Book 79, Home, by Harlan Coben. Very enjoyable, with a good twist at the end.
Sometimes it’s just the small things that press the bruise isn’t it? 😢
Gransnet forums
Books/book club
THE BRAND NEW 2024 50 BOOK CHALLENGE
(1001 Posts)Good Morning and a Happy New Year to all.
Well here it is on this new year's day, the brand new 50 book challenge and hope that all our regular posters will continue to contribute and anyone new who enjoys their books will consider joining us.
For the benefit of anyone who isn't familiar with this thread, I will run through my introductory spiel. Firstly I would like to point out that if you are someone who thinks that you wouldn't read 50 books in a year but would still be interested in joining in, don't let that number put you off, do come here and join us anyway, particularly if you think you would enjoy ongoing discussions about books which is the essence of this book challenge. This is a thread that I filched from MN, over there they have two threads running concurrently, one for 50 books a year and one for 25. Our reading community here on GN is relatively small so I think it's preferable to keep us as one group allowing for the fact that we all read at different rates, given time constraints or whatever else we have going on in our lives.
The choice of books you opt for is entirely up to you, anything is permissible, fiction, non fiction and I would particularly like to stress your reading material doesn't have to be a novel if you want to opt for something factual, biographies, memoirs, even a children's book if you want to revisit a childhood favourite maybe, audio/Audible. Again how you post is down to you, merely list your books, maybe a brief description, or feel free to waffle on, I do, particularly if I've been enthused about a book I've read. Sometimes we interject and comment on other posters choices, more often than not agreeing with their opinions, and taking up recommendations, occasionally interjecting with our own dislike of maybe one they have favoured, but always with a view of agreeing to disagree. Books as with most other forms of entertainment are subjective and will of course divide opinions as well.
I hope I have outlined all the relevant points for anyone who is contemplating joining us and I would like to wish everyone a happy year's reading and all the best for 2024.
I have truly fallen by the wayside with this book challenge, not having posted since New Year’s Day! I finished the two books mentioned then, went on to re-read the Wolf Hall Trilogy, Natalie Haynes “Divine Might” and also her preceding “Pandora’s Jar”; a book of poems by Murray Lachlan Young called “How Freakin’ Zeitgeist are You?” Then DD brought back a pile of books she said I had lent to her. One was Joanna Trollope’s “City of Friends”, which I could remember neither owning nor reading. I had never read Joanna Trollope so I gave it a go, and couldn’t put it down. Not at all the sort of subject matter I normally see myself diving into, but it draws you in! Then I remembered (at ten past three this morning) that many many moons ago it came to me, unsolicited, through Gransnet as a “book of the month.” I wish Id bothered to read it earlier.
Next book will be Kathleen Jamie’s “Sightlines”.
#17. Alan Judd: A Fine Madness
Another librarian choice for our book club.
Looked forward to reading it and the circumstances around the death of Christopher (Kit) Marlowe, the writer of Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine the Great, The Jew of Malta and others. While this book was interesting from the point of view of the author’s clear research into the period, this fiction felt disappointingly flat. Would not recommend.
#16. Kia Abdullah: Next of Kin
Read for my book club. First experience of this author. Begins with the death of a child, left by the main character in her car in unbearable heat. There follows a court room drama which reveals a conspiracy of lies, hidden secrets, deception, intriguing couple dynamics and sibling rivalry both in and out of the court room. A real page turner....but holes in the plot mean that it ultimately lacks credibility.
#15. Sam Bourne:To Kill the President
Passed on to me by a friend, after discussion of American politics today.
The United States has elected a volatile demagogue as president, backed by his chief strategist, Crawford ‘Mac’ McNamara. The president is never named but there is no doubt he is, in every respect, President Trump, for whom Sam Bourne (the pen name for The Guardian, journalist Jonathan Freedland, has an undisguised hatred. Trump had become President in January 2017. Bourne’s book was published just six months later. Given the frightening prospect of another Trump term in office, it’s all too terrifyingly close for comfort.
#14. Antoine Laurain: Vintage 1954.
Read for village event: evening of French wine, cheese,and book discussion
Four 21st century characters are transported back to the Paris of 1954 with the sights, smells, sounds, tastes and personalities of that era, from Edith Piaf to Salvador Dali to Francois Truffaut to Jean Gabin. The city of the past works its magic on the people from today in a fairytale-like, light-hearted and charming story. A nostalgic, escapist and quirky book. I enjoyed it.
