~Andrea~

Wow congratulations on 65 years muggle - sorry it's a bit late

I rarely read for longer than half an hour, although a really good book will make me read for longer than that. Let us know how you get on.

I discovered over Christmas that I prefer milk chocolate digestives to plain, having grown up on plain chocolate ones and always believing the milk chocolate ones to be inferior, because that's what my Dad always said

It's 1962 and Edward and Florence's wedding night. Two virgins who can't talk about sex flounder their way through an awkward evening, having never discussed their own anxieties and expectations of the encounter to come. McEwan writes exquisite prose, and brings vividly to life the moments and actions and internal agonies of these two lovers. The book focuses on the first day of their honeymoon in a hotel overlooking Chesil beach, occasionally switching back to the story that brought them here, how they met and the development of their relationship thus far. The book is full of delicious tension, suspense and comedy and sympathetically shines a light on the most private thoughts and anxieties of two imperfect humans as well as commenting on a society of changing attitudes and on the human condition. I loved this and read it in just a few sittings. I am now desperate to read some more by McEwan.

On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan It's 1962 and Edward and Florence's wedding night. Two virgins who can't talk about sex flounder their way through an awkward evening, having never discussed their own anxieties and expectations of the encounter to come. I picked up this short novel in a charity shop, knowing little about it other than it's a well known book by a well known author, one whom I'm not sure I have ever read properly. I'm so glad I did as I was absolutely hooked from the first page. McEwan writes exquisite prose, and brings vividly to life the moments and actions and internal agonies of these two lovers. The book focuses on the first day of their honeymoon in a hotel overlooking Chesil beach, occasionally switching back to the story that brought them here, how they met and the development of their relationship thus far. The book is full of delicious tension, suspense and comedy and sympathetically shines a light on the most private thoughts and anxieties of two imperfect humans as well as commenting on a society of changing attitudes and on the human condition. I loved this and read it in just a few sittings. I am now desperate to read some more by McEwan.

Welcome Lana

The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman From the cover: In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. I read this because everybody seemed to be raving about it, however, for some reason I found it a but of a slog, which is odd as it's a very light, easy read but I think that was the problem. Somehow the writing style just didn't set me on fire, and I really dragged my feet reading it. There was nothing particularly wrong with it and I can see why it would be popular and successful, and probably had I got stuck in earlier on I'd have found the experience more enjoyable, but I dipped into it so infrequently that it only made it worse. Towards the end I started to enjoy it more but I don't think I'll bother with any more of these. Just not my cuppa even though I actually really like the author on telly. I think if you like cosy mysteries and are in the mood for something light and easy it might be just the job but for some reason, it really wasn't for me.

I do so enjoy your posts Hux. For the record if anyone wants to discuss or disagree on my reading blog they are most welcome This is a really sad story This is great news (I'm sorry I'm so behind the curve by the way - I really must up my game visiting and posting here) however as others have said, I hope you will all still come to visit/join in here too!

Thread open for comments Previous logs: 2021 (9) https://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/16456-andrea-in-2021/ 2020 (7) https://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/16248-andrea-in-2020/ 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: The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier The Lord of the Rings (Book 1 - The Fellowship of the Ring) - J R R Tolkien Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman The End of the World is Flat - Simon Edge The Hypnotist's Love Story - Liane Moriarty Tamara Drew - Posy Simmonds The Inimitable Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse Currently reading: The Spies - Michael Frayne

Well, I've only completed 9 books this year, which is awful! I must try harder next year, less time playing silly games on my phone and more time reading!

Thanks France. I'm happy to have discovered a new author

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty Nine strangers join an extreme health retreat in the middle nowhere in the Australian desert, each one carrying their own personal demons. The retreat at Tranquillium House begins as you would expect it, health foods, exercise, meditation, but then things begin to take a somewhat sinister turn. This is my first Liane Moriarty and I loved it. It's a comedy and it did have me laughing out loud. The characters were interesting and the plot engaging. I love anything involving inner emotional struggles or therapy and this book left me feeling satisfied on lots of counts. I will definitely be looking out for more by this author.

I've started The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Not loving it as I'd hoped but maybe that's because of the hype?? Things can never live up.

The Illustrated Child - Polly Crosby From the blurb: Romilly lives in a ramshackle house with her eccentric artist father and her cat, Monty. She knows little about her past – but she knows that she is loved. When her father finds fame with a series of children’s books starring her as the main character, everything changes: exotic foods appear on the table, her father appears on TV, and strangers appear at their door, convinced the books contain a treasure hunt leading to a glittering prize. But as time passes, Romilly’s father becomes increasingly suspicious of everything around him, until, before her eyes, he begins to disappear altogether. In her increasingly isolated world, Romilly turns to the secrets her father has hidden in his illustrated books, realising that there is something far darker and more devastating locked within the pages… Hmm. I'm not sure what I made of this book. It's described as literary fiction, but I didn't find it particularly literary myself. It's certainly unusual and the writing is good in places, but also quite simple in others, being narrated by a child. I was intrigued to find out what happened, but I didn't particularly enjoy the book. It's unpleasant in places and contains a lot of childhood neglect. I found some of the story far-fetched and couldn't quite buy into it. I did read to the end though, which says something I guess, and a lot of people loved it. I didn't love it, or hate it. It was ok, but I'd have rather spent my time reading something else.

