Just finished - just started Showing 12,851-12,900 of 13,832

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Finished Scotland Yard's First Cases - I was drawn by the mention of Whicher, but he wasn't included much. It was interesting to hear of policing in different times though, some of the challenges they had, how things have changed in certain ways.

[Pam]

Read volume 2 of Robin Hobb's Soldier Son trilogy, Forest Mage, and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1405972881.

[Pam]

Read Dianne Wynne Jones' The Game and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2521969348.

[Bernie]

Started A Change Of Climate and didn't think I would like it at first, but halfway through I am appalled by what happened and wowed by the writing. I am hoping that one of the missing people is going to turn up, but that remains to be seen. Love this author http://hilary-mantel.com/

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Just finished I Am Watching You - really didn't get this twist, an enjoyable read. Not sure what to read next, either another grey book for my colour challenge, or another Rachel Abbott book.

[Pam]

Read the third in Robin Hobb's Soldier's Son trilogy, Renegade's Magic, and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1405972939.

[Jim]

well you've convinced me not to bother with it :-)

[Jim]

Just finished Surface Detail
If you like the Culture novels, I think you'll enjoy this one. There are some very interesting ideas kicking about as usual, but the plot isn't ridiculously complicated :-)

[Natasha]

I've just finished The Night Watch by Sarah Waters and would be interested to know whether anyone who has already read this noticed what must have been a 1940s-style linguist device that I outline in my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Just started The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson, which is making me cry with laughter.

[Elizabeth]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "I've just finished The Night Watch by Sarah Waters and would be interested to know whether anyone who has already read this noticed what must have been a 1940s-style linguist device..."

That is the one book of Bill Bryson's that my stomach couldn't take - the semi-liquid body fluids of schoolboy humour. : (

[Pam]

Read a cosy crime by Simon Brett, but wasn't keen - Bones Under the Beach Hut - review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2525692907.

[Pam]

Read Foundation book 1 of Mercedes Lackey's Collegium series and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2527138898

[Jim]

Thanks for the reviews. I must admit (without intending to knock anybody else) that I tend to follow the reviews you and Kath do. You both have the knack of making them interesting to read even if it's a book I'll probably never buy :-)

[Kath]

I've recently finished The Turn of Midnight by Minette Walters, sequel to her fantastic Black Death Book 1 The Last Hours. I hope there'll be a third.

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

Also Mrs Bates of Highbury by Allie Cresswell, a prequel to Jane Austen's Emma. I don't usually go for fan-fic but this is truly in the Austen spirit and I loved it.

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

Each in its own way a cracking 5 star read.

[Karen]

Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Finished Scotland Yard's First Cases - I was drawn by the mention of Whicher, but he wasn't included much. It was interesting to hear of policing in different times though, some of ..."

Thanks - I hadn't noticed this so have just downloaded it. Sounds just my cup of tea.
Have just finished Broken Ground, my first Val McDermid. The plot seemed a bit daft & I couldn't relate to the main character which didn't help. Am now reading The Sudden Departure of the Frasers, which is creeping along. Very similar in feel to her Our House, perhaps unsurprisingly.

[Kath]

Just finished a lovely bit of young adult fiction - historical too - set around the time of Richard III (although he's not the king yet in this book). The Order of the White Boar Five star review and as soon as I've done the two beta reads I've promised, I shall be back for Book 2.

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

[David]

Finished Blood Lines while we were on holiday.

Excellent stuff as usual for the series.

And while away I started A Morning for Flamingos. Another book in another great series.

[Pam]

Jim wrote: "Thanks for the reviews. I must admit (without intending to knock anybody else) that I tend to follow the reviews you and Kath do. You both have the knack of making them interesting to read even if ..."

Cheers Jim!

[Pam]

Finished The Enchanted by Roberta Murphy and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1773841929.

[Natasha]

Just finished The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson. Some of it was exceptionally witty. Worth a read just for the Capri pants story.

Just started (10% in) Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. It's a psychological thriller that feels a bit like Gone Girl and Girl on The Train. I'm gripped already.

[David]

Just finished A Morning for Flamingos which was excellent.

Just started Hood

[Pam]

Finished Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2534211918.

[Pam]

Read this around 24 August and forgot to do a review - Secret of NIMH as my edition has it - a film tie-in - usually known as Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1367357351.

[Benjamin]

I've finished Monica Byrne's global-warming road-trip novel The Girl in the Road, and started reading Lethal White.

[Kath]

Loved the Rats of NIMH book. Saw the film but found it emetic.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Kath wrote: "Loved the Rats of NIMH book. Saw the film but found it emetic."

The book was one of my childhood favourites and I still enjoy it.

