26-ish books 2024

[Tinkhasflown]

A shiny new thread for 2024.

All welcome and note 26 is just a number. Everyone can set their own target and you are welcome here even if you only read 3 books a year.

I personally count the larger novel style books I read to my children and audio books I listen to. Others don't and there are no rules.

I look forward to all your suggestions again this year.

@Tinkhasflown I am so glad you enjoyed Fried Green Tomatoes, its also been one of my highlights this year.

5. A Snow Garden by Rachel Joyce. 7 short stories tenously connected, all set between Christmas Eve and New Year. Most characters aren't having a very jolly time but there's positive slants. One story veers well into cheese territory but it's fun, and if I had actually read it at Christmas it would have been even more fun!

7. Abroad in Japan by Chris Broad. Interesting, funny. About his first decade living in Japan initially as a teacher and then a you tuber.

11. • Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier.

Wow! I'm not sure how I missed this classic when I was younger and read such things. But, I'm glad I found it now.

I love long slow descriptions that make me slow down and imagine I'm there In the landscape. But, I also love a story and interesting characters that make me want to rush on and find out what happened to them to make them as they are and what happens.

This has both. The descriptions of Manderley are exquisite but the story of those that live there are both in depth and exciting. If Rebecca has also passed you by then I heartily recommend it.

I have Rebecca in my book pile. I started it a while back, can not remember why I stopped reading it.. unless I did read it and can't recall (wouldn't be the first time!).

1.	An Astronomer In Love - Antoine Laurain 8/10
2.	The Familiars - Stacey Halls 8/10
3.	The Reason I Jump - Naoki Higashida 7/10
4.	Old God’s Time - Sebastian Barry 7/10
5.	Children of the Sun - Beth Lewis 9/10
6.	The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne - Freya North 7/10
7.	Foster - Claire Keegan 9/10
8.	They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? - Horace McCoy 9/10 

I would recommend all of these books so far!
Fingersmith is up next.

Finished no 8 Atomic Habits by James Clear - found it really helpful - I'm already implementing some of the tactics. I normally want to throw self-help books in the bin so this is progress!

I’m currently listening to this @drspouse and I’m enjoying it! I’m only a few chapters in but have already prepared to run tomorrow morning… now let’s see if I do it.

Love Rebecca. Put my cousin Rachel and Jamaica inn on your TBR list!

Thanks so much, I have added them.

For anyone interested in Rebecca its 99p on Kindle at the mo.

I came on to say this @Breathmiller !! I’ve just bought it.

I’m aiming for one a month but hoping for more as already done 3. Read how to kill your family by Bella mackie, the puppet show by m w craven and confessions of a 40 something fuck up by Alexandra potter. Now onto the murder after the night before. Recently rediscovered the library and of course the charity shop, but mw craven has a new one out this year I’ll probs need to buy hsving read all the others in his Washington Poe series (annoyingly didn’t read them in order!!)

6: Untold Stories by Alan Bennett
7: The Last Equation of Isaac Severy by Nova Jacobs
8: The Great Godden by Meg Rosoff

Finally getting a bit quicker with my reading after finishing the mammoth Untold Stories by Alan Bennett.

I've just started reading Pineapple Street.
It's very glossy all about wealthy people in New York.
Reminds me of a slightly more intelligent Jackie Collins.

I really enjoyed Pineapple Street, found it really refreshing.

Just finished book 3, have had a slow start this year.

Picking up the Pieces - Amanda Prowse.
Have enjoyed every one of hers so far. This one was a good story, and I like the way she spends time creating mini sub plots along the way.

@Orangebadger i loved Trespasses too

update on my reading progress. I’ve made it to 7 books finished.

4. House of Flame and Shadow, Sarah J Mass
5. The Night Raven, Sarah Painter
6. Godkiller, Hannah Kaner
7. When the Moon Hatched, Sarah A Parker

I'm not sure how many I've read, I'll have to check. I think I'm reading more though, than last year.
I can't put down The Silence Between Breaths, Cath Staincliffe. I'm loving it.

Iamblossom
I can't put Pineapple Street down!
And, unfortunately, it's Jenny Jackson's first and (so far) only book!

Finished no 9 Anna of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett, which was my February (oops) Decades book.
Loved this - so gentle and evocative, yet frustrating in her situation and her father - he was portrayed as unusual but also typical of patriarchs. Anna is such a down to earth character.

1. The Best Things by Mel Giedroyc

Funny, easy to read, fab characters, lovely message. Really enjoyed this. 4 out of 5

8) On Beauty Zadie Smith. This is the first time I have ready anything by Zadie Smith. It took a little while to get into her style of writing but enjoyed it lots. Lots of food for thought about race and class.

Just started All her Fault, Andrea Mara.
@TrustPenguins I'd like to read that, maybe on holiday. Thanks.

9. Fingersmith - Sarah Waters 9/10 I loved the plot, storylines, characters and writing style. I’ll definitely read more by Sarah Waters. 10. The Postman Always Rings Twice - James M Cain 9/10 Fast paced, great read. 11. Strange Sally Diamond - Liz Nugent 6/10 This book had a great plot. I found some characters and their interactions a little too cliched and cringeworthy at times. 12. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier 8/10 Beautifully written descriptions of scenery, landscape and the house. As so many say they love this book, I was expecting something more from the characters and storylines, but I did enjoy reading it. 13. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - Winifred Watson 8/10 I discovered this book thanks to this thread! A very enjoyable read.

No. 4 = Yellowface
Really loved this.

6. O Caledonia by Elsbeth Barker. This was recommended to me by someone who had had it recommended to them, and both thought it was the best thing they had read in ages. It is amusing, the humour is dark, but I didn't find it laugh out loud funny like they did. I am glad i read it. There are some really great snap shot scenes, all over in a line or 2, which I really enjoyed. However some of the lengthy descriptive parts in between I found a bit much. Person who lent it me says this adds to the claustrophobic feel of it, as the central character is trapped. She's growing up in remote Scotland in an oddball family she doesn't fit in to. She is also an odd bod but in a different vein. I enjoyed some of the more unlikeable characters but thought some bits were a bit self conscious somehow and I wasn't sold on the ending.
If anyone else has read it - I buy the characters doing what they do, and it just being two off kilter characters coming together in leading circumstances. Except for what is said. I don't think that fits at all.