50 Books Challenge 2024 Part Five

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fifth 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.

Some of us bring over to the new thread lists of the books we've read so far, but again - this is your choice.

The first thread is here, the second one here , the third one here and the fourth one here

What are you reading?

I have had a very quick look at the deals and have bought a Karen Rose and am thinking about Caledonian Road, Night Train to Odessa and Where Did You Go Bernadette

@Tarragon123 Squeaky Clean won the McIlvanney Prize beating a lot of big names. I'm sure it's shortlisted for more, and deservedly so! Really was brilliant, didn't read at all like a debut.
I'm also waiting for the next Harbinder Kaur and hope it's a return to form after BHY. Do/have you read Elly Griffiths' Brighton Mysteries series too? That one has changed so much from its beginnings with a two-man detection team into a four-woman one, which I enjoy - but hope Harbinder doesn't get similarly sidelined from her own series.

@BlueFairyBugsBooks as always, each to their own, and there's now a sequel to Little Sky for you to enjoy! Many of the other bestsellers by celebs dabbling in crime/mystery (Richards Osman/Coles, Bob Mortimer, et al.) also leave me cold. Still likely to take a punt on Rob Rinder's at some point, because what even is learning lessons? 😁

@Terpsichore TYSM, I hadn't come across the Collins, despite loving LBtM* *(also technically a hotel book). Pity it seems to be OOP but will try to find a copy, and one of Central Stores.
I share your other shopbooks though would add Streatfeild/Scarlett's Clothes Pegs too. And Madeline St John's The Women in Black! Superb histfic set in 1950s Sydney, Hilary Mantel named it as the book she most often gave to cheer people up.

(Dept. stores also feature in Min Jin Lee's Free Food for Millionaires and Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn but as contemporary litfic they don't really offer enough of the granular detail/joy of the 'rather dated' type. Even trickier sifting through all the books set in hotels to find the slice-of-hotel-life novels I want - the last one to nail that brief was Hotel Bemelmans.)

@minsmum I enjoyed Caledonian Road very much.

37 Nicholas Nickleby - Charles Dickens
Another Dickens readalong - great fun, a good time was had by all (except Smike).

38 The Covent Garden Ladies - Hallie Rubenhold
This account of the infamous ‘Harris’ List’ - an annual publication of the late eighteenth century, advertising the particular attractions of the women of ill repute frequenting the Covent Garden area - was the inspiration for the TV series Harlots a few years back. The sort of non-fiction that’s as gripping as a novel. Charlotte Hayes in particular is a fascinating figure, born into a life of high class prostitution and running her own highly lucrative establishment - she treated some of the women in her ‘care’ abysmally, but was operating in a world where women of her ‘type’ had very limited choices. Highly recommended (but published in 2005 so not exactly hot off the press).

39 The Betrayal - Helen Dunmore
In this sequel to The Siege, doctor Andrei and his wife Anna struggle against the constraints of life in Leningrad in Stalin’s final years. The tension is impeccably built as Andrei becomes dangerously involved in treating the very ill son of a senior secret police officer. It’s one of those novels that succeeds in bringing mind-numbing statistics (millions sent to the Gulags…) to horrifying life by emersion in the lives of startlingly real characters. Helen Dunmore is one of my all time favourite writers, precisely for this skill in depicting the physical and emotional reality of her characters.

I got Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad for 99p if anyone else had their eye on that

@RazorstormUnicorn We are in sync on our Stephen Kind readathon! I'm on The Black House at the moment, I found it a bit difficult to get into, I am taking it slow and am now finding it a bit easier to read.

Thanks @EineReiseDurchDieZeit ive just got that one too

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I read that earlier this year it's very good

Just started The Burning Chambers - Kate Mosse, I'm listening to it and am having a struggle keeping track of all the different characters. Is it worth persevering? Thought I might look for some notes to get a better handle on the plot.

Caledonian Road is one of today's daily deals so not on offer all month. It's £1.99 but it is quite new and nearly 700 pages. I've nearly finished a library ebook copy and I bought it and returned a library hardback copy for the queue of readers and because I need to make space to borrow other reservations coming through.

It's set on a long road which runs from Kings Cross up to Holloway Road. There's a huge cast of characters - some of them aren't all that likeable - I think I'm finding the setting more interesting than the cast but it's definitely worth a read.

@MamaNewtNewt I knew we were pretty close but I didn't realise we'd synced up!

