Category: week in books

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week In Books: March 27 – April 2

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A more normal/typical week this week – back at work, rushed off my feet and exhausted (I know, so soon after my holiday) so everything was fairly easy on my brain.  And the dreaded nightshifts have started (fingers crossed I’m asleep when this publishes or I won’t be worth knowing at work tonight), so I don’t see this situation changing at all in the next seven days.

Read:

House at the Corner by Enid Blyton

Southern Fried by Tonya Kappes

The Six Bad Boys by Enid Blyton

The Decorator Who Knew Too Much by Diane Vallere

American Gods: Shadows 1 by Neil Gaiman, Scott Hampton et al

Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen

Started:

Siracusa by Delia Ephron

Still reading:

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha

The Whole Art of Detection by Lynsday Faye

On the brightside, I didn’t buy anything.  Check me.

Book of the Week, fiction

Book of the Week: The Roanoke Girls

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As you may have noticed, I read a lot of books on my holiday.  But actually this week’s BotW was an easy choice because Him Indoors read The Roanoke Girls after me and really enjoyed it too – and he doesn’t read anywhere near as many books as me and our tastes don’t always coincide.

The Roanoke Girls
My very pretty ARC of The Roanoke Girls – which has all sorts of nice touches to it

Lane Roanoke goes to live with her grandparents and her cousin Allegra after her mother’s suicide.  They live on a large estate in Kansas and are top of the town hierarchy.  But Lane only spends one summer there. 11 years later, Lane returns to the estate after Allegra goes missing.  Roanoke girls have a history – they either run away or they die.  Which has happened to Allegra and what is the dark secret that threatens the Roanoke girls?

I can’t say any more than that about the plot – because it will spoil it.  This has been billed as a provocative thriller – and I’d agree.  It’s dark and shocking and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.  But I was absolutely and totally engrossed and gripped.  I couldn’t stop turning the pages, even if on occasion it was from between my fingers with horror.  The Roanokes are by turns fascinating and horrifying and it is a great book to read on the beach.  In fact, it’s a great beach book – because if you read it on the sunlounger it will help chase the darkness away.  Although rural Kansas is fairly hot and steamy, so that might not work.

I’m still thinking and digesting it a week on – but I think it might be my go to summer holiday book recommendation.  For people who can cope with the darkness…

I lucked into an advance copy, but the Roanoke Girls is out now in hardback from Amazon, Foyles and Waterstones and on Kindle and Kobo.  The paperback is preorderable – but it’s not out until September, which might be too late for your holidays.

Happy Reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week In Books: March 20 – March 26

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I’ve been on holiday – I wonder if you can tell.  And yes, I did do things other than reading – we drove the whole way around Fuerteventura and I walked along a lot of beaches!

Read:

The Roanoake Girls by Amy Engle

The Accidental Detective by Michael RN Jones

Sam Keddie: An Introduction by Paddy Magrane

See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng

The Duke by Kerrigan Byrne

One Wild Night by Melissa Cutler

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

Last Night with the Duke by Amelia Grey

Cream Buns and Crime by Robin Stevens

My One True Highlander by Suzanne Enoch

Tightening the Threads by Lea Waite

Forever Geek by Holly Smale

Rosie’s Little Café on the Riviera by Jennifer Bohnet

Double Up by Gretchen Archer

Shock and Awe by Simon Reynolds

Duels and Deception by Cindy Anstey

Started:

The Whole Art of Detection by Lynsday Faye

Still reading:

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

I bought on ebook – as a kindle daily deal – but that was it. Not bad.

American imports, Book of the Week, romance

Book of the Week: Bet Me

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This week’s BotW is another entry in the list of books that Verity really should have read sooner: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie. I have heard this book recommended so many times by so many people – not just as being a great book, but as being a great entry way into romance.  And they’re all right.

