Reading as a cheap hobby

ruby_eskimo

I've read the ACOTAR and Throne of Glass series and yes the spicy scenes are just something to skip over really.  Throne of Glass is more fantasy than the romantasy of ACOTAR but some of those books are almost 1000 pages long so better to read on a kindle.  Also if you like those then you'll like Fourth Wing / Iron Flame / Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros too.

Finished As Old As Time and then also sped through A Whole New World which is a bad retelling of Aladdin.  Again wasn't keen but have at least now finished them so can pass them on to the charity shop!  Also finished this week My Notorious Life by Madam X by Kate Manning which was quite good if harrowing in certain parts (definitely don't read if you're squeamish).  

Now I'm on Spellbreaker by Charlie N Holmberg which I found on my Kindle and have no idea when I got it.  It's quite good so far, little bit of magical realism in the late 1800's.  It's apparently a duology so will have to track down the second one from the library at some point.

Brie

Like to have a look at the charity book shelf at the local supermarket.  And discovered a nice hardback copy of Elizabeth David's Harvest of the Cold Months - a history of Ice and Ices.  Nice for only £1 and a lovely present for the OH for Valentines.  Unfortunately he's spotted it in the boot of my car but I'm not giving it to him until the day. 

Sweet too that there's a dedication in it (which I must re-read) when it was given as a present in about 1992.  I'll add a little billet-doux of my own. 

Coxy11

Have finished Secrets from the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore. It was actually not bad. Not my usual genre, and I worked out the twist halfway through the book, but it was okay.

Now reading The last letter from your lover by Jojo Moyes. A CS find from ages ago and so far so good.

Savvy_Sue

Coxy11 said:

Now reading The last letter from your lover by Jojo Moyes. A CS find from ages ago and so far so good.

I read my first Jojo Moyes book when I joined the Shared Reading group at the Library, and I was Blown Away. I have always looked at her prolific output, and been a little sniffy, but I was so wrong about The Giver of Stars. It's not just me though, I have bought a couple of copies of it and passed it on to others, who have also been a little sniffy, and then become converts! 

I am resisting reading all her books, because I have such a large pile, but I can tell I'm going to crack soon ... 

cbsexec

I’m going to an author event with Jojo Moyes soon which I’m really looking forward to.   

ruby_eskimo

Never read a Jojo Moyes book as thought the same as you @Savvy_Sue but might have to see what the library have of hers the next time I'm there.

Finished Spellbreaker  and then bought the next one in the series on kindle because it was £1.99.  Going to save it for when I'm flying on a little break next month.

Moved on to Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - half way through and it's not bad so far.  Feeling the pressure to get through it though as know there's a list a mile long of people who have also requested it 🤣

Savvy_Sue

ruby_eskimo said:

Never read a Jojo Moyes book as thought the same as you @Savvy_Sue but might have to see what the library have of hers the next time I'm there.

Not having read any of her others, it may be daft of me to recommend The Giver of Stars so wholeheartedly, but it's the subject matter as well as the storytelling - it's about the mounted mobile library service pioneered by Eleanor Roosevelt to reach really isolated families, some of them too far from a school for the children to attend. 

And there is a love story in there (well more than one!) but it deals with real problems of the period too, not at all frivolous.  

Wednesday2000

I bought The Weekend from a charity shop for £1.50 and the other two are from the library.

ruby_eskimo

That sounds really interesting @Savvy_Sue, thanks for the rec, have added it to the list of requests from the library 👍

Finished Onyx Storm - was a bit of a filler novel in the series and a few bits had to be re-read a couple of times to make sure I understood what on earth was happening!
a 
On to Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, have heard good things and enjoyed Bel Canto when I read it a few years ago.

hxm

Read the whole thread this afternoon, although a regular prowler on the forum. I have somehow missed it.

 

I couldn’t believe that I’d read 50 pages before a post mentioned Bill Bryson – one of my very favourite authors. I love all his travel books and have a couple of them on my Kindle – actually the only Kindle books I have ever paid for. I like having them to dip into when I’m on a journey, or sitting in a doctor’s or dentist’s waiting room as I generally find it too hard to concentrate on a story when there are constant interruptions. Also, 5 minutes of his witty writing is enough to put me in a good mood!

 

I’ve always been a reader and own hundreds of books, mainly bought from charity shops. My mum bought me my first Kindle when I was going into hospital for major surgery and knew there were many weeks of recovery ahead. In the event, I discovered that I just can’t read when I’m unwell, but I went through a phase of reading a lot on Kindle afterwards. I think I will probably go back to it at some point as I find the print size in a lot of books too small to read comfortably, especially at night when I’ve been working on a computer all day. With the Kindle, you can change the print size to suit yourself, although it does mean not many words on the page. It’s also marvellous when you are travelling – I always used to pack 3 or 4 books for a holiday. Currently reading a lot about Venice, as I'm going there next month for the 4th time!

 

Travel writing is my favourite genre, I find it so interesting to learn about other countries and cultures through the recording of a journey by a good writer. Eric Newby is one of my favourites, also Dervla Murphy. I tend to prefer fiction if it is set in another country, or sometimes another time. I really don’t like anything written in dialect though.

I've also been using Borrowbox, mainly for audio books (completely free) and have just discovered Libby - both linked to my library card.