*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

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Adult non-fiction: I am currently reading 'Diary of a Young Naturalist' by Dara McAnulty. It is beautifully written and so interesting - nature viewed through the eyes of a young teenager.

Children's novel: 'Abigay's Farm - One girl's determination to succeed against the odds' by Odette Elliott (me!) It has twins, grandparents, a diverse family. Described by Candy Gourlay Carnegie Shortlisted author of Tall Story as "A warm embrace of a story filed with family love amidst the grit and charm of a farm setting'". See my website www.odetteelliott.co.uk

I see we've read quite a few of the same books Maggie, I realise it's a bit of a tall order asking everyone to put their whole year's list up, but that's what they do on MN which is where I lifted the thread from. As it is I left these 3 off my list. Crooked Heart Lissa Hall which definitely one of my bests. Missing Pieces Tim Weaver, which I didn't care for and Circe Madeline Miller, which I quite enjoyed

Hope all the regulars from 2021 will continue to post on the new thread.

The Silence by Susan Allott

A story interwoven between a missing person and the Stolen Generation in Australia.

I love these threads - thank you, TerriBull! Before I look at the new one, I’ll follow your lead and list all my 2021 reads, with my score out of 10 for each.

1. Mine, Susi Fox 6
2. The Carer, Deborah Moggach 9
3. Hide and Seek, M J Arlidge 6
4. Seven Sisters, Lucinda Riley 7
5. The Boy Between, Amanda Prowse 6
6. Covent Garden Ladies, H Rubenhold 6
7. Big Sky, Kate Atkinson 9
8. My Dark Vanessa, Kate Russell 5
9. A Darker Domain, Val McDermid 8
10. Olive, Again, Elizabeth Strout 7
11. Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney 6
12. Lockdown, Peter May 6
13. The Family Upstairs, Lisa Jewell 5
14. Then She Was Gone, Lisa Jewell 5
15. Such A Fun Age, Kiley Reid 9
16. A Song for the Dark Times, Ian Rankin 6
17. The Ninth Child, Sally Magnussen 8
18. The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris 7
19. The Gran Tour, Ben Aitken 7
20. The Fallout, Rebecca Thornton 4
21. The Mermaids Calling, Val McDermid 7
22. Hamnet, Maggie O’Farrell 9
23. A Man Called Ove, Fredrick Backman 8
24. Secrets of a Serial Killer, Rosie Walker 6
25. The Guest List, Lucy Foley 6
26. Die Alone, Simon Kernick 5
27. Resistance, Val McDermid 7
28. Where the Crawdads Sing 9
29. Handle With Care, R Hearson 7
30. The Other Boleyn Girl, Philippa Gregory 6
31. Shots Fired, C J Box 7
32. The Quiet Girl, S F Kosa 8
33. The Midnight Library, Matt Haig 8
34. The Swimming Pool, L Candlish 6
35. The Twenty Three, Linwood Barclay 4
36. Too Much and Never Enough, Mary L Trump 6
37. When No one is Watching, Alyssa Cole 4
38. This Boy, Alan Johnson 8
39. Shuggie Bain, Douglas Stuart 9
40. Girl Zero, A A Dhand 7
41. All in a Day’s Work, Chris Helme 6
42. The Palm Beach Murders, James Pattinson 6
43. A Simple Murder, Linda Castillo 6
44. An Unlikely Pilgrimage, Rachel Joyce 7
45. The House We Grew Up In, Lisa Jewell 8
46. The Wives, Tarryn Fisher 6
47. Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro 9
48. Us Three, Ruth Jones 6
49. The House Guest, Mark Edwards 4
50. The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of A Window and Disappeared, Jonas Jonasson, 6
51. The Appeal, J Hallett 9
52. The Heights, Louise Candlish 8
53. Christmas is Murder, Val McDermid 3
54. Silent Sisters, Ann Cusack 8
55. One Good Lie, Jane Isaac 6

All the 9s came very close to a 10.

