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[Karen]

Finished The Snow Girls which was a well paced mystery with a feisty heroine. A bit different.
Now I've got my wellies and waterproofs on and reading Lambing, almost live. - which is bringing back a few memories of step-dad's flock (and their death wish...)

[Jim]

Karen wrote: "Finished The Snow Girls which was a well paced mystery with a feisty heroine. A bit different.
Now I've got my wellies and waterproofs on and reading [book:Lambing, almost live.|50..."

wrap up warm :-)

[David]

Finished Tightrope . A decent read.

About to start Followers

[Karen]

Jim wrote: "Karen wrote: "Finished The Snow Girls which was a well paced mystery with a feisty heroine. A bit different.
Now I've got my wellies and waterproofs on and reading Lambing, a..."</i>


Glad I wore my thermals Jim. Enjoyed reading [book:Lambing, almost live. - a delight. Any plans for a book 'The wisdom of Sal'?
With the countryside in mind, I've started The Country Girls Trilogy which I read far too many years ago to remember. I found a BBC prog about her on the iplayer - what a talent - and what a life...
I seem to be in italics this morning. Not a good look

[Pam]

Read volume 2 in Tanith Lee's Vis series and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3176435871

[Jim]

Karen wrote: "Glad I wore my thermals Jim. Enjoyed reading Lambing, almost live. - a delight. Any plans for a book 'The wisdom of Sal'?..."

A slim volume :-)
Old Jess was the wise one, a Granny Weatherwax amongst Border Collies. If you haven't got respect, you've got nothing :-)

[David]

Just finished Monarchy: England and Her Rulers from the Tudors to the Windsors .

Excellent.

Just about to start Lambing, almost live.

[Jim]

David wrote: "Just finished Monarchy: England and Her Rulers from the Tudors to the Windsors .

Excellent.


Just about to start Lambing, almost live. by Jim Webster Lambing, almost live...."

Well you've got the weather for it :-)

[David]

"Just about to start Lambing, almost live. by Jim Webster Lambing, almost live...."
Jim wrote: "Well you've got the weather for it :-)."

I thought that as I started it.
Good stuff. One of those 'I'll just read a bit more before I stop', books. Halfway through already.

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

I finally finished In Cold Blood, glad I read it, but not sure I would re-read it. Now going to read A Discovery of Witches, it is over 600 pages though.

[Jim]

David wrote: ""I thought that as I started it.
Good stuff. One of those 'I'll just read a bit more before I stop', books. Halfway through already.


."

A friend of mine described it as the perfect lavatory book. No matter how long you wish to spend in the smallest room, there's a chapter of the right length :-)

[David]

Jim wrote: "A friend of mine described it as the perfect..."

I suppose that's true.

Anyway, I finished it yesterday, which means I'll probably have to get the other books now as well to read more adventures of Sal and her assistant.

[David]

Finished Lambing, almost live. .

Very good indeed. Highly recommended.

Just starting End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World: Asteroids, Super Volcanoes, Rogue Robots, and More

[Pam]

Read another in the Bryant and May series by Christopher Fowler, Hall of Mirrors and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3184700368.

[Karen]

Not read any of those yet, Pam, but someone in the gym recommended them to me (yes, I always take my kindle with me - it feels like such a waste of time just sitting there pedalling otherwise)

[Pam]

Karen wrote: "Not read any of those yet, Pam, but someone in the gym recommended them to me (yes, I always take my kindle with me - it feels like such a waste of time just sitting there pedalling otherwise)"

they differ I find, some I really enjoyed others not so much. Book 2 in the series, The Water House, is still one of my favourites.

[Pam]

Read book 3 of the Vis trilogy by Tanith Lee but sadly this one didn't really gel for me - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3184781494

[Pam]

Also read Will-o-the-Wisp by Thomas Burnett Swann and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3199245044.

[Karen]

Pam wrote: "Karen wrote: "Not read any of those yet, Pam, but someone in the gym recommended them to me (yes, I always take my kindle with me - it feels like such a waste of time just sitting there pedalling o..."

thanks Pam, I'll give that one a go

[David]

Finished End Times: A Brief Guide to the End of the World: Asteroids, Super Volcanoes, Rogue Robots, and More .

Very good, but it does make you wonder if it is worth starting a new series on Netflix.

Just started Woke: A Guide to Social Justice.

[Pam]

Read book 1 in a series by Tanith Lee - Night's Master and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3201778542

Used to love Tanith Lee but this seems to be two series in a row that I am not getting on well with.

[David]

Finished Woke: A Guide to Social Justice .

Very good, but too short to show the full extent of Titania McGrath's genius.

Just started Daylight Robbery: How Tax Shaped Our Past and Will Change Our Future

[Pam]

Read Thomas Burnett Swann's Wolfwinter - and loved it, which is a big change from several others of his that I've read - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3201955281.

[Karen]

Finished reading Edna O'Brien's The Country Girls trilogy - a lot bleaker than I remembered!
Have now started (keeping with the Irish theme) Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told, which is a delight - rather a black comedy. Wonderful characters, and great writing.

[Will]

Just finished Nothing To See Here which i'll confess I enjoyed.

Also been on a Wilkie Collins thing having downloaded his complete works. I failed to guess the ending of The Woman in White even though I recall reading it years ago

[Pam]

Read book 2 of Tanith Lee's Flat Earth series Death's Master which started off promisingly but derailed towards the end - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1915123698.

[Pam]

Will wrote: "Just finished Nothing To See Here which i'll confess I enjoyed.

Also been on a Wilkie Collins thing having downloaded his complete works. I failed to guess the ending of The Woman ..."

