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.

Reading "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant" by Anne Tyler during lunch times, one of hers I've never read. It's great, just so well observed. Also, reading the new Ken Follett book, "Circle of Days" on Kindle (so I don't need my glasses or a reading light)at bed time about the building of Stonehenge. Struggling as it is very YA in a bad way and dull. Pillars of the Earth it ain't.

Agree with someone upthread who found Cynthia Harrold- Eagles dull. I couldn't finish the first book in The Morland saga. I was very disappointed as I thought I had found a series that would keep me going for a long time. I loved the idea that each book was a follow on about the same family through the various ages.

Next up: The Accidental by Ali Smith or A Far Cry From Kensington by Muriel Spark

Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton. Wonderful, beautifully written and fascinating. It has stayed in my heart and mind like a precious treasure.

Im really enjoying Glittering Images by Susan Howatch, I think recommended up thread

I had a dear friend recommend it to me and I started it but it didn't click.

I think I will try again-It seems like I should love it

I'm on the third of the Elements series by John Boyne. They're short (novellas, around 170 pages each) and do connect, so a character from the previous book is the focus of the next. Beautifully written.

This one is darker than the first 2, although they've all been pretty powerful so far.

I'd highly recommend them.

I've got the fourth already so will read that next.

Really? What didn’t work for you? I have been enthralled.

Finally finished The Mirror and The Light a couple of weeks ago. It was definitely too long but I didn’t mind as just loved loved loved the writing. I haven’t watched the series yet, hopefully it will help with my book bereavement😂

@tobee I also found the Whalebone Theatre disappointing. The first half of the book was interesting but I thought it lost its way midway and I didn’t care about what happened to any of the characters.

Currently reading James by Percival Everett. It’s ok but honestly would not have picked it as a Pulizer Prize winner.

Yes, by me among others! I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

Just finished O Caledonia

Has anyone else here read this? Oh I just absolutely loved it. Something very different, so well written, such a beautiful portrayal of a personality, very funny in places, but also extremely sad. Best book I've read in ages.

Have just started The Trial by Rob Rinder.

I’m currently reading the latest Cormoran Strike book, The Hallmarked Man,
LOVING it but it’s tinged with some sadness as it’s the penultimate book in the series.

Good news for you @MonkeyTennis34, it’s the 8th of 10 so I suppose it’s the pen-penultimate.

@EmpressaurusDeiGatti
That’s brilliant news although I’m desperate for some ends to be tied up…..if you’re a fan you’ll know what I mean!

@MonkeyTennis34 I have it on reserve from the library. I am so desperate to reading it I keep adding to my basket on Amazon.
Successfully being patient so far.
I read the last one in about 2 days and it's busy at work at the moment, so probably best I wait a few weeks

@Hellohah
I’m impressed with your patience!
This one is another tome and again, magnificent.

When you’ve finished it come over to the dedicated thread on What we’re reading, @MonkeyTennis34. I won’t link because it’s full of spoilers but you’ll find it easily enough!

@EmpressaurusDeiGatti
Ohh thanks, I will. I’ve been determinedly avoiding any spoilers !
There was a very very loose one I saw by mistake which was unfortunate!

There have also been twats in the past who post spoilers on purpose just because they don’t like JKR.

I usually buy her books on publication day & stay off social media / Mumsnet until I’ve finished them. So far it’s worked.

I almost felt guilty about not loving Whalebone Theatre because everyone else seemed to be saying it was wonderful @Eastie77Returns!

I now go to Goodreads after feeling alone in my opinion and wondering if I'm deficient in some way (😬). There’s always someone on there who entirely agrees with me!!

I've just finished reading Hunted by Abir Mukherjee. It was dreadful, I really don't know why I kept going until the end. Badly written clichéd characters and a plot with more holes than a colander. I'm about to start reading Travelling In a Strange Land by David Park.

Oh yes, I always go to Goodreads and feel vindicated when I find negative reviews for a book that I haven’t enjoyed😂

I know many people don’t like the platform and think it’s outdated but I find it useful. I use it to track what I’ve read via their annual Reading Challenge and I have also been presented with recommendations for books I tried and really liked.

I gave "The Bone People" a try but it seemed very hard work. I bailed after a few pages but I will try again.

I'm now reading "Milkman" by Anna Burns. I'm finding it absolutely terrible. It's convoluted, laborious, pretentious twaddle. I'm 100 pages in and nothing's happened. We've been introduced to a handful of characters in incredible amounts of tedious, irrelevant detail. And we've been introduced to the backdrop of 'the troubles' in unnecessarily nebulous ways. But nothing has actually happened.

Luckily, I have a WOB order arriving tomorrow.
But before I can get stuck into that, I have to read "Leadfather" by Stephen Graham Jones for book group. It was my suggestion (after seeing it on a list on historical fiction you have to read) but I'm worried - his other books like terrible so I don't have high hopes😩

I loved Burial Rites.

I'm reading something called The Palace At The End Of The Sea by Simon Tolkien (grandson of). It's better than I expected and I'm really enjoying it. It's the story of a young Jewish boy growing up in New York from the 20s through to the war years.

Noone has read O Caledonia? 😢. Please do it's amazing and I need to discuss it 😂

It's on my tbr but not sure when I'll get to it.