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.

I tried to read the Jack Shepherd books on teaching in the Yorkshire dales but couldn't get into it so today I'm starting

30. I'll have what she's having rebecca harrington recommended on here nice light & fluffy book about celeb dieting Appeals to the Heat reading side of me

And

31. Jill Mansell three amazing things about you Been reading Jill mansell since my early twenties when I was a singleton obsessed with chick lit Love how her books plus Marian Keyes are growing up with me

Thanks Duchess, have bought.

And if anyone is interested in cosy murder mysteries, last night I noticed the Death in Paradise tie-in novel is only £1.19 on the kindle. Don't judge me.

www.amazon.co.uk/Meditation-Murder-original-Death-Paradise-ebook/dp/B00NQ9FF1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427541935&sr=1-1&keywords=death+in+paradise

I haven't read it yet, but fwiw it's got good reviews on there.

What is a "cosy murder mystery"? I'd like to judge but don't know what it is

Also got Girl on the Train.
Somebody stop me!

I have Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke in a big pile of books to read so I might promote them.

28. The Turn of The Screw - Henry James

A gothic horror novella in which a young woman gets a job as a governess to two young children. Whilst there were some creepy moments, I did struggle to get into it. Also, the overuse of CAPITAL LETTERS in dialogue for emphasis was irritating.

29. Dark Screams Volume 1 - various authors.

A collection of five short horror stories, four of which were very good. Enjoyed this, and was only a quid or so on the kindle.

Quite enjoying some shorter books after JS and Mr N and am off to find another good horror short story anthology.

Clash - do you like Stephen King? Novellas rather than short stories but, 'Different Seasons' is worth a read.

Yes, Stephen king is a favourite - have read different seasons, and enjoyed it very much.

I think his latest book is meant to be another short story collection, which I'm looking forward to - although his last few novels have been a bit off the boil for me.

'Revival' was pretty awful. I quite liked, 'Mr Mercedes' and, 'Doctor Sleep.'

Cote, think Murder She Wrote, Midsomer Murders or Agatha Christie. Stories where the murder (or murders) is tidy; a poisoning, say, or perhaps a letter opener in the back, rather than a gruesome butchery. Where the first victim is usually the business tycoon that everyone hated and had a reason to kill (and subsequent victims are probably witnesses who happened to see something and either try their hand at blackmail or phone the detective to tell them very loudly that they might have seen something but refuse to say anything specific over the phone because they are fuckwits.). The setting is very likely to an English village, with bonus points for a country house, and you know that nothing really bad is actually going to happen (apart from the odd murder, but they don't count).

Does that clear things up?

Aw, see I loved Revival, even the mad ending.

Burgrit - I love your discription of a cosy murder mystery! I'm currently reading a Christie at the moment as a little treat to myself for plodding through the tedium of WWII lesbians being all angst ridden and sounding like a bunch of 13 year olds.... (The Night Watch - should have gone with my first instinct to abandon it about 100 pages in, it didn't improve)

oh and to add to the 'cosy murder mystery' - they normally have a limited number of people who possibly could have murdered the victim, usually introduced at the start and you have to work out who it was yourself, rather than following police work type murders where it's usually you only are introduced to the murderer towards the end. Bonus points if in the final chapter the dectective can get all the suspects in a room together and explain how they worked out who did it, who then confesses straight away, rather than sitting quietly or denying it then hiring a half decent legal team who would point out the total lack of evidence....

10 (finally!). The Stand - Stephen King

This was a real curate's egg. When it was good, it was brilliant - but at times it was very frustrating and, much like the Dark Tower series, really let down by the pacing in the middle. I also thought some of the characters' plotlines didn't do them justice. But overall a good read.

1. Catching fire by Suzanne Collins

This is the hunger games part 2. I quite enjoyed it. It's very readable as you would expect from YA fiction.

It's set in a world where the population is reminded they are controlled by an annual hunger games. Where two children from each area are sent to a fight to the death. This book picks up after the results of the contest and the victory tour. I don't want to give too much away about the first book.

Book 44 - Very Short Introduction to Exploration
I loved this. Totally recommend this series, for anybody who likes non-fiction. They are very thought-provoking (lots of big words - I need a dictionary alongside at times!) but small enough to fit in a pocket. Can't recommend highly enough.

The Stand is one of my favourite books apart from the ending

Although I do like SK's dithering about - I think a lot of the set up and administration of the free zone was unneccessary and can see why some say parts of the book are slow.

I'd forgotten about mr Mercedes and Dr sleep. I did quite enjoy them.

Hated revival, and have it on my 'to be finished' list. Hated under the dome as well, although not particularly recent.

Most of the rest of the stuff he's done, I've eaten up.

Two to add

17. The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton
    
    Loved this - very clever and extremely well written. I could have at many points completely lost the plot over what the hell was going on but the author just about about kept me from losing it. Not one for ppl that like everything tied up at the end but I loved it.

18. The Secret River by Kate Grenville
    Brilliant concept (convicts in Australia come across the Aborigines and the conflicts that arise) but it was one of those books where although a lot happened in terms of plot, the characters were very underdeveloped. Shame.

Love, 'The Stand' - it's probably in my top ten books ever (provided I can count the entire Dark Tower series and entire Harry Potter series as one, anyway!). :)

Yeah I understand the love for The Stand, I just feel like committee minutes rarely make compelling fiction ;) and without giving anything away, felt like at least three key (and very interesting) characters had poor, almost throwaway story conclusions.

Oh those characters and their conclusions - howl. :(

I must admit to be thoroughly pissed off at the fate of Nick andros.

I think stephen king admitted later that he'd started off with too many characters so had to kill a load off.

I liked The Stand a lot. But I did feel the ending was a little bit contrived.

I'm part way through Doctor Sleep (in between library books) and enjoying that.

I loved the Stand. Still read it occasionally. Have no criticism to make of it whatsoever ...

otherwise have finished

16 Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke; beautifully clear vivid writing, the real character is the mysterious spacecraft, everything is focussed on that. Perhaps somewhat idealised views of what humanity can achieved in terms of working together but that tended to be a theme back in the day so I'll forgive him . Well worth reading if you like sci fi at all, a very solid grounded feel to it.

17 The Clothes They Stood Up In by Alan Bennett. Think the thread went through a bit of an AB phase a while back and I bought this. Didn't realise it was so short. Well written and enjoyable, about a couple that come home to find their house cleared of absolutely everything and it becomes a narrative of their marriage and attitude to life.

Now onto Longbourne by Jo Baker...