Reading Heart Liberals

[Flora Poste]

I re-read all the Green Knowe books as I visited Hemingford Gray at the weekend. They are as magical as I remembered; perhaps even moreso read as an adult.

How wonderful! Did you go round the house as well? I would love to do this - these were pretty much my favourite books as a child and i still have a massive soft spot for them.

[Lily]

I did! I will do a separate thread.

[Turtle Bean]

Tulip Fever was average and there was too much sex in it.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I don’t really like sex in books, and my sister made me feel like a total prude for saying so out loud.

[Turtle Bean]

It's very subjective thing and one person's sexy is another person's icky.

[Dutchie]

I've just finished We Begin at the End and absolutely loved it. It was one of those books where you miss the characters after you've finished. Now I have started The Dry and am really enjoying it already.

[sally maclennane]

I don’t really like sex in books, and my sister made me feel like a total prude for saying so out loud.

Same here. I'm still reading Great Circle (which I like) and there are some sex scenes that make me a bit ick.

I'm sure I've said this before but I was once reading an Alan Hollinghurst book on a bus to work, and there was a rather graphic gay sex scene in it. The man next to me must have looked over my shoulder at one point and looked horrified. It was all a bit much at 8am!

[Lily]

I don’t really like sex in books, and my sister made me feel like a total prude for saying so out loud.

I don't either. Especially if you feel you know the character: it's like watching friends do it. Plus if I fancy the male character I get jealous. :ella:

"The Madness" was very good, but hardgoing, unsurprisingly.

[Flora Poste]

I don't mind a bit of sex in books, but quite a lot of mainstream fiction these days borders on porn at times, and I don't really like that. I love a gentler novel with now sex at all from time to time as it seems refreshing.

[Turtle Bean]

I just read Mrs March by Virginia Feito. It was weird and gripping but finished quite abruptly with no real proper ending. I understand what happened but it would have been nice if the author could have thought more about why.

[Duophonic]

I haven't been on this thread for a while:

Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus: I enjoyed this and it bounced along quickly but felt it didn't linger on any big issues that would've made it a better read
Voices in the Valley - Andrew Hurley: Folk horror which I love, it wasn't scary but delightfully strange.
The Black Guy Dies First - Robin R. Means Coleman: This is an exploration of modern black horror cinema, really interesting covering everything from character development to themes and tropes
The Comfort Book - Matt Haig: I listened to this at bedtimes as a soothing affirmation type listen
The Lamplighters - Emma Stonex: I didn't expect to enjoy this, picked it up on a whim but it properly drew me in. The loneliness was palpable.
Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad: Brutal absolutely brutal. From the history to the language used in the book

I'm currently reading

Wuthering Heights
Brave New World
Ulysses

[Lily]

Voices in the Valley - Andrew Hurley: Folk horror which I love, it wasn't scary but delightfully strange.

This was on the radio around Halloween - brilliant stuff. I do love his work.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001dmqj

[Demelza]

I enjoyed The Lamplighters too, Duo – it was very atmospheric.

I've just finished Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld, which I also really enjoyed (although the ending felt a bit rushed). I've got both The School fo Good Mothers and We Begin At The End on my to-read pile next (both found in chairty shops after recommendations from here)

[Turtle Bean]

Finished Exiles. It was brilliant. Can't believe it will be another couple of years at least till her next one. I'm going to reread all the others.

[Lola]

I've read another Taylor Jenkins Reid book - Maybe In Another Life. it was a bit like that film Sliding Doors & was an enjoyable read. I didn't realise she had written so many books tbh.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I’ve just finished Murder Before Evensong. There were bits I enjoyed, but it wasn’t brilliant. Very well researched for setting it in its time. I’d still read more because I do like the Reverend.

[Flora Poste]

I've just finished Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver - it's the story of David Copperfield tranposed to hillbilly Kentucky with deep poverty and a side of Oxycontin addiction and dependency. I really enjoyed it - partly because I love David Copperfield (I've read it 3 or 4 times) and I thought how she transposed the characters was really cleverly done but also as a story in its own right, even though I knew (roughly) how the story would pan out.

[Elya]

I’ve never read David Copperfield, but I love Barbara Kingsolver!

I’ve just re read the Dutch House by Ann Patchett as light relief from the Hannah Barnes book about GIDS.

[Pippedydeadeye]

I didn’t realise that’s what Demon Copperhead was about. I loved David Copperfield; I read it when I was 14 & on a pretty crap holiday with my cousins.

[wendy james]

I've got All of You Every Single One by Beatrice Hitchman lined up, though Bean has reminded me I should make a start on next month's book club choice - A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins.

I can’t decide about the Beatrice Hitchman. Too much sex, often rough, though now the characters are older that has calmed down. :lol:

The Paula Hawkins was a bit disappointing for a book club book. Nothing stood out above the majority of crime thrillers I read; I’m not sure what there is to discuss!