2023 - 50 BOOK CHALLENGE

Diggingdoris

No.2 finished. Liz Lawler's I'll find you. Absolutely brilliant! Unputdownable! Thrilling from start to finish.

No.3 starting James Patterson-'Murder beyond the grave'-two real crime cases.

On your recommendation Digging I have just reserved this at the library.

Am feeling very chuffed. Have just ordered ‘Standing In The Shadows’ from the library, I presume the last Alan Banks novel as Peter Robinson has died, sadly, and I am first in the queue!

Just finished book no2, the Joanna Trollope "Mum and Dad".
I have read it before, but still loved it.
Now started no3, an Ann Cleeves book, "Thin Air".

I've given up in the Branwell Brontë book - too heavy. So book 3 is Bob Mortimer's autobiography.

No 2 A Spool of Blue Thread Anne Tyler I have been going through my Kindle books to see if any are unread. I didn't know that I had not started this one so I have been reading it over the last couple of days. It was lovely, just a story about a family dealing with family issues. It made me consider a family issue that is ongoing with me at the moment and I realised that I had taken it for granted that my daughter knew I appreciated her support. I put that right today and made sure she knew and it was quite emotional, so I am really glad I did.

My #2 Barbara Kingsolver ‘Demon Copperhead’. Kingsolver bases herself on Dickens’ identification with the underclass and tells a growing up story of a victim of the US opioid scandal. Didn’t quite take flight for me like her ‘Poisonwood Bible’ or some of Dickens’s passion/imagination but what an insight into depressed area America.

Again as with my first read this year I did find the US context a bit distancing. I’d recommend Keene’s ‘Empire of Pain’ though for a non-fiction insight into Purdue Pharma’s mis-selling.

Thanks Pigma. Just been on Amazon and ordered the last book. Looking forward to reading them.

Just started book 2 - Klara and the Sun by
Kazuo Ishiguro

#3 Sara Nisha Adams ‘The Reading List’ focuses on mental health as tackled by reading - so quite a didactic tale but overall a very sweet one. And it’s great to be reminded of books we’ve read, and to get recommendations, isn’t it?

Oh and a warm welcome to everyone joining this thread. I joined in last year and have loved it. See you again soon (soonish - I’ve a chunky book next).

Cs783 I don't think any of Barbara Kingsolver's other books have matched her "Poisonwood Bible".

I also thought The Poisonwood Bible was absolutely brilliant, but haven't read any of her others, I imagine she set a very high bar with that one.

You're right Terri. It must be very hard to follow up when an author has had a runaway blockbuster.

Finished Murder beyond the grave by James Patterson in record time as they were 2 short easy reads, but enjoyable.

No.4 starting one of his (JP) bookshots that I picked up at my hospice shop. Deadly Cargo, written with Will Jordan. Only short, but ideal to read in the waiting room while my car is being serviced.

No 2. Close to Where the Heart Gives Out by Malcolm Alexander. It’s an account of a year in the life of a doctor and his family on a small island in Orkney.

I spotted an Oxfam bookshop in a nearby town at the weekend! A new source of books for me.

pandapatch I enjoyed Klara and the Sun. Didn’t think I would because I’m not into futuristic/fantasy etc but I love the author so gave it a go. Beautifully written and moving. His books are all so different.

Loved The Anatomy of a Scandal - very pertinent to the last year in the corridors of power,I felt. Book no 2 - The Appeal - made me laugh out loud..I bought it to share with others. Did anyone else think of The Archers when they read it? Book no 3 is the latest from the Thursday club murder- solvers, so I'm in safe hands there, and am confident that I'll enjoy my time with them.

Oh, I didn’t get on with Poisonwood Bible first time round, will add it to my ‘try again’ list and have another go.

I have given up with *The Ink Black Heart". I just can't be bothered with all the text and tweet messages which form part of the storyline. It was a Xmas present so I'll keep it on my shelves and perhaps go back to it another time.

I've now moved on to Book No. 3, by Diane Chamberlain entitled The Escape Artist. It's an easy read but nothing special.

Has anyone read Girl A by Abigail Dean? I read it last year and it's absolutely gripping.

No.4 Deadly Cargo finished; was a bit like a Bond movie in my head as I read it.

No.5 A change of genre needed, so started Margaret Dickinson's 'The Poppy Girls'. Have read several of her sagas and always enjoyable as well as educational. This one is set in WW1.

I read Klara and The Sun last year. I don’t like Sci-Fi much so was pleased that I really liked Klara.

#2. Insidious Intent by Val McDermid.

Sparklefizz - yes, O have read Girl A and, yes, it was brilliant. Without saying too much, my career used to be working around this area and she did an excellent job in this book. Definitely a memorable one.

Finished book no 4, People Like Her by husband and wife team Ellery Lloyd. Enjoyed this book very much as I don’t know much about the world of social media, instagramming, Facebook etc. and how it can be used to portray people in a very different way. Also some not very nice people out there but I suppose it is par for the course if you put yourself out there. Very thought-provoking and not too heavy a read. Onto book 5, The Ticking of Two Clocks by Joan Bakewell about ageing (didn’t realise she is in her late eighties) and downsizing. Should be a quick read so will select a library book from my current stash to read alongside.

I loved Dead Souls, now on book 4, The Moth, by Catherine Cookson, haven`t read anything by her for a while, enjoying it.

Pigma

Sparklefizz - yes, O have read Girl A and, yes, it was brilliant. Without saying too much, my career used to be working around this area and she did an excellent job in this book. Definitely a memorable one.

Pigma We seem to enjoy similar books