HelenBaker hits the bookshelves 2017

I am playing it safe staying with 48. 4 a month is doable.

I am opening with 348 again this year. To achieve this, I am joining the ANZAC challenge and will follow both the AAC and BAC but sadly they only offer 2 each. I have decided to revert to my Author Alphabet Challenge as I score 25/26 in that category. That should provide sufficient variety.

Welcome back and good luck, Helen!

Welcome back! Have fun!

Good luck with your ROOTing in 2017.

Hope you unearth some good ones!

Enjoy your reading!

Welcome back & Happy 2017 ROOTing!

January.
1. Old Filth by Jane Gardam 9/10
2. Gorse is not People by Janet Frame 7.5/10
3. Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay 8/10
4. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
5. The Daughters of Mars by Thomas Keneally 9/10
6. A Breed of Women by Fiona Kidman 8/10
7. The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier 8/10
8. The Warrior Queen by Barbara Else 7/10

I was thinking my first book didn't qualify as I purchased it 6 months ago, then the penny dropped, that my whole library qualifies again. Gotta love a new year!

>10 HelenBaker: that's on my list too.... glad to see you enjoyed it so much!

Welcome back, Helen! Happy ROOTing.

I decided to read a book of short stories while I awaited my f2f book in the mail. Short stories completed and still no parcel. Now I will have to start some thing new. Guarantee the book will arrive in tomorrow's mail. Ah well I will start the alphabet challenge with :

A. Vinegar Hill by A.Manette Ansay.
B. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
C. The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier
D. The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
E. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
F. Bitter Sweets by Roopa Farooki
G. The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah
H. The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby 8/10
I. When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
J. The Past and Other Lies by Maggie Joel 7.5/10
K. Day by A.L. Kennedy
L. A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible by Christy Lefteri
M. Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
N. The Dogs and the Wolves by Irene Nemirovsky
O. Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
P. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
Q. Pastoral by Nevil Shute - WILDCARD
R. Lila by Marilynne Robinson 9/10
S. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson
T. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 9/10
U. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall 8/10
V. The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe 8.5/10
W.The Fall of Light by Niall Williams 10/10
X. Buy Me the Sky by Xinran 8/10
Y. My Dear I Wanted To Tell You by Louisa Young 8/10
Z. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 7.5/10

8/48 at the close of January. A much better start this year as I am already a month ahead of schedule. Good to have some books in credit in case of slow months to come. So far the two challenges are sending me back to my shelves. I hope to be more disciplined with my purchases this year although I am out of shelf space as I try to keep my read books separate from unread. I hate parting with books even when read.

>15 HelenBaker: I'm like you Helen, I like to have a "bank" of read books, just in case I get busy and can't read. I have vowed to make no more purchases this year---made some in December and some in January--Christmas and my birthday, about 10 books, but my goal is 100 read so I will still be "ahead." All my purchases were e-books for my Kindle so I don't have to have any shelf space.

I am still resisting the technology as I love the look, the feel and the smell of books. One I have just started was culled from the local library. It is a reread for a book group but what was most special was seeing my mothers initials in the slip inside the cover as one who has read it. She died 10 years ago....

>17 HelenBaker: Oh my, what serendipity!

>17 HelenBaker: Wow, that must have been bittersweet!

I think as my eyesight is getting worse (I finally got varifocals last year) I feel less sentimental towards paper books. But there's absolutely nothing like the smell of a decent second hand bookshop! Best smell ever!

>15 HelenBaker: congrats on a great January!

>15 HelenBaker: >16 Tess_W: I agree about having a bank of read books... I always need it ;)
no more purchases this year... that would be a good idea for me too.... :-|

>17 HelenBaker: (me too :))
Oh what a lovely surprise!

>19 Jackie_K: that is a good point about eyesight!

February.
9. The Idea of Perfection by Kate Grenville 8.5/10
10. The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
11. The Harp in the South by Ruth Park
12. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
13. Bitter Sweets by Roopa Farooki 7.5/10
14. The Chimes by Anna Smaill 9/10
15. The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah 7.5/10

>19 Jackie_K: Worsening eyesight (I also wear varelux--no line bifocals) is the reason for me going 80% Kindle. I can adjust the font and also have it bright!

>17 HelenBaker: Wow Helen. That really is coincidental en lovely, I would think.

March.
16. Sydney Bridge Upside Down by David Ballantyne 8/10
17. The Almond Picker by Simonetta Agnello Hornby 8/10
18. Where the Rekohu Bone sings by Tina Makereti 9/10
19. Golden Deeds by Catherine Chidgey 9/10
20. Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf 8/10

I read in the March thread your Mother in Law passed away a few weeks ago. So sorry for your loss, Helen. Keep strong!

