50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Two

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the second thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2017, 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.

The previous thread is here.

How're you getting on so far?

Remus

I am NEVER wrong - just ask Mr Happy

(Many years ago when DD was about 4 and a real witch handful, I said to him "That girl! She's got me at the end of my tether! She's always right and she always has to have the last word!" I heard a mutinous muttering - "I wonder who she's got that from."

And yet he lives . . . )

Also checking in, but in the interests of making a contribution as well, I'm looking forward to seeing what people think of 11.22.63 - I think there were a couple of people reading or planning to read it.

I read it a few years ago and seem to remember enjoying it at the time, but I tried to re-read it recently and really struggled to get into it - I just found it very slow. I can remember the plot but not the detail so wouldn't rule it out as a re-read - I just need someone to reassure me that it's worth it! Otherwise I may as well charity shop it - I haven't got enough shelf space to keep books I won't read again!

Hi diamantegal , I read 11.22.63 last year. i really enjoyed it as a fun read but I wouldn't read it again.

The plot was the great strength of the book for me and I'm not sure I'd get any more out of it second time round tbh. Too many other books to be read!

highlandcoo, I think The Robber Bride begins with the death of the antagonist (or a discussion of it); the story is told in flashbacks with alternate narrators.

Place marking. My New Year's resolution LAST year was to read 6 books. I failed . Think I'll start tonight as I have 4 new ones on my nightstand. More books, fewer rubbish TV shows.

First book: Holes

I read me me before you on holiday happy I really enjoyed it and was an easy read while also watching dd bumble around in the swimming pool. Got to say I didn't have the reaction a lot of my friends claimed to have had reading it 🤔. Got the follow up after you on my to read lost for later in the year

Thank you for the new thread.

I am still home ill. Managed to get flu on top of the chest infection. I don't recommend it. Especially as I ended up listening to utter drivel for my fourth book (couldn't actually open my eyes within it pain yesterday) and - I am more than embarassed to say - enjoying it. Sort of. Mostly. It was called Beswitched by Kate Saunders and was kind of like a time-travel Chalet School book. Not what I ever read at all. My brain was mush, I tell you.
Right. Hopefully that got blessedly lost in this amazingly fast-moving thread...

And yet he lives

Hope all poorly people feel better soon. I've had the lurgy, but think I'm on the mend now.

Remus - "Maybe we should start a separate thread of books that both of us loved?"

That would be the shortest thread of this topic

"I don't imagine for a second that you will like it (The Virgin Suicides) though."

Actually, it's not bad. Slightly tedious but I like the author's prose.

You were a child.

He raped you.

You were not at fault.

His behaviour is and was illegal and horrific and was not your fault.

None of this is or was your fault

X

Is this a spoiler for The Virgin Suicides (if so, I hate you) or are you posting on the wrong thread, by any chance?

I reckon we could manage at least a dozen, Cote.

And that isn't a spoiler.

Place marking whilst continuing to trundle through IT. 11.22.63 is the only other King book I've read. It was a few years ago but I remember thoroughly enjoying it.

I read 11.22.63 just before Christmas. Thoroughly enjoyed as my first King book (have also purchased It for some reading later on) but I doubt I would re-read as it's just too long and I was a little disappointed with the ending even though it made sense to do it like that

I'm also checking in, I'm still reading American Gods and The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter. I've just picked up This Thing Of Darkness too from the library after the recommendations here, looking forward to it!

I'm a teensy bit behind because I've been incredibly busy with the business and days out with the dc, but I'm about to finish my second book. I read All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (definitely recommend, it deserves all the praise it recieves) and am reading The Potion Diaries by Amy Alward (which is aimed towards young teens but I quite enjoyed it nevertheless). Excited to start reading Bridget Jones' Diary tonight!

Remus, you are being optimistic. I think we have both enjoyed about 4-5 fiction books in total, including This Thing Of Darkness which is pretty close to non-fiction. On non-fiction books, we do have a lot of "liked" books in common.

1. Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh. The last 40 pages would have been a great short story. The first 220 pages were dull. I really hope my next book His Bloody Project is better.

Fiction:

Red Rising x 3
Ready Player One
This Thing of Darkness
The Luminaries (with reservations on my part)
Lord of the Flies
Erm... Do Androids Dream? Brave New Wold? 1984?
There must be more!

Dissolution
Dark Fire

You're right but I would count Shardlake books as 1, Red Rising ones as 2, This Thing As Darkness frankly as non-fic. I thought you didn't like The Luminaries

Don't you both like Stephen King?

I am over halfway through 11.22.63 on audio. I am sucked in by the storytelling at a micro level, but have some issues that the bigger picture and purpose of the whole enterprise is never really examined, and you'd think, in a 30 hour long book, he could squeeze in a wee 5 minutes consideration of that. It is a marvellous story though.

Cote and Remus I feel that a Venn diagram would be more useful than a separate thread, if you could manage