Something to help me get back into reading ‘proper’ books

[helpmeCalifornia]

I used to be such an avid reader. Under another name was a regular on the 50 book threads, and from childhood onwards was basically never without a book in my hands. I read it all, plenty of lighter ‘beach read’ types but also the classics, selections from the Booker and Women’s prize lists, non-fiction and biography etc etc.

The rot set in when I was pregnant really, I couldn’t get through so much as a recipe without my mind wandering. I’ve made occasional attempts to get back into reading and sometimes managed it for a time but I keep drifting away. My child is nearly 5 (and still doesn’t bloody sleep but that’s by the by) and I really want to rediscover this part of the old me, but my attention span is absolutely shot to shit and nothing grabs me at all. I’m also probably perimenopausal and the brain fog and memory lapses are real.

I’ve developed a slightly embarrassing porn romance habit, reading truly awful free billionaire type romances that are free on kindle unlimited, but I’ve not read anything with the slightest hint of literary merit in about a year I think.

I did devour the Richard Osman murder series, can’t even think of the name now, even though I knew it wasn’t great. I tried the ones that were recommended as similar - Marlow murder - but hated them. And I always get lost in the Galbraith/ Strike books (again, all the valid criticism and lack of editing notwithstanding). To give an idea of the level of thing that might be likely to tempt me back!

I’d love recommendations for books that are going to get me back into reading, that are well written but not too challenging. The Wolf Hall trilogy are some of my all time favourite books for example, but I don’t think anything in that vein is going to work - I doubt I’d have been able to read them if they came out today.

Ultimately I think I just need a really good story. It can’t be terribly written and has to be somewhat plausible/ coherent but I can also forgive quite a lot in terms of style if I’m invested enough to want to know what happens.

Some things that did break through the fog in the last 5 years to give more idea of taste -

• Circe Madeleine Miller
• Kiss Myself Goodbye, the Many Lives of Aunt Munca
• The strike books as mentioned above
• The Final Revival of Opal and Nev - Dawnie Walton
• The Dark Queens - Shelley Puhak
• Rizzio - Denise Mina
• Foster - Claire Keegan (all of hers, though I’m looking for something a little happier I think)
• Still Life - Sarah Winman, little too much whimsy maybe for me but I do remember enjoying it

Things I hated - that Crawdads one, Elinor Oliphant

Would love any ideas! Or stories of people who got back into reading and what did it for you?

Not to slate previous posters but I disagree with a lot of these for deslumping yourself. Some of them are very good but a lot are long and that instantly puts me off if I’m not in the mood. I think you need a book around 300 pages. Don’t worry if it’s literary if you enjoy the story. My recs for unslumping would be
Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stephenson
The Housemaid by frieda McFadden
and maybe something young adult as those are generally easy reads.

See, I absolutely hated this, but accept that lots of people felt differently.

Having struggled with reading too, I recently had some success with Elly Griffith, Dr Ruth Galloway series. Engaging but not overly lengthy.

Slightly off-topic but a few of us have mentioned Elly Griffiths/Ruth Galloway. I was trying to work out why my broken brain enjoyed Ruth as a character.

I think it's because she isn't very special, except that she's a super capable professional. She doesn't value attractiveness herself, but sees it for what it is (a mildly unfair advantage). She doesn't love men's attitude to women but bites her tongue fairly often, as we all have to. She knows a prick when she meets one. She knows her own worth, whether in her job or in her love life. She's empathetic. And she's got a cottage in the middle of nowhere, which was very much where I wanted to be.

(I really want there to be a tv series. Can imagine Carey Mulligan as Ruth.)

Oh, I love Ruth Galloway!

I rejected Lessons in Chemistry for ages, and then someone bought it for me when I had Covid, and I absolutely loved it.

I think Elly Griffiths has said she envisaged Ruth Jones at Ruth. And then (this was on Twitter) there was a long and enjoyable discussion over who would play Nelson. Not sure a consensus was reached. My money’s on Richard Armitage.

Yes, Carey Mulligan is a bit waif-like, thinking about it. It's her facial expressions though.

Nelson, I remember people (not Elly Griffiths) saying something about David Morrissey? But then, he's not got the necessary head of hair...

Wow there’s so many fantastic recommendations on here since my last post, thank you all for taking the time!

Kate Atkinson was mentioned, one of my favourite authors but I do think I’ve read every word she’s written. Including the short Christmassy stories that DH got me last year (can’t remember a thing about them other than thinking ‘is that it?’ though). I listened to the most recent Brody book on audiobook I think, I must have had a long drive/ couple of nights away around that time. It did make me think I want to reread the series - then I just didn’t but a good reminder to start.

Thank you to all those who recommended The Appeal - I assumed you meant the Janice Halley one not the John Grisham? Well that’s the one I downloaded anyway and then stayed up till 2 am this morning because I just had to get to the end. Definitely hit the spot, I think I figured out a fair bit of it as we went along but not all. Would anyone recommend any others by the same author?

Thanks also to those recommending the Slough House books. I did try them last year or maybe one before, I loved the first, not so much the second, third was good but again - I wanted to be so gripped like others say that they power through them all but I just can’t keep it up I’ll have a spell of reading a few and then suddenly can’t get through a chapter - which is on me ans definitely not the books in this case!

@helpmeCalifornia I haven’t read The Appeal, I read The Twyford Code by the same author and absolutely hated it which put me off her

I’ve enjoyed all of hers minus The Twyford Code, there is a book with same bunch of people called The Christmas Appeal, I read a few Christmases ago, all of her books kept me hooked, she’s just released a kids murder mystery which was pretty enjoyable too, and her next adult one comes out in September

I recommend The Turn Of The Key by Ruth Ware or/and Home Before Dark by Riley Sager, I’ve got 1 backlist of Ruth’s to read.
I got to speak to her via a video chat a few years ago, lovely lady 😊

@mysecretshame

Hi again, just finished the second one. Wanted to shout at Elena throughout but powered through and enjoyed it. Maybe I can get the reading habit back.

If it's gripping you want, then definitely the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey. I've read them all more than once and have them on Audible as well!

If you liked Wolf Hall…

• CJ Sansom Shardlake series
• Kate Mosse The Joubert Family Chronicles
• game of Thrones is fantastic!!!

Oh this is me . I am Placemarking for later

I think that alternating a 'literary' book with a page turner load of nonsense type book works well
I have done this various times to keep up the reading momentum when I have fallen by the wayside

I think if you enjoyed Wolf Hall, there's not going to be a lot of joy in reading Kate Mosse...just saying

Lol agree!

A court of thorns and roses series, romance with a separate storyline.
Not a romance but Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a book that I never wanted to end

Some posters have mentioned some good YA fiction, can you recommend any?

Lessons in Chemistry- Bonnie Garmus.

I loved this book, please try it and let me know what you think. It’s sounds a log heavier than it was!!

Yes. I quite enjoy Natalie Haynes' Radio 4 shows as well.

If you are interested Greek Myth and the Greek world, maybe try Patrick Leigh Fermor's Mani, about his travels around Greece. Be warned though, his colourful, flowery prose is not for everyone. Fermor read Greek and was a lover of the classical world.