The Universal Book Haven discussion

Hi Everyone,
I hope you are all keeping well. Like most of you I am a very keen reader!
I have just read a book called 'Between The Sirens', by Rosie Sully and I just wanted to recommend as it is one of the better books I have read in a while.
It is a dual storyline set between the modern day and 1940's blitzed Stepney/ Poplar. The travel between timelines begins when a young woman (Amelia) goes for past life regression and then she keeps reverting back to a former life in her dreams.
It is beautifully written, has some great characters including a really cheeky spiv and also tackles mental health in the present day. I really enjoyed it, I thought the storyline was unique so wanted to recommend.
I'm also hoping people will be able to suggest other stories I might enjoy. I have just started on Beautiful/Ugly by Alice Feeney.
Thanks K x

Dearest Gentle Reader.....No im just kidding lol
I have a book rec for you guys, "The Last Letter" by Rebecca Yarros. This book had me feeling every emotion known to man. It shattered my soul and healed something broken I me. If you read it let me know your thoughts! I posted a review and would love to see your comments!!

I really enjoyed "The Last Letter" as well - I read it as a recommendation from my nieces -who are in their 30s and I am 66 - so it was fun to be able to share the experience.

i recently read Powerless by Lauren Robert’s and i absolutely LOVED it!!!

I read the last letter 2 years ago and it still "haunts" me to this day. It was one of those books that never - and I mean NEVER - leaves you. I swear it broke me. I dont think I have ever cried as much while reading a book.

If you loved The Last Letter then I also recommend Rebecca's other contemporaries The Things We Leave Unfinished and Variation also.

I've read the whole series of No Place For Monsters, and it still haunts me to this night.

I've just finished reading, for the second time, "The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst" by Nicholas Tomalin and Ron Hall.

An extraordinary book. At a superficial level, it's about a sailing journey. At a deeper level, it's about the descent into madness of a man who finds himself in an impossible situation.

Highly recommended.

I recently finished “The Secret History” by Donna Tartt. For those interested in the dark academia genre, this novel’s winking at you to say hello. It’s also quite fun for those who have a background in Ancient Greek (texts and/or the language) or just enjoy the erudite, the arcane, and the mysterious (or encountering a world that ventures in that direction). However, it’s a pretty wild read and not in the uplifting feel-good category. If you like tragedies though, and the romanticization of the classical bent and subsequent critique of said bent, then jump right in.

Hi All,

While recommending the books, it would be great if you could also provide goodreads link to the same.

Thank You.
Srikumar

Hi
I mostly read literary fiction or hist. fiction and every year I try to read all the 13 books on the IBP/ booker longlist. I just finished reading Women Without Men. its brilliant
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

I'm reading "Her Last Breath" by Taylor Adams. I just started it. It's The Descent meets The Shining with a cool lady detective thrown in the mix. It's very good so far

https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin...

Hi guys for those who love thrillers and plot twists I just finished “the secret dinner” by Raphael Montes , the book will keep you hooked and surprised til the last page.




https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Srikumar wrote: "Hi All,

While recommending the books, it would be great if you could also provide
goodreads link
to the same.

Thank You.
Srikumar"
Agreed!

There's a domestic suspense that kept m turning the pages. 'Holy Phrog' by Camren Walker. It's about a bereaved student who gets evicted and fake-haunts her way back into her old home. I don't want to give away too much plot, but it's VERY good https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I loved The Secret History as well. It's better than The Goldfinch

I sadly didn't enjoy the Secret History.
I enjoyed the academia aspect, but the story fell apart for me.

I recommend misfit mansion because of 1 thing: I don't know

I read "Tender Is the Flesh" by Agustina Bazterrica about three years ago, and I’m still thinking about it. It’s one of those books that really stays with you and messes with your mind long after you finish it. Without spoiling anything, it’s a dark dystopian novel set in a world where society has accepted something deeply disturbing as normal. It’s definitely not an easy read, but if you like disturbing books that make you think, this one is worth checking out.

