Author: whatcathyreadnext

My Five Favourite July 2021 Reads

whatcathyreadnext2 Comments

My 5 Favourite July Reads

I powered through the books in July, reading 16 in total although to be fair a few of these were books I was part way through at the end of June. This was another month when I read so many great books it was tough to whittle down my list to only five. Links from each title will take you to my review. You can find a list of all the books I’ve read so far in 2021 here.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

Business As Usual by Jane Oliver and Ann Stafford (Handheld Press) – first published in 1933, an epistolary novel with the story told by means of telegrams and memoranda

For Lord and Land (The Bernicia Chronicles 8) by Matthew Harffy (Head of Zeus) – another action-packed adventure for Beobrand, immersing the reader in a tumultuous period of history

Songbirds by Christy Lefteri (Manilla Press) – a beautifully written story inspired by the real-life disappearance of several women and children in Cyprus 

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams (HarperCollins) – an engrossing, heartfelt story that celebrates the joy to be gained from reading

This Lovely City by Louise Hare (HQ) – part mystery, part love story set in 1950s London (full review to follow)

What books were your favourites in July? Have you read any of my picks?

Business As UsualFor Lord and LandSongbirdsThe Reading List by Sara Nisha AdamsThis Lovely City

My Classics Club List Is Completed! @ourclassicsclub #ccspin

whatcathyreadnext9 Comments

The Classics ClubThe Classics Club was founded in March 2012 with the aim of encouraging more people to blog about classic literature.  Members are invited to create a list of at least 50 classic titles they intend to read and blog about within a maximum of five years.  With characteristic over-enthusiasm, when I first enrolled in the challenge in January 2017, I set out to read the 50 classics on my list by 31st December 2018.   I soon recognised that was way too ambitious and revised it to 31st December 2021.

In putting together my list, my personal definition of “classic” was a book published more than 40 years ago, i.e. anything published before 1976. I also decided to concentrate on two categories: women writers and the works of John Buchan, one of my favourite authors.

I’m pleased to say, having just read the final two books on my list as part of the latest Classics Club Spin event, I’ve completed the challenge with a little under five months to spare. As well as reading some wonderful books I might not have otherwise read, I now qualify for a place on The Classics Club Wall of Honour! You can view the list of books I read with links to my reviews here.

And before you ask, since I’m already signed up to quite a few other reading challenges, I don’t intend to attempt another fifty classics. What I will do is continue to follow The Classics Club blog as well as read and share the reviews of other Classics Club members.