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Original poster

8 books on my tbr pile and I don't fancy any of them!

35 replies

floorchid · 11/10/2024 06:46

Bring Up The Bodies - so long! I won't be done by Christmas!

One Day - David Nichols. Charity shop buy and a bit worse for wear. I think I used to like him? What else did he write?

Blast from the Past - Ben Elton. No idea why this is in the pile. I used to like him but I don't think I do any more.

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen - is this good?

Bird Life - Anna Smail. A gift. Looks quite good? A quiet, gentle book.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrain - I think I've read it.

Billy Bird - Emma Neale - started this. Not grabbing me.

Hold Tight - Harlan Coben.

It's not the fault of the books. It's me. Nothing is grabbing me.

OP posts:
YellowphantGrey · 11/10/2024 12:37

PennyFarthingRider · 11/10/2024 12:32

Well, what have you liked in the past? It's a very mixed bag on your list, and I don't have any sense of your individual taste or preferences. Bring Up the Bodies is an astonishing novel, though very slightly less brilliant than Wolf Hall. David Nicholls One Day is trite, predictable ploddage for me -- he also wrote Started for Ten, Us, Sweet Sorrow and lots of TV. I liked the previous novel by Anna Snaill, so would recommend that as worth a go, but it probably depends on how open you are to novels about speaking animals?

Isn't Water for Elephants a children's book?

If you like short and kooky, Miranda July's All Fours is fun?

Show quote history

Water for elephants is recommended for adults but could be read by late teens up I suppose, depending on the ability of the child

PennyFarthingRider · 11/10/2024 12:32

floorchid · 11/10/2024 06:46

Bring Up The Bodies - so long! I won't be done by Christmas!

One Day - David Nichols. Charity shop buy and a bit worse for wear. I think I used to like him? What else did he write?

Blast from the Past - Ben Elton. No idea why this is in the pile. I used to like him but I don't think I do any more.

Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen - is this good?

Bird Life - Anna Smail. A gift. Looks quite good? A quiet, gentle book.

A Short History of Tractors in Ukrain - I think I've read it.

Billy Bird - Emma Neale - started this. Not grabbing me.

Hold Tight - Harlan Coben.

It's not the fault of the books. It's me. Nothing is grabbing me.

Well, what have you liked in the past? It's a very mixed bag on your list, and I don't have any sense of your individual taste or preferences. Bring Up the Bodies is an astonishing novel, though very slightly less brilliant than Wolf Hall. David Nicholls One Day is trite, predictable ploddage for me -- he also wrote Started for Ten, Us, Sweet Sorrow and lots of TV. I liked the previous novel by Anna Snaill, so would recommend that as worth a go, but it probably depends on how open you are to novels about speaking animals?

Isn't Water for Elephants a children's book?

If you like short and kooky, Miranda July's All Fours is fun?

YellowphantGrey · 11/10/2024 12:16

floorchid · 11/10/2024 07:03

I don't know any of those @OhBeAFineGuyKissMe , so I can't help!

Perhaps I'll go to the library and see if anything appeals.

I think I need an enthusiastic recommendation so I start a book with optimism.

I've just finished Lulu Deans Little Library of Banned Books and Davkd Baddiels bio. Both really, really good reads and from the library.

What sort of books do you like reading? I quite like James Patterson for getting me out of a reading slump as they move quick and short chapters

Definitely go to the library though

ChangedmyMindNotUsingMyRealName · 11/10/2024 07:20

Oh, and The Secret Life of Bees- loved that too. And I'm hard to please as well. If you like those old southern type reads. Excellent writer

Pottingup · 11/10/2024 07:13

When I feel like that I switch to audiobooks and that helps. Although currently a bit stuck on the audiobook of Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner. I can see it’s well written but I’m not really hooked into the characters or narrative and keep avoiding it - which means am not reading anything.
I think you should read James by Percival Everett though.

ChangedmyMindNotUsingMyRealName · 11/10/2024 07:05

Well, my suggestion is one of the best stories I've ever read. Take it you don't like horror though maybe

Original poster
floorchid · 11/10/2024 07:03

I don't know any of those @OhBeAFineGuyKissMe , so I can't help!

Perhaps I'll go to the library and see if anything appeals.

I think I need an enthusiastic recommendation so I start a book with optimism.

OP posts:
ChangedmyMindNotUsingMyRealName · 11/10/2024 07:00

The Shining ?

OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 11/10/2024 06:55

I’m in the same boat.

spinning silver by Naomi Novik

Welcome to the Hyunsm-Dong bookshop (I used to live in Korea so this one appealed)

The atlas 6 by Olivie Blake

The burning chambers by Kate Mosse

Fake law by the secret barrister.

all look good but nothing is grabbing me to read. Instead I am listening to crappy audiobooks.

PaminaMozart · 11/10/2024 06:50

Just started reading By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah. If the first 20 or so pages are anything to go by, it's going to be a good read.