50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Four

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fourth 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 first thread of the year is here, the second one here, and the third thread here.

What are you reading?

13. The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

A group of journalists are invited on a press tour of a new zoo in China. When they arrive, it's revealed that the zoo's inhabitants are real dragons that the Chinese found and have been breeding for their super new zoo, which has lots of safety precautions to stop the dragons getting out of hand. Of course, it's not long before the dragons stage a revolt, and most of the book is full of our protagonists trying desperately not to be eaten alive by dragons and survive subsequent cover up attempts by the zoo's management.

There's an interview with the author at the end of the book where he's careful to point out that his book is different to Jurassic Park because his is about a press tour rather than experts assessing difficulties with a dinosaur park, and also mainly because his zoo is set in China. I'm not convinced that that these points outweigh the similarity in the basic premise. Neither is the publisher, given the "Jurassic Park with Dragons" quote on the cover of the book.

It's action packed and fun to read, if somewhat gory in places.

8. The Vows of Silence by Susan Hill
Another Simon Serailler middle-class whodunnit. As ever, the killer on the loose is only half the story, with family life in Lafferton providing the real drama and sadness. A nice, quick, easy read.

9. A Kiss Before Dying by Ira Levin
Our anti-hero is a young poor, college student who woos a mining heiress, all the time being more interested in her fortune. When she falls pregnant, he worries that she will be disinherited, and trap him into providing for her. He persuades her to take some pills to get rid of the baby. When the pills don't work, he plans how to get rid of both the baby AND his girlfriend, and move on to another heiress.

Really likes this. Levin keeps us guessing as to the identity of our psychopathic protagonist, which makes for some excellent plot twists. The suspense is maintained well throughout.

I only discovered Levin last year, reading Rosemary's Baby and The Boys From Brazil. This one isn't quite as good as those two, but then not much is.

stilllovingmysleep isn't that a bit dishonest to read the book then return for a refund?? Or have I misunderstood what you said?

Since being on holiday I have managed to read a few books:

19. The end of your life book club by Will Schwalbe. I enjoyed this 'memoir'. The author's mother, an interesting woman by all accounts (Director of Admissions for Radcliffe and Harvard and later on in her life, she helped to found the Woman's Committee for Refugee Women and Children) discovers she has pancreatic cancer. A life-long reader, she and her son trade books and discuss them during her chemotherapy sessions. It's an enjoyable read not only because we learn about Mary-Anne's life, but also due to the discussions they have based on their book club choices. It is written in a very chatty, informal style.

20. When breath becomes air by Paul Kalinithi. This has already been mentioned on these threads. I read it straight after 'The end of your life book club' which wasn't perhaps the best of ideas due to the subject matter. The epilogue (written by his wife) is particularly moving.

21. The Lie by Helen Dunmore. As recommended on here. Found it in a charity shop for a couple of quid! Enjoyed this.

22. The Girls by Emma Cline. Meh. Unpleasant people and characters. Wouldn't recommend not because of the unpleasant people, it's just not very good!

19. The Grand Babylon Hotel Arnold Bennet - apparently Bennet wrote this 'for a lark'. American Billionaire buys most exclusive hotel in Edwardian London because they wouldn't serve him the steak and bottle of ale he wanted. Murder, mayhem and general hijinks ensue. This started out utterly silly but enjoyably so, but descended into utter nonsense - the plot got really convoluted and the wit disappeared.

I mostly just lurk on this thread as I can't keep up but just wanted to agree that George Orwell is The Man (although tea gives me the shits).

In case anyone was wondering how four year olds, holidays, long(ish) flights and reading combine.

On a five hour flight, I read exactly three and a half pages.

Experiment concluded.

(Which means I haven't got to catch up on the thread either. May try and do that in our balcony jacuzzi tonight.)

31 The Envoy by Edward Wilson

1950s set spy thriller, following Kit Fournier, supposed-senior-diplomat in the US London embassy, but actually CIA bureau chief. Not fantastic - the story was pretty slow and the writing a bit clunky in the first few chapters. I liked it overall, though - made a change to have a more senior, more office-bound spook in the main role, the plot was pretty good once it got going, and the Suffolk setting of much of the book was atmospheric. I'll definitely try at least one more book by the author.

20. The Power - Naomi Alderman
Much reviewed already. I loved it although it was very bleak in places.

Not sure what to move onto next...will browse the thread for inspiration.

