Books - what are you reading just now?

[backwoodsman]

I gave up on the Roy Grace books but I am loving the Victor the Assassin series. I don't know if it was you or someone else on here who recommended them but whoever it was, thank you.

I'm currently trying the Mark Dawson books about John Milton (assassin). Early days but decent. He's no Victor, , but they are pretty readable.

On a slightly different tack, I've just finished the second Laurance Anholt book about the Mindful Detective, Art of Death was the 1st, Festival of Death the 2nd. Police, mystery books but a bit quirky. If you like the Richard Osman style of writing, try these books out.

Also working my way through them. Absolutely terrible plots, and very formulaic - but somehow highly readable. Currently on book 7 so can't be as bad as I think.

 

[rudebhoy]

Do audiobooks qualify as "reading"?

Currently listening to Billy Connolly's Rambling Man. Very enjoyable but he does sound pretty frail.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Same Time Tomorrow by Bob Cryer, son of Barry. It's a biography of his dad.

It's a story of his life with examples of his gags every 3 pages or so. I'm sat here giggling away. They are old school, obviously, set up and then hit with the punchline. My kind of humour. Nothing nasty, no one hurt, gags not just stories.

If anyone liked Barry Cryer, or just likes old school comedy, give it a read.

 

[Tashyboy]

Managed to get a hardback copy of red Dawn rising, looking forward to that next week.

 

[rudebhoy]

John Cooper Clarke - I Wanna Be Yours. Very enjoyable read.

 

[rulefan]

Part way through - All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr.
I don't know what caused me to buy it but I am glad I did. Marvellous, absorbing, moving, beautiful prose.

 

[Tashyboy]

The savage storm by James Holland.
The battle for Italy 1943.

What stunningly heartbreaking written book.

 

[Crazyface]

Why mummy........
My forth one of these. Very funny.
Has to ditch a autobiography of victoria wood. Poorly written.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Finished Michael Ondaatje’s The English Patient.

Been meaning to watch the 9 Oscar winning film adaptation but the book has been sitting at my MiLs since ‘forever’. And so I chose to read the book first, And I am so glad I have. It’s wonderful. Beautiful prose for a complex story of love in wartime.

And though I obviously now know the plot just a quick glance at the film trailer tells me that the film beautifully crystallises what are, at the moment having read the book, my own imagining built from the Ondaatje words of the people and places.

Next up. Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country. As in just 5 weeks time we are off to SA for a 2+ week holiday.

 

[Reemul]

Just finished book 7 of The Primal Hunter by Zogarth - LitRPG about a Hunter, pure trash and low level popcorn books and I love them.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The Last Dance by Mark Billingham. Not a Tom Thorne book, a new detective. Lighter in tone, very witty but still with murder in it. Very enjoyable.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
by
]Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Passed on by my daughter.........strangely good so far. Well written.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

A Spy Alone by Charles Beaumont
Very good so far. He’s a retired SIS operative, so it seems to be plausible as well as entertaining.

 

[rudebhoy]

John Cooper Clarke - I Wanna Be Yours.

His patter is so consistently good, he manages to make 20 years as a heroin addict interesting and amusing.

I listened to the audiobook, which he narrates. His deadpan style is perfect.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

A question for those who like a bit of sci-fi…

I‘ve had Frank Herbert’s Dune sitting on my ‘to read’ shelf for years but never got to it. Now have the two film adaptations waiting to be watched. Should I read the book first.

Generally I do as I enjoy that we create our own imagined universes when reading - and watching a film first ruins that. Bottom line is that if the films don’t really do the book justice then I will not watch the films…yet,

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My favourite book of all time. Read it.

I think the films will just have to wait.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I think the films will just have to wait.

It’s always best to read then watch.
So, when they omit things or change things in the film, you can moan about it!

 

[rulefan]

Continuing in sequence through the Slow Horses series by Mick Herron. Brilliant.
Just started London Rules.

 

[ExRabbit]

The Last Dance by Mark Billingham. Not a Tom Thorne book, a new detective. Lighter in tone, very witty but still with murder in it. Very enjoyable.

Just took that back to the library today and was looking to see if anyone else had read it.

I'm a big Tom Thorne fan and enjoyed the new guy too.

I randomly read my first Tom Thorne novel, which was recommended to me by my wife after she had just read it - maybe the third or 4th in the series? - and then ordered all of the rest from the start in order over a year or so (I read other books too) via the library at 60p-75p a go for each book if they weren't available locally.

Just finished The Match by Harlan Coben yesterday.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Just took that back to the library today and was looking to see if anyone else had read it.

I'm a big Tom Thorne fan and enjoyed the new guy too.

I randomly read my first Tom Thorne novel, which was recommended to me by my wife after she had just read it - maybe the third or 4th in the series? - and then ordered all of the rest from the start in order over a year or so (I read other books too) via the library at 60p-75p a go for each book if they weren't available locally.

Just finished The Match by Harlan Coben yesterday.

We are very lucky in that we can order any book on the Northumberland county library system and it will get delivered to the library of your own choice for free. It's a great system, i use it a lot. I wouldn't begrudge a 60-75p charge for moving books around, it would be worth it. The library system is brilliant, people should use it more.

I was really pleased with his new character, definitely looking forward to book 2