What are you currently reading, how do you feel about it, and what's next on the list? Part 2

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The original thread is nearly full: Page 40 | What are you currently reading, how do you feel about it, and what's next on the list? | Mumsnet

So, here's another one to keep us going!

I've just finished Jennie Godfrey's Barbecue at No 9 and came to see of anyone else was reading it?

I've requested the new Claire McK from the library @thesecondmrsdewinter20 - what was wrong with it?

@ClaudiaWrinklemum keep going with Still Life. Took me a long time to get into but really glad I stuck with it.

Just finished The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner. Couldn’t get into it when I tried it before Xmas but started over and enjoyed it this time, frustrating ending though.

Not sure what’s next. I might go back to Kristen Hannah. I’ve got a David Nichols to teach and a couple of Victoria Hislop but think they might be better suited to holiday reads.

I’m reading Hunted by Abir Mukherjee. I’m only about 2 chapters in but I’m enjoying it, and all the more because I just gave up on a book I couldn’t get into.
My next book - I’m not sure but maybe The List of Suspicious Things?

I spoke too soon re the new Clare Mackintosh. I thought it was a bit hum drum / badly researched at first until I realised it was setting up for a great twist! Two thirds through now and enjoying!

I'm 100 pages into Katabasi by R. F. Huang but it's really not gripping me.

I enjoyed the Bee Sting and didn’t mind the length as I really loved the writing. Everyone I know who has read it hates the ending whereas I thought it was brilliant, I’m definitely an outlier😂

I did love it!

I’ve finished Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett, which I enjoyed. I liked the way it was set in an alternate version of 1920s Montreal, rather than the usual New York or London settings for these kinds of historical fantasy books.

It’s been interesting to read the reviews on Goodreads as a couple have mentioned being disappointed that the romance wasn’t a major part of the plot. I think this has happened because it’s been marketed in a similar way to Romantasy books, which are a big trend at the moment, but it’s not as romance-focused as those books.

My next book is a Sweet Valley Twins graphic novel, which is very nostalgic for me! I’m not sure if it’s a new story or a retelling of one of the books in the series, but it has been updated to modern times as the twins seem to have smartphones from my quick look through the book.

I'm just coming to the end of Americanah by Chimamada Ngozi Adichie. I've quite enjoyed it despite an insufferable main character who is a bit too "up herself".

I haven't decided what to read next - probably Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewel.

I read Simply More by Cynthia Erivo in a day yesterday. It’s not for everyone but parts of it really resonated with me as how one of my children is seen. I’ll definitely dip into again in the future.

I started the winter garden by Kristin Hannah today.

I read The Little Liar and really enjoyed that so was surprised by my own reaction.
Maybe just read at the wrong time.

I'm reading 'Tales from Earthsea' by Ursula Le Guin. I'm a big fantasy fan, but for some reason never got into her books (tried to read the first Earthsea one decades ago and DNF). Tried it again recently and absolutely loved it, so I've just continued with the rest. The current one was written much later.

I have just finished There Are Rivers In The Sky by Elif Shafak, it's a brilliant and beautifully written book. Intelligent and moving. I'm reserving some more of hers from the library to download onto my tablet.

Phew!!

The Island of Missing Trees is great

Finished The Safekeep. Ironically read most of it while I was on holiday in the Netherlands (it’s set in 1960s Netherlands). Thought it was really good and I didn’t see the twist coming in the final third of the book.

Just finished A Family Matter by Claire Lynch - absolutely brilliant, totally recommend.

Now started “In Shock” by Dr Rana Awdish, this is great so far although quite emotional, it’s about her own horrific illness and how she nearly died in the hospital she worked in.

Currently reading Lion Women of Tehran. Particularly poignant at this moment. Will probably finish it today and move onto The Bombay Prince, which is the third in a series of historical mysteries set in 1920s India.

I'm currently reading Grain of Truth by Peter Lovesey which is the last in the Peter Diamond series. I've read them all but think they have run their course. The first ones were really good and I romped through them but one of the recent ones was a big heap of nonsense.

Next on my list is Death on Location by Rev Richard Coles.

Im also reading James but not gripped. Also reading American Dirt which im more invested in but still not totally gripped.
i just finished The Death of Us by Abigail Dean which was brilliant but scary.
Im probably going to reward myself with a Cat Sebastian book when I finish James and American Dirt.

Just finished The Killer Question by Janice Hallett- brilliant and very funny.

Next, not sure.

I just finished Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid.
3.75 stars- which means I enjoyed it.
A reasonably engaging story with a few weepy bits but with a few irritating editing issues and plot holes/gaps for the pedantic like myself.
I chose this because I visited the Johnson space centre last year and thought it would be interesting reading with some recognition of places; but it didn't really give me that. I would have liked a bit more on the actual astronaut program, the challenges of being a woman in the program in the 80s, what the astronauts actually did after "graduating" (they seemed to just hang around). The romance was dominant (well, it was a romance really and not about women in the space program) and treated in a lovely way by the author (same sex relationship).
A lot of undeveloped characters and a mid ending (IMO).
My favourite character was neither of the leads.

I swear I lost a stone reading that book.

I'm reading two books at the moment:

"The Life and Times of Michael K" by JM Coetzee
"Framed" by Ronnie O'Sullivan 😬

The JM Coetzee is absolutely phenomenal. I mean pure brilliance.
O'Sullivan not so much. I bought it as an Easter present for DH and we're reading it aloud together for a laugh.

I'm also just about to start listening to "My Friends" by Frederik Backman for book club. Not looking forward to this at all 😂

Next up is "Prophet Song" by Paul Lynch.
But then I really need to do some research because I'll have reached the bottom of my book pile.

I've just finished Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell which I didn't rate very highly. I thought it was very repetitive & simplistic. The women characters all melded into one - different names and occupations but other than that there was little to distinguish them. It's the first Lisa Jewell novel that I've read and it hasn't made me want to read any of her others.