Just finished a great book called As Close to Us As Breathing. Now reading The Woman in Cabin 10.

I love the idea of our own online book club!

I just started a "Before the Fall" discussion thread. I will message everyone as well. Some of you don't have messages turned on so I couldn't send a note.

I'm reading A Gentleman in Moscow and am loving it! When I'm done, I'll read Before the Fall and join the discussion.

Please Add me to the discussion of Before the Fall although I read the book at least a year ago so I will have to refresh my memory of how it ended!

I finished Rebecca and loved it. I'm not sure how I've never read it before! I had no idea that one of her other books was the basis for Hitchcock's movie The Birds. I saw that movie as a teenager and have never forgotten it!

After Rebecca, I read a new book called Setting Free the Kites. It's a sort of coming of age novel set in coastal Maine in the 70s. Heartbreaking yet beautifully written. It is the author's second novel so I plan to read his previous novel as I liked his writing style.

A moment of freak out yesterday after I finished the aforementioned book on the beach and reached into my beach bag for my next book to finish put a couple of hours enjoying the beautiful weather. I realized I had already read the book (The Boston Girl)! A friend had given it to me just before I left and I knew it looked familiar but thought I just recognized the cover from all my constant reading of reviews, etc.. Had to wait until I got back to the house for anymore reading.

next up is Faithful by Alice Hoffman. So far it's okay but hopefully will get better. A friend loved it so I figured I'd try it as I loved her novel A Marriage of Opposites.

I finished reading A Gentleman in Moscow a couple of months ago and loved it. I was sorry that it ended.

And just finished Before the Fall.

I started the Woman in Cabin 10 but didn't finish it, and now I can't remember why.

There are a few posts in the Before the Fall thread if anyone wants to join in. I guess we need some wine to really get it going :)

4kids4us, I loved The Marriage of Opposites and just finished The Dovekeepers, which I also loved.

A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner. I enjoyed this book. It parallels two women in NYC. One in 1911 who loses someone in the Triangle Shirtwaist fire and one in 2001 who loses someone in the twin towers on 9/11.

I just finished "Eligible" by Curtis Sittenfeld. A cute retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in contemporary Cincinnati, of all places. Fun vacation read.

Finished Faithful by Alice Hoffman. It was decent, but not what I was expecting based on the previous novel I read by her. Not something I would go out of my way to recommend but not awful.

After that I read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine after a friend raved about it. It was easy to get into, but about halfway through I was starting to find it a tad annoying. However, the last third of the book really saved it for me. The main character is quirky and has some issues after a disturbing childhood but after finishing, I found that I really did enjoy it. Heartwarming and heartbreaking, two adjectives I used to describe another recent book I read!

I have a pile of books to choose from but not sure what I'm going to choose next. I picked up Joyce Carol Oates latest book, A Book of American Martyrs which is about a very controversial topic, abortion, but did not realize when I reserved it that it is over 700 pages! I may have to save that one for another time-I prefer shorter, lighter reads during the summer.

Finished Saint for All Occasions by J Courtney Sullivan. I thought that the ending was a bit abrupt, but I highly recommend.

Just got Saints for All Occassions on my kindle from library......so it's next!!

I'm also reading The Gentleman in Moscow and loving it! One of the best books I've read in a long time.

Just starting Saints for All Occasions.

I am still reading 1776. It's interesting but seems to be taking me forever to get through.

I just finished The Billion Dollar Spy and loved it! It's nonfiction about a Russian agent , Adolf Tolkachev, who worked for the Moscow office of the CIA from 1977 until his death in 1985. There's a bit of Russian history, glimpses into former Russian and US leaders, hardships of Russian citizens, and, of course, the intelligence that earned Tolkachev his nickname and helped the US gain air power superiority. I've had Before the Fall on my Kindle for 6 months or more. Maybe it's time to actually read it!

Edited to correct the title of the book.

Started Saints for All Occassions- it's so good!

I just finished my second Louise Penny book (A Rule Against Murder). I had thought they'd be too girly and I wouldn't like them, but have enjoyed both as a summer read. Armand Gamache is so appealing and sexy. They have such genteel settings sprinkled with f-bombs.

I just started People of the Book.

I decided to hold off on A Book of American Martyrs. The book itself and the subject matter are heavy and since I'm leaving on vacation next week, decided not to start it since it's very long.

