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.

I’m struggling a bit with The Taxidermists Daughter. I’m about a quarter of the way through and don’t feel connected to it at all. I’m not sure whether I should soldier on or abandon it now.

Finished book 8 Emily Eternal by M.G.Wheaton. Sci-Fi book, Emily is an artificial consciousness trying to save the human race at the end of the world. It was a fun romp although Emily 'evolved' rather quickly. Great if you went with it and didn't overthink it!

I read prolifically and this one sneaked it's way into my top 5 of all time! When All is Said by Anne Griffin. We, DH and I, listened to it on Audible- both shedding tears at the end. A beautiful story and the narrator sneaks up and breaks your heart

Hi - joining in too, if OK.
I'm on the 50 books thread but 25 more achievable for me I think.
Enjoying hearing about what everyone is reading. So far for me:

1. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Chose this as I was a bit disappointed with the ending of the film and thought the book ending must be better, given the rave reviews at the time. It was and I enjoyed it, despite knowing the plot line. Most will probably know the story, but basically a young naive woman marries a handsome rich business man and finds out all is not as she expected. Set in late C17th in Amsterdam, which gives it an interesting slant.

1. A Kitten Called Tiger by Hollie Webb. Read with my 8YO who loved it. New kitten gets lost, much tears & worry but found again. Some chapters written from the kitten's perspective!

1. Jane Austen at Home - A biography by Luch Worsley. Biography leading us through JA's life and books, including her struggles to get published, and her early death. Very inciteful and clear headed analysis of her life and times including some myth busting. If you like Lucy Worlsey you will enjoy this - she writes as she speaks and I like her clarity. Inspired to read some of JA's published letters now.

Just starting The Girl on the Train... not got v high hopes for this so far but only a couple of chapters in.

I finished The Plague, and it was a slog! Definitely did not agree with me; the very impersonal, removed and "rational" narration must have hit the spot when the book was published, after WW2, but I found it difficult to engage with. Maybe it works better in the original. Apparently, the story was an allegory of the war, but give me The Lord of the Rings any time (even though Tolkien denied it was allegorical). I'm very happy to have read a French classic, though, as it was one of my 2019 goals.

In the meantime I also read through 2 diet/health books on the Kindle - I hope non-fiction counts!
1. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
2. Lucifer Book 2 by Mike Carey et al (GN)
3. Pandora's Boy by Lindsey Davis
4. Keto by Maria and Craig Emmerich
5. The Circadian Code by Satchin Panda
6. The Plague by Albert Camus

I’m not doing terribly well, having trouble with focus, or lack of it. In fact still on book #2 but have begun #3 which is non-fiction ( Band of Brothers, story of American paratroopers in WW2 - was introduced in the last 10 days to the miniseries on DVD by one of my sons - so just had to read book). Doing knitting and listening to podcasts which is all fine but I do need to (and want to) step away from all that and read some books.

Gosh the book I just finished Deadly Election by Lindsey Davis took a long time especially for me! But it was good. No 8.

I’m not doing terribly well, having trouble with focus, or lack of it

@bikingbeatrix - this totally resonates with me. Last year I must have started and abandoned 10 books.... managed to read 2.... for the whole year.

I've just finished no4 which was Snap by Belinda Bauer. Highly recommend and I'm pleased to see she's written loads which all look pretty good too so I think they'll be my fall back books for this year!

1. He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly. It was pretty gripping and clever but it also really stressed me out for some reason.

Considered re-reading Brave New World next, but decided everything is apolocalyptic enough IRL at the moment, so:

1. Rivers of London by Ben Aaranovitch*

11. <strong>The President's Hat by Antoine Laurain</strong> - loved this just as much as his other books I've read. Really recommend this author. 
    

12. Melmoth by Sarah Perry - got this today, hoping to start it tonight.

I've struggled recently .. started a few books i didn't get on with, including Matt Haig How to stop time, also No I don't want to join a book club.

