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50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Three

997 replies

Southeastdweller · 12/02/2023 22:56

Welcome to the third 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 and the second one here.

OP posts:
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9
ChessieFL · 06/03/2023 06:42

Carrie is probably the TJR book I’ve enjoyed most! I am a tennis fan though and I can see why non-tennis fans would find lots of it boring. And talking of TJR…

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Emma marries her childhood sweetheart Jesse, but a year later his helicopter crashes and he’s presumed dead. Two years later Emma’s moved on and is engaged to Sam, when Jesse returns. Which man will she choose?

This was an interesting premise but I didn’t think it was dealt with very well. I didn’t really like Emma as a character, and I definitely didn’t like Jesse after he returned from the dead so I didn’t really care what happened to either of them. There also wasn’t much explanation of how Jesse was fitting back into life - we only saw things from Emma’s point of view and I would have liked to hear more about Jesse’s struggles to re-adapt to life (although I know that’s not the point of the book).

TimeforaGandT · 06/03/2023 07:21

17. Stone Blind - Natalie Haynes

The story of Medusa and Perseus which I knew in outline only. I have previously read (and enjoyed) The Children of Jocasta and A Thousand Ships so had high hopes. However, I had two issues with this book. First, the gods - all of whom are arrogant, selfish, petulant, petty and lacking in self-awareness. Secondly, the author’s attempts to direct my view with comments on a character along the lines of - “Perseus is a little shit - you can’t see it now but you will” and then later “I told you he was a little shit - do you believe me now?”. I am capable of making my own assessment of a character and, if necessary, changing it as the plot develops so can do within these comments. Overall, I know more about this story but it’s my least favourite of her books.

TimeforaGandT · 06/03/2023 07:22
  • without not within!
BestIsWest · 06/03/2023 07:24

I also loved Carrie Soto the most of the TJR books. I was a tennis obsessed teen in the era the book is set in though.

kateandme · 06/03/2023 07:42

TattiePants · 04/03/2023 13:32

@kateandme its a huge secondhand bookshop in an old railway station. My basket’s full and I haven’t even started on this room yet!

wow. i googled.it looks amazing.i think i found my future home.

kateandme · 06/03/2023 07:45

onto my tami hoag book a thin dark line.
loving it so far,i love the cajun french that runs through it.
glad i found this series.

PepeLePew · 06/03/2023 08:24

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I can forgive King a lot but the ending of Under The Dome isn't one of them. You had all that time to come up with an ending, mate, and that was it? I did in fact throw it across the room in disgust.

Natsku · 06/03/2023 08:37

Finished number 17 Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. Fun and fast paced like all the Percy Jacksons. I've just realised how many books there are and DD wants us to read them all, I just hope the library has all of them (when we were reading the Alex Riders it didn't have some of the books so had to buy them, which was annoying)

Now I'm doing a reread of my favourite trilogy Under The North Star by Väinö Linna. It is depressing and so many main characters die, like all good Finnish literature, and it really helps you understand the Finnish character, covering the time period from the Great Famine in the late 19th century, through the period of Russification and the resistance to it, then Independence, then Civil War and the interwar years where the country was so divided and through the Winter War and Continuation War, all told through the lives of an ordinary family in an ordinary village. I shall probably have to follow the trilogy with The Unknown Soldier

InTheCludgie · 06/03/2023 09:07

I'm also reading TIBH and have skimmed most of the online chats as life's just too short tbh. Not liking this as much as the earlier ones.

satelliteheart · 06/03/2023 09:18

Just catching up on the thread. Barter books looks amazing, have to try and find an excuse for a visit to the area

I've never read any Galbraith since my mil read the first one and told me not to bother. It seems quite marmite but I think I'd probably be in the same camp as remus so will continue to avoid them.

Interested in all the T M Logan chat, I have The Holiday on my tbr but it's a paperback and I'm still limited to kindle during night feeds at the moment so it will need to wait a bit longer but good to see so much support for the author. The holiday was EVERYWHERE on our 2019 holiday. It seemed like everyone sitting round the pool was reading it. Unfortunately we had an 18 month old with us so didn't really have a lot of time for reading but will try and get to it soon

countrygirl99 · 06/03/2023 09:25

Natsku · 06/03/2023 08:37

Finished number 17 Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. Fun and fast paced like all the Percy Jacksons. I've just realised how many books there are and DD wants us to read them all, I just hope the library has all of them (when we were reading the Alex Riders it didn't have some of the books so had to buy them, which was annoying)

Now I'm doing a reread of my favourite trilogy Under The North Star by Väinö Linna. It is depressing and so many main characters die, like all good Finnish literature, and it really helps you understand the Finnish character, covering the time period from the Great Famine in the late 19th century, through the period of Russification and the resistance to it, then Independence, then Civil War and the interwar years where the country was so divided and through the Winter War and Continuation War, all told through the lives of an ordinary family in an ordinary village. I shall probably have to follow the trilogy with The Unknown Soldier

Thanks Natsu. I shall loomfotlr that trilogy. Unknown soldier is a book that made me cry.

countrygirl99 · 06/03/2023 09:28

Yikes. Couldn't find a Kindle version and could only find used paperbacks on UK Amazon for over £100! Will have to wait for my next trip to Finland.

