Just finished - just started Showing 10,951-11,000 of 13,832

[Jamie]

Elizabeth wrote: "Sam wrote: "Just finished The Girl on the Train. Hmm. Nothing wrong with the writing - it's very good - but it's difficult to enjoy a book when the main protagonist is irritating be..."
Agreed re: Girl on the Train. Struggled to finish it.

[Jamie]

Just this minute finished Purity. Had to work at it because it's long and not an easy read. Complex characters, multiple threads and Franzen likes to build slowly. But it's very well crafted and ultimately rewarding.

[Michael]

I've posted my review for Dave Haynes's latest release Black Pine Creek and it's another stunning horror read from him:

http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[Kath]

Agree, Michael. One of my best reads this year.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Just started Edge by Jeffery Deaver, bit puzzled as the prologue ended partway through a word

[Guy]

I just finished reading the aptly named The Voyeur's Motel by Gay Talese.

This is my review — https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jonathan]

I'm currently reading The Girl on the Train and am intrigued enough to want to finish it. However I think there *are* things wrong with the writing. I've read far better prose. It's full of run-ons and often repetitive and unstylish.

The book has surely triumphed through marketing alone because the writing is just not that good. I know I recognise good writing because I think 'oh that's a great phrase' or 'I wish I'd written that bit' but there is nothing I envy here.

[Natasha]

Just finished the rather extraordinary Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind.

Just finished the rather dull The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.

Just started the rather promising Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.

[Elizabeth]

I loved Ready Player One.

Picked up Raiders Of The Lost Car Park from son's bookshelves. Quite enjoying it, never having read any of Robert Rankin's before.

[David]

Just finished rereading The Hot Rock - really excellent - even after several rereads now - like most Westlake books (the film didn't do it justice, of course, even with a Goldman screenplay & Redford starring).

Just started rereading The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for the umpteenth time.

This time I know where my towel is.

[David]

Just finished The Spirit Box which was very good. Up to Gallagher's usual standard.

Just started Dead Secret which is shaping up nicely.

Just finished The Brain: The Story of You - very good indeed. Worth reading if you want to find out how the brain works, or if you are thinking about getting one.

Just started The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge.

[Kath]

Just finished The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry - a Netgalley ARC. Amusingly told and quite thought-provoking. It's a bit rambly-shambly to my mind, more like a conversation. Good solid four-star read, though.

Currently reading Witness by Caroline Mitchell, another advance copy. Claustrophobic!

[Patti (baconater)]

I've been saving looking in here until I need a new book but I couldn't resist any longer. :)

Natasha, I've had Perfume on my TBR for ages. I'll push it up the list. I've seen the film, though. I'm sure the book will be better.

I've been reading Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

I wanted to check it out to see if it was good enough to reccie to a very reluctant young reader of my acquaintance. I'm not sure if it is yet. I'll have to decide after I'm finished.
I'd be delighted if I could reccie the book that will make them fall in love with reading. Or at the least, realise that there are wonderful books out there but they need to be sought out.

[Harry]

The Infidel I enjoyed this. I enjoyed being taken into the Hindu Kush and to feel the life of Nuristan. There were echoes of Kipling 'Man Who Would be King'.

[Michael]

I've posted my review for David Hadley's In the Beginning and it's a superb read, based on an interesting concept.

http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[Kath]

Totally agree!
Just finished Witness by Caroline Mitchell. It's an advance copy but look out for it when it's published. It's a tense look at a domestic abuse situation.

[Kathy]

Just finished The Hog's Back Mystery: A British Library Crime Classic. It was OK but it's a rather dry whodunit, very much concentrating on the technical aspects of the crime and clues - too much for my taste. I read Mystery in the Channel by the same author which I found much more enjoyable.
Just started At the Water's Edge.

[Karen]

Just finished Helen Dunmore's Exposurewhich I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing is exquisite - not a word wasted - and she captures exactly all the nuances of body language and expression. Five star. Will be back to something chilly and Nordic I think next.

