What have you just read? Opinions, recommendations & reviews Showing 3,851-3,900 of 12,687

[Angela M]

I have just read The Narrow Road to the Deep North. My review of this unbelievably raw and beautiful book :https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chrissie]

Finished The Birds of Pandemonium. I liked it. The antics of some of the birds are quite amusing. Look what we will lose if we allow these and other such birds become extinct. Let me also add that with each species that disappears we lose biological information that may have helped us understand and cure medical problems.

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

[Petra]

LauraT wrote: "You always come up with such interesting titles PEtra! I should have a life of 100 years with days of 26 hours to read them all!!! ..."

LOL! I have the same "problem", Laura! Everyone here reads such interesting, never-known-to-me books that keep getting added to my TBR list. I'm going to have to live forever to even scratch the surface of that list. :D

[Amber]

great review Noorilhuda. I got that on my TBR to read. are you going to read the rest of the divergent trilogy?

[Angela M]

Finished The Forever Bridge. My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Monica]

Just finished Tales of the Jazz Age. Fitzgerald's writing is among the finest (smooth and flowing), but I'm glad these were short stories, easy to pick up between other reads. (Too somber to be immersed in for the length of a full novel.)

[Gill]

Just finished Independence Day. I thought the writing was fabulous. Not a word out of place. A worthy winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

[Gill]

Sandy wrote: "Gill, so you worked up the courage to say farewell to your favourite character."

Well, without wanting to give things away, they are very much changed. It was heartbreaking reading it. I wish I'd known a way to change the outcome!

[B the BookAddict]

Gill wrote: "Just finished Independence Day. I thought the writing was fabulous. Not a word out of place. A worthy winner of the Pulitzer Prize."


Richard Ford is a superb writer. Have you read the preceding book; The Sportswriter, then the third book in the series is The Lay of the Land? The final book in Frank Bascombe's life is, Let Me Be Frank With You which was recently released.

I adored The Lay of the Land; my short review is here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Katie]

Finished The Hangman's Daughter. Not usually the kind of book I read but I really enjoyed it and will probably read the other books in the series. The ending was a bit of a let down though.

[Amber]

Keepers of Arden: The Brothers Volume 2was just as good as book 1. check out my review here:

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

[Gill]

B the BookAddict wrote: "Gill wrote: "Just finished Independence Day. I thought the writing was fabulous. Not a word out of place. A worthy winner of the Pulitzer Prize."


Richard Ford is a supe..."

I've read the previous book, Bette, which I enjoyed, but not as much as this one. I've got the next two on my kindle to look forward to!

I'll read the review once I've read the book.

[Monica]

Katie wrote: "Finished The Hangman's Daughter. Not usually the kind of book I read but I really enjoyed it and will probably read the other books in the series. The ending was a bit of a let down ..."

Glad you liked it, Katie. If it's any incentive to continue on, the second book in the series was my favorite.

[Greg]

Does the second one have a more authentic historical feel Monica?

[Ensoleillé]

Nineteen seventy four (red riding) by David peace

[Monica]

Greg wrote: "Does the second one have a more authentic historical feel Monica?"

Greg, not sure I'd call it more authentic, but I enjoyed the story in the second book more...the first was a bit too gruesome (if I recall correctly). I also like how the author used an 'epilogue' (in all of his books in the series) to take the reader on a tour of the area to experience the sites used in his books.

[Greg]

Thanks Monica, maybe I'll give it a try.

[Petra]

I just finished The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr. Gosh, that was enjoyable! I'm not one to pick up books I don't think I'll enjoy and yet I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as this. A really fun, entertaining book with intrigue and mystery.

My review can be found here.

[dely]

Petra wrote: "I just finished The Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr. Gosh, that was enjoyable! I'm not one to pick up books I don't think I'll enjoy and yet I didn't expect to enjoy it as much a..."

Read more by Hoffmann! He is really worth though he isn't that famous and I really don't know why! Also his collection of short stories are very good.

He was well know in his time but not nowadays. There are a lot of music composition written on his stories or books:
Schumann wrote the "Kreisleriana" thinking about Johannes Kreisler of "The Life...Murr": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreisler... (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYDHD...)

A very famous, The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nutc...

Offenbach's "La barcarolle" based on the Tales of Hoffmann: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcarolle
(I love it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbbfU...)

Perhaps the most famous: The Sandman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sand...

[Nancy from NJ]

Finished The Italian Girl yesterday, which was originally written in 1996. I cam across this author, Lucinda Riley, a couple of months ago and have read her three most recent titles which I loved. These are really true romance books with a bit of mystery and great+ characters. Her recent books have become so popular that her publisher is reprinting some of her earlier books. Unfortunately, I wasn't that taken away by this one. Again it is a romance story and tells the tale of a with a well known opera singer and a young woman hoping to become well known. Bot they have great success at this, but then betrayal occurs and one time experience in the past leaves this couple with great repreccusions. I didn't care for the couples, one an arrogant brute and the other a sniveling woman who is under his thumb. And in terms of a story about the opera, one learns very little other than the names of some of them. For a much better read about the opera, read Lewis Orde's title, The Lion's Way.

[Petra]

Dely, I will. Tomcat Murr was a fun find. It's also very musical, in its way. Lots of mention of music and organs.

I had a look at what else he wrote and was thrilled to find The Nutcracker on the list.

[dely]

Petra wrote: "Dely, I will. Tomcat Murr was a fun find. It's also very musical, in its way. Lots of mention of music and organs."

