Books! #2 What are you reading, recommendations & reviews

[Merpedy]

Has anyone read anything recently with a decent twist that actually SHOCKED them (and not in a so-shockingly-bad way)

I've been reading a lot of thrillers/page turners recently, which maybe is the problem as I'm getting good at spotting twists, but I'm just finding that nothing is landing for me and I end up bored. I read 'One by One' as a murder mystery and guessed whodunit by about page 8. I read 'Playing Nice' and was waiting for a shocking twist and nothing surprising or interesting happened, same with 'The Widow'. 'Blood Orange' was twisty but again, I found it a bit predictable. The last book I remember being truly surprised by was 'The Silent Patient'.

I think the problem is more so the formula of books/genres rather than authors themselves. The book subreddit discussed a few days ago on how publishers really only bother with books/themes that do well so you essentially end up with the same formula being used for most books in that specific genre - though their conversation was more focused on YA stuff rather than thrillers but I think it probably applies to all books.

I remember the whole teacher/student relationship stuff was popular a few years ago for YA (which makes me feel a bit weird personally) and it seems to have possibly moved into adult fiction now too. Back when Hunger Games was popular a bunch of similar books suddenly popped up too and I'd say most of them were sort of similar plot-wise in the end.

I enjoyed Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas a few years ago but looking back the twist was overly obvious, I think it was just a case of the genre being something I hadn't tried before

 

[prinnygrace]

Finished “the minute I saw you” by Paige Toon last night. It was a very easy read. Predictable but if you want an easy chick-lit love story then it’s a ok. A few deep topics covered and there were some sad moments in there. Wouldn’t recommend but happy to have read. Don’t think it quite deserves the 4.7 stars on good reads. I’d give it 3.5.

Going for Johnny be good next @Oohthedrama i will report back turns out I’m in a bit of a Paige Toon session at the minute.

 

[nbt]

I finished I Heart NY last night. The romantic hidden deep inside me loved it.

Didn’t realise that the others followed the same characters/storyline. They’re all at least £4.99 on kindle and I don’t tend to pay more than £1.99 so looks like I’ll be waiting!

Back to another thriller I think!

 

[Oohthedrama]

Finished “the minute I saw you” by Paige Toon last night. It was a very easy read. Predictable but if you want an easy chick-lit love story then it’s a ok. A few deep topics covered and there were some sad moments in there. Wouldn’t recommend but happy to have read. Don’t think it quite deserves the 4.7 stars on good reads. I’d give it 3.5.

Going for Johnny be good next @Oohthedrama i will report back turns out I’m in a bit of a Paige Toon session at the minute.

I hope it’s as good as I remembered 10 years ago I’m excited to see how you get on!!!

I finished I Heart NY last night. The romantic hidden deep inside me loved it.

Didn’t realise that the others followed the same characters/storyline. They’re all at least £4.99 on kindle and I don’t tend to pay more than £1.99 so looks like I’ll be waiting!

Back to another thriller I think!

I wish I could give you my copies!!!

 

[potatowaffles]

Right so I’ve finally finished the midnight library and tbh, I don’t know. It took me a long time to get into it which is why I took really long to finish it.

By the middle I was quite enjoying it, but I found Nora just really annoying when she married ash and just went into motherhood? like a get it’s a fictional book but how can you just go so seamlessly into having your own kid???? The ending was lovely and what saved it for me to be honest. However I kind of wish to know whether she ended up meeting ash for coffee.

So final thoughts are, it was okay. I still gave it a 4* rating on goodreads but think it’s more suited to like a 3.6 ish . I think the main issue was the hype the book got. It set my standards really high and it meant it fell a little short of expectation. Also coming right off of the tattooist and cilka’s journey, two really strong 5* reads for me, it just couldn’t compare. I’m glad I read it and I’d still recommend it but it just didn’t quite have that spark.

