50 Books Challenge 2025 Part Eight

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the eighth 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 , the sixth thread here and the seventh thread here

Welcome to @Irmnern!

30 The Wife by Sigrid Undset - this is the second volume of the Kristin Lavransdatter trilogy and deals with the fallout from her marriage to a charming but feckless man. It’s a bold as I have become very invested in the characters, but it is very much the middle part of the trilogy rather than a standalone (deals with the consequences of the ending of the last book, then covers a lot of time passing before the dramatic events of the ending).

31 Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell - this has been on my Kindle for some time, but I decided to read it due to both the Read What You Own thread and the discussion about Maggie O’Farrell on this thread. This focuses on Hamnet Shakespeare, who gave his name to one of his father’s most famous plays. This took a bit of effort to read, mainly because Hamnett’s fate is well-known so it would obviously be dealing with upsetting events, but I did enjoy it. I suspect a reader’s reaction will depend on how you respond to Maggie O’Farrell’s writing style - I’ve always found her style very striking and appealing and here it made me overlook some of the more improbable features in her version of events. I also found the characterisation of Shakespeare and his wife, mother and children sympathetic (although if anyone is interested in them, there is a fairly recent podcast on Not Just the Tudor that suggests that despite what is in this book, new research suggests that Anne Hathaway may well have gone to London).

82. The God of the Woods - Liz Moore

It's ages since I’ve been so hooked by a book; definitely a page-turner, and I wish I could find a few more like this!

@Terpsichore I’ve also read Long Bright River by the same author, it was good, but not as good as God Of The Woods which was a bold for me

I took a look at that, Eine, and might still give it a go, but there was something about TGOTW that grabbed me. I read it over the whole of yesterday, basically, with brief intervals for the things I should have been doing instead!

Currently plodding through The Hallmarked Man, by Robert Galbraith and I agree with the criticisms previously aired on here. Too many characters, too much plodding through day-to-day banalities of the investigation work. I'm not interested in the will they/won't they bit, and Strike is coming across as unpleasantly manipulative in trying to engineer private time with Robin for his own purposes. Another 500 pages to go. I'm just about invested enough to see it through, but somewhat resentfully.

124. Fingersmith - Sarah Waters. I thought I had read this before but I hadn't. Brilliantly plotted and kept me company on some sleepless nights - I'm on holiday with a terrible sore throat. Bold for me.

Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

I read this at least twice in the years after it was first published, but hadn’t read it for years and the recent Binchy chat (and enjoying Light A Penny Candle) inspired me to reread. I still really enjoyed it although I found myself becoming more annoyed with the main character - so many red flags and behaviours that she’s completely blind to! Ria marries young and focuses on running her household in Dublin’s Tara Road. When something happens to disrupt her happy life she randomly decides to swap houses with Marilyn from Connecticut, a woman working through her own grief. While some of the characters are frustrating and others not very likeable they are all well drawn and even though I’ve read this before I still got so drawn into the world Binchy created and didn’t want to put it down.

I wasn’t keen on Tara Road @ChessieFL I didn’t find it believable

Yes! And I loved it. I always enjoy playing 'spot the location' and this series was particularly rewarding. Eg the 'church' in an early episode is Mortonhall crematorium. Do you remember the scene when the brother throws a tv out of the window? That is the closest location to where I live. I understand that the production company spend almost £100k on that particular location.

However, the story was so good, it could have been based anywhere for me. I'm intrigued at the change of location. I think I'll start reading this after I have completed Louise Penny's Three Pines:)

Eine I think reading it with more modern eyes it’s hard to believe that Ria could be quite so blind to everything but when I first read it I just accepted that. The way the house swap comes about is rather contrived but again when I first read it I didn’t question it!

Against my better judgement I’ve just bought The Dangers of Smoking in Bed for 99p on kindle.

Hahah @MaryasBible i hope you hate it as much as me 😂

I've finally finished The Haunted Wood. I liked it a lot, although I didn't think the more modern chapters were as good as the earlier ones.

I’ve finished two that I read together as recommended on this thread at least two years ago!
164 The Five by Halloe Rubenhold
The story of the five victims of Jack the Ripper which gave them their own stories back. I’m quite horrified at how misinformed I’ve been about this in the past and found it very interesting learning of these women’s lives. It was also very helpful in giving me wider context for
165 Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Like @Stowickthevast this is a bold for me. What a fabulous read. Rich in description, multi-faceted, well developed characters and a twisty, intriguing plot. I even shouted aloud at one twist frightening DH out of his peaceful doze on the sofa. For anyone who hasn’t read it, it’s a very Dickensian in feel historical fiction, where 2 rogues plan to con a genteel lady into marrying one of them for her fortune. So so good.

Hello, found you all on the new thread!

Jealous of those reading Fingersmith and The Secret History, two of the most thrilling books I've ever read.

Maybe I'm just in a bad mood but some fairly disappointing recent reads:

Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian. Two married creative writing professors both embark on affairs, one with a secretary and one with a student. Then it turns out the book is the student's thesis, so unreliable and an act of vengeance. Interesting ideas but I found it a bit overly clever and frustrating as a novel.

