Your Book Activity - May 2016

[Athena]

I'm eager to hear how you like Sister...I nearly bought The Loney today but decided against it as have bought far too many new books this week. That said, I had £15 of birthday money left so thought I would see what I could find in the charity shops in town! Not a bad haul I thought:

I hope you enjoy all your new books . I haven't read any books by Santa Montefiore yet (I do own a couple) but my parents have read several of her books and liked them.

 

I've started to read Jodi Picoult - Handle with Care. So far I'm liking it a lot. I'm not sure yet if I'll like the court stuff, but I find it very interesting how the family deals with the little girl's brittle bone disease.

[More reading time required]

Not visited here for ages, so have had a little catch up this morning. I blame going back to work and being busy. Anyway, reading has been slow going too, but I did finish Bazaar of Bad Dreams which was a typical short story mixture of good, ok and not so good.

 

I started Edge of Eternity, the final part of Ken Follett's Century trilogy, a few days ago. That's in-between reading a few weaning books & a 'preschooler bible' book and spending far far too long wasting time on Facebook & the subsequent websites it links you off to.

[frankie]

Moved straight on to A Man Called Ove.  About 50 pages in according to my Kindle, so will reserve judgement.

 

I loved this one, I'm definitely looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it  

 

Still reading No Safe House by Linwood Barclay, I think I'm halfway through. 

[willoyd]

Moved straight on to A Man Called Ove.  About 50 pages in according to my Kindle, so will reserve judgement.

 

Reserved judgement for another seventy pages, then enough was enough - no sign of improvement: way too sentimental, repetitive and thin on characterisation for my liking.  The author didn't endear himself to me either by effectively classifying a 59-year old as old!

[frankie]

Reserved judgement for another seventy pages, then enough was enough - no sign of improvement: way too sentimental, repetitive and thin on characterisation for my liking.  The author didn't endear himself to me either by effectively classifying a 59-year old as old!

 

Awwww.... that's a shame.  

[willoyd]

Started reading John Lewis-Stempel's The Running Hare this morning, and have rapidly completed the first 80 pages. Good to get back to great writing - it is beautiful.

(Bought this having heard some of a reading by Bernard Hill on Radio 4 - one of those 'moments' that almost only Radio 4/4 Extra generates (occasionally Radio 3), when the world around you disappears and all there is is is the radio. Had to go out and buy the book immediately!).

[Inver]

Postie man rang the door bell this morning with a parcel....thought to myself I hadn't ordered anything etc....opened it up and I was lucky enough to receive a signed copy of

 

'Daughter of the House' by Rosie Thomas

 

She was doing a giveaway on Facebook....first 5 people to PM with their address....just happened to see the post at the right time and sent her mine...

 

Nearly finished 'Sing you home' ~ Jodi Picoult

Edited May 21, 2016 by Inver

[Athena]

I hope you've enjoyed Sing You Home .

 

I'm making good progress in Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult, I like it a lot so far. I'm over half way now.

[chesilbeach]

I finished reading Public library and other stories by Ali Smith yesterday, started listening to The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer and started reading Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes.

 

One of my Wainwright Prize books was on the Daily Deal on Friday, so I bought The Outrun by Amy Liptrot.

[Anna Begins]

 

 

I finished reading Public library and other stories by Ali Smith yesterday, started listening to The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer and started reading Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes.

 

One of my Wainwright Prize books was on the Daily Deal on Friday, so I bought The Outrun by Amy Liptrot.

How on Earth can you read so many books? Lol I'm totally jealous . Love your signature, btw!

 

I took Raven's suggestion from the science fiction thread and downloaded the sample of the first book by Iain M Banks. Also samples of Storm Clouds Rolling In (historical fiction, there are NINE books!) By Ginny Dye And The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Steadman. I'm planning on purchasing Storm Clouds Rolling In and The Little House on the Prairie omnibus. The Little House omnibus only includes 5 of the 9 in the series though, disappointing.

[chesilbeach]

How on Earth can you read so many books? Lol I'm totally jealous . Love your signature, btw!

