50 Book Challenge 2013 -The Sequel!

[CardiffUniversityNetballTeam]

Morning all,

As the old thread here is nearly full, I have created a shiny new one for your delight and delectation.

Sign in and update your progress here!

I'm Cardiff and I've nearly finished book 16, so I'm very behind as to be in track we should be approaching 25 by now. Where is everyone else up to?

How did you find the Toibin book, Duchess?

It is a quick read - just over 100 pages. Not an unputdownable page turner but very likeable, easy to read. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

44 The Bloody Tower - Carola Dunn

Thanks - might give it a go at some stage.

32. Snow Crash - Neal Stephenson

The book that wrenched cyberpunk from William Gibson's hands, one of 100 best English language books since 1923 (according to Time magazine). I would recommend it to everyone interested in futuristic fiction, Internet, and/or languages if I wasn't sure you must have already read it.

How was the John Green Duchess?

I've just finished 36 "The Insanity Hoax" by Judith Schlesinger which was interesting but relied a little too much on anecdotal evidence taken from jazz musicians in some places. I thought the chapters around the history of the concept of "the mad genius" and how the way we look at mental health has changed were fascinating though.

I'm yet to choose book 37, but it will be something much lighter!!

Book 37: "0.4" (seems to also go under the title of Human.4) by Mike Lancaster.

Wednesday - I wasn't that keen on The Fault In Our Stars. It is very Young Adult and I read it almost straight after another and better book about living with cancer. Not my favourite but I didn't hate it, just don't think it was as good as it's made out to be.

41. Gentleman's Relish - Patrick Gale. Excellent collection of short stories.

53. Nancy C Johnson - Her Last Letter
54. Abbie Clements - Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop
55. Roald Dahl - Danny The Champion Of The World
56. Nora Roberts- The Return of Rafe MacKade
57. Nora Roberts - The Pride of Jared MacKade
58. Elizabeth Noble- Between A Mother And Her Child
59. Roald Dahl - Fantastic Mr Fox
60. Roald Dahl - The Magic Finger
61. Shane Dunphy - The Girl Who Wouldn't Smile
62. Tahmima Anam - A Golden Age
63. Jodi Taylor - Just One Damned Thing After Another
64. Mark Green - The Travel Auction
65. Kate Frost - The Butterfly Storm

31. Martian Time-Slip - Philip K Dick
32. The Witches - Roald Dahl
33. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
34. The Worst Journey In The World - Apsley Cherry-Garrard
35. James And The Giant Peach - Roald Dahl
36. The Children's Hospital - Chris Adrian
37. Ring Of Bright Water - Gavin Maxwell
38. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline. As recommended by Cote. I did really enjoy this as a holiday read, rather daft plotwise but good retro fun.

39. Bastien by Tianna Xanna (sp?)

Meg, how did you get on with Ring of Bright Water? I'm thinking of reading it soon, as I recently read and enjoyed his book about the Marsh Arabs.

Hackmum I loved it but then I have read it about a squillion times :)

The follow-ups The Rocks Remain and Raven Seek Thy Br

...other are great too :)

31. Martian Time-Slip - Philip K Dick
32. The Witches - Roald Dahl
33. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
34. The Worst Journey In The World - Apsley Cherry-Garrard
35. James And The Giant Peach - Roald Dahl
36. The Children's Hospital - Chris Adrian
37. Ring Of Bright Water - Gavin Maxwell
38. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline
39. The White Queen - Philippa Gregory. I ran out of books on holiday so had to borrow one from my mum. It was either this or some ghastly-looking Marian Keyes thingy. This was ok as a holiday read, took no time or brainpower, she's certainly no Hilary Mantel though.

That's a shame Duchess, I thought that sounded quite good.

Starting book 38: "The Good Father" by Noah Hawley

Oh Perks that Tahmina Anam book is on my shelf. Well I have two I think they are related in some way. What did you think?

31. One day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. I really enjoyed it (thanks to all who gave me ideas on my Russia thread - Cote springs to mind). Although some reading afterwards suggests my copy wasn't the best translation. I thought it was great anyway. It is a focus on one day in the life of a gulag prisoner in Soviet Russia and the hardships but the small joys that the day brings.

Not sure what is next. I have a couple of short book club reads, plus lots of uni stuff and just books talking to me from the shelf.

I love One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich - glad you enjoyed it.

My no. 30 was Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. Brilliant!

Thanks Meg - will definitely buy it now. I normally buy stuff on Kindle but the only version they've got is an abridged version of the whole trilogy. I wanted to be sure before I went out and bought the print edition!

Kingmaker's daughter was very interesting. Philippa Gregory has written about the sequence events already from a different perspective so it was interesting to see an author reassessing her work from someone else's viewpoint.

Now on #40 - Armour where in he trusted by Mary Webb and #41 The Queen's sorrow by Susanna Dunn.

Popped into the library earlier to pick up some reserved books and they had a book sale so I've come back home very well-equipped with reading materials.

Incidentally, I wonder if anyone can help me identify a book I read some five or more years ago? I started a thread here.

Book 71 The Visible World by Mark Slouka.

45 Ths black Ship - Carola Dunn
46 Agatha Raisin and the Christmas Crumble - M.C. Beaton

31. The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes

Definitely recommend!

40. Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent.