Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, one of the best books I've read this year with themes of race and immigrant experience. It sounds a bit much but at heart it's a great story.
Her novel about the Biafran War "Half a Yellow Sun" is brilliant - looking forward to Americanah.
Know its a Young Adult series but reading the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan... Used to love Greek and Roman Mythology as a Child and he explains the old stories in a really good / humorous way, just a shame the films didnt stay true to the books.
In addition have just finished reading another Young Adult series called "The Enemy"... Basically a parasite gets into anyone over 15-years old and turns them into Zombies, kids are left to fend for themselves (Lord of the Flies style) whilst killing the adults who are trying to eat them.
Its a brilliant series told in a strange way because its all over short period with different groups of children, yet isnt in the usual flowing style of a timeline, instead the story jumps back and forth over the books... Its written by Charlie Higson the guy who wrote Jekyll & Hyde which is on ITV at the moment
This week I rushed through Robert Galbraith's (JK Rowling's) 3rd Strike/detective novel, Career of Evil.
It's a trashy, somewhat clichéd who-dun-it but it is highly addictive and pretty entertaining.
It's also a Christmas gift for my mum so I've got my money's worth.
I enjoyed the first book of the series (The Cuckoo's Calling) for the exact same reasons you have given. Your post has served to remind me to purchase the second book in the series (The Silkworm). I was waiting for the kindle price to reduce - they nearly always drop to half price after a short while.
This week I rushed through Robert Galbraith's (JK Rowling's) 3rd Strike/detective novel, Career of Evil.
It's a trashy, somewhat clichéd who-dun-it but it is highly addictive and pretty entertaining.
It's also a Christmas gift for my mum so I've got my money's worth.
I enjoyed the first book of the series (The Cuckoo's Calling) for the exact same reasons you have given. Your post has served to remind me to purchase the second book in the series (The Silkworm). I was waiting for the kindle price to reduce - they nearly always drop to half price after a short while.
I prefer ‘The Silkwork’ to the first book, it’s a bit darker and more grizzly. It was indeed expensive so I downloaded it via dodgy means.
The third one I’d put on about a par with the first, although again it’s a more violent and gritty. All three are very good books if you’re into that sort of thing.
This week I rushed through Robert Galbraith's (JK Rowling's) 3rd Strike/detective novel, Career of Evil.
It's a trashy, somewhat clichéd who-dun-it but it is highly addictive and pretty entertaining.
It's also a Christmas gift for my mum so I've got my money's worth.
I enjoyed the first book of the series (The Cuckoo's Calling) for the exact same reasons you have given. Your post has served to remind me to purchase the second book in the series (The Silkworm). I was waiting for the kindle price to reduce - they nearly always drop to half price after a short while.
I prefer ‘The Silkwork’ to the first book, it’s a bit darker and more grizzly. It was indeed expensive so I downloaded it via dodgy means.
The third one I’d put on about a par with the first, although again it’s a more violent and gritty. All three are very good books if you’re into that sort of thing.
Read and enjoyed the first two (the first was better) and have the third on my shelf awaiting its turn .. I'm a book man, can't get on with kindle at all ..
This book is aimed at someone considerably younger than me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this easy read and its great story line - there are a few laughs along the way too!
I originally found the book within the Kindle free section and was struck by the amount of very positive reviews it had gathered.
It is still free to Kindle users ... so imo worth a punt - there’s nothing to lose.
Another Mark Billingham - Rush of Blood. A bit different to his normal books, enjoyable with a good twist, but not quite such a page turner as the others I have read.
Another Mark Billingham - Rush of Blood. A bit different to his normal books, enjoyable with a good twist, but not quite such a page turner as the others I have read.
Guess what? Yeah - Mark Billingham... The Burning Girl. Excellent fourth instalment in the Tom Thorne series. About gangland feud in north London with connections to a horrific attack on a schoolgirl twenty years earlier. Great read.
Currently on to David Mitchell's autobiography/memoir, Back Story. Written as he talks and very honest and amusing so far.
Set in 1956, this is a fictional autobiography of an elderly pastor ( who knows he is dying from a heart condition), in the form of a letter to his seven year old son which is to be read after his death. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but I found the content too theological and, in places, a little rambling. An interesting concept but I'm afraid that some of the message was lost on me and, overall, I found it a bit disappointing.
Rabbit at Rest by John Updike (1990)
This is the fourth and final novel about the life of Harry 'Rabbit' Angstrom, each written by John Updike ten years apart. Harry is now 56, overweight and suffering from a heart condition and semi-retired, spending the winter months in a Florida condo with his wife. He is nevertheless still beset by family problems and a sense of the sand in his hourglass rapidly running down, although the novel is very amusing in parts and never maudlin.
I found the subject matter completely engrossing and think that this may well have been Updike's masterpiece. All four books, starting with Rabbit, Run (written in 1960, with Harry 26 years old) are a compelling and immensely enjoyable read - thoroughly recommended.
Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov (1996)
Set in post-Soviet Ukraine, Viktor is a frustrated writer who accepts a newspaper editor's offers to prepare obituaries on the good and the great of Ukrainian society in advance of their deaths, only to find that he is indirectly involved in something rather more insidious. This is a political satire of a chaotic, gangster state, told by Kurkov in the form of a very amusing and insightful black comedy. I only heard about this book recently on a podcast and am very glad I did - an excellent read.
I began to read the Ann Cleeves Shetland series of books some time ago and quite enjoy them in a fuzzy, warm, comfortable way. I do realise however that there must be much better volumes of work to tap into.
After book four I decided that maybe I’d had enough - the plot was rather weak imo- and in any case Shetland was beginning to challenge Midsummer in the murder rates of nice small places.
Despite this, I now somehow find myself reading book five and note that book six is waiting in the wings. I’m pretty sure that returning to this series of books is symptomatic of my being a Charlton supporter.
