What book are you reading atm??

On the second book of Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. Some time off work and really getting through it. Really good.

chases0102

Can anyone recommend something that is similar to Liz Nugent's style of fiction?

Last couple of fiction books I read - Woman in the Window, and Anatomy of a Scandal - were terrible.

Carry

chases0102 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend something that is similar to Liz Nugent's style of fiction?

Last couple of fiction books I read - Woman in the Window, and Anatomy of a Scandal - were terrible.

Tana French: The Witch Elm
Jo Spain: Dirty Little Secrets

Carry

appledrop wrote: »

So I'm now half way through Milkman. I hate it. In her book she has a character name Somebody Mc Somebody. I've renamed this book Loopy Mc Loopy. How the hell did this winner Manbooker prize? I have read plenty of longlisted ones + liked a good few of them.

I will finish it though!

You are very brave.

I've started to read "No Bones" by Anna Burns, because the premise was promising. That was ages ago and I never finished it. It's still on the pile of unread/unfinished books and together with "Shantaram" on the very bottom of that pile.

I just can't stand pretentious prose and over-ambitious stories, trying desperately to be original and being just boring. So I didn't even bother with "Milkman".

Or "Shantaram" (forgot the author's name) trying to be cool and, in my memory, just being as interesting as a used teabag.

The Man Booker is no guarantee for excellent fiction. I. e. all the world seemed to be raving about Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall". I started it and my reaction was like "okaay, really?, so what".

Great fiction should comprise a fascinating story (depending on personal interests), excellent prose and a universal truth about the human condition - and at it's best a lot of food for thought or at least a tickling of your brains.

Sometimes a well told story for bedtime is just good enough.

heldel00

Carry wrote: »

Tana French: The Witch Elm
Jo Spain: Dirty Little Secrets

Really didn't enjoy Dirty Little Secrets. Thought I'd love it but was disappointed.
I'm re-reading The Slap.

Carry

heldel00 wrote: »

Really didn't enjoy Dirty Little Secrets. Thought I'd love it but was disappointed.
I'm re-reading The Slap.

I love all of Jo Spain's novels, though Dirty Little Secrets was a little bit outside of her usual themes, but different tastes and such. It was a bit in the style of Liz Nugent, though.
You might try The Confession by Jo Spain.

I had to look up The Slap. Sounds interesting but reminded me of the truly iconic Japanese film Rashomon - the same incident told by different people and how the personal viewpoint changes the incident as such. Might order it at the library.

Ipso

Carry wrote: »

I love all of Jo Spain's novels, though Dirty Little Secrets was a little bit outside of her usual themes, but different tastes and such. It was a bit in the style of Liz Nugent, though.
You might try The Confession by Jo Spain.

I had to look up The Slap. Sounds interesting but reminded me of the truly iconic Japanese film Rashomon - the same incident told by different people and how the personal viewpoint changes the incident as such. Might order it at the library.

That's not how I remember it.

Lisha

heldel00 wrote: »

Really didn't enjoy Dirty Little Secrets. Thought I'd love it but was disappointed.
I'm re-reading The Slap.

The Slap is a fantastic book.

I wasn’t as mad about the sanitized American version. But it was still a good watch. But the book, I’ve no words to properly describe how much it gripped me.

Taiga

Listening to the Animals:Becoming the Supervet. It's a lovely read.

heldel00

Lisha wrote: »

The Slap is a fantastic book.

I wasn’t as mad about the sanitized American version. But it was still a good watch. But the book, I’ve no words to properly describe how much it gripped me.

I must be becoming very reserved in my old age but on my second reading of The Slap i find it very "rough" and racist. Good story but I've read better (written).

Cheshire Cat

heldel00 wrote: »

I must be becoming very reserved in my old age but on my second reading of The Slap i find it very "rough" and racist. Good story but I've read better (written).

I would agree. Didn't like it myself. Read it when it first came out and everybody was raving about it. Good idea, but the execution is lacking.

appledrop

Well I finally finished the Milkman. What a load of c**p. Never has it taken me that long to read a book less than 400 pages. The only real thing that happen she tells us about in first few pages. Full of pretentious prose nonsense.

I looked up reviews on Goodreads so opinions seem very divided on it people either love it or hate it.

I'm so excited about starting a new book. Bring it on!!!!

Lisha

heldel00 wrote: »

I must be becoming very reserved in my old age but on my second reading of The Slap i find it very "rough" and racist. Good story but I've read better (written).

