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.

StColumboofNavron A Gentleman is a very very wonderful book.
Can’t imagine anyone disliking it!

@StColumbofNavron - I totally agree about David Nicholls. I read One Day when everyone was raving about it and thought it mediocre at best. I didn’t like it care about any of the characters and the writing had no spark at all to save it. He and Sally Rooney are in the same boat as far as I’m concerned - totally overrated.

Can I join please I’m on book 3

1. Thursday Murder Club. Got a bit tiresome towards the end

1. Mexican Gothic - was ok

1. The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell (about to start it)

1. Olive Ketteridge by Elizabeth Strout

I can’t work out my feelings about this book. I enjoyed the sense of place and time and relationships and community but would almost have preferred it to have continued exploring the various characters without the latter quarter focusing so hard on Olive. I loved the intertwining and it felt a little “under milkwood” at times but was also ready for it to be over. Have to say I tend to prefer books that win the Booker than those that win the Pulitzer

Hi everyone just found and read this thread! Have got lots of recommendations added to my wish list so thank you 😌

For the people talking about the Stephen Fry Greek myth books - they're fantastic aren't they?! Some parts made me laugh out loud.

I alternate a fiction with a non fiction book. So far this year I have read

1. Narconomics by Tom Wainwright about how to run a drug cartel (!)
2. Deliver Me by Karen Cole - this was alright but the ending was disappointing
3. This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay - loved this!

1. I have just started Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. I'm about a quarter through abc it's good so far. I've never read anything if hers before.

I'm also struggling through Wuthering Heights in audiobook having tried to read it several times in the past. To say it's a classic I'm not really too keen but I feel as though I "should" read it!

Welcome welcome.

Personally, I love Wuthering Heights because the prose is just so incredible. I also far prefer unlikeable, difficult characters. If you read around MN though you will find many (so many) who don’t like it at all - abusive relationships, everyone is horrible etc.

Have you thought about reading it one chapter at a time? Last year I reread in small chunks which was really effective, even though I appreciate it anyway.

That said, if you’ve tried before and you don’t like it, then no need to make it happen just because it appears on some lists if you see what I mean.

Hi there,

I’m up for joining in if I am welcome. I like to read a number of books at once. The Book of the City of Ladies os one I bought years ago and have finally started. My library has just reopened so I got a bunch of chick-lit books. I asked for romance and was given Mills and Boon books . I had to take them back and rephrase my request.

Welcome!

Book 3 was The Provincial Lady as recommended here. I found it just ok and found it a bit slow to read, mostly because I didn't love it and I had to keep translating the French parts . I have the 5 books from the set and may or may not read the rest....

I've just started Book 4 Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. I'm very late to the game with this author, but looking forward to getting into this book.

Just finished book 3, The Puppet Boy of Warsaw by Eva Weaver. It's set in the Warsaw ghetto and tells the story of a Jewish boy living there and a German soldier and then of their families after the war. I would recommend it especially to anyone who enjoyed the Book Thief.

rc22 I loved the Book Thief so might look up your book.

I’m still trawling through Circe. I’m halfway through now so will probably finish it. I’m just not overly enjoying it.

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

Final instalment in a trilogy that takes place across 80 years of British history and both world wars, colonialism, love and loss.

The trilogy as a whole is not as good as LdB’s other work, but still significantly better that most other things I have ever read.

This last book was, I think, my favourite of the trilogy. There were lots of little references to other books that he has written, not just the trilogy. Essentially, this was a book about the Autumn of life and I loved it, I cried in parts and smiled knowingly to myself in others. The only thing missing was some humour, usually there is some real laugh out loud moments and they were missing.

I took to reading it quite slowly today because I didn’t want it to end. I read some fab books last year but this is the only one for a while where I have consciously slowed down to make it last longer.

I’ve got four books on the go so I’m sure I’ll be back with some updates.

I’m actually a bit bereft and I don’t think I’ll read anymore today.

@rc22 I’ve just realised that Eva weaver is the same Eva weaver that we work with on creativity and relationships - I must check her books out! I didn’t realise she was published.

1. Becoming, Michelle Obama

Late to the party on this one, but boy is it inspiring. It’s beautifully written and well crafted and gives you a real insight into this mega couple from humble beginnings all through the journey to and into the White House. We are half way through reading it aloud when baby finally gets to sleep.

I’ve got Becoming on Audible but am ploughing through a Great Lectures series atm. I am late to every new release/talked about book always.

My work laptop has updated and now won't let me access the on-train wifi on my way to and from work anymore. This means I now have two hours and twenty minutes every day for reading! Consequently, until I get this fixed, I'm on a bit of a roll:

4. The Warehouse - Rob Hart
This is set in the near future where everyone works for Amazon a company called The Cloud. If you work for them you also live in one of their facilities, a MotherCloud. This was good. Close enough to being a possible future for us all it was a bit scary. But the ending was disappointing.
5. Nine Perfect Strangers - Liane Moriarty
I liked this, good premise and entertaining characters. I won't say much else yet as I noticed someone else on the thread is reading this.
6. The Silent Companions - Laura Purcell
This was fab. Gothic horror set in a Victorian Manor House. Complete with an anxious, newly widowed protagonist, some creepy servants, disagreeable villagers and many things going bump in the night. Sat around and ignored DP for two hours finishing this one evening!

