Category: The pile

books, stats, week in books, The pile

The Week in Books: February 9 – February 15

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As expected, I’m too busy watching the Winter Olympics (as well as a weekend away!) to get a lot of reading done, so this is a bit of a list dominated by novellas – although I did get two books finished. It could have been a lot worse. This week I have the Winter Olympics *and* a theatre trip so who knows if the situation will be any better come next Monday. I’m really enjoying the Games though and it will soon be over, so I’m not complaining at all.

Read:

The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters

A Play for Love by Trilina Pucci

Death to Valentine’s Day by Catherine Cowles

The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts by Robert Thorogood*

Valentines Slay by Navessa Allen

Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett*

Buried Blooms by Patti Benning

Started:

Game Changer by Rachael Reid

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One book bought, no ebooks

Bonus picture: A photo of a very young Kenneth Branaugh in Hamlet at the Birmingham Rep on Saturday night.

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

The pile

Books Incoming: Mid February 2026 edition

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I mean this is almost restraint. For me anyway. And two months in a row too. Sort of. Because I did put the Christmas books in a special post or January would have looked different. But anyway, just the two books added to the pile – and I think I’ve read three from the pile since the last post, so that’s a net reduction really. If we only count that one month. So Edward VIII was my purchase in Waterstone’s Trafalgar Square and Box Office Poison has been on the want to read list for ages and came down in price. And that’s it! All I need to do more is read some more physical books. Except what I’ve actually been doing is trying to read down the NetGalley list. I really can only do one thing at a time!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: February 2 – February 8

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It’s day three of the Winter Olympics proper and I’m having such a good time watching it all I’m almost surprised I finished anything over the weekend. But I did, although it wasn’t any of the long runners that I’m meant to be targeting. Hey ho, onwards and upwards towards the ice dance, where the Brits have a chance of a medal if all the stars align for them.

Read:

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Death in Ecstasy by Ngaio Marsh

Under Admiralty Arch by S J T Riley*

Familiar Ferocity by Patti Benning

Night Rider by Sloane Fletcher*

Off Script by Bianca Gillam*

Cyanide in the Sun ed Martin Edwards

Started:

n/a

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One book bought in Waterstones Trafalgar Square

Bonus picture: the Coliseum on Wednesday night before some Gilbert and Sullivan.

*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: January 26 – February 1

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As I said yesterday, there’s a new Amazon valentines novella series and so there are a few of those on here. Otherwise I’ve nearly finished one of the long runners and so I’m getting there, despite a night out at the theatre in the week and a very busy weekend. Onwards into February.

Read:

Tide Up by Patti Benning

A Deadly Affair by Agatha Christie

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead*

The Nursing Home Murder by Ngaio Marsh

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young

Second Act Romance by Julie Soto

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry

Started:

Night Rider by Sloane Fletcher*

Under Admiralty Arch by S J T Riley*

Still reading:

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One book and one ebook bought.

Bonus picture: the Fitzrovia Chapel in almost daylight one day after work this week. It’s getting lighter everyone…

*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: January 19 – January 25

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Not quite back to normal service after Sheffield because it was a very, very busy week but I’m getting there. And as we’re hurtling towards the end of the month that’s probably for the best. Hopefully now I’m back up to date with everything and I can get down to finishing some more books and not just starting them!

Read:

A Not So Model Home by David James

Managed Mayhem by Patti Benning

Beattie Cavendish and the Highland Hideaway by Mary-Jane Riley*

Walled Off by Patti Benning

The Vanderbeekers Ever After by Karina Yan Glaser

Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer

Started:

On Spine of Death by Tamara Berry

Still reading:

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Future Saints by Ashley Winstead*

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

No books bought!

Bonus picture: I love an old school logo, and this moving van in Fitzroy square felt like such a mix of modernity and tradition that I had to take a photo!

*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: January 12 – January 18

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So I was off work last week, but I was also spending 7 hours a day watching figure skating, so not a lot of reading happened! It was a fabulous week though, it was amazing to see all the European skaters at their last competition before they head to Milan for the Olympics next month. The atmosphere in the arena was amazing and all the people sitting around me were great too. It all went very fast, and I can’t believe it’s over already. Normal reading should be resumed this week…

Read:

A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

Pawsitively Perilous by Patti Benning

Enter a Murderer by Ngaio Marsh

Running Scared by Patti Benning

How to Spot a Fascist by Umberto Eco

Started:

A Not So Model Home by David James

The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy*

Future Saints by Ashley Winstead*

Beattie Cavendish and the Highland Hideaway by Mary-Jane Riley*

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

Three books bought, and you’ve seen them all already.

