On Your Bookshelf

[Ella77]

I've read so much recently, most of it very enjoyable. I spent May and June reading The Cazalet Chronicles (1-5) by Elizabeth Jane Howard. I wanted something that would take me away from the present day, and these were just the thing. It's basically a saga about a large upper middle class family in the years just before (and then during) World War 2. It takes a bit of getting to grips with who everybody is at first, but I really loved these books. Also, with everything going on in the world today it was quite comforting to read about people waiting for the bad times to pass.

More recently I read Rodham. I started it on the day it came out and then felt a bit bleurgh about the state of the world so I stopped again for a while. Anyway, the sex scenes are really awful, but I loved this book.

Everything I Never Told You by Celest Ng; I read this purely because we'd been watching Little Fires Everywhere, I think. It was good.

The Motion Of The Body Through Space. Argh. I told myself I wouldn't read any more Lionel Shriver because she's such a fucking terrible person, but this was on sale for 99p, so I bought it. ALL of her tics and linguistic quirks were in this one. It was smug. Avoid.

The Clasp. This was fun.

The New Girl. Slightly overdramatic, probably a good holiday read.

The Hypnotist's Love Story. Already mentioned here. Again, not too challenging, which is sometimes just what you need.

Friends And Strangers. I loved this, and reading it made me seek out other books by the author, such as Maine and The Engagements. Really interesting with multi-layered plots and a heavy dose of dysfunctional family. There's a strong vein of Catholicism running through those books, and even more so in Saints For All Occasions by the same author. It tells of two sisters who leave their small town on the West coast of Ireland and sail to America for a better life. Again, multi-layered and multi-generational, it has all sorts going on.

There's another book by the same author called Commencement. It's not available on Kindle so I might have to give in and buy the paperback.

The Roanoake Girls. Oh my god, this is quite awful. There's quite a grim bombshell in it which I can't tell you because it's kind of the point of the book, but... yeah... no .

Dare Me. A thriller based on cheerleading. What else do you need to know?

Animals. So good. It takes me back rather uncomfortably to my twenties. Straight after reading that I read Adults by the same author. Not quite as good but still really keenly observed.

I have quite a few more, but I think this is more than long enough

[Pippedydeadeye]

I love reading what you’ve been reading Ells, o always head straight to copy you.

The Cazalet Chronicles have been dramatised on Radio 4 and I’ve caught bits here and there. Never enough to fire me into reading them, but my sister has been been singing their praises to me lately. I’m on my way to hers so might raid her bookshelves.

[Cerise]

Ooo I read Friends and Strangers too. I enjoyed it.

[Pootle]

The Cazalet Chronicles are some of my favourite books. I also bought that Lionel Shriver on sale, Ella - I've not read it yet but won't be rushing.

I finally read Tombland by C J Samson, which was just as brilliant as the others. I listened to the audiobook as I'm struggling to concentrate when I read so I'm better listening while I walk and the narration was superb.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donohue was very timely - it's set over three days in a maternity ward during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918. It was written before Covid but it's amazing how much of the treatment and advice us exactly the same. I enjoyed it but didn't love it, I think I'd be more interested if it was a slightly wider story. Pretty gruesome too in places.

Three Perfect Liars by Heidi Perks. It was okay, very obviously influenced by Liane Moriarty but nothing like as good.

One Two Three Four by Craig Brown which is about the Beatles. I gave zero particular interest in them so I don't know why I borrowed it but I actually really enjoyed it. He splits the story over past and present and I found it really interesting.

Another audio book was On The Road by James Naughtie, all about his journalistic life covering American politics and thoughts on it. I always enjoyed him on the radio so it was really good to listen to and very interesting.

[Flora Poste]

I’ve only read the first of the Cazalets so far, but I absolutely loved it and have the second in my to read pile.

[Ella77]

I love reading what you’ve been reading Ells, o always head straight to copy you.

Aww, that’s a nice thing to say!

I’m glad to see all the love for the Cazalet Chronicles. I was genuinely a little bereft when they ended as I felt I’d really got know the family.

[Beena]

I was just thinking it was a very Lily kind of story. I’d like to see the TV series.

I found it all on Youtube. It was ace! I also reread Elidor, another childhood favourite. I have yet to read Red Shift though.

The Owl Service was one of my favourite books as a child. Elidor was one of Bambs'. I read it to her one year and had forgotten how good it is. The setting is just how I remember Manchester as a kid.

I'm plodding through a stack of new books I bought when lockdown lifted, but nothing is overly thrilling. I'm also listening to books on Audible that I remember my mum and dad reading in the 70s and 80s. Moon Tiger at the minute.

[indigo]

I've just bought the first Cazalet chronicles book due to this thread.

[Ella77]

I hope you enjoy it.

I'd forgotten that I've also just read The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg (formerly of Orangette and Delancey). I've always enjoyed her writing, but oh my god, it's all gone a bit Wokey McWokeface; cis this and womxn that.

[purple_dress]

I love The Owl Service!

I read Small Pleasures, which I was completely loving until the end. I need someone else to read it and talk to me about it!

I also read I Never Said I Loved You, which is non fiction and is about the author's mental health journey and childhood trauma. It was quite good and funny in places.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I read it, Purp. The end upset me so I’m choosing to believe something else happened.

[Ella77]

No spoilers on this thread please, you've made me order the sample .

[Pippedydeadeye]

I wasn’t going to say any more! It’s very good.

[purple_dress]

I've PMed you!

[purple_dress]

I'm now reading The Queen of Hearts which is in the Big Little Lies type genre, I'd say. I'm enjoying it a lot.

[Penny Century]

I loved the Owl Service too. It's the only Alan Garner I've read, but it really stuck with me.

I finished The Most Fun We Ever Had. It kept me reading to the end but I found myself getting impatient with it for various reasons. Mainly I found it a bit overwritten and I had trouble fully believing in David and Marilyn's marriage (which maybe says more about me than the author). There was lots I liked though and I'll look out for her next one. I like books about dysfunctional families, it's pretty much my favourite genre.

I've got another Ann Patchett on the go now - The Magician's Assistant, then after that I've got Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

[Flora Poste]

I've just finished Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson which I thought was wonderful. Relatively short, but beautifully written story about the history of an African American family and the repercussions of a teenage pregnancy.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I started reading The Cactus but I think I might have to abandon it for being shit so far.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I forced myself to finish The Cactus. The idea of the plot was ok, but it was trying to be Eleanor Oliphant, and the thing is, Eleanor was quite likeable and the main character of this book wasn’t at all likeable.

[Disco]

Behind everyone else but I’ve just finished Where The Crawdads Sing. I must have cried so many times throughout reading this but what a beautiful book so many fat tears have silently rolled down my face.

I think any other book at the moment is going to be disappointing now.