As the Page Turns (the Book Thread)

[Cachoo]

Hopefully this proposal goes the way of the Dodo but if not then put a fake cover on your spicey romance novels in Oklahoma:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[oleada]

I read The Favorites by Layne Fargo, which was mentioned upthread. She thanked Taylor Jenkins Reid for the inspiration, and it’s obvious. It’s a fun read but a better writer could’ve really delved into the relationships and characterization more. More telling than showing. Still, it’s a quick, enjoyable read.

I did the audiobook and I knew one of the characters’ voices sounded SO familiar….and it was Johnny Weir

(She also thanked our very own Danielle Earle, and mentioned Jason Brown, Madison Hubbell, Amber Glenn and Kaitlyn Weaver as inspirational and favorites)

 

[Miezekatze]

I finished the first part of Cher's autobiography (which spans from the time before her birth until about 1979). I really enjoyed it, what an exciting and unusual life and it's a really "easy" read, considering it's nearly 500 pages. I'm definitely going to read the second part.

 

[Allskate]

I finished the first part of Cher's autobiography (which spans from the time before her birth until about 1979). I really enjoyed it, what an exciting and unusual life and it's a really "easy" read, considering it's nearly 500 pages. I'm definitely going to read the second part.

Good to know. It was an audible special last week, so I bought it on a whim. Haven't started it yet.

 

[Kasey]

I may have to read that one next. I'm working on Bruce Springsteen's autobiography right now. He's an interesting man.

 

[Buzz]

Kelsey Grammar of Cheers and Fraser fame is releasing a book about his sister Karen. I have been watching him for years and had no idea that he had a sister who was murdered. It is clear from his interview he never got over her murder. His book comes out May 6th.

Kelsey Grammer reveals new details of sister's tragic murder and his grief: 'Spend time on the life you lost'

Kelsey Grammer opened up on grief and addiction in a recent interview ahead of the release of his upcoming book "Karen: A Brother Remembers."

abcnews.go.com

 

[skateycat]

I read The Favorites by Layne Fargo, which was mentioned upthread. She thanked Taylor Jenkins Reid for the inspiration, and it’s obvious. It’s a fun read but a better writer could’ve really delved into the relationships and characterization more. More telling than showing. Still, it’s a quick, enjoyable read.

Layne attended a local writers retreat, and one of our instructors heard about the book and knew she had to tell me about it.

 

[her grace]

I try to read the original before reading a retelling. I’ve never had any interest in reading Wuthering Heights, but I want to read The Favorites so maybe this will nudge me to do so.

In other popular book news, I particularly enjoyed The God of the Woods. Lots of twists and turns.

 

[Lanie]

Finally been reading 'Firebrand'. I hated the film, but am enjoying the book so far, finding it quite well-written. I wrote my bachelor's thesis about a friend of Katherine Parr's and she featured a lot in the paper, so

I'm reading 'The Favorites' but not really into it because I cannot like the characters but it's early days so I will force myself to slog through it.

 

[gkelly]

I saw the Laurence Olivier film of Wuthering Heights when I was in high school. It only covers about half the book. Later I tried to read the book but I just couldn't get through it and stopped also about halfway through.

A few years ago I watched a more recent adaptation (can't remember which, probably the 2009 movie) that covered much more of the story and convinced me I didn't like any of these characters so I didn't feel the need to try finishing the book again.

I am currently about halfway through The Favorites. I will probably finish it. But it's a Kindle version I'm reading on my phone, which is good for when I'm traveling and need something to read, but when I'm home I'm more likely to read actual printed books.

 

[Bunny Hop]

I saw the Laurence Olivier film of Wuthering Heights when I was in high school. It only covers about half the book. Later I tried to read the book but I just couldn't get through it and stopped also about halfway through.

A few years ago I watched a more recent adaptation (can't remember which, probably the 2009 movie) that covered much more of the story and convinced me I didn't like any of these characters so I didn't feel the need to try finishing the book again.

Same. Gave up part way through in high school. Last year watched the 2009 mini-series and it did not make me want to finish reading it. There is not one sympathetic character in that book.

 

[her grace]

Y’all are really selling Wuthering Heights. Maybe I can hate read it.

 

[emason]

Y’all are really selling Wuthering Heights. Maybe I can hate read it.

