26-ish books 2024

@Citygirlrurallife
Glad you enjoyed it.

SPOILER ALERT
What did you and @Breathmiller
think of the ending?
They wouldn't have survived infinitely where they ended up, would they?
Or were they just relieved to have found an albeit temporary safe place to live?
And Hifa's reference to not wanting to get pregnant...what was the significance of this?

So many questions!

@MonkeyTennis34 and @Breathmiller Thankyou for The Wall recommendation - I drove to wales and back this week so downloaded the audiobook and it was fantastic! Will Poulter was perfectly suited as the narrator but also just an excellent book - I’ve not read any John Lanchaster before so am very excited to have discovered a “new” author

12 - The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou - Eleni Kyriacou

I downloaded this on kindle as it was only 99p and looked okay- it was actually very good. Some really interesting themes explored around mental health, immigrants in 1950s London and the treatment of women. All the more interesting as I learnt from the author's note that it is based on a true story. Worth a read.

@Orangebadger
That makes sense.
In fact, I've just bought two "lighter" reads for my holiday.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and one with an octopus on the cover...maybe the word brilliant is in the title?

@MonkeyTennis34 yes AC is very plot driven. I generally prefer books with more depth and stronger characterisation but I always take an AC on holiday, much like I do with Richard Osman. I need a much more superficial, plot driven page turner that I can dip in and out of. Summer holidays with 2 young kids and frequent interruptions I need that and less depth 😂 for that Christie is perfect.

@Orangebadger
Roger Ackroyd was my first (and probably last) AC read.

Apart from the fact that I accidentally saw part of the last page (🙄) I was disappointed.

I really didn't expect to be...I've always loved TV and film AC adaptations.

I felt the writing lacked any depth...I realise her books are extremely plot-driven but, controversial I know, her books just aren't for me.

22. The murder of Roger Ackroyd Agatha Christie.

Wonderful Christie book full of twists and turns. Highly recommend if you like a bit of a page turner.

26. Landlines - Raynor Winn

I listened to this rather than read it but I always include audio books too. I like being read to. Its read by Raynor herself which always gives a lovely extra dimension to an audio book I think.

I loved this as much as I loved her other 2 books, maybe even more so as her and Moth walked paths close to me this time.

I am always inspired by her writing to go walking and hope one day to follow in her way of doing longer walks with my husband, maybe when work and family don't take up so much of my time. Or maybe thats an excuse I need to let go of and just start walking now.

I read a lot of Mary Oliver poetry, she is probably my favourite wordsmith ever, in any form, and I think Ray sometimes captures that essence. I imagine, had they met on a walk in nature, they would have enjoyed a conversation or two.

It took me a long time to get beyond 1.

1. Holly, Stephen King
2. The Push, Ashley Audrain
3. The Killing Kind, Jane Casey

@SlightlyJaded

And please let me know your recent reads too!!

I’ve just started Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead. If it’s anything like Great Circle, it should be great!

@MonkeyTennis34 Hello!

I've just filtered through your posts and we ARE reading twins! 'The Paper Palace' ending was the RIGHT ending, the historical thread in Great Circle was the BEST narrative. Maggie O'F IS brilliant. I might use your last few recommendations as my next reads... :)

20 Wish you were here by Jody Picoult. Fine, very easy reading, very forgettable.

21 The marshmallow test (non-fiction) quite interesting, made me feel like I need to be a better parent

@SlightlyJaded

You have excellent taste and are my reading twin!

@lifeisafunnyoldgame

In all honesty, I would steer away from misery porn, and start on some of the classics if I were trying to spread a love of reading. Alternate the 'older' classics (which might feel heavy going) with some of the solid, modern authors who are very 'readable':

Random Sample of readable modern authors off the top of my head (!):

Maggie O'Farrell
Tracey Chevallier
Toni Morrison
Margaret Atwood
Kazuo Ishiguro
Ian McEwan
Stephen King (not just a horror writer AT ALL)
Zadie Smith
Kate Atkinson
Barbara Kingsolver

I've recently found myself reading a lot of brilliant novels set in times and places that are unfamiliar to me. You could say historical, but really they are contemporary tales that give you the added benefit of absorbing some brilliant history. For example:

Year of Wonder - Geraldine Brookes (UK, PLague)
The Women - Kristen Hannah (Vietnam War 60s)
The Mercies - Kiran Millwood Hargave (Witch Trials, Norway, 1600s)
Fingersmith - Sarah Waters (Victorian London)
All the Light we Cannot See - Anthony Doer (Paris WW2)

All really easy to get into.

