The Asylum by Karen Coles

Started: 8.11.26

Finished: 11.11.26

Paperback

The story of Maud, a patient in an asylum suffering from traumatic amnesia, and Dr Dimmond, who uses hypnosis to try to help her remember the past. But "...when Maud remembers what has been done to her, and by whom, her mind turns... to revenge".

I just happened to be reading this book around the same time that a British 'celebrity' was sent to prison for rape and sexual assault, and another male 'celebrity' was accused of grooming teenage girls. There has been, quite rightly, an increase in conversations about misogyny and the despicable behaviour of some men, and even though this book is fictional and set in 1906, well, it was a bit like reading about the present day. I'm feeling a lot of anger at the moment...

Dead Of Winter by Darcy Coates

Started: 6.11.26

Finished: 8.11.26

Paperback

Survival horror set in a remote cabin during a harsh winter storm. Short chapters if that's your thing; I kept having to hide the last few lines of each one otherwise my eyes would jump ahead to see what the cliffhanger was going to be. Lots of those eye-rolling moments where you want to shout at the main character "why did you do that?" but a good story, overall. I've read quite a few Darcy Coates books and I think she's a pretty consistent author; if you like her style of writing, then you can't really go wrong. 

The Lies Of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Started: 30.10.26

Finished: 6.11.26

Paperback

Aaah, this was so good!!! I love this little band of thieves! I love that there's one we haven't even met yet! I love this weird world of glass and alchemy! I can't wait to see where their next adventures lead them!

Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter

Started: 21.10.26

DNF: 1.11.26

Kindle

In an attempt to stay off of Reddit (I've now uninstalled the app), I thought I'd try and have a non-fiction book on the go on my phone, and I've been dipping in and out of this one for a while. I think I've been losing interest in it recently though, so I'm calling it a day.

October Reading Wrap-Up

1. Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry

'Final Girls' and female friendships, slightly disappointing ending.

2. Boy's Life by Robert McCammon

Magical, whimsical, nostalgic - loved it!

3. Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi

Started off ok, but then I found myself skipping bits. Overhyped.

4. The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

DNF

5. Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi

Enjoyed this, definitely want to read more of his books

6. A Murder Of Crows by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

Was hoping this was a series I could get stuck into, but didn't really warm to the characters

7. Full by Paul Dermody

Lots of platitudes about being kind to yourself around food

8. The Mysterious Case Of The Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Ok, but I might be getting a bit tired of this format now.

9. After The People Lights Have Gone Off by Stephen Graham Jones

DNF, I think SGJ might be just a bit too weird for me

10. An English Ghost Story by Kim Newman

DNF, ghosts, yes, but just not my kind of ghosts. And a very annoying family.

11. The Hundred Year Old Man Who... by Jonas Jonasson

Fun!

12. The Cabin At The End Of The World by Paul Tremblay

Terrifying!

13. The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Really good, based around the Pendle Witch Trials

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Started: 28.10.26

Finished: 30.10.26

Paperback

I think this is the second Stacey Halls book I've read, the first being Mrs England, and I've enjoyed both of them.

This one is set around the time of the Pendle Witch Trials, and though it's fiction, it does feature some real people. It's a fiercely feminist story of women trying to help other women, and the dangerous lengths they have to go to in order to survive and fight the powers that be.

The Cabin At The End Of The World by Paul Tremblay

Started: 25.10.26

Finished: 28.10.26

Paperback

Now this was terrifying! A family holiday descends into horror with the arrival of four strangers who refuse to leave until they've delivered their message and awaited the outcome. Every parents' worst nightmare, not knowing whether your child will be safe, or if you'll be able to protect them. The tension throughout was unbearable; I'm sure there were moments where my heart was racing or I was forgetting to breathe! The fact that these were just 'normal' people is what made it so scary; this kind of thing can (and does) happen. Not exactly 'enjoyable' but five stars for psychological terror vibes! 

The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out Of The Window And Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson

Started: 24.10.26

Finished: 25.10.26

Paperback

The present, and past, adventures of 100 year old Allan Karlsson - this was a really fun book! 

An English Ghost Story by Kim Newman

Started: 21.10.26

DNF: 24.10.26

Paperback

I really thought a book called "An English Ghost Story" would be perfect for me, but I haven't been able to finish this one. It's about a family called the Naremores who are seeking to start a new life for themselves in the countryside, in a house called The Hollows, the former home of a popular author of children's books. It seems that they are escaping some trouble in their old life, but it wasn't clear to me what that was. Whilst on a house-hunting mission, as soon as they arrive at The Hollows they all know instantly that it's 'the one'. Very quickly, they realise that the house is haunted, or rather charmed or enchanted. Strange things happen, but they accept it all without much question. At first the house seems to welcome them, but then it seems to turn on them and their previous problems start to rear up again, although I didn't get that far. 

