50 Book Challenge 2016 Part One

[southeastdweller]

Thread one of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2016, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

Who's in for this year?

Very much looking forward to getting my head stuck into books again! Started reading 'After the crash' by Michel Bussi lst night.. Only 6 chapters in and I am hooked already..

""The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2016"" I do not think I can do that at the moment as some things need my attention but I do enjoy to reading novels so please count me in. I am consider about get eReader

I read between my Kindle and hard copy books. For me it has enhanced rather than replaced. I do read faster on Kindle as I can stand it up so cook whilst reading for example, plus being able to change don't size etc makes it optimum for reading at times.

Great fun - I'm in! I have a long daily commute so I'm always looking for book recommendations. I like to think I am playing my part in keeping my local library going! Currently on my first book of the year - 'The Seed Collectors' by Scarlett Thomas. Many interesting characters and I'm enjoying it so far. Looking forward to seeing what you are all reading.

1. The Wild Girl, Kate Forsyth

Historical novel about Dortchen Wild, the girl who lived next door to the Grimm brothers, told them many stories for their fairy tale collection, and eventually married Wilhelm Grimm after being in love with him for 20 years but thwarted by poverty, her father's abuse of her and her difficulty in trusting anyone as a result. Forsyth weaves in Dortchen's versions of well known tales, and the variations on different versions do have a significant impact on the plot. I have mixed feelings about this. I like the 'story behind the stories' aspect, and the notes at the end of the book, explaining what is known and what is speculation, are fascinating. Forsyth uses the variations between the first, much more gruesome, collection the Grimms published and their second, more child-friendly and uplifting, collection to speculate that Wilhelm rewrote the stories, especially those dealing with incest, in response to Dortchen's revelation about her father, and her arguments seem convincing. The historical background is interesting too - the disputed area of Hessen-Cassel during the Napoleonic wars - particularly with War and Peace on the TV at the moment. However, I found the style a bit pedestrian - sometimes I felt as if I was being bashed over the head with all the historical detail. And Dortchen herself is rather a good, long-suffering heroine - I wanted her to seize the initiative and kill the evil father, but I suppose historical accuracy forbade that. Compared to Forsyth's Bitter Greens, a similar book about the Rapunzel story which is really racy and sparkling, this one feels a bit worthy. Still enjoyable though, and I've put Philip Pullman's version of Grimm's tales on the TBR list.

I liked The Good Girl - I hope you enjoy it!

My aim for this year is 75 - I think! Read 86 last year, so that seems feasible! I'll be looking for recommendations from readers on here - especially crime fiction fans!

ok so just downloaded the hobbit . two chapters in and its further than ive ever managed before but i think reading to dd has paid off as im enjoying it.

My first read of 2016 was The Life and Loves of a He-Devil by Graham Norton. I bought it in the kindle sale over Christmas and it fitted my mood going into the New Year. There were some giggle moments, and I thought it was written very well covering themes rather than a general autobiography. He says at the beginning he hopes that readers will find at least one passion of his that we share. His love for New York, dogs and divas were particularly enjoyable for me. An easy read but I felt I did learn a lot about Graham and it was refreshing to read an autobiography actually written by the person!

I am going to keep track of my reading this year. I am very good at keeping track on kindle but I switch off from a book as soon as I've read it and cannot remember quite a few of last year's "books"!! So I am going to note them more dilligently this year. Thanks already to different posters for sharing reviews. I really enjoy reading reviews and recommendations. I gained many books from the thread last year.

I enjoyed Graham Norton's autobiography too, Galaxy. Read it on holiday last year, and particularly enjoyed the chapter about his dogs.

Oh mention of autobiographies has reminded me how much I enjoyed 'Not My Father's Son' by Alan Cumming -he has a very remarkable story to tell and it is both funny and very moving, I strongly recommend.

kinky great gatsby is one of my favourite books. It's brilliant.

Just finished first book of the year

#1 "Her" Harriet Lane

I think this may be the worst book I have ever read. Bloody awful

I'm going to join in, made a good start since New Year as on book three, Vixen by Rosie Garland. Just finished The Wolf Wilder and The Winter Children.

Five - I'm glad to have steered you away from that disappointment of a book

Froglet, that sounds really good!

1. The Spirit Ring, Lois McMaster Bujold. Re-read. Fantasy based loosely on the life of Cellini, with kobolds/demons etc. Fun but light.

1. Model Misfit, Holly Swayle. Second in the Geek Girl series, nicked from my 12 year old sister. Cheerful YA fluff, very entertaining.

1. Elizabeth Is Missing, Emma Healey. Book club choice. Interesting - I know many of you have read it. A bit depressing - really shows the ways memory erodes for people with dementia/Alzheimer's. I don't think Maud seemed as scared or miserable as I think I would be in the same circumstances - and watching my great-granny suggested that she was very unhappy and scared a lot of the time. Imagine being unable to read because you couldn't remember a plot for long enough!

