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50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Two

999 replies

Southeastdweller · 17/01/2023 22:41

Welcome to the second thread of the 50 Books Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2023, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, it’s not too late to join, 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?

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kateandme · 31/01/2023 03:17

Stokey · 30/01/2023 19:03

@kateandme sorry I didn't mean it as a dig, more an observation. I think I class them as YA as DD & co are into them but think they're marketed towards a slightly older demographic (probably 20s). Dd was rolling her eyes at her friends flicking to the sex scenes which made me think of Jilly Cooper.

@Wafflefudge I read Frieda - the real Lady Chatterley by Annabel Abbs last year about his wife - it was really interesting. Lots of crazy 30s Berlin free love and psychology. It did make me think I should reread the original as think I read it when I was a teenager.

  1. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont - Elizabeth Taylor. I hadn't read anything by her before and I think someone on here recommended this. It's very well observed. Mrs Palfrey is an elderly lady in the 60s who moves into the Claremont Hotel - basically a guest house - where she lives with a few other elderly residents. The characters are beautifully drawn and it is quite poignant about becoming old. At one stage Mrs P speaks about being younger and wanting to be free from worrying about children and ageing parents and money, but now "I realise that that's the only way of being free - to be not needed." Also great descriptions of London. I'd recommend this.

no to be fair i can very much see why the YA or younger people would love it. or the die hard romantics. its very that age where you dream of these things happening to you or in your life kind of thing. that perfect love( even though one of the storylines is horrific abuse. which got alot of shade for when she realeased it due to how it was portrayed in such a book) and yes to the very deacribed sex scenes. ha basically the kind of books that damage our girlsih young minds and what we percieve real love and relationships to be. but still one you cant put down.
ive just seen the film adaption announcements. id be interest what your dd thinks of the characters playing them?

BestIsWest · 31/01/2023 06:19

Sean Bean. Definitely. Although that Marriage series was odd.

The Christmas Bookshop - Jenny Colgan. Lovely and cosy. Hot chocolate is mentioned a lot.

RainyReadingDay · 31/01/2023 08:02

I was wondering what age group Colleen Hoover's novels would most appeal to. I haven't read any, but this discussion has reminded me that we were all obsessed with Danielle Steel's novels when I was at school. I haven't read any since then, though, and suspect I'd find them a bit trashy now 😄

BigMadAdrian · 31/01/2023 08:30

Spotted that you guys were talking about Sean Bean! I thought he was gorgeous in Troy - that film was really quite crap, but worth watching it for him (I hoped they might make The Odyssey, for more Sean Bean as Odysseus action, but it didn't happen).

SolInvictus · 31/01/2023 08:59

Sean Bean is so wrong yet so right. He looks like he's been hit with a shovel yet exudes sex appeal.

@RainyReadingDay I have all Danielle Steel's early books (from about 1980-1984) God, I loved them. Discovered them in the US on holiday (The Promise, etc) then devoured all the others. I think it was the glamour that I loved so much. 😂 So much part of my teenage romantic fantasy years. Posh frocks and dreadful illnesses and tragic events. Loved them!

TakeNoTwitsGiveNoDucks · 31/01/2023 09:01

Sean Bean is definitely attractive. But my first crush was Jeff Goldblum and I stand by that. He's beautiful {swoons}

Tarahumara · 31/01/2023 09:42

My first crush was Christian Slater in Heathers!

RomanMum · 31/01/2023 10:58

My first crush was James Wilby and Angus Deayton.

Sadik · 31/01/2023 11:17

Heathers is still one of my favourite films Tara - but I worry a little about teenage you if your crush was Christian Slater as Jason Dean Grin

magimedi · 31/01/2023 11:28

My first crush was Robert Vaughn in the Man from U.N.C.L.E. (That dates me!).

I still though he was attractive some 50 years later in Hustle!!

minsmum · 31/01/2023 11:30

No the blind one, his character was called Ilya Kuriaken or something like that, he was my first crush

minsmum · 31/01/2023 11:30

Blond not blind

BestIsWest · 31/01/2023 11:36

Ilya Kuryakin, David McCallum. Mine too.

