26-ish books in 2022

8 My Cousin Rachel by Daphne DuMaurier
The only ‘big’ Du Maurier novel which I hadn’t read. I really enjoyed this. Dark and twisty with a brilliantly unreliable narrator.

1. Freckles by Cecelia Ahern (book)
2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (audio)
3. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (audio)
4. Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian (audio)
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (audio)

1. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (audio)
2. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (audio)
3. Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian (audio)
4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (audio)

I'm about to get stuck into Daisy Jones today

Finished 'Talking to Strangers' by Malcolm Gladwell.
A book that was cobbled together with only a very tenuous thread linking the examples of miscommunication and the tragic effects thereof, apparently inspired by the well known encounters between black Americans and police over the last few years. The book features an examination of the policing studies which have resulted in aggressive policing, racial profiling, and essentially justifying the enormous magnification of the crime of 'driving while black'.

All fair enough as a topic of study. The basic notion that misunderstandings are taking place left, right, and center doesn't hold water though. I kept on waiting for him to examine power imbalances but that never happened.

One example of what Gladwell considers miscommunication, the Stanford rape case, made me want to hurl the book violently across the room and leave it to the cat to do what she wanted with it. Malcolm Gladwell does not understand the word CONSENT. Rape is not an example of miscommunication.

Also finished 'The Boys in the Boat' by Daniel James Brown.
This was a great book, an account of the University of Washington varsity crew team which competed at the 1936 Olympics, centering on one of the team, his painful childhood and struggles at the height of the Great Depression to pay his way through university, but also examining the bonds tying a team together and a lyrical description of the sport of rowing.

On a bit of a reading streak!

14. Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - An enjoyable, quick read. I liked the interview style prose, and thought the author did a good job conveying the intangible 'coolness' of It Girl/Muse/Rockstar Daisy.

@highlandcoo - Thanks for the recommendation. Both are on my To-Read list

Just finished number 13, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw, a collection of short stories, each showcasing the lives and desires of different black women and girls. Philyaw does an amazing job at conveying complex relationships in the space of a few pages, particularly between mothers and daughters. Thoroughly recommend it.

DonEmmanuel I loved The House of the Spirits and Eva Luna by Isabel Allende. I'm sure you would enjoy both.

No 12 The Cat and the City by Nick Bradley.
I loved this - thanks to my DD and whoever recommended it!

1.Midnight Library

1. American Dirt
2. How we disappeared
3. The Beekeeper of Aleppo

1. Seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo (just about to start)

I loved both books in bold. I listened to them on audio book.

1. The Inheritance Of Loss by Kiran Desai
2. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan
3. Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
4. Milkman by Anna Burns
5. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
6. Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burn Out Generation by Anne Helen Petersen
7. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
8. The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich
9. Whistling for the Elephants by Sandi Toksvig

12. Violeta by Isabel Allende - This is the 2nd book I've read by Allende, the first being Daughter of Fortune. I think she's fast becoming one of my favourite authors.

Set in an unnamed South American country, Violeta is the eponymous narrator nearing the end of her 100 year life. The book is essentially Violeta's memoir, focussing on her often turbulent relationships (both familial and romantic), and interspersed with historical events such as pandemics, natural disasters, political upheaval, and military coups. Loved it.

livingonpurpose
Absolutely and the long walks!
I was going to say it's all completely worth it but our pup has been an utter lunatic this morning so I won't 😂

@BaconAndAvocado we got a puppy last summer and I hardly read anything in several months as I couldn't dare to take my eyes off him for long enough (to avoid toileting accidents!).

Just had a look at my Reading Lust app...this time last year I had read 9 books!

The only difference I can think of is that we now have a puppy! He's obviously stealing my reading time 😂

3. The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
A good read.
I loved the main character of fiesty, ever-questioning Adunni but, like another poster commented, I thought it was a little too easily resolved at the end.
Although still joyful all the same.

7. We Begin at the End by Chris Whittaker
'This is a story of ordinary people and the decisions that come back to haunt us. It's a story of a small town, and the violent act that tore it apart. It's a story about absolute love and the lengths we will go to protect our family, but it's also a story about good and evil - and how life is lived somewhere in between'

I loved this book. Beautifully written, sad, but uplifting.

Finished The House on Mango Street - great book.

Now reading Malcolm Gladwell, 'Talking to Strangers'.

Finished 'Shattered' (about Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign). Good analysis of the insurmountable problems hardwired into the campaign.

Now half way through The House on Mango Street, and I'll be finished by Monday evening. I am very familiar with the city where it's set and yet this is the first time for me to read it, to my shame. So far it's wonderful.

I might try that some time dolly!

25. Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
I loved the concept of this book: the idea that if you could live your life over and over again what would/could you do differently, how can you learn from your experiences, and what influence you could have on key events. I found the characters interesting and I enjoyed that it was set over the period of the Second World War, as I don't think I've read a book about the Blitz since I was kid.

26. Rodham - Curtis Sittenfeld
This book explores the life that Hillary Rodham might have lived if she hadn't married Bill Clinton. An interesting and entertaining fictionalised version of what might have been. Other than the sex scenes parts, which gave me the ick feeling unless I worked hard to not think of the characters as the real people, this was good.

27. The Other Bennett Sister - Janice Hadlow (audiobook)
A fun Pride and Prejudice spin off focused on what happened to Mary Bennett. Probably a bit overlong and a little frustrating in parts but I enjoyed the ending where Mary finally decides to speak her mind.

28. The Nightingale - Kristin Hannah
One of my favourites of the year so far, I loved this story which focuses on the lives of two sisters in occupied France during WW2. A fantastic book that shines a light on women's endurance and resistance during war, something that doesn't get recognised in the usual remembrance of male bravery and victory. I cried at the end and (as I tell my ds whenever he gets upset) it's always a good thing when a book (or film) makes us feel something.

1. The Inheritance Of Loss by Kiran Desai
2. The Perfect World of Miwako Sumida by Clarissa Goenawan
3. Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson
4. Milkman by Anna Burns
5. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
6. Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burn Out Generation by Anne Helen Petersen
7. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
8. The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich

11. The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Daré - I really liked this book, and enjoyed reading about most of the characters very much, especially Adunni, Kofi, Big Madam. However I thought everything was resolved too easily at the end with very little suspense. I also wasn't really sold on Tia's character or unlikely friendship with Adunni which all felt a little too convenient.

No 11 The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister by, well, Anne Lister. And Helena Whitbread. I found this really fascinating but also hard going - and there's a volume 2. In hindsight I should have read a biography or one of the novelisations of Gentleman Jack.

1. Freckles by Cecelia Ahern (book)
2. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (audio)
3. The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (audio)
4. Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian (audio)
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by JK Rowling (audio)

I've read The Final Revival of Opal & Nev and thought it was good. I have Great Circle and Sorrow & Bliss on my Kindle TBR.