WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.
Links are provided for books already published – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)
What have you recently finished reading?
Yay, it’s the school holidays so I have the gift of more reading time! Unfortunately, 2020 also gifted me Covid, so I haven’t been able to make the most of my time because I feel like my brain is full of cotton wool.
Still, since last WWW Wednesday, I read Mel Giedroyc’s ‘The Best Things’ which I hoped would be fun and uplifting – and it mostly was. This is the story of a wealthy family who fall on hard times and learn to be resourceful to get through. I love Mel Giedroyc and her humour does come through in the book – review to follow.
I also finished my audiobook of Sandi Toksvig reading ‘Toksvig’s Almanac 2021’ which is packed with interesting snippets of information about women who have (mostly) been forgotten by history and yet did really notable things. I did enjoy the lively narration but felt that the contents of the book don’t really lend themselves to a cohesive listening experience – I’ve got a hardback copy of the book that I plan to look at too in order to pick up the bits I missed on the audio.
What are you reading now?
In order to combat the brain fog, I’ve gone for a fast-paced and lively read! I’m reading ‘The Art of Death’ by David Fennell, a serial killer crime novel with a female detective, DI Grace Archer. So far the killer has taken to displaying murder victims as art installations on the streets of London and it is fair to say I’m hooked…
What do you think you will read next?
I’m going to continue with the crime novels as this seems to be keeping me reading at the moment!
I’ve just been granted access to the new Liz Mistry book on NetGalley (‘Dark Memories’) – I loved the previous book in this series featuring DS Nikki Parekh and cannot wait to read this one.
I’ve also just bought ‘One by One’ by Ruth Ware after hearing so many great reviews.
So that’s me for this week! As always, thanks to NetGalley for keeping me in great books in exchange for honest reviews.
Header photo with thanks to Aaron Burden for sharing their work on Unsplash.
I read a lot of non-fiction books this year – regular visitors to the blog will know that I love history, popular culture, books about books, feminism and biography in particular.
So while I cannot possibly say I’ve read a huge variety of the fabulous non-fiction books published this year, I have found some real gems. In true ‘Top of the Pops’ style (yes, I am of that vintage!), here’s my countdown of the best in 2020’s non-fiction books from number 10 to 1…
Affiliate links are included – thank you for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you).
10 – ‘The Gran Tour: Travels with my Elders’ by Ben Aitken
If someone had told me that one of my favourite books of the year would be about a young man going on Shearings coach tours, I’m not sure I’d have believed you! Still, this is a witty, warm and wise story about Aitken’s travels with the older generation and is more focused on interesting people-watching than any real travel narrative. You can read my full review here.
I also read Aitken’s ‘A Chip Shop in Poznan’, an engaging tale of his year in Poland just as Brexit-fever took hold of Britain.
9 – ‘Practically Perfect: Life Lessons from Mary Poppins’ by Katy Brand
Having been raised on the glorious 1964 film of ‘Mary Poppins’, this book was a fabulously comfortable and engaging read. Brand is clearly a Poppins-obsessive and it is something I both recognise and respect! This book is packed with nostalgia, interesting facts and witty analysis. You can read my review here.
If this one floats your boat, Brand’s book about Dirty Dancing is also well worth a read (‘I Carried a Watermelon’).
8 – ‘Essex Girls: For Profane and Opinionated Women Everywhere’ by Sarah Perry
This is a brilliant re-evaluation of the stereotype of the Essex girl and a celebration of ‘profane and opinionated women’ through history. As a Southend-born and long-term Chelmsford resident, this one struck a chord with me. You can read my full review here.
7 – ‘This is Shakespeare’ by Emma Smith
I love a book about Shakespeare and I’ve read a lot! What I loved about this one was the fact that it contained so many new things that I hadn’t really thought about before, even for the plays that I consider that I know really well. You can read my review here.
If this is your thing, I can also recommend Kathryn Harkup’s ‘Death by Shakespeare’, a fascinating look at the deaths in Shakespeare from a scientific perspective. Dark but absolutely engrossing! (review here)
6 – ‘How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics)’ by Gary Raymond
A late entry into my favourites list but this one is hilarious! I am really not a fan of the film ‘Love Actually’ at all and I really enjoyed Raymond’s scene-by-scene evisceration of it. Thoughtfully-written and genuinely enlightening…and did I mention very, very funny?! You can read my full review here.
