What’s on my Plate | Books and travelling with Lynn

Monthly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate September/October

Posted On 1 October 2024

Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Book Reviews, book-blog, Books, Monthly Wrap Up, reading, September/October, What's on my Plate

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I’m trying to post a wrap up for the end of each month, mainly to help me to keep track of my reading and at the same time look at what I’m intending to read during the month ahead (inspired by Books Bones and Buffy’s What’s on My Plate.

In this post I shall be looking at the reading I completed for September and what I’m hoping to read during October. I hit a bit of a shady patch this month and didn’t quite finish all my planned books – and looking at October, well, I seem to have turned into a raging maniac requesting ALL the books and literally I don’t know what I was thinking. Well, I do. I just wanted them all, they all looked so lovely and they were calling to me. Anyway. This month I have two review books that I’ve not managed to complete but I’m still aiming to pick them up when I have a quieter month (November/December). I have two reviews to catch up with at the moment and then onwards to my October books.

Here’s what I read during September:

Fortitude’s Prize by Ceril N Domace (SPFBOX)
The First Assignment by Billy Kramer (SPFBOX)
River of Crows by NP Thompson (SPFBOX)
This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C Wells
So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
Touched by Magic by Celine Jeanjean (SPFBOX)
Smile and Be A Villain by Yves Donlon (SPFBOX)
Gorse by Sam K Horton
The Ravening by Daniel Church
The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier – review to follow
The Wilding by Ian McDonald – review to follow

This month I had nine review books and five SPFBO books. I have two review books to complete, I started both but put them down temporarily as I don’t think I was in the right headspace. So, twelve books all together.

What I’m hoping to read during October(with links to Goodreads) (although I realise this is a tall order and probably unlikely – but I can roll some books over to November).

The Bog Wife by Kay Chronister
The Coven by Harper L. Woods
The House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning
Candle & Crow by Kevin Hearne
The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak
The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke
Run by Blake Crouch
Cold Snap by Lindy Ryan
Hear Him Calling by Carly Reagon
Strange Beasts by Susan J. Morris
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne
Here One Minute by Alex Lake
The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry
The Queen by Nick Cutter
Magic by Sarah Pinborough

I also have a couple of books sent to me directly by the authors and three potential SPFBOX Semi Finalists. So, realistically, there’s no way I’m going to complete them all. But, in my defence some of these were requests that came in late. Oh, who am I kidding – there are some great books on here so I couldn’t resist. And, just look how lovely they all look:

BTB

This month I read no Backlist Books -boo (I am still reading The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie – which is very good but I simply keep forgetting to listen to the audio version).

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo

PPBBC

This month I’m ticking off the ‘clouds’ prompt from my Picture Prompt bingo card.

I’m using Fortitude’s Prize by Ceril N Domace – a story that predominantly takes place in the sky so seems quite appropriate.

PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2024 (TEXT VERSION)

~~A heeled shoe decorated with a bow~~	A microscope	A partially unrolled scroll and a pen	~~A land snail~~
~~An old Roman coin~~	~~A fern plant~~	~~A simple crown~~	~~An armillary sphere~~
~~A seashell~~	~~A cannon on a gun carriage~~	~~A harp (one of the big ones)~~	~~Two hands making a shadow puppet dog~~
~~An old camera and tripod~~	~~A dog (a very good doggo)~~	A beehive (with four bees flying around it)	~~Fluffy cumulonimbus clouds~~

So far this year I’ve read a total of 94 books.

How did you get on during September?

Sunday Post/Weekly Wrap Up plus Monthly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate August/September

Posted On 1 September 2024

Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: August/September, blogging, Books Bones & Buffy, Caffeinated Book Reviewer, Monthly Wrap Up, Review Books, Sunday Post, Weekly wrap up, What's on my Plate

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Today I’m combining my Weekly Wrap Up with my Monthly Wrap Up plus What’s on My Plate for September.

Sunday Post

Books read this week:

I didn’t manage to fit in as much reading this week but I’m still getting ahead with reviews and comments/blog hopping so I’m relatively happy. I’ve also posted my second batch of cuts for SPFBO which leaves me with five titles to explore further. I think some of my more recent reads have slowed me down a little. This week completed and reviewed The Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey. I then picked up one of my September books, The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart – this is good, the writing is excellent, but I am finding it a little slow but I think maybe I needed to fit a quick, light read inbetween.