I loathed it when I had to read it in High School. I re-read it 30 years later out of curiosity. I disliked it even more.

 

[made_in_canada]

I had a high school english teacher that said I should read it. I never did. If I find it at the thrift store, I'll attempt it

 

[Wyliefan]

The characters are unsympathetic, but the writing is good. Sort of like The Great Gatsby in that way.

 

[genevieve]

I read a semi-magical realism retelling of The Great Gatsby a few years ago and thought I should get around to reading the original. Still haven't. I've gotten as far as watching a few YT clips from various film versions.

 

[MacMadame]

I read a semi-magical realism retelling of The Great Gatsby a few years ago and thought I should get around to reading the original. Still haven't. I've gotten as far as watching a few YT clips from various film versions.

I saw the movie. That's good enough for me.

 

[Tesla]

Y’all are really selling Wuthering Heights. Maybe I can hate read it.

The characters are unsympathetic, but the writing is good. Sort of like The Great Gatsby in that way.

It really is a tour de force considering who wrote it. See if you can get a free copy for Kindle or get it from the library.

 

[tony]

Since I use ChatGPT to make entire hour-by-hour travel itineraries and it actually did an amazing job with my Europe trip last year, I pasted in my book ratings that I use for everything I've read and told it to analyze which trends I seem to love and which trends I seem to consistently mark down. It pretty much nailed what seems to get me to tick with books, and it also produced an output of books that I would be likely to rank highest for my next reads.

I followed through and read the first book on the list, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson and quite liked it. The next book I started is Malice by Keigo Higashino, one that has sat on my bookshelf for a long while and I've wanted to read especially after reading many of his others.

Anyways, it also offered to output some kind of badge for me based on books I've read to create my likes and dislikes, and this is what it came up with:

https://imgur.com/a/iJl1UTr

Playing around on ChatGPT is so fun.

 

[Tesla]

Playing around on ChatGPT is so fun.

It is. I've gotten into creating seamless digital files, and I've used it to generate artwork ideas and color palettes. I don't use it much because I usually don't know what subject to put into it (my ideas are random).

 

[Bunny Hop]

Since I use ChatGPT to make entire hour-by-hour travel itineraries and it actually did an amazing job with my Europe trip last year, I pasted in my book ratings that I use for everything I've read and told it to analyze which trends I seem to love and which trends I seem to consistently mark down. It pretty much nailed what seems to get me to tick with books, and it also produced an output of books that I would be likely to rank highest for my next reads.

I followed through and read the first book on the list, The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson and quite liked it. The next book I started is Malice by Keigo Higashino, one that has sat on my bookshelf for a long while and I've wanted to read especially after reading many of his others.

Anyways, it also offered to output some kind of badge for me based on books I've read to create my likes and dislikes, and this is what it came up with:

https://imgur.com/a/iJl1UTr

Playing around on ChatGPT is so fun.

At last, something the I might want to use ChatGPT for (and that badge is great).

I know ChatGPT is a useful tool, but most things people use it for are things I actually enjoy doing for myself.

 

[MacMadame]

I use ChatGPT more as a wikipedia sort of thing. I know it lies, but IMO the lies are more about concrete facts -- like who won the Olympics in 1960 and not summarizing things.

I did use some AI Logo generators to help me create a logo, but I found it showed me more of what I didn't want. And when I found something I did like, I then turned it into vectors and put it into Adobe Illustrator to change it into something even better.

I feel a little guilty about it, but that didn't stop me since I can't draw at all.

 

[genevieve]

Some of the books I've read this year:

The Three Lives of Cate Kay, Kate Fagan - getting a lot of comparisons to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, but I thought it was more like Daisy Jones & the Six. But kind of more annoying. An easy breezy read but made me think about what it could have been

Water Moon, Samantha Sotto Yambao - loved this magical mystery book that begins with pawnshop that is located in an alternate universe and is entered through the front door of a ramen shop by people who need its services (even if they don't know it). The love story is overdone but the world-building is fantastic.

The Dream Hotel, Laila Lalami - This book was published March 5, 2025, which means it was written/in development for at least a year prior, but it is extremely topical. Could be upsetting to people who are very sensitive to what is happening in the US these days.