5 – ‘Dead Famous: An Unexpected History of Celebrity from Bronze Age to Silver Screen’ by Greg Jenner
This is a thoroughly enjoyable jaunt through the culture of celebrity. Jenner, who was historian for the BBC’s excellent ‘Horrible Histories’ TV series, is an engaging guide and brings together stories that are funny, interesting and also occasionally tragic. You can read my review here.
If you like the look of this, I can also recommend Jenner’s first book, ‘A Million Years in A Day’, a book focusing on the history of the things we do every day.
4 – ‘Difficult Women: A History of Feminism in 11 Fights’ by Helen Lewis
This is a history of feminism, but with a difference – it focused on the lesser-known figures and events so that it really feels fresh and engaging. You can read my full review here.
3 – ‘A Curious History of Sex’ by Kate Lister
I supported this book on the crowd-funded publishing site, Unbound, after following Dr Kate Lister on Twitter for a while. Her take on social (sexual) history is funny, feminist and always interesting. The book itself is eye-opening and fascinating, plus Lister donated a proportion of her profits to a sex worker charity. You can read my full review here.
2 – ‘More Than A Woman’ by Caitlin Moran
Moran’s books are always worth a read, but this take on what it means to be a middle-aged woman is brilliant. She is funny and confessional, relatable and quick with her razor-sharp observations. My review can be read here.
Moran’s earlier book, ‘How to be a Woman’, about being a younger woman, is also eminently readable:
1 – ‘A Tomb With a View’ by Peter Ross
OK, so a book ostensibly about graveyards and death might be a bit of an odd choice for my non-fiction book of the year, but hear me out! This is the book that I have talked about to people more than any other this year and it is an absolute treasure.
More than anything, it celebrates life and the people associated with graveyards and burial grounds and ossuaries: the historians, the mourners and the grave-tenders and those who carry out burial rites, as well as the departed. It is strangely comforting and absolutely compelling. Although sometimes sad, it isn’t depressing at all.
This is a brilliant book and one I strongly recommend. You can read my full review here.
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.
Links are provided for books already published – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)
What have you recently finished reading?
I’ve just finished ‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge which was one of the NetGalley 2021 ARCs that I was keen to read. This is a story that opens with a woman waking up next to a dead man she doesn’t recognise…and then follows the police investigation to determine the killer. It’s the latest in the series featuring DCI Sheens and it is another solid and tense police procedural. A review will follow nearer publication date but fans of Lodge’s previous books will not be disappointed.
I’ve also just finished listening to ‘Going Solo’ by Roald Dahl which is read by Dan Stevens. My kids and I loved the audiobook of ‘Boy’, the book before this one, and enjoyed the tales of Dahl’s experiences working for the Shell Company in Africa and flying for the RAF in World War II. This was a nostalgic one for me because I read this book repeatedly as a child. It is darker than I remember and my daughter didn’t love it as much as ‘Boy’ for this reason, but I think it is still a classic.
What are you reading now?
I am reading a *TOP SECRET* book which I’m not allowed to talk about yet because I’m on the BBYNA judging panel which will announce its winners before Christmas.
I’m also working my way through some lighter reads – I’ve started both Claudia Winkelman’s ‘Quite’ and ‘Toksvig’s Almanac 2021’ by Sandi Toksvig (which I bought after seeing her speak about it at a live online event). I felt like I needed a cheery read to get me through to the end of term! I’ve got the Toksvig book on audio too through NetGalley and it is lovely to hear Sandi’s cheery voice narrating.
What do you think you will read next?
I still have a shocking NetGalley backlog but ‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell is up next, as well as ‘Dangerous Women’ by Hope Adams.
The new Katie Fforde book (‘A Wedding in the Country’) is also calling me as a lighter read!
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.
Affiliate links are provided for books – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)
What have you recently finished reading?
It’s been a slow reading week as I’ve found it quite hard to concentrate on books – my mind has moved into Christmas mode and I’ve spent a long time online shopping. Black Friday was not helpful with my attempt to stem the book buying…
I finally finished with the readalong of ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier with The Write Reads lovelies. Their cheery chat, wild speculation and hilarious takes on the novel kept me going and I did even grow to quite enjoy this book. I still think the ending is more ‘huh?’ than I’d like, but my review will be up tomorrow.
