50 Book Challenge 2015 Part 4

[southeastdweller]

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

A spool of blue thread by Ann Tyler

Haven't read this author before, but keep reading amazing reviews of her work. A domestic saga - the parents are getting old and frail, and the children rally round whilst reminiscing about past events. There are four parts, with the first being by far the largest. I was less keen on the smaller sections, which were more like short stories. I enjoyed it, but ultimately it wasn't very memorable.

Library copy of girl on the train finally arrived, but so far finding it a bit silly

Galaxy - Maggie O'Farrell is brilliant - after you'd gone is my book to read in my happiest and saddest moments

41. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side by Agathat Christie

Film star Marina Gregg has bought Gossington Hall in St Mary Mead, and as she settles into her life in the English countryside throws open the grounds of the house for a fete for St John's Ambulance. But one of the guests dies suddenly and is discovered to have been poisoned. Miss Marple's friend Dolly Bantry had seen a look on Marina's face as she was talking to the future murder victim which Dolly described to Miss Marple as being like the Lady of Shallott when the doom came upon her. But whose doom was Marina Gregg seeing?

Rosehip and Joyless - I enjoyed the Maggie O'Farrell novel so much I am thinking of returning to her previous novels. I read After You'd Gone when it was published but I think now I have a new appreciation for her writing style. Or her writing style fits where I currently am as a reader. I'm don't usually reread but I enjoyed The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox so much, I am going to rediscover this author.

Lammy driving? Woohoo! That is wonderful progress & yes, it was great to get an unexpected book in the post, made it feel like a present somehow.

Duchess always good to have stuff ruled out & thank you for the Assasination of MT recommendation - I like the sound of it, so on the TBR it goes!

Am doing fine myself medically - had a brief back blip but on the road to normality again and now need to get on with a regular walking & pilates routine. Oh & lose all that extra weight ...

Rosehip your review of Ann Tyler's latest has struck a chord with me. I've read one of two of hers and have always found it hard to put my feelings into words. You're spot on with "ultimately it wasn't very memorable". That's it, her books don't stay with me as - say - Maggie O'Farrell's do.

I'm a Maggie O'Farrell fan too. I liked Esme Lennox, but my favourites are After You'd Gone and The Hand That First Held Mine. I found Instructions for a Heatwave disappointing though.

I whizzed through book #26 Elizabeth is Missing, and think I was skim reading parts of it. Thought it was okay, poignant in places but I guessed the plot pretty early on. It's been reviewed many times before so I won't go into further details.

Very nearly finished book #25 The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin which is very good. Crime novel featuring DI Malcolm Fox from the complaints dept investigating three officers at a small constabulary in Fife. The investigation goes off at a tangent to a mystery in the 80's involving the police, MI5, politicians etc. enjoyable so far.

On to my next read, I've got 2 audible credits and think will order Finders Keepers (enjoyed Mr Mercedes a lit), and possibly one of the Susan Hill books featuring Simon Serrailler.

My copy of the Anne Tyler is taking forever to arrive from the library. My county library service is a poor one unfortunately, but I still use them as much as possible. I am also waiting for The Buried Giant. I have been waiting for ages come on Warwickshire Library Service

I have a soft spot for Ann Tyler and I have found two of her novels very memorable: Breathing Lessons and Saint Maybe. I really would recommend those two if you haven't read them Rosehip and Joyless.

Hi all, things have been crazy at work so I haven't been on lately but I just wanted to let any audible fans know that there is a sale on today between 1 and 11pm. There is a different genre/type of book on sale each hour so I think you have to keep checking all day. FRom 1-2pm it is films that have been made into films. Lots of books for £2-3. It wasn't well advertised so just thought I'd point it out in case you had missed it - sorry if it has already been mentioned, I've just skimmed through the thread.

Audible.co.uk is 10 years old! To celebrate, this page will update with a new sale every hour between now and 11pm.

Full sale schedule:

1pm: Books on the Big Screen
2pm: Timeless Classics
3pm: Star Narrators
4pm: Life-changing Listens
5pm: Epic Sci-Fi & Fantasy
6pm: Crime & Thrillers to Die For
7pm: Fiction Blockbusters
8pm: Award Winners
9pm: All-time Best Sellers
10pm: Customer Favourites

I just got an email from Audible about this too, Rugby :) Managed to have a look at the first hour's sale, didn't fancy anything, but am off to have a look again. Will dip in and out during the afternoon as and when I can - feel sure there will be something interesting.

Currently enjoying Dissolution by C J Sansom. If that crops up in the sale, I recommend it.

I bought The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared for £2.55. It looks like a nice light listen. I really enjoyed Dissolution too so I have downloaded the next book in the series to listen to while I paint the living room tomorrow. I'll let you know how I find it.

62. The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel - 4/5 stars

I really enjoyed this dark, rather disturbing collection of short stories. They are all a little off kilter, a bit twisted, but still managed to raise a few smiles.