Sounds like the jacuzzi is well deserved!

^that was to drdiva

37. Heartstone - another Shardlake. Easter holidays and feeling under the weather meant I indulged myself in reading all day. Didn't seen the answer to the main mystery in the story but did work out the subplot. Screaming all the time as they edged nearer and nearer to the ill fated Mary Rose.
Final Shardlake next - too far gone to stop now and then The lesser Bohemians for book club

• seen = see

Happy holidays DrDiva
14. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Previously mentioned on this thread, the story of nine-year-old Oskar who lives in New York City and is grieving for his father who died in the World Trade Centre on September 11th. I enjoyed this, found the characters and plot interesting. It made me think, quite sure some of it went over my head though.
Change of volume, next book is Quiet by Susan Cain!

Thanks all for the welcome I'm loving these threads, still reading through the first three (while adding yet more books to my "to-read" list!).

I have just finished reading:
24. Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
Which began as a lovely, dream-like story following the relationship between Saeed (conservative and restrained) and Nadia (fiercely independent and sensual) from when they meet in an unnamed Middle Eastern country on the brink of war through to a subtly dystopian future. I rather enjoyed the magical-realism element, and also the social commentary which is very current and hugely insightful considering what is going on in our world today, particularly during the first few chapters.

However, just before halfway through I found my reading experience was a little bogged down. While beautiful and evocative, sometimes I felt the writing was more style than substance. I read it on my Kindle, and some sentences were a page, or a page and a half long!

Overall, I feel it is an important book, and I sincerely hope many many people read it. Personally though, I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

On my previous list, I had missed out
25. Big Little Lies by Lianne Moriarty
In bold, because I rather enjoyed this one Particularly as I'd first dismissed it as chick-lit (not my favourite genre) and found it to be surprisingly engrossing.

Next read: Ready Player One!

1. Bee Wilson, 'this is not a diet book'
2. Harry Potter & the chamber of secrets (with DC)
3. Jennifer Weiner, 'all fall down'
4. Lauren Sandler, 'one and only'
5. Rene and Goscinny, the Nicholas Book (children's book)
6. Katja Rowell, fussy eating book
7. Nicola Yoon, 'everything everything' (YA book)
8. JD Robb, 'echoes in death'
9. JD Vance, 'Hillbilly elegy'
10. Jonathan Kellerman, Heartbreak Hotel
11. Haemin Sunim, The things you can see only when you slow down
12. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie We should all be feminists
13. Sarah A. Denzil Silent Child

Sarah Denzil's Silent Child. I actually read this in one day which I rarely am able to manage. This was a real page-turner, I discovered it as it was number 1 bestseller on Amazon for some days last month. It's a fairly standard, not high literature, crime novel, the ending of which is fairly predictable.

Basic premise is, a young woman is still grieving, 10 years down the line, the disappearance of her 6 year old son who apparently drowned during a flood in Yorkshire, but no body was ever found. She is now remarried, pregnant & about to give birth, at which point something massive happens (to do with her lost child). I will not say any more to avoid spoilers.

Generally enjoyed this for the type of book it is; obviously not great literature. The ending was a bit disappointing in some waysas I said, quite guessablebut overall a quick page turner.

Bedelia I quite like Liane Moriarty's books. A bit darker than your average chick-lit. I think she's quite clever.

1. The Muse - Jessie Burton

1. Gone Without a Trace - Mary Torjussen
2. Flesh Wounds - Christopher Brookmyre
3. Phantom: a Harry Hole Thriller - Jo Nesbo
4. Dead Simple (Roy Grace Series) - Peter James
5. All Good Deeds (A Lucy Kendall Thriller) - Stacy Green
6. The Turtle Boy - Kealan Patrick Burke

8. His Bloody Project - Graeme McRae

1. The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

10. The Last Day of Christmas: The Fall of Jack Parlabane (short story) - Christopher Brookmyre 11. Tales of Protection - Erik Fosnes Hansen 12. The Wall of Sky, The Wall of Eye - Jonathan Letham 13. Ready Player One - Ernest Cline 14. The Essex Serpent - Sarah Perry 15. Gallows View (inspector banks series) - Peter Robinson 16. The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler 17. Dead Man's Prayer - Jackie Baldwin

18. As the Crow Flies - Damien Boyd

I bought a whole bundle of books in this series on a whim as they were 99p each on kindle daily deal. I am glad I did as I really enjoyed this.

