2023 - 50 BOOK CHALLENGE

Hellogirl1 I’m where you are, but with Kate Atkinson’s latest. Hoping it wins me over (I love other books of hers) but it is seeming too sprawling for me. And thanks Pigma - strongly tempted by the Jon McGregor but I’m grateful for your cautionary note. Heigh ho my bedtime reading atm - in line with Sparklefizz’s thinking - is escapist Nancy Mitford!

Still reading An April Shroud, not really enjoying it, but determined to finish.

Thanks Pigma and Granfromafar for your comments re "Chemistry". I've started "Mother's Boy" by Patrick Gale now and am enjoying that so will go back to "Chemistry" later.

I know that sometimes we just have to be in the right mood for a book, depending on what's going on in our life, and can return to it another time and then enjoy it. (Or is that just me?)

Finished book 6 - Lean, Fall, Stand by Jon McGregor. A beautiful well-written book, his writing is so ‘clean’ and understated but nonetheless packs a mighty, unflinching punch. Can’t say I exactly enjoyed it, it’s not an ‘enjoyable’ story but I was gripped by it and it’s the sort of book that stays with you and gives you plenty of food for thought. My favourite of the year so far and I’m not sure what to follow it with. Still on with the Michelle Obama in between times.

No.5-Thoroughly enjoyed The Poppy Girls by Margaret Dickinson. WW1 saga with heartbreaking descriptions of life in the trenches/volunteer nurses. A great story; educational and well written.

Now starting No.6 Ruth Rendell's 'Shake Hand's Forever'.

Would add that I have some Chemistry knowledge but it's not needed to read this book as it's more about the Chemistry between individuals.

Sparklefizz

I am 80 pages into "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. Has anyone else read it? It's ok but I'm not particularly enjoying it .... is it worth sticking with? Does it become really good later on? I know it was in The Times Bestseller List for quite a while but not sure if that's any great recommendation.

I have just finished Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and loved it! I bought it for a Christmas present to myself after seeing it recommended on Between the Covers (BBC 2 Sarah Cox) I think it does get better as you go through the book so stick with it. Has a good twist at the end. Would thoroughly recommend it.

Sparklefizz - I read Lessons in Chemistry way back when it first came out, before a lot of the hype, and I quite enjoyed it. But that’s the trouble, isn’t it, when a book then gets jumped on and hyped up, you expect more from it and it doesn’t always deliver. As I say, I quite enjoyed it but it didn’t totally grip me. Persevere and see what you think when you’ve read it.

Book 3 The Lost Hours by Susan Lewis. I am half way through and I can't put it down. Who dunnit????

lovely thread, my first time for this, i read quite a lot on borrowbox last year and bought quite a few books before xmas which i have not yet started, will hopefully manage 25 this year and if no major distractions will make 50.

TerriBull I have just read some of the reviews on Amazon to see what people are saying about it. Several say that it doesn't live up to the hype.

Meanwhile I have come home from the library with an armful of books to read!! Yay! I love that feeling of anticipation. I think I'll put aside "Chemistry" for the time being and dive into something that really excites me.

Sparklefizz

I am 80 pages into "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. Has anyone else read it? It's ok but I'm not particularly enjoying it .... is it worth sticking with? Does it become really good later on? I know it was in The Times Bestseller List for quite a while but not sure if that's any great recommendation.

I've got on my library wish list, haven't actually ordered it yet. A couple of posters on GN, maybe not on this thread, seemed to have enjoyed it. It's like that with some books though a lot of hype raises expectations, I've often felt like you do SF when reading some very well reviewed books.

No 3 Mrs Harris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico. I hadn’t heard of it before the film came out. A very sweet read.

I am 80 pages into "Lessons in Chemistry" by Bonnie Garmus. Has anyone else read it? It's ok but I'm not particularly enjoying it .... is it worth sticking with? Does it become really good later on? I know it was in The Times Bestseller List for quite a while but not sure if that's any great recommendation.

I finished #2 last night, Skinner’s Mission by Quintin Jardine. I enjoyed it, but it was written 25 years ago and I’m not sure his portrayal of 2 key female characters (his late first wife and the first murder victim) would be comfortably received nowadays.

Next up will be Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead, another charity shop purchase.

Ulick`s Daughter was alright, but not great. Just about to start book 6, An April Shroud, by Reginald Hill, a Dalziel and Pascoe book.

Pigma
I will be interested in your opinion of Lean, Fall, Stand

I loved The Moth, now reading book 5, Ulick`s Daughter, by Joy Martin, but not too sure about it yet.

Book 1 finished - Death’s Jest Book by Reginald Hill. Thoroughly enjoyed the mix of gothic, who done it and humour, found it hard to put down.

As I thought, book 5 was a quick, light read - The Tick of Two Clocks by Joan Bakewell. Lovely read about ageing, downsizing, reminiscing and touches of art, literature, architecture, gardens and things appertaining to our sense of ‘home’. A nice interesting read. On to book 6 - Lean, Fall, Stand by Jon McGregor (enjoyed Reservoir 13 so looking forward to this one) and alongside will be book 7 -The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama (read her memoir, Becoming, last year). They should keep me going for a while!

Pigma

Had to giggle to myself, just seen on the DM website a picture of a book shop window with copies of Spare next to copies of How To Kill Your Family! Won’t be reading one of those but just remembered How Yo Kill Your Family was a good read last year!

I loved How To Kill Your Family, yes definitely used to good effect in that window display

#3 Carry On Jeeves P G Wodehouse.
An audio book read by the incomparable Stephen Fry. It was an undemanding enjoyable listen.

Had to giggle to myself, just seen on the DM website a picture of a book shop window with copies of Spare next to copies of How To Kill Your Family! Won’t be reading one of those but just remembered How Yo Kill Your Family was a good read last year!

Sparklefizz - yes, I was thinking the same!

Have just finished my first book of 2023 - took me a while! The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. If you want a seriously weird but really well-written debut novel, this is it. It's about the residents of La Lapiniere (yes!), an affordable housing complex in the U.S. and their lives, particularly that of the 'heroine'.