chaliepud

Definitely one for my wish list, thanks Anna!!

Happy New Year BB, hope it's a great one for your reading and all other things too!

Happy New Year Chrissy, hope it is a good one for you and yours.

War was declared at 11.15 and Mary North signed up at noon. Everyone Brave is Forgiven ~ Chris Cleave

Have a wonderful 2017 Laura, so happy to hear that you have all your books together again! Some notable mentions: The Language of Flowers and Birdsong are in my top ten books of all time, both beautifully written. If you enjoy A Language of Flowers then look out for her second book, We Never Asked for Wings, also in my top ten! Our Endless Numbered Days was very different but good and popular with members on here. The Kite Runner was sublime, have you read any of his other books? I'll admit I had a real thing for the Twilight books when they were released but they were surpassed by The Host, the film is good too.

The reviews say otherwise so hopefully I am in the minority!

Good luck with that!

Have a great 2017 Ben! We have a fair few books in common, I particularly liked Human Traces, The Blasphemer, The Island, Jamaica Inn and A Thousand Splendid Suns and am really looking forward to a good half a dozen of our shared TBR books.

Happy reading in 2017, Janet. I also have Ella and Otto and Russell and James on my TBR. I hope you enjoy My Brilliant Friend more than I did, I found it very odd and disjointed, maybe it was the translation.

If I'm not enjoying a book I don't read it, I used to do the 100 page rule, then the 50 page, in recent years I have ocaasionally decided after 15 or 20! I think by now I should know what I like. If I think it is down to my mood I may persevere or put to one side for another time.

Kalua Pig, gorgeous pulled pork with mashed potatoes and lots of veg. Yum!!

Thanks frankie, for your good wishes and your recommendations! The Class was one you sent me aaaages ago so I really want to get to that this year! The Stand is a definite, so many positive recommendations, my Dad, you, Gaia, BB! I'd like to get to Gone with the Wind too, I've not seen the film so will be going into it pretty blind! I'm sure I will dip into the book box at some point, although it hasn't been updated for months, it would be good when I want to clear some of the longer standing members of my bookshelf! I'm not sure about The Girl on the Train, I tend to avoid over hyped books, this was given to me by a close friend who raved about it so I feel I should give it a go to see if I agree with the hype!!!

My doggies are great, Jojo her usual nutty self though slowly starting to calm down a little with age (3.5!!), unfortunately we haven't done any agility for a while as she damaged her leg/back and we had to wait ages to see a specialist, we went at the end of December and it isn't severe but it may be enough to stop her doing it, we will have to wait and see, looks like a nerve that is affected and agility could prove just too much. The specialist did suggest we do it slower, just for fun, I felt a bit bad laughing at him, Jojo doesn't do anything slowly!!! Obi is doing so well, he was 13 in October and still enjoying his walks (slower!) and getting up the stairs, long may it continue! It looks like 2017 MUST be the year for The Stand, too many recommendations to ignore!!!! Thanks Gaia, I am feeling positive that I will enjoy my reading in 2017, without the stresses of an increasing TBR pile, I am not too concerned with how many books I read, more that I am enjoying what I do read. I will try another DC in the next few months, I just read too many in one period of time and got a little bored of her, sorry DC!

Thanks Claire! I'm fairly determined and I've managed a week already, baby steps!! Didn't you do this a couple of years ago? I remember us all being inspired at the time. The hardest time will be when there are new releases of books I definitely want to read, like Claire Fuller's new book at the end of the month! Maybe I can wait till Mother's Day! I will definitely have a cull, my only concern is that some of the books that I would want to cull are books friends have given me (not from wish lists), so I would feel bad about that! Anyhow, happy 2017, see you around the board!

Thanks BB (Hope gorgeous Reuben is well?), I'd love to get to all of those this year, The Stand being one of my Dad's favourites too! Have a great 2017. Thanks Diane, I do have A Cornish Affair, all the books on my TBR are warm and cosy on my bookshelves patiently waiting their turns. How are you enjoying The Little Paris Bookshop, My Mum enjoyed it but said she found it a little slow at times? I don't mind slow if the writing is good. Have a fab 2017, see you around!

Your TBR lists are sooooo long my eyes went squiffy! And there was me worried about having approaching 200! A few to mention though...Her Fearful Symmetry was great, I actually preferred it to TTTW, The Book Thief is a must read, I enjoyed The Prince of Mist, even though it is one of Zafon's books for younger readers he certainly didn't hold back on the tension! Also, Marie Kondo, one of the most useful books I have read, has helped me enormously, I am so much more organised since reading it. Have a fabulous 2017!

The kids are watching Return of the Jedi, again! Hence, why I am on here!