This thread is great - count me in!

I used to be an avid reader but have been a bit lazy the past few years ( damn netflix! 😊 ) so promised myself I'd make more effort.

I've just started The Hand That First Held Mine - highly recommened by the good people of Mumsnet ☺

2. The Monogram Murders - Sophie Hannah
Has already been reviewed above, so will be brief. It's a new Herclue Poirot, written by Hannah. It's an OK murder mystery, but as the PP said, misses Christie's skill in showing you details along the way so you could work it out. I had worked out part of it, but other parts weren't mentioned in detailed discription so you couldn't work out the whole solution. There was also far too many 40-somethings with a load of teenage style angst about love, when with a couple of them, it seemed in keeping with their personalities being a bit emotionally stunted, but with others it just seemed annoyingly childish. Hannah had obviously decided "love" was going to be a big theme, which was annoying. There was also a lack of the humour of Christie.

Fine in it's own way, but by trying to write a Poirot, you've going to invite comparassions and need to be as good, if not better. Fine if like me, you find yourself full of a cold so need something not very challenging to read!

Book 3 finished today. The Importance of being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. Incredibly funny farce about mistaken identity and secret engagements. I will be on the lookout for this if there is a stage performance.

1. The Last Kingdom, Bernard Cornwell
2. The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford
3. The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde

Natasha I've read mixed reviews too and will be interesting to see how it develops over the next couple of episodes. I did enjoy it though - loved the scenery/setting and thought some of the characterisation was great. Liked the way the hangers-on around the Count's death were depicted and how Pierre was effectively forced into marrying Helene. I thought Andrei's force was a sign of his frustration, rather than hate, but agree he is just disappointed in his marriage rather than anything else. I don't think there's much of an explanation of why this is in the book - he doesn't seem to be particularly trapped, but maybe I missed it?

TooExtra I have 'Elizabeth Is Missing' waiting to be read on my Kindle. Not being able to read is my idea of hell and agree I think I'd be miserable.

Starlights Tue 05-Jan-16 09:45:30
Currently reading City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and about a third of the way through. It's a bit young for me but enjoyable nonetheless

Tbh I would rather read a well written/enjoyable children's book than a badly written/not enjoyed adults book. The prequel series to the mortal instruments is on my list because I enjoyed City of Bones and the rest of the series so much. Hoping the character development is as equally well thought out through the infernal devices series.

1. When the robbers came to Cardamom town

This is a children's book. I have done a mixed native language/english translation reading of this. Loved it being translated as a child and using ds' english version to help with language development skills.

2. Miss Carter's War, by Sheila Hancock.

I enjoyed this, although I was starting to flag a bit by the end. Less a plotted novel than a runthrough of the last 60 years of English history, viewed through the eyes of a fictional teacher who used to be in the French resistance.

So there are lots of 'issues of the day': the rise of AIDS, the miners' strikes, the ban the bomb marches, feminism, drugs, the aging process, and also lots of pop culture references - Mary Quant, Vidal Sassoon, some lion called Christian, frozen chicken kievs... Sometimes some of the references felt a bit shoehorned in.

The stuff about teaching was particularly interesting, (and I think the book lost its way once that was no longer at the forefront), but there's not much plot here, although lots of things happen.

Next up is Black Rabbit Hall.

Anyone interested in any of the Costa Award category winners? (I know Kate Atkinson has been mentioned a lot on this thread, but some of the others haven't).

I fancy reading The Loney.

Bugrit, what's Black Rabbit Hall about? I like the title.

OnlyLovers, I got The Loney and Spill Simmer Falter Wither for Christmas. My sister got some of the other Costa winners but I don't know which ones, but I'll be able to borrow them from her.

Having now read most of this thread, I am fizzing with excitement and want to discuss about 10 books all at once!

War and Peace - I got to 40% of this 2 years ago. I watched the first episode on Sunday and I would love to read it in conjunction with others on this thread. I have the Maude version too, tumbletumble. I'm just trying to remember some of the previous bits, but I think the BBC version will help with that - Sunday's episode certainly did, although I loathe and detest Lily James already.

Wilkie Collins - I love him too! I haven't read all of his works but I've got the complete works on my Kindle and am working through them.

I now want to read some Neal Stephenson - I've got Quicksilver kicking around being far too heavy to hold somewhere. Might try on Kindle instead.

I read The Bone Clocks the year before last but I've never read any others - gave up on Cloud Atlas a few years back. It's still in my bookcase so I'll have another bash at it.

TooExtra, Spill Simmer Falter Wither was shortlisted but hasn't won, right? It's on my to-read list. Have you read it yet? I'll be interested to hear your thoughts if so!

Chillie I'm pretty sure that one of the invisible library kindle books is reduced on Amazon at the moment...I have the first waiting to be read on kindle.