books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: July 27 – August 2

Welcome to August everyone, all the usual start of the month stuff coming up over the next week or so. In the meantime, here’s the list from last week, which includes three of my Bristol purchases, three new releases (included one I mentioned in the Summer romance releases) and the last of the St Justs I hadn’t read which meant I could finally write that post on Friday! This week it’s meant to be hot and sticky again and I’ve got at least one theatre trip planned so we’ll see how all of that meshes with the reading list.

Read:

A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker

Dimsie Goes to School by Dorita Fairlie Bruce

The Reluctant Ballerina by Linda Graham

The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion Vol 1 by Beth Brower*

Death and the Old Master by G M Malliet

The One Where They Fall in Love by Christina Wolf*

Helen, Ballet Student by Linda Graham

The Wedding Planner’s Guide to Stealing the Bride by Jeevani Charika*

Started:

The Irresistible Urge to Fall Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

We won’t talk about it – there was a stack acquired in Bath on Monday and a bunch of tempting new Kindle offers too

Bonus picture: my favourite shop name from Bath on Monday!

*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: Conference Buys 2026

Welcome to the first of the Bristol Book Odyssey posts – the sale acquisitions. Here we have three hardback Drina books so that I can continue to compare the original text to the updated 1980s versions that I read as a child, Drina goes on Tour is probably my favourite of the whole series, it’s certainly the one that I read the most as a child, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the original tour experience of digs and exposure and the reveal of Drina’s secret went down.

There’s a strong dancing theme this conference as I also picked up three Linda books about ballet, musical comedy and television and then The Recluctant Ballerina, all by Linda Graeme. That Detestable New Girl was a recommendation and finally my quest to fill in some Dimsie gaps only resulted in the one book – but it does mean I have now read the first book and the events which are much referred to later on in the series.

And as a bonus before I go: a photo from the end of the book sale last Sunday – some much emptier boxes with and one gone entirely, and lots of loose books also gone so you can see the scale of the clearout!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: July 20 – July 26

I’m exhausted. I’ve had a fabulous time at book conference, but I’ve spent a lot of time talking about reading, listening to talks about reading and buying books to read rather than actually reading. So this list is short and I’ve already caused myself a major problem for tomorrow by writing about American Fantasy last week. Past Verity causing problems for Future Verity once more.

Read:

American Fantasy by Emma Straub*

Dead Water by Ngaio Marsh

A Murder at the Mansion by Ellie Alexander*

The Spoilt Kill by Mary Kelly

Death in White Pyjamas by John Bude

Death Knows No Calendar by John Bude

Started:

The One Where They Fall in Love by Christina Wolf*

The Unselected Journals of Emma M Lion Vol 1 by Beth Brower*

Still reading:

A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Where to start. About six on the way to book conference and another nine at book conference. And I’m writing this before our day out in Bath where we intend to visit even more book shops.

Bonus picture: Our (there’s a trio of us) sale table at the delegate sale on Sunday. The right hand side (all the less valuable stuff!) is (mostly) mine. I didn’t sell it all, but I came home with less books than I took with me – even when you include the stuff I bought at conference. Result.

*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 Outgoing: July 2026

Just to make a change, this Saturday this is part of the pile of books that I’m taking to Book Con with me to try and sell. This isn’t going to be a new regular feature (or at least I don’t think it is) but because there are not one but two book sales at conference, this is my attempt to try and make sure that I come home with less books than I take with me, and it may or may not be successful. It’s also my best opportunity to sell some of these rather than donate them to charity, because there are other people there who are interested in the same things as me.

They’ve all got much better collections than I have though so I have to be quite choosy about what I take – no point in taking any Chalet School, because they all have all of them (mostly in better editions than I do) or any Blyton (because those are rubbish to read as an adult) but the 80s and 90s stuff that I read when I was little may work better. We will see.

Cross your fingers for me everyone!

books, stats, week in books, The pile

The Week in Books: July 13 – July 19

A rollercoaster week in many ways, ending late on Sunday night with extra time in the World Cup Final and me rereading a Dimsie book instead of something new. Who knows what I’ll write about tomorrow given that the two NetGalley books that I finished aren’t out for months, and there are a lot of later in series on the list too. Oh well, I’m sure it will come to me…

Read:

A Death in Cornwall by G M Malliet

The 4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie

Death in Print by G M Malliet

Broadcast Murder by J G Colgan

Marilyn Monroe at the Movies by Caroline Young*

Wes Anderson: The Graphic Novel by Katarina Horakova*

Dimsie Moves Up by Dorita Fairlie Bruce

Dimsie Moves Up Again by Dorita Fairlie Bruce

Started:

American Fantasy by Emma Straub*

Still reading:

A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Three ebooks. But I’m still pleased with how well I did with the physical pile last month so I’ll let myself off!

