50 Books Challenge Part Eight

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the eighth 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 , the fifth one here , the sixth one here and the seventh one here .

What are you reading?

Squeaky Clean by Callum McSorley

This was entertaining Tartan Noir, if you like dark humour alongside your grisly crime. An excellent debut; I would read another by this author.

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

If you like the Thursday Club books, you'll probably like this but not quite as much. Similar in tone, quite amusing, easy to read but fairly forgettable really.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.

A reread. I'm a big Ann Patchett fan and this is an excellent book. The story of a brother and sister who are pushed out of their (very beautiful) home by their stepmother after the death of their father. They are emotionally stuck for years, visiting the street to sit in the car outside the Dutch House, unable to let go and move on, and this sense of loss resonates throughout their future lives and relationships. The house is so vividly described I have a clear picture of it in my head; I don't think I'd want to watch a film of the novel as it would never measure up.

@highlandcoo I'm looking forward to the Squeaky Clean sequel in March!

@inaptonym I didn't realise there was one - good news!

97. Wartime Women - ed. Dorothy Sheridan

Another dive into the Mass Observation project, and yet again the fascination of the everyday details of other peoples' lives proves irresistible. What I liked about this mosaic of writings by women submitting their thoughts to the Project during WW2 was that it didn’t rely too heavily on the better-known contributors. Nella Last, for example, does put in an appearance, but only quite briefly - there are also reports from future novelist Celia Fremlin (an ardent Mass Observer), and I was very interested in the lively, sparky nurse, Amy Briggs, mother of two girls, whose marriage to 'T' - away on service for much of the time but a jealous, moody nightmare whenever he returned - is clearly a disaster. I longed to know what became of her but alas, I don’t suppose there’s any way of finding out.

Morning 50 bookers I have bought myself a small Christmas present for me. All these for £6.00 from Vinted, all good quality too. Just arrived and has made my day. It is Strange Sally Diamond that enticed me to purchase. Anyone read any of the others? I recognise a couple of the authors Joanne Harris and Clare Mackintosh but not so the others

@Midnightstar76 no, I didnt even know that Joanne Harris wrote darker books! lol That was an excellent haul from Vinted. Its not helpful knowing that Vinted also sell books 🙈

116 Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas - Adam Kay. Mostly light and frothy anedotes about Kay's Christmas shift. However, it needs a CW for baby loss and the description of a termination. Kay does say that the termination scene is upsetting, but he doesnt say what it was. I think that was a mistake. I dont think I'll read any more from him, but it was fine for a 99p Kindle special.

Kindle Challenge. Down to 39, hurrah! I havgent bought a Kindle book in December. I did buy a real book, but I'm afraid I will always give into temptation. I havent counted my actual TBR, it wont be more than 30, I hope!

112 Dear Coca-Cola: The Timewaster Letters - Terry Ravenscroft

Ugh. This was not a pleasant book, and I nearly DNF’d several times. It was an early days of the Kindle purchase and a couple of the letters were amusing (basically, the author writes - pre social media- to Coca Cola, Knorr etc about some imaginary problem or with some unlikely praise of the products. He keeps writing until they stop replying. I do not think this book would be published today as many of the later letters involve him pretending the product improved his sex life or other such BS that some poor woman (usually) in customer services had to read and reply to.

133. The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths

Ruth Galloway #10

Ruth and Nelson implausibly become embroiled in an Italian mystery

Not the finest outing.

The Inn at the Edge of the World by Alice Thomas Ellis

@Terpsichore already described this perfectly. Five strangers escape Christmas by spending it on a Scottish island. As we discover their reasons for coming and they get to know each other and the locals some mildly spooky things happen. An enjoyable Christmas read.

I’ve only read Gentleman and Players and Chocolat by Joanne Harris. G&P is the first in the series that Narrow Door belongs to, but they can be read as standalone I believe. I really loved G&P even though Chocolat is more my usual thing.

I think this was the worst.

Reading has really slowed down this month. I think the way things are going with the pre-Christmas madness and parental caring duties, I’m unlikely to finish my latest doorstop of a book before the new year. Enjoying it but it needs the time to appreciate it which I don’t have at present.