Next Week’s Reads:

I’ll be continuing primarily with my SPFBO books this week and also hoping to pick up So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison which I’m really looking forward to.

Reviews Posted:

Storm Child by Michael Robotham
The Voyage Home by Pat Barker
The Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey

Outstanding Reviews

The September House by Carissa Orlando
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Monthly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate August/September

So, below are the books I read in August and what’s on my tbr for September – inspired by Books Bones and Buffy’s What’s on My Plate.

Here’s what I read during August:

A Sorceress Comes to Call by T Kingfisher
Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning
A Poisoner’s Tale by Cathryn Kemp
Tales of a Monstrous Heart by Jennifer Delaney
The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno Garcia
The Mercy of Gods by James SA Corey
Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson
The Girl With No Reflection by Keshe Chow – DNF
Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan
The Voyage Home by Pat Barker

This month I read and reviewed all my review books, even a late addition with The Voyage Home (although one of those was a DNF). I’ve also nearly completed the Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie (I was hoping for it to be this month’s Backlist book but I couldn’t quite fit it all in – perhaps I’ll have two books next month).

What I’m hoping to read during September (with links to Goodreads).

The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart
Lucy Undying by Kiersten White
This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C Wells
So Thirsty By Rachel Harrison
The Glassmaker by Tracy Chevalier
The Haunting of Moscow House by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore
Gorse by Sam K. Horton
The Ravening by Daniel Church
The Wilding by Ian McDonald

Hopefully I can squeeze in a backlist title during September.

BTB

This month I read no Backlist Books -boo (but I have nearly finished The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie).

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo

PPBBC

This month I’m ticking two books off my Picture Prompt bingo card. The picture with the old Roman coin and the picture of a crown

For the Roman coin I’ve chosen The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno Garcia. This is a story of three different women, two from 1950s era Hollywood and the other Princess Salome, a character straight out of the bible who is being used politically and torn between her own desires and those of her mother. This was a time of Roman rule and in fact one of Salome’s suitors is an ambitious Roman.

For the picture of a simple crown I’ve chosen The Voyage Home by Pat Barker. This is a retelling of Cassandra’s tale (herself a princess and daughter of King Priam) and her arrival in Mycenae as King Agamemnon’s trophy bride.

PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2024 (TEXT VERSION)

~~A heeled shoe decorated with a bow~~	A microscope	A partially unrolled scroll and a pen	~~A land snail~~
~~An old Roman coin~~	~~A fern plant~~	~~A simple crown~~	~~An armillary sphere~~
~~A seashell~~	~~A cannon on a gun carriage~~	~~A harp (one of the big ones)~~	~~Two hands making a shadow puppet dog~~
~~An old camera and tripod~~	~~A dog (a very good doggo)~~	A beehive (with four bees flying around it)	Fluffy cumulonimbus clouds

I must say I don’t know how I’m going to cross the next four books off, I have the time but the bees and the microscope I’m hitting a block with.

So far this year I’ve read a total of 83 books so I’m on track to read my 100 books for a year. Also this year I am only behind with two of my review books. Both are books that I didn’t quite get time to, and when I did pick them up they weren’t quite working their magic – but I’m hoping to return to them soon.

How did you get on during August?

Monthly Wrap Up/What’s On My Plate April/May

Posted On 4 May 2024

Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: April/May, Books, Books Bones and Buffy, Monthly Wrap Up, What's on my Plate

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In this post I shall be looking at the reading I completed for April and what I’m hoping to read during May.

Here’s what I read during April:

The Gathering by CJ Tudor
The Fates by Rosie Garland
When She Was Good by Michael Robotham
The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenjé
The Hungry Dark by Jen Williams
The Redemption of Morgan Bright by Chris Panatier
You are Here by David Nicholls
The Silverblood Promise by James Logan
Lying Beside You by Michael Robotham
The Puppet Master by Sam Holland

So I managed to read all my review books last month and have just three reviews to catch up with. I caught up with two books from the Cyrus Haven series and I’m about 50% into my backlist book. In other news SPFBO 9 has concluded and the winner is Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang. This is a great book so if you’re looking for a fantasy mystery with some quirky characters and a slice of chaos, give this a go. I’ll be posting a round up post for SPFBO soon and talking about the other books.

