Reading roundup 22/11/23

Welcome to this week’s post about my reading journey. Today I have three books to write about. These are the first three in a crime series by Lesley McEvoy: Dr Jo McCready…

I actually read the books out of order because I found book 2, The Killing Song, on the library’s ebook collection first. When I realised that I really enjoyed it, I bought the other two books. Here, I am going to present them in series order, starting with the blurb for The Murder Mile…

“”Jo, it’s me. We’ve found another body.”

A body is discovered on a canal towpath in the small Yorkshire town of Shipley. DCI Callum Ferguson calls on forensic psychologist Jo McCready to help investigate the mysterious crime.

The victim is the second to be found on the canal in as many weeks, and Jo believes a single killer is responsible. Then, when one of her troubled patients is found brutally murdered, a puzzling connection is the murderer taking inspiration from the most notorious serial killer in Britain’s history?

As DCI Ferguson and Jo McCready race to find the killer, the investigation takes more twists and turns than Yorkshire’s canals. And with more questions than answers, can they solve it before another body turns up?”

And here is my response on Goodreads:

The Murder MileThe Murder Mile by Lesley Mcevoy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic read and, if I could, I would rate it as 4.5 or very nearly 5. I loved the main character. The author wrote a fully rounded and well developed woman with strengths and flaws. The other main protagonists were also interesting and varied.

As I have read this series out of order, I already knew something about how this one would turn out, but the book didn’t disappoint in any way. I am now going to pick up the third episode immediately as I cannot wait to see what Jo does next.

View all my reviews

By the way, I rated all three books as four stars; two were almost the full five. OK, now the blurb for the second book, The Killing Song…

“On a busy train station platform, a man pulls a knife and viciously attacks another passenger before fleeing – apparently unaware of what he has just done.

To the police, it looks like a terrorist attack. But Forensic Psychologist Dr Jo McCready has seen this bizarre behaviour before, in controversial psychological experiments. She knows this is no random killing spree.

When a botched cold case resurfaces, and the mistress of a controversial billionaire philanthropist is found dead, Jo discovers all these crimes are tangled up in the same web of deadly local secrets. Secrets that some will kill to protect . . .”

This was my review on Goodreads:

The Killing Song (Dr. Jo McCready #2)The Killing Song by Lesley Mcevoy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a thoroughly absorbing read and an excellent crime novel. There were so many twists and turns with a very satisfying ending. Enough was left to lead on to the next book. The heroine was well drawn, from the expertise of the author herself, and I liked how she had her own issues and flaws.

I now have to reverse and read the first book in the series! I hope this is as gripping.

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And, finally, we have the third episode, A Deadly Likeness. This is the blurb:

“Jacob Malecki killed fifteen people over a thirteen-year period.

At the height of the murders, Dr. Jo McCready was at university and, as an exercise, compiled a profile of Malecki, which broke open the case and helped send him down for life.

Twenty-five years later a copycat killer is re-creating his murders. What’s more, Malecki offers to help the police catch him from his own prison cell.

Malecki claims he’s repenting for his crimes. Jo doubts it, but as the body count rises, she can’t ignore the killer’s offer. What does he really want – and can Jo find out before anyone else dies?”

I wrote this short review a short time ago:

A Deadly Likeness (Dr. Jo McCready #3)A Deadly Likeness by Lesley Mcevoy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third part of the excellent Dr Jo McCready series. I have just read all three very quickly and finished this book a few minutes ago.

The plot was very complex this time with recurring main characters and some interesting new ones. The author obviously enjoyed teasing her readers with hints as to who might have done it, but, for once, I didn’t guess the final twist.

There were a little too many long explanations of the human body and I spotted another homonym (proof readers should be more careful – that’s several so far in three books!). All in all, this is a gripping series and I look forward to another episode.

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I am not at all sure which genre I will read next, but perhaps not crime after that three book spree!

Happy Reading to you all.

