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?

And, of course, the lovely Jack ensures that the Shardlakes from 2 onwards offer a certain something too.

Oh he's a fine figure of a man in a clean doublet.

I wouldn't mind him in a dirty doublet, to be frank.

That is the more likely scenario

So pleased I am not the only one to 'appreciate' Jack!

Have bought The Grand Sophy. Bet there are no dirty doublets in that. Shame.

Goodreads is telling me I'm 2 books behind schedule! Oh dear, I'm not quite sure why I'm so slow this year, I just can't seem to drag myself away from newspapers I guess...

Anyhoo I did manage to finish Imperium by Robert Harris. Book 12 for me . Historical fiction starring famous orator Cicero, his slave Tiro and Ancient Rome. It was educational and well written; the first third and final third were pretty gripping but the middle bit really sagged for me. I'd read the next 2 in the trilogy but only if I managed to get them for 99p!

As for Aperol Spritz, DH and I had one in Austria last year - we were a bit meh. Nice colour though! I'll stick to g&t for my pre dinner cocktail .

Does anyone have strong feelings on whether we can count listening to all the Radio 4 Book at Bedtime episodes for a book as an (audio) book?

I've recently spent approx. 140 mins listening to Behind her eyes by Sarah Pinborough...

I won't be offended if you say No!

Remus - for that you need These Old Shades / Devil's Cub (well, not literally doublets, but still). The Grand Sophy is definitely more comedy than romance.

I bought Keeper of Lost Things on a whim off Amazon rmc. I will be interested to hear what you think of it

24. The Wild Ways (Book 2 in the Enchantment Emporium series) by Tanya Huff.

Urban fantasy series following a family of witches in their adventures. A bit incestuous: cousins marrying cousins and what seems to be polygamous relationships but still the story barrels along and doesn't take itself too seriously.

25. The Magician by Raymond E Feist.

Audiobook of this classic fantasy book. All 31 CDs of it! Very much in the mould of handsome kings and beautiful princesses, goblins, elves and dwarfs where the goodies are good and the baddies are bad (for the most part). Somewhat old-fashioned but fairly entertaining for the commute and the narration was good.

I have also enjoyed the first two books of the Simon Serailler series. I loved someone's earlier description of middle-class crime- so true! 🤣

Oh no, Stitches, disaster! I hope you have enough charge to last the holiday or that your PIL have one you can borrow.. 🤞🏻

These Old Shades was the first Heyer I ever read- I was about 12! Devil's Cub never matched up to it.

Actually, I think my love for Heyer might be why Shardlake didn't quite come alive for me- the language just felt too modern.

Stitches, I hope you found a charger! Mind you I have just mumsnetted for over an hour- could've read loads instead!

Will do Passme. Started last night, according to my Kindle I am 41% off the way through. Underwhelmed at the moment!

Brooklyn is one of the kindle daily deals today. I know people on this thread have enjoyed and recommended it. It doesn't look like my kind of thing so I will resist on this occasion. Speaking of not my kind of thing, just abandoned this one:

DNF. The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin Pompous dull sci-fi, with the much used premise of being set on a world that feels a bit medieval and fuedal. It is somewhat prone to earthquakes, and some folks, who aren't very popular, can control them with their minds. Big chunks annoyingly narrated in second tense - no, I will not imagine I am a humourless miserable middle aged woman, afraid that's too much of a stretch for me . Just before page 100, someone started telling a folk tale (shudder) and that's when I decided to abandon, before the lutes came out.

I found Brooklyn too boring to even write a review about but I know others have loved it.

Hmm. 41% is a long time robbery underwhelmed

Ladydepp I think that's fine

I quite liked Brooklyn by the end.

I've only gone and read another one! I'm back on a roll.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath - A young woman in 50s Americas trying to find and understand her place in the world and a changing society. Plots her descent into depression and her struggle to recovery.

I read this without having a clue what it was about, other than it being cited as an important feminist work. Before you ask, I have spent a long time living under a rock. I loved it and devoured it overnight. I could really identify my angsty teenage self with the content. I wish I'd read it back in my college/uni days, but back then I was studying languages and bogged down with weighty foreign tomes and had little time for work in English. I feel robbed and cheated that I'd missed out on it then. It's a real coming of age book.

Thanks to alteredimages for pointing out that the kindle charging port is a standard micro USB one. I managed to find a compatible charging cable when we stopped at a motorway service station.

Panic over!

Love The Bell Jar, Fortuna. Glad you solved your kindle nightmare, Stitches!

20. All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews. Set in Canada, this is written from the perspective of Yolandi, a middle aged woman whose older sister Elfrieda, a concert pianist, is in hospital following a suicide attempt. This is a very moving portrayal of the relationship between the two sisters and their other family members. I absolutely loved it - a highlight of the year so far.

Happy Easter, 50 bookers! wish me luck in not killing my mother in law

20. Kickback - Damien Boyd

Same as! It just occurred to me that having been set thus far in the climbing scene, medics and golf courses and now horse racing, these books sit firmly in the 'middle class crime' genre. I had a peak at the next one which is set in a boarding school.

I will likely fire on and read the rest of these - back to work on Monday sadly so will likely slow to a crawl reading wise. I need easy readers and these are it.

fortuna The Bell Jar is one of my favourite books, I reread it last year after a long gap and it still stands up so well. So witty and unsentimental despite its dark subject, just love it.

That sounds really good Tarahumara. I have added to my kindle wish list.

My dp loved Brooklyn but I thought it was really boring and didn't finish it. He liked The Loney too, so is clearly deranged.