An Inheritance – Diane Simmons This is an excellent novella in flash, a series of short stories that link to tell the story of seventy years and four generations of a single family. As you’d expect for a flash piece, it demonstrates really tight writing and Simmons can really paint a picture with few words.… Continue reading May’s reading
Author: SusanEBarsby
June reading round up
I’m a bit late to July but I get there eventually. So, how is reading developing for you under this strange in-between time from lockdown into that already hackneyed phrase ‘new normal’? I felt like June’s reading was nearly back to normal, but looking at the list, it wasn’t really. But I tell you what… Continue reading June reading round up
Reading under lockdown – April round up
I finished March unsure how much reading I would get done. The lockdown had shot my concentration and my usual solace, reading, had not helped. But into April and I found myself adjusting, relaxing into the new rhythms of the days and, although I missed my commute to read in, I found my way back.… Continue reading Reading under lockdown – April round up
The Strangeworlds Travel Agency by LD Lapinski
“I love how this starts off sounding like Black Books but moves quickly to something much more exciting and classy.”
March non-reading hiatus
Well, who knew the first thing to desert me in a time of national crisis is my desire and ability to lose myself in a book? And bearing in mind that I started March so excited by the publication of The Mirror and The Light it’s just really rubbish timing. I’m 250 pages in, can’t… Continue reading March non-reading hiatus
February reading round up
The Secrets of Strangers – Charity Norman I received an early copy of this (published May 2020) on Netgalley. ‘Women’s fiction’ is a genre that often gets belittled or derided but it contains some absolute gems that offer a really good read, with strong characters and emotional depths. The Secrets of Strangers is one such… Continue reading February reading round up
January’s reading
I remembered last month how much I like blogging. My time has dropped right off so the occasional review is all I’ve managed but I thought I could at least do a monthly round up of books. Let’s see how it goes! These are the books I’ve read this month: The Trick to Time –… Continue reading January’s reading
2019 reading round up
Another year, another round up of my reading. Every year I don’t think I will be able to read as much as the year before because I’m so busy and yet the books are quite probably the thing that keeps me sane and give me some needed down time. I’ve read 104 books so far… Continue reading 2019 reading round up
Christmas books
I love a Christmas book. The solace of a familiar read for the shortest days of the year, stories that, when done well, can be as comforting as a warm mince pie and a glass of mulled wine. Here’s my current collection: Elizabeth David and Nigel Slater You have to have a cookbook in a… Continue reading Christmas books
The never decreasing TBR pile
For the last two years I’ve been tracking my reading and book buying habits. Why?Well, really in response to a tweet from someone (I forget who) in publishing, an idle enquiry that got me thinking. Could I really justify buying as many books as I did? How did my reading ambitions fit with reality? I… Continue reading The never decreasing TBR pile
Susan E Barsby 