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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:
NicknameTaken · 19/04/2013 15:53
  1. The Herring-Seller's Apprentice, L. C. Tyler
  2. The Herring in the Library, L.C.Tyler.

I am now officially bored with this series (humorous crime capers).

  1. The Celtic Revolution, Simon Young. Not nearly as original and enjoyable as his book AD500.

  2. Voyager, Diana Gabaldon. The third enormous tome in the series. I'm going to take a break from the series for a while. I don't think I'm enjoying it quite as much as the lady authoress.

  3. Skios, Michael Frayn. Amusing to see how he keeps all his plates spinning. Clever but a bit pointless.

Original poster
CardiffUniversityNetballTeam · 19/04/2013 14:07

Just checking in to say I have finally finished book 11, Heartstone by CJ Sansom. At 700 pages it took me a while to break the back of it, but the last four or five chapters were un-put-down-able!

Book 12 will be The Doomsday Key by James Rollins, from a series about a group of spies-cum-archaeologists called "Sigma Force." Grin

OP posts:
tumbletumble · 19/04/2013 07:52

No. 14 was my first non-fiction book, The Jigsaw Man by Paul Britton, who is a forensic psychologist involved in several high profile murder cases such as Jamie Bulger, Rachel Nickell and Fred and Rosemary West. Fascinating stuff.

PurpleStorm · 18/04/2013 21:01

Finished book 30: Julianna Baggott - Pure. Set in post nuclear war USA - survivors are 'fused' to objects except for the lucky few Pure ones protected in a dome. It was okay, but I won't be rushing out to buy the next one in this trilogy.

and book 31: John Harding - Florence and Giles. A reworking of The Turn of The Screw told from the little girl's (Florence) point of view. Good.

mumslife · 18/04/2013 12:50

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WednesdayNext · 18/04/2013 10:59

17 was my friend's manuscript- a young adult fantasy, which I couldn't put down, so now 18 is George R R Martin "A Feast For Crows".

Jdub · 18/04/2013 10:42

oops - forgot to add

  1. The Lighthouse - Alison Moore - what a lonely chap the main character is.
Therefore, my number 7 is Road to Paradise...
Jdub · 18/04/2013 10:22

I have been so inspired by seeing what everyone is reading, it has inspired me really trying to find the time to read more! So 'Thank you'! I am certain I won't be able to get the grand total of 50, but I am determined to give it a fair old shot! So far this year then:-

  1. When God was a Rabbit - Sarah Winman - Really enjoyed
  2. Highland Fling - Katie Fforde - good fun and a quick read
  3. My Animals and other Family - Clare Balding - LOVED - really like her style
  4. How it all Began - Penelope Lively - really likeable characters
  5. The Perfect Proposal - Katie Fforde - quite fluffy, but enjoyable!
  6. Road to Paradise - Paullina Simons - Just about to start...
gailforce1 · 18/04/2013 08:42

Book 15. This isn't the sort of thing that happens to someone like you by Jon McGregor. Really enjoyed the webchat on Tuesday 16th which also covered some of his other books and I went on to read Even the Dogs as book 16.
17. My Life as a Fake by Peter Carey
18. Learn Love in a Week by Andrew Clover. Light, easy read but would not recommend.
Now starting the new Kate Atkinson, been looking forward to this for ages!

mixedmamameansbusiness · 17/04/2013 11:20

Galaxymum I downloaded the guernsey etc. I pick it up every time I go into a bookshop so caved in.

Juneybean I absolutely love About a Boy. I quite like Nick Hornby, but let some friends borrow them and then list touch . I might have to get About a Boy again though. It is also one of the few books that I liked the film of too, they both made me cry.

juneybean · 16/04/2013 18:36
  1. About a Boy by Nick Hornby
mumslife · 15/04/2013 13:49

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thejoblot · 15/04/2013 13:13

help... been distracted by the gardening, so far behind everyone else! Blush

juneybean · 15/04/2013 13:05
  1. Atonement by Ian McEwan
shrinkingnora · 15/04/2013 11:53

  1. The hundred year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared - liked it but it felt like a bit of a slog to get to the end. The thinking man's Forest Gump?

  2. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich - caved and bought the ebook of this. Same as all the others but I like all the others so that's ok! Have also read a couple more ebooks but can't remember them off the top of my head.

Galaxymum · 15/04/2013 09:52

Book 14 - River of Destiny by Barbara Erskine. 1st by this author and I was completely hooked. Great time linked story.

Book 15 - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Excellent. Fascinating history of Guernsey during the war.

Book 16 - After The Fall by Charity Norman - 3rd good read from my holiday. Not like I expected. Very good family drama.

Book 17 - now reading The Light Years, the 1st of the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Just a note - I bought this on kindle but the translation is very poor. The paragraphs merge and no gap between the sections and changes in main character. So I had to buy the paperback to continue.

MrsMaryCooper · 15/04/2013 08:10

Finished No 32 The Prisoner of Heaven - Carlos Ruiz Zafon I really enjoyed it but I wish I had started with The Shadow of the Wind and read them in order. The Prisoner of Heave is 3 of 4 in a series.

Now reading Sanctus- Simon Toyne for No. 33

greenhill · 14/04/2013 20:30

I realised that I missed out number 6...

  1. Raven Black - Ann Cleeves it was the first part of the Shetland Quartet. Excellent crime novel, great sense of place and menace.
  2. No Time For Goodbye - Linwood Barclay. Disappointing thriller.
10. The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Penman. I'm halfway through, the story is gripping, but there is such a lot of historical fact I have to remember, that it is a slow read, but it is very pacy.

I'm impressed by everyone managing to read more than a book a week Smile

linkainka · 14/04/2013 19:25

Book 5. Lisa Gardner The Survivors Club a good, gripping thriller

minsmum · 14/04/2013 14:10

Book 25 The Devil of Kilmartin- Lauren Wittig so halfway through now. I am also reading When the Lights Went Out- Andy Beckett about Britain in the 1970's

DuchessofMalfi · 13/04/2013 19:28

Finished Book 30 My Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding. Lovely book, lovely person :)

WednesdayNext · 13/04/2013 10:24

Finished book 16 from the Game of Thrones series.

Book 17 is the next in the series 'A Feast for Crows'.

I'm simultaneously reading a manuscript for a friend of mine which I'm counting as book 18 if that's ok? It's not a published book (yet) but it's still a big read!!

tumbletumble · 13/04/2013 08:23

Just finished 13 (I'm another who got the numbering wrong in my last post!) - Gone Girl. Brilliant!

minsmum · 11/04/2013 19:32

24 Just finished Fury's Kiss - Karen Chance I had been waiting for ages for the next one in the series about Dhory & Louis-Ceseare and it was worth the wait

shrinkingnora · 11/04/2013 14:01
  1. Ended up being Husband, Missing - another one that is much better than it sounds! It's compelling but I was a little disappointed with the ending. Disturbing in a way too.