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What are you currently reading? Please feel free to post on this thread as often you wish!

I’m almost halfway through Loyalties by Delphine de Vigan, which is translated from the French. I’ve seen some mixed reviews, but at present, I’m enjoying it. It’s not as immersive as her other books, but the character study is taut and well-drawn.

How have I never heard of Phyllis Bottome!? It sounds like a fascinating read, and I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts about it.

I've never heard of either Phyllis Bottome or Esther Kinky but I might interested in Phyllis Bottome.

I just started reading The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock as I finally managed to go beyond the first page... I'm only 14 pages in, but so far I like the writing style but cannot say much about the rest.

Dipping into "Streets of Desire - Women's Fictions of the 20th Century City" - Editor Liz Heron, had it for years, and I keep re-reading.

Manika, I really enjoyed The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock; I hope you do too! I'd recommend The Butcher's Hook by Janet Ellis if you like it.

Laura, that sounds fascinating! I did a whole module about Modernity in the City during my taught MA, and especially loved the couple of classes we did on flaneurs. I'd highly recommend Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice and London by Lauren Elkin, and Streetwalking the Metropolis: Women, the City, and Modernity by Deborah L. Parsons.

Hi Kirsty - yes I've spotted that Flâneuse one, probably on my veeerrry long list of tbr. Will check the Parsons one and add it too.
What a super course you did. Where was that?

Laura wrote: "Hi Kirsty - yes I've spotted that Flâneuse one, probably on my veeerrry long list of tbr. Will check the Parsons one and add it too.
What a super course you did. Where was that?"


Excellent; I hope you enjoy both! It was at King’s College London.

My ex-husband was there when I met him. He did Philosophy. Good to see King's has firmly embraced the Modern Woman.

Laura wrote: "My ex-husband was there when I met him. He did Philosophy. Good to see King's has firmly embraced the Modern Woman."

They have indeed! Most of my classes took place in the Virginia Woolf Building.

I remember he took me a couple of times to a very warren like building on The Strand, close to The Courtauld, and he rented accommodation near to Lancaster Gate - we had a great time in London for about two years, and then we moved.

Oh, wonderful! I miss being there so much!

After finishing Kate Atkinson's Life After Life I have moved on to another big tome of a novel, Preti Taneja's We That Are Young. Both have taken me a while to get into but I have high hopes for Taneja's debut! Anyone else read it?

Canadian wrote: "Yasmine wrote: "After finishing Kate Atkinson's Life After Life I have moved on to another big tome of a novel, Preti Taneja's We That Are Young. Both have taken me a while to get into but I have h..."

I'll be interested to know what you think! Hope you enjoy it!

I've not heard of Taneja's book before, Yasmine, but I love everything by Kate Atkinson! I'm hoping that I'm getting a copy of Transcription for Christmas.

In terms of reading, I'm about halfway through Clare Morrall's The Roundabout Man, which I'm very much enjoying. Some elements of it feel entirely original.

Next up for me is The Sugar House by Antonia White.

I’m reading Elmet by Fiona Mozley at the moment, loving it so far!

I'm reading Mary Oliver's collection A Thousand Mornings which is full of wonderful gems and I'm also dipping into her Rules for the Dance: A Handbook for Writing and Reading Metrical Verse.

There are some wonderful-sounding books being mentioned here!

I've just finished Himself by Jess Kidd, which I found a touch disappointing; I'd heard such great things about it, and thought I'd love it. Next for me is Mr. Salary by Sally Rooney, a short story which I'm seeing around a lot at the moment.

Yes, I've found that too; it's reassuring to know that it's not just me! I'm intrigued by her other storylines, but I might see if I can borrow them from the library instead of purchasing them...

Yes indeed, and knowing that there are so many wonderful titles left there for you to discover and be satisfied by.

I’m currently reading, and very much enjoying, My Year of Rest and Relaxation.

I’m around a quarter of the way through The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker, which I’m finding very intriguing indeed.

Kirsty wrote: "I’m around a quarter of the way through The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker, which I’m finding very intriguing indeed."

Oh that sounds good, my library has a copy on order I might just have to place a hold.

I currently have 4 books started, Legion: The Many Lives of Stephen Leeds I couldn't keep my eyes open with only 20 pages left. So today this will be finished. I'm enjoying Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos and Twenties Girl. First Term at Malory Towers is another I'm almost finished.

I'd highly recommend it, Carrie! I adore the Malory Towers books; I used to read them over and over as a child. How are you finding Twenties Girl?

