The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Interesting book about a possible end of the world! To start with thought it was going to be quite light and easy, which it is but also makes you think. One day the earth starts to slow down, and keeps going, through the eyes of an 11 year old she explores the consequences of something so simple.

Brilliance: Marcus Sakey

Book on kindle that I can't remember if I finished.... I do remember thinking that it was not well written (bit formulaic thriller-y) but I did like the premise: namely, that there's a new 'mutation' or something that gives some people special powers, and a few of those have extra good ones. A bit like that tv show Heroes, if you remember that, I also liked the idea more than the execution...

The House At Riverton: Kate Morten

Another easy read, can you tell where my head is at? I'm just waiting to get my hands on the new David Mitchell, honest. This was lovely though, and Alice I think you would enjoy it. It's told in flashbacks, from the point of view of a maid in the big house. There's a mystery, an affair, a murder, but my favourite thing was following the (beginning of the) emancipation of women, and the twenties in general.

We Were All Completely Beside Ourselves: Karen Joy Fowler

An interesting, by fairly easy, read exploring ideas of sibling ties and what constitutes family. Try not to read anything about it (apart from this, ha ha) before you read it. I didn't as I just picked it up cheap on Amazon, and I think this helped me enjoy it more. I read a few reviews after I had finished and they would have spoiled it for me I think. Can't say any more til you've read it!

Mail-order wings by Beatrice gormley

This is a book for young teens really but my friend loves it, even as an adult she said! I haven't read it yet but jabber out on my list to read. Thought it might be a nice easy but enjoyable read.

Lexicon: Max Barry

Someone recommended this to me after I told them I like Cloud Atlas (CA). I did enjoy it, and thought it was a clever premise and executed in an interesting way. I found the 'documents' didn't really work and it didn't transport me in the same way as CA, but it was a gripping read that took me along for the ride

Sarum - Edward Rutherford

Where'd You Go, Bernadette?: Maria Semple

Written as a series of documents collected by an over-achieving teenager regarding her pushy parents and a trip to Antarctica. I enjoyed this a lot, it was easy to read but engaging and I was swept up in the story. Even during a 3am feed. High praise.

The Pact: Jodi Picoult

I don't know why I read this, I knew it was going to be rubbish and it was. I picked it up at the library because I had locked myself out after dropping Kallias at playgroup. It was predictable, quite boring and very unsatisfying. I think we need a list of 'light reads' that are not shit. I love heavy, thematic books like Cloud Atlas and, recently, The Luminaries, but sometimes (ok often at the moment!) I need something I can pick up, put down, read to sleep, read half asleep, you see what I mean. I will start, and nominate Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple, a fun, but still witty, epistolary novel about a mother-daughter relationship. And a trip to Antarctica.

Not now, Bernard: David McKee

So existential. Is the monster actually a monster? Is it still Bernard? This simple but powerful children's story turns a spotlight on parents and how they respond to children's needs. I always want to question Kallias on his reaction to the implications of the story, but I also want to just read it to him and let him come to his own conclusions. This book leaves me making promises to myself to engage with the kids a little bit more.

The Religion

Is gory and graphic, but it ended to accept it within the context of the story! Interesting to learn about the history of Malta and the knights of St John.

The Historian

Can't remember who it's by, but it's a good read! 

Cloud Atlas: David Mitchell

My favourite book and a good place to start. I read this in Athens, then again in London. I loved the story initially, then I read this thread which opened up all the themes in the book and I'm currently planning a re-read. The thread is quite bitty, but still is put much more eloquently than I could manage.
We can discuss the films here too, as long as we are careful with **spoilers** for those who haven't seen/read.