50 Book Challenge 2020 Part Two

[southeastdweller]

Welcome to the second 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.

The first thread of the year is here.

What are you reading?

4. Little Women
&
5. Good Wives by Louisa May Alcott
Really enjoyed rereading these two, particularly to compare the books with the recent film adaptation. I love going into the world of the March family. Planning to continue with the series, haven't read the other two before.

1. Pet Semetary by Stephen King (2/5)
2. The Outsider by Albert Camus (5/5)
3. Somebody's Mother, Somebody's Daughter by Carol Ann Lee (3/5)
4. Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor. (4/5)
5. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. (5/5)
6. 4321 by Paul Auster. (4/5)
7. Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann. (3/5)
8. The Devil's Teardrop by Jeffrey Deaver. (1/5)
9. A Symphony of Echoes by Jodi Taylor. (3/5)

10. What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge. I thoroughly enjoyed this walk down memory lane. I do think the hero of this story is Aunt Izzie, giving up her own life to look after her six nephews and nieces, and I'm glad they learn to appreciate her - eventually! (4/5)

Clueless
You're in for a treat with Little Men and Jo's Boys

24. Lost Children Archive - Valeria Luiselli Set against the backdrop of the migrant crisis in the US and the plight of unaccompanied minors being placed in detention centres, a couple with 2 young children set off on a road trip from New York to Arizona. Much of the narrative takes place in the car and it becomes clear that their marriage is dissolving. Things come to a head when the children go missing close to the border.

Written in a quite vague way this is a highly literary work with beautiful writing that explores what it is to be a family and the captured moments of a shared history.

I loved What Katy Did and the sequels so much. Must dig them out for a re-read.

11. 99 Red Balloons by Elisabeth Carpenter

An 8 yr old girl is abducted from outside a sweet shop, which leads to long buried secrets coming to light. An ok read.

12. Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

YA novel, featuring a pair of teenagers descended from the Greek gods (with superhuman powers thanks to this), who are desperately in love with each other, but unable to be together because of an ancient curse dating back to the Trojan War.

First in a series. It’s ok but not particularly exciting.

Fortuna, have you read Tell Me How It Ends by Luisella? It is non fiction but also about migrant children entering the US. I thought it was also beautifully written and meditative while also being hard hitting and very moving.

Name change from Betty, I'll go back to it another time.
@RubySlippers77 Maybe try reserving one? They are worth reading.
@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I got distracted by the Internet instead as I wanted to save Little Fires for bedtime as it's lovely to relax to in bed - I struggle to fall asleep so relish a good book to keep me company.

@bettybattenburg I read two thirds of Little Fires Everywhere in one sitting yesterday! I’m really trying to get back into reading so that’s a good sign. Looking forward to finishing today.

@Venicebeach I'll finish it in bed tonight so can compare notes tomorrow if you like? I think we're about the same point in the book at the moment.

@bestiswest I'm very tempted to read the others now.

My favourite of the Katy books is WKD At School. I love the bit where they’re opening up the Christmas box and it’s full of all their favourite treats from home.

noodlezoodle thanks for the recommendation of Nicola Griffith. I love a good crime series. I've managed to order the first Aud Torvingen book by tracking down a secondhand copy so looking forward to that.

OneOfManyDays I very much enjoyed The Heart's Invisible Furies .. but how could he do what he did at that one point?? Don't want to be give anything away by being more explicit. Otherwise I loved him as a character.

Gosh Chessie yes, I remember that bit vividly too. Not thought of it for years.

1. Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck.

I was interested to read this after listening to Mariella Frostrup interview the author. It's a literary - almost poetic - novel, translated from German .. very well as far as I can judge. It tells the story of a house and its various occupants, starting with the house's construction and describing how it changes hands and why, referencing WW2 in particular. Individual people's lives set against an interesting historical backdrop, beautifully written and so good I would really like to read it again in a few months.

1. The Warden by Anthony Trollope.

I've been meaning to tackle a Trollope series for some time, and this is the first of the Barchester novels. Although a short book, it took a long time to tell a fairly simple story, but I liked the characterisation and hoping the next volume will pick up the pace a bit. I like Victorian literature and do realise it has a tendency to be wordy.

10. The Lost Man by Jane Harper.

Unlike a PP, I thought this crime novel was even better than The Dry , similar in its impressive evocation of the harshness of life in the Australian outback, but also interesting in its depiction of male violence and its origins, and the effect on mental health of living a life of isolation. It was also just a really good read.

Now on to The Rotters' Club which I read when it first appeared. I don't remember much about it other than how convincingly Coe captured teenage life in the seventies, and I've liked his other books so hoping I'll enjoy it as much this time round.

