A book you couldn't put down!!

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I'm hoping just to dedicate some time to getting back into reading...
Have a young child so it's not always possible!!

I think I've been trying to read Rosie Project for three years now !!

Looking for recommendations for your best book, book you couldn't put down to try and start something new that will keep me interested....
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The Time Travellers Wife
A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Prayer for Owen Meany

The Miniturist &
The House of Fortune by Jessie Burton

The Wolf Hall Trilogies by Hilary Mantel

A little Life

The McNulty family stories all by Sebastian Barry. They're set quiet near to where I used to live in Ireland so that was probably the appeal to me and SBs writing I find beautiful

The Dinner Guest by BP Walter. It’s a backwards story - you already know what’s happened but you have to work out why on earth it has. Posh families in London if you like that subject matter.
I also really liked 9 Perfect Strangers on holiday. Nothing like the crap TV series that came out. That was disappointing. The book is really well paced, good characters ( that leave you guessing) and unpredictable even after watching the aforementioned crap TV series.

Think some people are mistaking good literature with unputdownable reads. I mean Emma is all very well but hardly gripping.

Mr Loverman by Bernadine Evaristo was an absolute joy to read. Fabulous characterisation, interesting plot, touching on themes of sexuality and immigration across generations, and a right good laugh to boot. It was heartwarming and though provoking in equal measure- an absolute delight.

That's a bit of an unnecessary thing to say about Emma. Just because you don't think it's gripping, can't someone else?

I think there's a difference between quality or important literature and reads you race through. Sometimes there's crossover but not necessarily. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious!

Rightly or wrongly there are books I feel I "should" read. Sometimes I enjoy them, sometimes I can't see the fuss, sometimes I can tell they are great and enjoy them while reading but still have to push myself to pick them up and carry on...I'm usually very glad to have read them but wouldn't often recommend to others.

Then there's books that strike a cord with me and I'm keen to read then can't stop -like the Crooked Heart trilogy by Lissa Evans, In The Unlikely Event by Judy Blume or Hannah Kent's books. I'm not sure how wide their appeal would be for others though because it's been something more emotional than just being entertained, interested or stretched or whatever for me. I can't subjectively judge the quality because of how I loved them.

Verity

The best book I read last year & I think its Colleen Hoovers best one.

I've just finished reading The Map of Salt & Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar. I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads - for me it was unputdownable.

Lessons in Chemistry. Loved it

I really wanted to like Lessons in Chemistry- all my friends loved it. I gave up on 70% - she got right on my nerves. I realise I am massively in the minority 😳

I also disliked Lessons in Chemistry, having wanted to love it (I did finish it though).
It's such an interesting and pertinent premise, but it clunked you over the head with its themes to the point where I was almost physically flinching

I started to read Louise Penny's books when my dd was wee. Love them. Detective fiction but with an emphasis on thr developing relationships between characters.

Also read Elly Griffiths books around the same time. Not so impressed but it was fun seeing what would annoy me about each one!

@MarkWithaC Yes! Exactly that.

Thank you whoever recommended strange sally diamond I've just finished it in two days! A record for me! Couldn't put it down x

I've got American dirt on my the pile I might promote it to next read! Thank you

Thank you for the recommendation! Finished it in two days which is unlike me thought it was brilliant and would make a good film

Literally bookmarking this thread!!!
Thanks everybody!

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet - David Mitchell

I loved this and at times it was so tense I felt I was racing through it holding my breath! It's had a lot of criticism in the US, which is interesting to read once you've enjoyed the book.

I finished "Isaac and the Egg" in two days and I loved, loved, LOVED it.

So much so that I think I'm going to read it again 😀