50 Books Challenge 2024 Part Six

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the sixth 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, the fourth one here and the fifth one here.

What are you reading?

Interesting @CornishLizard I did Huckleberry Finn as an audio book about 4 years ago. I have slim to none recollection of it, but I've reserved James at the library

@TattiePants The Maeve Kerrigan series crops up fairly regularly in Kindle deals - I need to start reading it! (yes, I now have the first 11 books - have had most for a while) - and a non series book by Jane Casey too.

I was excited to see a title I didn't recognise from my favourite nunfic series by Alison Joseph, but it turned out to be a retitling of a book I already have (in Kindle too), so I sent it back for a refund. A lot of the books say on the Amazon page, and sometimes I look them up on sites which offer listings of books in order, but I had to download and open this and check the copyright page to establish

Joffe Books seems to be publishing a lot of old genre fiction - quite a lot of crime and romance (and some new stuff), and they offer a free book every day, plus they offer box sets very cheaply. This is where buying books on a setting where they don't automatically download comes in handy. Though some of the books might be quantity over quality, there's the occasional reprint of something I read 20 or 30 years ago, and they seem to be getting agreement to bring out lots of backlist stuff. The retitling is irritating though - it's enough of a challenge to work out where I am in a series without them being given samey titles (eg 7 books all starting with the same words like Murder in or Death in, or whatever!)

Just finished James as well, @CornishLizard and I was nodding along to every word of your review, as someone born in the US who did Huck Finn at school and then reread it as an adult a few years ago (following a much better James-POV story in John Keene's Counternarratives). I increasingly found its central conceit annoying and unnecessary - why make the Slave code switching so literal in the first place, then make James' 'real voice' exactly that of a 2020s tenured lit. professor, "calling out the logical fallacies" in Voltaire, pronouncing Locke "entangled and problematic"? It made some of the satire, esp. of the poor white characters, read like punching down. I also LOATHED the writing of the female characters, and ended up feeling James needed a feminist revisioning much more urgently than HF did this one (especially one particular controversial twist). As with The Trees, the ending was a silly Tarantino-ish mess.
TBF it was indeed accessible and eventful and involving - I binged it in two sittings, not even tempted by Maeve Kerrigan! - and maybe I need to mull it over more, but right now I would be very annoyed if it won the Booker (less so, the Pulitzer - the last winner of that was dire).

Also DNFed This Strange Eventful History at 40%: not terrible, just very pedestrian, and was giving Restless Dolly Maunder vibes from the WP list.

As for Headshot - Rita Bullwinkel: this was decent, fresh but a bit slight. Some really interesting play with and control of narrative perspective, constantly shifting both in time and space. Intensely, almost exclusively, visual, which was both strength and weakness: gave rise to some striking images (e.g. of speech as tiny statues of words falling from a character's mouth), and evoked the boxers' intense concentration brilliantly, but made me feel distanced from the proceedings, with characterisation the main casualty - though what there was showed promise, and I liked that she swerved most clichés of teenage girls coming-of-age narratives. Despite its short length, I felt it lost steam about 2/3 of the way through and the ending was sadly anticlimactic.

Appreciating @elkiedee 's* review of Stone Yard Devotional which I'm picking up at the library tomorrow. I really admired Charlotte Wood's feminist horror The Natural Way of Things *but this sounds entirely different, apart from the isolated female community aspect.

Interested to hear the reviews of James- it was getting universal love on booktube and sometimes that overhype really puts me off (plus I read Huck Finn at school and hated it).
As I have put myself in a book buying ban, DH bought me a copy of My Friends which I’m looking forward to reading when finished my current reads.

Glad to see we had similar responses inaptonym, I did wonder if I was missing something. Would you recommend The Trees despite the ending?

56. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie This month's read christie challenge book which has taken me a while to get to. I actually already owned this in paperback from a couple of years ago but never got round to reading it In the sleepy village of Chipping Cleghorn an advertisement in the local Gazette announces a murder is to be committed that evening at Little Paddocks, the home of spinster Letitia Blacklock. Assuming this is an invite to a murder mystery evening, a selection of friends and neighbours appear at Little Paddocks for the appointed time only for things to take a sinister twist

This challenge has really shown me that I absolutely love the Marples, far more than the Poirots in book form. As a die hard Suchet fan this has really surprised me

I'm going to be very careful of spoilers here but I actually saw this book discussed on mumsnet a few years ago, I'm not sure if it was on these threads or a different thread in the reading section, but it was cited as an example of sloppy writing/editing, suggesting Christie couldn't keep her names straight. All I can say is whoever posted that either didn't finish reading the book or the entire solution went completely over their head!

I actually worked out whodunnit fairly early on as it did seem quite clearly signposted from the clues, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the build up and the final reveal

I have not seen the film of Killers of the Flower Moon but bought the book for DS1 who has. He gifted the book on to DS2 and then he passed it onwards to me as I had enjoyed The Wager. It is well written , meticulously researched and Grann does an excellent job of creating suspense and intrigue from factual events. The facts of the book are very depressing and the case has long tentacles. I read this quickly and was absorbed by it, if occasionally a bit confused!

