Ben

Glad you enjoyed the book, and I agree absolutely - life wouldn't be as interesting if we stuck to the same things over and over. Glad you found some things from my lists. What did you add? (If you don't mind me asking.)

OH has already lined up the next read for me (seems to be a thing, this!) but I might struggle with this one. Tried reading it on holiday back in 2015 and struggled, but I don't think through any fault of the book... so I'll give Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada another shot now! Synopsis Berlin, 1940, and the city is filled with fear. At the house on 55 Jablonski Strasse, its various occupants try to live under Nazi rule in their different ways: the bullying Hitler loyalists the Persickes, the retired judge Fromm and the unassuming couple Otto and Anna Quangel. Then the Quangels receive the news that their beloved son has been killed fighting in France. Shocked out of their quiet existence, they begin a silent campaign of defiance, and a deadly game of cat and mouse develops between the Quangels and the ambitious Gestapo inspector Escherich. When petty criminals Kluge and Borkhausen also become involved, deception, betrayal and murder ensue, tightening the noose around the Quangels' necks ... Sounds intriguing and I know it's had good comments on here, so we'll see...

Yeah I have heard the comments... kind of makes me think But yeah Twitter definitely would definitely struggle.

Rankin's Knots and Crosses all done and dusted, and I must say that I very much enjoyed that. I may come back and review it properly - but I also may not (love this new method of reading and not promising anything else!). What I will say that it was different to the normal police procedural fare. I mean, sure, John Rebus is a tortured, damaged detective with a murky past who drinks too much - but I think what sets the book apart is the pace at which it moves. Rankin doesn't mince his words, doesn't get too bogged down in details or explanations to do with the murders like certain other books of this genre tend to do. That gives Knots and Crosses a lot of room to breathe - and it's a better book for it. What I will say, is that I think the series is going to improve (feel free to confirm fellow Rankin readers!) when we can explore the characters a bit more deeply. Sure, we get a big chunk of Rebus' back-story but there's depths to him and some of the other characters that clearly haven't been explored yet. Instead of a 'stand alone within a series' this feels like a genuine opener (like I believe it was intended to be?) to a series that continues from where previous books finish. Not sure if this is the case with the whole mass of Rebus books that spawned from this, but I know that Hide & Seek does indeed continue. I'll be reading that sooner rather than later for sure. Rankin is a great writer. I've never been to Scotland but he paints a picture of Edinburgh clear enough to make me think I'm completely familiar with its set up - which makes for a book which is easy to immerse yourself in. Overall then, I enjoyed this immensely and I'm very much looking forward to at some stage continuing the series. Hopefully there are many, many more fine Rebus novels ahead of me. ★★★★☆

Genuinely think Sunday's might be one of the best we've had in a long time. Thought it had a perfect mix of humour (more than usual, actually: I was in hysterics at times), action (Mrs Hudson raising the game!), emotional range (particularly some of the John/Sherlock scenes - wow!), and of course, the fabulous twist(s). Do genuinely think that and that this will be the last season, but gosh they're going out with a bang...

Okay, so yesterday the run of not acquiring books came to an end... but I think 11 days is a decent enough effort. The Doll Funeral by Kate Hamer. This is an ARC for Faber which is due out in February. Looks fab. Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman. I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of author or book but it was a Vintage Classics book on sale at work for charity. Great condition and only 75p, felt like daylight robbery. Although just looking, there may be a book I have to read first before it... As for reading progress, I'm really enjoyed Ian Rankin's Knots and Crosses. Rebus is my kind of detective, gritty and flawed with a past that at this point remains deliciously mysterious. I know that there's a lot of these books in the series, so looking forward to finding out more/reading many more Rebus books. Will probably finish tonight.

All great news.

The wind has been insane here today, not sure about actual speeds but very fast indeed. Also it's only 3°C right now so lord knows only what it was this morning when I got up. I know that's not cold compared to where some of you folks live, but with that wind it feels pretty darn cold to me.

Get the feeling Sunday's might be the last one.

So glad you enjoyed it Diane. Penguins are my favourite animal too, and this book was fabulous.

Decided to let the OH pick again for my next 2017 read, but she's done well here... I've been meaning to read some Ian Rankin for a while and where better to start with his first Inspector Rebus novel? So, here goes Knots and Crosses. Synopsis Detective John Rebus: His city is being terrorized by a baffling series of murders...and he's tied to a maniac by an invisible knot of blood. Once John Rebus served in Britain's elite SAS. Now he's an Edinburgh cop who hides from his memories, misses promotions and ignores a series of crank letters. But as the ghoulish killings mount and the tabloid headlines scream, Rebus cannot stop the feverish shrieks from within his own mind. Because he isn't just one cop trying to catch a killer, he's the man who's got all the pieces to the puzzle... Really looking forward to this one!

