50 Book Challenge 2017 Part Eight

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the eighth and final 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 and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read. To anyone who hasn't posted, feel free to de-lurk and share with us what you've read this year.

The first thread of the year is here, the second one here, the third thread here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here, the sixth one here, and the seventh one here.

How have you got on so far this year?

Satsuki Re Brideshead. I got a bit fed up with all the Catholic guilt and self sacrifice, (Just bloody do what makes you happy and stop prevaricating!) but otoh I am notoriously shallow 

Thanks, South. Hi, all.

I rate Brideshead highly, although agree with Desdemona that the Catholicism is bloody annoying. However, it's got plenty more in it that isn't Catholicism and the Oxford scenes especially are really well done.

I don't think you'd like it much though, Cote. If you do, I'll eat my very interestingly named teddy bear.

I know what you mean, but I always find that stuff fascinating - I think because I'm not religious. All the agonising and guilt about the condition of your mortal soul, it's all high stakes but for what purpose? I love Graham Greene though too, for the same thing and Ballykissangel

Thank you for the thread southeast

Thank you for the new thread.

For those that enjoy the Catholic agonising try Men at Arms by Waugh which combines the Catholic parts with a war satire. Waugh's journalism is also interesting.

I think I am reading a bit slower this year than last.

I like Waugh best when he makes me laugh.

Place marking on new thread - thanks southeast.

Hi all.

I love reading but am struggling to find anything go keep my interest for very long. Even my go to books I can't get into

I did read a really good book a few months ago called insects by John Koloen.
That kept my attention through out.

I like psychological thrillers and horrors and don't flame me but I am a MASSIVE Jackie Collins fan but can't find anything I like.

I signed up to bookbub and have been getting into the free books but they tend to just be one in a series so as soon as I'm drawn in I haven't got the second book.

I'm hoping I can get back into reading again with your help. I shall be watching this thread with interest.

Welcome Blue.

Thanks for the new thread southeast.

Still reading Hidden Figures but must confess to being a bit bored by it.

Marking my place

Welcome Blue. Long day - will move my list across soon.

Welcome Blue. One of my favourite authors is Jilly Cooper and I refuse to apologise .

This thread is great for recommendations and lethal for your 'to be read' pile so I'm sure you'll find something that gets you back into it.

Thanks Southeast - just checking in.

I thought I’d let y’all know that I ended up buying Brideshead Revisited last night. We’ll see how that goes

Marking place! Thanks for new thread.

Nothing to add. Still reading s-l-o-w-l-y.
Bringing my list over - favourites in bold:

1.The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet - David Mitchell

1. Mothering Sunday - Graham Swift
2. Under the Skin - Michel Faber
3. Alias Grace - Margaret Atwood
4. The Muse - Jessie Burton
5. Swing Time - Zadie Smith
6. The Cuckoo's Calling - Robert Galbraith
7. A Question of Identity - Susan Hill
8. The Vows of Silence - Susan Hill

10. A Kiss Before Dying - Ira Levin 11. The Shadows in the Street - Susan Hill 12. The Gate of Angels - Penelope Fitzgerald 13. The Spy Who Came In From The Cold - John Le Carre 14. The Book of Daniel - E.L. Doctorow 15. Different Class - Joanne Harris 16. The Gustav Sonata - Rose Remain 17. Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch 18. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood 19. Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave 20. A Call for the Dead by John le Carre 21. The Birds in the Trees by Nina Bawden 22. The Sellout by Paul Beatty 23. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim 24. Moving by Jenny Eclair 25. The Tidal Zone by Sarah Moss 26. Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh 27. We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson 28. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout 29. The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith 30. Cape Cod by Henry David Thoreau 31. Black Swan Green by David Mitchell 32. All Creatures Great and Small by James Heriot 33. Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny 34. The Pedant In The Kitchen by Julian Barnes 35. His Bloody Project by Graeme MacRae Burnet. 36. Waking Lions by Ayelet Gudnar-Goshen 37. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

Marking place. Will bring list over later - am trying to finish another book before I do it.

