What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews Showing 1,651-1,700 of 12,687

[Alice]

I recently finished reading The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham. It made an even deeper impression on me than the 2006 movie which I also loved. Would recommend it.

[Amber]

Just finished The Wind in the Willows and it was a pretty good read.

here's my review if anyone wants to read it: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Alice]

Amber wrote: "Just finished The Wind in the Willows and it was a pretty good read."

I'm thoroughly enjoying it! It brings back the cartoon days of my childhood.

[Amber]

Awesome Alice. ^_^

[Angela M]

I just finished The Painted Girls. It was 4 stars for me . Here's my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Previous to that I read The Secret River.
4 stars - I was moved, appalled and educated.

[Charbel]

Tracey wrote: "Charbel I think it would be a tie for best ending with A Tale of Two Cities...."

Agreed!

[Gill]

I've just finishedOne Plus One. It's not the best book I've read by Jojo Moyes, but pleasant enough.

[Beth]

Gill wrote: "I've just finishedOne Plus One. It's not the best book I've read by Jojo Moyes, but pleasant enough."


oh no - "pleasant enough"? that doesn't sound like a rave review! (especially for a $12 book)

[Leslie]

I finished my short story collection for the month, Best Russian Short Stories. A great variety of authors from pre-1925: Gogol, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Pushkin, Gorky, Turgenev, and several others.

Would I recommend it? Hmmm, I gave it 3 stars because despite the title, these weren't the best short stories I have read. Some of them were very good, but others I really didn't like. However, it is a public domain ebook, so if you have any interest it is freely available.

[B the BookAddict]

I'd definitely recommend The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

My review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Joy]

I've just read Joyland and thought it was a great mystery /thriller. As I said previously, I'm not into horror so hadn't considered Stephen King, but pleased I tried this one. Good plot that worked, plenty of tension, good pace, enjoyed it!
Does anyone know if he has written any other non-horror novels?

[Petra]

Since my last post, I've finished Buddha, Vol. 1: Kapilavastu, The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity and, just this morning, Watership Down.
I recommend all of them:
1. Buddha is the start of a series. In it, Buddha is born but barely mentioned. The times & conflicts are the main focus of Volume 1.
2. Jesus Dynasty is an interesting look at Jesus, the man, his times, his family. The author is a historian and archeologist. His perspective is interesting and, probably at times, controversial. This book is an interesting look at where the archeological evidence is going.
3. Watership Down is a wonderful, warm story of family, home, community & being true to oneself. It's an easy read; something I can see being a good beach read.

[Hot Mess Sommelière ~ Caro]

I read Sock Monkey Treasury: A "Tony Millionaire's Sock Monkey" Collection and Grotesque. Two very different reads, and both were immensely enjoyable!

Sock Monkey (a comic by Tony Millionaire - you might know his famous work "Maakies") is a surrealist collection of short stories and novellas, and the art as well as the charming and intelligent dialogues that never failed to have a philosophical subtext instantely captured my interest. I'll be buying more of this author's work.

Grotesque, falsely labelled as crime, was more of an insightful look into today's Japanese society - and a brutally honest one at that. I am always impressed how Natsuo Kirino makes her characters both revolting and compelling at once. I'd definetely recommend the book to anyone who doesn't need to love the main character in order to enjoy the book.

[dely]

I have finished The Postman Always Rings Twice for my "novel cure" challenge.

For me it was just an ok read. There is a lot of action but no deep insight of the main characters: they want something, they take it. In fact it is a very short read.
According to The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You this book should help for people who are apathetic but I think that who suffers from apathy is glad to have a calm life, at least it is a safe life!

I recommend it only if you like mystery/noir/thriller or if you are travelling because this is the perfect book to read in a train/airplane.

[Jenny]

I've finished Invisible Man yesterday. I had a somewhat bumpy start with it, but I would highly recommend it. I've recently read a few reviews claiming it was dated, which I would quite strongly argue against. Not only in terms of the race issue, but also because many reviews seem to shorten the essence of the book down to the issue of race when it is far more rich and complex than that to my mind.

[LauraT]

Difficoult book that one Jenny, but definitly to be read. As the one I've just finished today Independent People

[Joy]

Just re-read Queen Lucia, the first in E.F. Benson's series. It's a comedy of manners set in the 1920s, very witty and entertaining.

[Beth]

I just finished Arranged - my review is here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Loved, loved, loved this book - 5 stars!

[Leslie]

Joy wrote: "Just re-read Queen Lucia, the first in E.F. Benson's series. It's a comedy of manners set in the 1920s, very witty and entertaining."

I like that whole series!

[Alice]

Just finished The Wind in the Willows

My review (5-star) here:-

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Would recommend it!

[Erica]

ooh might have to give that book a try Alice. I've just finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, a book written from the pov of a dog. I really enjoyed it. I like books written from animal povs, I think they can provide unique insight. Examples: Ishmael, Animal Farm and Watership Down - all of which I loved.

[Alice]

Erica wrote: "ooh might have to give that book a try Alice. I've just finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, a book written from the pov of a dog. I really enjoyed it. I like books written from ..."

Erica, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did!

[Shirley]

I've just finished reading Vanity Fair. What a fantastic read, thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a long book but so absorbing; a great story.

