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Holiday reading 2012 ! Roll up with your suggestions

35 replies

jen127 · 22/06/2012 12:55

I am off on holiday next week and need some suggestions on books to read whilst away.
I am currently binning 50 shades of shite as it is awful.
I am open to any suggestions at all.
Cheers

OP posts:
sherbetpips · 22/06/2012 13:31

keep reading it and have lots of sex on holiday - it is utter shite but still serves a purpose!

jen127 · 22/06/2012 13:39

Lol!
I will bring it with me as an emergency read!

OP posts:
Jumpinginmuddypuddles · 22/06/2012 17:21

Jilly Cooper - a much better choice :o

jen127 · 22/06/2012 18:03

I read Jilly when I was 16! I need something a little bit more challenging !

OP posts:
sailorsgal · 22/06/2012 18:58

Marking my place as we are due to go on holiday and want a good read. However I do have a few books that I haven't started so might take one of those.

MizK · 22/06/2012 19:15

Thank God you're excluding 50 shades...my facebook is rife with sweaty palmed, overexcited women loving it, but it seems like dreck to me!
I read the Crimson Petal and the White on hol a few weeks ago, was an easy read without being airheaded. Maybe read Letters between Six Sisters, a collection of letters between the Mitford sisters, its a fabulous read and not too deep for sunlounger reading! (

Jumpinginmuddypuddles · 23/06/2012 08:57

I was just suggesting Jilly Cooper as an alternative to 50 Shades. I think I read her when I was about 16 too, along with Danielle Steel Blush

Recent books I've read and enjoyed -

Rules of Civility - Amor Towles
When God Was a Rabbit - Sarah Winman
Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
The Marriage Plot - Jeffrey Eugenides
My Dear I Wanted To Tell You - Louisa Young
The Paris Wife - Paula McLain
How To Be A Woman - Caitlin Moran
The Reader - Bernhard Schlink
A Perfectly Good Man - Patrick Gale (nearly finished)

(Read but not enjoyed quite as much -

Lucky Break - Esther Freud
Night Waking - Sarah Moss)

thestringcheesemassacre · 23/06/2012 09:02

I'm going to read Freedom by Jonathan Franzen which DH just finished and said was excellent (big American family saga) and will probably take How to be a Woman as well as I've not read and is supposed to be hilarious. Not interested in 50 shades of shite either.

AnnaMosity · 23/06/2012 09:04

I'm finding jubilee heavy going.

The Blackhouse by Peter may
The series by whatserface who wrote the woman in black, about a detective. serallier. They're great.
Visit from goon squad.
Civility. Yes that good.

Rudeness ? Try "bared to you "

AnnaMosity · 23/06/2012 09:06

Night waking is great read
Colonel gadaffis hat
Defending Jacob is excellent
Paris wife
The return of captain John Emmett is ACE
HOPE And glory

AnnaMosity · 23/06/2012 09:06

Liked the new eugedenies

Jumpinginmuddypuddles · 23/06/2012 13:14

stringcheese - have you read The Corrections also by Jonathan Franzen? I thoroughly enjoyed that, but haven't got round to reading Freedom yet. Also, I liked Donna Tartt's two novels - The Secret History, and The Little Friend.

jen - if you like thrillers then I'd recommend Blacklands and Darkside both by Belinda Bauer - set on Exmoor and both excellent. There's a third one also but I can't remember the title (haven't read it yet). Also recommend Sophie Hannah's crime/thriller novels.

thestringcheesemassacre · 23/06/2012 13:20

jumping yes it's one of my fave books, so hilarious and brilliant. Really looking forward to Freedom.

thefoosa · 23/06/2012 13:35

this

MJennieJ · 23/06/2012 14:30

just read My Dear I wanted to tell you by Louisa Young in a day...brill.
Also loving the Susan Hill Serrailer detective novels.

clemetteattlee · 24/06/2012 19:19

I recently reread The Future Homemakers of America by Laurie Graham and was reminded of how good it is.

AnnaMosity · 24/06/2012 19:33

I read that too was ok

highlandcoo · 24/06/2012 23:41

The Observations by Jane Harris

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

All long, involving, well-written books - great for holidays.

jen127 · 25/06/2012 09:50

Thank you for the suggestions ! has anyone read Chris Brookmyre? I have had him recommended? I will take a look at the suggestions and purchase a few of them Grin
jumpinginmuddypuddles I also read Danielle Steel and the flowers int he attic around that era....

OP posts:
Stokey · 26/06/2012 10:53

I tried the new jilly Cooper, Jump, while i was pregnant... utter pants, i couldn't finish it.
Freedom and The Corrections both great. I've got into William Nicholson recently, the secret intensity of everyday life, set in sussex, is the first of a trilogy, very well written.

kikidee · 26/06/2012 19:38

Stokey, I just bought that William Nicholson based on the cover reviews. Like the idea that there's more to read if the first one is good, and it sounds like it is.

GeraldineMumsnet · 27/06/2012 09:16

Given this thread's theme, am flagging our summer reads 2012 page in case you miss it. :)

Alurkatsoftplay · 27/06/2012 10:33

I second/third The Corrections. It's a great involving read.
Last year, I read 'The Help'. I thought it would be naff, but I really enjoyed it.
Where are you going? Perhaps we could match the book with the place?

jen127 · 27/06/2012 14:27

I read "help" as well and was abit so, so!
So Iwll go for corrections in addition to the other suggestions .
I suppose I should pop over to the MN link to see what other suggestions there are.
Thanks to everyone

OP posts:
Clawdy · 27/06/2012 14:35

Jane Harris's new book "Gillespie and I" is compulsive and full of twists. Don't be put off by the cover! Keeps you guessing till the last paragraph....

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