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50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 4

991 replies

southeastdweller · 01/06/2015 22:15

Thread four 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 can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

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

Happy reading Smile

OP posts:
CoteDAzur · 08/07/2015 00:06

Station Eleven is Kindle Deal of the day for £1.79 as of 5 minutes ago. It would be rude not to Grin

Original poster
southeastdweller · 08/07/2015 07:43

Thank you Smile

OP posts:
Galaxymum · 08/07/2015 09:54

Definitely recommend Station Eleven - it is one of my favourite reads of this year, and I was very sorry it had to end. I wanted to remain in that world!

I am going to read Cloud Atlas AFTER The Bone Clocks! I think this will be a real treat as other reviewers have preferred it so I can give a different perspective from reading the accompanying book first.

AnonymousBird · 08/07/2015 10:07

Just popping back in:

  1. How to get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid. OK
  2. A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray (AMAZING!!!)
  3. A Foreign Country by Charles Cumming (Bring it on!)
  4. The Churchill Factor by Boris Johnson. Better than expected
  5. The Accident by C L Taylor. Good page turner
  6. The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson - holiday page turner
  7. Barchester Towers by Trollope, read by Timothy West. Great
  8. The Climb by Chris Froome. Loved it.
  9. From Doon with Death by Ruth Rendell. Good enough.
  10. So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson - quite enjoyable
  11. Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - page turner, quite enjoyable.
  12. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by R L Stevenson. Weird and wonderful classic.

Now on:

  1. Dissolution by C J Sansom
  2. Do No Harm by Henry Marsh
  3. Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz (audiobook)
JoylessFucker · 08/07/2015 10:45

Have been a bit low and struggling with stuff. Annoyingly, I've struggled with concentration/reading too, reflected in my current reads below (with one notable exception):

Book 35: To Kill a Mockingbird - I thought I'd read this, was convinced I had in fact. But I hadn't. And it has been an absolute joy. I felt a real catch in my chest when it finished. I'm not sure how I feel about the upcoming release, other than I won't be able to resist.

Books 36 & 37: Rainbow Mars & The Flight of the Horse - Larry Niven. I was lent these some time ago after reading (and enjoying Red Mars). Unfortunately, the weakness of Red Mars - the characters and the personal interaction were rmuch more present in these shorter books. [Red Mars is by a different author, which I didn't realise till after I'd read them]

Book 38: Personal Injuries - Scott Turow (of Presumed Innocent fame for those of my era). Run of the mill legal thriller, can't say I'd recommend.

But I have picked up a load of recommendations from you lovely lot, so more added to the TBR pile/wishlist, but also many purchased and am really looking forward to an upswing - in mood and in book selection!

Remus, I hope the cooler weather is helping you and Duchess I will be dipping in & out of the Bone Clocks thread even though I read it last year - I do love David Mitchell and no doubt there will be stuff I've missed ...

CoteDAzur · 08/07/2015 11:06

David Mitchell's book Ghostwritten is £1.49 on the Kindle! I've been meaning to read it for a long time Smile

BestIsWest · 08/07/2015 11:07

Wilting' I can recommend the Annie Hawes books about Italy if you are looking for something in the Travel genre. Much better than Driving Over Lemons.

wiltingfast · 08/07/2015 16:02

Oooh I will check it out, thanks Best Grin

Bedsit Disco Queen is £1.99 today and Ocean at the End of the Lane is a stunning 79p!!! I think both have been strongly recommended on these threads so I have snapped them up...

Definitely on for a Bone Clocks readalong too! Will pop along and mark my place.

wiltingfast · 08/07/2015 16:04

Ah, Extra Virgin rings a bell Best, think I've read it and enjoyed it :) didn't know there were more, will look into the sequels....

CoteDAzur · 08/07/2015 16:07

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China and Fight Club are both £1.99 on the Kindle at the moment.

esiotrot2015 · 08/07/2015 16:58

Anonymousbird

Can you expand on what's amazing about no 39? Sounds good !

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 08/07/2015 17:04

Book 87 - 'The Girl With All the Gifts'
I was really disappointed with this, although I did finish it. I thought it was a great concept but poorly orchestrated. I kept going because I was interested to see how the character of the sergeant developed (the only one who seemed to have anything other than a completely one dimensional character). Found the ending both disappointing and rather silly. I don't recommend it.

Book 86 - Another re-read of a children's book. Feeling better now though (fingers crossed) so can hopefully progress to more thought-provoking reads again. :) Thanks for asking, JoylessFucker. The cooler weather does seem to be helping, and I'm making sure that I'm eating and drinking lots too (any excuse!).

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 08/07/2015 17:06

Just bought, 'Station Eleven' and, 'The Ocean at the End of the World.'

CoteDAzur · 08/07/2015 17:15

Remus - I agree with you re The Girl With All The Gifts. All of it was just very silly.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 08/07/2015 17:23

I hate to say it, Cote, but am getting a bit tired of Genghis too. I'm 35% or so in, and it's all getting a bit samey.

Original poster
southeastdweller · 08/07/2015 18:29

Bedsit Disco Queen is one of the best memoir's of the last few years so definitely worth buying at the current price.

Talking of memoir's, I just bought Chris Evans' first book on Kindle for 99p. He's got a third one out in the autumn.

Anyone heard of a recent thriller called You, by Caroline Kepnes? I was going to buy it full price this weekend so I was happy to see the Kindle version is 99p today.

OP posts:
hackmum · 08/07/2015 18:42

Thanks, Cote. Just snapped up ghostwritten.

CoteDAzur · 08/07/2015 19:12

Remus - I'm still enjoying Genghis at 72%. Genghis is dead, power struggle is over, and it's all about Kubilai Khan now Smile

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 08/07/2015 20:04

He dies?! Don't spoil it for me! Grin

And now I've come over all damsel with a dulcimer. :)

Original poster
southeastdweller · 08/07/2015 20:48

Just noticed that one of the funniest books I've ever read is just £1.99 on Kindle, at the moment - 'I, Partridge', by 'Alan Partridge'.

I don't work for Amazon, honestly Grin

OP posts:
ladydepp · 08/07/2015 22:31

I've just finished 20. All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. gorgeous book, I absolutely loved it.

A story about a blind French girl and a German boy during WW2, written in very short chapters. Absolutely gripping, heart breaking and beautifully written. Highly recommended. It reminded me a little of the Book Thief, but better.

Thank you to the chap in Waterstones who recommended it to me!

tumbletumble · 09/07/2015 06:38

Arghhh. I've just bought four of the books recommended above. My 'to read' list isn't getting any shorter!

wiltingfast · 09/07/2015 13:25

heh heh heh that's what we're here for tumble Grin

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 09/07/2015 16:33

I'm now re-reading, 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' - I heartily recommend it to anybody who hasn't read it before.

CoteDAzur · 09/07/2015 17:54

That sounds like my kind of book Remus, but I'm not buying a 50-year-old book for £6.45 Shock so left a price alert on it at eReaderIQ.