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.

bootygirl Are you sure you can't do 50? Sounds like you'll manage at least 5 this month!

I really enjoyed Station Eleven. The threads about it on here are amusing as those who read a lot of dystopian fiction hate it because it's totally unrealistic, apparently.

Station Eleven is in my top 5 books ever

Just finished The Bees. It was ok, could’ve done with being 50 pages shorter IMO. Made me think about misogyny, obedience, pollution, society and how horrid wasps are

Oh I enjoyed that one Taffeta – I think what you say about it being shorter is valid though. In fact, that's the case with a lot of new fiction! Anyway, I read it this time last year, and every time I saw bees around last summer it made me think of that book and the struggles they have to go through to survive. In that sense it's certainly memorable.

Checking in

Read 30 last year.

I loved keeper of Lost things.

I have read the 11th poldark book so far this year, I love them.

Now reading The Good Widow.
Next will be The Nightingale and after that Watch Over Me..

Then the 12th and penultimate Poldark

Ooh, can I join please? I managed 27 last year, so aiming for 25-30 this year.

I started off well with The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley and Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, but now I’m finding it difficult to find a book that will hold my interest - I’ve read a couple of chapters of The Essex Serpent, and a couple of chapters of The invitation by Lucy Foley, but I’m a bit bored by them, hoping to get some inspiration for some gripping reads from this thread.

2017 Books

The secrets of married women
Don’t wake up
Friend request
Good me bad me
Poldark - the loving cup
The girlfriend
The honeymoon
The missing wife
The colour of water in July
The idea of you
The food of love
One Cretan evening
The keeper of Lost things
The island
Poldark - the millers dance
We ever asked for wings
How I lost you
Mother one Leafy got me
The accidental life of Greg milllar
My sister lives on the mantelpiece
The last act of love
A man called Ove
The sea sisters
The good girl
Our song
Evelyn after
The couple next door
My everything
The art of hiding
Poldark 10 -

A Man Called Ove is on my kindle (DH & I share lists). I forgot about it until you reminded me. I'll add that to my list.

Can I join? I read 28 last year inspired by the 50 book thread and a resolution not to buy more until my ‘to read’ pile was gone. That 28 included bleak house though!

This year I’ve read the book clocks by David Mitchell which was great. I’m currently reading the luminaries which I’m finding a page turner despite it being inauspiciously set in the 1890s New Zealand gold rush!

*bone clocks

Awww I love A Man Called Ove - and the other two he’s written. Lovely books.

I loved a man called Ove very much. Gorgeous book.

I got to 33 last year. It was a mega push on my part.
20/25 is more realistic for me

Yes, Ove is great :)

Finished number 2! Funny Girl by Nick Hornby which I had to read for my book group. Really enjoyed it, and I wasn't expecting to (don't know why not, it just didn't catch my imagination).
Now I need to decide what to read next. Something I don't want to keep once I've read it, so I can give it away and clear some space...!
I'm not sure if coming on to threads like this is good for me though. I've made a resolution not to buy any more books, and yet I've added several to my already huge Amazon wish list after reading you lot here. It's not helpful, folks, not at all helpful. Stop telling me good things to read...

Can I join in too? Another one who finds the prospect of reading 50 books totally overwhelming. Last year I did actually manage 25 for the first time in years so I’m hoping to do it again.

So far, I’m about 3/4 the way through To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey and loving the mix of relationships, history and magic.

Welcome EveryoneTalk, Myfan, Nosey, Iamblossom and anyone else I may have missed, the more the merrier!

BabybytheSea do you have unread books at home? If so I saw an idea on another thread of numbering them all then when you can't decide what to read randomly pick a number to make your selection. I kind of liked the idea so may do it every few books but then you do need the self discipline and motivation to actually read it. I know with me there is always a chance it would just stall all my reading which is what happened with Gorky Park until I eventually admitted defeat and gave up!

Um, well I did a count for another thread and stopped when I'd counted 800 unread books (some physical, most on my kindle). I'm a book hoarder it seems. I used to read far more before I had children. Is there somewhere I can return the children while I get some reading done?? Not permanently, just a few months?

Ah home that was me!

My next book randomly selected will be The Muse. But I have to finish Almond For A Parrot first which I did not know was pure filth!

I finished Middlemarch last week and Cleverlands.

I sometimes feel that books like Middlemarch and Bleak House ought to count as two books! I did quite enjoy parts of Middlemarch but boy is it looooong.

I'm still struggling on with book number 2.... I'll be lucky to make 15 this year I reckon. I wish I had more time to read.

Can I join please? Not sure how many I managed last year - in a book club which meets monthly and read a few other as well so 25 would definitely be a goal to reach. I’m two thirds through Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides - comments so far from my group are 🤢

This year so far:

1. Howards End - E. M. Forster. Watched the three part series on BBC after, which was good, although I preferred Little Women - still available on iPlayer.

I haven’t read any of the books mentioned so far on the posts I’ve read, but I am tempted to read Eat, Pray Love, again which I first read in 2010. Perhaps someone could recommend a book that’s similar? Heard good things about Traveling with Pomegranates by Monk Kidd and Ann Kidd Taylor, and the Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes. Anyone read either of those?

I'm in!!

50 makes it a challenge and so takes away the enjoyment. I enjoy reading but ive othee things i like too so only get a small amount of time each day.

Also my current book, A Suitable Boy, is many pages long (Just short of 1,500). Only a third through it and started Christmas - so I'll probably still be reading it next month!!!

Oohs, stripeysocks, I loved A Suitable Boy but one of his others is my absolute favourite book of all time. An Equal Music. Loved it loved it loved it.

A suitable boy is great, but does take a while to get through

I’ve finished the 3rd book: Ready Player One. Errr, all I will say is I hope Spielberg can make a better movie out of this.....

I now need to read better writing and have turned to Kate Atkinson with high hopes for book four.

My list so far:

1. Elizabeth is missing (Emma Healy)

1. Elmet (Fiona Mozley)

1. Ready player one (Ernest Cline)

1. Human croquet (Kate Atkinson)

Finished La Belle Sauvage. When’s the next one out?

Now, what to read next.....

A Suitable Boy is on my 'guilty I have never read it' pile so I plan to get through it this year... it's going to make Middlemarch seems like a novella, isn't it?