Recent reads!

Oops, sorry tamum, have only just found this thread again!

How sensible of you to give your mother presents you can borrow . Agree borrowing twice would be overdoing things though. I'll look out for it. (I didn't like Girl from the South at all. This one sounds much more like it!)

Yes, Janh, it's the new one- I v. kindly bought it for my mother for mother's day knowing that she would have finished it within days and would then lend it to me It's more like Other People's Children than any of the others I would say, much better than the last one (Girl from the South, was it?). It's one of those books you completely inhabit IYSWIM. I would gladly send it to you except that I've given it back to my mum now, and it would be a bit blatant even for me to ask ask for it back now....

Oooh, tamum, is that a new one? Is it anything like Other People's Children, because I really loved that, got so fond of some of the characters and angry with others, and was really sad when it finished. (Didn't enjoy Marrying the Mistress nearly as much.)

I've just finished Brothers and Sisters by Joanna Trollope, and loved it, I have to say. I know a lot of people are quite dismissive when it comes to her writing, but I felt as if I really knew all the people in the book by the end. Not all the motivation was quite clear, but generally I'd recommend it. I'd be interested to know what anyone else thought, especially people with experience of adoption.

The Bookseller of Kabul was good - easy to read and interesting. Would recommend it.

I'm just in the middle of The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble - enjoying it at the moment.

Then I've got a choice between Zoe Heller's "Notes on a Scandal", or "Astonishing Splashes of Colour" or "Sophie's Choice...

Decisions, decisions.

By the way, I love this Forum - keep checking in here to get recommendations - thanks!

Just finished The Rottweiler by Ruth Rendell. Not a Wexford one, nor a whodunnit, more of a whydunnit. Anyway found it very readable and recommend it.

Have now the lovely job of choosing my next read. Have a bit of a pile to choose from, mainly things recommended on here;
Lovely Bones; The Reading Group; Owen Meany; one of the books shortlisted for the first book group... Choices choices...

a great recent read is The Reading Group by Elizabeth Noble - I recommend it!!

Oooh, feeling a bit nervous now, I hope you like it!

sis, could find Too Close to the Falls in WH Smith but have ordered a secondhand copy from Amazon, which I am awaiting. Thanks for the recommendation.

I have also just received Riding in Cars with Boys, I really enjoyed the film, despite not being a Drew Barrymore fan, and I have heard the book is better.

Shooting Butterflies by Marika Cobbold is a really good book. I read it in 2 days could not put it down. A very good Easter read if you can send the kids away for the day.

Paula71, I have just finished Playing James by Sarah Mason, it is set in Bristol for a change!!!

Have bought Time Travellers Wife, also Lucia Lucia.

T%he new Margaret Forster one looks good, anyone read it, or the above two?

Lovely Bones - prepare to cry and cry. Well I did. A poignant book for parents I think.

Sorry, went off topic again.

Have just ordered The Time Travellers Wife and Lovely Bones, has anyone read these?

At the moment I am reading Expecting Emily by Clare Dowling. I wouldn't exactly call it chick-lit, it isn't pseudo Bridget Jones or set in London. It is quite a good read though, especially as I had pre-eclampsia and felt like I was stuck in hospital forever! (Albeit late onset so only spent 10 days in hospital!) I quite like the idea it is set in another part of Ireland, and not Dublin. Sometimes I feel like all the books set for my age group are either Londoncentric or based in Dublin.

Not that I am expecting people to write about Edinburgh or Glasgow but I would like to read one that is based in another English city rather than always London.

Naaa, it's just me buying loads of copies

Sounds good, I have written it down and will have a look tomorrow. Afterall the three for two offer is a good deal.

Arrrgh, torn between Tamum's recommendation and sis urging me to take it back!!!

I think I will keep hold of it, it is a bestseller so I suppose there must be more than Tamum who like it. Although I will keep 'Too close to the falls - a memoir' by Catherine Gildiner in mind for the future (probably far in the future, I've now got 6 books on my bedside table waiting to be read). Off to have a look on Amazon to see what it is all about.

Sorry, posted in haste - meant to put one of these at the end of my last post.

Demented, take it back - a really good read (apart from the final chapter) was 'Too close to the falls - a memoir' by Catherine Gildiner, maybe you could swap?

I could tell you again how much I enjoyed it if that's any help

BTW my recent purchase doesn't mean I've finished Owen Meany, still plodding through, although the last 100 pages have been better, only 100 to go!

No, no, no, someone tell me Brick Lane is fantastic!!! WH Smith had a three for two offer on today and as I was browsing round I remembered Tamums recommendation and bought it along with Chocolat and some book recommended by Richard & Judy (don't watch it just had a sticker on the front).