Thanks for the new thread!

1. The Light Years Elizabeth Jane Howard
2. Marking Time Elizabeth Jane Howard
3. Peter's Room Antonia Forest
4. Run Away Home Antonia Forest
5. The Thursday Kidnapping Antonia Forest
6. Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
7. Cheerful Weather for the Wedding Julia Strachey
8. Good Evening, Mrs Craven Mollie Panter-Downes
9. Unpublished manuscript

10. An Episode of Sparrows Rumer Godden 11. Confusion Elizabeth Jane Howard 12. Private, Keep Out! Gwen Grant 13. Hillbilly Elegy JD Vance 14. Nurture Shock Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman 15. Grass in Piccadilly Noel Streatfeild 16. Fell Jenn Ashworth 17. The Hate U Give Angie Thomas 18. Beasts and Super Beasts Saki 19. Nobody Told Me Hollie McNish 20. The Girl Who Saved Christmas Matt Haig 21. Casting Off Elizabeth Jane Howard 22. The Guggenheim Mystery Robin Stevens 23. Pottermore Presents JK Rowling 24. Autumn Term Antonia Forest 25. To The Edge Of The World Julia Green 26. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd Agatha Christie 27. The Summer Book Tove Jansson 28. All Change Elizabeth Jane Howard 29. Are Women People? A Book of Rhymes for Suffrage Times Alice Duer Miller 30. When Marnie Was There Joan G Robinson 31. Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel 32. Madam, Will You Talk? Mary Stewart 33. Fatherland Robert Harris 34. Nine Coaches Waiting Mary Stewart 35. Moonrise Sarah Crossan 36. A Change is Gonna Come Various

Cote, it is a good book - just don't say we didn't warn you that "But I'm a Catholic!" is a major plot device. Repeatedly.

Currently reading La Belle Sauvage - I'm enjoying it but I do have Issues. What's our Pullman spoiler policy on this thread? Obviously won't give away actual spoilers, but are we of the Don't Want To Know Anything About It Whatsoever Until I Read It brigade, or more of a Well, Don't Say Whodunnit lot?

1. Christmas Days - Jeanette Winterson
2. Fate of the Tearling - Erika Johansen

3. The Dark Net - Jamie Bartlett 4. The North Water - Ian McGuire

1. The Wine of Angels - Phil Rickman
2. Midwinter of the Spirit - Merrily Watkins
3. The God Instinct - Jesse Bering
4. The Edge of the World - Michael Pye

9. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell 10. His Bloody Project - Graeme Macrae Burnett 11. Kingmaker: Winter Pilgrims - Toby Clements 12. Kingmaker: Divided Souls - Toby Clements 13. The Female Man - Joanna Russ 14. The Midnight Queen - Sylvia Hunter 15. The End We Start From - Megan Hunter 16. Testosterone Rex - Cordelia Fine 17. The Outcasts of Time - Ian Mortimer 18. It Didn't Start With You - Mark Wolynn 19. Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follet 20. The Power - Naomi Alderman 21. Nobody Told Me - Hollie McNish 22. The Wisdom of Near Death Experiences - Dr Penny Satori 23. Seveneves - Neal Stephenson 24. A Court of Wings and Ruin - Sarah J. Maas 25. Assassin's Fate - Robin Hobb 26. Ship of Magic - Robin Hobb 27. The Mad Ship - Robin Hobb 28. Ship of Destiny - Robin Hobb 29. Dragon Keeper - Robin Hobb 30. Dragon Haven - Robin Hobb 31. City of Dragons - Robin Hobb 32. Blood of Dragons - Robin Hobb 33. The Clever Guts Diet - Michael Mosley 34. Burning Woman - Lucy H. Pearce 35. Re-wild Yourself: Becoming Nature - Rachel Corby 36. Lincoln in the Bardo - George Saunders 37. The Underground Railroad - Coulson Whitehead 38. Days Without End - Sebastian Barry 39. Exit West - Mohsin Hamid 40. Game of Thrones - George R. R. Martin 41. Clash of Kings - George R. R. Martin 42. A Storm of Swords - George R.R. Martin 43. A Feast for Crows - George R.R. Martin 44. The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs - Tristan Gooley 45. Dance of Dragons - George R.R. Martin 46. Daemon - Daniel Suarez 47. Freedom TM - Daniel Suarez 48. Happiness - Derren Brown 49. Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong - Angela Saini 50. Tower of Dawn - Sarah J. Maas