Musicgirl
I agree. Listing recommendations for future reading...I should live so long 
I'm really enjoying reading about everyone else's book choices and reviews - this is definitely my favourite thread on GN. We've nearly filled it by May. It's obviously a thread like Topsy: it growed and growed and growed.
30-The day the floods came-M.C.Beaton-Another light hearted murder mystery with Agatha Raisin trying to find why there is a dead young girl dressed in her bridal outfit floating in the river. As usual a short light hearted whodunnit but makes a nice change from some of the thrillers that need a lot of concentration.
#34. Return To The Italian Quarter by Domenica De Rosa (real name of Elly Griffiths).
Book 17 The Sleeping and the Dead by Ann Cleeves. One of the first books she wrote.
#17 was The Hanging Wood by Martin Edwards, another murder mystery set in the Lake District, but much better ad more gripping than the last one I read. I can thoroughly recommend it.
Book 78, The Rag Maid, by Catherine Cookson. I love her books, but it`s a while since I last read one. Liked this one, a lot.
#20 The Ward Witch Sarah Painter.
I enjoyed the Crow Investigations series by the author and this is the first in her new series. It is about a strange, almost sentient, remote island in the North Sea and its small group of residents, some of whom are not quite human and all have a story. Esme is the 'witch' responsible for maintaining the wards that keep tourists from staying longer than two days. Luke arrives looking for information about his missing twin and for some reason the island allows him to stay beyond the usual time. Then one of the long time residents is killed. I enjoyed it and may look for book two.
AliBeeee As you liked Road Ends by Mary Lawson you would probably like her other books, and I can recommend them.
#28 was Outback by Patricia Wolf. Set in small town, outback Australia, 2 German backpackers go missing. A federal agent, visiting his sick grandmother in the town where he grew up, gets involved in running the investigation into their disappearance. He is joined by the sister of one of the backpackers, a German detective. It was a good story, plenty local colour and twists and turns. If you enjoy Chris Hammer, you’d probably enjoy it, though it’s not quite up to his standard. 7/10
#29 was The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith.
There are 3 interlinked narratives; Sara de Vos in 1630s Amsterdam, 1957 New York when the painting is stolen and copied, 2000 in Sydney when both the original and copy appear for an exhibition. The creator of the copy is now a celebrated art historian and is curating the 2000 exhibition. The exposure of the forgery is likely to end her career.
This was well written and enjoyable. 8/10
I noticed some recent comments about Road Ends by Mary Lawson. I read that last month and enjoyed it, it was the first I’d read of hers.
UA should read US
Book 25
Trust - Domenico Starnone
Came highly recommended, but didn’t really do it for me
Set in Italy, Pietro is a teacher, Teresa is his student, when she finishes school they start a passionate relationship, but it’s a very volatile relationship, with many fights.
One day Teresa suggests they tell each other their darkest most shameful secret, she says this will bind them together, but very soon after they separate.
Pietro finds minor fame writing books and articles about the Italian education system, Teresa heads to the UA and is brilliant in her field.
But Pietro can never trust her to keep his secret, he leads a charmed life in many ways, but can never relax.
It was a good idea for a story, but I found the end disappointing, but that’s probably just me, I don’t like loose ends.
Maggierose I really like Rob Rinder but have to say I was slightly disappointed in his book The Trial because I had high expectations. Perhaps that was my own fault.
I have just finished Book No. 34 A Far Cry from Kensington by Muriel Spark which was recommended by a friend. It was a pleasant enough read.
#33. None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell.
Book 51 The Trial by Rob Rinder - I found this hard to get into at the beginning but then it turned into a suspenseful courtroom thriller which is a genre I like, especially John Grisham and, going back a bit, Cyril Hare. It’s a good set up for a series and I look forward to the next one.
29-Twilight-Peter James-An unusual subject for this thriller-exhumation and that old question 'is there life after death'. A journalist is sent to cover the death of a young pregnant woman with startling consequences. At the same time, a Dr is experimenting to find if we can come back from the dead. Don't be put off though as this is well written.
Book 23: The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths - Excellent read- I couldn't put it down. I have missed Elly Griffiths having read all the Ruth Galloway series so I think that this series will be equally good.
#17 Again Rachel - Marian Keyes.
Book 77, A Place to Call Home, by Evie Grace.
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