50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 1

[Southeastdweller]

Thread one of the 50 Book Challenge.

The idea is to read 50 books (or more!) in 2015.

Who's in for this year?

Ah, shame Remus. The Old Ways wasn't as exciting either but very thoughtful.

He writes so well, but, sadly, him staring at a hill, picking up a stone, and having a dip in a loch is never going to be as stimulating as tales of people zipping up the Matterhorn etc!

Just finished No3 Apple Tree Yard - really enjoyed it.

Apart on the constant references to "styrofoam" coffee cups.

Can now join as well as have finished my first book. Am aiming for 50 but would be happy with 30!

1. Stoner by John Williams. I really loved this book. Beautifully written and so sad. Am about to start the goldfinch but a bit worried as I loved the secret history and I get the impression that it doesn't match up

Though there was a risky walk across a tidal estuary and a boat trip in rough weather in The Old Ways. Oh and a walk across part of Palestine which I don't think he felt too comfortable about either. But still not as exciting .

Hi bootygirl. I am the same with surfing the net. Bad habit since I bought a tablet in the summer. I am making a conscious effort to just carry my kindle up to bed to read!

Dp is currently reading, 'Stoner.' I might give it a go, once he's done.

I have just started reading The Wild Places this morning. My first MacFarlane. Like it so far. Will look out for Mountain one too.

Oops, apologies to anyone who noticed when I named the author of The Killer Next Door as Alex Morland...its actually by Alex Marwood and very good it is too!

I'm reading The Wild Places as well. I love MacFarlane's writing and started with The Old Ways so wasn't anticipating a huge amount of drama, but I will read Mountains of the Mind as well sometime.

Well, I might not count the two Asterix books in my overall figures, but I really enjoyed catching up with them again. The books were Asterix and the Picts by Jean-Yves Ferri with illustrations by Didier Conrad (who has done a very good job - they look just like Uderzo's drawings), and Asterix and the Class Act, which is a collection of shorter comic strips that have appeared in magazines and things over the years.

Have you tried John Le Carre or Graham Greene Remus? Or some of Ken Follet's early stuff is quite boys own adventure.

Alexander McColl Smith was one of my professors at uni Littlebooktroll. I didn't like the Zimbabwe stuff but maybe should give the Sunday philosophers a go.

Interesting about Don DeLillo Whippet. I tried Underworld in my 20s and couldn't get into it, so maybe I should try again.

1. The Kill Call - Stephen Booth. This is a crime series set in the Peak district. This was the ninth, reasonable story, quite well written but probably best to start at the start to get into the characters of the detectives.

1. The Lore of the Evermen - James Maxwell. This was the last of a fantasy series free with Kindle Unlimited. I wouldn't recommend the series and wouldn't have bothered finishing it if they hadn't all been free.

I've got a couple of weeks left of my Kindle Unlimited trial so am going to read more free stuff while I can.

Yes to Graham Green. Have decided I don't like Ken F. Not at all sure re John LC???

Finally, book one finished

1. Clare Balding, Walking home. Very readable,although I found it dragged in the penultimate chapter. She is the kind of woman I would love as a bestie!

Just found The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters in a charity shop for 20p! That may be next...

20p!

I've just discovered an Oxfam book shop about 15 minutes away, it's brilliant.

Yes Galaxy I always wonder how I waste so much time! I have an iPad with kindle app but I do own an actual kindle with a light! So will definitely use that more in next while!

1. Life Below Stairs - Alison Maloney
2. Revelation - CJ Sansom

Finally finished Revelation which is the fourth book in CJ Sansom's Shardlake series. After finding the last book Sovereign a little thin plot wise this one was a really good story, a Tudor serial killer working through the book of Revelation.

The characters have built up over the series so I'll have a break but look forward to the last two in the series. Highly recommended but you obviously do have to like historical detective books to enjoy.

1. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

This is the fourth of David Sedaris's books I've read now, so I know what to expect (but am never bored). They are entertaining, never predictable.

I like his style of sharp observational humour, which is mostly based around his family and situations he finds himself in. The title of this one relates to the larger section at the end which he wrote about his attempts to give up smoking, whilst living temporarily in Japan and trying (and failing mostly) to learn to speak Japanese.

Pressing on with The Wild Places by Robert MacFarlane and also about to start The Iceberg by Marion Coutts (a bit of a sad theme emerging here, having just read Do No Harm, but purely coincidence - wasn't expecting this book to arrive at the library for collection just yet :))

First update of 2015:

1. Aldous Huxley - Brave New World

Re-read of a book I really enjoyed as a teen. Not sure it had the same impact this time around but still a thought-provoking dystopian classic.

1. Phillipa Gregory - The Other Boleyn Girl.

Loved this novel based on the story of Ann Boleyn. Despite obviously knowing the ultimate outcome this was really gripping. I want to read the rest now.

1. Sophie Hannah - The Monogram Murders

Sophie Hannah's attempt to resurrect Agatha Christie's Hercules Poirot. I really wanted to enjoy this - love Poirot- and found this version of his character reasonably acceptable. The plot, however, was painfully slow and tedious. By the end - well, long before- I really didn't care who had killed whom. Would not recommend. (Luckily, I had this as an audiobook so only wasted time when I was driving to work!)

Now reading Margaret Atwood's latest short story collection - not really enjoying it- and an original Christie! Listening to a Rosanna Ley novel in the car too.

1. Portney's Complaint

I had to preservere with this book. It does have some laugh-out-load funny moments, mostly relating to the protagonist's childhood, but it did become tiresomely repetitive and uncomfortable reading at some points. I was glad to get to the end so I could start something new.

Having said that, I would consider reading other works by the same author - I think the monologue style got somewhat tedious, but it was well-written.

Currently reading Black House by Stephen King as my bath time book (coz I can't read my kindle in the bath and think I will embark on The Mineaturist next.

1. Starter for 10 by David Nichols

I really enjoyed this book about new university student Brian Jackson. Very very funny!

Finally finished first book of the year!

1. The Greenhouse by Audur Ava Olafsdottir

It's by an Icelandic author, and the main character is a young Icelandic man, but most of the book is set in another (unnamed) European country where he is working on a monastery garden. I was a bit disappointed in this, I often am with translations as my awareness of the translation gets in front of the book, if you see what I mean (phrases like 'slightly drenched' jar with me.) The protagonist has a very odd outlook at times, but I wondered if that was intentional. I also found a lot of the plot, especially in the latter half, thoroughly implausible. It was interesting though and there were well-written parts.

Continuing on with book 2. The paying guests, which has finally revved up a bit after a long slow start.

1. The Martian - Andy Weir

Wow! This is the lone fight for survival of an astronaut who was mistakenly left for dead on Mars. It is a constant calculating, problem-solving, McGyver-ing geek-fest. I loved it No doubt it will make a hit film, too. I heartily recommend this to everyone who enjoys reading stories of survival in hostile environments.

mum2 - I read Brave New World recently as well and did not think as well of it as I did as a teen. 1984, on the other hand, I found to be a far better-written, superior book than when I read it as a teen.