The book slump from December decided to follow me into the new year so reading was slow going. Here’s what I managed to read or finish:
Reading was however very slow. I started a few books but couldn’t find myself wanting to finish them. It wasn’t the books. I was enjoying them but I couldn’t seem to settle. Eventually I found one I could finish, and then another. The curse wasn’t lifted, as my reading all month has been sporadic at best, but it did get me moving in the right direction.
- Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, sent for review by Viking.
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by T J Klune.
- The Mystery of Henri Pick by David Foenkinos. These two books were chosen as a prize from a Twitter competition to nominate your favourite independent bookshop.
- My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley, sales shopping and a signed copy to add to the collection.
- Midnight in Everwood by M A Kuzniar, another sales purchase and another to add to the signed collection.
- Give Unto Others by Donna Leon, sent for review by Hutchinson Heinemann.
- City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman, sent for review by Century.
- Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell, a Penguin Clothbound edition to add to my newly started collection.
- The Mercenary River by Nick Higham, sent for review by Headline.
- The Burning Boy by Nicola White, sent for review by Viper.
- City of Vengeance by D V Bishop, another purchase.
- The Hunting Ground by Will Schindler, sent for review by Hodder & Stoughton.
- Jumping Jenny by Anthony Berkeley.
- Post After Post-Mortem by E C R Lorac, both of these were sent for review by The British Library.
- Meredith, Alone, by Claire Alexander, sent for review by Michael Jospeh.
- Memphis by Tara M Stringfellow, sent for review by John Murray.
- The Last Good Funeral of the Year by Ed O’Laughlin, sent for review by Riverrun.
- Run Rose Run by Dolly Parton and James Patterson, sent for review by Century.
- Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, chosen from my wishlist by Litalist.
- A Killing in November by Simon Mason, sent for review by Quercus.
- Wet Paint by Chloe Ashby, sent for review by Trapeze.
- Just for Today by Nell Hudson.
- The Perfect Find by Tia Williams, these last two were sent for review by Team Bookends.
Here’s what arrived this month:
January. For some it will have felt 3 years long, for others it will have flown by. I don’t mind January. It’s time to rest and recuperate, ready for the next year ahead. And yes it can feel like a slow month but the rest of the year is bound to seem speeded up so I make the most of a month that feels like an actual month.
- B: A Year in Plagues and Pencils by Edward Carey.
- City of the Dead by Jonathan Kellerman.
- The Key in the Lock by Beth Underdown.
- Midsummer Mysteries by Agatha Christie.
- Punishment of a Hunter by Yulia Yakovleva.
- Jumping Jenny by Anthony Berkeley.
I also gave 7 books to one of the school mums. So that’s in 23 and 13 out. Nowhere near balanced but considering I spent half the month thinking I wouldn’t finish a book I’m not too disappointed. With February being a short month I can’t see much coming in or going out but we shall see. I hope you enjoyed whatever you read in January and here’s to the same in February.
