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?

😂

I went through an MK phase at one time but they all sort of blended together in the end. It was all I could cope with mentally at the time but I'd be hard pressed to name one

Fortuna - try Watermelon which focuses on Rachel’s sister Claire. You could then follow on with the other Walsh sisters books but Watermelon and Rachel’s Holiday are the best of those. Of her non-Walsh books try Last Chance Saloon.

Maud thank you so much for the heads up: For Thy Great Mercy has been on my wishlist since somebody (sorry, can't remember who) reviewed it in an earlier thread this year!

biblio Amanda Cross rang a bell, and I've just seen that I have two of her books - The Edge of Doom, and Death in a Tenured Position - on my enormous crime fiction shelves. I can remember absolutely nothing at all about them, which is probably not a good sign. Shame, as the premise sounds good. But I usually hate it when Americans try to do what they call "cosy" crime fiction as it so often ends up being twee and unconvincing. Maybe Brits have an undercurrent of nastiness, even in the most apparently cosy of settings?!

I've got a very soft spot for Edmund Crispin, on the other hand, although I agree that Love Lies Bleeding is a bit silly and not one of his best.

Marian Keyes is a really good writer and often gets lumped in with "chick lit" books that aren't a patch on hers. I really enjoyed Grown Ups - which I suspect is the one that you didn't like, Fortuna? - but I did have to read the first few chapters about 10 times before all the characters stuck in my head. Once I'd got them all straight, I was hooked.

@StColumbofNavron I'm very jealous to hear that you had a personalised picture of Erwin! What a lovely thing to do, and it just confirms my impression that Thomas Taylor is a Thoroughly Good Egg.

Thanks Chessie.

Mack it was the one where the woman has a head injury and can now only tell the truth, so upsets her family. Sounded like a great idea, but took ages to get going and I got bored.

I think there are quite a few authors who are dismissed as being chick lit when they are much better than they are perceived. JoJo Moyes is another who has surprised me. She is a thoroughly excellent human being though, she put her own money in to save the Quick Reads scheme when it was due to end due to lack of funding.

I've had a lot of teen parents complaining in the library recently that their daughters are only reading Colleen Hoover and similar books, but I figure building reading habits is more important than the content at this stage.

I really liked The Break @FortunaMajor and of course there’s Again, Rachel, the sequel to Rachel’s Holiday.
MK deals with some very dark themes yet she’s often dismissed as frothy Chick-lit.

I recently read Again, Rachael and loved it. I couldn’t remember much about the sibling stories which I assume I read when they came out but I don’t think that mattered. I thought the sequel did Rachael’s story justice but I’m not sure how much of my enjoyment was nostalgia.

I haven’t really enjoyed any of her more recent stuff - grownups was ok.

I've had a lot of teen parents complaining in the library recently that their daughters are only reading Colleen Hoover and similar books, but I figure building reading habits is more important than the content at this stage

I definitely agree with this in my teens yes I eventually got into Atwood etc but I also had read a fuck tonne of Point Horror, Babysitter Club and Virginia Andrews.

It's one of the reasons why I don't take kindly to sneering at 50 Shades look at the numbers it got reading.

I hold Dan Brown in lesser respect though, you know you just have to draw a line!

I used to read Marian Keyes books many years ago. I started with Watermelon and enjoyed that, and worked my way through quite a few, including Rachel's Holiday, before becoming disenchanted with them. I might have to give them another go.

Just finished Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch. I'm really enjoying this series of books, and the Audible narration is excellent too. Pure escapism. Loved, but was shocked by the twist at the end too.

Eine I could not put The DaVinci Code down. I was reading it in my office drawer at work a few lines at a time. I know it's absolute tripe, but it was like a can of pringles, you had to keep going once it was open.

People slag off JKR for not being that good an author. She's never claimed to be writing works of great literature.

There are probably loads of authors I've dismissed as froth without reading and I can't even claim to have particularly high brow lists.

That's what I love about this thread, I've been pushed into reading books I'd have never considered myself.

46. Happy All The Time - Laurie Colwin

I stumbled across this when I read a recommendation of Colwin's books from Katherine Heiny (and in fact she wrote the foreword to this edition of the novel, which was first published in 1978). Coincidentally, it then popped up as a recent recommendation on Radio 4's 'A Good Read'.

It’s a short, snappy, distinctively New York story of two cousins and best friends, Guido and Vincent, and the women they fall in love with - poised, elegant, self-possessed Holly and scowling, prickly Misty. The course of true love definitely doesn’t run smooth but it’s often very funny, and reminded me a lot at times of Nora Ephron. If you like that style of writing this is a good one to investigate.

I totally agree with the argument "at least it gets people reading". I think the equivalent for children is Enid Blyton.

