Legends and Lattes is one of my favourite reads this year, and the third book in the series is out today. Brigands and Breadknives features Fern the Bookseller, who has moved to Thune to set up shop next door to a certain coffeeshop as an attempt to deal with her ennui with life. But it may not be as simple as a new place and a new start as various ne’er do wells emerge to cause problems. I’m looking forward to reading this one so much I may even buy it in paperback rather than waiting for the Kindle price to drop! If you haven’t read Legends and Lattes, it’s in Kindle Unlimited at the moment and I thoroughly recommend it.
I was going to say it’s that time of year again where I start to panic about the missing states on my 50 states challenge, except that I actually panicked about three weeks earlier than I usually do which makes me both optimistic about my chances of not ending in a panic, but cautious because I could get complacent. Anyway, four of the seven on the finished list this week
About six – some missing states but also writing the offers post..
Bonus picture: I ransacked the tbr shelves to look for books that would tick off missing states – here they are, in a nice pile to catch my eye and remind me to read them!
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
It’s definitely heading into winter now. The mornings might be a bit lighter but it’s only temporary and the weather is colder and wetter. And so I’m deep into mystery books because it feels like they suit the season. Last week was fairly calm (especially compared to the week before) and I’m hoping for similar this week. I’ve actually made a proper plan of what I want to read this month, so we will see if I manage to stick to that in any way!
Well. A couple of impulse purchases because the Helen Ellis was on offer as were some Georgette Heyer detective books, although I only bought one of them. I did manage to resist the Foyles double stamps though, but only because I own most of the paperbacks I might have bought already and I had that preordering spree on Waterstones just a few weeks ago!
Bonus picture: autumnal colours in Bloomsbury.
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
Favourite book: Probably What You Are Looking For is in the Library
Books bought: lets skip over this…
Most read author: Jill Churchill – two more Jane Jeffreys books
Books read in 2025: 314
Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 802
So after the progress of September on the NetGalley and pile front, October wasn’t quite as strong. The bright side is that the six NetGalley books I did read include all of the October releases, so for once I’m keeping pace with that, but the list is being somewhat propped up by novella and Kindle Unlimited. A lot of them were me trying new mystery series – and not always to great success. But if you don’t try them you don’t know, and I guess at least I’m getting the value out of my KU subscription!
Bonus picture: After the clock change, I’ve got sunrise on the train again – as opposed to dark until London – for a week or two. And this week the colours were amazing, although the frost in the fields is a sign of the weather to come…
*often includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – 9 this month!
Another incredibly busy week, where I went down to Essex and then up to Carlisle as well as work and a trip to the theatre. The list is looking pretty good though, even if the still reading list doesn’t seem to be coming down much. But I can work on that!
Well, I think the thing that should be noted here is that Abdication is more than 500 pages long and quite dense as well as full of lots of people to keep track of. And I finished my craft project (hurrah!) and went out one evening, and went to the cinema as well and so, well yes, the still reading pile has got bigger. But I will work on that this week, even if I am on the move from one end of the country to the other, and going to the theatre again tonight…
On the bright side, I didn’t buy any books that arrived this week, but I did take full advantage of the Waterstones 25% off pre-sale books offer… I got my basket down from over £200 to a much more sensible £60 or so!
Bonus picture: a sign that made me smile at the book stall at the market (and Diwali fair) on Saturday.
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
I’ve got to stop starting these posts by saying how busy I have been, but really I have. I’ve had house guests, and evenings out and a craft project to finish. And this week I’ve got nights out and that craft project still isn’t finished. Anyway, that’s one way of saying that this list could have been much worse. I’m making progress on Abdication, but it’s more than 500 pages and dense, so that’s taking time. And I really need to get on with the Pet Shop Boys book when I have an evening at home, because it’s hardback and I’m not carting it around with me to work and back!
After the very solid end to September, October started very slowly on the reading front – much like September did and this week’s list is mostly being held up by novellas. But that’s OK sometimes right? Especially as last month had none. I’ll just keep telling myself that. In my defense, the Brian Inglis is long and I am making good progress on it and I went to the theatre as well. Anyway, moving on. Onwards to next week…
Most read author: tough to tell – two Jill Churchill books, two Tom Mead, but also some quite long non-fiction which might be more than both!
Books read in 2025: 284
Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 803
A pretty slow start to the month, but a solid month in reading in the end because of the holiday and more than four hours on the plane to Gran Canaria and back. I’m particularly pleased with the number of books from the NetGalley list this month – I’m still way behind, but it’s my best month in ages on that front, so I’m going to try and keep that going if I can, although the actual physical pile is worryingly huge at the moment so I need to try and get that down too!
Bonus picture: some more sunshine and palm trees from my reading spot on holiday!
*often includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – but not this month!
So as you saw on Saturday I’ve been on holiday, and so the list is appropriately holiday-y. My goal for the holiday was to read the same number of books from NetGalley as other books and across the week and a bit I basically did that (once you exclude the audiobooks) so I’m pretty pleased with that. Go me. For once a target I achieved!
Verity Reads Books (lots of them) 