What are you currently reading?

[QualityBookReviews]

An open discussion on what everyone is currently reading. Make recommendations to others, discuss what is new, hot, bestsellers, anything and everything related to books and the authors.

[Kemosabe]

I swear many of these reviewers and their editors if they have one are being paid off. It isn't just this book but loads of mediocre to bad novels are toted as great. And the Washington Post! Well respected for their book reviews. What a disgrace.

Karin Fossum Calling Out For You **+ Staying on the Scandinavian theme Fossum's effort falls short after a promising beginning. A Norwegian male goes to India to find a bride, marries her and then leaves her to take care of some unexplained chores and follow him to Norway alone. On his way to the airport to pick her up he is diverted to a hospital where his sister is in a coma from injury in a car wreak. He is convinced to stay with his sister in case she wakes up and leave his unsophisticated wife to fend for herself in a strange country. He does send a cabbie to unsuccessfully look for her. She takes a taxi to his address in a small town, not finding him at home she goes into a cafe then walks back towards the house and is murdered. Two feckless detectives investigate Fossum's uninspiring characters.

[I. J. Parker]

Wait until you read Nesbo. :)

[Joy Calderwood]

Does the review say what's great about it? It's supposed to make a reasonable case.

[I. J. Parker]

I tried to find the review and couldn't. The quote is from the blurb on the book. Experience with reviews has shown in the past that they lack specifics and make sweeping statements. Very nice, if it's your book and you need a good blurb, but very hard to pin down as to examples.

[Joy Calderwood]

I'm reading ARCHFORM: BEAUTY by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. So far it's aiming toward a clash between art and science, but there is also a hint of political destruction from within, and of course the investigation of a series of deaths. Modesitt's sci fi is intelligent as well as exciting, creating whole societies.

[Suzanne]

I discount any blurbs by authors; they are usually written under duress. I like to remember Dorothy Parker, whose editor kept sending her his latest new authors for her to write a blurb. When she refused to respond, he sent them registered mail which required some sort of response. She wrote, "Tell him I'm too fucking busy, or vice versa." Yeah, that woman had a way with words!

[I. J. Parker]

LOL! But seriously, who can afford to do that? I've turned down my agent's office, but the effect wasn't good.

[Kemosabe]

Those author's blurbs are a disgrace. It almost always mean the ms is inferior.

[Kevin A Harris]

Mystic River. Just started it and so far it's pretty good. Mind you I thought Shutter Island was brilliant. Should have read the book first instead of seeing the movie first...Must admit, though, I didn't ever know that IT WAS a book until AFTER I saw the movie *Kicking myself*. I'm still struggling thru my novella...well, not exactly struggling, just taking my time :) Anyway, I'm going back to my reading now on this cold, June morning. Bloody freezing and got a good fire roaring...

[J W Nelson]

"The Girl Who Played with Fire" - didn't read the first, was told this one was better. Like the writing style (but does this mean I like the translator or the author?).
I have a James W Hall novel, "Off the Charts," on my Kindle plus a pair of Marshall Karp crime novels. Can't say I'm in love with "Charts" but think the Karp duo will impress.

[Suzanne]

I think you need to read them in order. I'm reading the third.

[J W Nelson]

I think you are correct, Suzanne, because I'm 126 pages in and very little has "happened." It might mean more to me at this page count if I had the first one already read.
Thanks!