The Book Vipers discussion

This is a new thread, simply because the other one had become so long. Please keep posting about what you are reading now.

Have just started The House of Velvet and Glass by Katherine Howe. Have also made a TBR 2014 list and have 24 books on there so far!

I'm just starting The Believers by Zoe Heller. Really enjoyed her Notes on a Scandal so hope this is somewhere near as good.

I have abandoned The Secret Life of Bees (I planned to start it tonight) because 2 books I was waiting for arrived today to the library. Books have the bad habit of arrived all at the same time. So I'm now reading The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida and The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier.

Jackie wrote: "I'm just starting The Believers by Zoe Heller. Really enjoyed her Notes on a Scandal so hope this is somewhere near as good."

Jackie, I loved "Notes" too. Please post back on how you get on with The Believers (only 2.62 on Kindle I see) as I love her style and used to avidly read her newspaper columns.

Yes will do Jo. I can only think that maybe it's short on plot as her writing is great.

I liked The Last Runaway Sandra, hope you do!

LOVED Last Runaway, I am off to my book club in a few minutes to discuss it. The two ladies I have already seen in the past few days also loved it, be interesting to see what the group makes of it.

Jackie - the 2.62 referred to the price not the score! (Or have I misunderstood your post?!) Sorry I missed off the "£".

Oh lol I thought you meant that was its rating Jo lol

My book club, for once, was pretty unanimous on The Last Runaway. Everyone either really liked or loved it.

Next up for my book club, we are reading Life After Life.

I'm liking The Last Runaway a lot, though I'm only 10% done. The writing is very enjoyable!

I didn't read Life after life, but it is in my TBR list.
My book club reading for January was The Prize Winner Of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids On 25 Words Or Less that I already read and found interesting and inspiring.

Oh I want to read Life After Life too, I love Kate Atkinson.

Im currently reading And the Policeman Smiled

Amanda Knox memoir. This wasn't on my TBR list for January but I have finished all them already. Although two were duds that I didn't complete. Thought I would throw this one in been wanting to read it for ages.

I am going to whiz throughHercule Poirot's Christmas for my winter challenge, then get back to something a bit more substantial. Possibly Mansfield Park, though Crossing to Safety is burning a hole in my shelf and is under time limit to return to the library. Looks quite "heavy" ....

Reading on with The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. Also have Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich and The Hare With Amber Eyes and Apple Tree Yard waiting.

Started on A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is beautifully written, but poignant, and Road to Rouen of which the first three chapters have been very funny so far!

Just joined this group, and I'm currently reading to kill a mockingbird and loving it so much.

I'm reading The Beaumont Bequest which I believe is by a member of this group. It's a really intriguing supernatural mystery.

Welcome to the group Liz.

I believe it is Joy

Just started The Golem and the Jinni to read alongside Hitch-22: A Memoir. Have also downloaded The Beaumont Bequest by Lynne and am looking forward to starting that soon.

Just started A Last Kiss for Mummy: A teenage mum, a tiny infant, a desperate decision

I'm reading American Wife for my bookgroup and LOVING it (even more than Sisterland) and also The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun which is an interesting read though not my usual sort of thing.

Just received my copy of Finders Keepers: Selected Prose 1971-2001 by Seamus Heaney and was so thrilled that I read the first section straight away.

That means I have 3 books on the go at the same time - which is quite unusual for me.

Have just finishedThe Fault in Our Stars and Morrissey, enjoyed the first one (if enjoyed is the right word for a book that makes you sob like a baby)but found Mozzer's book a long-winded and whingey.

My birthday on 23rd so have requested from my husband a couple of art books (usually too expensive to buy any other time). Am getting The Most Beautiful Libraries Of The World and a book on the art of Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy And Art. Can't wait to get my hands on them.

Just started Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich. The latest in her Stephanie Plum series. I've read them right from the start over the years and love them for their humour and silliness combined with crime detection.

Just starting Notes From An Exhibition by Patrick Gale.

Are you enjoying A Thousand Splendid Suns Paul? I think that's one of my favourite books, loved it.

Jackie wrote: "Are you enjoying A Thousand Splendid Suns Paul? I think that's one of my favourite books, loved it."

