26-ish books in 2022

[StColumbofNavron]

Roll up, roll up ...

Shiny new thread for 2022.

I am setting my target at 25 this year.

I want to read at least a min of 5 in hardcopy and at least 4 non-fiction.

@TheAnswerIsCake

The programme is with Sara Cox isn’t it? I’ve watched it a couple of times… I read
Fleishman Is in Trouble off the back of it. ( which I enjoyed but didn’t rate quite as highly as their guest did). There is also a pretty good book programme with Andi Oliver ( maybe Sky Arts?) - I know I sound completely useless but I just stumble across these programmes. I will report back about Frequency of Us but it’s not taxing so far which is what I wanted.

To the PP concerned about Shuggie Bain I would say there is a reason that it won the Booker… and as a debut novel too. I have been put off books before because of sad or distressing elements then absolutely loved them. Norwegian Wood is an example. I also dithered about The Handmaids Tale and 1984 and all three of those would make my top 10. I think time will tell of SB will make my top 10 also - so far I’m still thinking about the characters and looking forward to his new novel.

5. Rules of Civility - Amor Towles
This is the debut novel by the author of A Gentleman in Moscow, which I read last year and enjoyed, and was mentioned a lot on the best reads of 2021 thread, so I thought I'd move it up my TBR list.

After recognising a familiar face in a image from a photography exhibition, Katey recalls the trials and tribulations of a year from her past. I am a big fan of historical fiction and I loved the setting of this book - late 1930s New York City - which was an era I don't think I've ever read about before. As with A Gentleman, the writing was wonderful and to me this book felt the easier to read of the two.

1. The House at Old Vine by Norah Lofts
2. The House at Sunset by Norah Lofts
3. Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of '80s and '90s Teen Fiction by Gabrielle Moss

4. The Girl with the Louding Voice by Adi Dare A fantastic story about a girl in Nigeria who wants to be educated and find her voice, and her struggle to be heard. It is written in her own voice, which to start with can be difficult to understand but I love how her language changes as things change for her, very cleverly done.

1. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L.Sayers

Finished my first one and I really enjoyed it. It was the perfect after Christmas read, with a glass of Stones ginger wine and Al Bowlly on Alexa. It is a wonderful portrayal of an Oxford woman's college in the mid 1930's and concentrates more on Harriet Vane than Peter Wimsey. There are lot's of classical references which I had to look up, so I haven't been able to totally abandon my phone but the eye strain is noticeably better already and concentration too.

I'll be ploughing through the books that I have had hanging around for years first and keeping note of recommendations in the thread for later on. I'll also have to look on Prime. A Gentleman in Moscow has gone on it already, it looks like it is being made into a series with Kenneth Branagh.

Second book is The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter.

@Fridafever I’ve got Other Minds on the shelf ready to read too. I read The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery last year and then watched My Octopus Teacher on Netflix. I was totally blown away, what a fascinating subject.

@MaggieCassidy I’m about half way through Other Minds - it’s absolutely fantastic, really compelling. I keep foisting facts from it on my family and colleagues 😂

1. Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro

Finished this yesterday on Audio. I think this is a grower for me. My thoughts on finishing were that I enjoyed it up until about half way then it seemed to flatten out a bit and didn't go where I wanted it to go. It was generally quite meloncholy but I didn't mind that. Since yesterday I keep revisiting my thoughts and am coming round to the fact that I liked it a lot more than I initially thought but for different reasons. Thought provoking. 7/10

I too thought Shuggie Bain, All the light we cannot see and Piranesi were outstanding books. I have a Gentleman in Moscow on my list so glad to see it gets a big thumbs up here. Ditto American Dirt.

Currently reading Wintering and Salt Path (both non fiction) but not sure what my next fiction will be but probably something a bit more upbeat.

[quote Divebar2021]**@TheAnswerIsCake

The programme is with Sara Cox isn’t it? I’ve watched it a couple of times… I read
Fleishman Is in Trouble off the back of it. ( which I enjoyed but didn’t rate quite as highly as their guest did). There is also a pretty good book programme with Andi Oliver ( maybe Sky Arts?) - I know I sound completely useless but I just stumble across these programmes. I will report back about Frequency of Us but it’s not taxing so far which is what I wanted.

To the PP concerned about Shuggie Bain I would say there is a reason that it won the Booker… and as a debut novel too. I have been put off books before because of sad or distressing elements then absolutely loved them. Norwegian Wood is an example. I also dithered about The Handmaids Tale and 1984 and all three of those would make my top 10. I think time will tell of SB will make my top 10 also - so far I’m still thinking about the characters and looking forward to his new novel.[/quote]
That's a good point, The Handmaid's Tale and The Kite Runner would probably be in my top ten and they are pretty darn miserable!

1. The Couple at No.9 - Claire Douglas

Saffy and Tom, a young married couple expecting their first child move into a cottage owned by Saffys Gran. In the process of having their garden dug out as part of their extension the builders find two bodies.

