What are you reading right now?

My daughter did that when she was on maternity leave the first time but hit a wall when it came to my family..and I thought I had lots of information as well. Her dad's family and her husband's went back centuries . Have you heard any tips from the PN yard? Going to compile my list of horses to follow soon and will be going to Bangor on Dee next week..something I've not been able to do whilst working. Also taking in a morning at pre school and a funeral , neither of which I could have done before.

I'm reading 'Thrilling Cities,' by Ian Fleming.

I have just finished ' Future Homemakers of America' by Laurie Graham - a book club choice. I found it hard to get into and the chapters are extraordinarily short - some less than two pages. It follows the lives of a group of women from their time as military wives on a UK USAF base to later life. At times I found the number of characters a tad confusing at times but I just went with it and quite enjoyed it.

Just wondering if number is having her knee op now? [this being the place where we most 'meet up' as it were].

I was just wondering how she is too. Congratulations on your retirement Tegan

Thanks! Today was so hectic I didn't have time to think about it being my last day but, alas, I didn't have time to grab any lunch and found myself flagging so ate half of a box of chocolates that someone had given me ...mind you I did need an energy boost and I'm sure I used the energy up. Now to leave the washing up, curl up on the sofa and dig a book out from somewhere [if I can stay awake long enough to read it].

Congratulations Tegan on your retirement, I hadn`t realised it was so soon. I`ve just finished Dead Rich, by Katia Lief, which I started whilst in hospital. The op, last Monday the 23rd, went very well, by the way, and I came home yesterday, still in a fair bit of pain, and not faring too well in the knee bending department as yet, but I`m told it will come.

So glad to hear you're on the mend, number! I've gone back to Black Swan Green but I can't say I'm enjoying it [I've tried to read it before]. Having seen the film and not being very impressed by it I've been told I should give Cloud Atlas a go. I still can't believe that I can stay up all night watching television or reading without having to worry about getting up the next morning .

I have just finished Deborah Mogach's Heartbreak Hotel which I received some months ago from GN - a signed copy. It is clearly from the same stable as The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel but even more bland and utterly predictable.

Pleased to hear you are O.K. Number both my sisters had the op and the bending does take time, keep doing the exercises
Tegan keep enjoying your newly found 'you-time' (waiting for No. 2 son to pass on tips re P.N. but he does say that he thinks the recession has hit N's owners hardest!)
I am struggling with ' The Casual Vacancy' by J.K. Rowling, having never read the Harry Potter books I thought I'd give an 'adult' one a go. I am not enjoying it, finding it full of cliched characters and 'colourful' language that does nothing to enhance the plot! It's a case of I've started so I'll finish!

I don't normally come on this thread but your name popped up number. So pleased your op went well and you are home. Just take care of yourself

OGM; I understand PN's daughter Megan is now race riding [he has got some horses that are said to be burning up the gallops at home; I'll pm them to you, 'nudge nudge, wink wink etc'].

Just finished The Cuckoos Calling, which my husband found un put downable, I can't say I agreed with that but nevertheless found it enjoyable. I think I preferred The Casual Vacancy though which seems to be contrary opinion to others on GN who have read it.

I`ve just finished, and enjoyed, as usual, another Jack Reacher story by Lee Child, A Wanted Man. My next book is going to be Dead Man`s Time, by Peter James, bought yesterday as W.H.Smiths bargain of the week, at half price.

I'm reading 'We Need New Names' by NoViolet Bulawayo (Booker prize runner up).

I'm not sure about it ...

I have just finished reading 'Started Early, Took My Dog' by Kate Atkinson. Another in the Jackson Brodie [private detective] series, and a marvellous read.I think she is a brilliant writer, so perceptive [amusing too] all human life is there, as they say.

I have just finished Frederick Forsyth's 'The Kill List;' and I am now reading 'The Colour of Magic,' by Terry Pratchett.

Trying to read A Casual Vacancy for book group on Monday. 30 pages in - is she going for the record for introducing unpleasant characters in the first few pages?

I think so, Jess! I am reading the newly released Rebus book by Ian Rankin, Saints of the Shadow Bible. So far, it's shaping well.

I`ve just read Roots of Evil, by Sarah Rayne, an author I really do like, I love the way she mixes old and modern and spooky. I`m now reading another of hers, The Dark Dividing, very good so far.

I'm reading the new Hermione Lee biography of Penelope Fitzgerald.
Very good read with some lovely photographs of Penelope Fitzgerald and family.
I love threads such as these but I have to stop myself hot footing over to Amazon and spending too much money when I'm tempted by a good review.

I thought he had retired anno - Rebus, not Rankin.
ho hum, betel get back to it if I am going to finish the darn thing for book group tomorrow. Had to write down the characters and am now skipping...

At present reading, or trying to read The Prague Cemetary by Eco Humbert. I am finding it extremely difficult to understand.

However, I am determined not to give up. It is a very clever story and extremely well written and it is beginning to enthral and interest me.

I do have to hand, one of the Scandavian writers to provide some 'light relief'.

I love reading.

I cant recommend highly enough "A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry. I read it some time ago and thought it was so moving and so well written, you were there with the characters, feeling all their experiences. Life in the slums of Mumbai, as it was and still is for some, sadly. It is now this month's book for our book group and I will be interested to hear what the others think of it.

I'm re-reading Tea with Mr Rochester by Frances Towers, short stories.
It's one of my treasured collection of Persephone books. Anyone else love Persephone books? They have introduced me to some authors I had heard of but never read. Dorothy Whipple being one of my favourites. Wonderful short stories, sadly the author's only book as she died of pneumonia only months before the book was printed.