@StColumbofNavron I'm only a few chapters in to The Gentleman of Moscow but I don't think you've got anything to worry about; it's lovely!

3: Pied Piper - Neville Shute

Howard takes a fishing trip to France in 1940 and attempts to return with a motley collection of children that he encounters on the way. A truly delightful and endearing story of human compassion.

I think he is a bit out of favour but I always enjoy a Neville Shute.

@Kobanidaughters I wasn’t sure what to make of Olive Kitteridge either.

I'm a bit late to the party, but joining in! I've joined this thread in previous years but a) have name changed and b) always seem to tale off with my contributions! I do tend to do much more reading in the first couple of months of the year than later in the year, so that may explain why. I've got stuck in a bit of a rut lately with reading similar, formulaic psychological thrillers and crime novels. They're not high fiction but they're easy to read and I do like trying to guess the twist!

My list so far:
1. Just My Luck - Adele Parks
See above comment about formulaic thrillers! I've read lots of Parks over the years and although this one kept me turning the pages, I wasn't very impressed. I didn't like any of the characters and it felt too contrived. Shame, because the premise had a lot of promise.

2. The Prison Doctor - Amanda Brown
I read this on the recommendation of several work colleagues. It was good, but for me it lacked depth. I'm interested in people and their stories, and the nature of working in prisons as a doctor means you often don't get to uncover that much detail about the people you care for. So it felt a little flat and unsatisfying.

3. The Doctor Will See You Now - Amir Khan
Honestly, I find this doctor cheesy and annoying when I've seen him in the media and on GPs Behind Closed Doors. But the book has much of what was missing from Prison Doctor in terms of human interest.

4. The Other Passenger - Lousie Candlish
Already mentioned upthread. I had missed feeling on this one. It was really slow to start and much of the beginning was... so obvious what was hapening (don't want to give spoilers). But the twist itself had some believability (as much as these things can), unlike a lot of these types of books. I really liked Our House by this author, but struggled with Those People

5. The Babysitter - Phoebe Morgan
This one as been sitting unread on my Kindle for ages. Another thriller centred around a murdered woman and a missing baby. I did work out who-dunnit, but didn't see the additional twist until very shortly before it happened and this one did keep me turning the pages.

Nice to see so much Maggie O'Farell love on this thread as she had long been one of my favourites - The Distance Between Us was the first one of hers that I read after picking it up under Waterloo Bridge (the 2nd hand book stall). Strangely Hamnet hasn't really appealed so far, but I might have to get it on the back of so many positive reviews!

@TheAnswerIsCake I totally agree with your summary of The Prison Doctor in that it lacked depth but was nevertheless interesting.

TheAnswerIsCake welcome and I was interested to see what you’ve written about Maggie O’Farrell.

I loved Hamnett but a friend who is a long time fan of MoF really didn’t rate H compared to her other books. She said it was very different to her others.

I’ve nearly finished Circe now but I’ve decided I’m not goi g to start a book unless I really like the look of it. I know this sounds obvious! It’s more about my book group’s choices and feeling obliged.
2021 is the Year of No Obligation........if only.

@TheAnswerIsCake firstly, I concur, cake is very much the answer. Secondly, welcome. Thirdly, after a 5 book January start I have now slowed. It’s inevitable I think.

I’ve got Anna Karenina still ongoing - at one ch per day estimated finish is September, but I am loving reading it this way.

Frenchman’s Creek is book club and we read a few chapters at a time, so another week or two.

Started Twenty Years After and it’s nowhere near as good as The Three Musketeers but I’m managing a chapter or two before sleep as it’s my Kindle read.

A non-fic about migration that I’m hoping to finish tomorrow. Two more chapters.

I finally finished Winter Solstice. It was a nice gentle book but not much going on it.

1. Shards of Honour - Lois McMaster Bujold
2. Winter Solstice - Rosamunde Pilcher

Only 2 this month but that’s an achievement for me.

I’m not sure what to read next.
I have the first Bridgerton book that I might whizz through, or take my time with TenThousands Doors of January. Decisions...decisions....

@TheAnswerIsCake welcome!
@HoundOfTheBasketballs I’m so jealous of your dedicated commuting-reading time, what luxury! Hope your laptop stays broken for a while
@StColumbofNavron I hope you enjoy Frenchman’s Creek, it’s my favourite Du Maurier

After all the discussion of Maggie O’Farrell I decided to see what was available on Libby and Hamnet isn't but I borrowed What to do During a Heatwave as an audiobook and joy it is narrated by one of my favourite narrators to work with so I’m loving it

Just finished #5 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer and oh my god I LOVED this book and everything about it - I loved how he played with form and structure and time but did it so clearly I never felt lost, I fell for every single character and I cried a millions times. I feel quite heartbroken to have finished it.

I actually have Everything is Illuminated so thinking of moving onto that next

@InterstellarDrifter the Bridgerton one, I thought, did what I needed it to. Fluffy, easy and a bit of fun.

I've just finished my fourth. The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters. Non-fiction and I've been reading alongside the other books I've read so far this year. It's a good book with helpful information on dealing with stress, building healthy relationships and developing confidence.