Thank you Connie. I am just feeling very tired which is impacting on my ability to read...

Understandable. Just take your time. It will get back to you eventually.

April
21. When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
22. The Past and Other Lies by Maggie Joel 7.5/10
23. Taking Pictures by Anne Enright

May.
24. Day by A.L. Kennedy
25. People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks 8/10
26. A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible by Christy Lefteri
27. Slow Water by Annamarie Jagose
28. Circling the Sun by Paula McLain
29. Love as a Stranger by Owen Marshall
30. The Dogs and the Wolves by Irene Nemirovsky
31. Nine Days by Toni Jordan

Can't catch up, but will start anew here! Happy reading!

You're doing great!

At last a root for June

32. The True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
33. Anil's Ghost by Michael Ondaatje
34. Fosterling by Emma Neale
35. The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

>32 HelenBaker: Was it good? It's on my to-read list but I have heard very mixed opinions about it.

>33 Henrik_Madsen: It is very good, not only for his depiction of Ned Kelly, but also for the vivid portrayal of the tough society he was raised in. The lack of punctuation took a bit of adjustment but the author was trying to make an authentic narrative voice. You would be hard put to condemn Ned Kelly for his actions after reading this book. Peter Carey remains a favourite author.

>32 HelenBaker: wishlisted on the strength of your review - I haven't read much by Carey but hope to rectify that, starting with Oscar and Lucinda.

>35 floremolla: I have Oscar and Lucinda and Illywacker waiting on my TBR shelves...I also recommend Parrot and Olivier in America. Another interesting historical tale.

>36 HelenBaker: thank you - wishlisted too! :)

I have Oscar and Lucinda on my TBR too - I've owned it for more years than I dare remember (it was given to me by a friend who had 2 copies, when we both still lived in London, and I left there in 2005, so it was some time before then!). One day I'll get to it...

>38 Jackie_K: Oh I know that feeling only too well. I am finding my alphabet challenge is encouraging me to pick up titles that I would probably not have. The True History of the Kelly Gang was a gift to my husband from my mother. She died in 2006, so it has waited far too long for my attention

July.
36. The Rehearsal by Eleanor Catton
37. Miracle at St. Anna by James McBride
38. Pastoral by Nevil Shute
39. Lila by Marilynne Robinson

Hi Helen, the touchstone is linking to the wrong book. I found your review though which put me in two minds whether I should read it! I haven't read any of Catton's work but you've reminded me I have The Luminaries and should give it a go, then if I like it I'll try The Rehearsal.

>41 floremolla:. Thanks Donna. I have fixed it. Sorry to put you off but it is a book that requires concentration and when I first started it I didn't realise. I had been tempted to start again but I have too many unread books.

>41 floremolla: Al wat schittert is on my TBR too.

September.
43. The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe
44. The Fall of Light by Niall Williams
45. Buy Me the Sky by Xinran
46. My Dear I Wanted To Tell You by Louisa Young 8/10
47. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 7.5/10

>43 connie53: And I read Al wat schittert and loved it! De repetitie is on my tbr too.

October.
48. Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin
49. The Dust That Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernieres
50. H is for Hawk by Helen MacDonald
51. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett 9/10

Goal reached but I will continue reading off my shelves as I have acquired far too many books in recent month, albeit they were bargains.

Congratulations Helen, good job! I should be hitting 48 books myself soon, probably next month.

I'm another fan of the book bargain, I fear I may have to rein that in a bit.

Congratulations, Helen!! :D

Congratulations on reaching your goal. I'm with you on the bargain books, I have given in myself a bit too often this year.

Congrats!

Haha, I see I have made no progress this year. I now have 350 unread books compared to 348 at the beginning of the year. How strong can I be until the end of the year, I wonder...Maybe there is a chance I can get it below 340. A new goal for the next 10 weeks I think...

Congratulations on reaching your goal!

Well done, Helen! ....and guess we'll see you here next year :))

>56 HelenBaker: Indeed, without this group I could be in dire straights....LOL

Thanks Connie.

November.
52. The Song Before It Is Sung by Justin Cartwright
53. The Railwayman's Wife by Ashley Hay
54. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

December.

55. All is Song by Samantha Harvey
56. We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
57. Calling the Gods by Jack Lasenby
58. The Writers' Festival by Stephanie Johnson

It appears that I will close the year with 343. So actual progress this year with 5 less books on the shelf. Not huge but a step in the right direction...

Fantastic! I've finally counted up my TBRs, ready to start 2018. I'll be delighted to have a smaller number at the end of the year than the start, but I'm not going to hold my breath!

Happy new year when it comes!

40. The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson 7.5/10
41. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 9/10
42. The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall 8/10