I thought the family were awful, nothing likeable about them really, and I didn't like the way they spoke to each other. The young boy was in a kind of 'army phase' so he was always spying and doing recces, and using acronyms/initialisms like PP for paternal parent, or HH for ha-ha. His big sister (BS) was mooning about the boyfriend that she'd left behind, and MP (maternal parent) was yearning to be more than just a housewife. There was also the mysterious Vron, her friend from before who the rest of the family referred to as the Wild Witch (though she hadn't appeared by the time I stopped reading). And the dad believed he was the head of the household and the saviour of the family. Basically I think the house lured them in and then turned them against each other.

I made it about halfway through, but I just wasn't enjoying it.

After The People Lights Have Gone Off by Stephen Graham Jones

Started: 4.10.26

DNF: 21.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

These short stories were all just a little bit too weird for me. Sometimes I just don't understand what a particular sentence even means, and sometimes I think the dialogue is odd. I struggled a bit with The Only Good Indians too, for similar reasons. I really want to read The Buffalo Hunter Hunter though, but if I can't get on with that either, I might have to accept that Stephen Graham Jones is just not for me.

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Started: 19.10.26

Finished: 21.10.26

Hardcover

Another 'mixed media' type of novel from Janice Hallett, this time consisting of transcripts of Whatsapp messages, emails, audio recordings, novel excerpts and screenplays. Two true crime journalists have to work together to find new angles on the story of the Alperton Angels (lots of angles and angels throughout the book!). The Angels were a cult who planned to murder a baby who they believed was the AntiChrist. The baby survived and is now 18, and it's a race to see who can find them first, to get the all important interview.

In all the Janice Hallett books I've read so far, I find that she always seems to have the same type of characters - an overly ambitious one, a 'snooty' one, a bubbly one, a creepy one, a two-faced one etc - and this book was no exception. Although the plots are different, everything else is very samey. I know that the mixed media stuff is kind of her USP though, so I can't say that I wasn't expecting it. I did find myself skipping parts of it though, like the novel excerpts and the screenplay. And in the transcripts where Ellie added little comments of her own such as 'did you shrug here?', 'there was a long pause, like he doesn't want to answer', I found these a bit clunky. I know they need to be more 'tell than show' because they're audio recordings that have been transcribed, but I think that's possibly why a whole book full of them doesn't work too well.

Bonus Review - The Killer Isn't June / The Victim Isn't Dead (no spoilers)

 

Unfortunately, I fell for a persistent Facebook ad from Corex Books, and bought The Killer Isn't June, not realising that the format was a rip-off of a book called The Killer Isn't Alice by Iris Starling. I also bought their other book, The Victim Isn't Dead.

The books arrived on Monday, which happened to be the start of a week when I was on annual leave from work. Brilliant, I thought, I've got all week to keep chipping away at these puzzles!

I started The Killer Isn't June at around 7pm. I stayed up past my bedtime, till about 11.30, but by this time I was 99% sure I'd narrowed it down to the correct page. The next morning, I spent about an hour checking a couple of other clues, and then I logged onto the website to submit my answer, which was correct.

I moved onto The Victim Isn't Dead, and this one was solved in about two hours.

When you read all the clues, you realise that you can eliminate quite large sections of the book in one go. As you narrow down the search area, more clues help you to logically work out which pages it can, or can't be.

The adverts imply that you need to work your way through the book, eliminating names. They show people highlighting different clues and different names. If this is how your brain works, then fair enough, but it's not necessary. Just cross out entire pages, and chapters, and names with pencil. It really isn't difficult at all, and it doesn't take long (I spent a bit of time in the first book crossing names out on pages that I should've already eliminated, otherwise I would've solved it even quicker).

I was very disappointed in how easy these books were to solve, especially because they are so expensive for what they are. I haven't tried the original Alice one, although I'm tempted, but from what I've read, it is similarly quite easy to solve so I think it would also be disappointing.

It seems to be impossible to leave a negative review on any of their countless Facebook posts (hmm, how strange?) so I'm leaving one here. Don't waste your time and money on these books!

