50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 3

[Southeastdweller]

Thread three of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2015, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. It's still not too late to join, any type of book counts, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

First thread of the year here, and second thread here.

Hello there, I haven't posted for a while but have been enjoying all the updates.

TheEagle, congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope the final few weeks go well and that you're feeling ok. I'm also expecting a baby (though not twins) in a few weeks' time and am very ready for a rest now - I can't imagine what you must feel like carrying two!

Anyway, here are my books 21-30:

21. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. I don't usually go for alternative reality books but love Ishiguro's writing so made an exception. I'm glad I did; I was drawn in to the unusual boarding school scenario from page one. A little like Mallory Towers on acid, Hailsham is utterly weird and sinister whilst also being conventional and lifelike. How Ishiguro says so much, painting such a full scene in so few pages is beyond me. Thoroughly recommend this.

22. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John le Carre. This has been on my 'to read' pile for ages. Just what I expected: cleverly woven, slightly dated in a comfortable way and kept me guessing until the end. Worth reading but I'm glad I didn't put it down too often as I may have lost the thread.

23. Do No Harm by Henry Marsh. A consultant neurosurgeon's reflections on a long and highly successful career. Brutally honest, heart rending and inspiring. Marsh's struggle to ratify his desire to 'do no harm' with the cruel realities of his chosen career was the highlight for me. Impossible decisions, great triumphs and profound disasters litter this short work. Opened up an entirely new world for me.

24. The Diary of a Nobody by G. & W. Grossmith. I shouldn't have read this straight after 'Do No Harm'. The contrast was too great and I ended up taking this book completely outside the spirit with which it was intended. I found it superficial and slightly irritating. Had I read it at another time, I would perhaps have enjoyed it more.

25. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. Short page-turner. Enjoyed it immensely. Had no idea what to expect and the twist took me by surprise. Loved Lockhart's New England summertime scene painting - such a great contrast to the sinister goings on that gradually unravel.

26. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster. I'm a fan of Forster's writing and this didn't disappoint. Explored themes of prejudice and xenophobia as well as family relationships and identity. Lulls you into a bit of a false sense of security and then shocks you out of it. Clever old Forster.

27. Hope in a Ballet Shoe by Michaela and Elaine de Prince. Autobiography tracing Michaela's horrific childhood in war torn Sierra Leone through to her successful career as a ballerina in the States. I love stories like this - rags to riches / desperation to hope and happiness (a little like 'Breaking Night' for those of you who have read it). Perhaps of niche interest to some but a good read all the same.

28. Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald. (Booker Prize winner 1979). This was lovely. Set on the Chelsea houseboats of 1960s London, Fitzgerald's character studies of the quirky inhabitants didn't disappoint. I instantly warmed to the story but was also fascinated by SW1 pictured as the bohemian centre of swinging 60s London.

29. Mission Mongolia by David Treanor. I'm drawn to travel adventure books but sadly this one didn't really do it for me. The old-man-laddish-beer-drinking tone was too much at times, though to be fair this was interspersed with many interesting passages about their journey (in a 4x4 from London to Mongolia for charity). The book charted parts of the world I know very little about so it was good from that point of view, and I couldn't help liking Dave and his mate by the end, if only for their tenacity. Still not a great read.

30. The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion. This has been reviewed at length before so I won't dwell. Lovely. Read it.

Lammy The Shadow Group sounds very intriguing, as does that Penelope Fitzgerald book, Atticus. I guess two more books to add to my massive tbr pile won't make much difference now .

I'm half-way through The Night Watch. Very good so far.

I have really enjoyed lurking on this thread, but it is now time to bite the bullet and join in! I really don't think I will make it to 50 but here goes with what I have read so far this year (really good in BOLD and really bad in Italics):

1. Game of thrones - A Clash of kings
2. Elizabeth is Missing
3. Persuasion - second read for book club
4. Game of thrones - A storm of swords part 1
5. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
6. Ghostwritten by David Mitchell -
7. Girl on the train (predictable and annoying)
8. The Miniaturist
9. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

My 10, 11 and 12 are scheduled as Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, GOT Storm of swords Part 2 and non-fiction No Harm: Stories of Life, death and brain surgery

I tend to read 3 books at a time, so I can choose the one for my mood.

I am really looking forward to Americanah after all the reccies on this thread.

Sorry if I am repeating someone else's ideas but for those who love mountain climbing/survival books like Into Thin Air, I can highly recommend Touching the Void by Joe Simpson and an old classic The White Spider about climbing the Eiger North Face.

Has anyone read Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann??

Been absent for a few weeks due to real life but just popped in to ask -
Neil Gaiman -Stardust - 45% in. Is it worth continuing? It's like Enid Blyton does Lord Of The Rings. Does anything worth reading about happen?

Are the Game of Thrones books worth trying if I don't really like fantasy but love the series ?

#15 The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan

What a book. Totally absorbing, enlightening and moving story which takes you through the history of Palestine up until close to present day. The situation is described from both the native Palestinian point of view, and that of Jewish settlers.

It's the story of two people from either side of the conflict who become friends. The Palestinian family is forced from their home, and a Jewish family fleeing persecution in Europe move in. In this way , we see the shared geography and history from two very different perspectives. These two main characters share a mutual respect, whilst having such fundamental disagreements, and the reader is given a very clear outline of both viewpoints.