[Pam]

Just finished Joyce Carol Oates' Expensive People and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2536952581.

[Pam]

Just finished Tanya Huff's Blood Price and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2539524209.

[Elizabeth]

Just finished the final book in Juliann Whicker's Darkly Sweet series. Fantasy full of rich writing, black humour. Darkly violent and sweetly romantic in fabulous contrast. Worth the build-up over the five books. Juliann Whicker Sorry, GR only seems to provide a link to the author's page rather than to the first book.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Just finished The Sixth Window, think I may read Come A Little Closer next. While away I am going to read the Stephen King short story Patti sent a link to a while ago, I want to read that with no distractions.

[David]

Finished rereadingOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , as good as I remember it.

Just started rereading (possibly) The Sailor on the Seas of Fate. I did read a whole load of Elric books back in the 70s, I'm about three chapters in and I'm not still not sure if this is one of them or not.

[Kath]

I've recently read and enjoyed (I stop reading when I'm not enjoying!) The Order of the White Boar and The King's Man by Alex Marchant. Young Adult fiction set at the time of Richard III and very good.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
There's a third book in the offing and I'll be reading it.

Also - now for something completely different - When I Wake Up by Jessica Jarlvi. Psychological thriller which I enjoyed a great deal - but don't read it if F/F love scenes upset you.

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

[Will]

Following Jim's enthusiasm, I've just started on Iain M Bank's Culture series. I'm not yet engaging with it though.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Will wrote: "Following Jim's enthusiasm, I've just started on Iain M Bank's Culture series. I'm not yet engaging with it though."

Funnily enough I've never managed to get into them at all. Tried several times. The Crow Road is one of my all time favourites though and I enjoyed his other 'mainstream' works (although the Wasp Factory creeped me out big time) so it must be something to do with the M :)

[Kath]

I've just finished In A Right State by Ben Ellis. Frighteningly believable dystopian future treated with humour for the most part. Got a little bogged down in explanation in places but an enjoyable read.

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

[David]

Just finished Hood which was quite interesting, moving the Robin Hood story to Wales. I'm going to have to read the rest of the trilogy at some point.

Just started A Man With One of Those Faces, after hearing a podcast interview with the author. It is shaping up to be very good indeed.

[David]

I finished The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation, Volume 1 a few days ago.

Well... it all seems so unbelievable and all too believable at the same time what people are capable of doing to each other in the name of the best of reasons.

Just started The Hero With a Thousand Faces

[Kath]

Just finished The Fake Date which is a nicely structured spychological thriller if a little too romantic for my taste. Ended at 88% too. Tut!

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

Just started Force of Nature by Jane Harper, author of The Dry, which I loved.

[Jess]

Just finished The Phantom of the Opera and was a disappointed, It was too melodramatic for me.

I've just started The Sellout which is interesting but a bit rambly

[Jim]

David wrote: "I finished The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation, Volume 1 [bookcover:The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation, Vo..."

I remember reading it not long after it came out in paperback. It is in some ways a very disturbing book

[Natasha]

Just finished Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough, which had a knockout ending. Wow-ee.

Just started The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick.

[Kath]

I started The Man in the High Castle about a year ago. Didn't get far. Bored out of my brain.

[Natasha]

Kath wrote: "I started The Man in the High Castle about a year ago. Didn't get far. Bore out of my brain."

I'm just 5% in, and it's weird. But I can't yet tell whether good weird or bad weird. ...

[David]

Jim wrote: "I remember reading it not long after it came out in paperback. It is in some ways a very disturbing book ."

Yes. reading this book the first time back then, along with others like 1984, Darkness at Noon, and so many others fiction and non-fiction did so much to develop my way of looking at the world.

[Jud]

Natasha (Diarist) wrote: "Kath wrote: "I started The Man in the High Castle about a year ago. Didn't get far. Bore out of my brain."

I'm just 5% in, and it's weird. But I can't yet tell whether good weird or bad weird. ..."

Isn't that on Amazon Prime now? If the book doesn't work out you could try watching it instead.

[Natasha]

Jud wrote: "Amazon Prime"

What's that??

[Jud]

Amazon's TV service, like Netflix but it's Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-High-Cas...

[Natasha]

Jud wrote: "Amazon's TV service, like Netflix but it's Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-High-Cas..."

Ahhhhh. ...

[Kath]

I only have 'ordinary telly' but in any case, I feel a film is always a weak reflection of a book. If I don't get on with the book I shan't bother with the film.

[Pam]

Will wrote: "Following Jim's enthusiasm, I've just started on Iain M Bank's Culture series. I'm not yet engaging with it though."

Yes I've never been able to get on with those either.