Full: The Emptiness Of Overeating by Paul Dermody

Started: 17.10.26

Finished: 19.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

As with a lot of self-help books, I read this but I feel like I haven't taken anything in. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mindset for it, maybe I was rushing it a bit (I'm trying to read as many KU books as I can before cancelling my subscription at the end of the month). Almost every sentence felt like a platitude. I say that I haven't taken anything in, but actually, I think I did grasp that the overall message was more about discovering and following your values, rather than chasing goals. And I did like the quote "say yes happily, or say no, but don't say yes begrudgingly". That's very similar to "if it's not a 'hell yeah' it's a no".

A Murder Of Crows by Sarah Yarwood-Lovett

Started: 4.10.26

Finished: 19.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

This is the first in a series of murder mysteries by this author, and it's been on my wishlist for a long time because I was hoping it would be a fun series to get into. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be reading any more. It was just ok. The main character was a wealthy heiress / ecologist with a chip on her shoulder about her background. She becomes prime suspect in a murder, because she was in the vicinity doing a bat survey at the time. There's a bit of a 'Will they, won't they? Do they, don't they?' love triangle between her, the lead detective, and her ecologist colleague (she fancies the two men, the two men fancy her). This became very tedious. (There was an excerpt from the next book at the end of this one, and it looks like Mr Detective won that particular contest). The murder mystery didn't have much mystery to it; a few red herrings thrown in, but in the end, yes, the killer is who you think it is. I never really warmed to any of the characters, so as I said, I think I can remove the rest of this series from my TBR list. 

Floating Staircase by Ronald Malfi

Started: 4.10.26

Finished: 18.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

This is the first Ronald Malfi book I've read, and it won't be the last. I really enjoyed the overall story, although my biggest problem was that I never really understood what the floating staircase looked like. It was described as a double dock at one point, so I did look at some google images which helped a bit, but I could never quite get a good picture in my mind of what remained in the lake. Other than that, pretty good!

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling

Started: 4.10.26

DNF: 14.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

I had high hopes for this but I just wasn't getting into it. I didn't take to the main character (and her name drove me mad because it was just weird!), and I found the caving aspect quite boring, up to the point where I DNF'd. Probably didn't help that I also DNF'd The Starving Saints just a couple of weeks back, so I was a bit worried about reading another book by the same author.

Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi

Started: 4.10.26

Finished: 12.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

Started off ok, thought it was all quite sweet and charming. Got a bit bored half way through, have to admit I skimmed through the remaining chapters but did read to the end to see how it finished. Overall it seemed to be about being kind and trying to see the good in everyone, which is certainly an important message. I think, towards the end particularly, there were some heavy religious themes, but these were some of the parts that I skipped. 

Boy's Life by Robert R McCammon

Started: 26.9.26

Finished: 4.10.26

Kindle Unlimited

Well. What a book! I was inspired to add this to my TBR after watching the review from Paperback Journeys on Youtube, and I finally got around to reading it.

It's set in 1960s Alabama, and told from the perspective of 12 year old Cory Mackenson. Cory and his dad witness a car careening into a lake; when his dad dives in to rescue the driver, he realises that the man has been murdered, and handcuffed to the wheel. The murder mystery rumbles along in the background, but in the meantime we just follow Cory going through the usual trials and tribulations of friendships, school, small town life. The book has moments of magic and whimsy, but it also doesn't shy away from the politics, religious fervour and the civil rights issues of the time. We see wonder, joy, grief, and injustice through a child's eyes. The murder mystery comes to a conclusion, possibly a bit too quickly and conveniently, but the story was always about so much more than just that. It's a nostalgic look back at a magical childhood, it made me laugh and it made me cry, and I 100% recommend it. 

Good Girls Don't Die by Christina Henry

Started: 27.9.26

Finished: 1.10.26

Paperback

Another Christina Henry book that I've really enjoyed! First we meet Celia, who appears to be trapped in some kind of Truman Show fake life while being framed for murder. Then Allie, who is unwittingly dragged along to a cabin in the woods with her friends and has to try to survive the knife-wielding maniac outside. And finally, Maggie, who is thrust into a Hunger Games / Maze Runner style game, which she must complete if she ever wants to see her daughter again. These 'final girls' are not going down without a fight though!

There is a lot of misogyny in the book, but also a focus on strong women and female friendships. The ending was almost really good, until it wasn't. But overall though, it was still a good read.  

