Category: stats

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: June 12 – June 18

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We’ve been living through a heatwave this last week – which may or may not have been the entirety of this year’s summer! Still 25 plus degrees at night is hard to sleep in, and Ive been really feeling it. But there’s been some good reading in there – I’m really enjoying the new audiobook versions of Terry Pratchett and some of the summer’s new romances continue to be delightful. All in all, a good week if humid!

Read:

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett

Winter’s Gifts by Ben Aaronvitch

Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand

Busman’s Honeymoon by Dorothy L Sayers

Mrs Nash’s Ashes by Sarah Adler

A Crime of Poison by Nancy Haddock

Started:

Single Dad’s Club by Therese Beharrie

Piece of Cake by Mary Hollis Huddleston and Asher Fogle Paul*

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One book in Foyles and three in the National Trust secondhand bookshop!

Bonus photo: an English country garden 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: June 5 – June 11

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Well that was a bit of a week. Surprisingly so. I went to an RTS even about staging Eurovision (which was fascinating), a weekend in London for a house party (which was fabulous) and a morning at the dentist (which was horrid). And that last meant that I definitely treated myself to reading some of the new romances I had waiting on the shelf. And I also treated myself to two new houseplants. But I’m meant to be telling about about the books, not about my growing plant acquisition problem. I think I know what I’m writing about tomorrow. I think. But there are several options which is always a nice position to be in!

Read:

Ms Perfectly Fine by Kate Callaghan*

Buried in the Country by Carola Dunn

Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan

Final Acts ed. Martin Edwards

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

Started:

Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One ebook bought – and I should have had two preorders arrive (the new Andrew Cartmel and the new Rivers of London) except that wherever Amazon think they delivered it to, it definitely wasn’t my letterbox…

Bonus photo: making a change from houseplant photos, here’s Olympic park from the Elizabeth Line on a very hot and sunny 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: May 29 – June 4

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What a week. It all got a bit busy at work again but then I had a lovely weekend hanging out with friends and watching Buffy Revamped, as well as the Formula One on Sunday. In book terms, I really didn’t mean to read the new Elissa Sussman as soon as it arrived, and I was doing really well until Sunday early evening where I lost all my will power and read it from cover to cover, stopping only to eat dinner. Big whoops because it was great and now I’m going to have to wait a year at least for something else from her. This week is scheduled to be a big week in new releases that are in my personal wheelhouse – so I’m not ruling out accidentally doing the same thing again this week.

Read:

Buried for Pleasure by Edmund Crispin

The Truth by Terry Pratchett

Best Men by Sidney Karger*

A Calamity of Mannerings by Joanna Nadin*

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

Lovelight Farms by B K Borison*

Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman

Started:

Buried in the Country by Carola Dunn

Final Acts ed. Martin Edwards

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Three books bought, accidentally, on a trip to Waterstones Gower Street on Tuesday evening, one ebook and the arrival of the preordered Elissa Sussman…

Bonus photo: Birmingham canal side on Saturday night. Makes a change from 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

May Stats

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Books read this month: 32*

New books: 23

Re-reads: 9 (all audiobooks)

Books from the to-read pile: 8

NetGalley books read: 11

Kindle Unlimited read: 1

Ebooks: 3

Audiobooks: 9

Non-fiction books: 3

Favourite book this month: Either Mrs Porter Calling or Wild Dances

Most read author: If we discount the re-listening, then it’s Josephine Tey (two books) or Michael Cragg (Reach for the Stars is 600+ pages!)

Books bought: 9 ebooks, plus 2 new ebook preorders and then 5 books and 2 arriving pre-ordered books. So quite a few…

Books read in 2023: 158

Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 698

I read some really good stuff in May, but also some really less good. Still not everything is going to be for me and I did have a really excellent April so it all evens out. I’m very pleased with my progress down the to-read shelf – I was on track for a net reduction this month – until a little buying spree on the 31st. Oopsie daisy!

Bonus picture: the downstairs plant shelf enjoying the spring sunshine. I’ve added a few more to the collection this month too…

*includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – including 1 this month

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: May 22 – May 28

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Hello from the end of an incredibly busy week. It’s just been wild. And I’ve already written about one of the books from last week in my series post about Emmy Lake – which given that the list is a little shorter than usual this week (because of all that busy) means I’m still not a hundred percent sure what the BotW pick tomorrow is going to be. Watch this space. Anyway, we’re nearly at the end of May – which is also wild – so all the usual stuff coming up after the end of the month, probably in a slightly tweaked order, for reasons that will become apparent. Anway, have a great week everyone.

Read:

Poppy Harmon and the Shooting Star by Lee Hollis*

Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee*

Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers

Mrs Porter Calling by A J Pearce*

Death Knells and Wedding Bells by Eva Gates*

A Vicarage Family by Noel Streatfeild

Started:

Best Men by Sidney Karger*

Buried for Pleasure by Edmund Crispin

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One book bought…

Bonus photo: It’s peony season. So I have peonies in the house now as well as in the garden. It makes me very happy.

