50 Books a Year - The 2025 Challenge

Book 62. After That Night, by Karin Slaughter. Halfway through I realised I`d read it before, but carried on as I couldn`t remember the ending.

Sparklefizz,
I agree, its so lovely to feel confident that you’ve got an enjoyable read ahead

Sara1954

Book 23
The Editors Wife - Clare Chambers
I knew from the first page that I would enjoy this book, and I was right
Chris, young and idealistic throws in his degree course to write a novel. He impulsively sends the first couple of chapters to literary editor, Owen Goddard, Owen likes to book, and takes Chris under his wing, introducing him to his charming wife Diana, and his twin daughters.
Without spoiling the story too much, Chris and Diana fall in love, but when tragedy strikes, they are separated for twenty years.
It’s not a depressing book though, it has some great characters, Chris doesn’t always behave honourably, but he’s very believable, Carol, the ex wife, Gerald the strange but well meaning brother,Patty, cleaner, barmaid, part time lover, all really good characters.
A really enjoyable book

Isn't it lovely when you know from the first page? I read this last year and really enjoyed it.

35 They Were Sisters Dorothy Whipple Audible

I discovered this Between The Wars and just beyond author on GN, where else! and am enjoying her vivid descriptions of marriages and male/female dynamics from an earlier 20th century perspective. There is as expected a subtle change in language since what is 100 years ago, not as pronounced as a 19th century novel, the narrative nevertheless is often littered with the words gay and queer, for example, which sometimes has brought me up short having a delayed reaction as to their original meaning. This one is my second book of hers, and I'm on a roll now with her books as it seems quite a few have recently been republished. As with writers, I've read who who would have been her contemporaries, namely Agatha Christie and Enid Blyton, this is an England of the solidly middle classes, the working class only to figure as domestics, there's usually a cook in place in the household and someone to run around with what ever the equivalent of a Hoover was back then, one of those useless Ewbank contraptions I suspect. Although there are times when the family finances appear to hit the buffers, hardly surprising this particular book was set in the 20s and 30s and the precarious Stock Markets of the time that could seriously affect family finances, there are however are no nods to the crippling poverty caused by The Depression of that era, Dorothy Whipple's families seemed cushioned from any of that. Never quite on their uppers, though sometimes it was incumbent on them to reign it in and eat a bit of tripe for supper, nevertheless always food on the table, even if it at times meant that the woman of the house had to cope with their own donkey work when they had to let staff go.

This, the tale of 3 sisters whose lives take very different paths determined by the marriages they make. The eldest, Lucy marries William a good and sympathetic man, soulmates throughout, although they are to remain childless. The next sister down, Charlotte marries, Geoffrey an absolute horror, who turns her from a vivacious exuberant young woman to a quivering wreck, he undermines and bullies her at every turn, as he does to 2 of their children. Initially pleased by their first born Margaret, by the the time the younger two siblings, Stephen and Judith have arrived he's very much over the whole parenting experience and his interaction with them is to merely cower them both. When there is an instance of him being defied by them over the family dog, a mere puppy who sounded adorable, his revenge was to have the animal put down. At which stage I wish I could have stepped into the actual pages and done him some serious damage. Fortunately for the children, when at stages in their lives, they can stand their father no more there is a refuge at their much loved Aunt Lucy's, she in fact turns out to be a surrogate mother to several of her nieces and nephew during certain junctures in the book. Although, Stephen is ultimately to run away to sea and sever ties with his family, the hatred for his father has blighted his young life. The youngest sister, Vera, is described as very beautiful and very spoilt and hasn't a great deal of interest in either her husband or her two daughters, having various dalliances during her marriage but as her looks fade so does the interest of her paramours, one in particular who is to turn his attention to her teenage daughter, Sarah, who certainly does little to encourage that beyond wanting a tennis partner and is quite horrified by his attention. By which time Vera's husband has upped sticks and left for America with one of their daughters and a secretary, who is later to marry. Lucy is really the only sister whose life is not ruined by either a bullying controlling husband or vanity.

That sounds lovely HelterSkelter I’ve never read it either but don’t you just love it when a novel is so readable! I’m two-thirds through ‘Conclave’ now and I’m enjoying it.

#41. Death At The White Hart by Chris Chibnall.

Just joining the threadm and I expect many will roll their eyes...but I am reading my mother's copy of Lark Rise to Candleford which I bought her in the 1980s. A lovely illustrated hardback copy.
I have never read it before and probably in my 40s would not have enjoyed it as much as I am now. Only a couple of chapters in and her description of life in the late 1800s in her Oxfordshire hamlet is so vivid. Looking forward to bedtime and reading more!

