Reading Challenge 2024

[ell]

2023 so far:

1.Outbreak - Frank Gardener
2.For the record - David Cameron (Hate him and his party, but always think its healthy to read from other perspectives)
3. The intern - Gregg Hurwitz
4. The game - Micah Richards
5. Prodigal Son - Gregg Hurwitz
6.Secret Service - Tom Bradby
7.Dark Horse - Gregg Hurwitz
8. Magnificent Desolation - Buzz Aldrin

Currently reading The football thug who didn't give a fuck by Tony Sullivan, had it on my list for a while but give it a start after the news last week.

Pretty pleased with my progress so far this year, hard to find as much reading time being occupied with a little one.

9. The football thug who didn't give a fuck - Tony Sullivan
10. Bullet Magnet - Mick Flynn
11.Deep cover - Shay Doyle
12. The presidents daughter - James Patterson & Bill Clinton
13. The Pathfinders - Will Iredale

Keeping up a decent pace this year, not decided what to start next yet though

 

[JRockBlues]

Time for the first of the promised updates from me seeing that I haven't posted here for nearly 2 months. I'll forego the cover pics seeing as it's a big update as it is:

Cursed by Benedict Jacka]

Second book in the Alex Verus urban fantasy series with the unaligned diviner trying to keep a low profile after events from the first book. This proves somewhat impossible though when he finds out someone may have resurrected an old ritual that drains the magical energy from creatures to increase the power of the enactor with a side effect of leaving the creature dead. Seeing as he has friends that may be in trouble Alex joins the investigation to find who is behind this forbidden act. Can he find the person(s) responsible without putting his friends in danger and why are the signs pointing towards some old acquaintances being responsible?

A decent continuation of the series with recurring characters who are developing nicely. As is the setting and magic system which provides enough distance from the normal flash/bang type of wizard who just throws fireballs around. Not that this book is bereft of the action scenes and there should be enough to satisfy regular devotee’s of the genre. 3½★'s



City of Silk and Steel by Mike, Linda & Louise Carey

Matriarchal society set up in a fabled Middle Eastern Kingdom after a religious coup leads to the death of a city ruler and the banishment of his harem. Led by a former assassin and one of the older wives of the deceased and aided by a seer the group become more than they ever thought possible.

A much under-used setting in Western literature is brought to life with a varied cast of characters. Told in a similar manner to the tales of Scheherazade with occasional diversions from the main tale with back-story interjections for the leading participants. 4★'s



Blue Blood by Mike Doyle & David Clayton

Autobiography for former Manchester City player Mike Doyle. Fairly mundane run-down of his playing career and subsequent business adventures when that had ended. Fairly bland and not too revelatory. 3★'s



Tombland by C. J. Sansom

Seventh in the historical mystery series featuring the hunchback lawyer Matthew Shardlake. After the death of Henry VIII he’s now working for Lady Elizabeth in a mainly conveyancing role but she has a different job in mind for him when Shardlake is sent to Norwich to investigate the accusation of murder by a distant relative in the Boleyn line. But the investigation is forced to take a back seat when Matthew & his assistant Nicholas (along with Jack Barak who is there for the assizes) are swept up in Kett’s rebellion.

A little overlong but otherwise another fine instalment in the series. Perhaps not hitting the heights of some of the others but offers up an insight into an often overlooked part of English history. 3½★'s



For the Win by Cory Doctorow

Economics lesson in the guise of a story about workers & gamers rights. Gold farmers & factory workers unite against slave labour techniques in both industries.

A fun, sad, educational, political tale that provides an entertaining YA read that can be enjoyed by an older generation too. 3½★'s

 

[Paladin]

Tombland by C. J. Sansom

It's a while since I read anything by Sansom, and this review has rekindled memories of some decent reads. Also I visited Norfolk and Norwich last week, and some interesting names came to mind (Francis Walsingham who appears in S J Parris historical fiction, Anne Boleyn etc.) I may put this towards the top of my list.

 

[JRockBlues]

The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig

Nate wants nothing to do with his terminally ill abusive father but reluctantly accepts the deal he is offered to buy the house he grew up in for $1 for the health and welfare benefits this will bring to his own family. Away from the big city his overly empathetic son will have a less trauma inducing environment to cope with, his wife will have the space for her artistic creations and truth be told he won’t miss the violence in his life in leaving the Philadelphia cop’s life behind. After his father’s death and they move in it seems like a good move for all involved but then, as these things often do, events start to take a strange turn for all 3 of the family members with the past coming back to haunt them.