Kirsty wrote: "I'd highly recommend it, Carrie! I adore the Malory Towers books; I used to read them over and over as a child. How are you finding Twenties Girl?"

Fluffy but quirky. The main character it feels like she just can't get a break. I'm not overly far in it so I can't make a guess as to how I'll enjoy it but so far so good.

In that case, I look forward to your review, Carrie! I'm looking to broaden my reading this year, and haven't read anything like it in quite a long time!

I am still reading a short story collection that I started around Halloween called Toil & Trouble: 15 Tales of Women & Witchcraft. I haven't been in a great reading mood lately and with this collection being both themed and young adult (not something I read very often), it's been a bit of a slog.

Hoping to FINALLY finish it this evening. Next on my list is the January group read and Kate Tempest's most recent collection Running Upon the Wires: Poems.

I hope you get out of your reading slump soon; I’m sure the Kate Tempest will help with that - she’s fab!

I’ve just started Go, Went, Gone, and am about 40 pages in. So far, so good!

I’ve just finished reading the new NYRB Poets selection of Margaret Cavendish’s work, and have quite mixed feelings about it. Whilst I found it fascinating that she leans towards the scientific, I did find the poems really quite repetitive.

I’m almost at the end of Ali Smith’s informative and wonderfully playful In the Spirit of Spark: The Muriel Spark Society Lecture.

Almost finished Twenties Girl, and last night I started reading The Handmaid's Tale, this is going to be a very interesting read I think.

Oh yes I have started Tea At Four O'Clock as well by start I mean I have a chapter in so far.

I studied ‘The Handmaid’s Tale� for my AS Level exams. I found it fascinating to go into depth about, but also horrendously creepy, particularly for the 16 year old I was at the time! I’m so looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the McNeill, too.

Kirsty, I finished "Twenties Girl" just moments ago and it is lovely, yes it has some fluff moments but over all it was a wonderful read. I gave it 4.5 stars.

Carrie wrote: "Kirsty, I finished "Twenties Girl" just moments ago and it is lovely, yes it has some fluff moments but over all it was a wonderful read. I gave it 4.5 stars."

I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, and thank you for letting me know! I’ve added it to my library list.

I have just started the group read (only got through about 3% on my lunch break so no definitive thoughts yet) and I'm also listening to Mythos: The Greek Myths Retold which I'm loving. You really cannot beat a Stephen Fry audiobook!

I’ve never listened to Fry on audio! I tend to find audiobooks a bit slow, and haven’t found one which has gelled with me yet, despite trying to alter the speed of them. I think both as author and general human being, he is very hard to beat.

I'm reading The Baghdad Clock by Shahad Al Rawi, translated from Arabic by Luke Leafgren, winner of the Edinburgh First Book award, it's wonderful.

Claire, you read such interesting titles, most of which i’ve Never heard of before. I’ve added this one to my list, and am pleased to hear that you’re enjoying it.

I’m just about to start This Really Isn't About You by Jean Hannah Edelstein. I’ve not heard much about it yet, but the couple of ratings I have seen have been very high, so I’m really looking forward to it.

I am currently reading « All about love » by bell hooks haven’t heard much about it but i think it will be interesting for me to discover the author i am getting a little bit lost in my thoughts while reading. Does it happen to you much girls ?
Ps: Sorry for any english mistakes i made ! ;)

Sometimes, yes, Hanaa. I remember that it happened to me when I first read bell hooks, actually. I’d never encountered a voice like hers before, and it was probably the first non-fiction book about race and feminism which I’d read. Are you enjoying it so far?

Its actually my first femist non fiction book too. I am actually enjoying it even if i am less consistent than expected in my reading ! Maybe you can give me some recommendations of books from the same genre ??

Kirsty wrote: "Sometimes, yes, Hanaa. I remember that it happened to me when I first read bell hooks, actually. I’d never encountered a voice like hers before, and it was probably the first non-fiction book about..."

I agree with Kirsty. Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics was the first non-fiction book I read about race and feminism and it pretty much changed my entire outlook.

Yes, of course! I recently read Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, which I found very thought-provoking. It’s largely focused on the UK, but there is a lot of interest within it. I particularly enjoyed the chapter which merges race and feminism.

I’ll have a think and get back to you if you’d like more suggestions! Just let me know.

Thanks Kristy this will definetly be on my to read list !!

No problem, Hanaa; I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it! I’ll mention other books that fit the criteria as and when I think of them.

I’m about 40 pages into Lab Girl by Hope Jahren, and have mixed feelings about it so far.

I'm about to start reading A Coney Island of the Mind by Lawrence Ferlinghetti.