51. The Bear and the Nightingale - Katherine Arden
This is a Russian fairy tale in novel length. Very atmospheric with lots of great fairy tale elements. It reminded me a little of Uprooted due to the setting. Beautifully written, lovely to read in these darker evenings. The ending felt a little rushed compared to the rest of the novel but this didn't detract too much. I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

Would recommend to fans of myths and fairy tales.

Bringing my list over:

1. The North Water by Ian McGuire
2. The Snowden Files: Inside Story Of The World's Most Wanted Man by Luke Harding
3. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
4. The Cambridge Companion to Handel by Donald Burrows
5. Revelation by C. J. Sansom (Shardlake #4)
6. The Mask Of Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
7. The Ladybird Book Of Mid-Life Crisis
8. The Schirmer Inheritance by Eric Ambler
9. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgkin Burnett

10. Mindplayers by Pat Cadigan 11. The Dark Net by Jamie Bartlett 12. Wolf Of The Plains by Conn Iggulden 13. The Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Forsyth 14. The Odessa Files by Frederick Forsyth 15. Heartstone by C. J. Sansom 16. Night School by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #21) 17. Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith 18. The Worthing Chronicle by Scott Orson Card 19. Genius and Discovery: Five Historical Miniatures by Stefan Zweig 20. The Fixer by Joseph Finder 21. Raising Boys by Step Biddulph 22. Papillon by Henri Charrière 23. Le Clavier: Techniques, Factures, Interprétations by Cahier de la Société de Musique Ancienne de Nice 24. The Intercom Conspiracy by Eric Ambler 25. The Whisperer In Darkness - Collected Stories Vol. 1 by H. P. Lovecraft 26. A Divided Spy by Charles Cumming 27. Les Règles de l'Interprétation Musicale à l'Époque Baroque (XIIe-XVIIIe s.) générales à tous les instruments by Jean-Claude Veilhan (1979) 28. How We'll Live On Mars by Stephen L. Petranek 29. The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O by Neal Stephenson & Nicole Galland 30. Along Came A Spider by James Patterson 31. The Outsider: My Life In Intrigue by Frederick Forsyth 32. Lamentation (Shardlake #6) by C. J. Sansom 33. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 34. Kürk Mantolu Madonna ( Madonna In A Fur Coat ) by Sabahattin Ali 35. Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks 36. Prayer Of The Dragon (Inspector Shan #5) by Eliot Pattison 37. By Blood by Ellen Ullman 38. Nomad by James Swallow 39. Daemon by Daniel Suarez 40. Freedom by Daniel Suarez 41. Siro by David Ignatious 42. The Thing Itself by Adam Roberts 43. Neuromancer by William Gibson 44. The Rules Of Musical Interpretation In The Baroque Era (17th-18th Centuries), Common To All Instruments by Jean Claude Veilhan 45. Kiss The Girls by James Patterson

102: Sleeping Beauties – Stephen and Owen King
This alleged collaboration between Stephen King and his son feels as if it’s actually mostly his son, with the dad’s name tagged on. The concept is fine – most of the world’s women fall asleep, and if woken, go crazy and attack people. Unfortunately, the rest of the book doesn’t seem to really know what it’s doing. There are too many characters, too few of whom we’re asked to actually care about and it gets increasingly disjointed and silly. Not recommended.

Will bring my list over now. It has not been a good reading year. The best two fiction books I've read were right back at the beginning of January, and nothing has really come close since.

Stand outs in bold; stinkers marked as such.

