50 Book Challenge 2014 Part 2

[juneybean]

Thread 2 of the 50 book challenge. Here is the previous thread...

The idea is to read 50 books in 2014 (or more!)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/adult_fiction/1951735-50-Book-Challenge-2014

10. Instructions for a Heatwave Maggie OFarrell

I liked this, the characters were really well developed and I thought the descriptions were evocative. Not much happens really but I didnt mind that as I enjoyed the writing so much.

Marking my place too! Finished 2 more.
Book 8: The Invisible Woman by Claire Tomalin - enjoyed this, well-researched and written, but didn't get any sense of what the relationship between Dickens and Nelly Ternan was really like as all the evidence is circumstantial - no letters etc between them remain. Anyone seen the film?
Book 9: Mountains of the Mind by Robert McFarlane - a wonderful cultural history of mountains as seen through history, art, literature etc. Beautifully written, highly recommended.
Not sure what to read next. I have a fat biography of Edward Burne-Jones waiting, but feel the need for something a bit lighter first!

I absolutely loved, 'Mountains of the Mind.'

14. The Wasp Factory - Ian Banks. A re-read and a short story too. Enjoyed the black humour and had completely forgotten the contents and conclusion.

15. The Undoing of a Lady - Nicola Cornick. A proper 'bodice ripper' style historical romance. Entertaining enough with lots of thrusting and entering!

Just finished #7 The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul.

Just as well I'm on annual leave this week as sobbed my way through most of the last 100 pages which may have been a bit in the staff room!

Commencing some light relief in the shape of Venetia by Georgette Heyer this evening.

Just checked and I have 23 on my 'pending list' already which should keep me going for a while!

Oh mum2, I love Iain Banks, my favourite is Complicity, time for a reread.

12. The Rosie Project - easy read, fairly enjoyable.

Now half way through On Writing by Stephen King.

#22 - Matilda - R.Dahl - I havn't read this for ages and I think it will be the next book we read to DS.
#23 - Just the job lad - M. Pannet - a slice of rural north yorkshire life as told by a copper. A nice easy read about a place I used to call home. In one of his other books he writes about a Police raid I saw taking place.

I like teh wasp factory - tho more for its associations with my youth and the person who gave me teh book and that sort of thing, than the story itself. However that sentimental attachment has seen my copy survive repeated book culls. I ought to cull again, or give up and get more book shelves. Most shelves are not only full but have stacks of books on top of the shelved books too.

14. Dead Mans time - Peter James Book 9 in the Roy grace series Didn't enjoy this as much as the earlier books. The story of his missing wife is getting tedious now Really like Peter James though 5/10

The Wasp Factory is one of my favourites! I can remember the audible gasp I gave towards the end :)

1. Dark Truths - Christopher Kurtz. Non-fiction about serial killers. Interesting
2. The Uninvited - Liz Jensen. Okay
3. Where'd you Go Bernadette - Maria Semple. Enjoyable with a weak ending
4. The Shining Girls- Lauren Beukes. Interesting premise. but left me a bit meh.

Currently reading Itch and book of short stories Guilt

20. The Comfort of Strangers - Ian McEwan This was quite good, it is quite short. I did fid the characters quite irritating.

Newcomer to the thread welcome? I've been keeping up with this thread for a while now. It's great for suggestions and I've also remembered a few of my favourites reading through everyone's lists. Anyway. I read way more than I have time for and it's my favourite thing to do. Slowed down a bit now and prob won't hit 50 but so far this year:

1. The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
2. The personal history of Rachel DuPree by Ann Weisgarber
3. Nothing to Envy by Barbara Dewick
4. Life after life by Kate Atkinson
5. The shock of the fall by Nathan Filer
6. A Kiss before Dying by Iraq Levin
7. Pride and Pejudice by Jane Austen

20. Maria Goodin "Nutmeg"

I loved this. I already want to read it again!!

I'm working my way through the Goodreads group magic square reading challenge, so I'm attacking the travel square next with a book about Paris.

1. Melissa Explains It All by Melissa Joan Hart
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
3. The Reluctant Fundametalist by Mohsin Hamid
4. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend
5. The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend

Number 28 - The Pied Piper, Nevil Shute: a story about an old man trying to get a motley collection of children out of France, after the German invasion. I enjoyed this - an easy read but I like Shute's gentle English reserve. :)

I've read the first 30 pages of, 'Pure' too, but it hasn't really grabbed me, so am going to dump it and read some non-fiction instead. This

13. On Writing - Stephen King. Inspired me to do some creative writing this morning (and put some King on my to read list).

10 the Humble Companion, Laurie Graham 4/5

I loved Here Lies Arthur remus - it survived my teen fiction cull a few years ago, so may re-read it later this year.

Now trying to decide what to read next...YA, Dutch, fiction or non-fiction, another book on writing - too much to choose from (and the wishlist keeps getting longer).

I was surprised how much I enjoyed it tbh, although I love the Mortal Engines series. He's quite good on the love stuff too. :)

1. Alice Through The Looking Glass
2. Dracula
3. Frankenstein

All read for a short fantasy and sci-fi literature course I'm doing, so I'm trying to read them properly, make notes and pay attention. Still, I'm astounded how fast some people read!