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 17/11/23: with some lovely scarves

Welcome to today’s post. I have been spending a lot of time in bed, but I am making an effort to go downstairs and be with my Lovely Husband over lunch. I also decided that I should try to wear some nice outfits on those days, rather than just staying in pyjamas. So, here are a few examples…

Outfit of the day 15/11/23 with Hermès’ Tulipomanie scarf

Outfit details: my new cashmere jumper by Marks and Spencer, grey cord trousers by Lands’ End, grey crystal earrings by Swarovski, and Tulipomanie silk 90cm scarf by Hermès.

I have been wondering whether this new multicoloured jumper would work with a scarf and was so pleased when a lovely comment arrived on the blog suggesting this combination. Yes, I think it does work! When I have the energy, I will try some different ties showing other parts of the scarf to see what looks best. I will definitely wear this outfit again soon as it really raised my spirits.

These are some other scarves that I wore this week. I am going to have some fun with my choices. The scarf boxes are in a fairly random pile in my bedroom. Anyway, each day I pick the scarf at the top of the pile, then choose a suitable jumper to wear with it (I now have quite a collection of jumpers in lots of colours). Obviously, one of the three was not by Hermès. I had a little rummage in my capacious scarf drawer for that one! Well, it amuses me…

These are larger images of the scarves:

I wonder which scarf will be at the top of the pile tomorrow?

Happy Weekend everyone!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 15/11/23

Dear friends and visitors, welcome to this week’s post! I had a strange kind of week in terms of reading, as you will see…

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Eriksen

The first book that I chose was Gardens of the Moon (#01 Malazan Book of the Fallen) by Steven Eriksen. This appealed to me because I really love fantasy novels and I was really looking forward to beginning a nice exciting series. Well, I should have taken the advice of the author! In a very long foreword, he advises readers that the book has multiple characters, settings and story arcs. In fact he also warns that readers may find the beginning confusing and that if they haven’t got into the book by about a third of the way in, then the book might not be the right one for them.

Why didn’t I take that advice? Why?

I have real memory issues, as I have often written on this blog. I also struggle with concentration.

So, why did I try to read this book?

I did get about 65% through before taking a break (giving up). Anyway, I am going to leave it there because my brain felt totally scrambled by the time I stopped. Yes, there were great scenes and interesting characters, but… it was ALL TOO MUCH for my poor brain!!!

So… let us turn to the book that I did finish…

Haven by Emma Donoghue

This time I chose something so completely different that it was also far beyond my usual fare: Haven by Emma Donoghue. This is the blurb:

“Around the year 600, three men vow to leave the world behind and set out in a small boat for an island their leader has seen in a dream, with only faith to guide them

In seventh-century Ireland, a scholar priest named Artt has a dream in which God tells him to leave the sinful world behind. With two monks–young Trian and old Cormac–he rows down the River Shannon in search of an isolated spot in which to found a monastery. Drifting out into the Atlantic, the three men find the impossibly steep, bare island known today as Skellig Michael. In such a place, what will survival mean?”

I read this very quickly and was most surprised by how much I enjoyed this strange book. This is my response on Goodreads:

HavenHaven by Emma Donoghue
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a strange choice for me with a story about the lives of three monks living on a tiny remote island. Not at all the sort of thing that I usually read!

However, I found it strangely compelling. The daily struggles to survive in such a harsh place were really informative and interesting. I applaud the author’s depth of research on these matters. The relationships between the three monks were also well drawn as the harsh conditions began to affect them.

I imagine that readers who are religious may respond very differently to me. The fanaticism of the lead monk became more and more repellent as the book progressed.

All in all, I am glad that I decided to read this book and have already chosen another one by the author.

View all my reviews

That makes it the third book that I have read by Emma Donoghue. I find her writing really intriguing as those three have all been so very different.

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 10/11/23: it was my birthday this week!

Hello friends and visitors! Yes, it was my birthday on Wednesday and I am feeling a mixture of emotions. Shock at the age I now am (surely, I am still in my fifties?) and pleasure at being with all of my chaps this year. Younger Son came over for a swift visit and it feels as if the sun came out on a gloomy day!

It was a quiet and peaceful day with lots of hugs and conversation. I spent the day in bed as I am still very unwell with this relapse from my usual state. All three of my men visited me at intervals and we chatted and laughed about all kinds of things.

