*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

Just read “ The Lies You Told Me” by Jessica Rushton about a woman who finds out the truth about her mother’s disappearance,
The Beekeeper of Aleppo. I loved this book. It was so well told and made me appreciate how difficult and desperate the journey to freedom is for refugees from Syria.

I've just finished book number 4 "My Dark Vanessa" a disturbing but excellent debut novel from Kate Elizabeth Russell on the subject of a teacher/pupil relationship where coercion and consent are both central. I was gripped by the book, set in a boarding school in Vermont. Pupil, Vanessa, aged 15, a lonely girl. At the start of the novel, we find her just off loaded by her best friend in favour of a boy classmate, and suffering from transitional depression so common in the in between years of leaving childhood and becoming an adult. She develops an intense relationship with her English teacher, to whom she is a star pupil, he is a man of 42. The narrative is told from her perspective as a troubled teenager and in retrospect as an unhappy adult who never reaches her full potential, blighted by her experiences of the affair with the teacher, although she was very much complicit in that from the outset. She continues with an on off relationship with him as she grows up and is never able to move on from what becomes a defining time in her life, particularly as at a later stage he is accused of indiscretions with other pupils. To my surprise on reading the Sunday Times magazine at the week-end there was an interview with a French female writer who discussed how she was groomed from the age of 13 by an eminent older writer who her mother knew, he was in his 50s at the time and even now makes no bones about the fact that he had sexual relationships with children. A lot of parallels with this book and very coincidently she was also called Vanessa. The name of the title of the book is taken from a Nabokov novel, not Lolita, although that is often referenced throughout.

My 5th book is a spy thriller The Artemis File, recommended on MN, as was this one I've just read.

#7 Just this minute finished The Rosie Project....at first I thought I would not like, 3 chapters in and read it at every opportunity! Would make a good film I think! Really liked Don!

Just joining in today
1#The Goldfinch by Donna Tait- took me a while but then couldnt put it down

2#Where the Crawdads sing by Delia Owens - beautifully written, very descriptive, took my imagination on a journey. Absolutely loved this book and was sorry when I'd finished it

3# The Phone box at the edge of the world by Laura Imai Messina - unusual story but I loved it

4#Those who are loved by Victoria Hislop - one of my favourite authors and I love Greece but I was unaware of the turmoil of their Civil war

5# What Alice forgot by Lianne Moriarty , bit of a funny/light hearted story with a twist

6#The Foundling by Stacey Halls, historical fiction. I couldnt put this down.

7#The Hungry road by Marita Conlan -Mckenna, about the famine in Ireland. Very disturbing but well written

8# Go set a Watchman by Harper Lee
I'm listening to this audiobook narrated by Reece Witherspoon which sends me to sleep after 60 mins. I'm halfway through

Next book I'm hoping is Shugie Bain . It's on reserve but I've read good reviews.

Struggled to concentrate on reading during first lockdown so listened to a lot of audiobooks but I'm back on it now.
Like to read books that have been recommended

Thank you Sarah1954 and Musicgirl for the suggestions. I will add them to my list.

Musicgirl

I think it’s Lisa Jewell, I also enjoyed it

Annannymous, if you like Kate Morton you might well like Kayte Nunn, Erica James or Marcia Willett. I enjoyed The House We Grew Up In and think you might too, but I can't remember the author.

Sarahmob, I love Anne Tyler, have read all her books. Saint Maybe and Breathing Lessons are two of my favourites.
Just finished #12, Where The Crawdads Sing. Wow, it had me hooked from the start, couldn’t put it down! Beautiful descriptions of nature and a story that keeps you guessing.

#3 - Where the Crawdad's sing' by Delia Owens - great story; a really good read
#4 - Every Note Played by Lisa Genova - a realistic and devastating story, difficult to put down and it stays with you in a slightly different way to Shugie Bain
#5 - In Praise of Bees - by Kirstin Gleeson - totally different to anything I've read before but I enjoyed it. Difficult to recommend tho' unless you have an interest in ancient Ireland!!
Just started Shadow Dancer by Tom Bradby, looks promising.

The Faithful Spy Alex Berenson 2006. Another from my friend's loft but oddly prophetic. ?
Breakfast with the Borgias DBC Pierre wierd , quick read. ?
Started The President is Missing - Bill Clinton & James Patterson - a better bet for a good read ?

Calandargirl
That makes sense, in my mind it’s more like Sir Rayler, your interpretation is more classy, but I’m still not keen.

DISSENT by Françoise Montgomery is such a good, fast read - especially well suited to women readers who are not of the Snapchat generation. Get it on Amazon and enjoy it.

Sara1954

Calandargirl
The only thing I don’t like about Simon Serailler, is his name, I’m never sure if I’m pronouncing it correctly in my mind. I would have preferred that he was called something simpler.

I pronounce it ‘Su-ray-l-yuh’ if that makes sense, but no idea if that’s correct.

It’s a glam sort of name for a glam sort of detective.

Simon Smith would be a bit naff.

?

#10 - Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler.
Really enjoyed this book (the first one I’ve read). Will look for more by her.

Anannymous
Have you tried Katherine Webb? I think you would enjoy her books if you like Kate Morton.

So far this year
The Glass House by Eve Chase
The Other Passenger by Louise Candish
Raven Black by Ann Cleeves
Now reading Remain Silent by Suzie Steiner. Have read another of her’s. May appeal to fans of Ellie Griffith’s books,
Does anyone have recommendations for a something similar to Kate Moreton’s books?

Calandargirl
The only thing I don’t like about Simon Serailler, is his name, I’m never sure if I’m pronouncing it correctly in my mind. I would have preferred that he was called something simpler.

#6 The Betrayal Of Trust.

Cannot really take to Simon Serailler, find him rather arrogant, self centred, conceited, though he is a good detective.

Just started Still Life by Val McDermid.

Just finished The Convent by Sarah Sheridan, was gripped from beginning to end!

I also have West With Giraffes on my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it.

I have just finished #12, The Radium Girls by Kate Moore. I think it will stay with me for a very long time. It is the true story of the girls and young women who painted the dials and numbers on the luminous clocks and watches in factories in the USA in the early twentieth century. They were lied to time and again and had to fight long and hard in order to achieve justice for themselves, their families and future workers as they suffered unimaginable pain. They were so very courageous and their legacy lives on. Even now, almost a hundred years after it all happened, the grounds of the former factories are still dangerously radioactive and the women's bones still glow.

#9 This Time Next Year Sophie Cousens. I enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to. It is about a couple who are born a minute apart at new year at the same hospital who meet again when they are 30. It is a lovely rom com and I think it would make a good film.
#10 Agatha Raisin: Blood of an Englishman M C Beaton on audiobook. Passed the time and I absolutely love Penelope Keith's narration of these books.
My#11 is a recommendation from a friend The Second Sleep Robert Harris, looks interesting, I will start it today.
Thank you tidyskatemum and mrswoo for recommending West With Giraffes I have it on my Kindle and will definitely read it.

Sara1954

Blinko
I found the Goldfinch really hard to get into, I knew from the start it was going to drag out, because the opening scenes seemed, quite unnecessarily, to go on for ever

If you ever get that far, there is a period in the middle, which is a bit faster moving, but found it really disappointing.

Cheers, Sara1954. I think life's too short...

Ready to start The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri.

tidyskatemum I have read West with Giraffes too - I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy it, but like you, I thought it was wonderful. I can really recommend it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is made into a film.