Help me start to read again - social media taking over!

[Kazzawazzawo0]

I spend all my spare time on mn and fb these days. I used to read all the time, but now "never have time" ..

Anyone else been in a similar position or struggling right now with this?

I need to find a good book to get me reading again. I've resorted to reading trashy stuff at bedtime for ten mins because I can't concentrate on anything else (pretty stressful life at the moment, separation, moved house, bereavement).

I can't give up social media entirely, because a lot of the time it's the only way to keep in touch with my older children and good friends who live far away.

Any suggestions of books to start with? Something well written, but not difficult to read...

Sorry, I should probably add books I've enjoyed in the past ..

Life by life, Kate Atkinson and others by her
The house I grew up in by Lisa Jewell
The queen and I
Various Joanna Trollope books
Jane Eyre

... I'll think of more ..

Following with interest as I'm the same. Back to work tomorrow after 11 months maternity leave and looking forward to reading again on the commute.

Good luck for tomorrow Mock. Have you picked a book to read yet?

JoJo Moyes
I love her books.

There's a great thread running where a mn asked for crime reads - loads of great suggestions and I've just got myself 3 x Belinda Bauer books as they had lots of votes. I'm still new to mn so don't know how to link to the thread - back in a min to get you the title to search on

Help me with crime

I am totally lurking for ideas here- exactly the same problem!

Thanks, I haven't read any JoJo Moyes. Any suggestions which to start with?

I'm not sure about crime, not a genre I've really read in the past, but willing to try anything.

The girl you left behind
me before you
Are both v v good!

Thanks I'll check them out.

A friend loaned me The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini a few months ago but I couldn't get into it whilst watching DD. And then when she napped I'd find myself watching trashy TV and kicking myself for not reading for an hour!

I agree with JoJo Moyes. The new one is on my wish list but last time I looked, it was still very expensive as it was so new.

Versions of Us

I've deleted the Facebook app to try and wean myself off it.

There's a thread in books about reading more and less time on the internet.
I'm trying to do it by going to bed earlier and with a book instead of my phone.

Have you ever tried Barbara Trapido? If you like Kate Atkinson, you may like her early novels. My favourite is her first novel Brother of the More Famous Jack but I also loved Noah's Ark. I'm not quite so keen on her later novels, but they're still enjoyable.

And good luck for tomorrow Mock

Last year's Kate Atkinson (a god in ruins) was lovely.

I alternate between chick flick books and something less trashy.

Currently reading Round The Bend by Neville Shute - slightly dated language in parts but good

Jackie Collins - good, light hearted but well written
James Patterson - crime and thrillers. Chapters tend to be short so I find them convenient to read if you don't have a lot of time
Maeve Binchley - good solid stories
Jeffrey Archer -yes the ex-MP, - good stories, one of my favourite authors
Martina Cole - very gritty books

I'd warmly recommend joining a book club. The commitment to reading a certain book by a certain date is a great antidote to procrastinating, and you'll find you're reading and enjoying things you would never have chosen if left to your own devices. I'd say that in the past year, I've disliked only two of the twelve books we've read, enjoyed the rest and been blown away by one - a good result as far as I'm concerned.

Instead of starting threads on MN you could go to the library

Get "fast backs" so you keep having to go back to the library

Works for me

Just read three brilliant crime/thrilleresque/grip-lit books over the Christmas holidays while I've been off work. Would recommend all of them.

Follow Me - Angela Clarke
In Bitter Chill - Sarah J Ward
The Darkest Secret - Alex Marwood

Recently enjoyed Time and Time again by Ben Elton. Fascinating premise and really well executed!

I have the same issue. I did manage to read a terrific book on holiday last year - Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Also enjoyed One Day by David Nicholls and the Millennium trilogy.

Or how about some short stories to get you started? Somerset Maugham, Helen Simpson?

Are you me?!?

I got a kindle for Christmas and am trying to get reading again with it. I've just devoured a couple of jojo moyes books. I like that it's a gadget bit I'm not distracted by constant fb and email checking. Good luck and in watching this thread for suggestions!

Exactly the same problem here. Used to read Muriel sparks, 'decent' fiction and cannot now concentrate.

Can't stand chick lit stuff - Jojo moyes/cecilia ahern etc makes me want to pull me teeth out.

I may try some early sue Townsend after my recent find - letters of note . It's a collection of letters from famous people in no particular order. Also love the time waster letters.

I was the same as you before joining the 50 Book Challenge threads a couple of years ago. They're great for motivating you to read more.

Have you read A God in Ruins, the companion book to Life After Life? It's one of the best novels I've read from the past few years and came out in paperback very recently.