Welcome to my 2017 reading log. I only managed 38 books in 2016 so hoping for a few more this year, I am also endeavouring (again!) to read more from my TBR shelves and to buy much less than last year, I didn't record everything I bought - I will this year - so I don't have an accurate number but I estimate around 60, quite possibly nearer 70/80! Crazy when I am reading so little. It did make me happy at the time though! My TBR is far larger than I am comfortable with, and is starting to make me a little stressed so it is definitely time to start taking it a bit easier. I will make a bold - unreliable - claim that I will not buy any books and will only accept those gifted to me, either in paper form or via gift cards. I have also decided that at some point this year, maybe the Summer, maybe at the end of 2017, that I will have a cull of anything I just don't fancy anymore, i could possibly oust a few now but I will give them a little more time to plead their cases! In other aspects of my life I will continue to follow the KonMari methods, I also now have a BuJo (Bullet Journal) which will hopefully help me be more organised, now I am working 3 days a week it is a little harder to stay on top of things! I will still be eating as per the Paleo lifestyle, lots of unprocessed goodness, along with some nice dog walks should keep me healthy. Well, that's me open for 2017, help yourselves to a Paleo cookie and feel free to pop in anytime!

A book you read in school A book from your childhood A book published over 100 years ago A book published in the last year - It Ends With Us - Colleen Hoover A non-fiction book A book written by a male author - Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave A book written by a female author A book by someone who isn’t a writer - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi A book that became/is becoming a film A book published in the 20th Century A book set in your hometown/region A book with someone’s name in the title A book with a number in the title A book with a character with your first name - The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson A book someone else recommended to you A book with over 500 pages - Our Song by Dani Atkins A book you can finish in a day A previously banned book A book with a one-word title - Mischling by Affinity Konar A book translated from another language A book that will improve a specific area of your life - Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms by Datis Kharrazian A memoir or journal A book written by someone younger than you A book set somewhere you’ll be visiting this year An award-winning book A self-published book

