jlshall's 50 Book Challenge for 2016

Finally made it to 50 books in 2015! So for 2016 I'm hoping to do a little better than that. Maybe 52 books in 52 weeks?

I'll list them as I read them, maybe with a short review -- maybe without.

Happy New Year, everyone! And happy reading in 2016!

--
posted 12/31/2015

I don't review every book I read, but I do try to rate each one. This is the rating system I use here at LT:

✭✭✭✭✭.....My "desert island" category - all-time favorites that I wouldn't want to be without; not many get this rating
✭✭✭✭.......Loved it, might consider reading it again
✭✭✭.........An enjoyable read, but probably not something I'll return to; most books will fall into this category
✭✭..........It was OK, but I probably wouldn't recommend it to others
✭............Mediocre; disappointing; had trouble finishing
DNF.......(Did Not Finish) Books I started reading and then abandoned. This doesn't necessarily mean I didn't like a book, just that I wasn't able to finish it or didn't feel like continuing with it. Might or might not finish it later.

1. Lilies That Fester (Mrs. Malory Mysteries #11). Hazel Holt



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Lovely book to start my reading year. Sheila Malory's future daughter-in-law is suspected of murder and Sheila has to get busy and find the real culprit. This was one of the more "mysterious" mysteries in the series and kept me guessing until quite late in the story.

I love the Mrs. Malory mysteries, and was very sad to hear about Hazel Holt's death last year. I've read most of the books in the series (there are 21, I believe), but somehow managed to skip over this one, so thought I'd go back and remedy that situation. Still a few I need to read and I'm looking forward to that.

2. The Last September. Nina de Gramont



Rating: ✭✭✭½

(Full disclosure: I received my copy of The Last September free of charge from the publisher, through LT's Early Reviewer program.)

This book was such a surprise! When I first read the description in the Early Reviewer listing, it sounded just a bit too much like "chick lit" for my taste. But I had second thoughts, and now I'm so glad I did. It's strange, though -- I thoroughly enjoyed the book, even though I really didn't find any of the central characters particularly sympathetic, and that's very unusual for me.

The plotting was intricate, but very well handled. For a while, towards the end, I was afraid de Gramont might be going astray (I don't think it's a spoiler to say the plot seemed to be heading in the direction of stereotype and cliche), but was glad to find I was very wrong about that. This was an excellent read, and one I'll definitely be recommending.

3. The Children's Home. Charles Lambert



Rating: ✭✭

I'm not sure what to make of this one. It was definitely atmospheric and mysterious -- actually a little too mysterious. I'm assuming Lambert must have had some purpose in mind, but I never could figure it out. My reaction went from "What's going on here?" to just a constant "Eeeewww!" Sort of a yucky read, and definitely not one I'd recommend.

This was an ARC from the publisher, received through the NetGalley website. (No monetary compensation was received.)

4. The People in the Photo. Hélène Gestern (trans. by Emily Boyce and Ros Schwartz)



Rating: ✭✭✭½

I enjoyed this story of a Parisian archivist's search for information about the mother she never really knew. Hélène finds an old photo of her mother and two men, taken at a tennis match in 1971. She takes out a newspaper ad seeking info, and attracts the attention of Stéphane, a Swiss biologist living in Kent, who believes his father is one of the men in the photo. They exchange letters, phone calls and email, and a relationship develops as they set out on a journey to uncover the story they believe their parents were hiding from them. A fast, engrossing read that definitely deserves the "page-turner" label.

This was an ARC from the publisher, received through the NetGalley website. (No monetary compensation was received.)

5. Dreaming Spies (Mary Russell #13). Laurie R. King



Rating: ✭✭½

This was an Early Reviewer win, and I'm very grateful to the publisher for my free copy. (No other compensation was received.)

I've been curious about this series for quite a while, as I've heard such glowing reports, and I've always been a Sherlock Holmes fan. But once again, I've managed to jump right into an ongoing series without reading any of the early books, and I think in this case it was definitely a mistake.

This one was very slow going for me. I just never really connected with the story or with Mary Russell, the primary character and narrator. I was expecting more Sherlock, and was disappointed that he turned out to be such a minor presence in the book. I guess I was also expecting a little more action, or at least more of a mystery to be solved; and while I did appreciate the quality of the writing, I kept getting lost in the long passages of description and scene-setting. As I said -- very slow going. Not sure I'd recommend this one, although I do think I might like to sample one of the earlier books in the series, just to see if it's more to my liking.

