What are you reading?

There were a lot of unnecessary sex scenes. They didn't add anything to the story.

Also, they were very 'male' sex scenes. Women do not like that sort of thing! Clearly writing from a man@s pov< and not a very nice man at that> I think i hated that book more than aNything i@VE EVer read.

I just finished GONE Girl!

Just finished Natalie and Romaine by Diana Souhami, which was a biography of Natalie Barney and the painter Romaine Brooks, along with many other lesbian expats in early 20th century Paris. I thought it was very good, if not slightly unusual in its format. Slightly obsessed with biographies of odd, bohemian women in Paris and London. Also finished Deborah Harkness's A Discovery of Witches, which is a fantasy romance-thriller about an academic witch and a scientist vampire set in Oxford University. It was decent, though a bit flat/derivative at times, I still want to find the second book in the trilogy to see if it finds its footing.

Slightly obsessed with biographies of odd, bohemian women in Paris and London.

Have you read Laughing Torso by Nina Hamnett?

What doesn't kill you by Iris Johansen

I've read some AMAZING books lately, so thought I'd mention them here in case anyone's looking for some really good reads!

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

All highly recommended! 

I just finished reading The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin.  This is historical fiction about Anne Morrow Lindbergh and her husband Charles.  It's excellent and has inspired me to read more books about and by the Lindbergh's.  Highly recommended!

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber. I'm really enjoying it, but at page 350 I'm only halfway through.

Oh, I really liked that! It was rubbish but quality rubbish! 

I'm reading A Game of Thrones - I'm about 2/3 of the way through it, but I've also watched the first 2 seasons in the last couple of weeks as well (got hooked after just 2 episodes and then borrowed the first book from the library while I was waiting for the season 2 DVDs) .

I won't be able to watch season 3 for a while, so the plan is to read the first two books to get caught up and then continue with book 3 .

I might try The Slap next. 

Not my favourite or worst book, but reads kinda masculine, generally. Not sure the characters are empathic in any way....keeping going with it. Was hoping for some eye-opening understanding of Australian culture and not feeling it?

I'm reading A Game of Thrones

 

Would like to start this while I am on a heavy Nordic Noir rotation of several series.

Just finished Tracy Chevalier's The last runaway which was interesting on several levels.  This morning I was talking to an American Quaker gentleman who was describing how his ancestors left Scotland in the early 19th century and became involved with the Underground Railway.  I asked if he'd read the Chevalier book and he said no but his daughter has some connection to her (school or college) so he was intending to read it.  Small world!

I am in the middle of Beyond the Blue Mountains, a collection of short stories by Penelope Lively, and enjoying the stories very much. The story behind this is my neighbor, with whom I am in a book club and with whom I have come close to "making friends" a few times, but it's only been four years and, of course, this is Britain ;-) Anyway this neighbor told me that Lively's stories are "very British" but she, the neighbor, had faith I could appreciate the stories anyway because I must have "earned my spurs as an honorary Brit by now." Anyway, I am liking the book so I guess I have passed!

I might try The Slap next. 

Not my favourite or worst book, but reads kinda masculine, generally. Not sure the characters are empathic in any way....keeping going with it. Was hoping for some eye-opening understanding of Australian culture and not feeling it?

 

Would like to start this while I am on a heavy Nordic Noir rotation of several series.

Just finished The Slap today and overall left uninspired, 6 months later tells me something - felt it was gimmicky and lacked depth. Back to my Nordic Noir rotation with another book from the Martin Beck series.

I'm reading Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential right now.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but I am really enjoying it! He's a very good writer!

Someone like you by Cathy Kelly.  Found it in the stuff we went through at MIL house.  So far really good!!