The Book Thread Book • Page 144

I just read Colleen Hoover's "Verity". Very suspenseful with some interesting commentary on the art of writing.

 

I keep this book by my bedside, it never leaves there, I just read pages of it randomly whenever I can’t sleep or whatever. It’s the perfect book to just pick up, put down, or however you want to approach it, and it reveals something new every time.

 

Totally agree. Reminds me of poetry in this way.

So amazing to think how fully-realized Pessoa’s narrator is as a character—such rich, believable interiority—and that there are other completely different identities he used for his other works.

 

Oh hell yeah!

 

Just picked that up as well

 

Enjoy!! It’s great.

 

Yesterday I finished The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum. It’s a novel (or maybe novella) from 1974 by Heinrich Böll, a Nobel laureate. The story deals with the sensationalism of tabloid news and the political climate of panic over Red Army Faction terrorism in the 1970s in West Germany. It’s very sharp. I read it in German, but it is available in English (and many other languages.

Also yesterday I started reading A Tale of Love and Darkness by Amos Oz, which is a novel about his life.

So far I have read 16 books this year, which is a lot for me, because although I read fast, I also get distracted.

 

Finished Eli’s Batuman’s Either/Or, which I absolutely loved and found myself constantly thinking about Selin whenever I wasn’t reading it!

With that, it is officially the beginning of spooky season. First up is Tender is the Flesh.

 

Tender is the Flesh ruled. Loved how ruthless it was - just extremely bleak and bloody throughout and where you think will be hope, none is found. Definitely not a book for everyone but if you have the stomach for it I think it's worth reading. It reminded me a bit of Blindness.

Somehow not even the most fucked up thing I've read this year (looking at you, Earthlings!)

Next up is the new Stephen King!

 

@Donnie Ruth I'm almost finished with Ruth Ware's newest book, The It Girl. Have you read it yet??

 

Not yet! I wasn’t a giant fan of Turn of the Key so I didn’t jump right into reading this. I do believe I am on the hold list at my library. What do you think??

 

My October/Halloween TBR should be a fun time

Clown in a Cornfield 2: Friendo Lives by Adam Cesare (currently reading)
The Halloween Store by Ronald Kelly
Halloween Slaughter by Sergio Gomez (comes out 10/11)
Ghostwritten by Ronald Malfi (comes out 10/4)

May throw in Horseman by Christina Henry and/or some comics too

 

I liked Turn Of The Key surprisingly but not nearly as much as Death Of Mrs. Westaway. IMO Westaway is her best, not sure where you land.

One By One wasn't terrible but definitely a step down. This one is very slow to start, but had started to pick up in the last 1/2 or so. I'll let you know how the ending is once I finish.

At this point I don't know if it's the yearly release schedule catching up to her but the quality is starting to be noticable dipping. I'll still most likely read anything she puts out but I kinda know what to expect at this point.

 

I am unfortunately not loving the new Stephen King book and am considering abandoning it. Next up will be Bad Brains or The Devil Takes You Home.

 

I am actually totally in agreement with you, Ms Westaway is my favorite of hers! And you know what, my bad!! I remember in my head saying “I didn’t like her last book” and thought it was Turn of the Key but I totally forgot about One by One. That one is the one I really didn’t like and I completely took it out of my memory haha … Turn of the Key was actually not too bad!

 

That's what I was thinking, thought we talked about it haha.

I know you read one Anthony Horowitz books a few years ago, but have you been keeping up with his stuff in the past few years? I think his books are all fantastic! Both the Magpie Murders series and the Hawthorne series

 

Yeah I totally forgot about One by One haha Turn of the Key is coming back to me and I remember liking maybe not loving it. I’m still gonna read anything she writes even if quality dips due to maybe quantity. Kinda like Shari Lapena (thought I’ve admittedly not read the last 2)

Actually I didn’t end up reading any from him yet! Based off your recommendation years ago I purchased the Magpie Murders and have it sitting on my TBR shelf and continuously keep meaning to read it lol

 

Alright I finished The It Girl. Still have the same feelings, it was just alright. Ending was fine but not great, worth reading overall is you're a fan of Ruth Ware but definitely not her strongest.

It has a very The Maidens by Alex Michaelides feel to it in parts. Can't remember if you read that or not

 

Started and finished Death and The Conjurer this week.

Really good locked room type mystery in the vein of Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes-ish if anybody is into that kind of thing

 

Great books! I recently read A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle which is a murder mystery set on a boat with twists and turns all throughout. Very intriguing book.

 

I'll definitely put this on my list now

 

reading My Heart Is A Chainsaw for spooky season

 

Reading the premise reminds me of Stuart Turton. Have you read either of his?

 

I have not actually. Any recs?

 

He only has 2 books so far and i'd recommend both of them. I would say start with The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. His 2nd book, The Devil and The Dark Water, is the one that sounded kinda similar to the one you recommended. It's also really good.

Both are fairly dense and complex mysteries but some really interesting ideas throughout and very well written.