50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Six

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the sixth 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, the second one here, the third one here here, the fourth one here and the fifth one: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/4793238-50-books-challenge-2023-part-five?page=20&reply=126860721

What are you reading?

This is me. Yes to Harry, everything else in the bin.

I did enjoy Like Water For Chocolate when I read it (years back now) but on the whole preferred the film.

Serenade for Nadia, Zülfü Livaneli trans. by Brendan Freely

The writer is a Turkish composer, poet, writer and I think politician at one time. I am a huge fan of his music and on a whim bought as many of his books in English as I could.

Here we follow Maya, a member of staff at Istanbul University who is charged with showing foreign professors around Istanbul. An elderly professor, Maximilian Wagner arrives from Germany and Maya learns a lot about herself, but also about Turkey. The book is steeped in historical research and touches on all the taboo topics - the Armenians, Tatar brigades amongst other things. I enjoyed the way the relationship with the two characters developed and the modern day problems Maya faces, like connecting with her teenage son.

For me the only thing that let it down in places was the translation. Overall, it was good and read well, but there were moments of over explanation and I wonder is Livaneli really said that (and I'm going to check next time I am in a Turkish book shop). Things like mentioning Maya is eating sucuk for breakfast then going on to explain what sucuk is. I guess his Turkish audience just know.

Nevertheless, it will prob be a bold, I couldn't put it down and wanted to get to the end.

@CluelessMama I want to read more Amor Towles because I really think he is a genius, but since A Gentleman in Moscow, I have just been putting it off because I don't want to be disappointed.

Listening to Strike and Robin just said :

We tend to invest some categories of people with unearned goodness

I like that. Too true.

@noodlezoodle I felt like throwing The Guest across the room when it ended - except it was on my Kindle. I felt very cheated.

Absolutely bloody infuriating! And I had enjoyed it so much up until then.

Just found out that the new Jilly Cooper book, Tackle!, is finally due out in November. She’s been talking about it for years but I had virtually given up hope of ever actually seeing it.

Do you know about the Rivals TV Show Chessie ?

Yes, can’t wait for it although I’m not sure about some of the casting.

37 Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan Second in the series, and more of the same - this time based on the Odyssey. Plenty of fun with lots of Greek mythology references, a nice lightweight distraction from work and more serious literature.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit oh I haven't watched Queen Charlotte yet though I do love Bridgerton. I think I read for Queenie they were doing open auditions and hoping for someone new.

In fact I've just looked it up and it's going to be an actress called Dionne Brown, who's been in a couple of things but not well known I don't think.

It's stuff your kindle day today, lots of kindle books completely free. If you go to kindle books, then scroll to the bottom and select a genre of your choice, then sort price low to high you'll get all the free books first

I bought 14 Kindle books yesterday!

I can't find how to sort price of kindle books - anyone got a link, please?

I can’t find them either- just the usual free classics.

Gosh it's a bit elaborate isn't it!

I found them by going to the main kindle books page (NOT the deals), then scrolling right to the bottom until you see the 'More to Explore' section - pic attached.

Click on one of the topics, then scroll right to the bottom again, and click 'See All Results'. That gives you another new page, with the sort option in the top right corner. That shows the free books first.

If I try any other way, I don't see the free books, it just starts with the 99p ones. If there's a simpler way to do it I haven't found it! How did you track it down @satelliteheart?!

I really enjoyed it. Basically The Famous Five for grownups. Foreigners are either evil or simple souls who want to help/feed the middle class English people. Women mostly serve to be plucky and have a go but then sit back and be saved by men. Americans are decent and almost English when one gets to know one. Good fun.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie oh thank heavens I was having palpitations. I thought that you wouldn't like it. I can relax

Blimey I get a very odd selection when I do that @noodlezoodle
Lots of books with covers featuring big breasted women, something called Dad Feet Foot Fetish - 100 photos of men’s feet, something about Japanese witches, Blacksmithing made Easy and The Secret Garden

All free admittedly.

😂

@noodlezoodle yes, that's the only way I believe. Sorry, I missed the "see all results" step in my explanation!

I got 10 books and then made myself stop. Mostly cause they're all book 1 in a series and it could get expensive if I want to read on after the first book!

Oh my god. I nosed around a bit and gave up, everything looked like an out of copyright classic, or dubious self-published. Didn't see anything nearly as exciting as you did though, Best!

They don't make it easy, do they? I also got excited that there were Prime Day deals, then realised that it appears to be just the June monthly deals. Will save my scrolling for tomorrow's July deals

Thank you, @noodlezoodle .

Bought a couple - if I don't like 'em I've lost nothing.

If you see something you are interested in it is easier to add it to your list & then continue scrolling through. If you buy, you get flung back to Kindle books.