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THE BRAND NEW 2024 50 BOOK CHALLENGE

(1001 Posts)
TerriBull Mon 01-Jan-24 06:49:34

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.

Calendargirl Sun 14-Apr-24 17:08:46

#28. The Blood Card by Elly Griffiths.

Nonny Sun 14-Apr-24 15:56:18

Book 20: Do lets have another drink by Gareth Russell. An easy read-A series of vignettes, in chronological order about the Queen mother. An interesting potted history!

Sara1954 Sun 14-Apr-24 15:51:39

Sparklefizz, thanks for the recommendation, but I have read it, it was the first one of her books I read, I remember being so pleasantly surprised by it, such a lovely story

Hellogirl1 Sun 14-Apr-24 15:16:21

Book 68, Alfie, My Story, by Alfie Boe. I enjoyed reading this, but it was from 2012, he`s done a lot more since then.

Sparklefizz Sun 14-Apr-24 11:01:55

Just finished another Sue Gee book, my No. 30 entitled Earth and Heaven. It is a love story set in the aftermath of the First World War, with wonderful atmospheric descriptions of the hopfields of Kent. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sara1954 This is one for you if you haven't already read it, and for all Sue Gee fans.

Jaxjacky Sun 14-Apr-24 10:32:46

#16 Killing Moon - Jo Nesbo. I like the Harry Hole books, this one is on a 2 week library loan, so it’s head down, I’ll pretend I’m on holiday!

Sara1954 Sun 14-Apr-24 08:25:48

Sparklefizz, I agree. I wish Sue Gee wrote a few more books, I enjoyed Coming Home, but it wasn’t my favourite.

Diggingdoris Sat 13-Apr-24 19:20:53

26-Flesh and Blood-Patricia Cornwell. I got a bit confused with this one as it was not just the current murder that they were all trying to solve, but lots of others from recent times that seemed to be linked in very strange ways. A surprising ending though

Sparklefizz Sat 13-Apr-24 17:41:31

Maggierose

Book 49 Coming Home by Sue Gee - a very enjoyable read that follows the fortunes of a young couple coming back to England from India after Independence.

I loved this book and really enjoy Sue Gee's writing. I just wish she had written a few more!

Hellogirl1 Sat 13-Apr-24 16:57:07

Book 67, The Royal Show, by Anton du Beke, set around the Royal Variety Performance of 1962. I loved it, but I`ve liked all of Anton`s books so far.

SueDonim Sat 13-Apr-24 14:02:51

No 12 The Confession by Jessie Burton (of The Miniaturistfame). I enjoyed this book but - a recurring theme with me nowadays - it could have done with being 50 pages shorter.

Maggierose Sat 13-Apr-24 11:35:23

Book 49 Coming Home by Sue Gee - a very enjoyable read that follows the fortunes of a young couple coming back to England from India after Independence.

Hellogirl1 Fri 12-Apr-24 21:00:21

Book 66, The Hike, by Lucy Clarke. 4 women friends go on a hiking and wild camping trip to Norway.

Maggiemaybe Fri 12-Apr-24 20:57:46

16. The Blackout, Sarah Goodwin
Two good friends have a chilling encounter with predatory men on their way home after a booze- and drug-filled night out, followed by an even more chilling encounter with a couple of bent cops. Turns out one of them has a secret past that leads her to think this may all be her fault. It’s full of unlikely events but then, what thrillers aren’t? It’s well written and kept me guessing. But I wouldn’t advise choosing the audiobook - the narrator’s upper middle class voice couldn’t be more at odds with the main character!

I’ve a couple of heavyweights on the go now - Demon Copperhead and I Am Pilgrim. I’m really enjoying both so far, but it may be some time before I finish them and report back. smile

AliBeeee Fri 12-Apr-24 19:50:38

#23 was The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty. Cecelia finds a letter written by her husband in which says “to be opened in the event of my death”. He’s not dead, should she read it? Obviously she does, and the secret she discovers has huge ramifications, not just for her own family. This was an okay holiday read, but nothing special. 7/10

Hellogirl1 Thu 11-Apr-24 16:10:38

Book 65, Skylarks at Sunset, by Rita Bradshaw, a lovely story, set in the 1930s and 40s.

