Books & Reading Thread 2025
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jimmy blue shoes
Well-Known Member
Just ordered it on your recommendation. I'll read it next.
Just started The Secret History by Donna Tartt, my 15 year old daughter insisted I read it. Don't really know what to expect but I promised I'd give it a go.
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
Maine Man: The Tony Book Story by Tony Book and David Clayton
Autobiography of the former Manchester City player, manager, coach and pretty much everything in between. Details his life from a short time in India as a child (father was an army man) through his initial beginnings of a football career playing for his local miners team before moving on to non-league Batch City, eventually getting his break at Plymouth before cracking the big time at the age of 32 with Manchester City. This is a pretty straight forward account with no juicy tidbits scattered within. Skip, as he is affectionately known, isn’t that sort of guy. 3½★'s
Anything For You by Saul Black*
Third book in the Valerie Hart series sees the homicide detective is on the trail of what seems an easy open and shut case. A prominent DA, Adam Grant, has been murdered and his wife left with wounds that require surgery. There’s plenty of evidence at the scene pointing to a former felon who Grant prosecuted and who has now been released. The problem is that he’s disappeared completely. The investigation gets a little more complicated when it appears that victim and suspect have a woman in common and she doesn’t really fit in with either of their lives.
The opening of the book is quite sexually explicit but is nothing out of the ordinary for this author. While it probably could have been written around it’s not out of place for a book like this. There are two timelines to the story with one following the investigation from Valerie’s end and the other from an unnamed woman leading up to the event itself. Chapter headings give dates to help keep track. While this is a self-contained story and you don’t need to have read the previous books in the series I think they would help to understand Valerie’s character and relationships a lot more if you have done. 4★'s
*A pseudonym of [[Glen Duncan]]
Autobiography of the former Manchester City player, manager, coach and pretty much everything in between. Details his life from a short time in India as a child (father was an army man) through his initial beginnings of a football career playing for his local miners team before moving on to non-league Batch City, eventually getting his break at Plymouth before cracking the big time at the age of 32 with Manchester City. This is a pretty straight forward account with no juicy tidbits scattered within. Skip, as he is affectionately known, isn’t that sort of guy. 3½★'s
Anything For You by Saul Black*
Third book in the Valerie Hart series sees the homicide detective is on the trail of what seems an easy open and shut case. A prominent DA, Adam Grant, has been murdered and his wife left with wounds that require surgery. There’s plenty of evidence at the scene pointing to a former felon who Grant prosecuted and who has now been released. The problem is that he’s disappeared completely. The investigation gets a little more complicated when it appears that victim and suspect have a woman in common and she doesn’t really fit in with either of their lives.
The opening of the book is quite sexually explicit but is nothing out of the ordinary for this author. While it probably could have been written around it’s not out of place for a book like this. There are two timelines to the story with one following the investigation from Valerie’s end and the other from an unnamed woman leading up to the event itself. Chapter headings give dates to help keep track. While this is a self-contained story and you don’t need to have read the previous books in the series I think they would help to understand Valerie’s character and relationships a lot more if you have done. 4★'s
*A pseudonym of [[Glen Duncan]]
Just finished Spark City by Robert J Power a fantastic read couldn’t put my ebook down! Now on book two..
Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. It’ll never work.
He’s a warrior destined for a life of duty and tradition. By birth-right, the mysterious trials of The Cull await him; a chance to win the greatest prize Spark City can offer. However, he’d rather spend his days drinking, gambling and travelling the roads as a solitary wanderer.
But war is on the horizon and although he doesn’t know it yet, Erroh is standing in the way of the first wave.
Across great distances and facing brutal obstacles, he will call upon the warrior within to hunt down those who endanger the world he once rejected.
And he won’t be alone.
Spark City is the first book in Robert J Power’s #1 bestselling coming of age fantasy series. With its character driven story, epic battles, and dark humour, Spark City has won a devoted readership and earned comparisons to fantasy masters Joe Abercrombie, David Gemmell and Brandon Sanderson.
