I read only four books in October and November, but in December I read a more usual nine and a half.

• The Raven Heir by Stephanie Burgis: I was delighted to discover that the main character is a shapeshifter!

Twelve year old Cordelia lives with her family in a remote castle. When nobles and soldiers arrive, demanding Cordelia’s mother hand over ( Read more... )

I only read half a dozen books during last term, but I finished The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett!

I’m so glad I tried this series again after my unsuccessful attempt to read The Game of Kings in 2015, and that I wasn’t deterred by the devastating ending to Pawn in Frankincense.

• The Ringed Castle: This takes place in the mid 1550s. After ( Read more... )

I read this book months ago and hadn’t reviewed it because I knew I wasn't going to be quick and concise about it.

But now I can declare it to be my favourite book from 2021:

• Love in the Blitz by Eileen Alexander is an an edited collection of the letters Eileen wrote to her future husband, Gershon Ellenbogen. The audiobook edition I listened has ( Read more... )

I still have the last two books in the Lymond Chronicles to review, and I’ve remembered that I mentioned but never properly reviewed Love in the Blitz.

• Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: Sequel to Aurora Rising and Aurora Burning (which means Aurora Ending would have fitted the pattern better).

After the first two books, I’d ( Read more... )

I finished listening to The Ringed Castle by Dorothy Dunnett yesterday. (I haven’t worked out all I want to say about it yet). I wanted to embark on the next book but someone else has borrowed it, so I looked to see what else the library had available.

I got through a few minutes of Veronica Roth’s Chosen Ones, before pressing “pause” and spending ( Read more... )

Books I read in August and September -- retellings, fandomy romances (baking shows count as fandomy, right?) and young adult.

• Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price: Lizzie Bennet wants to convince to her father that he should officially hire her to work at his law firm, Longborn & Sons. She decides to do this by proving that a recently-accused ( Read more... )

More reviews. Getting through the backlog.

• Curses by Lish McBride: A retelling of Beauty and the Beast. If Merit doesn’t want to become a beast permanently, she has to either fall in love or else agree to a marriage arranged by her mother. She enlists a con-artist, whose family owes Merit a debt, to help her vet prospective suitors.

The ( Read more... )

I read these books in July or August. I wrote (but didn’t quite finish) these reviews at the very start of October. And then I have barely read anything since.

Work has been increasingly demanding, with a couple of dramatic plot twists nobody saw coming. My role is currently completely different. It’s actually been a really positive experience, I’m ( Read more... )

I am currently listening to a book called Pride and Premeditation, I have a hold on a YA Persuasion retelling, and I rather expect the latest Mary Russell-and-Sherlock-Holmes, which I have out from the library, to have at least some references to Dracula.

• Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin (audiobook): This retelling of You’ve Got Mail is ( Read more... )

It’s possible I’ll read something else historical in the remaining ten days of winter. It’s also possible that wintry weather will continue into September. So not necessarily an all-exhaustive round-up.

• Fletchers End (1962) by D.E. Stevenson: The sequel is less focused and not quite as delightful as Bel Lamington, but I still liked it. It ( Read more... )