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.

17. A little life - Hanya Yanagihara. Oh my, I'm not sure how to describe what I felt while reading this. I found it extremely long-winded, dull in places, none of the characters particularly likeable and I felt so empty the whole time I was reading it. I do think it's well written though.....

The Rosie Project was great! The sequel was awful though

Book 24, The Party by Lisa Hall, enjoyed this, although plot line very similar to second series of Broadchurch?

Hmm @cake not sure your selling that one to me tbh

Book 25 the girl in the letter by Emily ginnes. Enjoyed this, good plot.

I've been in a bit of a reading rut this year, and haven't finished many books, although I've started a lot.

Those I have finished:

1. When We Were Orphans (Kazuo Ishiguro)
2. Educated (Tara Westover)
3. Please Look After Mother (Shin Kyong-Sook)
4. Mr Loverman (Bernadine Evaristo)
5. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman) - Probably my favourite read this year.
6. The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro)
7. Homegoing (Yaa Gyasi)

I'm currently reading The Long Ships: A Saga of the Viking Age (Frans G. Bengtsson)

Hoping I can finish at least 15 by the end of the year.

Also finished Wonder (27) and Persepolis 2 (28) which is brilliant, I've read it before, it will count as my "banned book" on my challenge reading list too.
Now on to The Splits which is self-published and about zombies. Totally NOT my normal thing but it's by a FB friend!

Finished The Splits (29) and now have decided to read the second half of The Seige of Krishnapur (I'd started it ages ago and put it down, though it is quite good) which is either going to be my "published in the 20th century" or my "award winning book" - it won the Booker prize in 1973 (!).
I also quite fancy reading Schindler's list which fits both categories too so I can pick either!

I finished the Rosie Project and quite liked it. I might read the next one. Have just started In the Days of Rain by Rebecca Story.

I like the idea of reading Schindlers List too drspouse, I think I'll add that to my list.

14. 'The Zanzibar Wife' by Deborah Roderiguez Chick lit meets magical realism without really succeeding at either in my opinion. Not much substance but an enjoyable light read. Slightly disappointed as I'd heard good things about her other books - the Kabul coffee shop one etc.

Siege of Krishnapur finished, not my favourite ever! Way too much military strategy. No 30.
Now reading 50 Things that made the Modern Economy. It has a few pictures on the front and DS wanted to know what the Pill was...

Finally done with book 10! Rather depressing of course (was about Hiroshima, non fiction). Book 11 is Murder at Wrotham Hill by Diana Souhami, although I haven’t actually started it yet
Don’t think I’ll do 25. Anything over 15 would be good, and then I can use it as motivation to try and read more next year.

1. The Sense of an Ending (Julian Barnes) - Enjoyed this, and didn't see the twist coming at the end.
2. The Penelopiad (Margaret Atwood) - The Odyssey from Penelope's point of view. I was quite looking foward to this, as I have a weakness for retellings of classic stories, but in the end I thought it was just OK. I didn't find Penelope a particularly compelling narrator, and found myself wishing we could hear from Helen instead. It's a very quick read though, so worth a flick through.

Still reading The Long Ships, and doing the MN Middlemarch read-a-long at the same time.

books I have read this year (favorite still is Eleanor Oliphant really loved Mystic River can’t say I enjoyed The Underground Rail Road but think it’s a very good if not disturbing read)

Any suggestions what to read next ?

The Blackhouse by Peter May

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

Are you Experienced by William Sutcliffe

Sapiens. A brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (dipping in and out it’s heavy going)

This is Going to Hurt. Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay

Checking Out by Nick Spalding

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn

The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne

Bitter Wash Road by Garry Disher

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

Force of nature by Jane Harper

The Secret Life of Bees by Susan Monk Kidd

The Dry by Jane Harper

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Three Wishes by Lianne Moriarty

Truly Madly Deeply by Lianne Moriarty

Enthusiasm how about A Man called Ove? I loved it and Eleanor Oliphant.

Thank you Tinkhasflown

Have downloaded it and shall start reading it tonight

50 Things done, much more gripping than you'd think.
Not sure what next!

I'm really struggling with in the Days of Rain. I'm finding the whole family history description really tedious and boring. I might have to give up on it! It's putting me off wanting to read.

I just started City of Darkness and Light which is a mystery set in 1905. But despite being a quick read I'm finding it hard because she keeps leaving her baby alone asleep in her apartment. I know it was normal till at least the 70s, but it is really hard to read.

18. Kane and Abel - Jeffrey Archer. I enjoyed this, it was easy to read and the storylines got me interested pretty much straight away. However, it felt like a very masculine book - written by a man for men. This didn't bother me really but some might not like that style.

Finished City of Darkness and Light, no 32. Now reading Nina Is Not OK by Shappi Korsandi. So far it's really moving actually.

I set In the Days of Rain aside and read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. It's a pretty short, quick read, obviously sad though.
I don't know whether to try and keep going with my last book or just pick up something new now!

I was bored by the family history in Days Of Rain too Tink, but it does pick up when she gets on to herself and her father I thought. However Educated by Tara Westover is a far more gripping book along similar themes.

Thanks Desdemona I might give it another try. I'll add Educated to my list too thanks.

Haven’t posted for a while - our second daughter was born seven weeks ago - last time I was just starting Shantaram, which I recommend to anyone who has not read. Such an interesting read on Indian culture - Bombay underworld - and based on true events.

Following that book I’ve read a few quick reads, A Gentleman In Moscow the most noteworthy of those. A bookclub book. It was a good read and should make an interesting discussion.

So read list stands at:

1. Howard’s End - E. M. Forster (Book Club)
2. Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides (Book Club)
3. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
4. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman (Book Club)
5. Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts
6. Like Water for Hot Chocolate - Laura Esquivel (Book Club)
7. We Should All Be Feminists - Chimamanda Adichie (Book Club)
8. The Rules Do Not Apply - Ariel Levy
9. A Gentleman In Moscow - Amor Towles (Book Club)

10. Lullaby - Leila Slimani 11. A Whimsy Of The World - Amor Towles 12. If Beale Street Could Talk - James Baldwin