The Da Vinci Code is the only book that my DH has read in the entire time I’ve known him. It’s also the only book that my entire family read which was nice, as it gave us something different to talk about (I mean DH, my parents, my cousins). Some of us would agree with you @EineReiseDurchDieZeit but I think overall it was good for ‘reading’. I also read all the 50 Shades, after the hype and thought they did what they were expected to do. I didn’t expect the read of my life.

Interestingly, a colleague who’s reading opinion I really rate, loves Colleen Hoover but I haven’t quite got there, not sure why. But I love Catherine Cookson, so I’m not judging anyone’s reading material.

I decided to make the break from Greek Myths into something else by a novella last night. The third in the Darklands series which features Hex by Jenni Fagan and the much revised Rizzo by Denise Mina.

book 27 for me was No More Left to Fear from Hell by Alan Warner.

Following Charles Stewart the Italian Prince who tried to reclaim the British isles and led the Jacobite uprising. This book starts after the failed battle of Culloden and follows the group as they make their way across the difficult terrain of the Highlands and Islands.

Having family who had a six foot high portrait of ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ in their house and who viewed him as some sort of folk hero of Scottish history I was looking forward to this. Sadly it didn’t really relieve much. There isn’t a clear focus of the story. Between the dense way much of the text is written and a total lack of clarity over what is happening much of the time (at points I couldn’t tell if we were going back in time such was the weird shift in plot) I just couldn’t engage at all.

I read the authors notes at the end and he comments that he was not a fan of the character of Charles and this comes over. He is presented as a flippant and rather silly character who slips and slides across the peat bogs losing his shoes. There are occasional bursts of temper which, I think, are to create a sense of tension.

had this been a full novel it would have been a DNF. As it was at 130 pages I did finish it but I wasn’t impressed

And to pick up from the “any book is good
for reading” conversation, I could not agree more. Like @EineReiseDurchDieZeit I read my share of Dean Koontz and point Horror before progressing on to Margaret Atwood, Janice Galloway and JL Kennedy. Placing judgment and limits on reading according to some pre-defined idea of what is “good” and “worthy” is deeply
unhelpful.

I read all the Da Vinci code series and loved them all. I was aware they were utterly ridiculous but I couldn’t wait to sit down and read. And the lack of social
media at the time
meant that I didn’t necessarily know that they were considered trash until well after I had read and enjoyed them.

I have not read the 50 Shades books and, I have to confess, I did feel slightly uneasy when walking into the staffroom and EVERY SINGLE one of our admin team was sitting reading it. I looked at them in a whole new light 🤣🤣

34. The Magnificent Spilsbury and the Case of the Brides in the Bath by Jane Robins Non-fiction about George Smith who married multiple women and drowned several of them in baths, and the forensic pathologist, Bernard Spilsbury, whose expert testimony secured his conviction. Last year I read The Curious Habits of Doctor Adams by the same author. This is an interesting insight into the early days of forensic pathology and the role of the expert witness in court cases. However, I found the writing a bit dry and struggled to get through it. It definitely took me longer than it should have done to read. I actually think the police investigation would have been a more interesting focus as this was glossed over, but Smith used aliases for his many marriages and moved around the country constantly. I'd have liked more detail into how the police tracked down all his marriages. The stories of the women who were murdered are truly tragic. They were spinsters who had given up any hope of marriage when a handsome, charming stranger entered their lives and changed their fates, unfortunately for the worse. The events of the first World war and the many casualties there makes an interesting backdrop to the trial. Overall, I'd recommend this book if you have any interest in the early days of forensic pathology and the rise of the expert witness in trials

Sorry - just googled to check and it’s Charles STUART not Stewart

To be fair, the Scottish monarchs were Stewart until the French speaking Mary (she grew up in France and was the queen of France) changed it to Stuart.

@satelliteheart I enjoyed that. Thought it was a far better read than Mr Whicher which is in a similar line.

82. Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh

A man commits suicide. A while later his wife his wife commits suicide in the same way. Their daughter Anna is still recovering from the loss when she receives a note that make her wonder if her parents killed the,selves after all.

I hated this. It was boring. The characters were simultaneously annoying and insipid. But worse than that it made NO BLOODY SENSE!

83. The Good, the Bad and the History by Jodi Taylor

The latest in the Chronicles of St Mary’s series. Pros and Cons are back on the case, investigating Insight, tearing about the timeline and generally causing chaos wherever they go. I listened on audible and the performance was as great as ever. I really enjoyed this, much more than the last few in the series. The ending was great and the author really had me guessing whether she was about to break my heart or not. This definitely felt like the end of an era, if this series continues I’d expect it be pretty different, but we still have the Time Police series!

