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50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 4

991 replies

southeastdweller · 01/06/2015 22:15

Thread four of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2015, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. It's still not too late to join, any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

First thread of the year here, second thread here, and third thread here.

Happy reading Smile

OP posts:
bibliomania · 21/08/2015 12:12

Embarrassed at being excited because I'm managed to reserve Bill Bryson's new book, The Road to Little Dribbling, at the library. It's not out till October, so with any luck, I'll be first on the list...

bibliomania · 21/08/2015 12:00

Remus, that's great!

Sonnet, I wrote a post which got lost - not sure how old your dd is, but The House of Silk does have a child exploitation angle to it. It's not particularly graphic, but depending on how sensitive your child is, it's worth having a look before deciding if she should read it. I wouldn't say it's aimed at a youngish teen.

(That said, in my youth we guzzled down Flowers in the Attic with no obvious harm. Now excuse me, my brother awaits me in the boudoir).

Lilaclily · 21/08/2015 11:37

Remus - ooh I'm even more excited now!

Esio xx

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 21/08/2015 10:29

Biblio Am enjoying, 'The Mangle Street Murders' v much so far.
Esio It's a great film (I liked it better than the book). Let me know what you think of the utterly gorgeous actor playing Gabriel Oak!

107 - 'Miss Billy' by the Pollyanna writer (another one for Cote to hold up her hands in horror about!)
If I'd read this before the Pollyanna books, I'd have probably really liked it. As it is, it's virtually the same book again - girl captivates everybody's hearts, misunderstandings about who loves who, crotchety aunt who learns the errors of her ways etc etc. It's a nice enough story, but I think I've had my fill of these for a while now!

Lilaclily · 21/08/2015 10:13

Hi everyone
It's me , Esiotrot but I had to name change when I reset my password not sure why !
No 68 : Far From The Madding Crowd : re reading in time for watching the dvd of the new film i ordered :-)

ChillieJeanie · 21/08/2015 10:07
  1. Visions by Kelley Armstrong

Olivia Jones is still coming to terms with the discovery that she was adopted and that her birth parents are convicted serial killers. Having proven, with the help of the morally ambiguous lawyer Gabriel Walsh, that two of the murders were committed by someone else, she continues to research her parents' case. Then she finds the body of a missing girl dumped in her car, made up to look like Olivia. Convinced the killer is still in Cainsville, Olivia and Gabriel go on the hunt.

It's Armstrong, so you know there's a paranormal element to the story. Olivia sees visions and omens, although she is still trying to find out what this means. This is the second in the Cainsville series so some of the secrets of the town are starting to be revealed, but it seems there are several different supernatural elements interested in Olivia so there's a lot more to reveal yet. I like Armstrong's writing and am enjoying this series after her 'Women of the Otherworld' series finished.

Original poster
southeastdweller · 20/08/2015 22:11
  1. The Secret History - Donna Tartt

A working class student falls in with a group of affluent misfits at an American college and becomes involved in their isolated world, a world influenced by their mysterious tutor. This is easily one of the best novels of the past few years I've read, wonderfully written and very hard to put down, though the writing is a little deeper in The Goldfinch.

Onto the recent Julian Clary book next.

OP posts:
ChillieJeanie · 20/08/2015 21:52

Sonnet yes, that was me. I picked up The Wine of Angels and then read 11 of the books in the space of a month and a half. That's the most use my Kindle has ever had!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 20/08/2015 16:54

Thanks, Sonnet. Just bought it. Have also been to the library and now have a huuuuuge pile to read!

Sonnet · 20/08/2015 15:41

Chilie - I generally do feel let down by TV adaptions and I have so much enjoyed the series that am almost sure I will switch off in disgust Smile
Was it you that picked these books up in Hay-on Wye Chillie and read most of them back to back?

Best - you luck thing you - twice over! first because you are only on book 3 so have the rest to look forward to and secondly you are visiting Hereford and Hay-on-Wye. The books really made me want to visit there... Perfect atmospheric holiday reading Smile

Thank you Biblio
DD2 has "House of Silk" on her book shelf - good to hear it is a recommended adult read - might try it now

mmack · 20/08/2015 14:38

  1. The Light Between the Oceans by M.L. Steadman. A lighthouse keeper and his wife find a dead man and a healthy baby in a boat that washes up on their island. The wife has suffered 3 miscarriages and persuades her husband to let her keep the baby. I liked this-it was sort of old-fashioned and predictable but in a good way. It might be a good book for a teenager getting into adult fiction.

  2. Missing by Sam Hawken. A builder living in a border town in Texas lets his step-daughter go to a concert with her cousin on the Mexican side of the border and the girls disappear. Early in the investigation the whole police force on the Mexican side gets suspended because of corruption and the army takes over. The stepfather sets out to find the girls with the help of the policeman who was in charge of the case before he was suspended. This is a gripping thriller and even though the main plot is fictional the parts about the drug cartels, corruption and suspension of the police force are all based on actual events.

  3. Someone by Alice McDermott. The story of a girl growing up in an Irish-American neighbourhood in Brooklyn in the 19020s. Simply written but totally gripping. I am probably biased though as she is one of my favourite writers.

I am about 40 pages into One Flew Over the Cuckoos next and enjoying it so far.

