*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

Motherduck

I’d like to join too please, how do I do that

I hope Terribull doesn’t mind me speaking for her but all anyone needs to do to join is post on this thread! No other action required although as someone says, you can add it to your ‘following’ threads, if you wish.

I’d love to join. I’ve just finished Indelible by Karin Slaughter. It’s book 4 of 6 in her Grant County series. I’ve really enjoyed this series and looking forward to reading the last two.

Am now reading Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell and enjoying it so far.

Just finished the Woman who Kept Everything - Jane Gilley. Lovely book really an uplifting tale and a warning if you sit doing nothing/lose your social connections you can age very quickly. Something I’m sure many of us can identify with at the moment - even a phone call to someone breaks up your day and keeps you in touch with the outside world. I have a large tbr pile so now off to pick read no. 2!

Just finished 59 Memory Lane by Celia Anderson and now starting the sequel The Cottage of Curiosities. If you like Ruth Hogan and Katie Fforde you'll love this. Audiobook at night is What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty....published in Australia

I’d like to join too please, how do I do that

Maybe 'off topic', but what's happened to the Gransnet Book Club? I used to get regular emails with the opportunity to win the Book of the Month and to contribute to the discussion on the book or leave questions and comments for the author.

I have just finished Where the Crawdads Sing - loved it! Now reading the Rosie Project

I would like to join your thread. I love to read, our book club is dormant at the moment and this thread will give me ideas for new authors. I have just started Salley Vickers The Librarian.

I'm desperately trying to finish The Confession by Jessie Burton. I loved The Miniaturist by her but this is a bit slow going. I had several books for Christmas that I can't wait to get into inc the Thursday murder mystery one and Phillipa Gregory's Tidelands. I love all her novels. I grew up devouring Jean Plaidy's historical novels, especially about the Tudors. Looking forward to P G's new historical line.
Must make more time for reading during the day and not just at bedtime. I do voluntary work at a charity bookshop and almost inevitably buy more books than I can read. I like the idea of setting aside reading time during the day so that I can build towards the dream of 50 books.

Some great recommendations on here and I will be watching with interest.
My favourite book last year was the Midnight Library by Matt Haig about a woman who 'dies' but enters a library of all her possible alternative lives if she had made different choices. Probably explained that badly. It's available (probably abridged) on BBC Sounds at the moment if anyone's interested.
I have just finished Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout, which didn't really grab me like I hoped it would. I borrowed it whilst waiting for Olive Kitteridge (sp?) to become available from the online library as I had read good reviews, so will try again with the author. Not sure what's next but I was given a copy of the Thursday Murder Club for Christmas and I have The Dutch House waiting from the library, along with a whole load of books I seem to have bought as £1 offers on Kindle last year! I need to make another list I think.
I listened to The Promised Land on Radio 4 and loved it but it was so abridged that I will have to try and get a copy to listen to the rest. I would like the audio book but my library doesn't have it and I don't subscribe to Audible - any suggestions?
@annsixty have you read any Val MacDermid? I am an Ian Rankin fan but have run out of books and have tried a couple of hers. Not sure I have got into the characters in the same way but will definitely read a few more.
@islandgranny apologies if you know this already or it isn't what you meant, but you can elect to follow the thread. It's possibly different on different devices but there should be a drop-down arrow above the first post where you can select 'follow this thread' .

Thank you for your reply, Urmstongran.
Amir Mukherjee's book, A Rising Man, although set in 1919, was written in 2016. Hence my questioning his choice of language.

Perfect Ten by Jacqueline Ward, Very different from her previous novels, Random Acts of Unkindness etc.
So far I have read all of her novels. Thoroughly recommend these books.

I read and read and read, firstly because of my age and secondly I love books and reading.
My current book, a recommendation from someone on GN is The Essex Serpent, a mystery from the 19th century.
My favourites are mystery/ crime novels
Enjoyable authors are Kate Ellis, Robert Galbraith, Ann Cleeves, Ian Rankin and some American authors such as Micheal Connelly.
Any other recommendations from similar writer are very welcome.

I read way more than 50 books a year but have to say some of them are rubbish. I dislike e-books but understand now that duty will be charged on the books I get from Amazon so may have to reconsider. I really prefer the heft of a book in my hand rather than a screen.

islandGranny I think you just click on the same OP and give your own count & a review if you want. The set up doesn’t allow for an individual column. You just have to mix in. (I think?).

I’m just finishing this! First JT I’ve read and not too bad

Thanks seadragon for the recommendation of Samantha Clark’s book The Clearing, I have just ordered it, looks like my sort of thing. I’m reading Motherwell by Deborah Orr it resonates with my own childhood in Dunbartonshire. Read a lot last year but not as many as 50 books. I’ve given up on audio books as I fall asleep no matter the time of day! I like BBC Sounds for that reason ( I know that sounds contradictory) as I can set it up for a 15 minute tale and know I won’t be awake to hear the end! Stops my mind endlessly chewing over the same old problems. How will I find this thread ? though to keep dipping in and adding to it?

Please can I join? I love books...audible as well.

I’d like to join your thread properly this year TerriBull (love your user name BTW!). I just dipped in with recommendations last year.

1st book up will be a non fiction. It’s on my Kindle.
‘ How Do aw Know We Are Doing it Right?’ by Pandora Sykes.
I plan to start it with my nightly ‘Horlicks’ in an hour!
(Another addiction, besides reading and the iPad!)

I must put the iPad away and pick up a book more often!

To answer your question mrstin I’m happy (but feel uncomfortable at times) to read books with descriptions that are considered racist by today’s standards if they were written years ago. I don’t think we should judge yesterday using today’s standards.

I recently read an Agatha Christie which was written in 1926 and the language used was a little bizarre, but that was back then and was acceptable?

I would love to join in with this.
I looked at what everyone was reading last year when I was needing some inspiration :-)
I’m currently reading Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart and I’m really enjoying it so far.

I would like to contribute as well this year. I'm a great one for lists and figures and have kept a spreadsheet of all I've read, for about 4 years now. In 2020 I read 114 books, of all genres, but thrillers being my favourite. Reading Maeve Binchy--Circle of friends at the moment. Over 300 books on my shelves, so there's 3years worth of reading if I don't buy or acquire any more.(highly unlikely)!

I managed 86 books last year, some I re-read, some from library or kindle. I'm reading the librarian of austwch, can't spell it or remember the author. It's a bit serious but ok.

As a kid I read everything I could lay my hands on and read quickly. I went to school by bus, so travelled about an hour a day and everyone said that if I didn't have a book, I would read a cereal packet! I used to get through about a book a day, depending on how big they were, but now I've definitely slowed down to about one every week. I'm finding it much easier to use my Kindle and love Kindle Unlimited. Have just started Rogue Lawyer by John Grisham.

I'll do my best! An hour a day is a good idea. I've just started The Story of China - Michael Wood. Excellent so far

I have met finished Abir Mukherjee's A Rising Man.
Can I ask if readers are happy to ignore poor grammar? Lots of instances of I was sat, it was stood.
Also use of words that are considered racist today, are these acceptable because the book is set just after WW1?