Bonus picture: The top of the Shard, lit up as a St George’s flag on Wednesday night (taken just after England scored!)

*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-July 2026

Remember this moment. The month when I only had one book to report. Genuinely one physical copy. Of course this won’t last because Book Con is next weekend and there is no way that I am coming back from that empty handed. The goal will be to come back with less books than I took, even if that means doing a drop off at a National Trust with a second hand bookshop on the way home. Anyway the one book that has come in is the fourth Perveen Mistry mystery. That’s it!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: July 6 – July 12

It’s so hard to concentrate in the heat isn’t it? And to sleep. And to do anything other than slump somewhere and drink cold drinks and moan about how hot it is. That was basically my week. Lots of time on hot trains not being able to thing about anything except how hot I was. This week is meant to be a bit cooler (please, please, please) but we’ve also got an England semi-final at the World Cup (which I’ll be missing at least part of) and then whatever comes next. Who knows what all that means for the list…

Read:

First and Forever by Lynn Painter

For Never and Always by Helena Greer

Hand in Glove by Ngaio Marsh

Hers for the Weekend by Helena Greer

The Bells of Westminster by Leonora Nattrass*

Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate

How to Lose a Lord in Ten Days by Sophie Irwin*

Started:

Marilyn Monroe at the Movies by Caroline Young*

Still reading:

A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

One book bought

Bonus picture: Wisteria season continues on my walk to work

*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 29 – July 5

Not going to lie, I’m really feeling it after getting up to watch the England match in the middle of the night and my brain’s not really working right now. So this might be a shorter than usual post because of the brain fade but basically the top line is that I finally finished a long runner and because I was writing the offers post I may have bought some things…

Read:

Scot and Soda by Catriona McPherson

A Pocketful of Rye by Agatha Christie

Abby Offsides by Anna McCallie*

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronica Dapunt

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson*

The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

A Superior Death by Nevada Barr

False Scent by Ngaio Marsh

Started:

First and Forever by Lynn Painter

For Never and Always by Helena Greer

Still reading:

A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Lets not talk about it because the Kindle offers post was expensive.

Bonus picture: a landmark on the Kindle reading log… but I’m still annoyed about the day 1903 days ago that I missed.

*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 22 – June 28

Well as you can see, I didn’t get any of the long runners ticked off, but also the heat was even worse than I was expecting it to be. Honestly. The office was fine – but getting there was not, and sleeping at night was terrible. I feel like I need to sleep for a couple of days to recover. Apparently this week is going to be better until we get to the weekend. Thoughts and prayers everyone…

Read:

George V by David Cannadine

The Spies of Hartlake Hall by R L Graham

Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz

They Do It With Mirrors by Agatha Christie

A Sinister Revenge by Deanna Raybourn

An Untidy Death by Simon Brett

Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake

Started:

A Taste for Murder by Matt Baker

Still reading:

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronica Dapunt

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Two ebooks bought.

Bonus picture: watching football somewhere with air conditioning…

*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 15 – June 21

Morning everyone and welcome to the (extreme) heatwave. Houses in Britain aren’t made for this sort of weather and I’ve found myself researching portable air conditioning units more than in the last week! Anyway on the reading front, we’re just over a month out from Book Con and so I’ve started clearing out my shelves for the sale table – which lead to three Lorna Hills in 24 hours rather than finishing any of the still reading books. Because of course it did. Lets see if I can concentrate enough in the heat this week to get them read shall we (I doubt it).

Read:

Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan

Singing in the Shrouds by Ngaio Marsh

One for the Books by Jenn McKinlay

A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie

Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur

How to Fake It in Society by K J Charles

The Gay Best Friend by Nicolas DiDomizio

Castle in Northumbria by Lorna Hill

Masquerade at the Wells by Lorna Hill

Jane Leaves the Wells by Lorna Hill

Started:

George V by David Cannadine

Still reading:

Death and Other Occupational Hazards by Veronica Dapunt

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Two ebooks.

Bonus picture: despite the heat, it’s wisteria season again on the walk to work.

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