26-ish books in 2020

[drspouse]

A thread for those too busy or otherwise not able to aim for 50 books in a year!
I'm aiming for 12 from my shelves and 12 from a reading challenge

thebrokenspinedotnet.wordpress.com/2019/12/14/reading-classic-books-challenge/

There are loads of reading challenges here too

www.girlxoxo.com/the-master-list-of-2020-reading-challenges/

We are very laid back here, join any time, I imagine this thread will be open till Dec as it doesn't move too fast!

Finished #3 for work - My Meteorite by Harry Dodge, kind of a memoir, kind of an exploration of grief, a pontification on his various philosophies. When it got personal it was beautifully written but otherwise I found it a little pretentious

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I often return to Jane Austen in the winter and loved re-reading this for probably the 10th time or more.

I’m also listening to H is for Hawk on Audible and am enjoying that despite the fact that the author’s reading makes her sound like Mystic Meg.

In response to PPs, I read Normal People last year and did not see what all the fuss was about. I didn’t warm to any of the characters and it felt like Sweet Valley High with mental health issues thrown in.

Interesting views on the Bell Jar. It’s number 3 on my list. I hope that I like it!

Second book finished Mudlarking by Lara Maiklem. Bought on a whim in the 12 days of Kindle sale but really enjoyed it.

Still reading The Century Girls.

musicmaiden, I loved Crawdads, but 100% agree about the poems. Much eye-rolling. I skipped most of them - very bad poetry anyway.

I just finished book number 4: An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. I see that most people rave about it, but I guess I must be missing something because I really didn't like it. It was so boring - basically, the whole story was 'who gets to own this woman'? It might have been better if we heard more from the female character, but the male characters dominated and they were so bloody patriarchal - so much 'a man needs a woman to make him feel like a real man' nonsense. I don't know.

Finished The American Agent by Jacqueline Winspear, which is book 2 and no 1 on my "books I already own" list.

DS chose Treasure Island out of the library for DH who is unlikely to read it but I'm putting that on my own list for Classics. I can't say Robert Louis Stevenson is new to me (though TBF I've only read A Child's Garden of Verses) and it doesn't fit any of the other categories (maybe "in a country other than your own" so I'm going to squeeze it into category 10, a novella. I am going to try and read all new Classics for this challenge but that could be hard!

Gosh, some of you are rifling through your books at quite a pace!

I am really enjoying reading more, and keep checking in on this thread, so thank you for continuing to post.

I have read books 1 & 2 now (Nine Perfect Strangers by Lianne Moriarty and Michelle Obama's Becoming - I especially liked Becoming). I am currently halfway through The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, which I'm enjoying. I got it as an ebook from the library for my newly-purchased Kobo, and I am loving the fact that I can get books out of the library without actually having to go into town!

Ooh, I'd like to jump onto this - I've got a 20 book challenge on Goodreads...

I've found my reading mojo again, and am rattling through books (luckily have read some absolute stonkers recently).

So first 2 for this year have been:

1. The Testaments. Loved it, possibly even more than the Handmaid's Tale, but that maybe because I felt it was a little less literary than Atwood tends to be, so was an easy read.

2. Tiny Sunbirds Far Away. Listened to this one, was a book club choice, and again, I really enjoyed it. Narration was fantastic, really added to the story for me.

Have just started 3. Olive Kitteridge - oh love, love, love it so far.

It's my choice for next week's book club, so am loving reading these recommendations and compiling a short list. I've also got quite a few books waiting in the wings which I can't wait to tackle.

I've finished Blood Orange. I liked the storyline even though it was predictable. I didn't particularly like the style of writing.
Number 4 is The truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton.

I've just finished book 3 The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Beautifully written but harrowing.

So checking in, so far this year I have read

1. Where the crawdads sing - loved this book at first but then not so good towards the end but still enjoyable and a quick read.

1. Where Angels fear to tread - enjoyed this too.

No moving on to The Nix by Nathan Hall which was recommended to me. Anyone read it?

@mamaduckbone love Cormac McCarthy's books . The road is amazing but so so harrowing Breslau struggled to read it at times

That should have said struggled to read it!!!

I think I will read Where Angels Fear to Tread too actually for one of my Classics.

1. Territory of Light by Yuko Tsushima

This is a slim novel about a woman struggling to bring up her young daughter on her own after her husband leaves her. It's a really compelling read although I felt quite anxious for the woman and her child at many points because they have some difficult times. She has very little practical and emotional support and does unravel at times but I was really rooting for her all the way through. There is a quote from The Spectator on the cover which describes the book as "Spiky, atmospheric and intimate" which perfectly encapsulates it for me.

Ooh, I've not read Where Angels Fear to Tread either, and like the idea of adding in a classic or two. It's gone on my list .

I’d like to join this thread. I’m aiming to read 15 books this year though. That would be a huge achievement for me.
I’m on a mission to put my phone down more and read a book instead.

I’ve just finished my first book of the year which was Artemis by Andy Weir.
I really liked it.
My next one is Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell.

@CharliesMouse I like the sound of that, it's going on my list

I'll be interested to see what you think of it @iwonttaketheeasyroad.

Another Cormac McCarthy fan here though am attempting to only read books by women this year (apart from the ones I’m paid to read!)

3. The Amber Spyglass. I enjoyed this least out of the His Dark Materials trilogy - the first two have more elements of adventure, whereas this seemed too focused on the religious aspects. There were too many concurrent story lines so it jumped around a lot, and it all just seemed a bit impossible - not the fantasy aspect, but how people behaved and accepted what was happening. It reminded me a bit of the last Narnia book, which is also a disappointing end to a series.

So not a great third book, but never mind. Onwards and upwards!

3. The Whisper Man - really enjoyed this and read it in a few days. Can't decide what to read next - may try The Tattooist of Auschwitz as have heard good reviews.

I’m a bit late but would like to join too. January is usually my biggest reading month but I tend to tail off completely by February...
So far I’ve read:

1. The Improbability of Love - I found it quite dull and plodding so wouldn’t recommend.

2.Fleishman is in Trouble - Again, not for me, none of the characters were at all likeable the ‘twist’ was really obvious and not very well done in my view

1. Normal People - Didn’t like it and felt it didn’t justify the hype/ reviews at all
2. How To - Some interesting facts/ improbable scenarios. Very accessible and good to try some non-fiction and something a bit different
3. Big Little Lies - Not seen the TV show, the book was fine for an easy beach read
4. The Secret Commonwealth - Really enjoyed this, much more than I was expecting also thought it was better than the later parts of the His Dark Materials trilogy which I agree with @BookSkark tended to tail off by the end

I’m going to look back through the thread for some recommendations now as I don’t usually have such a low success rate with enjoying books I’ve chosen!

1. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt - enjoyed reading this, I'll miss Theo & Boris...

I'm now reading 5. Howards End by E. M. Forster

1/ The Whisper Man - enjoyed this pulled me in and made me cry too

2/ The Silent Patient - not getting into this have started reading The Milkman really enjoying it so far

Need to catch up all ready behind my planned schedule