50 Book Challenge 2014

[juneybean]

Hopefully nobody minds me starting this thread.

The idea is to read 50 books in 2014 (or more as many people have achieved this year!)

Please also check out our group on Goodreads if you're stuck for ideas of what books to read!

www.goodreads.com/group/show/59438-the-book-vipers

I've finally finished my first book of the year The New Republic by Lionel Shriver.

I found it got a bit boring in the middle, but it picked up again for the last 100 pages. I enjoyed the idea of the book and the story, but the main character Edgar was just too unlikeable for me to feel much empathy with.

Book 5: Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. It had been a while since I last read it. I tend to think this was one of the better adaptations to film because it does have that filmic quality, although both versions have simplified the story in different ways.

I tried to do this last year, but failed miserably, so I'm having another crack at it this year.
So far I've read Book One of Game of Thrones, which I quite enjoyed, but not sure if I enjoyed it enough to carry on with the rest of the series.

Second book despatched. Cheri, by Colette - superb.

Finished book 2, Life after Life by Kate Atkinson. Loved it. Love the period and concept but did find it got a bit messy around the last 3/4s of the book.

Book 2: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
I read this in just over a day thanks to a long tube trip yesterday. I was irritated by it at first but quite enjoyed it once I'd got into it.

No 2. We Need New Names - Noviolet Bulawayo. Heartbreaking book about Zimbabwe written through the eyes off young girl.

About a third of the way through The Luminaries and need a break so reading the new Bill Bryson.

Waaaaaaaah!
I just finished #3 The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.
Wow. It's good. I just had a bath for an hour and a half so I could read it undisturbed, and it kept me up turning pages last night. Straight to amazon to order the rest of the trilogy.

Thank you CHECKY, it's down to you I read it

Just found this thread and would love to join.
i am on an M C Beaton run just now, love her books for a light feel good read.

1. the new Hamish McBeth - can't remember title just now
2. Miss Tonks To Crime - The Poor Relations series
3. Refining Fiona - the Tribble sisters series

The last two are Regency era romps and are great fun.

Still have 3 christmas present books to read yet.

Would love to join and will aim for 50 - am starting a longer commute soon so want to put it to good use!
1 - The Girl You Left Behind, Jojo Moyes
2 - The Last Letter From Your Lover, Jojo Moyes
Didn't mean to read two Jojo Moyes books in quick succession but downloaded the wrong book club choice first. Both stories rolled along and I enjoyed them but wouldn't say I'm usually a love story fan.
Some great recommendations here for the next few books, but still trying to make some headway with Wolf Hall...

Book 3 David Jason- My Life 4/5

Book 2 - 10 mindful minutes, Goldie Hawn I feel that I should point out that I don't usually read self help books (if this is how you describe this) but am going to try some of the tips with the DC.

Still reading Private Peaceful to the DC and planning on starting The Poison Tree tomorrow

4. The Spook's Revenge by Joseph Delaney. Book 13 of the Spook's Apprentice, last of the series, and intended to be the grand finale. It didn't really work as a grand climax - that should have happened books ago, when they all ended up in Greece for a big showdown. Although this was a disappointment, I enjoyed the series as a whole. It's YA fantasy and the earlier books genuinely scared me (I'm easily scared).

Currently on Lady Audley's Secret by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. It's a Victorian sensation novel, and I'm really loving it. If you're a fan of Wilkie Collins, this is for you. The hero also reminds me of Lord Wimsey. It's fantastic fun, and an easier read than I expected.

1. The Secret Life Of Bees, which I got for Christmas. Lovely book, beautiful ideas and writing and characters. Not sure how I hadn't read this before.

1. The Last Runaway by Tracey Chevalier
2. Th Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson
3. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
4. Life and Laughing by Michael McIntyre.

Now on:

1. Hercule Poirots Christmas
2. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (audio book)

1. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula Le Guin
2. Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
3. Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Now reading The Fall of Hyperion

Can I join? I'm aiming for 12 books this year as I'm studying but this thread seems good for recommendations.

1. Frisky Business by Clodagh Murphy
2. Eternally North by Tillie Cole
3. The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier (absolutely loved this!)

I've just bought The Things We Never Said by Susan Elliot Wright to read next. I'm hoping to broaden my range of books this year. I tend to stick to easy to read chick-lit stuff as it's a bit of a break from the concentration required when studying.

Book nine finished - Very Short Introduction to The Devil: interesting but a bit hard going in places!

Just finished 3. The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry and starting

1. The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

Can I join as well? I followed this thread last year and read some great books that were recommended on here, so feel it's only fair to offer some as well. Books read so far

1. Ready player one - this book is set in 2044 and the world isn't a great place to be. Most people spend their time plugged into an alternative reality game. There are lots of 1980's references. I did enjoy this book. A bit different to what I usually read. 8/10
2. Heft - this was an easy book to read but the story does make you think about family and friendships. The characters are Arthur Op, a 550lb recluse, who used to be a professor and Kel Keller, a 17 year old boy looking for his dad. 8/10
3. The unit - I loved this book (thank you so much for whoever recommends it on here last year). Again it is set in the future. All women over 50 and all men over 60 who haven't any children or who live meaningful lives are sent to the unit. This is like a luxury hotel, apart from the fact that all the guests have to partake in humane experiments and bodily donations. The book is beautifully written. I couldn't stop reading it, but was sad when I had.10/10

1. The woman who went to bed for a year - Sue Townsend

Mostly good, though the very similar names annoyed me a little, a bit predictable towwards the end but I liked the complicated family relationships. *

1. A gate At The Stairs - Lorrie Moore

Not quite sure what the point of this novel was. It sort of meandered and then guttered out. Nice descriptions of things but ultimately the 'deep dark secret' was thrown out in a conversation over several pages, so it felt a bit of an anticlimax. *

1. Tangled lives - Hilary Boyd (stil reading)

It's a light book that's trying to deal with big themes. So far it's a bit pedestrian. Not fabulous to be honest, probably going back in the charity pile.

1. Dr Sleep - Stephen King (a re-read)

I like this book better than The Shining. Some of it is a little over the top, the girl in it is too good to be true, but Dan Torrance has more depth.

1. The aftermath - Rhidian Brook

An english colonel is given a house occupied by Germans in the english quarter of occupied Berlin. He decides that the germans can continue to live there with this family. An interesting concept but I was disappointed and it didn't really grip me. 6/10