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What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews
I've just finished Paula by Isabel Allende. It's one of those books I picked up at a secondhand bookstore years ago and then left to linger on the bookshelf. So glad I finally picked it up. This was my short review:Amazing memoir; beautiful writing, colourful characters and a heartwrenching story. 5*
Erica wrote: "I've just finished Paula by Isabel Allende. It's one of those books I picked up at a secondhand bookstore years ago and then left to linger on the bookshelf. So glad I f..."I have just read my first Allende Erica, and it has left me thirsting for more. I shall have to add this one to my list! Thank you *:D
I recently finished
VOID by David M. Staniforth. I strongly recommend this book - a 5* read for me. My review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished Excellent Daughters: The Secret Lives of Young Women Who Are Transforming the Arab World
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Erica wrote: "I've just finished Paula by Isabel Allende. It's one of those books I picked up at a secondhand bookstore years ago and then left to linger on the bookshel..."I love her too - I haven't yet read this one, but will add it now! Thanks Erica.
I finished I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban I gave it 3 stars because although I think she is an amazing person the book was a little disappointing and focused a lot on her fathers thoughts and opinions which suggested he had more to do with the writing than she did.
I have just read Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Paterson, (love that author). I enjoyed it, a definite suspense/mystery book. However, the suspense was built up perfectly, yet just crashed down. Patterson didn't bring the suspense level down on a descent, more like a straight drop. The ending wasn't as good as it could have been, but I still enjoyed it. Anyone who likes murder/suspense/mystery/ and the Maximum Ride Series must read this. Tandy is definitely relatable to Max.
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* wrote: "Erica wrote: "I've just finished Paula by Isabel Allende. It's one of those books I picked up at a secondhand bookstore years ago and then left to linger on the bookshel..."Hmmph. I also just finished my first Allende but while it was fine, I didn't love it. Mine was Daughter of Fortune which I gave 3½ stars to:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
As I mention in my review, I think I am just out of tune with the contemporary writing style as I often find that books people rave about don't suit me. In this vein, Confessions of a Murder Suspect was my first Patterson & I didn't really care for it. It sounds like from what you say Christine that maybe I should try a different one?
I loved Paula! I think Allende's books where she writes about her own family, in fictional or non-fiction format are her best. These are her earliest books.
Mod
I completely agree Chrissie! Those are the ones where her personal knowledge and passion come into play.
Greg wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "I loved Paula! I think Allende's books where she writes about her own family, in fictional or non-fiction format are her best. These are her earliest books."I comple..."
:0)
Finished reading Stories of God. Loved it. Solid five stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished a really fun book, Woman with a Blue Pencil. The structure of the novel was quite interesting. My review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I just finished rereading a good Golden Age mystery, The Unfinished Clue. If you like Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh or Josephine Tey, chances are good that you will like this!My review (with no spoilers) is here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Just finished reading Albert Camus' The Fall. It was a rather gloomy read, though thought-provoking. 3 stars from me.My Review
Just finished In Search of Lost Time: Swann's Way: A Graphic Novel. This is a lovely book with wonderful graphics and it reads like a short novel. It's wordy, beautifully told and has many of Proust's best known lines interspersed in the narrative. Stephane Heuet's words fit into Proust's style and, although shortening the prose, keeps the feel and intention of Proust's words throughout. The book is very thoughtfully written as an honor to Proust. The graphics are truly well done as well. A wonderful refresher for Swann's Way.
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished Lo specchio by Antonella Sacco, an emerging Italian writer. There is no English edition but the title would be "The mirror". It's a collection of short stories that deal with loneliness, suicide, finished loved stories. Nearly all the stories are sad, depressing and gloomy. But there are also surreal and poetic stories. I liked them all so the book deserves 4 stars. They were also very well written and the reader was able to feel the emotions by the various characters.
I completed The Magnificent Ambersons. I liked it .It grows on you. It is simple to read. See it as historical fiction of a particular time and place. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This afternoon I've read a short story by Voltaire: L'Ingenu: Or, the Sincere Huron. a True History.. 3,5 starsIt's a fictional book but his philosophical thoughts about anticlericalism are well explained.