1: The Essex Serpent – Sarah Perry
2: Fatherland Robert Harris
3: Stasi Child – David Young
4: Golden Hill – Francis Spufford
5: American Gods – Neil Gaiman
6: The House by the Lake – Thomas Harding
7: 84 Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff
8: The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street – Helene Hanff
9: Magpie Murders – Anthony Horowitz STINKER
10: Warm Bodies – Isaac Marion
11: Ashes of London – Andrew Taylor
12: Left for Dead – Beck Weathers STINKER
13: The Burning World – Isaac Marion
14: Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science By Richard Holmes
15: Ghosts of Everest: The Search for Mallory and Irvine – Jochen Hemmleb
16: An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth – Chris Hadfield
17: Measuring the World – Daniel Kehlmann STINKER
18: The North Water - Ian McGuire
19: Berlin: Portrait of a City - Taschen
20: It Stephen King
21: On her Majesty’s Secret Service – Ian Fleming
22: White Boots – Noel Streatfeild STINKER
23: A Place Called Winter – Patrick Gale
24: The Painted Dragon – Katherine Woodfine
25: Black Plumes – Margory Allingham
26: The Nine Tailors – Dorothy L Sayers
27: Plague 99 – Jean Ure
28: Black Out – John Lawton
29: The Companion Guide to Berlin – Brian Ladd
30: Sex and Punishment: Four Thousand Years of Judging Desire - Eric Berkowitz
31: The Seven Dials Mystery – Agatha Christie
32: One – Sarah Crossan
33: The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
34: The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole
35: Friday’s Child – Georgette Heyer
36: The Grand Sophy – Georgette Heyer
37: The Descent of Man – Grayson Perry
38: South Riding – Winifred Holtby
39 Madonna in a Fur Coat STINKER
40 Our Endless Numbered Days Claire Fuller
41: The Man in the Queue – Josephine Tey
42: Grey Mask – Patricia Wentworth
43: The Singing Sands – Josephine Tey
44: The Cornish Coast Murder – John Bude
45: Murder in Stained Glass – Margaret Armstrong
46: The City and the City China Miéville
47: Agatha Christie – Endless Night
48 Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh
49: The Pursuit of Love – Nancy Mitford
50: A Christmas Party – georgette Heyer
51 The Handsome Man's De Luxe Café – Alexander McCall Smith
52: The Three – Sarah Lotz
53: Persuasion – Austen
54: Prussian Blue – Philip Kerr
55: The Lost City of Z – David Grann
56: Call for the Dead - John Le Carré
57: Lincoln in the Bardo
58: A Man of Quality – John Le Carre
59: Wild – Cheryl Strayed
60: Howard’s End is on the Landing – Susan Hill STINKER
61: A Convenient Marriage – Georgette Heyer
62: The Literature Book – Dorling Kindersley
63: Oscar Wilde & the Vatican Murders – Giles Brandreth
64: Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol: A Mystery Gyles Brandreth
65: A Clockwork Orange
66: Mort – Terry Pratchett
67: Cogheart – Peter Bunzi
68: Dirt – Wellcome Collection
69: Elephants Can remember – Agatha Christie
70: Soul Music – Terry P
71: Germany: Memories of a Nation – Neil MacGregor
72: Thin Ice – Michelle Paver
73: Martyr – Rory Clements
74: Revenger - Rory Clements
75: Prince – Rory Clements
76: The Silent Boy – Andrew Taylor
77: Everyone Brave is Forgiven – Chris Cleave
78: All Things Bright and Beautiful - James Herriot
79: Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer
80: Hangman’s Holiday – Dorothy L Sayers
81: Little Novels – Wilkie Collins
82: Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime – Val McDermid
83: Beyond the Body Farm - Jon Jefferson
84: S.T.A.G.S.by M. A. Bennett
85: Denali's Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak – Andy Hall
86: Heroes of the Frontier – Dave Eggers
87: The Dry - Jane Harper
88: Madame Will You Talk – Mary Stewart
89: The Queen’s Man – Rory Clements
90: Powder and Patch – Georgette Heyer STINKER
91: Nine Coaches Waiting – Mary Stewart
92 Thunder on the Right – Mary Stewart
93 The Ivy Tree – Mary Stewart
94: In the Land of the Long White Cloud – Sarah Lark
95 Library of Souls (3rd in Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series)
96: Song of the Spirits – Sarah Lark
97: Call of the Kiwi – Sarah Lark
98/99/100 – Jeeves and Wooster Omnibus Volume One – PG Wodehouse (first 2 were standouts)
101: The Fever Tree – Jennifer Mc Veigh
102: Sleeping Beauties – Stephen and Owen King

