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

Me too Chipand Spuds

I'm reading The Son in Law, it's good but a bit dull

Book 4 - The Gods of Guilt - Michael Connelly, I started this a week ago and just finished it. A fabulous book, great courtroom drama by the author of The Lincoln Lawyer and the Harry Bosch detective books. Can highly recommend these books.

Book 5 - How to spend less without being miserable. - Read this in 2 nights. A quick read. Lots of tips. good if you are trying to cut spending for the first time - if you, like me, are always trying to cut back then some of the tips will be already known to you.

Book 3; ‘I Laughed, I Cried’ by Viv Groskop. Wife, mum-of-three and journalist Viv vows to do 100 stand-up gigs in one day. Didn’t enjoy it – too much minutiae on stand-up when she should have expanded on her more interesting personal life and family background; i.e. made the book more of a memoir. But I applaud her for having the balls to do the gigs.

Tonight I’m starting ‘Why Be Happy…’ by Jeanette Winterson.

AnneWentworth being a book giver refers to taking part in World Book Night.

You can apply to receive 20 (I think) copies of a book which you choose from a designated list and then give them away free in your community. Preferably to people who don't read a lot. You need to explain when applying who you plan to distribute the book to. Last year I gave them to the parents of the kids in the children's ward where I volunteer each week.

It's a really nice thing to do. I think this year's WBN applications have to be made by today.

Thursday. I love the old fool but I'm three quarters in now (desperation) and it is now both boring and irritating. He's not coming across v well.

The son in law is good, do read it! I read perfect and Harold fry that were really good just before, so it seems a bit bland but it's a good storyline and I'm managing . Just not one if those where u look forward to going to bed to read it

I adore, 'Lolita.' One of my v favourite books ever.

1. An exquisite sense of what is beautiful. J. David Simmons 4/5

1. Playdate by Louise Millar (Okay but not as good as the blurb suggested.)

1. Black Seconds by Karin Fossum. (About a child who goes missing. Enjoyed this but worked out exactly who was responsible very early on. Was expecting more of a twist.)

1. Forget Me Never - Gina Blaxill. (YA novel. Listened as an audiobook. Enjoyed this more than I expected. Little far-fetched but quite engaging.)

1. Cosa Nostra (A history of the Sicilian Mafia) - John Dickie 8/10

A really accessible history that shows just how much we still don't really know about the Mafia. Although my family is from southern Italy, I know Sicilians which led me to read this!

Am enjoying non-fiction atm but shall now go for a fiction book from my 25 kindle book pile (am not counting the paper ones under my bed)

I haven't read Lolita but have read Pnin by Nabakov and just couldn't get on with it. It was a book club read though and I know a number went on to read Lolita and raved about it.

Sorry Remus :) Not sure why I didn't really enjoy it as at the start it had real potential to be a good book for me. Part of it was the lists, like places visited. I found myself thinking 'oh just get on with it' and kind of lost interest.

4: Apple Tree Yard
Found this absolutely gripping, even though I don't normally read crime/psychological things. Looking forward to the webchat.
Have joined the Book Vipers so no 5 will be Mansfield Park. Haven't read much classic fiction since uni 25 years ago so will be interesting to see if my ageing child-addled brain can still cope!

1. The Foundation Pit by Andrey Platanov. A bit of a satirical take on the Soviet Union and Communism written at the time but not published till many years later. A group if workers dig the pit for the coming utopia, slowly they realise it isn't coming and turn violent and lose faith. This was a new translation that has had great reviews. I really, really enjoyed it. Their are some brilliant bits, Communist chickens are discussed over a page or two and it made me giggle on a bus and share with anyone who would listen.

Still have my Austen non-fic on the go but not sure what I fancy next.

Third book complete - Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha. Been sitting on my shelf for years. Admired the writing but couldn't love the book.

1. Robert Galbraith - The Cuckoo's Calling
2. Mad About the Boy - Helen Fielding
3. Tangled Lives –Hilary Boyd

The Hilary Boyd was just OK. I've liked others she's wwritten but this didn't grab me at all.

Number 3 finished. Gone Girl - it was my book group one for this month and if it wasn't I don't think I would have finished it! Very disappointing end too! Not quite sure why this one has been hyped so much

Started #4 last night '12 Years A Slave'. Haven't seen the film and probably wouldn't have read the book but for MIL giving me the free copy she got with her paper at the weekend.

Having said that, and notwithstanding the fact that I'm only 1 chapter in, it seems a good read so far. The subject matter hasn't got too challenging yet (although I'm sure it will) and the writing style is pleasantly straightforward which makes a chance after the wordiness of Austen.

I now have a system for my reading plans:

Classic
Contemporary
Something about another culture/country
Contemporary

...and repeat. I think that will break up the tougher reads enough so I feel like it's a challenge but still enjoy it.

Nearly finished (8) Longbourn. Excellent. You don't need to be a fan of Pride and Prejudice at all, as it stands on its own feet, but if you are, it's astonishing how it opens up a whole new perspective.

Please can I join? Not sure I will make it to 50 but I'll give it a go.

I've just tried a totally new genre (new to me, not new to the world) and read to urban fantasy books - the first two books in the Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

I've now got the third one on the go, plus a Melissa hill book that I got free. I'm going to download something else a bit different onto my kindle this weekend - possibly Gone Girl.

• two urban fantasy books.

oooohhh i've just bought Apple Tree Yard to read next, cant wait. 76% through my current book, going to rattle through it tonight

1. The Worst Witch All At Sea (read to DD and I really enjoyed it too so am including it!)
2. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson - amazing book and I loved the concept but I felt emotionally exhausted by the end last night!

I'm looking for something light next!