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Reading Challenge 2016 (216 in 2016)


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Old 08-06-2016, 19:48
OxfordGirl
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99) Rachel Hollis - Party Girl
100) Lee Child - Make Me
101) Rachel Hollis - Party Girl's First Date
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Old 09-06-2016, 06:54
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102) Secrets of the Sea House - Elizabeth Gifford
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Old 09-06-2016, 23:33
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16. A is for Alibi- Sue Grafton
17. B is for Burglar- Sue Grafton
18. C is for Corpse- Sue Grafton
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Old 10-06-2016, 04:59
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16. A is for Alibi- Sue Grafton
17. B is for Burglar- Sue Grafton
18. C is for Corpse- Sue Grafton
I loved these books and envy you being back at the beginning!
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Old 10-06-2016, 22:36
Katie-Jane
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19) The Woman Who Upped and Left by Fiona Gibson
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Old 11-06-2016, 18:15
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28. This Book Will Save Your Life by A. M. Homes.
An over-privileged semi-recluse living in L. A. has a minor health scare and starts to reconnect with the outside world.

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as I didn't really like May We Be Forgiven by the same author. I don't think that it will save my life, especially not with the constant references to doughnuts, but it is a very good book.

29. At Hawthorn Time by Melissa Harrison.
A book about life in the countryside nowadays. It starts and finishes with the same car accident and in between tells the story of various residents of the village of Lodeshill. Life in the countryside is changing fast but nature and the seasons continue and the old ways have left their imprint on the land.

A lovely descriptive book, I'll definitely read more of her stuff.
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Old 15-06-2016, 19:25
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It's very quiet on here at the moment!

30. The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber, audiobook narrated by Josh Cohen.

An evangelical Christian pastor is employed by a large corporation to minister to the alien native inhabitants of a recently colonised planet. Peter is whisked off into space, eager to meet his enthusiastic new congregation. Meanwhile, back on earth, his wife Bea is facing a series of problems. Communication across a vast distance is difficult and the two are facing very different challenges.

This book bears no resemblance to the Crimson Petal, I wouldn't have known that it was the same author. I suppose that it would be classified as science fiction but is really concerned with relationships rather than technology. I thought that Michel Faber had Peter's character spot on and it's a pretty good read providing you don't mind lots of bible references. A stronger ending would have been good though.
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Old 16-06-2016, 07:11
cathy27
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87) Hidden Depths by Ann Cleeves
88) Whisky Beach by Nora Roberts
89) Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts
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Old 18-06-2016, 11:40
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23. When you were older - Catherine Ryan Hyde
9/10 - I have yet to read a bad book by this author. This one starts just after 9/11 when Russell is one of only 2 survivors from the company he worked at in the Twin Towers. His mother had died and he has to get to the other side of the country to care for his older brother who has special needs. This is a very readable book and I could hardly put it down.
24. The Teacher - Katerina Diamond
5/10 - I don't understand why this has such good reviews on Amazon. It wasn't well written and was too graphic. Every character had a far-fetched back story and plot as a whole was also ridiculously far-fetched. The only saving grace was that I liked the relationship between the two main detectives.
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Old 21-06-2016, 06:44
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103) Charles Cumming - A Colder War (I love these books)
104) Sharon Bolton - Now You See Me
105) Cecilia Ahern - The Marble Collector
106) Joanne Phillips - Keeping Sam
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Old 21-06-2016, 16:44
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42. The Red House Mystery by AA Milne
Murder mystery set in a big country house. Enjoyable vintage crime fiction written in 1922 by the creator of Pooh Bear. A likable pairing of amateur sleuth + sidekick, with frequent reference to Holmes & Watson. It's a shame Milne didn't continue on and write a series of these (I think this is his only one). 8.5/10

42. The Cornish Coast Murder by John Bude
Another vintage murder mystery (first published in 1935). A little less of a page-turner and less well-written than the AA Milne one, but fairly readable if you like vintage crime fiction. A man is shot dead through his window on a stormy night. The local police detective inspector is called in to investigate, but the village vicar, who is an avid reader of murder mysteries, is also making his own enquiries. 6/10

43. The Girls by Lisa Jewell
A young girl is found unconscious and unclothed in a communal garden after a party for the residents. Part family drama, part crime investigation, I enjoyed the story-telling about the diverse characters in this book, and the air of suspicion which builds up as the residents wonder who among them is guilty. 7/10
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Old 22-06-2016, 07:51
moonlily
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21 .Waiting for Wednesday by Nicci French. I found this overlong by about 100 pages, the conclusion was good but it was a bit of a slog to get to it
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Old 22-06-2016, 09:53
Katie-Jane
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20) The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley
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Old 22-06-2016, 22:38
jojo2008
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I loved these books and envy you being back at the beginning!
Yeah I'm loving them so far

19 I Saw A Man- Owen Sheers
20. D is for Deadbeat
21. E is for Evidence- Sue Grafton
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Old 23-06-2016, 07:02
OxfordGirl
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107) Kathleen Tessaro - The Perfume Collector
108) Lizzie Harwood - Triumph

Half to target almost halfway through year. Though I have usually read quite a bit more by now
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Old 23-06-2016, 17:12
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31. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, narrated by Jenny Agutter.

