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

1. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte. I have started this book a couple of times over the years, but never made it beyond the boring, pompous bit narrated by Mr Lockwood right at the start. This time I was determined to stick with it, and lo I finished it! It WASNT at all what I expected, nearly all the characters were so twisted and thoroughly unsympathetic. But it was very powerful and certainly held my attention once I got going.

Next: don't know whether to stick with Brontes and read Agnes Grey (another one which has been on my 'to read' pile for years) or go for something newer and lighter.

mumslife, I also have almost 300 on my kindle (red face)

I bought these today...

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002U3CCMO/ref=oh_d__o00_details_o00__i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AQIFNGM/ref=oh_d__o04_details_o04__i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I think I am an addict

Tortillas I love that series, I read it last year and then bought the series for my sister for Christmas. It's brilliant, but then I read a lot of Urban fantasy.

1. A thousand Splendid Suns This isn't really my sort of book but I like to join in with the fiction group reads on the book vipers. I really enjoyed it, although enjoy is probably the wrong word seeing as I cried my way through a lot of it . It has definitely confirmed that I am massively glad to have been born in the UK and not somewhere like Afghanistan.

Dumspiro - that is a good plan. I might use that.

Riverboat - I love love love Withering Heights no matter what the MN consensus about teenage angst etc. I read the tenant of wildfell hall last year (Anne) and really enjoyed it. It is very interesting considering when it was written as it deals with domestic violence.

Oh and Jane Eyre is sublime once you get past her school years.

Anti, I've absolutely loved the first two books. I've never tried urban fantasy - I didn't really know what it was to be honest but I'm hooked on this series.

I'm half tempted to re-read Jane Austen's books, but then I think of all the millions of books I haven't read yet and think maybe I need to crack on with those.

I was also tempted to read the last one in Jean Auel's Earth's children series, as I've read all the others, but it gets such bad reviews I'm not sure whether to bother.

Re Jane Eyre - adore the Rochester bits and detest the rest.

Cote, Remus and other polar/mountain fans, have you seen Epic of Everest & The Great White Silence [DVD & Blu-ray] www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HB36ASK/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_at_ws_gb?ie=UTF8 this? Not a book but a DVD, but looks amazing! Released tomorrow!

The Epic of Everest & The Great White Silence [DVD & Blu-ray] www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HB36ASK/ref=cm_sw_r_an_am_at_ws_gb?ie=UTF8

Can't link properly on kindle! Sorry!

1. Proud to say that crime novel review number 3 has gone up onto my crime and science fiction blog.

The book was Kate Ellis's 'The Cadaver Game', and Kate Ellis herself re-tweeted my tweet, so I'm hoping she read my review and thought it was good (I only tweeted her as I actually do like her novels - may not tweet people who's work I'm less keen on!).

p.s. Anti and Tortillas I may be being dim but I can't work out what urban fantasy series you're talking about. Could you tell me? From Tortillas' last message it looks as though jane austen has branched out into fantasy, but I'm guessing that's a different reading theme...

Thoughtfox - oops, sorry, that's my fault

The series is the Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. The Jane Austen thing was separate - my mind was just wandering around really...

Thanks, Meg. Am terrible at watching stuff though. Need more book recs please! :)

AnneWentworth I adore Wuthering Heights. First read it when I picked it as part of my A-Level coursework and have read it nearly every year since. Still have the same copy and it is falling apart.

Meg - Thanks for the recommendation. I'm not good at watching documentaries but DH loves them. If you watch it, please let us know what you think.

1. Harvest by Jim Crace. Beautifully written story of villagers being forced off common land during the enclosures. I loved it. It will stay with me for a while I think.

Book 8: Wool by Hugh Howey

A dystopian future, where men and women are living in a silo beneath ground, the world outside being too poisonous to be habitable. Where the desire to go outside is a death sentence. Jules works in the deep down as one of the mechanics who keep the machines running, but when she is chosen to be the new sheriff a whole chain of events is started which will affect their whole world.

Very inventive, very well done, and cracking good read.

I finished the pile of steaming poo that was Morrissey's autobiography.

Reader, don't bother.

I've lost count but I think that was Book 11 and it's slowed me down horribly. I should have read two books this week (my usual rate) and this one took over a week in itself (and was crap). Grrrrrr to Morrissey.

1. Others of my Kind - James Sallis. Short and really good. I will read more of his.

Finished book 3, Stonemouth by Iain banks. It was, well, Banksian I suppose. Readable. No Crow Road, sadly.

On to number 4, The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P by Adelle Waldman. It's one of those I want to pick up when I have a spare moment although I usually hate navel gazing introspective novels analysing why intellectuals are doing whatever crap they are doing.

ballroomblitz, AnnWentworth and riverboat - another Bronte fan here. I too studied Wuthering Heights for A Level and reread the book so many times in awe of Emily's imagination. My English teacher pointed out the irregularities of Lockwood and Nelly as narrators and their bias - something which has stayed with me when reading. And I loved all the connections with the dogs and the keys and dreams.

The Tenant of Wlldfell Hall is also a favourite - Anne was overshadowed by her sisters but a great author too. Amazing imaginations and themes for their time.

I'm on book 5 The Murder of Roger Ackroyd - first time I've read this Agatha Christie though I read many Miss Marples as a teen. I love the concept and the narrative.

Book 1 - the Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber
Book 2 - The Blackhouse - Peter May
Book 3 - The Universe Versus Alex Woods.
Book 4 - Mad About the Boy
Book 5 - My Life - David Jason
Book 6 - Paper Towns - John Green
Book 7 - We Are Water - Wally Lamb

Hmmm. Loved his earlier work but I truly felt that this fell short. Too many voices, too many themes, too many devices, too little exploration of fundamental issues. Quite gritty and explicit, bordering on gratuitous, which makes for uncomfortable reading at times. The blurb is misleading and I'm very frustrated by that. Incredibly unlikeable characters which is skillful if that's his intent but unrealistic given the number of people we meet. The authors prejudices are clear throughout the novel and stereotypes and cliches abound. A much stronger edit was necessary and the ending was rushed. I'm going to reread She's Come Undone at some point to remind me of Lamb's genius. Perhaps I'll see it differently now. Just read another few chapters of The Bloody Luminaries. Sheesh. It.Never.Ends.

Remus - I like what you did there.

I love Roger Ackroyd too. A great one if it is your first Christie.

I think I will have to add the Tenant of Wildfell Hall to my list.

I'm also determined to manage Villette this year - it has been on my 'to read' list for over 15 years and I've started it at least 3 times but never got passed the first few chapters - no reflection on the book, I've just repeatedly sidelined it for whatever tempting chick lit was on offer at the time and not gone back to it .

Love Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Might re-read the latter at some stage as have only read it once years ago, and discovered a old TV drama based on it a few years ago so it would be nice to refresh my memory and compare the two.