire has a lot more military stuff than the previous two books and I’m just not that interested. Audio probably makes it harder. Slouching Toward Bethlehem is a bunch of essays, and some are okay but some are meh. I also don’t give myself enough time to read at night. 

tumbleweed-1

@maureenmce I have not heard of any of those books. I think the WW1 one or Bad Blood sound the most interesting. 

My SO and I have this problem where we buy a lot of books (and hit up the library pretty regularly), so we always have more books then we are able to read. We joke that it’s for the apocalypse, so we’ll have new material. 

The most recent book I started is The New Jim Crow, which I’m not very far into, but I have read some excerpts from it before. I’ve also been sitting on Women Who Run with the Wolves for a year or so because I’m only in the mood to read it sometimes. I have lotr on audio book because I’m a terrible nerd and haven’t actually read the books. Lol. But it’s a 4 hour drive (each way) to visit my family, and that’s usually when the audio book gets turned on.

I have a library book checked out now for sewing baby clothes/stuff, but I’m not actually going to “read” it, I just find the library books with real patterns, copy them with tracing paper, take pics of the directions and then return them. 

maureenmce

@PensiveCrayon It IS about Theranos! I just can't get over how insane that story is. I'll probably go with that book just because I can't stop reading excerpts that people have been posting online. I was reading excepts to my husband this morning and he's like why do you care? And I was like...because *the entire company was build around technology that DID NOT EXIST and they kept lying about it* and even had people like Rupert Murdoch fooled and investing millions and millions of dollars! It's nuts!

@tumbleweed-1 Oh, I've heard the New Jim Crow is very good! Let me know what you think when you finish! And yes, I have the same too many books problem, but I'm even worse because I never even go to the library, I always buy them! I need to start hitting up the library. Or, you know, read the dozens and dozens of books I already own! And I will! Riiiight after I order this Bad Blood book, hahaha.

kristah2

I love a goo light read. I just finished the most recent book in the shopaholic series. Sophie Kinsella is by far my favorite author. I love how light and easy her novels are. Highly recommend for an easy ready with some good laughs. 
Plus I'm pretty sure she's writing about my life

kadeephd

I am reading House. Tree. Person. which is a thriller set in Scotland.  I randomly picked it out at the library, which I don't normally do.  There were all these references to some kind of trauma/mental break that happened in the main character's past and halfway through they reveal *TW* that the she was traumatized due to a stillbirth.  That was not fun to read when I couldn't sleep at 3 am.  Definitely couldn't sleep after that!  *End TW*  I am almost done and want to know what happens, so I'm going to finish it.  Just not in the middle of the night.

I also want to read the New Jim Crow now.  I just placed a hold for it at the library (I almost never buy books).  I've been meaning to read Just Mercy (similar topic I think) for years and haven't gotten around to it.

My aunt just recommended Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.  Has anyone read it?

maureenmce

@kadeephd Oh my goodness, that must have been very tough to read right now! 

I also keep forgetting, I want to read I'll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara - has anyone else read that yet? I'd love to know how gory/scary it is (I'm a bit squeamish.)

AGK2015

The New Jim Crow was EXCELLENT, @tumbleweed-1 @maureenmce. Definitely a sobering read, though. 

I just downloaded The Hate U Give before my business trip, but I haven't actually cracked it open yet (I chose several extra hours of sleep over reading at the hotel and on the plane). Which means unfortunately that the only thing I've been reading lately have been picture books with the toddler. She's currently stuck on Groovy Joe Ice Cream and Dinosaurs (which is pretty adorable) and We Don't Eat Our Classmates. That one's pre-pub from Little Sis the librarian; I think it comes out this month and it is so freaking hilarious. Highly recommended!

AGK2015

@kadeephd MITGOGAE is one of my favorites! You should definitely pick up a copy  

kadeephd

@AGK2015 Thanks!  I placed a hold for it at the library so hopefully I can read it soon.  Also, I read The Hate U Give recently and enjoyed it.  It definitely read like YA to me (which it is... just with some YA I don't notice as much).

katy0990

I just finished The Kind Worth Killing and loved it. Lots of twists and very engaging. I highly recommend it.

hoosiermama-2

I had to look at my Goodreads account to remember the last book that I read, which was The Handmaid's Tale. Then I noticed that I started reading Exit West (Mohsin Hamidon) on Monday night. Dang, my short-term memory is nonexistent. 

