So, an unusual month in a way, in that I’ve already read three of the books in this picture. So on the bright side, they’re not on the pile – they’re already off and through. On the downside, there were only two more until I went into Foyles this week and got carried away. Never mind. Four more on the pile is better than it has been. And I have all the Museum mysteries now so I can’t buy any more of those, which is something I guess. Although the Olivia Blackie is a new to me series so that could be dangerous in itself. Wish me luck…
The mornings are getting darker, we’re into October and it’s the final quarter of the year. Whatever happened to 2024? Anyway, a fairly ok week in books – not quite as much finished as I wanted, but there was a lot going on in the world.
A total mix of reading this week – non-fiction, fiction, children’s fiction, murder mysteries, new stuff, old stuff. And it’s been a real mixed bag although it was fairly easy to decide what to write about tomorrow! And tomorrow is the start of a new month too, so there’ll be all the usual bits and pieces this week as well.
Bonus picture: it has been so wet this week. It feels like it hasn’t really stopped raining, although of course it has. This is a photo from outside town at the start of the week (thanks dad!) – basically you shouldn’t be able to see any water here – the brook runs between the trees to the right – and is usually well out of sight.
*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 slightly shorter list than I would have hoped this week, but Kingmaker is *really* long – 500+ pages all in – but it’s also really good, so I’ve spent a fair bit of time reading that this week. And I’m nearly done with Hitchcock’s Blondes too – I’ve reached Tippi Hedren, but as I said last week, it’s a hardback and they don’t travel to work with me. Anyway, fingers crossed this week I’ll actually finish them as we barrel towards the end of September.
One book and one ebook bought – and a couple of last week’s purchases arrived too!
Bonus picture: after mentioning Maigret in my post about Parisian books on Wednesday, I noticed this themed display tower in Waterstone’s Gower Street when I was in there on Thursday!
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
Another really busy week – but this time commuting from home every day so lots of reading time on the train! A pretty good list to be honest, even if I didn’t manage to finish everything I started the previous week – but some of that is a hardback copy issue. Will work on that this week!
Bonus picture: Distinctly autumnal on the train to work last week. Which was a contrast with Kuala Lumpur on the temperature front that I was not appropriately dressed for.
*next to a book book title indicates that it came from NetGalley. ** indicates it was an advance copy from a source other than NetGalley.
As promised last week, here’s a second Books Incoming post – as I said on Monday, I was in Kuala Lumpur for work last week, and I may have found a bookshop while I was there and gone a little bit crazy, on account of the fact that they had a buy four books and get a fifth free promotion on. I mean how could I not! More on the bookshop itself to follow, but first up, here are the books that I brought back from Malaysia with me.
Lets start with the airport purchases. The autumn releases haven’t really kicked in yet, so the selection in W H Smiths was a little disappointing, but I still managed to find two I wanted. I’d nearly finished Going Infinite by the time I got to Kuala Lumpur – and I’ve already written about it – and the Elena Armas was the other half of the buy one get one half price. Then the five from the bookshop are the three on the back row and the other half of the middle row. I’m hoping at least one of them is a Rich People Problems book, but the shrink wrap means it’s a bit of a lottery, but all the blurbs were good – and Marlowe Banks… is one I’ve had my eye on for a while, but which hadn’t come my way at a price I was willing to pay before. At the front we have a book of short stories that was given to me by the author, who is a friend of a friend and was kind enough to show me around while I was visiting, and she also gave me Ripples. So thank you Daphne – I had a fabulous time with you and I’m looking forward to reading the books. Oh and if you were wondering what the blind date with a book turned out to be, here’s the answer:
Well that was quite a week! I’m back in the UK now, but I’ve been travelling again for work – this time to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. I had an amazing time and I also had a lot of reading time on the journey home. I’ve finally got the still reading list sorted out – but I’ve also started a bunch of stuff so unless I’m careful it’ll be building up again…
Bonus picture: so many pictures I could have chosen from last week, but I’ve gone for this one because the Petronas Towers are iconic and they look so cool at 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.
Yes, this is early, yes it’s because the pile is out of control and I wasn’t going to be able to get it all in one photo. So there’s another post coming next week … and on that note: what have I bought?
Let’s start at the front and go clockwise – At Mrs Lippincote’s and the French Cazalet are from my Paris trip. Then there’s the next book that I haven’t read in the Library Lovers series, and two more Museum mysteries after I enjoyed the one that I picked up at Book Con so much. Murder on the Eiffel Tower was because I fancied a Paris set mystery after the trip – and this is the first in the series, then there’s Ex-Wife which has just been reissued and is from my inter-war sweet spot. Below Ex-Wife is another Anne de Courcy which I picked up on offer after reading Five Love Affairs and a Friendship last month, and then there’s Adrian Tinniswood’s Noble Ambitions, which was also on offer. And finally there’s the new Rivers of London Novella, which came out this very week and was waiting for me when I got home from my travels on Friday lunchtime.
Well. It’s been a bit of a week. For reasons that will become apparent in the near future, this week was somewhat frantic, even before I added in an extra trip to the theatre for fun and games. Five nights away from home, several early mornings – one of them a *very* early morning and so the list isn’t that great. But I’m much further on in the Anne de Courcy than I was (just not finished it!) and the same with the Alan Bradley. Hopefully September will go a little better than August did!
A good week in reading – not least because the long running list is finally nearly under control! I’m really quite pleased with myself. Anyway, finished one series, cleared another few books off the to read pile, which is good because before I went to Book Con I was feeling quite pleased with myself that we were down to just the bookshelf and not a pile in front of the shelves as well – and then i realised that’s because I have a couple of secondary piles near my spot on the sofa. So a fresh push at the physical to-read pile is underway!
Verity Reads Books (lots of them) 