Book Notes

[Marth]

I've loved getting recommendations from this group throughout the year.

I used to read so much but lost my mojo over the past few years, but this thread has helped me enjoy reading again.

I'm going to sign up to Goodreads and track my reading for next year as I'm terrible for remembering what I've read or haven't.

[Kenickie]

I got a good few chapters into one book this year until it sounded so familiar I checked Goodreads and realised I'd already read it, so I find it invaluable for that!

[sally maclennane]

I just write a wee list in a notebook, I've got the last 4 years' books recorded there.

I read True Crime Story which was a bit strange but enjoyable. Its about a girl who goes missing and a journalist starts investigating. The book is mainly interviews with her friends and family, and other stuff like emails between the journo and the author of the book, and press articles.

[Jupiter]

I thought it was a bit strange too, Sal, but I enjoyed how it was done.

[Cerise]

I like using Goodreads because I can make that collage thing of my books for the year.

[sally maclennane]

I thought it was a bit strange too, Sal, but I enjoyed how it was done.

Yes, I did too. I found the stuff about the author's involvement a bit weird, though.

[Jupiter]

Yes! I didn't really like him at all.

[sally maclennane]

Yeah, I assumed that was all part of the story but it made him seem like a bit of a dick.

[Bat Macdui]

If you haven't read it already, Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan would be a good pic. Perfect for this time of year, beautifully written, and very short.

I second this; I picked it up in Waterstones because it had glowing reviews from Sarah Moss and Hilary Mantel on the cover, and you don't get much of a better endorsement than that. Short, beautifully written, excellent.

I am on 76 books so far this year, which is a drop on the last two (lockdown helped) but I do count everything including rereads.

I have raced through Josephine Tey's Alan Grant mysteries and am back up to Daughter of Time, which I may reread as I'm a terrible completist and it is a very good book. I am thinking I might try some more vintage crime, as I loved the Miss Marples earlier this year as well. Maybe some Margery Allingham or Dorothy L Sayers. They are beautiful escapism and I like living in the early 20th century at the moment.

I am also going to pootle back trough the thread for some holiday easy reading. R has bought the William Gibsons that they based the Peripheral series on, so I will read those, I think, as I can just download them to my Kindle. But I need some other light, whizz throughs as well.

[Lola]

I’ve just re-read When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman because I had vague memories of it but i did remember it was good. It’s a bit scary how i forget books after I’ve read them Anyway it was excellent and I got more out of it the second time as the memories came back

[Chicky]

I think I’m on 95 and trying to get to 100. I am most of the way through Troubled Blood in hardback and another book on my Kindle so I may make it. Might have to read a famous five or two

[Dutchie]

I'm amazed at how much you all read! I read mostly before going to sleep and more on holiday. I've only read 13 this year and have just started no.14.

Finished Daisy Jones & the Six which I absolutely loved. Have just started the Pearl of Penang by Clare Flynn, mainly because I grew up partially in Malaysia and also because it got good reviews.

[Annabella]

I read Happy New Year by Malin Stehn. A quick read and I really liked it. 99p on kindle
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=malin+steh ... -doa-p_2_8

[sally maclennane]

I just finished One Last Secret by Adele Parks. It was very readable but I didn't really enjoy it. It was about an escort and I found some parts of it a bit prurient. It was also a bit daft in parts.

Alex Scott's autobiography next. I think that will take me to 42 books this year.

[lazzbo]

I've got more time for reading now, so I started The School for Bad Mothers which is GREAT. I think I must have picked up on it from Barack Obama's round up of his favourite books of the year and he's not wrong. So much to talk about already and I'm not even halfway through. Has anyone else read it?

[Pippedydeadeye]

I read Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan over the weekend. It was beautifully observed & very spare & short.

[Marth]

I've got more time for reading now, so I started The School for Bad Mothers which is GREAT. I think I must have picked up on it from Barack Obama's round up of his favourite books of the year and he's not wrong. So much to talk about already and I'm not even halfway through. Has anyone else read it?

I haven't read it, but it's 99p on Kindle so I've bought it

[lazzbo]

Super, let's discuss in a few days.

[Ella77]

Ooh, I’ve bought that too .

I’m just coming to the end of Great Circle, which was recommended by my MIL, and she has very good taste in books. It’s very good, albeit hard to follow at the start.

[Disco]

I read Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan over the weekend. It was beautifully observed & very spare & short.

That's been on my list for ages and it is next in my list and will take me to 30 books this year. I just have to finish The Dispossessed but I'm on 82% so that's as good as read.