This hasn’t been the best reading month for me – work has been busy and my evenings haven’t been spent with my nose in a book, sadly. Instead, I’ve spent far too long on Book Twitter and adding to the TBR without clearing many of the books already on there!
I’ve read 9 books this month, putting me on 65/100 for my Goodreads Challenge. All have been at least 4 stars (I’m getting good at picking books I know I’ll love), with two getting the full five stars from me…
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June Wrap-Up
I started the month with the brilliant ‘Dead Ground’ by M W Craven, my introduction to the crime series featuring Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw. Yes, this is the fourth book in the series so yes, I am very late to the party, but I absolutely loved the relationship between these unlikely friends and the clever mystery story. You can read my full (five star) review here. I now have the other three books in the series to enjoy!
Next was my second five star read of the month, ‘Mary Jane’ by Jessica Anya Blau, a novel that I absolutely adored and is already in the running for my book of the year. This is a gorgeous 1970s-set piece of nostalgia and coming-of-age narrative, all wrapped up with musical references. It is a joy and one I will be recommending to everyone I can! My blog tour review is here.
As an English teacher, I’m a huge advocate of reading and am pleased to report that I hit upon a massive success in my classroom in choosing to read ‘Wildspark’ by Vashti Hardy with Year 7 (aged 11 and 12). The positive feedback from pupils has been overwhelming. We all loved this fantasy story of a young apprentice at the Imperial Guild of Medlock being trained to make personifates – sophisticated mechanical animals animated by the ‘wildspark’ of the dead to effectively bring people back to a second life. It is a complex, magical story with loads of positive messages about love, loss and friendship and one I’d wholeheartedly recommend. It also won the Blue Peter Book Award 2020, in case you needed further convincing!
Out of the classroom, I then picked up a copy of ‘The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle’ by Matt Cain, a book I was lucky enough to be sent a proof of by the publisher. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel about a reclusive 64-year old postman taking his chances on love later in life. It’s a warm hug of a book – you can read my review here.
Another proof was next, the engaging ‘Nighthawking’ by Russ Thomas. This is the second in a series but worked fine as a standalone (it is a recurring theme that I start great crime series halfway through and then have to go back!) It’s the story of a body discovered in Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens and is a cleverly-plotted and lively mystery. My review is here.
Next, I read ‘Yours Cheerfully’ by A J Pearce, sequel to the brilliant ‘Dear Mrs Bird’. This picks up the story of Emmy after her comic disasters in the first book and sees her writing for ‘Women’s Friend’ magazine in order to boost the war effort. It’s a humorous, warm and cosy book considering its World War II setting – and my review is here.
I also read ‘The Tattoo Thief’ by Alison Belsham. This was a book group read with the lovely Tsundoku Squad ladies. I loved the strong plotting and characterisation, although the murders were rather gruesome! It is set around the community of tattooists and their customers in Brighton and I already have the second book in the series lined up.
I also read ‘A Cut for a Cut’ by Carol Wyer for a blog tour in July. This is the second book in the series featuring DI Kate Young and, having loved the first book, I couldn’t wait to join the blog tour for this one. In this instalment, DI Kate Young is still trying to prove her capability at work following the death of her husband when she is assigned to investigate a series of brutal rapes and murders. It’s a gripping read and one that kept me turning the pages – my review will follow in July.
Last up was another blog tour read, ‘Arrowood and the Meeting House Murders’ by Mick Finlay. This is another series that I’ve followed from the start and this – the fourth book – is up there with the best of the lot! The story features Victorian private investigator, William Arrowood, a working-class Sherlock Holmes figure (although he hates Sherlock with a passion!) In this instalment, Arrowood is called on to protect a group of African visitors to London and investigate subsequent events. My review will follow in July.
July TBR
I finally started ‘Still Life’ by Sarah Winman after hearing lots about it on Twitter – I love the links to E. M. Forster’s ‘A Room With A View’ (one of my favourite novels) and am thoroughly enjoying it so far so this will be a July read.
I love the look of ‘Snow Country’ by Sebastian Faulks – I got sent a proof of this historical novel, out September.
On the non-fiction side, I’ve just bought a signed copy of Fern Riddell’s ‘Sex Lessons from History’ and I’m keen to read what one of my favourite historians has to share!
I also have two further blog tours this month, ‘Lying with Lions’ by Annabel Fielding (a gorgeous-sounding historical novel set in Edwardian England) and ‘White Spines: Confessions of a Book Collector’ by Nicholas Royle (memoir/non-fiction about a literary obsession – something I think I can empathise with!)
Many thanks to NetGalley, blog tour hosts, publishers and authors for books in exchange for an honest review.
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I hope you’ll enjoy Lying with Lions a little better than me!
Aaahhh nooooo – sorry to hear it wasn’t for you. Hope it is for me!
I’ve been having okay reading months. I keep hoping to read more, so we’ll see how July goes!