 

[jarv]

I started last one at the party last night it's freaking me out! I'm about 15% of the way in, I really didn't want to stop reading but it is also just so... I don't even know the word! Not scary but I definitely couldn't get to sleep for a bit because it was on my mind. Safe to say I'll finish this one much quicker than the flight attendant

 

[nbt]

I started last one at the party last night it's freaking me out! I'm about 15% of the way in, I really didn't want to stop reading but it is also just so... I don't even know the word! Not scary but I definitely couldn't get to sleep for a bit because it was on my mind. Safe to say I'll finish this one much quicker than the flight attendant

Aaah I was hoping you’d come on this thread and let us know which book it was. Was gonna ask you on the other thread

It’s 99p so I’m downloading and that can be my new read! I’m intrigued.

 

[jarv]

Aaah I was hoping you’d come on this thread and let us know which book it was. Was gonna ask you on the other thread

It’s 99p so I’m downloading and that can be my new read! I’m intrigued.

Haha! I am definitely hooked it's just scaring me lol and yes I think I got it for 99p on Kindle too, love a kindle bargain! Especially when the paperback is about a fiver

 

[prinnygrace]

I started last one at the party last night it's freaking me out! I'm about 15% of the way in, I really didn't want to stop reading but it is also just so... I don't even know the word! Not scary but I definitely couldn't get to sleep for a bit because it was on my mind. Safe to say I'll finish this one much quicker than the flight attendant

Will be downloading this tonight

 

[Geranium]

Aaah I was hoping you’d come on this thread and let us know which book it was. Was gonna ask you on the other thread

It’s 99p so I’m downloading and that can be my new read! I’m intrigued.

I'm reading it too ---intense!

 

[Scullybob]

Aaah I was hoping you’d come on this thread and let us know which book it was. Was gonna ask you on the other thread

It’s 99p so I’m downloading and that can be my new read! I’m intrigued.

I loved this book. It felt terrifyingly real and I liked that the main character wasn't cast as a superhero. I couldn't put it down!

 

[Bubblesandflowers]

I am glad so many of us enjoyed last one to the party. I think it was a wonderful debut for the author. I'm in such a reading funk right now. I have 2 library books still unread which I feel guilty about. Someone else could be enjoying them Hopefully things will quieten down a bit so I can get back into reading.

 

[Oohthedrama]

I am glad so many of us enjoyed last one to the party. I think it was a wonderful debut for the author. I'm in such a reading funk right now. I have 2 library books still unread which I feel guilty about. Someone else could be enjoying them Hopefully things will quieten down a bit so I can get back into reading.

that’s me the last few days, I read this thread with every updated post but I haven’t read in a few days. I miss it but I don’t want to force it and hate it, if that makes sense

 

[Geranium]

The last couple of books I’ve given up on. Yikes. What’s wrong with me?

 

[slugella]

The Rose Code finally got me out of my reading funk! I'm reading another by the same author now, The Huntress, and am about half way through

The Huntress

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted… Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis att...

www.goodreads.com

It was 2.99 on Kindle which is the most expensive I will go - such a cheap arse with kindle books

 

[Shineyshine]

The Rose Code finally got me out of my reading funk! I'm reading another by the same author now, The Huntress, and am about half way through

The Huntress

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted… Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis att...

www.goodreads.com

It was 2.99 on Kindle which is the most expensive I will go - such a cheap arse with kindle books

I read The Huntress last year, loved it. Hope you’re enjoying!

 

[nbt]

I read half of Last one to the party last night. I only stopped reading because it got to 1am and I really needed sleep!

I’m loving it. I think it’s gonna be one of those books that stays with me forever.

 

[Scullybob]

I read half of Last one to the party last night. I only stopped reading because it got to 1am and I really needed sleep!

I’m loving it. I think it’s gonna be one of those books that stays with me forever.

Me too. It's over a week since I finished it and I'm still thinking about it. It’s been a long time since I felt like that about a book

 

[slugella]

I read The Huntress last year, loved it. Hope you’re enjoying!

Really enjoying it so far! Going to try and finish it this evening, so desperate to know what happens and who Jordan's step mum is..

 

[nbt]

I read half of Last one to the party last night. I only stopped reading because it got to 1am and I really needed sleep!

I’m loving it. I think it’s gonna be one of those books that stays with me forever.

I’ve finished it