I’ve only just got used to being in 2019 and suddenly we’re at the end of January – not quite sure how that happened !
During the month I read 26 books which is much the same as last year. Only three were non-fiction which is a bit disappointing as I was aiming for 25% this year. I read twice as many on paper as on the Kindle which is a definite plan in order that I reduce the number of physical books I own. Over half the books were written by women which is pretty usual for me. I read 6 crime novels, 6 science fiction/fantasy and 5 romances.
I kept a note of where the books I read were set and it was mostly the UK and USA but we did travel to Tahiti, Netherlands, France, Brazil, Venezuela, Kenya, and Belgium as well as a few fantasy worlds.
I’ve talked about the month’s reading as I went along so please have a look at my previous blogs for comments on some of them. There are four I haven’t mentioned to date that I thought were worth bringing to your attention :
- “Lonely Road” by Nevil Shute – this is a novel written in the 1930s and it is a thriller. As a story it is not overly exciting but what really moved me was the author’s writing about loneliness. The main character is wealthy and accomplished but very alone. In the course of what happens in the book he meets a woman from a very different background and slowly he begins to thaw and to share his life. It is, in my opinion, a very powerful piece of writing and I found it very emotional.
- “Written from the Heart” by Trisha Ashley – a contemporary novel about a writer and her loves. It is great fun and written with an edge so that it doesn’t fall into the trap of being too sentimental and although you think you know where the story is going the author can still surprise. I have all this author’s books because I like her style – this one was provided free via NetGalley.
- “The Christmas Sisters” by Sarah Morgan – another contemporary novel about three sisters who gather in their parents’ home for Christmas. Lots of secrets come out and all the sisters are facing challenges that mean that they have to find a solution. It certainly doesn’t have to be Christmas to read this novel and I am pleased to say that again the sentimentality was kept to a minimum. This novel was provided free in exchange for a review by Amazon Vine.
- “The Go-Between” by LP Hartley – a minor modern classic that you often see references to especially as it has quite a famous opening line (“The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.”). I saw it in a charity shop and thought I’d read it because I have heard of it. The book is set at the beginning of the twentieth century and is about a young boy visiting the country house home of a friend who becomes involved in taking love notes between two people. He is totally oblivious to the implications of a lot of what is happening and because of how he is used his ignorance eventually leads to disaster. I am pleased I read it and I did enjoy it but it is not a book I will reread.
And as we are now in February I have another pile of books to read, many of which I am very much looking forward to – I’ll fill you in on them as I progress.
Keep reading !
Anne Is Reading 