73 Vanishing Acts - Jodi Picoult

This one is a bold for me. I liked the characters finding their way through difficult situations and unreliable memories.

Delia is a search and rescue worker in her 20s, with a lawyer-fiancé and a young daughter. She believes her mother died when she was 4, but it’s not long into the book before her father Andrew is arrested for her kidnap. Everyone ups sticks to Arizona and goes through the trial with him, and Delia meets her mother again.

As ever, I am behind with this thread.
@MegBusset – you have just reminded me that I read 1974 years ago, enjoyed it and always meant to carry on with the series. So many books too little time

Enjoying the Love for Mayflies, it was a bold for me 😊

Pausing in my reading of the thread to post my recent reviews:

16. The Prophet Song by Paul Lynch LOVED it! A definite BOLD. A dystopian novel that describes the rise of totalitarianism which results in a civil war. The story is told through the eyes of a family with 4 children narrated by the wife and Mother, Eilish. Elish is a courageous person who frantically struggles to hold her family together as the country descends into chaos. I felt I was in her head with her thoughts tumbling around me. An unsettling read due to the plausibility of the story! The characters stayed with me during and after I’d finished the book.

17. The Offing by Benjamin Myers - An enjoyable read, beautifully written and set in a part of Yorkshire I am very familiar with. It describes the growing friendship between Robert, a teenager, and an elderly lady, Dulcie who come from different worlds. The have a profound effect on one another. Heart-warming.

18. Gamble by Felix Francis - A lifelong DF fan I was intrigued to see how Felix managed it. A great racing thriller with all the ingredients you would expect in a DF novel. Keen to listen to the others on Audio, a great escapism for me.

Here's my short list for my reference:

1. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingslover

2.My Fathers House – Joseph O’Connor 3.So Late In The Day – Claire Keegan 4.Small Things Like These – Claire Keegan 5.Bournville – Jonathan Coe 6.Something to Hide – Elizabeth George 7.Pachinko by Min Jin Lee 8 Foster by Claire Keegan 9 Kala by Colin Walsh 10 The Death of Lucy Keyte- Nicola Upson 11Old Gods Time by Sebastian Barry 12 The Secret of Cold Hill by Peter James 13 Mayflies by Andrew O’Hagen 14. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 15. O’Caladonia by Elspeth Barker 16. The Prophet Song by Paul Lynch 17. The Offing by Benjamin Myers 18. Gamble by Felix Francis

Am currently reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks. I have a vacancy in the Audio book department and don't fancy another Felix Francis straight away so am debating Tackle by Jilly Cooper .....

My Fathers' Daughter - Hannah Azieb-Pool
Non-fiction written in 2003 about a British Eritrean journalist who was adopted by a white couple as an infant and after a decade of debating if she should or should not, she decides to go back to Eritrea to trace her birth family. This was on OK read but her writing was mundane and just not evocative enough.

Next up is Death at the Sign of the Rook, which is published tomorrow.

Thanks for all the Booker thoughts so far. I have Headshot and My Friends on order at the library. I tried reading The Trees last year and HATED it so will be giving James a miss.

I'm excited to have snapped up Death at the Sign of the Rook today, mysteriously on sale in a bookshop a day early! Although I am sorry to hear if KA has not treated people well.

56. Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. Really interesting, complex family story following 3 teenage siblings during the pandemic. Their father goes missing and the only witness is the youngest brother who is autistic and has Angelman's syndrome, leaving him unable to speak. It has elements of a thriller or police procedural as they race to solve the mystery, but is more an exploration of what being non-verbal means for the brother and his family, and the various ways they find to support him to communicate. I really enjoyed this, but did have my doubts about how the disability was portrayed. The author is quite clear in her afterword that she knows many, perhaps most families in this situation will not be able to communicate with words in the way they end up doing, but the narrative was very reliant on a big 'reveal' about the youngest brother's abilities. It felt quite one sided and perhaps not very realistic.

57. The Husbands by Holly Gramazio. Lauren is definitely single, but returns home from a hen do to find a husband in her flat. He goes up to the attic and a new one appears. Repeat repeat repeat. This was great fun, though like lots of high concept novels probably stretched it all out a bit too long. I really recommend it for a light holiday read though.

58. Welcome to Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal. First in a trilogy set on the fictional island of Tuga, an isolated British territory in the South Pacific, which we conveniently acquired without any form of colonialism. Charlotte takes a posting as a vet on the island, secretly hoping to find out more about her estranged father who she thinks has a connection to Tuga. Once there she gets to know the eccentric islanders and has romantic entanglements with both the local doctor and her landlord. This was pretty enjoyable, I do like character driven books set in small communities, but it was a little thin - I can't imagine getting 3 books out of this. The made up history of Tuga wasn't particularly convincing either, and things like invented dialect just got annoying after a while.

