Read the Room

[Duophonic]

I've just finished Divorcing Jack - Colin Bateman. It's a thriller set in NI, quite funny in places, and passes the time adequately. There's not much more I can say about it, really.

[Little My]

I just finished The Push, and god it was a harrowing story. Good, and I'm glad I read it, but I need something more uplifting next.

[Cerise]

I really like Katharine Heiney - I read Early Morning Riser a while back and really enjoyed it.

I definitely want to read more of hers.

I hadn't realised that Cerise's porn book was Miranda July, so I might read it too as I really liked one she did years ago.

It has got worse. Just saying.

[Kenickie]

:lol:

[Bat Macdui]

Ah, I didn't realise you gave up. You probably know this, but the reveal of what happened to Jude was hellish to have to read through and totally gratuitous, and and an exercise in how much the author could put the reader through.
And yes, the characters were ridiculously privileged, talented and insufferable. How Jude, who had very little to offer as a person to any of his friends, had them running around after him, often to their own detriment, when he refused to help himself in any way was ridiculous and unbelievable.

I think it was about where we got to the detail that I stopped, because I just thought 'I don't want to - or need to - be reading this.' Madly gratuitous.

I am going to veer away from miserable books for a bit, I think. I want to look forward to picking them up. I'm not reading Cerise's porn one though. I draw the line. :))

[rosy]

I liked Eleanor Oliphant even though my copy had a printing error and I had to borrow another copy.

I have got Standard Deviation on my to-read list.

[Hazey_Jane]

There was an article in the Grauniad about All Fours and how it’s changed the life of people who’ve read it.

I finally finished a book that I started on 2021- Madhouse at the End of The Earth about the Belgian expedition to Antarctic in 1897-1899. It was a riveting read.

I shall go back to Longbourn by Jo Baker which I only started in November

[Lily]

I would never recommend A Little Life to anyone unless they are annoyingly happy and I want to bring them down to earth with a bump.

Phil Rickman's December got my reading mojo back in gear and now I'm on Hitler, Stalin, etc. by Daniel Finckelman.

[Turtle Bean]

I read the article in the Guardian and it just made the book sound really tiresome.

[lazzbo]

Just finished Spook Street. So good! Am tempted to get on with London Rules immediately. :spin:

[Pippedydeadeye]

Do it Lazz.

[lazzbo]

Your wish is my command.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I’ve sped through Oaklore by Jules Acton, which was all about oak trees. She was lovely at the talk she did & it was nicely midlands-centric too. I’d have liked more folklore z& fewer insects though.

[Cerise]

I read the article in the Guardian and it just made the book sound really tiresome.

I have finished. I absolutely hated it. I’m going to rewatch the Sara Cox thing and read the article to see what profound message I’ve missed.

[sally maclennane]

I was going to read that (All Fours) but I'll give it a miss I think :))

I've also avoided A Little Life because I've heard various people say how miserable it is.

[Pippedydeadeye]

A Little Life gets chosen really often on the Bookshelfie podcast. Naga Munchetty (who I adore) said she buys it as a gift for friends! I read the synopsis, and the play reviews (I think James Norton was in it) and it just sounded horrendous.

I realised over Christmas that I’ve not read the latest Robert Galbraith Strike novel, so it’s next on my list.

[lazzbo]

Oh you're in for a treat, Pip!

I think my pal went to the play of A Little Life. Unfathomable.

[Lola]

I absolutely loved In Memoriam, Lola. Harrowing at times but beautiful.

I have finished this now & totally agree. Best thing I’ve read for ages, it was so good.

[Lola]

I also want to read the sex book now just to see how bad it is :lol:

[Turtle Bean]

Oh it's a good one, Pippo. Possibly my favourite.