Verity Reads Books (lots of them)
In which our heroine attempts to tame the to-read pile
It’s that time again – my latest batch of book arrivals. So we have one one post Christmas, panicky 50 states purchase that didn’t turn up in time and will get used for this year (The Children’s Blizzard), three purchases in Carlisle in Bookends – including a replacement for my awol copy of Goodbye to All That in the same edition of the original, and a Christmas themed murder mystery bought in January. Restrained really.
Well it’s that time of year where the counters are reset and some of the audiobooks that I listen to more than once a year will appear on the lists again. And aside from that, I’m also trying to be better with the NetGalley reading than I was for some (most?) of last year. So still a bit behind on clearing the long runners, and of course I broke my own rules with last week’s BotW so we’ll see what I do about tomorrow on that front…
Read:
The Cinderella Killer by Simon Brett
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson
Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood
Scared Off by Barbara Ross
Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood*
A Man Lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh
Started:
Deadly Summer Nights by Vicki Delany
Murder on the Celtic by Edward Marston
Still reading:
White House by the Sea by Kate Storey
A Traveller in Time by Alison Utley
Cher: The Memoir Part One by Cher
Only one ebook bought I think, but that’s seems strangely low so I might have missed something…
Bonus picture: beautiful but cold Northamptonshire on the way to Stratford for Twelfth Night 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 finished the old year with possibly the last of the Christmas-themed reading (but who can tell) and started the new with lots of good resolutions about finishing the stuff on the long running list – and then forgot to take any of the physical copies of it up to the Frozen North with me. So one off the list, and a slow start to the year. But it was a busy week, and there was a lot of driving.
Read:
Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood
The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan
A Very Lively Midwinter by Katy Watson
The Green Mill Murder by Kerry Greenwood
Not in My Book by Katie Holt*
A Decent Interval by Simon Brett
Started:
White House by the Sea by Kate Storey
The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
Still reading:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Utley
Cher: The Memoir Part One by Cher
Six books bought. The January kindle sales have been tempting!
Bonus picture: Snow in Carlisle on Sunday. It was cold. Very cold.
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
Lets start with the big news: I have finished my read across the US challenge for the year – a whole day and a half earlier than I did last year. What a result. For once I managed to get a bit of discipline together – and spend most of December working my way through the remaining states, rather than just the last 10 days… It does mean that I haven’t read all the Christmas books that I wanted to this year, but I’ve got two days left before New Year to sort that out. I should probably be trying to clear the long runners of the list though, but I think I’ve been disciplined enough for one month. It can be my New Year’s resolution…
Read:
Murder on a Midsummer Night by Kerry Greenwood
Codename Zero by Chris Rylander
Designed to Death by Christina Freeburn
The Fire Carrier by Jean Hagen
Open Season by C J Box
Christmas is All Around by Martha Waters
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms by Charlie N Holmberg
Started:
A Very Lively Midwinter by Katy Watson
Still reading:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Utley
Not in My Book by Katie Holt*
Cher: The Memoir Part One by Cher
Surprisingly, only one and it was a pre-order. Kindle Unlimited has been my friend in ticking off those last few states and my wallet thanks it for that!
Bonus picture: my second Christmas jigsaw…
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
A four book haul this Christmas so far, with two from this year’s list, another from my long term wants list because I didn’t know what had been bought already when I got another request for books (and didn’t want to spoil the surprise by asking the people who I knew had bought from it already!) and an unexpected middle grade fantasy which looks really good. I do love a boarding school story. I’m hoping there will be one more to come – but we’ll see! Anyway, the Kennedy-related portion of the to-read pile is replenished as well as the 1930s notables one. And now I can take a look at what might have hit the Boxing Day sales and see what else I would like to acquire…
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
I’m down to the last few states. It’s going to be close but I might just do it. Maybe. If I don’t get distracted. And it’s Christmas this week so chance of distractions is high. We will see. And as it’s Christmas I’m taking a couple of days off this week – so the normal pattern of posts will resume next week.
Read:
Urn Burial by Kerry Greenwood
Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick
The Castlemaine Murders by Kerry Greenwood
A Picture Perfect Frame by Lynn Cahoon
Only Santas in the Building by Alexis Daria
Wedding Day and Foul Play by Duffy Brown
Murder in the Dark by Kerry Greenwood
Comic Sans Murder by Paige Shelton
Started:
Codename Zero by Chris Rylander
Still reading:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Utley
Not in My Book by Katie Holt*
Cher: The Memoir Part One by Cher
Less than you might expect given the way I’m working my way through the final states. Two total – but only thanks to the sterling efforts of Kindle Unlimited.
Bonus picture: some Christmas graffiti from the park 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.
A fairly solid list, but the real achievement is that I got four more states ticked off the list as I once again attempt to read a book from every US state. Still a few tricky ones to do, but I’m getting there. And in the real world, it’s fully Christmas now – the tree is decorated, presents are bought (some even distributed) and as well as the trip to A Midsummer Night’s Dream this week, I also went to the kids Christmas show at the local theatre – which is the Jolly Christmas Postman and was excllent.
Read:
Somewhere in the Night by Julie Mulhern
Raisins and Almonds by Kerry Greenwood
Hemingway and Sun Valley by Chris Moore
Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews
Murder in Montparnasse by Kerry Greenwood
The Family Tree Murders by Laura Hern
The Winter Widow by Charlene Weir
Started:
Cure for the Common Breakup by Beth Kendrick
Still reading:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Utley
Not in My Book by Katie Holt*
Cher: The Memoir Part One by Cher
Three ebooks bought as I attempt to get those last few pesky states ticked off…
Bonus picture: Last week I was staying out by St Paul’s Cathedral so I got to see the nightscape again. I do love the way it’s lit.
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
Will this be a three Books Incoming month? Probably. Anyway, this is the state of things at the moment – after the Christmas-themed books (which mostly arrived last month and should have been in those bumper piles) and before any Christmas gifts arrive. Fingers crossed for something(s) from the wishlist. So we have: We Solve Murders – which I’ve already read, Cher’s memoir who ch is already underway and the the last Kate Shackleton that I haven’t read.
Happy Saturday everyone!
The end of the year continues to hurtle towards me, as I desperately scramble to tick off those final states for read the USA 2024 – four more off the list this week but there are still a few to do. But a doable number if I keep myself at it! A good week in reading though all in all. So that’s good.
Read:
The Divorce Colony by April White
Murder on the Ballarat Train by Kerry Greenwood
Double Mint by Gretchen Archer
Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood
Merry Ever After by Tessa Bailey
God Land by Liz Lenz
All By My Elf by Olivia Dade
Murder on the Oceanic by Edward Marston
Merriment and Mayhem by Alexandria Bellefleur
Murder on a Bad Hair Day by Anne George
Started:
A Traveller in Time by Alison Utley
Still reading:
Not in My Book by Katie Holt*
Cher: The Memoir Part One by Cher
No books bought, but I don’t think that’s going to last given the reading challenge situation…
Bonus picture: courtesy of my dad, a beautiful tree out in the village last week before Storm Darragh and all the bad weather hit (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.
This is actually the final part of last month’s bumper crop of arrivals – I’ve been holding back in case I impulse bought any more festive books, but I think I’ve done the lot now, so I’m risking it. Here we have the Christmas Three Dahlias, the new Martha Waters Christmas book and the Most Wonderful Crime of the Year aka a locked room Christmas mystery, which since I bought it has gone into KU which is a tad frustrating but hey, the paperback is pretty.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Verity Reads Books (lots of them) 