26-ish books in 2021

[MercedesDeMonteChristo]

Thought I’d kick start the new thread for this year.

I’m starting with Outlander by Diana Gabalon and reading Anna Karenina Tolstoy one chapter a day, so expect to finish September sometime - I’m on chapter 4.

Hi all. I lost my reading mojo for awhile.
No 13 Invisible Girl- Lisa Jewell. I normally enjoy her books but I didn't like this one very much. Didn't seem to have her usual twist at the end
No14 Hamnet. I read this on recommendation on from this chat. At first I didn't think I was going to enjoy it. It did take me awhile to get into, but I loved it. One of the best books I've read this year. The way the author describes the family's grief is heartbreaking.

Thanks StColumbofNavron and KobaniDaughters for your thoughts on Shakespeare. It seems like the way to do is to watch the plays be performed (since this is how they were meant to be consumed). As it's not likely I'll get the chance to do so live, I think I will get the BBC DVDs. Even though they're a bit dated now, at least it's a way to see them performed by great actors.

27. This Lovely City - Louise Hare
I had this on my wishlist as it was one of the Observer's best debut novels of 2020 (I'm trying to read debuts to help me with my dreams of writing one myself someday), and managed to pick it up for 99p the other day.

It's set in London, in the late 1940/early 50s, and follows the story of Lawrie, who has come to 'the mother country' on the Empire Windrush, and the hostility and racism he encounters as he tries to build a new life. After a few years struggling, life seems to be on the up and he's planning to propose to his sweetheart/next door neighbour, but then a gruesome discovery threatens everything.

This was an enjoyable read, with a touch of mystery and romance. The book flips between two timelines, only a couple of years apart, but it does get a little confusing at times. Pleasant but not a stand out.

28. Outlander - Diana Gabalon
The OP reminded me that I was about 70% of the way through this book last year, when I got distracted by watching the TV series and never finished it. So I decided to crack on over the weekend and clear it off my TBR pile. A fun read, with steamy sex scenes, and I will probably read the next book at some point in the future.

@livingonpurpose I think I was the OP wasn’t I? It was my first book of the year. I haven’t gone back to the others yet. I find series really tricky because like lots of us my TBR pile is huge so committing to a series is time consuming. I have a feeling that they might be a bit samey- though around deadlines I appreciate that.

That's right Navron - it was your original post that reminded me I had started and not finished the book! I'm with you on series...I have 125 unread books on my Kindle, so committing to a series is not top of my priorities right now...the only one I am willing to do that for is the Cormoran Strike books, as I've only recently read the first one and am eager to read the rest, but hoping to pick them up cheaper (excited that I got book number 4 for 99p last week - just need to nab books 2 and 3 now).

@livingonpurpose Ooh I've just got This Lovely City out of the library. Looking forward to it!

Oooh, @MargotMoon let us know what you thought of it! The plot is a little farfetched, but then if it wasn't, it probably wouldn't have made a good story, so I can live with it.

15. Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson
Read to my 7yr old DD, our second Moomins book. A bit bonkers but beautifully written.

This one was a present to her from my cousin at Christmas who asked what she would like. I replied by FB messenger that she had recently discovered the Moomins and would love any of their books but autocorrect changed this to Mormons!! Luckily my cousin checked and didn’t tell the whole family that my 7yr old had converted to Mormonism...

@livingonpurpose - I’m one of the people who was talking about Shakespeare up thread. Am an English teacher with an MA in Shakespeare. As others have said, reading Shakespeare is hard and you picked a particular toughie with Lear! Watching productions and then reading after or watching an act and then reading it would make all the difference.
There are some wonderful film adaptations which are true to the original text and better than the BBC versions in my opinion. Try some of these:
Much Ado About Nothing with Emma Thomson, Kenneth Branagh and Denzel Washington
Othello with Lawrence Fishburn
The Tempest with Helen Mirren
A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Michelle Pfeiffer and Kevin Kline.

Book 11, Death in Avignon by Serena Kent, pot boiler mystery but a fun read.

Thanks Chickoletta - I have already ordered the BBC DVDs, but I will note those other versions you recommend and will watch them before/as I read those particular plays.

29. Love After Love - Ingrid Persaud
I wanted to read this as part of my research of debut novels, and this was the winner of the Costa First Novel Award last year. I loved this book! Definitely one of my top favourites so far this year.

