Just finished Reading (2015)

[Jackie]

Finished reading Red Joan by Jennie Rooney. Gave it 4.5 stars. Loved it.

[Jo]

I just finished listening to Dead Men's Bones which was really good, a gritty Scottish crime drama with all sorts of turns and twists and great characters. Absolutely loved it until an absurd ending. Which is such a shame! Having now read some reviews in a bit more detail (had not done so for fear of spoilers), it does seem I am not alone in being bemused by the way the author brought the story to a close (you see, I can't even call it and ending), but it seems his other books in the series may not be this way and I enjoyed the rest of it so much that I am prepared to try another one.

[Paul]

It is annoying when that happens Jo.

Finished American Gods a day or so ago. It is one of those books that I wish I had read years ago now. Really enjoyed it. Gaiman has a vivid imagination. For a 600 page book it didn't take very long at all to read. Review here

[Lisa]

'Didn't take long at all' - I think your perception of how long it takes and others might vary, Paul! :-) Really want to read this.

[Paul]

You're probably right Lisa. But this is normal to me. :-)

[Sophie]

I finished Miramont's Ghost last night. It was incredibly sad and loosely based on true events. It left me feeling extremely grateful for the family I have!

I now have to choose between The Farm, Half Wild and Insanity

[Gail]

Lisa wrote: "'Didn't take long at all' - I think your perception of how long it takes and others might vary, Paul!
I agree Lisa, Paul seems to gallop through books!

My reading, so far this year, has been tortoise like! The Luminariesand Victoria: A Life are two huge books which have slowed my progress down!

[Paul]

Sophie wrote: "I now have to choose between The Farm, Half Wild and Insanity ..."

The Farm is on my list to read. Are you going to see the film?

[Sophie]

Paul wrote: The Farm is on my list to read. Are you going to see the film?"

I didn't know they were making it into a film! I think I'll read the book first and then decide whether it's worth seeing the film. Are you going to see it?

[Laurie]

I didn't know The Farm is to be a film either. I knew about Child 44. Kudos to Tom Rob Smith for the interest in his work.

[Paul]

That may have been the one I meant. Sorry.

[Sophie]

I've seen the ads for Child 44 but haven't seen or read it (yet). If I like The Farm I might move on to Child 44. I can read thrillers all day long but watching them makes me jumpy. Think it's the music lol

[Jon]

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. 4/5:

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

[Paul]

Finished Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Click: The Magic of Instant Connections over the weekend.

[Joy]

Last week I read Us by David Nichols, a story of a family break-up. Easy to read, flowed well, but not really great. I think the problem was that it's told in the first person and the author doesn't really manage to give you the other characters' viewpoints successfully (unlike the brilliant Elizabeth is Missing which I read recently!)
I also read The True Deceiver by Tove Jansson, of 'Moomins' fame. Difficult to categorise this book - I suppose I'd call it a psychological drama. Certainly well-written from the point of view of atmosphere, very claustrophobic, but a bit thin on plot.

[Paul]

Finished Click: The Magic of Instant Connections a couple of days ago. Was a swift read, and made some interesting points, but it didn't really have any depth. Review here

[Lisa]

I enjoyed Us, Joy (more than One Day, actually – sacrilege I know), but I do know what you mean – that is fair comment. Must read Elizabeth Is Missing as I've heard enough good things about it now. Or maybe I'll nominate it for our June read!

[Sally]

I finally finished my review of Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a very important postcolonial novel - 4★s.

Here is my review:

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

[Joy]

Sally wrote: "I finally finished my review of Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a very important postcolonial novel - 4★s.

Here is my review:

https://www.goodreads.c..."

I loved this book, which i read a couple of years ago. I disagree with your review in that i found the characters well-rounded and believable and not just vehicles for the plot. I must read it again!

[Jan]

Could someone tell me what a chapbook and a broadside are?

[Paul]

I am not even sure I understand the question Jan. Long time no see, are you keeping well?

[Pat]

Jan, I have typed both into google. chapbook is a book of poetry no more than 40 pages long on one theme. it is sometimes made of cloth i think and hand stitched
Broadside, is a one side printed paper eg poster. look this one up on Wikipedia (via google)

[Debbie]

Sob, I've finished the GOT series and waiting patiently for the next installment to be released. Can't recommend this series enough. I have never read a male author with such a magnificent cast of strong, flawed and willful female characters. The males are alright too ;)
Tyrion was my favourite in book 1 and still is. I think he was one of the best fictional characters ever created.
Right I am off to search through my TBR list to take my mind off this new found obsession. x

[Jo]

Debbie wrote: "Sob, I've finished the GOT series and waiting patiently for the next installment to be released. Can't recommend this series enough. I have never read a male author with such a magnificent cast of ..."

Gosh Debbie, that is some recommendation. I have the first one on my Kindle, got it when it was 99p, but I kind of feel I might need to read it on paper. Not sure why that is, but feel I would be able to tackle it better! Everyone raves about it for sure. May be it will be my own Summer Holidays challenge to get started with the series.

[Jan]

Paul wrote: "I am not even sure I understand the question Jan. Long time no see, are you keeping well?"