I also read ‘The Last House on Needless Street’ by Catriona Ward, an ARC that’s due for publication next year. I thought I’d race through this, but it proved darker and murkier than I anticipated. My review will follow once I have wrapped my brain around what I think of it!
What are you reading now?
I’m going to have to stop mentioning Natalie Haynes’ ‘Pandora’s Jar’ as I have been reading it for an eternity. It is very good, but needs my full attention and that has wandered to Christmas!
I’m reading ‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge and loving the mystery so far. I love this series anyway so I knew this would be a win.
What do you think you will read next?
I’m still really excited about ‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne – this is definitely at the top of the pile.
I also feel like I need something cheerful after the batch of murderers and abusers I’ve worked my way through in literature form recently. They’re not my usual genres, but I’m thinking ‘The Summer Job’ by Lizzie Dent or ‘A Wedding in the Country’ by Katie Fforde might do nicely – thanks to NetGalley for the ARCs.
As always, thanks to NetGalley, publishers and authors for giving me opportunities to read some fabulous books. Opinions are always entirely my own and not influenced by free copies of books.
Header photo with thanks to Sincerely Media for sharing their work on Unsplash.
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.
Links are provided for books already published – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)
What have you recently finished reading?
It’s been a better reading week, so I actually have some updates! I’m on 107/100 of my Goodreads challenge – it’s nice to be an over-achiever so I’m not moving that target!
I finished ‘Banking on Murder’ by J D Whitelaw for a blog tour in December. This is a lively and cosy murder mystery with a formidable trio of investigators – the (Nosy) Parker Sisters! Review to follow.
I also finished Laura Purcell’s ‘The Shape of Darkness’, a spooky and atmospheric historical mystery set in Bath and featuring some very weird but wonderful characters – especially Agnes, a silhouette-cutter with a mysterious past, and Pearl, an albino girl with a gift for contacting the dead. It’s packed with seances and murders and strange events – and I really loved it! Review to follow closer to publication in January 2021.
Finally, I read ‘The Split’ by Laura Kay, a book which was exactly what I needed – a lively and humorous book that follows the story of Ally after she is dumped by her girlfriend. Returning to her dad’s house in Sheffield, she finds comfort in an old friendship, a new job and a rather stressful new hobby (running a half marathon!) It’s got gorgeously-written characters, relatable bits and plenty of uplifting cheeriness as Ally finds happiness again. Review will follow nearer to publication date in March 2021 but this is one to watch for!
What are you reading now?
I’m embarrassed that I’m still reading Natalie Haynes’ ‘Pandora’s Jar’ but there we are – it is a fascinating read but keeps being put aside for blog tour books.
I’m also still working my way through ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier with The Write Reads gang. I’m enjoying it, but mainly because my fellow readers are a group of people with some interesting and hilarious ideas!
What do you think you will read next?
Having worked my way through a grand total of three out of my top 10 2021 ARCs that I’m really excited about, I need to keep working on those. Catching my eye next are ‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge (crime fiction), ‘The Last House on Needless Street’ by Catriona Ward (serial killer thriller) and ‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne (gothic spookiness!).
‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne
Header photo with thanks to Alena Ganzhela for sharing her work on Unsplash.
I subscribe to the monthly Books that Matter feminist book box (you can see my review of the November box here) so I was on the mailing list when they were looking to launch the Brave Girls Book Club, a similar offering for girls.
My daughter is 10 and not the keenest reader, so I thought it would be worth a shot.
The first box arrived this week and my daughter got to it first so there are no nice unboxing photos… The wrapping is the same as the Books that Matter box anyway so let’s go straight to the contents!
The November Box
The theme for the box was ‘Girls Who Read, Lead’ and the contents of the box were:
Not pictured – the sweets or keyring
‘When Life Gives You Mangoes’ by Kereen Getten
A reading journal
Two ‘This Girl is Mighty’ pencils
A bag of strawberry sweets (long since gone…)
A collectible patch (there will be one to collect each month)
A bookmark with quotations from Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’ on
A ‘Brave Girl’ keyring
A ‘Girls Who Read, Lead’ booklet/activity pack
The keyring
My Review
The book looks excellent – it is one that I wouldn’t have thought of to buy my daughter (I hadn’t heard of it) but she likes the look of it. Whether she actually reads it will be the true test!
