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Your Book Activity - May 2019


Onion Budgie

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It's May!  ALREADY.  We had some warm weather in April, but now it's back to chilly again -- at least here in the UK.  What's everyone reading this month?

 

I finished Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie a few days ago.  I enjoyed it, but aieeee, there was a fair bit of racism in this one.  That's the one thing that spoils AC for me.

 

I've just started Skirt and the Fiddle by Tristan Egolf.  Only a few pages in, so can't tell if I'm going to like it yet or not.

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On 5/3/2019 at 3:03 PM, Onion Budgie said:

I finished Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie a few days ago.  I enjoyed it, but aieeee, there was a fair bit of racism in this one.  That's the one thing that spoils AC for me.

 

I haven't read that particular book, but it's true about the racism and AC :(. I've heard And Then There Were None is one of her better works, but I only have the book with its original racist title and I can't yet bring myself to read it. But I also refuse to pay full price for a book with just a new title when I already have 3 (!) copies of the original work (one was a gift, the other two are part of omnibusses that I bought for other works in those omnibusses). And yet there's the dilemma of the title, not sure how the actual work is affected.

 

I'm still reading Maar je ziet er helemaal niet autistisch uit by Bianca Toeps, it's a really good memoir, I'm liking it a lot and find myself wanting to savour it so I'm taking it slow and not wanting to rush through it.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Athena said:

 

And yet there's the dilemma of the title, not sure how the actual work is affected.

 

 

As far as I can recall, the novel is only affected by mention of the broken figurine and the poem itself.  It's a *great* novel otherwise.  It does get a bit wearing when it seems that every other novel by AC has problematical racist elements to it...  She's still one of my favourite writers, but...

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I stayed in bed this morning to finish Munich by Robert Harris which is always the sign of a good book. As the weather is absolutely foul at the moment I think I'll spend the rest of the day so I need to decide what to pick up next.

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16 hours ago, bookmonkey said:

I loved Munich.  It was the first Robert Harris I read and now he's one of my favourite authors.

 

I enjoyed it but I didn't think it was his best work, in my opinion that would be the Cicero series.

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I had a wobbly start to my reading this year, but am making up for it this month, thank goodness. While trying to find a new read to catpture my mojo, I started reading Ann Cleeves 'Vera Stanhope' books. Although I usually prefer to read the books before I watch a film or tv series based on them, it did not make a difference here. I am really enjoying them. It is great to have access to the internal workings of Vera and Joe. 

 

I took a break after the fifth book to read Jodi Taylor's latest 'Chronicles of St Mary's' book; 'Hope For The Best'. As always, a rip roaring historical run around with heart. 

 

 

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15 hours ago, Chrissy said:

I had a wobbly start to my reading this year, but am making up for it this month, thank goodness. While trying to find a new read to catpture my mojo, I started reading Ann Cleeves 'Vera Stanhope' books. Although I usually prefer to read the books before I watch a film or tv series based on them, it did not make a difference here. I am really enjoying them. It is great to have access to the internal workings of Vera and Joe. 

 

I took a break after the fifth book to read Jodi Taylor's latest 'Chronicles of St Mary's' book; 'Hope For The Best'. As always, a rip roaring historical run around with heart. 

 

 

 

Glad you've found that pesky elusive mojo again, Chrissy. I've found the bloomin' thing goes AWOL at the slightest excuse :irked:

 

I recently read one of Ann Cleeves Jimmy Perez books and enjoyed it very much. The setting alone is enough to hook me, but she writes very well too.

 

I must read the second Chronicles of St Mary's book. Thoroughly enjoyed the first, but left me feeling a bit exhausted from all that action and excitement. I think I've calmed down enough now to go off on another action packed adventure :D

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I have the Shetland series ready to read - they have popped up for 99p now and again and I have pounced! :D We were just on Shetland, last week! I am hoping to recognise some of the settings wthen I get around to reading them. Have you seen the television series? 

 

St Mary's is such a firm favourite with me now. I just LOVE the spirit of the books. Long may they be written! 

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16 hours ago, Chrissy said:

I have the Shetland series ready to read - they have popped up for 99p now and again and I have pounced! :D We were just on Shetland, last week! I am hoping to recognise some of the settings wthen I get around to reading them. Have you seen the television series? 

 

St Mary's is such a firm favourite with me now. I just LOVE the spirit of the books. Long may they be written! 

 

You lucky things! I hope you had a wonderful time. Yes, I have watched the Shetland series ... well as many as were available on Netflix. I was hooked. Love the addition of Tosh, who didn't appear in the books.

