More ramblings

I’ve just been reading some books that have been on my kindle for a while – ones that I downloaded as free books.  They were quite a mixture of books – good, bad and indifferent.  Some I have already marked down as enjoyable & am keeping my eyes open for sequels or more books by the same author.  Others – well let’s just say a few were deleted from my kindle.  One I struggled through to the end in the hope that it was just a slow start and would improve. 
Years ago I started reading the Thomas Covenant books and I really struggled to get through the first book – I remember taking it on a hostelling holiday and reading it in the evenings.  Once I had finished that first book I raced through the rest of the series.  That is why I will persevere with a book long after it should have been abandoned – just in case it happens to be a late developing gem.
What makes a book readable – or not?  
Perhaps if I give a few of examples of some books – both ones that I have enjoyed & those that have not floated my boat.
About a year ago I discovered and joined Goodreads, and particularly The UK Amazon Kindle Forum and found a group of readers and authors who were keen to share book recommendations.  They also have monthly group reads – a selection of books chosen by different readers each month and more recently by a group of reviewers.
The first book I am going to write about was the very first monthly read – In the Blood by Steve Robinson.  This book had an interesting and likeable lead character – genealogist Jefferson Tayte,  the story was of particular interest to me as I have been researching my own family history for the last dozen years or so.  The book alternates between the present time with Tayte’s research and the past with a narrative that fleshes out the facts discovered by Tayte.  So this book had several things going for it  - likeable characters, interesting plot and a well told story.
By contrast another early monthly read was The Moonstone.  Quite a few people were enthusiastic about this book, but I found it really difficult to read.  I did finish it but it was (for me) the most boring book to read – characters spouted on for several pages without actually saying anything.  By the time they finished what they were saying I had lost the thread of the story. I read it in short bursts, interspersed with more interesting books. 
Another book that is on my list of books that did not live up to expectations was one by Victoria Connelly.  I had read and enjoyed several chick-lit books by this author but this particular one – Unmasking Elena Montella just did not have the same effect.  I think it was mainly due to the fact that I really did not like the heroine and would have been quite happy if the outcome had been that she was left without the traditional happy ending that is normal in this genre of books.
I don’t like horror and really gory and gruesome stories, I am quite happy reading cosy mysteries – recent books I have read in this genre have been by Cecilia Peartree and Lesley Cookman.  However I have to say that A Long Time Dead by Andrew Barrett was an excellent book and definitely not a cosy mystery.  The characters were not all likeable – even the goodies were not perfect, but it was realistic and well written and I was enthralled right to the cliffhanger at the end of the book.
So in summary, for a book to appeal to me it needs to have good characters - by good I don’t necessarily mean perfect, but I need to care about them and want the best endings for them.  The story needs to be believable and the writing should flow.  Things that really put me off is too much flowery language and poetry and I really don’t like it if there is cruelty to animals – I will happily let baddies be bumped off without blinking but have been known to get upset when something happens to the family pet.