On Your Bookshelf

[sally maclennane]

I'm rereading Lethal White after watching the Strike series on TV recently. I think I will read some more Ann Patchett next, maybe Commonwealth.

[Ella]

I loved Commonwealth, Pip and Ella. I've been steadily working my way through every novel Ann Patchett has written since I read the Dutch House earlier this year, but Commonwealth is my favourite so far.

I think it might be mine too.

I've read loads of books recently but I don't have the brain power to list them.

[Kenickie]

I loved Outline. I have another of hers (I think the last of the trilogy) on my to read list but I agree they take some concentration to fully appreciate so I'm waiting until I'm in the mood.

[Penny Century]

I will persevere with it I think. It's the first of hers I've read since A Life's Work, which I read not long after my eldest was born and which I found very true and relatable at the time (worryingly so!) but I remember it got mercilessly slagged on mumsnet.

[Pawpads]

I really ought to read some Terry Practchett but don’t know where to start.

I adore his Discworld series although when asked I never recommend anyone to bother with the first 3 books. I think they may have turned me off the entire series if I hadn't already dipped in to others.


Mort is good. It's the 4th in the series but the first one "starring" Death.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Thank you!

[Chicky]

Yes, the Death ones are the best

I'm on the Hypnotist's Love Story. It's ok so far but I don't like the narrator much,

[sally maclennane]

Yes, the Death ones are the best

I'm on the Hypnotist's Love Story. It's ok so far but I don't like the narrator much,

She got right on my tits to start with but less so as the story progressed.

[Kenickie]

I will persevere with it I think. It's the first of hers I've read since A Life's Work, which I read not long after my eldest was born and which I found very true and relatable at the time (worryingly so!) but I remember it got mercilessly slagged on mumsnet.

I haven't read this one, sounds like it might be a good time for me to give it a whirl!

[Elya]

We read Middle England for book club and all really hated it. I found all the characters hard to connect with.

It was easier when they were young!

I need to re-read Commonwealth because i don’t remember enjoying it that much, at least not compared to some of the others.

[Flora Poste]

I didn't enjoy Commonwealth that much either Elya - I can't remember why now though. I enjoyed her writing and found it very readable but I do remember thinking there were just too many characters in it. I much preferred The Dutch House.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I only bought Commonwealth because I saw it in a charity shop before lockdown and I knew she was highly recommended (and I’d read Bel Canto).

[Loralei]

I'm on the Hypnotist's Love Story. It's ok so far but I don't like the narrator much,

She got right on my tits to start with but less so as the story progressed.

I wasn't sure if I liked the book to begin with, hated it a bit in the middle but was really absorbed by the end.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I finished Commonwealth this afternoon, and really enjoyed it. Poor kids, all the adults were rubbish.

I’m going to start Small Pleasures next, after seeing it highly recommended on Twitter.

[Hobbes]

I really ought to read some Terry Practchett but don’t know where to start.

I adore his Discworld series although when asked I never recommend anyone to bother with the first 3 books. I think they may have turned me off the entire series if I hadn't already dipped in to others.


Mort is good. It's the 4th in the series but the first one "starring" Death.

I agree about the first two, but I loved the third book, equal rites.

A nice little feminist tale of a girl who wants to be a wizard, when girls are usually witches - and it introduces the witches like granny weatherwax, who are great characters. I agree Mort is brilliant though, I do love the Death stories.

[Penny Century]

Equal Rites was great. I've read a lot of Pratchett but also forgotten which stories are in which books - they all blend into one in my head.

Finished Outline yesterday - I really liked it by the end. I think I'll read the whole trilogy, but I've got some non-fiction to read first - a Mark Epstein book about Buddhism and psychotherapy, and one about Maslow, because I heard the author (whose name I forget) on a podcast and I liked him, and because I realised that all I know about Maslow is that joke diagram of the hierarchy of needs with 'WiFi' as the bottom bit of the pyramid.

[Flora Poste]

I don't mind the first two Discworld books - and they are both short. I agree that the series really gets going with Equal Rites though.

I've started reading the Patrick Melrose novels by Edward St Aubyn. I didn't really like the tv adaptation with Benedict Cumberbatch (I found it very uncomfortable viewing and ended up ditching it after a couple of episodes) but I'm finding the books much better, even though the subject matter is the same.

There are 5 short-ish books in one volume, so I'm interspersing those with other things. Currently Nights at the Circus which I've never read for some obscure reason.

[Penny Century]

I loved those books Flora. I got mildly obsessed with Edward St Aubyn after reading them.

[Loralei]

Nights at the Circus is one of my favourite books ever

I've just finished The Map of Us, which was a sweet story, well done. I didn't realise until I'd finished that Jules Preston is a man, and that I tend to avoid Male authors.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I finished Small Pleasures today. It was kind of lovely, kind of sad, and I am choosing to believe it all ended well.