50 Book Challenge 2016 Part Four

[southeastdweller]

Thread four 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, it's not too late to join, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

First thread of 2016 is here, second thread here and third thread here.

How're you getting on so far?

The last two were always my favourite remus but I think slogging through it in one go would be too much for me now.

I'll see how I get on tonight and make a decision whether to carry on or not. See,s silly to stop now I'm so close, but I'm not laughing at any of the jokes any more.

Like your list Waawo and the Welsh theme that is emerging. Going to look up The last Llanelli Train as I spend hours on that bloody train every week.

Hitchikers didn't work for me on a re-read either Remus though I loved them first time around (and the very silly TV Series).

I'm glad you are enjoying The Luminaries, Satsuki

Meanwhile, I'm supposed to be reading another book for book club meeting in two days but can't let go of Seveneves. It's fab. Interesting story and all about problem solving à la The Martian.

My list so far:

1. My brilliant friend by Elena Ferrante.
2. SPQR by Mary Beard
3. Perfume by Patrick Suskind
4. Expecting better by Emily Oster
5. The life changing magic of tidying by Marie Kondo.
6. Friends of the dusk by Phil Rickman
7. A god in ruins by Kate Atkinson
8. Playing with fire by Tess Gerritsen
9. Wreckage by Emily Bleeker

10. True grit by Charles Portis. 11. Paper cuts by Colin Bateman. 12. The baby-making bible by Emma Cannon 13. The skeleton closet by Tanya Byron. 14. At the edge of the orchard by Tracy Chevalier 15. Library of souls by Ransom Riggs 16. The woman who stole my life by Marion Keyes

17. The improbability of love by Hannah Rothschild. The title refers to a painting of the same name-a forgotten master, which Annie unwittingly picks up in a junk shop. The book follows both the history of the painting and Annie's story in trying to prove its provenance. The book had really good reviews but I'm not sure these were justified-it was a good read, but some of it was a bit silly-like the painting telling its own story and details of Annie's troubled past. Quite an enjoyable light read overall-like a lot of my list this year!

18. Black Widow by Christopher Brookmyre. Brookmyre's style has been described as 'tartan noir' in that he writes satirical novels set in Scotland. He is one of my favourite authors and I love his humour. In this, Jack Parlabane, disgraced investigative journalist returns. Jack is approached by the family of an apparent suicide victim who are worried his late wife may have had something to do with it. The story is partly told in the first person by her and partly in the third person. A worthy return for Jack Parlabane-hopefully we'll see more of him. He also namechecks Neal Stephenson as an author enjoyed by one of the main characters and that makes me love him a little more!

19. The witness by Simon Kernick. I love Simon Kernick for his pacy thrillers and this was much in the same vein as his others-a woman witnesses a murder where the deceased was tortured for information about a terrorist attack. But does her story add up? High body count, action etc-I really enjoyed this. If you haven't read any Kernick, this would be a good starting point as there are no recurring characters (that I spotted anyway)!

Found you!

Grendel I agree about Eliza's character development. It could have been a bit Cool Girl!

Thanks Ladydepp, I may have to try Wodehouse. We have some as my DH loves them.

Cote I enjoyed Reamde as a thriller but it isn't his best. For me that would be Cryptonomicon I think or Snow Crash. I agree that he must be some kind of genius to come up with the stuff he does! Also think Seveneves has some amazing problem solving-where are you up to?

Satsuki I really enjoyed Where'd you go Bernadette-it is funny and a fairly light read, will be a good palate cleanser.

I'm at Hard Rain now (39%). I think this might become my favorite book of apocalyptic fiction

Reamde would be a good TV series and it would be an achievement for any other author. Just not for the man who wrote Cryptonomicon, Anathem, The Diamond Age, and Snow Crash.

Elle funny you have just finished a Christopher Brookmyre - I'm currently reading one because of your previously expressed fondness for him on this thread. One Fine Day in the Middle of the Night has been lying around my house for months, courtesy of a friend of DH, and it never occurred to me that I might actually enjoy it myself until your namecheck. I'm loving it.

I'm at 'reminded me why I left' about Cardigan, Waawo.

Still reading Fever and Spear by Javier Marias. It's a funny book, I don't feel motivated to pick it up, it doesn't really have any plot to speak of, but when I get into it I don't want to stop reading (but then I can't read it for long, because I need 100% attention to keep track of the half-a-page-long multi clause sentences).

Books 36, 37, 38, 39
The Hitchhikers' Guide - a trilogy in 4 parts
Enjoyed the 1st 2, especially remembering lines that my mum and dad have always said, that I’d forgotten came from this. The third I found tedious and the 4th even more so. It was a case of, ‘That joke isn’t funny anymore’. Should have quit when he was ahead.