Looking ahead after this one we've got a lot of Dark Tower series and then quite a lot that I have wanted to read but never got round to. Which was the whole point of the read through so I will finish Black House.

@RazorstormUnicorn I'm the same. I'd read most of his early stuff but had gaps with some of the later ones. I'd not read the Dark Tower series before so when I got to the first one as part of this project I read them all - I knew I'd forget the story if I read them as published. I loved them so plan to read them again when I get to to the last Dark Tower book in the list.

Thanks, I’ve bought this and Caledonian Road. I was also tempted by Winter People and Booth - can anyone recommend?

I’ve also bought 2 trilogies 20,000 streets under the sky by Patrick Hamilton and the first 3 books in William Kent Kruger’s Cork O’Connor series.

I've finally finished my first actual (as opposed to audio) book for ages, & it's not just a bold but making me wish that I was better at writing reviews, so I could enthuse about it enough to encourage you all to read it

68. Thirty Two Words For Field by Manchán Magan This is partly a love letter to the Irish language, partly an exploration of how language, people and land interact and influence each other. Beyond that the author spins off into folklore, quantum physics, history, politics and a whole lot more. There's so many tangents & ideas packed in that it's really quite hard to summarise, but I just found the whole thing a wonderful, eccentric rollercoaster, & I'd really recommend it to anyone else in a bit of a book slump. Ironically, I'd really love to have this in audio as well to hear the Irish spoken, but it doesn't seem to be available.

I'm wondering if anyone on here is an Irish speaker - @ÚlldemoShúl maybe? I haven't really got a sense of how much Irish is spoken as a daily language. Somehow I think of it as less of an every-day language than Welsh but then I realise that this is possibly just because I live in a Welsh farming community, and have never visited rural Ireland...

Two non-fiction bargains I've enjoyed, if anyone's interested - Kassia St. Clair's very good The Secret Lives of Colour is a time-limited 99p deal. Also, The Library Book by Susan Orlean is £1.19 (rather oddly).

Sending good thoughts and best wishes to everyone struggling at the moment. I too have MH issues (in my case anxiety and depression) and when you or a family member goes into a 'dip' it can be really tough. Hoping better times are round the corner.

A few of reviews from me:

51 All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley

I think quite a few people on the thread have read this account of the author working as a security guard, in the aftermath of his brother’s death, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. When I began this I found the tone a bit pretentious and thought it wasn’t going to be for me, but as I settled in and got in sync with the tone and rhythm I ended up really loving it. I don’t know much about art so I enjoyed having this as a rough guide and spent my time googling the works mentioned (I found at the end of the book that the author had put together a list of links to every work of art he mentioned, wish I’d realised at the start 😊). I thought the way the author blended stories about his family, particularly the loss of his brother, and the other employees of the Met, was done really well. A gem of a book.

52 Killing Time by Jodi Taylor

Latest in the Time Police saga which I listened to on audible. I agree with @ClaraTheImpossibleGirl that it was a bit overlong, and it is probably my least favourite of the series so far, that said I still enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next adventure of Team Weird!

53 Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss

The second in the Kingkiller Chronicles, and another beast of a book. Kvothe is still telling his life story to the Chronicler, and at times this seemed to veer into smugness. Kvothe continues telling his adventures as a fantasy ginger Fonz, and although this sagged a little in the middle I enjoyed it overall and happily went to seek the next instalment. It turns out that the first book was published in 2007 and this one in 2011 - as to when the next volume will be finished I’ll leave the final word to the passive aggressive comment on Wikipedia: The Doors of Stone (forthcoming, allegedly). Apparently GRRM is a fan… !

54 Romancing Mr Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Despite not being impressed by the first Bridgerton book I decided to give this one (the basis for the recent 3rd Netflix series) a go. I wish I'd heeded my misgivings from reading the first book. I have no idea why Bridgerton fans love book Colin so much. We are constantly told how he's so lovely, never loses his temper, and is mad about Penelope. So I was somewhat surprised to read page after page of a spoilt brat in a massive nark, treating everyone around him like crap. But the worst bit was when he was annoyed at Penelope and was gripping her arm so tightly he knew it would leave bruises but didn't care. What a romance. I wasn't that enamoured with the recent series but seeing the source material they had to work with its gone up in my estimations, and Luke Newton (Colin in the show) has too. Book Penelope and TV Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) both rule though.

Sadik, a good question. There are regions in Ireland along the western seaboard where Irish is spoken daily. These places are known as 'An Gaeltacht'. Apparently (according to Google) around 66 per cent of people living there are Irish speakers.