This because Hoffmann was also music composer and a music critic! If I don't remember wrong he wrote short stories only because he needed money but it wasn't his first passion.

[Diane S ☔]

Finished An Appetite for Violets, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

[Nancy from NJ]

Diane S. wrote: "Finished An Appetite for Violets, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...."

I have this book on reserve at the library and now I'm off to read your review.

[Petra]

I just finished reading Red Scarf Girl, which I thought was an interesting look at growing up in China's Cultural Revolution. This is the story of Ji-li's life when she was 12-14 years old, a very impressionable time for a young girl.

Here's my review.

[Patricia]

I just finished Tell the Wolves I'm Home. I've only read 7 books this year but this is my favorite so far.

[Dhanaraj]

Read two books. I liked both of them.

1. Memento Mori - an interesting concept and very witty presentation.

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

2. The Colour Of Blood - The relationship between Religion and state is analysed in a thriller type racy novel.

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

[Charbel]

Dhanaraj wrote: "Read two books. I liked both of them.

1. Memento Mori - an interesting concept and very witty presentation.

The review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show......"
The colour of blood sounds pretty good!

[Dhanaraj]

Yes. It is an interesting read. You might like it, Charbel.

Anyway, relax well now that you have finished your exams.

[[deleted user]]

I just finished Tell, a book that takes place in Canada right after World War I. It was excellent--I really enjoy Canadian writers. Here's my review (I think):

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

[B the BookAddict]

Patricia wrote: "I just finished Tell the Wolves I'm Home. I've only read 7 books this year but this is my favorite so far."

I don't like many YA books but I loved Tell the Wolves I'm Home.

[B the BookAddict]

Terri wrote: "I just finished Tell, a book that takes place in Canada right after World War I. It was excellent--I really enjoy Canadian writers. Here's my review (I think):

https://www.goodread..."

I really like the Canadian authors that I have read as well, Terri. I wonder, is writing a talent endemic to Canadians or have we just been lucky with our choices?

[Amber]

Misery was a pretty good read. Here's my review:

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

[Chrissie]

I am glad I read Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln. What it does is fill out the picture provided by non-fiction books on President Lincoln.

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

[Petra]

I'm glad you enjoyed Mary, Chrissie! I really liked it, too.

[Chrissie]

Petra, how many stars did you give it? Did you have the same problems I had? I still am VERY glad I read it.

[Petra]

I gave it 5-stars because I thought it was well done and researched. It focussed on her life, so I didn't expect too much about Lincoln himself or his thoughts; just enough to let us see her possible perspectives, women's issues/restraints of the time and how it may have affected a bright, sensitive person who may (or may not) be close to some mental "edge".
Here's a link to my review.

[Chrissie]

Petra, re Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln

I agree totally that it was well researched! I think by understanding Mary's life you also better understand Abe's.

Thanks for your review link.

[Chrissie]

Petra wrote: "I gave it 5-stars because I thought it was well done and researched. It focussed on her life, so I didn't expect too much about Lincoln himself or his thoughts; just enough to let us see her possib..."

That review link does not work, Petra. you get to the book instead.

[Pink]

Just finished Burmese Days and I really enjoyed it. I thought it might not live up to my high expectations of Orwell, especially as it's his first novel, but it was better than I hoped.

[Petra]

Chrissie wrote: "That review link does not work, Petra. you get to the book instead. ..."

Sorry.....fixed the link. Thanks for letting me know.

[Petra]

Pink wrote: "Just finished Burmese Days and I really enjoyed it. I thought it might not live up to my high expectations of Orwell, especially as it's his first novel, but it was better than I hoped."

I still have this book to look forward to. Sounds like I should get to it soon. Thanks, Pink!

[Diane S ☔]

Finished Wolf Winter, very apropos title. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Angela M]

Nora Webster. My review : https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....

[Leslie]

I just finished The Spy Who Loved Me, which was interestingly different from the other Bond books. Here is my review.

[Janice]

Diane S. wrote: "Finished Wolf Winter, very apropos title. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."


Thanks Diane for your rev - I do love Nordic Noir and this tends me to think there is a little bit of this present in this story, dark and intriguing, added to TBR

[[deleted user]]

I really like the Canadian authors that I have read as well, Terri. I wonder, is writing a talent endemic to Canadians or have we just been lucky with our choices?

A question I've never much thought about, Bette. I don't think I'd call it endemic, but perhaps because of the hugeness of the country and the sometimes brutal climate, writers thrive. I was first attracted to Canadian writers by Margaret Atwood, and when I was about 30 I discovered Robertson Davies, who rapidly became my favorite. (I have a picture of him that has been on my refrigerator for the past 10 years.) I'm always looking out for Canadian writers because my luck with them has been so satisfying.

[Chrissie]

I completed The Moon and Sixpence. I thought it would give me more about Paul Gauguin. Still, it is written by Maugham and he certainly has a way with words.

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

[Bionic Jean]

Maugham always strenuously denied that it was about Gauguin. Sorry Chrissie - I thought I'd said that to you - it's the critics and the public who insist it is! Perhaps we have many more of these fictional "biographies" written nowadays, so we know what to expect when we start them. Nice review by the way! :)

[Chrissie]

That is interesting what yo say, Jean. I wish I had known. Maybe you did say it and I missed your comment. Thanks.

I think the book description should be changed. It should more clearly state what you will get.