8. Case of the missing boyfriend
9. The French house by Nick Alexander

Two books in a series so read them back to back. A story about a woman called cc her life in London, how she dreams of a move to the country and finding a boyfriend.
A nice enough story and easy to read. I much preferred The Other Son by the same author as it had a lot more depth than these two books.

Ladydepp I loved The Pillars of the Earth (and the TV series was brilliant too). I'll be interested to read your review when you finish because when someone asked me what it was about, all I could come up with was "its about a man who builds a church"...

In retrospect, I think I enjoyed it so much because it is all about human relationships, the good, bad and everything in between. There is a wonderful mix of characters who I got really invested in.

I also have World Without End but the sheer size of it is rather intimidating!

My updated list of books read so far. So many disappointments already, only read three that I'd recommend with no hesitation (highlighted in bold):

1. Untold Stories - Alan Bennett
2. Levels of Life - Julian Barnes
3. A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled - Ruby Wax
4. An Awfully Big Adventure - Beryl Bainbridge
5. Case Histories - Kate Atkinson
6. The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k - Sarah Knight
7. Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel
8. The Good Liar - Nicholas Searle
9. Passenger 23 - Sebastian Fitzek

10. The Women Who Went to Bed for a Year - Sue Townsend 11. The Driver's Seat - Muriel Spark 12. The Widow - Fiona Barton 13. A Man Called Ove - Fredrik Backman 14. Nice Work (If You Can Get It) - Celia Imrie 15. Mothering Sunday - Graham Swift 16. This is Me - Michelle Collins 17. Behind the Scenes at the Museum - Kate Atkinson 18. Memoirs of a Professional Cad - George Sanders

Book 19 was Eileen, by Ottessa Moshfegh, a new psychological thriller/character study set in east coast America in 1964 about a repressed and disturbed young woman who lives in near squalor with her emotionally abusive alcoholic father. A new employee at the prison the titular character works at catches her eye and she sees this person as her one chance to change her life. This was very uncomfortable reading at times and as Grendels said on the previous thread, the characterisation of Eileen was very well-done and, unusually for books of this kind, the story was throughly credible.

Hard rain Cote? So much more to come! You are going to love it.

MuseumOfHam I really hope you like it! I think it's a really funny one, and a good one to start with as it's basically standalone. Some of the characters recur in later books though. Will look forward to hearing what you think!

26. Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo

Another novella, this one told in the first person by Olav, who works as a 'fixer', aka hired killer. It's a lonely life, but he has finally met the woman of his dreams. Trouble is, she's his boss's wife, and his next target.

Nesbo is a really good writer. He packs such a lot into this tale, which comes in at just over 170 pages. There's the psychology of Olav himself and how he got to be where he is, as well as the stories he tells himself about his life and the lives of others around him. It's certainly dark and grim reading in places, but it's very well done.

Thanks for shiny new thread.
29. Scribbling the Cat- Travels with an African Soldier. Often tortured and beautifully written, the author sets off to try and wrestle with her own demons by accompanying a veteran of the Rhodesian war, K on a journey across Zim, Zambia and Mozambique into former battlefield areas. She evokes Africa and its special beauty vividly, right from the outset- "because it was the country that grew me, I sometimes forget to be astonished by Africans"; she write movingly on the horror of its wars- and all wars- also. Highly recommend though a tpugh read at times.

Ah Remus, meant to warn you not to read the whole lot in one go! Agree with you , the last two are just more of the same. They are best when you've had a break and just want... some more of the same

Must check price of sevenses, feeling impatient!

wilting - Seveneves is £9.99 on the Kindle but now that I've cracked and bought it, it will no doubt come down significantly in the next few days

Spqr audiobook is only £1.99 today , for bargain hunters. Not sure whether you need to be an audible member or nit though.

Thanks, Wilting. The damage is done now!

Any good, cheapo Kindle recs? Am going to be going on several train journeys in the next week or two.

Book 17 HHhH by Laurent Binet. I can't remember who recommended this but it was brilliant the best book I have read so far this year. I knew the story because I watched the film Operation Daybreak but the book was heartbreaking. I would thoroughly recommend it.

Book 18 Rock Redemption by Nalini Singh a quick easy romance

Book 19 Winter Men by Jesper Bugge Kold set in Germany before and after the second world war, brothers whose lives are changed in ways they never imagined.

Book 20 Still Water by Viveca Sten A dead body is found off the coast of a Swedish holiday resort. This was a well written murder mystery.

Book 21 The Year of living Danishly by Helen Russell. I think this has been well reviewed on here already. I enjoyed it and it gave me much room for thought as we are considering emigrating.

I am currently reading all the light we Cannot see and shotgun and have just returned from holiday to find the lost princess by Alison Weir in my post.

I recommended HHhH on here, after a colleague told me about it. I think everyone should read it!

I am very glad that you did Remus and you will be pleased to know that I am recommending it to everyone.