The book then follows the investigation into who the victims are and what happened.

Great first book to get me into reading again, it had such a big twist that I didn't see coming. Really really enjoyed it. I had it on my kindle and then downloaded the Kindle app on my phone so I could read it out and about if I didn't have my Kindle with me. Highly recommend.

That sounds like an intriguing read @AColdDuncanGoodhew (great name!).

I've just finished

1. Wintering Katherine May

A poignant and personal look at the quiet, introspective times that come to most of us to one degree or another. Beautifully written and not without humour, I wanted it to go on and on. I rarely want to start a book over straight away but with this one I do.

As luck would have it, it's being read on Radio 4 starting Mon 24th Jan over the course of that week, in the afternoons but will be available to listen to on catch up. There is also a podcast called The Wintering Sessions so I will be giving that a go.

Will definitely be seeking out more of her writing.

1. The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett
2. Piranesi by Susannah Clarke
3. The Red House by AA Milne

4. Other Minds: the Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith This was a fascinating book and I loved most of it. There was lots that was more to me and it’s made me want to read more about the subject. My only criticism is that it left me feeling it hadn’t really answered the questions it raised at the start of the book. It’s such a scratching of the surface really in terms of tue subject matter. Would still recommend though!

I’ve just started my fifth book - Foe by Iain Reid. Don’t know anything about this book really other than I loved his other novel (I’m thinking of ending things) so wanted to give this a go.

1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Felt a bit let down by this book, after hearing of so many good reviews.
It was ok. Diverting and an easy read but, for me, nothing special.
I also thought that the black characters were somewhat stereotyped.

Mention of Crawdads always makes me want to go off on a massive rant, but I think I have already ranted about here, so I will spare you.

Not a Fan.

1. The Hoarder by Jess Kidd Really enjoyed this.

A mystery story with dark humour and added saints.

@BaconAndAvocado

1. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Felt a bit let down by this book, after hearing of so many good reviews.
It was ok. Diverting and an easy read but, for me, nothing special.
I also thought that the black characters were somewhat stereotyped.

Felt exactly the same about Crawdads.

2. I See You - Patricia MacDonald

This follows the story of Hannah, Adam and Sydney who are living with new identities in a new town.

They're unexpectedly thrown into the spotlight and danger from someone in their past.

Literally finished this five minutes ago, another great read for me, uncomfortable at points to read re: abuse but gripping all the same 5/5

I did not like Crawdads either.

No I found it disappointing after a wonderful start

StColumbofNavron
I wasn't party to your Crawdads rant!
Please spill.

Now I'm intrigued by Crawdads!

@StColumbofNavron

Mention of Crawdads always makes me want to go off on a massive rant, but I think I have already ranted about here, so I will spare you.

Not a Fan.

Your rant is why I have never bothered to read it!

@BaconAndAvocado I cannot remember if it was here or on another thread - there was definitely an actual Crawdads thread.

Anyway, generously it suffered from overhyping. Overwritten generally - in spite of all those descriptive passages I could not for the life of me envisage any of it and I read am someone who is a very visual reader even with no description at all. Overwritten bonkers plot but trying to be taken seriously. I don’t mind daft plots, but you can’t be all serious about it. I just thought it was generally a 99p trashy novel, or 3pm channel 5 made for TV film, again, fine if that’s what I thought I was getting. The single and only thing I got from it and the reason it got 2 stars instead of 1 is that the court scene reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird leading to a reread. (That and it didn’t feel fair to lump it with Us by David Nichols). If I had had a physical copy I would have felt compelled to lob it out of the window at the very very final reveal and unecessary extra shit with the non plot related reveal.

I didn’t realise there was so much hate for Crawdads… I didn’t read it I listened on audiobook and was pretty engaged with it. I’m not usually very tolerant of “trashy” novels either- I thought Girl on a Train was a steaming pile of shite and couldn’t work out for the life of me why it was so popular. I’m reading something now that I don’t think is that great but it’s for my book club so I need to be a bit careful in my review in case the “nominator” really loves it. I loved Burial Rites ( can’t remember the author) which was my choice but a couple found that a hard read - I think more for the subject matter than the writing. Ultimately we all connect with novels in a different way depending on our tastes and life experiences.

I think trashy is absolutely fine. I love some
trash. I think this was billed as or the impression I got was that it was more than that. I think it’s marmite. Those who love it love it. I’m a Louis de Bernieres fan, die hard fan and so many people absolutely dislike his work.

I ended up speed reading through the second half of Crawdads in case it got better but it didn't. It was by far the worst book I read last year and I took it straight to the charity shop. Completely unbelievable, the murder plot line added nothing to it, the characters were stereotyped and not developed properly, in fact the story of the main character was so far-fetched as to be laughable, the poetry added nothing and the ending was so, so bad. But, lots of people love it and it wouldn't do if we all liked the same thing. It will be interesting to see what the film version is like.