42. They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie

Jane Marple is sent to stay with an old schoolfriend, Carrie Louise, to see whether there is reason for the unease that Carrie Louise's sister felt on her own visit. She finds a country house, 200 juvenile delinquents, and an oddly composed family, but finds it hard to identify why she feels something is wrong. Then Carrie Louise's husband is threatened and shot at by one of the inmates, and shortly afterwards her step son is found shot dead.

23. Stephen King - Doctor Sleep

A worthy sequel to The Shining. Danny is all grown up and after struggling with alcoholism, working in a hospice, when he meets a little girl, Abra, with the biggest shining he's ever seen. But her shining has attracted the attention of a group of psychic "vampires" called the True Knot who feed off the psychic energy of children with the shining....

I really enjoyed reading this. I think it's definitely one of his better books and well worth a read for anyone who liked The Shining.

#22 White Oleander by Janet Fitch

No idea why I read this book - I can only think someone on this thread recommended it? If so, I cannot thank you enough.

Absolutely gripping, absorbing and draining. It tells the story of the relationship between a daughter and narcissistic mother. The mother goes to jail for the murder of a boyfriend who jilts her and the daughter Astrid spends her later childhood and adolescence in a number of foster homes.

You journey through these experiences with her, and get some deep insight into how these experiences shape and influence her character and outlook. I will definitely seek out more Janet Fitch but need something a bit lighter now.

I've got Alan Bennet's The Uncommon Reader lined up next on the kindle. I think that was a recommendation from Southeastdweller or DuchessofMalfi ?

Listening to Stephen Fry's Chronicles which I got as a deal on Audible. He seems to have produced a lot of autobiographies? Quite entertaining.

Southeast and I both like Alan Bennett, so probably both of us have recommended it at some point. If you get on well with that then he has written a few more which you might also enjoy. Smut was a bit cheeky but was very entertaining.

I have a soft spot for Anne Tyler's Accidental Tourist.

I find with some of her books you have to be in the right mood otherwise they can just be a bit depressing. I particularly felt this about 'Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant'. I think they can be funny but also make you wince. The one where the woman walks away from her family one day at the beach and her husband can't describe her to the police is both funny and sad at the same time. (Can't remember what the book is called).

29. The Atlantis Gene by AG Riddle; really enjoyed this, a pacy thriller in a dystopic world facing potentially an end of species type event. Engaging and lots of interesting ideas involving evolution, aliens, viruses and the like. The character development is lacking a bit (hard to believe in the relationship between Kate Warner and two children in her care for example), but overall a great and entertaining read and I have already purchased the sequel!

63. Dissolution by C J Sansom. I listened to this as an audio book and could not put it down. Have raced through the story, really enjoying it. It will, however, be a while before I get to the next novel in the series, but I'm definitely continuing with them. My kind of novel :)

Just started reading Stoner by John Williams this evening. Good so far I think.

I'm another fan of Alan Bennett

Did Talking Haeds for A Level and saw the perfomrance in London

He's brilliant at depicting the ordinary

sorry for typos

29. Julie and Julia: My year of cooking dangerously by Julie Powell.

This is a book by an American woman, Julie, living in New York, who decides to cook all 524 recipes from a cookery book called Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child over the course of a year and write a blog about her experience (this was back in the early days of blogging). I really enjoyed this book - it's funny and touching and made me feel calm and happy whenever I was reading it

43. Strange Boy by Paul Magrs

This is a first person narrative, told by a ten-year-old boy who is trying to make sense of his world. His parents have separated, so he and his brother find themselves being ferried around between their home, their Dad's new flat, and their Dad's parents' house, with its overwhelming whirl of people. Then there's their mum's new boyfriend and his family, all of whom live on their estate. It's a lot to get used to, and David is something of an outsider anyway. He also believes he has secret super-powers and is fascinated with John, a 14-year-old who lives down the road.

It's not the sort of book I would usually have picked up, someone at book club gave it to me so I thought I would give it a try. It's quite well handled and a very easy read given the complexities of the relationships. Magrs does seem to have managed to capture the simplified view of life and relationships of a 10-year-old boy.

DP has been away so I have had a reading fest

48. Still Life With Breadcrumbs - Anna Quindlen
    I got this from the library (which I have just started using again thanks to this thread). A sweet, gentle, if somewhat predictable novel about a once-famous photographer who rents a rickety house in a rural spot in upstate New York.

49. My Life in Houses - Margaret Forster
    Another library book. I had wanted to read this ever since it was a book of the week on Radio 4. Essentially this is an autobiography of her life but is based around the houses in which she has lived. A thoughtful book about the notion of what 'home' really means. I enjoyed this because like the author, I am always interested in other peoples houses and choose random houses and pretend that they are mine.

50. (Yay)!! Levels of Life - Julian Barnes
    Also from the library. A semi-autobiographical book. The first part is concerned with the exploits of the mad-cap early aeronauts who took to the skies in balloons and the second part is devoted to the grief he feels about the death of his wife in 2008. The two sections do tenuously link (although it felt to me like two different books joined together sometimes) but I really do like his writing and found his exposition on grief to be moving.

On to The Buried Giant now as the library has delivered. sorry for being mean about you upthread Warwickshire Library Service.