It is really well written, but I can't describe it as good. Makes for very painful reading.

Have you read his others too?

I have read The Kite Runner a while ago. His new one is on the bookshelf at home.

And the Mountains Echoed is a great book. I loved it. Probably the best of the three (I loved all of them).

I'm really looking forward to reading And the Mountains Echoed when I get round to getting myself a copy.

I'm starting now The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It the "award winner" in my magic square.

Sandra wrote: "I'm starting now The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It the "award winner" in my magic square."

Loved that book. Read it in a morning, it was so good.

Now reading The Secret Scripture not the most cheerful of books but quite enjoying it.

Linda, The Most Beautiful Libraries Of The World looks amazing.

And I've just added The Ocean at the End of the Lane to my 'to read' list.

And then I really must stop buying books. My husband is getting rather annoyed with me :-(

Paul wrote: "Started on A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is beautifully written, but poignant, and Road to Rouen of which the first three chapters have been very funny so far!"

A Thousand Splendid Suns is on my favourites shelf, I read it years ago and have never forgotten it. Just stunning. I hope you enjoy it, Paul.

Linda wrote: "Just started The Golem and the Jinni to read alongside Hitch-22: A Memoir. Have also downloaded The Beaumont Bequest by Lynne and am looking forward t..."

Ooh, it's not often I see anyone reading Hitch-22: A Memoir. Are you a fan of the late, great Mr Hitchens, Linda? (Obviously, I am.)

Fraid so Sally lol. Bit of an acquired taste isn't he?

Paul wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I'm starting now The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It the "award winner" in my magic square."

Loved that book. Read it in a morning, it was so good."

I rarely read fantasy, but I'm enjoying this one so far.

I'm currently reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Despite its enormous size book has an intimate feel, with a small cast of characters centring around the main character, Theo Decker. The book's great length, but small focus, means that at times it feels like I am following Theo through his life almost day by day and at this stage (about three quarters of the way through the book) the characters feel like people that I know well. Theo's friend, Boris, is particularly vivid, I can almost hear him speaking as I read.

I can see various threads being drawn together as the book heads towards its conclusion and am looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Claire wrote: "I'm reading American Wife for my bookgroup and LOVING it (even more than Sisterland) and also [book:The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the..."

I also read the Happiness Project, and it is also not my usual type of thing, and I quite enjoyed it too. I wish it had made me clean out my closets, though!

Linda wrote: "Fraid so Sally lol. Bit of an acquired taste isn't he?"

I wouldn't say he's an acquired taste, although I guess it's just a happy coincidence that I agree with most of his religious/philosophical beliefs and a good deal of his political ones. As a charismatic, knowledgable and persuasive speaker, though, I've not yet seen his match.

Claire wrote: "I'm reading American Wife for my bookgroup and LOVING it (even more than Sisterland) and also [book:The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the..."

My mother in law has lent me American Wife. It is in my magic square. I really want to read it.

Just finished Road to Rouen. Very amusing!

Just finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I enjoyed it and was particularly pleased that it had a good ending as I hate it when there have been a number of plot threads and things aren't tied up properly.

I've now started reading The Rosie Project, which I'm really enjoying. It has a fantastic opening line, "I may have found a solution to the Wife Problem." and just gets better from there. The narrator is rather like a grown up Christopher (from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) except that he has less awareness that he is different. It is touching and very funny at the same time.

Lizzie wrote: "I'm currently reading The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Despite its enormous size book has an intimate feel, with a small cast of characters centring around the main character, Theo Dec...

I finished it today. I am blown away. It pisses all over Jonathon Franzen as the ultimate modern American Novel. And yet it is so Victorian and Dickensian in its scope, while pulling off the whole post-9/11 vibe. I doubt I'll read a better book this year.

How I adore the fatalistic grab-life-by-the-balls Boris!

Just finished Amanda Knox A Memoir moving onto A Thousand Splendid Suns now.

Currently reading:
2001: A Space Odyssey (audiobook)
Daughter of Smoke and Bone: Free Preview - The First 14 Chapters
The Color of Magic
And still analysing A Game of Thrones

No more starting books until I finish two. Bad me, I'm over my quota.