50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Two

[Southeastdweller]

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?

Thanks @Southeastdweller

My List so far:

1. The Beautiful Visit - Elizabeth Jane Howard
2. Rizzio - Denise Mina
3. The School at the Chalet School - Elinor M Brent-Dyer
4. Murder Before Evensong - The Rev Richard Coles
5. Jo of the Chalet School - EMB-D
6. Hex - Jenni Fagan
7. The Princess at the Chalet School - EMB-D
8. The Phoenix - Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
9. The Head Girl of the Chalet School - EMB-D

Currently reading You Think It, I'll Say It by Curtis Sittenfeld.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit the main character of The Island of Sea Women lives on a Korean island called Jeju. It's a matriarchal society - the women are the breadwinners - they dive for octopus, abalone and conch. The men stay home with the kids. That in itself would have made it an interesting book. But it all plays out against the background of the Japanese occupation. It's not an easy read in places - the islanders endure considerable hardship (and violence) as a result of the occupation and its aftermath. And diving is a dangerous occupation, especially when it's done without modern diving equipment. I had never heard of these divers (haenyeo) and I found it fascinating to read about their lives (albeit in a fictional story). I'd love to visit the island of Jeju. No harm to take a break between the two books. But The Island of Sea Women has a very different focus.

@Taytocrisps thanks for the Island of Sea Women recommendation, I’ve added it to my list.

I shall bring my list over although it’s not very much different

1. Mythos - Stephen Fry
2. Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan
3. Rizzio - Denise Mina
4. Hex - Jenni Fagan
5. A Thousand Ships - Natalie Hayes
6. Foster - Claire Keegan
7. Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes - Greg James and Chris Smith

I wouldn’t normally add books I read to my children but I figure Kid Normal is over 300 pages and I read every one so I earned it! As children’s books go it was fine. We enjoyed it together. It’s not a classic. She has requested a re-read of The BFG now so that’s a little more like it!

I am listening to
The World I Fell Out Of by Melanie Reid as recommended on here many times. This is wonderful but not always easy reading.

I am reading
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper
by Hallie Rubenhold. I am really enjoying the historical aspect of this. I am still working my way through the chapter on Polly so I am building an understanding of how their stories will be told. The historical details of the workhouse and the plight of spurned women is excellent and very sad

I have added Tomorrowx3 to my wish list on Amazon as I could see myself enjoying both the video game references and the 90s. Is it at all like Ready Player One? I loved that.

I don’t know why my formatting always makes my number 1 sit so much apart from the rest. I just copy and paste from my notepad and it doesn’t look like that there

@Taytocrisps

Funnily enough Hansu in Pachinko is from Jeju

I'm watching the series and it is beautifully shot and acted. There will be a second series confirmed as this one doesn't cover it all.

Thanks for the new thread south

Short list so far from me.

1. Christmas is Murder- Val McDermid
2. The Christmas Chronicles- Nigel Slater
3. The Anthology of English Folk Tales - The History Press (Pub)
4. The Book of Form and Emptiness - Ruth Ozeki

The Ozeki is maybe a bold - I think it probably is actually but I’m still work out how I feel about it and whether there was enough I didn’t like to take away from the (many) things I thought were great.

Not sure what to start next.

I've read my first two books. The Pelican Brief was an early John G

I hate typing on mobile.on Mumsnet!

John Grisham. I got.througg.it b

Not again! I got through it by making a list of all the characters which I used as a bookmark. There were over 35 characters. He's learnt not to do that since.

The second book is My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissay. * * It's a tough read as he goes through the records of his childhood and adolescence in the care system. I'm glad I read it

Book 5 was The Imposter Cure by Jessamy Hibberd

i found this languishing on my Kindle - not sure when from. I definitely suffer with a bit of Imposter Syndrome, currently heightened by taking on a new role additional to my job. This book was pretty rubbish though - it was very patronising, and far to “self-help”, offering only superficial insights in to the psychology. At least it is gone from my TBR pile!

Book 6 was Lessons by Ian McEwan.

This was another disappointment. Not because it was terrible, but because it could have been so much better. It is basically driven along by a main character and small supporting cast, but none of the characters really feel interesting or three dimensional enough to sustain the book for its nearly 500 pages. I think there was a discussion about McEwan in thread one, and someone mentioned his writing being somewhat flat. That fitted here. It was far to emotionless. McEwan has a,ways been a mixed bag for me though - couple I’ve loved and a couple of DNFs!

So, my list so far… unfortunately no bolds yet.

1.The Curfew by TM Logan
2.Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
3.Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman
4.The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex
5.The Imposter Cure by Jessamy Hibberd
6.Lessons by Ian McEwan

currently reading Menopausing by Davina McCall and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

Wah, I haven't finished ANYTHING yet, I think I've got too many different things on the go.

