2023 - 50 BOOK CHALLENGE

These two sneaked in before I got to start my Richard Osman. They were both e-books, which are much more practical for me as I can read in bed without disturbing DH.

6. Cold Blooded Murder, Brad Hunter

I don’t know what it says about me that this came up as “recommended for you” by my library service, but it was interesting (20 tales of true crime).

7. One Last Secret, Adele Parks

This went off slightly towards the end when it all got a bit too far fetched for words. But the main character is an escort by trade and I think the author depicted her life and her back history very well. I enjoyed the twists.

Thanks Juno56 I’ll give it a try, a good narration is something to be treasured. I’m partially sighted so a lot of my books are audio ones. I can still read on my iPad but much more slowly than I used to.

teabagwoman

Book 7 - The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. Kept seeing this series recommended so thought I’d give it a try. Liked the concept and found it quite entertaining but not sure I’d rush to read another.

I thought the same when I read The Rivers of London teabagwoman. However, I saw that the library had the audiobook of the sequel Moon Over Soho available so I gave it a go. The narrator Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is absolutely brilliant and now this series (all narrated by Kobna) is one of my favourites.

TerriBull Meanwhile still reeling from the shock on the detective book thread when a poster there who is reading the latest Ruth Galloway has said this will be the last one

OH NO !!!

Juno
I too came late to the series, I think I’ve read three, but will definitely continue, don’t know how I missed them for so many years

#4 The Muse by Jessie Burton.

Since I am ahead with my target of 50 books (at least) this year, I may brave The Ink Black Heart Robert Galbraith for my next book. I think it will take a big chunk of February to finish, it's a monster 😲!

#9 Dying Fall Elly Griffiths.
This is number 5 in the Ruth Galloway series and takes place in and around Blackpool rather than the familiar North Norfolk of the earlier books. I came late to this series and am really enjoying them. I have many other books on my TBR list to read first but I will definitely continue with the series at some point.

This week I finished 'Murder before Evensong' by Rev Richard Coles in time to start Elly Griffiths' latest (and probably last) Ruth Galloway mystery and now I am enjoying 'Untold Story' by Monica Ali. I think on my wish list there's a recent book by Ann Tyler I've been intending to read.

Thank you Sparkefizz, when I get it which won't be immediately, I'll be sure to come back here and let you know.

Meanwhile still realing from the shock on the detective book thread when a poster there who is reading the latest Ruth Galloway has said this will be the last one. 😨

Thanks, Sparklefizz, I think I’ll put it on the reserve list for now then, I did wonder if that would be the case.
LadyGaGa, I found the third book much better, sort of made sense of it all. Hope you enjoy it.

TerriBull As everyone has been discussing how good Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton, is I feel I must read it and have added it to my library wish list. I read "Sister" by her quite a long time ago, I wasn't that keen on it so haven't picked up any of her books since.

Three Hours is much better than Sister, which wasn't one of Rosamund Lupton's best (imo). Hope you like it.

Pigma oh, not sure what to think now about The Seven Husbands. Is it worth my while getting it out of the library to re-finish or shall I crack on with the current pile? Hmmm…

Well, think of it like this .... if you didn't particularly enjoy the bit you read, you are just going to get more of the same but with a different man each time, plus a woman, as she moves on from one lover/husband to the next.

Book 7 - The Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. Kept seeing this series recommended so thought I’d give it a try. Liked the concept and found it quite entertaining but not sure I’d rush to read another.

I loved The Mesmerist. Now reading book 17, a nice bit of light reading, The Cornish Midwife, by Jo Bartlett, liking it a lot.

Just finished #4. The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. Rachel Joyce. Second in the trilogy ( after The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry) It said on the back it was charming and uplifting, but I found it a bit miserable to be honest. I found both books a little off the date they were meant to be set. Characters seemed dated and the way most people acted and dressed was like something from the fifties. I think that part of the problem was that I couldn’t really warm to Queenie. However, I have the last book about Harold’s wife Maureen and I will read it to see her take on things.

#8. How The Dead Speak by Val McDermid.

Didn't like JP's 'Steal'. It seemed muddled. I think I'll stick to the books that he writes alone in future.

So now a change of genre as starting Erica James 'Letters from the past' as my no.13

Sparklefizz - oh, not sure what to think now about The Seven Husbands. Is it worth my while getting it out of the library to re-finish or shall I crack on with the current pile? Hmmm…
If you are at a loss for your next book then definitely start the Shardlake series - but be warned, you will be hooked!

I've finished The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I'm not sure what to say about it really. The filmstar lifestyle and Hollywood in general sounded pretty awful to me - very shallow and not at all what I'd like myself. (Apologies but I found myself thinking of Meghan Markle all the time, especially since reading Tom Bower's book about her and all the hustling she did in her career... all verified facts.)

I do wonder why this book has spent so long in the bestseller lists ... maybe because it's something different.

Not sure what to read next......

Enjoying The Mesmerist

I enjoyed it a lot too Sarah, but as you say not in the same league as Life After Life and A God in Ruins.

As everyone has been discussing how good Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton, is I feel I must read it and have added it to my library wish list. I read "Sister" by her quite a long time ago, I wasn't that keen on it so haven't picked up any of her books since.

Book7
Kate Atkinson - Shrines of Gaiety
A hedonistic romp through post war London, many of you have already read it, so I won’t drone on,
Initially I wasn’t sure it was in the same league as Life after Life, and a A God in Ruins, but it grew in me, until I couldn’t put it down.
I did find some of the characters rather stereotyped, but that didn’t spoil it, enjoyed it a lot.

No 6 Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton. Thanks are due to the various people here who recommended this book! It’s not the sort of book I’d normally pick up but it was 99p on Kindle so away I went. It’s so clever! How on Earth do you begin writing a book like that? So many aspects to it. It’s a book that will definitely stay with me.

So pleased SueDonim, Sara1954 and Litterpicker that you enjoyed Three Hours that much. It's a book that has stayed with me.

Have any of you read Rosamund Lupton's "Afterwards" (no, it's not a sequel) It's also gripping in a completely different way. I like her writing.

I'm still ploughing through "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" and liking it more than I expected but the shallow world of Hollywood doesn't interest me much. Another 100 odd pages to go and I can move on.