Don't worry Will I've forgotten it already and I only read it last year ;-)

[Jim]

Just saw The Dogs of War in a charity shop and whilst I'd read it not long after it was written I haven't read it since.

It's still a good story but it's also a fascinating glimpse into a world that no longer exists. People sending recorded express letters that will get from London to Zurich next morning. Everybody using phone boxes etc
And of course everything is at 1970 prices
It should be a set book in schools ;-)

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

We’ve got an old Bakelite phone with a dial on it (still works, had it refurbished a couple of years ago) Daughters couldn’t work out out how to use it, then were amazed at how long it took to dial (as was I, to be fair)

[Pam]

Read The Girl With All the Gifts and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3209684129.

[Karen]

Finished The Daughter In Law which was disappointing. Badly edited - her parents 'immigrated to Australia' amongst many other errors. Implausible plot and characters. But I did finish it (quickly). Now immersing myself in Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time: 1st Movement - such a contrast - beautifully written, subtle humour. It's a treat I've been promising myself for some time but hadn't got round to.

[Natasha]

Recently finished:
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran (re-read)

Just started:
My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

[Pam]

Read book 1 in a Louise Cooper fantasy series - The Deceiver and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3209683297.

[Pam]

Read book 3 in the Tanith Lee Flat Earth series - Delusion's Master and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1915123409.

[Will]

Jim wrote: "Just saw The Dogs of War in a charity shop and whilst I'd read it not long after it was written I haven't read it since.

It's still a good story but it's also a fascinating glimpse i..."

Forsyth is very under rated in my view. His research is meticulous. And he writes a great ghost story too - The Shepherd is well worth a read

[Will]

I've been enjoying some more Tom Holt. Snow White and the Seven Samurai

[Jim]

Will wrote: "Jim wrote: "Forsyth is very under rated in my view. His research is meticulous. And he writes a great ghost story too - The Shepherd is well worth a read..."

Yes, I think that 'genre snobbery' has done for him. He sold too many books, made too much money, to be considered a great writer

[Will]

Jim wrote: "Will wrote: "Jim wrote: "Forsyth is very under rated in my view. His research is meticulous. And he writes a great ghost story too - The Shepherd is well worth a read..."

Yes, I think that 'genre ..."

The snobbery attached to genre writing is something we know all too well. And Isiguro got loads of it too for The Sleeping Giant, I recall.

[Karen]

Same with crime fiction - far too popular to be considered 'literary' yet often the themes tackled are relevant and challenging, there are some terrific characters and cracking plots.

[Will]

Karen wrote: "Same with crime fiction - far too popular to be considered 'literary' yet often the themes tackled are relevant and challenging, there are some terrific characters and cracking plots."

And crime sells, often a crime itself to some critics

[Pam]

Read Delirium's Mistress, book 4 in the Flat Earth series by Tanith Lee and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1915123431.

[Jim]

Will wrote: "And crime sells, often a crime itself to some critics...."

indeed, the cynic might comment that if they could write they wouldn't be critics, but there again you somehow have to explain away Dorothy Parker :-)

[Karen]

Finished reading Women of the Dunes which was nicely written, a touch of gothic romance. With all the doom and gloom I might treat myself to The Mirror & the Light - not a cheery read, I know, but such superb writing. I can immerse myself in it.
Oh, apropos of critics... in the Grauniad recently, Romesh Ranganathan quoted a writer who said he wouldn't take constructive criticism from people who didn't construct anything. Romesh wondered if it was only builders we should take advice from?!!

[Desley (Cat fosterer)]

Finished A Discovery of Witches enjoyed it despite the fact I don't normally read paranormal romance. Now back to my normal genre, this month's category is continuing series Toxic Justice

[Kath]

Haven't updated here in ages. Must get act in gear!

[Will]

Just read Peter Swanson's latest, which was excellent: and that book put me onto a story I didn't know about, The Red House Mystery by AA Milne. Yes, the Winne-ther-Pooh writer did a murder mystery!

[Karen]

Just having a quick read/skim through Sea of Memories Really needed a good edit, to cut out all the 'purple passages'. Can't say I'm engaged with the characters but it is quite sweet at times. Just not very 'real'. Almost finished it anyway.

[Natasha]

Just finished My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite.

Just started The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (YA poetry).

[Pam]

Reviewed some books a while back but didn't get round to actually posting links to them:

Book 5 in Tanith Lee's Flat Earth series Night's Sorceries - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3233262822

Book 2 of Louise Cooper's Chaos Gate trilogy, The Pretender - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3216392791

Volkhavaar by Tanith Lee - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1915124871

and as a break from fantasy

Colin Dexter's Death is Now My Neighbour - reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3233304182"

Although I did briefly catch up, I'm 2 behind on my target again, but I have read one book that I have not yet reviewed.

[David]

I seem to have missed a few updates.

Finished Daylight Robbery: How Tax Shaped Our Past and Will Change Our Future - Excellent. Recommended.

Finished Followers - very good, but has a slowish start.

Finished How to Have Impossible Conversations: A Very Practical Guide - Pretty good, but a bit pedantic.

Did not finish Vox - rather dull

Finished The Last Drop of Blood If it is really the last Katie Maguire book in the series then I'm sad to see it end.

Finished You Look Like a Thing and I Love You: How Artificial Intelligence Works and Why It's Making the World a Weirder Place . Very good - shows how artificial intelligence is often just as dumb as (and sometimes dumber than) the natural kind.

Started Wakenhyrst

Started More from Less: The Surprising Story of How We Learned to Prosper Using Fewer Resources—and What Happens Next

Rereading The Human Factor