[Kathy]

Karen wrote: "Just finished Helen Dunmore's Exposurewhich I thoroughly enjoyed. The writing is exquisite - not a word wasted - and she captures exactly all the nuances of body language and expres..."

Sounds like a book I might enjoy, Karen. Thanks for the recommendation.

[David]

Michael wrote: "

I've posted my review for David Hadley's In the Beginning and it's a superb read, based on an interesting concept.

http://thecultofme.blogspo..."

Really glad you liked it.

Thanks for the great review too.

You are right about it being partially inspired by God games. Mostly Populous (especially Populous II on the Amiga back in the day), but Civ too and a few others like Megalomania, Settlers and so on.

[Kath]

Just finished Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma by David Boyle. It's a Kindle Single, so necessarily short. If you know nothing about the man it will fill you in. I was annoyed to find that the last 11% of the book was an extract from another of the author's works. I hate that! Reasonable as it stands, though a bit superficial, but it has a good bibliography for those who want more.

[David]

Just finished Dead Secret which was okay, if - mostly - obvious.

Just started I Let You Go, which is looking good so far.

[B J]

Just finished The Final Detail which was awful. I have quite enjoyed his stand alone novels. It's hard to believe the Myron Bolitar series is by the same author.
Just started Wild Hares and Hummingbirds: The Natural History of an English Village - rather different.

[Jamie]

Racing through The Beat Goes On. Read most of the short stories before but Rankin (and the Rebus character) are so instantly engaging it's hard to stop reading them.

[Lexie]

Just finished The Falconer. Alice Thompson, which was at least short. I'm still not sure if I liked it or not: some of the language was lovely, and some was completely overdone, and I didn't really care about any of the characters, yet I think it might well linger.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Finished Unbillable Hours: A True Story - hard to read in places, but I needed to hear the result. Have 2 challenge books to read this month, not sure which to read next.

[Lexie]

Not long finished Hangman Blind, which was average, and the second and third in the brilliant, educated and funny Rivers of London series, Moon Over Soho and Whispers Under Ground. What I shouldn't have done is read these at the same time as reading the equally good but very different The Water Room, the second Bryant & May mystery - also set around the lost rivers of London, and also, of course, with a character called May. Currently reading a couple of excellent short story collections, Souls Disturbed: Three Supernatural Tales and Dust Blowing.

[Kelly]

Just finished Broken Faces and just started Apprentice in Death.

Loved Broken Faces and always enjoy JD Robb.

[Michael]

I've posted my review for False Gods by Graham McNeill. This is the second book in the Horus Heresy series, and was a fun read:

http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[Pam]

Finished two series - volume 5 of the first Amber series, by Roger Zelazny - The Courts of Chaos - and book 3 of the Tawny Man trilogy by Robin Hobb - Fool's Fate.

[Kath]

Just finished Ten Guilty Men which is a very good detective story. I like the policeman too - he doesn't have totally dysfunctional relationships and a shocking past - he's a normal bloke. I know - amazing, eh!

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

[Pat ()]

On your say so, I've got it!

[Kath]

I think you'll enjoy it Pat. I've read three of the four now - and not necessarily in the right order!

[Patti (baconater)]

Today I've mostly been reading Noughts & Crosses.

It almost started to drag for a bit but it's got very good.

[Lexie]

Just finished Kath's excellent Souls Disturbed: Three Supernatural Tales, and much to my relief I have finally finished Ship of Magic, which has really dragged. It took me more than half of it to care what happened in any of the story lines, though the writing is very good and the setting is well-imagined.

[Kath]

Thanks, Lexie - and I enjoyed your review!

Just finished Sugar for Sugar: UK Edition and I enjoyed that very much. An unreliable narrator and an exciting chase/escape section. I doubt I'd have acted as the lead character does but then I've never gone through what she has. Makes you think.

http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[David]

Just finished I Let You Go which was really good. Apparently, it was the winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year for this year. It seems like this prize is one of the few that go to books actually worth reading.