It's historically accurate, and contains a lot of factual detail, but never becomes dull or dry. Thoroughly recommend it.

Not sure what to read next. I've downloaded Audible as I have some long car journeys over the next few weeks. Any recommendations for good audiobooks?

esiotrot - I have never read fantasy before but I am now addicted to the GOT books, trying to read them slowly, one chapter per day in order to string them out!

The books sketch out a lot more detail than the TV and add more characters.

Thanks lady I'll give them a try

Next round of updates:

21. The girl on the train - Paula Hawkins. Has been reviewed over and over on here. I'm in the 'liked it' camp, but felt it was all a bit too neat and for an 'open' murder mystery (as in, not clearly had to be one of a set cast of charaters in an isolated place etc).

22. Georgiana Darcy's Diary - Anna Elliot - a recommendation from one of the earlier threads. It's ok, although a lot of the characters seemed too modern. It shouldn't be read by anyone who really loves P&P/Austin - it'll be too annoying.

23. Raven Black - Ann Cleeves - first of the 'Shetland' books that was adapted by the Beeb. Set in the Shetland in early January, a young woman's body is found on the land of an old man who locals suspected was responsible for another girl's disappearance years before. It builds a good picture of small community life and mentality, the isolation, given the age of the murdered woman, the life in an small, isolated place for teenagers was focussed on. I didn't see the ending coming, but made sense once it was revealled. I think I might have to download some more of the books.

24. Where Angels Fear to Tread - E. M. Forster. I know others on here have liked it, but I found the characters all pretty unlikeable. It doesn't seem that any of them really see the child involved as a person - without giving the ending away, it even seemed at the end that they still didn't feel bad about the child as a person, but because of what it represented to each of them - it was all about them - and as the Father didn't seem to mind so much about what happened, then that made it all ok.

Re the Game of Thrones series - I really enjoyed them, and am not a fantasy fan normally. They are very well written and although there's a huge cast of characters, the way it's written makes it easier to follow.

now trying to decide what to read next, so many suggestions on here I want to read!

I've just finished
No 36 Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent
( dh taken kids to cubebs so I can read get ready for school tomorrow )

Oliver Ryan is a handsome and charismatic success story. He lives in the leafy suburbs with his wife, Alice, who illustrates his award-winning children’s books and gives him her unstinting devotion. Their life together is one of enviable privilege and ease – enviable until, one evening after supper, Oliver attacks Alice and puts her into a coma.
In the aftermath, as everyone tries to make sense of his astonishing act of savagery, Oliver tells his story. So do those whose paths he has crossed over five decades. What unfolds is a story of shame, envy, breath-taking deception and masterful manipulation.

Very gripping fast paced novel couldn't put it down until I got to the end
Brilliant characterisation & suspense
But I did feel it lacked something but couldn't quite put my finger on what

Dh taken kids to cinema that should say

Has anyone read "The night circus"? I have been invited to join a book club, but that's their book of the month and they meet this tuesday night - if it's gripping, I could probably finish it in time, if not, I might just leave it and join the club next month!

Ladydepp - station eleven - is it scary?!

Yes I've read the night circus, it was good but I don't know if I'd say it was gripping

hmm, 2 days, not sure i can get through 200 pages a day if it's not a "I can not put this down" book. I'll need to say to DH "I'll be up to bed in a couple of minutes, just finish this chapter while you have the bathroom first." then come to bed 2 hours later...

Might just have a little look what their next book is and say I can't make it this short notice...

I read The Night Circus a couple of years ago. Whilst it wasn't gripping, I did read it very quickly, over three or four days/nights (it kept me company whilst I was recovering from a torn muscle in my shoulder and was unable to sleep).

Dinosaurs roar - no, Station eleven is not scary. It follows quite a few different characters in the lead up and aftermath of an extremely deadly flu epidemic. Most of the characters are very likeable and there is no horror or overly scary bits. The narrative changes between the different people and takes place in different timeframes. I found it gripping and really well written.

Southeastdweller: is it Sarah Waters book The Night Watch you mean. If so I really enjoyed that one and most of her books. Brilliant writer!

Hi LadyDepp welcome on board :)
I loved Let the Great World Spin. I thought the idea behind his book was different and interesting, taking a historical event (the tightrope walker between the Twin Towers) and telling the story of seven people on the ground. All their lives intertwine in some way. It was gritty and real and very sad and depressing in a lot of parts but I still really really enjoyed it and highly recommend it.

That's the one . I think I'm going to be sad when it ends.

Don't want to ruin it by commenting but I loved the way it goes backwards in time instead of forwards. Have you read any of her other ones Southeastdweller?

45. The house we grew up in, by Lisa Jewell. Recommended on here so thought I'd give it a shot. Readable family saga. Not bad, although not a genre I'm that keen on.

46. The sex lives of Siamese twins, Irvine Welsh. Picked up at random in the library. Again, it was okay, but I wasn't wildly enthusiastic. Feels he was making at claim a stab at Elmore Leonard territory and it didn't quite come off. Set in Miami, narrated by a kick-ass bisexual (that's a plot point) female fitness trainer who ends up kidnapping one of her charges to force her to lose weight her way.

Neither of them quite hit the spot. I'm going for a bit of non-fiction now.

I wasn't keen on Fingersmith but loved The Paying Guests. Hope to read the others over the next few months. She's coming on here later this year for a web chat.