Thank you @Southeastdweller for the new thread.

@Sadik I'm wildly in love with Stanley Tucci but I haven't read Taste because I don't think I'd get anything else done!

@Taytocrisps and @EineReiseDurchDieZeit talking of Lisa See, can I recommend Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by the same author.

I found it fascinating in the depiction of aspects of Chinese culture I had no knowledge of, such as the laotong relationship between two girls; a sisterly friendship even closer than that of marriage. I also learned more about foot binding than I ever wanted to know. Some of it is hard to stomach but it's an interesting story and a worthwhile read.

Wow, thread 2 already, thanks south

I'm off to a good start so far this year thanks to reading my Kindle during night feeds

1. What You Did; Claire McGowan
2. Me; Elton John
3. She Lies in Wait; Gytha Lodge
4. Watching from the Dark; Gytha Lodge
5. Lie Beside Me; Gytha Lodge
6. Little Sister; Gytha Lodge
7. Broken Summer; J. M. Lee
8. Secrets of the Sea House; Elisabeth Gifford

Currently reading The Mysterious Affair at Styles for the second time, hoping it appeals to me more with a re-read

Thank you for the new thread @Southeastdweller 🙂 I'm reading 'Britt Marie is here.' By Fredrik Bachman For my book club. I'm also reading 'Jason Steed: Revenge.' By Mark A Cooper on my kindle. I'm a massive Alex Rider fan and I heard that Jason Steed was a similar series. I'm really enjoying it so far. 👍🏻❤️

*Fredrik Backman, rather!

Glad to hear you're watching the series, @EineReiseDurchDieZeit. I love it. Whoever adapted it did a fantastic job ❤️

@nowanearlyNicemum I loved The Christmas Bookshop ❤️

Thanks @Southeastdweller for the New thread. Forgot how quick it moves in January.

1. The first Kingdom - Max Adams.
2. The Cat who saved books - Sosuke Natsukawa
3. Sad Cypress - Agatha Christie
4. Bizarre England - David Long.

Not sure I've reviewed the last 2 - Sad Cypress is a Poirot (read for the Agatha Christie reading challenge) and was good, it had me guessing whodunit to the end but Poirot doesn't show up until Part 2 and it was told in flashbacks so may not be for everyone.

Bizarre England was fine but would recommend it was basically a book with random facts on it and very little exploration. Very surface level and leaves you wanting to find out more about the places and people mentioned and perhaps that was the point. was free on Kindle Unlimited.

Just cried at the end of book three hundred years of lenni and Margot
I am always late to the party so appreciate this is old hat to most people. I loved it, quirky and had feeling.

@Tarragon123 still haven't started on the chalet schools...are you enjoying them?

My list

1. The Impulse purchase by Veronica Henry
2. Black Diamonds by Catherine Bailey
3. The hundred years of lenni and Margot Marianne Cronin

Thanks for the new thread @Southeastdweller!

1. Oh William by Elizabeth Strout. The third in the Lucy Barton 'series'. Lucy re-connects with her first husband, while grieving her second husband, and supports him as he makes discoveries about his family. The writing is completely flawless, as always, but I just don't find myself as compelled by Lucy as I do by the Olive Kitteridge books. So I did wonder at times why I was devoting so many reading hours to her ex-husband.

My list. I have read more than I thought.

1. Marple - 12 Short Stories
2. LJ Ross - The Infirmary
3. Christie Barlow - Love Heart Lane
4. Lisa Jewell - The Third Wife
5. LJ Ross - The Moor
6. MC Beaton - Death of a Travelling Man

Mainly easy read stuff, hope that this is ok amongst the more literary stuff.

Currently reading The Widows of Malabar Hill by Sujata Massey

Thanks for the thread @Southeastdweller. Diving in with my list - behind on reviews as work is crazy.

1. The Downhill Hiking Club - Dom Joly

2. In Praise of Walking - Shane O'Mara Not what I was expecting - very much a neuroscientist's view of walking. At least it was short.

3. One By One - Ruth Ware
Good fun - staff of a tech startup stuck in a luxury ski chalet and get bumped off one by one.

4. The Will - Rebecca Reid
Billed as a thriller but more of a family saga. Enjoyable enough, though my inner lawyer baulked at the disregard of the intestacy laws. THAT'S NOT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. Deep breath.

5. The Palace Papers - Tina Brown
To be taken with a grain of salt, as with all book about the Royals, but Tina Brown is at least a great writer and is well-connected. Overall it is even-handed and deals sympathetically with all members of the family, including Meghan, Camilla and Fergie. Laughed at the revelation that Prince Philip threw his Kindle in the bath because he got fed up of the recommendations popping up - sounds like he should have paid the extra tenner for the ad-free version.