Nicola Griffith's Hild sequence: Hild and Menewood. I love it when a book grabs me by surprise and I unexpectedly fall in complete love. That's how it was when I first read Hild. Nicola Griffith recreates Dark Ages Britain so thoroughly, complete with language, that it seems impossible that these books are ultimately fiction.

Lenny wrote: "I loved The Secret History as well. It's better than The Goldfinch" I didn't find anything wrong with The Goldfinch, but I sincerely suspect it was only awarded the Pulitzer because the committee failed to award it for The Secret History (no offense, Jane Smiley).

Today I finished 'Celestial Lights' by Cecile Pin, and it was a thought provoking novel, which brought back memories I had thought buried for years. The beginning is a little slow, but it gathers emotional strength as the story unfolds. Also, it includes some great science fiction. Introspective, and by turns sad and exciting, I finished it in two days and craved for more.

"The Count of Monte Cristo". Just... "The Count of Monte Cristo". 🙂‍↕️

ᴅᴀʟᴜ wrote: ""The Count of Monte Cristo". Just... "The Count of Monte Cristo". 🙂‍↕️"

I'm so ashamed to say that it's one of the books I've been meaning to read for decades, but somehow....

Blackwater: The Complete Saga by Michael McDowell, although it's a long read (6 books), it is riveting and compelling and hard to put down. Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Hi everyone!

I enjoy reading horror books, and I recently checked out "Reborn", which is an interactive fiction horror novel in online format. I thought it was pretty cool, and I really loved how the mysteries were spread out across 20 or so paths. The writing was interesting as well!

Here's the link if anyone's interested:

https://chooseyourstory.com/story/reborn

Ritvik wrote: "Hi everyone!

I enjoy reading horror books, and I recently checked out "Reborn", which is an interactive fiction horror novel in online format. I thought it was pretty cool, and I really loved how ..."

Thank you! That sounds intriguing 🤔 👀

I loved this under rated book "M is for Mummy" by Katy Cox. It is about a family in London which deviate from Normal Families but there is no absence of Love. I loved the way the book's narration goes.

Hi everyone,

I enjoy crime and thriller stories.
I recently read a very interesting book Grave Pursuit and found a very intriguing parallel to the chess game, detailing the role of the pawn, its sacrifice and its role in opening up the chess board for the showdown.
A very interesting comparison and pretty unique too.
I have recently reviewed this on Goodreads, and the link is below.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
(Forgive my ignorance if such links are not allowed. )

Just finished Demon Copperhead. If you like coming of age stories this is a good one. Starts when he is 6 in SW Virginia country and ends when he is 18. Demon had a tough struggle with life do to many choices that were not his own, when he was old enough to make his own choices it was hard to deal with some of the roads he chose to travel down. Circumstance was also not in his favor many times. But do not fear, it is not all sorrow. It is so well written and it written from Demons POV, I found him to be a very likeable character. I listenend to it on audible.

Katy wrote: "Just finished Demon Copperhead. If you like coming of age stories this is a good one. Starts when he is 6 in SW Virginia country and ends when he is 18. Demon had a tough struggle with life do to m..."

Nearly everything is better on Audble.

I'm reading Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. So far it's excellent.

KarnagesMistress wrote: "Nicola Griffith's Hild sequence: Hild and Menewood. I love it when a book grabs me by surprise and I unexpectedly fall in complete love. That's how it..."

SO glad to see someone else loved HILD and MENEWOOD as much as I did. Such wonders are hard to find in a sea of print! Both should be lauded everywhere.

Lenny wrote: "I'm reading Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. So far it's excellent."

I, too, loved this one. The Empusium and particularly Flights are not as easily digestible.

Ivonne wrote: "ᴅᴀʟᴜ wrote: ""The Count of Monte Cristo". Just... "The Count of Monte Cristo". 🙂‍↕️"

I'm so ashamed to say that it's one of the books I've been meaning to read for decades, but somehow...."

It's recently been published in an unabridged version--at 1,634 pages--my daughter's reading it in paperback and it's about twice as thick as a brick! Try reading an edited version first.