September Reading Wrap-Up

Mixed bag, this month

1. At The Bottom Of The Garden by Camilla Bruce

Enjoyed it, but it dragged a bit

2. The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

DNF

3. No Exit by Taylor Adams

Really good 'survival in isolated location' story

4. The Mental Load Diaries by Cat Sims

DNF

5. Verity by Colleen Hoover

Not bad, not great

6. The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

Enjoyed it, another good 'survival/isolation' story

7. And The Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

DNF

8. Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

Started good, got progressively weirder.

9. The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

DNF

10. Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

Another one that started good, got progressively weirder

11. Brother by Ania Ahlborn

DNF

Brother by Ania Ahlborn

Started: 24.9.26

DNF: 28.9.26

Kindle

I know I should give it more of a try, but I've got to Chapter 5 and, well, it's upset me. This was a book choice from several months ago and I feel like my tastes (no pun intended, re: the subject matter) are changing all the time. I don't think I want to read something this dark just now.

Episode Thirteen by Craig diLouie

Started: 22.9.26

Finished: 27.9.26

Paperback

An epistolary 'found-footage' style account of a ghost hunting reality TV crew's visit to a haunted house. I think epistolary can work really well when it's letters or written accounts (although having people still write journal entries in the dark or in the middle of life and death situations felt very clunky!). But I'm not convinced things like transcripts of video footage work as well. This was ok, but it got very weird and 'cosmic horror' at the end, not in a good way. 

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

Started: 23.9.26

DNF: 26.9.26

Kindle Unlimited

I gave this a try but I wasn't really getting into it. I've since read some reviews and I'm not sure that I would've enjoyed it really, so I'm happy to call it a day.

Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

Started: 13.9.26

Finished: 23.9.26

Paperback then Kindle

At almost 900 pages the paperback is a chonker, so I gave in and bought the Kindle edition instead.

This book started off well, although my biggest gripe with it is that I just don't think 7 year olds are that eloquent and articulate. Not just in what they say, but how they think. This is an issue I have with most books involving kids. Anyway, it was giving Stranger Things vibes, with the kids and the 'imaginary side', but it just got weirder and weirder, and from about the 75% mark I was skipping chunks of it because I just wanted to get to the end. And when it did I just felt 'meh'. 

And The Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

Started: 21.9.26

DNF: 22.9.26

Hardcover

This was just a bit too weird for me, I couldn't get into it. 

The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf

Started: 18.9.26

Finished: 22.9.26

Kindle Unlimited

Really enjoyed this! It was sometimes a bit confusing because there were a couple of different timelines going on, and one where the 'when' wasn't obvious at first, but overall it was a great thriller.

I really enjoyed the murder mystery aspect, I don't think I'd have minded if the whole book was just set in that timeline. 

I even shed a few tears at the end, and I hardly ever cry at books these days, so that is a good thing, I guess?

Verity by Colleen Hoover

Started: 14.9.26

Finished: 20.9.26

Paperback

This is essentially a book about a woman reading a book. She's supposed to be writing a book too, but she's a bit busy falling for another woman's husband. And reading.

I've seen that Verity (this book) gets a lot of hate. It kept me reading to the end, because I wanted to know what the twist was, but it was touch and go. Although they were part of the 'plot within the plot' there were some pretty horrible scenes involving child abuse where I seriously considered DNF-ing it.

Overall, not bad, but not great.

The Mental Load Diaries by Cat Sims

Started: 8.9.26

DNF: 18.9.26

Kindle

I used to follow Cat Sims on Instagram, so this was on my radar for a while. I've read a few chapters and got the gist of it, but to be honest, reading about someone else's mental load is kind of just adding to my own! So I don't think I want to finish this. 

No Exit by Taylor Adams

Started: 12.9.26

Finished: 17.9.26

Kindle Unlimited

This was really good, it had me gripped all the way through. I do enjoy the 'survival in remote location' trope, and that's exactly what this book was. I don't usually spot the twists and turns in thrillers, but there were a few occasions where I wanted to give the main character a shake and say "don't do that!" I'm sure that was the point though, it was definitely the kind of book that makes you think, what would I do in this situation? And as that famous thriller line goes, once I'd read those last couple of pages, I "let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding..."

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Started: 12.9.26

DNF: 13.9.26

Paperback

Only read to about page 28, but I just wasn't getting into this. Once I'd decided to DNF I read some reviews, and it sounds like I wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway.

