Books #24 Reading Chats

[vanilla cupcakes]

I finished Carrie Soto is Back this morning so I’ve officially completed TJR’s back log this is how I’d rate them:

1. Daisy Jones & The Six
2. After I Do
3. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
4. One True Loves
5. Malibu Rising
6. Carrie Soto is Back
7. Evidence of the Affair
8. Forever, Interrupted
9. Maybe in Another Life

Everything between 1 and 7 I rated 4 stars or up, the 5 stars for me were Daisy Jones, and After I Do.
---
I did have a look at Demon Copperhead but I have big book fear

 

[JLXRD]

the absolute chokehold that the virgin suicides had on me as a teenager!!!

"You're not even old enough to know how bad life gets!"
"Obviously, doctor, you've never been a thirteen year old girl."

Yeah however I will say reading it as an adult I totally missed the point as a teen and was as obsessed with the girls as the boys were in the same manic pixie dream girl way.

Reading it as an adult it is just so heartbreakingly sad, they were abused, if I weren’t a silly little teen at the time I’d feel ashamed of myself 🥲

 

[ToolaRoola]

I'm excited, it has arrived

I'm going to have to wait until new year to read though as I've not read a physical book at all in 2023 and can't ruin my streak with 1 month to go.

 

[JLXRD]

Finished The Virgin Suicides and going onto Carrie Soto is Back.

I wanted to read Penance next but I go on holiday Sunday for a couple of days and I ain’t lugging a hardback round the airport with me

 

[Smca53]

This is a fairly niche request. I’m just finishing off David Mitchell’s non fiction history book about English kings, ‘Unruly’. I love a non fiction history book anyway but I’ve particularly gelled with this one because I love DM’s dry sense of humour. So basically what I’m asking is, can anyone think of any other non fiction history books that might have some humour woven through or anything along similar ish lines?

Also this is my petition for DM to write more history books

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I'm reading The Appeal by Janice Hallett. I appear to have read 700 pages in less than a day. 2 hours worth of that was after I woke up in the middle of the night. Tried to read the end to see whodunnit but didn't work, so have done sod all of what I'm supposed to be doing.
Have also been contacted by the library to get my ass round there quick, as I'm hogging the reservations shelf. I was only in there yesterday picking up books!

 

[Thatgirl22]

This is a fairly niche request. I’m just finishing off David Mitchell’s non fiction history book about English kings, ‘Unruly’. I love a non fiction history book anyway but I’ve particularly gelled with this one because I love DM’s dry sense of humour. So basically what I’m asking is, can anyone think of any other non fiction history books that might have some humour woven through or anything along similar ish lines?

Also this is my petition for DM to write more history books

Have you tried any Bill Bryson or the Stephen Fry books on Troy and Myths etc?

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Blue Sisters: The highly-anticipated new novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Cleopatra and Frankenstein https://amzn.eu/d/3UwkeE6

I cannot wait.

 

[make-mine-whiskey]

I’ve been off work poorly today and I read Tessa Bailey’s Window Shopping in one sitting (only 248 pages) and it was just the silly little cheese fest that I needed and I’m not even sorry

 

[WeepingCassandra]

Thanks for all your advice. I've started reading Christmas At Little Street Bakery which is pure cheese but hopefully might get me into reading!

 

[Smca53]

Have you tried any Bill Bryson or the Stephen Fry books on Troy and Myths etc?

I haven’t, but I will now! Thank you

 

[ToxicPony]

Just finished 'All the Dangerous Things' by Stacy Willingham and thought it was really good, much, MUCH better than A Flicker in the Dark which I didn't understand the hype about. It's well-worn tropes by this point but comes together very well and doesn't twist for the sake of it.

Now twists for the sake of it, I recently read: Never Lie by Frieda McFadden, which has the most nonsensical twist ever just for the sake of saying 'omg noone will ever guess it'. I don't want to say why it doesn't work as it is a bit spoilery, but let's just say Frieda McFadden is no Agatha Christie and shouldn't attempt to be.

Then; The Only One Left by Riley Sager. I love how I say I'm 'done' with this author having read all but one of his books. This one was OK, readable if very heavily influenced by Verity (not so much the classic gothics like Rebecca that are the inspo for Verity) but then started piling twist upon twist to the point it just became stupid. I know we are divided on Colleen Hoover in this thread but the sheer number of books I've read recently trying to 'do a Verity' make me realise that even if her writing isn't always great, her plots are decent.

 

[JLXRD]

Does anyone have any good recs around Anne Boleyn? Since seeing six I am obsessed with Tudor history and would love to read a historical fiction around her story

 

[ToxicPony]

Does anyone have any good recs around Anne Boleyn? Since seeing six I am obsessed with Tudor history and would love to read a historical fiction around her story

I'm obsessed - personally I've never loved historical fiction about her as it often leans into the negative spin on her character (especially the Phillipa Gregory books!) I've not read the Alison Weir of her story, but Alison is sympathetic to Catherine and Jane in their respective books so it might be what you're after.

Nonfiction wise I devoured the Starkey and Antonia Fraser biographies of the Six Wives and also the Eric Ives bio of just Anne.

 

[AllieBee]

Anyone who has read Dolly Alderton books (I haven't read any of hers yet), can you recommend someone who writes similar books to hers? I need to get a Christmas present for someone who loves DA books but has read them all already?

 

[JLXRD]

I'm obsessed - personally I've never loved historical fiction about her as it often leans into the negative spin on her character (especially the Phillipa Gregory books!) I've not read the Alison Weir of her story, but Alison is sympathetic to Catherine and Jane in their respective books so it might be what you're after.

Nonfiction wise I devoured the Starkey and Antonia Fraser biographies of the Six Wives and also the Eric Ives bio of just Anne.

Thank you, I will take a look at these, I think I’d like the nonfiction too.

Im most interested in Anne and Katherine Howard so the one about the six would be good for me.

 

[dinosaursideways]

I lost this thread and was wondering where you all were.

If you press the button at the top of the page "Books Threads" and then select "Watch" you'll get a notification whenever a new thread is made so you won't lose them again

I'm rereading Dirk Gently's Holsitic Detective Agency. I say rereading because I'm absolutely certain I've read everything Douglas Adams, but not a single thing so far has sparked a memory. Enjoying it though!

Also for crime fans, has anyone read any Belinda Bauer? I love love LOVE her books, best crime I've ever read.

 

[Elle]

Anyone who has read Dolly Alderton books (I haven't read any of hers yet), can you recommend someone who writes similar books to hers? I need to get a Christmas present for someone who loves DA books but has read them all already?

I'd recommend Caroline O'Donoghue, The Rachel Incident, fiction wise and Natasha Lunn, Conversations on Love, for non-fic that is similar vibes to Dolly.

 

[AllieBee]

I'd recommend Caroline O'Donoghue, The Rachel Incident, fiction wise and Natasha Lunn, Conversations on Love, for non-fic that is similar vibes to Dolly.

Thank you that's helpful!

 

[twilightgarden]

@dinosaursideways Thanks. I thought I was watching the thread but I must have unwatched it by mistake.