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What are you reading now?

(1001 Posts)
loopylou Sun 22-Nov-15 20:09:17

Thanks are due to the lovely GNs who, some months ago, suggested books that might rekindle my love of reading.
I'm hooked on CJ Sansom's Shardlake series, utterly engrossing.
I'm really surprised just how much I'm enjoying reading historical 'Whodunit', probably the last thing I'd have chosen a few months ago.

numberplease Sun 13-Mar-16 18:32:50

I`m now reading Edith`s Book, by Edith Velmans, the true story of how a young girl in Holland, and her family,got through WW2.

BBbevan Sun 13-Mar-16 18:43:38

Just about to start Margaret Forster's last book How to Measure a Cow. Hope it is as insightful as her others

Indinana Mon 14-Mar-16 20:13:24

I've just finished No Safe House by Linwood Barclay. I love his books, and this one certainly didn't disappoint. I do like the way he uses characters again in later books, either as the protagonist when before they were a minor character, or vice versa. Having said that, I wish there was some reference in the book to remind us when and where the characters appeared before! There was constant reference throughout this one to a family disaster 25 years previously - I'm pretty sure I read the book dealing with this, but don't remember properly what it was about. It was a long time ago!
Have just started reading The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop. I'm sure this one won't disappoint either.

whitewave Mon 14-Mar-16 21:47:56

Margaret Pemberton - A Season of Secrets. - ok'ish.

numberplease Mon 14-Mar-16 22:33:19

Edith`s Book was a very good read, if a little harrowing in places. I`m now reading Nelly Kelly, by Lena Kennedy. I`m trying to decide whether I like the title character or not.

Stansgran Tue 15-Mar-16 09:07:20

I saw a list of feel good books and thought I would get some of them . JL Carr wrote a handful of books What Hety did was recommended. I enjoyed it . It's a bit different and rather an easy cop out ending. I had also indulged in Amazon as second hand books 0.01p for other books by him. I always pretend the postage doesn't happen. I've just read The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George. Very French and over emotional about a bookseller on a boat. An awful lot of books seem to add recipes these days and this is no exception.

pompa Tue 15-Mar-16 09:23:31

I enjoy Dorothy L Sayers and Ruth Rendal, what other authors would GNers recommend in a similar vein.

annodomini Tue 15-Mar-16 09:24:44

Just finished The Moor by Laurie King, one of a series of crime novels, featuring Mary Russell and a 'retired' Sherlock Holmes. Lots of anachronisms, but not disagreeable reading. Unlikely to become classics like the Conan Doyle works!

numberplease Tue 15-Mar-16 16:26:06

I finished Nelly Kelly. It was alright, but I kept alternating between liking and not liking the title character. She turned out OK in the end, but I felt that most of her troubles were of her own making. My next book, not started yet, will be The Samaritan, by Mason Cross, a new author to me, but it`s from the Richard and Judy stable, so will give it a go.

NathalieMartin Thu 24-Mar-16 12:28:55

Right now I'm reading a physical version of Q&A by Vikas Swarup. I got the idea after going back and reading Life of Pi, which I enjoyed almost as much as the film. To me, both have a similar spiritual style that I always enjoy in fiction.

Dara Thu 24-Mar-16 12:49:48

I am reading 'Decider' by Dick Francis

chelseababy Thu 24-Mar-16 13:04:55

I'm reading Celia Imrie's Not Quite Nice which I started at the end of my holiday, taken from the "book swap" in the hotel. Also started A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale for my new reading group. Total contrast.

cazthebookworm Thu 24-Mar-16 14:29:21

I have just finished Kate Atkinson's latest novel "A God in Ruins" which is a follow up to "Life After Life." It develops the story one of the character from that book, Teddy, his life, his family, the second world war and much more. I think her writing is brilliant and I love her imaginative view of life, how it is and how it could be, and the decisions we make which alter the course of everything in the future. It made me laugh, smileand it made me sob sad
Thoroughly recommended.............and now on to "The Butcher's Hook !!

numberplease Thu 24-Mar-16 17:42:18

The Samaritan was a really good read, hadn`t herd of the author before. Have just read A Sister`s Shame, by Carol Rivers, OK, but not brilliant, it was set in 1934/5, tells how a normal family get drawn into London`s seedy clubland and underworld scene. Another I`ve just finished was The Girl from Cobb Street, by Merryn Allingham, again set in the 30s, 1938, a young girl sails to India to wed her soldier boyfriend, but life doesn`t turn out the way she wants it to. My next book, not begun yet, will be Wild Strawberries, by Emma Blair.

TerriBull Mon 28-Mar-16 17:26:09

A friend has passed me The Butcher's Hook which I started last night, I am going to resist reading the GN thread on this until I've finished in case anyone has revealed any of the plot.

loopylou Mon 28-Mar-16 17:39:52

I'm re-reading Elizabeth George because I've been watching Inspector Linley Mysteries on the Drama channel and really enjoying them pompa
I need a non-fiction 'fix', any recommendations?

numberplease Mon 28-Mar-16 20:47:39

Sorry Loopy, I rarely read non-fiction. Wild Strawberries was really quite a good read, I`m now reading Make Me, the latest Jack Reacher book from Lee Child, and as I thought, I`m really enjoying it, I`ve loved all of them.

Elrel Mon 28-Mar-16 23:37:05

I have just finished Philomena. Harrowing and very revealing of both Irish orphanages and US politics. Not a book I am likely to forget.

Eloethan Mon 28-Mar-16 23:45:09

The Paying Guests - Sarah Walters. It was recommended to me and has had dozens of brilliant reviews but I'm finding it a bit hard going. I'm about half way through and will probably persevere, but it isn't gripping me like The Little Stranger did - that was very creepy.

mumofmadboys Tue 29-Mar-16 06:59:45

I'm reading The Paying Guests too. 200 pages in. Agree not that gripping and slow going cos reading GN too much!

NanKate Tue 29-Mar-16 07:04:18

I have just given up on The Paying Guests as nothing really has happened and I am half way through. I usually love Sarah Waters books.

Previously I had read 'Smoke and Mirrors' by Elly Griffths set in Brighton in the 1950s, it was really good. The first in this series is called 'The Zig Zag Girl ' and that was excellent too.

Anya Tue 29-Mar-16 07:58:14

I've read all the Dr Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. The Crossing Place is the first in the series.

annsixty Tue 29-Mar-16 08:05:58

I enjoyed those too Anya I like series where we can see characters moving on with their lives and interaction between them changing as it does in RL.
Also about people whose lives are so much more interesting than mine☺

Anya Tue 29-Mar-16 08:11:23

Escape into a book Ann......why not smile (((hugs)))

MargaretX Tue 29-Mar-16 13:30:23

pompa if you like Ruth Rendell you'll like Peter Lovesy, although ignored by many he's won prizes for his crime writing. Skeleton Hill or The Vault are very complicated, well written and researched novels and peopled by very normal human beings. These are just two for starters.

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