The Drownings by Hazel Barkworth. Interesting premise, another campus novel about two cousins who want to challenge misogyny at the university and learn that it's built on the site of historic witch trials. They're encouraged to go further and further by a postgrad student, to dangerous ends. Sounds up my street but unfortunately there was no real sense of menace and it was completely unclear how and why they were so influenced by the older student who did not seem particularly compelling or charismatic.

Polo by Jilly Cooper. Oh I wanted to find this more fun! But I think I'm probably finished with the Rutshire books now. I found the polo matches very confusing and the fact the characters kept changing teams meant I struggled to keep track of the rivalries. Some quite upsetting mistreatment of horses, and I don't even really like horses. Still some fun and witty set pieces, I did enjoy the journalist being bundled out of a ground floor window.

Redhead at the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler. Bought as an emergency paperback when I forgot my kindle. A very short novel following Micah, a quiet and lonely man in his 40s as he grapples with a stuck relationship, a past girlfriend turning up, and a gaggle of noisy sisters. You know what you're getting with Anne Tyler of course but it it was a relief to read such a competent, well crafted character driven book.

I haven't read Fingersmith and I tend to mix it up with another unread book, Tipping the Velvet. An association with fingers, although I believe they may feature in a different way. Trying to avoid adding to the tbr as at this point, it's only manageable if I give up all activities aimed at earned a living and interacting with friends and family.

From memory I think Fingersmith is definitely a double entendre !

Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith are both by Sarah Waters and both have similar themes. Very inspired by Wilkie Collins rather than his friend Dickens though.

@JaninaDuszejko Thanks for letting us know that- I see what you mean about Collins- maybe that’s why I loved it so much- I much prefer him to Dickens though the names (Mrs Sucksby) and descriptions felt Dickensian to me.

I really loved Tipping the Velvet - it's probably time for a reread as I read it the first time 25 years ago. I read Fingersmith twice within a year or two as it was chosen as a book group read, but despite having more idea of the twists, I actually enjoyed it much more the second time. The book group I was in was linked to a crime fiction bookshop, Crime in Store, and we were invited to a recording of the BBC's Bookclub programme. I had my copy signed by Sarah Waters. The programme is probably still available to listen online, though I didn't ask a question - I was far too shy/starstruck.

@ÚlldemoShúl agree, I also much prefer Collins to Dickens but see what you mean about the names.

I read Fingersmith this year and absolutely loved it. I have The Paying Guests at home and am waiting for the right moment to read it. I know I will end up immersed for a few days so need to make sure I shouldn't be doing anything else!

The Names by Florence Knapp

Much reviewed on here and I thought it was good as everyone says. Three different story lines depending on how the new born got named. I found it enthralling and loved seeing the similarities that came up in every time line and the differences. It covers some heavy issues without it feeling like the book is about the issues, it's still about the characters. I read this in about 24 hours at an airport, on the plane and then the train home. Excellent companion.

The Silent Companions - Laura Purcell

The prequel to this has just come out and I read it a couple of weeks ago, and that made me want to revisit the original. A widow is haunted by some creepy silent companions (boards painted to look like people). I enjoyed the reread and then went down a rabbit hole googling silent companions (also known as dummy boards). They do look a bit creepy!

Don’t Go To Sleep In The Dark - Celia Fremlin

Collection of short stories. The title implies they’re scary, but to me they were unsettling rather than scary or spooky. A couple have a supernatural twist, others are more psychological. All the stories really are quite short though (around 12 pages on average) and a few could have done with being a bit longer to develop the story a bit more. I did enjoy them though and she’s a great writer.

I enjoyed The Silent Companions @ChessieFL and also Bone China. There are a couple of others I liked too, but it all went horribly wrong with The Whispering Muse, where all I can remember is the hilarious frequency with which ‘Mrs Brown’s Growler’ pulled up to the door. I felt as though LP was perhaps trying to turn out too many books one after the other and quality suffered. She always produces a pleasing spooky little story for anthologies, however. I have the latest book on my wishlist for the future.

120. Careless People: A story of where I used to work - Sarah Wynn-Williams

This is an expose of what goes on at Facebook. Spoilers ahead possibly as I'm going to vent about it!

I hope I'm not victim blaming but I found it very frustrating that the writer's complicity is never addressed. She exclaims about how terrible it all is but stays in her job for years, claiming different reasons why she couldn't leave (the last one basically being, they were just giving me so much money).
She comes across as oddly naive and inert while all these dreadful things take place around her.

I might be out of order, but I found it extremely hard to read how her work affected her family while she pandered to these dickheads.

Also not wanting to defend Zuckerberg's actions at all but a lot of what she criticises about him is clearly autistic behaviour? (Speaking as an autistic person myself). Shock horror, he's socially awkward and often behaves rigidly, only likes fried food, likes to wear hoodies etc. By all means go after his ethics but mocking an autistic guy for being hopeless at small talk seemed unnecessary.

I could say a lot more but I'll wind it in now! Clearly was not the right book for me right now.