50 Books Challenge 2024 Part Nine

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the ninth and final thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year, possibly the shortest thread in the twelve years the other 50 Books Challenge threads have been going.

The challenge was 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 , the seventh one here and the eighth one here .

Just checking in!

I finished on 135 and had 13 bolds.

Not a vintage year!

Standouts from the 13 Bolds :

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

and

None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

All of which were audiobooks so it was a great year for audio!

That's my Top 3 any way

Glad the thread reappeared, thanks South

Twelve years! Have you been hosting all that time @Southeastdweller ? I am in the south east too, of England that is. I'm looking forward to joining the challenge in 2025.

Welcome newbie! @BiscuitsBooks

Favourite biscuit ?

Favourite book?

Thanks @Southeastdweller! 😊

Back in a bit with my last book of the year (probably)

A (possibly former) member called CardiffUniversityNetballTeam was the host at the start of 2013, but they faded away later that year, so I carried on. When I typed 'twelve years' even I was slightly taken aback about how long it's been going! I've relocated since then from the south east of England, had numerous health issues, gained a Masters, then there was Covid, redundancy, bereavements...so much bloody LIFE and a fair bit of stress, and these threads have always been there and such a comfort to me. I'm sure some of you can relate!

Thank you @Southeastdweller , checking in. Nothing new to report but enjoying Pandora - Jilly Cooper

Thanks southeast!.

Finished the last two books of The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman. I'm not entirely convinced that the Earthshaking Revelation was really a big deal, but the finale brought together various narrative strands and worked fairly well.

Totally relate @Southeastdweller and I've only been on the thread since just before the pandemic

Thanks for the new thread @Southeastdweller - I was worried when I realised how close to full Part Eight was yesterday!

I've finished reading the same number of books this year as last year (210), and am fairly confident of finishing at least two more books this year. I am wondering what I'll actually remember reading in 2024 in a year's time though - I've looked up a few books I don't remember anything about at all to see that I not only bought them a while ago but apparently read them and gave them a star rating, and I don't even remember vaguely what they were about....

Thank you @EineReiseDurchDieZeit . If pressed, my answer to favourite book would be The Magus by John Fowles. Not because it's my favourite tale but because I first read it when I was in my teens and I've re-read it a couple of times since then. It is like an old friend.
Favourite biscuit - anything dunk-able in an Earl Grey.

I have The Magus but I've never read it

Thanks @Southeastdweller and a happy new year to bookers, old and new.

I’m still battling with The Secret Radical and still disliking it intensely. I intend to finish it though.

You're ahead of yourself Remus thats next week!

Thank you @Southeastdweller

I have to squeeze in number 83, but it is seasonal!

The Dead Of Winter: The Demons, Witches And Ghosts Of Christmas by Sarah Clegg
Seasonal and short, this is mostly interesting although comes across as a little rushed at times. Clegg spends a winter season travelling to various European locations to experience non-Christian celebrations. Thankfully, she doesn’t spend too much time wanging on about Krampus, because if I have to suffer one more conversation about “of course, Santa is so new, yeah, Krampus is the original, Titania and Rupert adore our Krampus Nacht celebrations now” I’d have thrown my Kindle out of the window.
It’s not chronological, but it is fascinating in places and she reserves amusing little snarks for her footnotes. It’s reduced at Waterstones if anyone wanted to snap up a copy to save for next year……or to duck out of a Zulu/board game afternoon

100. Accidents in the Home - Tessa Hadley

I'm calling this my last book of the year as it’s such a satisfying number, although…..hmm, who knows, I might manage one more!
Anyway, this had been languishing on the kindle for ages so I was glad to get round to it. It’s not exactly a novel, more a linked set of short stories revolving around characters in an extended family - Clare and her husband Bram and their children, Clare's old friend Helly, and Clare's various siblings and step-mothers. I enjoyed this - while slightly marvelling at the excesses of the emotional lives of all the characters, which seemed pretty exotic. But maybe I just lead a quiet life!

Thanks @Southeastdweller
Have finished book 22. Into the storm by Cecelia Ahern
This is about Dr Enya who on a stormy night comes across a bad car accident and ends up saving a young teenagers life. Her marriage is crumbling and she can’t escape this awful night as the teenager reminds her of her own son Finn. She struggles with her mental health and coming to terms with the accident and her mother’s own death. She escapes to start afresh in a village but she can’t escape her past. There is also some folklore tied in with a Rag tree.

I found the build up very slow and was contemplating not finishing this. Overall I was very disappointed it was just an average read and I expected more from a Cecelia Ahern novel as have read a couple in the past and have really enjoyed them but this fell very far from her usual. I won’t be rushing to pick up another of hers.

I struggled to like most of the characters except Margaret who was a very blunt talking lady.

Anyway I would swerve this one.

Now reading Winter Soltice by Rosamunde Pilcher and this may or may not be my last book of the year

New thread / new reading year - and I really hope it’s better than this one!

As reliable as ever southeast - thank you!

