I recently read The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty and loved it, so got Three Wishes also by her from the library. Didn't like it much at all and felt like slapping the sisters lol. I've just picked up her Truly Madly Guilty from the library and will see how that goes.

I love science fantasy/fiction (among other genres) and one of my fave authors is Elizabeth Moon. She has written around 25 books, most of them as series. At one end of the spectrum there are cudgels, swords and mage lords and at the other, far in the future space military families, space ships, aliens and space pirates. One thing I particularly like is that she writes strong capable women and about what is probably considered old fashioned values these days - honour, responsibility, duty and courage, and without being preachy.
I've just started my nearly 12 year old bookworm grandson on her, as he also loves si-fi. I started him on the first 3 books at the 'cudgels' end and he absolutely loved them. She has also written a couple of stand-alone books - Remnant Population, about an elderly woman who hides so she isn't compulsorily relocated to another planet when the colony has been deemed a failure, and the other is The Speed Of Dark, set slightly in the future, with a group of autistic adults doing govt work, and offered the chance to undergo a procedure to remove the autism. She has an adult autistic son herself.

I really enjoyed the first two books you have listed Helen. Have not read the third. I am drawn to books with an art theme and found The Last painting fascinating. Just finished The Heart's invisible furies by John Boyne. Impossible title to remember but what a novel. To be gay and born in Ireland when priests ruled was to suffer. Really funny as well!

Jal you should look at the Garden of Evening Mists as while not a strictly art theme the aesthetics of a Japanese Garden is explored throughout the book and with that the art of Japanese tattooing.
It was quite a beautiful book although because I didn't warm to the central character I found I couldn't empathise with her.

I'm reading The Lilac Girls at the moment for the book club that i belong to - I am really enjoying it. It is set in WWII.

I have just finished the Chilbury Ladies Choir. It is light and feel good and while of course I knew that it was likely to have a "happily ever after" theme it actually was a light delight to read.

If anyone needs a non-challenging and happy read then I would recommend it.

Thanks Helen - those sort of books are what I like to read when flying. Will bookmark that one

Irene I am actually feeling a bit guilty as knowing you have been unwell I thought I should have posted my copy to you but had already passed it on to a friend.
If it comes back before you have read it then I will pass it on to you.
It isn't extraordinary but sometimes you just want a simple heart warming tale, even if it feels predictable.

Helen, absolutely no problems!! I prefer eBooks to hard copies. That is a lovely, lovely thought thank you, but definitely pass it on elsewhere xx

I have recently finished reading these books and enjoyed them.

The German Girl by Armando Lucas Correa
Before everything changed, Hannah Rosenthal lived a charmed life. But now the streets of Berlin are draped in swastikas and Hannah is no longer welcome in the places she once considered home.

The Midnight Watch by David Dyer
David Dyer's astonishing novel The Midnight Watch is based on the true story of the SS Californian, the ship that saw the Titanic's distress rockets and yet, unfathomably, did nothing. A psychological thriller.

The Boy at the top of the mountain by John Boyne
The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne, the author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, is another extraordinary historical fiction about World War II and innocence in the face of evil.

My preferred genre is literary fiction and my two best recent reads are Ali Smith's 'Autumn,' and Margaret Drabble's 'The Dark Flood Rises.' I do dip into other genres and last week downloaded and read Paula Hawkins 'Into the Water.' Her first was 'Girl on the Train' which has been hugely successful for her. 'Into the Water' for me had too much confused plot, too many point of view characters, and
far too many adverbs. I nearly gave up on it but finished (crossly) reading it. Just my opinion!

I am just reading Dame Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca for the first time ever.
I love the writing style, it is easy to see why it has remained in print for all these years.
I am a bit frustrated by the narrator's subservient attitude even though I do understand the time and place in which it was written. Funny that her name is never mentioned but maybe that is all part of portraying her shyness.

Has anyone read 'Dark Flood Rises' by Margaret Drabble? If so, what do you think?
I have just finished a book by Helen Dunmore called 'The Siege'. It's a profoundly sad story about the siege of Leningrad and the people in the city who were starved to death. It is a novel but based on historical books written about that event. It made me think about people surrounded by enemies in cities in Syria and the deprivation the inhabitants are suffering.

Chris did you see Stephanie's comment above re Dark Flood Rises?

Thanks Helen and perhaps Stephanie will comment on the book.

I loved it Chris, and realise I should have commented more fully. M.D. is 78 and I have read her books all through my adult life. It is a joy to me that she is still writing profoundly good stuff! This will not be everyone's cup of tea. I was speaking with a friend this morning who couldn't stand it...'being old is hard enough without reading about it!' Whereas I enjoyed it so much I have read it twice! From the blurb on the back: '...Margaret Drabble is at her incisive best, exploring the end of life with her trademark humour, composure and wisdom.'
The Ali Smith novel I recently described to some writerly friends as being like a collage. So don't expect a beginning, a middle and an end. But it is a delight. She has such a fresh and original voice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2017 12:10AM by Stephanie T.

Thank you Stephanie, I'll get the Margaret Drabble book. I've read a couple of reviews and they were both full of praise.

Had anyone else read Foal's Bread?
I have just started it tonight and so far so
good. It came highly recommended.

I had not heard of it but have just read a Guardian review. It sounds as tho' you might be in for a bumpy ride (read). Please let us know what you think when you've finished it?

Well... Stephanie a bumpy ride it is indeed.
I actually had to skim big parts of it to try and distance myself from the characters as there was just too much sadness.
I am not sure really what I thought of it. It certainly isn't a happy read.
Very well written but very distressing.

I have just read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The book is quite new and is getting great reviews.
It would appeal to those who enjoyed the Rosie Project although it does have a darker element to it.
Has anyone else read it?

I have downloaded it, Helen, and begun reading it. Very promising. Thank you for the heads up.

Never heard about The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty before. I like such books. Thanks for the review!

I have just finished 'The Woman In The Window' and I became quite engrossed in it. I did not foresee the end.
Recently I also read 'The Girl from Munich' by Tania Blanchard and Isabel Allede's 'In The Midst Of Winter'.
Now I have started 'The Flight Attendant' by Chris Bohjalian . It looks like it's going to keep me hooked in after just a few pages.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty, really enjoyed this book. Also The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn, and The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld, are another two I enjoyed over the summer.
This is a review of two of the books.
[www.theguardian.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2018 10:52PM by Karen.

Liane Moriarty another I have read was What Alice forgot. Another summer read I enjoyed.

I have been riveted to Tara Westover's Educated. It is her memoir of her cruel and extreme upbringing in a fundamentalist Mormon survivalist household and her eventual success academically and personally. It is beautifully written and totally absorbing and I've been pressing it on all my friends.

I recommend Elena Ferrante. If you haven't already, you need to read some of her books. She is an Italian award-winning author and her most famous book nowadays is "My Brilliant Friend"! I loved it!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2018 04:56PM by Stella_L.

Stella_L Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I recommend Elena Ferrante. If you haven't
> already, you need to read some of her books. She
> is an Italian award-winning author and her most
> famous book nowadays is "My Brilliant Friend"! I
> loved it!


I got the first book of her trilogy from my library quite some time ago but returned it because Ijust couldn’t get into it. Might try again with the book you are recommending.

I'm not a Ferrante fan either. I think 'My Brilliant Friend" IS the first one, Chris! Some of her extraordinary popularity came because of her mystery identity. It seems there are no fence sitters - you either love the books or can't be bothered.

Stephanie39 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not a Ferrante fan either. I think 'My
> Brilliant Friend" IS the first one, Chris! Some of
> her extraordinary popularity came because of her
> mystery identity. It seems there are no fence
> sitters - you either love the books or can't be

Good to know I am not the only one who just didn’t enjoy what I was reading. On reflection I won’t try again.