Robert J Power
Author Robert J Power's complete list of books and series in order, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions and availability.
www.fantasticfiction.com
Erroh has a plan. A simple plan. It’ll never work.
He’s a warrior destined for a life of duty and tradition. By birth-right, the mysterious trials of The Cull await him; a chance to win the greatest prize Spark City can offer. However, he’d rather spend his days drinking, gambling and travelling the roads as a solitary wanderer.
But war is on the horizon and although he doesn’t know it yet, Erroh is standing in the way of the first wave.
Across great distances and facing brutal obstacles, he will call upon the warrior within to hunt down those who endanger the world he once rejected.
And he won’t be alone.
Spark City is the first book in Robert J Power’s #1 bestselling coming of age fantasy series. With its character driven story, epic battles, and dark humour, Spark City has won a devoted readership and earned comparisons to fantasy masters Joe Abercrombie, David Gemmell and Brandon Sanderson.
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
Those are some weighty names to live up to.
stoneblue
Well-Known Member
7/23 In at the Kill - Gerald Seymour
Gerald Seymour is a writer of political / spy thrillers. Older Bluemooners may remember him, he was a news reporter for ITN for 15 years, then became a full time writer. His first, and probably most famous book, was Harry’s Game, set during the troubles in Northern Ireland, which was made into a tv series, the theme tune for which introduced Clannad to a wider audience.
However, I digress. The central character in this book is Jonas Merrick and this is the third one in the series. I haven’t read either of the first two but l don’t think that it’s necessary to have done so. There are references to his back story in this book which presumably is recounted in the earlier books.
I nearly gave up on this book at first. There are several threads to the plot and at the start the author is dropping bits of each thread and introducing characters and I found it difficult to get a handle on what was going on. I decided to persevere and as the book progresses the characters and plot strands become more defined and an intriguing plot develops. Jonas Merrick works on crime for the secret service, specifically OCGs (Organised Crime Gangs). The story involves a consignment of cocaine heading to Galicia (from S America) where a family awaits, and an ambitious crime family from Liverpool (where else!). Jonas has a man on the inside in Spain but manages to annoy various strands of the service and police by keeping details of an impending bust to himself.
I’m glad that I decided to stick with the book, like most of Seymour’s books it’s very readable and I can recommend it. Will try and get hold of the first two books.
Gerald Seymour is a writer of political / spy thrillers. Older Bluemooners may remember him, he was a news reporter for ITN for 15 years, then became a full time writer. His first, and probably most famous book, was Harry’s Game, set during the troubles in Northern Ireland, which was made into a tv series, the theme tune for which introduced Clannad to a wider audience.
However, I digress. The central character in this book is Jonas Merrick and this is the third one in the series. I haven’t read either of the first two but l don’t think that it’s necessary to have done so. There are references to his back story in this book which presumably is recounted in the earlier books.
I nearly gave up on this book at first. There are several threads to the plot and at the start the author is dropping bits of each thread and introducing characters and I found it difficult to get a handle on what was going on. I decided to persevere and as the book progresses the characters and plot strands become more defined and an intriguing plot develops. Jonas Merrick works on crime for the secret service, specifically OCGs (Organised Crime Gangs). The story involves a consignment of cocaine heading to Galicia (from S America) where a family awaits, and an ambitious crime family from Liverpool (where else!). Jonas has a man on the inside in Spain but manages to annoy various strands of the service and police by keeping details of an impending bust to himself.
I’m glad that I decided to stick with the book, like most of Seymour’s books it’s very readable and I can recommend it. Will try and get hold of the first two books.
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch
The ninth book in the urban fantasy/police procedural series finds DC Peter Grant getting ready to become a dad but a new case arrives for the Folly to deal with before he goes on paternity leave. A murder has been committed at the London Silver Vaults and there are enough oddities about it to call in the Special Assessment Unit. Despite being a highly surveilled area the murderer has vanished without a trace and nobody around the scene seems to know what happened. Investigations lead Peter and the team to Manchester and Derbyshire before returning back to London but can they solve the crime before the twins arrive?
