50 Book Challenge 2018 Part One

[southeastdweller]

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

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2018, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

Who's in for this year?

@ghostiechicken I’ve probably got about 25 or so actual physical books on my tbr pile, double that on kindle and 10 or so audiobooks. Then a list of another 50 or more I intend to buy/read at some point.

I’ve got about 12 books on my physical tbr pile - I find it harder to have time to read paperbacks as my eyesight isn’t great in the evenings for small print so don’t get through them as quickly as kindle books, and I usually collect 3 or 4 from the library every month. I have double that on Kindle, plus a folder of free classics. It doesn’t always go down that quickly as if I see something else I like I will download and read it straight away and some I save in anticipation of more time to enjoy like holidays, so have had some on there a while, and also share with my dh so will read his if I fancy them instead of mine!

Just want to thank you all earlier for reminding me to look up from my book and put a wash on

3. Dying A Memoir by Corey Taylor

A true story about a woman facing her imminent passing. It was really interesting and reminds you to make the most of your life, not in a superficial way but in a deeper more meaningful way so you can be at peace on your death bed.

Next up is the MN book club book.

My first book of the year at last,

1. Golden Hill - Francis Spufford

I know this has been quite frequently reviewed so won’t say too much. I did find it a disappointment overall. It felt like there was a good story in there trying to get out. Rather slow/dull in parts. I see this is the authors first novel, he usually writes non-fiction and wonder if this is anything to do with it.

On to Brave New World for book group next.

Too much, I read Homegoing last year and thought it was very good, also a nice counterpoint to The Underground Railroad.

I like Patrick Gale, and I read Winter last year but can’t remember it at all now, so it can’t have been great- I remember lots of Little Bits if Baby, and I read that 20 years ago!

3. A Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh. A few of you read this so I thought I would give it a go- an enjoyable Christie-sequel murder, but after Remus’ comment earlier I am not sure whether to read another!

2. Wonder by R.J. Palacio Definitely YA reading but I was intrigued and had to read it as my dyslexic DD1 has been reading it at school and absolutely loved it. An inspiring read, interestingly told from several viewpoints of mostly highly likeable characters. Have promised I'll take her to see the film now she's read it but we're in the S of France and I can't find it on in English anywhere :( - Also am NOT a big Julia Roberts fan

I liked your review of The Underground Railroad, Fortuna, that’s how I felt about it too.

Have added Baby Jane and Mary Beard to the wish list..

3. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent.

The third of my Christmas books. It started off well and then peetered out. I think part of the reason for the peetering out is that, even though it’s not a short book, I found most of the characters wooden and lacking depth. I did like some of the writing and it wasn’t a bad book, just not a stand out story (for me).

I’ve probably got about 200 on my TBR pile (luckily it’s not literally a pile!) I’ve got about 100 on my kindle and about 100 physical. I have a bad habit of buying 99p kindle books, plus buying sets from The Book People. I have the complete set of Dickens to work through at some point!

I've got 16 books on my physical pile and a list of about 150 others

I daren't count them but I'd say I've easily got enough unread books to keep me going for two years I accumulate them cheaply from charity shops and kindle sales then find I'm prioritising my library books instead of reading them to avoid late fees!

1. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Read this for my book group, I think I've read it before but remember very little about it. It tells the story of Lily, who runs away from her abusive father and ends up in the house of four black bee-keeping sisters. There is also mystery around the death of Lily's mother when she was much younger. This wasn't a very hard book to read. I found it very evocative of a time and place around the time of the Civil Rights Act in the Southern States of the US. I didn't really get on with aspects of religious symbolism. It was an enjoyable read. Next up is the Underground Railway.

I think I'm a bit unusual as I don't ever have a very big 'to read' pile. I buy/borrow stuff, read it or decide it's rubbish and I don't want to read it, and then repeat. I rarely have more than five or six waiting at any point.

Just had a look - 124 unread on my kindle

I don't have many TBR chosen by me, but I have stacks of books borrowed from my sister/pressed on me. Her taste is a bit more literary than mine so I need to be ready to focus properly for her stuff!

I'm glad you enjoyed Baby Jane, Remus. I hope you enjoy it too, Satsuki(and anyone else who reads it.)

I'd like to read something similar, most modern thrillers aren't dark enough, or go the other way and are too gratuitously gory. His style is somewhat reminiscent of Ira Levin, whom I love, but I've read most of his works. I'll have to see what Amazon suggests.

I have 202 unread on my Kindle. And approximately 130 physical books to read.

Yesterday I read my 10th book Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge.

It was both a disturbing and interesting read, and although I didn't agree with every point, it gave me a lot to think about. It did feel more like a series of blog posts than a book though. It made me want to learn more about black British history and I have another book on that subject so I'll hopefully get to that soon.

teufelsrad Take it you’ve read Patricia Highsmith?

teufel I just had a look at that on Goodreads, will be adding that to my ridiculous list

Finished 3. Uprooted by Naomi Novik I enjoyed this, there are so many trashy fantasy novels out there it was good to read one which was well written although there was nothing new in the plot. I also liked that it was one decent length book rather than a trilogy.

Started 4. The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter thriller centred around a school shooting and two women with a traumatic past. Again a stand alone as I am trying not to be drawn into series.

Just checking in as I'd like to do this challenge again. So far I've read:

1 Dark Corners by Ruth Rendell - I enjoy both Ruth Rendell and Barbara Vine (same author) books as a bit of light reading. This one was excellent if rather disturbing about a fairly ordinary person who is easy to empathise with who almost accidentally finds themselves making some terrible choices.

2 Starter for 10 by David Nicholls - I really enjoyed this. I kept reading bits out to other people, always the sign of a good book. It's about a sort of Adrian Mole figure's first year of university and his ambition to be on University Challenge. It's very funny in a rather cringey way and reminded me painfully of how agonising it was to be 19 and desperate to fit in. It's also been made into a film.

Off to read the rest of the thread now and pick up ideas for further reading.

To read I have 50 on my kindle, 16 by my bed and 50 on my amazon/ good reads wish list. Trying really hard to get the pile down but just keep adding more

I haven't read any of her works, Satsuki. I've been meaning to try one of her novels for a while now, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll definitely try to get to her ASAP.Thank you for the recommendation!

I tend to read any book I buy straight away, paperback or kindle.

I do have an ever growing list of ones to buy though, mostly thanks to this thread.

1. Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey

Lightweight fantasy and quite a short novel really, but entertaining enough. Vanyel Ahskevron is 15 and the disappointing heir of a martial lord of a holding who prefers music to beatings in training by his father's armsmaster and dreams of being a Bard. Exiled to the capital and the guardianship of his formidable Herald-Mage aunt Savil, he finds his barriers being broken down by a developing relationship with his aunt's protege and then discovers his own powerful gifts of magic.