6. My Name Is Lucy Barton. Elizabeth Strout



Rating: ✭✭✭

From the publisher's description: "Lucy Barton is recovering slowly from what should have been a simple operation. Her mother, to whom she hasn’t spoken for many years, comes to see her. Gentle gossip about people from Lucy’s childhood in Amgash, Illinois, seems to reconnect them, but just below the surface lie the tension and longing that have informed every aspect of Lucy’s life...."

I ended up liking this one more than I thought I would at the outset. It's a story of a woman trying to come to terms with her family history -- a seeking of understanding and peace, if not exactly deeper love. And I can definitely relate to that. My first experience with Elizabeth Strout's writing, and while I was impressed with her talent, I'm not sure she's a writer destined to become a favorite.

This was an ARC from the publisher, received through the NetGalley website. (No monetary compensation was received.)

7. A Christmas Escape. Anne Perry



Rating: ✭✭✭½

For years now, I've been hearing about Anne Perry's annual Christmas books and they've always sounded very intriguing. A Christmas Escape was my introduction to the series, and it was a happy first experience. I would have given it four stars if the mystery had been just a little more -- well, mysterious. But even though the whodunnit aspect was less than thrilling, the story in general was charming and held my interest all the way through. The plot wrapped up a little more quickly than I expected it to, but it's a short book, so I suppose some abruptness is to be expected. Definitely a fast read -- I finished in a couple of hours, which is almost unheard of for me. In general, a very pleasant read, and I'll be looking for more of Perry's holiday treats.

Note: I received my copy of the book free of charge, from the publisher, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program.

8. Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. Kate DiCamillo; illus. by K.G. Campbell



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

I'm (very slowly) trying to read more of the Newbery Medal winners, and this one took the prize in 2014.

Ten-year-old Flora Belle Buckman saves a squirrel (Ulysses) from a horrible death-by-vacuum-cleaner, and that near-fatal accident imbues the furry victim with unexplainable super powers. He finds he can fly! And also write poetry! He and Flora become fast friends, but Flora's mother is determined to exterminate the rodent. Lots of lovely excitement before all the problems are solved.

I loved this wonderful book! The characters were quirky and lovable and the illustrations in comic-book form were charming. I've read DiCamillo's Tale of Despereaux, and wasn't much impressed. But Flora & Ulysses was a real treat!

9. Daisy Miller. Henry James



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Read this for the Back to the Classics Challenge. And why have I never read Daisy Miller before now? I'm pretty sure it must have been assigned in one of my college English classes, or maybe even in high school. Well, for whatever reason -- this was my first time reading it.

I've always liked Henry James, but his longer works are so daunting. This novella is just the right length -- took me a couple of days to finish, because I wanted to savor every word. A bit of a surprise ending -- at least one I wasn't expecting. Definitely something I'd recommend to all readers.

10. Beanie and Tough Enough. Ruth Carroll and Latrobe Carroll



Rating: ✭✭✭

11. Far From True (Promise Falls Trilogy #2). Linwood Barclay



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

I had a little trouble getting into this one - probably because this is actually the second book in a planned trilogy of books all set in the fictional Promise Falls, and I haven't read the first book. For a while I felt like I had stumbled into the middle of a story without knowing anything about the beginning or any of the characters. Much like moving into a new community and experiencing a bit of culture shock. But once I got past that, I definitely enjoyed this one.

One of the things I love about Linwood Barclay's writing is that his characters are always so interesting. He never writes the sort of books where all the minor characters seem like interchangeable parts. Barclay has a way of creating personalities with just a short description or a few lines of dialogue, while making each one distinct and fascinating. Just like real people, in fact.

Really the only complaint I had about Far From True was that the ending had a bit of a "to be continued" feeling. That's not really a spoiler, since readers know from the get-go that the whole story is going to be spread over three books. And it doesn't mean that the ending wasn't satisfying - because it definitely was. I'm just one of those readers who like everything all tied up neat and tidy at book's end. Not comfortable with cliff-hangers. But now I'm ready for book number three. Oh, and maybe I should go back and take a look at book number one!

12. Miller's Valley. Anna Quindlen



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Not sure why it's taken me so long to read something by Anna Quindlen, but I certainly picked a great book to start with. Even though it dealt with some very turbulent times and emotions in the lives of the Miller family and their community, it was actually a very quiet sort of novel, with wonderful pacing and plot/character development. And there was even a mystery involved! I can actually see myself re-reading this one, and that's VERY unusual for me. Must read more Anna Quindlen, and soon!

