50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Seven

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the seventh 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, the third thread here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here, and the sixth one here.

What are you reading?

124. Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson

Recommendation from this thread. Written in 1938 it's about a middle aged spinster who goes to enquire about a job and gets caught up in her hostess's live life, dressed up and invited to a nightclub. All rather silly but very charming and I loved it!

That should say love life!

Oh, I love Miss Pettigrew, Chessie!

Miss Pettigrew is just a perfect comfort read. I adore it.

I agree, will definitely read it again in the future!

54. The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre

Thriller. Deanna has shut herself away in her apartment for 3 years, because she fears that she'll be unable to stop herself from going on a murderous rampage. She makes a living as "Jessica" , performing to webcams on sex sites. But then she gets a client who has some very disturbing fantasies. And then a little girl just like the one in his fantasy goes missing. The police don't seem to be taking Deanna seriously when she calls them about it. So Deanna finally leaves her apartment....

This was a fairly quick read. As you might expect, given Deanna's line of work, there's a lot of description of online sex. I wasn't totally convinced by Deanna though, and her self enforced isolation. Or by the delivery driver who's developed an infatuation with the mysterious woman he's never seen, only heard.

55. Dare Me by Megan Abbott

Mumsnet giveaway. I've copied and pasted the review I put on the giveaway feedback thread.

I read The Fever by the same author earlier this year, and definitely enjoyed Dare Me more. It's a much more gripping read.

Narrated by Addy, one of the main girls in the schools cheer squad, and second in command to the popular Beth. Everything changes when the new coach, Colette French arrives. Coach seems determined to take charge and push the squad towards winning competitions, while Beth is pushed aside, which Beth doesn't take well too. And one thing leads to another, culminating in a suspicious suicide. The final outcome had me guessing almost to the very end of the book.

The characterisation of the girls was believable to me - Addy's infatuation with coach, and Beth's increasingly destructive personality and actions.
I struggled a bit more to believe in the coach though. Pushing the girls to practice more, practice harder, yes. Encouraging, or at best turning a blind eye to anorexia and bulimia in the squad I can just about believe in. But having the cheer squad over to her house after practices, complete with drink and cigarettes and sleepovers.... really? They're teenagers in high school! I don't know, maybe things are more relaxed in the USA, but it seems like a massive blurring of normal teacher-pupil boundaries, and surely something that could lead to professional trouble for a teacher?

Plus I've learnt a lot more about cheerleading. Turns out it's a lot more athletic and dangerous than I'd imagined from watching American films.

Book 83
Beyond the Body Farm - Jon Jefferson
Another book about what bodies can tell us, this time by the guy who developed the ‘body farm’ at the University of Tennessee, which allows the team to study the process of decomposition. This isn’t about that, particularly, but about various cases Jefferson and his team have been involved in since establishing the ‘farm’. A bit too much about Jefferson himself sometimes, but I thought this was a really interesting read with a good balance of science, jokiness and respect for the people whose bodies are examined by the team. Recommended.

I am hideously behind and have not read the thread as per usual. Will catch up if/when I get a chance!

61. The Bone Clocks, David Mitchell

Really loved the realistic bits (Holly, Hugo) and the realistic bits with a touch of woo. Found the full-on supernatural bits really tiresome and confusing.

There's a lovely feeling when you surrender yourself into the hands of a master storyteller and let them take you somewhere - the first chapter was like this. Bits of the book made me cry. I wish someone had been brave enough to edit the Marinus chapter and remove at least half of the waffle.

62. The Girls, Emma Cline

Very well done for a first novel. Coming-of-age story set in late 60s California and based on the Manson family. Readable and disturbing.

63. The Secret Chord, Geraldine Brooks

Fictional account of the life of King David. Again, this was bitty. Parts were very readable, and rather beautiful. Other parts were a real slog. I thought I would love it as I really enjoyed The Song of Achilles but there was way too much battle (IMHO) and not quite enough human emotion to make the characters come alive.

