What book have you read recently that you'd recommend ?

[Standinginline]

Hi ,desperately need a book to read ,have access to the kindle store and funds aren't an issue ,lol ,so recommendations are welcome :)
I'm into all sorts ,have recently read "the shock of the fall" ,"the storyteller" and "never let me go ". Which I thoroughly enjoyed.

[Thewhingingdefective]

The Silver Dark Sea by Susan Fletcher
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Stoner by John Williams
Love Nina by Nina Stibbe

[dingit]

No ones mentioned the book thief, really enjoyed it.

[DuchessofMalfi]

I loved Restoration and Merivel (its sequel). Sir Robert Merivel is a fabulous, often hilarious and very bawdy (at times), character. Restoration covers the years running up to the Great Plague and Fire of London, and Merivel about 20 years later when he's an old man, and still just as outrageous :o. Thoroughly enjoyed every moment of them. Definitely recommended if you like historical novels with a twist, and a wonderfully engaging central character.

[OnlyLovers]

Oh, also Sedition by Katharine Grant. A rollicking read, sexy, mischievous, surprising, very original.

[overthemill]

Recent good reads have been. 'Merival' by rose tremain; 'Middlesex ' by Jeffrey eugenides ; 'human traces' by Sebastian faulkes; 'flight behaviour' by Barbara kingsolver

[DuchessofMalfi]

Completely agree The Sea by John Banville is exquisite. Beautiful writing, a wonderful read, also Donal Ryan's The Spinning Heart (read it last year) - no idea why it didn't get shortlisted for the Booker, and Colm Toibin's The Testament of Mary - just perfect (also read last year) - should have won the Booker imo :)

[ReadyToBreak]

Do the birds still sing in hell by Horace Greasley

A (true) poignant tale of a British POW and how he escaped night after night and inspired morale in the camp.

[theelvisyears]

The two best books I have read for a while are by the Irish author Donal Ryan - 'The Spinning Heart' and 'The Thing about December' - fantastic and so sad. Couldn't put them down. I think he won lots of prizes for 'The Spinning Heart' which was the first one.

I'm reading 'The Luminaires' which is huge and you could kill someone with it if you don't end up enjoying it. It's good, but bloody hell, its confusing - I keep having to re-read it, but maybe that's just me.

[OnlyLovers]

I echo Longbourne and Gillespie and I.

The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris.

The White Princess, Philippa Gregory. Her stories are always compelling and IMO her writing is very good now (was a bit clunky in earlier books).

The Sea, John Banville.

The Testament of Mary, Colm Toibin.

I was a bit underwhelmed by Burial Rites, tbh.

[yorkierocks123]

yes goldfinch definitely

[Ellisisland]

The signature of all things - Elizabeth Gilbert

Gillespie and I - jane harris

Both these books are brilliant and I devoured them in about 2 days each!

[IDoAllMyOwnStunts]

Just finished The Last Runaway, Tracey Chevalier, not read any of hers before, thought it was brilliant.

Also echo The Goldfinch, and Life After Life. The Gargoyle is a good read too.

[labelwriter]

Also ditto Goldfinch and Americanah.

[labelwriter]

I am very near the end of Gone Girl and I love it.

[DuchessofMalfi]

That's ok highland . On the strength of Jane Harris's brilliant story telling in Gillespie, I definitely will be reading The Observations.

Just need to clear some of my current reading pile before adding one more to it But I am very much looking forward to it.

[highlandcoo]

I must reread The Observations soon. Loved Bessy's narrative voice.

Sorry Duchess I seem to be trying to have the same conversation with you on two separate threads

[ConcreteElephant]

Another for Americanah. I've already read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's other books - really enjoying this one, almost finished!

Highlandcoo loved the Observations - will have to try Gillespie and I.

[highlandcoo]

Have you read The Observations by the same author Duchess?

I liked it even better than Gillespie and I.

[DuchessofMalfi]

Two recent reads I've really enjoyed - Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris, and Gillespie and I by Jane Harris.

[DefiantRage]

Ender's Game
Odd Thomas
The Maze Runner

[MissLeserables]

The Goldfinch, a million times The Goldfinch. My favourite book of the year so far and one of my favourites ever.

Life After Life was wonderful, another recommendation for that. Jude The Obscure and Tess of the d'Urbervilles because they're beautiful, tragic and still relevant today. Also just finished Therese Raquin which was brilliant, can't believe I've left it so long to discover Zola. Oh and if you've a soft spot for historical fiction (I do), The Sunne In Splendour by Sharon Penman is about the life of Richard III and is magnificent.

[singaporeswing]

Thirding Life After Life.

Wish I could forget I read it so that I can enjoy it again.

[Curlybrunette]

I've recently read 'Golden Boy' by Abigail Tarttelin, it's about a 16 yr old boy who is smart, sporty, nice and seems to have it all but actually he's a hermaphrodite.

A really good read I thought.

Golden Boy