Back on books (2017)

miamee

When I was much younger I was a voracious reader. Unfortunately when I went to college the amount of reading required killed any passion I had for reading for pleasure and I didn't for a while after. I have gotten back into books over the years but have recently made a conscious decision to spend more time reading. It helps that I now commute one hour each way to work = reading time!

Last year I made the same decision about reading and set myself a reading challenge on Goodreads of 12 books in the year, one per month. I failed with only 11 books So this year, with the new commute, I was more determined and set it at 15 for 2017. I'm at 11 now already and plan to surpass 15 before the end of the year.

My reading taste is usually fantasy fiction; historical fiction; young adult fiction and a few other random bits thrown in there.

I'll update as I finish each book

miamee

Recently finished Murder Most Unladylike (Robin Stevens). It's a children's book aimed at 8-12 year olds, written from the perspective of Hazel and tells of the adventures herself and her friend Daisy get up to solving mysteries, sometimes murders. I wasn't sure how a children's book would deal with murder, no gore but some mention of bloodstains. It's a long time since I was 8-12 years old but I probably would have loved it had it been around then, was always reading mysteries, Enid Blytons Five Find Outers and Dog being a favourite.

miamee

Finished Arsenic for Tea yesterday, the second in the Murder Most Unladlylike series. I was much more enjoyable than the first one ^^, I actually wasn't sure whodunnit til the end myself whereas in the first one I had it pegged quite early on. Anyway, another murder mystery for young girls. The guy who dies is the bad guy so no one has too much sympathy for him :P

Time to move on to a murder mystery for adults I think.

miamee

The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory.

I have been threatening to start on Philippa Gregory for several years now and I loved this, I was completely hooked. I know Gregory herself now recommends reading her books in the chronological order of when they were set not when they were written so I have the earliest timewise, The Lady of the Rivers, in my sights next.

P.S. I watched The Other Boleyn Girl film at the weekend after completeing the book - it is absolutely desperate in comparison and I disliked it intensely. Having said that, OH who had not read the book thought it was alright.

miamee

miamee wrote: »

The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory.

I have been threatening to start on Philippa Gregory for several years now and I loved this, I was completely hooked. I know Gregory herself now recommends reading her books in the chronological order of when they were set not when they were written so I have the earliest timewise, The Lady of the Rivers, in my sights next.

P.S. I watched The Other Boleyn Girl film at the weekend after completeing the book - it is absolutely desperate in comparison and I disliked it intensely. Having said that, OH who had not read the book thought it was alright.

The Lady of the Rivers - Philippa Gregory
I really enjoyed this one about Jacquetta and her rise and fall and rise again. It's been a while since I read it though but it was enjoyable.

miamee

The White Queen - Philippa Gregory
Again, I enjoyed this follow on from The Lady of the Rivers, told from the viewpoint of Jacquetta's daughter Elizabeth but still incorporating the same family and wider group of people. Far too many Edwards and Johns though, I found it hard to remember which one was which at times!

The Red Queen - Philippa Gregory
I enjoyed this one less than the others; it was told from the viewpoint of Margaret Beaufort who I found a distinctly unlikeable character in previous books and not much better in this though it does give a better understanding of her motives.

miamee

The Kingmaker's Daughter - Philippa Gregory
More of the same, I did enjoy this one quite a bit but I think a little break from Philippa Gregory is due!

miamee

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman
Having seen a few people I know recommend this, I had a read of the free sample and then absolutely had to buy the rest. Eleanor is such a great character, her view of the world is so simplistic, funny and yet clever. I'd read way more of her for sure. Over all, the book is sweet, sad, funny and very difficult to put down.

miamee

The Heiress of Linn Hagh (Detective Lavender Mysteries, #1) - Karen Charlton

The Sans Pareil Mystery (Detective Lavender Mysteries, #2) - Karen Charlton

The Sculthorpe Murder (Detective Lavender Mysteries, #3) - Karen Charlton

miamee

The Book of Learning (E.R. Murray)

The Book of Shadows (E.R. Murray)

miamee

The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruis Zafon (re-read)

Oh My God, What a Complete Aisling - Emer McLysaght & Sarah Breen

The White Princess - Philippa Gregory

The Constant Princess - Philippa Gregory

miamee

God I've neglected this a bit, there have been a few more reads since August :eek:

- Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman)
- Knights & Bikes (Gabrielle Kent)
- The King's Curse (Philippa Gregory)
- The Other Side of the Wall (Andrea Mara)
- Assassin's Apprentice (Robin Hobb)
- One Click (Andrea Mara)

miamee

2018
Royal Assassin - Robin Hobb
The Flight of the Wren - Orls McAlinden

2019
Death in the Spotlight - Robin Stevens
Charlie Savege - Roddy Doyle
A Keeper - Graham Norton

miamee

Dracul - Dacre Stoker & J.D. Barker

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Harry's Last Stand - Harry Leslie Smith

Eggshells - Caitriona Lally

Skin Deep - Liz Nugent

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Plague Pits & River Bones - Karen Charlton

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The Shoemaker and his Daughter - Conor O'Clery.

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The Wall - John Lanchester

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The Suspect - Fiona Barton

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Tombland - CJ Sansom

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Into the Water - Paula Hawkins
This is Going to Hurt- Adam Kay
Dead Simple - Peter James

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The Last Place You Look - Kristen Lepionka

The Guggenheim Mystery - Robin Stevens and Siobhan Dowd

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Assassin's Quest - Robin Hobb

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Three Sisters, Three Queens - Philippa Gregory

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Becoming - Michelle Obama

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East of Hounslow - Khurrum Rahman

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The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion

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If the Shoes Fit - Pauline Lawless

Dirty Little Secrets - Jo Spain

Her Kind - Niamh Boyce

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The Good People - Hannah Kent

The Accidental Wife - Orla McAlinden

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Burial Rites- Hannah Kent

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Homegrown Hero -Khurrum Rahman

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55 - James Delargy

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Toffee - Sarah Crossan

Unravelling Oliver - Liz Nugent

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First Class Murder - Robin Stevens
Jolly Foul Play - Robin Stevens

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The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Agatha Christie.

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The Murder on the Links - Agatha Christie

Mammy Walsh's A-Z of the Walsh Family - Marian Keyes

Forget Me Not - Claire Allan

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Lying in wait - Liz Nugent

Nine Perfect Strangers - Lianne Moriarty

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I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

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The Woman Who Stole My Life - Marian Keyes

When the Time Comes - Adele O'Neill

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I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

Everything I Know About Love - Dolly Alderton

The Burning - Jane Casey

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Full of Grace - Orla McAlinden

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The Sleeper Lies - Andrea Mara.

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The Reckoning - Jane Casey

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The Man Who Didn't Call - Rosie Walsh

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Never Greener - Ruth Jones

Sofia Khan is Not Obliged - Ayisha Malik

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The Flatshare - Beth O'Leary

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Blood Orange - Harriet Tyce

Left for Dead - Jane Casey

Don't You Forget About Me - Mhairi McFarlane

From a Low and Quiet Sea - Donal Ryan

Dissolution - CJ Sansom (a re-read)

miamee

Hard Rain - Irma Venter

Your Perfect Year - Charlotte Lucas

No One Home - Tim Weaver

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The Way of All Flesh - Ambrose Parry

The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

If I Never Met You - Mhairi McFarlane

Who's That Girl? - Mhairi McFarlane

The Art of Dying - Ambrose Parry

The Last Girl - Jane Casey

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The Stranger You Know - Jane Casey

Rewind - Catherine Ryan Howard

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Girl, Woman, Other - Bernardine Evaristo

The Kill - Jane Casey