Paul, great to be back. I took some time to do a lot of historical, socio-political and philosophical reading (that's reading philosophy, not discussing reading philosophically), and attending to a sick sister. Do enjoy the discussions though and hope to participate more fully. Pat was kind enough to give me a definition of both. I was looking at small, offbeat publishers and saw these two terms as things they accept.
I'm reading Paris 1919 about the peace talks after WWI. Had no idea it was quite THAT complicated. Wow!

[Tytti]

Jan wrote: "I'm reading Paris 1919 about the peace talks after WWI. Had no idea it was quite THAT complicated."

I have watched a documentary movie about it, it was quite interesting.

[Lisa]

Love Game of Thrones. Love Tyrion. While you're waiting you need to watch the series, Debs - well worth it!

Just finished The Children Act and, unusually for me, wrote a small review. I found it powerful and beautifully written, but it was just a little too sparing in terms of characterisation to be truly convincing, for me. I understand from other reviews it is similar to On Chesil Beach in that sense – which I haven't yet read.

[Paul]

One to read when you're in Dorset Lisa!

[Lisa]

An excellent suggestion! :)

[Joy]

Lisa wrote: "Love Game of Thrones. Love Tyrion. While you're waiting you need to watch the series, Debs - well worth it!

Just finished The Children Act and, unusually for me, wrote a small revi..."

Have you got a link to your review? Ive just borrowed it from the library but not started it yet. I didnt like Chesil Beach as i just felt irritated with the characters, but the delight of a library book is that i can give it a try with nothing lost if i don't like it.

[Lisa]

Sorry Joy, am on the app at the moment so can't link, but it doesn't say too much more than what is above, anyway. I think it is supposed to be more like Chesil Beach in that it is more of a novella, or even a sort of vignette, rather than a fully plotted tale, so the characters are not given a lot of time to develop. I wasn't quite convinced by Fiona (the main character) in this one. However it is fascinating subject matter and, as I say, beautifully written. Do let me know what you think.

[Cathy]

Planning to read The Children Act this month so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Lisa.

[Paul]

Joy wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Love Game of Thrones. Love Tyrion. While you're waiting you need to watch the series, Debs - well worth it!

Just finished The Children Act and, unusually for me, wrote..."

This is Lisa's review Joy:

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

[Jan]

Pat wrote: "Jan, I have typed both into google. chapbook is a book of poetry no more than 40 pages long on one theme. it is sometimes made of cloth i think and hand stitched
Broadside, is a one side printed p..."

BTW, thank you, Pat for the info. They keep coming up with new genres all the time, don't they?

[Tytti]

Jan wrote: "They keep coming up with new genres all the time, don't they?"

Sarcasm?

[Paul]

Finished Uncommon Ground: A word-lover's guide to the British landscape last weekend, but with everything going on this week, have only tonight have had a chance to write a review. It is here

[Charlotte]

As fond as i have been of the GOT books, I wasn't very impressed with his representation of women, particularly the young teenage girls in quite brutal sexual scenes. I know its set in times that mirror medieval times or sometime thereabouts but I felt really uncomfortable reading those sections.

Just finished Maddaddam, perhaps not as strong a finish to Oryx & Crake as I was hoping for.

[Jon]

Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski.

Be forewarned, it's a book that will probably offend quite a few people, but I liked it a lot.

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

[Jan]

Paul: Just wanted to say I love your reviews. Keep 'em coming.

[Paul]

Thanks Jan!

[Joy]

I've just read Human Croquetwhich I thought I'd read years ago, but on reading I had no memory of it...
It's a difficult book to categorise - a sort of coming-of-age psychological drama, with time-shifts and parallel worlds. I loved it, finding it at different points funny, scary, poignant and lyrical. It explores many themes that Kate Atkinson returns to in Life After Life.

[Paul]

Could not get on with Life After Life Joy. Really beautifully written, but just didn't hang together.

Finished The Trinity Six las week. Excellent spy thriller, lot of drama and tension. Will definitely be reading others by Charles Cumming. Bit behind on reviews, but wrote this one here today

[Jackie]

Recently finished Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum. It's a story of a German lady & her daughter during and after WWII. Loved it.

[Joy]

Yesterday i read The Children Act in one go. I found it compelling but now feel a bit dissatisfied. (view spoiler)[ I really disliked the way Jack's infidelity is more or less dismissed as unimportant at the end. He finally offers his wife the comfort she needs (literally a shoulder to cry on)and their relationship is mended. (hide spoiler)]

[Jo]

Just finished How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia which I did enjoy. I really do like his writing style, narrative in the present tense is hard to pull off but I think he achieves a great result with it. Gives the writing a real immediacy about it, despite the fact that in this case, a relatively short book actually covered several decades. It got better and better and despite ultimately being quite sad, ended on an incredible high. It felt complete. An author I will follow as I adored The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

[Debbie]

Jo wrote: "Just finished How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia which I did enjoy. I really do like his writing style, narrative in the present tense is hard to pull off but I think he achieves..."

Oh I have that for my dusty shelf. I adored The Reluctant Fundamentalist too, fabulous writer. Looking forward to it even more, now I've read that Jo. x

[Debbie]

Just finished The Humans by Matt Haig. Very good. x

[Sophie]

I've just finished Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown. A refreshing take on mermaids compared to the sickly sweet Disney version.

[Maddie]

Just finished Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder. Took me a little over two years... because I moved from my parents' two years ago and re-discovered the book during my last visit. Well worth a read!

[Paul]

Two years! That must be a record Maggie