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Original poster

50 Book Challenge in 2013. Who's with me?

991 replies

CardiffUniversityNetballTeam · 05/01/2013 16:58

Tidying up after Christmas it has come to my attention that I have nearly 100(!!) paperbacks in stacks down the side of my bed waiting to be read. BlushBlush
I am going to challenge myself to try and read at least 50 of them this year. That's nearly one a week so I am going to have to really apply myself and stop faffing around and doing other things when I could be enjoying a good book.
I wondered if anyone else would like to join me? We can post what we are reading and then post when we have finished each book and what's next.
I know I would love to hear what others are reading and enjoying (or not enjoying) so I can go out and buy more books in a few months time!
My first book of the year is President Down by Terence Strong about spies and terrorists which my dad lent me about a year ago! I'm only about 20 pages in, but so far so good.

OP posts:
Allalonenow · 04/02/2013 15:37

Book 6 ~ "Nobody's Slave" by Tim Vicary, best know as a writer of thrillers. I really enjoyed this adventure story set in the slave trading fleet of Hawkins and Drake. A real Boy's Own yarn with plenty of cliff hangers as well as some moral debate. It would make a good short TV series.

As an aside, with all the interest in Richard III today, The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman is just 74 pence from Amazon Kindle today, the paperback is about £11, so a snip for a well told story.

WednesdayNext · 04/02/2013 08:29

Finished Book 8 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry' which I really enjoyed and would recommend to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

Book 9 is a non-fiction one: ' French Children Don't Throw Food'.

daisychain76 · 03/02/2013 22:33

Hi, please can l join in. Realised at start of this week that l hadn?t read a sigle book since September, so eased self in with Call the Midwife and then went onto Harold Fry, both of which l enjoyed. Started reading no. 3 today ~Relish by Prue Leith. Seems fine, but not hugely interesting. I want something a bit more challenging for no. 4, but not sure what yet.

HellonHeels · 03/02/2013 21:55

Oh wow some of you are charging along!

I've just finished book 5 Into the Silence - the great war, Mallory and the conquest of Everest.

Started no. 6 this weekend Interview with the vampire. Not really into it yet, hoping it grows on me a bit.

Galaxymum · 03/02/2013 19:00

Yay! finished book 6 on 2nd attempt The Gilded Lily by Deborah Swift. great read once I got into it. Some very well described period detail.
Book 7 is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

mcsquigg · 03/02/2013 11:42

I'm starting number 5 today - Graham Greene, Our Man in Havana.

This year so far i've read:

  1. The Killing Floor - Lee Child
  2. A Limited Justice - Catriona King
  3. On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan
  4. How Many Miles to Babylon - Jennifer Johnston.

The last two were book club choices and the Jennifer Johnston was fantastic. I'm also half way through Les Miserables but have taken a break for a little while. I'll probably dip in and out of it over the next few months.

NotGeoffVader · 03/02/2013 10:47

Done No 6 which was by an independent author, "Ash - Return of the Beast". Erm, it was rather like a Dan Brown novel with a bit more supernatural in. Not something I'd have chosen but I felt obliged to read itl TBH, I only read it to get to the end.

No 7 was 'The Queen's Governess' by Karen Harper. Not bad as a snapshot of a historical period, but the americanisms (I know she is a US author, but she's writing English historical fiction) were a bit irritating - 'snit', 'gotten' etc.

Now on No 8 - 'The Painter's Apprentice'

SuperScribbler · 02/02/2013 22:23

The Thirteenth Tale was slow to get going, but once underway had me gripped.

Book 14: Child 44. This was not as expected - thought it would be a trashy thriller. I enjoyed its depth, but did think it was written with a film adaptation in mind - lots of dramatic climaxes and action.

Book 15 is Barking by Tom Holt.

mumslife · 02/02/2013 21:37

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Brockle · 02/02/2013 19:14

Well so far I am on book 4 The Casual Vacancy in hardback and book 5 is Lorna Doone (kindle) which I have never read so decided to remedy that.
so far:
Book 1 The Poison Tree. Really enjoyed it and it surprised me with it's ending as I thought it was going in a different direction.

book 2 Catching Fire - disappointed after first Hunger Games book.

book 3 Mockingjay. as disappointing as the last one.

hopefully 4 and 5 will not disappoint!

minsmum · 02/02/2013 14:36

I have just finished Cranford. It was a lovely sweet book. Now for book number 8

Thefourcees · 02/02/2013 12:41

Just finished The Expats now on to no 6. I started reading SKs The Stand last year and got nearly half way through before christmas took over, so I'm going to finish that, 600 pages read 700 to go.

shrinkingnora · 01/02/2013 20:26

I hated the Glen Duncan book I read (think it was Death of an Ordinary Man or something). Very boring! I have read fewer books since I joined this thread than at any other time in my life Hmm Not sure what that's about!