At The Bottom Of The Garden by Camilla Bruce

Started: 27.8.26

Finished: 12.9.26

Paperback

I enjoyed this book, but even though it was only 351 pages, it seemed to go on forever! When I was about halfway through I remember thinking, "well, surely that's it, there's nothing more to happen now?" and in a way, not much else did happen, it was a bit repetitive. I did like the sisters, and Dina, and the 'familiars'. I thought it was quite an unusual, but fun, angle to have the ghosts visible to everyone. It was difficult to feel any sympathy for Clara, even given her unfortunate upbringing, but her refusal to be anything other than just really annoyed by the ghosts was quite amusing!

August Reading Wrap Up

Definitely hit a bit of a slump in August. I've been doing a lot of housework, decluttering, that kind of thing, which has kept me so busy that I haven't had time to read much. So this is all I've managed:

1. Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

Funny in places, but overall a bit disappointing.

2. Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes

Quite enjoyed it, sci-fi horror

3. Before And After by Andrew Shanahan

Unusual take on a zombie apocalypse

4. How To Survive A Horror Story by Mallory Arnold

Even though it was a horror story, so really 'anything goes', for some reason I had trouble suspending my disbelief.

5. Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I thought I might've liked this, but I really struggled with all the weird names and it was putting me off straight away! I know that weird names are a given in fantasy novels, but these ones just felt a bit OTT, so I DNF'd quite quickly.

6. When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

I actually read quite a lot of this before I DNF'd it, I'm sure I was well past 100 pages. I wasn't too keen on the switching back and forth between the story and the scientific reports, I think I'd have preferred just Alex's story, though I understand the 'science stuff' filled in a lot of what she didn't know. Other than that, I found some elements to be very repetitive, and I just got to a point where I wasn't really bothered about reading any more.

Slump

I'm in a bit of a reading slump at the moment. We went on holiday at the beginning of August and I only took my Kindle, but I had this idea that I'd get loads of reading done, in between the other things we were doing. In reality, I couldn't decide what book to choose, and then I think I only read one! 

Since I got back, I've decided to leave the Kindle alone and try to get through some more paperbacks. I haven't used my TBR Jar; instead, I'm currently reading in alphabetical order of author surname! Just because! But it's still been a bit hit and miss. 

Part of me wants to force myself to read the books that I'm less excited about, and part of me thinks I should ignore everything else and only focus on the ones that I really want to read, even if they're on my Kindle. It's a dilemma!

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

Started: 24.8.26

DNF: 27.8.26

Paperback

A bit repetitive?

Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Started: 22.8.26

DNF: 24.8.26

Paperback

A DNF. Weird names for the sake of having weird names. 

How To Survive A Horror Story by Mallory Arnold

Started: 15.8.26

Finished: 22.8.26

Paperback

Finished it, but didn't really enjoy it.

Before And After by Andrew Shanahan

Started: 6.8.26

Finished: 14.8.26

Kindle

The dog survives!

A morbidly obese man trapped in his fourth floor flat as a zombie apocalypse takes over the world? I actually enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I liked Ben, and Brown was super cute. It was sad in places, funny in others, and surprisingly tender. I think I'm going to add the second one to my TBR.

Dead silence by S. A. Barnes

Started: 3.8.26

Finished: 6.8.26

Kindle

Bit of a sci-fi horror about a long-lost 'cruise liner' spaceship whose weak distress beacon is picked up by a repair crew out on the edge of space. Pretty good actually, definitely a creepy element to what they found when they boarded the ship.

Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

Started: 30.7.26

Finished: 2.8.26

Kindle

Bit disappointed with this one, it wasn't really what I was expecting. Felt a bit too clever and highbrow for me!

July Reading Wrap Up

Well, this will be a quick one!

I don't know where the time has gone this month, but I haven't even touched my TBR choices!

1. Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie

I'd started this in June, and didn't finish until the 9th July. Really enjoyed it, as expected.

2. They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

This wasn't planned, but my son was reading it (a school library book) and as I had my own copy, I thought it would be fun to read together. It was pretty good.

3. Last Argument Of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

I'd started reading this straight after book 2, but broke off for a bit to read the Adam Silvera book, so this one took a bit longer to finish.

And that's it! 

TBR Picks for August... or not

I'm going on holiday soon, and I don't want to take any physical books with me, just my Kindle, so I don't think I'm going to choose any TBR prompts for August. While I'm away I'll just read whatever I feel like, and when I get back I might just carry on with the books that I'd chosen for July.

Last Argument Of Kings by Joe Abercrombie

Started: 9.7.26

Finished: 30.7.26

Kindle Unlimited

Thoroughly enjoyed this in all its gruesome glory! Glokta is one of my all time favourite characters!

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

Started: 16.7.26

Finished: 23.7.26

Paperback

Buddy read with my son!!

