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

Congratulations @GrannieMainland ! And I love your username as a big fan of Katie Morag - I grew up on Alecina’s makeover and Katie Morag Delivers the Mail, and got to know most of the other books with my DDs. I’ve got a Hebridean connection so it’s lovely to see island life reflected in the books 😊

Thank you for all kind words. And lovely to see so many other Katie Morag enthusiasts! I've created a lot of age confusion, but very much in my mother to pre-school children era.

In much sadder news, I've just seen that Jilly Cooper has died at 88 :(

Yes very sad about Jilly

Just heard. So sad. I’ve returned to her books many times over the years for comfort.

So sad but great that she got to have a renaissance with a truly fab version of Rivals before she went. Will be dabbing the Fracas behind my ears and drinking champagne from a chipped toothmug to celebrate.

I’m really sad about Jilly, as you can tell from my username I’m a massive fan. I still had hopes for another Rutshire book although I knew it was a long shot given her age and how long she takes between books. I’m very glad I got to see her talk live with some of the Rivals cast last year although sad that I now won’t ever properly meet her.

Another one who's very sad about Jilly. I'm glad that she had such a wonderful last couple of years and got to see how beloved she was, and have what looks like enormous fun being involved with the Rivals cast and crew.

The Provincial Lady in Wartime by E. M. Delafield

Last of the Provincial Lady novels. It's the phoney war and our heroine looks for voluntary work towards the war effort.

Latest reads

Dusty Answer by Rosamond Lehmann

Read for the Rather Dated thread on here so will keep my review for that.

The Elements by John Boyne

4 interconnected novellas each themed loosely around one of the elements. I read Air earlier this year but the others were all new to me. I really liked this especially looking for the links between the stories.

A Donkey On The Catwalk by Marjory McGinn

Stories from a British woman living in Greece. Fine but not sure I’ll rush to seek out her other books.

Ferney by James Long

I read this years ago and loved it and still loved it on a reread (well, re-listen on Audible!). Gally and her husband Mike move to a new house in a Somerset village, and then become friends with an old man, Ferney. However Ferney seems to know Gally very well and she keeps having memories about the village despite never having been there before. What is their connection? This won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and you do need to suspend some disbelief but I got really caught up in it. It helps that I know the area and some of the places/events referred to.

A Particularly Nasty Case by Adam Kay

His first novel. A doctor becomes suspicious that it’s murder when another doctor dies. I did like this but it felt like it was trying too hard to be funny and I guessed quite early on who the villain was.

The Lives She Left Behind by James Long

The sequel to Ferney. Loved this too.

The Rose And The Yew Tree by Mary Westmacott

In case anyone here isn’t aware, this is Agatha Christie writing a romance under a pen name. I only read this because I went to a Sophie Hannah talk earlier this year and she was going on about this being a ‘hidden’ murder mystery. Having read it I’m none the wiser what Sophie was talking about.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

I loved this. It’s about two sisters working in their different ways for the Resistance in WWII France. I read it in a day as I didn’t want to put it down. I got so caught up in the characters and stories.

Having read it I’m none the wiser what Sophie was talking about.

A fitting epitaph for Sophie, if she is looking for one :->

Yes it is a general theme with anything to do with Sophie Hannah (although I do like her books they are bonkers at times!)

I loved The Nightingale too @ChessieFL - have you read any of Kristin Hannah's other books? I haven't got round to any yet but certainly intend to.

I read The Women earlier this year and loved that too @nowanearlyNicemum. I’ve got Wild and The Four Winds in my TBR.

34 Namaste, motherfckers - Cally Beaton
This was actually much more serious than I expected but still laugh out loud in many places, and she raises many interesting points about midlife. She seems like a genuinely lovely person. She's a stand-up comedian and is currently touring the UK - has anyone been to see her?

35 Us - David Nicholls
I noticed someone upthread posting about a recent read by this author. I have this and One Day on my TBR. Raced through it. I wasn't expecting to but this was such an endearing story. I loved all the European art museums too.

Living abroad and laying ones hands on second-hand English language books is sooooo exciting! I hadn't planned to buy any (honest, guv) but then The Cuckoo's Calling was just sitting there, in big print, (in a big book!!) and I thought. Why not? So I'm going in... and will blame you all if I get sucked in! I've spent far too long reading your reviews about these books - thought it was about time I took a look for myself.

Oooooh good luck @nowanearlyNicemum - I don’t know whether to hope you do get sucked into the love story or hope for your sake you manage to rise above it!

Wild by Kirstin Hannah

Following on from @ChessieFL enjoying another Kirstin Hannah book, I loved this.

A young child, six years old walks out of the woods and into a small town in the Pacific North West. She doesn't talk, but does howl like a wolf.

The characters are brilliant, lovable people who are also real. Not flawed exactly, just not perfect. The emotion is at times gut wrenching.

I could hardly put this down and it was just what I needed that after the boring King book I didn't want to pick up.

Excited for what book is next.

Sad to read of Jilly Cooper. She wasn't an author my mum liked, so I I didn't have any in the house (I was reading off my mum's book shelves from 12 or 13!). I did wonder about trying Rivals and the TV show but I got the general impression the books perhaps haven't aged well, and that might be a hard adjust if you haven't previously read and enjoyed. Maybe one day.

I’m doing Nesting as audio at the moment. It’s been so popular on here but damn I’m struggling. It’s depressing and making me feel murderous towards the bloke and want to shake the woman

.52. The Voyage Home - Pat Barker

The third in the series of novels looking at the Trojan War and its aftermath, mainly from the point of view of the Trojan women prisoners, slaves, prizes etc.

For most of the narrative the story is told by Ritsa, slave of Trojan princess Cassandra, who herself is the war-bride of Agamemnon. Cassandra and Clytemnestra also contribute chapters. The tension ramps up as Agamemnon and his entourage return to his wife Clytemnestra, who is waiting with deadly vengeance in mind - shades of Lady Macbeth with her visions of blood. A ghost story element relating to a particularly gruesome incident in the past makes an occasional unsettling appearance. The children’s nursery rhymes jarred with me - would these have lasted back into Bronze Age Greece? The modern form of Oranges and Lemons for example is only a few centuries old so using it here felt out of place. That aside this was a confident retelling of the story from an unusual perspective.

I wasn’t a fan of Nesting either. Despite all I know about how difficult it is for many women to leave abusive relationships I rolled my eyes unsympathetically quite a few times. Having read The Names, where the indecision and choices make more sense I have decided Nesting isn’t as well written.

Oh no - I have Nesting on my TBR pile.

Well I loved Nesting so you might too @TimeforaGandT

Thanks Chessie - fingers crossed

I’m wondering if it’s the audio. The voice of one of the children is terrible. Super annoying

I'm another who was very sad to hear of Jilly Cooper's death. Her writing is so full of joy.

41.The God of The Woods by Liz Moore. 15 year old Barbara van Laar disappears from a summer camp in the Adirondacks that takes place on land owned by her wealthy family. Years ago her older brother Bear went missing in the same countryside at the age of 8. The narrative switches frequently between many of the main characters, and in time between both missing person investigations.

This was a really well crafted mystery thriller, which had elements of both police procedural and family saga. The isolated location creates a great setting. I enjoyed both storylines equally, and they came together effectively. There's plenty of skilful misdirection that kept me guessing until the end.