50 Books Challenge 2025 Part Seven

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the seventh thread of the 50 Books Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2025, 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 or / 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 like to bring over lists to the next thread - again, this is up to you.
The first thread of the year is here, the second thread here , the third thread here, the fourth thread here , the fifth thread here and the sixth thread

@PermanentTemporary it was 99p last week on Kindle but I used a rare Audible token on it as Maconie reads it himself. It’s a joy.

Happy Birthday @Piggywaspushed 🎈
Definitely go and get yourself to your favourite bookshop and buy some books. I think three is a good number too. Then go and follow up with coffee or tea and cake 📚☕️🍰

It is that one Remus - a lot of wanking, I did get rather bored by it all.

Happy birthday @Piggywaspushed - I rarely get given books either.

Happy Birthday @Piggywaspushed !

Yes, and I bought this when it was a kindle deal recently. I’m really looking forward to it now!

Happy birthday Piggy and happy belated birthday Arran.

Tackle! - Jilly Cooper

Concluding my reread of the Rutshire series. This is the football one. Not one of my favourites of hers but not the weakest either. I do wonder if we’ll ever see another Rutshire book. When I saw Jilly at an event last year she said she was working on a book about Sparta which doesn’t sound like anything to do with Rupert Campbell-Black. Still, I shall live in (almost certainly unrequited) hope for another!

I Know How This Ends - Holly Smale

When Maggie starts dating Henry she keeps getting visions of their future, and uses these to make decisions about what she should do. Time will tell if she makes the right choices! I do like a time travel book and while this isn’t strictly time travel it’s a similar vibe, and this is nicely written with generally likeable characters.

Other People - Celia Dale

Coming of age story about June adapting to life in a new city following the return of her father who has been ‘away’. There is a bit of a twist but not as much of one as I expected. However Dale writes really well about the characters and the 1960s setting also came across really well.

Guilt Trip - Jo Furniss

A minibus of teenagers from a private school disappears following a swimming competition. This started well, following both the parents waiting for news and the events on the minibus, but there’s too many characters to keep track of and once the background behind the events started to be revealed I lost interest as it was all a bit ridiculous.

The Romantic - William Boyd

I loved this story about the life of Cashel Ross in the 1800s. I have realised that I do like books that follow someone throughout their whole lives, and I especially liked the way this one weaves in real people and events. Not quite a bold because towards the end I did think the amount of times Ross had a success followed by a disaster was starting to get a bit much, but almost there.

Happy birthday @Piggywaspushed! I always buy my own books and frankly prefer it that way.

Happy Birthday @Piggywaspushed. At least you're not going to end up reading something you didn't choose/don't want.

And belated birthday wishes to @Arran2024.

@PermanentTemporary @Terpsichore - that’s a real blast from the past - I remember a lot of time spent reading Sue Barton but can remember very little now. May have to check if they are still on my parents' bookshelf!

I’d Be perfectly content to never read about wanking again in my life. It might be exciting for the one wanking, but it’s certainly very wearisome for the one having to read about said wanking.

That's amusingly good timing Remus, since I've just read that chapter in The Safekeep.

It’s still 99p 🥳 Purchased - don’t know when I’ll get round to it, but I loved the Beatles biography Shout by Philip Norman which I read many moons ago.

belated Happy Birthday @Piggywaspushed
hope you found some bookish happiness in your day!

I haven't read The Safekeep and feel that I never will now.

157 After I Do - Taylor Jenkins Reid

This is the first TJR I have read, after seeing a few of you discuss her books. I enjoyed it.

The book is told from the POV of Lauren, who (in flashback) falls in love with Ryan at uni and then married him… many years on, she is about to turn 30 and their dream romance is fraying, so they decide to take a break for a year. Lauren strengthens her family relationships and explores her possibilities. It’s a heartwarming read about love and family.

The Long Walk by Stephen King
We’re going to see the film tomorrow, so I wanted to re-read it before then.

It’s a very early precursor to things like Squid Game and The Hunger Games, whereby 100 young men volunteer to embark on the long walk of the title. Their mission is entirely simple and entirely fucking awful- they must walk at a steady pace until they drop and if they drop, they are shot. Only one of them can survive to claim the prize of their heart’s desire.

It’s as bleak and bloody as a prize fight, but quite beautiful and tender in places too. It’s the first time I’ve been quite so aware of the focus on breasts in King’s work and one character dies in what I think must be a highly implausible manner, but these are quibbles. I’d also totally forgotten the ending and it took me by surprise.

If you’re up for something thoroughly gripping and horribly depressing, then this could be it.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie I’m hoping to see the film. Is it part of The Bachman Books?

Instagram has decided I want to see adverts for films where people kill each other in cold blood (I don't). The Long Walk features prominantly. I will not be watching or reading it.

Oh I loved the Bachman Books as a fantasy/horror obsessed teen. Let us know if the film’s any good, @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie !

44 Entitled - David Lownie

Dismal recounting of the many grim doings of Prince Andrew. Fergie comes across a little more sympathetically, but really the whole setup is ghastly and I’m not sure reading this account made any positive difference to my life.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit Yes
@JaninaDuszejko It’s more intelligent and powerful than the usual schlock

As a metaphor for Western civilizations destroying their children The Long Walk is up there with the best. I don’t remember emphasis on breasts but it was ages ago, so probably best I don’t revisit it. Rage is the best of the quartet in that book but of course King withdrew it - an act of cowardice imo previously discussed in these threads.

I've got behind on the thread again! Sending best wishes to those going through hard stuff and hoping you find some solace in books.

Maurice & Maralyn by Sophie Elmhurst

I got this in my drift and focus subscription which is now sadly on hold as one of the creators accidentally landed their dream job!

The book is the true story of Maurice and Maralyn who fall in love and in the 70s buy a boat to escape suburban life and cross oceans. However a whale crashes into their boat which sinks and they are left sitting in a little life boat. (Not really a spoiler, this is all on the back cover).

The tale is beautifully told. The descriptions of the sea and the wildlife are poetic and lyrical. The survival story is astounding. The pair at the centre do not sound like especially nice people. Maurice is particular, and falls short of his own standards, as so most other people around him. Maralyn is determined and upbeat, occasionally straying into toxic positivity.

Whilst I understand their desire to escape boring every day life they are stupid in how they go about it. Maralyn does not learn how to swim. Maurice won't have a radio on the boat. Adventure and adrenaline is one thing but I can't understand why you wouldn't take basic safety precautions.

I gave this 3.75 out of 5. I got really stuck into it but it didn't make me want to take to sea.

Mine is an early copy with Rage in. I don't see King withdrawing it as cowardice, although I do see it as unnecessary.

I don’t remember a conversation about Stephen King’s Rage - I haven’t read any of the quartet, what was wrong with Rage?

It's about Charles Decker, who is the perpetrator of a school shooting. Written in the first person it dives deep into his motivations and feelings. Veers into Lord Of The Flies territory. He withdrew it from reprints after a school shooting where it was alleged the shooter had a copy. The whole theme of the book is why you should understand but not emulate Charles Everett Decker, so my money's on King not wanting media approbation.

158 The Names - Florence Knapp

Much reviewed on here already. I loved this.

Cora is married to the abusive Gordon and has a 9 year old daughter, Maia, and a new baby boy. Her husband wants her to register the baby as Gordon, Maia wants the name Bear and Cora would like Julian. The story then splits into three depending on what name she chooses, and follows through each until the kids are in their 30s, during the pandemic.

Moving, bittersweet book that I will re read.