50 Book Challenge in 2013. Who's with me?

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

Tidying up after Christmas it has come to my attention that I have nearly 100(!!) paperbacks in stacks down the side of my bed waiting to be read.
I am going to challenge myself to try and read at least 50 of them this year. That's nearly one a week so I am going to have to really apply myself and stop faffing around and doing other things when I could be enjoying a good book.
I wondered if anyone else would like to join me? We can post what we are reading and then post when we have finished each book and what's next.
I know I would love to hear what others are reading and enjoying (or not enjoying) so I can go out and buy more books in a few months time!
My first book of the year is President Down by Terence Strong about spies and terrorists which my dad lent me about a year ago! I'm only about 20 pages in, but so far so good.

[minsmum]

31 Damsel in Distress -- Carola Dunn

[Jdub]

1. Shamefully, I abandoned my previous number 8 (Bradley Wiggins- My Time - I found it abit too 'listy'. Although I admire him massively, I just couldn't get through it) So I replaced it with Warhorse - Michael Morpurgo- AWESOME!!! Still to choose number 9.

[WednesdayNext]

Finished Book 20: Gone Girl. I was hooked for most of it, but a bit disappointed in the ending.

Not chosen book 21 yet, think I'll see what mood I'm in by bed time!

[MrsCosmopilite]

As my would-be #27 is currently being read by someone else (library book), I've 'bumped it' up the list a bit.

I've finished Caitlin Moran and highly recommend her. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want aqua DM's and a grey streak.

Just started 'The Westminster Poisoner' by Susanna Gregory. So far, so good. Possibly a little contrived, but a murder mystery with history.

[WednesdayNext]

Book 21: This Is Not About Me by Janice Galloway

[moonshine]

13. Magpies, Mark Edwards 6.5/10
    Weird, as have just noticed another thread on this book. I enjoyed it up until the end which felt too rushed. But actually a very easy read.
    
    
14. The Sociopath Next Door, Martha Stout 7.5/10
    By brain needed a non-fiction read and this appealed as I'm convinced we definitely have 2 sociopaths (at least!) at work.

[Galaxymum]

Book 27 The Last Summer by Judith Longhorn (if you liked My Dear I Wanted To Tell You, this may interest you. Same period and very well written)

Book 28 The Sea Sisters by Lucy Clarke - ok but a bit predictable.

Book 29 is Before I Met You by Lisa Jewell which I'm enjoying so far.

[MrsCosmopilite]

Finished #27 (revised numbering - see upthread) The Westminster Poisoner. Bit of a twist near the end, which I didn't see coming. Not the most thrilling read ever, but entertaining and I'd certainly read Susanna Gregory again.

Got stuck into #28 now: Shakespeare's Mistress - Karen Harper. So far so good, as she drops into the text lots of scenes that can be related to works of the great William.

Picked up a whole stack more today, so will be back to The Sunne in Splendour by the weekend, hopefully.

[DuchessofMalfi]

Book 44 - This Is How It Ends by Kathleen MacMahon. Surprisingly good. Not chick-lit(ish) at all. But very sad.

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

Ohh you are within sight of 50 DuchessOfMalfi.

[DuchessofMalfi]

Hoping to finish by the end of July :)

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

I will be half way by the end of June but have a demanding academic year coming up so will need to read lots over the summer.

[tumbletumble]

21. You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi McFarlane. Enjoyable chick lit.

[minsmum]

32 Dead in the Water - Carola Dunn
33 Styx and Stones -Carola Dunn

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

24. Working class cultures by Joanna Bourke complete
    
    Just need to finish up my latest Poirot then into my book club read HHhH and I want to read the Guernsey Literary Potato Society this month too.

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

15. Winter in Madrid by CJ Sansom. More of a slow burner than a page turner but I really enjoyed it. I would advise anyone about to read it to do a small amount of research into the Spanish Civil War first though!
    
    Next is book six in the Amelia Peabody series - The Last Camel Died At Noon.
    
    I really need to speed up though as I'm very behind at the moment.
    We will also be needing a new thread in the near future I think!!

[gailforce1]

Nearly half way through the year and I'm getting slightly behind!
20. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
21. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Loved this and have put The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game on my "to read" list.

Watching how everyone else is getting on with interest and with awe for those who have clocked up 40+!

[MegBusset]

21. The BFG - Roald Dahl
    
22. Alone In Berlin - Hans Fallada
    
23. The People Of The Abyss - Jack London
    
24. London Under - Peter Ackroyd
    
25. The Talisman - Stephen King & Peter Straub
    
26. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
    
27. The Firework-Maker's Daughter - Philip Pullman (bedtime reading for DS1)
    
28. Black House - Stephen King & Peter Straub. Decent enough but not a patch on The Talisman.

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

I read the Black House about ten years ago megbusset. I shuddered every time I saw a crow for months afterwards!!

[schooldidi]

20. The Little Stranger - Sarah Waters
    
21. The Silver Linings Playbook - Matthew Quick
    
    I think I'm falling a bit behind but I'll read a bit more over the summer holidays.
    Currently reading 22. Life of Pi - Yann Martel

[minsmum]

34. Pigeon English - Stephen Kelman

[mixedmamameansbusiness]

25. Poirot's early cases by Agatha Christie
    
    Aggie is my guilty pleasure. This was a collection of short stories which were good for dipping in and out but overall I prefer to the longer cases.
    
    Very pleased to hit the half way mark.

[Shanghaidiva]

I know I am really late to the party, but want to join the challenge. I order all the books for the school library and belong to a book club so read a mixture of adult and young adult fiction. This is what I have read so far this year:
Maggot Moon - Costa children's winner
The Heart Broke in - James Meek - loved this
the Fault in our stars - john Green
the Expats - Chris Pavone - some amusing moments, but got really silly
Slated - Teri Terry (YA fiction)
Days of the Bagnold Summer
The Seeing - Diana Hendry
Boy and a bear in a boat
looking for Violet park - Children's book
Fearless - Tim Lott - excellent
What's up with Jody Barton - YA - interesting twist
The Casual Vacancy - loved this
The Dovekeepers - needed a good edit
Glass House
Harold Fry - slated by my book group (!)
Mao's Last Dancer
Noughts and crosses - Malorie Blackman YA fiction
Life, Death, Prizes - Stephen May
Ketchup Clouds - Annabel Pitcher (YA)
White Crow - Marcus Sedgewick

This takes me to 20, so am a bit behind. Am currently reading the 100 year old man.. for my book group an Code Name Verity for school library. Have Wolf Hall on my list and also want to get the new Kate Atkinson.

I live in China so am interested in what others are reading ( no browsing in book shops for me) and for recommendations and suggestions.

[Shanghaidiva]

Also read Candor by Pam Bachorz (YA) so am now up to 21.

[CoteDAzur]

15. Collected Short Stories Vol 1 - Somerset Maugham
    
    Pretty good and I enjoyed it although I'm not a big fan of neither short stories nor "traditional" writing style of the period.
    
    
    
16. Umbrella - Will Self
    
    By far the most difficult book I have ever read (and I like big difficult books) but very satisfying. I understand why it was shortlisted for last year's Booker Prize and also why it didn't win. Will Self is a genius.
    
    
    
17. Inferno - Dan Brown
    
    Truly awful crap. And I say that as someone who quite enjoyed Da Vinci Code and its sequel Angels & Demons.
    
    
    
18. The Hidden Man - Charles Cumming
    
    I enjoy Charles Cumming's modern spy books but this was just not very interesting.