TO BE READ - as of January 2017 FICTION Addonia, Sulaiman – The Consequences of Love Adelaide, Debra – The Household Guide to Dying Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi – Americannah Adiche, Chimamanda Ngozi – Half of a Yellow Sun Ahern, Cecilia – PS I Love You Allende, Isabel – The Japanese Lover Allnatt, Judith – The Silk Factory Atkins, Dani – Our Song Atwood, Margaret – The Handmaids’s Tale Avey, Dennis – The Man Who Broke Into Auschwitz Baker Kline, Christina – Bird in Hand Banville, John – The Sea Barrows, Annie – The Truth According to Us Barry, Sebastian – A Long Long Way Barry, Sebastian – The Secret Scripture Bloom, Amy – Lucky Us Bohjalian, Chris - Midwives Boyne, John – Stay Where You Are and Then Leave Boydon, Joseph – Three Day Road Bradley, James - The Resurrectionist Breslin, Theresa – Remembrance Brittain, Vera – Testament of Youth Brooks, Geraldine – Caleb’s Crossing Brooks, Geraldine - March Brooks, Geraldine – People of the Book Burton, Jessie – The Miniaturist Chamberlain, Diane – Keeper of the Light Chamberlain, Diane – Kiss River Chamberlain, Diane – Her Mother’s Shadow Chamberlain, Diane – The Courage Tree Chamberlain, Diane – The Shadow Wife Chamberlain, Mary – The Dressmaker of Dachau Chambers, Aidan – Postcards from No Mans Land Chase, Eve – Black Rabbit Hall Chevalier, Tracy – The Virgin Blue Clare, Cassandra – City of Fallen Angels Clare, Cassandra – City of Lost Souls Cleave, Chris – Everyone Brave is Forgiven Cleave, Chris - Gold Coleman, Rowan – Lessons in Laughing Out Loud Colgan, Jenny – The Christmas Surprise Douglas-Home, Mark – The Sea Detective Douglas-Home, Mark – The Woman Who Walked into the Sea Du Maurier, Daphne – My Cousin Rachel Du Maurier, Daphne – The House on the Strand Du Maurier, Daphne – The King’s General Du Maurier, Daphne – The Scapegoat Dunmore, Helen – With Your Crooked Heart Edric, Robert – Field Service Elton, Ben – The First Casualty Elton, Ben – Time and Time Again Elton, Ben – Two Brothers Fallada, Hans – Alone in Berlin Faulks, Sebastian – A Possible Life Faulks, Sebastian – The Fatal Englishman Faulks, Sebastian – Where My Heart Used to Beat Fenwick, Liz – A Cornish Affair Fenwick, Liz – The Cornish House Fforde, Katie – A French Affair Fitzgerald, Mary – Mist Fleming, Leah – Mothers and Daughters Fleming, Leah – The Captains’s Daughter Fleming, Leah – The Girl Under the Olive Tree Ford, Ford Madox – Parade’s End Forster, Margaret – Diary of An Ordinary Woman Follett, Ken – Fall of Giants Gabaldon, Diana – Outlander George, Nina – The Little Paris Bookshop Gerrard, Nicci – The Twilight Hour Greene, Vanessa – The Beachside Guest House Greene, Vanessa – Little Pieces of Me Gregory – Phillippa – The Taming of the Queen Glaister, Seni – The Museum of Things Left Behind Hannah, Kristin – Between Sisters Hannah, Kristin – Comfort and Joy Haas, Eve – The Secrets of the Notebook Hall, Louisa – The Carriage House Harrington, Laura – Alice Bliss Hawkins, Paula – The Girl on the Train Harris, Joanna – Coastliners Harris, John – Covenant with Death Harrison, Sarah – Swan Music Harrison, Sarah – The Flowers on the Field Hillenbrand, Laura – Unbroken Hiraide, Takashi – The Guest Cat Hislop, Victoria – The Sunrise Holtby, Winifred – South Riding Hooper, Emma – Etta and Otto and Russell and James Howard, Elizabeth James – The Early Years Hughes, Kathryn - The Letter Jaaskelainen, Pasi Ilmari – Rabbit Back Literature Society James, Erica – The Hidden Cottage James, Erica – Songs of the Skylark Jewell, Lisa – Before I Met You Jordan, Hillary - Mudbound Kent, Hannah – Burial Rites King, Stephen – 11.22.63 King, Stephen – The Stand Konar, Affinity - The Mischling Lansens, Lori – Rush Home Road LaFaye, Vanessa – Summertime Lam, Laura – Shadowplay Lefebure, Molly – Blitz Lennox, Judith - Before the Storm Leroy, Margaret – A Brief Affair Ley, Rosanna – Bay of Secrets Ley, Rosanna – The Saffron Trail Lewis, Susan – The Girl Who Came Back Lotz, Sarah – The Three Mackintosh, Clare – I Let You Go Madeley, Richard – The Way You Look Tonight Marquez , Gabriel Garcia – Love in the Time of Cholera McGinnia, Mindy – Not a Drop to Drink Mitchell, Margaret – Gone with the Wind Monninger, Joseph – The World As We Know It Montefiore, Santa – Last Voyage of the Valentina Montefiore, Santa – Secrets of the Lighthouse Montefiore, Santa – The Beekeeper’s Daughter Montefiore, Santa – The House by the Sea Montefiore, Santa – The Italian Matchmaker Moriarty, Liane – What Alice Forgot Morrall, Claire – After the Bombing Morton, Kate – The Lake House Moyes, Jojo – The Horse Dancer Moyes, Jojo – The Ship of Brides Morrison, Toni – Home Nelson, Jandy – I’ll Give You The Sun Nemirovsky, Irene – All Our Wordly Goods Nemirovsky, Irene – Suite Francaise Norris, Barney – Five Met on a Wooded Plain North, Freya – The Way Back Home Newberry, Sheila – The Gingerbread Girl Ness, Patrick – More Than This Oates, Joyce Carol – Little Bird of Heaven Oates, Joyce Carol – The Falls O’Brien, Edna – The Little Red Chairs O’Neill, Louise – Asking For It Penney, Stef – The Invisible Ones Piercy, Marge – Gone to Soldiers Radcliffe, Robert – Under an English Heaven Rakha, Naseem – The Crying Tree Richman, Alyson – The Velvet Hours Riley, Lucinda – Hothouse Flowers Riley, Lucinda – The Girl on the Cliff Riley, Lucinda – The Italian Girl Riley, Lucinda – The Seven Sisters Roberts, Nora – Whiskey Beach Rodriguez, Deborah – The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul Ryan Hyde, Catherine – Second Hand Heart Rusbridge, Jane – The Devil’s Music Sansom, C.J. - Winter in Madrid Schwarz, Christina - Drowning Ruth Sebald, W,G - Austerlitz Segal, Erich – The Class Seierstad, Asne – The Bookseller of Kabul Seksis, Tina – One Step Too Far Sepetys, Ruth – Out of the Easy Sepetys, Ruth – Salt to the Sea Simon, Paullina – The Bronze Horseman Sparks, Nicholas – The Choice Steinbeck, John – Cannery Row Steinbeck, John – East of Eden Steinbeck, John – Of Mice and Men Steinbeck, John – The Pearl Steinbeck, John – The Red Pony Strout, Elizabeth – Olive Kitteridge Swan, Karen – The Paris Secret Swan, Karen – The Perfect Present Syson, Lydia – Liberty’s Fire St John Mandel, Emily – Station Eleven Taylor, Lulu – The Winter Folly Thomas, Scarlett – The Seed Collectors Tremayne – S.K – The Ice Twins Trenow, Liz – The Last Telegram Vickers, Sally – Miss Garnet’s Angel Waters, Sarah – The Paying Guests Walker, Alice – The Color Purple Wallace, Wendy – The Painted Bridge Walton, Jo – Among Others Weaver Eva – The Puppet Boy of Warsaw Wein, Elizabeth – Code Name Verity Whitehouse, Lucie – The Bed I Made White, Karen – The Time Between Wiesel, Elie – Dawn Wiesel, Elie – Day Willaims, Kate – The Edge of the Fall Winard, Johanna – Ruby’s War Winthrop Elizabeth H – December Wiseman, Ellen Marie – The Plum Tree Wright, Susan Elliot – The Things We Never Said Zafon, Carlos Ruiz – The Angel’s Game Zafon, Carlos Ruiz – The Prisoner of Heaven Read 1/185 NON-FICTION Balding, Clare – Our Animals and Other Family Bradshaw, John – In Defence of Dogs Coren, Stanley – How Dogs Think Hastings, Max – All Hell Let Loose: The World at War 1939-1945 Helm, Sarah – If This Is A Woman: Inside Ravensbruck: Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women. Holden, Wendy - Born Survivors Kalinthi, Paul – When Breath Becomes Air Larson, Erik – Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania Peters, Professor Steve – The Chimp Paradox (Kobo) Peveteaux, April – Gluten Is My Bitch Ronson, Jon – The Psychopath Test Shomon, Mary J. - The Thyroid Diet Skinner, Frank – Frank Skinner Truss, Lynne – Wats Shoots and Leaves Wax, Ruby - Frazzled

