Books #4 the book lovers thread!

[Katykatykaty]

Just curious, does everyone have a favourite author? If so, who?

I don’t x

I can never think of anyone for this question apart from Matt Haig (more for his non-fiction but I do enjoy some of his fiction). However Lucinda Berry is quickly climbing the ranks as I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her so far - albeit only three books, but it’s rare that for me to return to an author so she’s clearly doing something right.

 

[slugella]

I enjoyed The Five very much - if enjoyed isn't an inappropriate word for a book about such a sad subject.
I am interested in your reports back as I had a couple of reservations about it now I come to think of it.
But overall very interesting and illuminating about five women who have not been dealt with kindly, either in their lives or in history.

Interested to hear your reservations. I enjoyed it (if like you say that's the right word) and agree it dealt with the women kindly and didn't glorify the killer which is so common, particularly with Jack the Ripper as she discussed (e.g. using him for tourism, souveniers etc). I did think a lot of it was quite speculative, which I guess is to be expected as it was so long ago so so much will be unknown about them. I liked how it gave you a sense of what life was like as a normal person during that era, as so much of what you usually read is about the royals and wealthier people.

 

[MissMissMissy]

Just finished “Lolita”. Disturbing.

Starting “Last Night” by Mhairi Macfarlane, hoping the change of pace and some chic lit will recover me from that book. I knew it’d be bad (it’s well written btw) but the whole time I was just like wtf..

I bought Lolita while at Uni (2003ish) after watching both films. Literally never read it but always kept it in my bookcase all these years- till being isolated at Home a few weeks ago with my Covid positive son!
Anyway- read it in two days and really enjoyed it- it was really disturbing, but also fascinating and thought provoking in many ways. Very clever writing!

 

[Smca53]

Within 5 minutes of waking this morning I’d bought three new books. Good start to the day I think.

Every Mother’s Son by Alex Smith (the 7th in the DCI Kett series)
That Night by Gillian McAllister
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham

But first, I have 45 mins left of The Guilty Husband, which I’ve been a bit slow with. People aren’t eating tea tonight until I’ve finished it though!

I’m so excited for the 7th Kett book, I read the rest of them when I had kindle unlimited for free and absolutely loved them! I’ve bought the Kett one for my next read, too.

I also bought that Gillian one!

 

[nbt]

I’m so excited for the 7th Kett book, I read the rest of them when I had kindle unlimited for free and absolutely loved them! I’ve bought the Kett one for my next read, too.

I also bought that Gillian one!

I’m about 40% into the Gillian book and enjoying it so far

 

[Notworthy]

Just curious, does everyone have a favourite author? If so, who?

I don’t x

Right now I'm reading a lot of David Baldacchi books. I usually manage 4 or 5 by the same author before I need a rest but I'm on about my 10th and still enjoing them.

 

[Marylou]

Finished When we believed in Mermaids last night, great book and a beautiful story, not at all what I was expecting.

 

[Oohthedrama]

I heard an interview on the radio yesterday with Deborah Moggach, the Author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. For women (and men!) of a certain age, her new novel sounds very entertaining: The Black Dress.

I listened to it last night/ this morning as a library check out, knew nothing about it but it was available so took it out it’s on a wait list for October TWENTY TWENTY FOUR now

It’s bizarre, I didn’t hate it! It’s such an odd concept and it was a bit self pity heavy, I didn’t connect with any of the characters but I find with some audiobooks I don’t, compared to physically reading it myself. I like how original an idea it is!!
Not a country home renovation or handsome recluse neighbour/vet in sight.

eventully got around to reading some books I’d bought but hadn’t started/finished.

The road trip by Beth O’Leary,
Greenwich park and
The maidens by Alex Michaelides.

thinking of starting park avenue summer by Renee Rosen next.

New York City, 1965 and Cosmopolitan magazine, where a brazen new editor-in-chief Helen Gurley Brown - shocks America and saves a dying publication by daring to talk to women about all things off-limits. New York City is filled with opportunities for single girls like Alice Weiss, who leaves her small midwestern town to chase her big-city dreams and unexpectedly lands the job of a lifetime working for the first female editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine, Helen Gurley Brown. Nothing could have prepared Alice for the world she enters as editors and writers resign on the spot, refusing to work for the woman who wrote the scandalous bestseller Sex and the Single Girl, and confidential memos, article ideas, and cover designs keep finding their way into the wrong hands. When someone tries to pull Alice into a scheme to sabotage her boss, she is more determined than ever to help Helen succeed. While pressure mounts at the magazine and Alice struggles to make her way in New York, she quickly learns that in Helen Gurley Brown's world, a woman can demand to have it all.

 

[50sGirl]

Interested to hear your reservations. I enjoyed it (if like you say that's the right word) and agree it dealt with the women kindly and didn't glorify the killer which is so common, particularly with Jack the Ripper as she discussed (e.g. using him for tourism, souveniers etc). I did think a lot of it was quite speculative, which I guess is to be expected as it was so long ago so so much will be unknown about them. I liked how it gave you a sense of what life was like as a normal person during that era, as so much of what you usually read is about the royals and wealthier people.

I thought the same.
You’d never have someone doing a Yorkshire Ripper tour but it’s fine for these victims be be made into a tourist attraction.
My great grandmother was born in Whitechapel in the summer of 1888 in the street adjacent to one where one of the victims lived/was killed (I can’t remember which now). The author described it as the poorest street in London.
I knew my ancestors were very poor but that brought it home to me just how poor they were.
I think the author has to use a lot of poetic licence when writing it as fact because a lot of assumptions were made.
These victims have always been portrayed as common prostitutes when in fact only one of them was a prostitute.

 

[Lola123]

I finished a David Attenborough book. I swear all I’ve read recently are 3* books, trying to do a few physical ones because I go just kindle due to travel. Fingers crossed something good comes up

 

[Sheeeet]

Hi everyone! Appreciating the book recommendations now that I'm back to reading after lockdown hiatus - just couldn't face anything longer than (several thousand) Tattle posts. Just started The Push

Just curious, does everyone have a favourite author? If so, who?

Despite having an A at English Lit A level, I'm a total basic witch in my reading and devour everything by John Grisham and most of Stephen King #noragrets. Also get them all at the library #cheapass

 

[Katykatykaty]

Just finished The Best of Friends by Lucinda Berry - really enjoyed it. It’s told from the perspectives of three female friends and I found myself getting confused as who was who despite it really not being that complicated. I do enjoy Lucinda Berry’s stuff and I’d give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Starting Constance by Matthew FitzSimmons next.

 

[GoofyPrincess]

I read the whole of Lost Child by DS Butler today - was gripped was start to finish, loved it. I’ve read the whole Karen Hart series which I enjoyed but this was slightly different being a psychological thriller, I would highly recommend though.

 

[MissMissMissy]

My favourite author this year is Karin Slaughter. I have ready 40 odd books this year and have enjoyed many of them, including Marian Keyes for the first time, but KS were 5* every time. Excellent writing. Horrifying, gripping and couldn’t put down.

I ready The Catcher in the Rye for the first time this year, I was expecting to be profoundly moved but I really did not enjoy it. I really understood how the goodreads reviews are either 5* ‘changed my life’ or 1* ‘meh’ because I can see how it could connect with people. It just didn’t connect with me…

 

[Kyriebelle]

Got The Secret by Rhonda Byrne for my birthday, intrigued by it and the philosophy.

 

[Merpedy]

I'm reading The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst right now

I'm enjoying it sort of, but this whole creepy child trope doesn't work in a book that seems to not be in the horror genre, just sort of makes me sigh because here I am imagining this very realistic book and oh here's a horro-esque character

 

[Custard cream]

I think I remember people discussing 'Girl, Woman, Other' on here? Is it worth getting for anyone who has read it?

Out on a run this evening I spotted it in a charity shop window - tempted to go down early tomorrow to pick it up!

I didn’t like it - tried so hard but just couldn’t get in to it at all. Reading it felt like a chore, I didn’t look forward to sitting down and reading it the way I usually do when I’m reading something I’m really in to.

 

[Cheddar Chalpupa]

I've just finished Billy Summers the new Stephen King. I am a 'constant reader' of his and hands down this is the best book he's ever written. (in my subjective opinion of course!)

It's a thriller with no horror or supernatural in sight, apart from a couple of nods to other books and it's character driven which is what he does best. (Again imo)

 

[GetaRealJob]

Just finished (audible) The Silent Man by J D Weston. Not my usual type of story, a bit gruesome in parts IMO but definitely intriguing and a good plot if someone's looking for a different genre.

Also listened to The Cuckoos Calling A Strike Novel by Robert Galbraith - good story, little bit tedious at times.... but spoiler alert .. it literally just... ends ....so I'm assuming a sequel is coming. What a fuppin let down after alllll that listening .

I seem to be going for the psychological thriller books lately and thats come from (my mood?! Lol) and a recommendation I saw here for Michael Robotham... they were great listens highly recommend, nothing is living up to them yet unfortunately. That narrators voice is just too.

 

[Custard cream]

Just finished (audible) The Silent Man by J D Weston. Not my usual type of story, a bit gruesome in parts IMO but definitely intriguing and a good plot if someone's looking for a different genre.

Also listened to The Cuckoos Calling A Strike Novel by Robert Galbraith - good story, little bit tedious at times.... but spoiler alert .. it literally just... ends ....so I'm assuming a sequel is coming. What a fuppin let down after alllll that listening .

I seem to be going for the psychological thriller books lately and thats come from (my mood?! Lol) and a recommendation I saw here for Michael Robotham... they were great listens highly recommend, nothing is living up to them yet unfortunately. That narrators voice is just too.

There is a sequel to The Cuckoo’s calling, it’s the first book in the Cormoran Strike series. think there are 5 books in the series so far.