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Just read Duma Key by Stephen King which was out and out brilliant, now reading a thriller picked up in the BHF shop, I See You, can't remember the author (Greg someone, don't ask me to walk the length of the house to find out his last name!) but he is intermixing thriller type stuff with some deep thoughts on death and dealing with it. Interesting.
Before Stephen King, part 1 of the Samuel Pepys trilogy by Arthur Bryant, fascinating stuff. Part 2 comes when I finish this thriller, then probably part 3. Arthur Bryant had/has the ability to write non fiction as if it is fiction. I love his books.
I'm reading 'The Ice House' by Minette Walters. I first saw the TV adaptation about ten years ago, I think - and I loved it. At first I thought I might not get into the book - but now, halfway through, I'm really enjoying it - particularly the dynamics between the three central (female) characters.
By the way, well done Stirling on your sterling work (sorry!) following your break. Course, we're all curious about that 'brilliant' ending now . . . suppose we'll have to wait until the novel is finalised.
Just finished Paul Theroux's, The Mosquito Coast for the second time; remarkable book. My husband couldn't stand the main character - the father - and it rather spoilt it for him.
Now just about to start Amy Tan's, Saving Fish from Drowning.
[quote=Kaz]I'm reading 'The Ice House' by Minette Walters.[/quote]
She's actually the only crime writer I go out of my way to read. Glad you're enjoying it.
John Connelly is GOOD, read all his stuff, try The White Road if you get a chance, brilliant. Karen Rose is good too. James Patterson is sometimes good, sometimes duff. You take a chance with him.
Thanks Dorothy. I've been wanting to read Connelly for a while, I get a feeling he'll be my new favourite! I'll give Patterson a go - I figured that I should have at least give him a try. I only paid £1.50, so if I don't like it, at least a charity benefited!
I am reading a new biography of John Bunyan. This helpfully sets him in the historical background of his time. I lecture on John Bunyan but I've gained new insights through this book.
On the Road and On the Run in Outlaw China by Aya Goda Tao. Described as a kind of Far Eastern version of Kerouac. This lady has a very interesting writing style that kind of carries you along with it and so far it's really good.
Terri Gerritson, The Bone Garden. Irritating is the word that springs to mind. She has a hangup about oysters, everyone is eating oysters, any buffet features loads of oysters, they are tossing away the oyster shells. I have to finish it to find out the connection between the past (body snatchers, she's done her research but tend to feel that bit has been overdone, I know, I've done the same research) and the bones in the garden in the present but if she mentions oysters again I will scream. Someone, the pesky editor again, should have said, listen, dear writer, there are other foods that 'well offs' ate at that time, you know. I am not sure whether I would read another one for fear of finding her hung up on something else. Oh and blood spots stains whatever, they over feature, too.
I have just finished Sleep Pale Sister by Joanne Harris. It is so different from her other books I have read i.e. Chocolat and Blackberry Wine. It is a gothic novel and I struggled with it to begin with but once into it I couldn't put it down.
I have that one at home, BD, started reading it in French before it was republushed in English, but I haven't picked it up for ages. I'll read it in English, I think, and then finish it in French. It's very different to the ones that made her famous, isn't it? Have you read The Evil Seed? Different again.
I *read* the Bone Garden, Dorothy. Abandoned it eventually. It felt like a lazy rehash/chimera of the Burke and Hare story and the Jack the Ripper story. I expected more from Gerritssen.
I am reading Nothing to Fear by Karen Rose, probably one of the better crime novelist out there, but nothing earth shattering.
I've read a couple of Tess Gerritsen's books...they were ok...but I've yet to reread one [though at the moment I don't really have time to reread anything!]
I've just finished 'Sunshine' by Robin McKinley - I found it difficult to finish as I found it a little uneventful - I was willing something more exciting to happen towards the end. The first half wasn't bad but then it just fizzled out.
I'm just about to start 'Got you back' by Jane Fallon - according to the blurb it is about a wife and mistress who discover each other and then plot their revenge on the man involved...
I'm reading 'Rebecca' at the moment, most people I know have read it and have said it's a really good novel. I am enjoying it so far - the heroine has just arrived at Manderley. I picked up a novel in 'Waterstones' by Rose Tremain, think it's called 'The Road Home' (something like that), and her style of writing seems quite good. I'll have to buy it next time.