If you are a regular visitor to the blog, you may have already seen some of my birthday gifts. Here they are…

In addition, my sister gave me a lovely bracelet from Canada. I have been wearing the purple sweater for the last couple of days. It’s so warm and cosy and I have several scarves that look lovely with it. This one that I recently purchased from One Hundred Stars (Kew Protea Scarf) works well…

I must wear the gorgeous cashmere jumper during the next few days and take some photos. I am not sure whether it would work with a scarf, probably not. A necklace might be OK though. What do you think?

Right, I must stop writing this now. Younger Son is leaving soon and I have to hold on to my emotions as best I can.

Happy Weekend to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 08/11/23

Hello and welcome to this week’s Reading Roundup! I have one book to write about today. At the moment, I am reading an extremely long ebook, so long that I am not sure whether I will be able to finish it by next week’s post!

Anyway, here is the book that I have completed…

Wayward by Blake Crouch

Wayward is the second part in Blake Crouch’s series, Wayward Pines. Some of you may remember that I discussed the first book, Pines, quite recently on the blog. This is the blurb:

“It’s the perfect town . . . as long as you don’t try to leave.Nestled amid picture-perfect mountains, the idyllic town of Wayward Pines is a modern-day Eden – at least at first glance.Except that within its fences, the residents are told where to work, how to live, and who to marry. None of them know how they got here. Some believe they are dead. Others think they’re trapped in an unfathomable experiment. Everyone secretly dreams of leaving, but those who dare face a terrifying surprise.As sheriff, Ethan Burke is tasked with enforcing the town’s laws, and he’s one of the few entrusted with the truth – even though, for all his knowledge, he’s as much a prisoner of Wayward Pines as anyone else.But when a murder investigation draws him deeper into the town’s inner workings, Ethan learns that its past is darker than even he suspected – and finds himself faced with an impossible choice.The second novel in Blake Crouch’s blockbuster series, Wayward delves deeper into the irresistible mysteries and horrors of this perfect little town, even as it asks what it means to live with secrets – and what price we’ll pay for the truth.”

I devoured this book! It only took me less than a couple of days to read as it was so gripping. This is my review from the Goodreads website…

Wayward (Wayward Pines Book 2)Wayward by Blake Crouch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a great sequel to the first book and set things up nicely for the conclusion. As many other readers have already said, it is very difficult to write about the plot without giving too much away. I will say, though, that the book had surprising and interesting revelations and a nerve wracking plot.

The book seized my attention and imagination so much that I couldn’t stop reading and I finished it very quickly.

I am really looking forward to the final book, although I will have to wait in the library queue until mid-December!

View all my reviews

Apologies for the short review, but it was impossible to write more without giving away multiple spoilers. I can’t wait to read the final part of the series!

It’s actually my birthday today, and I hope I can find some time later to read.

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 03/11/23

Well, it’s Friday already so welcome to the post! To be honest, it has been a pretty awful week for me. Other members of the family have been reasonably OK, with some good news from Younger Son and fantastic help and support from Elder Son and Lovely Husband, but I have been struggling. I am not going to write out any details because it is far too personal. All I can say is that I have been very low mentally and have been stuck in bed all week, unable to go downstairs.

Today, however, I have been feeling a little better so I am planning a long, lazy bath, then a pot of tea and a good book. That should set me right!

It’s my birthday next week, so I hope to be able to write a better post next Friday with pictures of my presents (assuming that I receive some!!).

Here’s a lovely image to finish off this post…

Screenshot from @ArtNouveauDeco on Twitter – accessed 01/10/2023

Happy Weekend to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 01/11/23

Welcome to this week’s post! Last week I wrote about the first two books in a fantasy trilogy I had really enjoyed. This week I finished the third…

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

The series by Andrea Stewart is The Drowning Empire and this final book is The Bone Shard War. Here is the blurb:

“The Bone Shard War is the epic finale to the unmissable, action-packed and magic-laced Drowning Empire series.

