What are you reading in 2014?

[Jennifer]

I'm currently reading We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves byKaren Joy Fowler. It is a pretty quick read but I have to say I think its one of the most enjoyable books I've read so far this year. Completely different to how I imagined it!

[Jackie]

I'm going to start reading A Girl is a Half Formed Thing by Eimear McBride today.

[Paul]

Currently have four books on the go:
Love, Nina: Despatches from Family Life
Life After Life
HarvestParaphernalia: The Curious Lives of Magical Things.

None exceptional so far, aiming to finish two this weekend

[Sandra]

I'll start today The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley. I've read so many good things about it! I'm really expectant about this novel.

[Jo]

I need to start one tonight, not sure what. One of:
A Long Walk Home: One Woman's Story of Kidnap, Hostage, Loss - and Survival by a local lady whose husband was murdered by kidnappers in Africa (also my book club book)
The Spinning Heart
Lucky Jim
Or
Tales of the City, a re-read, part of my magic square.

Decisions are never easy for a Libran.

[Paul]

The Spinning Heart

[Jason]

I agree with Paul, I got that one on my list.

[Seraphina]

For anyone who enjoys the spinning heart, the thing about december is a really good read. Quite sad but I really enjoyed it

[Paul]

Someone else had recommended that to me Seraphina

[Betty C.]

Lizzie wrote: "Just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I enjoyed it and was particularly pleased that it had a good ending as I hate it when there have been a number of plot threads and things..."

I just connected after a long absence, and your post was the first thing I read...coincidentally I am reading The Goldfinch too! Quite an undertaking as it's a longer book, which I usually avoid during the school year (I'm a teacher) but a very good one too.

I also read and loved The Rosie Project, but I think that was a choice of this book group.

Another book I read recently -- about the only other one since September -- is The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides . I would recommend that one, especially, but not only, for fifty-somethings.

[Jason]

Seeing as it is coming up to Halloween I am reading Carmilla

[Jackie]

Going to start reading The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty today.

It was given a big thumbs up by Paula McLain, who wrote The Paris Wife, a book which I really liked, so I'm hoping this one will be somewhere near as enjoyable for me - not that endorsements by other authors can always be anything to go by!

[Paul]

Started Heartstone by C.J. Sansom yesterday. Huge 700 page book, but it is good so far. Will also be picking up A Storm of Swords in the next day or so too

[Paul]

Betty wrote: I just connected after a long absence, and your post was the first thing I read...coincidentally I am reading The Goldfinch too! Quite an undertaking as it's a longer book, which I usually avoid during the school year (I'm a teacher) but a very good one too...."

Good to see you around again Betty. The Goldfinch is quite a monumental book. The discussion threads are still open should you want to add your thoughts.

[Jo]

Jackie, I loved The Chaperone.

[Jennifer]

Just started reading Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid. Part of a series rewriting classic Jane Austin and interested to see what each author does with them!

[Pat]

Just about to start Hypothermia by Arnalder Indridason - our book club read

[Sally]

Paul wrote: "Started Heartstone by C.J. Sansom yesterday. Huge 700 page book, but it is good so far. Will also be picking up A Storm of Swords in the next day or so too"

A Storm of Swords is my favourite ASOIAF book so far, closely followed by A Dance with Dragons. A Feast for Crows is my least favourite so far and seems to be everyone else's, too, so be prepared. It does at least introduce some interesting new characters and story arcs.

[Cathy]

Started Burial Rites by Hannah Kent last night, a crime novel set in 19th century Iceland. Excellent so far.

[Tytti]

I just finished a short novel about the Finnish famine of 1866-68. I feel no need to read "The Hunger Games", there was enough dying of hunger for me.

[Jackie]

Jo, finished The Chaperone. I loved it too, found it to be entertaining throughout.

Going to start Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer today. It has a rating of 4.14 here on goodreads so im hoping it lives up to that. She's a new author for me.

[Tytti]

I started The Rabbit Back Literature Society today. I already knew it would be a strange book so I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. Except that it is strange. And there is something ominous or eery in the atmosphere.

[Cathy]

Jackie wrote: "Jo, finished The Chaperone. I loved it too, found it to be entertaining throughout.

Going to start Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer today. It has a rating of 4.14 here on goodreads so im hoping it ..."

Jackie, you mentioned earlier that The Chaperone was recommended by Paula McLain. I loved The Paris Wife - is it similar?

[Jackie]

Hiya Cathy

I think the Paris Wife was probably more about her relationship and life with Hemingway than this is about the chaperone's relationship with Louise Brooks, if that makes sense? From what I remember anyway! I read one review that complained that the book was hardly about Brooks at all but I wasn't really expecting it to be.

I'm a bit iffy about recommending books because it's such a personal thing isn't it but I'd be quite surprised if you liked The Paris Wife and hated this. I don't even know if Louise Brooks had a chaperone so I'm not sure if this is a totally made up story or a fictionalised account based on real events. Either way it was very enjoyable!

If you decide to give it a go Id love to know what you think of it.

[Cathy]

Thanks Jackie. It certainly sounds interesting. That's another one for the TBR list then! I'll let you know when I get round to it...

[Paul]

Started Moon Over Soho yesterday. Been really good so far. Aiming to read books 2 and 3 this week as i will be seeing him on Sunday at the science fiction afternoon as part of the Wimborne literary festival.

[Jackie]

I'll be starting 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff later today.

[Cathy]

Started Regeneration by Pat Barker last night. It's been on my shelf for a very long time and the centenary of the start of WW1 seems like a good time to read it.

