50 Books Challenge 2024 Part One

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the first thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2024, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles and maybe authors as well of books you've read or going to read? It makes it much easier to keep track, especially when the threads move quickly at this time of the year.

Who's in for this year?

Agreed! I'm listening to his Mythos book and it is taking me months, probably because I've had to ration myself! I wont be getting anymore Audio books that he narates and that includes HP.

Sorry Eine 🤣🤣 I'm actually really enjoying the Lego game I got (now my brother has explained to me what I needed to do!)

DNF - Hagitude by Sharon Blackie

This was supposed to be about becoming an elder woman at the time of menopause but I've only got 6% of the way in and put it down in annoyance. She seems to think we shouldn't worry about losing our libido as that's just an age thing and menopause is too medicalised.

I'm not there yet, I was reading up to be informed about these things in advance, but right now I don't feel like I would just accept my libido disappearing or that I should just naturally suffer through it.

I almost never DNF - so thanks to all those on here who have pointed out life is too short to read bad books. I've got loads of good stuff that is calling to me that I will move straight on to!

Way behind in my book updates but just wanted to pop in to say I’ve just requested Papercup from the library. Love D&G.

@Tarragon123 how is he dealing with the (presumably) many footnotes in an audiobook?

@BlindurErBóklausMaður

I lasted as far as the Harry receiving the school book list in HPATPS audible. Absolutely dire.

@RazorstormUnicorn

The Harry Potter ones are great!

It gets worse, you've had a lucky escape, I forced myself to finish it just so I could complain about it with no caveats. It infuriated me. Would have been a DNF if I weren't so stubborn. It was dreadful.

If you're looking for decent menopause/aging advice from a medical perspective, you can't go far wrong with Dr Jen Gunter - Menopause Manifesto: Own Your Menopause with Facts and Feminism.

I still haven't got round to Victoria Smith's - Hags, but I haven't heard great things about that either.

@FortunaMajor I actually already have Menopause Manifesto but haven't read it. I think I might have started it and found it stat heavy, perhaps I'll give it a go in a bit.

I know what you mean about finishing it just to complain properly but I will count myself as having a lucky escape!

@FortunaMajor

Hags had mixed reviews on here but I for one liked it

Laughing at Kirkcoobree @Passmethecrisps . I had a friend at uni from there and remember being very surprised when I finally realized how it was spelt.

I didn't mind Wipers in In Memoriam which I thought was brilliant, as it's what it was called by the soldiers. Think it's in one of the famous poems but can't remember which. I thought the weakest part of the book was more that it was all from a perspective of privilege, the boarding school kids and so officers, even though she did address the differences a bit. A couple of the stories showed her research too openly in that they didn't quite fit but I still think it was a great achievement for a first novel.

I'll bump it back up the list. I got a bit lost year and I'm trying to get back on track for reading what I have rather than chasing the new and shiny.

I'm reading Hags at the moment but am struggling to get into it, will persevere for a bit longer.

I enjoyed Hags
As a recently divorced, overweight tired-ass woman, with three DDs in their 20s all trying to navigate adulthood despite their shit dad, it resonated a lot.

You would think wouldn't you. But Amol Rajan repeatedly failed to pronounce Procurator Fiscal correctly on the Today programme last week despite interviewing a Scottish lawyer who said it correctly (and never mind that the BBC have people who check pronounciations). I was not impressed.

I don't think they do any more, you know....

Don't watch Sally Phillips on Pointless mangling Oban ( as ever) and Alloa!

12. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling

Rather sad it's all over, a few tears shed.

Surprised at how quickly I got through these last two and how much I enjoyed them. The last two benefiting from the dimmest recollection I think.

Odd choices though. Like BIG BATTLE then Lets All Skip Down Snape's memory lane Also Remus OR Tonks not both!....

......definitely Tonks.

4. A Dark Matter Doug Johnstone

I trued this series after seeing it recommended a number of times on MN book threads. I enjoyed it and will definitely read the next one in the series at some point.

5. Sorrow and Bliss Meg Mason

I started off hating this and then by the end really liked it. Slightly frustrating with some details I wanted to know but all round a good read and I thought the characterisation was good.

6.The Christmas Chronicles Nigel Slater

Slightly cheating in finishing this ahead of the readalong. Very much enjoyed the writing and some of the recipes..Will definitely have be a winter regular for me.

Still listening to Michelle Gallan's Factory Girls on long journeys in the car. Should finish this week as I think I've only got about 30% left.

I think the Wipers thing was a bit odd, because it was every instance. I'd have got it if it were just in the speech parts. It just came across as odd rather than deliberate, but admittedly I didn't know it was 'a thing'.

Initially I was blown away by it, it really swept me along, but on reflection I had quite a few niggles with it. I agree it wears the research heavily at times and some stuff felt shoehorned in. I don't think it's a bad book, but felt like she was battering you over the head with her chosen angle and this sometimes felt a bit forced and 'tell' rather than 'show'.

I have to remember that the Women's Prize is a storytelling prize and not a literary one, as I do tend to judge more harshly. It's not even the official list yet and I'm going at it like it's my money they're winning.

7. Politics on the edge - Rory Stewart

Much reviewed on here. I enjoyed this. An intelligent and interesting man who genuinely seemed to want to serve by being an MP. A breed that are few and far between. The ridiculousness of Boris made my blood boil once again and Gove is just the two faced worm you expect.
Still waiting for a bold though...

@Piggywaspushed now questioning my pronunciation of Oban (o-bn?)and Alloa (al-o-a?) !

I did go to uni in Scotland so hoping I'm not too far off....

pleased to have triggered a wee discussion about pronunciation. I am boggled at how alloa, Oban and procurator fiscal can be pronounced any other way frankly.

I did once have to give my address over the phone and was astonished when I didn’t need to spell it. When the letter finally arrived it was sent to”Cocoaberry”

That’s one of my favourite Victoria Wood quotes, ‘everywhere in Scotland is spelt Ecclefechan and pronounced Kirkcudbright’.

He doesnt! Just smuggly moves onto the next chapter.

Afraid I wasn’t a fan of Hags

@Southeastdweller - remarkably, we already need a new thread!

They do. But you know what they say - you can take a horse to water….

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/4991283-50-books-challenge-2024-part-two