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Emma
1st-July-2004, 10:57 AM
Apart from reading contemporary novels and classics that impress the intelligensia (!) I also have a voracious appetite for crime novels by the likes of Sara Paretsky, Patricia Cornwell, Minette Walters, Michael Connelly, Kathy Reichs and Ian Rankin.

I also lust after romantic novels by Jane Green, Lisa Jewell, Freya North and (I think this is probably the really embarrassing one) Alan Titchmarsh.

I just felt the need to lower the tone! :grin:

Incidentally did you know that in a recent Guardian Poll Jilly Cooper's 'Riders' came out as a 'must read'? Shagging in stables.

I've read that too :blush:

Chicklet
1st-July-2004, 11:04 AM
Do the crime thing all the time, Quentin Jardin where the cops all remind each other what rank they had achieved since the start of the (Skinner) series :rofl: are usually read at one sitting and a good, completely unrealistic, romp.


And for the classic whodunnit fans, Frances Durbridge is a GOD, wrote for radio serials first so every chapter has a cliffhanger and at least one statement on a par with -

"Looks like a woman's handwriting"

But also have a far seedier secret. An almost complete set of Chalet School under the stairs. :blush: :blush:

Lynn
1st-July-2004, 11:13 AM
I also lust after romantic novels by Jane Green, Lisa Jewell, Freya North ... Plus you can often get them free when you buy a magazine or in a charity shop for about 50p! :wink: The other author I go for on a charity shop bookshelf is Dick Francis. At the rate of about a book a week I have to buy cheap books and buy books I can reread (mind you that is most of them, about the only books I have never wanted to read a second time are Wuthering Heights and Captain Corelli's Mandolin).

Nothing wrong with some light reading as part of a literary diet.

Gadget
1st-July-2004, 01:16 PM
...I thought the thread was going to be about Laurel K Hamilton's "Guilty Pleasures" :blush: An excelent read BTW. - Sort of a female bogart in buffy's world, but a lot better and very smoothly written.

Lory
1st-July-2004, 02:41 PM
Apart from reading contemporary novels and classics that impress the intelligensia (!)

~snip~

Incidentally did you know that in a recent Guardian Poll Jilly Cooper's 'Riders' came out as a 'must read'? Shagging in stables.

I've read that too :blush:

This is more like it! :grin:

Now for a great holiday read, that will make you laugh outloud, touch you with it's warmth and keep you turning the pages, try Olivia's Luck by Catherine Alliot! No storyline goes exactly where you think it's going and it'll make you feel like you've lost a friend when it's finished!

Probably not one for the boy's though! :blush:

Emma
1st-July-2004, 02:50 PM
I just remembered another one: Katie Fforde.

Utter tosh.

Love 'em :)

jivecat
1st-July-2004, 04:51 PM
I also lust after romantic novels by Jane Green, Lisa Jewell, Freya North and (I think this is probably the really embarrassing one) Alan Titchmarsh.

You bet. My favourite is Georgette Heyer who wrote Regency romances about pretty heroines in ravishing frocks being woo'd by young bucks in tight breeches and leather topboots. Although naturally I really read them for the finely crafted plots and the impeccable research into Regency social history.


Incidentally did you know that in a recent Guardian Poll Jilly Cooper's 'Riders' came out as a 'must read'? Shagging in stables.



Yup, I adore all those horsey, bonking ones, though she lost me a bit when she got into art and orchestras. She keeps getting reviews on Radio 4 as well.

Daisy Chain
1st-July-2004, 06:16 PM
This is more like it! :grin:

try Olivia's Luck by Catherine Alliot! No storyline goes exactly where you think it's going and it'll make you feel like you've lost a friend when it's finished!

Probably not one for the boy's though! :blush:

Totally agree, I spent much of the book ROFLAO. Absolutely hilarious, it's not often that I laugh loudly and uncontrollably over a book.

Have you discovered Jill Mansell who writes in a similar vein?

Daisy

Lory
1st-July-2004, 07:09 PM
Have you discovered Jill Mansell who writes in a similar vein?

Daisy
OH YES, I love her too! The last one I read of hers was 'Good at Games', it's really funny! :na:

under par
2nd-July-2004, 01:03 AM
Except for Gadget I want to know why this thread is so female?

Is it that male GUILTY READING PLEASURES would have to go upstairs or down in the basement???????????????? :blush: :blush:

philsmove
2nd-July-2004, 09:02 AM
Why this thread is so female

As The Big Read revealed, Men and Women have a different choice of Reading matter.

