This Week I are mostly reading (contd)

Esterhase

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I'm the opposite, I've landed myself with quite long books these past few weeks. Need to think smaller page count for a while once I'm done with The Woman in White.

I've done the same myself recently with a pile of Ken Folletts and The Woman in White and I'm in the mood for shorter books at the moment. I have Murakami's Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki coming up next on the list after TWIW, so that'll hopefully be a quicker read!

Paddy Samurai

boobar wrote: »

Just finished Your Heart belongs to me by Dean R Koontz, very eery and a great read overall.

So I'm giving another Koontz novel a try.

The Watchers... Riveting stuff, unputdownable...very hard to describe without giving something away. But only a few chapters in and already some seriously interesting characters emerging.

Along time ago I went through a koontz stage were I read a lot of his books. Watchers I thought was one of his better ones.Although the plot in lightning was one of my favourites.
I think I have a couple of his books unread still in the attic.
Someday..........

Wyldwood

Finished Bring Up the Bodies and loved it. I found it a much easier read than Wolf Hall, possibly because I was familiar with all the characters by then and I think Mantel moderated her writing style in the second book so it wasn't as confusing.

Now to find something light and fluffy.

eire4

Finished a re read of Patrick Lavin's The Celtic World a nice little over view of Celtic history and culture.

crustybla

I'm on The Death of Bees by Lisa O' Donnell at the moment, loving it so far.

Fathom

Completed Sorcerer Metamorphosis. About Cambria. Good read.

Decuc500

Currently reading Resuscitation of a Hanged Man by Denis Johnson. I normally read genre fiction but Johnson is one of the few literary novelists I like. It's poetic and beautifully written but also has a good narrative.

Currently reading Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, having never read it before, and being drawn to it on account of the recent Stephen Fry 'controversy'. (It's about a futuristic, totalitarian Utopia in which, by restricting human liberty and through the use of pharmaceuticals, all traces of pain and unpleasantness have been eradicated)

ivytwine

11/22/63. Really enjoying it so far!

Daisy78

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. Tells the story of Japanese women who emigrated to the United States in the years leading up to the second world war. She has an interesting style of writing, structuring the book around a group narrative rather than that of an individual character. It grated on me slightly at first as you don't get drawn into any one particular character,s story rather you get an insight on what life was like (mostly joyless) for the various women in that environment. A thought provoking book makes you glad to be a western woman living in the 21st century.

Wyldwood

Daisy78 wrote: »

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. Tells the story of Japanese women who emigrated to the United States in the years leading up to the second world war. She has an interesting style of writing, structuring the book around a group narrative rather than that of an individual character. It grated on me slightly at first as you don't get drawn into any one particular character,s story rather you get an insight on what life was like (mostly joyless) for the various women in that environment. A thought provoking book makes you glad to be a western woman living in the 21st century.

Can I recommend The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford? Similar theme.

SarahBM

Wyldwood wrote: »

Can I recommend The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford? Similar theme.

That's a lovely book :-) I got my Mam to read it, even though she normally only reads crime novels. she really liked it too.

I'm about half way through Still Alive and I really like it so far!

mejulie805

Daisy78 wrote: »

The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka. Tells the story of Japanese women who emigrated to the United States in the years leading up to the second world war. She has an interesting style of writing, structuring the book around a group narrative rather than that of an individual character. It grated on me slightly at first as you don't get drawn into any one particular character,s story rather you get an insight on what life was like (mostly joyless) for the various women in that environment. A thought provoking book makes you glad to be a western woman living in the 21st century.

I really liked this book. Very little link, but I read this directly after reading 'The Vagrants' by Yi Yun Li. Would thoroughly recommend if you haven't read..

Finally finished 'The God of Small Things', after three weeks. It wasn't a hard read, just a slow one for me. Gave it 5 stars on Goodreads- would recommend.

Have just begun 'Columbine' by Dave Cullen. Bound to be a harrowing read but am eager to know more..

Callan57

Finished The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton last night ... an OK read but feeling very cheated by the ending

Back to The Robber Bride now

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

I feel like I've been reading The Woman in White for about 10 years at this point. I like it enough to want to finish it but not enough to read more than 2 chapters in one go.

Dibble

Currently reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

SarahBM

Just finished Still Alice. Great read. Had me in tears, so I'm definitely bringing the box of Kleenex to the cinema.

The Cuckoo's Calling has been staring at me for a while from the "to read pile". So that's next

Birneybau

Reached an impasse reading '1,000 Autumns of Jacob de Zoet', I'll really have to get stuck in but it's not doing it for me so far, 40% in.

Reading 'What if' by Randall Monroe on the side and it's fantastic, popular science taken to a ludicrous degree sometimes in a very funny and informative way.