Stokey · 31/01/2023 11:45

I loved Christian Slater in Heathers too... But would probably go a little further back to Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club, something about those bad boy vibes! (Oh also Rob Lowe in St Elmo's Fire, but he was very pretty).

Tarahumara · 31/01/2023 11:55

Yes agreed @Sadik 😳 and both those too @Stokey

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 31/01/2023 12:01

I am more of a 90s vintage so for me it's Paul Nicholls Grin

BaruFisher · 31/01/2023 12:01

I’ll third Christian Slater. And Judd Nelson. And MacGyver…

kateandme · 31/01/2023 12:21

SolInvictus · 31/01/2023 08:59

Sean Bean is so wrong yet so right. He looks like he's been hit with a shovel yet exudes sex appeal.

@RainyReadingDay I have all Danielle Steel's early books (from about 1980-1984) God, I loved them. Discovered them in the US on holiday (The Promise, etc) then devoured all the others. I think it was the glamour that I loved so much. 😂 So much part of my teenage romantic fantasy years. Posh frocks and dreadful illnesses and tragic events. Loved them!

I've only just discovered her books and I love them 😁looking for my next one now

AliasGrape · 31/01/2023 13:04

8 Queenie - Candice Carty-Williams
Late to the party on this - as with all my reading. My friend sent me this nearly 3 years ago with the instruction to let her know what I thought - I expect the window of opportunity for discussion has expired now though.
I was quite gripped by this and it didn’t take long to read at all - probably would have finished in one sitting in the pre-kid days when I would voluntarily stay up till the early hours reading.

I don’t know how ‘real’ some of it felt -as a reader I’m so glad there was a hopeful ending but I’m really not sure that’s how it would have played out in real life.

I obviously can’t identify with Queenie’s experiences as a black woman, there was a lot to reflect on there. I did recognise some of the awful online dating stuff, low self-esteem and terrible decisions, sex as self harm and many of those terrible men - I’m a different age demographic but I do have some similar if not quite as horrific stories, and have heard them from friends.

nowanearlyNicemum · 31/01/2023 13:34

I've just finished listening to 6. This book could save your life – Graham Lawton which didn't really teach me anything new and therefore probably won't save my life but might just kick me up the proverbial and ensure I include more sport in my days. I suppose if you'd been living under a rock and had never ever given the slightest thought to what you should be eating or drinking, how you should be sleeping, dealing with stress or moving your body and you picked this book up it honestly might save your life. Otherwise no.

Wafflefudge · 31/01/2023 13:37

I've enjoyed all the Sean Bean talk. I think he probably was one of my first crushes, I certainly remember being quite taken with him in Sharpe.
Frieda sounds good so may check that out.
Having enjoyed Lady Chatterley's Lover so much I picked up Sons and Lovers today from the morrisons second hand book shelf.

SolInvictus · 31/01/2023 15:24

Stokey · 31/01/2023 11:45

I loved Christian Slater in Heathers too... But would probably go a little further back to Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club, something about those bad boy vibes! (Oh also Rob Lowe in St Elmo's Fire, but he was very pretty).

I rewatched TBC with DD a couple of years ago and was "OMFG how did I miss you the first time round".

Rob Lowe in About Last Night. 1986. You can thank me later.
"I'm going to walk off into the sunset"
"Can I watch?"
"I was hoping you would"

Might be due my annual rewatch.

My first crush was Niki Lauda. 😂 After Donny Osmond obvs.

SolInvictus · 31/01/2023 15:26

kateandme · 31/01/2023 12:21

I've only just discovered her books and I love them 😁looking for my next one now

Show quote history

My favourites are Summer's End and Golden Moments. And The Promise of course.

BestIsWest · 31/01/2023 16:08

I saw TBC for the first time last year! I was probably too old first time round, although four years younger than Judd Nelson.

BamBamBilla · 31/01/2023 16:55

A day off work today and I fancied doing not very much so I got cosy under a blanket and started reading book #5 The Satsuma Complex - Bob Mortimer . i read the whole lot in 1 sitting. Silly mystery story with lots of love and full of bizarre and funny quips in a very Bob Mortimer way. Can't think of a better way to spend a few hours.