13. Picture Miss Seeton (Miss Seeton #1). Heron Carvic



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

14. Villa Triste. Patrick Modiano (trans. by John Cullen)



Rating: ✭✭½

15. The Disappearance of Signora Giulia. Piero Chiara (trans. by Jill Foulston)



Rating: ✭✭✭

16. A Fine Imitation. Amber Brock



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

This was an Early Reviewer win (many thanks to Library Thing and the publisher for my free copy). But even though I did request it, I was skeptical when I started reading. Fortunately, it turned out to be an excellent read!

Vera, the central character, was not really someone I easily sympathized with -- I thought she was very unattractively weak, even given the societal constraints of the period of the novel. But I loved the writing, and the ending was perfect. Very enjoyable.

17. This Too Shall Pass. Milena Busquets (trans. by Valerie Miles)



Rating: ✭✭✭

This was an Early Reviewer win, and I'm very grateful to the publishers and Library Thing for my copy. (No other compensation was received.)

This Too Shall Pass was apparently a sensation in Europe, but it's gotten a lot of mixed reviews. Blanca's mother has just died; to deal with her grief, the 40-year-old "orphan" decides to return to a place she remembers fondly from her childhood. And she also decides that just about everyone she's ever met should go along. And they do. Making for lots of interesting and confusing goings-on. Blanca is definitely a maddening character, imperfect and self-involved -- but also very human and warm-hearted. So although I started out agreeing with the nay-sayers, as I read more, the book really grabbed me and I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Not sure I'd actually recommend the book -- it's probably not for everyone. But I'll be looking for more of Busquets' work in the future.

18. Lovely In Her Bones. Sharyn McCrumb



Rating: ✭✭✭

Sharyn McCrumb is another one of those authors I've always meant to read, but never managed to get to -- until now. I think Lovely In Her Bones might not have been the best intro to her work, but it jumped out at me at Half Price Books one day. Unfortunately, it didn't inspire me to go on with the series. I didn't think the central (supposedly, at least) character, Elizabeth MacPherson, was interesting enough to build a whole series around. And she really only figures in part of the action. Maybe her role gets built up in later books?

But it's a fast read and I did enjoy it. I liked the humor (most whodunnits don't have many laughs), and the fact that it's about archaeologists and set in a dig in the Appalachians. The guilty party was pretty easy to predict, if you were paying attention. And the technology was, of course, very outdated. But I believe I could have overlooked all that if I had just been able to connect a little more with Elizabeth.

19. To Have and Have Not. Ernest Hemingway



Rating: ✭✭

Now I understand why so many critics have called this "Hemingway's worst novel."

Actually a novella and a series of sketches, very tentatively held together by the story of Harry Morgan and his (mostly shady) boat charter activities. The best thing I can say about it is that it can be read in a few hours. Another good thing is that it inspired one of my favorite movies (1944, directed by Howard Hawks, starring Bogart and Bacall), even though the film is nothing like the book. It also seems to have been one of the inspirations for an awful lot of Miami Vice dialogue. Only read this one if you're looking to consume everything Hemingway wrote -- and if you don't mind a LOT of non-P.C. name calling and violence.

20. The Swimmer: Poems. John Koethe



Rating: ✭✭✭½

A celebration of the trivial, complicated nature of everyday life. It's been quite a while since I've read a book of poetry. John Koethe is a new discovery of mine, and I was surprised to find that he's such a well known contemporary poet. Obviously, I haven't been keeping up.

21. Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke; trans. by Anthea Bell



Rating: ✭✭½

I've had Inkheart on my must-read list for years now. It's received so many glowing reviews, and the story sounded so appealing that I was expecting to really love it. So I'm extremely disappointed to have to say that I was -- well...disappointed. Instead of the magical tale I was hoping for, this turned out to be a pretty standard adventure story. Aside from the central device of a character in a book being able to bring other characters out of other books by "reading them out," there doesn't seem to be much of anything that's actually magical about Inkheart.

And it's WAY too long. Much of the book is given over to long descriptions of what the characters are thinking and doing while they're waiting around to do something else. After two or three hundred pages of that sort of stuff, I was very tempted to just skip ahead to the final chapter, find out how it ended, and move on. (But I stuck with it right to the end.)

It's possible I'm just too old for the book. I imagine younger readers would have more patience and wouldn't feel so much like they were wasting their time with the nearly-600-pages of not much happening.