Another excellent read from an author I’m getting to like quite a lot. This one strays more into outright horror story than the previous ones of his that I’ve read but still retains some fantastical elements to get to grips with. If you’re looking for a book to fill the gap between Stephen King releases then this could fit the bill. 4★'s



The Cliff House by Chris Brookmyre

An exclusive Scottish Island retreat is utilised for a hen party for old and new friends of a bride-to-be. Apart from their host and the chef they’ve hired for the weekend then the seven women should be alone and out of touch from the outside world for 72 hours. Seems like a good idea at the time but when a body is discovered and another member of their party is kidnapped they may have wished they’d stayed at home. Especially when they receive the ransom video saying that the kidnapped member will die unless a terrible secret is revealed because each of them has a secret they’d rather not be known. They must each decide if it’s worth letting someone die to keep it.

The last solo Brookmyre book that I read wasn’t his best and this one continues the trend (does 2 books constitute a trend?) in downward quality. Even though the characters are well drawn I just couldn’t care if they all made it off the island or not by the end of the book. The secrets are revealed slowly as the tale unfolds with alternating viewpoints and this may be some of the problem I had with the book. It’s sometimes easy to forget who’s who so there’s no real investment. The story itself is not a bad one but having read all his previous books I know the author can do better. 3★'s

 

[richardtheref]

The Twisted Ones - T Kingfisher 4/5

Another King ish book only shorter. Really enjoyed it and thanks to my friend at Waterstones for the freebie

 

[Paladin]

1. Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch. 7/10.
2. The Racketeer - John Grisham. 5/10.
3. Orphan X - Gregg Hurwitz. 9/10.
4. The Longest Kill - Craig Harrison. 8/10.
5. Notes on an Execution - Danya Kukafka. 8/10.
6. The Satsuma Complex - Bob Mortimer. 7/10.
7. The Garderobe of Death - Howard of Warwick - 6/10.
8. A Village in the Third Reich - Julia Boyd, Angelina Patel - 9/10.

A really well-researched exploration into the lives of the villagers in Oberstdorf at the end of WW1 through to the rise and fall of the Third Reich.

All aspects of village life are covered, as we learn of the effects of National Socialism, and the rise of the Nazis, and how that impacted village life through the 1930s and in the aftermath of the war.

Most interesting to me is how certain villagers and officials opposed the Nazis, including to protect the Jews and other persecuted individuals, often at great personal risk.

It is a very well written book, which kept me interested from start to finish. Very sad, yet uplifting in parts. Recommended if you like your WW2 history.

 

[RobMCFC]

For various reasons, I'm behind on my reading these last few weeks, but I'm nearly there on my current read.

Anyway, it occurred to me that we are long overdue for some nominations for this quarter's joint read.
Even though I first suggested this, I haven't nominated anything yet so I'll throw a couple out there, although I suspect some may have read one of them years ago.

On Wings of Eagles - Ken Follett

I've never read this although I've always meant to, so I want to put that right in the next few months. It tells the story of how American businessman Ross Perot (later presidential candidate) organised the escape of some of his employees from Iran during the revolution.

On Wings of Eagles

The #1 International Bestseller now in trade paperback—…

www.goodreads.com

The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield

Been on my TBR (actually, I'd have to buy it first!) for a while. An enigmatic writer tells her story to a biographer .... an atmospheric gothic novel.

The Thirteenth Tale

All children mythologize their birth...So begins the pr…

www.goodreads.com

 

[Paladin]

The Follett book looks interesting and would get my vote. I'll have a think of any I might recommend.

 

[threespires]

For various reasons, I'm behind on my reading these last few weeks, but I'm nearly there on my current read.

Anyway, it occurred to me that we are long overdue for some nominations for this quarter's joint read.
Even though I first suggested this, I haven't nominated anything yet so I'll throw a couple out there, although I suspect some may have read one of them years ago.

On Wings of Eagles - Ken Follett

I've never read this although I've always meant to, so I want to put that right in the next few months. It tells the story of how American businessman Ross Perot (later presidential candidate) organised the escape of some of his employees from Iran during the revolution.

On Wings of Eagles

The #1 International Bestseller now in trade paperback—…

www.goodreads.com

The Thirteenth Tale - Diane Setterfield

Been on my TBR (actually, I'd have to buy it first!) for a while. An enigmatic writer tells her story to a biographer .... an atmospheric gothic novel.

The Thirteenth Tale

All children mythologize their birth...So begins the pr…

www.goodreads.com

On the basis I once met the short arsed one, he mistook me for a Perot Systems employee, I'm happy to read the Follett book.

 

[RobMCFC]

On the basis I once met the short arsed one, he mistook me for a Perot Systems employee, I'm happy to read the Follett book.

Excuse my ignorance, but who’s the short-arsed one? Perot? Follett? Somebody else? and what’s the story?