*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

Yes great book jenniewren I only read it recently, I didn't think I'd like it either when everyone was raving about it last year, but really enjoyed it.

#41 The Salt Path by Raynor Winn. I’d been putting off reading this as I thought it would be depressing but instead it’s an inspiring story of hope. Looking forward to her next book which is out later this month I think.

I’ve read all three of Jane Harper’s novels, Hellogirl1, and loved them all ?

I`m not buying books at the moment, I`m too busy trying to work my way through a load that I`ve been given. But Force of Nature will be amongst my next purchases.

Jane Harper is a brilliant writer, I really enjoyed The Dry and The Lost Man, I have Force of Nature on my pile to read.

#37 The Lost Man by Jane Harper. Thriller set in the Australian outback, really atmospheric.

I do love Jane Harper's books, Jenniewren and Hellogirl.

I have also read The Dry and Force of Nature.

#35 was The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. I had heard the hype and put off reading it, thinking that it was one of those books l “should” read. I’m glad I have read it, though. It is very moving and really opened my eyes to the desperate plight of refugees escaping from war-torn countries from their point of view and made me realise just how lucky I was to be born here. There but for the grace of God go l indeed.

#26. Death Is Now My Neighbour by Colin Dexter.

Jenniewren, I also loved The Lost Man. Have you read The Dry, also by Jane Harper?
I`ve finished The Son, at long last, a really good story/saga, but the constant change in time zones annoyed me a bit.
Am just about ton start book 48, Under the Dome, by Stephen King. I haven`t read anything by him in ages.

#32 High Fire Eoin Colfer. I was familiar with the author's Artemis Fowl books for children but this is written for adults, a funny, foul-mouthed violent story featuring a dragon living in the Louisiana swamps and a young boy (but Pete's Dragon it ain't) I loved it!
#33 Another Time Another Place Jodi Taylor. This is the 12th book in the wonderful St Mary's Chronicles series.
#34 Fated Benedict Jacka. A new urban fantasy series for me featuring a mage living in Camden. I enjoyed it very much and as there are several books in the series I will be revisiting this world.
No idea what I will read now but I have many many titles on my TBR Kindle pile.

Read a few more since my last post.
#36 The Boy with No Shoes by William Horwood. A fictionalised memoir of the author’s childhood in the 1940s and 50s. Well written and very moving.
#37 The Lost Man by Jane Harper. Thriller set in the Australian outback, really atmospheric.
#38 Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult. Like many of her books, this has a moral dilemma at the heart of the story. I couldn’t put it down!
#39 Blackberry and Wild Rose by Sonia Velton. Historical fiction, about the Huguenot silk weavers in Spitalfields in the 18th century. It was OK, but quite similar to others I’ve read recently.
#40 Sea of Stone by Michael Ridpath. 4th in the series, set in Iceland, about Detective Magnus Jonson, and his obsession with discovering the truth about his father’s murder in Boston 15 years previously. I’ve really enjoyed them all. You need to read them in order as the 4th book is the culmination of the story.

#34 was The Hidden Legacy by G J Minnett. I really enjoyed it.

I could have written your post word for word, Sara. I loved it. I understand it is now out in paperback.

Book 16
The Mirror and the Light- Hilary Mantel
This has really held me up, I think I’ve been reading it for about a month.
To be honest, although I really enjoyed it, I didn’t find it as gripping as the previous two, I was also aware of the fate of Thomas Cromwell, and that made me reluctant to get to the end.
I love Hilary mantels style of writing, and she’s brilliant at fleshing out characters, and the interaction between them is so thoroughly believable. I feel so fond of Gregory, Rafe and Richard, and it’s sad to get to the end of the third book in the trilogy and not really know what happens next.
One tip for anyone thinking of buying it. don’t buy the hardback version, it was so thick and heavy, the only way I could get comfortable reading it. Was sitting at the dining room table.

Does anyone else do the Goodreads reading challenge? I have for the last few years. You decide how many books to aim for and the app keeps a record. I’ve used this app for several years. I used to have a notebook ( started in 1996 when I finished the Open University) to record what I had read as I kept coming back from the library with a book I’d had before! On the app there is the facility to list ‘currently reading’, ‘read’ and ‘ want to read. It’s really useful when I’m choosing new books to see where I am in a series, whether I’ve read a book before , what the reviews are like or remind me of titles I want to read.
I also add the titles from my notebook every few weeks so I have a more complete record.
Currently reading November Road by Lou Berney.
WTR list has 307 titles, READ list has 837!
I’m slightly ahead in this years challenge but on course to read 100 books as I did last year.
Hope this interests some of my fellow readers!

#20 Pale Rider by Laura Spinney. It’s about the Spanish Flu. It was so interesting to learn that much of what we’ve seen in this current pandemic also featured in 1918-20. The ways in which it changed the world was also fascinating.

Book 20: ‘The Good Husband of Zebra Drive’ by Alexander McCall Smith. Always enjoy these. They are gentle, full of wisdom and they make me smile.

I aimed to up my reads to 50 this year. I'd normally read about 27.
So far I've managed 12 so am well behind. But some books are longer than others! A friend is an avid reader of chick lit and gets through about 3 a week. Always brags about how easy the 50 a year are for her! I read a mixture of thrillers, bios etc.
I don't think I'll reach my target but I'll give it my best. Love reading

foxie, yes I very much agree, Elizabeth Strout's writing does remind me very much of Ann Tyler.

#25. The Whole Truth by Cara Hunter.

Not impressed by my last book, The Thursday Murder Club. It seemed a bit like a literary version of the tv series, Rosemary and Thyme, rather twee and improbable.

Very much a Marmite book I think.

Number 13 read, "Redhead at the side of the road" Ann Tyler. An enjoyable simple story but well written. I love Tyler's style of writing so much I've started another "A spool of blue thread".
TerriBull Elizabeth Strout's writing is not unlike Ann Tyler. I loved both of the Olive books, they are beautifully written, gentle but with real insight into human nature.

I`ve not had much time to read in the last 2 days, so not making much headway with The Son, Sue, but pleased to read a good view of it.

I read The Son last year and loved it! It’s been made into a tv series but was v expensive on Amazon.

I didn`t enjoy Burden of Proof, too much business talk.
I then dabbled for about half an hour with A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking, but gave up, I`m not that bright, lol! I`ve just read the first few pages of book 47, The Son, by Philipp Meyer, looks OK.

From Cradle to Stage by Viginia Hanlon Grohl, tells stories of various mothers and their famous offsprings rise to fame,
StillMe by JoJo Moyes.. lovely book as were the prequels.
The Wild Silence by Gaynor Winn... life beyond the salt path, joy to read, moving and descriptive.
Dear Child by Romy Hausmann, A psycho thriller that is soooo good ,!!!
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel.. an orwellian type book, a deadly virus hits america, Georgia flu, and its consequences.