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50 Book Challenge 2021 Part Three

999 replies

southeastdweller · 31/01/2021 13:45

Welcome to the third thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2021, 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. Could everyone embolden their titles and/or authors as well, please, as it makes the books talked about easier to track?

The first thread of the year is here and the second one here.

OP posts:
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5
StitchesInTime · 13/02/2021 13:43

6. Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey

7. The Pandora Room by Christopher Golden

The premise here is that a team of archaeologists excavating an abandoned underground city have discovered a secret room containing Pandora’s jar.
Initially everyone’s very excited at their discovery, but before long lots of nasty things start happening as evil stuff begins to seep out of the jar.
I wasn’t all that keen on it, but that’s maybe more down to my mood than the book.

8. Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey

Dragonsong and Dragonsinger were both rereads, part of McCaffrey’s Pern novels.

These two follow the story of Menolly, who’s about 15.

In the first book, she’s having a hard time at home. She loves music more than anything, but her parents believe that allowing a girl to play and compose music will disgrace their hold. It all culminates in Menolly running away from home and accidentally impressing 9 fire lizards.

In the second book, Menolly has just joined the Harper Hall as an apprentice - the only girl one - and is adjusting to life there.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these. They’re more on the YA side of things, but a comforting reread of books where I know everything will turn out well in the end was just what I needed at the minute.
I’ve been finding it very hard to settle to new books for the last few weeks.

BestIsWest · 13/02/2021 13:44

@Palegreenstars hope you enjoy it!

mackerella · 13/02/2021 14:07

Ooh, cheese scones - now you're talking! I agree that they are superior to sweet ones, no matter which kind of jam/cream/butter combo you choose.

I've just had a notification that my library will be switching from RB Digital to Libby later this month. Do any of you have experience of this? We'll still be able to use Borrowbox, I think. I've heard generally positive things about Libby, but a friend has just sent me this rather depressing article about library funding, which is making me wonder if I should just order print books from them instead Confused.

MamaNewtNewt · 13/02/2021 14:16

14. Tommyknockers by Stephen King

Bobbi Anderson stumbles over a metal object in a wood and starts digging to see what she has found - I don't think it's a spoiler to say nothing good. However this is primarily a book about addiction how it changes people, both literally (I'm sure those of you who are Constant Readers will be unsurprised to know that the hero of the piece (kinda) Gard (Jim Gardener) is an alcoholic poet) and metaphorically with Bobbi and the town of Haven. Apart from the kids David and Hilly Brown (and Gard in a way, he's damaged but not truly broken) there's no one that likeable, although we don't really get to see many people pre-change, plus the story is rambling and not enough happens, apart from digging, for a lot of the book. The book is very bloated, I know King was struggling with his own addictions at the time and it really shows on the page unfortunately.

I've mentioned in previous reviews that my reread of Stephen King's books in order has made me reappraise quite a few of his books. I was never really keen on Tommyknockers and this reread has not changed my mind, in fact I like it even less and downgraded my rating from a 3 to a 2 on Goodreads but the more I think about it the more I think I might have been over generous.

I'm also still plodding through A Suitable Boy I feel like I've been reading it for weeks and am only 30% through. I can't decide if I'm enjoying it or not. There are sections that I become fully immersed in and others where I wonder why I'm hearing so much about such a boring topic / person. It's just so sprawling with so many characters, is it worth sticking with it?

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 13/02/2021 14:20

The only tea anyone with taste drinks is Yorkshire obviously

TimeforaGandT · 13/02/2021 14:25

Butter is all wrong if you’re having cream....

I read A Suitable Boy last year and I think it’s worth sticking with as I found all the diversions and background contributed to the main plot lines. I struggled most with the politics as I knew/know nothing about Indian politics. But life’s too short if you’re it enjoying it!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 13/02/2021 14:46

Tommyknockers is definitely one of King's worst. I'd probably put it with Needful Things, Dreamcatcher, Dolores C and Revival as his most terrible.

MegBusset · 13/02/2021 15:08
  1. A Change Of Climate - Hilary Mantel A rather bleak tale of a Norfolk couple whose family life is overshadowed by the violence they experienced as young missionaries in South Africa. Being by Mantel of course the writing is exquisite but it lacks the redeeming black humour of Beyond Black and I just found it a bit depressing.
bettbattenburg · 13/02/2021 15:16

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit

The only tea anyone with taste drinks is Yorkshire obviously
The only tea anyone without taste drinks is Yorkshire obviously.