The story is set in Trinidad and revolves around Miss Betty and her colleague-cum-lodger-cum-friend Mr Chetan. Each of them carries a secret and when Miss Betty's son, Solo, overhears them discussing their secrets one night it causes a huge rift that they struggle to overcome.

Such a wonderful book about friendship, love, and finding your place in life. It also shares some wonderful descriptions of Trinidadian food which sounded wonderful! Highly recommended.

30. The Salt Path - Raynor Winn
I know I'm late to the party here, but despite the hype this book has never interested me. But then two friends were raving about it, and it came up as available to borrow on my library audiobooks app, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Wish I'd not bothered though, as I thought it was dull, quite depressing and I didn't take to the writer or her husband at all. The person reading for the audiobook also annoyed me! So all round a non-enjoyable book for me. I had actually picked up her second book for 99p on a recent Kindle daily deal offer, but I returned it for a refund as I can't bear to waste any more time on this story! Far too many other books I'd rather be reading.

1. Outlander, Diana Gabaldon
2. Diary of a Provincial Lady, E M Delafield
3. The Duke & I, Julia Quinn
4. Pachinko, Min Jin Lee
5. Us, David Nicholls
6. The Autumn of the Ace, Louis de Bernieres
7. Migrant City: A New History of London, Panikos Panayi
8. Frenchman’s Creek, Daphne du Maurier
9. The Outsider, Albert Camus

10. The Battle of Green Lanes, Cosh Omar 11. Malamander, Thomas Taylor 12. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens 13. The Interest, Michael Taylor 14. Twenty Years After, Alexandre Dumas 15. The Disappearance of Emile Zola: Love, Literature and the Dreyfus Case, Michael Rosen 16. Gargantis, Thomas Taylor 17. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Marina Lewycka 18. The Uses and Abuses of History, Margaret Macmillan 19. The Wrong Side of the Table, Ayser Salman 20. Stoner, John Williams 21. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room, Lemony Snicket 22. The Disappearance of Lydia Harvey, Julia Laite 23. A Series of Unfortunate Events #4: The Wide Window, Lemony Snicket 24. The Alienist, Caleb Carr 25. Mixed/Other, Natalie Morris 26. The Viscount Who Loved Me, Julia Quinn

Every bit as silly and ridiculous and anachronistic as the first Bridgerton book but I was already predisposed to the main male character from his duelling in the first book and I spent at least 70% of this book with a massive smile on my face. It is what it says on the tin - historical romance. Fun and light to pass the time when I’m busy with other things. After the first book I thought I would read the rest but in no rush, but this one made me want to read the next one, though I will deliberately not just yet I think.

A couple of books from the shortlist for The Women's Prize:

33. Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller

I must admit that I hadn't really taken in this book from the longlist until it was on the shortlist! I really loved Our Endless Numbered Days by the same author (I know it's one that gets mixed reviews) and Unsettled Ground has turned out to be a standout of the year so far for me. It follows what happens to isolated 50-something twins in the aftermath of their mother's death as the foundations of everything they've been led to believe comes tumbling down. The characterisation was one thing that really stood out, and felt myself feeling both pity and frustration by turns. Definitely recommend this one.

34. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Would also highly recommend, although Unsettled Ground edges it for me at the moment. This was really an exploration of identity covering race, gender, sexuality and class as well as the depth of complex family relationships. If anything, it almost felt like it packed too much in, but yet these are very real issues that I am aware affect people all at the same time, so perhaps that criticism is unfair!

@livingonpurpose I have Love After Love on my Kindle tbr pile. I might bump it up after your review (although I have so many on there competing to be read!)

19. The Mozart Conspiracy - Scott Mariani
I honestly don't know why I went to the effort of finishing this. I just didn't enjoy it. Apparently Mozart was murdered because The Magic Flute was full of Masonic propaganda. This was the interesting part of the book. Less interesting was all the unnecessary guns and violence.
Anyway I'm not keeping the other two books I have by the same author, they can go back to my dad. Onwards and upwards.

