pammie1320 reads 75

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by S Larsson
2. The Other Hand by Chris Cleave
3. Testimony by Anita Shreive
4. Nocturnesby Kazuo Ishiguro
5. The Book Thiefby Markus Zusak
6. The Shack by Wm Paul Young
7. Tokyo Year Zero by David Peace
8.Child44 by Tom Rob Smith
9.The Girl Who Played with Fire by S Larsson
10.Charlotte Fairlie by D.E. Stevenson
11.PS I love You by Cecilia Ahern
12.Oryx and Crake by Margaret Attwood
13.Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
14.The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
15.Faceless Killers by Henning Mankell
16.The Blind Assasin by margaret atwood
17.Kafka on the shore by haruki murakami
18.Before Green Gables by budge wilson
19.winters bone by daniel woodrell
20.anne of green gables by lm montgomery
21.handling the undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist
22.anne of avonlea by lm montgomery
23.the girl who kicked the hornets nest by Steig Larsson
24.burnt shadows by kamila shamsie
25.anne of the island by lm montgomery
26.cat's eye by margaret atwood
27.the dogs of riga by henning mankell
28.the true deceiver by tove jansson
29.when will there be good news by sarah atkinson
30.the night listener by armistead maupin
31.star of the seaby joseph o'connor
32.such a long journey by rohinton mistry
33.no country for old men by cormac mccarthy
34.of mice and men by john steinbeck
35.the road by cormac mccarthy
36.in the kitchen by monica ali
37.the sweet smell of psychosis by selfwill::will self
38.the five people you meet in heaven by albommitch::mitch albom
39.43160::bend in the river by vs naipaul
40.18997::surfacing by margaret atwood
41.all the pretty horses by cormac mccarthy
42.the terrible privacy of maxwell sim by jonathan coe
43.8110663::the year of the flood by margaret atwood
44. the virgin suicides by jeffrey eugenides
45.the white lioness by henningmankell
46.the man who smiled by henning mankell

another one to add to my list is Testimony by Anita Shreive
i enjoyed this and it was a really easy book to read even although the subject matter was fairly unpleasant.

i am posting each book as i read it into this forum - is this the usual practise?

3 down 72 to go!!

Hi Pammie. Actually, most people keep adding to one thread since it's easier to follow conversations and see what else a person has read. Look at what other people have done and you'll get a better idea of what's going on. :)

cool thanks i think i get it now!! l am sure i will get the hang of it eventually!!

so now i have the hang of it here are my 3 so far

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo by S Larsson
2. The Other Hand by Chris Cleave
3. Testimony by Anita Shreive

My husband's reading a Chris Cleave book now called Little Bee and enjoying it. I brought it to him from the library although I know very little about that book. I heard that it was supposed to be good, though.

Did you post somewhere else about The Other Hand by the same author?

hi yeah i did i think it might be the same book - i am in scotland maybe it was published under a different name here - the main character in the book is called little bee.

ive been posting random things all over the place - just joined and was a bit unsure about how it works - got the hang of it now though!!

p

and here is number 4 to add to my list

Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro

5 short stories about music and nightfall. A really entertaining and easy read. Each story is well balanced and complete and the characters are all likeable and some of the situations they find themselves in are amusing.

i would recommend this book.

4 down 71 to go!!

p

That's funny that it turned out to be the same book! Then what you're reading should be good.

Have fun exploring LibraryThing. There really are a lot of nooks and crannies to visit here. For me, it's turned out to be an amazing time sink, but I've been enjoying the experience.

welcome and congratulations on completing four books to date.

hi whisper, thanks i am loving this new experience - its very addictive lol!!

p

Hi Pamela! Welcome to the madness that is LibraryThing!

Nice going so far, and looks like you're getting the hang of the threads pretty quickly. You'll never be short of somewhere to waste time on here - there's so much on the site, it took me quite a while to explore it properly! The links to my threads are on my profile (click on my username, above this message) - feel free to drop by any time...

Hi there

another one to add to my list number 5

the book thief by markus zusak

i have been weeping my way through the last part of this book which has been an excellent story. It has left me a little traumatised though - i thin an early evening gin and tonic is in order!!

5 down 75 to go.

The Book Thief was a definite tear-jerker as well as a wonderful book. In addition, I think that was the first book I'd ever read by an Australian author. I'd originally discovered it being recommended by so many other LTers that I thought I'd read it myself. That turned out to be a good choice.

I think it may be the first Australian l have read too. occasionally when you finish reading a book you feel like you have lost friends - this is how this book has left me feeling, in a good way though

occasionally when you finish reading a book you feel like you have lost friends

I *so* know that feeling and thoroughly agree with you!

