50 Book Challenge 2015 Part Five

[southeastdweller]

Thread five 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, third thread here, and fourth thread here.

Happy reading

I highly recommend The Help, one of the best books I've read of the past few years, even better than the film.

70. Llewellyn's 2016 Witches' Companion

A series of articles about contemporary Wiccan living, magical and ritual practices, etc. I always find these interesting reading and while I don't live the lifestyle that the various writers do I can still pick up ideas and a new perspective on things from reading them.

I'll bring over my full list later on.

southeast as you enjoyed The Help, I highly recommend The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd. A related theme and even better IMO.

37. The Girl in the Spiders Web - David Lagercrantz

Continuation of Steig Larssons Millenium series. This time Lisbeth Salander is up against the American NSA as well as people from her past. I liked this a lot. It is essentially a well paced crime thriller. This book feels a lot tighter plot wise compared to the last 2 in Larssons series.

Sonnet thank you for the kind words. I'm a relatively new blogger, so they're much appreciated.

Book 47: Time and Time Again - Ben Elton. Our hero, ex-SAS, rich and famous via survivalist courses for less advantaged children, "happily" married with the "perfect" family (1 of each), recently widowed after a hit and run is invited to dinner by an old professor from Trinity College, Cambridge and signs up to an interesting project - going back in time to change the course of history. An easy read, not weighty or serious. It only becomes thought-provoking near the end when it turns to contemplating the impact of changing history.

Best, so sorry to hear about your dog. That's very sad indeed.

Thanks for the new thread. I will carry my books over when I am not on an iPad as it takes me ages to type them out. I am a typing spanner.

In the meantime I can add:

74. Swamplandia! - Karen Russell
    This defies categorisation but might fall into the Southern Gothic genre being set in the mangrove swamps of Florida. Brilliant use of language here in this runner-up Pulitzer Prize novel narrated by 13 year old Ava who is trying to save her families alligator theme-park in the wake of the death of her mother. Totally mad story, with great touches and very unusual. It didn't quite work form me though.

75. Everyday Sexism - Laura Bates
    I'm glad I read this as it's a reminder of how there is so much more to be done to fight gender discrimination. Sad reading but also some good, positive messages.

76. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
    I just can't remember reading this, even as a child, though I know the story, so thought I should rectify this glaring error. Great fun.

77. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O'Farrell
    Well reviewed on here but it didn't do it for me at all. Not my style of novel, I thought this could have been so much better because it really is a good story.

On to Meadowland too! Can't wait to get started

Still enjoying Meadowland as well as plodding on with my book group read.
Finished my 3rd audio book yesterday - Rack, Ruin and Murder by Ann Granger (book 48). Book 2 in the Campbell & Carter Mystery series. It followed on well for from the first book and is an easy to listen to story whilst pottering about.

Thanks for new thread! I haven't read much over last few days but hoping now kids are back to school I will have more time to read!

29. Everest, Expedition To The Ultimate - Reinhold Messner

Enjoyable account of the first party to reach the summit without supplementary oxygen, with plenty of Everest history thrown in.

Finally watched Far From The Madding Crowd
Was fantastic

Esio

53. The Green Road - Anne Enright

Dreary and disjointed family saga, mainly set in Ireland. Can't be bothered to write anymore about this tedious book apart from saying that I don't recommend it.

Now reading The Little Stranger and really enjoying it so far.

My current list:

1. Cunningham's Magical Sampler Scott Cunningham
2. The House of Susan Lulham Phil Rickman
3. The Man in the Moss Phil Rickman
4. The Wild Places Robert Macfarlane
5. December Phil Rickman
6. Philosophy & Terry Pratchett ed. Jacob M Held and James B South
7. Black Cat Martyn Bedford
8. The Infernal Desire Machines of Doctor Hoffman Angela Carter
9. Guards! Guards! Terry Pratchett