Most Irish people have some basic Irish, particularly as it is a compulsory subject in school. However, people outside of the Gaeltacht don't speak it regularly on a daily basis. It is a difficult language to learn if you don't have exposure to it from birth.

My mother has really good Irish and is fluent in it. She went to a gaelscoil (where they teach through Irish) and went back in later life to study it at university. I have a friend whose parents speak it at home, raised their children in it and she is bilingual. I studied Irish to Leaving Certificate but I am not proficient in it.

@inaptonym oh it's definitely an each to their own with books. I had a couple of DNFs Earlier this year which my bookish friends gave 5 stars. I knew there was a sequel, just need time to read it

I've had a few bolds in the last week or so. I seem to have no bolds for ages, and then a load of come along at once like the 17 bus

149. The Guardians Light. Oliver Crane
     The body of a young Swedish woman is found in the Alps by a skier. Her step father is Lord Twatington (not his name, but I hated him) so some Scottish police men are sent to Chamonix to investigate. Of course the case is more complicated than it first seems.

150. A Simple Foundation. Larry Heitz
     A self-help ish book to help build a stronger Christian foundation. It strips back the man made rules to a more simple "what did Jesus say" message.

151. How Soon is Now? Paul Carnahan
     A bold for me. A wibbly wobbly timey wimey book about a guy who finds out he can time travel. But only to his own past. Not only that but he can make small changes to his past life. Things like walking home rather than getting a taxi. But of course even those small things have a knock on effect.

152. Murder on Stage. F. L. Everett
     A WW2 murder mystery set in the theatre world. Actually can't remember much else. Which doesn't mean it wasn't good, i just have a brain like a sieve!

153. Murmurations. Sarah Thompson
     A short poetry anthology. Some poems really made me think. There was a fab one called "Radicalised" which was about being a woman and made me think of MN.

154. Sun of Endless Days. L.G Jenkins
     Another bold. A dystopian fiction book where some people are worthy, and others unworthy. The unworthy can't do things like buy chocolate. It reminded me of how some people view benefit claimants tbh. Good behavior is rewarded and the ultimate goal is to move to the Glorified Quarter.

155. The Days of Our Birth. Charlie Laidlaw
     Another bold. Peter and Sarah were born on the same day, and grew up next door to each other. Sarah is autistic and never really feels like she fits in. The book follows their lives and friendship over 20 years. It was just a really beautiful story about fitting in.

156. The Florence Letter. Anita Chapman
     A dual timeline story set lately at a stately home during the war and the present day. It's got illegitimate children, prisoners of war and old Wartime diaries written using false names. In the modern day Claire is putting together an exhibition about "life downstairs" and uncovers a mystery that no one knew needed solving. The ending was a little predictable though.

157. The Game of War. Glen Dahlgren
     This is listed as book 0 in a series as its technically a prequel. Dantess wants to become a priest of War like his Grandfather was. But in doing so he discovers family secrets that totally change everything he thought he knew.

158. Under her Roof. A.A Chaudhuri
     A final bold for this review chunk.
     Sebastian rents a room in a massive as on Hampstead Heath from wealthy widow Adriana. But not all is as it seems, they say if something seems too good to be true it probably is. The twist atb the end of this was AMAZING!

@TattiePants

I thought Booth was really good and gave it a bold, someone else absolutely hated it though and I felt embarrassed. Last year maybe?

I found this book really dragged and was not very nuanced - such as 'baddies' who are rotters and 'goodies' who are perfect. Lots of plot holes. I was more interested in the history of the Hugenots and Catholics than Minou's storyline. I felt a bit let down as I remember really enjoying Labyrinth.

I’ve got very behind on my reviews.

157 The Last Girl by Jane Casey
158 The Stranger You Know by Jane Casey

Books 3 and 4 in the Maeve Kerrigan detective series. Really enjoying this series, good crime stories and I like the characters and the developing relationships between them.

159 The Art Of Belonging by Eleanor Ray

A nice sweet story about a mother and daughter having to move back in with the grandmother and all ending up with expanded lives as a result. Enjoyed this.

160 Left For Dead by Jane Casey

Short story prequel featuring Maeve as a young policewoman just starting out. Good although I did miss the characters from later books.

161 The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer

An eccentric author, who wrote a series of children’s books set on an island and then created a real-life version of the island, sets a treasure hunt for four of his biggest fans. This started a bit slowly but then I got really caught up in it and ended up really enjoying it.