68.	A <strong>Christmas Carol</strong> - Charles Dickens 

A couple of firsts for (probably) my last book of the year. My first audiobook for about 30 years. Also - and I’m ashamed to admit this in such well-read company - the first time I’ve ‘read’ A Christmas Carol (though I’ve seen several film versions).

Two things stood out: firstly how funny the book is in places; having it read aloud really brings out the social humour. Secondly (lowering the highbrow tone here), how faithful to the story is that staple of Christmas Eve, The Muppet Christmas Carol. I found myself quoting chunks from the film.

Obviously a bold, and hopefully not my last audiobook.

I've been off this thread for months and months. Between July and October I read basically nothing but then a new book club got me started again and I've just about managed my 50 book target. I treated myself to the new David Nicholls - you are here as my 50th book. It was expensive at £9.99 as I usually only buy things under £5. What a load of navel gazing rubbish! I finished it but didn't enjoy it at all.

@RomanMum The Muppets version is often said to be the best film version for a reason.

113 Marple - various (12 short stories)

I enjoyed these. Authors include familiar to me (Natalie Haynes, Elly Griffiths, Val McDermid) and less so (Karen McManus). All the stories were good. I don’t remember the originals well but it was nice to be in miss Marple’s company.

98. Small Pleasures - Clare Chambers

I must surely be the last person to get round to reading this enjoyable 50's-set story of journalist Jean, whose researches into a supposed case of virgin birth turn her own dull and repetitive life upside-down. I’d completely forgotten the book's opening by the time I came to the end, so it genuinely made me gasp in dismay.

We saw a fab play the other day at a local am-dram theatre - The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, where Scrooge takes on Marley and the other ghosts for kidnapping. Great fun.
Muppet Christmas Carol is fantastic with the BEST songs.

@BestIsWest

It really is the worst Ruth Galloway, had I not bought the set I'd question continuing

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I made it to the end of the series but well spaced out over a few years. You need to suspend reality. I enjoyed them though.

In our house The Muppets is the best Christmas film.
I always remark on how Tiny Tim is always a sicklier shade of green compared with his family.

Watched it day before yesterday to kick off festive viewing. Think I'm going to do Santa Claus : The Movie today!

Excellent @EineReiseDurchDieZeit
Looking forward to some festive viewing now!

I've just bought The Inn at the Edge of the World, looking forward to reading it after the reviews

32 - Much more to come - Eleanor Mills
A reminder that when we hit 50 we are absolutely MID-life and not nearing the end! Midlife is a chrysalis, not a crisis. I'm with her in theory... often harder in practice!

We had our celebration yesterday on the Solstice for logistical reasons, & I've got two books in my present pile, Elena Knows by Claudia Piñero, and The Fertile Earth by Ruthvika Rao. I'm also reading and very much enjoying A Woman Like Me by Diane Abbot from the library so hoping for some happy reading time over the break.

106. Stuffed by Pen Vogler
     This is subtitled A History of Good Food & Hard Times in Britain. I saw this (in our new bookshop!!) & picked it up in confusion with Scoff which I know a number of people on here have enjoyed. It did have lots of interesting history in it, but it felt a bit patchy & I wonder if it was something of a follow-up written because Scoff was a success. I didn't find myself rushing to pick it up, & the contents haven't really stayed with me but I might go back to the more interesting sections sometime.

107. The Accidental Seed Heroes by Adam Alexander
     To be honest I only read this because I was sent a proof copy & was asked if I'd give some publicity quotes. Which is always a bit tricky & embarrasing if you then think a book is rubbish, but it was an awkward one to say no to as I know the author a bit. Fortunately it was actually a good read, much better than I expected from the blurb. The premise is that Alexander travels round meeting people who are breeding new and interesting seed varieties that will hopefully contribute to a tasty diverse supply of food in the future. These bits were good, but I also thought he did a great job of explaining the problems with our current agricultural system, and how things could potentially change. (Now the only problem is I need to think of how to summarise all this in some catchy quotes )
     Hope you all get lots of lovely books from your friends & relations too