But have a look through this thread - hundreds of suggestions. See what takes your fancy in the descriptions.

Good luck with your reading journey

Some books that I have enjoyed, and I would say pretty easy to read, a bit whimsical Snow child by Eowyn Ivey. Classics, My family and other animals, or a young adult book that got me out of a reading slump Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell.

I would say you need to find a genre that you enjoy and topics that interest you. You can't enjoy a book if you're not into it at all and creating a love of reading is about making it less of a chore. I think primary schools do this so well, less so at secondary!

16. Travelling Light by Tove Jansson. Collection of short stories with a loose theme of travel. Loved the writing and ability to say a lot in a few words. All stories were very different from one another but each had disquieting aspects. Would definitely recommend but it was unsettling, and I felt I needed a break after some stories before starting the next.

@Orangebadger primary, LKS2

@lifeisafunnyoldgame

I'm an ex-teacher, that's a fantastic idea.
I'm trying to think of titles that aren't too dark, I must read alot of heavy stuff as I can't!!

The Librarian by Sally Vickers might be a good one.

Very dependent on what age group you teach.

I was a primary school teacher and, back in the days when we had more time, we used to have a silent reading session for 10 minutes a day where the kids would see me reading too.
Very important for children to see their important adults reading....although it didn't work with my teens !!

@lifeisafunnyoldgame are you a primary or secondary school teacher?

How late does someone need to be before they are no longer fashionably late and are told they can’t join? Asking for me 🥹

I will shamefully admit to not reading for pleasure anywhere near as much as I should, ok never, but I have spent the last few years reading for work/uni.

I want to finish the Child Called It series, however I need to change my genre of reading.

I am a new teacher this year, and want to introduce reading for pleasure in the class, and will have a “What I am reading” display so it is only right that I display my books on there too. This is where I need help.

What books would you recommend for a teacher who could display in class and potentially talk to the children about?

I am not into Harry Potter/LOTR style books.

I do like autobiographies and those that really pull on heart strings.

Edited to add:

The last book I tried to read was Girl on a train, I struggled so much getting into it so gave up in the end. That was 4 years ago, I haven’t read a book since. 😕

21. The bullet that missed by Richard Osman. I always save these books for my summer holiday. Enjoyed, but probably my least favourite of the 3 I have read.

18: Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir

i think this was a recommendation on here? Not my usual thing at all I fucking hate sci fi but I really enjoyed it. I did it on audible and I have to say that the narrator was brilliant. I might not have persevered with a different reader, or indeed, a paper version, but he really brought it to life.

It probably helped that my physics is shit so there was never any danger of me having to suspend belief for the 'science bits' as I have no idea how fanciful they might have been. But ultimately it's a simple story of a human being who is (reluctantly) charged with saving the planet. Would recommend.

@Breathmiller
You might enjoy Christina Dalcher's books, Vox and Q. (2 separate books!)
Both set in dystopian futures and real page-turners.

I would say they perhaps lack the gravitas of The Wall, but I thoroughly enjoyed both.

25. The Wall- John Lancaster

Wow!! I loved this. Kept me totally gripped and I'm trying to say what I think without spoiling the end, my heart was in my mouth at times is maybe how I explain it. The theme feels particularly poignant at the moment. One of my top books of the year.

One more to go to get to my "goal" for the year of 26 although its not ever been about that, more just a great way to keep me reading.

Not sure what to go for next, I have actually had a couple that I've started but gone off the boil with. I think what I need or want in a book is one like The Wall where I am totally immersed in it. The story, the writing, the characters but also the bigger picture of what it says about humanity (or lack of at times). Great read and if you are a fan of dystopian novels then this is one to read.

11 - Always & Forever - Rose Tremain

This was a novella at 177 pages only, but it was so lovely. Left with so much to think about, really glad I read it. I always like Rose Tremain.