Yet another police procedural, this one focusses on DI Nick Dixon who moves from the Met down to Somerset. He is faced with investigating the death of his old climbing partner in an apparent climbing accident and uncovering some unsavoury truths about that person.

A very short read at not even 200 pages, well worth picking up for a straightforward detective story.

24. Night School by Lee Child

A tale from Reacher's past - 1996, when he was still in the army. After returning from a secret mission which earned him a medal, Jack Reacher was given orders to take part in a training course, which turns out to be cover for another secret mission with an FBI agent and CIA analyst. They are searching for an American who is aiming to seel something to a terrorist cell, but they don't know who he is, where he is, or what he's selling.

This one's a good one.

44. Being Mortal - Atul Gawande. This is a marvellous book on a very emotive subject - aging, death and dignity, looking at different ways of helping the very elderly to live a good and fulfilled life and how to have a good death.

I have to say I found it a bit difficult from a personal POV, my own parents are getting on and though they are very independent and active (DM is 80 in November and is still a local councillor although she is standing down in the May elections), I can see that they have slowed down in the last year and their world is getting smaller. I worry about their future but it's given me a lot to think about.

14. Finders Keepers by Stephen King

Crime thriller. Follow up to Mr Mercedes. A famous author is murdered. The killer hides the stolen stash of money and notebooks containing unpublished novels in a trunk, before being jailed for another crime. 30 years later, a boy finds the trunk. 5 years after that, the killer is released from jail and planning to collect the hidden treasures, which leads to lots of violent trouble for everyone.

This was okay, but didn't really grab me. And the destructiveness of the ending made me wince.

20. The Humans by Matt Haig

The Humans is about an alien sent to Earth to prevent one man's mathematical breakthrough being shared and ultimately leading to the destruction of the universe, for the breakthrough will lead to progress beyond human ability to manage. In the process, the alien learns what it is to be human.

The, very heavily laboured, point is that there is beauty and wonder in being human despite our propensity towards destruction, violence and greed and our ultimate mortality. A very nice point to make, but I didn't really need whacking over the head with it every other page. Parts of the book were enjoyable, but ultimately not for me.

BestisWest I I think Being Mortal is a really good book and in fact I've thought it should be essential reading for all of us, if that were possible in some way. I am sorry to hear about the worries concerning your parents, I know how that feels--Atul Gawande's book really brings worries about mortality and health to the fore, but I think ultimately rightly so, and in a gentle, compassionate way.

His other book on checklists is surprisingly good too.

Right on to my list.

1. Bee Wilson, 'this is not a diet book'
2. Harry Potter & the chamber of secrets (with DC)
3. Jennifer Weiner, 'all fall down'
4. Lauren Sandler, 'one and only'
5. Rene and Goscinny, the Nicholas Book (children's book)
6. Katja Rowell, fussy eating book
7. Nicola Yoon, 'everything everything' (YA book)
8. JD Robb, 'echoes in death'
9. JD Vance, 'Hillbilly elegy'
10. Jonathan Kellerman, Heartbreak Hotel
11. Haemin Sunim, The things you can see only when you slow down
12. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie We should all be feminists
13. Sarah A. Denzil Silent Child
14. Anna Bell The bucket list to mend a broken heart

Number 14 was Anna Bell's A bucket list to mend a broken heart.
Classic chick-lit, with a totally predictable ending (as most of them, but not all) and far too long for some reason--more than 400 pages long, when this could be done & dusted in 100 pages under that. I'm normally not a chick-lit person but have kept reading a chick-lit book or 2 every now and again.

The premise is quite fun I suppose. Abi is dumped by posh boyfriend Joseph, discovers his bucket list & decides to do every single item in a month to win him back. If you're into bucket lists / life goal lists etc (which I admit are guilty pleasures for me, compiling such lists), then this book holds some appeal. There is also a laugh out loud chapter on windsurfing. Haven't read anything else by Anna Bell, but I hear she's a regular chick-lit writer, but I don't think I'll go back for more.

Composteleana I agree with your review of The Humans. Lots of people seem to rave about it, but I found it cliched and unsubtle, exactly as you describe.

Tarahumara I was a bit baffled by all the 5* reviews!