Bonus picture: an action shot of the Brits on their way to a bronze in the ice dance.

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

The pile

Books Incoming: Mid-January 2026

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There were nearly no books for this post, and I was actually starting to congratulate myself a little bit, but then I went into a bookshop on Tuesday night and bought two books and then another one on Thursday and bought a third and so here we are. The Mitford and Waugh letters should hopefully be interesting, Just As You Are is a Pride and Prejudice retelling and The Gay Best Friend has got comps to other books that I’ve really enjoyed so fingers crossed!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: January 5 – January 11

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Honestly I really picked the wrong week to do the commute in to work daily (rather than staying down there for a few nights) and it was as very rude awakening for the post Christmas return to normality. Still that number of train delays means more reading time I guess? Anyway, I’m pleased with myself – I’ve read two of my January NetGalley books already and also a non-fiction book so I’m off to an alright start to the year really.

Read:

Silenced at the Book Show by Kim Griswell*

Meet-Cat by Adele Buck

Deliberate Cruelty by Roseanne Montillo

Nose Dives by Patti Benning

Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven*

The Ape Who Guards the Balance by Elizabeth Peters

Started:

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

Still reading:

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

Three kindle books bought because of poor will power while writing the offers post!

Bonus picture: Snow 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.

The pile

2026 Reading Resolutions

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I know we are a full week into the new year and this is a bit late, but I can only disrupt the publishing schedule so much. Normal service will be resumed next week I promise. Anyway, here we are now with my Reading Resolutions for this year, such as they are.

The first you already know about and it’s no more 50 States challenge. The number of states that aren’t fun is nearly into double figures – and that’s just too many for me to put up with, especially as they all end up being in the last couple of months of the year. And I’m not starting any new challenges, to replace it because the same thing will happen – I’ll end up reading things I don’t enjoy and also buying more books to complete them and that sort of defeats the object.

The second one I’ve actually already done (although you’ll see it in its old state in the stats post tomorrow) and that is clear out the Goodreads to read shelf. It’s been over 800 for months, and it went up again in December as I added all the new releases for 2026 while I was writing anticipated books. And so I spent some time (probably a couple of hours all together) going through all 28 pages of books on to read shelf and removing a whole load of them and it’s now under 600, and hopefully I’ll get it down further.

And then this is the one that is on the list ever year: Reduce the physical to read pile. As I said earlier, one of of the issues with reading challenges is that I never seem to be able to complete them without buying more books and that means that the pre-orders and the other stuff I buy just end up sitting waiting to be read. And we’re now at a point where there are three overflow piles in front of the to-read bookshelf and that’s ridiculous. So I need to really work on that this year. I will have another sort through it to weed stuff out as well and do a round of 50 pages and out on things (which might also get the good reads to shelf down further) but that will have to wait a week or two because I’ve only just done a charity shop run and cleared space to move in the office and I can’t start filling it up with stuff again already!

Wish me luck…

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: December 29 – January 4

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I finished the Christmas and New Year Period with some more time off work, so I got some more reading done, even if I didn’t managed to finish the two incredibly long runners. Yet. I have made progress though, I really have. Anyway, enjoying the freedom from challenges I read two books that I had been saving since last year because I already had those states ticked off (Illinois and Montana) and two more books that I’d been wanted to read but had had to wait because of the need to finish the 50 States (the Nev Fountain and Mimi Pond) Happy New Year to me!

Read:

The Christmas Alibi by J G Colgan

Do Admit by Mimi Pond

Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife by Martin Edwards*

Lies and Dolls by Nev Fountain

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

The Merchant of Menace by Jill Churchill

Jammed with Secrets by Selina Hill*

Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman

Started:

Silenced at the Book Show by Kim Griswell*

Square Haunting by Francesca Wade

Still reading:

Ritual of Fire by D V Bishop

Pet Shop Boys, Literally by Chris Heath

One pre-order dropped onto my Kindle and two more ebooks bought

Bonus picture: We went to Lyveden New Bield for a New Year stroll. You gotta love a finished moat but an unfinished house. Priorities.

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