50 Book Challenge 2020 Part One

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the first thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2020, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

Who's in for this year?

Finished book 2 this afternoon, Of Mice and Men. Really wonderful writing and characterisation, it feels as though every word has been chosen carefully for maximum effect. I didn't expect it to be so sad though. I'll be adding more Steinbeck to my reading list.

Next up is A Christmas Carol which I bought to read at Christmas but was ill.

I've finished my first book Motherland Jo McMillan Disappointing. It's a coming of age story based on author's own teenage experiences but imo any narrative drive is drowned in elaborate descriptions ,which for me became tiresome and repetitive. Next up is Force of Nature by Jane Harper so a complete contrast.

I finished Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath by Kate Moses

This is a fictional account of the last few months of Plath's life with a few flashbacks to earlier parts of her life.

Honestly, I found a good deal of this novel really hard work and was reluctant to pick it up sometimes. Parts of it were overwritten to the point of tediousness. There were some good bits - in particular, the suffocating relationship that Plath had with her mother was well done - but the parts I didn't like outweighed the parts I did.

Really disappointed - I had high hopes for this one.

Whippet I think it will easily be in my top reads of this year.

Indigo thank you, I'll definitely look out for that. I think she writes very well.

Just finished Book 2
The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Set in Lancashire in the 1600’s a story loosely woven around the true history of the Pendle Witches. Told by the wealthy 17 year old mistress of Gawthorpe Hall.

A really good tale of witches, folklore and the power and fate of women at this time in English history. Very enjoyable and an easy read.

I’m now starting a crime mystery, Two Victims by Helen H Durrant

Another Ann Patchett fan here. I enjoyed Commonwealth and State of Wonder, but I think my favourite is This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, a collection of biographical essays.

I mean autobiographical rather than biographical, sorry.

1. My Name is Why- Lemn Sissay Memoir of the poet Lemn Sissay’s experiences growing up in care. Separated from his mother as a baby, he grew up in a long-term foster placement which eventually broke down, causing him to spend his teens in a series of children's homes while trying to discover his mother’s identity. I am pleased to have read this, but it made me angry to think of what he endured. It was also somewhat frustrating because I read it on my phone on BorrowBox and it was impossible to read any of the relevant documents from his childhood as they were too small and couldn’t be magnified. Apparently, the Kindle edition is just as bad (and currently £8.54!), so I will have to wait for a library copy so I can read the bits I missed, which seemed fairly crucial.

2. Damaged- Cathy Glass Glass’s fostering memoirs are normally a guilty pleasure for me- they potter along fairly gently and not a huge amount happens- but this one was horrific. It tells the story of a little girl who has suffered vile sexual and physical abuse: I actually gasped out loud several times. It was compelling reading, but I can’t say it was actually enjoyable.

Disclaimer/apology: my 2020 list will end up bearing some resemblance to the 2019 one, because I now want to listen to the audiobook of several books I read last year, and vice versa. The first book to fall into this category is:

3. Wonder- R.J. Palacio I’ve already read the book twice (and seen the film twice)- this was the audiobook. It tells the story of a 10 year old boy with facial abnormalities who is navigating the world of school and friendships for the first time. It is ostensibly a children’s book, but it is suitable for all ages and very moving. The audiobook has several different narrators, as does the book, a couple of whom were somewhat irritating but overall the story works well in this format.

Just finished book 2, Murder on the Levels by David Hodges. The author states that he was a policeman, so I picked this up looking forward to a good police procedural. As I got into the book, the way he wrote really began to grate and the ending was far fetched to say the least.

I won't be reading another in the series.

Now to decide what to read next.

@Sirzy thank you for the Bryony Gordon recommendation! I enjoy books like that; have you tried This Girl Ran by Helen Croydon?

The Familiars is a 99p Kindle deal at the moment if anyone fancies a bargain!

I had also forgotten how fast this thread was in January!

3. The Katharina Code by Jørn Lier Horst Surpringly good find on Overdrive when looking for a light thriller for a train journey this morning! Translated from Norwegian, there were a few too many "almost" climactic moments but it generally wasn't too overdone, and I enjoyed it enough that I have already downloaded another.

1. A Christmas Carol- Charles Dickens
2. The Girls- Lisa Jewell
3. I am, I am, I am- Maggie O'Farrell

I've just finished book 3, I'm trying to read more non fiction this year. It was a fairly quick read, there was 17 chapters. Each chapter was the account of a near death experience. Some of which were more gripping than others.

Also currently reading The Rosie Project and listening to Thin Air.

I have to confess to buying two kindle books today despite my resolution.

In my defence On Spice: Advice, Wisdom, and History with a Grain of Saltiness was reduced from £8,74 to £1.99 and The Reading Cure: How Books Restored My Appetite was reduced from £8.99 to £3.99 and they've been on my wish list for some time.

...and we won't mention Michael Palin's Erebus down from £9.99 to £5.99 will we?

@bettybattenburg The reading cure is very good

1. In Evil Hour by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

I don't know what to say about this. I picked it because it was short 😂 183 pages, but it definitely wasn't accessible.
Interesting concept of a small, hot, claustrophobic town being terrorised by an anonymous source, who is nailing salacious gossip to peoples doors, but ends up being 183 pages of various men having boring conversations, and internally making generic observations about other townsfolk.

Plus, the central mystery remains ambiguous

This will be going back to the charity shop it was bought in!

2/5

A little late to the party but would love to join please. Did try the challenge once before but failed miserably. Now work part-time so hopefully will do better this year, with more time for reading.
Have finished my first book - The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy - a quick read admittedly but wonderfully illustrated with beautiful messages.

Now reading The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley and enjoying it so far.

Forgotten how quickly this thread moves in January!

1. The Subtle Knife - Philip Pullman - following on from my read of Northern Lights. I am still ambivalent about this series. Whilst I want to know what happens I find the books quite disjointed and confusing. However, now I am this far through I will be reading The Amber Spyglass next. Disappointed that this has not turned out to grip me in the same way as the Harry Potter books did.

Do you all read the books or do any of you listen to audiobooks? I think I’d struggle to read 50 books in a year but if I were to listen to them then I could probably do it quite easily

@TimeforaGandT

I'm trying to read all 3 at the moment as well, 1 down, 2 to go. Feel exactly the same way.

@BunnytheBlueWhale

Audiobooks are allowed

bunny I tend to read books and on kindle as it’s just what I prefer - but it all counts. I listened to one or two audio books last year and enjoyed them though so will probably do so again. Quite a few people do a mix of both.

Thanks @EineReiseDurchDieZeit @SatsukiKusakabe I tend to read a mixture too but mainly audiobooks these days

I too am a Patchett fan. Her third novel, The Magician’s Assistant, sticks with me.

Bunny, I am lucky to be able to read on my commute, so I get through many books that way. I like to walk as much as I can when possible, and I really enjoy listening to audiobooks then.

Thank you Splother that justifies my purchase then, I'll put the exception to my no books rule through as a (very) early birthday presents

Did somebody mention the Rivers of London series recently? They are all 99p on the daily kindle deal at the moment.