I think I need to start a new challenge just realised we're not in 2021 anymore!

The House between Tides by Sarah Maine...it drew me in after a few starts , it turned out to be a lovely book.
Stolen Children by Michael Wood... A dc Matilda Darke novel, the usual murders with a few twists, it was ok.
Speak your Truth by Fearne Cotton...a self-help book to aid you to be honest in your life, very author centred, in fact I stopped reading half-way due to the overuse of one letter.."i" not impressed.

I finally finished Eye of Time by Ben Cousins, #86 and The Lumsden Baby by C.F. Roe, #87, this morning in the early hours. I have really enjoyed this challenge and had hoped to read 100 books this year. Never mind. It would be great to start a similar thread in 2022.

Hurrah, I’ve just finished my fiftieth book!

#50. Ardnish by Angus Macdonald. It’s a prequel to a Scottish family saga. Enjoyable although not high literature.

And now…onto 2022’s books - I hope you’ll be starting a new thread, Terribull? I do so enjoy them!

Terribull, alas, I spend more time reading than I should, but it`s been my main pleasure for as long as I can remember.

I am a good way through #88 Moon Over Soho Ben Aaronovitch. The second in the Rivers of London series.
I am enjoying it very much but won't finish before Midnight. Does it count for 2021 or should it be #1 for 2022? I think I shall call it #88 and start something fresh for next year.
Sorry I don't think I can list them all.

Hellogirl1

I`m still on book 136, hoping to finish by midnight tomorrow, but doubtful

OMG! Hellogirl, book 136 amazing! On the other hand, I wouldn't want to compile your list

Sorry, can't remember the others but have just finished

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home
by Joanna Nell

I`m still on book 136, hoping to finish by midnight tomorrow, but doubtful

Well, I finished "The Clockmaker's Daughter and have just started
#44 - History of the Rain by Niall Williams.
It was a gift; I've never read anything by him before, a completely new Irish author to me, who was recommended. So far, 'interesting' is the best I can do but I'm getting into it. It is set in Co Clare in Ireland so I'm enjoying that bit .....
I'll not finish it before next year!! so I'm a bit disappointed with my total. I was hoping to make the 50 at least.
I have read some 'long' books tho'!!!
Happy New Year everyone.

21 My name is Elizabeth Lucy Barton

As we are at the end of the year, almost, anyone wanting to list all their books, best ones in bold. Do so here. Mine went as follows:

1 Mun and Dad Joanna Trollope
2 Such a Fun Age Kiely Reid
3 The Benefit of Hindsight Susan Hill
4 My Dark Vanessa Kate Elizabeth Russell
5 The Artemis File Adam Loxley
6 Forgive Me Susan Lewis
7 The Night Hawks Ellie Griffiths
8 The Midnight Library Matt Haig
9 Real Tigers Mick Heron
10 Still Life Val McDermid
11 A Friend of the Family Lisa Jewell
12 The Burning Air Erin Kelly
13 The Red Room Nicci French
14 The Lies You Told Harriet Tyce
15 Little Disasters Sarah Vaughan
16 The Salt Path Raynor Wynn
17 Hamnet Maggie O'Farrell
18 Ralph's Party Lisa Jewell
19 Take Six Girls - The Lives of the Mitford Sisters Laura Thompson
20 The Farm at the Edge of the World Sarah Vaughan
21 My Name is Elizabeth Barton - Elizabeth Strout
22 The Darkest Evening Anne Cleeves
23 The Radium Girls Kate Moore
24 The Appeal Janice Hallett
25 The Dinner Guest B P Walter
26 The Catch T M Logan
27 Lowborn Kerry Hudson
28 The Postscript Murders Ellie Griffths
29 The Push Ashley Audrain
30 Five Little Pigs Agatha Christie
31 Lord Edgware Dies Agatha Christie
32 Black Coffee Agatha Christie
33 The Maidens Alex Michaelides
34 The Secret Place Tana French
35 Greenwich Park Katherine Faulkner
36 The Vanishing Half Brit Bennet
37 Follow You Peter James
38 Believe Me J P Delaney
39 The Leopard Guiseppe Di Lampedusa
40 Home Stretch Graham Norton
41 Hostage Claire Mackintosh
42 The Night She Disappeared Lisa Jewell
43 Homecoming Susie Steiner
44 Ghosts Dolly Alderton
45 Everyone is still Alive Kathy Rentzenbrink
46 1979 Val McDermid
47 Brazzaville Beach William Boyd
48 Girl A Abigail Dean
49 Sorrow and Bliss Meg Mason
50 The Heights Louise Candlish
51 The Missing Sister Lucinda Riley
52 Death du Jour - Kathy Reichs
53 The Heron's Cry Anne Cleeves
54 Left You Dead Peter James
55 Small Pleasures Clair Chambers

