Book Reviews

‘The best moments in reading are when you come across something - a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things - which you had thought special and particular to you. And now, here it is, set down by someone else, a person you have never met, someone even who is long dead. And it is as if a hand has come out, and taken yours.’ Alan Bennett

“Many a book is like a key to unknown chambers within the castle of one’s own self.” ― Franz Kafka

Saturday, 13 July 2013

Six Months of Books - 2013

I've spotted this half-year round up on several blogs now and it looks fun to take part in; rather than just trying to write a list of best books read so far in 2013 it highlights different aspects of our reading. It was introduced by Jo at The Book Jotter and you can adapt the categories to suit.

Here are my six sixes from the first half of 2013 - six authors or books in six different categories, covering some of the books I've read in the past six months!


Six authors who are new to me:
  1. Essie Fox
  2. Robert Goolrick
  3. Jonathan Tropper
  4. Ann Weisgarber
  5. Eva Hudson
  6. Hannah Richell


Six authors I've read before:
  1. Martin Edwards
  2. Lynn Shepherd
  3. Louise Voss & Mark Edwards
  4. Stefan Zweig
  5. Claire McGowan
  6. Alexander McCall Smith


Six debut novels I've been impressed by:
  1. The View on the Way Down by Rebecca Wait
  2. Just What Kind of Mother Are You? by Paula Daly
  3. The Night Rainbow by Claire King
  4. The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
  5. Amity and Sorrow by Peggy Riley
  6. The Things We Never Said by Susan Elliot Wright


Six books I've enjoyed the most:
  1. Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer
  2. After the Fall by Charity Norman
  3. The Lost by Claire McGowan
  4. The Promise by Ann Weisgarber
  5. Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth
  6. The Aftermath by Rhidian Brook


Six books from authors I know will never let me down:
  1. Human Remains by Elizabeth Haynes
  2. The Memory of Lost Senses by Judith Kinghorn
  3. Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde
  4. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
  5. A Treacherous Likeness by Lynn Shepherd
  6. The Arsenic Labyrinth by Martin Edwards


Six books I've read in an English translation:
  1. Alex by Pierre Lemaitre
  2. Every Seventh Wave by Daniel Glattauer
  3. Journey into the Past by Stefan Zweig
  4. The Library of Unrequited Love by Sophie Divry
  5. The President's Hat by Antoine Laurain
  6. Fear by Stefan Zweig


How about your choices this year so far?
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23 comments:

  1. Unknown13 July 2013 at 10:54

    Bitter Greens seems to be on a lot of these lists - I think I need to read it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:13

      Thanks for commenting Jackie. I'm glad that lots of people are enjoying Bitter Greens, it was something different for me and I really liked it.

      Delete
    2. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:13

      I hope you like it if you read it.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous13 July 2013 at 12:22

    Thanks for joining in - always great to pick up new authors and books!

    And you have just reminded me I have not read any McCall Smith this year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:14

      Thanks for doing this Jo, it was a really nice way to think about what reading I've done so far this year. I really enjoyed picking up a McCall Smith again after not reading one for a while. It was a Ladies Detective series book.

      Delete
  3. Carol 13 July 2013 at 14:22

    Great meme. Think I will join in.

    Carol
    DizzyC

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    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:15

      Thanks for commenting Carol. It's a great idea by Jo isn't it.

      Delete
  4. Felicity Grace Terry13 July 2013 at 16:00

    A good idea to do a six monthly post like this, I like the fact that it is broken down in this way as well.

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    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:15

      Thanks for commenting Tracy. It was fun to do this and required some thought but very enjoyable too.

      Delete
  5. Bakey13 July 2013 at 17:01

    This is a great idea :)

    Here's mine:

    http://bakeysbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/six-books-six-months-2013_13.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:27

      Thanks for commenting Sam. Been to check out your list and commented! :)

      Delete
  6. Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews14 July 2013 at 11:36

    Hi Lindsay,

    First of all, let me thank you so much for makig your first visit to Fiction Books, last week and for leaving comment on my 'Book Beginnings' post. I love 'meeting' new people, so your visits are always sure to to be welcomed and your comments most definitely always appreciated.

