books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: April 8 – April 14

It appears that reading the Lucy Worsley Agatha Christie biography has started me on a Christie re-read/listen. And then having read one of the Ann Grangers I had in hand the other week, I then promptly mainlined the other two – there is another one coming out this year – but not until the autumn so now I have to wait. I did however make some excellent progress on reducing the long runner list – more than you would guess from the list too. I will get there in the end! Interestingly though, I still don’t know what I’m going to write about tomorrow. We’ll see what happens…

Read:

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

Rooted in Evil by Ann Granger

The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

Deleted in the District by Patti Benning

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie

A Matter of Murder by Ann Granger

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang*

Started:

Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz*

Still reading:

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R King

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One ebook (for little sister) and two book-books. Restrained!

Bonus picture: my new house plant. Aren’t these leaves amazing?

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: April 1 – April 7

Well well well. I actually finished a non-fiction book in a reasonable time frame. Who knew I could do that? Certainly not the long runners list recently. Anyway, reading that and trying to make some more progress on that long running list along with a fun evening trip to a concert dominated my efforts this week. Let’s see if I can actually get the list shorter this week…

Read:

Death at the Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn*

A Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh

Mud, Muck and Dead Things by Ann Granger

Sabotaged in South Carolina by Patti Benning

Hitchin’ Up by Patti Benning

Agatha Christie by Lucy Worsley

Started:

The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Still reading:

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang*

The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R King

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Well I wrote the Kindle offers post so there were a few…

Bonus picture: the clocks have changed, the evenings are lighter and hopefully soon the mornings will be too when I’m getting up for the train. It definitely feels less awful being up before 6am when it’s light already!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats

March Stats

Books read this month: 33*

New books: 24

Re-reads: 9 (all audiobooks)

Books from the to-read pile: 8

NetGalley books read: 2

Kindle Unlimited read: 12

Ebooks: 2

Audiobooks: 9

Non-fiction books: 2

Favourite book this month: When Grumpy Met Sunshine, I think.

Most read author: Ngaio Marsh or Patti Benning – not sure which gets more on the page count – there are more Patti Bennings but they are all 100 pages or so, the Alleyn books are longer

Books bought: 10 books across ebooks and physical books and three pre-orders

Books read in 2024: 107

Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 740

The Patti Benning novellas are just so easy to read and there are so many of them that it’s easy just to go straight on from one to the next and ignore the other stuff on the pile. Still I guess it means that I’m getting value for money out of my Kindle Unlimited subscription right?

Bonus picture: two books behind on the beat-the-to-read pile bookshelf, but I’m still confident…

*includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – including 13 this month! All those Patti Benning novellas plus one graphic novel.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: March 25 – March 31

it’s April Fool’s Day, and I’m wondering if I’m fooling myself because I’ve started another non-fiction book that has potential to end up in on the long-runners list because it’s a hardback. But the documentary that goes with the Lucy Worsley Agatha Christie book was on TV the other day and it reminded me that mum has just read the book and said it was really good, so off I went. Anyway, beyond that I’m challenging myself to try and get a little ahead with the NetGalley reading, by which I mean I’ve started the April books already – because we all know that I’m way behind with the NetGalley reading in general! But hey, at least I got one thing off the long-runners list last week. This week I’ve got a couple of days off work but also a couple of days of rail disruption (engineering work *and* strikes) so less commuting time than usual so we will see what happens.

Read:

Hand in Glove by Ngaio Marsh

Nabbed in New Mexico by Patti Benning

Lurking in Louisiana by Patti Benning

Dead Water by Ngaio Marsh

The Last Action Heroes by Nick de Semelyen

Foul Play in Florida by Patti Benning

The Potting Shed Murder by Paula Sutton*

Started:

Agatha Christie by Lucy Worsley

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn*

How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang*

Still reading:

The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R King

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One pre-order, one ebook, two second-handbooks. Posititively restrained

Bonus picture: Easter Saturday evening in All Saints, Northampton. I do love a bit of church architecture and I always forget how spectacular it is inside here – it looks like something from Mayfair has been transported out of London.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: March 18 – March 24

Well that was a lovely week. I’ve been off work and recharging my batteries visiting a friend in Portugal – this involved sightseeing, ice cream, cat petting and lots of reading. It was a delight. And this week I’m back to the real world, but it’s Easter at the weekend, so that’s nice! In terms of the actual reading, I’m blitzing my way through another series by Patti Benning and then there were a few Girls Own books and then I’m nearly finished the Nick de Semelyen.

Read:

Singing in the Shrouds by Ngaio Marsh

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Ricky at the Riding School by Patricia Baldwin

Offed in Oregon by Patti Benning

For The Sake of The House by Veronica Marlow

Croaked in California by Patti Benning

False Scent by Ngaio Marsh

Fallin’ Fast by Patti Benning

When Grumpy Met Sunshine by Charlotte Stein

Started:

Nabbed in New Mexico by Patti Benning

Still reading:

The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R King

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The Last Action Heroes by Nick de Semelyen

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Two books bought in a bookshop, three more at the Book Exchange.

