Read the Room

[sally maclennane]

I just finished The Midnight Hour, it was a Kate Mortin type of book, split across modern day and the 1990s. It wasn't that great, tbh.

I think I will read The Women next.

[Starry]

Where do we stand on Colleen Hoover? I’ve read three of her books and fully hated two of them. All Your Perfects was ok, but Verity made me hate every single character in the book and It Starts With Us should never have happened.

[Disco]

I've thought they all sound like a load of codswallop so I've nevr picked one up.

[Kenickie]

I read a few chapters of one a while back but couldn't get into it.

[wendy james]

I read one for a book club, and never again.

[wendy james]

Speaking of book clubs, the one of mine that is arranged via Meetup is getting too big IMO as the organiser keeps upping the limit on numbers who can sign up. We had a cap of 10 at the beginning but it’s now up to 22.

Fuck that, some of us barely get to speak as it is! Plus I often find it’s me who makes a point of asking the quieter ones if they have anything to share, or spots somebody tried to speak and makes sure we go back to them. The organiser isn’t a very good facilitator in that sense and there’s a handful who tend to dominate the conversation.

[Kenickie]

22 should like far too many, you think they'd be better off splitting it.

[Loralei]

Where do we stand on Colleen Hoover? I’ve read three of her books and fully hated two of them. All Your Perfects was ok, but Verity made me hate every single character in the book and It Starts With Us should never have happened.

Betty has forbidden me to read any of her books as she says she (CH) is an apologist for her sexually inappropriate son. I have not wanted to read them enough to investigate how true this is.

[Flora Poste]

The only Colleen Hoover I've read is It Ends With Us (pre-film) and from memory I didn't hate it (other than the stupid names) but didn't enjoy it enough to read anything else she's written. We read it for book club as well.

And 22 is way, way too many for a book club. 10 is good maximum number, especially if not everyone always makes the meet ups.

[Cerise]

I just finished The Midnight Hour, it was a Kate Mortin type of book, split across modern day and the 1990s. It wasn't that great, tbh.

Oh I quite enjoyed it!

I’ve just finished a book called Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo (I think) and it wasn’t good.

[Loralei]

I just finished The Midnight Hour, it was a Kate Mortin type of book, split across modern day and the 1990s. It wasn't that great, tbh.

Oh I quite enjoyed it!

I’ve just finished a book called Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo (I think) and it wasn’t good.

Oh, that's a shame. I've just started it I enjoyed Preloved, by the same author, so was hopeful about this one.

I'm also reading Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer as the sequel was on a list of good crime fiction, and I like to start at the beginning. I seem to be drawn to books/tv with autistic protagonists at the moment.

[Flora Poste]

I've finished Onyx Storm - and I had so many questions that I ended up re-reading all three again for clues. And now have no idea how I am going to cope until the next book is published. Honestly - I'm like a teenager, in fact the last time I remember being so obsessed with a part-published series coming out (other than HP) was when I was 14 and I'd discovered David Eddings and the last two books of the Malloreon were still to come out.

Anyway, in between the dragon stuff, I've been reading Vietnam-based books in anticipation of my holiday:
The Dragon Apparent (Norman Lewis) - his travels in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Interesting enough, but not as good as Naples '44 which I thought was amazing.
River of Time (Jon Swain) - An English journalist's account of his time in Vietnam and Cambodia in the 70s - devastating and beautifully written journalistic memoir.
The Quiet American (Graham Greene) - not quite finished this yet, but I'm enjoying.

[Starry]

Where do we stand on Colleen Hoover? I’ve read three of her books and fully hated two of them. All Your Perfects was ok, but Verity made me hate every single character in the book and It Starts With Us should never have happened.

Betty has forbidden me to read any of her books as she says she (CH) is an apologist for her sexually inappropriate son. I have not wanted to read them enough to investigate how true this is.

.

Genuinely not worth the time you’d take, I can’t really understand her popularity. TikTok persuaded her to write It Starts With Us and that should tell you everything.

[Jupiter]

I just finished The Midnight Hour, it was a Kate Mortin type of book, split across modern day and the 1990s. It wasn't that great, tbh.

Oh I quite enjoyed it!

I’ve just finished a book called Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo (I think) and it wasn’t good.

Oh, that's a shame. I've just started it I enjoyed Preloved, by the same author, so was hopeful about this one.

I'm also reading Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer as the sequel was on a list of good crime fiction, and I like to start at the beginning. I seem to be drawn to books/tv with autistic protagonists at the moment.

Ooh is there a sequel? I really enjoyed Rubbernecker. What's the sequel called please and thank you.

[Dutchie]

The only Colleen Hoover I've read is It Ends With Us (pre-film) and from memory I didn't hate it (other than the stupid names) but didn't enjoy it enough to read anything else she's written. We read it for book club as well.

Good to know - I've got this one on my Want to Read list but I don't think I'll bother then. I'll just watch the film.

Still on the first Jackson Brodie and I love it

[Pippedydeadeye]

I’m reading City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert and really enjoying it.

[Kenickie]

Rubbernecker was really good.

The new Sally Rooney has finally become available to me, but I read a few pages and am not in the right mood for it at the moment.

[Loralei]

Ooh is there a sequel? I really enjoyed Rubbernecker. What's the sequel called please and thank you.

I don't know if it's a sequel but it features Patrick. It's called The Impossible Thing and is released on 27th Feb.

[Jupiter]

Thanks Lora. I'll add it to my list!

[sally maclennane]

I’m reading City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert and really enjoying it.

I loved that book, it was so readable.