MrsMaryCooper · 01/02/2013 19:12

I ditched my no 12 THe Last Werewolf - Glen Duncan about 2/3s of the way through.

I just got thoroughly bored by the characters.

I read Stuart MacBride - Close to the Bone instead, and it was FAB.

Not sure what I will have for No 13

WednesdayNext · 01/02/2013 16:45

I'll bear that in mind, thanks nickname

InMySpareTime · 01/02/2013 16:41

I've read 12 already this year, there's a chance I'll overshoot my 50 book targetGrin.

NicknameTaken · 01/02/2013 16:36

Dissenting view on Terry Prattchett - I think he gets better as he goes on, and you might not enjoy the earlier books but love some of the later ones. I'd plunge into Lords and Ladies. It's a great introduction to the characters, and it'll give you a good idea whether his books are for you or not.

Brockle · 01/02/2013 15:16

I agree with cardiff at starting from the beginning. wyrd sisters, Mort, Men at Arms and Witches Abroad are my favourites.

WednesdayNext · 01/02/2013 12:37

Cardiff thanks! And also, try Fforde's The Eyre Affair. I've never yet met a person who didn't love it!

BabCNesbitt · 01/02/2013 04:07

Hello! Is it too late to join this thread, even though I've already missed the first month? Have set myself a challenge on Goodreads to read 60 books this year (just managed 50 last year), to try and motivate myself to get off the bloody internet in the evening after DD's gone to bed. It's been going pretty well so far apart from spending the last couple of nights MNing but motivation from other readers is always good!

My 2013 books so far:

  1. Resolution - Denise Mina
  2. A Book of Silence - Sara Maitland
  3. Love in Idleness - Charlotte Mendelson
  4. Tango - My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels - Justin Vivian Bond
  5. The 100 Thing Challenge - Dave Bruno
  6. The Big Rumpus - Ayun Halliday
  7. Trumpet - Jackie Kay

And just started reading Morris Bishop's The Middle Ages. There's no real plan to my reading this year!

MercuryRising · 01/02/2013 01:18

Oh dear I really need to pick up my reading pace in February, I have only just finished book number 2 When will there be good news? by Kate Atkinson. I really enjoyed the book and am a little bit smitten with Jackson Brodie. Im just starting The Snow Child after the positive reviews on this thread. Its great hearing about what you have all been enjoying reading.

Original poster
CardiffUniversityNetballTeam · 31/01/2013 23:41

Can I add my name to the list of Jasper Fforde fans? I've only read The Big Over Easy, but I loved it.

I would say to read Pratchett's Discworld in the order he wrote them. I think the first one is The Colour Of Magic?

OP posts:
WednesdayNext · 31/01/2013 21:54

I've only read one Kate Mosse - the one about the ghosts?

WednesdayNext · 31/01/2013 21:53

I'd recommend The Ice Queen or Blue Diary, but I've not yet read a Hoffman I didn't love. She's not at all like Fforde but one of my favorites nonetheless!

I'd love to live in the bookworld, but not sure about the danger Thursday gets into. One Of Our Thursdays is really good. If you liked The Big Over Easy, I think you'll like The Fourth Bear - I preferred it. Oooh, I feel a re-read coming on.

I've not read any Pratchett. Any recommendations for starting?

Brockle · 31/01/2013 21:17

I'm up to One of our Thursdays is Missing and also want to read The Fourth Bear. Again a lapsed Pratchett fan. Fforde and Pratchett have the same tongue in cheek view if life which like. Though Thursday Next is also wish fulfillment. As I really like her world Smile

I have a pretty eclectic taste from Toni Morrison to Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse. I really like Kate Mosse and have her new one, Citadel, to read.

I will go and kindle Alice Hoffman now Grin