Nice gentle but interesing reads that don't involve people having babies??

[nomoremagnolia]

Am looking for some nice gentle books to see me through doing IVF. Something that doesn't involve too much concentration but is enough to keep me interested/distracted. I don't want anything that involves people meeting marrying and having babies just like that as I get quite cross about those storylines (have given up watching soaps for that reason )
Have already tried the No1 Ladies Detective Agency books as suggested by a friend, but they're not for me - I have a rule that if I'm not hooked after 50 pages I give up. Life's too short for boring books!!

what sort of things do you like ?

I actually got really into PD James and also the Jeeves books - PG Wodehouse is also usually able to cheer me up but classic detective fiction seemed pretty helpful (nothing with really horrible corpses, just a gentle stabbing or two!). Some Jilly Cooper is surprisingly good for this too - I think she had fertility problems and ended up adopting so doesn't really do pregnant characters.

I completely understand how you feel and wishing you lots of luck. Is it your first go?

I'll try anything really...
Have recently read The wrong sort of wife, Things I want my daughters to know, Not dead enough, Boy A, Ghostwalk, The girl who was going to die, snakehead, little face...that's the last couple of months, I rather rattle through them!

Yes, it's our first go
I like detective fiction and don't mind gore - am a big fan of Tess Gerritsen but have read most of her stuff (including her rather dodgy backlist!)

I haven't read it so can't comment on the content (its on my To Be Reads) but what about The Thirteenth Tale ? Hopefully somebody could advise if the content isn't suitable as everyone raves about it on here.

Do you like historical fiction ? Phillipa Gregory is light but absorbing if you like history (although isn't exactly accurate but makes a good read).

Good luck with the IVF.

probably worth going for the old stuff unless you've read - even Agatha Christie - also available from second hand shops so cheaper. Also, it is rather but I got quite into 2nd world war films on my 2ww (really not my normal thing but at least they didn't have any babies in!)

IVF is difficult but manageable - it really is. I found what helped was at every scan - okay, so these drugs work and my system is shutting down - that is a good thing, I can create some follicles - that is a good thing etc. Really good luck and hope it all works out for you.

If you like crime - Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta books are excellent. James Patterson and Jeffery Deaver are also very good. Val McDermid is good too. I wouldn't say they're gentle!! Engaging and not too taxing though.
I've just read Phillip Pullman's Northern Lights and now desperately need to read the other 2. That had me hooked (meant for kids allegedly, but you find what you want to find in it).

Afraid to say I gave up on The Thirteenth Tale (maybe I shouldn't admit that if it's a MN favourite!?)
Have read quite a few PD James, never got into Wodehouse and don't mind historical if the story's good enough to carry it (I'm not into historical fiction for the sake of learning about a certain period though)
Will look for Kathy Reichs at the library (would be bankrupt in 6 months if I bought books with the rate I get through them!) Is Peter Robinson's Inspector Banks set in Bath? I think I might have read those.
I am approaching the IVF in eactly that way littlestbadger. I have shut down my system sucessfully and started the injections yesterday.
Thanks for all the suggestions, I knew this would be the place to ask

In fact Jeffery Deaver has two books - Twisted and More Twisted, which are collections of short crime stories (with 'twists' in them!!!! see what he did with the title there?!?!) They would be ideal I would think.
LL - I kind of agree re: Scarpetta she does seem to have become a character bigger than the world/books she lives in . . . but I've started . . . I can't just leave her in limbo (I'm a weirdo). I did slightly go off Cornwell when she did the Jack the Ripper book (I had nightmares for ages and I'm not easily scared)

Northern Lights is wonderful [misty-eyed] Don't listen to anyone who says kids books are only for kids!

Coming from the Harry Potter/Garth Nix (and un pc Enid Blyton) fan - I don't!!!

I really enjoyed re-reading the Little House on the Prairie series . In one or two there are babies but its not the main focus. Have you read Rebecca (Dahpne Du Maurier)? I love that book. Or Maggie O'Farrell's stuff (I love her recent one - the Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox).

LL I was thinking of Peter Lovesey Don't ask how I got that confused!!

Ruby in the Smoke - fantastic!! I cried too (and that was without any extra hormones in me)

Message withdrawn

I only watched the Ruby in the Smoke series with Billie Piper . I will get the books at some point. I cried at that.

The books are (as always) better and there's four of them (though don't worry too much about getting the last one) The BBC only filmed 1 and 3 - I don't know why?

thirteenth tale is good but does have baby themes in it. Also the course of honor by lindsay davis is very good -one of my faves ...

Also agree wiht littlebadger on pd james and jilly cooper (v.sympathetic ).

Also anything by Barbara Ewing (esp rosetta) - it does have some baby overtones but I found the whole things v.engrossing (read it when getting over losing a pregnancy so do sort of understand where you are coming from in terms of reading)