I go along with them, quite enjoy for the most part, always think they could be better, get angry and say enough is enough … and then return for more.
Nearly half way through The girl in the Spider's Web - David Lagercrantz. It's the follow up to the Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo etc). Written by a new author, following the untimely demise of Stieg Larsson, it's fairly consistent with the originals. Maybe a bit less page turning, but so far a clever and intriguing plot.
Set in 1956, this is a fictional autobiography of an elderly pastor ( who knows he is dying from a heart condition), in the form of a letter to his seven year old son which is to be read after his death. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but I found the content too theological and, in places, a little rambling. An interesting concept but I'm afraid that some of the message was lost on me and, overall, I found it a bit disappointing.
Rabbit at Rest by John Updike (1990)
This is the fourth and final novel about the life of Harry 'Rabbit' Angstrom, each written by John Updike ten years apart. Harry is now 56, overweight and suffering from a heart condition and semi-retired, spending the winter months in a Florida condo with his wife. He is nevertheless still beset by family problems and a sense of the sand in his hourglass rapidly running down, although the novel is very amusing in parts and never maudlin.
I found the subject matter completely engrossing and think that this may well have been Updike's masterpiece. All four books, starting with Rabbit, Run (written in 1960, with Harry 26 years old) are a compelling and immensely enjoyable read - thoroughly recommended.
Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov (1996)
Set in post-Soviet Ukraine, Viktor is a frustrated writer who accepts a newspaper editor's offers to prepare obituaries on the good and the great of Ukrainian society in advance of their deaths, only to find that he is indirectly involved in something rather more insidious. This is a political satire of a chaotic, gangster state, told by Kurkov in the form of a very amusing and insightful black comedy. I only heard about this book recently on a podcast and am very glad I did - an excellent read.
There is also a novella called Rabbit Remembered which is in a short story collection called Licks of Love.
The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin - about football the lives of football scouts. Fascinating stuff. KM should have a read...
On the basis that these blokes actually watch matches, rather than sit in front of computers all day, no doubt KM and RD would be deeply unimpressed.
@BartleyPark - have you read Calvin's book on football managers, 'Living on the Volcano: The Secrets of Surviving as a Football Manager' ? It was discussed on a football podcast and sounded very interesting.
Comments
In addition have just finished reading another Young Adult series called "The Enemy"... Basically a parasite gets into anyone over 15-years old and turns them into Zombies, kids are left to fend for themselves (Lord of the Flies style) whilst killing the adults who are trying to eat them.
Its a brilliant series told in a strange way because its all over short period with different groups of children, yet isnt in the usual flowing style of a timeline, instead the story jumps back and forth over the books... Its written by Charlie Higson the guy who wrote Jekyll & Hyde which is on ITV at the moment
It's a trashy, somewhat clichéd who-dun-it but it is highly addictive and pretty entertaining.
It's also a Christmas gift for my mum so I've got my money's worth.
The third one I’d put on about a par with the first, although again it’s a more violent and gritty. All three are very good books if you’re into that sort of thing.
This book is aimed at someone considerably younger than me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this easy read and its great story line - there are a few laughs along the way too!
I originally found the book within the Kindle free section and was struck by the amount of very positive reviews it had gathered.
It is still free to Kindle users ... so imo worth a punt - there’s nothing to lose.
loved it .
Currently on to David Mitchell's autobiography/memoir, Back Story. Written as he talks and very honest and amusing so far.
Have only just started reading but is really good so far
Set in 1956, this is a fictional autobiography of an elderly pastor ( who knows he is dying from a heart condition), in the form of a letter to his seven year old son which is to be read after his death. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction but I found the content too theological and, in places, a little rambling. An interesting concept but I'm afraid that some of the message was lost on me and, overall, I found it a bit disappointing.
Rabbit at Rest by John Updike (1990)
This is the fourth and final novel about the life of Harry 'Rabbit' Angstrom, each written by John Updike ten years apart. Harry is now 56, overweight and suffering from a heart condition and semi-retired, spending the winter months in a Florida condo with his wife. He is nevertheless still beset by family problems and a sense of the sand in his hourglass rapidly running down, although the novel is very amusing in parts and never maudlin.
I found the subject matter completely engrossing and think that this may well have been Updike's masterpiece. All four books, starting with Rabbit, Run (written in 1960, with Harry 26 years old) are a compelling and immensely enjoyable read - thoroughly recommended.
Death and the Penguin by Andrey Kurkov (1996)
Set in post-Soviet Ukraine, Viktor is a frustrated writer who accepts a newspaper editor's offers to prepare obituaries on the good and the great of Ukrainian society in advance of their deaths, only to find that he is indirectly involved in something rather more insidious. This is a political satire of a chaotic, gangster state, told by Kurkov in the form of a very amusing and insightful black comedy. I only heard about this book recently on a podcast and am very glad I did - an excellent read.
Haunting and weird Sci-Fi, those on here that enjoy Murakami should give this a go.
After book four I decided that maybe I’d had enough - the plot was rather weak imo- and in any case Shetland was beginning to challenge Midsummer in the murder rates of nice small places.
Despite this, I now somehow find myself reading book five and note that book six is waiting in the wings. I’m pretty sure that returning to this series of books is symptomatic of my being a Charlton supporter.
I go along with them, quite enjoy for the most part, always think they could be better, get angry and say enough is enough … and then return for more.
There is also a novella called Rabbit Remembered which is in a short story collection called Licks of Love.
Thanks, @LawrieAbrahams - will have a read of that at some stage
@BartleyPark - have you read Calvin's book on football managers, 'Living on the Volcano: The Secrets of Surviving as a Football Manager' ? It was discussed on a football podcast and sounded very interesting.