Natsku · 06/03/2023 09:29

Unknown Soldier is terribly sad, always makes me cry when I read it. Strangely I've never watched the film though, even though its on every year on Independence Day.

countrygirl99 · 06/03/2023 09:30

Natsku · 06/03/2023 09:29

Unknown Soldier is terribly sad, always makes me cry when I read it. Strangely I've never watched the film though, even though its on every year on Independence Day.

I know too many people called Koskela not to cry

Natsku · 06/03/2023 09:32

Bloody hell! Definitely wait for your next trip over

Natsku · 06/03/2023 09:32

countrygirl99 · 06/03/2023 09:30

I know too many people called Koskela not to cry

Show quote history

Flowers always more sad when its a familiar name

MarkWithaC · 06/03/2023 12:34

TimeforaGandT · 06/03/2023 07:21

17. Stone Blind - Natalie Haynes

The story of Medusa and Perseus which I knew in outline only. I have previously read (and enjoyed) The Children of Jocasta and A Thousand Ships so had high hopes. However, I had two issues with this book. First, the gods - all of whom are arrogant, selfish, petulant, petty and lacking in self-awareness. Secondly, the author’s attempts to direct my view with comments on a character along the lines of - “Perseus is a little shit - you can’t see it now but you will” and then later “I told you he was a little shit - do you believe me now?”. I am capable of making my own assessment of a character and, if necessary, changing it as the plot develops so can do within these comments. Overall, I know more about this story but it’s my least favourite of her books.

I haven't read this but it's on the list.
I get what you're saying, but aren't Greek gods MEANT to be arrogant, selfish, petulant, petty and lacking in self-awareness?
And I wonder if the 'Perseus is a little shit' styling is a deliberate nod to the notion of a Greek chorus?
But obviously if it annoys you it annoys you Grin

TimeforaGandT · 06/03/2023 12:38

@MarkWithaC - you are right, the gods are meant to be all those things but if she’s going to call Perseus out for his behaviour then she could do the same for the gods. To be fair, Hermes calls Athene out on her behaviour but otherwise they all just act like spoilt brats.

MarkWithaC · 06/03/2023 12:52

TimeforaGandT · 06/03/2023 12:38

@MarkWithaC - you are right, the gods are meant to be all those things but if she’s going to call Perseus out for his behaviour then she could do the same for the gods. To be fair, Hermes calls Athene out on her behaviour but otherwise they all just act like spoilt brats.

Maybe she knows the reader will know the gods are morally dubious by definition and that there's no point/need to call them out. Whereas we're meant to relate more to the 'heroes' like Perseus because they're (partially) human and so more subject to human morality.

bibliomania · 06/03/2023 13:43

21. Treasured, by Christina Riggs. Starts with the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb and the links between archaeology and Egyptology to colonialism. Goes on to look at the political uses of the discovery in the following century, with a little personal memoir mixed in. It didn't quite come off, but I thought it was an interesting attempt to explore the political uses of history.

22. Goodbye Christopher Robin, by Ann Thwaite.. Extracted from her longer biography of A A Milne to tie in with the film a few years ago. The father-son relationship was touching and ultimately rather sad

RomanMum · 06/03/2023 13:49

I bought Stone Blind back in the Autumn when it first came out. Was really looking forward to reading it and as such perversely I've left it. Must move it up the list, after the two library books and the Dickens I'm struggling with at the moment (through time constraints rather than book quality). Enjoying the book chat in the meantime, Barter Books sounds amazing (and dangerous!).

MarkWithaC · 06/03/2023 14:37

I like a few others here have been to Barter Books just once, on a winter holiday in Northumberland. It is wonderful. I have very fond memories of inhaling tea and a hunk of carrot cake in front of a blazing fire in the waiting room/cafe. Would love to go back.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 06/03/2023 16:31

@PepeLePew

It's basically like the ending was passed on to a child to complete

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 06/03/2023 19:16

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit and @PepeLePew I did wonder if he might have gone back to the drunk and drugs for a while with that ending. It was embarrassingly awful. I did enjoy the rest of the book though.

magimedi · 06/03/2023 21:13

My annoyance knows no bounds!

As some of you know I moved to France a year ago & have read nothing but French books in order to help my language .

But I promised myself that when the latest JKR was at a good price I would buy it as a treat.

Damn, bugger & fuck - I sat down (lay on sofa) this afternoon to enjoyTIBH.

All settled, phone off, delicious snacks from the patisserie at the ready............

What a load of merde. I have skipped all the online stuff & there is fuck all else.

Déçue Magi.

Bonne soiree.