Finished Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen recently. I am glad I read it, I enjoyed it, but I would be careful about recommending it. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Albert wrote: "Finished Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen recently. I am glad I read it, I enjoyed it, but I would be careful about recommending it. My review: https://www.goodrea..."
I liked Shadow Country a lot Albert, despite the fact that I think it was quite a bit too long. Have you read anything else by Matthiessen?
Jenny wrote: "Albert wrote: "Finished Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen recently. I am glad I read it, I enjoyed it, but I would be careful about recommending it. My review: http..."
Jenny, I have not read anything else although I have Far Tortuga on my TBR as I have heard good things about it.
Don't know if this was "reading for pleasure" more like reading for help! The Princess Bitchface Syndrome: Surviving Adolescent Girls My review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Jenny and Albert, I gave Shadow Country,, three stars. I thought the three stories could have been told once in one story! Definitely too long even if I do like l-o-n-g. Three stars for me is a good story thoughWhat is amazing is the narration of Anthongy Healy. That he could read this and Crime and Punishment, BOTH exceedingly well is amazing.
Completed reading Muriel Spark's The Comforters. Typical Spark book. Liked it. Four Stars. My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Chrissie wrote: "Jenny and Albert, I gave Shadow Country,, three stars. I thought the three stories could have been told once in one story! Definitely too long even if I do like l-o-n-g. Three stars ..."I've listened to the audiobook as well Chrissie, and was equally impressed by the narration. (though initially I had trouble understanding because of the Southern dialect.)
Albert wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Albert wrote: "Finished Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen recently. I am glad I read it, I enjoyed it, but I would be careful about recommending it. M..."
I have quite a few on my TBR as well, a lot of it non-fiction actually.
I managed to get a hold of an ARC for a book due out soon I'd been wanting to read, Hidden Bodies. It's the sequel to You. It's not great lit by any means, nor is it supposed to be, but it is a fun read. Both of them are. I don't even know what genre you would classify them as. They're pretty wild. They're about a serial killer, but he's not presented as such. He's just a young, bookish man who runs a bookstore and is also a hopeless romantic. You can't help but like the guy for his biting social commentary, much of it about social media, and all of it's spot on. The things the guy does though are atrocious and yet you can't help but like him and root for him. Amazing how the author pulls that off. Check it out if you come across it. You won't be disappointed.
I've finished Last Woman Hanged by Caroline Overington. 4★My review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just finished Inkheart by Cornelia Funke really enjoyed it. I chose it as part of a challenge I am doing with some friends and this step was to read a book translated into your first language (German to English in this case) What came across most for me was the love of books and the written word, so much description of how reading can transport you to another place, so so true!
Recently finished Stella's SeaReview is here https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4 stars from me for this one.
I finished this classic this morning Here is a review by Tracey: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Mod
I love all her books! I find her one of the greatewst living writer for children - and not only children - along with Walter Moers. Have you read anything by him?
@LauraT I need to get my hands on the rest of the inkheart series, I did get a sense it was not the end and I didn't realise it was a trilogy. I haven't heard of him but I will investigate. Do you have any particular recommendation?
I finished reading Simple Stories by Ingo Schulze. My edition had only 6 stories and I really didn't like it, in fact for me it's a 1 star.My review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britainhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished the Man Booker Prize winner for 2011, The Sense of an Ending. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Leslie wrote: "I finished the Man Booker Prize winner for 2011, The Sense of an Ending. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/..."
I loved that book. I need to re-read it. Glad to see you gave it 4-stars even though you didn't connect with it. I read it when I was going through a rough patch and it spoke to me. That whole life review thing? I dig it. Great book, IMO.
Loved it too, think it depends on the mood you are in on how you receive this book. I was going through a tough patch when I read it, like Chuck.
Mod
The whole trilogy of Inkhart is gret; do find and read them!
Moers has written really good books; our favourite - he was a favourite of both my children - is Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures
Finished Eleanor & Park
which was a lovely young adult novel. My first Rainbow Rowell - I can see why she's been popular. I flew through it. 4 stars.
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All About Books
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