Are you interested in adding a countdown ticker to your thread? They can be built here at Ticker Factory.

I recommend Zusak's I Am the Messenger too, but it is very different from The Book Thief.

Lots of good books read over here, pammie1320! Is your nickname Pammie?

i have tried to find i am the messenger in my local bookshop but its always out of stock, but its on my wishlist!!

my nickname isnt pammie - i was given the name by aol the first time i got an email address and i use it now years later cos its easy to remember!!

nobody calls me pammie though!!

p

ok so number 6 is read - the shack by Wm paul Young.

a story about a man whose daughter is abducted and murdered. he returns to the scene of the crime and meets god, jesus and the holy spirit who help him come to terms with his loss. intertwined within this story the author gives readers a basic theology lesson to the nature of God - as far as he sees it.

i didnt really enjoy this book the story was pretty flimsy and was really a vehicle for the author to tell us what he believes about the nature of God and religion. - there are better books out there that do this.

It starts really well and ends well but the bit in the middle is squelchy to say the least.

so 6 down 69 to go!!

p

just finished tokyo year zero by david peace didn't really enjoy this novel. the prose made it very difficult to egt into. the characters weren't very absorbing and l found it very hard to engage with the story. i also have the second novel in the trilogy to read but after this book l am not sure l will be reading this.

7 down 69 to go

p

I hope the next read is better for you!

thanks its child 44 and is already a better read and am only half a dozen pages in.

I picked up Child 44 one-day while I was eating breakfast and just kept on reading until I was done. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did--and that you have the time to curl up and enjoy it.

Child 44 is terrific, IMHO. I hope you enjoy it.

#28 - i couldnt agree more, its a real page turner l am half way through it and was sitting reading it in my lunch break wishing i had taken some time off this afternoon so l could read on - its burning a whole in my bag!! i cant wait till half five!!

p

number 8 done and dusted child 44 by tom rob smith. throughly enjoyed this book although i did think that it slowed a bit in the middle.

i am looking forward to the sequel and will be looking for other books set in stalinist russia. would recommend.

8 down 68 to go !!

just finished number nine, the girl who played with fire by steig larsson what a rollercoaster it has taken me on over the past couple of days

even better than the first book now looking forward to the third which is only out in hardback here - might have to raid the piggy bank!!

9 down 67 to go!!

p

have just read Charlotte Fairlie by DE Stevenson, an old fashioned heart warming highland romance , no swearing, no sex no violence. It was highly predictable you knew what was going to happen before it happened but that did not matter. perfect sunday afternoon fodder!!

10 down 65 to go

p

#32: I will have to give that one by Stevenson a try. I just read a couple of hers and enjoyed them very much.

alcottacre - hope you enjoy it!!

p

I have to find a copy of it! None of my local libraries has it, unfortunately.

PS I Love you by cecilia ahern chick lit nonsense but still pulled on my heart strings and made me weep. not particularly well written, characters weren't that well developed but it is not a character study. i think they made it into a film and it reads a bit like a film script.

11 down 64 to go.

p

oryx and crake by margaret attwood - loved this book, made me think about all sorts of things that currently happen in society and what might happen if they are taken too far. i first read attwood at uni and never really enjoyed the handmaids tail as it was to study rather than enjoy. For this reason i am ale=ways a little dubious about her works. i always enjoy them though so need to get over my prejudice!! this is my book groups book and cant wait to the get together to discuss.

12 down 63 to go

p

#37: I loved Oryx and Crake too. It was the first Atwood book I had ever read. Have you read The Year of the Flood yet? I recommend it too. It is a follow up to O&C.

~37 - i am glad youlet me know about year of the flood be good to know what happens next!!

brooklyn by colm toibin - very nice wee tale about a girl who emgrates to new york, falls in love returns to ireland falls in love, returns to new york. Not a hard or challenging read - nothing really happens in this story to make you jump up and down or to get the grey matter thinking. Enjoyable though.

13 down 62 to go.

#39: The characters are different from in Oryx and Crake, but the ones from O&C are mentioned in The Year of the Flood. It is not absolutely necessary to have read O&C before the other book.

The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith

follow up to child 44 not as good as the first story a little far fetched and at times unbelievable but sometimes that's what reading stories is all about!!

14 down 61 to go

p

#42: Would you recommend The Secret Speech? I have had it in the BlackHole for a while now, but do not want to waste my time on it if the story is completely unbelievable.

~42 i would recommend it - it took mw a while to get through it and its certainly not as good as his fisrt novel. Its entertaining all the same.

just finished faceless killers by henning mankel its a wallander murder mystery jape and i enjoyed. Not sure if l will go back for more wallander mysteries. would recommend for a wet afternoon!!