The pencils are really nice and are already in use, as is the keyring which has been attached to my daughter’s school bag. The bookmark is nice and the sweets were very much appreciated in the three seconds they were in the house!
The patch is cute, but I’m not sure what we will do with it – I think attaching it to something will involve sewing which is very unlikely to happen! I think a pin badge would have been better and more likely to get some use.
The activity booklet is quite thin but I think my daughter will like the wordsearch and might do some of the other activities. Time will tell if she uses the reading journal but I am ever the optimist!
My Verdict
I think this is a lovely box for girls aged between about 9 and 12 – the book looks a good reading age for my daughter and it is nice to have a story that is both diverse and has positive messages about friendship.
The other items in the box were well chosen, good quality and I think this box is reasonable value.
2020 has been an absolute bin fire, so it is definitely time to look forward to what is coming this way next year!
These are the 10 books that I’m looking forward to in 2021. Some I can’t wait to read and some I’ve read already (thank you, NetGalley!) and can’t wait for others to read so I can chat about how amazing they are.
As always, my genres are broadly historical and crime – I’m sure there are fabulous books coming on other genres but this is my list…
Amazon affiliate links are for pre-orders – thank you for supporting my blog with any purchases.
‘The Shape of Darkness’ by Laura Purcell(January 2021 – Raven Books)
I have really loved Purcell’s previous books – ‘The Corset’ and ‘Bone China’ are both creepily gothic and sinister in just the way I love! I haven’t read her first novel, ‘The Silent Companions’ (I know!), but am eagerly awaiting this one that tells a story wound up with elements of spiritualism and also the art of silhouette-cutting. I’m anticipating a strong female lead, lots of spookiness and a few murders along the way! Purcell can be relief upon for first-class historical fiction and I cannot wait.
‘Daughters of Night’ by Laura Shepherd-Robinson(February 2021 – Pan Macmillan)
Following on from the totally brilliant and immersive ‘Blood and Sugar’, this is another perfectly-pitched mystery set in Georgian London. Using some of the characters from the first novel, this one follows Caro Corsham as she investigates the death of a woman she finds dying in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. It is beautifully written and I cannot wait for its release so that more people can enjoy it – it was due for publication in 2020 but delayed due to the Current Awfulness (to use Caitlin Moran’s term!)
‘The Whole Truth’ by Cara Hunter (February 2021 – Penguin)
A new instalment in the DI Fawley series by Cara Hunter is always a cause for celebration – these are excellent modern police procedurals with plenty of twists and turns, plus a likeable and convincingly-portayed police team. This one takes a novel route through a sexual harassment case with a side of murder and no-one is safe from suspicion. There is so much I want to talk about with this one!
‘Nick’ by Michael Farris Smith (February 2021 – No Exit Press)
I’ve loved ‘The Great Gatsby’ since I first picked it up as a teenager back in the dark ages (OK, 1990s!) Something about the glamour, the decadence and the setting of 1920s America really appealed to me then, so I’m really excited for this new book about Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s narrator. It promises to tell his story before the events of F Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel – from the trenches of World War I to Paris and New Orleans. I love the sound of all this!
‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell (February 2021 – Constable)
I loved Russell’s previous novel, ‘The Devil Aspect’, and also am pretty familiar with the source text for this one, Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ (a favourite of GCSE Literature syllabuses). I’m intrigued by the idea of there being no Dr Jekyll to balance out the Hyde (in this story Captain Hyde) and can’t wait to get immersed in Victorian Edinburgh to find out what happens.
‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge (February 2021 – Michael Joseph)
This is the latest in the modern crime series starring DCI Jonah Sheens. I’ve read the previous books in the series and am eagerly awaiting this one – and early reviews suggest it is good. The case here is of a women who wakes up next to a dead man that she has never seen before. She becomes the police’s prime suspect, but nothing is quite as it seems…
‘Madam’ by Phoebe Wynne (February 2021 – Quercus)
I heard about this one from Quercus’ excellent preview evening in which they showcased some of their 2021 titles. Loads of them sounded brilliant, but this one is just my thing – a gothic tale of a remote girls’ boarding school and the young women that arrives to join the teaching staff. This one looks deliciously dark and has a feminist slant too – plus the proof looks fabulous!
