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What are you reading at the moment

(1201 Posts)
Hattie64 Thu 26-May-11 19:58:46

I have just started reading 'The Secret Life of Bees' by Sue Monk Kidd. One of the reviews 'Wonderfully written, powerful, poignant and humerous'. Well I shall find out, I am on page 26 at the moment, and is very easy to read.

numberplease Mon 24-Oct-11 15:18:37

Well, I`ve finished Grave Sight, ,and whilst it wasn`t the worst book I`ve ever read, it wasn`t the best either. I`ve got another of Charlaine Harris`s books, Grave Surprise, about the same girl, I`m going to read it, because I paid money for it, but it`ll probably be more of the same.

Kennedy Wed 26-Oct-11 11:21:35

Having read Song for a Butterfly by Margaret Kaine, award winning author of
Ring of Clay and other romantic books. Set in the Potteries, Song for a Butterfly is released on Kindle. It's a well written book with characters to make you laugh, and above all, a heroine that will arouse your curiosity to the end.

gracesmum Wed 26-Oct-11 11:28:02

Has anybody read The Last Resort by Douglas Rogers about (I think) his parents' farm in Zimbabwe? Have just got it from Amazon and it looks fascinating. Also got "Divas and Dictators - the secrets to having a much better behaved child" and am debating whether to read it or offer it to DD (given that DGS is a perfect poppet at present but if he grows up like his mother......look out!)

crimson Wed 26-Oct-11 14:55:18

Oryx and Crake anyone? Was recommended to me a few years back, but never got round to reading it. Sounds a fascinating read [I've just googled it].

Libradi Wed 26-Oct-11 18:54:49

Just started Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen, a Danish crime thriller on my kindle. It was highly recommended by a friend who usually enjoys the same books as me.

Annobel Wed 26-Oct-11 19:05:18

Oh no! not another Scandinavian crime writer! I seem to have a compulsion to download them. Just finished an early Wallander thriller and have worked my way through a lot of Jo Nesbo. Thanks, Libradi, I think....

Annobel Wed 26-Oct-11 19:16:03

It takes about 30 seconds from reading a recommendation here to downloading a sample to my Kindle! And I just have.

NanaAnna Wed 26-Oct-11 22:54:45

Hi Kennedy - just downloaded a sample of Song for a Butterfly onto my Kindle on your recommendation. This is another great feature of the Kindle - apart from being able to access almost any book in seconds, you can download a free couple of chapter to see if it will suit. Yes, I buy paper books too. It's not a case of either or, it's a case of as well as....

numberplease Wed 26-Oct-11 22:58:34

Talking of Scandinavian writers, another one to look out for is Hakan Nesser.

bookdreamer Thu 27-Oct-11 07:00:01

I am constantly amazed that so many people on here buy books and have Kindles. I use my local library, request books that I want to read (after looking on Amazon etc), pay £1.25 for the request and then have them on loan for free for 3 weeks. Support your local library or they will be closed.

Acheron Thu 27-Oct-11 13:02:29

I use the local library as well as my kindle and buying books. I'm just a book addict. We are lucky with our library here - reservations are free. I agree with bookdreamer. We don't want our local libraries to close - I go to two book clubs there. I have just got The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst. It seems to be a bad cross between Brideshead Revisited and Atonement. It's not going well.

dc Fri 28-Oct-11 11:01:57

have just finished reading stieg larrssen millenium trilogy, what a find. particularly enjoyed the final one, the girl who kicked the hornets nest. i seldom buy any books now, but we have a local library which will order any book you select, they even got me a copy of j b preistley, s an english journey, which although written in 1934 ish, is still very relevant today. look it up.

numberplease Fri 28-Oct-11 16:40:09

I loved the Millenium trilogy, but nearly gave up on the first one, glad now that I didn`t.

Hattie64 Thu 03-Nov-11 20:37:17

I heard Victoria Hislop on Radio 4 today, she has a new book out. Also a film is being made of her first book 'The Island'

numberplease Thu 03-Nov-11 20:46:21

I saw Martina Cole on The Wright Stuff this morning. I`ve never felt any compulsion to read her books, why, I don`t know, but am thinking of giving them a try, because I liked her, very down to earth, and as common as muck, just like me!!
At the moment I`m reading Bloodstream, by Tess Gerritsen. Turns out I`ve read it before, but can`t quite remember the outcome, so will carry on with it.

Carol Thu 03-Nov-11 21:32:22

I love Tess Gerritson, get fed up with Martina Cole as she repeats what she's said a lot in her books - feels like she's padding them out for the publisher.

numberplease Thu 03-Nov-11 22:10:28

You`ve made me think now, Carol! I might still buy one to try. I`ve read a couple of books by Jessie Kean, apparently she`s very like Martina Cole in her style.

Carol Thu 03-Nov-11 22:41:15

Yes, my daughter reads Jessie Kean and lent me a couple - they were better than Martina Cole, I found.

Annobel Thu 03-Nov-11 22:44:53

I only ever read one Martina Cole book which I found gratuitously violent. It appeared to me to glorify the 'family' aspect of gang culture. Left a nasty taste in my mouth anyway and I'm not normally in the least squeamish.

jogginggirl Thu 03-Nov-11 23:27:38

To my surprise I am reading The Knitting Circle by Ann Flood and really enjoying it........can't wait to pick up my Kindle again! I have recently read The Brave by Nicholas Evans - nowhere as good as previous books e.g. The Horse Whisperer and The Loop and have also read Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards - again, disappointingly not as good as The Abortionist's Daughter!!
I am getting much harder to please hmm

numberplease Fri 04-Nov-11 00:18:21

I`ve recently read True Evil, by Greg Iles, and really enjoyed it. I know I`ve read another of his books featuring the character Alex Morse, but can`t for the life of me remember what it was called, so hope I don`t buy it again by mistake.

Ariadne Fri 04-Nov-11 09:25:12

Now reading "Benefits" by Zoe Fairbairns; I mentioned it earlier. It's a dystopian novel, like 1984, and it really resonates with what's going on today in our society, or rather where we could end up if the government keeps on controlling everything we do. Sounds heavy, but it isn't, it's a very good story and based on women taking action. First read it in 1998, got it used from Amazon - and it's a signed copy too!

Grannylin Fri 04-Nov-11 14:12:12

Am reading Jo Nesbo's 'The Snowman' but usually when I can't sleep in the early hours---its making it extra creepy!'The Knitting Circle' didn't hit the right spot.

gulligranny Fri 04-Nov-11 14:38:11

Like DC and Numberplease, I am also enjoying the Millennium Trilogy - I'm halfway through the last one, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest and probably enjoying it the most. Well worth sticking at ....

Elegran Fri 04-Nov-11 16:16:34

"The Worst Journey in the World" by Aspley Cherry-Singh. His side of Scott's last expedition in Antarctica. Very readable, with descriptions of the beautful scenery etc. So far have only read about the eventful sea voyage to reach the Antarctic before they could even begin the real purpose of the expedition, but I have read this before in a different format and I know that there are some dramatic accounts of the Winter Journey collecting penguin eggs to come, as well as the tragic final push of the Polar Party toward the pole.

I downloaded it free from Project Gutenburg.
www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14363

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