The Bookworm’s Thread 2018

RicardaRacoon

CurlyTop I am curious how you find THe Chilbury Ladies Choir as it is on my book wish list.

I have decided that I will finally read all seven Harry Potter again, normally read one or two each year, but mostly books one to three, but will try to read all this year.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J. K. Rowling
Nothing much to say bout that one, you love it or you hate it... I love it or I would not read it again :-)

Herman Banks and the Ghost Writer - Cecilia Ahern
Don't know what to think of it. It was a quick read and gripping till the last minute, but somehow the storyline was just odd... I love fantasy and a good old fashioned gotic novel, but this was just plain strange...

Things I want to read soon:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer /Annie Barrows. Always in for a book set during WWII
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gayle Honeyman

VfM4meplse

Book 6:



6/10. A quick-ish read (written in very simple language), but a challenging one. At first it made me cross: the impact that a nasty parent had on her was evident, and it would also be easy to take against Albanians based on this book (although the author has no such prejudice). For the first 2/3 of the book I couldn't help but think how silly she was, its only after being rescued that I realised how much of a hold her tormentor had on her and how he broke her down mentally. I felt a real rage towards him. The protagonist didn't fit the typical victim mould: she was older, middle class and with prospects, and she had been groomed for years before actually being exploited. If there's a message here, its to be a good parent, ensure your children are confident and follow their instincts.

Serendipitious

Hope we are all coping well with the Beast from the East.

I finally got hold of a copy of The Ice Twins yesterday.

Found it very gripping throughout, and read it in a day and a half.

Just one or two niggles with it though. The entire story revolves around the effects of a tragedy (which happened a year before this story begins) and I found the initial description of what happened to be unbelievable. Basically the mother and children went off to her parents' place for a holiday, to be joined later the same night by her husband. On that same evening (ie. the day of their much-anticipated arrival) the grandparents happen to go 'out for a drink' which is when the tragedy occurs. I don't think that would happen. You don't invite the whole family from London down to Devon to stay, including your two adored grandchildren, then disappear off to the pub without them that very same evening, surely?

As for the more detailed version of events, which becomes revealed late on in the story, I found that even more unbelievable. Can't say why as doing so would be a spoiler.

And as for the phone conversation with 999/Ambulance Services, that type of conversation just does not happen. Anyone would think they were calling a taxi. And you don't meet it on the drive and all hop in the back either!

None of these spoiled the story, but they pulled me out of it, which isn't meant to happen.

Other than this, I've been reading a lot of Lisa Jewell including this:



This was amazing. The almost-perfect family live in an almost-perfect Cotswold village until one Easter tragedy strikes and it all unravels. Beautifully written and a fabulous read.

And this:



The cover says it all.

Apparently she's written about 21 novels, so plenty more for me to look forward to!

Charly27

February was a bit dismal. Only two books read ‘50 Ways to Hygge the British Way’ by Jo Kneale - my non-fiction and ‘Pomfrett Towers’ by Angela Thirkell which took me right out my comfort zone. It’s very gentle and I enjoyed her writing and would like to read more. Now reading ‘The Light Years’ by Elizabeth-Jane Howard. It’s the first in the Cazalet family chronicles so I may get hooked. Also reading ‘A year of Puttery Treats’ Alison May and Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach- but that’s just a page a day. Loving all your recommendations there just aren’t enough hours. I’ve now subscribed to the thread so hopefully you’ll inspire me. :T

VfM4meplse

I for one am taking advantage of the weather and hunkering down with several

gettingtheresometime

Callie22 wrote: »

My 'lunchtime reading' book this week has been The Citadel by A.J. Cronin and I have to say I really enjoyed it Cronin was perhaps best known as the author of the Dr Findlay stories but The Citadel is probably his most (in)famous novels. It was written in 1937 and is the story of a Scottish doctor who struggles to maintain his integrity in a time when there was wholesale 'corruption' in medicine, and when it was published it was used very much as a rallying call to develop what eventually became the NHS. I was fascinated to find out that at the time the novel was published there were calls for it to be banned as it infuriated so many members of the medical profession. I read about it on a blog some time ago and have been wanting to read it for ages, so when I saw a 99p copy in a charity shop I snapped it up. I'd definitely recommend it, if only to make yourself grateful for modern healthcare!

I'm currently listening to this - must be the oldest recording on the planet and I imagine the narrator wearing a tuxedo whilst recording it, its that old.


I remember the BBC doing a version of this - pity they don't have a channel for these old dramas as must be some real classics just gathering dust.


But I'd agree with you regarding the difference between then & now though!

gettingtheresometime

Serendipitious wrote: »

Hope we are all coping well with the Beast from the East.

I finally got hold of a copy of The Ice Twins yesterday.

Found it very gripping throughout, and read it in a day and a half.

Just one or two niggles with it though. The entire story revolves around the effects of a tragedy (which happened a year before this story begins) and I found the initial description of what happened to be unbelievable. Basically the mother and children went off to her parents' place for a holiday, to be joined later the same night by her husband. On that same evening (ie. the day of their much-anticipated arrival) the grandparents happen to go 'out for a drink' which is when the tragedy occurs. I don't think that would happen. You don't invite the whole family from London down to Devon to stay, including your two adored grandchildren, then disappear off to the pub without them that very same evening, surely?

As for the more detailed version of events, which becomes revealed late on in the story, I found that even more unbelievable. Can't say why as doing so would be a spoiler.

And as for the phone conversation with 999/Ambulance Services, that type of conversation just does not happen. Anyone would think they were calling a taxi. And you don't meet it on the drive and all hop in the back either!

None of these spoiled the story, but they pulled me out of it, which isn't meant to happen.

Other than this, I've been reading a lot of Lisa Jewell including this:



This was amazing. The almost-perfect family live in an almost-perfect Cotswold village until one Easter tragedy strikes and it all unravels. Beautifully written and a fabulous read.

And this:



The cover says it all.

Apparently she's written about 21 novels, so plenty more for me to look forward to!

I struggled with The Ice Twins as well so you're not alone there.


I loved 'Then she was gone' - I didn't think I would as I've given up on previous Lisa Jewell books in the past but might give The House we grew up in a whirl.

gettingtheresometime

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

Things I want to read soon:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer /Annie Barrows. Always in for a book set during WWII
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gayle Honeyman

I loved Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine.


Currently listening (does that count as reading ?) The Girl Before. Its alright - though I wouldn't listen to it with children around as it does have a touch of 50 Shades about it in places.


I also liked 3 things about Elsie & Fake Friends.


Has anyone else read The Marriage Pact?

CurlyTop

RicardaRacoon wrote: »

CurlyTop I am curious how you find THe Chilbury Ladies Choir as it is on my book wish list.

Hi Ricarda, up to now, what little bit I've read of The Chilbury Ladies Choir seems to be going okay. I'd clicked on it on Amazon and 'reviewed' it by clicking on the 'look inside' thing that you can do. I now use this as my barometer to decide if a book is drawing me in.

Things I want to read soon:
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer /Annie Barrows. Always in for a book set during WWII
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine - Gayle Honeyman

Eleanor Oliphant, you so have to read. Can't rate this highly enough. Not my usual genre of reading, but a really good read all the same.

pollypenny

The Guernsey Literary .... is excellent! I read years ago and then again with book group.

The Ice Twins - I read a book by that name on holiday, however its plot was different.