books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: December 25 – December 31

Happy New Year! I hope 2024 is every thing you want it to be and more. I have a stack of new year content coming up as well as the last bits of looking back at 2023. And thank you for reading this blog – I don’t say it enough but I appreciate you all. Anyway, I finished off the year with a stack of books – including those last few states for the challenge and also a binge reread of Drina after I put the idea in my head!

Read:

If Only You Knew by Kristen Higgins

Rivers of London: Here be Dragons by Ben Aaronovitch et al

Faux Finished by Peg Marberg

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

Dakota Cowboy by Lisa Mondello

Drina Dances Again by Jean Estoril

Drina Dances in New York by Jean Estoril

Drina Dances in Paris by Jean Estoril

Lethal Bayou Beauty by Jana de Leon

Ghostland by Jean Hager

The Falcon at the Portal by Elizabeth Peters

Drina Dances in Madeira by Jean Estoril

Started:

Birder, She Wrote by Donna Andrews

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Three ebooks bought – including the latest Veronica Speedwell which has dropped to a sensible price presumably because the new one arrives soon.

Bonus photo: end of year jigsaw update…

*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: December 18 – December 24

Happy Christmas everyone! I hope you’re all having a delightful day filled with whatever you want to be doing and hopefully lots of lovely food. And that you got the books you wanted of course. I’ve checked off another four of my missing states so I may still get the list finished before the end of the rest! Wish me luck.

Read:

Tempest by Beverly Jenkins

The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan

Six Geese a’ Slaying by Kathleen Bacus

Maggie Moves On by Lucy Score

The Ape Who Guards the Balance by Elizabeth Peters

Cowboy Dancing All Night by Jessie Gussman

Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello*

Started:

If Only You Knew by Kristen Higgins

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Seven books bought and another preordered – there’s a sale on Beverly Jenkins and I needed to get the new Rivers of London ordered.

Bonus photo: a pile of presents (not for me) because if can’t post another gratuitous Christmas picture on actual Christmas Day when can I?!

*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: December 11 – December 17

Quite a strange week in books: I know I need to read Christmas books and books that will help me tick off the last few states in my 50 states challenge, and yet here I am reading hustorical crime and girl’s own. What am I like…

Read:

Cape May by Chip Cheek*

The Socialite Spy by Sarah Sigal

Murder in Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood

Murder on the Mauritania by Edward Marston

June Grey: Fashion Student by Lorna Lewis

Guns in the Gallery by Simon Brett

Started:

Tempest by Beverly Jenkins

Still reading:

Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello*

The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

One ebook and one book bought. Restraining myself in the hopes of getting more books this time next week…

Bonus photo: the ice rink in Hannover square on Tuesday night – I didn’t skate, I just drank mulled wine and caught up with a friend while watching other people skate!

*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, The pile

Books Incoming: Mid-December

Here we are with the pre-Christmas book haul. The Judi Dench was a whole saga, because the first copy went missing in the post and I didn’t think Simon at Big Green Books would have another one, but I got really lucky and he had a return. Which I got delivered to my parents’ house just to be safe! Then there’s a little batch of career novels which I treated myself to, another of the Edward Marston ship mysteries and two books from Foyles last week because I can’t help myself! Now depending on the amount of books I get for Christmas you may get a Christmas special books incoming, but I’m not sure yet, so I’m reserving the right to change my mind and bundle it all into January!

Have a great weekend everyone!

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: December 4 – December 10

So this week is a weird mix of audiobooks, cozy crime and checking which states I’m missing on Read across the USA 2023… And of course we continue to gear up for Christmas and all that that entails. Can I get everything done in time? Will I prioritise reading over present buying? Who can tell…

Read:

Seeing a Large Cat by Elizabeth Peters

The Dumb Money by Ben Mezrich*

Bones under the Beach Hut by Simon Brett

Thanksgiving in Paradise by Kathi Daley

Rehoboth Beach by Michael Morgan

Pumpkin Everything by Beth Labonte

Maui Madness by Kathi Daley

Started:

Cape May by Chip Cheek*

Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello*

The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Pre-ordered three – including the new Vinyl Detective! – and bought two ebooks and two book-books.

