Page 28 | 26-ish books in 2022

StColumbofNavron · 2021-12-31T11:49:57+00:00

Roll up, roll up ... Shiny new thread for 2022. I am setting my target at 25 this year. I want to read at least a min of 5 in hardcopy and at least 4 non-fiction.

MaggieCassidy · 04/01/2022 14:59

Noni = No I !!

MaggieCassidy · 04/01/2022 14:33

@WeeFae Noni haven’t read Song of Achilles but I’ll add it to the list!

dollybird · 04/01/2022 14:27

I seem to have a constant supply of books, as DM, DDad and DD all read books that I like, but not necessarily what each other likes, so I get books from all of them! I don't have a Kindle or listen to audio books, but would totally count them if I did!

livingonpurpose · 04/01/2022 10:48

For me the whole point of being on this thread is for the encouragement to read more books! We do this by sharing what we've read with others on here, no matter what that book is (or what format it was in). It's not a competition, so it doesn't really matter how many books you read or how fast/slow you read them. So there really is no reason or need to feel out of your depth. Just enjoy reading (whatever you want to read) and then come share your thoughts about it with the rest of us

WeeFae · 04/01/2022 10:38

I use BookBub for cheap and free kindle/ebooks, it is updated daily or you can opt-in for their emails.

bookbub

WeeFae · 04/01/2022 10:35

@ThesecondLEM

Gosh, already feel a little out of my depth on this thread. I struggle to find stuff on kindle as it offers a lot of low brow stuff which I actually even struggle with that. Perhaps I should start a thread for those who read the modern equivalent of the penny dreadful

One of the books I plan to read soon is one from my childhood! And not a classic either. It all counts.

ExtremelyDetermined · 04/01/2022 09:50

I agree, the whole point is to read what you want to read and share that, then we might all find books and genres that we hadn't thought of trying. The only marketing email I am subscribed to is the 99p Kindle deals one, I tend to have a vague list of things I'd like to read in my mind (from threads on here, things people have shared on FB, browsing generally) and it's surprising how often they pop up. I also browse charity shops. I don't have Kindle unlimited though, I don't read fast enough for it to be worth it.

Original poster

StColumbofNavron · 04/01/2022 09:15

@TheSecondLEM I use bookbinder to send Kindle recommendations when they are 99p. Based on whatever I ticked when I signed up I get some mystery, historical romance and then once a week or so I get some writers who would be on my list anyway.

Don’t worry about what you chose. I read lots of different things and you will shortly see that I will be listing a middle school book that I’m reading with DS3. Some of us will buy from the daily deals and you can absolutely bet that means we are reading some low brow stuff.

To illustrate: I have a few books I 100% want to get to this year and two of them I have written down are the next two Bridgerton books. Do you. It’s also worth noting that we all read faster in Jan with the momentum but it does slow right down.

The message really, for anyone reading this is

please read what you like
count whatever you want
no one will judge

OP posts:

ChipPotts · 04/01/2022 09:13

I also read a mix. Currently reading Rachel's holiday by Marian Keyes. Over half way through and really enjoying it.

Fridafever · 04/01/2022 07:54

I read a mix Lem! I try to throw a few books where I think I should have read them and intersperse with lots of genre stuff. I like golden age crime novels a lot - like a cosy blanket!

Are people counting audio books? I was thinking I would but keep the lists separately.

ThesecondLEM · 04/01/2022 05:46

Gosh, already feel a little out of my depth on this thread. I struggle to find stuff on kindle as it offers a lot of low brow stuff which I actually even struggle with that. Perhaps I should start a thread for those who read the modern equivalent of the penny dreadful

ExtremelyDetermined · 03/01/2022 23:07

1. Freckles by Cecelia Ahern.

The first book I have read by this author. A fairly light and enjoyable read about Allegra from rural Ireland who has moved to a Dublin suburb for work and family reasons. The central theme was interesting and I enjoyed how Allegra worked through a process of getting to know herself and her nearest and dearest. Some of the more minor characters/events were a bit stereotypical but not really to the detriment of the book. My main niggle was that there is a lot of speech but no speech marks and often in the middle of a paragraph which slowed me down a bit in places as I hesitated over whether something was spoken word or not.

VittysCardigan · 03/01/2022 18:40

I'm in! Managed 37 last year. A mix of fiction & non fiction books & audio.
Finished my first for the year last night. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid which i really enjoyed.
Next on my list is either Just Ignore him by Alan Davies or Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas.

Original poster

StColumbofNavron · 03/01/2022 14:07

@ExtremelyDetermined, we have no rules. Judge as you see fit. Personally, I count books I finished this year even if I started them last year. I wouldn’t count a book I didn’t finished, but you won’t face the chop if you chose too. I don’t really read audiobooks but I don’t think I would count them (for me) but almost everyone does and that’s fine. I count children’s books I read with my DS3 because they are substantive but others wouldn’t.

