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Fifty Books a Year (or fewer)

(805 Posts)
TerriBull Tue 01-Jan-19 07:58:29

Here it is then, GN very own 50 books a year thead, or as the title suggest for those who think that may be a tad too many for them, whatever your personal best may be after a culmination of reading for a year. Don't be daunted by the "50" benchmark, as this is the first thread of its kind, it is experimental and will evolve as it progresses.

So to recap, start off with what you are reading now, or with a new book. How often you come to the thread is up to the individual. Over on MN, some seem to up date every so often with the next few they've read. If you feel so inclined post a review or a synopsis of the book. Definitely share if it's something you've loved......or hated, or shelved hmm Reading material is not restricted to fiction, it can be anything, factual, audio, childrens, The Hungry Caterpillar or the like even!, such books count towards the 50, so who knows, you could be at that figure by the end of today grin

At the end of the year post your complete list with your best read in bold, worst in italics and mention your top five, or top book if you've just read five sad

Here's wishing those who partake a great reading year ahead in 2019.

matson Sat 24-Aug-19 16:19:35

Finished The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling, disappointed, found it a very boring read.
Book 33 Beautiful Liars by Isobel Ashdown

matson Thu 29-Aug-19 14:25:05

Finished Beautiful Liars by Isobel Ashdown. ... crime/thriller with a twist, kept me entertained over the bank holiday.
Book 34. The Lies We Told by Camilla Way.

winterwhite Fri 30-Aug-19 19:21:26

Hardly dare say I was only up to 9 last time having started in January, and only excuse being that I re-read a lot of old stuff when I'm reminded of it.

10 & 11 William Trevor re-reads of The Old Boys and The Children of Dymouth.
12 - came across a Jeeves & Wooster volume I hadn't read at a village fete (v appropriate combination)
13 & 14 those Tory elections grin prompted me to read Rory Stewart. Much enjoyed the Afghanistan one, but found that the Border country one had altogether too much about his father
15 - The Silence of the girls (recommended on here)
16 - Hiding the Mona Lisa. A (long and detailed) a/c of the hiding of the treasures of the Louvre during World War II. Fascinating, but not a quick read.
17 - Laurie Graham, The Early Birds (sequel to The Future Homemakers of America) This prompted - 18, 19, 20 - rereads of not only The F H of A but also Gone with the Windsors and The Importance of being Kennedy.
21 - Naomi Mitchison, Among you taking notes. More Mass Observation war diaries - Greyduster I enjoyed the collection you mentioned. But find this slow going because such an intricate community it's hard to remember who was who every time you pick it up again.
23 - Middle England. Afraid I was disappointed in this and didn't finish it. Supposed to be funny but just seemed rather blokeish to me.
24. Margery Fish, We made a garden. Seized on at a second hand bookshop on holiday. Pleasure to reread
25. Now embarking on Stephen Booth, Fall down dead, passed on my DH who picked it up somewhere and thought I might like it - usu damning something with great praise. Any one tried him?

Half way through... This is such a good thread!

Sara65 Fri 30-Aug-19 21:22:53

32 Those People-Louise Candlish
Not as good as her previous books, characters a bit stereotyped, but kept you guessing.

33 A far Cry From Kensington-Muriel Spark
Loved the boarding house atmosphere, thought how lovely it would have been to live there, not my favourite Murie Spark though

34 The Snakes-Sadie Jones
I love Sadie Jones, and within a couple of pages, I knew I was going to love this book, shocking ending.

35 A Spark of Light-Jodie Picoult
A hostage situation in an American abortion clinic, a couple of surprises towards the end.

36 Born Lippy- Jo Brand
Only read this because my husband heard her talking in the radio, and he thought I’d like it. I did, she talks a lot of common sense, she seems one of those rare women, completely comfortable with themselves.
Bit too much bad language for my taste though.

37 Big Sky- Kate Atkinson
Really looking forward to this one, it was good, but unless I missed something (possible) there seemed a lot of loose ends. Liked Chrystal, but the four men I found a bit dull. Probably expecting too much from it, Jackson Brodie still immensely likeable.

Maggiemaybe Sun 01-Sept-19 17:00:40

28. The Dragon Lady by Louisa Treger. A former GN Book Club choice, passed on to me by another GNer. She didn't care for it and neither did I. To be fair, I have never enjoyed stories that are made up about real people. I like my books to be factual or fictional, not somewhere inbetween.

29. The Various Haunts of Men by Susan Hill. I picked this up at a charity shop as I thought it was about time I read a Susan Hill. Glad I did, as it was a good read with interesting characters. And I've now got another five Simon Serrailler cases to look out for.

