With life being so busy lately, its amazing that I actually have time to read! but read I have with one that stands out from the rest. So much so, that I really am frustrated that the next book out is only available in June. I thought it had already been published. Luckily, I guess June is really not all that long to wait, can you believe at the rate this year is flying by? So before I get distracted, my favourite book in the last month has been:
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling.
I don’t know how many of you read Harry Potter, but I was a great fan. LOVED the books,(didn’t really enjoy the movies- as well done as they were) so when The Casual Vacancy was released, I was just as excited as the next fan but I never actually read it. Why? I guess I had heard to many varying opinions on the book. Also, I tried the first couple of pages and didn’t seem to be my cup of tea, though I will eventually get round to reading it properly. Anyhoo, so when The Cuckoo’s Calling came out, I didn’t pay it much heed, then it was recommend to read on The Book Club Blog’s FB page and then it came out in the library so I reserved a copy and then I read it. And Wow, I really enjoyed it. Classic JK in the fact that it is JUST SO READABLE. The main character Cormoran Strike is interesting, the case he needs to solve is interesting, the back drop is interesting and it kept me going back for more. I was very lucky that I had it out on a long weekend where I was away from my usual routine so had a lot more time to read, and I couldn’t put it down (unless I really really had to). So whats it about? Cormoran Strike is a down and out private detective who has just broken up with his girlfriend, gets a new case trying to find out if the model that fell from her balcony to her death was a murder or suicide.. He is a very likeable, unique and someone you can’t help having a soft spot for, character and reigns you in to his story. You know when you keep thinking about a character after you have finished reading a book? Well, thats the case on this book. Which means I am looking forward to the next book in the series, and was highly annoyed when I realised I still had to wait another monthish for it to come out;-)!
The Goldfinch by Donna Tart
I have never read Donna Tart before and to be honest wasn’t particularly keen to try her new book but I read a good review and when I was in the bookstore, I read the first few pages, which had me wanting more so again, my library got it in, I reserved a copy and then loaned it out when it was my turn. My first problem with this book was that it was a tome of a book to read AND it took me just under two weeks, TWO WEEKS to read this book! Now, for those of you who know me, I am a fairly fast reader and I enjoy reading at a good pace, in-between life and work. But TWO weeks, was for me a bit long to keep going at a book. If it had taken me longer, I might just have left it dangling…but I couldn’t, I had to find out what happened in the end! So what’s it about? In a nutshell about a orphaned boy throughout his life from when he was orphaned to his being much older, wizened and I’d even go so far as to say a little broken down by life. Which is not really surprising considering his start but also made me think about how we make the choices that we do. This is a part novel part philosophical book. What I enjoyed about it was the unlikely friendship between and older antique restorer gentleman and the young boy and the how it shapes his passion and the talk about the antiques and famous paintings. Also, how the standoffishness of the main character is paralleled with how he ‘feels’ empty in his life.I have to admit to having found it a little long winded at times but all in all an enjoyable book. Not for the faint hearted though.
Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell
Lisa Jewell is another author who I normally really enjoy for her easy light reading books, perfect for escaping the day with but this was not my most favourite of hers. It was a little mundane for my liking. So, what’s it about? A young girl looks after her step grandmother during her last years of life and at the reading of the will discover someone nobody knows who she is or how she was connected to the grandmother. Therein lies the story of how the granddaughter goes about finding her and what the circumstances surrounding her were. This is the back drop to the story and was my favourite part. The ‘main’ part of the story I found a little unbelievable and over the top but easy reading enough. If you are looking for a light read and enjoy the 1920’s era, give it a go, you may find you enjoy it more than I did:-)
[…] read The Cuckoo’s Calling a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it! You can read my review here and the next in the series does not […]