Ah, just what I need an excuse to go the library! Seriously though I haven't read either of those and if SL says they're good, I have to read them. Right? Some people in my family think I read too much Christian fiction and that I need to read something different once in a while, although I am sure Scarlet was thinking something more along the lines of a business book or photography. But I am sure those will do.

I must give you ample warning before hand, SA. There's no sex stuff in the books, so that's good, but there's a lot of profanity at times. These guys are all Navy SEALs and when they get to describing the enemy or the media back home, they tend to use very colorful phrasing. The type one does not hear in their weekly youth group meetings. Both are awesome books though, and since you like military-related books and movies I figured you would really like these two. Lone Survivor in particular paints a picture of Navy SEAL's basic training that left me in total awe of every SEAL. I could not have gotten past the first week, let alone 10 minutes in Hell Week towards the end of the process. You stay awake for 5 days straight and doing rigorous exercises that border on inhumane throughout. Only 10% of the recruits complete the entire course and become actual SEALs. It is one of the most insane processes I've ever read about! Also, Lone Survivor will likely make you cry at a few points. I'm afraid to see the movie for this very reason, although it's supposed to be stellar.

Thanks for the warning, SL. If either book is not okay for me to read, I am sure my Dad or older brother will say so. They haven't failed me yet, so I don't think they will now.

Big brother said Dad has Lone Survivor, but with the recent move it is probably still in a box. I have already watched the movie with my Dad and brother. It was very good and I did cry, I think Dad did as well. I recommend watching it.

I have been instructed by my brother to challenge you, SL, to read the following books: Thunder Run by David Zucchino, House To House by Sgt. David Bellavia, and The Good Soldiers by David Finkel. I wish you the best of luck if you choose to accept this challenge. (Please note - I have not read any of the three books.)

...since you like military-related books and movies I figured you would really like these two.

Like might not be a strong enough word. Given a choose between something military and something not, chances are very high I would chose the military thing - be it book or movie.

SnowAngel

I have been instructed by my brother to challenge you, SL, to read the following books: Thunder Run by David Zucchino, House To House by Sgt. David Bellavia, and The Good Soldiers by David Finkel. I wish you the best of luck if you choose to accept this challenge. (Please note - I have not read any of the three books.)

lol challenge has been duly noted! Truth be told both of the books I read, while really awesome, were not in my normal reading rotations. I normally do sci fi, horror, or history. I've checked the three books in question and they're $10 apiece on amazon, so I'll need to see if my wife can find them and bring them home from the library.

I have been instructed by my brother to challenge you, SL, to read the following books: Thunder Run by David Zucchino, House To House by Sgt. David Bellavia, and The Good Soldiers by David Finkel. I wish you the best of luck if you choose to accept this challenge. (Please note - I have not read any of the three books.)

lol challenge has been duly noted! Truth be told both of the books I read, while really awesome, were not in my normal reading rotations. I normally do sci fi, horror, or history. I've checked the three books in question and they're $10 apiece on amazon, so I'll need to see if my wife can find them and bring them home from the library.

My brother said you don't have to read them all, but House To House is must.

SnowAngel

I decided back in December that I would try to do the 2015 Reading Challenge. I haven't been able to get as many of the books (or figure out what I want to read), so far I have only completed The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
I thought it was an interesting book. The characters at times frustrated me, but I liked So, with that, I'm interested in reading a couple of her other books, though I will have to see if I'll like them. I know I tried at least one of her other books at some point and didn't like it, but I'm hopeful I'll like it more the second time picking it up.
I have a list of books to read now which include Switch by Ingrid Law for the one word title, The Maze Runner by James Dashner for a book that became a movie, Illusionariumby Heather Dixon, most likely for a book with bad reviews, and A Pocketful of Murder by R.J Anderson for a book with magic. There are few others which I haven't managed to sort into categories yet. But most of them are coming out this year and are by authors I like. Therefore, I am still trying to expand it a bit and include some books that are slight older.
I am also looking for a classic romance. That is hard for me, as I have only read one or maybe two classic romance. Romance isn't really what I read on a regular basis and I don't know much about classics (as in which ones are good and which ones are not....), so does anyone have any suggestions?
I am also on a quest for a novel that is over five hundred pages long. I had this brilliant idea of reading Les Misérables as I've heard it is quite long, but at the same time, I wasn't sure if I actually wanted to read it yet. So, does anyone have any suggestions for a book that they enjoyed reading, that also happened to be over five hundred pages?

