Verity Reads Books (lots of them)
In which our heroine attempts to tame the to-read pile
Taking a break from my end of the year wrap ups to post my Christmas book arrivals – and they’re just what I wanted! However did everyone know what I was hoping for? Truly a Christmas miracle. I started Capote’s Women on Christmas Day, and will carry on with it just as soon as I’ve finished those last few states…
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.
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:
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.
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!
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.
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 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
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.
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.
Well, the like was tiny this month for ages – just the Fangirl manga and then… well. The Worrals and the James Bond came from the vintage warehouse (same as the last Worrals did), the Vanderbeekers was a preorder that I had forgotten I had made (the best sort of preorder!), the Pamela Brown was a secondhand purchase after I saw a recommendation and the Dallergut Department Store and the Edward Marsden were the result of a trip to Foyles on Tuesday before the theatre after I’d seen Dallergut mentioned in Waterstones’ new book email and wanted to check it out. And of course I can’t just buy one book, it’s always two! I am going to try and control myself now in the run in to Christmas but I know I’ll have at least one in the photo this time next month – because I already have the dispatch email for it!
Have a great weekend!
Verity Reads Books (lots of them) 