Bet Me is the story of Min and Cal. Min is an actuary with a nightmare mother, and who looks at life through a veil of statistics. Cal has a reputation as a love ’em and leave ’em type and has his own parental problems.  Min gets dumped by her boyfriend, 3 weeks before her sister’s wedding and then hears Cal accept a bet to try and pull her. She needs a date, but isn’t going to put up with any of Cal’s smooth-talking ways. Cal thinks she’s the most uptight, closed-off woman he’s ever met. But when they’re together sparks fly no matter how much they try and ignore it.  And then there’s the matter of that bet…

This is the book version of one of those great 1990s romantic comedies, except without any double standards, etc. Min is fun and feisty and not prepared to put up with people being mean to her or acting like idiots towards her. She knows what she wants and she’s out looking for it, albeit not in the right places or the right way. Cal is realistic about what he’s prepared to offer a relationship, even if he doesn’t realise the reality of what he’s doing. The two of them together are a snarky, bantery duo that you’re rooting for from the start. There are a couple of great subplots in here to help with the drama and tension and it’s all such great fun.  And to put the icing on the cake, both Min and Cal have great friends, who are on their side and in their corner no matter what, which is particularly great in Min’s case, because in so many books the heroine’s friends have ulterior motives or are just window dressing. Min’s gang are properly fleshed out, real people who are looking out for their friend.  It’s just brilliant.

Yes. I should have read this sooner. Yes, I’m way behind the curve. But it doesn’t matter, because this is a great book and mor people need to read it. So I’m happy to admit that I should have listened to Sarah from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and read it the first time she mentioned it on the podcast and not wait till I’ve heard it mentioned dozens of times – not just by her but by the Book Riot girls too and by bookish friends too.  I know. I say this every time. But don’t be stupid like me, go and read Bet Me now. And go and read it even if you’ve read his thinking “but I don’t read romance” because this isn’t what you’re thinking of.  It’s much, much more. 10 years ago, it would have been given a cartoon cover in bubble gum pink and called chick lit.  And I mean that in a good way, because I miss those days of funny, clever romances and I’m always looking for books that scratch that itch. 

You can get Bet Me on Kindle or iBooks. 

Happy Reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week In Books: March 13 – March 19

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A varied week in books this week – a non fiction account of addiction, various sorts of crime and some romance. I’m fairly pleased with me! And of course if you missed it over the weekend, do go read my interview with Duncan MacMaster and my review of his new book.

Read:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

No Way Home by Annette Dashofy

Mystery at Maplemead Castle by Kitty French

Rivers of London: Black Mould 5 by Ben Aaronvitch et al

Rogues’ Holiday by (Margery Allingham writing as) Maxwell March

Blu Heat by David Burnsworth

Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

How to Murder Your Life by Cat Marnell

Started:

Duels and Deception by Cindy Anstey

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

The Accidental Detective by Michael RN Jones

Still reading:

Shock and Awe by Simon Reynolds

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

I was reasonably good this week – I bought a kindle book and preordered another, but that was it. And I took some library books back as well!

Book of the Week, romance, Young Adult

Book of the Week: Our Own Private Universe

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I had trouble picking my Book of the Week this week for various reasons, and I’m sorry that this post is a bit short.  Anyway, this week’s BotW is Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley.  I read this last week, and while bits of it didn’t work for me (of which more below) it’s a story that I haven’t read before (maybe I haven’t been looking in the right places!) and that needs to be represented more in fiction – particularly YA fiction.

I like the UK cover but the US hardcover one is possibly braver.
15-year-old Aki is bi-sexual, but so far she’s only told her best friend Lori.  She’s off to Mexico for the summer with her church youth group and the pair have a plan to start getting out there and living an interesting life.  At the camp, Aki meets Christa and the two have a connection.  But it’s not easy trying to navigate your first relationship with everyone watching you – especially if you’re trying to keep it quiet.  And how do you know if it’s love anyway?

There was a lot about this that I liked.  It’s a diverse (in every way) queer coming of age story that (spoiler alert) doesn’t end in deaths and disownment.  But that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of angst, because there is.  In fact that was my main gripe with the book – that at times Aki just went too far over my whining teenager limit and there was a lot of petty drama that I could have done without.  But I have a low tolerance for that sort of thing – so it may work much better for the target market of angsty teenagers than it does for me!

But although it’s not perfect, stories like this need to be told and need to be out there.  And the world needs more happy YA love stories (or at least I do!)- whether they’re F/F, M/M or M/F.

My copy came from NetGalley, but Our Our Private Universe is available in paperback from Amazon, Waterstones and Foyles and on Kindle and Kobo. 

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week In Books: March 6 – March 12

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A better week in reading with a lot of ground covered and a real mix of genres – historical fiction, children’s fiction, mystery, YA, fantasy – and I’ve really enjoyed it!

Read:

A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams

Seven Scamps by Elinor M Brent-Dyer

HER by Michael R N Jones

The Summer Hideaway by Susan Wiggs

Ballerina Dreams by Michaela DePrince

Dishing the Dirt by M C Beaton

First Women by Kate Andersen Brower

A Gathering of Shadows by V E Schwab

Our Own Private Universe by Robin Talley

Started:

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Still reading:

Shock and Awe by Simon Reynolds

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

A little bit of backsliding on the book buying front – I picked up a paperback and a kindle book as well.  But I did read three library books and finished a non-fiction book so that’s good for the March targets – and ticked off a few Read Harder categories too.  So it could be worse.

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week In Books: February 27 – March 5

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My brain was still on a bit of a post-nightshifts go-slow this week, but in the end I read quite a bit – and caught up on my comic book reading!

Read:

The Little Teashop of Lost and Found by Trisha Ashley

Class by Jenny Colgan writing as Jane Beaton

Balconies and Blue Nets by Mabel Ester Allen

Bitter Harvest by Wendy Tyson

Rivers of London: Black Mould Part 3 by Ben Aaronovitch et al

Rivers of London: Black Mould Part 4 by Ben Aaronovitch et al

Death of a Nurse by MC Beaton

The Clancys of Queens by Tara Clancy

Started:

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Seven Scamps by Elinor M Brent-Dyer

Still reading:

First Women by Kate Andersen Brower

Shock and Awe by Simon Reynolds

A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams

A bit of backsliding on the book-buying front – because the theatre bookshop that I walk past on the way to and from work is closing down and having a clear-out sale and I couldn’t resist picking up a few play scripts for Terry Pratchett adaptations…

American imports, Book of the Week, new releases, romance

Book of the Week: Pretty Face

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I know.  This is a day late.  What can I say – nightshifts really wiped me out.  I have spent so much time sleeping – and then a lot of life admin to do to try to catch up after two weeks of living nocturnally.  So this is a Recommendsday post instead – and you can wait until tomorrow for February stats.  Sorry.  Anyhow, this week’s BotW really brightened my nightshifts commutes up last week – Lucy Parker’s second book, Pretty Face.

Cover of Pretty face by Lucy Parker
You know its in London because of the bridge!

Lily Lamprey is an actress.  Unfortunately she’s handicapped by a sexy voice and curves that saw her cast as a man-stealing bitch in a popular period drama.  But now she’s leaving the show and she wants to do something different.  Respected theatre director Luc Savage has poured his heart and soul into restoring his family’s London theatre and now he’s casting the opening production.  Some of his partners think that Lily giving a role would be a great way to sell tickets.  But he’s not convinced she can pull it off.  When the two meet there are sparks – and instant attraction.  But Lily’s mum has a reputation for getting ahead through her relationships and Lily knows what people will say if she starts seeing Luc.  Luc’s long-term relationship has just finished and he’s older than Lily – he’s sure it’s just a mid-life crisis and he’s not willing to risk his career and reputation on it.

This is just what I like in a romance.  It’s an enemies to lovers story with witty banter, plenty of snark and a great set up.  Both characters have their issues and their reasons for avoiding a relationship with each other and the way things are worked out and worked through is fun to read about.  Parker’s depiction of the world of the theatre is great – full of well-rounded characters and personality.  If I have a problem with the book it’s that a few of the British references and British-isms jarred for me and didn’t ring entirely true.  But that’s little nitpicky details that most people probably aren’t going to spot/be annoyed by.

Pretty Face was just what I needed last week – fun and romantic, with a bit of emotional peril and a satisfying conclusion.  And I liked it more than I liked her first book, Act Like It, too.  I just hope we don’t have to wait too long for another one.

My copy came via NetGalley, but you can get an ebook copy from Kindle or Kobo, who also have Act Like it as well (Kindle, Kobo).

Happy reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week In Books: February 20 – February 26

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Nightshifts are finally over and I’m busy trying to get myself back onto normal person time – which is proving harder than usual after two weeks on nights.  The reading is still of the light and happy variety, but there’ve been some gems in there.

Read:

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James

Pretty Face by Lucy Parker

Hack by Duncan MacMaster

Here We Go Round by Mabel Esther Allen

Judy the Guide by Elinor M Brent Dyer

A Secret Garden by Katie Fforde

Rivers of London: Black Mould Vol 1 by Ben Aaronovitch et al

Rivers of London: Black Mould Vol 2 by Ben Aaronovitch et al

Started:

A Certain Age by Beatriz Williams

Still reading:

First Women by Kate Andersen Brower

Shock and Awe by Simon Reynolds

I didn’t buy any books.  None. Despite the nightshifts.  I’m so proud of myself.  It’s the simple things.