Category: Reading Challenges

The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2022: Some Longlist Contenders?

whatcathyreadnext7 Comments

WalterScottPrizeThe deadline for publishers to submit books published in 2021 for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2022 is 23rd December 2021. The prize is open to novels written in English and published in 2021 in the UK, Ireland or the Commonwealth. Reflecting the subtitle ‘Sixty Years Since’ of Scott’s famous novel, Waverley, the majority of the storyline must take place at least 60 years ago.

Like other historical fiction fans, I shall be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the longlist in February 2022 and the shortlist the following month. As in previous years, I’ll try to read as many as possible of the longlisted novels that I haven’t read already and all those that make it on to the shortlist.

There have been some fantastic historical fiction novels published in 2021. Below are some I’ve read that I think might make the longlist, some books in my TBR pile which, judging from reviews, may well deserve a place, and a few others I don’t yet have copies of but which look like possible contenders for inclusion (subject in each case to them meeting all the eligibility criteria). Links from the titles will take you to my review or the book description on Goodreads.

Check back when the longlist is announced to see if any of my picks match the judges’ choices.

Books I read in 2021 

Books in my TBR pile

Books on my RADAR

Are any of your favourites on my list?  What other historical fiction novels published in 2021 do you think deserve to be on the longlist?

My #NetGalleyNovember Reading List @NetGalleyNov

whatcathyreadnext7 Comments

NetGalley NovemberI know, do I really need a new reading challenge? Probably not, however I couldn’t resist joining in when I came across NetGalley November hosted by Em at emandherbooks  and Lisa at totandtales. So what is NetGalley November? Basically it’s a month long readathon where you focus on reading books on your NetGalley shelf. Whether you start with a shelf of books in single figures (but, let’s face it, who has?) or one with hundreds of books, the aim is to end up with a better NetGalley ratio then when you started, and of course enjoy talking about the books you read with others. And, at the end of November, when you’ve cleared some books from your NetGalley shelf, do you know what you can do? That’s right – request some new ones!

Em and Lisa have activities planned throughout November to help us maintain our momentum such as reading sprints and, always a favourite of mine, Book Bingo which this year will also feature a giveaway. To qualify, all you have to do is read a book that matches one of the prompts below. For more information check out the dedicated Twitter page @NetGalleyNov.

NetGalleyNovember StartAlthough I may not have that many books on my shelf, quite a lot of the ones I do have were approved ages ago – can anyone beat July 2017?

My proposed reading list is inspired by the Bingo prompts. Links from the titles will take you to the book description on Goodreads or – eventually, I hope – to my review.

A book published this year: Lily by Rose Tremain (Vintage)
Your oldest approval: Eureka by Anthony Quinn (Vintage)
Book beginning with ‘N’: Now We Shall Be Entirely Free by Andrew Miller (Hodder & Stoughton)
Your latest approval: The Red Monarch by Bella Ellis (Hodder & Stoughton)
Book with a green cover: The Room of the Dead by M.R.C. Kasasian (Head of Zeus)
A book yet to be released: Violets by Alex Hyde (Granta)
A book beginning ‘The’: The Diver and the Lover by Jeremy Vine (Hodder & Stoughton)
A debut author: The Doll Factory by Elizabeth Macneal (Picador)
Most excited for: Two Storm Wood by Philip Gray (Vintage)