*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

I’ve just finished my second book of the year, The Ice Twins by SK Tremayne. It’s a psychological thriller, set on a tidal island off the coast of Skye. Very atmospheric and eerie, a real page-turner. One of Sarah and Angus’ identical twin girls dies in an accident but it becomes unclear which one died. Full of twists and turns, I loved it!

Just read from library BorrowBox scheme Three Hours by Rosamund Upton. I really enjoyed it which I didn’t expect. I’m also reading and listening to author Abir Mukherjee - detective books set in India in 1900s - really enjoyed first two now on book 3.

Just finished my first book of the year, Nest of Vipers by Andrea Camilleri. I love an Italian detective and Camilleri’s Montalbano books are very easy reads. Now about to start The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce. I read The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by this author a year or two ago, another easy but enjoyable read which is all I’m in the mood for at the moment.

I'm not sure who recommended it now, but I have nearly finished reading 'The Man I Think I Know' by Mike Gayle, and have enjoyed it so much. I will certainly add him to my list of favourite authors. Thank you.

I've read that one Patsy along with many Mike Gayle books. He's a fellow Brummie. Half a World Away and All the Lonely People are my favourites.

I’m only 20% through this week’s book choice of mine. It’s non fiction and I’m enjoying it but I’ve done 2 full days of childcare this week. Plus I get sidetracked by my addiction to GN.
?
Last year I read close on 90 books.
This year I’m aiming for one book a week.
Pacing myself and doing other stuff a bit more too!

I do love to read these posts & get some ideas. Thank you.

No 1 The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal. I loved it! A gothic tale set at the time of the Great Exhibition and involving twins, the aforementioned doll factory and Pre-Raphaelit artists. Someone will surely turn it into a film or tv series.

I love this thread. I tend to go through fazes and I don't think I read one last year got hooked on 5d painting but this has renewed my passion Think I will start with Obama's book
might get it on Audible as well so I can do my crafts at the same time

Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is amazing. I didn’t want it to end.

Following recent events in the USA I have decided my next read will be William L Shirer’s excellent book on The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I read it some years ago, it’s an in depth look at the events that led to WW2, events which have helped to shape the world we live in. It’s a very weighty tome and fortunately now available as an audiobook.

annsixty

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.

annsixty I have enjoyed reading the novels of Louise Penny and her Chief Inspector Gamache; set in Canada. The first one is “Still Life”. Have also enjoyed the books written by Peter James on Superintendent Roy Grace - the first one is called “Dead Simple”

I have read seven chapters of “Shuggie Bain” and so far I have never read anything so unremittingly bleak and devoid of hope and expectation. I don’t usually give up on books, but can anyone tell me whether this is all that I can expect from it?

Just finished my no2 book Loving Harry Joan Fallon. An easy read which I enjoyed but it won't be in my top reads of 2021. I am now embarking on Lethal White the fourth of Robert Galbraith's marathon Strike novels.

I will be interested to hear what people make of Shuggy Bain Greyduster it was is on my to be read pile.

Did you find one or two of the Roy Grace books not up to the usual standard GrannyOwl
I did think there were a couple of pot boilers amongst them.
Generally though I enjoyed the series.
One of my other favourites is the Simon Serailler series ( tongue twister) by Susan Hill. Awaiting the next one its been a while.

@Blossoming I read that on my kindle (Rise and Fall of the 3rd Reich), having re-read his Berlin Diary after a gap of many years. My DF had bought the Berlin D either just before, or during the early days of WW2.

It’s not the sort of thing I’d usually read at all, but I found it absolutely un-putdownable. Not to mention a horrifying lesson in how such people can rise to power, and their utter ruthlessness once there.

I’ve finished book 3, Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink. It’s a memoir about reading and how books have helped the author through difficult times. I enjoy books about reading and this was good, but I enjoyed The Reading Cure by Laura Freeman and Bookworm by Lucy Mangan more. I’m now reading The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley, the 5th in the Seven Sisters series. Quite a tome (738 pages) so should keep me quiet for a while!

Just finished The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy - unputdownable! Just started Brick Lane by Monica Ali for our February Book Club.

My number 3 is ‘This time next year’ by Sophie Cousens. It was ok (not my typical genre and read for book club). I’ve just started ‘The Man who saw Everything’ by Deborah Levy which I hope will be a bit more substantive.

I’ve loved ‘The Seven Sisters’ series *jenniewren’. Did you know the last in the series is due out in spring this year? May, I think.

I'm reading a hand-me-down book to take my mind off all the bad news:
Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde; a romantic skip through the antiques business.

annsixty I really enjoyed detective stories set in Ancient Rome by Steven Saylor, the Roma Sub Rosa series about Gordianus the Finder, if you want something different.
Then there is the Shardlake series of historical mystery novels by C. J. Sansom, set in the reign of Henry VIII in the 16th century.

I can recommend ‘3 hours’ by Rosamund Lupton. Couldn’t put it down

Ready to start reading One More Croissant for the Road by Felicity Cloake. Described as part travelogue, part food memoir. Sounds just right for dark winter afternoons.

I've just finished number four. Number three was Murder in Midwinter, a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie and the one l have just read was The Glass House by Eve Chase. I really enjoyed this one. Just remembered. That was number five. Number four was The Woman Who Kept Everything by Jane Gilley. I was expecting to enjoy this one much more than l did. I found it repetitive with an obvious storyline and the colloquialisms were wrong for the area it was set in.

Now that I have started term time l don't expect to read as many books as quickly as this.