[Jennifer]

I recently started 2 books - a first for me!! At Home: A Short History of Private Life by Bill Bryson and Forged in Blood I byLindsay Buroker The reason being I think At Home is a bit more of a factual book and whilst it is very interesting (though lacking the usual humour of his books), I am still craving fiction so started Forged in blood - a steampunk series I literally stumbled across on Amazon but have really really enjoyed it. Am now on the second to last in the series and although I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out I am sad that it is coming to an end - don't you just hate that sometimes!!

[Sandra]

How did you like All the Light we cannot see, Dennis?
I read it a couple of weeks ago and found it a great book.

[Jackie]

Going to start American Rust by Philipp Meyer today.

[Sandra]

I finally decided to start reading The House Girl by Tara Conklin.

[Sandy]

I think All The Light We Cannot See is one of the best books I have read this year. The evil indoctrination of innocent children in the name of nationalism, and racial superiority is superbly depicted. Again, the blind girl is the one with true vision and the ability to discern the difference between truth and myth.

[Paul]

Started two books today
Gideon's Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad on Mossad, and 60 Postcards: The inspirational story of a young woman's journey to celebrate her mother, one postcard at a time about a ladies tribute to her mother. She is very local to me, having previously lived just round the corner

[Charlotte]

Just started Ghost Moth by Michele Forbes, set in Belfast in the 40s and late 60s as the troubles early kicked off. Bout 1/3 in and wow. Beautifully written. A wonderful debut.

[Pamela]

I am on a bit of a war thing at the moment as currently reading The Second World War (non-fiction), The Shadow of War (historical fiction set during WWI) and just startedFull of Hope and Fear: The Great War Letters of an Oxford Family at War. Planning for some lighter reading in December!

[Joy]

I've decided to work through my bookshelves and either re-read or pass them to a charity shop if I no longer like them. It's quite interesting, as I have a few thrillers from the 80s which I enjoyed at the time, but which haven't aged well!
At the moment I'm re-reading Terry Pratchett's discworld series in order - up to Sourcery so far - and these have definitely stood the test of time.

[Paul]

Joy wrote: "I've decided to work through my bookshelves and either re-read or pass them to a charity shop if I no longer like them. It's quite interesting, as I have a few thrillers from the 80s which I enjoye..."

I have been meaning to re read the Discworld series at some point, are you passing those on, or keeping them?

[Toyah]

Ahhh Discworld. I've only read a few of Terry Pratchett's books but I really love him. I really need to work my way through the lot at some point.

[Joy]

I'm certainly keeping them up as far as Interesting Times as I can imagine reading them again in a few years but might not hold on to the more recent ones. These early discworld novels simply bubble with fresh ideas and as I'm reading I can see how inspiration for the next story hit Terry Pratchett as he was writing the current one. (Reminds me of his idea of particles of inspiration sleeting through the atmosphere and hitting minds at random.)

[Jackie]

I'm going to start reading We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler today.

[Tytti]

Started Arsène Lupin in the Teeth of the Tiger because I wanted to read some historical mystery. My last book was a bit distressing.

[Sandra]

Now that I'm done with my last book, I'll try to finish Pride and Prejudice. I'm 27% done with it, and liking it, but for some reason I'm always putting it apart to read some requested book that come to the library, or my book club book, or a novel that will be due soon at the library... I'm committed now to finishing it before start anything else.

[Tytti]

At least P&P is relatively short, you can actually read it quickly. (Though it took me a month to read Northanger Abbey, I am not a fan of Austen.) But I am having the same problem with Anna Karenina...

[Paul]

Next week books are:

The Beating of His Wings
Broken Monsters
Tracks: A Woman's Solo Trek Across 1700 Miles of Australian Outback
H is for Hawk
The Sleeper and the Spindle

Deep Breath. And Go!

[Jackie]

I'm going to start reading The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber today.

[Tytti]

I am trying to start A Tale of Two Cities for a second time now. For some reason it feels very difficult. Maybe I just have a lot of my mind now...

[Marion]

On sale this week for $0.99 each.
The Heartland series of novellas set in outback Australia and written by Aussie writer John Holland are not connected by story line, but by setting. Each is a complete story in itself.
Not so much a triumphant march through the land of his birth this, more a grim determined slog uphill on a hot day. The people who populate these stories are often flawed and bitter. However like the hard country they live in they have beauty in them as well. Expect for a couple of characters who don’t have many redeeming features at all!
Raw powerful stories that pluck at the heartstrings and challenge the mind. Let’s look at the four leading characters from each book, shall we?
Shane Morris is suffering from depression. (Somewhere far from Iris)
Mick Creedy, a laconic outback policeman. (The Light at the Bottom of the Garden)
Dexter Knight, a tormented man with a disfigured face. (Bitter Bread)
Buck Brown, a boy facing almost certain death in the outback. (Left of the Rising Sun)
Not a collection for the faint hearted, but if you like your literary fiction raw and real you will love these stories of the hot hard places, where the bony elbows of humanity collide with the sharp edges of life.
~Marion~
Links.
Somewhere far from Iris: http://amzn.com/B00L3L1G3A
The Light at the Bottom of the Garden: http://amzn.com/B00LJAZ7U8
Bitter Bread: http://amzn.com/B00MZHKUAG
Left of the Rising Sun: http://amzn.com/B00O45SJN2

[Sandra]

I'm almost done with Pride and Prejudice. What a great book!

I'll be shortly reading Two Sisters and The Sweetness of Forgetting. I received both to participate in two author-reader discussions in another group next month.

[Paul]

Just started The Deaths of Tao, fast paced sci fi thriller, and How Not to Be Wrong: The Hidden Maths of Everyday Life, a maths book on how most things we do are affected by maths