Sorry, bringing my list over as that’s how I keep track - I know the formatting and numbering will be all over the place even though it looks fine until I preview:

1. Trust - Hernan Diaz
2. The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie
3. Ruin Beach - Kate Rhodes

4. Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrell

1. Northanger Abbey - Jane Austen
2. Snow - John Banville

7. The Golden Mole - Katherine Rundell

1. The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
2. Hostage - Clare Mackintosh

10. One Enchanted Evening - Katie Fforde 11. The Secret Adversary - Agatha Christie 12. The Bandit Queens - Parini Shroff 13. How it all Began - Penelope Lively 14. Pulse - Felix Francis 15. Where Angels Fear to Tread - E M Forster 16. Politics on the Edge - Rory Stewart 17. The Mystery of the Blue Train - Agatha Christie 18. False Colours - Georgette Heyer 19. Jane and Prudence - Barbara Pym 20. Crisis - Felix Francis 21. The Scapegoat - Daphne du Maurier 22. Burnt Island - Kate Rhodes 23. Pulpit Rock - Kate Rhodes 24. Judgement Day - Penelope Lively 25. The Murder at the Vicarage - Agatha Christie 26. The Cleaner of Chartres - Sally Vickers 27. Queens of the Age of Chivalry - Alison Weir 28. Guilty Not Guilty - Felix Francis 29. Devil’s Table - Kate Rhodes 30. The ABC Murders - Agatha Christie 31. Tackle - Jilly Cooper 32. Berlin Game - Len Deighton 33. The Chateau - William Maxwell 34.The Trial - Robert Rinder 35. Iced - Felix Francis 36. The Trio - Johanna Hedman 37. Girl - Edna O’Brien 38. Fallen Angel - Chris Brookmyre 39. And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie 40. In Memoriam - Alice Winn 41. Hands Down - Felix Francis 42. The Painter’s Daughters - Emily Howes 43. The Secret Hours - Mick Herron 44. Consequences - Penelope Lively 45. No Reserve - Felix Francis 46. Polo - Jilly Cooper 47. Spinning Plates - Sophie Ellis-Bextor 48. Taken at the Flood - Agatha Christie 49. A Catalogue of Catastrophe - Jodi Taylor 50. Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown - Alison Weir 51. Death in the Spires - KJ Charles 52. The Brutal Tide - Kate Rhodes 53. Mexico Set - Len Deighton 54. London Match - Len Deighton 55. Knife - Salman Rushdie 56. The Midnight Feast - Lucy Foley 57. Dead Man’s Folly - Agatha Christie 58. Poor - Katriona O’Sullivan 59. The Quiet Gentleman - Georgette Heyer 60. The Bee Sting - Paul Murray 61. Emily - Jilly Cooper 62. Spiderweb - Penelope Lively 63. The Enchanted April - Elizabeth von Arnim 64. Hickory Dickory Dock - Agatha Christie 65. Yellowface - Rebecca Kuang 66. Water - John Boyne 67. Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont - Elizabeth Taylor 68. A Spy Alone - Charles Beaumont 69. Unbreakable - Ronnie O’Sullivan 70. By the Pricking of my Thumbs - Agatha Christie 71. The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - Maggie O’Farrell 72. The Stalker - Kate Rhodes 73. A Civil Contract - Georgette Heyer 74. I Will Greet the Sun Again - Khashayar J Khabushani 75. Sea of Memories - Fiona Valpy 76. Spy Hook - Len Deighton 77. The Third Girl - Agatha Christie 78. Earth - John Boyne 79. Enter Ghost - Isabella Hammad 80. Men without Women - Ernest Hemingway 81. Bella - Jilly Cooper 82. When the Dust Settles - Lucy Easthope 83. Elephants can Remember - Agatha Christie 84. Slow Horses - Mick Herron

My two latest reads (which are both re-reads) and don’t think I put on last thread are:

85. Dead Lions - Mick Herron

Second in the Slow Horses series and re-read as watching the TV adaptation. Fast-paced, unexpected and entertaining.

86. Conclave - Robert Harris

Shenanigans around a papal election - re-read in anticipation of hopefully seeing the film soon. More exciting than you might think from the topic. Lots of politicking and dirty tricks.

I seem to reliably hit the mid 80s in number of books each year. I am well through The Ballad of Smallhope and Pennyroyal and have just started the third Slow Horses book so hope to hit 88 by the end of the year.

@Southeastdweller agree these threads are a comfort to me especially when crappy events of life happen so very much appreciated that this has appeared again and my goodness 12 years! Also welcome @BiscuitsBooks

Place-marking on the new thread.
Thank you Southeastdweller.
I had written a post on SouthEast's previous thread before it went poof!
Was it something I said ;)

Anyway. I just wanted to say to BoiledEgg to enjoy her seasonal* *stash as I recognised two of them; An Enchanted April and Esther's Inheritance.

I'm reading A Christmas Carol and then will move on to The Mysterious Inn at the Edge of the World and that will take me up to the end of the month. Then I will get onto the next instalment of Martin Chuzzlewit.

Also a warm welcome to @BiscuitsBooks !

Merry belated Christmas 50 bookers and welcome @BiscuitsBooks.

I completely fell off the last thread(s?). I’ve just checked Goodreads and last finished a book on 6 November. I started a new job in September but it’s been absolutely manic in the run up to Christmas and I’ve been too exhausted to read. I knew I wouldn’t achieve 100+ book this year but I’m not even going to make my reduced target of 70. Currently reading the second Slow Horses book which I need to get through quickly as we had planned on watching the series over Christmas.

Hello @BiscuitsBooks !

thanks @Southeastdweller this is my first year on the threads and I have enjoyed it a lot

Thanks @Southeastdweller
This is only my second year on the threads and I’ve really enjoyed it (and added so many more books to my TBR)