What book are you reading?

[Lost Roses]

LookingForMayberry, I wish I could recommend just one of Ruth Rendell's thrillers but I am inept at remembering specific titles and plots! Like many of you I'm a voracious reader but can rarely say the next week what I read the week before. I'm afraid I've always been like that so can't blame age! If I can't talk about it immediately I'm lost.

Anyway, I looked at Wiki for her bibliography and there must be 20 of her stand-alone titles, so I'd say take your pick. Be forewarned they are dark and many times disturbing but what writing! And a far cry from the ever-pleasant Wexford. By the way, did you know she is Baroness Rendell? I didn't!

[LookinForMayberry]

Originally Posted by Lost Roses

LookingForMayberry, I wish I could recommend just one of Ruth Rendell's thrillers but I am inept at remembering specific titles and plots! Like many of you I'm a voracious reader but can rarely say the next week what I read the week before. I'm afraid I've always been like that so can't blame age! If I can't talk about it immediately I'm lost.

Anyway, I looked at Wiki for her bibliography and there must be 20 of her stand-alone titles, so I'd say take your pick. Be forewarned they are dark and many times disturbing but what writing! And a far cry from the ever-pleasant Wexford. By the way, did you know she is Baroness Rendell? I didn't!

Thanks, Lost Roses! Not only did I not know that Ruth was Baroness Rendell, but also didn't know she was Barbara Vine (I listened to her "Asta's Book" and enjoyed it.)

I picked out not one, but SIX from our library's downloads: two of Barbara's and the others of Ruth's. Should be interesting to compare them. Thanks, again.

[cablejockey]

I have just finished Linwood Barclay's latest book No Safe House. Good thriller with likable characters and story! I have read almost everything this author has written!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...-no-safe-house

[tasmtairy]

After reading The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty, I just started What Alice Forgot. I'm liking these complicated family novels, taking a break from the thrillers, makes my life seem so boring

Just downloaded Secret Keeper and Still Alice, thanks guys

[DawnMTL]

As you might have guessed, I've given up on Cancer Ward. I know, I know. I'm terrible.

I happened upon a whole slew of books by authors I'd never heard of, like Paula Fox and Amity Gaige. I'm soon going to start reading Desperate Characters (Paula Fox). It's very short and it's one of those "quiet" books that I always seem to enjoy. It was written in 1970, I think, and takes place in New York in the late 1960s, about a married couple that... oh, I don't know what happens to them. Something "quiet," I assume, even if it's dramatic.

[Lost Roses]

Originally Posted by DawnMTL

As you might have guessed, I've given up on Cancer Ward. I know, I know. I'm terrible.

I happened upon a whole slew of books by authors I'd never heard of, like Paula Fox and Amity Gaige. I'm soon going to start reading Desperate Characters (Paula Fox). It's very short and it's one of those "quiet" books that I always seem to enjoy. It was written in 1970, I think, and takes place in New York in the late 1960s, about a married couple that... oh, I don't know what happens to them. Something "quiet," I assume, even if it's dramatic.

Dawn, I never think its "terrible" to put down a book. Most of us read for enjoyment and if a book doesn't offer that, well, I always think their are plenty of other people who may appreciate it, I'm just not one of them! On to the next book.

As to your description of "quiet" fiction, I know what you're saying. This is typically known as Domestic fiction which is an underused genre subject heading. Instead, libraries, GoodReads, and others use Women's fiction which usually includes a lot of chick-lit and romance, which is not the same thing at all. Makes finding good Domestic fiction a challenge!

[LookinForMayberry]

Originally Posted by cablejockey

Good thriller with likable characters and story! I have read almost everything this author has written!

My cuppa tea! Thanks!

Originally Posted by Lost Roses

Dawn, I never think its "terrible" to put down a book. Most of us read for enjoyment and if a book doesn't offer that, well, I always think their are plenty of other people who may appreciate it, I'm just not one of them! On to the next book.

As to your description of "quiet" fiction, I know what you're saying. This is typically known as Domestic fiction which is an underused genre subject heading. Instead, libraries, GoodReads, and others use Women's fiction which usually includes a lot of chick-lit and romance, which is not the same thing at all. Makes finding good Domestic fiction a challenge!

I second BOTH statements. Life is too short. On That happy note, I am drop-kicking "Snow" and moving on -- somewhere. Where remains to be seen.

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by Lost Roses

Dawn, I never think its "terrible" to put down a book. Most of us read for enjoyment and if a book doesn't offer that, well, I always think their are plenty of other people who may appreciate it, I'm just not one of them! On to the next book.

As to your description of "quiet" fiction, I know what you're saying. This is typically known as Domestic fiction which is an underused genre subject heading. Instead, libraries, GoodReads, and others use Women's fiction which usually includes a lot of chick-lit and romance, which is not the same thing at all. Makes finding good Domestic fiction a challenge!

I agree, and I always tell people that -- if you're not enjoying it, stop reading it. There are so many other books out there, so go find those! I used to feel guilty when I didn't finish a book but, in the past 10 or so years, I decided that guilt and enjoyable book reading didn't go together.

Ahhh! I didn't know that there was such a category! I don't like chick-lit or romance -- not at all. I gravitate to stories that, if they're not true, they COULD be true. Slices of (real) life. A perfect example of a "quiet" book is one of my absolute favorite reads: Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. If you haven't already read it, Lost Roses, please do. Do it as a favor to me. I've talked about this book often, how everyone who has read it sees themselves as one of the four main characters. Oh my gosh, how I adore this book. Sigh...

[winrunner]

Originally Posted by DawnMTL

I agree, and I always tell people that -- if you're not enjoying it, stop reading it. There are so many other books out there, so go find those! I used to feel guilty when I didn't finish a book but, in the past 10 or so years, I decided that guilt and enjoyable book reading didn't go together.

<snip snip>

It took me coming across this thread to start losing the guilt. I always forced myself to read at least the first three chapters(or more if they tended to be shorter)because 1. anything less would be construed as not having begun the book so it would be easier to put down and 2. I believed that I needed to be that far into the story before really knowing what it was about and where it wanted to take me.

This thinking caused me to endure some really awful and predictable books. Logically I knew that I read for enjoyment and this process was not enjoyable but I chugged along because "I didn't want to quit" Quitting is not so bad: quitting drugs, quit behaving badly and quitting stories you don't enjoy or are not in the mood for are strongly encouraged.

I came here and got all the social proof I needed Thank you! Every now and then I still feel a little pang or twinge in my stomach, but that could just be indigestion.

[DawnMTL]

[quote=winrunner;36481969

Every now and then I still feel a little pang or twinge in my stomach, but that could just be indigestion.[/QUOTE]

Oh my god, you crack me up.