Books #40

[SaintLeo]

I still haven't finished the Marian Keyes book. It's my first one of hers and as I'm a fast reader I can't understand why it's taking so long to read it. I'm confused...
Is this a thing with her books?

Not in my experience, but that is book 7 (I think) about the Walsh sisters and the second one about Anna in particular so there might be things not quite making as much sense as they would to readers who already know some of the characters and context?

My Marian Keyes recommendation if people haven’t read her before is Rachel’s Holiday, another of the Walsh sisters books but an earlier one. There’s a sequel to that one too called Again Rachel if you tried it and got on better with it.

 

[AllieBee]

I tripped into The Works and bought Murder at Holly House by Denzil Meyrick for £3!

Has anyone read the Christmas tree farm? I didn’t love pumpkin spice cafe but the cute dog on the front of Christmas tree farm almost got me 🫣

Im sure I saw it on someones November round up but cant remember who it was!

 

[cowtastrophe]

I‘Ve just finished The Last Passenger by Will Dean. I’m a bit traumatised by it, tbh!

 

[Tofino]

I’ve just read chapters four and five of a heart for Christmas. Ok, I’m on the same page as most of you now with how bad this is. Chapter 5 was particularly tedious. The only thing keeping it going for me at the moment is the location, and only because I like the name check of places I know well.

I don’t think there is a single likeable character. Jeff in chapter 5 is just a creep. I’m also sick of hearing about the heart now. If she’s that anxious about doing anything with her life then she needs therapy. At the same time I hated how Augustin spoke to her. And the text messages being graphics in every chapter just feels like page fillers when the author could have written with more depth.

 

[CommentBelow]

I DNFed the Pumpkin Spice Cafe so staying away from Laurie Gilmore. I suspect she uses AI cause she just churns out books like she has keyboard diarrhea and that usually means I won't consider them good quality and the author will be using AI in some capacity and I really can't abide that.

But the covers are definitely cute.

I think you might have helped save me from myself.. must not be lured in by cute covers.. or cute dogs.. and remember that I found pumpkin spice cafe repetitive and used my least fav trope (miscommunication).

 

[QueenBW]

I think you might have helped save me from myself.. must not be lured in by cute covers.. or cute dogs.. and remember that I found pumpkin spice cafe repetitive and used my least fav trope (miscommunication).

I don't usually discourage people from reading stuff but sometimes it is needed There are also so many holiday books, granted most are not great, but still. No need to read books we have evidence indicating we won't enjoy them.

I'm on the fence about continuing the advent calendar book. It's making me irrationally angry (or is it rationally? )

 

[veronica71]

I don’t usually do Christmas reads but have gathered in a kindle folder and going to work my way through them - starting with Murder at the Christmas Emporium. I’ve got Christmas Carol to read which I’ve never read and also the Hogfather (which I have read a few times) and a few short stories and facts about Xmas

Maybe it will help me feel Christmassy

 

[aalmaalm]

Okay so I haven’t read yesterdays or today’s chapter of the advent book. I absolutely love a cringey Christmas book but this is not great at all I may just stick to my Christmassy books I bought on kindle. Currently reading not another bloody Christmas.

 

[AllieBee]

I’ve just read chapters four and five of a heart for Christmas. Ok, I’m on the same page as most of you now with how bad this is. Chapter 5 was particularly tedious. The only thing keeping it going for me at the moment is the location, and only because I like the name check of places I know well.

I don’t think there is a single likeable character. Jeff in chapter 5 is just a creep. I’m also sick of hearing about the heart now. If she’s that anxious about doing anything with her life then she needs therapy. At the same time I hated how Augustin spoke to her. And the text messages being graphics in every chapter just feels like page fillers when the author could have written with more depth.

Its a very terrible book thats for sure! I had to force myself to read it today. I will carry on but only because its an advent book and I feel I must, but if it had been any other time of year I would have ditched it by now.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I've just received my You Tube recap for 2025 which seems to be the latest thing by AI.
To say that I cringed at what it assumed I must absolutely adore judging by my viewing figures is an understatement!
Then it moved on to my music taste which my sibling has made comments about before..... I clicked on what animal it would describe me as.......

Luckily I hopefully don't think it has got round to reviewing my taste in books. I wait with dread

 

[StephenTJackson]

I've just received my You Tube recap for 2025 which seems to be the latest thing by AI.
To say that I cringed at what it assumed I must absolutely adore judging by my viewing figures is an understatement!
Then it moved on to my music taste which my sibling has made comments about before..... I clicked on what animal it would describe me as.......

View attachment 3810923

Luckily I hopefully don't think it has got round to reviewing my taste in books. I wait with dread

The YouTube recap is absolute AI balls.

At least the Spotify one is fairly fact and data based, although the AI data files extra bit at the end is utter tank.

 

[veronica71]

I bought some more books I didn't really need I gave a charity a donation today

 

[anniemouse]

The YouTube recap is absolute AI balls.

At least the Spotify one is fairly fact and data based, although the AI data files extra bit at the end is utter tank.

agreed the YouTube one seems to be a pile of

 

[ordinaryjelly]

I am out. I made it to chapter 7 of A Heart and that did it for me.

Too many other books to read instead.

 

[OwlHen]

Finally finished Caledonian Road yesterday! I’m glad I stuck with it, I was so into it I snuck off and hid upstairs to finish it. I’m glad I invested the time in something with more depth, thank you again to those who encouraged me to carry on.

 

[Jellycat369]

I'll be finishing my book today, can you help me pick which book to read next please. Here's the list of what's currently available from my reading list, happy to hear any other recs but I am limited to what my library has!

Aphrodite - Phoenicia Rogerson
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V E Schwab
The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay
The Silence Factory - Bridget Collins
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 - Lisa Unger

 

[LaBlonde]

I'll be finishing my book today, can you help me pick which book to read next please. Here's the list of what's currently available from my reading list, happy to hear any other recs but I am limited to what my library has!

Aphrodite - Phoenicia Rogerson
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V E Schwab
The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay
The Silence Factory - Bridget Collins
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 - Lisa Unger

of that list i’ve read the silence factory (which i found meh after loving the binding) and bury our bones in the midnight soil (which i liked a lot!) - so midnight soil would be my vote

 

[mindlessness]

I'll be finishing my book today, can you help me pick which book to read next please. Here's the list of what's currently available from my reading list, happy to hear any other recs but I am limited to what my library has!

Aphrodite - Phoenicia Rogerson
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V E Schwab
The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay
The Silence Factory - Bridget Collins
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 - Lisa Unger

I know a few here have read and enjoyed Bury our Bones so that’s my vote!

 

[anniemouse]

I'll be finishing my book today, can you help me pick which book to read next please. Here's the list of what's currently available from my reading list, happy to hear any other recs but I am limited to what my library has!

Aphrodite - Phoenicia Rogerson
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil - V E Schwab
The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay
The Silence Factory - Bridget Collins
Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 - Lisa Unger

Bury our Bones is the only one here I own so that gets my vote

 

[wishiniwasskinny]

Finally finished Caledonian Road yesterday! I’m glad I stuck with it, I was so into it I snuck off and hid upstairs to finish it. I’m glad I invested the time in something with more depth, thank you again to those who encouraged me to carry on.

Glad you enjoyed it in the end. It is a heft of a book but I liked it too.