I've now started A man called Ove and am loving it!

Rivers of London Is good fun, hope you enjoy it musicmaiden.

Am making slow progress on The Luminaries as it took me about 200 pages to get into it (whole book is about 800). I’m keen to find out what’s actually going on as it’s currently a bit complicated!

Just finished

1. The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins - wasn't so keen to begin with but about 2/3 way through it became a page turner as I was trying to guess the whodunnit. A fairly quick read for me (book takes me ages usually) but we had half term holiday , so that got me along a bit. Basic plot is divorcee with drink problems gets embroiled in missing persons case involving 'golden' couple who live a few doors away from ex-hubby and new wife & baby. Various complications and messy relationships ensue and an ending that I did guess in part, but with a little twist that was unexpected. Fair to say comeuppance was well and truly got!

1. The Fox and The Ghost King by Michael Morpurgo - another kids book ( am I allowed these!?) read to my DC. We enjoyed the tale that mixes animals with ghosts and spookily links Richard III's excavation and reburial with Leicester City FC's (The Foxes) Permiere win! How does MM think them up?

Need to browse bookshelf now for next read...

I finished book number 5, A Man Called Ove today - read it in a day and loved it. Will definitely get more of his books.

Next book is The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry ...

1 Peter May Coffin Road
2 Perfect Family Shallani Bollan (audio)
3 Sunny Side Up Susan Callman (audio)
4 Why Mummy Drinks (audio)
5 room emma donoghue
6 The Foundling Paul Joseph Fronczak (audio)
7 Report for Murder Val McDermid
8Common Murder Val McDermid
9 Final Edition Val McDermid
10 Union Jack Val McDermid
11 the last thing she told me Linda Green
12 booked for murder Val McDermid

I’ve been binge reading the old val McDermid series having never got round to it before.

In progress
Love languages of children
Peter May the black house

Finished How to stop time by Matt Haig which I wasn't too keen on at the start but really got into towards the end. It was an easy read and only took me a few days to finish.

Now about to start 5. The colour of Bee Larkham's murder by Sarah J Harris.

Nearly finished Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner. Have to read some more of Alexander Hamilton after this as it's due back at the library for the, what, third time?

Finished book 9 The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Got pretty dark in places but I enjoyed it.

Finished number 6, The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry this morning. Loved it.

Not sure what to read next .

Just finished Who do you Love, no 9, while DS watched Shaun the Sheep.

12. Melmoth by Sarah Perry - finished this yesterday. This was a slow starter for me, enjoyed the middle but not the end so much. Beautifully written though
13. The Widow by Fiona Barton - starting this today after starting Lonesome Traveler by Jack Kerouac but having to give it up as the print is too small and giving me a headache! Will try and find a larger print version or maybe go get my eyes tested...

1. An Unremarkable Body by Elisa Lodato

I found this story about a daughter dealing with the sudden death of her mother a thoroughly satisfying read. Laura - the daughter - tries to come to terms with her mother’s death and in doing so begins to make sense of the life her mother led. It’s a beautifully poignant book about people I found I cared about as I discovered more about them. I will definitely read more by the author in the future. It's a thumbs up from me for this one.

@bobinks Just finished The Girl on The Train too and had avoided your review in case of spoilers. I enjoyed it and read it in a few days, but I found it quite difficult to follow with the jumping around/dates. Would have been easier in non Kindle form! Also found similarities in the two men made them difficult to differentiate from at times.

I've just spent a good 10 minutes looking for this thread as I remembered it from last year and thought there's bound to be a 2019 version. Does not bode well for my reading this year that I kept not being able to read the ENTIRE SECTION CALLED BOOKS! lol

Lots of great suggestions last year so I'm going to have a read through and see what takes my fancy. I've just finished my 5th book so far, Monsters by Emerald Fennell (recommended on here) which I thought was macabre but brilliant.