26-ish books in 2022

Has anyone read any of the longlisted books for the Women's Prize for Fiction? I want to put them all on my list but seeing as I can only usually manage 26 books in a year it wouldn't leave much room for anything else (& skint me out!)

womensprizeforfiction.co.uk/features/features/news/announcing-the-womens-prize-2022-longlist

Book 28
Next of Kin Kia Abdullah
This is a harrowing but excellent read about family crisis and the ensuing court case following the death of a young child. The twists at the end left me reeling.

:23DonEmmanuelsDingleberries

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

10. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint - This was an enjoyable, quick read. I didn't know much about Ariadne beyond the story of Theseus and the Minotaur, so it was interesting to do a bit of follow on reading about her mythology.

Just started The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Daré.

Oh I think I might read Noughts and Crosses fit my sci-fi if that's sci-fi?
I really don't know what is any more!

Margot, I agree that a bit of tightening up wouldn't have gone amiss. But if you do get into it, it is pretty immersive.

1. How to Be a Rock Star - Shaun Ryder

@bibliomania I read The Doomsday Day several times when I was a teenager, absolutely loved it. Then listened to the audiobook last year and realised how appallingly written it was. A good editor should have tightened it up, but it would have been a mammoth task! Still have huge fondness for it and still think about Kivrin from time to time.

@pontiouspilates I felt exactly the same about Coal Black Mornings! Then I also read Afternoons with the Blinds Drawn and came to the conclusion that Brett Anderson is either a miserable twat or takes himself far too seriously (poss both) - where was the joy!?!! Has every single aspect of his pop star career been relentlessly miserable?

10. The Godmother by Hannalore Cayre, really fun and slightly crazy crime novel set among Arabic speaking immigrants in Paris.

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)

7. Emma by Jane Austen (Audio)
Wonderful, obviously. I love listening to audiobooks last thing at night but have always found that, even with the sleep timer, I fall asleep and then struggle to find the right place again. My new system is to have a book which I know really well and love to listen to last thing at night. Doesn’t matter too much then if I miss bits!
This was from the Jane Austen Collection on Audible - all of the novels for the price of one book. Narrated by Emma Thompson with different voice actors playing the roles. A bit cheesy maybe but quite effective.

Book No 26
99 Red Balloons Elisabeth Carpenter

Fairly average abduction story. The 'twist' was obvious and the end a bit ott but a passable read.

@Nordicmom exactly same, I skimmed the end to find out the conclusion but couldn't get into it enough to read whole thing.

Oh and I finished “ My Friend Anna “ and that went to charity too .

I had to stop after the first 100 pages of “ Into the water “ by Paula Hawkins that was my book no 8 . Don’t know why but I just didn’t get on with the writing style or something so out to charity shop it went . I am in the middle of several on my kindle but I think
I’ll read a John Grisham one next probably “ Camino Island “ from my drawer . I haven’t read his books for ages.

I have been a little remiss with updating so here are my books so far this year:

1. All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
2. To Throw Away Unopened - Viv Albertine
3. American Dirt - Jeannie Cummins
4. Why I am no Longer Talking To White People About Race -Reni Eddo-Lodge
5. Women Who Blow On Knots - Ece Temelkuran - my first DNF of the year
6. The Storyteller - Dave Grohl
7. Coal Black Mornings - Brett Anderson I was really disappointed in this book, I thought it was poorly written, and although it evoked the London of my student years, I didn't feel I connected with the author at all - and I am a fan of Suede.
8. Bed Stuy by Jerry McGill an Amazon freebie read on my kindle on a long trip. Surprisingly enjoyable but ultimately not memorable
9. The Monk, The Surfer and The CEO by Robin Sharma utter guff read as part of a work wellbeing group!

Number 10 will be Ariadne by Jennifer Saint. I do enjoy a retelling of a Greek myth!

@livingonpurpose - the last five or so chapters are the best of all.

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

1. Whistling for the Elephants by Sandi Toksvig - This was just ok tbh. The characters needed more development, as most of them were pretty one dimensional with not much thought given to their motivations. Then again the story is told from the perspective of a 10 year old girl, so maybe that was intentional? Either way I can't see myself rereading it.

I forgot I'd read The Psychology of Time Travel!
I think I'd prefer something without names for tribes and exotic reptilian pilots. Time travel is definitely more my speed.
I'll see what the 50 book thread has to say about The Doomsday Book.

Science fiction at the softer end of the genre - I liked The Psychology of Time Travel, by Kate Mascerenhas and also the Becky Chambers books. I haven't read the full series, but the first book, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet was enjoyable enough, like a school story in space (bunch of new girls learning to shake down together). If you like Connie Willis, then I personally was enthralled by The Doomsday Book but it has divided opinion on the 50-book thread and the ending might feel too upsetting. If we're counting time travel as sci fi, there's always the St Mary's books by Jodi Taylor, which are great fun.

Can anyone recommend me some science fiction?
I don't normally read it at all, but in my challenge for the year is a science fiction book by a woman writer.
I got Wrinkle in Time out of the library, but there's also "a children's book" on the list so I might count it for that.
I enjoyed the Detective Inspector Chen books (set in a future Singapore) by Liz Williams.
I can't stand most scifi I'm afraid!
Not Handmaid's Tale - I think it would be too upsetting - which also cuts out quite a lot of dystopian fiction.
I did also like To Say Nothing of the Dog (Connie Willis), but she's written loads so I'm not sure which one to read next!

6. Die of Shame by Mark Billingham.

'Every Monday evening, six people gather in a smart north London house to talk about addiction. there they share their deepest secrets: stories if lies, regret, and above all, shame. Then one of them is killed - and it's clear one of the circle was responsible'

I really enjoyed this, kept me guessing right to the end, and a bonus short story at the end

9 Murder by the Book, short stories edited by Martin Edwards. Loved this, it's good a great selection. Particularly liked the one where a writer murders the people who "just pop round" while he's WFH and stay for hours.

Hi,
I'm a bit late to join but I've read a few books suggested on this thread and am have so far enjoyed them all. It's been a while since I have read so much! Thanks for the inspiration.
1.Midnight Library

1. American Dirt
2. How we disappeared
3. The Hearts of Invisible Furies (current)