"The concept is fine – most of the world’s women fall asleep, and if woken, go crazy and attack people"

Yawn. That sounds like me in the evening (DH is nodding emphatically)

Me too!

First posting all the books I've read so far this yea starting back in January, the good ones in bold, rubbish ones in italics.

1.The Muse Jessie Burton

1. I'm Travelling Alone Samuel Bjork
2. Golden Hill Francis Spufford
3. The Girl Before - JP Delaney
4. Her Every Fear Peter Swanson
5. The Scent of Death Andrew Taylor
6. The Breakdown B A Paris
7. Cold Earth Anne Cleeves

9.The Ashes of London Andrew Taylor 10 I Found You - Lisa Jewell 11 Black Widow Chris Brookmyre 12 The Other Mrs Walker Mary Paulson Ellis 13 Black Water Lillies Michel Bussi 14 The Angel Tree Lucinda Riley 15 Skeletons Jane Fallon 16 Everything But the Truth Gillian McAllister 17 A Prayer for Owen Meany John Irving 18 I See You Claire Macintosh 19 The Seven Sisters Lucinda Riley 20 He Said She Said Erin Kelly 21 The Storm Sister Lucinda Riley 22 Need You Dead Peter James 23 The Essex Serpent Sarah Perry 24 Where the Bodies are Buried Chris Brookmyre 25 The Girls Emma Cline 26 Never Alone Elizabeth Haynes 27 The Lie of the Land Amanda Craig 28 The Girlfriend Michelle Francis 29 Love Like Blood Mark Billingham 30 The Shadow Sister Lucinda Riley 31 Watch Me Disappear Jill Dawson 32 The Hare with Amber Eyes Edward de Waal 33 Hearts and Minds Amanda Crag 34 Then She Was Gone Lisa Jewell 35 Good Me Bad Me Ali Land 36 Commonwealth Ann Patchett 37 Hagseed Margaret Atwood 38 The Olive Tree Lucinda Riley 39 Dead Woman Walking Sharon Bolton 40 I Am, I Am, I Am Maggie O'Farrell 41 The People at Number 9 Felicity Everett 42 I Am Missing Tim Weaver 43 The Dry Jane Harpet 44 Autumn Ali Smith 45 Behind Her Eyes Sarah Pinborough 46 The Betrayals Fiona Neil 47 Birdcage Walk Helen Dunmore

I had high hopes for A Prayer for Owen Meany given it's so lauded on MN, but I found it unremittingly tedious. I also feel quite bad putting wonderful Margaret Atwood's Hagseed down as a very dull read, given The Blind Assassin and Alias Grace would be in my top ten of best ever books, but I really didn't like this one. Autumn by Ali Smith, might be Booker nominated, can't understand why, definitely not for me, seemed to comprise of a collection of dream sequences relating to the unusual relationship between a young girl and her elderly neighbour, with random bits of history thrown in and the writer's devotion to an obscure artist set against a theme of Brexit but devoid of any narrative. Thank God it was fairly brief at just over 200 pages. Discovered two authors I really liked, Helen Dunmore who sadly died in the summer, really liked Birdcage Walk a lot and will definitely try some of her others. Amanda Craig, who's only written 5 or so books, but the two I read were excellent. Three books on the list, that I thought, although perfectly readable, massively over hyped. The Essex Serpent, The Girls and The Dry, although I think the latter would be quite filmic in the slow unfolding way that the first Broadchurch was.
3 more to go before I hit the magic number one of those will definitely be The Miniaturist because I've read it's been filmed and will be on tv in December so I want to read the book first.