Primary Teacher Resource Centre - Forum

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7356

Who do you read when you just want a light read but still want a 'good' read? I'm reading an Anita Shreve at the moment and find that she fits the bill for this.

thehawk · Joined: 01 Nov 2008 Posts: 1986 Location: here

Libby Purves is great for this.
A Short Walk in Wintertime is a lovely book.
Or Anne Fine (her grown up books, obviously!)
Or Peter Robinson - easy to read crime fiction. (try Cold is the Grave)
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magpie nic · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 7483 Location: Tyneside

Marian Keyes and Nick Hornby for me.

tui · Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Posts: 3317 Location: New Zealand

Maeve Binchy or Marian Keyes

greyengine · Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 1761

Alexander McCall Smith

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7356

Thanks for suggestions. I have tried some of these authors, but not Marian Keyes - how would you describe her books Tui and Magpie? -and what would you start with?

Greyengine, I didn't really like The No 1 Ladies Detective agency books - I thought them a bit too twee for my liking. He does another series too though doesn't he - are they similar?

In the charity shop today I bought Kate Atkinson's One Good Turn.

magpie nic · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 7483 Location: Tyneside

Marian Keyes is very funny, the best ones are about the family, but the others are okay as well. I read Rachel's Holiday first and was totally hooked, the characters are so believable and make me laugh. Well worth a read.
I am hitting charity shops tomorrow, hopefully, looking for storytelling stuff and some new books to read- I am getting through an average of a book a day at the mo!

greyengine · Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 1761

SH, he's done at least two other series - the Sunday Philosophy club and 44 Scotland Street. Both of these are set in Scotland and I actually prefere them to the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency ones.
I also enjoy Kate Atkinson and have read most of hers - I think not the very latest.

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7356

I'll give them a go then greyengine, thanks.

gorgeous51 · Joined: 28 Oct 2008 Posts: 1945

Jean Auel - Earth's Children series. First one being The Clan of the Cave Bear. Really good read - gets a bit raunchy as the series goes on but none of it gratuitous of course!!!!!!!!

A white girl is orphaned and abandoned thousands of years ago and adopted by a neanderthal race of people - the books chart her struggle to fit in and what happens when she meets people of her own kind. Lots of factually correct stuff, mixed in with all sorts of other stuff. Everyone I know who has read them, reads them again and again.

madphil · Moderator Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 2453

Light but good reads:

100 watt bulbs for beginners by Mr T Edison Wink

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whoa there pickle · Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 11:18 pm Post subject:

The Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich and the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton.
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tui · Joined: 16 Nov 2008 Posts: 3317 Location: New Zealand

Marion Keyes. family sagas with lots of laughs and lots of drinking by the young women. I like that several of the books have the same characters. I like the ones set in Ireland better than the ones set in America. Watermelon was a good book but the movie made of it in America was horrendous. how this happened is explained in her novel Angels . How a novel can be so totally changed you wonder by they bothered to say it was based on the novel! They are light novels and the details are not very memorable as I struggle to give you more idea Smallholder! I generally read them in a weekend when I snuggle in and don't stop till its finished bar a few cups of coffee and toast.

magpie nic · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 7483 Location: Tyneside

Stephanie Plum novels are fantastic WTP, I like them too! Not read any of the other, but will look out for them.

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7356

Lots of ideas for me thanks.

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7356

So I finished ' Light on Snow' today by Anita Shreve and really enjoyed it. An easy read but well written. One of her better ones I think, which begins with an abandoned baby found alive in the snow and explores the impact of this event on the different characters lives. The themes are about secrets, love, loss, endings and beginnings. Yup, good stuff.

wicked witch · Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:12 pm Post subject:

I really enjoyed Light on Snow. I think the other one of hers I read recently was December Wedding (?) and that was excellent as well.

smallholder · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 7356

I'll look out for that WW. Glad someone else likes Anita Shreve. Thought I was on my own here.

magpie nic · Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 7483 Location: Tyneside

I haven't read any but will look out for her coz I like finding new stuff to read.

I forgot to mention someone who makes me laugh, although her latest books aren't great- Kathy Lette, especially Mad Cows.

greyengine · Joined: 27 Oct 2008 Posts: 1761

I like Anita Shreve too - The Pilot's Wife was the first one I read and I found it really compelling. Eden Close was also very good.