Lin Sukai has won her first victory as Emperor, but the future of the Phoenix Empire hangs in the balance – and Lin is dangerously short of allies.

As her own governors plot treason, the Shardless Few renew hostilities. Worse still, Lin discovers her old nemesis Nisong has joined forces with the rogue Alanga, Ragan. Both seek her death.

Yet hopes lies in history. Legend tells of seven mythic swords, forged in centuries past. If Lin can find them before her enemies, she may yet be able to turn the tide.

If she fails, the Sukai dynasty – and the entire empire – will fall.”

I really enjoyed reading the series and can’t wait to see what Andrea Stewart’s incredible imagination comes up with next! When I wrote this review on Goodreads I did have some reservations about the last episode:

The Bone Shard War (The Drowning Empire, #3)The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I definitely enjoyed the trilogy as a whole, but this book did not quite live up to the others. It was too long, for a start. Whilst the characters were interesting and developed over the three books, some of them became very annoying in the finale.

I also felt that the magic elements became over complicated and confusing with new developments that didn’t really make sense or add much to the plot.

All in all, the ideas behind the books were very inventive and much of the writing was excellent, with a few caveats. I will certainly look out for new books by Andrea Stewart as I am sure that she has even better ones to come.

View all my reviews

I have now returned to another series that I am enjoying, so I hope to be able to write about this book next week.

Until then: Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 27/10/23: with a lovely treat!

Welcome to this Friday’s post! In terms of our health issues, we seem to be trundling along reasonably well. Lovely Husband is slowly getting stronger, Elder Son has gone back to work and Younger Son is investigating a huge change in the direction of his life. As for me, well I am struggling to get out of bed. My long term physical conditions are having a strong impact. I suppose it is all a reaction to the events of the past few months when I had to force myself to step up and take control of the household whilst LH was so incapacitated.

Anyhow, I decided that I deserved another treat. My birthday is coming up and I usually get myself a present (good excuse!!). Also, at this time of year I tend to add a couple of new jumpers to my wardrobe. I simply couldn’t resist this lovely cashmere crew neck from Marks and Spencer’s Autograph Collection…

Pure Cashmere Ombre Crew Neck Jumper – Marks and Spencer

The colours are beautiful and the cashmere is really soft and comfortable to wear. I don’t think a scarf would work with it – what do my readers think? A necklace might, though. I will try my lapis lazuli pendant or my pearls and see what works. There also may be something else in my collection of cheap and cheerful jewellery that would enhance this gorgeous jumper.

Happy Weekend to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Reading roundup 25/10/23

Hello and welcome to this week’s post. Every Wednesday I like to write about the books I have read during the previous week. I add each book on the Goodreads website so that I can link to my quick reviews/responses on there and so that I can maintain a list of my books and track my reading habits.

Here is the first book…

The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

I chose this book purely at random: The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart, #01 The Drowning Empire. First of all, the title and the series intrigued me greatly: what fantastic images these words conjured in my mind! Then the blurb sounded interesting…

“Magic. Revolution. Identity.

The Emperor’s reign has lasted for decades, his mastery of bone shard magic powering the animal-like constructs that maintain law and order. But now his rule is failing, and revolution is sweeping across the Empire’s many islands.

Lin is the Emperor’s daughter and she spends her days trapped in a palace of locked doors and dark secrets. When her father refuses to recognise her as heir to the throne, she vows to prove her worth by mastering the forbidden art of bone shard magic.

Yet such power carries a great cost, and when the revolution reaches the gates of the palace, Lin must decide how far she is willing to go to claim her birthright – and save her people.

The Bone Shard Daughter is an unmissable fantasy debut – a captivating tale of magic, revolution and mystery, where a young woman’s sense of identity will make or break an empire.”

And this was my response on Goodreads:

The Bone Shard Daughter (The Drowning Empire, #1)The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an excellent fantasy book and well worth reading. The different threads for each of the main characters were a little challenging at first, but it became easier to sort them all out as they became woven together.

The world building was superb and the plot was different and intriguing. Each of the main characters were well drawn and developed across the book. I am not surprised to see that the book has been nominated for awards and also won many. I will definitely read more books in this series and by this author.

