Well written, with substance, unputdownable?

[FlyingForest]

Hello
Just trying to get back into reading after many years away from it.
A friend recommended Verity by Colleen Hoover and whilst it was gripping it really lacked any substance and was not well written. It felt more like watching a tv shows for entertainment, which I don’t mind at all but I don’t something more from a book.
Am I asking too much or is there something you could recommend?

I've just reread and loved STILL LIFE by Sarah Winman for my fledgling FB bookclub - and liked it even more on second reading. Have also recently really enjoyed THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah - had no expectations of this one (Vietnam war), but read on recommendation and loved. Am just about to start THE NAMES by Florence Knapp. What sort of genre are you after? And yes, agree about Verity. Good, forgettable beach read - although I'll never look at bedboards in quite the same way again. You're very welcome to join the FB bookclub if you'd like to get your mojo back...

Hey @FlyingForest , there's another books thread going on at the mo which might have lots of recommendations on it that'll interest you. It was started yesterday so it's got a lot more posts, definitely worth you taking a look I think and some overlap with what you're looking for. 📚

Great literature about the human condition | Mumsnet

I love Tana Fench's books, really well written.

I am re-reading The Ice Limit for the 3rd time, love it

I enjoyed Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy, interesting setting, characters and plot, and I found it really well written - writing style is something I'm picky about too.

I’m quite liking Deb Caletti at the moment.

Ooh can I please have info on the book group @osirista

Claire Keegan - is very good small things like these totally engaged me, I’ve also really enjoyed Kate Atkinson too, and the new Richard Osman book was very good and fun too

if you like slow horses then the original books are fab

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton
Home Fires by Kamila Shamsie
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfield
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

I found all these really readable and hooky but very well written too.

I love There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafik. Beautifully written and wonderful interwoven life stories. Great of you live historical fiction.

These two are scarily massive if you haven't read much for a while, but the most brilliant unputdownable books I've read in years are The Bee Sting (Paul Murray) and Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver). I was also gripped by The Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien but it is really grim.

She's not really to my taste , I find her prose a bit too flowery but Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell is very atmospheric. You can lose yourself in its world.

Do you think it would appeal to people who don't really like historical fiction? I nearly bought it the other day but the historical story strand put me off.

Thank you for this post. A friend highly recommended Still Life and I had forgotten the title and author (and which friend recommended it 😃) until I saw this.

Have a look at The Women’s Prize lists over the years.
Also I recently enjoyed Covenant of Water.

@RedBeech yes, I do because the characters are fascinating and the writing style is beautiful and the historical aspects crosses modern day life. It’s 3 lives interwoven and just so beautifully done.

Ken Follet Kingsbridge Series, also Century Trilology. ( Historical )
Trudi Canavan The Traitor Spy Triology and The Black Magician Triology. (Fantasy sort of)
Both very well written and absorbing.

have you read any John Boyne?

The Walled Garden by Sarah Hardy

Will DM you knackered mum!

I have just discovered Iris Murdoch. She was a distinguished philosopher, and her books are full of substance, but she's also a great storyteller.

Anything by Belinda Bauer or Suzie Steiner.
William Shaw books set in Dungeness.
Joanne Glen e.g. All Our Mothers.

I've just finished The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's set in 16th century Italy and I found it really gripping but also beautifully written.

@osiristacould you DM me details too please?

Demon Copperhead
Hammet
The Marriage Portrait

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. You will probably think you’re not interested in the subject matter (computer game design) but everyone I know who’s read it loved it.

The Heart’s invisible furies (and pretty much any John Boyne)

American Dirt

These would be my top 3 for getting back into reading.