Best book you read this year?

Millie22

The People on Platform 5

Light reading but a fascinating view of the people you may regularly see on a train.

I finished that recently on Audible (easier on my old eyes with train travel, and can continue listening in the car). I enjoyed it.

I've just (this morning) finished Tell Me How This Ends: (A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick) by Jo Leevers, again a light read but I would really recommend the Audible version, read by Ell Potter. She has a very good voice for this book, where one of the characters is a little "quirky".

We Danced On Our Desks by Philip Norman.. iconic book about the 60's

Just read Bridge of Clay by Marcus Zusak.

Beautiful, tough, haunting, generous, rugged and lyrical.
Wish it wasn't over.

caravansera ‘Stoner’ (written I think in 1932 or 29 is one of my all time favourite books. I read it several years ago. I still have the paperback on my bookshelf and your mention of it has reminded me it is there. I may well revisit it later this year.

I’ve popped back in to say oh dragonfly I really couldn’t take to ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land’. I tried. Time slip novels aren’t my favourite genre and once the sci-fi aspect kicked in as a third storyline, then I was itching to check out! I have little or no imagination so can’t handle pondering upon the inside of a spaceship! Anyway I flirted it at 28% on my Kindle.

I like threads like this. Gives me ideas for novels to think about.

I’ve now downloaded ‘American Wife’ by Curtis Sittenfeld onto my Kindle. I’m 100% sure there won’t be a spaceship in it.

😁

P.s. thank you Terribull x

Love rosamunde pitchers books too. Coming home was lovely.

Thankyou Clawdy and Terribull, reserved both books at the library and am now enjoying Shrines of Gaiety very much and awaiting Demon Copperhead. Love the books thread, so many recommendations x

Urmston - I enjoyed American wife”

😊😊
Really looking forward to it Iam. More so now!

Tresspasses by Louise Kennedy. I also liked Shrines of Gaiety, but found it had a slow start.

The Hearts invisible Furies by John Doyle. About a young boy who realises he is gay. Not a subject I knew much about or really wanted too. But I found it so engrossing and compassionate. Great writing

Seems I must find Demon Copperhead. I do like a good book. I’m just starting Songbirds today can’t wait.

I still have Demon Copperhead by my bed. Bereavement seems to be limiting my ability to concentrate. I’m still on Ellie Griffiths, easy reading.

Iam64

I still have Demon Copperhead by my bed. Bereavement seems to be limiting my ability to concentrate. I’m still on Ellie Griffiths, easy reading.

Same as me Iam64. A friend gave me 4 books in the Ruth Galloway series of Ellie Griffiths. I love that they are set in Norfolk but they are not in order so hard to follow lives of characters but as you say easy reading.

But favourite book this year was Lessons in Chemistry

The Dark Yorkshire series, by J M Dalgliesh, I’ve read books 1-3, 4-6 await me.

Iam64

I still have Demon Copperhead by my bed. Bereavement seems to be limiting my ability to concentrate. I’m still on Ellie Griffiths, easy reading.

💐 for you Iam. Baby steps. x

Thanks urmston.

MrsKen33

The Hearts invisible Furies by John Doyle. About a young boy who realises he is gay. Not a subject I knew much about or really wanted too. But I found it so engrossing and compassionate. Great writing

MrsKen that was a book I completely fell in love with when I read it a couple of years ago. Every so often a book comes along that is very special, not too often, otherwise they wouldn't have that quality that makes us feel quite bereft when we finish it, The Hearts Invisible Furies was definitely one of those for me, can't remember the year I read it in, but that would have been my book of the year back then.

Iam

Lessons in Chemistry was a great read - something quite different.

I had made a pact with myself, no new books until I had read all in the TBR pile, but after seeing the recommendations for Demon Copperhead I caved in
And I am so very pleased I did, Wow! What a book!
I finished reading on Sunday and I'm still thinking about it
I am a Barbara Kingsolver fan, this is the best one yet, brilliant
Thank you so so much for the recommendation

Anything written by Patrick Gale.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Not new - it was published in the mid 90s - but so prophetic and relevant to today. You might think Covid was a global disaster: this goes much further. But ultimately it's a story of human resilience and hope. I loved it.

This year amongst others, I have enjoyed reading Lessons by Ian McEwan, The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn and best of all, The Romantic by William Boyd.

I’m currently reading ‘Dear Life’ by Rachel Clarke. I think it was recommended on Gransnet. It is an emotive and thought provoking read, written by a journalist who changes career to become a palliative care doctor.

Demon Copperhead is definitely my book of the year I just wish there were more books like that, one that you were sorry to finish reading.
I was disappointed with Shrines of Gaiety, far too many characters that were not developed, and was also did not like the Marriage Potrait, I did not think it was one of Maggie O'Farrel's best.