I feel like I’ve been making slow progress through the TBR recently: I definitely haven’t had as much time to read as normal and have been making my way through what I have been reading pretty slowly. I have also got a few review books in – I’m writing up my review of Tom Mole’s “The Secret Life of Books” for Shiny New Books at the moment, and have a few more I’m reading, so not everything I’ve read is appearing on here just yet (but I’ll of course let you know when the reviews are up!). I have acquired some lovely new books, including some light Christmas reading and a gorgeous wintery themed review book, of which more later, and anyone who’s planning to join in on my Anne Tyler re-read/readalong next year please help me decide my schedule (further below).
Diana Wynne Jones – “Power of Three”
(29 August 2019)
I acquired this at Oxfam Books at the same time as the last two birding books I’ve talked about, so never let it be said I don’t read a variety of books! I do love her stuff and although I read this a bit close to the “Howl’s Moving Castle” trilogy, perhaps, I did enjoy it. You think it’s set in a fantasy land and it seems to be at first, with three races at war, and us following the “people” but later on we realise the giants may not be so odd after all, and what if all three see themselves as “people”? (a nice lesson on tolerance there, plus we see a few episodes from multiple points of view, which is also interesting). There was a bit of knowledge to pick up on how the world worked, and a nice central character who thinks he’s normal and untalented, as measured against his siblings with their gifts, and of course it’s a well-constructed story, as DWJ’s always are, but there’s not much more I can really say about it.
Books in
“Fifty Words for Snow” by Nancy Campbell arrived from Elliot & Thompson this week – what a pretty hardback, with a stamped cloth cover. Campbell wrote “The Library of Ice” which I read and reviewed in April last year, and I enjoyed her writing there – here she takes fifty words for snow from around the world and talks about the language, culture and science behind the word and concept. I feel like this will make an ideal Christmas present for the nature and science lover. I’m joining in on a blog tour so will read it during NonFiction November and review it for Shiny and talk about it on this blog at the end of the month, although I can hardly resist dipping into it!
I did a Click and Collect order with The Works last week to get some Christmas cards and they had a paperback sale as usual. As I’m pretty sure we will be holed up at home at Christmas, I thought I could pick up some jolly, light reads, and here they are, Jenny Colgan’s “An Island Christmas” and Cressida McLaughlin’s “The Canal Boat Cafe Christmas” are both parts of series but I am going to ignore that, seeing my bloated Kindle and huge TBR, and Jane Linfoot’s “A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall” and Sophie Pembroke’s “A Wedding on Mistletoe Island” appear to be standalones. I will be re-reading Paul Magrs’ “Stardust and Snow” on Christmas Day but these should cushion the week with some jolliness as well.
And another NetGalley win (so need to do another NetGalley read very soon!), Ryan la Sala’s “Be Dazzled” is a YA novel set in the world of cosplay costume creation, where our hero finds himself up against his ex-boyfriend in a competition to make the most dazzling outfit for a big competition. It sounds fun and quirky and isn’t out until January 2021 so is not pressing in on me just yet, which feels quite important in avoiding overwhelm!
Have you read any of these or acquired anything new? This is supposed to be my quiet period where I keep aware of Christmas and birthday possible incomings, but I’m not sure any except possibly the first one are likely to appear there …
Anne Tyler schedule
So a couple of people have shown interest in joining my Anne Tyler re-read readalong which I’m planning next year, culminating in “Redhead by the Side of the Road” which I have been waiting to come out in paperback, as everything else I have by her is paperback, although occasionally large, QPD paperback (are they still going? Once I’d wriggled out of their Book of the Month I did get some good bargains there!).
There are 23 novels (at the moment) which makes two per month for a year or one per month for two years and I have to wait two years to read “Redhead”. The books are never very long, and I don’t think anyone else is going to do them ALL, so would two a month be OK for people? Maybe the first to be read and reviewed by the 15th of the month and the second by the last day? Does that feel doable? Or would you rather one a month, or three months to read any or all of a particular six? I do want to do them in publication order, but that’s the only stipulation. Please let me know!
Oct 26, 2020 @ 12:04:35
I hope you’re enjoying The Secret Life of Books. I also have Fifty Words for Snow to review, though I might save it for proper wintertime.
I think a two a month strategy seems sensible for Tyler. I’ll dip in and out with the ones I own but haven’t read yet.
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Oct 27, 2020 @ 05:36:26
I did enjoy The Secret Life. I have committed to posting about Fifty Words on Nov 29 so will read it a little closer to the date when it’s got more wintery! And thank you for your vote for two a month!
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Oct 26, 2020 @ 14:35:47
I must see if I have an Anne Tyler in the 746 (I’m sure I do!) and see if I can join in with you.
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Oct 27, 2020 @ 05:36:53
Surely you must! Hope you can join in! I’ll make a project page with a schedule soon.
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Oct 26, 2020 @ 15:03:48
Be Dazzled sounds SO much fun. For some reason I love YA about things like cosplay which I know absolutely nothing about!
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Oct 27, 2020 @ 05:37:42
Yes, I know what you mean! I also love their sometimes completely unrealistic inclusivity.
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Oct 26, 2020 @ 17:00:43
Some interesting incomings! Sometimes it *does* seem like we’re making slow progress – my current read (nearly 600 pages) for Shiny is having that effect! ;D
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Oct 27, 2020 @ 05:38:20
Wow! I’ve got a big one for Shiny but it’s not that big, and I bet your one is a Hard Book, too!
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Oct 27, 2020 @ 07:32:36
Not too hard – Paul Morley on classical music! 🤣
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Oct 26, 2020 @ 18:52:17
I had either missed or forgotten you were doing Anne Tyler, I am tempted as I haven’t read them all, and the ones I did read were read years ago. I couldn’t manage two a month, but I won’t commit to the whole thing anyway but I will try and do some. Great idea for a reading challenge.
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Oct 27, 2020 @ 05:39:51
I’m not sure I’ve been talking about it that much, and of course I’ve not seen you as much as usual for booky talk 😦 It would be lovely to have you join in – so you’d be OK with me scheudling two a month given that in an ideal world you’d only partake in one of them max anyway (but we all know you will have a run of five or something!). Anyway, as we know, anything read later is also fine!
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Oct 29, 2020 @ 15:38:19
I still have a few Anne Tyler books to read. I’ll be glad to join in and read one of those if that counts? I’ve already read Redhead. My favorite is the Accidental Tourist from long ago. The movie is also good–I’ve enjoyed it many times.
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Oct 29, 2020 @ 15:43:01
Yes, that will be lovely! I’m not really expecting anyone else to read all of them, it’s just I have them and want to. But I’ll be expecting people to drop in and out, pop in for one or two, or whatever. You can either comment on my post or link to your own blog post or link to mine in yours, I really don’t mind. Nice and free and easy!
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Oct 29, 2020 @ 17:23:38
Ok! Did you pick a date? Please not November, lol. I have a speadsheet for all the short books I’m reading for the many challenges once my coursework is DONE mid-month [till January].
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Oct 29, 2020 @ 17:41:56
It’ll be all year next year, two a month, in order of publication. I will put a schedule up soon. But to be honest I am always happy to hear other people’s opinions on the books I read, so I really don’t mind if people wait to post thoughts or links! I’m still getting comments on my Iris Murdoch one which finished last Dec and I LOVE that.
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