10. Pale Demon Kim Harrison 11. The Watcher in the Shadows Carlos Ruiz Zafon 12. Dracula Cha Cha Cha Kim Newman 13. Gloucestershire Folk Tales Anthony Nanson 14. Llewellyn's 2015 Witches' Companion 15. A Perfect Blood Kim Harrison 16. Vanished Kingdoms Norman Davies 17. The Slow Regard of Silent Things Patrick Rothfuss 18. The Magician's Apprentice Trudi Canavan 19. Jingo Terry Pratchett 20. Witches Tracy Borman 21. Skin Game Jim Butcher 22. The Fear Index Robert Harris 23. The Sandman Lars Kepler 24. The Son Jo Nesbo 25. Grimm Tales Philip Pullman 26. The Infernal Device Michael Kurland 27. Druids: A Very Short Introduction Barry Cunnliffe 28. Witch Hunt Ian Rankin 29. Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman 30. Shamans Ronald Hutton 31. The Ionian Mission Patrick O'Brian 32. Personal Lee Child 33. The Surgeon's Mate Patrick O'Brian 34. The Evil Seed Joanne Harris 35. Mysteries of the Druids W Winwood Reade 36. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Ransom Riggs 37. Night After Night Phil Rickman 38. Religion and the Decline of Magic Keith Thomas 39. Martyr Rory Clements 40. A Pocket Full of Rye Agatha Christie 41. The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side Agatha Christie 42. They do it with Mirrors Agatha Christie 43. Strange Boy Paul Magrs 44. The Body in the Library Agatha Christie 45. The Moving Finger Agatha Christie 46. A Murder is Announced Agatha Christie 47. 4.50 From Paddington Agatha Christie 48. The Long Utopia Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter 49. Nathaniel's Nutmeg Giles Milton 50. The Left Hand of God Paul Hoffman 51. Bad Science Ben Goldacre 52. The Green Roads of England R Hippisley Cox 53. In Search of the Trojan War Michael Wood 54. The Miniaturist Jessie Burton 55. The Martian Andy Weir 56. Foxglove Summer Ben Aaronovitch 57. The Aylesford Skull James P Blaylock 58. Revenger Rory Clements 59. I Am Pilgrim Terry Hayes 60. Pompeii Robert Harris 61. The Rose Labyrinth Titania Hardie 62. The Queen's Conjuror Benjamin Woolley 63. Paganism: A Very Short Introduction Owen Davies 64. Visions Kelley Armstrong 65. The Wee Free Men Terry Pratchett 66. A Hat Full of Sky Terry Pratchett 67. Wintersmith Terry Pratchett 68. The Shepherd's Crown Terry Pratchett 69. I Shall Wear Midnight Terry Pratchett 70. Llewellyn's 2016 Witches' Companion

I had been thinking about using one of my Audible credits on The Green Road, southeast, but if it's as tedious as you say I don't think I'll bother!

The Little Stranger is rather creepy - I loved the idea of the individual hauntings, playing to each character's weaknesses and fears. The doctor has to be one of the most quietly sinister characters I've come across in books.

Just dropping in to mark place and say southeast read The Lost Continent first, I think it's the best one :) that and Notes from a Small Island... and of course the Australian one is vg too....

A sequel is coming you all say? Thank fuck! Something I'll definitely enjoy reading

Otherwise am stuck into Max Hastings' Armageddon which is proving v good. Will carry over full list later.

Hope everyone is well? How are all the walking wounded?

Book 114 'The Secret Passage' by Fergus Hume
A proper old fashioned who-dunnit, from 1905. It had more twists and turns than a twisty turny thing, was horribly prejudiced and snobbish and dated. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Book 113 'Dead Man's Land' by Robert Ryan
Dr Watson has fallen out with the aging Holmes and has gone to the front to be a medical Major during WW1. He soon discovers that amidst the awful suffering and terribly numbers of deaths, there is a serial killer operating. This had its faults, but was well researched and well based in the Doyle tradition. It was over-long and needed fine tuning and editing, but I enjoyed it overall.

Yay - a shiny new thread!

Here is my list so far - bold is best, the disappointments in italics.

1. City of Veils by Clare Ferraris
2. Rabbit back literature society by Pasi Ilmari Jääskeläinen
3. Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore
4. Park and Eleanor by Rainbow Rowell
5. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
6. The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Clare Nolan
7. The Undertaking by Audrey Magee
8. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
9. Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovich

10. The Blackwater Lightship by Colm Toibin 11. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz 12. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Stephen Galloway 13. Brilliance by Marcus Sakey 14. The Ask and the Asking (Bk 2 in the Walking Chaos Trilogy) by Patrick Ness 15. A Discovery of Witches by Barbara Harkness 16. A State of Wonder by Ann Patchett 17. Moon over Soho by Ben Aaronovich 18. Nobody is Missing by Catherine Lacey 19. Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones 20. H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald 21. Life of Pi by Yann Martel 22. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 23. Station 11 by Emily St John Mendel 24. Shadow of Light (Bk 2 All Souls Trilogy) by Deborah Harkness 25. The Book of Life (Bk 3 All Souls Trilogy) by Deborah Harkness 26. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 27. Cat Sense by John Bradshaw 28. The History of the Rain by Niall Williams 29. Clothes, clothes, clothes, music, music, music, boys, boys, boys by Viv Albertine 30. Long Way Home by Eva Dolan 31. Beirut, I love you:A Memoir by Zena El Khalil 32. The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archives Bk 1) by Brendon Sanderson 33. A Town called Alice by Neil Shute 34. The Book of Strange New Things by Michael Faber 35. A Better World by Marcus Sakey 36. Wonder by RL Palacio 37. Blood and Sand by Frank Gardner 38. Red carpets and other banana skins by Rupert Everett

And..
No. 39 is The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler.
This was an audiobook and I think most people will have either read it or have a read a review on here. Describes the lives of 6 people within a book club discussing the books of Jane Austen. The narrator was very good and I quite enjoyed this gentle book.