A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly Not really sure what to say about this one, as I'm a little bit still on the fence. I knew from the outset that it wouldn't be my usual fare - a novel set in the early 1900s and based on a real-life event (of which I won't say more because: spoilers). It's also for "children or young adults" according to the publisher's site - which I can, now I've finished, agree with - so again I wasn't sure exactly what to expect. It was, however - for the most part, at least - a very enjoyable book. Donnelly writes well, with an eye for period detail and with a lovely deft touch that frequently manages to have the reader chuckling despite some of the miserable conditions and family lifestyles being portrayed. The plot unfurls at an admittedly slow place, as we focus on Mathilda "Mattie" Gokey - a feisty, smart young girl who dreams about being a writer and moving away to college to pursue her dreams. Mattie is passionate about both writing and reading - looking up a new 'word of the day' in her dictionary every morning. For this reader, some of the best bits in the book were the entertaining 'word duels' that took place between Matt and her best friend Weaver Smith, from who she is inseparable and who also has similar goals and academic aspirations. Yet with her mother dead, her sisters to look after, and the farm work to do, for Mattie this may all be a pipe dream. Donnelly keeps us guessing which way it'll go while using concurrent narrative threads - one a present day exploration of everyday life in North Woods, the other the story of Mattie's time working at a hotel nearby, and ultimately what she discovers while she is there. Ultimately, A Gathering Light was a good read. Not spectacular, but a slow exploration of the importance of working hard to achieve your goals and making the best of the cards life deals you. Donnelly has a great cast of characters - one of which, Miss Wilcox, Mattie's teacher, is one of the stars of the show - and writes assuredly as she gently brings the two threads of the narrative together in a satisfying conclusion. Again, not my usual read, but this time, I'm glad I made the effort to go out of my comfort zone. ★★★☆☆

Finished on the bus on the way home - didn't exactly blow me away, but it was pretty good and it had some completely unexpected moments that really moved me. Shall write up a few more thoughts in a little while.

Ooh, I do love Mandel's Station Eleven. Steadily making my way through her works and finding the vast majority very enjoyable...

Currently about halfway through A Gathering Light and it isn't half-bad, actually. Definitely not what I was expecting and I feel like it's a little bit slow, but Jennifer Donnelly's writing is particularly evocative and I've got a soft spot for some lovely descriptions. Will be interested to see if the pace picks up a bit in the second half and we get a bit more plot.

I'm all for a group read of Middlesex at some point this year, I haven't read it either.

When summer comes to North Woods, time slows down. A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly.

I can't believe how good the last one was. There hasn't been an episode of Sherlock that good for a long time.

Thanks chalie, you too, hope 2017 is a great one! Shall make a mental note of your recommendations and bump them up the list. Can't wait to check through your blog throughout the year and see how you get on.

One word: Perfect.

In the meantime... I let the OH pick my next read completely at random from the TBR list. This could have quite easily resulted in me reading something I'm not really in the mood for, but I took the risk! *laughs* She picked out A Gathering Light by Jennifer Donnelly (US title is: A Northern Light) - a book and author I've never really heard much about. So we'll see how we go. Synopsis When Mattie is given letters by a guest at the hotel where she has a summer job, she thinks the guest is simply upset. But when the woman is found drowned next day, Mattie must decide whether she will read them, or burn them as requested. A touching funny surprising novel set in 1906 and based on a true story. Definitely doesn't sound like my usual fare - but you never know, I might get a surprise.

Hi Claire, sorry I haven't got around to it, finished late Friday night and it has been a busy weekend. Will try type some more thorough thoughts up later, but I thought it was really good. Smith's writing style is (usually) right up my street; her descriptions are fantastic, the humour is light and playful, and she writes so brilliantly about how we're all essentially flawed... and love, relationships, friendships. As you can see, it's hard for me to clearly put down on (virtual) paper what I feel about her books. It's funny you should mention Howard's End, I found that out a few days ago after reading some Gooreads reviews. It's interesting, I haven't read it and I'd imagine that knowing the homage aspect would definitely add something when reading Smith's book. Shame I never knew/had read the book beforehand.

I also think it's excellent TV. *shrugs*

I'll be honest, I usually just use Amazon now. I find that I can't normally find anything I want at a better price from any other online bookstore.

That's fair enough. Re-reading my review from January 2014 (posted three years today, in fact!) it seems like I just couldn't swallow the overly ridiculous plot, and I don't think I found it that funny either. I've suffered from depression too in the past, and can understand what Eva felt drawn to do - and more generally, what Townsend was aiming for - but together it just didn't work for me. But hey, some books work for some people, some don't. Life would be boring if we enjoyed all the same ones, right? In other reading news for me, I finally got a long period of time to settle down with Zadie Smith's On Beauty and finished it off in a three-hour or so burst last night. To be honest, I really enjoyed it. I've heard some people say that it's hard to love it because none of the characters are exactly people you would like to go for a beer with, but I liked that: not many authors do flawed human existence and everyday life as well as Smith. Her writing is flawless - with exquisite descriptions and hilarious observations - and the plot, although secondary in my eyes, just about sustains itself. Slightly trite ending but very much worth a read. Struggling a bit to decide what to read next - so many choices.