Balancing the Books – July 2021

July has been and gone and left us with that most dreaded of occasions. I am of course referring to the school holidays. Cue 6 weeks of “what can I have to eat?” without respite. It also tends to mean less time to read. Whilst usually the summer holidays bring us a glimpse of the sun, it seems this year it’s more likely to bring thunder and lightning and with it seeking shelter from the rain in a book or three.
As always here I was thinking I’d not got many books this month and then surprised again, at the total.

1. The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman, sent for review by Viking.
2. Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, a prize.
3. Ghosts by Dolly Alderon, sent for review by Penguin.
4. In a Good Light by Clare Chambers.
5. Learning to Swim by Clare Chambers, sent for review with the book above by Arrow.
6. Sisterhood by V B Grey.
7. The Fair Botanist by Sara Sheridan.
8. Always in December by Emily Stone, the last three sent for review by Team Bookends.
9. The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer.
10. The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer.
11. The Unknown Ajax by Georgette Heyer.
12. False Colours by Georgette Heyer.
13. Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer.
14. The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer.
15. Sylvester by Georgette Heyer.
16. The Foundling by Georgette Heyer. All of the Heyer’s were sent for review by Arrow.
17. Peach Blossom Spring by Melissa Wu, sent for review by Wildfire (and my first 2022 book!).
18. A Single Rose by Muriel Barbery, sent for review by Gallic.
19. The Widow of Bath by Margot Bennett, sent for review by the British Library.
20. The Last Library by Freya Sampson, sent for review by Zaffre.
21. The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett, a book purchase.
22. Sad Janet by Lucie Britsch, sent for review by W&N.
23. Lord Seeks Wife by Heather Barnett, sent for review by the author.
24. Case Study by Graeme Macrae Burnett, sent for review by Saraband.
25. Those Hamilton Sisters by Averil Kenny.
26. End of Summer by Anders de la Motte.
27. The Whistleblower by Robert Peston.
28. Three Sisters by Heather Morris.
29. The Hiding Place by Amanda Mason. The last five were sent for review by Zaffre.
30. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, sent for review by Bloomsbury.
31. The Origins of Iris by Beth Lewis, sent for review by Hodder Studio.
32. Nobody’s Perfect by Stephanie Butland, sent for review by Zaffre.

Here’s what arrived at Chez Emson:
As for outgoings here’s what I read:

1. Annie Stanley all at Sea by Sue Teddern.
2. Guilty Creatures, edited by Martin Edwards.
3. The Appeal by Janice Hallett.
4. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton.
5. The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer.
6. The Last Library by Freya Sampson.
7. A Single Rose by Muriel Barbery.

So that’s 32 in and 7 out. Even if I stood on tip toe with one eye shut I couldn’t get this to balance on the book scales. So I’ll breathe out and embrace the overweighted incoming for July and look forward to what August has instore.