Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

What's the last book you bought, new or secondhand?

138 replies

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 09/08/2023 07:22

I'll start with The Handsome Man's Deluxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith.

I've bought it for DFIL who is a little bit poorly and is enjoying some lighter reads. It's a lovely hardback edition and was from a great little charity shop.

What's your latest purchase? Wink

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
TwoManyKids · 09/08/2023 23:06

Yellowface loving it so far

Bananasplitlady · 09/08/2023 22:54

Last week I bought The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov brand new and
The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantù from a second hand book store (written by a bloke who worked on the Mexican border crossing patrol). Looking forward to both.

Quinque · 09/08/2023 22:34

I've just bought The Marriage Portrait for DDil's birthday. I borrowed it from the library and loved it, I think she will enjoy it too.

Bananagramflan · 09/08/2023 22:15

Yesterday in a 2nd hand book shop in Shropshire.

Every Tom Gates book unread and in perfect condition for £2.50 (for the whole lot)

And for me? I bought Wild for 50p 😁

tobyj · 09/08/2023 22:12

Two holiday books. The Marriage Portrait (which I liked but didn't love) and If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things (which I did love).

ShelfObsessed · 09/08/2023 22:09

Thank you for recommending The Sea Is Not Made of Water, weegiemum. I love non fiction and adore rock pools and the creatures that live in them so this is one book that I definitely need to get.

weegiemum · 09/08/2023 21:55

The Sea Is Not Made Of Water by Adam Nicholson.

Amazing non fiction book about rock pools. Sounds dead boring but he's such an amazing writer it makes the whole thing quite inspirational.

Hedjwitch · 09/08/2023 21:44

A Winter Grave by Peter May.
Saving it until.I have finished Babel by RF Kuang which I am about half way through

ShowOfHands · 09/08/2023 21:40

Yesterday: a Spike Milligan and a Bill Bryson for light summer reading, the history of the Victorian city and a poetry book for ds (all from the local book library in the disused phone box.

Today: (from a charity shop) history of the English Civil War and a Redwall book for ds.

Boodahh · 09/08/2023 21:39

Wilt in Nowhere by Tom Sharpe. Charity shop bought. Not read it yet. I fancied reading something old fashioned and hopefully funny.

Am currently reading Anne Tyler's French Braid, from the library, v enjoyable so far.

lljkk · 09/08/2023 21:37

From a charity shop; The Houdini Girl, Martyn Bedford.
I enjoyed it enough to finish it but not to keep it.
Also The 5 people you meet in Heaven
I'm working thru 2 cycling books (non fiction) at moment

Ilovedthe70s · 09/08/2023 21:26

Yesterday I bought Killing Floor, first of the Reacher series.
Last week I bought Rosmersholme .

I can’t read second hand or library books since finding pages with bogies and dried snot looking stuff stuck to them in a library book when I was in junior school.

Original poster
SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 09/08/2023 21:12

mamaduckbone · 09/08/2023 20:56

How to Kill Your Family - thought it would be a fun holiday read but I was disappointed. I finished it but hated the ending, and found the whole thing quite irritating.

You're not the only one.

OP posts:
LuckOfTheDrawer · 09/08/2023 20:59

Mine was The Crow Road by Iain Banks, prompted by it being in Good Omens 2.

mamaduckbone · 09/08/2023 20:56

How to Kill Your Family - thought it would be a fun holiday read but I was disappointed. I finished it but hated the ending, and found the whole thing quite irritating.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 09/08/2023 20:36

I’ve got Cold Comfort Farm after hearing it was like I Capture the Castle (it’s not!). Lent it to SiL who likes lives ICTC and she couldn’t get in with it either and she usually finishes a book.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 09/08/2023 20:34

The World According to Lubka, Laurie Graham
Latest Philippa Gregory novel forget name
The Burgess Boys, Elizabeth Strout

the first two I didn’t get on sign at all so have to DB and his extended family to take on holiday.

muchalover · 09/08/2023 20:34

The bullet that missed. Crime fluff but enjoyable.
The ink black heart was a great read.
I am working on lud in the mist, it took ages to get into but is a whole world once you're in.
Also re-reading the dragons of pern series.

I always read several books at a time.

Yamadori · 09/08/2023 20:33

I did't buy the book, a second-hand copy was given to me so not sure if it counts..

'Growing Classic Bonsai' by Gordon Owen.

Bit niche, but there you go!

Timetochangetheoil · 09/08/2023 20:28

FritataPatate · 09/08/2023 08:01

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I rarely buy books now, just order what I fancy from the library. But I knew this one was going to be special (and it is!).

Someone at work recommended this to me today! Just added to my Goodreads To read list :)

I bought 4 books for a pound in the library last week. I got The Poppy Factory by Liz Trenow, The Adventures of the Six Napoleons and Other Cases by Sir ACD, (I have complete collection of Sherlock Holmes but this was a lighter copy to carry round), White Teeth by Zadie Smith which shamefully I have never read despite loving other books of hers, and The Lemon Grove by Helen Walsh. Going on holiday Monday and excited to get stuck in to them.

I am currently loving Mr Norris Changes Trains by Christopher Isherwood, his writing style is just exactly what I love.

larkstar · 09/08/2023 20:24

there are....

larkstar · 09/08/2023 20:23

The Plath book was a much cheaper used copy. I had previously read Gail's PhD that this book is based on. There aren't many books on Plath that I haven't got or read and they're are soooo many.

I buy the crossword books whenever I've finished the last one. I actually bought a couple this time to get free postage.

What's the last book you bought, new or secondhand?
What's the last book you bought, new or secondhand?
highlandcoo · 09/08/2023 20:18

@oceanskye A Town Called Solace is also very good.

As you enjoyed Crow Lake you might like the 4 June podcast of James Naughtie's Bookclub where he discusses the novel with Mary Lawson. I found it really interesting.

highlandcoo · 09/08/2023 20:16

The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre. I've enjoyed a lot of his books in the past and saving this one up for my holiday soon. As well as Sally Magnusson's Music in the Dark.

TattiePants · 09/08/2023 20:06

I bought a few last week in the 99p Kindle sale

Goodbye to Berlin, Christopher Isherwood
Kala, Colin Walsh
Mr Mercedes, Stephen King
Good Omens,
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry, Gabrielle Zevin
First Lady, Sonia Purnell

only read the first two so far and both excellent.

Swipe left for the next trending thread