*2021 - 50 BOOKS FOR THE YEAR*

Oh gosh. Late to the party. I have finished two.
Escape Clause - John Sandford
The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman.
Must try harder.

Finished my #s 6 and 7 books yesterday so #8 will be Agatha Raisin: Pushing Up Daisies M C Beaton. The audiobook as Penelope Keith's narration of these books is a joy.

#8 The Wife who got a Life by Tracy Bloom.
Another ARC via netgalley. I thought this was so funny, it certainly rang a few bells with me. A perimenopausal woman decides to set herself some goals and the story covers a year of the progress she makes. Publication due mid-April.

Just finished reading The Girl with All the Gifts as recommended by DS2. Scary, dystopian, not my kind of thing at all. From now on I shan't be taking advice on literature from DS2!

But then, I don't suppose he reads many detective stories or - erm - historical romances...lol!

I downloaded ^The Quantum Curators and the Faberge
Egg^ just this morning. It will be read number six.

As well as reading my #6 book The Quantum Curators and the Fabergé Egg reported yesterday, I am listening to my #7 The Something Girl Jodi Taylor, the follow up to The Nothing Girl which I read last year and really enjoyed.

I haven't seen Rosecarmel post for a while, she was always quite prolific on this thread. If you read this Rosecarmel, I hope you are well and do come and join us when you are ready.

Thank you very much Callistemon. Yes the logistics of moving during the lockdown were quite hairy at times. Our removal men assured us that they had all had it back in November and always worked as a team, They did wear masks when they talked to us and were excellent, nevertheless we all did our best to keep our distance, although of course that wasn't always easy.

I've moved house
Goodness, that's quite an upheaval, especially at the moment Terribull. I hope you'll be very happy in your new home.

Talking of new homes and relocating - I've just finished reading Heartbreak Hotel by Deborah Moggach which I enjoyed very much. Funny, witty and poignant.

Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens. A really good read with some surprises. I read a lot but never count how many - still a huge pleasure. I love Mrs Gaskell and highly recommend 'Wives and Daughters' - if you love Jane Austen (as I do) I think you will like this book. Brilliantly written and with some dimensions Jane doesn't engage with. Also North and South, and Cranford.

I'm well behind most posters, I've only finished 3 books, but I've moved house and can't find my book stash they're in a box somewhere in the garage among the other 20 or so still to be opened!

Book number 2 was "Such a Fun Age" took me a short while to get into this one, I did think at first " oh not another over hyped book which doesn't justify the buzz around it" but after about the first 50 pages in, it really grabbed me. The protagonist, Emira a mid 20s black woman, college graduate without any great career prospects, child minds for a white 30 something feminist, blogger. A false accusation of kidnapping the child she is minding is made against her by a security guard in an up market grocery store in the opening chapters. The aftermath of that incident opens a can of worms. The book is told with humour and through the prism of not only Emira's experiences but those of her close girlfriends, white boyfriend and Alix the female blogger in exploring the themes of privilege, race and class, and these are particularly prevalent in the back story of Emira's employer, Alix. An impressive debut novel I really enjoyed it, can see Netflix or the like snapping it up.

My third book "With the Benefit of Hindsight" one of the latest in the Simon Serrailler series, it must have been ages ago since I read one previously, because a lot has happened to him, he has lost an arm his sister has acquired a new husband, his father remarried and divorced since his wife had died! I enjoyed it, maybe I'll have to go back and catch up with his personal life a bit.

My 4th book with be "My Dark Vanessa" heard a lot about this book on MN, all good, so have high expectations. Essentially it's about a 15 year old girl who has an affair with her English teacher, said teacher is then accused of sexual abuse by another former student.

“Kill Our Sins” was a decent read. The third Inspector Jannsen book. They’re quite pacey. Just starting “Execution” by S. J. Parris. I’ve seem to have missed out a few of this series.

#5 Quite by Claudia Winkleman..audio....loved it, made me smile. Will listen to this again. Not a story but snippets of thoughts, chats .... really loved it. Downside? Do not listen if you want to sleep.

Thank you, Greyduster, I love listening to Natalie Hayes on radio.
Also fits in with a WEA Latin course I've started online!

Just finished number 4, Troubled Blood.

It was so good, I didn’t want it to end.

Will start ‘The Pure In Heart’ by Susan Hill next.

But my heart belongs to Cormoran Strike.

❤️

#8 finished; Mist in the Mirror by Susan Hill. An atmospheric, slow-burning ghost story in the style of Edgar Allen Poe. A short book but carries you along until the hints and half-hints are revealed in a thrilling climax.

A wonderful book, Mrstin; couldn’t put it down. She’s one of my favourite authors.

Started A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes.

The Best Revenge Stephen White another passed on book. I see he has others so will look out for him.
It was a gritty thriller but flowed along nicely.

Just finished #5 Troubled Blood Robert Galbraith. I can highly recommend the Strike series, I do hope she writes more. I am now delving into the many free and 99p books on my Kindle that I downloaded on a whim. My #6 book is The Quantum Collectors and the Fabergé Egg Eva St John. It looks quite intriguing, parallel universes and the hunt for precious artifacts.

The Year of the King by Antony Sher
A Theatre for Dreamers by Polly Samson
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - I’m now enjoying the reading on Radio4.

Next? A toss up between Barack Obama and Rupert Everett.

I’ve posted 21 Rituals Which Will Change Your Life to a friend and am browsing Mindfulness for Worriers. Both helpful.

Just finished my #4 book Stealing The Crown T P Fielden. It has taken me a while because I really didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped. I relegated it to my 'read for 20 minutes before sleeping' book and started listening to my #5 Troubled Blood Robert Galbraith. Very very good I expect to finish it soon. Haven't decided what to read or listen to for #6 yet.

Just finished reading Mum and Dad by Joanne Trollope
A good bedtime read with easy to relate to family problems described in detail.
Also finished The Rosie Project by Graham Sansom. I enjoyed this too as it helped me understand a bit more about Asperges, as I have a distant cousin who has it.

Just finished #8 Let Me Lie by Claire Mackintosh, a psychological thriller with unexpected twists and turns. It’s the third of her books I’ve read, all really good.

#7 The Lost Hours by Susan Lewis.
This was an advance review copy sent by the publisher. Thoroughly enjoyed. Publication date 1/04/21