1. Vanity Fair, W M Thackeray
I was a bit meh about this most of the time. The present narrator is fun and interesting and I enjoyed his asides and seeming understanding of the difficulties faced by women. We follow Amelia (mercantile and privileged, bound by duty and decorum) and Becky Sharpe (bohemian, charismatic, fun and swinging by the seat of her pants) as they face ups and downs in their lives and how each manages the crisis they face. There wasn’t enough Becky for me, though I was rooting for her.

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TheAnswerIsCake · 03/01/2022 13:44

@ExtremelyDetermined

What do you all do about books you were part way through on 1st Jan, do they count? What about those you didn't finish (I wouldn't typically count these but it may be interesting to discuss them on the thread even so).

There aren’t really any “rules” so you can do what works for you. Personally I count books in the year that I finished them, which works well here because then I can discuss them in this year’s thread.

I don’t count DNF books in my total, but would mention them here - finding out what others don’t enjoy is just as interesting as finding out what they do enjoy. Amazingly I did not have a single book that I didn’t finish last year - hoping to be as lucky again this year!

WeeFae · 03/01/2022 13:28

@MaggieCassidy

I’m in!

I read a miserable total of 9 books last year due only to my phone addiction skyrocketing throughout the pandemic. I normally read in the region of 20, which can absolutely be increased with less phone and more determination! 💪

I’m starting off with a little book my DD bought me for Christmas - The Cat Who Saved Books - Sosuke Natsukawa which, 1/3 of the way in, is proving more engaging than the other short Japanese cat-themed books I’ve read in the last few years!

I’m also reading Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year with 365 sonnets/quotes and a commentary every day but obvs that’s going to take a while.

I’ve got Circe - Madeline Miller and The Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker lined up next.

I usually like to have a non-fiction on the go too (nature/science/art/motivational) but I think I’ll stick to one at a time whilst I’m getting back into the swing of reading.

@Weepingwillows12 I’d also like to read Dave Grohl’s biography and Ariadne this year.

I loved Circe, have you read The Song of Achilles by the same author? I adored it.

Fridafever · 03/01/2022 13:05

I count any I finish in the relevant year - so I’m on book 2 as I finished 1 on the 2nd Jan. I don’t count unfinished but keep a list of them

ExtremelyDetermined · 03/01/2022 12:59

What do you all do about books you were part way through on 1st Jan, do they count? What about those you didn't finish (I wouldn't typically count these but it may be interesting to discuss them on the thread even so).

SmaugMum · 03/01/2022 12:37

I’ve started as I mean to go on and I’ve read a chunk of The Passenger by Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz this morning.

MaggieCassidy · 03/01/2022 12:01

I’m in!

I read a miserable total of 9 books last year due only to my phone addiction skyrocketing throughout the pandemic. I normally read in the region of 20, which can absolutely be increased with less phone and more determination! 💪

I’m starting off with a little book my DD bought me for Christmas - The Cat Who Saved Books - Sosuke Natsukawa which, 1/3 of the way in, is proving more engaging than the other short Japanese cat-themed books I’ve read in the last few years!

I’m also reading Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year with 365 sonnets/quotes and a commentary every day but obvs that’s going to take a while.

I’ve got Circe - Madeline Miller and The Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker lined up next.

I usually like to have a non-fiction on the go too (nature/science/art/motivational) but I think I’ll stick to one at a time whilst I’m getting back into the swing of reading.

@Weepingwillows12 I’d also like to read Dave Grohl’s biography and Ariadne this year.

Weepingwillows12 · 03/01/2022 11:25

I think I read about 30 books last year on my own then about another 20 ish to the kids (although some of their books I really did enjoy).

Reading Dave Grohls autobiography at the moment and just finished Ariadne which I enjoyed. I like a mix of books. Found I didn't want anything emotionally taxing for a while but think I may be ready for harder reads again this year.

Manteo · 03/01/2022 11:14

Just started the Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown. How do I do bold? I can't remember!

TheMagiciansNiece · 03/01/2022 11:04

I'd love to join too please.

Original poster

StColumbofNavron · 03/01/2022 10:55

@WeeFae the spreadsheet is really just basic. Because I can look at my actual hard copy books and decide what to read I wanted to be able to see at a glance for my Kindle. So I went through all of my unread books and just have three columns and only added those I either really really want to read on one column; second column is books I’d like to read but not as much as column one and a third which is non-fiction.

So it isn’t every single book on my kindle, there is lots of there I probably should just delete. But looking at 400 books was daunting and now there is more like a 120 on the list. Otherwise, what happens is that I buy faster than I can read and end up forgetting about books.

I’ve preplanned a few:
Hard Times readalong here
War and Peace readalong
Autumn, Ali Smith in September
Mexican Gothic in October
Starting Emma shortly with my book group

I’ll hopefully be back at the end of the day with my first book finished.

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ExtremelyDetermined · 03/01/2022 10:34

@LadyMacnet - I bought the Ed Balls book in Waterstones sale last week and have the Grace Dent one waiting on Kindle, looking forward to both of them. I am also a Nigel Slater fan and am working my way through Christmas Chronicles again. I didn't enjoy Crawdads though, found it far-fetched in the extreme.