I went to the library yesterday and I got Lone Survivor, but American Sniper wasn't available. I am going to start reading it this evening.

SnowAngel

The Maze Runner by James Dashner for a book that became a movie

I've not read a page turner of the type that Maze Runner is since the original Hunger Games book. I've always wanted my own gigantic hedge maze on my own property, but this book gives me second thoughts... Highly recommend this one, non-stop action with really interesting characters.

I went to the library yesterday and I got Lone Survivor, but American Sniper wasn't available. I am going to start reading it this evening.

You'll like that one, methinks. And like Luttrell says repeatedly, I have absolutely zero doubt God was directly watching over this guy during the entire course of the mission. I wonder if he still has that rifle? He never says...you'll know when you get there what I'm talking about.

Romance isn't really what I read on a regular basis and I don't know much about classics (as in which ones are good and which ones are not....), so does anyone have any suggestions?

I suspect Jane Austen would fit this bill. Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South might also qualify but I haven't read it myself (yet) so... (I did enjoy Wives and Daughters.)

I'm looking forward to Pocketful of Murder myself.

So, you recommend Maze Runner, Shadowlander? I'm sort of interested in reading it but my to-read stack is probably higher than my head so I need some encouragement to add it.

Indeed I do! Well, lemme rephrase that. If you enjoyed The Hunger Games you'll enjoy the Maze Runner just as much. YA sci-fi books are quickly climbing the categories to become my favorite book genre. They're better than a lot of heavier stuff that they feed adults out there it feels like sometimes.

My sister has been telling me to read The Maze Runner for almost six months now. I keep on planning to, but something always makes it take second priority.

With Spring Break now, I can finally tackle my reading list! I'm not taking any literature classes this semester, so I can actually get some pleasure reading done. Yesterday, I sat down and read The Great Gatsby. I need to reread it to get a clearer picture, but I liked it overall. The writing style was magnificent. The way F. Scott Fitzgerald tells stories--it seamlessly flows, but it's beautiful enough to recognize it while absorbing the story. I had mixed feelings about the characters.

I went to the library yesterday and I got Lone Survivor, but American Sniper wasn't available. I am going to start reading it this evening.

You'll like that one, methinks. And like Luttrell says repeatedly, I have absolutely zero doubt God was directly watching over this guy during the entire course of the mission. I wonder if he still has that rifle? He never says...you'll know when you get there what I'm talking about.

WOW! I finish Lone Surivor this evening. And even though I have seen the movie, reading the book was still hard. There I was sitting on the floor in the computer room trying not to cry all over my library book, and not entirely exceeding, while my younger siblings were giggling over Anne of Green Gables (the movie) in the next room. In other words the book was excellent and I am glad I read it. Thanks for recommending it, SL!

I think it highly likely that he does still have the rifle.

SnowAngel

Reporting sadly the death of much-loved author Terry Pratchett, at the age of 66. He died of natural causes, from a chest infection combined with the worsening effects of his dementia.

How sad! And it is Friday the 13th, also. I won't like to tell my children of this as I believe at least one of them is a huge fan of his books.

Thanks to the Literary Classics Online Book Club, I've been reading Little Women (1880). I won $1000 in audiobooks for my public library last month!

https://tlcobc.wordpress.com/

I finished Little Women for the online book club and I’m glad I re-read it. This novel has sound advice for young people, which I posted on my blog (Marmee’s Maxims) and on Twitter. I read Invincible Louisa (biography) and Jack and Jill (Alcott) when I was younger, but I don’t remember the content of either book. I also read The Inheritance (Alcott) as a teenager, which I still remember thanks to the film adaptation. This morning I read a novella by Alcott called The Mysterious Key and What It Opened. It’s a long title for a 60-page book set in England, with an Italian background and air of mystery. I recommend it and can’t wait to read more!