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.

I'm really confused but I finished The Booksellers Tale which I really liked and I'm trying to read Alexander Hamilton again, but it's due back at the library again.

Book 13. The twelfth and final Poldark book. I am bereft.

I've just finished My name is Leon by Kit De Wall, Jesus but I feel washed out after it. It is so sad!

I've started into Persuasion but it's taking me a bit of time to fall in with the old style language.

Book 18. Death comes to Pemberly. P. D. James.
Well written but it all sat a bit strangely with me. Just kept thinking "Why not write your own characters instead of pinching Austen's?"

*Hi Everyone.

Im now on book 17 of my 25 book challenge (even though I read 70 books last year!) I lost my Dad late last year and I can't get my mojo back but reading is helping too. Anyway these are the books Ive read so far;

1. Mr Dickens and his Carol
2. The Victorian Chaise Lounge
3. Night Shift
4. Thornhill
5. Newes from the Dead
6. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
7. The Undesired
8. We Have Always Lived in the Castle
9. Tulip Fever

10. BirdBox 11. Rebecca 12. Lilli de Jong 13. The Yellow Wallpaper 14. The Upstairs Room 15. The Woman in the Window 16. Such Small Hands 17. The Sunlight Pilgrims

And I'm currently reading When I Hit You.

Happy Reading Everyone*

Finished book 6. Was a good book. Slightly weird to read a book without a plot, but I enjoyed it anyway.
Now to start book 7, Invitation to the Waltz.

Well, it took me a month, but I finished book 12. Alias Grace – really enjoyed it and looking forward to seeing the Netflix show sometime.

Also just finishing book 13. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, with my DS. Liked it a lot, but Ron is so grumpy all the way through it.

I wish I was a faster reader. But am doing better than last year.

This month's book club read will be next: A Place Called Winter by Patrick Gale.

I've also bought The Heart's Invisible Furies on the back of so many people recommending it on MN!

I've gone back to Tale of Two Cities and I woke up in the night last night and started reading a bit. Read page 156 and the next page seemed a bit weird.
It was pg 123 again! Fortunately after the second page 156, 157 followed.
I'll have to check later to see if I dreamed it.
I'm actually quite enjoying it, I've never read Dickens having tried one and not liked it. I was given a few and it's the shortest

Just finished book 13, the Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden. It’s Mid-summer and I might actually make it to 25 by New Year

Book 19. A tiny bit marvellous, Dawn French.
I so wanted to love this book as I think she is brilliant and really funny, but it really didn't do it for me.
Onwards and upwards!

Book 13. This is going to hurt. Diary of a junior doctor.

Very funny but also terrifyingly frank about the state of the NHS and how impossibly hard it is to work within it.

Iamblossom I found that book such an eye opener. I have a Dr friend who is a consultant now and she said it's a very accurate reflection on the reality within the NHS.

OK Still Me was no 20, I think I may have read something else after that but let's say that The Bookseller's Tale was 21.
Finished The Year of Living Danishly, no 22 - really interesting!
I wouldn't say it was brave to move to Denmark but if I was doing it, it would be Copenhagen all the way! From London to the back end of nowhere is quite a shift.
Now on Her Name was Rose by Claire Allen, which just came out and I think is still £1 on Kindle.

Haven't updated in ages! Been really busy since I started back at work after mat leave.

Since my last post (end of may) I've read/listened to:
*This is going to hurt - it was great!

• miss treadway and the field of stars -okish some parts were really good but other bits dragged. *After you - not as good as me before you, but an easy book to listen to on my commute.

Now rereading life after life (I love this book!) so I can read a god on ruins, and listening to still me (not really enjoying so far) and Harry potter and the order of the phoenix (our audiobook for in the car on on holiday this year).
Currently I've read 14 books and I've almost finished life after life so on track for 30 books this year I think.

Liking the look of some of the books on Bookreaders list. Mustn't buy books, mustn't buy books, must read the ones I have....

Book 20. A quiet place, Peggy Boleat. About the occupation of Jersey in WW2. I found it interesting but mainly because I loved there for ages and knew some of the history, and most of the places she was talking about I could picture easily. Not sure it would be massively engaging otherwise.

I'm actually up to 15:

2018 books

Poldark
The Good Widow
The woman in the window
The wife between us
Eleanor Oliphant
All the good things
Three things about Elsie
The marriage pact
The last Mrs Parrish
The way we were before
11. The hearts Invisible furies
12. The child
13. Poldark
14. This is going to hurt
15. The tattooist of Auschwitz

Last one was good, depressing insights I to the concentration camps, but a sweet love story.

16. Life and other near death experiences by Camille Pagan.

I really enjoyed this. Very easy to read, sweet and funny, and sad. Poignant for me as the main character lost her mum like I have, and she described the unfairness of it beautifully.

Just finished book 19: This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay (memoirs of a junior NHS doctor). Laugh out loud funny & poignant too.

Finally had a chance to do some reading on holiday!
Book 18: my lover's lover by Maggie O Farrell. This was a bit weird and not her best.

Book 19: crimson China by Betsy Tobin. Really enjoyed this and found it gripping and interesting. Will look out for more by her

Book 7 done. Was pretty good. Book 8 will be my second Willoughby Book Club book, Forging On by Catherine Robinson, about an apprentice farrier. It's good for James Herriot fans apparently (you list your favourites when signing up to Willoughby Book Club) so I'll see how I get on with it.

Book 21. Library of souls - Ransom Riggs.
I really enjoyed this. Young adult fantasy interspersed with old photographs. Really well done and such a clever idea. And as it's the last in the series, I wanted to read it before I forgot the earlier books!

What's the Willoughby book club toffee?

tomhazard Betsy Tobin rings bells for me and I can't think why. I'm now going to have go off and find out what else she's written to see why her name stands out. Could be I've read something or she could be one of those authors I have on my shelves and haven't yet got round to reading!

Found her! Having googled her novels, she's written one called The Bounce which I've never read but I know I have somewhere on my shelves. I've had it for ages and never quite got round to reading it.

Dilemma: Do I move it higher up the priority to read list, or leave her unread for a while longer in case I love it and then feel compelled to buy more of hers? I am trying to thin out my book collection by reading those I think I'll only want to read once, and then give away, rather than reading those I think I'll want to keep and re-read, or purchase follow ups to! (Tis the season of fetes round here, ideal time to ditch as many books as I can get through!)

babybythesea move it up the list then report back! I'm trying to decide whether to buy another by her.

I just picked up 'Crimson China' on a book exchange shelf at our holiday apartment and found myself really enjoying it. I'd never heard of her before but it was good writing and an interesting story.