ETA - NYT Summer Reading List 

krob

I am so thrilled and impressed so many of you have read/are reading/interested in reading The New Jim Crow. 

I started it but couldn’t do it as it was hitting way too close to home. I know I need to just do it. But it was sooooo heartbreaking. 

I downloaded “Little Fires Everwhere” to read on my train commute, but pregnancy gives me motion sickness. And if I’m not on a train I don’t like reading on a phone. So....sigh. 

kadeephd

@krob I really liked Little Fires Everywhere! I also loved Everything I Never Told You by the same author.  I definitely cried and that was before I found out I was pregnant.  It hit home for me because my children will be part Chinese.  You might try audio books for the train while you are pregnant?  I have the OverDrive app on my phone so I can borrow audio books from the public library and I am always listening to books while I do chores/drive.

 

krob

@kadeephd I loved Everything I Never Told You. It’s why I picked it. Maybe I’ll try audiobooks again. Before I found myself tuning out a lot. 

Katzalia

So many good books!

I downloaded The New Jim Crow the other day but haven’t started it yet.

I’ve been reading The importance of being little (Erika Christakis) which is about preschool education/learning. It’s the best book I’ve read on that age range; I highly recommend. 

I’m partway through Richard Thaler’s Misbehaving (about why we make poor predictions about behavior). Really loved Thaler & Sunstein’s Nudge, but haven’t devoured this one as quickly.

And on a lighter note, Sherry Thomas has a couple books with a female version of Sherlock Holmes that are entertaining. 

hbmama21

Great thread! So many good options! I’ve been trying to find a good book to start, but nothing has been sounding good. I’m going to look at the New Jim Crow too. 

jrizzo425

I am a teacher and read children chapter books during the school year. Now that I’m on summer, I was looking forward to reading age appropriate books, but my admin suggested a book club, so I am currently reading a book on restorative practice and another one called the Curious Classroom. I’m hoping to finish them this week, so I can read some Jen Lancaster. She is my favorite author. 

deutschmama

I know apocalyptic Sci-Fi novels are kind of overdone at the moment but I just read two of them. The Girl With All the Gifts was seriously too gory for my first-tri nauseated stomach, but still an engaging thriller. I guess it's been made into a movie but I haven't seen it.
And Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel which I couldn't put down!

I just googled "The New Jim Crow" and feel dumb for not having heard about it until now. Looks like a tough but necessary read, thanks for the recs.

binxybaby

Is it lame to say a baby book? lol

The Happiest Baby on the Block

PensiveCrayon

@deutschmama I loved Station Eleven! Have you read the MaddAddam trilogy?

buckeyemama0506

I am just finishing In Shock by Rana Awdish. Great book especially if you are in medicine or a caregiving field. Will be starting A Man Called Ove next. I've heard great things about it. 

deutschmama

@PensiveCrayon- I read Oryx and Crake and didn't even realize it was part of a trilogy until I just googled "MaddAddam"!! Are the next two books just as good? I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. 

PensiveCrayon

@deutschmama So I actually didn’t love Oryx and Crake when I read it way back in HS, I think because it was a bit gritty for lil ol innocent Pensive. But I LOVED After the Flood when I listened to it recently. I haven’t actually read MaddAddam because I was saving it, but I may read it next. 

kadeephd

I did not know Oryx and Crake was part of a trilogy!  Two new books on the reading list!

asun123

I'm currently listening to "No-Drama Discipline" on Audible. And next is "The Whole-Brain Child"

kadeephd

I just finished Crooked House by Agatha Christie.  I've got to stop reading these murder mysteries.  They're messing with my head because ***spoiler (don't read if you ever want to read this book)***

they keep unexpectedly involving children/babies.  What if my child is a psychopath like Josephine!  And I really liked that name too.  It might be ruined now.

ab_canada

About half way through "Knife of Dreams" from The Wheel of Time series. Thankfully, this one is moving a lot quicker! The last 2-3 books almost made me stop reading the series but I really want to find out what happens in the end. 

katy0990

@asun123 The whole brain child is a great resource. I implemented a lot of ideas from that into my classroom.