Ooh shiny new thread! Bringing my list over:

1. Spares - Michael Marshall Smith

1. The Istanbul Puzzle - Laurence O'Bryan

3. Last Man Standing: Tales From Tinseltown - Sir Roger Moore

1. [Re]Awakenings, an anthology of new Speculative Fiction

5. The Martian - Andy Weir

1. Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery - Henry Marsh

7. A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre

1. Ashes of the Earth: A Mystery of Post-Apocalyptic America - Eliot Pattison

9. Alan Turing: The Enigma - Andrew Hodges 10. Annihilation - Jeff VanderMeer 11. Flowers For Algernon - Daniel Keyes 12. Running Wild - J G Ballard 13. Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer 14: Holy Machine - Chris Beckett 15. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Susanna Clarke 17. Climbing High: A Woman's Account of Surviving the Everest Tragedy - Lene Gammelgaard 18. My Inventions by Nikola Tesla 19. The absolute pile of stinking garbage called John Dies At The End - Who Cares 20. The Master And Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov 21. The Three-Body Problem - Liu Cixin (author) and Ken Liu (translator) 22. Methuselah's Children - Robert Heinlein 23. The Children Act - Ian McEwan 24. A Wanted Man - Lee Child 25. The Explorer - James Smythe 26. The Girl On The Train - Paula Hawkins 27. Old Man's War - John Scalzi 28. Blindsight - Peter Watts 29. Land Of The Blind - Barbara Nadel 30. Red Rising - Pierce Brown 31. Golden Son - Pierce Brown 32. The King In Yellow - Robert W Chambers 33. Echopraxia - Peter Watts34. Crash - J G Ballard 34. Crash - J G Ballard 35. One Of Us - Michael Marshall Smith 36 Mr Mercedes - Stephen King 37. Stone Mattress: Nine Tales - Margaret Atwood 38 Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World - Jack Weatherford 39. Station Eleven - Emily St John Mandel 40. Into The Wild - Jon Krakauer 41. Armada - Ernest Cline 42. Irène - Pierre Lemaitre 43. A Scanner Darkly - Philip K Dick 44. The City And The Stars - Arthur C Clarke

'Mother Tongue' by Bill Bryson is only £1.99 on Kindle today. I highly recommend it.

62. Down Under - Bill Bryson

63. The Flavours of Love - Dorothy Koomson. I confess I didn't like this much and just ended up skimming to get to to the end. Bereaved woman is stalked by her husband's murderer, meanwhile her teenage daughter is pregnant.

38. Star Gazing by Linda Gillard
Book set in Edinburgh about a blind woman who finds love (again) - absolute tosh, did not enjoy, very light and not for me.

39. Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson
I liked this, v fast read, raced through. Ending a bit meh but a really good thriller. Amnesiac woman wakes every day with no memory. Pretty good actually!

You guys have all read so much, I manage just over a book a week reading on my commute! Next on is I think What Kind Of Mother Are you, then the JK Rowling one which isn't Harry Potter....

Cote - ooh I've got a Spy Among Friends on my kindle, glad to hear someone liked it, makes me more keen to read it!

45. The Complete Short Stories. Vol 1 - J G Ballard

Not sure how many pages it is but it took me a while to get through 39 short stories I'm not a fan of short stories OR stuff written before I was born (like, before the 1970s) but this was very good although it was all written in the 1960s. Ballard doesn't write the best prose I have ever read, but his ideas are incredibly original. My personal favourites were the stories that Ballard published later in 1971 in the short story book called Vermillion Sands. These stories take place in an artists' colony maroooned in a languid future of unlimited leisure, high technology, singing statues and half-sentient buildings that drift in and out of the encroaching desert.

I would recommend this tome book to Ballard fans and his 200-page short story book Vermillion Sands to the rest of you.

lady - I haven't yet read a Ben Macintyre book that I didn't like. I have several more of his books on my Kindle

No 73

one day by David Nichols after watching the film with Anne Hathaway at the weekend
Have to say the book is much better than the film , her accent was awful & so distracting !

Is Us a follow on to it does anyone know?

Esio xx

46. Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk

This book was as good as the film, possibly even slightly better despite lacking a naked Brad Pitt fold-out, at least in my Kindle copy . The end is a little different than the film but works just as well. I would recommend this one. You are in for a treat especially if you haven't watched the film.