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.

Drspouse I also bought The Break for 99p with the intention of reading it whilst away and chic lit is not a genre I usually do. I have never read any Marian Keyes, I think because rightly or wrongly I associate her with this type of story. But hey ho even if it's not my usual sort of thing at least it will be some easy reading and didn't cost much! I'm imagining it to be similar to Us by David Nicols which I read for book club when it first came out.

Meant to also add virtually no reading going on here the last few days. Have literally read 2 pages of Hot Milk so far!! Have a train journey later that will at least provide 40 mins of uninterrupted reading time

Homemade funnily enough my next holiday read which I've just started is One Day - David Nichols

Ok. I’ve finished The girl of ink and stars. I’d inadvertently picked up a children’s book. It’s good for a first try, but is reading like a practice novel. Philip Pullman lite. I have new found appreciation of just how good and wonderfully nuanced Pullman’s trilogy actually is. I recommend this book if you are 10 years old.

As the last book was very short, I have decided to flog myself with 850 odd pages of Paul Auster’s 4321. The basic plot is four alternative lives of a single boy. You have to concentrate a little to keep track. Im 200 pages in and I must admit, I’m really enjoying it. Punishment fail. Auster’s editor must be scared witless of him, he barely breaks into a paragraph. It will surely see me through to the end of the month at this rate!

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)

1. The girl of ink and stars (Kiran Millwood Hargrave)

1. 4321 (Paul Auster)

Tink DH took over reading to DD a couple of years ago so I can’t even add those books to my list 🙂

Desdemona you need to come and join us!

Home hope you enjoy your reading on the train.

Nearly please be warned, I cried my eyes out when I read that book!

So my question is, I’m reading How to Win Friends and Influence People. It says to read every chapter twice before moving on to the next. Does that mean that I get to count the book twice? Please say yes.

Just watched Fried Green Tomatoes - DH bought it for me for Valentines. Lots different from the book. I think I have to say now I enjoyed the book more.

Hopefully joining this.
I am trying to start to read after many years. Academia ruined me for reading. (I read constantly but never fiction). That combined with a busy work schedule and my work being very SM based - i.e every bit of time seems to be robbed by work on electronics. I always feel like I should be doing something else when I am reading.

My baseline aim is one book a month but here's hoping for 2 a month?

I've decided maybe one quick and easy and one more robust each month.

I'm talking YEARS of non reading here so lots to catch up on.

So I have read: (2018)
Friend Request (it was crap but an easy read stuck on a coach journey) and
Eleanor Olliphant (it was crap but quick turnover).

Ordered The Girl with all the gifts in hardback (find I finish books if they are print)

Have on my kindle -
essex serpent,
name of the wind (which I have tried to start a few times but just not into it yet)
The book of dust (cant wait!!!!)
The invisible library (started a while back and stopped for some reason)

Lots of work books

So, here's hoping I can get back into it.

Finished Forgotten Daughter and now reading After You with the Pistol by Kyril Bonfiglioli - I've read the first one - they are pretty funny. I haven't seen it but there's a film (Mortdecai with Johnny Depp).

I am determined to read The Miniaturist next, it's been on my bedside table for ages.

I started but have put to one side Devil's Day by Andrew Hurley, nothing particular wrong with it, I just wasn't drawing me in.

So to get me back on track I read:

7 - The Thing on The Doorstep by HP Lovecraft, which turned out to be a short story rather than a full-length book. A man murders his friend and then writes an account of why, claiming to have set him free rather than murdered him.

And now I'm reading:

1. A Simple Favour by Darcey Bell. I'm sure she was inspired by MN. A woman is asked to look after her friend's child, which is a normal thing she does frequently. But her friend never came back to collect him. So far it's okay.

I'll go back to Devil's Day another time.

Is it too late for another new person to this thread?

I've set myself a target of 26 books to read this year. So far I've read -:
The book of Dust - which was ok but felt it went on and on a bit but I'll still read the others when they come out.
The outcasts of time - one of the worst books I've ever read!
The forever war - again didn't particularly enjoy this one.