Instead, I decided to read A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline. She wrote Orphan Train which I read several years ago and really enjoyed. This one is historical fiction based on artist Andrew Wyeth and a woman who was the inspiration for one of his paintings. I'm enjoying it so far - I really like her writing style.

We are flying out next week to Utah/AZ for a two week trip to the national parks then to southern California to visit BIL. I've been compiling a list of books to download to my Nook since I will have a lot to time to read b/w flying and driving. I don't normally buy books but I have been anxiously awaiting to read Saints for All Occasions and I am so far down the library waiting list that I'm going to buy that one for my Nook. I don't normally like to read on the Nook but will have to suck it up for this long trip as it doesn't make sense to lug books along with me. I have heard such wonderful things about Saints that I can't wait to start it! I have to say, I read her book Maine and was not a fan but that one did not get good reviews like this latest one does so I'm hopeful!

I'm always a couple years late from the trend, but I've just finished Daniel James Brown's The Boys in the Boat. I've read his previous two: one on the great Hinckley fire (my neck of the woods: MN), and the other on the Donner party. Wow! He is some incredible writer. I thrilled to Boys and could not put it down.

Finished Vonnegut's The Sirens of Titan. What a great book. It made me think of Douglas Adams. I adore his Hitchhiker books. I have to assume that he was influenced by Vonnegut.

Next up is Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks which I think was mentioned up thread.

I finished The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand about a week ago. Total beach reads and a good, fun, easy read post-retirement. Thanks to some of the suggestions here, I have downloaded several for an upcoming trip to Oregon next week.

I started reading The Glass Castle a couple of days ago and love it so far. Makes me wonder how I missed that one when it first came out. I also downloaded Before the Fall, What She Left Behind, and The Billion Dollar Spy. Spy particularly interests me for a particular reason, so it will probably be next up.

Just finished A House in the Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett. Quite a story about this woman’s survival as a ransom prisoner in Somalia - chilling and haunting tale. I was disappointed with The Woman in Cabin 10’s ending, I expected more, I guess. I bought Gentleman in Moscow, but hadn’t read it, based on everyone’s praise, it looks like that will go on my Viking cruise next week as my reading material.

Sheilauss what inspired you to read Pooh? It makes me a bit sad that my household doesn't own any Milne, but I do have The Tao of Pooh; maybe your follow up?

Anyone read Sister of My Heart? I understand it's quite good....

I just finished The Girl With Seven Names by Hyeonseo Lee. The story of a young girl who defects from North Korea. Given the current amount of news devoted to DPRK I found this book a fascinating look at the lives of ordinary people living in this oppressive country. Highly recommend. I could not put it down.

Justretired, you may also like Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick (I believe) , if you are interested in N. Korea. it is nonfiction.

Thanks, Tacky I will check it out!

Annie - Are you referring to Sister of my Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni? I haven't read it but it looks interesting.

I finished Year of Wonders today. Quite enjoyed it. The ending was unexpected. Would be a good book club read, I think.

lisaam -- to answer your question:

Lately I seem to be noticing certain very common books that are referred to in conversations (and even in other books) - that I have not read. Winnie the Pooh was one (Anne of Green Gables another for example) . I have been making a note of them and trying to read them. I mean I see the Pooh characters all over the place but somehow I never read it.

I alternate between the classics I have missed and the more current books. I think my next classic I missed will be Charlotte's Web,

I read The Girl With All the Gifts for book club after Winnie. It was very well written, but not my kind of book. It was very well received by everyone at book club. If you like sci fi /fantasy it's definitely a worthwhile read.

I just finished Saints for All Occasions and I really loved that one. I would say if anyone is having trouble finding a book that gets you hooked, this one would be one to check out.

Next I am going to try Station Eleven (for book club).

I'm not sure now...I thought the book was Sister of My Heart by Divakaruni, yet someone else said no, it was The Color of Our Sky by Amita Trasi. Now I have 2 to check out.

I am currently reading The Radium Girls the Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore. I can't put it down. It's the story of the young girls who became watch dial painters using radium paint and how devestating it was on their health. It tells of their fight to get regulations and hold companies accountable.

I finished the 12 lives of Samuel Hawley .. I have a few books that were given to me but will probably read the Chilbury Ladies' Choir next as a friend loaned it to me. I am also interested in reading A Piece of the World which I downloaded a few days ago.