Maggierose Thu 11-Apr-24 12:11:43

Book 48 The Girl in the Green Jumper by Renske Mann . This is a bit of an oddity; the author met artist, Cyril Mann in 1959, 28 years older and with fragile mental health. Convinced he’s a genius she stays with him for the next 20 years, working as a shorthand typist to support him while living in a cramped council flat where he had sole use of the only bedroom as a studio. It’s quite short( I read it in a few hours . A very simply written memoir but a beautiful book; its format is like an art book, wide glossy pages with lots of colour illustrations of Cyril’s work. A very talented but tortured artist and he was very fortunate to find a wife like Renske who put up with him for so long. He didn’t last long after she left.

Maggierose Wed 10-Apr-24 20:31:19

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P by Adele Waldman. Written from the point of view of Nate, a young writer who’s had his first book accepted for publication and his romantic history. It’s honest and funny.

Sara1954 Wed 10-Apr-24 15:11:59

Sparklefizz
I agree, still haven’t read Crawdads, because the hype tends to put me off.
There are so many amazing books to be read. I never really understood why some are singled out so much, not that they aren’t good, but not necessarily better than hundreds of other books.

Sparklefizz Wed 10-Apr-24 10:47:44

Sara1954

Book 20
Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
You would have to be living under a rock not to know what this book is about, so I won’t bore you.
I enjoyed it. I really did, some wonderful characters, and a great story.
But I have heard so many people say it’s the best book they’ve ever read, and I certainly wouldn’t say that.
It is really worth reading, I would definitely recommend it. But I think it’s a little over hyped.

Yes, Sara1954 I agree. So many books are over-hyped in my opinion. I enjoyed "Crawdads" but couldn't see why people raved about it.

TerriBull Wed 10-Apr-24 10:41:53

21 Her Sweet Revenge Sarah Bonner

Helena is a beautiful, successful Instagrammer with influence, happily married to her equally handsome and successful husband, but with a couple of flies in the ointment, a skeleton in her cupboard and a mother in law from hell. Let the blackmailing commence! Cards arrive requesting money and lots of it, or her secret will be revealed, and then she falls to her death, was it an accident or was she pushed? Into the tale, comes Thea, her best friend returning to Britain from abroad vowing to avenge Helena's death, aided by her friend and accomplice Jenny. Twisty it is, deaths, scamming, blackmail and violence, and no one quite who they seem to be, it delivers all of that and the pace is fast. On the back cover of the book it is lauded by fellow author, T M Logan, I've never liked any of his stuff, so that didn't bode well for me, but then I'd already started it before I saw that. Good if you like this sort of stuff, I think I've read too many good authors of late to really appreciate this genre, but my own fault for picking it up at the library with the thought of "this might be good"

Just started Patrick Gale's A Perfectly Good Man, I think I may enjoy this more.

Parley3 I hope you enjoy Demon Copperhead, I loved it, best book of last year for me.

Parsley3 Tue 09-Apr-24 23:04:43

Book 16 Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. I have read so many recommendations for this book on here that I am giving it a go.

Hellogirl1 Tue 09-Apr-24 22:20:25

Book 64, The Lie Maker, by Linwood Barclay. Slow to start with, but turned out a good story, with a good twist towards the end.

Maggierose Tue 09-Apr-24 22:17:08

Book 46 Alma Cogan by Gordon Burn published 1991, an extraordinarily good book. The 1st person narrator is Alma Cogan, and I am impressed by Gordon Burn’s ability to bring alive the 50s and 60s entertainment scene through the eyes of Alma. Fact and fiction are blended, Alma Cogan died young in 1964 but in this book she’s alive and living in retirement somewhere on the south coast. The book’s cover shows the photos of Alma Cogan and Myra Hindley side by side and the connection becomes clear towards the end. The relationship between image and reality is interesting, Alma has a manufactured image with her dresses, hair and makeup; she hides in the bathroom when ordering room service so nobody sees her natural face. Highly recommended.

Sara1954 Tue 09-Apr-24 20:50:24

Book 20
Lessons in Chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
You would have to be living under a rock not to know what this book is about, so I won’t bore you.
I enjoyed it. I really did, some wonderful characters, and a great story.
But I have heard so many people say it’s the best book they’ve ever read, and I certainly wouldn’t say that.
It is really worth reading, I would definitely recommend it. But I think it’s a little over hyped.

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