Currently reading book 4 of the Peter Grant Rivers of London series which I love.

I'm also trying to complete the challenges on this list which will mean reading slightly outside of my comfort zone sometimes.

Hi Wonder, I don't think it's ever too late to join the thread (although I just barged in and posted without checking).

I've got the Book of Dust in my TBR pile, I'm looking forward to it but I'll need to be in the right mood to start it. My favourite Waterstones seller is waiting for that to happen because he remembers what people buy and he keeps asking if I've started it yet.

I've just read my 8th book This Must Be The Place' Maggie O'Farrell. I enjoyed it a lot but didn't find the characters likeable. That said, I loved the story and enjoyed the structure of the novel. I preferred the last Maggie o'farrell that I read as my 7th book but this was an enjoyable read. can't believe I've read 8 books I might even manage the 25 by the end of the year!

Definitely never too late to join the thread

Drspouse I also have The Minaturists in my tbr. Bought it as a 2 for £5 in HMV at the end of last year with The Handmaid's Tale. I also have the Christmas tv adaptation on my sky box as I generally don't like to watch things before I have read them.

Cleofatra I read The Girl With All The Gifts summer 2016 whilst on a camping holiday in Croatia. It is really not a genre I normally read and didn't pay much any attention to the blurb when buying it in a charity shop. It is not a book I would recommend when you have animals running across your tent throughout the night and a walk through a forest campsite to your nearest loo!!!

Still reading Hot Milk. So far feeling like it is totally my kind of book but not even half way through yet (have I mentioned how slow a reader I am!!!) Will give more thoughts when I have finished.

I'm also waiting to watch The Miniaturist till I've read it! Just hoping our Sky box doesn't break first (we've had a run of bad luck with them).

I also have The Miniaturist in my to read pile and sitting in my sky box.

The Book of Dust is def worth reading and I did enjoy it, I just had very very high expectations and they weren't quite met.

I like that book challenge list Wonder, lots of good prompts to go at.

I also have the Book Of Dust on my list. Loved all of Phillip Pullmans books, but my MIL read this for her book club and hated it (but hadn't read any of these others!). I'm hoping that I'll enjoy it now, but it's made me wary of starting it. Still reading my Kathy Reichs. Very much enjoying it, but had a busy month and my concentration is not what it should be so it's taking me ages.

From Goodreads it looks like I've also read Septembers of Shiraz this year. So I'm on book 8.
I really like that 26 book list, will be giving it a go!

So back from hols, second holiday book finished:

9- One Day, David Nichols. Really enjoyed this one much more than Marian Keyes -The Break ( my 1st holiday read). I was nearly in tears as Everyone said she was.

Last few chapters of The Book Thief now to finish, which I have absolutely loved from the first page. Very similar in style to ' All the light we cannot see' , but much easier to get into the story I found.

(I've been thinking about future reads for that list - some books would count for more than one category - I may get desperate towards the end of the year and do that!)

Book number 5 ticked off. Graham Greene - The Comedians. I wasn't blown away by it. It was ok.
Next one. Not sure what to go for! Might do the last in the Miss Peregrine series. Or there's a Christmas one that doesn't look brilliant but does look quite quick! And then I can give it away. Or one my daughter was given, and I want to read to make sure it's ok.

I quite enjoyed The Miniaturist. I tried to read it before the adaptation came out on TV but failed. Haven't managed to see the adaptation yet.
Got the Book of Dust to do. So many books and so little time.

I would like to aim for 25 books this year.

So far have read:

Bittersweet (a re-read for me) by Roopa Farooki

Sapiens- about a third of of the way through this, really enjoying it but it's taking me ages to get through

I read far less than I used to and I really want to get back in to the habit. I've made a long list of books (mainly MN recommendations) that I'd like to read- I buy a lot of books at charity shops, so am hoping I get lucky and find at least some of them that way.

I can't see the list that Wonder put up. What's on it?