30. Dockside at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs. Oh, it's awful, but it's not my sort of book at all. I'm skipping ploughing through it as it's my library book club choice so I need to be able to discuss it next week. A hundred pages in I haven't found a single character I like or can relate to. This is one author I won't ever be seeking out again.

TerriBull Wed 04-Sept-19 10:23:58

August books:

The Second Husband - Louise Candlish, an author I've recently discovered, quite enjoyed this one.
Dead at First Sight - Peter James, Timely crime thriller, about people of a certain age, duped online to handover money to bogus love interests who then disappear with all their money. Better than his last offering.
The Ghost Fields - Elly Griffiths
The Stone Circle - Elly Griffiths
Crossing Places - Elly Griffiths
Continuing with Ruth Galloway, all in the wrong order, but courtesy of my local library so can't complain.
Meridan - Philippa Gregory (audio) - Picked this up at the library at the same time. 18th century romp about gypsy girl, adopted at birth, who finds out she is actually the heiress of a vast estate in Sussex, as if hmm overlong and tedious, usually enjoy her books about bygone queens, but not this one.
The Word is Murder - Anthony Horowitz Enjoyed his Magpie Murders, liked this one too. Written in first person where AH has been asked by a sacked police officer to write a book about an unsolved murder.
Finally got my hands on Big Sky - Kate Atkinson just started it, my first September book.

matson Wed 04-Sept-19 15:03:28

Finished the Lies We Told by Camilla Way. Page turner, psycho thriller.
No 35. Together by Julie Cohen.
Terribull, I will wait for your review of Kate Atkinson, Big Sky....quite fancy a read of that one.

TerriBull Wed 04-Sept-19 16:05:08

Matson my husband's just finished it, a lot of threads apparently, said he enjoyed it. Usually love her books, but didn't like her last "Transcription" but that wasn't one of her Jackson Brodies.

matson Wed 04-Sept-19 17:33:42

That sounds hopeful , Terribull, like you I didn't enjoy " Transcription ", usually a fan of her works.

nanaK54 Sun 08-Sept-19 12:13:56

Book 38 The Woman in our House - very good read

Maggiemaybe Thu 12-Sept-19 13:09:03

31. My Husband's Wife, Jane Corry. Entertaining enough, but a bit predictable and convoluted.

32. Runaway, Peter May. I loved this! Moving between 1965 and 2015, the tale of a group of young teenagers from Glasgow who ran away to London, then had to do it all again 50 years later. Very well written and a gripping story. I don't know why I haven't read any Peter May before, but I'll be snapping them up after this.

TerriBull Thu 12-Sept-19 13:57:32

Also loved "Runaway" by Peter May Maggie, try "Entry Island", definitely one of his best.

Maggiemaybe Thu 12-Sept-19 14:49:57

I will, TerriBull. Thanks for the recommendation. smile

Sara65 Sun 15-Sept-19 08:55:39

No 38 The Cure of Souls-Phil Rickman
Another Merrily Watkins, this one was good, I like how the supernatural is woven into normal life, it makes it very believable, and makes you feel there’s more to the Church of England than meets the eye.

No 39 Convenience Store Woman-Sayaka Murata
This is an absolute gem, a convenience store worker, with very limited social skills, funny, sad, and something completely different

Maggiemaybe Wed 18-Sept-19 09:56:53

33. You Could Do Something With Your Life (You Are Raoul Moat), Andrew Hankinson. Interesting, short, disturbing. Which is why I’ve now turned to the only Sue Townsend I haven’t yet read:

34. The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year. I think it’s inspiring me, as I’m still lounging in bed reading it and don’t feel like moving any time soon. smile

Mopsx4 Sat 21-Sept-19 16:53:34

I haven’t posted my books for a while so here is the next few.
56- Tiger hills by Sarita Mandanna
57- After the end by Clare Mackintosh . This was the July book club book that I was lucky enough to win. Found it a heartbreaking decision they had to make but having made it half way through the book it then proceeded to give the 2 different outcomes their decision could have taken so a bit strange when you knew their decision in my opinion.
58- LastLetter home by Rachael Hope.
59- Sophie’s Secret by Susanna Kearsley
60- Sophie’s bakery for the broken hearted by Lolly Winston
61- Milk glass moon by Adrianna Trigiani
62- Thirty Nothing by Lisa Jewell
63- The Temptations of Grace by Santa Montefiore
64 - Miss Carter’s War by Sheila Hancock
65- Coming home to Island House by Erica James.

Greyduster Sat 21-Sept-19 18:06:44

Since I last posted I have re-read “Lord of the Flies”, ostensibly to see if it might be something GS could read. I think not at the moment. I found I appreciated Golding’s writing style much more than the first time I read it and I enjoyed it more.
I also read “Under a Scarlet Sky” but poor writing ruined what could have been a good (true) story.
Still plodding on with Egg and Soldiers! So that is twenty four. I need to get a move on!

Alima Sat 21-Sept-19 18:56:00

22. The Dreaming Suburb by RF Delderfield. As good as I remember.
23. Lethal White by Robert Galbraith. Brilliant, loved this.
24. The Lost Man by Jane Harper. Every bit as good as her others.
No idea what to read next. Need something light as will be carrying it around, that lets out Tombland,

Alima Sat 21-Sept-19 18:57:14

I loved Runnaway too. Cannot say I am too keen on his others.

nanaK54 Sun 22-Sept-19 16:35:08

Book 39 Little Voices Vanessa Lillie - didn't enjoy this, not sure why I kept reading really

Sara65 Wed 25-Sept-19 17:57:14

I thoroughly recommend the following two books

No 40 The turn of the Key-Ruth Ware
This is a big improvement on her last novel, it’s full of atmosphere and suspense, don’t want to spoil it by saying too much, but basically it’s a nanny who travels to Scotland to care for a family of children, and very scary things start happening!
It’s a real page turner, even though some aspects of it seem a little far fetched.

Book 41 The Stoped Heart- Julie Myerson
This is without doubt the best book I’ve read in ages. It’s a ghost story spanning over a hundred years, it’s full of sadness, love, evil, and strange ties between the generations. Julie Myerson is never afraid to shock us, and upset us. This one leads to a horrendous conclusion, but it’s hard to get it out of your head when it’s over, because you have become so attached to the characters.

matson Wed 25-Sept-19 18:59:14

Finished Together by Julie Cohen, you think a simple love story .... but !!!
No 36 How it was by Janet Ellis, our September book giveaway, I really enjoyed her first The Butchers Hook.

TerriBull Wed 02-Oct-19 08:28:53

September reading:

Big Sky - Kate Atkinson, the much anticipated new Jackson Brodie, it was so long since the last it took me a while to recollect some of the references she made as to the relationships and characters. However, whilst much better than "Transcription" her last offering, it wasn't quite up to the standard of some of my absolute favourites of hers. Main theme of the book, murky goings on at a golf club shock in that a couple of members are involved in the trafficking of girls into brothels. Readable but not her best.
How was it for You? Virginia Nicholson - Loved this book, interviews with a collection of women who gave their recollections of being young in the '60s. The book covered all the ups and downs, from the less serious fashion, music scene to the more important issues of the day, children born with consequences of Thalidomide, the political landscape, JFK, the Wilson years, how prevalent sexism, racism and poverty were in spite of some of the groundbreaking changes that were to take place in that decade.
Nine Perfect Strangers - Liane Moriarty (audio) I really love the series "Big Little Lies" but the only book I've read by this author, I wasn't that impressed with, neither was I with this. Somewhat tedious account of a group of people going to stay at a health resort/spa and the strange goings on there, a sort of Agatha Christie for the modern age, although not that good.
A Friend from England - Anita Brookner haven't read her for ages, but forgot how much I loved her books, sometimes not a lot happens in her novels, but it's the quality of her writing that draws you in.
Blood Harvest - Sharon Bolton I've read a couple of her thrillers and thought they were really good, but this was just okay, not great.
Cross your heart - Sarah Pinborough (audio) Had only read one of her books before which was a preposterous load of drivel, but given she seems to be highly rated, on MN and from reviews on Amazon thought I'd give her another go, but no this was a bleak, depressing load of shite about a woman who had purportedly killed her baby brother years ago and now had a new identity. Note to self no more Sarah Pinborough.
Have just started Janet Ellis's "How it was" Like you Matson I enjoyed "The Butchers Hook" but I have to say, thus far I'm not really liking this one, I will persevere though.

Maggiemaybe Wed 02-Oct-19 08:44:32

35. Normal People by Sally Rooney. So good I didn’t want it to end. It’s a coming of age novel about two young people from the same small town but very different backgrounds. I can see why it’s Costa’s novel of the year.

I’m just starting the Janet Ellis now, courtesy of GN.

nanaK54 Wed 02-Oct-19 09:02:04

Book 40 One Minute Later Susan Lewis - excellent read