After reading "A Journal Of The Plague Year" by Daniel Defoe, what a horrifying time that was, it became more like what I am not reading at the moment! Bought a Darren Shan, was bored senseless by chapter 3, it is up for sale. Bought The Shadow Of The Pomegranate (Jean Plaidy) gave up at Chapter 2, she does not understand Henry at all and it shows and there are stupid errors which have annoyed me, her spelling of Katherine for a start, so I know I cannot read any more. Katherine was never KathArine. And she was never, ever called Kate by her husband. Gave up on the book. It's up for sale. I just got 'Captain Of The Wight' published in 1889, and gave up on it, not because of its dated writing, which is of course difficult but the sheer lack of research, nowhere in the book does he refer to Lord Scales as Earl Rivers, and for most of his life he was Earl Rivers. Stupid. The book is a 'shelf only memento that someone else chose Edward Woodville for their hero' with a memo to me not to read it.
I am about to start on Courageous Souls as part of the work for the forthcoming book on past lives and reincarnation. Back to work in hand, I think ... Fiction seems to be impossible right now, too many disasters. Decided to stay with non fiction for a while.
Really sorry to lower the tone, but I just read some of the Horrid Henry books. They made me smile!
Now back to Sepulchre (Mosse) It's very hard to get in to. But it was cheap with the Times ...
Oh Kate Mosse, I can't get on with her, Ceka, let me know how it goes, please. I hated Labyrinth but a friend told me it was the best book ever so I had to read it... and it wasn't ...
So far, so good. I'm hoping I'm going to enjoy it as much as the other books of hers that I've read. I love her style. Wish I could write like her, sob!
I've just finished "The Irresistible Inheritance of Wilberforce" (or something like that) which was wonderful, I'm reading "Mrs Dalloway" yet again, and have "The People of the Book" on the go too which isn't impressing me yet.
Love 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep'. I had to read that as part of a uni course on dystopias. Must try and read some more Philip K Dick actually
Comments
Before Stephen King, part 1 of the Samuel Pepys trilogy by Arthur Bryant, fascinating stuff. Part 2 comes when I finish this thriller, then probably part 3. Arthur Bryant had/has the ability to write non fiction as if it is fiction. I love his books.
But the best one of all...I'm writing!!!
:P
;)
I've since managed a chapter a day, half an essay and a brilliant ending for the novel!
By the way, well done Stirling on your sterling work (sorry!) following your break. Course, we're all curious about that 'brilliant' ending now . . . suppose we'll have to wait until the novel is finalised.
Now just about to start Amy Tan's, Saving Fish from Drowning.
I'm all stocked up for the winter now. I just had a spree around the charity shops and have picked up:
The Black Angel - John Connolly
Die For Me - Karen Rose
Kiss The Girls - James Patterson
All new authors to me!
Also bought Boris Becker's autobiography (research for book two) and Neil Gaiman's Smoke and Mirrors.
She's actually the only crime writer I go out of my way to read. Glad you're enjoying it.
I hope he's changed the names of his early girlfriends, otherwise there are going to be a few embarrassed grandmothers around!!
I am reading Nothing to Fear by Karen Rose, probably one of the better crime novelist out there, but nothing earth shattering.
I'm just about to start 'Got you back' by Jane Fallon - according to the blurb it is about a wife and mistress who discover each other and then plot their revenge on the man involved...
Its for my Gothic reading group, but I'm hooked (the vampire is actually a young girl)
I am about to start on Courageous Souls as part of the work for the forthcoming book on past lives and reincarnation. Back to work in hand, I think ... Fiction seems to be impossible right now, too many disasters. Decided to stay with non fiction for a while.
Now back to Sepulchre (Mosse) It's very hard to get in to. But it was cheap with the Times ...
Wonderfully written if a little sparse on anything actually happening. It's more sort of "biography of a welsh hill side" than anything else....
So far, so good. I'm hoping I'm going to enjoy it as much as the other books of hers that I've read. I love her style. Wish I could write like her, sob!
.... and read what I needed and put it back again!