‘Dangerous Women’ by Hope Adams (March 2021 – Michael Joseph)
I’ll admit, I was totally won over by the cover of this one (I know – don’t judge a book and all that jazz!) It’s a glorious image of an old-fashioned sailing ship on rough seas with an intriguing theatre curtain surround. Digging further into the blurb, it turns out to be an early Victorian story of female convicts on board a ship heading for the colonies when a murder takes place. How can you solve a crime on a ship full of criminals? I have no idea, but it sounds brilliant!
‘The Last House on Needless Street’ by Catriona Ward (March 2021 – Viper)
Anything marketed as ‘The Gothic Thriller of 2021’ totally has my attention! The blurb doesn’t really give anything away but mentions that it is the story of a serial killer, an average house on an average street and that it will not be what you expect…sign me up! Early feedback on this one seems to be really positive so I am looking forward to finding out what the hype is about.
‘Ariadne’ by Jennifer Saint (April 2021 – Wildfire)
I love a Greek myth retelling and this one looks amazing. Picking up the story of Ariadne (admittedly one I’m a bit hazy on the details of…), this promises a feminist slant on the Classical tale. I’ve seen such beautiful proofs of this one on Twitter that I am wondering who I need to grovel to for a copy!
So there you have it – 10 books that I cannot wait to read and share! What books are you eagerly awaiting from the 2021 crop?
WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Taking on a World of Words. Anyone can take part and it is a great way of sharing what you have just finished reading, what you are currently reading and what is next on the TBR.
Links are provided for books already published/pre-orders – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases (at no extra cost to you!)
What have you recently finished reading?
I have finished reading ‘The Wrong Sort to Die’ by Paula Harmon, a historical mystery novel that is for a blog tour with Damp Pebbles. It’s an engaging story about a pioneering female pathologist in Edwardian London. My review will be on the blog tour next week.
Then I read ‘The Cousins’ by Karen McManus, a YA thriller, for a blog tour at the end of November with The Write Reads. This one is a twisty story of family lies and long-buried secrets in a small island community on Gull Cove Island in America.
Another blog tour book also turned up this week and I devoured it in one sitting! ‘How Love Actually Ruined Christmas (or Colourful Narcotics)’ by Gary Raymond is a hilarious skewering of the 2003 Richard Curtis film, ‘Love Actually’. It made me laugh so much and nod in agreement. My (extremely gushing) review will be on the blog later in the month as part of the Damp Pebbles tour.
What are you reading now?
I’ve joined a reading group on Twitter in order to (hopefully) knock through some of the NetGalley backlog – this was set up by the lovely Emandherbooks and is a supportive group of bloggers working on #NetGalleyNovember2020.
Due to them, I’ve made excellent in-roads to Laura Purcell’s ‘The Shape of Darkness’ which I am absolutely loving! It’s a historical, spooky, gothic tale involving spiritualism and murder – right up my street! This one will be published in January 2021.
I’m also reading ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier with the fabulous bunch at The Write Reads. It’s a book that (I’m ashamed to say) I’ve failed to read on two previous occasions but I’m making progress this time.
I’m still reading ‘Pandora’s Jar’ by Natalie Haynes. I’m enjoying it but can’t seem to make much progress as it is packed with ideas and interesting stuff. I keep having to put it down to digest bits!
Finally, I’m still working my way through the audiobook of Jasper Rees’ ‘Let’s Do It’, the biography of Victoria Wood that is read by so many famous voices. Although I love the narration, I am finding it quite slow going and – coming in at about 21 hours – I have a long way to go. I’m not sure I’m going to make it.
What do you think you will read next?
I’ve just taken on another blog tour for Damp Pebbles as there was a date that needed filling so my next read is ‘The Heat’, a crime novella by Sean O’Leary.
