25 (ish) books in 2019

[Chickoletta]

Inspired by, but also slightly overawed by, the 50 book thread, this is a thread for those who love to log their reading but don't have the time or inclination for such a high target. The aim is to read 25 books but it really doesn't matter if you don't get close to that or far exceed it - the idea is to exchange recommendations and thoughts.

I loved this thread last year and was really inspired by some of the suggestions so have taken the liberty of starting this year's version.

I only managed 19 books last year due partly to being a slow reader (even though I'm an English graduate and teacher) and also it being a rather busy and stressful year. I'm definitely hoping to beat that score in 2019.

Please number your books and give titles in bold to make it easy to follow as well as sharing thoughts about them.

My favourite book of last year was The Heart's Invisible Furies', as recommended here.

Just finished my first book of the year:

1. 'Why Mummy Drinks' by Gill Sims (bought for me by my own mother for Christmas - no offence taken!!)
Light hearted and well-observed, this was very enjoyable. Some laugh out loud moments as well as many wry observations about family life. I think I would have enjoyed it more if her children didn't sound so totally insufferable!

Looking forward to sharing our reading this year.

Two more finished in the last couple of weeks.

26: The Things You Find in Rock Pools by Gregg Dunnett I think this is self published, it was on a kindle 99p thing. It's really enjoyable though, really kept me guessing right up until the reveal. Well reveals plural actually because there are definitely a couple of things going on. It's told mainly from the perspective of a young boy who possibly is on the spectrum but it's never explicitly stated. It's a murder mystery set on an island off the coast of America. Very good, enjoyed it.

27: Through the Wall by Caroline Corcoran. I sort of liked this. I liked the premise, a little bit Single White Female next door kind of thing. But the antagonist was so utterly hateful it made for a difficult read really. Tried to redeem her slightly towards the end but I'm not having it. It's an ok read.

38. The Psychology of Time Travel, really liked this.

I’ve really fallen off the wagon with this, I’m only on my tenth book of the year, I’ll be lucky if I get 111/12 done by 31st December!! I sometimes don’t read for days, I don’t know why. I need to just get on with it. I’ve got a couple of “thin” books in my to-read pile. And Christmas is soon so I’ll probably get a couple more books at least... sigh. Maybe I should make a New Year’s Resolution to read more and get to at least 20 in 2020. 20 books for 2020, doesn’t sound too bad.

That should be 11/12 not 111!

@toffee1000 I was feeling similar last year, like reading was a chore and I couldn't be bothered with it. Plus I'd read something I'd really really loved and nothing else felt as good. I think I'd spend all my time reading (Mumsnet!) and it would be like I'd run out of reading capacity by bedtime. It comes and goes though I guess. Keeping this thread as a list has helped me this year.

19. Becoming by Michelle Obama
I loved this. She writes incredibly well and gives an incredible insight into her life both before and after her marriage to Barack. Utterly inspirational.

Pleased to report I’ve finished #10 - Sins of the Dead. Very good story- now waiting for the next one in the series to come out in pb. In the spring some time. Book #11 is Simon Mawer’s Swimming to Ithaca. Enjoying it so far.

Just finished number 29

Bone China by Laura Purcell

Switching back & forth between two time periods it's a deliciously spooky gothic horror set in Cornwall. It's the third book I've read of Laura's and I wasn't disappointed with this one.

28. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood - I love many books by Margaret Atwood. I enjoyed this especially the first 3/4 but it was not great. Would be a good book club choice though. (Hard to write what I think without spoilers!)
29. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster - half way through this and loving Forster's beautiful writing and characters again.

39 Hello World by Hannah Fry, pretty interesting too.

As above 31 was Nine Perfect Strangers, I actually really enjoyed this book once I took the time to get into it. It's worth a read, especially if you enjoyed her other book, Big Little Lies.

Book 32 was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I had been reading these to my Dd but she finished it herself, so I decided to finish it too. I think I'll work my way through the last of the books too.

Book 33 was Normal People by Sally Rooney, it seems to be recommended or have mixed reviews on a few boards. I enjoyed the read, but found the end bit abrupt maybe. It was a very quick, light read.

Book 34 was Those People by Louise Candlish I got this title from the Goodreads nominations. It's a good read, with a couple of twists but with some pretty unlikable characters. I'll definitely look at the authors other books. I loved the ending too.

29. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster - really enjoyed this, beautifully written, will definitely be reading more Forster in the new year.
30. The Suspect by Fiona Barton - it's really hard to put down...

22. You by Caroline Kepnes

A lovely colleague lent this to me to read and now I'm looking at her in an entirely different light. It's a grim thriller about an unpleasant book shop worker who develops an obsession about an equally unpleasant customer. It's relentlessly sexual and grim and I am glad to be done with it. I did rattle through it and it did keep my attention all the way through but I'm hoping my next read has some characters in it with at least some redeeming features.

This will probably be my last finished book of the year but I might just squeeze another one in before Big Ben chimes on 31st so I'll add my complete list in a couple of weeks.

30. The Suspect by Fiona Barton - I enjoyed reading this, it is a page turner but I did find myself thinking "that would never happen" now and then & that the characters are all stereotypes but still a good read.
31. Smoking Kills by Antoine Laurain - previous books I have read by Antoine Laurain have gone down very well, hoping this is as good as the others.

28: The Beautiful Dead by Belinda Bauer I've read a few of hers this year, they're proper page turners for me. Really well written, good characters and interesting storylines. This is great, really loved it.

29. A Window Breaks by C M Ewan Bit of a high octane, family trapped in a remote lodge for strange reason that doesn't get revealed until the end type of thing. Found it OK but not my usual thing really, too action packed. The suspense was OK but it all seemed a bit far fetched in the end.

I'm listening to The Confession by Jessie Burton on Audible at the moment and really hating it! 8 chapters in and couldn't care less about any of the characters. Surprising, as I've enjoyed her other books. Has anyone read it? Does it get any better?

I've given up for now and picked up Pride and Prejudice as comfort reading to nurse my cold with.

I'm thinking ahead to next year. I really got into this by trying the 26 book challenge that was posted last year but the same person (Hannah Braime?) hasn't done another one.
Instead I may do this:
thebrokenspinedotnet.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/reading-classic-books-challenge/
Which is 12 books and so I'd probably try to read 12 more that I already own.

40 Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver. Loved this too. Probably more than the other one of hers.

23. When Will There be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

I didn't think I'd finish another book before the end of the year but this is a cracking good Jackson Brodie novel and I rattled through it. I thought I had already read this but couldn't find my copy so I wondered if I'd lent it to someone. I bought a new copy but I'm still not sure whether I read it when it came out or if I remembered the story from the TV adaptation. It's a great book filled with the usual slightly implausible coincidences but it's a great read nevertheless.

My final list for this year (with favourites in bold) is:

1. History of Wolves by Emily Fridland
2. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
3. After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
4. A Cuckoo's calling by Robert Galbraith
5. An Unremarkable Body by Lisa Lodato
6. Transit by Rachel Cusk
7. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
8. Ordinary People by Diana Evans
9. The Only Story by Julian Barnes

10. Girl Balancing by Helen Dunmore 11. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris 12. The Water Cure by Sophie Mackintosh 13. The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy 14. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood 15. The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter 16. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson 17. A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne 18. La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman 19. One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson 20. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell 21. Killing Commendatore by Haruki Murakami 22. You by Caroline Kepnes 23. When Will There be Good News? by Kate Atkinson

Book 35 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it's long so I did think i would finish it before year end, but i just love these books.

I'm now reading Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe but don't think I'll finish it before New Year, so it will likely be Book 1 of 2020.

My last one for 2019 is number 30 and is You by Caroline Kepnes

Loved the series on Netflix but I have to say he seems a lot more unpleasant in the book. he is much more charismatic and seems much more normal, even charming in the series. As it's all from his persepective and the inner monologue it's hard to see him from the exterior in the book.

Season 2 is on Netflix and I am wondering if they are trying to redeem him slightly.

Anyway it's a fairly enjoyable read, bang up to date pop culture references but yes, all characters pretty unlikeable.

Looking forward to next year's reads, I have a stack on my bedside table ready to go!

41 The trouble with women, Jackie Fleming. Hilarious!

23. Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty
24. Longbourn - Jo Baker

Really enjoyed both of these and understand there is a TV adaptation of both, which I would love to watch. BLL is on Sky but can't seem to find Longbourn, sadly. Both very skilfully written/constructed with strong endings, which is a rarity.

I'm pleased to have got to 24 for the year, two more than last year so will try and hit 25 next year. Am planning to re-read some old favourites next year which will probably be quicker as they are more familiar.

42 - Passing by Nella Larsen, really interesting but also sad.

@chickoletta as the reigning OP, do you want to start a new thread??