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Back on books (2017)

  • 11-08-2017 10:43am
    #1
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    When I was much younger I was a voracious reader. Unfortunately when I went to college the amount of reading required killed any passion I had for reading for pleasure and I didn't for a while after. I have gotten back into books over the years but have recently made a conscious decision to spend more time reading. It helps that I now commute one hour each way to work = reading time!

    Last year I made the same decision about reading and set myself a reading challenge on Goodreads of 12 books in the year, one per month. I failed with only 11 books :( So this year, with the new commute, I was more determined and set it at 15 for 2017. I'm at 11 now already and plan to surpass 15 before the end of the year.

    My reading taste is usually fantasy fiction; historical fiction; young adult fiction and a few other random bits thrown in there.

    I'll update as I finish each book :)


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Comments

  • #2
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Recently finished Murder Most Unladylike (Robin Stevens). It's a children's book aimed at 8-12 year olds, written from the perspective of Hazel and tells of the adventures herself and her friend Daisy get up to solving mysteries, sometimes murders. I wasn't sure how a children's book would deal with murder, no gore but some mention of bloodstains. It's a long time since I was 8-12 years old but I probably would have loved it had it been around then, was always reading mysteries, Enid Blytons Five Find Outers and Dog being a favourite.


  • #3
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Finished Arsenic for Tea yesterday, the second in the Murder Most Unladlylike series. I was much more enjoyable than the first one ^^, I actually wasn't sure whodunnit til the end myself whereas in the first one I had it pegged quite early on. Anyway, another murder mystery for young girls. The guy who dies is the bad guy so no one has too much sympathy for him :P

    Time to move on to a murder mystery for adults I think.


  • #4
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory.

    I have been threatening to start on Philippa Gregory for several years now and I loved this, I was completely hooked. I know Gregory herself now recommends reading her books in the chronological order of when they were set not when they were written so I have the earliest timewise, The Lady of the Rivers, in my sights next.

    P.S. I watched The Other Boleyn Girl film at the weekend after completeing the book - it is absolutely desperate in comparison and I disliked it intensely. Having said that, OH who had not read the book thought it was alright.


  • #5
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    miamee wrote: »
    The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory.

    I have been threatening to start on Philippa Gregory for several years now and I loved this, I was completely hooked. I know Gregory herself now recommends reading her books in the chronological order of when they were set not when they were written so I have the earliest timewise, The Lady of the Rivers, in my sights next.

    P.S. I watched The Other Boleyn Girl film at the weekend after completeing the book - it is absolutely desperate in comparison and I disliked it intensely. Having said that, OH who had not read the book thought it was alright.

    The Lady of the Rivers - Philippa Gregory
    I really enjoyed this one about Jacquetta and her rise and fall and rise again. It's been a while since I read it though but it was enjoyable.


  • #6
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The White Queen - Philippa Gregory
    Again, I enjoyed this follow on from The Lady of the Rivers, told from the viewpoint of Jacquetta's daughter Elizabeth but still incorporating the same family and wider group of people. Far too many Edwards and Johns though, I found it hard to remember which one was which at times!

    The Red Queen - Philippa Gregory
    I enjoyed this one less than the others; it was told from the viewpoint of Margaret Beaufort who I found a distinctly unlikeable character in previous books and not much better in this though it does give a better understanding of her motives.


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  • #7
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Kingmaker's Daughter - Philippa Gregory
    More of the same, I did enjoy this one quite a bit but I think a little break from Philippa Gregory is due!


  • #8
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
    Having seen a few people I know recommend this, I had a read of the free sample and then absolutely had to buy the rest. Eleanor is such a great character, her view of the world is so simplistic, funny and yet clever. I'd read way more of her for sure. Over all, the book is sweet, sad, funny and very difficult to put down.


  • #9
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Heiress of Linn Hagh (Detective Lavender Mysteries, #1) - Karen Charlton

    The Sans Pareil Mystery (Detective Lavender Mysteries, #2) - Karen Charlton

    The Sculthorpe Murder (Detective Lavender Mysteries, #3) - Karen Charlton


  • #10
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Book of Learning (E.R. Murray)

    The Book of Shadows (E.R. Murray)


  • #11
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruis Zafon (re-read)

    Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling - Emer McLysaght & Sarah Breen

    The White Princess - Philippa Gregory

    The Constant Princess - Philippa Gregory


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  • #12
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    God I've neglected this a bit, there have been a few more reads since August :eek:

    - Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)
    - Knights & Bikes (Gabrielle Kent)
    - The King's Curse (Philippa Gregory)
    - The Other Side of the Wall (Andrea Mara)
    - Assassin's Apprentice (Robin Hobb)
    - One Click (Andrea Mara)


  • #13
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    2018
    Royal Assassin - Robin Hobb
    The Flight of the Wren - Orls McAlinden

    2019
    Death in the Spotlight - Robin Stevens
    Charlie Savege - Roddy Doyle
    A Keeper - Graham Norton


  • #14
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Dracul - Dacre Stoker & J.D. Barker


  • #15
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Harry's Last Stand - Harry Leslie Smith

    Eggshells - Caitriona Lally

    Skin Deep - Liz Nugent


  • #16
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Plague Pits & River Bones - Karen Charlton


  • #17
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Shoemaker and his Daughter - Conor O'Clery.


  • #18
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Wall - John Lanchester


  • #19
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Suspect - Fiona Barton


  • #20
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Tombland - CJ Sansom


  • #21
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Into the Water - Paula Hawkins
    This is Going to Hurt- Adam Kay
    Dead Simple - Peter James


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  • #22
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Last Place You Look - Kristen Lepionka

    The Guggenheim Mystery - Robin Stevens and Siobhan Dowd


  • #23
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Assassin's Quest - Robin Hobb


  • #24
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Three Sisters, Three Queens - Philippa Gregory


  • #25
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Becoming - Michelle Obama


  • #26
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    East of Hounslow - Khurrum Rahman


  • #27
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion


  • #28
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    If the Shoes Fit - Pauline Lawless

    Dirty Little Secrets - Jo Spain

    Her Kind - Niamh Boyce


  • #29
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    The Good People - Hannah Kent

    The Accidental Wife - Orla McAlinden


  • #30
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Burial Rites- Hannah Kent


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  • #31
    miamee
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Regional East Moderators, Regional North West Moderators Posts: 11,989 Mod ✭✭✭✭miamee


    Homegrown Hero -Khurrum Rahman


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