I’ve signed up to Cathy’s annual ‘20 Books of Summer‘ challenge every year since 2016. Although you can pick your level of 10, 15 or 20 books – I’ve always aimed for the full 20, but only achieved it three times – in 2022, 2021 and this year. This year I even reached twenty books Read More
Month: August 2024
Shiny Linkiness – Walsh and Towles for 20 Books of Summer
I’ve had two recent reviews published at Shiny New Books recently, both read as part of my #20booksofsummer24 reading. Kala by Colin Walsh A superb slowburn literary dual time-lined thriller, Irish author Walsh’s debut was a huge hit last year in hardback. I was sent a proof, but didn’t get the time to read it Read More
Two Fab Thrillers – Jordan Harper & Steve Cavanagh
Two superb thrillers for you today, one from last year and in my #20booksofsummer and one brand new out. Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper I love the tag line of this novel, ‘In Hollywood, nobody talks, but everybody whispers.’ It immediately drew me in, and simultaneously got me humming Leonard Cohen’s wonderful song that shares Read More
The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable
Historical novels have long taken characters from real life as their inspiration, whether it be for an imagined narrative or a retelling of a life, which can be well-known, or little-known. The Instrumentalist does the latter. Anna Maria della Pietà was abandoned as a baby and grew up in the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice Read More
Two contemporary French novels – De Vigan and Mehdi – for #WITMonth #20booksofsummer24
From my pile of unread novels by French women authors from Europa Editions for both WIT Month and 20 Books of Summer – two reviews for you. Both contemporary stories with dark themes (you have been warned) – I found both of this pair to be provocative, thought-provoking, intense and moving. Kids Run the Show Read More
#20booksofsummer24 – Dinerstein Knight, Osman and El-Mohar & Gladstone
A three-fer for you today of my #20booksofsummer24 hosted by Cathy, I’m now up to 17 read, 3 to go. Here are the three reviews: one OK, one great fun and one very very different and wonderful – in that order. Hex by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight Naturally, I was attracted to this book by the Read More
Prey by Vanda Symon #SamShephard6, blogtour
This is the first novel I’ve read by New Zealander Symons. It’s the sixth in a series, and whilst I like, where possible, to start a series from the beginning, this sixth volume is like a new start as Detective Sam Shephard returns to work in the Dunedin police after maternity leave. In the Prologue, Read More
#20booksofsummer24, No. 10, A Luminous Republic by Andrés Barba
Translated by Lisa Dillman I read this book in July, intending to review it sooner for Stu’s Spanish & Portuguese Reading Month, so I’m a bit late – but had good intentions. Back in 2017, I read Such Small Hands by Barba, a dark and disquieting portrait of childhood bullying among young girls in which Read More
How to be Nowhere by Tim MacGabhann #20booksofsummer24 No 9
I might make my 20 Books of Summer (hosted by Cathy as always) with days to spare this year – I expect to finish reading my 15th book tomorrow, and then will get into my #WITMonth TBR reads which all qualify. I’ve just read two books for it which I’ll be reviewing for Shiny (Kala Read More
Six Degrees of Separation: The Museum of Modern Love
First Saturday of the month, time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a starting book for participants to go wherever it takes them in six more steps. Links to my reviews are in the titles of the books chosen. This month Read More
It’s Women in Translation Month, #WITMonth
At the start of #WITMonth, I usually go back over my reading from the last one to see how many other books by women in translation I’ve read over the past year. Here’s my list from September 2023 through the end of July 2024. It’s dominated by Nordic authors but that’s to be expected really! Read More