162 The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal

Set in the 1800s, a woman hides from her past by getting a job as a maid at a big house, but discovers that there’s more to the family that meets the eye. A pretty good example of the genre but won’t set the world on fire.

163 The Silent Man by David Fennell

A killer is going round London killing people and taping up their faces. I enjoyed this crime story and will look out the others in the series.

164 The Kill by Jane Casey
165 After The Fire by Jane Casey
166 Let The Dead Speak by Jane Casey
167 One In Custody by Jane Casey
168 Cruel Acts by Jane Casey
169 Love Lies Bleeding by Jane Casey
170 Silent Kill by Jane Casey
171 The Cutting Place by Jane Casey

More from the Maeve Kerrigan series which I got addicted to. Highly recommended!

172 Again, Rachel by Marian Keyes

A reread (on Audible) to complete my Walsh sisters series reread. Loved it again!

173 The Close by Jane Casey
174 A Stranger In The Family by Jane Casey
175 The Outsider by Jane Casey

Finishing up the series along with the spin off book featuring my one of the main characters from the series. Really good.

176 From The Ashes by Damien Boyd

Another crime series, this one set in Somerset which I like as I know the area. This one wasn’t the best in the series but still good and I enjoyed it. Here the detectives are looking for connections between what initially look like normal deaths of elderly people but turn out to be murder.

177 The Making of Swallows and Amazons by Sophie Neville

Another reread - this weekend was the celebration of 50 years since the film was released, with some of the cast getting together again in the Lake District, so it was nice revisiting the behind the scenes stuff.

178 Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

I read this when it first came out in 2022, but much more poignant reading it again now following his very sad death last year.

179 Killing Time by Jodi Taylor

Agree with whoever said upthread this was a bit too long and not the best instalment in the series, but still fun.

180 Snow by John Banville

1950s crime in a wintery Ireland. I didn’t like this - the story was too slow, all the female characters were completely unrealistic and some really bad and unnecessary sex scenes.

I really liked Instructions for a Heatwave but then I also liked Hamnet and A Marriage Portrait so I obviously just gel with Maggie O’Farrell

Adding latest reads:

45. No Reserve - Felix Francis

Hurrah! The most recent Francis book so the final one in my readathon. Our hero works at the horse auctioneers in Newmarket and becomes aware of shady goings on in relation to horse sales. It all becomes more serious when someone tries to kill him. Good page turner and plenty of horses/trips to the races.

46. Polo - Jilly Cooper

A sun lounger re-read moving from the polo fields of Rutshire to Argentina and the US. Plenty of familiar faces and lots of new ones. Great fun.

47. Spinning Plates - Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Think I picked this up in a kindle deal. I enjoyed it more than I expected. Split between personal and professional, seems very honest and has a distinct “voice” so you get a sense of her as a person.

48. Taken at the Flood - Agatha Christie

This month’s challenge book. Ticks all my boxes. Dead rich relative and lots of dysfunctional family members in need of money which has passed to young wife. And Hercule Poirot. Sure I have read it before but still couldn’t remember who did it.

30 The House by the Sea - Louise Douglas This author definitely has a thing about big old family mansions in Sicily, with a historical family mystery - this is the second book in a row with all those elements! I much preferred this one, and actually think this is the best of the four Louise Douglas books I’ve read this year (one more to go, from the library, then I’ll have a break 😄).

It’s about Edie and her ex-husband Joe, who have been jointly bequeathed the big house by Joe’s mum Anna (who Edie hated, as their son’s death was Anna’s fault in Edie’s eyes). They travel to Sicily intending to sell the house as quickly as possible, and then events change those plans…There is a bit of gothic mystery in this, lots of lovely descriptions of the Sicilian setting, and plenty of coming to terms with the past. Not a bold but an enjoyable book and would be good for summer holiday reading.

@Mothership4two It was the cover that drew me in to Pine - it is lovely. I made a bit more progress with it yesterday, but am still not quite sure where it is going. Despite the lukewarm (at best) reviews here will probably persist to the end. The audio version isn’t too offensive (sometimes I find narration grating) and it is my current chemo book that I listen in during treatment to block hospital noise. Listenable is the bar that has to be passed for entry into this category.

@J97King will add I am, I am, I am to the tbr list. I read
The Vanishing of Esme Lennox ages ago and if memory serves me correctly (not always the case these days) I enjoyed it. I do like O’Farrell’s writing I think Instructions for a heatwave just didn’t resonate with me as much as the couple of others of hers i’ve read.