What I’m hoping to read during May.

The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins
The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry
Hera by Jennifer Saint
Elusive by Genevieve Cogman
Moonstone by Laura Purcell
Cinderwich by Cherie Priest
Backlist book
Backlist book

As with last month, I think this should be manageable and if all goes to plan I’m hoping to squeeze in a couple of backlist titles. BTB

I haven’t completed my book for April but I’m about 50/60% through so should complete in the next couple of days.

Bookforager‘s Picture Prompt book bingo

PPBBC

This month I’m again ticking two books off my Picture Prompt bingo card. Firstly, for the cannon picture I’m using The Warm Hands of Ghosts by Katherine Arden. This is a fantastic book set during WW1 and so fits the prompt perfectly. My second picture is for the armillary sphere. The sphere was used by ancient Greeks as an astronomical tool therefore I’m going to use The Fates by Rosie Garland which is all about Greek mythology and a story when The Fates try to intervene and stop their meddling once and for all.

PICTURE PROMPT BOOK BINGO 2024 (TEXT VERSION)

~~A heeled shoe decorated with a bow~~	A microscope	A partially unrolled scroll and a pen	~~A land snail~~
An old Roman coin	~~A fern plant~~	A simple crown	~~An armillary sphere~~
A seashell	~~A cannon on a gun carriage~~	A harp (one of the big ones)	~~Two hands making a shadow puppet dog~~
An old camera and tripod	A dog (a very good doggo)	A beehive (with four bees flying around it)	Fluffy cumulonimbus clouds

How did you get on during April?

Monthly Wrap Up/What’s on my Plate: November

Posted On 1 November 2023

Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Books Bones and Buffy, Monthly Wrap Up, November books, What's on my Plate

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I’m going to post a wrap up for the end of each month, mainly to help me to keep track of my reading and at the same time look at what I’m intending to read during the month ahead (inspired by Books Bones and Buffy’s What’s on My Plate.

October wasn’t a bad month. I completed three SPFBO semi finalists and reviewed them all. We also chose our finalist – which wasn’t easy because seriously, folks, some good books amongst these. This was my line up last month with an update of which books I’ve read – also obviously plus the 3 SPFBO.:

I read and reviewed :The Pale House Devil by Richard Kadrey

The paleHouseDevil

I started Edenville by Sam Rebelein but it didn’t quite work for me atm so I’ve put it down for now.

Eden2

I read and reviewed The Waking of Angantyr by Marie Brennan

theWakingof

A Haunting in the Arctic by CJ Cooke – Unfortunately I haven’t managed to get to this one yet but will be intending to do so soon.

A haunting

I read Red River Seven by AJ Ryan – I’ve not reviewed it yet but will be doing so shortly. A pacy and entertaining read.

RedRiverSeven

Starling House by Alix E Harrow – I’m currently reading this one. It’s intriguing so far.

StarlingHse

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due – I’m keen to pick this one up soon.

TheReform

I also read one of my November books which I really enjoyed and will be reviewing shortly. The Star and the Strange Moon by Constance sayers

Here’s my month in covers:

During NovemberI have a nice line up planned plus a little catching up to do if possible:

From October:

From my November line up:

The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper

Temple

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

River

Good Girls Don’t Die by Christina Henry

GoodGirls

The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird by Louisa Morgan

Ghosts

The Witchwood Knot by Olivia Atwater

witchwood

Monthly Wrap Up/What’s on my Plate: October

Posted On 2 October 2023

Filed under Book Reviews
Tags: Monthly Wrap Up, October, What's on my Plate

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So, I managed to stay on track for September with just a little spill over. I had a busy month outside of reading, we had visitors for a few days which was lovely and we also managed to squeeze in some decorating which kind of took over for a few days with all the ensuing chaos. I’m currently reading and enjoying Once A Monster by Robert Dinsdale and when that book is complete I will have read all my September books so I’m pleased with that. I just need to write up a few reviews which I’m aiming to do this week. I also need to pick up my remaining SPFBO books (those chosen by the Critiquing Chemist – not yet announced so I can’t share the titles at this point but I’m excited to get to these). I also posted seven reviews for my SPFBO batch which was a very intense week followed by my Semi Finalist announcement.

Here’s my month in covers: