Brian. Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 The final month of 2022 is here, what are we all reading? Don’t forget that we have a Christmas Reading Challenge on the forum, everyone is welcome to join in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 2 hours ago, Brian. said: The final month of 2022 is here Simultaneously exciting and scary! I’m currently reading Midnight in Everwood (for the Christmas Reading Challenge!) and keep changing my mind about which book I want to pick for the ‘Children’s Christmas Book’ category! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 I have just finished reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. This was for part of the Christmas Reading Challenge. The kindle version is currently 99p on the Amazon UK site, although I have shockingly had my (until this week, unread) copy since 2012! It is a retelling of a Russian fairy tale, set in 1920's Alaska. There is ambiguity within the story that I think enhances it, and I was captivated by descriptions of the landscape in which the story is set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted December 1, 2022 Share Posted December 1, 2022 54 minutes ago, Chrissy said: I have just finished reading The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey. This was for part of the Christmas Reading Challenge. The kindle version is currently 99p on the Amazon UK site, although I have shockingly had my (until this week, unread) copy since 2012! It is a retelling of a Russian fairy tale, set in 1920's Alaska. There is ambiguity within the story that I think enhances it, and I was captivated by descriptions of the landscape in which the story is set. I am currently enjoying The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey as part of the Christmas Challenge. I decided to read this because it sounded good and I realised that every reading challenge that I take part in I tend to read only short stories, so this time I changed my planned reading and chose a whole book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 1, 2022 Author Share Posted December 1, 2022 I spent most of the afternoon on the sofa finishing The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. I have to admit, this is not a book I would have bought had it not been on offer but I really enjoyed it. I have some reservations about it which I’ll cover in my mini-review but it was a pleasant surprise. Next up I’m going to try a genre I don’t read very often, science fiction. I came across The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu this morning at the library and the premise sounds great so I’ve decided to give it a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 2, 2022 Author Share Posted December 2, 2022 I've got 3 books on the go at the moment. The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu. I'm about 70 pages into this and so far it's had more than enough to keep me interested. I don't think this will be a quick read as there is a lot of detail. I also have to be super aware of who the characters are as I'm not used to dealing with so many Chinese names. The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carre. I'm 40% of the way through this and loving it so far. Initially I thought it was a bit slow going but once I got a handle on what was going on I've struggled to put it down. Echoes of War by Sir Bernard Lovell. This one is all about the development of H2S radar during the war and I have struggled with it. This was lent to me by a work colleague who thought I would be interested in the subject. I am interested in the subject but it is very technical and just doesn't flow very well in my opinion. I will probably finish it but it's not something I am in a hurry to pick up of an evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goose Posted December 3, 2022 Share Posted December 3, 2022 (edited) Just finished the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo and the Perfectly Preventable Deaths duology by Deidre Sullivan. Both fab! Edited December 3, 2022 by Goose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted December 4, 2022 Share Posted December 4, 2022 Bought The Wasp Factory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 Started reading Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 5, 2022 Share Posted December 5, 2022 As part of the Christmas Reading Challenge, I started and finished The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I had forgotten just how short the book is, and just how annoying Edmund is! To keep on reading within a Christmas theme, I have bought for my kindle a 'charity anthology' for 99p, Written In The Stars. This collection of short stories should keep me going for a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted December 9, 2022 Share Posted December 9, 2022 I just started book 2 of the Archer series by David Baldacci and am loving it so far. It reminds me a little of the Phillip Marlowe books. Archer is a P.I. in the early 50's and the action takes place in Los Angeles and Bay-Town. I previously read book 1 and was hoping that Baldacci would continue the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian. Posted December 9, 2022 Author Share Posted December 9, 2022 Just about to start the next book in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past series, The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 11, 2022 Share Posted December 11, 2022 Finished The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo - a book group read and also my book for Malaysia in my Read Around the World. Very entertaining yarn. 4(poss 5) out of 6. Now onto another book group choice, and also my book for Togo, Michel the Giant by Tete-Michel Kpomassie (his memoir of living in Greenland). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted December 12, 2022 Share Posted December 12, 2022 I have been reading my way through the book of Christmas related short stories, Written In The Stars, but I'm not sure that I will carry on with it. Some have been merely corny, while others have been really quite nasty little stories of rape and murder. And none have been so well written I have sought to look up more by any of the authors. Although I'm not uncomfortable reading gritty stories, I felt where such grit was included in these stories, it was mishandled, and being used as a (too) dark twist in the story. A week ago I bought (for 49p on Amazon UK) 50+ Christmas Masterpieces, that contains such writers as Dickens, Thackeray, Yeats, Hardy, Trollope and Chekhov. I may take a glance into this. To keep things lighthearted I have also decided to re-read the Christmas short stories written by Jodi Taylor, from her Chronicles of St Mary's series. I dunno.....what I do for a Christmas Reading Challenge. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted December 13, 2022 Share Posted December 13, 2022 (edited) Little Pixie, who used to post here, has introduced me to Emily Organ's 'Churchill and Pemberley' series. These are light-hearted mysteries with the elderly pair running a detective agency and strongly featuring cake. I'm not feeling like reading anything demanding at the moment and these fit the bill. I'm reading 'Christmas Calamity at the Vicarage' where Christmas mince pies have a prominent place. I made about three dozen yesterday (a little less now as I had to check they were OK, and the first one didn't quite convince me) so it's very timely 😊 Edited December 13, 2022 by poppy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted December 15, 2022 Share Posted December 15, 2022 Started Rabbit, Run by Updike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Started The Ruin of all Witches, Malcolm Gaskell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 20, 2022 Share Posted December 20, 2022 (edited) Finished two books in quick succession in the last 2 days: first of all was Michel the Giant, An African in Greenland by Tete-Michel Kpomassie, which I've reviewed on my thread. This was the 14th book on my Read Around the World, my choice for Togo. A fascinating read. 5 stars. This was followed by Booker short-listed Treacle Walker by Alan Garner. This was the Christmas book for one of my book groups, and a very odd one it is too. Really not sure what to make of it. Some (most) of the writing isutterly compulsive reading, other aspects just didn't work for me, disintegrating frm the childlike to the childish - unfortunately this included (focused on) the action climax. I could have (probably have!) completely missed the point. Looking forward to discussing this, and need to read the reviews in depth, as struggling to understand why the raves, but in the meantime, will give it the benefit of the doubt, and 4 stars. Edited December 23, 2022 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 23, 2022 Share Posted December 23, 2022 (edited) Two more books completed in the past 24 hours. The first was a long-term project: Samuel Johnson, A Biography by John Wain, started a couple of months ago, but which I've put aside on occasions. Nothing to do with its quality, simply to do with other books needing to be read within time limits, and a desire to pace myself so that I could absorb it as fully as possible. In fact, it turned out to be excellent, a solid 5-stars. It was recommended to me by the curator I met at Dr Johnson's house in Gough Square, who suggested it as his favourite of modern biographies. I then found a decent hardback copy the very next day in Judd Books on Marchmont Street, so grabbed it! Very glad I did too. The second was a superquick novel: Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabel, a slim 84 pages, and my choice for the Czech Republic in my Read Around the World, which I read in one sitting this morning. Superb it was too, another 5-star read. Edited December 23, 2022 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 25, 2022 Share Posted December 25, 2022 (edited) Just finished my 30th book on my tour round the USA: As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner for Mississippi. Approached it with a certain degree of trepidation as had heard all sorts of things about Faulkner (and this book) being 'difficult' etc. Shouldn't have worried - this was absolutely superb from start to finish (the very last line!). The first 6 out of 6 star fiction this year, slotting in there right at the end! Edited December 25, 2022 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 25, 2022 Share Posted December 25, 2022 Main reading for Christmas Day was Charles Dickens's The Chimes, last read on the same day exactly 10 years ago. Rated it a bit higher this time, 4 stars (vs 3 last time). Very much in the Christmas Carol mould, even if not quite at the same level - for instance the characters aren't as well developed. Also read some more of George Mackay Brown's Christmas Stories - a collection of his Christmas writings. A little bit samey read as a book, but some classically beautiful GMB writing. Will probably finish tomorrow. Acquired some great reading for Christmas, as noted on my thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted December 26, 2022 Share Posted December 26, 2022 Currently reading The Family Corleone, Will Corona Pilgrim. This comes with a set of Tarot cards, an explanation of which is at the back of the book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunababymoonchild Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 Now reading The Mourner, Richard Stark on e-book Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hux Posted December 28, 2022 Share Posted December 28, 2022 Currently reading 'The Ice Palace' by Vesaas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 29, 2022 Share Posted December 29, 2022 Four books completed since the weekend: Christmas Stories by George Mackay Brown, commented on above, with little change in my thoughts from the post above, 4 stars. Then Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, my book for Japan in reading around the world - a book I struggled with in spite of its slimness, and which left me decidely indifferent in spite of the widespread approbation; 2 stars. I think it's me and Japanese writing. Following on, read over the past few days in parallel with other books, but just finished today, was Cottongrass Summer by Roy Dennis, a collection of essays based around the conservation work that has been his life's work: clearly and elegantly written, beautifully constructed, straight into 6-star category. And finally, More About Paddington by Michael Bond. A very quick reread that, as ever, was laugh out loud funny with much to say on the quiet about dealing with life and people, even if slightly dated; remains a solid 6-star read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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