Drawn from over fifty personal notebooks and diaries, this memoir follows J, an American college professor, as she recounts her life during the Cultural Revolution in China. Her first memory of student activism ends in tragedy with the death of a teacher in 1966, and being expelled after the first year of junior high only strengthened her resolve: she vowed to complete her education “to the highest level attainable.”

Unlike typical stories defined by harsh parents or cutthroat peers, J’s journey offers a fresh perspective on resilience, learning, and personal growth. Readers are introduced to underground book circulation, evolving school systems and education reforms, class status and identity, women’s liberation and theater, and the contrasting realities of life in the countryside and city. All is observed through her distanced, ironic, and objective “Third Eye (I),” with photographs that surprise and enrich the narrative.

Dee wrote: "IIt's recently been published in an unabridged version--at 1,634 pages--my daughter's reading it in paperback and it's about twice as thick as a brick! Try reading an edited version first."

Oh, no! I'll get my classics fix elsewhere. Thank you for the warning!

hi everyone 💜 I've recently picked up the Shadow Hunters series were I've left, it like 5 years ago. Back then I found it good, and I can't tell what happened, why didn't I went ahead, but now? OMG!

Elena wrote: "

This sounds so inspiring! I can relate to the pressure of school, and I’m curious how J overcame all of that during such a difficult time in China.

A fascinating glimpse into the Cultural Revolution, I’ve read history books, but personal diaries always make it so much more real. Definitely adding this to my list.

I love that there’s a Reading Guide included. This could be a perfect resource for classroom discussions about resilience, identity, and education systems.

I wish my kids or grandchildren could read this, when i have one of course ,it’s honest, thought-provoking, and gives perspective on education and life struggles they rarely see.

There's a really nice grumpy/sunshine romance set in modern-day London called 'Holy Phrog'. Whole new take on homelessness and religion, and a very happy end! https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Given the title and the author. I am jumping this book way forward in my list of next to read. I very much want to buddy up on it, so I will be repeating this in a few groups. First bites (s) win.
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench

The Conscious Universe: A New Philosophy of Reality Blending Science, Consciousness, and Eastern Wisdom by Wei Qi

What if consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain, but the very fabric of reality itself? Are we the Universe, experiencing life through our eyes? Is the ego (YOU) just a story we tell ourselves to
detract us from the true nature of existence? Are you curious about the conscious being inside? Read and be amazed! 50 pages.

Greg wrote: "The Conscious Universe: A New Philosophy of Reality Blending Science, Consciousness, and Eastern Wisdom by Wei Qi

What if consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain, but the very fabric of real..."

If memory is bound to the brain, identity is bound to the body. What if consciousness moves freely between bodies, with no memory whatsoever to connect them? Time, continuity, even the idea of a single life would be nothing but an illusion. These questions have been around for a long time, but they’re still compelling. I’ll check it out, thank you.

Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog wrote: "Given the title and the author. I am jumping this book way forward in my list of next to read. I very much want to buddy up on it, so I will be repeating this in a few groups. First bites (s) win.
..."

I can see that! Just added it to my shelf as well. Thank you :)

Jefferson wrote: "Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog wrote: "Given the title and the author. I am jumping this book way forward in my list of next to read. I very much want to buddy up on it, so I will be repeatin..."

Great Jefferson,

maybe we can get a thread , and some others may join us.
I have two books I want to finish first, so maybe around April 20?

Jefferson wrote: "Greg wrote: "The Conscious Universe: A New Philosophy of Reality Blending Science, Consciousness, and Eastern Wisdom by Wei Qi

What if consciousness is not a byproduct of the brain, but the very f..."

Without being sure-
What Is Life? with Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches may be suggesting something similar, but from a western, esp science based approach.

Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog wrote: "Jefferson wrote: "Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog wrote: "Given the title and the author. I am jumping this book way forward in my list of next to read. I very much want to buddy up on it, so ..."

JEFFERSON,

Hi , please let me know if you are still interested. Then I will ask for a thread for us to start
Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent