Summer reads 2014

The Lewis Trilogy by Peter May. Compulsive reading - a few juicy murders alongside a load of historical content - all set in the Western Isles. Strongly recommend.

Philippa Gregory's third book in the Order of Darkness series. It's called "Fool's Gold", can't wait for her next book in this series. Brilliant writer who mixes history with fiction.

Our book group choice, to be discussed next week is Jojo Moyse's The Girl You Left Behind, set in France during WW1. It's a good read with an interesting plot against a background of conflict.

Simon Mawer "The girl who fell out of the sky".
Brilliant writer. He also wrote "The Glass Room".
Such a good read.

Oh dear. My tablet is correcting what I write. That should have read "I've loved all her books" instead of "I've lost bed all her books" which makes no sense.

I just finished Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic. Loved it! But I've lost bed all her books. Nothing like the film version.
I started The Goldfinch last night.

The Light Between Oceans by M.L.Stedman was a great read , everyone in my book group read it although it wasn't one of our official reads. It generated a lot of fascinating discussion about a heart wrenching dilemma.

Just ordered your recommendation, suebailey1 - sounds just up my street!

Meant to add that I have Prodigal Summer by BK ready to be devoured on my annual trip to France.

Barbara KIngsolver is a big favourite in our book group. A couple of months ago the choice was Flight Behaviour which gave us great scope for discussion as well as unexpected information about the migratory habits of monarch butterflies. Ultimately a very satisfying read.

I had read Kate Atkinson's earlier books and particularly enjoyed Behind The Scenes At The Museum.Her latest novel Life After Life is the best book I have read all year. It is one that I will read over and over.

I enjoyed Wendy Perriam's books but haven't heard of her recently.
My favourite writer is Barbara Kingsolver.

I do enjoy The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden. I haven't got a newly published summer read yet, but like the look of Days of the Bagnold Summer by Joff Winterhart.

Life after Life by Kate Atkinson was my Book Club's read last month and once I got used to the switching from era to era and just went with it I really enjoyed it. It's a bit like the film Sliding Doors showing how different choices would have resulted in different lives. I also like it because I am a fast reader and it is a very long book - plenty to read.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher. She was a brilliant writer and this is my favourite of her books.Set about 1980 but goes backwards and forwards in time to tell the family story, in London, Cornwall and The Cotswolds. She has the rare ability to bring characters to life in a really well rounded and totally believable way, rather as Kate Atkinson does.I think this would be a wonderful Summer read, if you haven't already read it [and if you have, then read it again maybe.]

Clever Girl by Tessa Hadley is similar to an education but darker - engrossing.

Definitely Maps for Lost Lovers, by Nadeem Aslam. I read it last year and still can't get it out of my mind. It's beautifully written, the descriptions are - well, you are there. One of the best-written books I have ever read, and my book club, who all read it last month, all loved it. It's not an easy read, it is very thought-provoking.

Jodi Piccoult (can't remember the correct spelling and I have given the book to a friend) and The Story Teller.
It is one of the books that I stayed up until the small hours to finish. It is sad, no doubt of that, but a superb read. Well I liked it.