Always nice to spend time in the company of familiar characters and that’s what Peter and the gang have become. The re-appearance of Leslie May doesn’t hinder either and helps lift a fairly average mystery that little bit higher. This feels very much like a transitional book for what is to follow in the series, especially with Nightingale’s pronouncement at the end. Will be interesting to see where it heads and also offers opportunities for more spin-off novella’s. Not the best book in the series but it keeps me invested. 3½★'s
The ninth book in the urban fantasy/police procedural series finds DC Peter Grant getting ready to become a dad but a new case arrives for the Folly to deal with before he goes on paternity leave. A murder has been committed at the London Silver Vaults and there are enough oddities about it to call in the Special Assessment Unit. Despite being a highly surveilled area the murderer has vanished without a trace and nobody around the scene seems to know what happened. Investigations lead Peter and the team to Manchester and Derbyshire before returning back to London but can they solve the crime before the twins arrive?
Always nice to spend time in the company of familiar characters and that’s what Peter and the gang have become. The re-appearance of Leslie May doesn’t hinder either and helps lift a fairly average mystery that little bit higher. This feels very much like a transitional book for what is to follow in the series, especially with Nightingale’s pronouncement at the end. Will be interesting to see where it heads and also offers opportunities for more spin-off novella’s. Not the best book in the series but it keeps me invested. 3½★'s
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
Having been fired from his tech start-up job and the pandemic just starting to take hold, Jamie finds himself having to take up the option of becoming a deliverer for the very service he was just laid off from. But when that company goes on to get sold it’s lucky for him that one of his last deliveries is to an old acquaintance who’s looking for a body to join his team working for an animal rights organisation who look after some very large animals. After passing his medical and receiving his inoculations (that was a lot of needles) he’s ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
The author describes this novel as a pop song, light and catchy and hopefully leaving a smile on the reader’s face when they’re done and that pretty much sums it up for me. There is definitely more than just an element of nerdiness/geekdom involved in the story and there’s some science explanation necessary at times too but it never overwhelms the ongoing action. There is enough humour to keep that smile plastered in place even when things get tough for our hero and his new friends. While it was never going to win any of the major literary awards this book does exactly what it was meant to do and it certainly hit that spot for me. 4★'s
Having been fired from his tech start-up job and the pandemic just starting to take hold, Jamie finds himself having to take up the option of becoming a deliverer for the very service he was just laid off from. But when that company goes on to get sold it’s lucky for him that one of his last deliveries is to an old acquaintance who’s looking for a body to join his team working for an animal rights organisation who look after some very large animals. After passing his medical and receiving his inoculations (that was a lot of needles) he’s ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
The author describes this novel as a pop song, light and catchy and hopefully leaving a smile on the reader’s face when they’re done and that pretty much sums it up for me. There is definitely more than just an element of nerdiness/geekdom involved in the story and there’s some science explanation necessary at times too but it never overwhelms the ongoing action. There is enough humour to keep that smile plastered in place even when things get tough for our hero and his new friends. While it was never going to win any of the major literary awards this book does exactly what it was meant to do and it certainly hit that spot for me. 4★'s
1961_vintage
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- Joined
- 21 Sep 2009
- Messages
- 16,517
I re-read it during lockdown. Still just as good all these years later.
richardtheref
Well-Known Member
Just finished Dead Mans Footsteps by Peter James 4/5
Also just completed Mark Clattenburg. Whistle Blower. 1/5. Complete work of fiction
Also just completed Mark Clattenburg. Whistle Blower. 1/5. Complete work of fiction
SWP's back
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- 29 Jun 2009
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- 90,445
Just downloaded the trial (first 4 chapters) and smashed through them so bought it. Will update when I’ve finished.
JRockBlues
Well-Known Member
Slow Horses by Mick Herron
A slow horse is the epithet assigned to the detritus of MI5 who get tasked to work at Slough House. To be sent there you either have to be monumentally bad at your job or have royally cocked things up. It’s basically a punishment detail given out in hopes that the recipient will quit thus avoiding having to actually fire them. So when a young man has been kidnapped and scheduled for execution live on the internet just for the colour of his skin the slow horses are not exactly who you’d hope for as the best option for the rescue.
