Happy New Year :-)
Here's my usual round-up of my book reviews, what I read in December 2013, plus other posts that have been on the blog, including my recommended reads for 2013. Also, a reflection on reading challenges I signed up for in 2013 and thoughts for 2014.
I managed very little reading over the last few weeks, I couldn't seem to relax into a book. I hope things will pick up very soon. I've been thinking about how many books I've got that I really wanted to read when I bought them, and about making time this year to read these lovely books that I already own. I'd still like to read some new books of course, but I would like my reading to feel more like a choice again and less like a chore. Does that make sense?
I reviewed:
(clicking on the titles takes you to the reviews)
His Father's Son by Tony Black
Kellie at Come-alive Cottage by Wendy Unsworth
Dance the Moon Down by R. L. Bartram
The Undertaking by Audrey Magee
The Forgotten Seamstress by Liz Trenow
Dead Gone by Luca Veste
Quick reviews of:
The Husband's Secret
The Cry
Trust Your Eyes
Cambridge Blue
Until You're Mine
Quick thoughts on:
Pictures at an Exhibition
The Last Family in England
Frost Hollow Hall
Sad Monsters
Guest book review of Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton
Guest book review of The Lives She Left Behind by James Long
I also read:
(thoughts coming soon)
The Blood Whisperer by Zoe Sharp
Road Ends by Mary Lawson
I started reading:
The Humans by Matt Haig
The Facts of Life and Death by Belinda Bauer
I featured on:
We Love This Book - Best Books of 2013
Dizzy C's Little Book Blog - Blog Buddies
Reading Matters - Book Bloggers Advent Calendar
I featured posts and extracts from:
Goodwill Tour - Paying it Forward - Keith Maginn
Guest post by Anna Belfrage
What were your reading highlights this past month?
Reading Challenges from 2013 - updates
Translation Challenge - I managed to read 9 books in translation by my reckoning, I'd hoped for more though, and will keep at this in 2014 too.
To be read pile Challenge - I only read 4 of the 12 I hoped to read (and there were 2 more which I started but it didn't feel like the right time to read them, but will re-try both.)
:-( MUST read the rest this year!
The Classics Club - hardly scratched the surface on this so lots to dive into for me this year.
Non-fiction - again I hoped to read more than I did, so I aim to read this year the ones I bought/received but didn't yet read.
Happy New Year, Lindsay!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about reading for choice not as a chore. I read a lot for other roles I have so in my own reading I always try to read what I want rather than be led.
Happy New Year, Lindsay! Hope your year is filled with many wonderful new books and lots of beautiful reading moments!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year - I think enjoying one's reading is the first priority, but I do hear a little nagging voice coming from my TBR sometimes, saying that I should read something I already own! We'll see... ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnother great year of reading. A happy new year to you and yours Lindsay and happy reading.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Lins.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely with you on going back to basics with reading. Reading for the pleasure rather than the stress and making a choice of what to read and when. I've set quite a low challenge this year and hope to read my own books too.
A great year of reading for you and the challenges you've taken part in.
Looking forward to your posts in 2014.
Shaz
x
Happy New Years!
ReplyDeleteIt is always such a challenge in deciding weather to read books that are piling up or to pick up something new. If I pick up something new the guilt becomes overwhelming :)
Happy reading!