Chapter about what would happen if you put an indestructible hairdryer pumping out heat in an indestructible box and see what would happen was hilarious, as he ramps up the power, again and again and again.

Also, great chapter about what would happen if a big drain opened in the ocean and the progressive changes that would happen as all the water drained!

Jijsaw

Debating whether to read 'The Casual Vacancy' by J.K Rowling or 'The Godfather'. I'd prefer to read TG but the BBC have a mini-series of TCV starting on Saturday...
I tried to read TCV when it first came out but got 150 pages or so in before I dropped it, there were too many characters introduced in the first 40 pages.

SarahBM

Jijsaw wrote: »

Debating whether to read 'The Casual Vacancy' by J.K Rowling or 'The Godfather'. I'd prefer to read TG but the BBC have a mini-series of TCV starting on Saturday...
I tried to read TCV when it first came out but got 150 pages or so in before I dropped it, there were too many characters introduced in the first 40 pages.

I didn't like the Casual Vacancy but I would be interested to see the tv adaptation. Im hoping the Cuckoo's Calling is better.

mejulie805

SarahBM wrote: »

I didn't like the Casual Vacancy but I would be interested to see the tv adaptation. Im hoping the Cuckoo's Calling is better.

It is!

SarahBM

mejulie805 wrote: »

It is!

I am only 50 pages in, but I like it so far!

Aenaes

I've started Inside The Third Reich by Albert Speer. It's a book I've wanted to read for a while.

crustybla

Finished The Death of Bees. Loved it. Quite a dark story but wonderfully written, an easy enough read. Started White Lady by Jessica Bell, only a couple of chapters in so I'll see how it goes.

giggii

Read Dark Places by Gillian Flynn, I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Sharp Objects, I found it a bit generic and a little predictable towards the end.

Flew through The Bad Seed by William March, very spooky book, I can see why it was such a game changer in terms of psychological thrillers when it was published. Very eerie and a great read for anyone interested in psychology, particlarly abnormal psychology.

Now I'm onto The Book of You by Claire Kendell, just picked it up as a random suggestion on Amazon, [EMAIL="I@m"]I'm[/EMAIL] about a third of the way in now (having started last night) and I'm completely hooked! Very fast paced, very riviting and very real, [EMAIL="I@m"]I'm[/EMAIL] finding it very hard to resist it in my bag at work at the moment!! :P

Mousewar

Finally read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoot. I'm a massive David Mitchell fan but this book was the one of his that I found really difficult to get into. At the start he throws a lot of different characters at you without any of them forming a strong place in your mind and so the book doesn't really hook you. I initially gave up on it a few times but after reading The Bone Clocks I decided to go back and complete his catalogue.

Really glad I did. It is, of course, an excellent book although ultimately would not feature at the top of his canon. He's clearly not quite as comfortable with the 3rd person narrative as he is with 1st person, which is the style for all his other books. Also, while his attention to detail in the historical setting is impressive I think ultimately more attention might have been paid to the story. It's a very strong second part but the third and final part just kind of fades away and is ultimately somewhat unsatisfactory. That said, reading it after The Bone Clocks was quite illuminating. In many ways, The Bone Clocks is a sequel to it.

Birneybau

Mousewar wrote: »

Finally read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoot. I'm a massive David Mitchell fan but this book was the one of his that I found really difficult to get into. At the start he throws a lot of different characters at you without any of them forming a strong place in your mind and so the book doesn't really hook you. I initially gave up on it a few times but after reading The Bone Clocks I decided to go back and complete his catalogue.

Really glad I did. It is, of course, an excellent book although ultimately would not feature at the top of his canon. He's clearly not quite as comfortable with the 3rd person narrative as he is with 1st person, which is the style for all his other books. Also, while his attention to detail in the historical setting is impressive I think ultimately more attention might have been paid to the story. It's a very strong second part but the third and final part just kind of fades away and is ultimately somewhat unsatisfactory. That said, reading it after The Bone Clocks was quite illuminating. In many ways, The Bone Clocks is a sequel to it.

Dr. Marinus?

Mousewar

Birneybau wrote: »

Dr. Marinus?

Indeed but

even the concept of immortality through the theft of others souls is prefaced in the character of Lord Ennomoto (who himself is mentioned in the Bone Clocks as a forerunner of the Anchorites). We assume Ennomoto is just a deranged lunatic when reading de Zoot but from the Bone Clocks we know his method was real. Also, Marinus makes several facile references in de Zoot to his atemporal nature that the reader would naturally assume to not be literal. But having read the Bone Clocks first, you realise he wasn't joking. That's why it's interesting to have read the Bone Clocks first.

diograis

SarahBM wrote: »

I am only 50 pages in, but I like it so far!

didnt give a **** about the plot when i was reading it tbh, it was really well written though good on you!

SarahBM

diograis wrote: »

didnt give a **** about the plot when i was reading it tbh, it was really well written though good on you!

Well, considering that about 20 pages into the Casual Vacancy I hated everyone, this is going well! I have to get a bus on Friday so hoping to get a good chunk read then

Unfortunately, I have to start my project next wk, so wont get to read as much as I want. Unless I designate time to reading every day. I have set myself a target of 40 books. Im starting to think that that was a bit optimistic! :rolleyes:

giggii

Flew through The Book of You by Claire Kendall, really intense, fast paced read, very impressed with the debut novel, I'll certainly be reading more from her, riviting stuff!!

Now [EMAIL="I@m"]I'm[/EMAIL] reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed, about a third of the way in, so far [EMAIL="I@m"]I'm[/EMAIL] liking it, although I regret watching the film trailers for it first, all I can see is Reese Witherspoon's face as I read it!!

ivytwine

Aw man. 11/22/63 broke my heart. I think I need a few days before I can pick up anything else. Fecks sake Stephen, you're either scaring me or making me cry

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Something Is finally happening in The Woman in White. Only took half the bloody book. I might get it finished this month at this rate.

Ice Storm

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Something Is finally happening in The Woman in White. Only took half the bloody book. I might get it finished this month at this rate.

I actually really enjoyed it up until then and felt that was the point it started to go a little downhill.

eternal

Mousewar wrote: »

Finally read The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoot. I'm a massive David Mitchell fan but this book was the one of his that I found really difficult to get into. At the start he throws a lot of different characters at you without any of them forming a strong place in your mind and so the book doesn't really hook you. I initially gave up on it a few times but after reading The Bone Clocks I decided to go back and complete his catalogue.

Really glad I did. It is, of course, an excellent book although ultimately would not feature at the top of his canon. He's clearly not quite as comfortable with the 3rd person narrative as he is with 1st person, which is the style for all his other books. Also, while his attention to detail in the historical setting is impressive I think ultimately more attention might have been paid to the story. It's a very strong second part but the third and final part just kind of fades away and is ultimately somewhat unsatisfactory. That said, reading it after The Bone Clocks was quite illuminating. In many ways, The Bone Clocks is a sequel to it.

I bought this but have yet to read it. Hopefully now I can give it a go. He does create some dense narratives alright.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Ice Storm wrote: »

I actually really enjoyed it up until then and felt that was the point it started to go a little downhill.

The first half was alright in that it was clearly building to something but I just feel it's dragged a bit. I'm not sure I like the multiple narratives though.

kirk buttercup

started blood meridian

Birneybau

eternal wrote: »

I bought this but have yet to read it. Hopefully now I can give it a go. He does create some dense narratives alright.

I'm taking a rest 50℅ in. Have had a few others books on the go at the same time. It's going on the back burner for a while.

EoghanIRL

Just finished the bourne identity . Good thriller . Would recommend.

Mehaffey1

Spencerville by Nelson Demille.

Loved all his books I've read so far but this one is simply dire!!!

Belle E. Flops

Finished Sense and Sensibility. I enjoyed it but I didn't think it was as good as Pride and Prejudice. That might be partly because I didn't have much time to read in in the last week or so, so it felt like I had been reading it for ages.

Moving straight on to 'A Moveable a Feast' by Hemingway.

eire4

Finished a re read of Morgan Llwelyn's classic Lion of Ireland.

Callan57

eire4 wrote: »

Finished a re read of Morgan Llwelyn's classic Lion of Ireland.

Read it years ago, a great entertaining read

Jijsaw

I finished 'The Casual Vacancy'- enjoyed it far more than the first time I read it and I really got caught up in the drama in Pagford.

Just starting, Sophie Scholl: The Real Story of The Woman Who Defied Hitler by Frank McDonough. I consider Scholl a personal heroine of mine and it'll be interesting to learn more of her life before The White Rose etc.

Callan57

Finished The Robber Bride and now it's on to
Capital by John Lanchester

Belle E. Flops

Finished A Moveavle Feast. I'm not a big Hemingway fan, parts were a bit dull but I mostly enjoyed the book, especially the chapters involving Scott Fitzgerald.

Starting 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss today. I've been meaning to read this with ages. I've heard great things about it so I've high expectations.

Birneybau

Callan57 wrote: »

Finished The Robber Bride and now it's on to
Capital by John Lanchester

Thought that was a decent book myself.

Callan57

Birneybau wrote: »

Thought that was a decent book myself.

Enjoying it so far

giggii

Callan57 wrote: »

Finished The Robber Bride and now it's on to
Capital by John Lanchester

I really liked that, very readable!!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Finally I have finished The Woman in White. It's a decent enough story but God is it long!! I think I'm 3 books behind on my Goodreads challenge now