I picked up this book because I recently watched and thoroughly enjoyed the TV show that was adapted from it. I probably should have given it a bit more time between watching and reading as the show is quite a faithful adaptation of the story so I knew what was about to happen the whole time. While this took away the suspense the story and, in particular, the characters more than carried me through what was a very good spy thriller. 4★'s
A slow horse is the epithet assigned to the detritus of MI5 who get tasked to work at Slough House. To be sent there you either have to be monumentally bad at your job or have royally cocked things up. It’s basically a punishment detail given out in hopes that the recipient will quit thus avoiding having to actually fire them. So when a young man has been kidnapped and scheduled for execution live on the internet just for the colour of his skin the slow horses are not exactly who you’d hope for as the best option for the rescue.
I picked up this book because I recently watched and thoroughly enjoyed the TV show that was adapted from it. I probably should have given it a bit more time between watching and reading as the show is quite a faithful adaptation of the story so I knew what was about to happen the whole time. While this took away the suspense the story and, in particular, the characters more than carried me through what was a very good spy thriller. 4★'s
Been off recovering from an RTC since December so managed to get some reading in since the new year.
The Peripheral - William Gibson
Of Mice and Men - Steinbeck
The Pearl - Steinbeck
The Humans - Matt Haigh
Cannery Row - Steinbeck
Recursion - Blake Crouch
Currently reading:
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North
I've enjoyed them all.
The Peripheral - William Gibson
Of Mice and Men - Steinbeck
The Pearl - Steinbeck
The Humans - Matt Haigh
Cannery Row - Steinbeck
Recursion - Blake Crouch
Currently reading:
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August - Claire North
I've enjoyed them all.
TheBlueCat
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- Joined
- 7 Jul 2017
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- 1,751
If you liked The Road x Cormac McCarthy - I thought it was incredibly good; encapsulated ‘despair’ perfectly. Try Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada. Not a similar gender, but captures mood so well. Brilliant book.
stoneblue
Well-Known Member
8/23 - Hitler’s Secret - Rory Clements
This is the 4th book in the Tom Wilde series. The story starts towards the end of 1941 and the war is going badly for Britain and its allies. Wilde is asked by an American intelligence officer to help smuggle a mysterious package out of Nazi Germany - something so secret, even Hitler himself doesn't know of its existence.
Posing as a German-American industrialist, Wilde soon discovers the truth about the 'package', and why the Nazis are determined to prevent it leaving Germany. With ruthless killers loyal to Martin Bormann hunting him down, Wilde makes a desperate gamble on an unlikely escape route.
However, even if he makes it back to England alive, Wilde realises that it will not be the end of his ordeal.
If you’ve read the first three books in the series, it’s more of the same, a decent paced plot with a number of familiar characters.
This is the 4th book in the Tom Wilde series. The story starts towards the end of 1941 and the war is going badly for Britain and its allies. Wilde is asked by an American intelligence officer to help smuggle a mysterious package out of Nazi Germany - something so secret, even Hitler himself doesn't know of its existence.
Posing as a German-American industrialist, Wilde soon discovers the truth about the 'package', and why the Nazis are determined to prevent it leaving Germany. With ruthless killers loyal to Martin Bormann hunting him down, Wilde makes a desperate gamble on an unlikely escape route.
However, even if he makes it back to England alive, Wilde realises that it will not be the end of his ordeal.
If you’ve read the first three books in the series, it’s more of the same, a decent paced plot with a number of familiar characters.
gordondaviesmoustache
Well-Known Member
Went to buy Act of Oblivion from Waterstones in Brum yesterday and the cunts had sold out!
Love Robert Harris novels.
Love Robert Harris novels.
Just finished Scrublands by Chris Hammer. Think it was recommended in here a while ago so cheers. Similar to Jane Harper books set in Australia and and decent crime novel. I'll read more of his but may try something else first