50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 4

Gosh I haven't posted for ages on here! Just catching up with the thread and adding to my "to read" list - which thanks to you lot never seems to get smaller!!!

Last few from me:
38. Golden Son Pierce Brown - the 2nd book from Red Rising (thanks Cote fo the recommendation). It's very good, continues the story well, but wasn't happy with the point the story ended, without giving any spoilers, it felt rather on a cliff hanger, whereas the end of book 1 was the end of a story in Darrow's life, even though it was clear his next stage would be another interesting story, it felt like perhaps Brown wrote books 2 and 3 as a story and just stopped book 2 half way through. Which is annoying as book 3 isn't for sale until January and I want to know what happens next now ! (stamps foot like a petulant child). That said, if you loved Red Rising, read Golden Son, and Red Rising is very good!

39. Blue Lightening - Ann Cleeves. The 4th "Shetland" book, murder mystery type. It's a good old fashioned locked house murder! it's set in a bird watching hostel on one of the smaller, more remote islands. It's end of the season so not many people there now, only a handful of guests and a few staff. A storm hits, so the building is locked up, so the murderer has to be one of those people in the hostel, the storm continues so no one can leave and the people in the hostel have to continue to live together knowing one of them is the murderer. Our detective Perez is visiting the island as it's where he grew up and has to conduct the investigation with no help or forensics etc. It's well written, and I started having a soft spot for the passion of twitchers by the end!

40. Curtain Call - Anthony Quinn - another recommendation from here. Set in early 30s, a woman sees the face of a 'ripper' who's been killing woman, only problem is she was in the hotel as she was having an affair with a married man so can't really be honest with the police. Bit of a light read, with lots of very camp gay characters who are taking huge risks at the time.

41. The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty. A book club choice or else I'd not have read it. There are a number of characters who's lives interact around a primary school. The main story involves a woman finds a letter addressed to her to be opened on the event of her DH's death while her DH is away with business. She doesn't open it then, but does later on. There's a lot of fall out. relatively good as this sort of fiction goes, although all a bit predictable. and I'd have ripped open the letter straight away

42. Go Set a Watchman - Harper Lee. This has been reviewed a lot, to add to it, it didn't feel like it was the same characters as the previous "To Kill A Mockingbird" - read as a story by itself, it's quite good. The problem is it's been compared to something so good as "To Kill a Mockingbird", and it's nowhere near as fabulous.

43. The Importance of being Earnest - Oscar Wilde - bit of a cheat as it's so short, not sure if it should count! Light and fluffy fun.

I've started reading and not finished 4 books since then, need to find something I can get my teeth into again.

Aww thanks everyone, yes a Christmas baby will be lovely!

Getting on well with The Murder at the Vicarage. Agatha Christie are so easy to read

Many congrats tessie

Also joining in with the over visits to Hay-on-Wye. I read Orwell when in school and the feeling that I should re-read is growing ...

southeastdweller MN suggested that any other website where you use the same password should have it changed. As I couldn't remember which of my passwords it affected (I know I've used at least two of them on here), I felt I had to go for safety and change the lot. If you're more organised than me (or just have a better memory), then you probably won't need to make such sweeping changes. Sorry to have been offline for the weekend - hope I haven't caused you to worry

Theatre adaptation - that sounds wonderful. Hope you have a great time :)

Duchess me too! Am going to see the theatre adaptation in a couple of weeks. Really looking forward to it now

Provencal-I loved it too. I listened to the audiobook read by Samuel West, which was brilliant. That moment when they are arrested made me jump. Was shaking after

54. 1984 by George Orwell

Wow! I can't believe I've never read this before, I absolutely loved it. The scene where Winston & Julia are arrested is utterly chilling but adored the whole book. Wonderful read

Just started The Establishment. Can't remember who recommended this but it's fascinating so far

86. Mr Gum and the Power Crystals by Andy Stanton. Another amusing tale in the series.

87. Meadowland - The Private Life of an English Meadow by John Lewis Stempel. Really enjoyed this. It is a year in the life of a meadow at the foot of the Black Mountains in Herefordshire. A close study of the wildlife that visit, combined with details of running the family farm.

88. The Library Book compiled by Rebecca Gray. A compilation of essays and short stories by various authors Inc Susan Hill, Kate Mosse, Caitlin Moran and Alan Bennett all in support of the public library. Short and sweet, a quick read which I liked very much.

Next up - reading The Demon Dentist by David Walliams for DS's bedtime story. Deliciously creepy. I like it.

Congratulations Tessie :)

Congratulations Tessie , a Xmas baby !

Esioxx

Congratulations, Tessie. Maybe this thread will inspire you with the perfect literature-inspired name?!

Book 108 'The Mangle Street Murders' by M. R. C. Kasasian

This was a book of two halves, I think. I quite enjoyed the beginning, and the concept - orphaned young woman goes to live with strange and eccentric male guardian, who happens to be a private detective. There's a murder and detective is hired to investigate - young woman assists. But I got a bit fed up of it by half way through and by the end I felt really rather disappointed in it.

There are some fairly terrible attempts at jokes, the detective is a pain in the arse (deliberately) but the young woman is also (and I think we're supposed to like her). There's a whole load of italicised stuff about something that happened in the past and that isn't developed, presumably in an attempt to get us to want to read the whole series; some of it attempts to 'cleverly reference' Conan Doyle etc but is about as subtle as a whack over the head with a spade and adds nothing to plot or character development, and the ending was stupid. I doubt I'll read another of these. Sorry, Sonnet.

Thank you Best. I am due in December!

Tessie, congratulations by the way, when are you due?
.

V jealous of all this talk of food and bookshops.

Will finish, 'The Mangle Street Murders' tonight, so will report back tomorrow.

No 69

My Sisters Secret
Tracy Buchanan

Really enjoyed this , it's a story about three sisters , two of which die untimely deaths but there is mystery surrounding all the three sisters
It jumps from past to present but is easy to follow & readable

Ate in the Three Tuns (very good) last night and had cake in the Granary. . I remember the Old Cinema from last visit but not been yet this time. I plan to treat myself to some cookery books amongs other things.

Have finished Kane and Abel. It wasn't great.

Hi all, I have been back home to the UK and also on holiday to Spain so haven't been on here for a few weeks...just had a catch up on what you have all been reading I finished Big Little Lies (eventually) and I have to say I liked it but didn't love it as I did The Husbands Secret

I have been finding it so hard to concentrate on reading since finding out I'm pregnant, my mind just won't relax! I keep starting books that fail to hold my attention for long...however, I noticed a few of you reading Agatha Christie who I absolutely love and thought I would try one of hers in an attempt to start reading properly again. Pleased to say I flew through Crooked House and enjoyed it and now reading The Murder at the Vicarage as I have never read any of the Miss Marple series. Very much enjoying it so far and so pleased Agatha has given me my love of reading (and concentration) back! Long may it continue!

I love Hay on Wye. I just never have enough money for all the books I want! There are so many gorgeous Folio Society editions around, aside from anything else. The Old Cinema is a lovely bookshop, with a decent cafe, and there's a crime specialist one up the street from there where I first discovered Phil Rickman's novels. I had a lovely lunch in the Three Tuns once as well. Hay is only about 1.5hrs from me, but I have to ration my visits!

65. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

With the last ever Pratchett novel coming out next week I decided to have a re-read of the first of the Tiffany Aching novels. I don't suppose I will get through all of them again before The Shepherd's Crown is out but it's worth a try! The Nac Mac Feegle are brilliant.

I presume Granny Weatherwax will put in an appearance in The Shepherd's Crown. Looking forward to reading it, but still sad to know it's the last one.

Best - very envious of your trip to Hay I've been several times with DH but not recently (DC wouldn't enjoy it). My favourite bookshop was the Old Cinema - goes on for miles . Loved lunch at The Granary and dinner at The Blue Boar I want to go now

I can't wait for the new Bill Bryson book either. It's about time.

I am here in Hay-on-Wye. What a fantastic place. Have been before but had forgotten how nice it is, book shops everywhere.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes. Have another hospital appointment next week. so hopefully will start to find out more.

Thanks for all the kind messages - have had a better couple of days. The weather being a bit cooler certainly helps.

BILL BRYSON HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT?! Sorry to shout, but that excites me very much! Googles immediately!

Sonnet & ladydepp, I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your father(s). Good to hear that reading does provide solace for when the same comes to me - all too soon I suspect.

Duchess & Remus, sorry to hear that you're both still struggling with illness. Hope wellness returns soon.

Duchess, you're right, I am on the list but have not been able to find out which passwords are on the list, so have gone through the far too many sites I'm registered on and have changed ALL my passwords which has taken forever [wish there was a grumpy face icon]. Mumsnet have been in regular touch by email throughout and I do hope it'll all settle down.

Back to the main business - reading - that Booker list won't read itself