22. Walter the Lazy Mouse, by Marjorie Flack (illustrated by the author)



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

Classic children's book from 1937, back in print with the original illustrations by the author. Not one of the books I remember from my childhood, so I thought I'd give it a look. Very cute story about a young mouse named Walter, who is so lazy he misses school and most of the other life events he should be attending. In fact, he's so lazy that eventually his family forgets about him (!) and moves away without him. That sets Walter off on his quest to find his family and be reunited. The book is about his adventures on the way. He meets a helpful turtle and some friendly (though forgetful) frogs. He gets his own island to live on and tries to be a teacher for his froggy friends. He learns to be self-reliant and responsible, and just doesn't have the time to be lazy anymore. Does he ever find his family? Does everyone live happily ever after? Well, you'll just have to read it to find out!

23. I Am No One, by Patrick Flanery



Rating: ✭✭✭½

This one had me worried at first. The slow, involved opening required more than a little perseverance to get through. Several times, in those first few pages, I got lost and had to re-read a sentence or two (or even paragraphs).

But once I was past that problem beginning, this turned out to be a really haunting tale. Although he's not immediately likable, I found Jeremy -- the besieged academic at the center of the story -- to be an intriguing and even sympathetic character. I enjoyed getting to know him and seeing his story develop. And even though fear of surveillance in our modern society certainly isn't a new or unexplored subject, this book makes you feel just how creepy it can be.

I do think the book was longer than it really needed to be, although I seem to be saying that about almost every book I read these days. (Whatever happened to editors?) But I liked the way Jeremy's story kept unfolding and expanding, revealing his history and personality a little at a time -- the character towards the end of the book seems much more complicated, and yet more understandable than the one presented at the beginning. A very intriguing read, and I'm really glad I stuck with it.

This was an Early Reviewer win, and I'm very grateful to the publishers and Library Thing for my copy. (No other compensation was received.)

24. The Port-Wine Stain, by Norman Lock



I received my copy of The Port-Wine Stain free of charge, from the publisher, through Library Thing's Early Reviewer program.

This book disappointed me. I thought it started well, but after a strong beginning, nothing much actually happened until very late in the narrative. I wasn't really expecting a lot of action, but even so, the story seemed to stagnate very early.

I did enjoy the writing style - not a downright copy of E.A. Poe's, but pleasantly similar. For me, though, the problem was too much style and not enough substance, I'm afraid.

Rating: ✭✭½

25. The Invoice, by Jonas Karlsson



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

26. Vinegar Girl, by Anne Tyler



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

27. Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

28. Tainted Tokay (Winemaker Detective Series #11), by Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noel Balen



Rating: ✭✭✭

29. The Vanishment, by Jonathan Aycliffe



Rating: ✭✭✭

30. The Book That Matters Most, by Ann Hood



Rating: ✭✭✭

31. The Nightwalker, by Sebastian Fitzek; trans. by Jamie Lee Searle



Rating: ✭✭✭

32. The Girls, by Emma Cline



Rating: ✭✭✭✭

33. Knots and Crosses (Inspector Rebus #1), by Ian Rankin



Rating: ✭✭✭

34. The Clocks (Hercule Poirot #34), by Agatha Christie



Rating: ✭✭✭

35. Curtain: Poirot's Last Case (Hercule Poirot #39), by Agatha Christie



Rating: ✭✭✭

36. Faithful, by Alice Hoffman



Rating: (reading now)

Well, it looks like I didn't make it this year. Didn't even get to 40 books. Pretty bad.

2016 has been one of the slowest reading years I've experienced in -- well, years. Don't know why I had such a hard time, but it's nearly over and I'm looking forward to getting a nice fresh start in 2017. Will I be back for another 50 Book Challenge next year? Hmmm. Still debating with myself about that.

But looking back over the books I did get through, I realize there were quite a few 4-star books (no 5-stars, but I don't hand out that rating to very many books). I suppose if I had to pick one favorite from the entire list, it would be Henry James's Daisy Miller. I guess you can't go wrong reading the classics.

And in the more recent group, I'd probably have to say my favorite was Kate DiCamillo's 2014 Newbery Winner, Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. Yes, I read kiddie lit, and don't mind admitting it! But Flora & Ulysses is really a treat for readers of any age.

From among the books published in 2016, I think my top picks would be Jonas Karlsson's The Invoice (although I believe it was originally issued in 2011), and Far From True, Linwood Barclay's second novel in his Promise Falls trilogy. Also very much enjoyed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and Miller's Valley, which was my introduction to Anna Quindlen's work.

So, even though I didn't read as much as I'd hoped, I did read some books I really enjoyed and discovered a few new authors. So I guess I shouldn't be too disappointed with myself.

OK, time to shut up now. Happy New Year, everyone! And happy reading in 2017!

Stop debating, you should come back to us in 2017!

Happy reading in 2017!