Fixed it for you Eine

Tea must be teapigs Chai and this colour, at least when out of a tea bag.

I fancy cheese scones now. They have to be hot of course.

50 Book Challenge 2021 Part Three
Terpsichore · 13/02/2021 15:27

21: The Law of Innocence - Michael Connelly

Bit of a guilty pleasure, this - Mickey Haller is the flamboyant Lincoln Lawyer, one of Connelly's expanding cast of satellite characters revolving around Harry Bosch (and revealed to be Bosch's half-brother a few books back). Here the grand-standing Haller finds himself both defendant and counsel when he's hauled up on a murder charge of which he is, of course, innocent. But can he wriggle out of what seems to be the perfect frame-up?

This feels very contemporary, with Covid creeping into the narrative, and the legal/courtroom details sound impressively authentic. I've no idea whether they really are, but they convinced me. A good page-turner for Connelly fans.

WednesdayalltheWay · 13/02/2021 15:51

5. The L shaped room by Lynne Reid Banks
Recommended on this thread be no doubt extensively reviewed previously. The plot gripped me but I found it somewhat unconvincing and also dated, some of the language was totally cringey.

BookShark · 13/02/2021 15:59

I've given up on A Suitable Boy twice. I just really struggled to get into it both times - I need to go on a long haul flight so I've got uninterrupted reading time, and then I might crack it. Not that I'll be doing that for a while...

That and Ulysses are the only books which have really defeated me. One day I'll manage them - I did War and Peace so it must be possible!

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 13/02/2021 16:02

I made some brilliant feta and olive scones in lockdown one. Wish I'd got a batch of them now, but cba to make any.

LadybirdDaphne · 13/02/2021 16:20

I’ll have a cheese scone and a soya latte please. Because I’m a contradictory sod who likes dairy outside of hot drinks, but not in them.

eitak22 · 13/02/2021 16:43

I'm a strong tea and dash of milk. Tea first if making just amug or milk first if it's a teapot.

Scone (rhyme with gone so the joke works), jam then cream as don't understand how you spread jam on top of cream and a dollop seems weird.

Still ploughing through book 4, thankfully half term should help with that!

Changeispossible · 13/02/2021 17:07

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

Feta & olive scones sound savage! I’ll be making those.

My scones never rise well even though I do exactly as the recipe says ... any tips on getting them to rise?

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 13/02/2021 17:41

Mine rose a bit but I essentially just made it up as I went along, and can't actually remember what I did. I mashed some feta, chopped some olives and red pepper and folded it into a basic scone mixture. Can't remember if I also put red onion in.

SapatSea · 13/02/2021 19:05

Thanks @DesdamonasHandkerchief and @BadSpellaSpellaSpella will line The Betrayal up on my Kindle.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 13/02/2021 19:38

That brew looks awful betts whereas Yorkshire Tea is by appointment to the Royals. If anyone gets to say what a proper British brew is its HMQ - soz Grin

bettbattenburg · 13/02/2021 19:45

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit

That brew looks awful betts whereas Yorkshire Tea is by appointment to the Royals. If anyone gets to say what a proper British brew is its HMQ - soz Grin
Grin

It's a good job I'm not British then Eine

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 13/02/2021 19:47

Lol Neither Am I Fully (Dual Citizen) Grin

YolandiFuckinVisser · 13/02/2021 19:49
  1. Lolita - Vladimir Nabakov
This one took me a while to get through. Hideous subject matter but so beautifully written, loved the narrative style and playful language. Well drawn characters and evocative descriptions of location as well as the emotions of the narrator. I know it's a classic and I have read it before, but will probably be a long time before I read it again.
EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 13/02/2021 19:50

Really struggled with Lolita last year due to content

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 13/02/2021 19:53

The first third or so of Lolita is simply stunning.

FortunaMajor · 13/02/2021 20:16

All this talk of scones has got me looking up recipes. I've never bothered to make them as I've always been reminded of the scones my mum used to make. More of a rock bun than a scone that you could have robbed a jewellers with.

  1. Away With the Penguins - Hazel Prior An elderly lady takes herself off to Antarctica after seeing a programme about penguins and foists herself on a research station. She was disappointed after the discovery of a long lost grandson who didn't live up to her hopes. Insert endearing ending.

This was entertaining enough to read, but ridiculously twee. It was a bookclub choice that I wouldn't have touched with a bargepole otherwise. I won't be racing off to read more by the same author. Too schmaltzy for my liking.

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