This wasn't part of the reading plan for this month, but when I found out that my son had chosen this from his school library for his next read, I couldn't resist joining in! His friend has already read it, and is working her way through the others in the series, so I think that's why he picked it for himself.

It's the story of Mateo and Rufus, who both receive a call telling them that they are going to die within the next 24 hours. They are strangers who become friends through a Last Friend app, and they meet up and help each other through their last day alive. Although this sounds (and is) very traumatic, people are getting 'the call' from Death-Cast every day, so it's just kind of accepted. Once you get the call, that's it, your time's up.

Despite the quite sombre theme, this was actually mostly a tender and uplifting tale. Mateo and Rufus were both so sweet in the way they helped each other to really live life to the fullest in the short time they had left, and make peace with their past. And as the story progressed, we met other characters whose lives intertwined in some way with the two friends.

A really thought-provoking story.

Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie

Started: 16.6.26

Finished: 9.7.26

Kindle Unlimited

No prompt, just wanted to read it!

It was good to be back with Logen, Glokta and Co! This is book 2 in The First Law Trilogy, and the second Joe Abercrombie book that I've read, and based on these two, I really enjoy his writing! His descriptions - whether it's of people, places, fights, torture (!) - are so vivid, I always feel really immersed in the story. I enjoyed Jezal's redemption arc in this one; in fact I loved the development of several characters. I'm diving straight into book 3, and assuming - and really hoping! - that there is going to be a reunion for Ninefingers and the other Named Men - I can't wait for that!

TBR Picks for July

Once again, I find myself wondering whether to choose any TBR picks for July. I'm currently reading Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie, which is the second book in The First Law Trilogy. I really want to go straight into the third one when I've finished it, so that the story is fresh in my mind. 

I've also picked out several other books that I want to read, but they're all on my kindle, which doesn't exactly help with getting through the physical books! Most of them are fantasy series too, which means, if I like them, I'll probably want to read the follow ups straight away.

So, what to do?

Well, I think I might mix things up a bit by choosing both a physical book and a Kindle one for some of the prompts, and I'll read whichever one I feel like, depending on my mood. But I'll start with the definites, and the definitely maybes.

1. Last Argument Of Kings by Joe Abercrombie - As mentioned, I definitely want to read the final book in The First Law Trilogy

2. Oldest book on my list - The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge - from 2nd Dec 2025. I'm not sure if this is actually a children's book though? And the kindle book that I've had the longest is Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang.

 

3. The Institute by Stephen King - I'll give this a try.

4. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. I actually read this a few years ago, but it's come up as a book club choice, although it's a 'maybe' at the moment. I'd need to either get a copy from Vinted, or a charity shop, or see if the price drops on Kindle. I'm tempted to read it again though, because I actually have the two other books in the trilogy.

So I think I'll choose six TBR prompts now to take me to 10:

5. TV/Movie Adaptation (AGAIN!) - The Revenant by Michael Punke. This was made into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. I've read it before and really enjoyed it, so I hope I still like it the second time around. (Annoyingly, The Institute would've fit this prompt too!). On Kindle, I've got The Martian by Andy Weir, which was made into a film starring Matt Damon.

 

6. Pink Book - The Island Home by Libby Page. My copy looks a bit more pink than the picture. And on Kindle, I had quite a few to choose from, but working from oldest to newest, this was the first one - Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata.

 

7. Country House Setting - The Lost Ones by Anita Frank. "Imposing country mansion..." And on Kindle, Hawthorn by Elaine Thomson. Not sure if this fits the prompt, but there is a house in a remote area, so it's close enough.

 

8. Thriller - A Case Of Mice And Murder by Sally Smith. Well, I decided I'm not really into thrillers any more, mainly of the psychological kind, so this is more of a murder mystery. It's the first in a series though, and I want to see if I like it and whether I'd want to continue with the others. Looks like I do still have some thrillers on my kindle, so I've chosen The House Across The Lake by Riley Sager.

 

9. Flower on the cover - When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. Not sure about this one, but it's apparently 'feminist and funny'. On Kindle, I've got The Night Counsellor by L.K. Pang.

 

10. Food on the cover - A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers. I think this was actually the only option I had. And on Kindle, The Black Hunger by Nicholas Pullen.

 

I've just remembered that I also finally caved in and bought the hardcover version of House Of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, and thought I might start reading that on the 1st July and see if I can have it finished by the end of the year!

Obviously I'm not going to be able to read all these, but I'm quite excited about this list and I like that I've given myself some extra choices.