*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

I`ve just finished The Other Passenger, by Louise Candlish. It was passably OK, but I wasn`t thrilled with it, and was pleased to come to the end.
I`m now reading something in a lighter vein, Better Days Ahead, by Mary Wood. It`s set during WW2, mainly set around the fortunes and misfortunes of 2 girls, 1 in Leeds and the other in London.

Just finished book No. 4

What a find! Especially on International Women’s Day.
It was ‘Miller’s Valley’ by Anna Quindlen. Never read one of hers before. Bit like Anne Tyler’s style and I loved it.

Set in small town America from the 1950’s onwards. A matriarchal theme is at the heart of this novel, set on a small farm. A mother who is a nurse (father the farmer) pushes and encourages her smart daughter to consider college and other women, a teacher, a doctor, a benefactor - all contribute in their way.

It’s a real page turner. I love books about family dynamics and this is is stellar. Quindlen invests here tale with rare pathos and even rarer psychological acumen. I’m so glad I came across this book!

Just popped on to post my next set of books I have read
12- The glass house by Eve Chase
13- Anna by Amanda Prowse
14- A Study in Stone by Michael Campling
15- Sunrise on the coast by Lilac Mills
16- The secret of the Seaside by Agatha Ball
17- All his pretty girls by Charley Cox
18- The Cornish Village School- breaking the rules by Kitty Wilson
19- Of moths and butterflies by V.R. Christensen.
These are a mixture of book types as I’ve just started getting books on my iPad (as have run out of actual books) and have just been mostly trying the free books.

Just finished reading Motherwell by Deborah Orr
I enjoyed the first half of the book with her descriptions of life in the 60’s as I could relate to them. However it became very tedious after that, constantly referring to Narcissistic behaviour in people she met and I found it quite depressing towards the end. I hadn’t realised that she had died only a few years after writing it, until I read some reviews.
That was number 9, now starting The House by the Lake by Thomas Harding - a bit of history to stimulate my brain!

Baking mad, l felt exactly the same way - l enjoyed the first half, particularly as the author was a similar age to me and l could relate to a lot of her early memories, but l found the second half tedious too, for the same reasons as you.
I have just finished #18, The Hoarder by Jess Kidd, as l had seen some people recommending it, but it was not really to my taste. I did not like the supernatural element and skipped some of those bits, and the surprise element was blatantly obvious. Not really to my taste. I started The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse today and am already gripped. Much more to my taste.

No 11. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis. A classic that seems v dated now.

#15. The Dead Of Jericho by Colin Dexter.

Ready to start MC Beaton's The Quiche of Death.
Took me longer than planned to finish Lupin but really enjoyed it,it's of unexpected twists.

I’ve read nine books so far this year. Finished Being the Supervet last night straight after Becoming the Supervet. Both quite lengthy but very inspiring. Have just sorted through the books on my Kindle and borrowed 10 from Kindle Unlimited (free subscription for a few months). Listening to a children’s book, The Silver Sword, via Libby, and reading Criminal Wirral on BorrowBox. Will probably also start The Dig this week. Got the book for a fiver - along with The Queen’s Gambit - after watching both on Netflix.

#21 The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish -atmospheric setting on the River Thames but I didn’t enjoy it as much as previous books of hers.
#22 Us by David Nicholls - I watched the BBC drama based on this book last year which I enjoyed and which stayed very close to the book, but I loved the book more.

#19 was The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse. It is the best book I have read this year so far. It is a gripping thriller set in a five star hotel on the top of a Swiss mountain, which had originally been a sanatorium for patients with TB. I can thoroughly recommend it.

Jenniwren, I`m pleased that I wasn`t the only one not to be too thrilled with The Other Passenger.
I loved Better Days Ahead, my 23rd book, have just started Where There`s a Will, by June Francis, a Liverpool family saga set in the 1930s. That will make it book 24.

Just finished ‘Holy Island’ by L.J. Ross. A detective story and not a very good one. Badly drawn characters and very predictable. Won’t be reading any more in this series. If you like that genre, J.M. Dalgleish’s ‘Norfolk Mysteries’ are better.
Moving on to ‘The Three Body Problem’ by Cixin Liu. Not sure whether I’ll stick with it (or even understand it!). Anyone else read it? This is book fourteen.

After my 'fantasy fest' a change of genre was called for. #17 was Stillhouse Lake Rachel Caine. A nail biting psychological thriller that I can highly recommend about a mother who reinvents herself to protect her children. I am currently reading #18 The Masked City Genevieve Cogman. The second in the Invisible Library series and a return to the Fantasy genre.

Finished Agatha Raisin, my first time of reading MC Beaton. Quickly read but won't continue with the sequels at present.
Ready to start JoJo Moyes' The Giver of Stars. I've enjoyed reading her books in the past with our reading group.

I have just finished Joe Moyes' 'Night Music' which isn't, in my opinion, her best in terms of characterisation and the plot is rather trite. However, 'The Giver of Stars' is in a different class.

I'm really enjoying The Giver of Stars, @annidomini, read 100 pages already!

Anyone else got vouchers for mother's day and treating themselves, I am going for The Night Hawks by Elly Griffiths and The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse which as been recommended.

#20 was The Prison Doctor, Women’s Prison by Doctor Amanda Brown; an interesting and often moving account. #21 was Little One by Sarah A Denzil. This was another five star thriller with an ending that l certainly could not predict.

#12 The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christie Lefteri. A fictional account of a couple’s attempts to get out of war-torn Syria.

#23 The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths. I’ve read all the Dr Ruth Galloway series but this is a stand alone Gothic-style novel, I enjoyed it and hadn’t worked out who the murderer was, which is always a bonus!

Yes, I’m doing the challenge 50 books in a year, I’m currently on book number 11, I will do it easily my books are generally I think around 420 pages, per book or similar,

#16. The Riddle Of The Third Mile by Colin Dexter.

Where There`s a Will, was OK-ish, but I wasn`t that thrilled with it. Now halfway through book 25, Three Hours, by Rosamund Lupton, 2 gunmen have gone into a school and shot the headmaster and are now hunting the pupils and teachers, who are in hiding. Slightly reminiscent of Dunblane, but different. The book was given to me, so really coincidental that I`m reading it this week.

Three Hours was a brilliant, if sad, read. I can recommend it.