50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 3

[Southeastdweller]

Thread three of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2015, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. It's still not too late to join, any type of book counts, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

First thread of the year here, and second thread here.

[ClashCityRocker]

Thanks for starting the new thread southeast.

[CoteDAzur]

Checking in.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Hello again, all.

Thanks, South.

[FanFuckingTastic]

Hello again, my reading choices aren't always particularly literary thanks to my fascination with the whole fantasy genre. It's one of those that many people don't take seriously, but I honestly find the idea of world building (or world destroying, lol) really interesting, love the strong female characters, there isn't too much romance if I pick them right, and they don't challenge me too much when I am reading for entertainment.

If I am reading a good literary book, it's generally for discussion, or to look at a particular author's technique. I love chatty about the nitty gritty of writing in that case.

I joined Amazon's Kindle Unlimited too, it's £7.99 a month and there's a very large library of books to read. I'd recommend it. I find new authors on there, and I also am a member of some book websites that find free and inexpensive books in my preferred genres, which means I also read a lot of new authors and self published books. That is interesting too, even the bad ones, because again I learn about writing styles and the mechanics of a good story. Of course some of them are terrible and I won't endure that for the sake of it, but the average to good ones are there too. Seeing a first publication and then reading another try later on often shows how much they improve at their craft.

I am loving my new Kindle too, as I can learn new words simply by touching the unfamiliar word in a book, it's much easier than using a dictionary, hehe.

[FanFuckingTastic]

Too many toos

[Iamblossom]

Book 8, Cry Baby by David Jackson, part of the detective Callum Doyle series, but I didn't know that till afterwards.

I thought it was clever and quite gripping, enjoyed it. Not the sort of thing I would normally read.

Book 9, Flowers for Algernon. Loved it. So sad. Beautifully written.

Next is Girl on a train.

[Iamblossom]

These are my books so far...

1. We are all completely beside ourselves.
   
2. The wicked Girls.
   
3. The fault in our stars
   
4. What Laura Saw
   
5. Little Lies
   
6. Life after Life
   
7. Elizabeth is Missing
   
8. Flowers for Algernon
   
9. Cry Baby

[BestIsWest]

Thanks for starting the new thread South. Just starting Mary Portas' autobiography, Shop Girl. Liking so far.

[tessiegirl]

Thanks for the new thread South

Pleased to hear those of you who have read We Were Liars enjoyed it...

Iamblossom I noticed you have read What Laura Saw, that is on my to read list - what did you think?

[ShadowStone]

12. Claire Kendal - The Book of You
    
    This is about Clarissa and her stalker and colleague Rafe, told from Clarissa's point of view. At the beginning of the book she's selected for jury service in a fairly long case, which she hopes will give her a break from Rafe's attention, but his stalking continues to escalate. I found the subject somewhat disturbing, and the threat of violence grows more explicit as the book progresses, but it was also a pretty compelling read.
    I did find the narrative a bit confusing at times though - it's partly told in a diary format, and partly a more standard "she did this / felt that etc" type format, and the switches between the two styles of writing weren't always obvious at first. Possibly some quirk of my Kindle?
    
    
13. Paige Harbison - New Girl
    
    This is basically a retelling of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, set in an American boarding school and aimed at the YA market.
    Okay, but not a patch on the original.

[OllyBJolly]

Help! I'm falling behind because all the books I'm reading seem to be epic novels! I blame the kindle - at least a book you know how thick it is.

Anyone suggest a good shorter book for my next one so I can catch up?

[Southeastdweller]

Olly, I can recommend all these:

The Children's Act - Ian McEwan (he's also wrote shorter books but I haven't read any)
The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes
Brokeback Mountain - Annie Proulx
The Hours - Michael Cunningham
I Feel Bad About My Neck/I Remember Nothing - Nora Ephron
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - Muriel Spark
Animal Farm - George Orwell
Maurice - E.M Forster

More ideas here

[MaryWestmacott]

Just marking place. I'm currently stuck on a book I was recommended onthe old thread, the Night Watch. Not sure why, but it's not grabbing me so I'm not really interested in reading it. I'm 200 pages in (it's about 500), so feel like I should have 'broken the back' of it now, but some how can't muster the interest. How many people just abandon books? It's well written, just not grabbing me...

[ClashCityRocker]

mary is this your first TP book?

I loved the night watch, but I beleive its later written than some of the other watch books - and although it is set in the past, a lot of the characters are also are featured in the earlier books, and part of the fun of this book is seeing familiar characters as they were when they were younger. There's a lot of 'ah, that's so and so from xyz' and a lot of 'in' jokes that may bypass you if you are unfamiliar with the characters.

That said, I think a lot more happens in the latter half of the book when the 'revolution' really gets underway, and on that basis it might be worth carrying on. I would maybe recommend reading some of the earlier city watch books, then giving it another bash.

I do abandon books if they aren't grabbing me though, but usually because the writing is poor.

[ClashCityRocker]

olly we were liars is a short, easy read which I enjoyed.

I know what you mean though, having recently embarked on Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell.

I'm dreading if the new GoT book comes out later this year, as will need to reread the entire series

[OllyBJolly]

Thanks southeastdweller and *clashcityrocker" I've added your recommendations to kindle.

[MaryWestmacott]

Clash - it's not the TP one, it's the Sarah Waters one set in WWII and just after. (have just rechecked the list I'm keeping of recommendations, and it definately was the SW one that was recommended!)

Think I'll just give it another day, and then give up.

[DuchessofMalfi]

Olly - I'd also recommend Where Angels Fear To Tread by E M Forster (the copy I had from the library was just 148 pages long).

Also, recommend The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. He's written several shortish novellas - Smut was good - it's a bit naughty (made me blush :o)

Susan Hill has written quite a few short novels - The Beacon, The Small Hand, The Woman in Black, Strange Meeting.

I loved The Sea by John Banville - also quite short (around 200 pages).

Academy Street by Mary Costello - lovely short novel.

A Winter Book by Tove Jansson

The Song of Lunch by Christopher Reid (a long poem - very readable)

[ClashCityRocker]

mary

[ShadowStone]

I found the Night Watch (the Sarah Waters one) hard work too. I persevered with it but never managed to get into it or enjoy it really. I really loved her books set in Victorian times though (Fingersmith, Tipping the Velvet, Affinity), so was disappointed about not being able to like the Night Watch.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

I am currently reading The Rotters Club, one of those rare books that you resent going to work because you want to read it.

Do books that I read to DC's count, we have nearly finished Stig of the Dump

[DuchessofMalfi]

Five - any book counts, as far as I'm concerned.

Some people include children's books (I do), others don't include re-reads (I'm not re-reading anything atm, but would include them). I also include audio books (I've taken the time to listen to them, so they count too). It's all about enjoying reading, even if you don't make it to 50 books :)

[MaryWestmacott]

Five - count however you like, I'd say on children's books, stig of the dump, yes, the Gruffalo, no.

Shadow - glad it's not just me then!

[esiotrot2015]

I've just startedThe Girl In The Red Coat by Kate Hamer

Very good so far : subject is an 8 year going missing at a festival