chaliepud

I'll have to give this a shot as I like to read books set in the WWI and II, I have wanted to read War Horse for a long while but I can't bring myself to read about the horses dying (strangely I can cope with the people dying just fine!), can I ask, are any animals involved in this one?

I've not had the best reading year either but like you I am focusing on the great books I have read rather than dwelling over my growing TBR pile! I too loved The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah is definitely one of my favourite authors, have you read any of her other books?

Just popping in to say hi as I am trying to catch up a little around the forum, you constantly amaze with the number of books you read, a pretty diverse selection too. I really must get around to reading The Stand sometime soon (I keep saying this!), it is a favourite book of many forumites and also my Dad and I do really want to see what all the fuss is about, it is just sooooo big!!

I need to revise my choices too: Sebastian Faulks (although I have only loved two of his books, I loved them a lot!!) Kristin Hannah Carlos Ruiz Zafon Jojo Moyes Markus Zusak Audrey Niffenegger Charlaine Harris Thomas Harris Victoria Hislop Daphne Du Maurier New to add: Vanessa Diffenbaugh (she would now top the list) Anna Hope

Hi everyone, I've been so busy with the house renovations that I've only been able pop in sporadically but it's good to keep up with all your news when I can. Good luck with the hurricane Virginia, it sounds horrific out there, I was watching a news reporter standing on the beach a couple of hours ago and the poor (or mad?) man was getting buffeted all over the place! I hope you find the chicken's home Gaia, though I'm sure she will be made welcome at yours if not? My friend is a chicken fanatic and occasionally brings home a stray or an ex battery hen and they seem to be accepted fairly quickly. The work on our house is almost done, I have the decorator here today so the dogs and I are camped in the dining room; it was used as a kitchen and dumping ground whilst all the work was being done so my job for today is to sort it all out, I love sorting and tidying so it isn't too much of a hardship! The work was supposed to take around 8 weeks and we are now on week 14 so we are not particularly impressed but we are very happy with the end result so it will become a distant memory soon enough, a bit like childbirth I expect ! In other news I think I may well have just got myself a job, eek!! I haven't properly worked since before Charlie was born 17+ years ago so it will be very strange, and I need to make sure the dogs will be sorted and the kids will cope coming home to an empty house, feeding the dogs and cracking on with homework and dinner - it will either be the making of them or it will be a disaster!! It will only be three days in the week and maybe 1 weekend a month but we wll have to cope as I can't stay home much longer without going mad! I hope everyone else is well, happy and safe, I'll try and catch up a bit around the board today. I haven't had time to read an awful amount so not much to do there!

Eowyn Ivey has a new book out there, To the Bright Edge of the World, also set in Alaska I believe. Another great wintry read is The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney.

Maybe take a look at Elie Weisel, he was in German concentration camps as a child and has written books and articles about his experiences and I'm sure some will cover his time as a refugee. He is an ardent campaigner for the holocaust survivors too so I am sure you will find something of use.

It also depends on what sort of books you like? What have been some of your favourite books you have read? New releases this year that I would recommend are Fellside by M.R. Carey, Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller and The Ballroom by Anna Hope. Hope that helps.

I believe a film is being made. It is: http://kristinhannah.com/news/

Off the top of my head, Connie Willis's Blackout and All Clear, Only a two book series but there is a lot packed into them and much that could be expanded upon. Would love to see a series about the WWII and this covers a lot of it.

There may be some here... https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag/adhd

Solace sounds great - and a lovely review by the way - definitely one for the wish list.

Spinach with hard boiled eggs and furikake followed by a bowl of lovely fresh melon, today needs to be a healthy day.

Maybe The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah?

In the UK too, my eldest son (17) is a little obsessed with it and is trying to figure out a way to attach his phone to our very energetic dog so his eggs will hatch quicker!

I tried the first in the series but despite looking forward to it and it seeming like it would be perfect for me, I just couldn't get into it. I found it wasn't very structured and hopped around too much for me.

My mother's a prostitute. Out of the Easy - Ruth Sepetys

If you search 'amber glasses' on Amazon you will see ones that claim to block out blue light from screens. I first heard about these from Michelle Tam, a paleo food blogger from the US, who religiously uses them in the evenings for a couple of hours before bed when she is using screens, apparently the blue light affects the melatonin in your system and prevents good sleep so the glasses help with that. I keep meaning to try them but haven't gotten around to it yet.

Finished The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies, it was ok, an easy read but very little oomph and characters that were bland all round! Now starting Out of the Easy by Ruth Sepetys, I didn't realise it was a YA read but it gets very good reviews so will see how it goes. It caught my interest because it is set in New Orleans, I've always wanted to go there!

For the lighthouse, have you read The Light Between Oceans by M.L Stedman (being made into a film, released this year) and for circuses you could try Pantomime by Laura Lam (the first in a trilogy), it is YA but I'd say well worth a punt as the themes are quite mature.

Congratulations Virginia, sounds like the perfect job!

We had that Wednesday afternoon and evening, though not as hot. Robbie's school flooded quite badly with the rain pouring through the roof so he got a day off yesterday! Lovely day today though, so changeable at the moment!

Have you read The Girl With All The Gifts, M.R. Carey?