What are you reading now?

Elrel I expect you know that Lion has been made into a film and has had good reviews.

I've just finished reading "Remarkable Creatures" by Tracy Chevalier, a partly fictionalised account of Mary Anning's life's work in discovering and categorising fossilized creatures. It truly was remarkable that a young woman from a very modest background came to be recognised as an expert in her field. I found it so interesting and informative that I will make sure the next time I go to Lyme Regis that I visit the Philpot Museum, which is mentioned in TC's Postscript.

Far From True was good, but the story carries straight on in the next book, so I`ll have to get it quick! Now reading No Turning Back, by Tracy Buchanan, sort of a thriller, but not definitely a thriller. A woman is out with her baby, they`re attacked by a crazy looking schoolboy with a knife, in trying to defend her daughter, she kills the lad, the book is about the repercussions.

Just finished Light between Oceans. Would recommend it. It's been made into a film

I read that a while ago Grannyqueenie, started off not too sure, but ended up, like you say, enjoying it. I read another of her books, but can`t remember the title.

I've just finished reading Sister by Rosalind Lupton, a Christmas present from one of my daughters . I probably wouldn't have chosen it for myself, but I did really enjoy it and it was gripping right to the very last page.

I am nearing the end of - An Officer and a Spy - by Robert Harris - very well researched about the Dreyfus affair. I have always been intrigued by that case ever since we did it in History at school.
My last book was My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferranti - about young girls growing up in Naples. Have now bought the other three in the series to read.
I recently read - All the Light We Cannot See - good story.

Liza was a good read, as was my next book, Women of Iron, by Catherine King, set in the 1830s to 40s in Yorkshire, based around the coal mining and iron industries.
I`ve now gone back to the thriller genre, am reading Far From True, by Linwood Barclay. I expect to enjoy it, I`ve loved all his other books.

Have recently finished I'm Travelling Alone, riding high in the best sellers chart, I just didn't like it, found it really plodding and cliched and wouldn't recommend it for the Crime thread, although it seems I'm in a minority because most of the reviews on Amazon are favourable. I'm having a departure from crime and have stared Golden Hill which was one of last year's most acclaimed novels that I've only just heard about. Set in mid 18th century New York, which sounded quite a small place back then. I'm 60 pages in and enjoying it.

Well, from a story that didn't seem to be going anywhere fast "Resistance is Futile" turned out to be an absolute page turner. I finished it this morning. It has elements of "Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy", "Dr Who" and a smattering of X Files and it is absurdly funny, romantic and poignant. Slick and entertaining - I shall look for some more of her stuff.

Just started reading Vanessa and her Sister by Priya Parmar. I had heard of it and found it in the library. It's written as a diary and letters by Virginia Woolf's sister Vanessa who was an artist. It took a while to get into but now I'm hooked. An interesting insight into the Bloomsbury set none of whom appeared to live in the real world!

I've just finished The Catcher in the Rye, which is our book group choice for this month. What a load of tosh (IMHO). We nearly all felt alienated and confused as teenagers but didn't feel the need to write it all in minute detail. Nothing really happens and Holden's problems are all brought on himself by his refusal to do any work or behave in a reasonable manner. I know lots of people love it but I can't grasp why. I shall be hiding behind the sofa for the rest of the day!

As well as the book above (which is very engaging), I also got Clive James' Collected Poems from the library and I have to say it is some if the best poetry I have read for a long time. It's a bit of a brick, so there's a lot to go at.

Loved The Boat Girls, have just started Liza, by Irene Carr, but only read a few pages up to now.

I enjoyed The Road to Little Dribbling. Am now reading a book set during WW2, The Boat Girls, by Margaret Mayhew, about a group of girls who join up to learn how to crew canal boats to help with the war effort.

'Resistance is Futile' by Jenny T. Colgan. It's about a disparate group of senior mathematicians who are enviegled onto a hush hush project solving a problem they are not allowed to know the nature of! The story is not going anywhere fast but so far I like all the characters and she is an amusing writer.

'Lion' by Saroo Brierley, incredible true story of a lost Indian five year old.

Just finished The Muse which I loved. This tells the story of Odelle a young and educated woman from Trinidad who is living in London in 1967 time of the swinging 60s, but is held back by the prevailing prejudices of the time and working in Dolcis. However, through a lucky break she finds herself offered a job by the enigmatic Marjorie Quick at The Skelton Gallery an upmarket art gallery and although her position there is typist, Odelle is an aspiring writer and her boss helps her get her first piece of work published. The book then switches to another time frame Spain in 1936 teetering on the brink of civil war where Olive Schloss is living in Southern Spain with her parents Viennese Jewish art dealer Harold and her glamorous English mother Sarah. Olive is a talented artist who has turned down a place at Slade. Into their lives comes a Spanish artist and his sister who are both pivotal in linking the two seemingly separate plotlines. I really enjoyed this book haven't read the author's other book The Miniaturest but look forward to reading that as I know that is also acclaimed. Jessie Burton has done a lot of research on this book particularly relating to The Spanish Civil War.

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Now reading Bill Bryson`s Road to Little Dribbling, but only a few pages into it so far.

I`m reading Horses, Heifers and Hairy Pigs, by Julian Norton, the Yorkshire Vet from Channel 5, and enjoying it.

Reading extraordinary teen novel 'There is no Dog' by Meg Rosoff.

What a delight to find an author that you have never heard of! Well....somewhere I saw
Or heard the name Elizabeth Strout.....don't know where I heard it, perhaps it was a dream! I have just read Olive Kitteridge, one of her latest novels, and it was fantastic! Written as 13 short stories, but all interconnected, by the main character! Can't wait now to start another, what a delight! But where did I discover Elizabeth Strout, I'm so glad that I did!

Just bought "The Girl on the Train" apparently it's a gripping read.

I'm readng Sweet Caress by William Boyd about a female photographer starting up in the 30s before the outbrak of WWII. Its written in the form of an autobiography but isn't one. I read all his novels but I doubt if this one is his best. My favourite by him in Any Human Heart which I have read three times.

On Kindle I have just finished Room at the Top, by John Brain written in the 50s I think.
2 months ago I was housebound with badly sprained ankle and to comfort myself I downloaded Light a Penny Candle by Maeve Binchy. It was her first bestseller and the best she has ever written.

I've just read through this whole thread - an amazing source of recommended reading! I also love C J Sansom, J L Carr and 'The Summer Book' by Tove Jansson. Such a heartwarming relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter. I'm reading the Patrick Melrose books by Edward St Aubyn, and would love to know if anyone else has read them.

I picked up one of Simon Scarrow's Roman novels at the library, just because I couldn't really find anything else I fancied, but I think after two chapters I will give up on it. Just more of the same really. I have ordered "Behind the Scenes at the Museum", but until that comes through I will try and glean some recommendations off this thread for when I go to the library again.