Then it’s back to NetGalley and the brilliant ARCs vying for my attention! Top of the pile at the moment (but always subject to change) are these gems:
‘Hyde’ by Craig Russell – I loved ‘The Devil Aspect’, his previous novel, and cannot wait to immerse myself in Victorian Edinburgh with this one
‘The Dead of Winter’ by Nicola Upson – I love this detective series in which the sleuth is crime writer Josephine Tey and this is the latest
‘Lie Beside Me’ by Gytha Lodge – the latest instalment of another brilliant crime series and the blurb on this one is incredible!
‘Threadneedle’ by Cari Thomas – I’ve seen a lot about this book all over Twitter and it sounds magical
‘Nick’ by Michael Farris Smith – a novel focusing on the narrator of ‘The Great Gatsby’ before the events of that story
As always, thanks for reading and following my blog!
With thanks to the blog tour hosts, publishers, authors and NetGalley for providing me with the books in exchange for honest reviews. The only book not provided for free in this week’s round-up is ‘Rebecca’ by Daphne du Maurier.
Header photo with thanks to Jessica Fadel for sharing their work on Unsplash.
In what might work out to be the geekiest post ever, I thought I’d have a closer look at the 100 books I’ve read this year. I completed my Goodreads challenge this week so it seems a good time to pause and take stock.
Things that don’t surprise me a bit…
I know that I read a lot of female writers, so the gender ratio 60:40 in favour of female writers didn’t surprise me at all. A lot of my favourite detective series are written by women (Rachel Lynch, Carla Kovach, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths…I could go on!)
Also unsurprising was the number of books that I read for free this year – I’ve always read a lot through NetGalley, plus have done some blog tours, so it is to be expected that a huge proportion of my reads (74%) were free in exchange for an honest review. I am eternally grateful to NetGalley, blog tour hosts, publishers and authors for keeping me in reading material!
Finally, because of my NetGalley obsession, it makes perfect sense that my most read format this year was on Kindle (71%). I invested in a Kindle Oasis earlier this year because I thought the warm light feature might be kinder on my eyes, especially given how long I stare at it!
Things that did surprise me…
I know I read quite widely, but I thought I’d probably be very heavy on the crime and historical fiction. This did turn out to be true – 44% of my books had some kind of crime element, whether in a contemporary or historical setting. However, only 30% of my chosen reads had a historical setting – something I thought would be higher.
What I was pleasantly surprised by was the fact that 27% of the books were non-fiction. I do love non-fiction but thought it would be more overshadowed than that in the statistics. I was also happy to see that there was a range of genres in the mix too – poetry, humour, romance and ‘other’ (contemporary fiction, play scripts) made up a good chunk.
I seem to be heavily dependent on the 4* rating (71% of my books in 2020) but it was heartening to see that nearly 1/5 of the books I read this year were 5* ones. I wasn’t too surprised to see the small proportion of 3* rating (and nothing below) because I choose my books carefully and DNF any that won’t make 3 stars!
Some lists…
My 5 Star Reads of 2020 (so far) – links to reviews where possible!
