Tag: reading

So here’s the thing… I’ve been on holiday. And I was on holiday this time last week is true. So today’s list is huge. In fact the holiday list in general is massive and I’m pretty pleased with myself because my goal was to read some non fiction (done) and to try and make progress on the NetGalley list (done). And I know what I’m picking for tomorrow too, so I will break the streak of writing about books I finished on Monday! This week I’m back down to earth with a bump so we’ll see what happens to the list now, but I think we already know it’s going to be *much* shorter.

Read:

Julia at the Drive-In by Rainbow Rowell

The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Murder at Canterbury Cathedral by Jim Eldridge

Regime Change by Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan

Winter Breakage by David Levithan

The Price of Admission by Dustin Thao

The Spy and the Snake by M J Rowbotham*

Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy L Sayers

The Shadows of Kensington Gore by Ross Montgomery*

Death in the Dressing Room by Simon Brett

The Bloodshed in the Bookshop by Simon Brett

Miss Hortense and the Last Rites by Mel Pennant*

Pride, Prejudice and Peril by Jessica Bull*

Started:

Take a Chance, Sasha Sinclair by Ashley Herring Blake

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Eight ebooks bought (offers post writing does tend to do that to me), one pre-order put in and another pre-order turned up. I’m expecting another pre-order this week so we already know there’ll be at least one book on next week’s list.

Bonus picture: a picture from (nearly) the top of Teide, the third highest volcano in the world. There was sand from the Sahara in the air so we couldn’t see as far as you usually can, but we still got all the effects of being 3,500m above sea level…

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

Considering how big the finished list is, I really shouldn’t have added a book to the still reading pile, and yet I did. I got distracted and forgot about it until Sunday. And I’m in a bit of a situation for tomorrow too because I did that thing again last week. When will I learn? (Ed: never!) Anyway, let’s see if I can fix that this week coming…

Read:

A Game of Cat and Killer by Jiro Akagawa*

Unnatural Death by Dorothy L Sayers

Murder on the Cornish Train by J M Hall*

Alan Opts Out by Courtney Maum*

The Voices of the Dead by Nicola Upson*

Puzzles of the Parish edited by Martin Edwards

The Gentleman’s Book of Vice by Jess Everlee*

Take Six Girls by Laura Thompson

A Murder at Midnight by Ellie Alexander

Started:

Julia at the Drive-In by Rainbow Rowell

Pride, Prejudice and Peril by Jessica Bull*

Still reading:

The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Two books and one ebook

Bonus picture: as I started the week by picking a book I finished on Monday as my BotW I’m carrying on the cat theme with a picture of this kitty, spotted in my neighbourhood.

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

It was one theatre trip and a concert in the end – and a non-fiction book, which always takes me longer than fiction. And we’re hurtling towards the end of September too, which is terrifying. Hey ho, we will get there. A quieter week this week (I hope) with plenty of opportunities for reading.

Read:

Kimberly Akimbo by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanne Tesori

Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L Sayers

Hollywood Whispers by Eileen Cope*

Baekjo Laundry Has a Neat Answer to All Your Problems by Lee Jae-in*

Curse of the Pharaohs by Elizabeth Peters

Get Over It, April Evans by Ashley Herring Blake

Safe Harbor by Nicola Yoon

Started:

The Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte

A Game of Cat and Killer by Jiro Akagawa*

The Gentleman’s Book of Vice by Jess Everlee*

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Three books and one ebook. I couldn’t help myself – I went to five different bookshops…

Bonus picture: Biscuit Moomins in the window of a shop in Notting Hill.

*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 week of reading, considering that I had two theatre trips and a *very* busy week. Not as much progress on the NetGalley list as I would have liked, but three books off the physical pile is pretty good for me, especially given the extreme levels of indecision I find myself with when I stand in front of the bookcase. It’s definitely starting to feel autumnal now and I’m being pulled towards murder mysteries even more than ever!

Read:

Whose Body by Dorothy L Sayers

When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between by Ruth Jones and James Corden

In Dog We Trust by Beth Kendrick

Rum Affair by Doroth Dunnett

To Brew or Not to Brew by Joyce Tremel

Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay

The Tsubaki Stationery Store by Ito Ogawa*

Started:

Baekjo Laundry Has a Neat Answer to All Your Problems by Lee Jae-in*

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

One ebook bought.

Bonus picture: One last time at The Producers last Monday before it closed at the weekend. I love this show so much and this was a great production of it. I saw it five times across the Menier and the London run, which is the most I’ve seen a show in a very long time, certainly the most I’ve seen a show in a two year span since the heady days of We Will Rock You….

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

After a very changeable week of weather and a lot of time on the train, the list is somewhat back on track. I’ve got at least one theatre trip this week, so that may not last though. But I’m going to give it my best shot! There are some good reads on here though – and some less good – many of which you’re going to hear about in the posts to come.

Read:

The Author’s Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White

Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch by Rhianna Pratchett and Gabrielle Kent

Philippa Flynn’s Year of Panic and Piracy by Jacqueline Firkins*

Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel by Lucy Foley*

The Vineyard Murder by Greg Mosse*

A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas

The Break-Up Pact by Emma Lord

Started:

The Tsubaki Stationery Store by Ito Ogawa*

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

One ebook bought.

Bonus picture: It’s that time of year again – the mornings are darker and that means I’m getting some spectacular sunrises on the train 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.

Two mistakes this week that mean that the list is shorter: two nights at the theatre and committing to a non-fiction book. Add to that the fact that I wrote about the Tim Curry memoir last Tuesday despite finishing it on Monday and I’m in a bit of a bind for tomorrow. Hey ho. Many train journeys this week so hopefully reading balance will be resumed.

Read:

Vagabond by Tim Curry

A Clutch of Constables by Ngaio Marsh

The Kennedys and the Windsors by Caroline Hallemann

The Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters

Laura Clark Is Away from Her Desk by Helen Russell*

That Detestable New Girl by Dora Chapman

Started:

The Author’s Guide to Murder by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White

Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch by Rhianna Pratchett and Gabrielle Kent

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

A bunch of Kindle books bought (because I was writing the offers post) but no actual hardcopies of anything.

Bonus picture: A sad victim of my fight with a buddleia over the weekend. So far, the buddleia is winning…

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

Happy Bank Holiday Monday to all who celebrate it. Although to be fair last week didn’t feel like much of a week to celebrate. I was looking back at my photos from last week when I was writing this and saw the ones from the Proms on Monday – which was wonderful but feels like a life time ago given Dolly Parton on Tuesday night, Tim Curry on Wednesday and then of course the landslides in Nepal where the news on the numbers of missing just keeps getting worse and worse. But here we are. The list this week is short – I had the Proms, then I had a migraine, and then we did a last minute flit to the Far North to visit my sister for the weekend which we hadn’t planned. I read lots of books while we were there – but I don’t think Where is Pierre, That’s not my Dinosaur, Six Dinner Sid or any of the other dozen or so books I read my niece really count here. That said, Six Dinner Sid is a stone cold classic and I really loved Where is Pierre which I hadn’t seen before.

Read:

Nemesis by Agatha Christie

Murder-Sur-Mer by Hugh Morrison

Battle of Round House by Tananarive Due

The Cairndale Orphan by J M Miro

After Park by Patti Benning

Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie

Started:

Vagabond by Tim Curry

The Kennedys and the Windsors by Caroline Hallemann

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

After doing so well for the rest of the month and not buying anything I cracked – two books bought. But they weren’t impulse purchases, or at least not really. I promise I’ll explain in the next Books Incoming

Bonus picture: waiting for the American Classics Prom on Monday night – it’s on TV (or bits of it are) later this week, and it’s on BBC Sounds if you just want the audio. It’s worth it – especially the Rhapsody in Blue with the Marcus Roberts trio.

*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 super busy week last week, but not too awful week in reading all together. This coming week is even busier, so we’ll see how I go, but I have at least finished all of my August new releases from NetGalley before the end of the month which is practically a first. If only I had finished the July ones. Or the June ones.

Read:

The Double Turn by Carol Carnac

My Name is MacKenzie Bly by Lissa Evans

The Truth About Love by Stephanie Laurens

The Comeback by Mel Giedroyc*

At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie

Swordheart by T Kingfisher

The Wizard Who Kept Himself Suspicious by Scott Lynch

Started:

n/a

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Nothing bought!

Bonus picture: The orchestra pit at The Car Man.

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

After another sweltering week, it’s meant to be getting a bit cooler. I can’t work out if this is going to help or hinder my reading – the heat has made me stay indoors more but also made it harder to concentrate. If it gets significantly cooler it will be very tempting to go out and get some fresh air. But given my recent experiences of getting out have left me a sweaty mess because of the humidity as well as the heat, may be I’ll still be sheltering in areas with air conditioning! We’re at a slightly funny point in the book release cycle – the summer books are already out, but the autumn ones haven’t quite started yet. I should be using this to catch up on things in the NetGalley backlog, but what I’m actually doing is reading books that I bought at Bristol and picking things up from the actual pile, reading 10 pages and then putting them down again. I blame the heat.

Read:

The Lion’s Tusk by Robert Jackson Bennett

A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie

A Labyrinth of Honeybees by Heather Fawcett

The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead

Continental Christie by Agatha Christie

Helen, Television Dancer by Linda Graeme

Honey Bee Mine by Sarah T Dubb

Henrietta by Sophie Irwin*

Started:

The Truth About Love by Stephanie Laurens

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

Nothing bought. A very well behaved week.

Bonus picture: a Parachutist on their way down on Sunday at the Balloon Festival. We went to take a look because a) it’s really nearby and b) it seemed slightly cooler. But in fact it was deceptive and the humidity was grim. Still at least we saw the parachutes, even if the only hot air ballons we saw were the baskets waiting to be re-gassed.

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

Happy Monday. I would say I’m braced for another heatwave, but to be honest it feels like it has started already. It was really quite hot in London on Saturday, albeit not in the 30s, and it was so hot at home yesterday I was glad we hadn’t gone to the MotoGP at Silverstone – even though the races were exciting – because I would have been absolutely sure to get sunburn and a dehydration headache. Anyway, more excitement coming up this week with at least one more theatre trip, hopefully the air con will be working there. Anyway, on the reading front, it was a fairly ok week. I’m making fast progress down the conference purchases when I’m at home – the beauty of middle grade books is that they don’t take long to read – which is making me feel less bad about the enormous state of the pile in general.

Read:

The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side by Agatha Christie

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

Miss Gentle and the Case of the Very Flat Monk by Travis Baldree

The Wednesday Witches Club by Sarah Beth Durst

Helen in Musical Comedy by Linda Graeme

Death at the Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh

The Murder on the Enriqueta by Molly Thynne

Started:

The House at Devil’s Neck by Tom Mead

Helen, Television Dancer by Linda Graeme

Still reading:

Any Way the Wind Blows by Rainbow Rowell

It’s offers post writing o’clock again so there were a few Kindle purchases. No actual books though

Bonus picture: The Strand and its little gaggle of theatres. I often forget that although the West End is (mostly) clustered around Shaftesbury Avenue, these three plus the Lyceum, the Duchess, the Novello, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the Aldwych are all very close together too. And on Saturday night it seemed like most of them had finished their shows just in time for their patrons to be clogging the pavement as we were walking back to Euston…

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