15 down 60 to go

p

#44: Thanks for the input.

#45: I have that one hanging around my house somewhere waiting for me to get to it. I wonder where I put it . . .

just put down the blind assasin by margaret atwood. enjoyable family saga, intrigue, deceit, betrayal of sorts, wrong husbands and science fiction stories all rolled into one. Atwood can write. I would recommend this - not my favourite by her and its a big book but still worth a look.

loving the 75 bok challenge, its keeping me reading!!

16 down 59 to go!!

I am glad you are enjoying the challenge, Pammie!

17 down 58 to go

kafka on the shore by haruki murakami , i love murakami have enjoyed all of his novels that ive read. this one was no exception excellent characters good story like would recommend.

Before Green Gable by Budge Wilson

this is a must for all kindred spirits wilson captured the essence of anne of green gables and gave a believeble accountof what happened to anne before she went to live with matthew and marilla.

am goign to have to dig out the original books and reaquaint myself with anne shirley!!

18 down 57 to go

a good friend of mine gave me winters bone by daniel woodrell to read he really enjoyed it l thought it was ok no more no less. a story of a girl trying to find her dad in order to save her house. set in missouri. i found it hard to get the characters and the story initially but in the long run not a bad read jst not a good one either.

19 down 56 to go.

p

i have loved anne of green gables since childhood and re read it often it still makes me laugh and cry in all the same places. simply divine!

20 down 55 to go

just put handling the undead by John Ajvide Lindqvist down

not a huge horror genre fan but read his first novel after enjoying the film adaptation. this book is really good - not a horror story of the blood and guts variety more a story of love and loss set in the horror genre - would recommend.

21 down 54 to go

p

You are making great progress! Keep it up!

l m montgomery anne of avonlea fabby read for all kindred spirits just as good as when i was a teenager

22 down 53 to go

p

the girl who kicked the hornets nest by steig larsson a superb ending to a superb trilogy - its a big book but an east read a real page turner. i am goign to miss the characters in this book and think its a real pity the author died so young and wont be able to give us any more thrills.

i would definately recommend all three lisbeth salander stories. well worth the time.

23 down 52 to go

#56: Yes, it is a pity Larsson is not here to write any more books. His Millennium trilogy is terrific.

24 down 51 to go

burnt shadows by kamila shamsie the latest of my book group reads this year. its a page turner but a little unbelievable - spans from nagasaki in the second world war to new york in the grip of post 9/11 fever via india, pakistan and afghanistan.

i would recommend it but you have to suspend belief a little.

p

#58: I already have that one in the BlackHole, but my local library does not have it yet.

anne of the island by lm montgomery more wholesome tales from PEI when life was so much simpler and we all wore puffed sleeves.

lovely!!

25 down 50 to go

Congratulations on making it 1/3 of the way through the challenge!

60. I love, love, love the Anne of Green Gables series. I used to pretend I lived back then and wore puffed sleeves myself. Okay, who am I kidding, I still do! :D Glad you are enjoying them. Are you going to read the whole series again this year?

>62 RosyLibrarian: i am going to re read the whole series - totally addicted again - i even bought a new top with lovely puffed sleeves not that long ago! another funny thing happens when i read these books - they make me want to bake - plum cakes and scones with jam!! nice to hear from a kindred spirit.

p

just read cat's eye by margaret atwood. a story about growing up in toronto, life, love and friendship told in retrospect by a painter who moved to Vancouver.

Atwood writes stories which i enjoy - i dont love them but i enjoy them i wouldn't say oh read this you cant put it down - but when i do read her i do so in greedy chunks.

i would recommend this.

26 down 49 to go.

#64: I have not read that one by Atwood. I will have to put it in the BlackHole to remind myself :)

been on a wee holiday so got three to write up

first up is dogs of riga by henning mankell another wallander caper - i enjoyed this much more than the first mystery and am looking forward to the third i would recommend.

then i read the true deceiver by tove jansson she wrote the moomins! but this is a really nice wee tale of two women and how they go about deceiving one another. its an easy read but does make you think.

lastly i read when will there be good news by kate atkinson a murder mystery set in edinburgh there is alot of death in this novel but it was strangely touching again i would recommend.

so that makes 29 down 46 to go - phew!

finished the night listener by armistead maupin i read the tales of city series years ago and enjoyed them and so have been meaning to pick up another of his novels for a while. Found this in a charity shop so was a cheap read also.

Its a good story about love and relationships. would recommend for a rainy sunday afternoon!

30 down 45 to go!