BOOKS READ IN 2017 1. The Letter - Kathryn Hughes 3/5 2. Everyone Brave is Forgiven - Chris Cleave 5/5 3. Comfort & Joy - Kristin Hannah 2/5 4. When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi 4/5 5. Our Song - Dani Atkins 3/5 6. Mischling - Affinity Konar 4/5 7. Hold Back The Stars - Katie Khan 2/5 8. The Gingerbread Girl - Sheila Newberry 2/5 9. Gluten Is My Bitch - April Peteveaux 1/5 10. Dawn - Elie Weisel 1/5 11. It Ends With Us - Colleen Hoover 4/5 12. Time and Time Again - Ben Elton 5/5 13. After the Bombing - Claire Morrall 2/5 14. The Impossible Knife of Memory - Laurie Halse Anderson 4/5 15. Why Do I Still Have Thyroid Symptoms - Daris Kharrazian 4/5 16. The Italian Girl - Lucinda Riley 4/5 17. The Boy on the Bridge - M.R. Carey 5/5 18. Salt to the Sea - Ruth Sepetys 4/5 19. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon 4/5 20. Remembrance - Theresa Breslin 5/5 21. I'll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson 4/5 21/193 BOOKS BOUGHT IN 2017 January - NONE!! February The Mischling - Affinity Konar Gold - Chris Cleave Mudbound - Hillary Jordan Drowning Ruth - Christina Schwarz Winter in Madrid - C.J. Sansom Before the Storm - Judith Lennox Midwives - Chris Bohjalain The Resurrectionist - James Bradley Island Madness - Tim Binding Born Survivors - Wendy Holden (N-F) The Thyroid Diet - Mary J. Shomon (N-F)

I don't rate The Waterstones website, quite often I can't find books I'm looking for yet I can find them instore or they can order for me, not as user friendly as Amazon either.

Right, about time I did this! Favourite read? Hard one this, will go for Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger, beautifully written and surprisingly good read. Favourite author? M.R Carey for Fellside Most read author? Jenny Colgan Favourite book cover? One by Sarah Crossan Book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, so disjointed! Very surprised by how good the reviews are! Book that most disappointed you? When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr, I did like it but it wasn't really about what I thought it would be about! Funniest book? Don't do funny! Favourite literary character? Ally in Bodies of Light by Sarah Moss Favourite children's book? When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit Favourite classic? None Favourite non-fiction book? Humans of New York: Stories by Brandon Stanton Favourite biography? None Favourite collection of short stories? None Favourite poetry collection? None Favourite illustrated book? None Favourite publisher? I didn't notice Favourite audiobook? None Favourite re-read? None

Hmm, minions are all busy strangely, 2 of them for mocks revision so I suppose I can't complain, Charlie has his A2's this year and Maddie has her GCSE's, will be a stressy few months for them! I should be cleaning bathrooms but really son't have the energy, just spent 2 hours searching for an appropriate dog bed for ickle Jojo as the last one wasn't tough enough and fell apart after she bullied it! No books purchased in 2017 yet, 7/365 done! Not sure what percentage that is but it's a start! BuJo the therapist, I like that, and cheaper than the real thing for sure! First things first, will start my 2017 thread then start the Bujo (after a little research of best ways to do so.

I am getting there, I'm just about to type up my TBR's onto a Word document then I will crack on with it! Thanks for the encouragement!