1. Outlander, Diana Gabaldon
2. Diary of a Provincial Lady, E M Delafield
3. The Duke & I, Julia Quinn
4. Pachinko, Min Jin Lee
5. Us, David Nicholls
6. The Autumn of the Ace, Louis de Bernieres
7. Migrant City: A New History of London, Panikos Panayi
8. Frenchman’s Creek, Daphne du Maurier
9. The Outsider, Albert Camus

10. The Battle of Green Lanes, Cosh Omar 11. Malamander, Thomas Taylor 12. Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens 13. The Interest, Michael Taylor 14. Twenty Years After, Alexandre Dumas 15. The Disappearance of Emile Zola: Love, Literature and the Dreyfus Case, Michael Rosen 16. Gargantis, Thomas Taylor 17. A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Marina Lewycka 18. The Uses and Abuses of History, Margaret Macmillan 19. The Wrong Side of the Table, Ayser Salman 20. Stoner, John Williams 21. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Reptile Room, Lemony Snicket 22. The Disappearance of Lydia Harvey, Julia Laite 23. A Series of Unfortunate Events #4: The Wide Window, Lemony Snicket 24. The Alienist, Caleb Carr 25. Mixed/Other, Natalie Morris 26. The Viscount Who Loved Me, Julia Quinn 27. A Series of Unfortunate Events #4: The Miserable Mill, Lemony Snicket

DS continues to enjoy these. I continue to like the clever storytelling and references to other books - this one contains asides to Orwell and 1984.

Well, that is intriguing!

Hmmmm!

31. Nightingale Point - Luan Goldie
Another debut, and one that was long listed for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2020, the story focuses on five different characters who live in a rundown high-rise block of flats in London. They are each dealing with their own secrets and issues and trying to get by, when one day something devastating happens that changes all of their lives forever.

I thought this was well written and it was easy to connect with each of the characters quickly, as the chapters are short and each one is told from the perspective of one of the five characters, while keeping the story moving forward. The plot gripped me and ended up reading until 1.30am as I wanted to find out what was going to happen! Very enjoyable.

Oooh! Did anyone see the deleted post? Surely this is the most polite and uncontroversial thread on MN...?!

The same poster had another deleted comment on another thread in What We’re Reading. Perhaps they just accidentally posted in the wrong place - twice.

Ooh... deleted posts on the least controversial post ever! We don’t even get riled up if people don’t like the books we do!

Updates from me:

35. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Renni Eddo-Lodge

I’m very late to the party on this book. And in part that is because I’m lucky to have come across some wonderfully eloquent people of colour who have been happy to talk to me about race and anti-racism which has been enormously helpful for me as a white person. This is a good book, and an important book. Her arguments are - of course - correct. But... This is possibly controversial, but I just felt the writing didn’t always do the arguments justice. Some of the examples felt weak or under explained, and others overworked. Don’t get me wrong. It’s good, but just not as good as I was expecting.

36. Between by Sarah Ockwell-Smith

This is a parenting book aimed at the parents of 8-13 year olds (so called “tweens”). Like every other Ockwell-Smith book I’ve read, it was leant to me by a friend and like every other one of her books it was largely full of simple common sense. I find the author difficult because I can’t help but imagine her as just a bit smug - dishing out all this basic parenting advice and raking in the money from her many, formulaic books - yet I can not disagree with a lot of what she says as it is so basic and straightforward. When I read her books I’m left with a sense of “well that was obvious” for much of it and the rest is divided between “if only it were that simple in reality” and “that doesn’t apply for our circumstance”. Which I suppose, is most parenting books, which makes me question why people buy them (and why I ever bother to read them! Perhaps, like many people, I’m hoping for some kind of eureka break through that I haven’t already thought of.) (Dsiclaimer: I definitely skimmed much of this!)

I managed to finish book 4 a few days ago, Becoming Belle by Nuala O’Connor. It was an interesting book, based on real people/events, but the blurb didn’t really describe what happened very well. Like I said though, still an interesting read.
Number five is Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery of Anne of Green Gables fame. I’ve read most of the Anne books. It’s the first in a trilogy, I actually read the second one a few years ago when I was sent it through a book subscription service. So I got books 1 and 3 at Christmas.

Same poster had a comment deleted on the other friendliest thread on MN - the what vegans ate today thread!!

@toffee1000 I directed the audio book of Becoming Belle!

18. Animal Farm - George Orwell

Have read a few times but this time I read it to DS, who had just finished reading Lord of the Flies to himself and it was really cool discussing with him all the similarities