Tag: reading

So. I think this might have been the week that broke me. I mean I worked the weekend but I had days off during the week, but this list is shorter than usual. I feel like I read quite a lot, but I found it hard to keep my concentration going. And then there was the heat. I mean it wasn’t Nevada, but 30+ degrees is a lot for the UK – where we don’t have air-conditioning and really aren’t used to it. Still there’s a good mix of books on here, and there are more that are nearly finished.

Read:

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

On the Corner of Hope and Main by Beverly Jenkins

Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney by Okechukwu Nzelu*

Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad

Started:

The Chiffon Trenches by André Leon Talley

The Ultimate Pi Day Party by Jackie Lau

Not Your Sidekick by CB Lee

Still reading:

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

Hello World by Hannah Fry

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward*

The Margot Affair by Sanaë Lemoine*

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho

The AI Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole

Still not counting, still unable to stop myself from buying books at the first sign of any trouble or stress.

Bonus photo: Spotted in the office this weekend, and making me smile. I present: the Goat Cupboard.

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

Another weird week in Verity-world, with a newly chipped tooth and more problems concentrating the main causes. But it could be so much worse. And as with all the other weeks in this month so far, I’m concentrating on black and other non-white authors for my reading – except when library books are coming up to the end of their loans and aren’t renewable.

Read:

Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri*

Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

sugar, butter, flour, love by Nicole Falls

Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert*

Crystal Clear by Beverly Jenkins

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett*

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Started:

The Margot Affair by Sanaë Lemoine*

Private Joys of Nnenna Maloney by Okechukwu Nzelu*

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho

The AI Who Loved Me by Alyssa Cole

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Still reading:

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

Hello World by Hannah Fry

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward*

I’m still not counting, but among my purchases were pre-orders for the new books from Tracey Livesay and Kwana Jackson, and the Beverly Jenkins on the read list and Alyssa Cole’s The AI Who Loved Me

Bonus photo: Some nice calming leaves and sky. Because nature and calming is good right now.

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

Another slump-y week in my Lockdown experience. The Still Reading list continues to grow, but I have actually read quite a lot of pages of various books on that list, although that’s not showing up in finishing stuff. I’m still focusing on reading non-white authors too, except where library books are about to be due (and I can’t renew them).

Read:

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

One Bed for Christmas by Jackie Lau

Let Me Love You by Alexandria House

A Big Surprise for Valentine’s Day by Jackie Lau

Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino

Started:

Get A Life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Still reading:

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

Hello World by Hannah Fry

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett*

Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri*

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward*

Still not counting, but I have bought a few…

Bonus photo: I was aiming for Artistic with my photo of my peonies, but I’m not sure I managed it!

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

I work in a newsroom, so I see a lot of what is going on in the world but last week, well the last two weeks really have been extraordinary even by the standards of what has been a news-dense and upsetting year. On Tuesday, I set aside my planned reading for the week and aside from library books that were due back and which I couldn’t renew, have spent the rest of the week focussing on books written by black authors. I am listening and I am learning. I’m trying to work out how best to use my privilege for good, but in the mean time the best thing I can do is try to amplify and uplift black voices.

Read:

He’d Rather be Dead by George Bellairs*

The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren

This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell*

On Her Own Ground by A’Leila Perry Bundles

First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn

A Fake Girlfriend for Chines New Year by Jackie Lau

Finding Langston by Lesa Kline-Ransome

Started:

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett*

Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri*

Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward*

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad

Still reading:

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

Hello World by Hannah Fry

Still not counting, but this week all my purchases bar two have been books by BIPOC.

Bonus photo: the covers of some of the books I’ve bought, borrowed or got from NetGalley this week.

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

Lovely weather last week meant time to lay in the hammock and read. And there was some really good stuff in there. I’ll certainly be talking about a few of them. Slight rearrangment to the posts this week because of the start of the month falling on a Monday – I’ve decided to do things as usual with a Book of the Week tomorrow and #Recommendsday mini reviews on Wednesday – and so you won’t be getting May stats until Thursday. I think that makes most sense.

Read:

Owl be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews

Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stevenson*

The Good Thieves by Katherine Rundell

Taking Up Space by Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi*

The Birds: Short stories by Daphne Du Maurier

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood*

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Girl Gone Viral by Alisha Rai

She-Merchants, Buchaneers and Gentlewomen by Katie Hickman

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

Started:

Jane Austen at Home by Lucy Worsley

He’d Rather be Dead by George Bellairs*

Hello World by Hannah Fry

Still reading:

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Still not counting…

Bonus photo: I treated myself to some flowers to cheer me up – and it worked. Lovely peonies.

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

So lots of nonfiction reading this week, but also lots of problems with concentrating. And it’s been super busy – including my turn to work the weekend. So a short list. But I’m hoping for some quality bank holiday Monday reading time in the hammock.

Read:

Crossed Skis by Carol Carnac

The Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt

First in Line by Kate Andersen Brower

Terns of Endearment by Donna Andrews

Started:

Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz

The Radium Girls by Kate Moore

Owl be Home for Christmas by Donna Andrews

A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear

Still reading:

She-Merchants, Buchaneers and Gentlewomen by Katie Hickman

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stevenson*

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood*

Still not counting.

Bonus photo: unexpected peonies in my garden! We haven’t been here quite a year yet, so this is the first time we’ve seen them. And yes. I know there are weeds in the pavers. It’s on the list…

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

Another week where I found it really hard to concentrate on a book – although you may not thing that’s the case from the list! Mostly new (to me) books from old favourite authors this week, becaause that’s all my brain could cope with, although I am making progress on She-Merchants… but it requires proper concentration!

Read:

Yellow Thread Street by William Marshall

A Dangerous Relation by Deanna Raybourn

Slippery Creatures by K J Charles

A Merry Little Murder by Beth Byers

Christmas on 4th Street by Susan Mallery

Yours for Christmas by Susan Mallery

Writers as Readers by Various

Started:

Set My Heart to Five by Simon Stevenson*

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood*

Still reading:

She-Merchants, Buchaneers and Gentlewomen by Katie Hickman

The Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt

First in Line by Kate Andersen Brower

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Still not counting books incoming, although I think the number was slightly down last week. Maybe.

Bonus photo: current bedside table status…. basically it’s books and things to help my hands not look drier than a desert!

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

Had a lovely chat with my book club friends over Zoom yesterday afternoon, which really perked me up. Also the weather was glorious on Saturday so I spent a lot of that out reading in the hammock. So that all made up for anything else that had gone wrong in the week. In case you missed them, I wrote about VE Day 75 and the Rivers of London books last week, as well as all my usual stuff, like Mini Reviews from April.

Read:

Defy and Defend by Gail Carriger

Once Upon an Eid edited by S K Ali and Aisah Saeed*

Bad Blood by John Carreyrou

Strangers and Cousins by Leah Hager Cohen

The Body in the Garden by Katharine Schellman

Reticence by Gail Carriger

The Smart Women’s Guide to Murder by Victoria Dowd*

A Springtime Affair by Katie Fforde*

The Cuckoos of Batch Magna by Peter Maughan

Started:

The Rise of the Rocket Girls by Nathalia Holt

First in Line by Kate Andersen Brower

Yellow Thread Street by William Marshall

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

Still reading:

She-Merchants, Buchaneers and Gentlewomen by Katie Hickman

Still not counting, but several books have been incoming this week.

Bonus photo: Bank Holiday Saturday sky, as seem from the hammock in the garden

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

An interesting week in reading and an interesting week in general, which was somewhat derailed by a train failure on my way to work on Saturday – which not only made me late for work but also deprived me of an hour of reading time. Gah. On the brightside, I have a whole string of posts lined up for you because I had a rare burst of creativity in the middle of the week. I am almost pleased with myself.

Read:

False Value by Ben Aaronovitch

Staging is Murder by Grace Topping

Dimsie Moves Up by Dorita Fairlie Bruce

The Fall of the House of Byron by Emily Brand*

An Heiress to Remember by Maya Rodale

Logging Off by Nick Spalding*

Started:

Strangers and Cousins by Leah Hager Cohen

Reticence by Gail Carriger

Defy and Defend by Gail Carriger

Still reading:

She-Merchants, Buchaneers and Gentlewomen by Katie Hickman

The Cuckoos of Batch Magna by Peter Maughan

Still not counting how many books I’ve bought, but Defy and Defend came out on Sunday, so how could I not, and a copy of the new Roasting Tin cook book also found it’s way to my house.

Bonus photo: My mum found my grandpa’s nail scissors being pressed into use this week to cut twine in the garden, and there is a family joke about them never being used for their proper purpose. It made me laugh last week, so here is a photo my mum took of them, with a mug for scale.

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.

A better week than the previous one – in terms of my mindset at any rate. Some interesting stuff read – some of which you’ll be hearing more of, most of which fits into my current lockdown reading trends. If you missed it on Friday, check out my comfort reads post with some nice escapist reading suggestions for you.

Read:

Death Came Softly by E R C Lorac

Settling Scores by Various authors, intro: Martin Edwards

Dead Famous by Greg Jenner

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Mooncakes by Wendy Xu and Suzanne Walker

A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas by Jackie Lau

The Better Half by Sharon Moaelm*

Started:

False Value by Ben Aaronovitch

Still reading:

She-Merchants, Buchaneers and Gentlewomen by Katie Hickman

Logging Off by Nick Spalding*

The Fall of the House of Byron by Emily Brand*

The Cuckoos of Batch Magna by Peter Maughan

I think I bought a couple of ebooks. But I’m still not counting, because whatever gets you through right?

Bonus photo: I spent most of the weekend in the sunshine in the hammock in the back garden. It was lovely. Warm and sunny and away from the sound of Him Indoors playing Red Dead Redemption 2…

An * next to a book title indicates that it came from NetGalley.