 

The St Mary's books are a rollicking great adventure :lol:

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Reading Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson. Love the Major's dry and rather acerbic sense of humour, especially when it's directed at his awful son. I've also read Simonson's The Summer Before the War, but am enjoying this one more.

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I've almost finished Skirt and the Fiddle by Tristan Egolf.  I have NOT enjoyed it!  The humour is so outlandishly, grimly farcical, that I lost patience with it about a third of the way in.  Reading it in small chunks now because it's making my eyes roll out of their sockets.  The two main characters are abhorrent.

 

Don't know what I'm going to read next.  Something GOOD.

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On 17/05/2019 at 10:19 AM, Onion Budgie said:

I've just started The Charioteer by Mary Renault.  One chapter in, and it's wonderful so far.

Glad you are enjoying this much more than your previous read. Hopefully you are continuing to like it.

 

I have just finished reading The Perfectly Imperfect Woman by Milly Johnson. It follows Marnie a very likeable character with a few flaws, as she embarks on a cheesecake making business. There are great laugh out loud moments, sad moments and a few twists and turns that made me want to read on. As well as some very amazing sounding cheesecake flavours. 

 

Currently reading The Best Thing I Never Had by Erin Lawless. I am finding this rather boring. There is not much of a story going on and the characters (there are quite a few) all seem in a muddle. Still it's early days so I shall read on. 

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1 hour ago, Lau_Lou said:

Glad you are enjoying this much more than your previous read. Hopefully you are continuing to like it.

 

Yes, I'm loving it!  I've not read anything by Renault before, so this is a nice surprise.  The "Charioteer" is currently stuck in a World War II veterans' hospital, with a wonky knee.  The characters are all very well drawn.  I'm looking forward to whatever happens next...

 

I hope your book picks up soon!

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Just finished Patrick Barkham's The Butterfly Islands, the story of his attempt to see all 59 of the UK's species of butterflies.  Excellent read, 5 stars.  Started Origins by Lewis Dartnell, about how the earth's geography and geology has influenced history.

 

 

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18 hours ago, Lau_Lou said:

I have just finished reading The Perfectly Imperfect Woman by Milly Johnson. It follows Marnie a very likeable character with a few flaws, as she embarks on a cheesecake making business. There are great laugh out loud moments, sad moments and a few twists and turns that made me want to read on. As well as some very amazing sounding cheesecake flavours.

 

I read my first Milly Johnson book last year (The Mother of all Christmases) and really liked it! I'm glad you liked The Perfectly Imperfect Woman as I have it on my TBR.

 

I'm currently reading I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver.

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On 21/05/2019 at 3:23 PM, Onion Budgie said:

 

Yes, I'm loving it!  I've not read anything by Renault before, so this is a nice surprise.  The "Charioteer" is currently stuck in a World War II veterans' hospital, with a wonky knee.  The characters are all very well drawn.  I'm looking forward to whatever happens next...

 

I hope your book picks up soon!

Thank you :)

Unfortunatly it was not to be. I ended up rating it 1 star. 

 

On 22/05/2019 at 8:13 AM, Athena said:

 

I read my first Milly Johnson book last year (The Mother of all Christmases) and really liked it! I'm glad you liked The Perfectly Imperfect Woman as I have it on my TBR.

 

 

I have the Mother of All Christmases too. I may save that for the end of the year! 

I think you will like Perfectly Imperfect Woman. Or at least hope you will. 

 

On 22/05/2019 at 9:13 PM, Luanna said:

Hello, I'm new here! I'm just finishing Spook Country by Willian Gibson. Somebody here also loves sci-fi books? Gibson is my favorite! 

Hi, Luanna. Welcome :)

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I've recently finished A Small Weeping by Alex Gray and Phantom by Jo Nesbo.  I should finish Off With His Head by Ngaio Marsh today.  I also finished a non-fiction book, part of my collection of biographies of New Zealand prime ministers that I'm slowly working my way through.

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A tale of two cities, centred on London then Paris , is well written, Dickens

showing his skill in rooting out deceit and pointing at the evil in the powerful elite.

All told it is a dull and tedious, convoluted, book, one that I am sipping a kind of antidote to, this being Ffyona Campbell, 

On foot through Africa.

The selfishness of the author is very apparent; the aim being to show she can traverse lands inhabited by poverty stricken people so Ffyona can get a heap of money and fame.

A good enough read though 

 

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On 26/05/2019 at 2:26 PM, Luanna said:

Thanks for the welcome messeges! I'm still learning things in here, I never been on a forum before... Someone here ever read Brazilian literature?  :)

Hi.

I've read Dom Casmurro, by Machado  de Assis..

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