25 (ish) books in 2018 anyone?

[Homemadehopeful]

I know there is the 50 books thread but that is totally unrealistic for me so wondered whether anyone wants a slower paced thread with a hopefully more achievable target?

I read 22 books last year and have set myself a target of 25 for this year.

I've started with The Handmaid's Tale, nearly finished and really enjoyed it.

How are you finding Elizabeth is Missing baby? I finished it but didn't love it. Remember feeling like I was just plodding through it.

Haven't read anything this week as have been out 3 nights out of 4 (2 work things and cinema with DH) but am going to start All That Man Is by David Szalay as soon as I come off MN!!

And for those of you commenting that you haven't read enough yet don't worry, a) we're not even a quarter of the way through the year yet and b) 25 books is just a ball park, it doesn't matter if you only read 10! As I think someone said near the beginning of the thread all reading is good, however slowly or whatever genre

I reading the Witch Finder’s sister and I feel that I’m plodding through it. I’ve read about a third and it hadn’t gripped me yet. Has anyone else read it?

I felt that way about Elizabeth is Missing too, Homemade which was a shame as it had such potential.

I’ve started How to stop time by Matt Haig but I’m not very far as I’ve had a busy week.

I really enjoyed Elizabeth is missing even though my mother died with dementia.

So far have throughly enjoyed the wife between us, the woman in the window.

Thought this was an interesting article:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/mar/16/up-lit-eleanor-oliphant-gone-girl-fiction-kindness?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

I've read the keeper of Lost things and really enjoyed and I am thoroughly enjoying Eleanor Oliphant.

If you haven't read A man called Ove I cannot recommend it strongly enough. Feel like a better human being for having read that book.

Finished book 12! Moonglow by Michael Chabon. Just in time to take it back to the library.
I am now reading How Not to be a Boy, which I bought DH for Christmas.

I have finished 5 books. Read a few absolutely loved Eleanor Oliphant so found it hard to get into another book after so read The Woman In Black again which is very good and scary

I’m reading The Dry by Jane Harper it’s very atmospheric

Thank you for your post WitchSharkadder and welcome to the thread. Excellent that you have given us a little comment to each of your books read so far. Could I ask if you’d recommend one the most out of those as it seems we have similar tastes?

Babybythesea that sounds better to me, did you find you could get into it which made you want to read the book or was it an effort? StripySocksAndDocs I like the strict logic of that, and probably wise with a huge book like Suitable Boy.

I must admit reading the blurb on the back of the books, between Suitable Boy and Shantaram I am tending towards the latter.

At last finished book 12 - A God in Ruins, Kate Atkinson. Tbh I found it a real slog to get through, too much jumping about all over the place between era's and even within era's. I also found the ending very strange. It's the first book this year I've had to force myself to keep going, to get to the end.
Cake I'll be interested in your views of it as obviously a lot of people really rate it.

nearlyadoctor I had mixed feeling about A God in Ruins. I enjoyed it but also wanted more for Teddy. The end I thought was pretty perfect and tied in beautifully with Life after Life.

Strawberry I gave up on Life after Life so probably my fault I didn't really 'get' the point of the ending.

Ah I think you probably need to have read 'Life' to fully appreciate 'Ruins'

Nearly I'm going to read Life after life first, but got to finished the book I'm already reading (I can't read more than one at a time!) Can't wait to see what it's all about - it seems to be a marmite book! Wonder which camp I will be in.

I read The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena at the weekend. I found it a good read but I did predict the twist.

I'm reading Making it up as I go Along, my first Marian Keyes book. It is a series of very short stories though which I hadn't realised, so I've also started smile by Roddy Doyle. I haven't read anything by Roddy Doyle in years so I'm looking forward to getting into it.

Iamblossom I must keep an eye out for The Keeper of Lost Things as I also loved Eleanor Oliphant and a man called Ove.

Just finished book 12. The Hunger Games, part one. DS had to read it for school, loved it & recommended it to me & DH. I really enjoyed it. I'm starting the second one tonight.

Absolutely loved loved loved Eleanor Oliphant 😍😍😍

Learned three new words!! Palimpsest recondite and comestible!!

Hi, Brox, out of those in my list, I’d recommend The Handmaid’s Tale as it’s the most thought-provoking book I’ve ever read.

I’ve finished How to Stop Time by Matt Haig and I’d definitely also recommend it. It had a little bit of everything and kept me gripped over the weekend. If I had one tiny criticism, it was slightly predictable, but that didn’t take anything away for me as I loved the cosy warm feeling it gave me and I don’t necessarily need a big twist.

I’m trying to decide on my next book now. I have a few on my TBR pile but I’m going shopping tomorrow and am tempted to pick up A Man Called Ove...

Hello all! So I am now on book 9. I am counting what I read to my 8yo though if they are proper books, so if you take off the children's stuff, I'm on no 7

1. The Power (Naomi Alderman) - everyone seems to hate it on here! I thought it was pretty good on the whole although I think she ran out of steam in the end.
2. The Good People (Hannah Kent) - really good tale of magic and healing set is Ireland, Hannah is an amazing writer.
3. Gangsta Granny (David Williams) - disliked this a lot, Walliams is no Roald Dahl
4. My Name is Lucy Barton (Elizabeth Strout) - A book club read – I didn't like this much, I thought it was too vague and scattergun and didn't really go anywhere
5. Eleanor Oliphant (Gail Honeyman) - not 100% convincing, really, but still thoroughly enjoyed.
6. How to Train Your Dragon 1 (Cressida Cowell) - fun romp
7. The Daily Struggles of Archie Adams (Katie Kirby) - funny in places but not as good as Hurrah for Gin
8. The Examined Life: How we Lose and Find Ourselves (Stephen Grosz) - fascinating, lyrical, beautiful

Now reading Marcia Clark's Without a Doubt, about the OJ trial (my chosen true crime book for a challenge)...

...and reading FOR THE FIRST TIME Harry Potter! Reading it aloud to my son, and so far, so good, although I am still slightly mystified why, originally, it became a popular read among adults. I mean it's nicely written, but it still seems very much a children's book to me (I know it gets darker etc later in the series).

Thank you WitchSharkadder for the recommendation, have just purchased Handmaid’s Tale.

Have been given Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine as my next book club read so will have to start this after I finish Notes From A Small Island. Having read the name quite a bit on MN I’m expecting Eleanor Oliphant book to be good.

Brox, going a bit off topic (sorry) but if you haven’t already then watch the TV series of Handmaid’s Tale also. It was honestly the best bit of TV I’ve ever seen.

I’ve just finished book 11 which was Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell. Really, really enjoyed it although not my usual type of book.

No WitchSharkadder thought I had better read the book first. Is the TV series on iplayer because I wouldn’t want to miss it’s availability whilst waiting?