BestIsWest · 20/08/2015 12:29

Sonnet and Chillie, you have both reminded me I have book 3 of the Merrily Watkins series on Kindle. We are off to Hay-on-Wye and Hereford for a few days tomorrow so that will be perfect holiday reading.

A TV Series? Who have the cast? Off to google.

bibliomania · 20/08/2015 12:19

Remus, yes, I really don't recommend Moriarty. Would be interested to hear how you get on with The Mangle Street Murders if you do read it.

Currently on The Sleeper by Emily Barr and enjoying it so far. She writes psychological thrillers, usually with a travel element.

ChillieJeanie · 20/08/2015 11:53

Sonnet I only found him by accident, browsing in a second hand book shop. I think I've now read all of his books, aside from the ones for younger readers. A few other people on these threads seem to be trying him out as well. That's the great thing about these threads, you can pick up so many books you might not have come across otherwise.

I'm a bit nervous about the TV series as well. The woman playing Merrily doesn't fit my picture of her at all! I think it's going to be on ITV Encore, which is only on Sky so I will have to wait for it to be on a channel I can get anyway.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 20/08/2015 11:52

Biblio - I enjoyed, 'House of Silk' but a friend who has read, 'Moriarty' too also said that he was really disappointed with it. I probably won't bother with it now you've both said it. Will look out for, 'The Mangle Street Murders' though.

bibliomania · 20/08/2015 11:48

Welcome back, Sonnet - sorry for your loss and sympathy to all the others going through tough times at the moment.

Another two books:

  1. Courting Shadows, Jem Poster. Victorian architect is renovating/destroying a church; falls out with locals; falls for local girl. Mixed feelings about this - some memorable scenes, but overall a pretty downbeat read. Main character stumbles around not realizing how much harm he is doing.

  2. Moriarty, Anthony Horowitz. I enjoy The House of Silk, his first go at a Sherlock Holmes novel, but not this one. Sherlock Holmes doesn't appear at all, although a few other characters do, making it rather pointless. As for the twist, bah, Agatha Christie did it better. If you're going to read a Sherlock Holmes homage, The Mangle Street Murders is much more fun.

Sonnet · 20/08/2015 10:55

Duchess - I have it on my "To Read but un-purchased" list. When I heard it had been released I decided I had to re-read Life After Life first and then lo and behold a friend chose it for her Book Group choice (50% split between Loved it and hated it!). Interestingly my sister, who is a real KA fan, didn't like it as much as LAL. Glad to hear that you loved it!

ChillieJeanie thank you so much for the intro to Phil Rickman. I would never have found him otherwise. I have just introduced my DH to him and he is currently on book 2 of the MW series. I am planning on reading some of his back list too this year. I actually have a secret yearning to read all the MW books back to back this Autumn Smile but on the other hand there are so many books I want to read and so little time....
If I am honest I will not actively seek out the TV series - it may disappoint!

ChillieJeanie · 20/08/2015 10:18

Nice to see you back Sonnet. I remember you seemed quite taken with Phil Rickman too. The Merrily Watkins series is really good. I'm a little nervous about how the TV version will go, but am looking forward to seeing it.

ChillieJeanie · 20/08/2015 10:16
  1. Paganism A Very Short Introduction by Owen Davies

A short examination of the idea and meaning of paganism over the last two millennia, looking at the origins of the word itself, various belief systems from around the world, and neopaganism today. Bear in mind that this is only about 120 pages so it's a bit of a superficial overview, but there are good references at the back for anyone interested in looking at various elements in greater depth.

DuchessofMalfi · 20/08/2015 09:56

Sonnet - have you read A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson? It's the follow on novel from Life After Life, focussing on Teddy's life. I think I loved it even more than Life After Life.

Sonnet · 20/08/2015 08:32

Southeast - yes I have some recommendations. Up until book 16 I was following the "rules" of the thread Grin and writing a synopsis/recommendation and from now on will carry on doing that.

As for the ones between 17 and 40 I have really enjoyed the Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman. I was introduced to them on last years thread by ChillieJean (if she is still around) and another poster whose names escapes me at the moment.

The rest of my recommendations (in no particular order)
The Storyteller – Jodie Picoult. My first and only JP novel
The Childrens Act - Ian McEwan
Behind The Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson
Life After Life (A re-read for Book Club) - Kate Atkinson. I know this polarises a lot of posters Grin
Americanah – Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie
Us – David Nichols
The Bone Clocks – David Mitchell
The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver

My book of the year so far is The Poisonwood Bible

Original poster
southeastdweller · 19/08/2015 22:12

I was on the list and I agree it's worrying about the hacking, though I have no personal info stored on here I don't think it's a coincidence that I've been getting more spam email than usual over the past seven days. So I guess I need to change my password for my email, too.

OP posts:
Original poster
southeastdweller · 19/08/2015 20:13

Are there any from your list you recommend, Sonnet?

OP posts:
Sonnet · 19/08/2015 20:04

Thank you Southeast
My list earlier was from kindle/memory so bound to have forgotten a few - just found 2 paperbacks that I read in June:
Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende which takes my total to 41.

Just started a charity shop find - Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid whilst wallowing in the bath ????

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