I have got behind with reviews so here are a few.
9 Paper Ghosts Julia Heaberlin. A psychological about a woman who poses as the daughter of the man who she thinks murdered her sister and takes him on a road trip to find out what happened. Although the plot didn't always make sense and neither did the portrayal of someone with dementia I did enjoy this book. I felt the protagonist was a rounded character and I admired her determination and creativity. Kept me turning the pages .
10 Strange Meeting Susan Hill This is a beautifully written account of a brief relationship between two officers in the trenches of the first world war. I have recently seen 1917 and images from the film came back to me as I was reading.
11 The Murderer's Apprentice Ann Granger A cosy Victorian mystery to read while I had a cold. Nothing special but the detective and his wife were engaging and the plot moved along.

1. Three Things about Elsie - Joanna Cannon

I read Cannon's The Trouble with Goats and Sheep a couple of years ago and was fairly 'meh' about it. I've really enjoyed reading this story, however. I found it warm, funny and full of fantastic observations about growing older. I was quite emotional by the end!

13. The Bone Fire, SD Sykes

It's 1341 and the plague is back, Oswald de Lacy is taking his family to his friends remote castle where and he and some others will lock themselves away until the plague has passed. Then a murder happens, they've locked the plague out, but a murderer in.

I picked this up on a whim in the library from the new books section. Once home I realised this was actually book 4 in a series . I enjoy C J Sansom and the cover of this book claimed it was a "medieval Sansom", it wasn't as good though. A Good Reads reviewer summed it up nicely by saying it was like Agatha Christie meets Midsomer Murders. I didn't really connect with the writing style and the plot was a bit predictable. That said, I did want to keep reading to find out whodunnit.

So I have joined the 50 instead of 25 group as reading loads.
Read
The dilemma B A Paris. Was ok - nothing special

Sleep - C L Taylor. Not bad for a quicky one

The Corset - Laura Purcell. Thought this was outstanding

The silent companions -Laura Purcell. Did not like as much as The corset

The hunting party - Lucy Foley. Not as good as the hype

Then she vanishes - Claire Douglas. Not a bad read

Lies lies lies. Adele park. Pretty good

Just looked back and realised I was quite negative. Enjoyed them all but looking for a different genre now.

1. Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg
2. Under a Mackerel Sky by Rick Stein
3. Me by Elton John
4. The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

1. Wham George and Me by Andrew Ridgeley

Spurred to read this one because I enjoyed the Elton John book so much. It was an enjoyable, easy read and Andrew comes over as a genuinely good guy who was in the shadow of George. Can't say it gave huge insights into George but it was an indulgently, nostalgic read.

1. The Cider House Rules by John Irving

Wow - how did I get to this age and not read this book. Loved it. Perhaps one of the most absorbing, beautifully written, emotional novels I've ever read.

1. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Not quite in same league as Cider House Rules but an engaging and gripping read. Story of how a false accusation rips so many lives apart. Very well written with balanced characters - no one is 100% good nor bad.

Now reading Deborah Orr's Motherwell.

@OllyBJolly The Cider House Rules is just brilliant. Have you tried A Prayer for Owen Meaney and The World According to Garp by John Irving? I think they are just as good.

11. Heartstoppers Volume 3 by Alice Oseman

This is a YA graphic novel, the third in the series so far. The story is a spin-off from her novel Solitaire, and follows the growing relationship of two teenage boys, and their friends at two single-sex grammar schools. This volume mostly concerns a joint school trip to Paris; of course, it’s all about spending time together, rather than learning French (reminds me of a trip to Dieppe in 1984!). Covers some serious issues (eating disorders, homophobia) but in a fairly upbeat, YA way. There is also an adorable dog (and I’m a cat person). Well done, just depends if it’s your cup of tea.

Pepe I haven't read Tell Me How It Ends but I'll definitely be seeking it out. I love Luisella's writing.

Nicemum You're the third person in a week to praise Three Things about Elsie, so I'm taking that as a sign I should read it.

The Cider House Rules is just brilliant. Have you tried A Prayer for Owen Meaney and The World According to Garp by John Irving? I think they are just as good

I have read Own Meany and loved it too. I'll seek out The World According to Garp. Don't you think he is just brilliant at mixing the comic with the pathos? Such a storyteller.

I think I've read 4 Irvings, I was really into them at one time.

Garp Meany Fourth Hand and Until I Find You

I stopped after Until I Find You because I was really uncomfortable with the way in which sexual abuse was handled in the story.

I did really love the film of Cider House though, and I have Last Night In Twisted River somewhere