[Alannah]

Just finished Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, hated it. So glad I didn't pay full price for it.

[LauraT]

Shirley wrote: "I've just finished reading Vanity Fair. What a fantastic read, thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a long book but so absorbing; a great story."

Glad you liked it Shirley

[GeneralTHC]

Petra wrote: "Since my last post, I've finished Buddha, Vol. 1: Kapilavastu, The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History of Jesus, His Royal Family, and the Birth of Christianity and, just ..."

Watership Down is awesome!

[GeneralTHC]

I just finished one that was pretty different for me, I think the genre is called noir, but I liked it. I wanna read more stuff like it:Galveston

[Leslie]

I finished Medea by Christa Wolf after reading a different translation of Euripides' play Medea. What a great historical fiction - I thought that it was much better than The Song of Achilles.

Thanks Dhanaraj, I picked this up because you rated it so highly :)

[Jenny]

I adore Medea by Wolf! Great to hear you like it Leslie!

@ Dhanaraj, I didn't realize you have read that one already as well? You are quick!!

[Dhanaraj]

Jenny, I have not YET read C. Wolf's MEDEA. But I had mentioned it to Leslie as she was reading the play and had offered high praises for C. Wolf. Along with Leslie there is also Rowena who took nicely to C. Wolf. I am only happy that many read C. Wolf.

[Bethy]

I'm reading still missing by Chevy stevens

[Diane S ☔]

Finished The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literaturehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[LauraT]

Diane S. wrote: "Finished The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literaturehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Sounds interesting...

[Dhanaraj]

Finished reading an excellent book by Halldor Laxness, Independent People. Highly recommended.

[Angela M]

I finished The Son last night and I would recommend it ( if you can tolerate a lot of violence , it is worth reading ). It was four stars for me. I'm working on a review.

[Sarah. B]

Independent People sounds interesting. Might see if my library has this is stock.

[Dhanaraj]

Sarah wrote: "Independent People sounds interesting. Might see if my library has this is stock."

A lovely book.....I wish you well in your reading and I hope your library has a copy of it.

[Diane S ☔]

Finished Burning Bright: Storiesand loved these short stories. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[[deleted user]]

I finished The Luminaries yesterday. I'm toying between 3 and 4* and I've gone with 4. I would recommend it but I found it a bit slow going at the start. It really picked up from about 300 pages in. I think this is the fault of the strange style Catton has used. I've written a review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Dhanaraj]

Finished reading Sigrid Undset's Marta Oulie: A Novel of Betrayal. The more I read Sigrid Undset, the more I love her. Recommended.....

[Bionic Jean]

Erica - you might really enjoy Duncton Wood in that case. Of all the books you mention, it is most similar to Watership Down. The "animals", in this case badgers, have developed their own society and conventions. In its subtext it is a political book, I think, as both Watership Down and Animal Farm are.

William Horwood went on to write many sequels, all very involved and each longer than the previous one! It is definitely not a children's book as The Wind in the Willows can be thought of, though.

[GeneralTHC]

Heather wrote: "I finished The Luminaries yesterday. I'm toying between 3 and 4* and I've gone with 4. I would recommend it but I found it a bit slow going at the start. It really picked up from ab..."

I've been trying to read The Luminaries for a while. I've had a couple false starts. Read the first 300 pages twice, and the second time just a few days ago, Would have to agree about the beginning--there's just so many connections and characters to keep up with.

[Erica]

That sounds great Jean...it's gone straight on my tbr list! Thanks :)

[GeneralTHC]

Jean wrote: "Erica - you might really enjoy Duncton Wood in that case. Of all the books you mention, it is most similar to Watership Down. The "animals", in this case badgers, have de..."

I really liked Watership Down and was wondering about other books of this type. Anyone know of one like that with cats?

[dely]

Chuck wrote: "Jean wrote: "Erica - you might really enjoy Duncton Wood in that case. Of all the books you mention, it is most similar to Watership Down. The "animals", in this case bad..."

If you go in the bookpage of Watership Down you see on the top right "readers also enjoyed". I found this one: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... but I have never read Watership Down so I don't know if it is similar.

I have read some books about or with cats but I don't know which kind of book you are looking for.

[[deleted user]]

Chuck- it really does get better. At the end of part 1 Moody summarises the story so far and then you suddenly get it! I assume this is deliberate so you are as confused as the men discussing the case

[Shirley]

Heather wrote: "I finished The Luminaries yesterday. I'm toying between 3 and 4* and I've gone with 4. I would recommend it but I found it a bit slow going at the start. It really picked up from ab..."

I have this on my kindle, Heather. It's good to know that the second half is better, it will make me read on further, if I struggle with it.

[B the BookAddict]

Consumed in one day, Alena by Rachel Pastan Highly recommended

My review is at: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Petra]

Chuck wrote: "I really liked Watership Down and was wondering about other books of this type. Anyone know of one like that with cats? ..."

Story-wise, this is very different from Watership Down but it is told from the point of view of cats and is a lot of fun to read: Waiting for Gertrude: A Graveyard Gothic. I would recommend it.

[LauraT]

Petra wrote: "Chuck wrote: "I really liked Watership Down and was wondering about other books of this type. Anyone know of one like that with cats? ..."

Story-wise, this is very different from Watership Down bu..."

Really nice book. We've had a readalong here some months ago