Woo woo! I love hitting even numbers like thirty. They look so awesome compared to say, 27 or 29. Good job!

>68 RosyLibrarian: i know it feels so good!! bring on 40 lol

I just reread The Handmaid's Tale and am going to reread Cat's Eye this year too.

~70 i tried to read handmaids tale at university YEARS ago and never got into it. should try to again though - i have vague memories of a film? also

>71 pammie1320:: I wouldn't blame people for not liking The Handmaid's Tale that much. It just didn't scare me as much as it did 15-20 years ago. Plus, it has a dull, somber/cautious tone which is part of the story.

I remember being more impressed by The Handmaid's Tale the first time than the second time. It was still disturbing second time round though. And yes, there is a film.

feels like i have falles off the wagon since the last time i finished a book - i am blaming cloud atlas for this i just couldn't get into it and lost the will!! i also tried the master and margarita which i got halfway through and then ditched - life's too short!

any way i finished books 31 and 32 respectively

star of the sea by joseph o'connor tale of irish potato famine misery on the seas from the emerald isle to new york - really slow starter but enjoyed it in the end woudl recommend but you have to percevere with it.

really enjoyed no 32. such a long journey by rohinton misrty
a insightful story inot indian family life in bombay in the 1960s would definatley recommend 5 stars!

so by my reconning thats 32 down 43 to go

#74: I am sorry to hear that you did not enjoy Cloud Atlas and The Master and Margarita. I am glad you found something more to your taste!

no 33 no country for old men by cormac mccarthy loved it really gripping even although i have seen the film i was still in suspense would recommend

no 34 of mice and men by john steinbeck a classic lathough i am not sure why simple tale.

34 down 41 to go

p

The beauty of Steinbeck's book is that it is so simple. If you haven't already, you should read The Grapes of Wrath which is an iconic view of a family struggling to stay together and take of each other despite events that make it near impossible.

~77 its simplicity is great but i just wanted more from him, will dig out my copy of the grapes of wrath and have a read.

You might also try East of Eden which is a much meatier novel about two brothers.

cool thanks for that will look it up

just finished the road by cormac mccarthy last night. i think that this is the best book i have read all year. unbelieveable prose excellent story, heart breaking scenarios.

35 down 40 to go

The Road is a terrific book! I am glad you liked it.

in the kitchen by monica ali i really enjoyed this book and found it to be a real page turner. set in a hotel in london the story evolves around the head chef and a dead ukranian and then takes us 'up north' where the characters lament the loss of traditional 'britishness'(whatever that was), and snakes its way through issues of immigration and gang masters, prostitution, mental health and relationships. wouldn't say it was a cheery read but it certainly whiled away a very cold wet saturday in July!

i would recommend, l like Ali's style and am now goign to look up some of her other stuff.

36 down 39 to go!

the sweet smell of psychosis by will self a wee novella tells the story of a young journalist spiralling out of control in the underground pubs and clubs in london, whilst trying to woo a girl. odd wee story with an unexpected ending.

37 down 38 to go - kinda half way!!

the five people you meet in heaven by mitch albom heartwarming tale about a guy who thought his life never really meant anything. he dies then meets 5 people in heaven who let him know otherwise. i read this is one sitting this morning, its an easy read.

38 down 37 to go - downhill from now on in!!

Congratulations on hitting the halfway point of the challenge!

If you enjoy Albom's writing, I would recommend his Have a Little Faith. It is excellent.

bend in the river by vs naipaul

read this as is my book clubs read for this month and was looking forward to it. i am a little disappointed though. i didnt really feel africa through the story it really could have been set anywhere that people migrated to and settled. its well written but it left me short.

39 down 36 to go.

#87: Sorry you did not care for that one more. I hope your next read is more to your taste.

holidays are great and l think wet holidays are even better means you can spend all day reading, which is what i did today.

i read surfacing by margaret atwood. i liked it but it really reminded me of another one of her books cats eye in many ways - the main character was a divorced artist, her parent spurned religion she went to sunday school with another family - even the grace they said was the same - she was returning to childhood haunts. it s still a good story. i think the end was strange though its almost like it was 2 books fused together. would recommend.

40 down 35 to go - feels good!

I have Surfacing around my house somewhere to read. Now if it would only surface so I can :)

From your description of In the Kitchen, as well as Brick Lane and Alentejo Blue by her, you might also find Amanda Craig's Hearts and Minds interesting, with some similar subject matter.

#91 thanks for the recommendation l will add it to my list

all the pretty horses by cormac mccarthy loved it glad i bought the trilogy

41 down 34 to go

42 down 33 to go

the terrible privacy of maxwell sim by jonathon coe

a page turner