So, May has come and gone and I've no idea what I've got to show for it apart from a load of digging in the veggie garden, a week away in Cornwall and my first ever Strictly Come Dancing live show. (As part of the audience, I wasn't on stage seductively dancing the Argentine Tango... ) So really, I suppose that's not a bad month. I also managed to read 9 books, (10 really but I finished book 10 yesterday so I'm counting that for June.)
So these are the books:
42. The Search - Nora Roberts
43. The West Country Winery - Lizzie Lovell
44. Thursdays at Eight - Debbie Macomber
45. Ghosts Among Us - James Van Praagh (very good)
46. Long Road to Mercy - David Baldacci
47. Stans by Me - Ged Gillmore (OK)
48. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers
49. Along the Med on a Bike Called Reggie - Andrew P. Sykes (very good)
50. Battles at Thrush Green - Miss Read (delightful)
Quite a variety there, strangely for me only 2 of them could be called crime stories, the Nora Roberts and the David Baldacci. I'm keeping nicely to my plan of reading at least one science-fiction book a month and last month's, the Becky Chambers, was really good. My non-fic tally was not bad at 3, and I pootled around the world quite widely: All the 'Stans' of Central Asia, from Greece to Portugal on a bike, I spent time in Washington State and California and even travelled into outer space. Not bad for one month.
So now it's June and the start of The 20 Books of Summer challenge.
My list of 20 books is HERE.
And I've started with this non-fiction travel book by Jaqueline Lambert:
There are 4 books in the series and this is book 1, really enjoying it so far.
So, onwards into June. I hope you're all well and finding something good to read.
21 comments:
You are inspiring me to read one more book per month, six instead of five. You are doing so good to read 10, I like Baldacci and Miss Read too. The one about travel with dogs in a van sounds like fun.
Glad to see you haven't slowed down!! I am watching the Queen's Jubilee! I love it when she smiles!
You did read a good variety of books in May. And you're doing better on your science fiction reading goal than I am. I keep getting distracted by other books. ;D Here's to June! May it bring laughter, fun times, and lots of good books.
I am also participating in the 20 books of summer challenge. Happy reading!
Terra: I used to average 6 or 7 books a month, not sure how I got it up to 10, possibly because I read a lot more books on my Kindle than I ever used to.
Pat: No, if anything I've speeded up. I think it's because I read so much on my Kindle and I always find that's quicker.
I hope you enjoyed The Queen's Jubilee. I thought it was wonderful but she's looking quite frail now. I hope I'm that active if I make it to 96!
Lark: I had to rescue you from the spambox again. I wish I knew why this was happening.
I've surprised myself with my science-fiction reading! Yes, here's to June, would be nice to get some good news worldwide.
Cindy: Good luck with your 20 Books challenge, look forward to seeing what you read.
I love how diverse your month was - a bit of everything. I but a couple Nora Roberts audios on hold - Legacy and Nightwork - hope I like them.
That is a lot of variety in your books and so many too. You motivated me to get a copy of The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, I cannot remember if I already told you about that. I will probably wait until after I read the 20 book of summer list before I get to it. And at the rate I am reading now, that may take a while.
I only read 4 books in May, and only one of those was a mystery. The other three were Justine, Balthazar, and Mountolive, books in the Alexandria Quartet by Lawrence Durrell. Now I am going to have to read some nonfiction by him and maybe something by Gerald.
Diane: Yes, there pretty much was a bit of everything in my reading month of May. LOL
I'll be interested to hear what you think of the Nora Roberts books. I actually have Legacy on my library pile funnily enough, but she's not for everyone and it could be that you don't care for her writing. We'll see.
Tracy: I can't remember whether you already told me about the Angry Planet book either. LOL! But I hope you like it when you eventually get to it.
I have Lawrence Durrell's Prospero's Cell on my library pile for the 20 Books challenge. I liked his book about touring Sicily so look forward to reading this one. I really want to read his Alexandria Quartet and will be interested to hear what you thought if you decide to review them. I'm guessing you liked them if you read all three. I adore Gerald's wildlife writing, always so interesting and quite funny.
Oh, it must have been fun to be at Strictly Come, Cath! I'm glad you had a chance to do that. And you're right; you've had a good month of reading. And I'm happy to see you liked most of what you read - that's always so nice, isn't it? It's good to see you enjoyed Battles at Thrush Green. I admit I've not read it, but I hear it's very good, and now here's another person I trust telling me the same thing. I may have to add it to the wish list...
We went to see one of the very first 'Strictly' shows, many years ago now, and thoroughly enjoyed it. My niece was in the Exeter Uni Latin American Dance Team at the time, so we took her with us as a treat.
Nothing would induce me to take a caravanning trip or holiday, but I love the cover art of your latest travel book, sounds like a good light-hearted read!
You have definitely beaten me hands down in the 'Books Read' in a month stakes, but then you always do! I particularly like the sound of 42, 44, 46, and 50 but overall you have a great mix of genres.
Happy June reading :)
Margot: Yes, it was massive fun to see a live performance by the professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing (your version of Dancing with the Stars I believe). Such a joyous event in these unsettling times.
It's 'always' nice to enjoy most of what you read each month. I think I've become better at choosing to be honest. And then I wonder if I should do that quite so intensively because perhaps it's not such a bad thing to not enjoy a book from time to time as then the really good ones are such a joy. Hmm, perhaps I'm over-analysing this a bit!
Miss Read's Thrush Green series is real comfort reading for me. There are troubles and problems but it's all very civilised and gentle. They put me in mind of Miss Marple without the murders!
Yvonne: Oh, that sounds lovely! My youngest daughter bought the tickets for me for Christmas, such a lovely surprise. We stayed overnight in Plymouth so that made it extra special. Such lovely memories to look back on.
I stayed in a caravan only once, it was in a holiday park in Paignton and I was teenager. I remember it as not very comfortable and have never lusted after owning a caravan since. Like you I would not go on a caravanning holiday to save my life.
Yes, I think I'm mixing the genres even more than usual these days. I do like my crime yarns though and always have to have a handful of those in the mix.
Thanks for stopping by to comment. I hope you're having a good weekend. xx
You had a busy reading month, Cath...well done. And I envy your weeklong holiday, too. But just when I was picturing you on stage, you burst my bubble by admitting that you were safely seated somewhere in the studio audience. LOL
Sam: Sorry about disappointing you like that! Tragically, I've never been any kind of dancer, not even been much good at jigging about on the spot. LOL
I must give the Thrush Green novels a go. When I worked in a library in the eighties they were so popular!
Nicola, I really think you would like the Thrush Green books. They're so gentle but also Miss Read was so good at describing the countryside, very underated author.
I thought I had left a comment but it must have been one of those that only take place (eloquently) in one's mind!
Some good books in this assortment. I did try a Miss Read book recently but it was too slow for me. Perhaps I wasn't in the right mood.
I do enjoy Nora Roberts but I rarely remember them afterward, except sometimes the location. I did try to visit her bookstore once but it took us so long to get there that it was closed when we arrived.
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