33. Burmese Days by George Orwell In British occupied Burma a corrupt Burmese magistrate plots to ruin Indian doctor Veraswami's reputation. Veraswami's only hope is his British friend John Flory, but Flory's head has been turned by the arrival of the beautiful but shallow and heartless Elizabeth. Quite a depressing and uncomfortable book, populated mostly by unpleasant people. Very well written, though it took me a few chapters to get into it. The British characters were awful but believable, but I found most of the Asian characters seemed a bit too willingly subservient to ring true. I would warn anyone thinking of reading it that the way the British speak about Asian people in this book is incredibly offensive. Sadly though, it's probably an accurate representation of how many colonial British people really did speak.

34. O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker
The book opens with teenaged Janet dead at the bottom of the stairs in her Scottish castle home. It then tells Janet's life story, black sheep of the family and social misfit, leading up to this moment.
I thought I would love this but although there is some lovely description, clever observation and some great scenes they just don't add up together to make enough of a plot or make me care about Janet.

35. The Foundling by Stacey Halls
    In 18th century London unmarried young mother Bess has to leave her newborn baby at the Foundling hospital. She is determined that one day she will reclaim her child but there is an unexpected spanner in the works.
    This was an undemanding read, but a bit shallow with one dimensional characters and a plot that just seemed too easy.

36. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See
    Li-Yan is of the Akha ethnic minority group in China and works with her family picking tea. Traditions mean that the man she loves is not a suitable match for marriage so she has to abandon her newborn baby. The book follows the ups and downs of her life, in which tea plays a big part, and we also see glimpses of her child's life, mostly shown in official documents, emails and school work.
    The story flows easily enough - maybe a little too easily - but despite the first person narrative it felt like an outsider's perspective. Phrases like "in the time westerners call September" and on the day westerners call Christmas Eve" were annoying. Why would Li-Yan mention western time references when it seems she doesn't use them?
    The story's undemanding and entertaining enough I suppose. Maybe I would have liked it more if I were a tea drinker.

37. Celestial Navigation by Anne Tyler
    Agoraphobic artist Jeremy seems to have an opportunity to change his life when his mother dies and a new boarder, Mary, moves into his house. The book is told from several different perspectives, Jeremy, his sister, Mary and other boarders. The characters are all very believable but although I think Jeremy was meant to be a sympathetic character I didn't really like him.
    If you like books about sad misunderstood misfits you'll probably like this.

Pretty sure I've read all of Marian Keyes. I would say her Walsh family books are great. Like others have said, she writes about some difficult themes in a really entertaining way. The others are ok. I mostly keep reading them in case they reach Walsh family heights again.

Crisps I have read a lot of Dean Koontz too. It's incredibly formulaic but I find I can't put it down.

I've been reading more books this year and I am enjoying what I'm reading more. I think it's because I am reading a bit more froth in between some heavy books and non-fiction. The balance seems to be working a lot better. And I read a pile of crap growing up. My mum refused to buy me any more Point Horrors after a while, as they were £6 and I would read them in an afternoon! It was about then, at the age of 14 I was allowed to read anything on her bookshelf. Dick Francis, James Herriot, John Graham and Jeffrey Archer. There is more sex in Dick Francis books than one might imagine which was interesting for a young teen!

34. Haven: Emma Donoghue

This is a compact but richly-detailed novel, a fictional account of the first monastic settlers who arrived on Skellig Michael, an island off the southwest coast of Ireland in the seventh century.

The scholar and priest called Artt is staying at the monastery of Cluain Mhic Nóise when he has a vision that prompts him to leave what he considers to be a dissolute society. He sets off by boat to wherever God takes him accompanied by the two other monks that he has seen in his vision, old Cormac and young Trian. This unlikely pair feel honoured to have been singled out and swear obedience to Artt. Together they go off willingly on their adventure. They arrive at the Skellig Islands, two stony outcrops in the Atlantic Ocean, densely populated by birds and completely isolated.

Before not too long, it becomes apparent that Artt is a religious zealot and a hard taskmaster. He expects the others to follow his example of living in Christ and puts their spiritual needs before their physical needs, all the while stamping out any spark of individuality. Cracks begin to form in this unequal brotherhood as Artt's mantra of 'God will provide' begins to sound more and more hollow and delusional. He forbids them to trade with outsiders so the trio resorts to plundering the island's natural resources as they eke out a meagre existence on their stony outcrop. Illness, punishment and the hunting and killing of birds make for a grim read as the story gains pace in intensity before it all falls apart.

I found this to be a compelling tale with a claustrophobic quality as it only concerns those three characters and it becomes darker in tone as the summer gives way to winter. The isolation of the three men is tangible and their day to day existence of hunting, fishing, sowing and praying is very detailed and convincing. It's a haunting story that will linger on the memory. When I see a picture of the beehive huts on Skellig Michael I might think of poor Trian running after a great auk trying to turn it into a roast dinner or poor old Cormac trying to carve a cross out of stone without the proper tools while Artt the Fanatical dreams of making his name in the name of the lord.

The Last Sherlock Holmes Story by Michael Dibdin