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

Still on book 16 here. Kindle says I am 62% of the way through. I'm really enjoying it, but it feels like a slow read.

I'm debating making the next book something other than Game of Thrones, but I'm not convinced that will happen!

Finished 8

Capital by John Lanchester. Rating 6/10

I have a Kindle and have a love-hate relationship with it! I love knowing I can take all my books with me everywhere, I love that I can read hands free in my lunch hour at work and I love the light on my cover so I can read in bed when its dark.

But recently I've found that actual paperbacks are cheaper so I've been buying them again. I forgot how much I love the feel of a book! I like to flick back to check things and I like to be able to see how far through I am. I also like looking at the covers - I know that sounds weird but often on the kindle I forget the name of the book and author as you never see it!

That definitely strikes a chord with me!

It makes me feel as though what I am doing isn't real. It's the same feeling I get when I spend too much time working on the computer and not enough actually participating in real life. Partly to do with the physical sensation of holding a paperback (am also reading The Good Women of China which has a beautiful, textured matt cover) and partly to do with not being able to lose myself properly in an ebook. I dislike not feeling how many pages I've read and having no sense of progress through the book. I also like to flick back to check things and it is much harder with the iPad - although it is quick I have no feeling of reference as to when events in the books happened eg a third of the way through. And I sometimes think ooh, just a couple of pages until the end of the chapter, I'll finish that then go to sleep and I just don't get that feeling with an ebook. And I miss the colour of a real book. Very odd. I think it just boils down to feeling less physically involved with reading as an experience and I am addicted to the sensation!

gail, let me know how you get on with the Tim Moore! I'm not sure if I would wholeheartedly recommend it. It's interesting if you like that sort of thing (which I do).

nora, that's really interesting about physical copies v electronic copies. I do prefer physical books, but I'm wondering if I haven't given a fair go to the electronic version.

Had a couple of days away over Easter and read quite a lot:

34. Dragonfly in Amber, Diana Gabaldon
35. Why be happy when you could be normal? Jeanette Winterson
36. Bleakly Hall, Elaine di Rollo
37. Night Waking, Sarah Moss

I am currently reading number 47 - The Life of Pi. Saw the film and really liked it and can't quite believe I hadn't got round to reading it yet. Enjoying it very much so far. Have number 48 lined up but can't remember what I downloaded...

Reading on the iPad is awful, though. Doesn't hurt my eyes or anything but it is somehow really unsatisfying and feels like I haven't really read anything. Definitely won't be buying a Kindle now (have been trying to decide for ages). I would use ebooks for emergencies or when travelling but the feeling is akin to the difference between eating a biscuit and eating a Weightwatchers biscuit. Back to dear old paperbacks for me.

13. Silk - Alessandro Baricco

Childish and somewhat meaningless novella. Each character struggling to be the least credible and a plot that is teetering on the brink of non-existence. Thankfull, it was short.

14. French Children Don't Throw Food by Pamela Druckerman

Interesting read :)

Finished Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

Trying to decide what to do next.

Finished 14, the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne. Short but great.

Started 15 - The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing. Intriguing and shocking re life in Rhodesia.

46. The Raising - really good thriller about US college sororities. Enjoyed it to the point that I had very little sleep last night!

Book 2 Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Actually quite enjoyed it and have now bought the second part. X

Book 13 was Restless by William Boyd. I really enjoyed this - my first by this author, and I was hooked from the start. I sat up to finish it last night.

Now on Book 14 - River of Destiny by Barbara Erskine. Another new author for me. Ghost story and seems intriguing.

44. Capable of murder. Precisely as shit as it sounds. No redeeming features whatsoever. Awful. Luckily it was an ebook and didn't waste ink.
45. Blood, Sweat and Tea by Tom Reynolds. This is from the blog of a London paramedic and was really interesting. not always very well written but entertaining and eye opening.

Duchess - I said exactly the same up thread about French Children Don't Throw Food. I had got totally the wrong idea about it and thought it would be more instructional and less autobiographical if you see what I mean!

Now starting book 30, My Animals and Other Family by Clare Balding and Book 31, an audio book - Nella Last's War, which is good so far.

Currently reading
#18 - The Agincourt Bride. enjoying it so far, particularly as there was a programme on recently with Dr Janina Ramirez covering EXACTLY this period and these events, so it adds weight to the reading experience.

Lined up:
#19 Tea rose - Jennifer Donnelly
#20 Bronze summer - Stephen Baxter
#21 The woman who died a lot - Jasper Fforde
#22 The somnambulist - Essie Fox (see, I DO take note of recommendations!)
#23 Mrs Robinson's disgrace - Kate Summerscale (MN giveaway!)
#24 The confessions of Katherine Howard - Suzanna Dunn

Got several more pending from the library too.

I'm an English lit student, so I've read 27 books so far this year. Highlights have been The PowerBook, Nights at the Circus, Oryx & Crake, Lady Chatterly's Lover, and Second Class Citizen.

Just finished book 23 A discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness. I really enjoyed it

11. Paranoia - Joseph Finder

A surprisingly good, very detailed and credible book about corporate espionage, by an author who clearly knows what he is talking about. Highly recommended.

12. World War Z - Max Brooks

I've always thought zombie books/movies are silly, so resisted reading this book for the longest time. It is actually a very good book about the strategies of dealing with a global pandemic and war.

Coming to the end of Book 29 French Children Don't Throw Food by Pamela Druckerman. I've been pleasantly surprised by this book.

I was expecting the author to be claiming to have all the answers, to be preaching the French way of bringing up children. She doesn't. It's a very readable, interesting book.

13. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

just finished book 12. sophie kinsella - mini shopaholic. really enjoyed it. hope she brings out another.

am now on 13. lynda la plante - cold shoulder. its a new author for me so i hope its a good one

whoops book 17 not 16!

Yes read A Monster Calls for book club last year and thought it was phenomenal. The first two books of the Chaos Walking trilogy live up to it but the third one is a real drop in quality.

Started book 16 - Imperium by Ryszard Kapuscinski (reportage from the former Soviet Union).