~Andrea~

Thanks everyone I definitely recommend Slade House Hayley. I've finished it now and will try and do a proper review soon.

Well it's been a while since I've been on here! I can't believe I'm so late in setting up my reading log. What a year it's been! Aside from the pandemic and lockdown, I was made redundant in January, from a job I'd been in for 19 years! Fortunately I managed to find another job pretty quickly and started in my new place about six weeks later in February. It's been a strange start though; after only about a month of starting we all began working from home. But that's actually been fine and we have plenty of video meetings - at least two a day, so it doesn't feel too remote. I haven't done a great deal of reading though. And because I haven't set this thread up until just now I haven't been making a note of what I've been reading so far, so I'm not entirely sure what I've read. I've just noted down what I can remember. I'm currently reading Slade House by David Mitchell, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I will try and get round to some reviews of my 2020 reading at some point! Happy reading in 2020 everyone!! Thread open!!

Previous logs: 2019 (18) 2018 (14) 2017 (10) 2016 (9) 2015 (10) 2014 (19) 2013 (21) 2012 (19) 2011 (17) 2010 (19) 2009 (23) 2008 (26) 2007 (21) Completed: Magpie - Sophie Draper Introducing Political Philosophy, A graphic guide Introducing Economics, A graphic guide Life Expectancy - Dean Koontz Slade House - David Mitchell This Charming Man - Marian Keyes A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French Various short stories by Edgar Allen Poe and Guy de Maupassant Currently reading: A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens Abandoned Dark Fire - C J Sansom I am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

I will - eventually. I've only just seen the first two series so I'm a bit behind. Love it though!

I'm sure I have a Susan Hill on my bookshelves somewhere - I've never read anything by her before, although I've seen The Woman in Black on stage and screen. I'm intrigued to see how cliched it is now, though the readability factor is encouraging.

Don't forget there's an election coming up.They need a big budget for all the silly graphics they show before the votes start coming in.

Oh good. I hope you enjoy it Hayley. Yes it would have been a good holiday read actually. Not a book that stays with you but a decent bit of escapist fiction.

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne Du Maurier From Amazon: To escape the shallowness of court life, Dona retreats to Navron, her husband's remote Cornish estate. There, she seeks peace in its solitary woods and hidden creeks. But she finds instead a daring pirate, hunted by all Cornwall, a Frenchman who, like Dona, would gamble his life for a moment's joy. Together, they embark upon a quest rife with danger and glory, one which bestows upon Dona the ultimate choice: sacrifice her lover to certain death or risk her own life to save him. This was an enjoyable romantic adventure, with fine prose as one would expect from du Maurier, but quite a light read compared to some of her other work. The story moves along at a good pace and I read it quite quickly (for me). I liked the central characters (in spite of some dubious moral choices). Essentially it's a story to escape into rather than one which makes you think too deeply.

I knew a lot of people don't like the Tom Cruise one, but I think it's really good. I can't really remember the family stuff at the end. I thought the little girl playing the daughter in it was very good. I agree about George standing around with his mouth open in the BBC version I haven't read the book either

I didn't mind it. It didn't blow me away but I quite enjoyed it. I'll watch it next week. Not as good as the Tom Cruise version though.

Oh I really enjoyed Cassandra Darke. I'd definitely recommend that. And it's quite Christmassy so would be a good seasonal read!

I can relate to that. In terms of the bible itself, there are bits of it I do love actually, Genesis for instance (in spite of its challenges) and there are some wonderful and really interesting things like Job and Ecclesiastes that I'm also drawn to, and some of the psalms. I could happily leave the law though. Leviticus. Ugh!

I'm afraid I haven't. Would you recommend it? Have you read any other Posy Simmonds?

I'm a Christian too, although I must say the bible is not my favourite book. In fact I often struggle with it somewhat. I also don't really think of it as a 'book' as such but more as a collection of writings. I find it much less cohesive than an actual book, although clearly consistent threads and themes can be found running through it. I've been reading Alister McGrath's book, 'Christian Theology, an introduction' this year, and among other things it discusses the origins of the Christian canon and how it was put together. I've found that very interesting.

This looks great! Good cast too. I'm looking forward to it!

This author sounds really interesting. Thanks for the recommendation.

Thanks Rybread. That looks interesting!

Haha that sounds a little unusual. However, if it works it works. Wherever you can get some quiet I guess. I do 90% of my reading in bed. Occasionally I'll read in the garden or (rarely) in the living room.

Hi and welcome Munipenny I enjoyed Far from the Madding Crowd. Look forward to chatting with you in the forum.

I do. Not heard of Emma Bombeck but I'm already sold on Betty McDonald. That sounds good too! This thread is becoming a dangerous place

I'm really fancying a bit of something spooky or a dark mystery this Autumn. I might dip into my Edgar Allen Poe short stories and I think I have a Susan Hill lying around somewhere.

I'd never heard of Betty McDonald but she sounds really interesting. I might have to read one of her books now!

Yes FC is quite a light read actually, more of a romantic adventure story so far.

Great review of Rebecca, Willoyd. I must must must read it soon, though from what you've said I'm assuming having seen the old black and white film will spoil it somewhat. I'm currently enjoying Du Maurier's Frenchman's Creek at the moment. I'd recommend My Cousin Rachel as another of hers you might enjoy: an intelligent and well written dark romantic drama with a touch of the thriller about it (without being overly thriller-ish).

Gemma Bovary by Posy Simmonds From Amazon: Gemma is your average girl-about-London. Dumped by her ambitious lover, she rebounds onto a safe bet, gentle furniture restorer Charles Bovery. But Charles comes with an ex-wife and children and Gemma baulks at being the unpaid baby-sitter. When money falls into her lap, Gemma flees London and drags Charles to Normandy, where she spices up her increasingly dull marital life with a bit on the side named Patrick Large. But then she dies, under mysterious circumstances. I read this when on a break from the previous read (The Well) while in post (minor) op recovery and it was the best medicine I could have asked for. I loved it. Great artwork, great writing, great characters, great plot and plenty of humour to boot. I think I'm rapidly becoming a Posy Simmonds megafan!