Tag: books

My Week in Books – 26th March 2023

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MyWeekinBooksOn What Cathy Read Next last week

Tuesday – I published my review of The Settlement by Jock Serong, one of the books on the longlist for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2023. This week’s Top Ten Tuesday topic was a rewind (choose an old topic you missed) and I went with One Word Book Titles.  

Wednesday – I shared my review of The Romantic by William Boyd, another book on the longlist for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2023. And as always WWW Wednesday is a weekly opportunity to share what I’ve just read, what I’m currently reading and what I plan to read next… and to take a peek at what others are reading. 

Friday – I published my review of psychological thriller, Birthright by Charles Lambert. 

Saturday – I gave a progress update on my 2023 Reading Challenges. 

New arrivals

The Last LifeboatThe Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor (eARC, Harper Collins via NetGalley) 

1940, Kent: Alice King is not brave or daring—she’s happiest finding adventure through the safe pages of books. But times of war demand courage, and as the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice she’d long forgotten. Determined to do her part, she finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher—to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas.

1940, London: Lily Nichols once dreamed of using her mathematical talents for more than tabulating the cost of groceries, but life, and love, charted her a different course. With two lively children and a loving husband, Lily’s humble home is her world, until war tears everything asunder. With her husband gone and bombs raining down, Lily is faced with an impossible choice: keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme, where safety awaits so very far away.

When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other—one on land, the other at sea—will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined.

On What Cathy Read Next this week

Currently reading

Planned posts

  • Book Review: Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry
  • Book Review: A Brief History of Living Forever by Jaroslav Kalfař
  • Book Review: God’s Children Are Little Broken Things by Arinze Ifeakandu
  • Book Review: Elizabeth Finch by Julian Barnes

My 2023 Reading Challenges – A Progress Update

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As we approach the end of the first quarter of the year – yes, already – I thought I’d check on my progress with the challenges I’m taking part in this year. To find out more about each challenge, click on the name of the challenge to view my sign-up post.

Goodreads 2023 Reading Challenge – on trackGoodreads Challenge 2023

when-are-you-reading-2022-final-1When Are You Reading? Challenge 2023 hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words – on track

What's in a Name 2023What’s In A Name? 2023 hosted by Andrea at Carolina Book Nook – on track

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2023Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2023 hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader.

I’m aiming for ‘Prehistoric’ level which means reading 50+ historical fiction books.  I’ve read 15 so far so I’m just about on track.

Backlist Burrow 2023Backlist Burrow

This is my own personal challenge, to read two books from the backlists of six authors: Robert Olen Butler, Andrew Miller, John Boyne, Clare Chambers, Jess Kidd and Fiona Kidman.

Hmm, a bit of focus on this one needed – not on track

Are you taking part in any reading challenges this year? If so, how are you getting on?