I don't read as many as some others here! . At the moment, it's usually one audiobook to listen to and one proper book to read. My TBR pile isn't huge, so I don't have to dither between books deciding what to read, and I've got a few challenges on the go which keep me going too.

[willoyd]

Completed The Running Hare this morning - it stayed as good all the way through: 5/6 stars.  Now on to The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.  First few pages have been promising.

Edited May 22, 2016 by willoyd

[chaliepud]

Completed The Running Hare this morning - it stayed as good all the way through: 5/6 stars. Now on to The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. First few pages have been promising.

Hope you enjoy it, one of my favourite reads, I got The People of the Book this week by the same author this week which I am looking forward to.

[willoyd]

Hope you enjoy it, one of my favourite reads, I got The People of the Book this week by the same author this week which I am looking forward to.

I did - finished it late last night. A gripping story that keeps you up late - what more could you ask?!

 

Have since also finished Kestrel for a Knave a book which, whilst I appreciated the quality of the writing, never really had me in its grip.

[bobblybear]

Still reading Sister by Rosamund Lupton - found it slow to start, and I still keep getting confused about whether we're in the present or past when she's talking to the two different police guys, but I'm enjoying it a lot more than I was.

 

Glad you are enjoying it so far.

 

I've made a start on The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling, and I'm liking it a lot more than I was expecting to. There are many characters, and it's taken over 100 pages for me to get straight in my head who is who and what their relationships are with each other.

 

I also borrowed The Red House by Mark Haddon, so I look forward to reading that.

[willoyd]

Started reading Evelina by Fanny Burney.  I'm reading this as my alternative to The Misses Mallett for the Bristol choice in the English Counties Challenge.  I'm sure the latter is a good book, but it it's not in the same league when it comes to fame or acclaim.  Whether Evelina is sufficiently set in Bristol - I'll see!

Edited May 24, 2016 by willoyd

[Athena]

I'm currently reading John Flanagan - Ranger's Apprentice: The Early Years 1: The Tournament at Gorlan. This book is a prequel to the Ranger's Apprentice series. Book 11 of the original series contained short stories, one of which was also a prequel. The Tournament at Gorlan takes place after this short story (the story is called 'The Hibernian'.). To refresh my memory (even though it is explained in TTaG), I re-read this short story yesterday. Then I started on TTaG. So far it's good. I haven't read a whole lot in it yet, but I look forward to read more.

[shirley]

I am so enjoying having the time to read so much this year.  Onto Fly Away Home - Jennifer Weiner at work and with The continuing series of books of The Chronicle of Wizards Thatch and also Hope to Die James Patterson.

 

Long weekend coming up so looking forward to having an extra day to read. yippee

[Nollaig]

I haven't read in a few days because I had a pretty busy weekend, but I spent a while last night finding new things to read and read the first few pages of The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley. Still have to finish Sister.

[chaliepud]

Finally finished The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse, a Goodreads giveaway book. It was ok, but not great. Onto hopefully greater things with Fellside by M.R. Carey, author of The Girl with all the Gifts.

[Nollaig]

Finally finished The Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse, a Goodreads giveaway book. It was ok, but not great. Onto hopefully greater things with Fellside by M.R. Carey, author of The Girl with all the Gifts.

 

Should I take the former off my Goodreads wishlist again? Hope you enjoy Fellside, some very mixed reviews of it out there.

[chaliepud]

It was a bit bland to be honest but decent so maybe worth a try if you can get hold of a cheap copy.

 

I'm liking Fellside so far but only 30 pages in so hard to tell!

[Alexi]

Not had that much time for reading lately and even less for reviewing

 

Caught up with a few today and also finished The Stars Look Down by A J Cronin for the English Counties Challenge - a bloody brilliant read, much better than my previous one for that challenge (The Dark is Rising).

[frankie]

I finished reading No Safe House by Linwood Barclay and started reading The Vintage Springtime Club by Beatrice Meier. Have high hopes for this one  

[bobblybear]

Not had that much time for reading lately and even less for reviewing

 

I know what you mean!  I'm so many books behind, yet again!

 

I read a bit more of The Casual Vacancy.....I am really, really enjoying it.