    I love the idea of this mid year post, although I fear that I would struggle to make such comprehensive listings, as my reading time has been woefully lacking in the last few months, probably not helped by the time I then take out for blogging!

    So many of your authors and books are completely new to me, that I shall be spending some time checking them all out, just in case I am missing the next great 'find'.

    The one author whoes name does stand out as one I have read and throughly enjoyed, is Catherine Ryan Hyde, although I haven't read the particular book which you feature.

    I have also heard good things about Louise Voss and Mark Edwards and their books have been on my list for some time now!

    Let battle commence with this mammouth research task and then making space for books and authors on one list or another!!

    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:16

      Thanks very much for commenting Yvonne. I know what you mean about reading time, I think, and there are so many other books that I'd hoped to have read by now this year, that are still waiting for me to read them. I hope you might find a new author or two here that you will enjoy. :)

      Delete
  7. Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews14 July 2013 at 11:36

    Hi Lindsay,

    First of all, let me thank you so much for makig your first visit to Fiction Books, last week and for leaving comment on my 'Book Beginnings' post. I love 'meeting' new people, so your visits are always sure to to be welcomed and your comments most definitely always appreciated.

    I love the idea of this mid year post, although I fear that I would struggle to make such comprehensive listings, as my reading time has been woefully lacking in the last few months, probably not helped by the time I then take out for blogging!

    So many of your authors and books are completely new to me, that I shall be spending some time checking them all out, just in case I am missing the next great 'find'.

    The one author whoes name does stand out as one I have read and throughly enjoyed, is Catherine Ryan Hyde, although I haven't read the particular book which you feature.

    I have also heard good things about Louise Voss and Mark Edwards and their books have been on my list for some time now!

    Let battle commence with this mammouth research task and then making space for books and authors on one list or another!!

    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  8. Unknown15 July 2013 at 02:46

    Thank you so much for including BITTER GREENS on your best of the year list! I'm so glad you loved it so much. Let me know if you'd ever like to talk to me about my book, or ask me any questions. And, please, look out for my new book THE WILD GIRL :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:19

      Thank you for taking the time to comment Kate. I really enjoyed Bitter Greens and love spreading the word about special books. I am hoping to read The Wild Girl and be part of the HFVBT tour again in August! I would be happy to feature you on my blog! :)

      Delete
  9. Annegret15 July 2013 at 07:07

    I loved to read "Every Seventh Wave" - Daniel Glattauer. Did you read the first book "Love Virtually". This is the beginning of the story of Leo and Emmi.

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    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:17

      Thanks for commenting Annegret. Yes, I did read Love Virtually too, and enjoyed them both very much.

      Delete
  10. So many books, so little time15 July 2013 at 13:32

    Ooooh I like this one, I need to arrange my time better so I can do something like this.

    Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

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    Replies
    1. Lindsay15 July 2013 at 15:17

      Thanks for commenting Lainy. It was enjoyable thinking back in order to compile this. I could have spent longer but had to stop somewhere. :)

      Delete
  11. JoAnn17 July 2013 at 03:32

    You've done a great job organizing your categories! I read Jonathan Tropper's This Is Where I Leave You a little over a year ago and thought it was the funniest book I'd read in ages. I look forward to reading his other books.

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    Replies
    1. Lindsay18 July 2013 at 18:09

      Thanks for commenting JoAnn, and for your kind words. I would read more by him too now I think.

      Delete
  12. Unknown22 July 2013 at 21:21

    Looks like you've had a great 6 months! I think I'd struggle to make a list like this but it is a great way to evaluate your reading patterns and bad habits. I don't know if I'd be able to pick six books I've read in translation! It's something I know I'm bad at doing.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and leave a comment. It's great reading your comments and I really appreciate them :)

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