Yes I agree in a way. The first time I read it I couldn’t read it. I even remember throwing it across the room. I went back to it 6 months later and I found it a gripping read. I take the racist thing as being of its time. Yes it wouldn’t be acceptable today and it shouldn’t be. Anything written today would (rightly) have a different narrative.
It is overly crude (disgustingly so) but sometimes when I listen to guys chatting around me in work or wherever some people do talk very crudely about members of the opposite sex. I’m a bit of a people watcher and I find anything that is like a window into people’s hidden minds quite interesting

appledrop

Well after reading the book I refuse to mention I couldnt face anything heavy. So after a trip to my stack of unread books I spotted A keeper by Graham Norton that I got as a gift. Happy Days 109 pages read in an hour! It won't win any Man booker prize but it's a great easy read that is keeping me engrossed!

ToddyDoody

Today I listened (audiobook) to bits of

Soulcraft by Bill Plotkin and
The Golden World by Robert Johnson

The latter is very good if you're into that type of thing.

Tauriel

I finally got around to reading The Stolen Village by Des Ekin and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it hard to put down.

ballyargus

Halfway through the Brothers Karamazov. It's excellent. Would recommend to anyone.

appledrop

So I've finished 'A Keeper' . It kept me engrossed. Very easy read. Enjoyed it apart from slightly over the top part near the end. Well worth a read.

Carry

ballyargus wrote: »

Halfway through the Brothers Karamazov. It's excellent. Would recommend to anyone.

It was one of the few books of Dostoevsky, actually the only one, that kept me reading on and enjoying it.

Classic Russian literature isn't always easy to read (gloomy and over-complex) - I still have Tolstoy's War and Peace gathering dust on the bookshelves. One day, though...

His Anna Karenina on the other hand is brilliant and surprisingly modern in a universal way. It's been a long time that I've read it but the first sentence stuck with me and intrigued me ever since with it's truth:
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

I think I'm going to read it again.

ballyargus

Carry wrote:

Classic Russian literature isn't always easy to read (gloomy and over-complex) - I still have Tolstoy's War and Peace gathering dust on the bookshelves. One day, though...

I listened to the audio book of that myself. I thought it was excellent. I've heard great things about Anna Karenina

1641

Carry wrote: »

It was one of the few books of Dostoevsky, actually the only one, that kept me reading on and enjoying it.

Classic Russian literature isn't always easy to read (gloomy and over-complex) - I still have Tolstoy's War and Peace gathering dust on the bookshelves. One day, though...

His Anna Karenina on the other hand is brilliant and surprisingly modern in a universal way. It's been a long time that I've read it but the first sentence stuck with me and intrigued me ever since with it's truth:
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

I think I'm going to read it again.

Re-read it recently (Karamazov). Even better the second time around. But then I also loved Crime and Punishment and Notes from Underground. Well, not "loved" the latter, it is unsettling - but was really impressed by it.
Definitely prefer Dostoyevsky to Tolstoy.

GLaDOS

I'm reading The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett. It's nothing special storywise, but is significant for me because it is the last book Terry Pratchett wrote before he died and is the last of the Discworld novels for me to read .

I'm currently reading The Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follet. About a third of the way into it and loving it, a very engrossing book.

Aglomerado

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm currently reading The Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follet. About a third of the way into it and loving it, a very engrossing book.

I loved that. The process of building the cathedral was fascinating.

Sky News even had Ken Follett on talking about the Notre Dame fire in April.

jordata

I am approaching the end of The Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I am not a fan of Science Fiction so I was a bit unsure what to expect. This is love story. It is sad and it is joyful. The characters are wonderful and I expect they will stay with me well after I reach the end. I will no doubt pick it up again at a future date and re-read it.

I have not seen the movie and doubt I will. I have the characters in my head as I like them!

Scoundrel

The great war for civilisation the conquest of the middle east by Robert Fisk.

MillField

Tiger Woods by Armen Keteyian and Jeff Benedict. Interesting read.

mariaalice

I read the Labyrinth by Kate Moss on holiday really engrossing it would make a great film. I really want to visit Carcassonne now.

Ipso

mustang shelly wrote: »

I finally got around to reading The Stolen Village by Des Ekin and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it hard to put down.

He has a great one about the Siege of Kinsale called The Last Armada, definitely worth checking out.

Tauriel

Ipso wrote: »

mustang shelly wrote: »

I finally got around to reading The Stolen Village by Des Ekin and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it hard to put down.

He has a great one about the Siege of Kinsale called The Last Armada, definitely worth checking out.

I already read that one earlier in the year but he was after renaming it Hell Or Some Worse Place. I really enjoyed that one too.

I must read his other book called Ireland's Pirate Trail. I've read a couple of books on Grace O'Malley but have yet to come across Anne Bonny, but I do believe she gets a mention in his book.