*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

#18 The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins. Very good.
#19 Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. This was an audio book - I haven’t listened to an audio book for years as I find that my mind wanders too much when I’m listening rather than reading but I enjoyed this whilst cross stitching.

#15 was Why We Eat (Too Much) by Dr. Andrew Jenkinson. This was a very interesting book by a bariatric surgeon dispelling many myths behind weight loss with science. It was quite a heavy read at times and I must admit to skipping some of the data and tables as it was too much for my poor brain. It will be a very undemanding read for me next, that’s for certain.

Just finished latest book Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan. Certainly not a demanding read but I enjoyed it. I read just for pleasure and relaxation in my precious retirement years and this was just a ‘nice comfy book’ to spend time with. DH says all I read is ‘trashy fiction’ but the books suit me so that is what I read! Jenny Colgan is one of my favourite authors.

3 days after we first went in to lockdown i realised it would be a long time before i set foot in the Library again, so i gave in and bought a kindle. I was pretty sure i wouldn't like it. Eleven months and 137 books later i can honestly say i love it. I have found authors that are new to me, Joy Ellis being one of my favourite's.

Thanks for the tip Sara. I may well seek out the Davies book.I think good writers, and she certainly is one, enable us to connect. I felt a little like that about tha Cazalet books.

Nana
Hidden Lives by Margaret Forster is a wonderful book, although I lived in a totally different area, it seemed that she was writing about my childhood in many ways, loved it.
I thought Precious Lives was somehow too personal, I wasn’t so keen.
‘A life in the Day’ by her husband Hunter Davies is a great insight into their lives.

Been a bit slack about posting on here. Like another member of this thread (above) I have been reading avidly. Discovered so many additional pages on here I wondered if I could include it as one of my books.
Book 5 The Peppered Moth , Margaret Drabble. In my opinion she can do no wrong. Loved this.
Book 6 What she Left , T.R. Richmond . Absorbing psychological Thriller....rattled through it in no time.
Book 6 Precious Lives, Margaret Forster. A follow up to Hidden Lives and just as enjoyable. I live within driving distance of Carlisle, have working class origins and am nosey though I think without those ‘qualities’ it would appeal to many readers, she writes so well!
Books 7,8,9,10 and 11. I have binge read the Cazalet saga. Not my usual sort of thing but I gobbled it up. Set in the war era and full of interesting people. The women, regardless of class are all constrained by their gender and constraints caused by the war going on ,somehow had parallels with our limits in lockdown.
I fancy something completely different so will be back on here, I hope in the next couple of weeks, rather than presenting another list. Happy reading to all!

Nannan2

Im a fast reader, but that would be ALMOST a book a wk in a year, not actually doable for most, is it?

I just know Val McDermid must be getting richer by the hour, I've read so many of hers since the first one, a few weeks ago. Seven or eight at least.

I didn’t manage anything like fifty books last year, but winter lockdown has upped my total this year. No doubt when the weather gets better and the evenings get lighter, it will drop off a bit?. It’s not a race, but it’s nice to see what others are reading and talk about what you are reading.

Realised I hadn't posted since early Jan so a few books to catch up on.
1 : Ellie Griffith's - Crossing Places. Good thriller.
2: Richard Patterson - Conviction.
3 : Gyles Brandreth - Have You Eaten Grandma? A good book to brush up you grammar with, plus his usual witty comments.
4: Lee Child- Trip Wire. Excellent.
5: Anthony Cappella- The Wedding Officer. Entertaining story set in Italy during WW2
6: Alan Bennett: Untold Stories. Autobiographical and mostly entertaining. Skipped a few of the more tedious diary entries!

Im a fast reader, but that would be ALMOST a book a wk in a year, not actually doable for most, is it?

Finished book 12, ‘The Night Crossing’ by Robert Masello. Another one of his entertaining supernatural romps, totally unbelievable but well written, it certainly rattles along. Not sure what book thirteen will be yet.

Hi, I discovered Jodi Picoult just before lockdown and have thoroughly enjoyed so far....

The Storyteller
Great Small things

She has written quite a few novels so look forward to the next one ?
AliBeee I’ve read a few of Jojo Moyes too. Not my usual choice but I enjoyed them all

Please can I join. Not sure I will reach 50 books though, especially when the gardening takes off.

