I actually got out of reading the novels a while ago. I forget what the last one I read was, but it's been some time. I just didn't like the direction the franchise was going, so, like a lot of people that have decided that they're just going to ignore big chunks of what passes for canon, I did the same.
It's hard not to hear things, so I'm vaguely aware of what's supposedly gone on out there, but I haven't actually read a lot of those books, myself. I've basically just been reading the Republic Commando stuff because I love that game and I love the series. If it's not your thing, it's not your thing, but it's certainly mine.
Like I said, I'm a huge military sci-fi buff. For a long time I was part of a SW BB-based RPG and my characters were New Republic Special Forces, so when Republic Commando came out, it was pretty much manna from Heaven.