I have Sister of My Heart here somewhere--but haven't read it.

I started-and almost finished-a very gripping book last night. The Marsh King's Daughter is a story written from the perspective of a woman who is the product of an abduction. Raised in complete isolation, she is as an adult now trying to find her psychopathic father who has escaped prison.

The book explores a very dark theme, alternating between the present and the narrator's upbringing. Without being at all salacious, the author did a fantastic job of fleshing out the details of some of the recent headline stories like Jaycee Dugard et al, and what they might have gone through--but especially what kind of childhood would have been experienced by the innocent children brought up in that environment.

I only stopped reading because it was utterly past my bedtime but plan to finish it today!

Sheilahaas, I've heard such good things about Saints for All Occasions - I've been on the wait list at the library for a while. I was just about to break down and buy it for my vacation (we leave tomorrow) when I got an alert from the library. I had totally forgotten that I also had reserved the "large print" version thinking I might get that one faster and I did! I can't wait to start it on our long flight tomorrow.

Annie, I've had Divakaruni's Sister of My Heart novel on my "to read" list for several years but haven't gotten to it. If you do read it, please let me know how it is. It has a high rating on Goodreads.

I just started Saints. I am an Irish immigrant and it has grabbed me. Instantly. thank you.

if any of you enjoy Irish authors (and we do love our words), Maeve Binchy is (almost) always enjoyable. And Tana French if you enjoy suspense.

Love Maeve. Was so sad she passed away :(

Louise, I love novels set in Ireland. If you have any other authors you like, please share. I've already read most of Binchy and a couple of Tana French. I read a couple by Patricia Falvey and Patrick Taylor. I also really enjoyed a book called The Spinning Heart by Donal Ryan. Come to think of it, I meant to try another of his books but haven't yet.

4kids - Try Edna O'Brien. And Colm Toibin.

Emory, I loved The Boys in the Boat. I have recommended it often. I am reading Hidden Christmas by Tim Keller. Recently read Hillbilly Elegy.

At Swm Two Boys, It may be a bit of a challenge, because it is so Irish lol. Very lyrical. It took me a bit t get into it but it is one of my most favorite books. And of course, Angela's Ashes. I read that one in a day. Completely enveloped me. That was my father and mothers Ireland. My dad says he could never read it, that McCourt should never have written it, it was a very "disrespectful" book. I said well at least he waited till after his mother had died. My dad said, doesn't matter. Us irish are good at being totally in denial lol. Roddy Doyle is another writer that my sister and I enjoy.

I just finished reading The Center Cannot Hold, an autobiography about the author's schizophrenia and her ultimate success in the field of law specializing in mental health issues. It was well written and absorbing. I think it was mentioned by someone in an earlier reading thread. If so I thank you for recommending it, as I also do now for others. It's a fascinating read much as was Kay Redfield Jamison's earlier work, An Unquiet Mind, about her own bipolar disorder.

Re Irish authors-a friend just recommended Himself by Jess Kidd, but I haven't read it yet. It is his debut novel. I am about 100 pages into A Gentleman in Moscow. I am enjoying it.

The end of July. Almost. Wow. I finished The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng today. A beautiful book filled with anguish, tension, and intensity told in a calm voice. Recommend.

I finished Pilgrim of Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard. A book that needs to be read slowly to enjoy the poetry of her language. It's like a reading "meditation". And it has stood the test of time well. Did not feel dated at all despite being written over 40 years ago.

Next up, Unbroken.

I am sure an August thread will start tomorrow... I get so many great book ideas from these discussions.

I just started The Switch, a thriller by Joseph Finder. About a pair of laptops that get picked up at the airport by the wrong owners. I have never read any of his books but I am liking it so far.

For book club we read Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, a YA novel about two 2nd generation Mexican-American teenagers in El Paso. I LOVED it. I cried at the end. That said two of the gals in our club hated it, which I didn't understand. Fun YA and might be great for boys that struggle with expected notions of masculinity.

Well, I finished up July by finishing The Glass Castle. Wow, what a book! It was both fascinating and chilling, and I still don't know how I missed this one years ago. Glad it re-surfaced here. I've been too busy on vacation to start my next one yet. Maybe tonight or tomorrow.

Outside, glad you enjoyed it -- I felt exactly the same and the emotions stayed with me after the last page was read. What a story!