50 Books Challenge 2024 Part Nine

I've just started Mansfield Park. I think I read it years ago when I was young. I haven't read an Austen for a very long time.

Writing our book reviews in Limericks! I'm so tempted to do this 😅

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I think the Karla trilogy which are the Smiley ones are good. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the first as recommended by @SheilaFentiman

Welcome to all newbies and thoughts with those who have had a tough year. Hopefully books can provide some welcome distraction.

I'm off to Bath tomorrow and hoping I can fit in a trip to Mr Bs and Persephone.

Thank you very much Southeast for the new thread.

I checked and can see I was posting on the thread as long ago as 2015. Amazed!

And hello to all the new people! This is a great place to be.

@RomanMum good to hear that you enjoyed P&P (sort of). I've been lucky with theatre trips lately. Come From Away was good and Spend Spend Spend was brilliant. Also looking forward to Hamilton soon.

@GrannieMainland I struggled with A Place of Greater Safety I have to admit. I couldn't seem to get the three main characters straight in my head and gave up about 50 pages in. Possibly my fault; having so enjoyed the Wolf Hall trilogy I was expecting to love it.

@StrangewaysHereWeCome I had to study Mansfield Park in my first year at university. I didn't love it then and it's my least favourite Austen now .. and I'm a big JA fan. It seems a strange choice to inspire 18 year olds with a love of literature, in retrospect.

I'm not aware of him having written much poetry to be honest. Maybe some juvenile stuff? And a quick google just gave me this article.

Limericks are a fine poetry form. In fact, I think we should have a go at writing our book reviews as limericks:

In proving Jane Austen a radical
Kelly resorts to the farcical
Finding sexual perversion
where there never were some
made Remus' hatred emphatical

Another suggestion @LuckyMauveReader is to read one of the classics translated into Spanish and read the original in English alongside it, a chapter at a time. Something with a good story to keep you interested.

You could also look up the set texts for A-level Spanish if there are any. There might be something good there and within the scope of an upper intermediate learner at least not massively difficult. I think reading really helps to improve in a language. Good luck with it!

I'll keep that in mind.

Have you read any of his poetry? I used to like reading Limericks when I was a teen but I don't think they count😂

For Chandler, I'd start with The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye or Farewell my Lovely.

Hope you find something that you like!

Thank you all.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit The book None of this is Real, looks/sounds great. The Taylor Reid series is not something I would've considered but will read the first and see how I find it.

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh I don't have a Kindle but do have a few of Olly Richards books. They're good but the stories are quite simplistic - To be honest I keep avoiding reading substantial books in Spanish. Maybe I should jump in feet first and have a dictionary to hand. We'll see. I may get one of his books in advanced level and try that. I'm nowhere near fluent and can't see that happening very soon, but will persevere. ATM I'm just enjoying learning.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I have actually bookmarked The Spy Who Came in from the Cold from the chat. It does sound like something that would engage me.
The Shardlake series is again something I wouldn't have chosen but have watched The Tudors and enjoyed that series. Intertwined with mystery and crime seems quite appealing. I'll look forward to reading the first one.
Gosh! Raymond Chandler was quite prolific. There are many titles to choose from. Some of the titles are familiar from TV but right now I can't remember if I have watched them or not.

Those are some great suggestions and are sure to take me well and truly out of my comfort zone. I now have a good list to keep me going. I will keep an eye on the threads and keep you updated.

The Spy who Came in From the Cold - an absolute classic and very, very good. Dark though.

If you don't mind historical crime - have you read the Shardlake series?

I'd also always recommend Raymond Chandler, if you haven't yet come across him - classic hard boiled crime.

Welcome to the thread@LuckyMauveReader !

If you have a Kindle, I recommend the Olly Richards series of books for Spanish. I find them great for learning Italian. I had a look and there's loads for Spanish.

And Jane Casey/the Maeve Kerrigan series for a good psychological thriller.

Happy reading!

Welcome @LuckyMauveReader

Have you tried any Taylor Jenkins Reid?

