Top Ten Tuesday : Books I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To
23 January 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Alex North, Andrea Stewart, CE McGill, Genevieve Cogman, HG Parry, Joanne Harris, Juliet E McKenna, Katie Lumsden, Rowenna Miller, Stacey Thomas, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic:
Books I Meant to Read in 2023 but Didn’t Get To
Well the first half of last year was fairly dreadful for me and so I had a number of books for review that I didn’t pick up. Thankfully my reading is now back on track but I do have a number of books that I would like to try and catch up with. Here is a selection:
The Magician’s Daughter by HG Parry

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller

The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden

Our Hideous Progeny by CE McGill

Scarlet by Genevieve Cogman

The Revels by Stacey Thomas

Broken Light by Joanne Harris

The Bone Shard War by Andrea Stewart

The Half Burnt House by Alex North

The Cleaving by Juliet E McKenna

Have you read any of these – do you have a favourite that I should start first?
Top Ten Tuesday : Bookish Goals for 2024
16 January 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Bookish Goals for 2024, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic:
Bookish Goals for 2024
Well, I’m not very good with goals as a rule but I’ll keep this simple and see how I get on.
- I’d like to get back to reading 100 books a year. This has never felt like a challenge for me as a rule as I usually read a couple of books a week, but, the last couple of years my reading has slumped a little because of circumstances going on around me. At the moment I’m really enjoying my reading and blogging again so hopefully that will continue going from strength to strength.
- I’d like to take part in Bookforager’s Picture Prompt challenge. I love the look of this but keep missing out – this will be the year.
- After having such a terrible start to the year last year I have a backlog of review books – believe me when I say this makes me feel very guilty. I’d like to make a dint into some of those earlier books from the start of 2023. Let’s see – perhaps I need a list! Lists are good. I like a good list.
- I’d like to listen to a few more audio books. I already have a few lined up in my library and I’m hoping that I can listen to a couple of books a month. In fact, I’ve used some of my credits to pick up audio books that fall into No.3 above so maybe I can complete two resolutions in one.
- I would love to improve my statistics on Netgalley. At the moment my feedback is about 73/74%. I’d like that to rise up to 80. Of course, I’ve reviewed a lot of books and so just to move up by 1% involves quite a lot of reading. Let’s see how this goes.
- In line with the above I’m going to continue to be careful about requesting books. Of course, whenever I see all the books pop up I get a bit giddy but I need to be sensible. Slap those grabby hands.
- I already read quite a few self published books, especially with the intake of books from SPFBO, but I’d like to read a few more. In that respect I have a couple of books lined up that I’m really looking forward to. More regarding that to follow.
- My blogging buddies – I fell behind with chatting with everyone last year. I miss that and I have been gradually starting to re engage. I need to carry on with that.
- Read more of my own books. I know – I’m always banging on about this and it never happens. Must try harder.
- Get more organised! Come on woman, you can do it.
Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2024
9 January 2024
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: AG Slatter, CJ Tudor, James Logan, Katherine Arden, Mark Lawrence, Most anticipated book for the first half of 2024, Richard swan, Robert Jackson Bennett, Ronald Malfi, ST Gibson, Stacy Willingham, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic:
Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2024
This was hard because I had a lot more books that I wanted to add but I’ve stuck to the ten and tried to space them out over the forthcoming months (although February does seem to be rather busy!)
Only If you’re Lucky by Stacy Willingham
I’m really enjoying this author’s work (here are my reviews for A Flicker in the Dark and All the Dangerous Things) so I was very excited to see a forthcoming title . Publication date: 1st February

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
I’ve read and loved so many books by this author. I love his writing and creativity and I’m really excited to pick up The Tainted Cup which is due out on 6th February.

The Trials of Empire by Richard Swan
This is the third and final instalment in a series (Empire of the Wolf) that I’ve absolutely loved. I can’t wait to tuck into the concluding chapters. Here are my reviews for The Justice of Kings and The Tyranny of Faith. Publication due 8th Feb.

The Briar Book of the Dead by AG Slatter
AG Slatter is a relatively new to me author but I loved All the Murmuring Bones and on the strength of that also picked up and really loved The Path of Thorns. These are dark gothic fairy tales that are beautifully told. Due 13th February.

An Education in Malice by ST Gibson
Well, along with many other readers, last year I read and loved A Dowry of Blood and so had a serious case of grabby hands when I saw An Education in Malice which is set in the same world. Publication date : 15th February 2024

The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden
This is a book that I feel I’ve been waiting forever for since I put down the third book in the Winternight trilogy. I loved that series (The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower and The Winter of the Witch). This books steps into a different period completely and I simply can’t wait. Publication 7th March.

The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence
This is the second instalment in the Library Trilogy – the first – The Book that Wouldn’t Burn made a fantastic start. I’ve read (barring possibly a couple of novellas) everything that this author has released and so far I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all. I love his writing – what more can I say. Publication April 9th.

The Gathering by CJ Tudor
I really enjoyed The Drift when I read it last year. This is an author that seems to just get better and better. Publication date 11th April.

The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
I’ve not read this author before but I love the sound of The Silverblood Promise and it’s comparisons to Joe Abercrombie, Nicholas Eames, and Scott Lynch certainly caught my attention – I’m totally there for that! Publication 25th April.

Small Town Horror by Ronalf Malfi
I’ve only read two books by this author but they were both excellent. Come With Me and Black Mouth – which I highly recommend. I’m so excited to see Small Town Horror looming on the horizon, expected publication 4th June.

Top Ten Tuesday : Books Set In ‘X’
28 November 2023
Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books set in the Winter, That Artsy Reader Girl, Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme where every Tuesday we look at a particular topic for discussion and use various (or more to the point ten) bookish examples to demonstrate that particular topic. Top Ten Tuesday (created and hosted by The Broke and Bookish) is now being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl and future week’s topics can be found here. This week’s topic:
Books Set In ‘X’
I’ve gone for books set in winter so expect snow and freezing temperatures. These are all books that I’ve read in the last few years with links to my reviews:
The Drift by CJ Tudor

Road of Bones by Christopher Golden

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

The Wolf in the Whale by Jordanna Max Brodsky

Mistletoe by Alison Littlewood

Little Eve by Catriona Ward

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

The Shining by Stephen King

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey





