Last book of 2013, first book of 2014

[Cheboludo]

What is the last book you read in 2013 and what will be the first one you read in 2014? Are they connected?

My last was How to be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis. It's a wonderful memoir told through the authors favourite books and heroines. One of the books she writes about is Pride and Prejudice which reminded me that I have Longbourn in my TBR pile so that's going to be the first book I finish in 2014.

Great idea for a thread!

I've just finished Longbourn, which I loved. Slightly darker look at P&P, eg where Mr. Bingley's fortune comes from, how the servants see the family, obligations etc. Lots of social context too.

I've just downloaded Love, Nina on the recommendation of a friend. Looks like an interesting book!

Just finished The one hundred year old man Jonas jonasson and started The last love letter he wrote jo jo moyles.

Has anyone else struggled with the help, have tried reading, audiobooks and now trying to watch on netflix. But the book just so hard to get with the southern drawl.

Am a bit lost as have read a lot over the last two weeks - combination of illness, holiday & cheap kindle offers.

So last book of 2013 was maybe new Bridget Jones - easy read, not great - followed by Cuckoo Calling -OK, followed by Dan Brown Inferno (terrible), and Neil Gaiman Ocean at the end of the Lane -sweet.

Have now embarked on The Goldfinch. Looks like a lot of people on here have benefitted from the cheap kindle deals over Christmas - would not have bothered with Bridget Jones or Dan Brown if they hadn't been cheap as chips.

Sorry meant The last letter from your lover!

Mine weren't connected. I read Two Brothers by Ben Elton, followed by Apple Tree Yard. I try to change genre, esp if I find something has been quite harrowing. I read a lot of books set in WW2 in late 2013.

That's rubbish, actually. I read, after Ben Elton, a Val McD (one of Tony Hill series, so 'harrowing' in a different way) and a WW2 memoir or two. See what happens when I mislay my reading notebook, having to depend on memory.

Last book of 2013 - The Shoemaker's Wife

First book of 2014 - Life After Life

Didn't clock the war link till I started reading the 2nd one!

Am just about to start The Luminaries. Quite excited, hope it isn't a let down!

My last book of 2013 was The Man In The Picture by Susan Hill but I really didn't like it. It was boring and a lot was left unexplained.

My first book of 2014 was The Unknown Bridesmaid by Margaret Forster, which I liked but I felt the ending was a bit of a let down.

LemonPoppySeed I was just looking at Longborne the other day but put it back because the first line annoyed me. Something like: 'If Elizabeth Bennett had to wash her own corsets she wouldn't go about rolling in the mud with Mr Darcy so often' thought housemaid Dowdy McPoor as she gazed at her shrivelled red fingers.

Does it get better than that first line? I was in a hurry and a bad mood so I may have judged too harshly.

Sarah your summary of Longbourn just made me laugh. I was thinking of reading it, but the thing that's putting me off is the blurb which suggests it's for fans of Downton Abbey. I loathe Downton with a passion.

I didn't like The Man in the Picture either - didn't think it at all scary. Like you, I thought it dull and yet DH read it and thought it brilliant. OK, I'm pretty sure I didn't miss anything. No idea what he saw in it.

Last book of 2013 was Margaret Forster's The Seduction of Mrs Pendlebury which is a favourite - I needed some comfort reading after a hectic and stressful Christmas!

First book of 2014 was Naipaul's The Mystic Masseur which I really enjoyed - it was a Christmas present, but perhaps not as much as some of his other work such as A House for Mr Biswas.

Duchess Perhaps I could start writing for Downton.