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

The rest in the Thursday Next series are good. How far did you get? The latest isn't his best IMO, but I still enjoyed it. One Of Our Thursday's Is Missing was quite good.

Shades of Grey was a good one of his too - very different in theme but still had the quirkiness of Jasper Fforde.

I probably wouldn't bother with the Dragon Slayer ones. They were ok but nothing special.

It's good to find another Jasper fan.

What other authors/ books are you in to?

Have you read any Alice Hoffman?

yes I am a lapsed Jasper Fforde fan. The last one I read was The Big Over Easy which was brilliant although The Eyre Affair is still my favourite. It's a bit embarassing giggling on a train full of serious people which I always do with his books. What would you suggest from his newer ones.

I too would like to know what cote enjoyed. I always like hearing about people's interests book wise.

Oh I loved Beloved too brockle! I must also be an old out-of-touch mother

I am a huge Thursday Next fan. In fact, just a huge Jasper Fforde fan! Are you?

How far into CV are you? It took me a good while to get into it. I enjoyed it whilst reading, but it hasn't left a lasting impression on me!

cote given that we seem to have polar opposite tastes so far, what books would make it into your "must read" list? I'd be interested to hear - I'm always looking to branch out and try new things!

horses for courses cote . You prob wouldn't like Terry Pratchetts depiction of Death . Funnily enough in Beloved one of the characters gives up on life and her only joy is colour. Beloved is another one of my favourites but I will leave it there with the favourites as don't want to be compared to someone's out of touch mother!

wednesday do I take it that you are a fan of Thursday Next?

Not sure about the Casual Vacancy but will keep going.Characters seem bit cliche but may just need a few more pages to get into it.

Well, I guess everyone has different opinions about books. My book group loved both of them.

I personally didn't think Never Let Me Go failed as a story. I did think Death was a bit of an odd character, but I liked that his perception if the world wasn't based on the reality and suffering in the story, but on the colors he saw in different situations.

Never Let Me Go wasn't badly written completely failed as a story because none of it made sense. We talked about this at some length on another thread so I won't get into it

Without meaning to hurt anyone's feelings, I have to say that The Book Thief was one of the most superficial and juvenile books I have ever read.

Death himself was portrayed as a half-wit and an insufferable fool, going on about the color of this, the color of that.

It was suggested in my book club because someone's mum had recommended it, as well. After that, we stopped taking recommendations from our mums.

I also loved The Book Thief.

My other suggestion for a list of best books (if you don't have it on your list already) would be Never Let Me Go.

Book 5 ~ "Before the Swallow Dares" by Tony Whelpton, a tale of geriatric passion kindled when old school friends meet again by chance after many years apart.

A pleasant enough gentle read, of women cooking whilst wearing Dolce and Gabbana frocks, while hubby downs G&T in the Long Room. Maybe everyone in the South East lives like this now?!
My next book is by Tim Vicary, an author whose work I am new to, it's one of the unexpected pleasures of owning a Kindle that I've discovered so many new writers.
I keep meaning to try Barbara Pym, so many people love her books.

I've started Catch-22 by Joseph Heller now. It's unusual and I find myself reading each chapter a couple of times to fully get what's being said. Enjoying it though and finding it quite funny.

This thread is a great way to find books. I tend to get so overwhelmed with all the choice out there, never know where to start.

1. Tripwire Lee child
2. Twilight (1)
3. Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
4. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
5. The Quiet Room - Lori Schiller and Amanda Bennett
6. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

me too super although opportunities are scarce with three little ones Someone asked for peoples opinions on best fiction. I loved The Book Thief. It was a truly fantastic book.

The House at Midnight was ok. Not nearly chilling enough to be properly "gothic" and the ending was pure exposition, so rather anti-climatic.

Book 13: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield - 50p charity shop bargain.

I'm loving this challenge as it's really re-ignited my love of reading, which has been on hold for a few years. I'm reading every evening instead of goggleboxing and feel my brain perking up as a result.

Hope you enjoy them, gail!

Book 8: the unlikely pilgrimage of Harold fry.

Thanks Nickname I will put those two on my To Read Pile! Read one add two!

gail, I adore Barbara Pym! I struggled a bit with A Glass of Blessings, because it's definitely one of her least comforting books, but I'm slowly coming around to it. But Some Tame Gazelle and Crampton Hodnet are two of my favourite books ever.

I finished book 5 last night - The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes. Loving her books, and become a fan very quickly. Got to finish my book club book now and not enjoying it at all. The Gilded Lily by Deborah Swift. I may sneak in another guilty pleasure in between!

Well its the last day of January and I have managed 6 books this month!

1. The Country Girls - Edna O'Brien
2. The Ladies Lending Library - Janice Kulyk Keefer
3. Heft - Liz Moore
4. A glass of Blessings - Barbara Pym
5. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce
6. Mrs Robinson's Disgrace - Kate Summerscale

This thread is really keeping me motivated and I keep checking in to see what others are reading and looking for book ideas.
Can't believe this thread is 16 pages already - great thread CardiffUniversityNetballTeam!

Superscribbler I loved The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, glad you enjoyed it too!

I've just finished my third book, The Girl With Glass Feet by Ali Shaw. I really wanted to enjoy it as it is a very original idea, interesting characters and lovely descriptions, but at the end of the day the underlying premise (a girl slowly turning into glass) was just too weird for me.

Next book is The Child Who by Simon Lelic.

Finished book 7 last night: Veronika Decides to Die. I really enjoyed most of it but did feel a bit cheated by the ending.

Starting book 8 today. It will be something on the kindle, but not sure what yet.

I finished Wolf Hall last night. Loved it the best book I have read in ages. The only down side was I couldn't read it before going to sleep as it kept going round and round in my head and keeping me awake. I love Thomas Cromwell. My dh has Bring up the Bodies so will read that later. So book 6 read now have to decide on book 7

Just read a children's book (not to an actual child), Francesca Simon, The Sleeping Army. I liked it, but all the gory descriptions of rotting bodies would have freaked me out as a child.

Now reading A Rambling Fancy by Caroline Sanderson, a short book about her visits to various sites associated with Jane Austen. It's the kind of trip I like doing in real life, so I'm enjoying it.

right, I'm behind at the moment, but have finished three books so far and am nearly finished the 4th. The first three are:

• The Red and the Black (stendhal)
• Tales of the Jazz Age (Fitzgerald)
• Snows of Kilimanjaro (Hemingway. I now really hate Hemingway)

Number 6 finished - now onto The Return of Sherlock Holmes