There's an interconnected series of hers which is :

Daisy Jones And The Six
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Malibu Rising
And
Carrie Soto Is Back

Hi all

I'm here to mark my place as newbie to the 50 books challenge for 2025 thread as suggested by @EineReiseDurchDieZeit Thank you

My hope is that by joining this thread I will read more widely and out of my comfort zone

I am looking for some suggestions. I've bookmarked a few ideas but looking for recommendations to get me started in either/all of these genres

1. Chicklit

2. Book in Spanish suitable for an intermediate learner

3. Crime/Thriller/Psychological Thriller

Thinking of you and your family @BarbaraBuncle

Hope 2025 is better Barbara

357 Out of Character by Alison Steadman

The actress looks back over her acting life. It was fine, but all felt very surface level - there’s not much about herself in here. I don’t feel I know her any better after reading this. Nice to read about some of her famous roles though.

@BarbaraBuncle that's so tough for you all. Sending best wishes.

Sorry to hear that @BarbaraBuncle. Hoping 2025 is a better year for you and your family. We will all be here whenever you want to drop in next year.

@BarbaraBuncle sending best wishes.

Wishing you all the very best @BarbaraBuncle That sounds really difficult. I hope 2025 brings him more of the right help that he needs.

I've been loving lurking on this thread thank you.
I've fallen down a hole of the Instagram trends this year and hope i wont waste as much time skim reading absolute rubbish in 2025 so will list them just as an individual series. Thanks for tips for my 2025 reading. I also just joined the library so may go back to real books for a change from my kindle.
1.Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo Taylor Jenkins Reid
2.The Guest List Lucy Foley
3.The Magicians Assistant Ann Patchett
4.The Perfect Match Dandy Smith
5.Reminders of Him Coleen Hoover
6.Shadow & Bone Leigh Bardugo
7.Seige & Storm Leigh Barddugo
8.Two Twisted Crowns Rachel Gillig
9.Tell me how this ends Jo Leevers
10.The Alone Time Elle Marf
11.Ruin & Rising Leigh Bardugo
12 The Bullet that Missed Richard Osman
13.The list of suspicious things Jennie Godfrey
14.My Favorite Mistake Marian Keyes
15.My Sister the serial killer Oyinkan Braithwaite
16.ACOTAR 5 books Sarah J Maas
17.Country Secrets Fiona Walker
18.Cut and Thirst Margaret Atwood
19.Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
20.The Scent of hours Barbara O'Neal
21.Fourth Wing 2 books Rebecca Yarros
22.The Wishing Game Meg Shaffer
23.All Fours Miranda July
24.Keeper of Enchanted Rooms Charlie N Holmberg
25.Weyward Emilia Hart
26.The Bookstore Wedding Allice Hoffman
27.The last list of Mabel Beaumont Laura Pearson
28.The Midnight Library Matt Haig
29.Girl A Abigail Dean
30.Origin Dan Brown
31.The Cypress Maze Fiona Valpy
32.Swimming to Lundy Amanda Prowse
33.The Riviera House Swap Gillian Harvey
34.The Psychopath Mary Turner Thompson
35.Kate Atkinson Transcription
36.Stone Yard Devotional Charlotte Wood
37.Heir of uncertain magic Charlie M Homberg
38.Mythos Steven Fry
39.James Percival Everett
40.The Mirror and the Light Hilary mantel
41 Throne of glass series 7 Sarah J Maas
42.Loosley Based on a true story James Blunt
43.Bleed for me Micheal Robotham
44.The last Devil to die Richard Osman
45.The man who made husbands jealous Jilly Cooper
46.Yellowface RF Kuang
47.Comfort Eating Grace Dent
48.Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
49.The Housemaid Freida Mcfadden
50.The Housemaids Secret Freida Mcfadden

Barbara so sorry to hear it

That does sound really difficult @BarbaraBuncle , sending you all best wishes.

Best wishes @BarbaraBuncle Im glad the audiobooks have been a comfort.

That sounds really tough, @BarbaraBuncle

Best wishes to you and your family @BarbaraBuncle

I fell off the thread quite early on. This year has been a very difficult one. DS is autistic and has increasingly severe MH problems which have needed CAMHS involvement. At the moment we're able to keep him out of hospital, but I've no idea for how much longer. The impact of DS's problems has taken its toll on DH & DD as well as me and we're all just trying to keep our heads above water.

Reading has been mostly audiobooks and has been a comfort to me in these difficult days. I have, surprisingly, managed over 100 books, mostly easier reads, nothing too challenging. I haven't had time to write reviews, but I have been enjoying reading the threads throughout the year. I may join in 2025, but posts will be sporadic.

Hoping you've all had a good reading year.