That's me done for 2021!! Anyone else ?

My final two books of the year

54 Left you Dead - Peter James latest Roy Grace quite enjoyable, a shattering development in his personal life, will say no more than that would be a spoiler for Roy Grace fans.

55 Small Pleasures - Claire Chambers as you say Sue Donin "a bit of an odd tale" having said that I did like it, I thought the writer evoked England of the late 1950s really well, complete with steam trains and London smog. Post rationing but the food sounded pretty grim nevertheless Well before the dawning of the 1960s a decade that brought some seismic changes. The story slow at first gained momentum towards the end, I liked the conclusion but it was abrupt, I did really want to know how the stoic Jean was going to cope when the s**t hit the fan, although as far as her mother was concerned, given that she'd taken to her bed, I'd have just encouraged her to stay there!

#86 Murder by Magic Glynn Stewart. A novella that I wanted to be longer so I suppose I enjoyed it. Anyway it passed the time.
#87 The Seven Sisters Lucinda Riley. I was disappointed to find it over long and tedious in places as so many people have raved about the series. It was though quite enjoyable and the next one may be better. I was given the next one in the series so I will probably read it sometime. I really need something special to end the year but haven't decided what.

48 The Last Piece by Imogen Clark.

49 House of Glass by Hadley Freeman. It’s the story of her Jewish grandmother’s family and how they fared in the early years of the 20thC and during WW2.

Now to quickly read a fiftieth book before midnight on 31st!

I really enjoyed The Guardian Angel. My next book will be the latest in a series by Anton du Bek, it`s called We`ll Meet Again. I enjoyed the other 3, so expect to enjoy this as well.

I started off well and intended to keep posting here, but I see my last update was in March . I have kept track of my books though and I expect to finish #52 this afternoon, might make it to 53 by Hogmanay.

I will only list my highs and lows
10/10
1. A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier. My book of the year, absolutely wonderful
2. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. A re-read, before reading the sequel
3. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout. Equally good

9/10
1. The Hours Before Dawn by Celia Fremlin. Written about 50 years ago, but still a great read
2. A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purcell. The incredible true story of Virginia Hall, who worked behind enemy lines during WW2
3. December by Elizabeth Winthrop
4. The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
5. Still Life by Val McDermid
6. The Foundling by Stacey Halls
7. Big Brother by Lionel Shriver
8. The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
9. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
10. A Place of Execution by Val McDermid
11. The Vanishing Half by Brid Bennett

At the other end, these are the books I gave up on, something I hate doing.
1. Motherwell by Deborah Orr
2. First Love by Gwendoline Riley (only 150 pages, but even that was too long)
3. We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver (interesting this author also made it into my top books of the year, above)

#67. Aftermath by Peter Robinson.

Loved Earthly Joys, was surprised to find out that the min character and his family actually existed. Book 134 was The Dark Path by Michelle Sacks, not over impressed by it, hate books without inverted commas for conversation. Now reading book 135, The Guardian Angel, by Elizabeth Gill, liking it so far.