Books I Bought With My Own Money and Read This Year:
‘The Devil and the Dark Water’ by Stuart Turton
‘The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid’ by Bill Bryson
‘Practically Perfect’ by Katy Brand
‘Essex Girls’ by Sarah Perry
‘The Princess and the Prick’ by Wallaburga Appleseed
‘Boy’ by Roald Dahl
‘More than a Woman’ by Caitlin Moran
‘A Tomb With a View’ by Peter Ross
‘Good Samaritans’ by Will Carver
‘The Book of Humans’ by Adam Rutherford
‘A Chip Shop in Poznan’ by Ben Aitken
‘Women Don’t Owe You Pretty’ by Florence Given
‘State of the Union’ by Nick Hornby
‘The Great Godden’ by Meg Rosoff
‘A Rising Man’ by Abir Mukherjee
‘Three Women’ by Lisa Taddeo
‘Dead Famous’ by Greg Jenner
‘This is Shakespeare’ by Emma Smith
‘A Murderous Relation’ by Deanna Raybourn
‘You Took the Last Bus Home’ by Brian Bilston
‘When the Dogs Don’t Bark’ by Angela Gallop
‘A Million Years in a Day’ by Greg Jenner
‘The Golden Tresses of the Dead’ by Alan Bradley
‘A Curious History of Sex’ by Kate Lister
’52 Times Britain was a Bellend’ by James Felton
‘Fleabag’by Phoebe Waller-Bridge
9 Writers I’ve Read More Than One Book By This Year:
Ben Aitken
Greg Jenner
Abir Mukherjee
Carla Kovach
Rachel Lynch
Andrew Taylor
Nick Hornby
William Sieghart (2 poetry anthologies)
Elly Griffiths
Brilliant Debut Novels
‘Cows Can’t Jump’ by Philip Bowne
‘A Girl Made of Air’ by Nydia Hetherington
‘People of Abandoned Character’ by Clare Whitfield
‘The Chalet’ by Catherine Cooper
‘The Thursday Murder Club’ by Richard Osman
‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor
‘The Eighth Detective’ by Alex Pavesi
‘Grave Secrets’ by Alice James
‘The Servant’ by Maggie Richell-Davies
‘The Quickening’ by Rhiannon Ward (first novel published under this name)
5 Surprises This Year
Alice James’ ‘Grave Secrets’ – I don’t read a lot of fantasy novels, but this vampire and zombie one absolutely won me over. Well outside of my comfort zone, but it was just so funny and lively and immersive.
‘Longhand’ by Andy Hamilton – I had some reservations about reading a book written by hand (in beautiful handwriting though!) However, I was absolutely transfixed by this extremely quirky and humorous novel with a surprising Classical theme.
‘The Gran Tour: Travels with My Elders’ by Ben Aitken – the charming Bill Bryson-esque travel writing had me totally engaged in this (true) tale of a young man’s coach trips with Shearings (and his Gran!)
‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth’ by Matson Taylor – I was prepared for a rom-com, but what I got was a gorgeous 1960s coming of age tale packed with humour and one of the best characters of the year.
‘A Tomb With a View’ by Peter Ross – I’ve tried to get everyone I know to read this! I thought I’d like this non-fiction telling of stories of graveyards and their people; I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did.
Affiliate links to my books of the year (so far) – I may earn a small commission on any purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blog!
So that’s my Goodreads 100! It’s been an odd year – I don’t usually expect to read 100 books, let alone 100 books by October. I hope you’ve enjoyed my trawl through my reading so far this year and thank you for visiting and supporting my blog.
Header photo with thanks to Floris Andréa for sharing their work on Unsplash.
Today, I am answering some questions set by my fellow bloggers as part of the Sunshine Blogger Award. I was fortunate to be nominated by Danni at ForBooksSake and Ashley at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Thanks to both of these bloggers – do follow them if you don’t already!
I’ll be answering all their questions in this post before setting my own questions for my nominees!
How does it work?
Thank the blogger(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.
Questions from Danni:
Have you set a GoodReads Reading Goal for the year? If yes, how many books are you hoping to read?
I set an optimistic challenge of 100 books on GoodReads – this is more than I’ve read in recent years and the first time I’ve consciously set a target. However, lockdown gave my reading a bit of a boost so I’m already on 93 books.
What has been your favourite book of 2020 so far?
How can I possibly pick just one?!
I’ll go with ‘The Miseducation of Evie Epworth by Matson Taylor. I didn’t know what to expect from this debut novel, but it is an absolutely charming, funny and sweet novel about a young girl growing up with a quirky and dysfunctional family in the 1960s.
What book on your TBR are you most looking forward to reading?
Laura Purcell’s ‘The Shape of Darkness’. I have loved her previous books and a new book is always an event.
Do you have any pets? If yes, please post pictures! (I want to see your cute animals)
Yes – 2 cats (Geoff and Ivy) plus 4 bantam hens.
Geoff (who sleeps like no cat I’ve ever seen before)
Who are your auto buy authors?
I’m not sure I have that many, but definitely Caitlin Moran and Laura Purcell. There are also a couple of crime series that I’m following where I’d buy the next books without question – I really like the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey and Rachel Lynch’s DI Kelly Porter series.
I’ve read books by a lot of brilliant new writers this year (new to me or debut novelists) that I think this list will grow very rapidly!
What are your favourite books from your childhood?
