The Bookworm's Thread 2016

jackyann

Hobsons_Choice wrote: »

I like Val McDermid as a thriller writer and have read all her books in this genre.
Has anyone read "Northanger Abbey" by V McDermid? Obviously a "re-write" of the Jane Austen book but I'm not sure I would enjoy that.
All reviews welcome

Yes, I have and thought it brilliant. It's part of a series with the basic plots brought into modern times. VM has chosen to set it during the Edinburgh Festival - she needed a modern version of a place where the middle classes would gather for a period of time. It has a lightness of touch that I associate with JA but not usually VM

One of the slightly difficult things about this thread is logging in once a day and finding a lot of posts!

jackyann

carbootcrazy wrote: »

Alikay, I have mixed feelings about seeing films of books I've read. If I really loved a book then I never watch the film subsequently now as the characters are never quite as I imagined them to be from reading about them. I don't mind a bit of poetic licence with the story but it's usually the characters that make the most impression on me. I'm a big Patricia Highsmith fan and have had Carole unread on my bookshelf for about 5 years. The recent film has been nominated for various awards and I keep seeing a few clips on TV which looked good. Not sure whether to break my own rule and see the film first:think:

I occasionally do things the other way round though and read the book after seeing the film. One of my all-time favourite films is Day of The Jackal (the original Edward Fox version), I watch it every time it's repeated on TV which seems about every other month:rotfl:. Someone passed on the Frederick Forsyth book to me and I really must make the effort to read it.

I read Day of the Jackal when it first came out. I don't think FF has written anything as gripping since. I always recommend it as the classic "cat & mouse".
The original film (the later one had nothing to do with the book!) stuck quite closely to the book - I think they cut out one of the false identities, but overall it's spot on.
In the 45 years sine it came out, so much of French administration has changed. I still remember, at every campsite & little hotel, filling in the little visitor cards (I can picture them as I write) and seeing them collected by the gendarme on his little velo, just as they are in the book & film.

applemango

I found this thread yesterday and although I am usually only a lurker on this forum I felt compelled to post as this is right up my street.

I love reading but for some reason haven't started a new read for a few weeks, despite having so many queuing up - but this thread gave me the push and last night I got started on The Universe Versus Alex Woods.

Also I was pleased to see mentioned so many of the books I have really enjoyed- The Five People You Meet in Heaven and The Book Thief being two of my favourites

I am taking note of some of the suggestions and am also on the look out in charity shops for The Girl on the Train and have been for some time.

VfM4meplse

I'm probably one of the few people who didn't enjoy Brick Lane - it just made me cross, probably because there was so much truth to the wretched lives she described. Hence not bothered with Monica Ali's others.

Alikay wrote: »

Pleased you enjoyed Room, VfM and nanny2die4 - I saw a trailer for the movie the other night when I went to see Lady In The Van and thought it looked like my kind of thing. If I do read any book which has been made into a movie, I like to read first rather than the other way round, so I need to crack on and download it onto my Kindle

Room encouraged me to read Emma Donoghue's other books. I felt Jack was such a compelling character, he felt so real and loveable, at certain points in the book you could hug him (except he's not actually real)! I'm trying to work out how she conveys emotion so well, I just can't! Some people are so gifted.

Not strictly thread-related but I bought a BN bookcase from a seller on Gumtree yesterday evening, can't wait to construct it....and fill it!

[Deleted User]

I was so busy rabbiting on about new-to-me authors I discovered last year that I forgot to mention something I really enjoyed from an 'old' favourite.

It was The Little Red Chairs, Edna O'Brien's first book for a decade. I had it on reserve from the library before its release at the end of October. It was such a joy to read a brand new hardback instead of the usual paperbacks or well-used hardbacks that I usually get hold of:T

I was surprised reviews were rather mixed but we're all different;). I absolutely loved it although the subject of a Balkan war criminal fleeing to rural Ireland and taking on a new identity might not, at first sight, appeal to a lot of people. I was an avid reader of her earlier books (The Country Girls etc) but never got round to reading her later ones. Pressure of work for many years curtailed my reading-for-pleasure for a very long time:(. I'm intending to go back and re-read the older ones (if they're still in the library catalogue ) and move on to the ones I never read before. I rarely re-read books, life's too short and there are so many wonderful offerings out there to read for the first time.

Treasurequeen

Hi everyone, I am defiantly a bookworm! I love looking in charity shops for books, every time I go I come out with 4 more books each week. I'm not keen on some of the films based on books they seem to skip the good bits, if you know what I mean. I have just started ' The Cuckoo's calling' by Robert Galbraith but I have just found out that it was actually written by J.K. Rowling under the Robert Galbraith Pseudonym. at the moment I'm only on page 75 but it has a good start and I'm enjoying reading it so far. I have 5 books lined up after this book. I'm not fussed about what genre of book it is but I don't like autobiographies or war novels apart from them I'm not fussed. Happy reading:j

Goldiegirl

Treasurequeen wrote: »

I have just started ' The Cuckoo's calling' by Robert Galbraith

I read that a few months ago - I'll definitely read more of this series of books




Book 3


Monk's Hood By Ellis Peters




This is the 3rd book in the Cadfael series - another TV show I didn't watch, so again, no preconceptions. But there were Kindle daily deals over a few weeks and I ended up buying the first 5 in the series!


Generally, a thumbs up, but it is rather formulaic.


Cadfael is a medieval monk in Shrewsbury, and in each book there is a murder mystery that he solves. There's usually about 3 suspects, and all the suspects are likeable, even the one that is eventually revealed as the killer.


I'll read the other two book that I have waiting to be read, but after that, I'll call a halt to this series for a while at least.


7/10

Crowdpleaser

I really like the Robert galbraith novels.

I've also read Room and loved it!

Currently on We are all Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler. Enjoying it so far.....

Snorkypants

Giddynmg wrote: »

Loving hearing all the suggestions and opinions. I like hearing about the genres that I wouldn't opt for as it makes me reconsider my choices.


Snorkypants - I know what you mean about books based on others but I actually thoroughly enjoy them. I've read a few of the Pride and Prejudice spin off ones when I've wanted a light read. I also really enjoyed, and would recommend Gregory Macguire who wrote Wicked, Confessions of an Ugly Step Sister these are well known stories told from the point of view of the so called villain.


Really not getting into The Perks of being Wallflower, don't think I like the way it is written. I'll persevere though as it's not so bad I'd give up!

I tried Wicked and couldn't get on with it at all, I gave up about a third of the way in so I will try Confessions of an Ugly Step Sister from the library, that way if I don't like it I haven't wasted any money on it! Thanks for the recommendation. I like fairy tales and stories that spin off them so theoretically it should be something I'd enjoy.

applemango

Thanks to this thread I now have quite a list to search for when I am at the charity shops next
Really hope I find Room - might just check library too as I'm nipping there tomorrow to return some.

Also forgot to add my vote for Gone Girl which I too really enjoyed as well as Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty and Fingersmith by Sarah Waters