Tag: reading

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: September 25 – October 1

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Back at work after two lovely weeks off and normal service has been resumed. Well, sort of. This week is slightly heavy on the audiobooks of Agatha Christie (lots of post-holiday pottering to do and a need for something to listen to) and a little light on the actual book-reading but I’m reading some non fiction and that takes me longer. Onwards into October!

Read:

Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

Double Strike by Gretchen Archer

In the Shadow of Vesuvius by Tasha Alexander

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie

From Dust to Stardust by Kathleen Rooney*

A Tempest at Sea by Sherry Thomas

Started:

Three Times a Countess by Tina Gaudoin

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

One book bought on Sunday in an excited rush amidst the new month kindle offers.

Bonus photo: the newest addition to my houseplant collection – a spider plant baby I got started myself. I’ve named her Cecily, to go with Cecil and Cecilia my two existing ones…

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

book round-ups, books, Recommendsday

Recommendsday: My summer holiday reading

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So as I mentioned in the Week in Books post, we’ve been on holiday, and although I’ve already told you about We Could Be So Good , The Lost Summers of Newport and The Mysterious Mr Badman, but I have a couple more reviews from my holiday week of reading. You’re welcome. And by a weird quirk, they’re all murder mysteries of various types. Who knew.

Lets start off with The Sea Breeze by S J T Riley. This came out last year and is a murder mystery set in 1950s Devon. A crime reporter at a London paper receives a call from an old friend after a boat is found abandoned in the harbour with one crew member dead and others missing. When he arrives in town, he finds his friend is missing and the locals are closing ranks against him. But that’s not going to stop him investigating. This throws you in without a lot of explanation and the pacing is a little spotty at times, but it’s a pretty well-executed murder mystery that will appeal to you if you like things like the BLCC titles that are set at sea (or near the sea).

Next up is A Death in the Parish, which is the second historical mystery from Reverend Richard Coles. I said that I would get to it didn’t I! I read the first Canon Clement book last year and I enjoyed that one, but this one definitely feels like he’s settling into writing cozy historical crime books. He’s established his late-1980s rural set up in the first one and in this one he gets to flesh out the characters and the world and show the aftermath of the events of the first one. And if you haven’t read the first one, this one will spoil the murderer in that – so that’s worth bearing in mind if you’re thinking of going in fresh to the series with this. But the mystery is good – and the clash between Daniel’s style of ministry and that of the vicar in the neighbouring parish is good, especially if you have ever been involved in a parish church and the various different factions that you get in one. There is a third one coming – and I thought I knew where some of the running strands were heading towards the end of the book, only for it to surprise me at the last so I’m looking forward to seeing where this is going to go next.

And finally and less successfully my latest attempt to try and find another mystery-thriller type series in the vein of things like Janet Evanovich’s Steph Plum or Carl Hiassen was Cultured by D P Lyle – which mentions both of those authors in its blurn. This is the sixth in a series (but it’s very clear that you can read them standalone) about a retired professional baseball player whose PI father gets him involved in investigations. In Cultured, he’s asked to try and infiltrate a self-improvement programme by an anxious mum after her daughter who was working there disappears. Is The Lindemann Method a scam? A Cult? A front for something else? Jake and his girlfriend Nicole are going to find out. This had all the elements that I wanted in the blurb, but just didn’t really work for me. It doesn’t really have the humour of Evanovich or Hiassen and Jake doesn’t have enough personality to carry a book. Add to that a lot of focus on how attractive the various women are, some unexpected changes of Point of View and pacing that means it doesn’t quite flow and it didn’t really work for me. Never mind.

That’s your lot for today, but there are a couple more things that I read on holiday that I suspect will pop up on here in the future – but I’m going to leave you guessing as to what they are!

Happy reading!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: September 11 – September 17

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Something of an actual book reading spree I have to say. Partly because I got given a few Girls Own books at the weekend and they were sitting right in my eye line on the sofa and partly because the pile is getting wildly out of control. I should probably do a post about it but I’m not sure I can bring myself to contemplate it. Anyway, a real mixed bag of reading.

Read:

The Ghost It Was by Richard Hull*

The Fifth at Foleys by Marjorie Bevan

Maiden Voyages by Siân Evans

First-Term Rebel by Jane Cranston

A Rare Benedictine by Ellis Peters

Dead in the Water by Anne Granger

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

Started:

The Mysterious Mr Badman by W F Harvey

The Paper Bark Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

From Dust to Stardust by Kathleen Rooney*

Three books, two ebooks and a preorder for Future Verity.

Bonus photo: an actual chocolate teapot from my trip to Cadbury World this time last week!

*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: September 4 – September 10

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So it’s been a super busy week. Work plus two Rufus Wainwrights in a night, plus an evening watching the Freddie Auction, plus a weekend away does not a long list of reading make. But hey, I finished one of the long runners so that makes up for it right? Anyway, onwards!

Read:

Mrs Pargeter’s Public Relations by Simon Brett

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall*

Started:

Maiden Voyages by Siân Evans

The Ghost It Was by Richard Hull*

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

From Dust to Stardust by Kathleen Rooney*

One paperback bought in Waterstones, three more bought online and an ebook too. Oops!

Bonus photo: the Outside Broadcast trucks outside Sotheby’s for the big first evening of the Freddie sale, as I walked past on the way down to Waterstones Piccadilly.

*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: August 28 – September 3

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I’m actually quite pleased with this for a week of reading. I was super busy but I enjoyed what I read. There’s a few things that have inspired some thoughts about things to write about too, which I really felt like I was needing. Now it’s September and the schools are going back so of course this week is predicted to be very hot, so we’ll see what that does to everything!

Read:

JFK is Missing by Liz Evans

Harum Scarum Married by Esmé Stuart

Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other by Bethany Turner*

Mrs Pargeter’s Point of Honour by Simon Brett

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Mrs Pargeter’s Principle by Simon Brett

The Betel Nut Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu

Started:

Mrs Pargeter’s Public Relations by Simon Brett

The Secret Bridesmaid by Katy Birchall*

From Dust to Stardust by Kathleen Rooney*

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

I don’t think I bought anything. What restraint!

Bonus photo: it was the open day at the vocational training centre at the weekend – and this is from inside their tropical plant tunnel. It made me feel like I could actually fit some more plants in the house after all…

*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: August 21 – August 27

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Well. I feel like August has been so busy that I don’t know where I am any more, except for the fact that it’s nearly over, so the school holidays are coming to an end and we’ve had more rain and miserable weather than I would hope for in a summer – even a British one. Still a pretty good week in reading all in, despite not finishing any of the long runners. I spotted the Shades of Magic graphic novel was in Kindle Unlimited and read that to remind myself of the world ahead of potentially reading the new book when that comes out. And I re-entered the world of Mrs Pargeter, which was a lot of fun.

Read:

Arabella by Georgette Heyer

Death at Crookham Hall by Michelle Salter

Suddenly at His Residence by Christianna Brand

Mrs Pargeter’s Patio by Simon Brett*

Mrs Pargeter’s Plot by Simon Brett

The Wedding Piper by Isabel Rogers

Shades of Magic Vol 1: The Steel Prince by V E Schwab et al

Chef’s Kiss by Jarrett Melendez et al

The Mummy Case by Elizabeth Peters

Started:

JFK is Missing by Liz Evans

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

One book acquired on an evening walk to Waterstones Gower Street. I just can’t keep away…

Bonus photo: Friday night at the polo club (!) pop up restaurant. Possibly even more Happy Valley-esque than it felt last year!

*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: August 14 – August 20

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So, I didn’t get anything ticked off the long-runners list – although I have made some progress. But the new Lucy Parker arrived and I just couldn’t help myself. Also it was another super busy week – with a theatre trip and three nights away from home. This week might be slightly less busy, but I hesitate even to type that because it feels like tempting fate. Who said August was a quiet month?!

Read:

Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer

Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer

Small Miracles by Anne Booth*

Codename Charming by Lucy Parker

The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders

Fence: Striking Distance by Sarah Rees Brennan

The Biscuit Barrel Murder by Geoffery Start*

Started:

n/a

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Well I didn’t buy any books either on Kindle or when I went to Waterstones Gower Street, which is an achievement in itself. One pre-order did arrive though – as you may know – but they’ve already been counted.

Bonus photo: taking the disappointment over the World Cup final out on the jasmines in the back garden.

*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: August 7 – August 13

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Well. After my busy week at work last week, this week was equally busy at work. And now I’m tired. So tired. And I think my brain is tired too, because by the end of the week I was really struggling to concentrate on a book or settle into reading. At least I’m blaming tiredness because I can’t think of anything else it might be! Anyway, the two on the started list are the two I got to at least 50 pages on and I’m ignoring the pile of discards by my end of the sofa! At least I finished one of the long runners though so that’s something.

Read:

Dating Dr Dil by Nisha Sharma

Sylvester by Georgette Heyer

Deadly Company by Ann Granger

The Problem with Perfect by Philip William Stover

I Like You Like That by Kayla Grosse

The Crane Wife by C J Hauser*

Started:

The Mystery of the Sorrowful Maiden by Kate Saunders

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

Four books on trip into town to do something else on Sunday, where I accidentally ended up in both Waterstones and The Works. Whoops

Bonus photo: another Morph! This time at Cannon Street Station on Saturday 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.

books

Rec Me: Romances with musicians

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I was at the Proms earlier this week, and at The Chicks last month and it’s given me a yearning for some romances with musicians. The Chicks made me want one with backing musician who is secretly in love with his lead singer, who only sees him as a friend, and the Proms made me wonder about whether there are any orchestra-y ones – but I’m not sure what that would involve. I read one the other month with a concert pianist, but it took a turn into romantic suspense that wasn’t what I wanted it to do! So maybe it’s a soloist and the conductor of the orchestra they’re guest performing with? A bit like Sebastian and Veronica from Sadlers Wells but without the ballet or the bit where he ignores her for years because he doesn’t think she should have put her career over his performance. Even though he would have done the same if the situation was reversed. Not that I’m averse to ballet related romances either if that’s all I can get. Or opera. But no eating disorders or fat shaming. That’s all I ask.

Hit me with your suggestions in the comments pretty please!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: July 31 – August 6

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I said last week that this week was going to be a busy one, and it really was. So very, very busy. But mostly in a good way so that’s positive. Anyway, we’re into August now, and the height of British Summer – which for me last week meant getting rained on *and* bitten to death by an unknown insect, but probably mozzies. I have a really strong reaction to bites, so I spent the second half of the week looking like a plague victim with oozing welts on my arms. Delightful. Fingers crossed this week is better!

Read:

Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer

Four Weddings to Fall in Love by Jackie Lau

Forget Me Not by Julie Soto

The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer

The Chopping Spree by Diane Mott Davidson

A Fire at the Exhibition by T E Kinsey*

Started:

Dating Dr Dil by Nisha Sharma

The Problem with Perfect by Philip William Stover

Still reading:

The Dress Diary of Mrs Anne Sykes by Kate Strasdin*

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

The Other Side of Mrs Wood by Lucy Barker*

The Crane Wife by C J Hauser*

One preorder arrived and that was it. A positive start to the month, but I still have the Kindle offer post to write so it probably won’t last!

Bonus photo: Sunday afternoon ironing with one of my favourite classic films on the TV. Yes there are some issues with Pillow Talk but I still love it to bits.

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