@GrannieMainland

I disliked Happiness Falls for the same reason that you criticised. Unrealistic to the point of slightly insulting

Happy belated birthday @Welshwabbit 🎈
13.Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
And I just really like her books. I like her formulaic style. However I have actively avoided the one that no one seems to like The Book of Two Ways. Anyway what I liked about this was the research about wolves. I enjoyed those sections of the book more so than the story. I think she does this well and reminds me of the book she wrote around elephants called Leaving Time that I equally enjoyed. Briefly it is about Luke Warren who lives and breathes wolves but then is in an accident and is on life support. The dilemma is who get’s to decide when to let him go or not. Yes enjoyed it but didn’t like the teenage daughter Cara much.

81. The Last Girl by Jane Casey

Maeve Kerrigan #3

Maeve investigates the deaths of the wife and daughter of a barrister. Two threads from earlier books resurface.

The ending was too much melodrama. Also, in this day and age, I don't think Derwent would get away with his massively unprofessional behaviour towards witnesses, victims and colleagues.

Taking a small break from Maeve to read other things.

Just caught up with this thread.
@Terpsichore – you’ve made me want to read 60 Ruskin Park, what an engaging review.
@ÚlldemoShúl – I’m a great fan of Johnathan Coe. I’ve also read and enjoyed “Middle England” where an older Benjamin Trotter pops up again, and his latest “Bournville”
@SheilaFentiman – I loved the Wych Elm, I must have as I can still remember it now which is in the complete opposite of the Brodie Books that I know I’ve read but can’t remember!! For some reason I’ve never read any other Tara French Books but I am now inspired to look some up so thank you!

Thank you all for your thoughts on the Booker Longlist. I’ve added four to my to-read -wish-list: My Friends, The Safe keep, Held, Enlightenment.

@Sonnet I hugely envy anyone who hasn’t read the Dublin Murder Squad books yet. Don’t watch the TV adaptation (they inexplicably squished the first two excellent books together) but do read them.

Thank you @SheilaFentiman I have just purchased "In To The Woods" 😁

The ending of In The Woods annoyed me so much I wanted to throw the book across the room and I have refused to read any of hers ever since!

Ha! I liked it.

Cassie is in the next book, The Likeness, if you want to find out more of her story.

I was similarly not blown away by the first of the Tana French series and decided not to continue

It’s definitely worth a read if you get the chance, @Sonnet

I’m afraid I’m another Tana French refusenik, I read her first and the lack of a resolution enraged me….never got on with any of her others since….

I’ve enjoyed the Tana French books too. I loved The Wych Elm and the Cal Hooper ones the best.

Two good reads recently
141 The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
Lily Bart is not wealthy but holds onto her place in the elite ‘set’ of New York society through her beauty, wit and overspending, but her overconfidence leads to trouble. I should have hated Lily, she’s not my kinda gal, but Wharton made me really feel for her. Beautifully written. Don’t read if you’re at all feeling down though. Undecided yet on whether this was a bold- I want to see if it sticks with me.

142 The Rotter’s Club- Jonathan Coe
I listened to this on audio from my library. Set in the 1970s, it tells the story of Benjamin Trotter and his friends at private school and beyond. It also touches on the lives of the siblings and parents. Witty, thought-provoking and great depth of character. Well narrated and I loved Coe’s prose. Good read- not quite bold. Will definitely read the others in the series - thanks for the recommendation @Sonnet
Still reading Maali Almeida and have started Maus by Art Spiegelman

Yes it was @highlandcoo - I have just bought the DVD to watch when I’ve finished the books. I do love some Sean Bean 😆

82. What's Next? by Melissa Fitzgerald and Mary McCormack

I saw an interview on YouTube about this and immediately put Maeve Kerrigan, Madeleine Maxwell and Jackson Brodie on hold.

I'm a huge fan of The West Wing (and if you're not why not?!) and this was a "behind the scenes" look authored by the actresses who played Carol Fitzpatrick and Kate Harper, both minor players in the grand scheme of the series; but who seem to be instrumental at keeping the cast in touch.

They are obviously still a fairly close knit bunch, a lot of time is devoted to the late John Spencer and Martin Sheen is absolutely idolised. There are some great anecdotes like the trips to Las Vegas.

Joshua Malina sounds like an absolute arsehole to work with, as one of these self appointed "pranksters" who thinks he's 100 x funnier than he actually is, though it's clear he's still part of the group all the same.

It's also clear who is on the periphery. There are some carefully worded sentences about the departure of Rob Lowe which don't need to say : It Was His Ego. Elisabeth Moss is conspicuous by her total absence.

This book is 600 pages long and I have eaten it more than read it. I will admit to some skimming. The opportunity has been taken to focus on service because the show was about public service; this means that everyone gets to plug their good works, advocacy or charities they are involved in, and none had UK relevance. There's also a full chapter of Senator Whoever from Smallville talking about their highlights and what the show meant to them which just didn't interest me.

It's very much a love in and very backslappy and very wasn't everyone just swell and we all had the best time, so it's with a pinch of salt.

Are you a die hard fan? Then you're already buying it!
Meh about it? Not so much for you

22 Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
UrsulaTodd is born and dies over and over again until she gets it right. Enjoyable re-read

23 Amsterdam - Ian McEwan
Two thoroughly unpleasant middle-aged men blame each other for their personal failures. I loved this, excellent writing.