67 All The Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - Set in World War 2 it tells the story of a blind French Girl and a German soldier who paths cross in occupied France. The book is full of beautiful descriptions capturing the essence of the 1940's world.

68 The Little Drummer Girl - John Le Carre - Spy thriller set in the context of the Palestinian and Israel conflict. Enjoyable read but slightly too clever for me as some of the nuisances on the plot were lost on me.

69 Eleanor Oliphant - Already reviewed extensively on this thread and not much add to the previous reviews apart from to say that I loved it.

70 - This Must Be The Place - Maggie O'Farrell - This tells the story of Daniel Sullivan and the people and events in his life that have shaped him. The chapters are told from different people's perspectives and skips through time. I found it difficult to warm to the characters in this book and hence whilst it was very readable I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her other books.

71 - He Said / She Said - Erin Kelly* - Reviewed previously on this thread. Easy to read thriller but I didn't think it was in the same league as the Poison Tree.

72 - Babylon Berlin - Volker Kutscher - Police crime novel set in Berlin in 1929. I fancied reading this before the film series is shown in the UK later in the year. I enjoyed reading something a bit different to some of my previous reads and also found the political backdrop of the inter war Germany interesting as well.

Vista You've just reminded me that I bought Babylon Berlin ages ago, and haven't read it. Is it the one with the rather horrible torture references in the opening pages? I think I put it aside for when I was feeling stronger, and forgot to go back to it.

40. Days Without End - Sebastian Barry. This was a very tedious and boring book set in the American civil war where not much happens apart from a huge amount of killings. Poor, and nowhere near Man Booker standard.

41. Get Me the Urgent Biscuits: An Assistant’s Adventures in Theatreland - Sweetpea Slight. So-so memoir from a former theatre producer's assistant set in 80's and 90's London, the author comes across as very likeable but without many fun and juicy anecdotes to share.

31. Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel Fictionalised, unusually sympathetic account of the life of Thomas Cromwell, first of a trilogy. This has been sitting tbr for YEARS - I've given up halfway through twice so far. I always start loving it for the writing and the sense of world and place, and then lose momentum. I am VERY PLEASED I managed to finish it. Found the last half a bit of a slog, not that interested in sixteenth century politics, especially since I know how it ends. Although they never explained to ten-year-old me why Henry was so convinced one wife would be better able to give him sons than another, and it always baffled me - I was always like, you know that's just chance, right? For some reason, they never explained about secondary infertility or the menopause ...

125. The Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen

Listened to this on audible. Amanda lives on a very remote sheep farm in Yorkshire and has 7 children by the time this book ends (I think she now has 9!) I thought from the description that this was about someone from the city who fell into farming because she fell in love with a farmer, and that it would be full of amusing fish out of water stories. However it wasn't like that, she did grow up in a town but always wanted to be a shepherdess and went into it straight from school. I enjoyed lots of the stories but towards the end I did get a bit bored of hearing about the sheep! I'm also very envious of her labours. She has no contractions, just suddenly pops out a baby and a day later is back on the farm! This was read by someone with a really strong Yorkshire accent which made the dialogue come to life a bit more than it might have done on the page.

126. Frien Request by Laura Marshall

Psychological thriller about a woman who receives a Facebook friend request from someone who went missing, presumed dead, when they were at school 27 years ago. I thought I had worked out the twist but I was wrong! The only thing that bugged me was how easy it was for this woman to track down old school friends as none of them appeared to have changed their names despite being married - I know lots of women don't change their name but many do so that annoyed me!

Must proofread - that last book is Friend Request!

Now listening to the second of the Cazalet chronicles on Audible (love these!) and have the new Marian Keyes to read - I was lucky to meet her and get my copy signed last night so am looking forward to reading it!

no more book updates, have been busy with lots of mundane stuff in the evenings. just wanted to highlight that The Tidal Zone which I really enjoyed is a quid in Kindle Daily Deals today.