#27 was The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry.
Roseanne , aged 100, has spent the majority of her life in a mental institution in Ireland, but it is now closing. The reason for her being there, and her records, are long lost. Dr Grene has the job of trying to assess her to determine where she should go next and he starts to investigate her past. The story is told through a combination of Roseanne’s secret journal detailing her life as a child and young woman in rural Ireland and Dr Grene’s own write up of his thoughts and his investigation.
It took me a little while to get my head into the writing style but I am glad I persevered. Although you could see the main twist in the story from early on, it was well done and I enjoyed it. 8/10

45-Ginny Appleyard-Elizabeth Jeffrey
I really enjoy this author as she lives a few miles from me and her stories are always based in the village where she lives.
This 1930's family saga highlights the difference between the haves and have nots of that era.

Book 23
The Editors Wife - Clare Chambers
I knew from the first page that I would enjoy this book, and I was right
Chris, young and idealistic throws in his degree course to write a novel. He impulsively sends the first couple of chapters to literary editor, Owen Goddard, Owen likes to book, and takes Chris under his wing, introducing him to his charming wife Diana, and his twin daughters.
Without spoiling the story too much, Chris and Diana fall in love, but when tragedy strikes, they are separated for twenty years.
It’s not a depressing book though, it has some great characters, Chris doesn’t always behave honourably, but he’s very believable, Carol, the ex wife, Gerald the strange but well meaning brother,Patty, cleaner, barmaid, part time lover, all really good characters.
A really enjoyable book

Thanks Calendargirl that's good to know, I look forward to getting it.

TerriBull

Yes, I think I was first to get MHM from the library, (been on the waiting list also) as it is brand new.

I am half way through, and so far, it is excellent.

I am having to limit myself as otherwise I shall finish it too quickly.

Book 25: Queen James by Gareth Russell- This is a recently published biography about James 1st/6th. This was an interesting and very readable book about the first Stuart king of Great Britain. I really enjoyed it. I now want to find a biography about his Queen Anna of Denmark.

Calendargirl

#40. Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz.

I've ordered this from the library, No. 30 on the wait list, I've really enjoyed Anthony Horowitz's Atticus Pund books, so I am looking forward to reading this latest one. The dramatisations are good too.

Book 61, First Wife`s Shadow, by Adele Parks. Quite a good read, but not exceptional.

#40. Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz.

44-And When She Was Good-Laura Lippman
It's not often I give up on a book after 40pages, but this one had me flummoxed. Hector has a wife, girlfriend and an ex wife with children from all, some similar ages, and he demeans them all.
Sorry any Laura fans, this was not for me. I got confused. Doesn't take much these days! Too many books by my favourite authors on my shelf waiting to be read.

I can’t imagine what’s happening with your posts, AliBeeee. I waited to say that to check that mine worked, and it did, so I can’t help, sorry! Maybe contact GNHQ?

27. Three Mothers, Hannah Beckerman

When Abby’s daughter Isla is killed by a hit and run driver, the tragedy sets in motion a web of lies and deceit that also heavily impact two other mothers, the mum of Isla’s ex-boyfriend Callum, and the mum of her ardent admirer Nathaniel. But who killed Isla, and why? As ever, I barked up the wrong tree till the very end.

James - by Percival Everett. It's the Huckleberry Finn story told by his friend Jim. Best book I've read in ages.

43-Dead Man's Grip-Peter James
7th in the Grace series. The death of a young American cyclist leads to his family wanting revenge on the drivers involved. Another great page turner.

Something strange is happening. For the third time recently, one of my posts on this thread has disappeared. I posted an update on my latest book yesterday, Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout and it’s disappeared.

I know I posted it using the “post message” button, I was careful as it’s happened twice before. The first time I assumed I had forgotten to do that, the second time, I was more careful and was certain I had done so, but still no sign of my post when I next looked. Now it’s happened again.

Is anyone else experiencing this?

Book 60, Forgotten Child, by Katie Flynn. I didn`t know that Katie Flynn had died, her books are now being written, in her mother`s name, by her daughter.

Ooh…I’ve just discovered this thread and am really inspired to read more. There are some interesting suggestions on here. I have an eclectic taste in books but don’t like ones that go backwards and forwards in time as I get muddled up as my old brain isn’t so sharp these days.

#22 The Angels' Share Yvonne Vincent.
Book three in the Losers Club series. Very rude and laugh out loud funny. It is about an eccentric group of villagers on an island in the North Sea who help to solve murders in their own way whether the foul-mouthed police sergeant wants them to or not. I recommend but it is not for the easily offended.