Six Degrees of Separation is a monthly meme hosted by Kate @ Books Are My Favourite and Best. The idea is to start with the book that Kate gives us and then create a chain of six books, each suggested by the one before…

I haven’t joined in with this meme for ages and thought it was about time I did!
This month Kate’s starter book is Romantic Comedy by Curits Sittenfeld. It’s about Sally a comedy writer who thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions.
I must admit when this book was being raved about my heart sank as I haven’t got on with the author in the past, so I’ve ignored it. Another book that was talked about a lot but I did read was Small Things Like These by Clare Keegan. There’s no doubt that the writing was excellent, but I was rather underwhelmed by it.
Another book that I really didn’t understand all the hype about was The Maid by Nina Prose. the story was okay, but I still don’t understand all the love for it and wonder what I’m missing?
A book that probably hasn’t been hyped in decades is Goldfinger by Ian Fleming. I listened to it last year, but found some of it incredibly boring at times, which was a shame as I do love a Bond book.
Moonraker by Ian Fleming should have been dull because there were quite a few detailed scenes involving the card game Bridge. It didn’t bore me though, possibly because it was read by Bill Nighy who’s one of my favourite narrators/actors.
Another favourite narrator is Kobna Holdbrook-Smith who reads the Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch. They are the only books that I’ve totally binged listened to twice because they’ve got a little of everything in them. I started listening to them on the Borrow Box App via the library but I’m gradually buying them.
Another audiobook that I listened via the BorrowBox App was Circe by Madeleine Miller. This was a wonderful retelling of a Greek myth and I was mesmerised by Perdita Week’s narration.
Starting with Romantic Comedy by Curits Sittenfeld and ending with Circe by Madeline Miller via a few underwhelming books and then some favourite audiobooks with superb narrators. I hope you enjoyed the trip?! 😀
I’ve read two of the books you mentioned, Small Things Like These, a simple story but so well written, I enjoyed it as a change of pace. Also Circe which I loved, a book I would never have chosen but it was a book club choice.
Will have to look at that challenge 😊
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Good to know you loved Circe too! 😀
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I absolutely loved Circe, and was totally underwhelmed by Small Things Like These. I’ve had Rivers of London on my shelves for years, and I think I must have given it away, thinking I’d never get round to it. Grrrr.
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Phew I’m glad I’m not the only one was underwhelmed by Small Things Like These!
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I seem to remember it had very mixed reviews.
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Oh that’s even better!
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Interesting chain… I don’t do audio books, but I’m guessing a good narrator can make a big difference.
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Yes good narrators are very important and a bad one can totally ruin a book for me.
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You did a great job with these connections, Nicki💜
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Thanks Jo 💜
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I was underwhelmed by Small Things Like These as well. I honestly thought I was the only one. Rivers of London series perfect for a binge!! 😀 I own all of them besides from the last two.
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ha that’s so good to know, there’s more of than we thought!
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Great links, Nicki! I’ve joined in with this meme a few times (although not recently) and loved making connections between seemingly different books. And I loved Circe! x
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Thanks Jo! Circe was so good on audio x
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Great chain! Always good to include the ‘underwhelming’ with the good!! xx
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Thanks xx
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I stopped dong 6 degree because I rarely have read the book!
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I rarely read them either Carol! 😂
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I always enjoy seeing what direction people take when they do Six Degrees of Separation. I used to do this one, but very seldom read the first book. I did try this one, but it was a DNF for me. Nice job, Nicki.
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Thanks Carla I used to join in more regularly but sometimes the chain didn’t work so I gave up.
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It’s interresting how a book can lead to another, and the correlations other readers do in this meme!
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It’s so interesting!
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Great picks, Nicki! I need to try Rivers of London someday! 😀
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Thanks Lashaan I reckon you’d enjoy the series. In fact they have graphic novel editions that are different to the main books.
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Such a great post! I loved the last two books.
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Thanks glad you enjoyed it! 😀
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Brilliant! And, parts of the Bond books ARE boring! They were written by an upper-class male of a different era, but I love them!
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Too true!
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Enjoyed your chain! I loved Circe like you, but got on with The Maid better than you–Molly character appealed. As for Bond I’ve only read Casino Royale (ages ago) and some of the violence was a bit much for me so I never tried another though may be I should. Like your experience with Moonraker, Wodehouse’s The Clicking of Cuthbert was one I didn’t expect to enjoy because of the golf but ended up doing all the same.
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Yes the violence in Casino Royale is nasty. I don’t think the other books are the same. However I gave up on Live and Let Die because of the use of the N word and The Spy Who Loved was just so inappropriate!
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Oh, then may be I may give one a try. The violence did put me off, and the n word will too.
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