Welcome to the forum Orang-U-Can. When I was little all we had was a black and white portable telly in the living room as the family TV. No remote, and no preset channels, just a single dial for tuning! How did we manage?

Thank you Paul. They both sound great and I hadn't heard of either of them before so thanks for the recommendation!

Five Quarters of the Orange - Joanna Harris From the cover: Beyond the main street of Les Laveuses runs the Loire, smooth and brown as a sunning snake - but hiding a deadly undertow beneath its moving surface. This is where Framboise, a secretive widow named after a raspberry liqueur, plies her culinary trade at the crperie - and lets her memory play strange games. Into this world comes the threat of revelation as Framboise's nephew - a profiteering Parisian - attempts to exploit the growing success of the country recipes she has inherited from her mother, a woman remembered with contempt by the villagers of Les Laveuses. As the spilt blood of a tragic wartime childhood flows again, exposure beckons for Framboise, the widow with an invented past. When I started this I thought it was going to be too literary for me. I'm very much a commercial fiction devotee. I do like stuff to be well-written though. However once I got into the groove I really enjoyed this. The characters were interesting, (although often not particularly likeable) the writing lovely and evocative, and the story full of drama and jeopardy. This is my first Joanna Harris so I think I will be trying some more.

Yes congratulations on getting your mojo back in May! I hope it goes as well for the rest of the year!

Bit behind on reviews - not that I've really read that much! So just a couple of quick ones: Black Eyed Susans - Julia Haeberlin At seventeen, Tessa narrowly escapes being murdered by a serial killer. Decades later, the convicted killer is finally about to be executed, except that Tessa is no longer sure he really did it. The story unfolds along two separate timelines - one as the young Tessa goes through therapy not long after her near escape, and another as an adult, with a teenage daughter of her own. I enjoyed this psychological crime thriller. The characters were well drawn enough to interest me, whereas I find a lot of crime books have rather flat characters. I also enjoy any element of therapy in a novel so that aspect of this book also appealed. I did guess the ending but it didn't really spoil my enjoyment of the book. The Woman who Stole my Life - Marian Keyes From amazon: One day, sitting in traffic, Stella Sweeney attempts a good deed. The resulting car crash changes her life. But in this event is born the seed of something which will take Stella thousands of miles from her old life, turning an ordinary woman into a superstar, wrenching her whole family apart. For the first time real, honest-to-goodness happiness is just within her reach. But is Stella Sweeney, Dublin housewife, ready to grasp it? After reading two of her books I've become a big fan of Marian Keyes. They both had me in stitches, while being stories of real depth, so I was expecting more of the same from this one. However, while funny in places, it just didn't have the comic punch of the other two I've read. For that reason I did find it slightly disappointing. It wasn't a bad read though. There was humour in it, but I think I only laughed out loud once. The story was quite good. I liked it but I didn't love it.

Oh there were tonnes all from different series'. I seem to remember Sweet Valley High being ones that I really couldn't get into. And I remember some being dreadful even at the time and promptly abandoned.

I used to read a lot of teen romances in my teens. I do wonder what I'd make of them now. I expect they'd be terrible. The Nancy Drew books I devoured when I was a bit younger certainly did not stand up to an adult re-read!

Oh yes that must be nice. I wonder if you'd prefer Alice now as an adult? It's very weird and random so I can understand why someone wouldn't get on with it.

I know. Some books work well on two levels, and can be enjoyed by both adults and children, such as the Narnia books, or Alice in Wonderland while some are definitely best left to the children.

Haha, this is really me satisfying a childhood obsession! I got this because I can remember my brother (who is 5 years older than me) telling me when we were kids how much he'd loved it. He really sold it to me! As a small child I became desperate to read it, but by then we couldn't find a copy. I think he'd read it in school library and it had gone out of print. I was so intrigued by this book as a child and even as an adult now and again wondered about it. Anyway, recently I found it on amazon and couldn't resist buying it! Unfortunately it isn't really living up to the hype in my head Oh I hope you like it Muggle. It was hard work and I know a lot of people didn't like it. The ending though is great. Just skim over the boring bits!

Sleepless - Louise Mumford Thea is an insomniac who never sleeps more than a couple of hours each night. One day her insomnia-induced poor concentration results in a car accident and she decides enough is enough and signs herself up to a sleep trial that promises to change her life. The trial takes place on a remote island and starts out well, with the participants finding their sleep issues improving, but then Thea makes some alarming discoveries and is soon desperate to get off the island. I got this because a leaflet dropped through the door advertising it. It's by a local author who lives in my neck of the woods so I thought I'd give it a whirl and support them. It started out well, and for the most part I really enjoyed reading it; it's quite well written, with some interesting ideas and is quite light and easy to read; it's something I'd probably enjoy on holiday (when we're allowed to have those again), engaging without being too hard on the brain. It also has a sense of humour which I liked as well. I enjoyed the first half but felt it became a bit formulaic and samey as it progressed. In the last quarter things become ever more violent and dramatic when it could have done with a bit more varied pacing. The ending felt a bit rushed to me. I also felt some characters should have been more fully developed, they were introduced and I wanted to know more about them, but then they weren't really explored. However I did like the ideas in the story, with the sleep trial and the tech behind it. Overall I thought it was OK, but it had the potential to be something much better so I was a bit disappointed. Still it's a first novel, so perhaps her next one will be better. (I'd still be willing to give her another try if she brings anything else out).