I finished the very enjoyable The Beach Bar by Kate McCabe earlier today.    I started Deity by Steven Dunne at lunchtime and can't put it down, am already over 100 pages into it

Last night I had to stay up to finish Wait For Me! which was a really fascinating glimpse into a life that's been fuller than most.  As one of the Mitfords and, later, the Duchess of Devonshire, "Debo" was on first-name terms with many of the key personalities of the 20th century, from the British Royal family to the Kennedys, from John Betjeman and Lucien Freud to Hitler and in these memoirs she gives brief insights into what these people were like in private.  She also writes touchingly about the many tragedies that touched her life, from the loss of her premature babies to the early deaths of her brother, brother-in-law, sister and friends, but it's all done with a great lightness of touch and a total lack of self-pity.  I've been completely surprised by how much I've enjoyed this book.

And now, for something completely different, I've started The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach and I'm totally hooked - yes, there's a lot about baseball, but in a few short chapters Harbach has created characters I already care about and I'm pretty sure this one will live up to the hype.

A small American college. Five very different lives. One terrible mistake.

At Westish College, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for the big league until a routine throw goes disastrously off course. His error will upend the fates of five people. Henry's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight has fallen unexpectedly and helplessly in love. Owen Dunne becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life.

As the season counts down to its climactic final game, all five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets.

This morning I have finished Beginnings, Prequel to The Guardians of Vesturon - A.M. Hargrove. Now I am starting Where the Bodies Are Buried - Christopher Brookmyre.

Finished

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult

Started

The Bone Thief by Jefferson Bass.

pennyt:

And now, for something completely different, I've started The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach and I'm totally hooked - yes, there's a lot about baseball, but in a few short chapters Harbach has created characters I already care about and I'm pretty sure this one will live up to the hype.

A small American college. Five very different lives. One terrible mistake.

At Westish College, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for the big league until a routine throw goes disastrously off course. His error will upend the fates of five people. Henry's fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight has fallen unexpectedly and helplessly in love. Owen Dunne becomes caught up in a dangerous affair. Mike Schwartz realizes he has guided Henry's career at the expense of his own. And Pella Affenlight returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life.

As the season counts down to its climactic final game, all five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets.

This is on my wishlist, because I've read some good reviews of it.  I almost took it out of the library last week, but the baseball thing put me off.  I might give it a go next time.  I am currently enjoying Claire Tomalin's biography of Charles Dickens, and The Best Of Everything by Rona Jaffe, a fascinating novel first published in 1958.

 I read A Simple Life by Rosie Thomas over a couple of days, I must admit I skim read some of it and managed to listen to The Time Of My Life by Cecelia Ahern which I loved.

I'm about to start Full House by Maeve Binchy which shouldn't take very long and I'm now listening to Not The End Of The World by Kate Atkinson.

Tracey

Finished

The Bone Thief by Jefferson Bass

Started

A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern

Finished 'A Mile of River' by Judith Allnatt - super read about a daughter, struggling to come to terms with life on a farm during the drought of 1976 and with her mother leaving them 9 years ago, she has ambitions of going to university but her father is blocking her efforts; as the drought bites, secrets are revealed and the family reaches crisis point;

Then finished off 'I Know You Got Soul' by Jeremy Clarkson - entertaining, witty and informative;

Started 'Run, Mummy, Run' by Cathy Glass late last night and just sat and read the rest of the book today (good job it was a Sunday!), could not put it down, this was my latest swap, now being passed to my OH for her to read;

About to start 'Bad Friends' by Claire Seeber - enjoyed her first book ('Lullaby'), sounds just as good from the blurb, claimed to be for fans of Sophie Hannah and Nicci French, both of whose books I enjoy so let's see!

 I haven't read a historical novel in a while so have chosen The Darling Strumpet by Gillian Bagwell as my next read. I'm going out for my run and will make a start after I've showered. Looking forward to it too so might make my run in super quick time !

 A few days ago I finished "Sarah Rayner - The two week wait" was brilliant, 4/5 for me

Now 330 pages into "Carole Matthews - Wrapped up in you" It's okay.

Finished Crowning Glory by Bernard Cornwell.  An enjoyable read but not as good as his Alfred the Great series or the Archer series. 

Will start Lionheart by Sharon Penman next. 

Finished A Figure of Hate by Bernard Knight and started Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

pennyt:

Last night I had to stay up to finish Wait For Me!

I have had this on my wish list for sometime,  if you are going to put it on your swaps I would love to take it off your bookshelf either as a swap or I would send you postage.

Finished On Green Dolphin Street...Sebastian Faulks  last night and have now started BAGEYE at the Wheel, a memoir by his son Colin Grant

To his fellow West Indians who assemble every weekend for the all-night poker game at Mrs Knight's, he is always known as Bageye. There aren't many black men in Luton in 1972 and most of them gather at Mrs Knight's- Summer Wear, Pioneer, Anxious, Tidy Boots - each has his nickname. Bageye already finds it a struggle to feed his family on his wage from Vauxhall Motors, but now his wife Blossom has set her heart on her sons going to private school.

In this wonderful memoir Colin Grant looks at his father through the eyes of his 10- year-old-self. Colin is Bageye's favourite 'pickney', and often his reluctant companion in his latest attempt to placate Blossom with another D-I-Y project, or a little cash. When he acquires a less than roadworthy old car, Bageye sets himself up as an unofficial minicab service, lack of a driving licence notwithstanding. More profitable are his marijuana deals, until the day he mistakenly entrusts Colin with choosing a hiding place for a huge bag of ganja......  

sparhawk:

A Place Called Here by Cecelia Ahern

I really enjoyed this one.

a1j2j3:

pennyt:

Last night I had to stay up to finish Wait For Me!

I have had this on my wish list for sometime,  if you are going to put it on your swaps I would love to take it off your bookshelf either as a swap or I would send you postage.

Sorry, but as I said further up to Janice, it's already promised elsewhere I'm afraid.  Definitely worth getting hold of if you can though.  There are lots of 1p plus P&P copies on Amazon and even cheaper ones on PlayTrade if you can't wait....