135. The Cuckoo's Calling, Robert Galbraith. Introduces Cormoran Strike, a private detective investigating the death of a model. JK Rowling writing in different styles is fascinating. I would never in a million years have worked out that Robert Galbraith is JKR from the text. I spent the first half doing more analysis of the writing style/language choice/characterisation to try to spot familiarities than actually relaxing into the story. It reads in a much starker way than Harry Potter and is missing the humour and the quirkiness. HP stands out because of the richness of the wizarding world it creates. This book feels almost deliberately bland. The character of Cormoran Strike is reasonably well-developed by the end of the book and he has oodles of slightly improbable back-story. However, the novel opens from the point of view of Robin, a temp, and she is the dullest, most anodyne person ever. Her backstory (what little you get) is completely boring.

The prose is utilitarian rather than anything else - there's very little to engage the imagination in terms of description/flair. The plot is good, though - the actual mystery is well worked out and it is interesting to read the descriptions of multi-millionaire lifestyles written by someone who was suddenly thrust into those circles. It reads as if JKR wanted to dissociate herself from that life and write something quite scathing about the rich.

I wound up liking the story and Cormoran himself, and I've ordered the next two just because it's JKR, which I probably wouldn't have done if it had been some random author. I just hope she lets a bit more of her talent for humour and quirkiness shine through.

Lolita is also 99p. The first half is some of the best writing I've ever read.

67. Tongues of Serpents by Naomi Novik

Laurence and his dragon Termeraire have been transported to Australia after Laurence was convicted of treason. Joining them on their journey to the troubled prison colony in New South Wales are three dragon eggs and a set of second-rate officers willing to accept a remote assignment in the hope of being accepted by one of the newly hatched dragons. A mission into the interior of the country to pioneer a route and identify the trails of smugglers becomes a race to recover a stolen egg, and the discovery of a potential new obstacle in the war between Britain and Napoleon.

32. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
TooExtra I just read your review with interest! Lots I agree with, although I can't compare with JK Rowling's other books. I enjoyed this and will be reading the other Cormoran Strike books.
I'd just add that I listened on Audible and the narration was brilliant. It was over 17 hours listening time, longer than most of what I listen to, but the plot and narration ensured it never dragged but was a story I kept looking forward to returning to.
Have not had the energy/time/brain capacity to manage much actual reading (rather than audiobooks) for the past month. Tentatively trying to get back in the habit with a book of short stories and can see some potential for my work/life/reading balance to improve again in the next few weeks!

Remus Yes it is that one. I think its all pretty tame after that. There are a lot of Russian characters in the story and I did get a bit confused at one point as to who was who.

Chessie I have almost finished Amanda Owen's second book which by the end of she has 8 children. I agree with your views that whilst written in an engaging and humorous way I am now getting a bit bored. Although I come from Yorkshire my accent is as pronounced as hers is so I can imagine that listening to someone read it was the right accent would aid the enjoyment.

Vista - I might read the second one if I see it in the library/charity shop but don't think I'll seek it out.

63. The Girl on the Train

Just hovered this up in 24 hours (working days too so quite a feat!). Obviously hugely well-known and hyped but I thought it was very well done. Nearly missed the kids' school bus this morning as I'd reached the last 50 pages and was gripped!

Just checking in to get this back on my TIO. Bit slow here - I'm reading The Hate U Give (YA book of dd's) at the moment - kind of the fictional version of Another Day In The Death Of America. It is very good, but I can only deal with a chapter or so at a time.

Thanks, Vista.

People reading Cuckoo's Calling - did you watch it? Thoughts?

I need a Kindle book recommendation, quick - I'm currently reading two library books but am at Cub camp at the weekend and need something I can read after dark while waiting for a load of overtired children to pass out. Preferably not too long or expensive, but good! Open to classics or modern fiction...