*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

#39. When The Music’s Over by Peter Robinson.

I don't know whether this has been mentioned before as I haven't read the full thread.

I started a notebook/journal to record books to read/books read. It was Ok but I kept forgetting to fill it in.

Someone told me about an App called Reading List. It is free to download. You can add books by scanning the barcode or find them online. There are different lists (To read/reading/finished) and you can also create your own list.

I am finding it great for when I am in the charity shops as I can never remember all of the books I want to read. It is also good to add suggestions from this great thread.

#48 The Inimitable Jeeves P G Wodehouse. An audiobook read by the inimitable Stephen Fry.
#49 Just One Damn Thing After Another Jodi Taylor. Very enjoyable and exciting. I have read several of this author's books and she never disappoints.

#40. The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley.

Still have to read The Sun Sister, but this one has come in from the library, waiting list, so reading out of order.

79 A Nest of Vipers by Andrea Camilleri
80 Escape from Shangri-La by Michael Morpurgo

81 Ark Angel, by Anthony Horowitz

Current read (only number 23!) is “My Last Supper” by Jay Rayner. An amusing and erudite insight into his life, foods and dishes he loves and would like to include in his last meal on earth - and also peppered with interesting recipes.

I really enjoyed Ark Angel, despite the fact that it was written for teenagers,.

I have the Reading List app and it is fun to rate the books I have read before listing them here.
#48 was Mrs England by Stacey Halls. Very enjoyable but much suspension of disbelief required.
#49 was The Birthday by Carol Wyer. Rather formulaic mystery/police procedural.
#50 was What Am I Bid? By Philip Serrell. A lovely memoir by the well-known auctioneer. Full of humour and many eccentric characters and situations.
#51 was Hughie Mittman’s Fear of Lawnmowers by Conor Bowman. This is a very moving story of a young boy coming to terms with grief and loss.

#50 This Naked Mind Annie Grace. An insight into the reasons we drink alcohol and the role it plays in Western society. Made me think.
#51 A Symphony of Echoes Jodi Taylor. Number 2 in the St Mary's Chronicles. A series of books about an organisation that "investigates historical events in contemporary time" (definitely not time travel ?). Very good.

27. Born A Crime by Trevor Noah.

This memoir is an excellent read. Trevor Noah is a South Africa-born comedian and tv presenter, mainly in the US. He is mixed race and at the time of his birth in the 80’s it was illegal for people of different races to have sexual relationships with each other, hence his birth was a crime.

Each chapter is prefaced with information about apartheid in S Africa and how it affected people. I think I learnt more about the reality of apartheid from this book than from any number of more academic works.

Have just finished number 82, Everything to Lose, by Andrew Gross, enjoyed it. Now reading 83, Dead Aim, by Iris Johansen, a bit slow to get going, but improving.

Dead Aim was OK, but didn`t make me want to rush back to it. I`ve just started book 84, A Book of Bones, by John Connelly. Looks promising.

The hot weather has given me a good excuse to sit in the garden and read!
#56 The Grantchester Mysteries: Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie. I enjoyed the TV series and found the book even better.
#57 The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Again, I’ve watched all the series on TV. The book was an excellent, if a rather gruelling read.
#58 Kate and Clara’s Curious Cornish Craft Shop by Ali McNamara. Some daft escapism to balance the trauma of the Handmaid’s Tale and perhaps more suitable for the hot sunny weather!
#59 It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet by James Herriot. Rereading these books, still love them as much as I did when I was a teenager.
#60 Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich. Another light read set in Miami.
#61 Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeannette Winterson. A memoir of a difficult childhood by the author of Oranges are not the Only Fruit. Excellent, I love her writing.
#62 The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier. I read this several times as a young teenager. It’s about a family who are separated in Warsaw during WW2 and their journey through war ravaged Europe to eventually be reunited.
#63 The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey. A very different type of story, like a modern folk tale, I really enjoyed it.

