Books #32

[aalmaalm]

Late to the party with my October reading wrap up!

 

[GoofyPrincess]

My September reads

Bit of a varied month for me both in terms of genre and ratings.

Standout was The Fertile Ones - this was a completely new genre of book for me and I loved it! So thank you to the book club for pushing me out of my usual reading comfort zone for this one.

Also really enjoyed Dying Light and The Last Party giving them both 4

Sped through both Jill Steeples books as found them nice, cosy enjoyable reads. I didn’t realize the last 25% or so of Starry Skies was set around Christmas and I do love a little festive romcom type book

Was pretty disapppointed in both The Fall Out and The Mother In Laws Secret.

 

[Katykatykaty]

I'm trying to cut down my enormous TBR by narrowing down what sort of books I really consistently enjoy rather than reading a bit of everything.

What does everyone value most in books they read?

Characters, plot, writing, vibes etc.

I think I prioritise plot-driven books, followed by great characters, and then am not all that bothered about whether the writing is great. In fact, i find myself often bored by a book where its genius is all in how good the prose is at the expense of any plot.

I genuinely can't think of any examples right now where all three are exceptional. Something like Beartown probably comes close.

For me it’s all about the plot and the pace. I couldn’t care less how many big words the author knows, how fancy the prose is or how many literary devices they use. I just want a good solid story that keeps me gripped in wanting to know what happens. I generally read for escapism so give me a quick plot that I can devour easily please.

I do also want likeable characters - if they’re whiny and annoying then they can get stuffed as I won’t care what happens to them.

 

[twilightgarden]

I 100% agree. The one I went to at the library was awful. We read The Island by Victoria Hislop and I really enjoyed it but the rest of them hated it. They said it was badly written. I found it interested to read about the Leper colony and the romance aspect was good too. The following month one of them covered the table of the library in dried out herbs to remind us od the smell of Greece (for the book she hated so much) and I didn’t know where to look.

I read The Island after I’d visited on holiday so really enjoyed the book but her other books haven’t been for me.

I go to a book club through the local library and I love it, usually everyone has different opinions and that’s what makes the discussion interesting. It also forces me to read something other than thrillers and crime books
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Just got this free on prime reads for any Backman fans!

 

[Honeystar]

Only four for me this month, I thought I’d read more until I came to do the roundup

Loved all of them apart from the Pumpkin Spice Cafe which was fine and inoffensive if boring. I know I don’t really like romance if it hasn’t got anything else going on so I should have known but that glorious cover sucked me in.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie was brilliant, I love a good dark academia/boarding school mystery at this time of year and enjoyed Home Before Dark too, will deffo check out more of Riley Sagers.

I surprisingly enjoyed My Vampire Plus One just as much as the first and this is what I mean when I say I need a romance to have something more to it, being a vampire will do it

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

Im also in the camp of trying to reduce how many books I buy. I have so many physical and e books to read. Ive really reduced my 99p deals this year but have unfortunately ramped up buying physical books

I keep distracting myself with things like Kindle Unlimited trials, Ive got an annual sub to audible so have 15 credits to use but then Im requesting audio books on borrow box and listening to books in the plus catalogue.

I have also been going to the library and whilst thats great Im then not reading the books I actually own.

 

[OH.FFS]

My October reads.

 

[Booklover]

A new series starts tonight.

 

[anniemouse]

Ooh we need the inside gossip! My librarians were always making me feel like an addict (ok I was), but when they got to know me they admitted they were severe addicts and I'd got my paws first on the books they "needed". If I try to recommend a book they come over all funny, virtually sticking their fingers in their ears and going la la la!
I've started to wish I'd gone for the job there, but it was so hot in there I was thinking I'd have to wear a bikini in the winter and that wouldn't have gone down well!

I went to a creative writing workshop in March by myself. I ended up sitting with 2 librarians. One went oh you’re firstname lastname, great choice of book in The Lighthouse Witches. I’d just reserved it.

