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?

Hi , long time lurker here but keen to join in this year

My first book is Song for Achilles by Madeleine Miller - about a quarter into this and very much enjoying the story so far

@cato75 I got Wykenhurst for Christmas, it's what I am going to read next.

Just finished my first book of the year The next person you meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. I enjoyed it as I did the first one. The idea that things happen for a reason and we are all interlinked is an interesting one. I am planning on starting Cilka's Journey in the morning. I read The tattooist of Auschwitz over a couple of days whilst in hospital waiting to have dc4 so it will be interesting to see if this is such a compelling read.

I would love to join again and this year intend to stick with it, instead of tumbling off the thread with hundreds of recommendations for new books to read.

I read 53 last year and am aiming for 75 this year. Number 1 this year will be:

1. The Head Case by Bill Rogers this is the second book about DCI Tom Caton, based in Manchester. I used to work in Manchester many years ago and love the references to the local area.

After being 4 or 5 books ahead for most of the year, just finished my 50 books at 12noon on Hogmanay!

On holiday so finished first book of 2020 challenge today :

1. Fannie Flagg A Redbird Christmas

A delightful Christmas holiday read from the author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe. Just a lovely, heartwarming story set in the American Deep South. Not too demanding - lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Now swithering between my next Elena Ferrante (Story Of A New Name), William Boyd's Love is Blind or Fireball - the story of Carole Lombard.

PS @Palegreenstars I read A Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich years ago and it is one of the best books I've ever read..

Lurker from last year and I’d like to join! Reading is just about the only thing that quiets my overactive brain and de-stresses me. I’m determined to prioritise reading time this year.

I want to use and support the library as I have an excellent one locally. Also charity shop buys. No new books as my bookshelves are already groaning!

At the moment I’m half way through The Goldfinch and loving it. Have also just started Once Upon a River which I’m also enjoying. Would like a non fiction one next.

Happy new year all. Halfway through The Sympathizer, very good but terrified to read the second half so stuck. I've also begun Circe but am not grabbed yet. Going to try The Fishing Fleet about women going to colonised India to get married.

I'm reading Lady of Hay by Barbara Herskine. One of my resolutions this year is to read full stop, so if I get to 50 that will be a bonus. I'm not very good at slowing down.

Finished my first read of the year Last Christmas- Memories of Christmases Past and Hopes for Future Ones A compilation of what Christmas means to a wide variety of people, with memories of Christmases past for others.

An interesting and thought provoking read.

I now have to decide what to read next, which can take a while in itself.

Hi Folks I'm in. I have a shiny new Kindle and am starting off with Wool by Hugh Howey. I do love a good dystopian novel and this has amazing reviews. Looking forward to hearing what everyone has enjoyed and broadening my reading horizons

Ooh could I join please?

I used to love reading but haven't been doing it for ages. I think I read 2 books last year.

I have a huge pile to be read.

I got 2 books for Christmas and have started one. They are both by Laura Purcell - The Silent Companions (which I've started) and Bone China.

I home educate my youngest so will put in a reading hour into our schedule so we can both sit quietly and read. No phones/tablets allowed.

I’d like to join please! I’m a huge reader and always love the chance to chat to other bookworms and add to my groaning tbr pile!

I’m currently reading Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens and loving it so far.

@OhMsBeliever Bone China was one of my top reads last year

I'm in, only managed 36 out of 50 last year so hoping to get the full 50 this year. Currently reading "the mother in law"

Hopping on to join in and get reading inspiration.

Hello!

I've set my goodreads challenge to 50. Biggest challenge goal I've set for myself. Starting off with The Witcher the first in the series. I've just finished binged the tv series and wanted to delve deeper into the universe 😊

I just finished my first book of 2020:

1. Pet Semetary by Stephen King - the man himself said when he finished this book he felt like he might have gone too far and I think he has a slight point. I found this pretty disturbing in a way I didn't when I first read this years ago but even worse was the fact I didn't find the characters and story as engaging as I normally do in Stephen King books. (2/5)

Next I'm going to read The Outsider by Albert Camus, another re-read from years ago.

I do like Stephen King books generally, but I don’t think that Pet Semetary is one I want to attempt a re-read of until my DC are older. My youngest is a similar age to Gage in that novel.

Having had a proper look at the number of unread books I have on my shelves and my kindle (several hundred!!!!!), I think that this year, I’m going to be trying to avoid bookshops and trying to make a dent in the books I already own.

No promises about avoiding the library though, I pass our local library 4 times a day on the school run, and there’s no way I’ll be able to resist popping in there to check out their books for long.

How lovely Stitches. Dropping into the library is such a nice thing to do, j feel my stress levels drop as soon as I step through the door.

Marking my place. Happy new year, fellow bookworms

Five sorry for your loss

@Tarahumara 11.22.63 is my favourite Stephen King book and I've re-read it more times than I can count. I'll be interested to hear what you think about it. It seems to be a bit of a marmite book!

@selmabear I found The Witcher hard going, not because it wasn't good, but Polish doesn't seem to translate well. Anything I have read from Polish hasn't seemed to have a good flow, and they were from different translators, so not the same one with no skill.

Five sorry for your loss
Book 2. Payback - RC Bridgestock, police procedural that I can't say too much about as I reviewing it for a blog tour later this month. Read it in a day though, and it is written by a couple who are the storyline consultants for Happy Valley

Happy New year!

Inspired by last years thread I 'read' (audible) books last year. I have bloody loved it. I used to read so much as a young adult but these days my eyes are rubbish and reading gives me headaches.

I have tried to read new books and expand my horizons but about 10 of the 66 books were old favourites (HP/memoirs of a geisha/Coben).

I often buy the daily £1.99 books on audible to force me into reading stuff I wouldn't normally read. This year I am aiming to read some of the classics.

The most disappointing book this year was Stephen King ~The Institute. My favourite was The tattoist of Auschwitz.

Yesterday I started Beside myself by Ann Morgan.

@OlyBJoly sounds like I’m in for a treat. I only read a few pages last night but it was making me feel quite cold. If you are still undecided I’d go for the Boyd every time.

So many people trying to read what they’ve got - I wonder how long we will last. I like the idea of using the random number generator and giving books away if I dont read them suggested up thread. Although I might start that in Feb and be completely Free in January.