One of the first books I remember as a child was ‘Peepo’ by Janet and Alan Ahlberg, a gorgeous picture book about a baby in a (not that I realised it then) World War II era family. I’ve since read this to my kids and it is a favourite.
There are loads of books I loved as a child that probably wouldn’t stand up to re-reading – I was an obsessive Enid Blyton fan and absolutely devoured any Nancy Drew books!
Other than that, Dodie Smith’s ‘I Capture The Castle’ was a book I loved as a teenager and have re-read as an adult. I still think it’s pretty great!
Describe your dream reading space.
I’ve always fancied my own library – something along the lines of the one in Beauty and the Beast! Definitely high wall-to-wall bookshelves that need ladders to get to the top and some cosy armchairs!
What is your favourite bookish merch?
So many things that I wrote a blog post on it – you can see my collection of bookish prints, pins and all manner of other things here.
What are your biggest bookish pet peeves?
I really hate books that promise an uplifting read but that turn out to be really, really depressing! I think there is some serious misrepresentation going on with some book blurbs and am always disappointed when I get to a really nasty bit in a book that I wasn’t expecting.
How do you feel about DNF’ing a book?
Guilty. I always think it is going to get better, but I’ve learnt that some books just…don’t. I’m quite good at choosing books that I think I’ll like but I do feel like it is my fault if I can’t finish a book.
You can only read one genre for the rest of your life, what are you choosing, and why?
Historical (preferably historical crime). There’s such a rich variety of settings that I don’t think I’d ever get bored. I love learning about different periods of history (although I have a soft spot for the Victorians) and there are so many brilliant writers working in this genre.
One of my latest historical reads – recommended!
Questions from Ashley:
What is your favorite genre to read?
Historical crime fiction – that’s a very specific genre to choose but I love the combination of the rich setting with a twisty crime story!
What nonfiction book(s) are your favorite?
Oooh, great question! I think non-fiction books often get overlooked in the world of Book Twitter.
I love any of Caitlin Moran’s non-fiction books and I’ve recently really enjoyed (if enjoyed is the right word for a book about death!) Peter Ross’ ‘A Tomb With a View’ – it’s absolutely fascinating, incredibly moving and not as depressing as you might expect.
I’m also a fan of history presented with a bit of wit and flair – ‘Dead Famous’ by Greg Jenner and ‘A Curious History of Sex’ by Kate Lister have been high points this year.
Do you read multiple books at once or just one?
Multiple – I can’t have too many similar books going at the same time, but I’ll often have a fiction (or two, but different genres), a non-fiction and an audiobook going at the same time.
What other hobbies do you have besides reading?
I’m not really sure I do! Between the reading, the blogging and Book Twitter, I’m pretty busy.
When I’m not book-focused, I spend time with my family and teach English full-time at a secondary school.
Do you have a reading goal for 2020? If so, how is it going?
I’d not set a goal before this year, but 100 books seemed like it was going to be a real challenge. However, 2020 has been a weird year in so many ways and lockdown has boosted my reading at times so I’m already on 93 books.
What prompted you to create a blog?
I was reading and reviewing on NetGalley and it seemed like the logical next step. I love talking to people about books and so was looking to infiltrate myself into the bookish community…it seems to be working, I think…
What is your favorite trope?
I don’t read a lot of horror at all, but I’m totally won over by anything with vampires!
What is your least favorite trope?
I’m getting quite fed up with the detective with the tragic personal life. It has been very over-done and I’d quite like to focus on the crime plot without having to work through the trauma of the detective first!
What fictional world would you like to visit?
Because I read a lot about the past, I think my world would have to be step back in time! I’d love to visit the world inhabited by Jeeves and Wooster – an idealised and very jolly version of 1920s and 1930s London that never really existed outside the imagination of P.G. Wodehouse.
There are other less salubrious time periods I’d love to visit but I’d not want to stay long!
What book disappointed you this year?
I always feel bad if I’m disappointed by a book because I do try to choose my reading carefully. I did read a crime novel that was quite hyped that I was disappointed with (and didn’t feature on the blog) but I won’t name it.
What is your favorite cover from 2020?
‘The Betrayals’ by Bridget Collins (out in November) looks glorious. I read the Kindle version but have been jealously looking at other people’s proofs and advance copies!