 

[Pinkii]

We can’t all like the same thing otherwise it would be boring

i’m a huge believer that piranesi and Still life were the worst books that I have read or infact ever written and they are rated very highly on both

 

[Ashlgr]

I finished my first book since August yesterday!! Monsters by Emerald Fennell. So weird and a little disturbing but I really enjoyed it!

 

[daisynoon]

Continued my Ilona Andrews/Kate Daniels fixation this month, hard to force myself to read other things (but I have to now because I've only got three books left). Also managed to finish Moby Dick, more a test of endurance than a book. At least now I know some questionable facts about whales.

 

[Katykatykaty]

Also sorry to break it to everyone (and I am this age) 36 is almost middle age.

I refuse to believe it. In my head I could quite easily be in my early 20s but yet my body feels like it’s in its 90s. I will never be middle aged until I’m around 50, surely that’s middle aged?!

 

[Cheddar Chalpupa]

I like the idea of it having a docking station. I'm not arsed about colour particularly, it's nice to see your library in colour, like on the app, but unless you can change the font it won't make a difference to the reading experience. I don't highlight anything, unless I've fallen asleep reading and then somehow I end up with 6 pages highlighted!

 

[Smca53]

Also sorry to break it to everyone (and I am this age) 36 is almost middle age.

 

[HoGi]

Just to say I read this via NetGalley and really enjoyed it. I went to an author event of hers and she's lovely, looking forward to her next couple of books. I've now bought the Lighthouse Witches by her.

We're reading The Lighthouse Witches for my bookclub this month
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Extremely curious about Hallowpeen? I saw a review of it on instagram, how insane was it?

Absolutely unhinged

But it was less than 100 pages and included on kindle unlimited so I had no reason not to read it.

The author is an absolute queen at puns and innuendos and I will never look at a pumpkin or butternut squash the same way again.

She has several more books and i feel compelled to read them especially "taken by my TBR" with over 1000 books on my TBR I fear I wouldn't be able to walk again

 

[Throwaway89]

Just finished The Housemaid. I’m torn because I thought it was a bit shoddily written but I still kept going because I wanted to know what happened. I knew it was crap writing (due to one-dimensional characters) when Millie tried to sleep with Enzo out of absolutely nowhere, with no stress despite the fact that she apparently hadn’t slept with anyone in 10 years. Also this girl at the end hiring Millie as a hitman because Nina recommended her? When Nina just wanted to move on with her and her daughter’s life. Nah I need to know how characters tick and for it to make sense before I can really believe in them.

 

[Honeystar]

Well I have failed already in my mission to buy no more books this year and came home from The Works with four sigh

 

[nbt]

Hello, found this thread as I have recently started reading and could do with some recommendations please! I read it ends with us and it starts with us by Colleen Hoover, and have just finished ‘ugly love’ by CH. This evening I’ve started ‘all your perfects’ - also CH, have borrowed all books from a relative. As I haven’t read in years I don’t really know what genre I like however I have enjoyed all of these so far. Hope it’s ok to ask on here thank you.

If you’re enjoying those, I recommend Paige Toon and Taylor Jenkins Reid books.

If you wanted to try out different genres and are enjoying CoHo’s books, try giving Verity a go. Then if you like that, Freida McFadden’s books would keep you going for a while!

 

[biscuitthief]

I refuse to accept it. I’m still that person that if someone referred to me as “the lady”, i.e “let that lady come past” I’d be looking around, wondering where the lady was.

Someone referred to me as "the lady" the other day .... in my head I'm still "that girl". I'm 37

I'd like to think I'm young at heart though (even though I don't feel it most days!) My friend's teenage daughter did recently say "you guys are into all the really cool stuff" about me and my husband so guess hope I'm still kinda cool

I still haven't read any Sally Rooney, even though I do have a few of her books on my TBR.