I have an entire weekend to myself. What book should I read?

[ohkevin]

DCs are with exH this weekend and I have deliberately made no plans other than to sit on my arse and read a book in the garden whilst drinking gin

Need book recommendations though, something really gripping that I can just lose myself in. Any suggestions? I'm easy when it comes to genre, although for some reason I seem to prefer books set in more recent years rather than anything historical.

Thanks in advance

Second where the crawdads sing! Fab book !

New books:

TM Logan The Holiday
Phoebe Morgan The Babysitter

Rattled through them both in hours!

Third vote for where the crawdads sing!
A really beautiful read

I loved 'Education' by Tara Westover. It's technically a sort of biography but it's so gripping and shocking.

Carlos Ruiz zafron the labyrinth series! Absolutely wonderful

'The Bricks That Built The Houses' Kate Tempest. A real London book.

The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood.

Where the crawdads sing - absolutely wonderful.

The hearts invisible furies - the best John Boyne books I've read so far.

Girl, Woman, Other - don't be put off by the lack of punctuation like I nearly was. It's amazing and I didn't want it to end, I intend on reading everything Bernadine Evaristo has written.

Notes from an exhibition - Patrick Gale.

The house we grew up in - Lisa Jewell.

The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver.

Enjoy your reading in the peace and quiet. But remember to get the snacks

My recommendations are:

Sue grafton alphabet series - ANY of them as while a series they work fine as stand alones too. The central character is a kick ass independent woman detective with snappy dialogue and it's set in the 80's! So not "historical" as such but with a hint of nostalgia

Marian Keyes - ANY of the Walsh family series, like a pp my favourite is Rachel's holiday - I defy anyone to read it and not laugh out loud at the leather pants scene - but it's NOT a light read as it's about addiction and recovery. Very engaging

Both the above total page turners

Another vote for Where the Crawdads Sing and Girl, Woman, Other. Both brilliant in very different ways. I’d get them both!

@implantsandaDyson

"We begin at the end" was my most favourite book that I've read recently and I also loved the Nickel Boys.

Another vote for We Begin At The End. One of the best books I've read in a very long time.

The Manon Bradshaw trilogy by Susie Steiner. So wellwritten with flawed, completely human characters.

Where the Crawdad’s sing is very good. I actually missed it when I finished reading it!

Oh god I'm so jealous :-)

Ben Aaronvitch Rivers of London was very enjoyable

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns

Where The Crawdads Sing, like a previous poster I missed it when I was done!

Read Let Go My Hand by Edward Dox (sp) I had to ration it out it was so good.
Or a Little Life which is unputdownable

I thought the crawdads was a bit overrated - I read the whole thing but just couldn't really get into it.
I am a bit hit and miss with reading but have really enjoyed these recently and couldn't put them down:
Magpie Lane
Small pleasures
Blood Orange
the familiars
fleishman is in trouble
Oliver kitreridge
Little disasters
The plot against America

Happy reading ! I'm in a similar position next week so also reading for recommendations

I came on to say American Dirt. I recommend it all the time.

But isn’t it strange how one person loves a book and the other can’t understand why. Fleishman Is In Trouble for example is often raved about but I just didn’t get it at all.

No, no, not A Thousand Splendid Suns. I read the ending on a plane and sobbed

I read Rodham last weekend (Curtis Sittenfeld). It's just been published & is a reimagining of Hillary Clinton's life if she hadn't married Bill. I really enjoyed it, and there's an utterly fantastic cameo by Donald Trump in it.

The Patrick Melrose novels

@Hercwasonaroll

Where the Crawdads Sing is absolutely sublime. It is like a beautiful lyrical song you never want to end. So well written and so many links to nature. I adored it.

That's the book that I was going to suggest too - I loved it

Not seen the otter suggestions yet, but Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (brilliant family: historical saga with a twist) or We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

Another vote for Rachel's Holiday - it was so far from what I expected (didn't read the blurb beforehand) and is one of my all-time favourites. I went away with friends for the weekend just after I'd started it, and ended up shutting myself away in the loo several times because I just couldn't bear not to be reading it! I also love Room by Emma Donoghue. I'm envious of your weekend OP, hope you have a lovely time.