I have just noticed this forum does not seem to identify gender. You can usually guess, but not always.

Philsmove is Male

Gadget
2nd-July-2004, 09:13 AM
Probably because more girlies like discussing girlie books: If you were to discuss "the chronicles of Thomas Covenant, unbeliever", "The Amtrack wars", "The Belgariad", "Lord of the Rings", "Fools Errand", "Guilty Pleasures", "Neuromancer", "The colour of magic",...
then I might join in; I read books for escapeism - I want to be taken to alternate realities - I know what happens (/can happen) in this world.

philsmove
2nd-July-2004, 03:10 PM
I want to be taken to alternate realities


Latinlover’s suggestion the Philip Pullman "Northern Lights" trilogy is a must :devil:

Gadget
2nd-July-2004, 05:10 PM
First two were quite good; sort of lost interest half way through the third. I've read better. {IMHO}

philsmove
2nd-July-2004, 07:16 PM
I've read better

Ok Have you read

The Gormengast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake

or Glory Road by Robert Heinlein

If you have and did not like them

We must agree to differ

jivecat
2nd-July-2004, 09:06 PM
Girlies enjoy reading books like Lord of the Rings, the Gormenghast trilogy and the Northern Lights trilogy as well. Personally, I get a bit bored with the swashbuckling but all these novels have some really positive female characters. But even if they didn't I might still want to read them.

Like Gadget, I read for escapism and I enjoy books that transport me to a different world, but it doesn't have to be a fantasy world or one outside the boundaries of human reality. One reason I liked Memoirs of a Geisha so much is because it recreated in a detailed and completely believable way the culture, conventions and human relationships of a vanished and exotic way of life.

Lynn
3rd-July-2004, 11:56 AM
Probably because more girlies like discussing girlie books: If you were to discuss "the chronicles of Thomas Covenant, unbeliever", "The Amtrack wars", "The Belgariad", "Lord of the Rings", "Fools Errand", "Guilty Pleasures", "Neuromancer", "The colour of magic",...
then I might join in; I read books for escapeism - I want to be taken to alternate realities - I know what happens (/can happen) in this world. Also read some of these, David Eddings (Belgariad and Mallorean), a fair few (8 or 9) Terry Prachett, and Lord of the Rings (many times). Also like Douglas Adams and have you tried CS Lewis Cosmic Trilogy?

Gadget
3rd-July-2004, 10:26 PM
The Gormengast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake
or Glory Road by Robert Heinlein
The fist rings a bell, the second I'm sure I've read some of his... obviously made an impact :sick:
I'll need to check my library, but 90% is packed in boxes while I'm building a study to house them :D

Terry Pratchett was very good for the first 8-9 books, but it all started to get a bit predictable. I have found that authors tend to produce exclent first books, good follow-ups but you can tell when the publishing house has said "we want another one...by then" - just looses some polish and dosn't feel as "rounded" as previous novels. Robbin Hobb, Craig Shaw Gardener, David Eddings, JK Rowling, ... add to the list.

Andy McGregor
4th-July-2004, 02:31 AM
- just looses some polish and dosn't feel as "rounded" as previous novels. Robbin Hobb, Craig Shaw Gardener, David Eddings, JK Rowling, ... add to the list.

I agree with the list up to JK. IMHO her books have got better and better.

I wonder if she's a dancer?

Alfie
5th-July-2004, 09:30 PM
Boys own reading.
For me its pure escapeism too, lots of buckle and swash, magical journeys into other realms and parrallel dimensions
David Gemill is my all time fav but I like David Eddings and Terry Goodkind aswell.
For a reasonable read all the sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell,also his Arthur stories and the vagabond series.
Alexander Kents' Bolitho stories are all ripping yarns as are the Ramage tales wich are reasonably historically correct if you have an interest in napolionic warfare.
I hated the clssics at school but forced myself to read them later in life, although I did develope a liking for Thomas Hardy and Jane Austin. I still cant get my head round Shakespear though how ever hard I try.
I've read lord of the rings about thirty times and the old testament three times

Dance Demon
5th-July-2004, 11:00 PM
Must admit to enjoying the epic fantasy stuff. Apart from Tolkien, I have read both the first and second trilogies of Thomas covenant, by Stephen Donaldson.
I also enjoy Dean Koontz books. Also having read "Quite Ugly One Morning" by Christopher Brookmyre, I am just about to start Country of the Blind, by the same author.

jivecat
13th-July-2004, 05:50 PM
Also having read "Quite Ugly One Morning" by Christopher Brookmyre, I am just about to start Country of the Blind, by the same author.