Just started The Fourteenth Protocol - not sure about it yet.

Just finished rereading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy . Still a damn fine book, but a surprise at how short it is.

Just started rereading Last Bus to Woodstock I've only read a few Morse books, but how now decided to read them all and in order - exciting days, eh?

[Lexie]

Kath wrote: "Thanks, Lexie - and I enjoyed your review!

Just finished Sugar for Sugar: UK Edition and I enjoyed that very much. An unreliable narrator and an exciting chase/escape section. I d..."

You're welcome! Well deserved.

[Pam]

Lexie wrote: "Just finished Kath's excellent Souls Disturbed: Three Supernatural Tales, and much to my relief I have finally finished Ship of Magic, which has really dragged. It took..."

I know what you mean about these huge tomes of Robin Hobb's. Because I loved her much shorter Megan Lindholm work I bought loads of the Hobbs and stockpiled them until I started reading them last year and found a lot of problems. And the LiveShip Traders series is actually better in my opinion than the earlier Farseer Assassin trilogy!

[Pam]

Read Fear in the Cotswolds, number 7 in the cosy crime series by Rebecca Tope. Unfortunately, I found this one a bit disappointing.

[Lexie]

Pam wrote: "Lexie wrote: "Just finished Kath's excellent Souls Disturbed: Three Supernatural Tales, and much to my relief I have finally finished Ship of Magic, which has really dr..."

I was so tempted by the idea of the ships, but so disappointed, at least initially, by the storylines!

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Realised I needed to read my Halloween book Dracula's Guest slightly disappointed as they aren't about Dracula, but good gothic horror stories

[Patti (baconater)]

Finished Noughts & Crosses yesterday. It was alright. I think I had higher expectations that weren't delivered.

I started Boy's Life. Thought I'd read it years ago after I read Swan Song but it's not ringing any bells. Can't say it's gripped me so far. I'll see how I get on with it today.

[Kath]

Just finished Garden of Stars by Rose Alexander. Lovely story - lower body count than I usually read but I enjoyed it hugely!

http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[Kathy]

Just finished At the Water's Edge. Struggled with it initially and didn't really feel involved until about half way in. Since some readers seem to have enjoyed Water for Elephants more, I'm wondering if I should give it a try. Have just started Mystery in White, a 'British Library Crime Classic'.

[Kath]

Just finished Long Cold Death by Lynda Wilcox and it's another great read. Lots of humour and wry observation.

http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/201...

[Lexie]

Kath wrote: "Just finished Long Cold Death by Lynda Wilcox and it's another great read. Lots of humour and wry observation.

http://ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/201..."
Thanks for pointing out a new one, Kath: seems everyone's bringing out new stuff at the moment and I can't keep up!
Just finished Jim Webster's A Bad Penny, another excellent and entertaining outing for Benor Dorfingil.

[Jim]

Lexie wrote: "Just finished Jim Webster's A Bad Penny, another excellent and entertaining outing for Benor Dorfingil...."

glad you enjoyed it :-)

but any story that has Mutt resplendent in pink velvet knickerbockers and matching jacket has to have something going for it :-)

[Karen]

David wrote: "Just finished I Let You Go which was really good. Apparently, it was the winner of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year for this year..."
Thanks for that, sounds just my sort of book so have just bought it. Am currently reading another Icelandic tale by Quentin Bates,
Cold Comfort. It's a bit slow going, and the names are confusing, and I can't say I care much about the characters... other than that, it's an OK read!

[Lexie]

Jim wrote: "Lexie wrote: "Just finished Jim Webster's A Bad Penny, another excellent and entertaining outing for Benor Dorfingil...."

glad you enjoyed it :-)

but any story that has Mutt resplendent in pink v..."
I felt for him!