I must really update my list more often! Since April I've read:
Book 14 and 15: Perfect and the Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book 16: Frankisstein by Jeannette Winters on. Unusual story but quite liked it
Book 17: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Another odd one, not recommended.
Book 18: The Chestnut Man by Siren Sveistrup. Excellent thriller.
Book 19: The Dry by Jane Harper. So glad I was given this as had read great reviews on here which I agree with. Will look for more by her.
Book 20: The Confession by Jessie Burton. Love her books.
Book 21: The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones. Ghost story.
Book 22: Family and Friends by Anita Brookner.
Book 23: Black, White and Gold by Kelly Holmes (Autobiography) Was interested to find this as she hails from Tonbridge, where I live, and went to the same secondary school as my son, though a few years ahead of him. Quite a good read though slightly tedious in parts relating to her life in the army.
Book 24:The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn. Follow up to The Salt Path. As discussed on another thread, can't understand why they go on such gruelling trips with husband so ill
Book 25: One August Night by Victoria Hislop. Similar to her previous novels based in Crete/ Greece, but easy reading.
Book 26:Tell The Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rif km a Brunt. Brilliant!
Book 27:A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian. Very funny and enjoyable.
Book 28: Title and author unknown as I read it on holiday and left it in the holiday cottage! Obviously didn't make a lasting impression on me. It was a thriller of sorts.

#41. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell.

Have just finished The Missing Sister. Think it was the best of the Sisters books, found it more readable than some of them, and more interesting.

#42. Sleeping In The Ground by Peter Robinson.

The Secret Wife by Gill Paul

What if not all the Romanovs were murdered?

Book 24
Unsettled Ground-Claire Fuller
This book for me was pure joy. I loved it.
The story of 51 year old twins, living in a dilapidated cottage with their mother.
Her sudden death changes everything for them, they are brilliant musicians, but very ill equipped for dealing with life.
A small cast of exquisite characters, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Book 25
The Shell Seekers- Rosamund Pilcher
I only read this because so many of you count it amongst your favourite books.
I wasn’t sure I’d like it, but I did. A cast of likeable characters, and a saga which followed Penelope from being a child in Cornwall, with an artist father, through war, her marriage and finally her death.
Her three children were awful, I guess Olivia was meant to come across as a more sympathetic character, but I didn’t like her.
My favourite was Doris.

28. The Winter Book by Tove Janssen. Not a patch on her Summer Book, unfortunately.

#64 Midnight Sun by Jo Nesbo. A stand-alone short novel about a man on the run who takes refuge in Finnmark in the north of Norway.
#65 Demon Dentist by David Williams. Not my usual read but my 8 year old grandson loves David Williams’ books and wanted me to read this as it’s his favourite!
#66 The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes by Ruth Hogan. I enjoyed this rather strange mix of tragedy and grief underpinned with a strong message of hope.
#67 Boy by Roald Dahl. A memoir of Dahl’s childhood, particularly his schooldays.
#68 The White Robin by Miss Read. A story about Fairacre School and a rare albino robin.
I’m now starting The Ice by Laline Paull. I read her novel, The Bees, a few years ago which I thought was brilliant so I’m hoping this is as good.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, I enjoyed it, bit technical in parts, space story from the author of The Martian,
The Comfort Book by Matt Haig, A mix of autobiographical, self help, support and comforting quotes, experiences and observations, its a pick up and put down book until needed.
Trans ...when ideology meets reality...by Helen Joyce,
Thought provoking book, an eye opening work, it will take me sometime to process its contents, but would recommend it.
A Life Without You by Shari Low.
Simple easy enjoyable family/ love story.

I finished A Book of Bones this morning. It was very good, but beware if you don`t like blood and gore.
Since then I`ve read book 85, A Cat Called Amnesia, can`t remember the author. It`s a child`s book, brought round by my daughter, but I liked it.
Now reading book 86, The Widow Next Door, by L A Detwiler. A bit odd so far, but haven`t read much yet.

#52 The Secrets of Sunshine Phaedra Patrick. A charming feel good book, I loved it
#53 White Silence Jodi Taylor. The first in a supernatural thriller series. Very good
#54 Dark Light Jodi Taylor. Second in the series and I really enjoyed it. I believe the third book is published next week and I can't wait to read it. Very good unusual thriller series.

#43. Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell.