Well hecky thump. We are as near as makes no difference at the end of January already. What the hell has happened to it? I know, for many, this is a good thing as the gap between pay days seems interminable, but still. Pancake day in two weeks. Easter just around the corner. Heck, Christmas chocolates will be back in the Supermarkets in about six weeks the way time is going … Slow down time. Let us enjoy life for a bit, hey?
My Sunday morning ritual – coffee, blogging and reading. What better way to start the day? And not a Christmas chocolate in sight. Yet …
Well … If I can’t slow time, I am, at least, finding time to read some most excellent books. Thirteen (soon to be fourteen) books read this year and what a wonderful mix they’ve been too. The good news is that there are so many excellent books out this year, that my TBR is toppling already (well it would be if it wasn’t mostly in my kindle) and the future is looking booktastically fabulous. I did a very long Twitter/X thread of books I’m looking forward to over the weekend. So long in fact, Twitter/X temporarily blocked me for ‘unusual activity’ and I had to count rocks to prove I was actually human. Apparently I am. Thankfully I’ve got a lot of annual leave to use by the end of March, so I am going to make the most of it!
I’ve had a pretty good week book wise too. Two bits of very unexpected book post from Becky Hunter and Avon. The Drowning Isle by Simon McCleave and The Young Widows by SJ Short (01 Feb)
L-R: The Drowning Isle; The Young Widows
I placed a couple of hardback preorders this week too – couldn’t resist. J ericho’s Dead by William Hussey (29 Feb) from Goldsboro Books; and The House of Mirrors by Erin Kelly (04 Apr) from Bert’s Books.
L-R: Jericho’s Dead; The House of Mirrors
A bit of Netgalley, a gifted ebook and one preorder round out my week. From Netgalley, Blood Like Mine by Stuart Neville (15 Aug). Gifted from Moonflower Books, The Coming Storm by Greg Mosse (25 Apr). Pre-order was The Christmas Stocking Murders by Denzil Meyrick, a new Frank Grasby novel (07 Nov).
L-R: Blood Like Mine; The Coming Storm: The Christmas Stocking Murders
Books I have read
The Mind Of A Murderer by Michael Wood (28 Mar)
A DARK PAST
Dr Olivia Winter is a forensic psychologist whose job is to understand the minds of serial killers. There’s only one monster she can’t understand, her father.
A NEW IDENTITY
Notorious and brutal, he held a reign of terror until he was caught. His nine-year-old daughter was supposed to be his last victim, but she survived.
A SERIAL KILLER WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING
Now, a serial killer is stalking the streets of London. As the body count rises, the police need Olivia’s help to profile him before he can strike again. But to do so, she will need to confront her own demons…
The pulse-pounding brand new thriller from the bestselling author of the Matilda Darke series is available to pre-order now!
Finding Sophie by Imran Mahmood (14 Mar)
Sophie King is missing.
Her parents, Harry and Zara, are distraught; for the last seventeen years, they’ve done everything for their beloved only daughter and now she’s gone.
The police have no leads, and Harry and Zara are growing increasingly frantic, although they are both dealing with it in very different ways. Increasingly obsessed with their highly suspicious neighbour who won’t open the door or answer any questions, they are both coming to the same conclusion. If they want answers, they’re going to have to take the matter into their own hands.
But just how far are they both prepared to go for the love of their daughter?
The Book Of Secrets by Anna Mazzola (21 Mar)
Rome, 1659. Months after the plague has ravaged Rome, men are still dying in unnatural numbers, and rumour has it that their corpses do not decay as they should. The Papal authorities commission prosecutor Stefano Bracchi to investigate, telling him he will need considerable mettle to reach the truth. To the west of the Tiber, Girolama and her female friends are at work, helping other women with childbirths and foretelling their futures. Elsewhere in the city, a young wife, Anna, must find a way to escape her abusive husband. But in a city made by men for men, there are no easy paths out. Stefano’s investigation at the Tor di Nona prison will introduce him to horror, magic and an astonishing cast of characters. He will be left wondering if certain deeds should remain forever unpunished…
City On Fire by Graham Bartlett (21 Mar)
After losing her sister to a drug overdose, Chief Superintendent Jo Howe is desperate to tackle the world of drugs that consumes the shadowy backstreets of Brighton. Operation Eradicate is her response, deploying undercover tactics to collapse drug circles while also providing treatment services to victims of drug abuse. But not everyone sees this as a positive development .
The man behind Respite pharmaceuticals, billionaire Sir Ben Parsons, views Operation Eradicate as a threat to his business. His colossal empire relies on burgeoning numbers of addicts who survive on their substitute drugs. With connections in the highest levels of government, media and organised crime, Sir Ben unleashes a brutal counterattack on Jo. The question is, how will she survive this fierce onslaught?
Not too bad again, huh. Happy enough with the week in the blog. Recap below.
#Review – The Lost Bookshop – Evie Woods #Review – The Guests – Agnes Ravatn, Rosie Hedger #Review – The Housekeepers – Alex Hay #Review – Sweet Dreams – Anders Roslund #Review – The Forcing – Paul E. Hardisty
Just the one blog tour this week, A Soul For A Soul by Carol Wyer. The fifth book in the Kate Young series if you can believe that! I’ll be reviewing tomorrow (Tuesday) which is also publication day.
A Soul For A Soul
And that is my week. I survived my two day training course and managed to finish a run of skills development courses I was on with work as well, so to achieve all I have with the blog on top, I must say I’m pretty content.
Have a wonderful week all. I’m off to get some more reading in. Why not, right?
Happy reading
Jen x
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