1Eat_Read_Knit
I wasn't going to make a thread this year because I am BAD at checking in here, but I have caved. I am reading some good things, and I need to get out more online since I can't get out more in real life on account of, y'know, plagues and stuff. And I miss you guys. We'll see whether I make it back here regularly or not...
Anyway.
Read so far in 2021 are:
1. Second Chance Summer - Jill Shalvis
I know I said I am reading good stuff, but I did NOT like this at all. The characters annoyed me, and the plot annoyed me, and basically everything annoyed me. Which disappointed me, because I normally really enjoy Jill Shalvis. Oh, well. 1/5
2. The Body on the Train - Francis Brody
Pretty good 1920s-set cosy mystery. 4/5
3. The Woman Who Met Her Match - Fiona Gibson
Mostly-good chick lit. Lorrie should so have stayed away from the one-that-got-away from her teenage years, but I get why she didn't. 4/5
4. Mr Churchill's Secretary - Susan Elia MacNeal
1940s-set mystery. The first 2/3 was good, but the last 1/3 was dragged out way too long. I winced a few times at some anachronistic behaviour, but it was mostly enjoyable. I have two more in the series, and I will read them at some point. 3/5
5. Cheer Up Love: Adventures in Depression with the Crab of Hate - Susan Calman
A really good memoir of the author's experiences with her mental health. And also very, very funny. As someone whose not always superbly resiliant mental health is currently being tested a tad by the lockdown here, this was exactly what I needed to read right now.
There are quite a few things I've been reading and wandered away from, but these are the books I'm actually reading at the moment:
On the kindle I have The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - I'm not far into this (only about 50 pages) so I can't really comment on it yet, but I'm liking it so far.
In paperback, I have Streams of Silver by R A Salvatore - my partner has got me into reading this series (and into playing D&D) and I'm enjoying them a lot. He's up to about number 27 in the series now, so I have some serious catching up to do.
My current non-fiction read is The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan, also on kindle.
Anyway.
Read so far in 2021 are:
1. Second Chance Summer - Jill Shalvis
I know I said I am reading good stuff, but I did NOT like this at all. The characters annoyed me, and the plot annoyed me, and basically everything annoyed me. Which disappointed me, because I normally really enjoy Jill Shalvis. Oh, well. 1/5
2. The Body on the Train - Francis Brody
Pretty good 1920s-set cosy mystery. 4/5
3. The Woman Who Met Her Match - Fiona Gibson
Mostly-good chick lit. Lorrie should so have stayed away from the one-that-got-away from her teenage years, but I get why she didn't. 4/5
4. Mr Churchill's Secretary - Susan Elia MacNeal
1940s-set mystery. The first 2/3 was good, but the last 1/3 was dragged out way too long. I winced a few times at some anachronistic behaviour, but it was mostly enjoyable. I have two more in the series, and I will read them at some point. 3/5
5. Cheer Up Love: Adventures in Depression with the Crab of Hate - Susan Calman
A really good memoir of the author's experiences with her mental health. And also very, very funny. As someone whose not always superbly resiliant mental health is currently being tested a tad by the lockdown here, this was exactly what I needed to read right now.
There are quite a few things I've been reading and wandered away from, but these are the books I'm actually reading at the moment:
On the kindle I have The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman - I'm not far into this (only about 50 pages) so I can't really comment on it yet, but I'm liking it so far.
In paperback, I have Streams of Silver by R A Salvatore - my partner has got me into reading this series (and into playing D&D) and I'm enjoying them a lot. He's up to about number 27 in the series now, so I have some serious catching up to do.
My current non-fiction read is The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan, also on kindle.
3Eat_Read_Knit
Thank you!
4PaulCranswick
Pleased to see that you've decided to come back, Catherine.
5Eat_Read_Knit
>4 PaulCranswick: Thank you!
6Eat_Read_Knit
A couple of books to add to the list, but I've been undecided whether to count them or not since they were both DNFs. On balance, I think I think it's reasonable to count the first one, since I invested at least 2 hours of reading time and read a substantial chunk of the book. The other, I'm not counting because I read only about an hour and I have no real idea what happened in it.
The one I'm counting is:
6. Fathomless Riches - Revd Richard Coles
I read sections of the book properly, and skimmed though other parts. I have a lot of admiration for Revd Richard Coles, and it is a very well written and very honest autobiography. I probably read around 1/2 to 2/3 of the book, and the fact that I skimmed the remainder was very much about me, and not about the book: it turns out my interest in some parts of life as a pop star in the 1980s is minimal.
I also remembered why I generally don't read (auto)biographies (again, it's not them, it's me).
I was, however, engaged by many parts of the book, not least the personal reflection, discussions of sexuality and politics, and Coles's religious journey.
I also have mixed feeling about the book since reading about some parts of Coles's religious journey (particularly the conversion to Catholicism that didn't last) was a bit of a weird experience due to my own personal history with that sort of thing.
Ultimtately, this is an excellent memoir that I would absolutely recommend. It just wasn't something that always engaged me. It feels weird to rate something as both a 4/5 and a DNF, but honestly, that's what it was.
The book that I'm not going to count as a completed read was:
Mortal Causes - Ian Rankin
Again, it wasn't the book, it was me. I have learned over the years that gritty police procedurals and I do not get on well. Sometimes I forget this and try one. It invariably ends badly.
I read the start, skimmed some more, then gave up. There was nothing wrong with the book - it just wasn't something I wanted to read.
The one I'm counting is:
6. Fathomless Riches - Revd Richard Coles
I read sections of the book properly, and skimmed though other parts. I have a lot of admiration for Revd Richard Coles, and it is a very well written and very honest autobiography. I probably read around 1/2 to 2/3 of the book, and the fact that I skimmed the remainder was very much about me, and not about the book: it turns out my interest in some parts of life as a pop star in the 1980s is minimal.
I also remembered why I generally don't read (auto)biographies (again, it's not them, it's me).
I was, however, engaged by many parts of the book, not least the personal reflection, discussions of sexuality and politics, and Coles's religious journey.
I also have mixed feeling about the book since reading about some parts of Coles's religious journey (particularly the conversion to Catholicism that didn't last) was a bit of a weird experience due to my own personal history with that sort of thing.
Ultimtately, this is an excellent memoir that I would absolutely recommend. It just wasn't something that always engaged me. It feels weird to rate something as both a 4/5 and a DNF, but honestly, that's what it was.
The book that I'm not going to count as a completed read was:
Mortal Causes - Ian Rankin
Again, it wasn't the book, it was me. I have learned over the years that gritty police procedurals and I do not get on well. Sometimes I forget this and try one. It invariably ends badly.
I read the start, skimmed some more, then gave up. There was nothing wrong with the book - it just wasn't something I wanted to read.
7Eat_Read_Knit
7. The Invisible Library - Genevieve Cogman
A librarian from a mysterious library which collects works from different realitites, is sent on a mission to recover a text - only to discover it's already been stolen and the world is far more dangerous than expected.
I enjoyed this one a lot and, I'm planning to carry on with the series. 4/5
A librarian from a mysterious library which collects works from different realitites, is sent on a mission to recover a text - only to discover it's already been stolen and the world is far more dangerous than expected.
I enjoyed this one a lot and, I'm planning to carry on with the series. 4/5
