What are you currently reading, how do you feel about it, and what's next on the list?

[IceIceBabyBump]

Currently:
I'm currently about half way through "Enter Ghost" by Isabella Hammad.

Feeling:
I've been working my way through the six books shortlisted for the Women's Prize and this is the last one. It's probably bottom of my list of those books. I haven't at all clicked with the characters and I'm finding it quite boring to be honest.

Next:
I've just had my next stack of four books delivered and I think I'll try George Orwell's "1984" next. I'm excited.

Did you finish this? I thought I was the only one who didn't enjoy it!

Currently reading "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides after DNF "A Place of Greater Safety" by Hilary Mantel.

I'm absolutely loving "Middlesex". It's innovatively written but not try-hard. I've had to Google Greek/Turkish history for some context to the early parts of the book. But that's been great - I've learned so much!

Up next might be "The Bone People" or "Birth Rites". I'm undecided.

I read Middlesex years ago and loved it!

I've abandoned a lot of fairly terrible books this week. I've just started Geneva by Richard Armitage (yes, that one). I'm enjoying it so far.
Got A Thousand Splendid Suns lined up.

I've just finished The Art of A Lie by Laura Shepherd Robinson for my book club. Absoluely loved it!

Now reading The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell (as mentioned on here) as it's about the Browning poem My Last Duchess, and as an English teacher, it's one of my favourite GCSE poems. Enjoying it so far.

Have just finished Amy & Lan by Sadie Jones. It was excellent.

Having a second attempt at The Stranger’s Child by Alan Hollinghurst, I know that I will enjoy it but I’m not sure if now is the right time.

I finished it a few days ago and was so relieved to get to the end!!! I didn’t really enjoy it at all and was also wondering if I was the only one (plus one other person earlier on in the thread) to feel this way. I think it was the style of writing as much as the story.
I’ve now started The New Neighbours by Claire Douglas. Not particularly deep so far but much easier reading.

Just to update this, I finished A Fine Balance.
Just now. This minute.
I shouldn’t have. I think it actually made me a bit depressed. Never again will I continue a book I’m not enjoying.

I'm reading The House of Mirrors by Erin Kelly, I think I should have read The Poison Tree first as it feels like I'm missing something.

Yes it’s a sequel @ObtuseMoose you’ve probably spoilered yourself now unfortunately

I can't believe I didn't notice it was a sequel!

On holiday so I'm tearing through the books, just finished Secret Slave which is a harrowing memoirs of a 15yr old girl kidnapped as a sex slave. It was a difficult read due to the subject matter but very well written. Probably need to steel yourself

I've just given up on Wicked by Jilly Cooper. I haven't read her for years and I seem to have lost all tolerance for her.
John Sandford Twisted Prey is next. Lovely.

I'm reading A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle. It's the second book of his that I'm reading (first one was Death In The Arctic) I haven't read much so can't say if I'm enjoying it yet but I did like the first one. I'm starting to get into cosy mysteries of which this is.
Not sure what I'll read next. I've ordered Les Miserables from my local bookshop so maybe it will be that.

I am beyond jealous 😫 loved this trilogy so much ive re read them so many times that ive nearly ruined them for myself if they makes sense. Enjoy it is indeed divine.

Currently reading the 2nd book in David Peaces Red Riding quartet, 1977 I think it is. After that Robert Harris Conclave. I have seen the film and really enjoyed it so thinking the book will be even better.

Feeling re 1977 RR, mmmm, its confusing and very disjointed, but I can't seem to put it down, characters are all really unlikable, sometimes I think its actually very close to the truth, with what has been in the news in the last few years. I will get the last 2 books in the series but will wait a while until I read them. Subject matter is heavy going

Me too. Reading these books is like running your fingers through a gilded casket of medieval jewels.

@3kidsaremorethanenough I gave up the David Peace series after the first one. Dark and confusing.

I've just finished Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs (loved it) and I'm starting Let the Bad Times Roll - Alice Slater this evening. Loved her debut so I'm excited.

I am halfway through Ms Austen by Gill Hornby. Enjoying it but it's definitely quiet and slow paced. Next, I might read Orbital.

I’ve just started A Short History of Tractors in Ukraine. I find I have to leave space between books, dunno why but I find it hard to translation between one and the next!

I’m a huge historical fiction fan and although not a particularly high brow reader, believe I’m fairly intelligent. I don’t like book snobbery ☹️
I love the escapism of reading and read or listen to audiobooks as often as possible (every day).
Currently into Elizabeth Chadwick’s books and recently enjoyed her Eleanor of Aquitaine trilogy.
I also enjoyed Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth trilogy. The longer the books the better!

I’m currently reading Darkness in Zennor by Helen Dunmore. It’s her first book and I think the only one of hers I haven’t yet read, but although it’s really well written and I shall read it to the end, I’m not actually enjoying it as much as I was hoping I would. I think I just had such high expectations of it, but it is an early novel and she progressed so much as a writer I think.

My next book will have to be a lighter novel I think, maybe the David Nichols You Are Here, which is our next book club one.

I'm reading The Ladie Upstairs by Jessie Elland, (described as a fever dream of a novel, fuelled by sapphic femgore), I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

Finished Bring up the Bodies. I’m currently on holiday and have just started The Mirror and the Light. Simultaneously looking forward to it and also dreading the end of the trilogy. Parts 1 & 2 were absolutely brilliant. It’s crazy that I obviously know the fate that’s going to befall the main character but as I’m reading I occasionally find myself thinking/hoping the outcome will be different!

In between these two books I read Long Island (Colm Tóbín) as it was a quick read and has been on my list for ages. I really enjoyed it but it’s been years since I read the first part to the story (Brooklyn) so had to quickly scan that book to remind myself of the original storyline. I hope there’s a part 3 to this as well!