Tag: books

My Five Favourite August 2022 Reads

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favourite

I read 11 books in August although unfortunately only three were books on my list for the 20 Books of Summer 2022 Reading Challenge. Links from each title will take you to my full review. You can find a list of the books I’ve read so far in 2022 here.  If we’re not already friends on Goodreads, send me a friend request or follow my reviews.

The Bone Road by N.E. Solomons (Polygon) – Cracking crime thriller set in Bosnia in which the legacy of the past lingers to the present day.

After She’d Gone by Alex Dahl (Head of Zeus) – An unsettling, dark thriller that immerses the reader in the sinister side of the fashion world.

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley (Hodder & Stoughton) – A gripping, twisty and stylish thriller.

The Twist of a Knife (Hawthorne & Horowitz #4) by Anthony Horowitz (Century) – Another instalment in this highly entertaining murder mystery series, full of wit and invention.

The House at Helygen  by Victoria Hawthorne (Quercus) – A dual time historical suspense novel set in Cornwall with vibes of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca or Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

What were your favourite books last month? Have you read any of my picks?

20 Books Of Summer 2022 Reading Challenge Wrap-Up #20booksofsummer22

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20-books-of-summerThis annual challenge, run by my namesake Cathy at 746 Books, takes place between 1st June and 1st September.  The rules are simple: pick 10, 15 or 20 books you’d like to read and read them!

Although the rules are accommodating – allowing swaps, change of target, etc – I stubbornly decided to stick to my original list (see below) consisting of the 20 paperback books that have been in my TBR pile the longest according to Goodreads.

First the good news. Between 1st June and 31st August I read 39 books. The bad news is only five of them were on my list and one of those I still need to write a review for. Was I overly optimistic? Yes. Did I start reading books from my list too late? Yes. Did I fail to take account of other review commitments? Yes. Will I try again next year? Yes!

Thanks to Cathy for hosting the challenge once again.

The Cleaner of Chartres by Salley Vickers Read and reviewed
The Boy Who Saw by Simon Toyne Read and reviewed
The Women of the Castle by Jessica Shattuck Read and reviewed
Before the Fall by Noah Hawley Read and reviewed
If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio Read – not yet reviewed
Island of Secrets by Patricia Wilson Currently reading
The Plague Charmer by Karen Maitland  (waiting since May 2017)
The House of Birds by Morgan McCarthy (waiting since July 2017)
The Honey Farm on the Hill by Jo Thomas (waiting since August 2017)
Rivals of the Republic by Annelise Freisenbruch (waiting since August 2017)
The Girl from Simon’s Bay by Barbara Mutch (waiting since September 2017)
My Mother’s Shadow by Nikola Scott (waiting since October 2017)
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (waiting since October 2017)
Treason by James Jackson (waiting since November 2017)
The Draughtsman by Robert Lautner (waiting since March 2018)
The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle by Kirsty Wark (waiting since March 2018)
The Painter of Souls by Philip Kazan (waiting since April 2018)
Appetite by Philip Kazan (waiting since April 2018)
Ponti by Sharlene Teo (waiting since April 2018)
Where Roses Never Die by Gunnar Staalesen (waiting since May 2018)

If you took part in the challenge, how did you get on? (Better than me, I hope.)

20 Books of Summer 2022