50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 2

[Southeastdweller]

Thread two of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

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

Previous thread here

Ah, ok, Biblio, I'll have a look at the first one then and see how I get on.

The only other Vonnegut I've read is, 'Slaughterhouse Five.' I thought it was okay, but not brilliant. Lots better than, 'Breakfast of Drivel' though.

Breakfast of Champions is my least favourite Vonnegut out of the several I've read; I found it a bit too heavy on the whimsy. In general I'm a big fan of his though, and particularly Sirens Of Titan and Cats Cradle.

Bibliomania - I might have a look for the Merrily Watkins series.

Lots of lists of penis sizes - riveting.

Am now reading, John Dies at the End which I remember somebody on here recommending ages ago. Loving it, so far.

You could also try the Simon Brett Fethering mysteries, Mary if you haven't already. The last one I read was a lot of fun, and they're better written. And oh god, the motive.

remus im starting that tonight, it keeps popping up on my recommended list on Amazon, and was only 99p, so thought I'd give it a whirl.

Plus the last couple of books have been a bit heavy so wanting something lighter.

Great. It will be good to compare notes. So far I'm finding it completely crazy but good fun.

Book 14 - Harry potter and the chamber of secrets.

Not sure what to read next. Going to have a bit of a hunt on amazon I think

1. The state we're in - Adele Parks

The effects of an old affair on four people from two families told from four perspectives.
Finally I completed some fiction. This was quite a light read but definitely a page turner. I got it free from Amazon a while ago. The plot was based on some improbable coincidences. The ending was unexpected. Not good enough to recommend but it has got me back into fiction post baby.

Next up I may dig out merrily watkins 1 which I'm half way through or tale for the time being.

I can relate to the comments on Friday about this thread changing reading habits. I feel much more invested in books and though I'm not reading any faster than what I was before these threads appeared, I'm finding more time to set aside to read for both enjoyment and to get onto the next book quickly. I've also developed an obsession with new books that I feel I'd like (atm it's the latest books by Jon Ronson and Matt Haig).

I agree Southeast. Before I joined this challenge last year I'd fallen, post-baby, into the awful rut of only reading a few books a year and watching far to much TV or surfing the net. This challenge has returned me to my bookworm habits pre-children and I am so much more invested in books now. I love seeking out books to read (library, bookstores, book swap markets, Kindle samples) and my TV watching has dwindled. My impressionable 6 year old sees me and her dad reading all the time and now reads voraciously herself, without any prompting. It's wonderful!

My reading this year has definitely been more varied - I'm a habitual re-reader and there's probably about thirty books I reread on an annual basis. This thread has led me to take the plunge, and I've discovered some books I love.

Exactly the same here, bsshbosh

No 12 You Had Me At Hello Mhairi McFarlane. I tried this as I'd read a review that said it was better than the 'chick lit' label - it's not, it's utter bilge 'boy meets girl' stuff, forced myself to finish it but it's taken ages as I just couldn't motivate myself to pick it up. Another waste of several hours, hey ho!

Me too. I was an avid reader pre-DC, but in the sleep deprived baby years I spent less time reading and the books I chose were usually easy reads (either chick lit or old favourites). Since joining this thread at the start of 2013 (I've been here since the beginning of the first thread!) I'm back to reading good books, and as a result of everyone's recommendations I am open to a more varied selection too.

I love this thread!

Finished In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith - I adore these books. They are so warm hearted, funny and brilliant. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

Next up will either me The Miniaturist or We Were Liars....the latter I really know very little about which apparently is the best way to go into it!! Shall decide which one tonight in bed

A lot of you have mentioned the Merrily Watkins series...what are these?!

Yes this challenge has really reignited my love for reading!

Book 36 - another bath read of the 10th Snickett.

There are some great lines in it. Sunny Bauderlaire is an incredibly talented baby. She speaks what appears to be baby gibberish to most people but says things like, 'Orlando' when she isn't sure if a certain villainous figure is a man or a woman, or, 'Matahari' when she's going to stay in the villains' camp and try to spy out what they are planning to do next. It's had me smirking on and off all the way through.

21. The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke

A wonderful follow on from Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. This collection of short stories includes two with characters from J S & M N - Jonathan Strange himself, in the title story, and The Raven King John Uskglass in the final one John Uskglass and the Cumbrian Charcoal Burner. These two stories are mentioned in JS & MN and here they are expanded into full stories.

You could read this without having read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, but I think it works best if it is read afterwards.

As with Jonathan Strange, this collection of short stories takes the reader deep into the disturbingly strange and yet very believable world of faerie. I enjoyed these far more than I did Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories.

1. The Eye of the Needle - Ken Follett. Chosen as I wanted something easy to read. An enjoyable read about WWII and a German spy who discovers something which would have a huge impact on which country wins the war. Even though halfway through I guessed how it would end I still really enjoyed this as a bit of escapism
2. Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick. An absolutely fascinating insight into the lives of 6 North Koreans written by a reporter who lived in South Korea and worked for the LA Times. Winner of the 2010 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction. I have found North Korea fascinating ever since watching news reports of Kim Jong-Il's death and seeing the rather strange sight of the absolutely grief stricken crowds. This book really brought to life the hardships of life there. Whilst reading about the famine which affected the country in the mid 1990s I couldn't help thinking of what I was doing during those years: I had just graduated and moved to London and was having the time of my life. Reading this has made me appreciate my life here in this country even more. Highly recommended.

15. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke

Brilliant, brilliant book. Complex yet subtle. Witty, erudite, very well-written. Just... sublime. It was totally worth the two years I waited to forget it enough to reread it again. How wonderful that such writing and exquisite world-building appears in a fantasy novel!

Not sure which book I'm at now but really wanted to recommend
one wish
By Maria Duffy

It's about family life , friendship .& homelessness