I've just finished ' where the crawdads sing'. by Delia Owens. Excellent book. I really enjoyed the characters.
About to start Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse- highly commended, so I will let you know

Yes Blinko 27/02/21 20.21
These Old Shades is also one of my favourite GH books. I think it was the first one I ever read.

I know I`m 2 months late, but can I please join now? I`ve been so busy reading that I kept forgetting to join up in here. My books so far this year have been,
Scrublands--Chris Hammer
We`ll Meet Again--Rosie Archer
Christmas with the Spitfire Girls--Jenny Holmes
The Sunrise--Victoria Hislop
All the Rage-- Cara Hunter
Christmas with the Ops Room Girls--Vicky Beeby
Velvet Ribbon--Nadine Dorries
The Convent--Marie Hargreaves, with Ann and Joe Cusack
The Split--Sharon Bolton
Under the Mistletoe--Katie Flynn
Forces Sweethearts--Rosie Archer
Two Kinds of Truth-- Michael Connelly
The Christmas Killer--Alex Pine
Cops and Robbers-- Ed James
The Guest List-- Lucy Foley
All Fall Down--M.J.Arlidge
The Memory Wood--Sam Lloyd
The 20th Victim--James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
When the Past Kills--M.J.Lee
Stolen Moments--Rosie Harris
The Never List--Koethi Zan
I was given The Break, by Marian Keyes, but gave up on it, something I never do.
Presently reading The Other Passenger--Louise Candlish.
AnnSixty, have you read any of David Baldacci`s books? I love them.
Sorry this is such a long post!

Finished #6, The Witches of New York by Ami McKay. It got off to a slow start but I did end up really enjoying this story.

#7 - The Cure for Death by Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz. I'm part way through this strange story of a young woman in a remote farmhouse with a father whose PTSD from WWI seems to be getting worse. Set during WWII, the farmhands and brother are getting pressure to sign up, but the wife and daughter fear being alone with the father who is loosing his grasp on reality.

Bloodthirsty!

Book 7
Knife -Jo Nesbo
Always enjoy a good Harry Hole thriller. This one I particularly enjoyed, it was fast, lots of twists and turns, and a very unexpected ending.
Book 8
Redhead by the Side of the Road-Anne Tyler
Love Anne Tyler, love her characters, love her style of writing.
This was quite a slim book, maybe not one of her best, but still full of wonderful characters, I very much enjoyed it.
Book 9
Die Trying-Lee Child
Lee Child is new to me. I often read about a new Jack Reacher coming out, and readers being so excited about it, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.
This is the second one I’ve read, starting from the beginning. Jack is certainly everyone’s idea of a superhero, he’s super fit, super intelligent, military hero, and sexy as hell, what’s not to like?
It’s not my usual type of book, but I did enjoy it, only downside for me, is that they are very gruesome and blood thirty in parts.

#13. The Wench Is Dead by Colin Dexter.

Ps also read the first three Strike books. Really must start writing them down

Aah! So pleased to hear from Cambia that Where the Crawdads Sing is a favourite. I have it to read next. I am reading Hamnet at the moment and enjoying it. Before I was reading The Secret History by Donna Tart, very unusual and so well written. Also, before that The Girl With The Louding Voice. Loved it, For Christmas I was given Just My Luck which I read but wouldn’t recommend unless you feel in the mood for aggravating twaddle. However, also got The Thursday Club which I did enjoy.

Queenie Malones Paradise Hotel by Ruth Hogan.
A tale of love and unconventional families, took me to half way through the book to sort the characters, but it was worth persevering.
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult.
Another moral dilemma from the author, slow start with lots of Egyptian history , but enjoyable.
How to listen by Katie Colombus.
How to talk about how we feel and how to truly listen to someone, with helpful guidance from trained samaritans.

My latest ones are:
6. Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. Very good, the first of her books I’ve read.
7. I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg. I’ve read a few of her books, she writes in a similar vein to Anne Tyler.
8. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. It was an entertaining read for a dull lockdown day.

I agree with NorthowramGran, Bel Canto by Ann Patchett was very good, I read it last year.

My mum used to take a magazine - Woman's Journal - in which GH's books were serialized. I couldn't wait for her to finish with each issue so that I could read them myself. I haven't read them for at least 60 years, but really relished them at the time.