View all my reviews

As you can see, I enjoyed the book so much that I awarded it the full five stars, bought the rest of the series and immediately began to read the second book!

The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart

The second book is The Bone Shard Emperor and I just finished reading it yesterday. This is the blurb…

“Andrea Stewart returns with The Bone Shard Emperor, the second installment of this unmissable, action-packed, magic-laced fantasy epic.

The Emperor is Dead. Long live the Emperor.  
 
Lin Sukai finally sits on the throne she won at so much cost, but her struggles are only just beginning. Her people don’t trust her. Her political alliances are weak. And in the north-east of the Empire, a rebel army of constructs is gathering, its leader determined to take the throne by force.  
 
Yet an even greater threat is on the horizon, for the Alanga – the powerful magicians of legend – have returned to the Empire. They claim they come in peace, and Lin will need their help in order to defeat the rebels and restore peace.  
 
But can she trust them?”

I dived into this book and read it pretty quickly too! Here is my quick review on Goodreads…

The Bone Shard Emperor (The Drowning Empire, #2)The Bone Shard Emperor by Andrea Stewart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was another enjoyable read in the series. Once again, the main characters continued to be realistically developed, as much as magically talented characters can be realistic! The plot took some very interesting steps forward, although the first parts of the book wandered around quite a bit.

I liked the way that LGB characters were woven into the story in natural and realistic ways, without some of the unnecessary fanfares which can be jarring in some other books.

The plot picked up its pace in the final sections and became much more gripping and exciting, leading the way towards the third (and final?) book. I am really looking forward to finding out what happens next.

View all my reviews

I am now going to bring this post to a close and pick up the third book in the series: The Bone Shard War.

Happy Reading to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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Friday post 20/10/23

Hi, dear friends and visitors to my blog. For the past few months, I have been using the Friday posts to write about my family’s difficulties with our health and the fallout from these. I am pleased to be able to say that this aspect of our lives seems to be settling down for now (well, I jolly well hope so!). Lovely Husband is very slowly becoming stronger and more mobile. The stairlift has made such a difference to him and he is also starting to potter around the kitchen again – he has always been the family cook. We all ended up with the nasty virus that sent me to hospital, but we are now all almost over it, which is great. Younger Son is trying to choose a new path for his life and we also taken the time to listen to his ideas and plans. I wish he weren’t so far away.

I am trundling along as ever, trying to help with family matters but also resting quite a lot. We have had quite a major issue to sort out with Elder Son. I won’t go into the details, as those are his own private business, but I had to get up extremely early on Wednesday to go into a meeting as his “support Mum”! I only just managed to do this, but then I will try to do just about anything for my three “chaps”.

Anyway, this is the outfit that I wore:

Outfit of the day 18/10/23 with Hermès’ Mythiques Phoenix Coloriage scarf

For Wednesday’s meeting, I decided to stick with the idea of a navy column with added interest from a gorgeous scarf. The navy cotton twinset is Lands’ End, the jeans are Klass and I wore navy shoes by Hotter (not in the collage). I accessorised the outfit with gold earrings, and a pink enamel and gold bangle by Halcyon Days. The finishing touch was Hermès’ Mythiques Phoenix Coloriage silk scarf in shades of pink, a deep red, airforce blue and white. I tied the scarf casually, using a gold tone scarf ring by MaiTai. My handbag from Massaccesi picked up the dusky blue shades in the scarf.

The whole outfit helped me to feel confident and as strong as possible, despite my numerous health conditions. There will eventually be a second meeting and, if LH is unable to attend, I will have to go instead. If I concentrate on creating a lovely outfit, it might help combat my nervousness!

I will show you a larger image of the scarf (apologies for the lack of sharpness. I cannot find a better one). If you are interested, here is the link to the Scarf of the Moment post I wrote about it.

Mythiques Phoenix Coloriage by Laurence Bourthoumieux for Hermès
Mythiques Phoenix Coloriage by Laurence Bourthoumieux for Hermès

Happy Weekend to you all!

Love and best wishes,

Anne

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