Bonus picture: Fishing boats on the beach 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.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: March 11 – March 17

I actually have no idea what I’m going to write about tomorrow. Well maybe a little idea. Anyway, another super busy week, but still a few things read. I’ve got some days off this week which I’m really looking forward to – and plotting some reading time as part of that. I’ve got to get that long-runners list down. It’s starting to get embarrassing.

Read:

Chillin’ Out by Patti Benning

The Antiques Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C L Miller*

Scales of Justice by Ngaio Marsh

Warned in Wisconsin by Patti Benning

Off With His Head by Ngaio Marsh

Mayhem in Montana by Patti Benning

Miss Pickle by Constance Mackness

Started:

n/a

Still reading:

The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R King

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The Last Action Heroes by Nick de Semelyen

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One book bought. After quite a lot more than one the week before!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: March 4 – March 10

I cannot tell you how busy last week was. But I am back in home in the UK and attempting to get my body clock back onto GMT. And not going to lie – I didn’t get much read last week – I mostly slept on the flights home rather than using it as reading time and I regret nothing to be honest! Anyway, this week should be a return to slightly more normal service. Possibly.

Read:

Buyin’ Trouble by Patti Benning

Murder in Michigan by Patti Benning

Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers

The Whole Enchilada by Diane Mott Davidson

Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers

The Golden One by Elizabeth Peters

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Started:

The Lantern’s Dance by Laurie R King

Still reading:

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The Antiques Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C L Miller*

The Last Action Heroes by Nick de Semelyen

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Three preorders arrived but I think that was about it.

Bonus photo: spotted on the baggage carousel. I would not have any faith it that all having survived a flight unscathed.

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: February 26 – March 3

Hello from a mystery location, where it is 30+ degrees and very humid and where I can’t get my head around the massive time difference to home and my brain is a little frazzled. I’m on a work trip, so it’s been super busy – and that’s why the list is a little shorter. I have no clue what I’m going to write about tomorrow, because you’ve heard about all of these authors pretty recently but I’m sure I’ll think of something, or break the rules as usual!

Read:

Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers

Opening Night by Ngaio Marsh

Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers

First Lady by Susan Elizabeth Philips

Mr Hot Shot CEO by Jackie Lau

Angel Catbird Vol 3 by Margaret Atwood et al

Sellin’ Out by Patti Benning

Started:

n/a

Still reading:

The Whole Enchilada by Diane Mott Davidson

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The Antiques Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C L Miller*

The Last Action Heroes by Nick de Semelyen

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Ummm. Well, two books bought at the airport, two more bought in a bookshop here and a couple of ebooks too. I blame the jetlag!

Bonus photo: clouds appearing on the plane camera just as I approached flying over home!

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.

books, stats

February Stats

Books read this month: 34*

New books: 22

Re-reads: 12 (all audiobooks)

Books from the to-read pile: 9

NetGalley books read: 2

Kindle Unlimited read: 7

Ebooks: 4

Audiobooks: 12

Non-fiction books: 0

Favourite book this month: Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Most read author: Ngaio Marsh because of the relisten

Books bought: ummm… I think it’s about 20 and a preorder.

Books read in 2024: 72

Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 730

A pretty good month all in all, although I didn’t do very well on the NetGalley front. Must try harder in March!

Bonus picture: wisteria season not yet underway!

*includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – including 7 this month

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: February 19 – February 25

Well this list looks a lot longer than it should because of the short stories from Improbable Meet Cute and a graphic novel. And obviously it has last week’s BotW on it because it was one of those weeks too. I’m off on my travels for work this week – proper travels out of the country – so we’ll see what that does to the list. I’m going to try and get that long running list down, but we will see. Service here should continue as usual though, even if I am in a different time zone.

Read:

Died in the Wool by Ngaio Marsh

The Love Wager by Lynn Painter

A Death Inside by Frances Brody

Final Curtain by Ngaio Marsh

At First Spite by Olivia Dade

With Any Luck by Ashley Poston

Drop, Cover and Hold on by Jasmine Guillory

Royal Valentine by Sariah Wilson

Rosemary takes to Teaching by Patricia Baldwin

Fence Vol 5 by C S Pascal et al

Started:

Iris Kelly Doesn’t Date by Ashley Herring Blake

The Whole Enchilada by Diane Mott Davidson

Still reading:

Mr Hot Shot CEO by Jackie Lau

The Antiques Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C L Miller*

The Last Action Heroes by Nick de Semelyen

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Two ebooks bought and one paperback preordered.

Bonus photo: somewhat flooded on the way to work last week

*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.