*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: May 15 – May 21

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After the excitement of Eurovision, normal service has been resumed. I think I may have finished the Alleyn re-read/listen as we’ve reached the tail end of the series which I didn’t enjoy as much and I’m running out of audible credits! We’re now hurtling towards the end of May and the sun is starting to be more reliable (I line dried two loads of washing this week!) so I think we may nearly at the point where I can put the hammock up and get some reading time in the garden. Fingers crossed…

Read:

Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L Sayers

Proper English by K J Charles

A Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh

A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay*

Diamond Girl by Julie Mulhern

The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers

Wild Dances by William Lee Adams**

Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg

Sticks and Stones by Diane Mott Davidson

Started:

Poppy Harmon and the Shooting Star by Lee Hollis*

Mrs Porter Calling by A J Pearce*

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

One preorder arrived and I bought two ebooks and preordered two more, but that was it.

Bonus photo: I have six whole peonies in my garden! I think this is a new record. I love peonies and I was thrilled when I discovered we had them in the garden when we moved here.

*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: May 8 – May 14

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Well as expected, Eurovision week put a dent in my reading time. But I regret nothing. I also went to Tony! The Rock Opera on one of the non-Eurovision nights, which was fun, but also no reading time! Will normal service be resumed this week? We will see.

Read:

Death at the Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh

Prime Cut by Diane Mott Davidson

Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson*

Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers

To Love and Be Wise by Josephine Tey

Started:

Proper English by K J Charles

Sticks and Stones by Diane Mott Davidson

Still reading:

Wild Dances by William Lee Adams**

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg

Five books bought – including ebooks but also a preorder or two – and a couple of preorders arrived as well.

Bonus photo: it’s wisteria season again!

*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: May 1 – May 7

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It’s bank holiday Monday – again! I’ve had a fun week of reading – I’m nearing the end of the Alleyn re-listen (or at least as far as I’m prepared to go!) and I’m rationing myself with the Wimseys. It’s Eurovision week so Ive started reading a Eurovision-related memoir written by someone I know and I’ve made some progress on the long runners. I’m away a couple of nights this week so we’ll see what that means – also Eurovision does tend to interfere with reading time…

Read:

Dead Water by Ngaio Marsh

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson*

Absence of Mallets by Kate Carlisle

Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L Sayers

Shadows of London by Andrew Taylor*

Grave Expectations by Alice Bell*

Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie

The Mountbattens by Andrew Lownie

Started:

Wild Dances by William Lee Adams**

Prime Cut by Diane Mott Davidson

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg

One ebook bought. A minor miracle.

Bonus photo: spring is sprung so have something pretty from the church car park!

*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

April Stats

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Books read this month: 33*

New books: 25

Re-reads: 8 (all audiobooks)

Books from the to-read pile: 10

NetGalley books read: 9

Kindle Unlimited read: 1

Ebooks: 4

Audiobooks: 9

Non-fiction books: 1

Favourite book this month: Romantic Comedy, but with Pineapple Street not far behind.

Most read author: if we discount the Ngaio Marsh re-listen spree, then it’s Kate Carlisle with three Fixer Upper mysteries (and a fourth started).

Books bought: This is tricky because I bought a few in person and they’re harder to keep track of when they arrived (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) but 3 ebooks and five actual books, plus the arrival of the preorder of Romantic Comedy which came with another book I’d ordered from the same place at the same time so already counted previously.

Books read in 2023: 126

Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 696

A good month in reading. There were some real stinkers, but there were many more really good ones and for once I did most of the NetGalleys that I had earmarked for the month. As I said on Monday, three bank holidays this month and who knows what that’ll mean for the reading, but I’m hoping it’s good things!

Bonus picture: this is from my walk to the rugby ground – it looks like it could be in the middle of nowhere, but it’s actually in a not very big park in a fairly central part of town. It’s all about the angleS!

*includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – including 1 this month

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: April 24 – April 30

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It’s the first of May so Happy Bank Holiday Monday if you’re in the UK. We have three this month because it’s the Coronation next weekend. I’m hoping this all means some extra reading time for me but who knows what will actually happen. Anyway, all the usual end of month stuff coming up this week after a productive week of reading at the end of April – even if the long running list is still long!

Read:

False Scent by Ngaio Marsh

The Frangipani Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu

Mother of the Bride Murder by Leslie Meier*

Hand in Glove by Ngaio Marsh

Paper Cuts by Ellery Adams*

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Games and Rituals by Katherine Heiny

Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne

Started:

Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson*

Absence of Mallets by Kate Carlisle

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Shadows of London by Andrew Taylor*

The Empire by Michael Ball*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Reach for the Stars by Michael Cragg

Two books bought. Oops daisy.

Bonus photo: my second rugby match in less than a month! This time watching the Saints beat Leicester (whilst following the women’s six nations on the phone)

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