1930s. The Mortmain family live in splendid poverty in a crumbling castle in the countryside. Father once wrote a successful novel but has written nothing since and now spends his days reading detective novels. There's a bohemian step-mother, beautiful elder sister, a younger brother, a lodger and our heroine Cassandra who tells the story through her journals. Life becomes exciting when the new American landlord comes calling with his younger brother.

A lovely, funny and poignant book which reminded me in parts of Pride and Prejudice, Cold Comfort Farm, Little Women and The Railway Children.
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Old 26-06-2016, 16:23
d0lphin
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24. The Teacher - Katerina Diamond
5/10 - I don't understand why this has such good reviews on Amazon. It wasn't well written and was too graphic. Every character had a far-fetched back story and plot as a whole was also ridiculously far-fetched. The only saving grace was that I liked the relationship between the two main detectives.
25. Three Wishes - Liane Moriarty
7/10 - a reasonable read about the lives of triplets who are in their 30s and the paths their lives have taken. An easy read, some entertaining moments but the observations from other people and emails were irritating to me.
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Old 27-06-2016, 09:29
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71/ The Mystery of a Butcher's Shop by Gladys Mitchell

I really wanted to like this but I struggled as the writing style is so deliberately arch with characters behaving in the most bizarre ways that I just couldn't engage with it at all.

The central mystery is actually quite good and the solution is surprising but it was a chore to get to the end.

72/ Alfred Hitchcock - The Complete Films by Paul Duncan

Fairly lightweight overview of Hitchcock's career. All films are covered and there are a good selection of pictures. A reasonable starting point.

73/ Three Towers in Tuscany by Malcolm Saville

New GGBP edition of this teen novel from the 60s.
Fun and fast moving it is only let down by the characters sometimes behaving like idiots in order to move the plot forward plus some dodgy attitudes towards women and any non-British characters.

74/ The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

More of the same from Precious Ramotswe. The title is slightly misleading as the wedding barely features.
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Old 28-06-2016, 06:41
cathy27
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90) Silent Voices by Ann Cleeves
91) The Glass Room by Ann Cleeves
92) The Time of our Lives by Jane Costello
93) Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel by Jane Costello
94) Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death by MC Beaton
95) Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet by MC Beaton
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Old 28-06-2016, 22:10
Katie-Jane
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21) The Secrets of Happiness by Lucy Diamond
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Old 02-07-2016, 10:07
Katie-Jane
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22) Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell
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Old 03-07-2016, 18:20
d0lphin
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25. Three Wishes - Liane Moriarty
7/10 - a reasonable read about the lives of triplets who are in their 30s and the paths their lives have taken. An easy read, some entertaining moments but the observations from other people and emails were irritating to me.
26. Case Histories - Kate Atkinson
10/10 - book 1 of the Jackson Brodie series. I was sure I'd read all of Kate Atkinson's books and decided to re-read this series, but this didn't seem at all familiar so I was pleased to have found one I hadn't read. I love Kate Atkinson's style of writing and the way she tied the loose ends up. There were so many characters and they were all charismatic and interesting. Highly recommended!
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Old 03-07-2016, 21:13
jojo2008
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22. F is for Fugitive- Sue Grafton
23. G is for Gumshoe- Sue Grafton
24. H is for Homicide
25. I is for Innocent
26. J is for Judgement- Sue Grafton
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Old 03-07-2016, 22:14
d0lphin
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22. F is for Fugitive- Sue Grafton
23. G is for Gumshoe- Sue Grafton
24. H is for Homicide
25. I is for Innocent
26. J is for Judgement- Sue Grafton
That's a great series isn't it? If I remember correctly I felt the stories lost their way somewhere near the middle of the alphabet but picked up again. If I didn't already have 193 books on my Kindle I would consider re-reading them in order like you are as I used to get them from the library so just read whatever was in.
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Old 04-07-2016, 07:15
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12) Mercy - Jodie Picoult 7/10
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