Bonus photo: I was staying down by St Pauls last week, so had a wander and enjoyed the Christmassy bits of things.

*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: November 27 – December 3

A much better week in reading I have to say – which may have been because I didn’t go to the theatre and I was commuting into work every day which gives me nearly two hours reading time (if I want it) on the train each day. And just a quick note to say that I’m messing with the usual schedule this month because Christmas is coming and I have a fair few things I want to post before it’s too close to the big day!

Read:

Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin

Halloweeen in Paradise by Kathi Daley

Captain Marvel Vol 1: Higher, Stronger, Further, Faster More by Kelly Sue DeConnick et al

Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King’s Daughter by Simon Brett

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict*

Private Lives by Noel Coward

The Shooting in the Shop by Simon Brett

A Night at the Tropicana by Channel Cleeton

Hello, Stranger by Katherine Center

Started:

Bones under the Beach Hut by Simon Brett

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Two ebooks bought and three Girls Own…

Bonus photo: because e-scooters aren’t lethal enough, how is this for an invention…

Actually two bonuses this week because after I mentioned the Inn at Boonsboro in recommendsday last week, – link to this popped up in one of my Facebook groups!

*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

November Stats

Books read this month: 30*

New books: 24

Re-reads: 6 (all audiobooks)

Books from the to-read pile: 5

NetGalley books read: 5

Kindle Unlimited read: 4

Ebooks: 10

Audiobooks: 6

Non-fiction books: 1

Favourite book this month: hard to chose – maybe the latest part of the Fangirl Manga or the new Royal Spyness

Most read author: Probably Elizabeth Peters or Margery Allingham because of the audiobooks…

Books bought: 18 – whoops – 5 books and the rest in ebooks. And one pre order turned up

Books read in 2023: 343

Books on the Goodreads to-read shelf (I don’t have copies of all of these!): 711

Not a bad month all in all really. But I think I’m still behind on the 50 states challenge…

Bonus picture: I finished the bookcase!

*includes some short stories/novellas/comics/graphic novels – including this month

books, stats, The pile, week in books

The Week in Books: November 20 – November 26

Given that I went out three evenings last week – and had a busy weekend, I’m surprised the list is as long as it is! Anyway a fairly mystery heavy week of what there was. There’s less theatre and more train time this week, so we’ll see what that means for next week’s list!

Read:

False Colours by Georgette Heyer

He Who Whispers by John Dickson Carr

Puppies in Paradise by Kathi Daley

The Poisoning in the Pub by Simon Brett

Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery

The Hippopotamus Pool by Elizabeth Peters

Started:

Blotto, Twinks and the Ex-King’s Daughter by Simon Brett

Still reading:

Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Three ebooks bought. Restrained…

Bonus photo: Christmas is coming and I have a tiny tree that came in the post as a gift!

*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: November 13 – November 19

Well, two nights at the theatre meant less time for reading, but I did finish a couple of things off and there’s an audiobook on there too as well as a comic, but actually it all worked out ok and I even think I have something to write about tomorrow!

Read:

Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth

Photo Finish by Ngaio Marsh

Silver Lady by Mary Jo Putney*

The Stage Kiss by Amelia Jones*

Rare Flavours taster by Ram V et al

Fangirl: the Manga, vol 3 by Rainbow Rowell et al

Murder on the Caronia by Edward Marston

Started:

Next-Door Nemesis by Alexa Martin

Home Sweet Christmas by Susan Mallery

Still reading:

Travellers in the Third Reich by Julia Boyd

Animal, Vegetable, Criminal by Mary Roach

Two books and two ebooks and one ebook preorder

Bonus photo: Christmas decorations going up in Fitzroy square. What would Maisie Dobbs think I wonder.

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