Just got a Christopher Brookmyre out of the library, thanks for that suggestion, folks.

I've always enjoyed Ben Elton as a comedian but hadn't realised how unputdownable his novels are until recently. Don't start one if you have something important to do like working or sleeping. I'd particularly recommend Dead Famous, a must for Big Brother fans (a murder mystery set in a thinly disguised BB house.) Lots of comment on the ethics of reality TV. Also High Society and Blast from the Past.

Dance Demon
13th-July-2004, 07:17 PM
Just got a Christopher Brookmyre out of the library, thanks for that suggestion, folks.

I

Finished Country Of The Blind..........Great read, though non Scottish readers might miss out on some of the West of Scotland humour ........

Trish
17th-September-2004, 03:08 PM
My favourite is Georgette Heyer who wrote Regency romances about pretty heroines in ravishing frocks being woo'd by young bucks in tight breeches and leather topboots. Although naturally I really read them for the finely crafted plots and the impeccable research into Regency social history.


Yes I must have read nearly every book she wrote - they are great if you're in the mood for a bit of romance, and honestly you do get the impression the history has been researched for months (although I can't say I know for sure, perhaps it just sounds right!)

I love Patricia Cornwell's stuff, although it seems to get more gory and grusome with every book. I have read some Sara Paretsky, but will have to look up the others mentioned. I also like the "Golden Age" detective stuff, Dorothy Sayers is brilliant, as is Marjorie Aylingham.

It's always nice to get some new ideas on what to read though. I think I'll have to have a trip to Waterstones this weekend :nice:

Gadget
17th-September-2004, 03:34 PM
A book that I've just been reminded of and will have to go and look out again: Good Omens - Neil Gamen and Terry Prattchet. Had me laughing out loud in places and couldn't put it down... a trip to the attic when i get home... :D

Emma
17th-September-2004, 04:44 PM
A book that I've just been reminded of and will have to go and look out again: Good Omens - Neil Gamen and Terry Prattchet. Had me laughing out loud in places and couldn't put it down... a trip to the attic when i get home... :DThis is officially one of my favourite books of all time, ever! :waycool: I keep having to buy new copies of it as I am always giving it to people in an attempt to force them to read it :nice:

Yliander
18th-September-2004, 09:19 AM
...I thought the thread was going to be about Laurel K Hamilton's "Guilty Pleasures" :blush: An excelent read BTW. - Sort of a female bogart in buffy's world, but a lot better and very smoothly written.
love that book and the rest of the set!

jivecat
21st-September-2004, 08:56 AM
Yes I must have read nearly every book she wrote - they are great if you're in the mood for a bit of romance, and honestly you do get the impression the history has been researched for months (although I can't say I know for sure, perhaps it just sounds right!)



Oh wow, another fan. You don't often find one! We'll have to meet up at a Ceroc event (My dear, a sad crush!) and admire each other's silk-floss trimmed ball gowns.

Emma
21st-September-2004, 06:06 PM
...I thought the thread was going to be about Laurel K Hamilton's "Guilty Pleasures" :blush: An excelent read BTW. - Sort of a female bogart in buffy's world, but a lot better and very smoothly written.Have just realised that this doesn't mean 'bogart' as in creature from Harry Potter...but 'Bogart' as in 'Humphrey'...

Punctuation, eh? ;)

Gadget
22nd-September-2004, 08:19 AM
Would "Marlowe" have been better?

ElaineB
23rd-September-2004, 09:26 PM
You bet. My favourite is Georgette Heyer who wrote Regency romances about pretty heroines in ravishing frocks being woo'd by young bucks in tight breeches and leather topboots. Although naturally I really read them for the finely crafted plots and the impeccable research into Regency social history.



Yup, I adore all those horsey, bonking ones, though she lost me a bit when she got into art and orchestras. She keeps getting reviews on Radio 4 as well.


I loved Georgette Heyer when I was about 12, obviously to gain an overview into Regency England!

As for Silly, sorry, I mean Jilly Cooper - I was obviously working in the wrong yard! The most excitement we had was when the hayman arrived with his load of hay and straw and then unloaded, stripped to the waist.....can't say I noticed his bulging biceps and muscular thighs... :whistle:

Jayne Austen - now your talking! She was the finest and very best of authors. :rofl:

Elaine