Literature: March 2022 Books

 Wow, how did we get to 2022 already? The past two years seem to have gone fast despite being in lockdown most of the time.

In 2021 I managed to read 158 books, but this year I am scaling down a bit and aim to read 120 -12 each month!  Over January and February, I read 19 books, and now in March I have read 16 – so have exceeded the monthly target of 12, which makes up for falling short in January & February.  

So, what are those 16 books?  

Fiction

• Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson
• Nowhere to Run by Carol Drinkwater
• The Book of Strange Things by Michel Faber

Christian

• Be Decisive by Warren Weirsbe
• Good Girl, Bad Girl by Jacqueline Hill Perry
• Just 10: God’s Timeless Values for Life Today by J.John
• Be Reverent by Warren Weirsbe
• His Testimonies: My Heritage by Kristie Anyabwile
• A Commentary on Zechariah by David Pawson

Crime

• The Night Thief by Joy Ellis

Short Stories

• A Story Without a Title by Anton Chekov
• The Beggar by Anton Chekov

Autobiographies

• Remarkable People by Dan Walker
• Mostly Sunny: Janice Dean
• New Jungle: Same Old Monkeys by Margaret Anne Lawson

Children’s

• Precious and the Mystery of the Meerkat by Alexander McCall Smith

Recommended Books

Last month I told you about Jacqueline Woodson’s book “If you come softly” – well this month I have read its sequel “Behind You” and it was just as good as the first one. “Behind You” explores the experiences of the characters after the tragic ending of the previous book. The themes of the book are hope, understanding, love and healing. It is a great book – actually both are great books.

Literature: February 2022 Books

 Wow, how did we get to 2022 already? The past two years seem to have gone fast despite being in lockdown most of the time.

In 2021 I managed to read 158 books, but this year I am scaling down a bit and aim to read 120 -12 each month!  In January I read eight and this month I managed to read 11 – one book short of the monthly target!

So what are those 11 books?  

Fiction

• Pink Mist by Owen Shears
• If you Come Softly by Jacqueline Woodson
• Small Things like These by Claire Keegan
• Chocolate Cake for Breakfast by Rosie Green
• The Roadrunner Café by Jamie Zerndt
• Tinkers by Paul Harding

Christian

• Straight to the Heart of Isaiah by Phil Moore
• Isaiah for You by Tim Chester
• Nahum, Habakkuk and Zephaniah by S.D Synman

Crime

• Welcome to Copper by Tariq Ashkani

Non-Fiction

• Quite by Claudia Winkleman

Recommended Books

I really enjoyed Jacqueline Woodson’s book If You Come Softly which is about two young people (Miah and Ellie). Mia is black and Ellie is white, and they fall in love with each other and start to try and navigate their way in a world where racist comments are made and people do not approve of their relationship. It is a sweet book and an interesting read with some chapters written from Miah’s point of view and others from Ellie’s. 

Literature: January 2022 Books

Wow, how did we get to 2022 already? The past two years seem to have gone fast despite being in lockdown most of the time.

In 2021 I managed to read 158 books, but this year I am scaling down a bit and aim to read 120  -12 each month!  In January I read eight books so did not meet that challenge.

So what are those books?  

Fiction

• A Baby at the Beach Café by Lucy Diamond
• Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
• The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina
• Twas the Night Shift Before Christmas by Adam Kay
• Vermeer to Eternity by Anthony Horowitz

Christian

• The Prodigal Prophet by Timothy Keller

Non-Fiction

• All on the Board Inspiration Quotes by All on the Board
• The Border by Diarmad Ferriter

Recommended Books

If you go to the London Underground, you will see boards in each station that are used for announcements, etc. However, two of the TfL workers who are known on social media as All on Board, use those boards to write positive messages or messages of celebration on certain days like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. They have also been known to write messages at North Greenwich station where the 02 arena is, in recognition of the artists who would be playing there – often using song titles to write the message.

This book contains many of these notices – it is a very interesting read. Overall, the messages can be funny and inspirational etc.

Literature: December 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

At the beginning of 2021 I aimed to read 155 books. Now it is December and coming to the end of the year and I have met my challenged and have read 158 books this year– with 14 of them being read this month

So what 14. books have I read?

Fiction

• A Brambleberry Manor Christmas by Rosie Green
• A Kiss in the Snow by Rosie Green
• A Summer of Surprises by Rosie Green
• Snow Falls over Sunnybrook by Rosie Green
• The Christmas Surprise by Rosie Green
• The Wedding Cake Wish by Rosie Green
• The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
• The Beach Café by Lucy Diamond
• Christmas at the Beach Café by Lucy Diamond
• Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley
• Christmas Gifts at the Beach Café by Lucy Diamond

Christian

• Micah for You by Stephen Um
• Single Christian Female by Sarah Coleman

Notes

December was a month of reading easy to read fiction and all the Rosie Green ones were in the Little Duck Pond Café series, which brings me up to number 19 in the series. 

Literature: November 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought I would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and October, I was able to read 132 books and now November has ended I am up to 144 as I managed to read 12 books this month.

So what 12 books have I read?

Children

• The Boy at the Back of the Class by Ohaki Q. Rauf

Christian

• Hosea: An Introduction by Charles Morris
• Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung

Non-Fiction

• Why I’m No Longer Talking About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

Biography

• Not That Kind of Love by Claire & Greg Wise

Fiction

• Bonfires & Hot Chocolate at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• A Winter Wedding at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• Lemon Drizzle Mondays at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• Logfires and Toffee Apples at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green

Crime

• Ask No Questions by Claire Allan

Recommended Books

After watching Greg Wise strut his stuff on Strictly Come Dancing I decided to read Not That Kind of Love which was a memoir of Greg’s sister Claire and her battle against cancer. After her initial diagnosis, Claire started writing a blog to update her family and friends on her progress and when she was unable to continue writing, Greg took over. I listened to this as an audiobook and as Claire has sadly passed away her parts were read by her friend while Greg read his section, This was a very sad book and you could not help feeling for Greg while he read about his sister and her battle with cancer. It is a book mixed with humour whilst battling a terrible disease with treatments, drugs, and surgery. It is also a book about love and family. A highly recommended read. 

Literature: October 2021 Books

 October Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought I would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and September, I was able to read 117  books and now October has ended I am up to 132 as I read 15 books this month – seem to have got my reading mojo back. Also, I was on holiday so had more time to relax and read books. Now I have another 23 books to read more at the end of the year and reach my target.

So what 15 books have I read this month?

Short Stories

• Amok by Stefan Zweig
• Down on One Knead by Cressida McLaughlin
• Two Tarts Beat as One by Cressida McLaughlin
• You May now Eat the Cake by Cressida McLaughlin
• Breaded Bliss by Cressida McLaughlin
• Mr. Salary by Sally Rooney

Fiction

• Spring the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• Summer at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• Christmas at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• Snowed in at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• A Bakery at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Café by Rosie Green
• The Foundling by Stacey Halls
• It is Wood, It is Stone by Gabriella Burnham

Thriller

• Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick

Multiple Arcs

The four books by Cressida McLaughlin are all from the Cornish Cream Tea Wedding which is Book 4 in the Cornish Cream Tea series. I did not realise when I read these four parts that they formed one book. I did not realise this was book four in the series and may be tempted to go and read the other ones.

And you may have guessed that another series which I have been reading is the Little Duck Pond Café series by Rosie Green. After reading the first one I realised that there are 20 books in this series, so have a few more to read. They are not great works of literature, but they are very entertaining reads – my one qualm with them is that they make out that the only thing a girl ever wants is a man, which is not true.

 

Literature: September 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought I would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and August, I was able to read 111 books and now September has ended I am up to 117 as I read 6 books this month. Again like August, this is a low number for me – just seem to have lost my reading mojo at moment. Now I have another 38 to read before reaching my target.

So what 6 books have I read this month?

Fiction

• The Overdue Life of Amy Bylar by Kelly Harris
• You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
• Saving the Day by Katie Fforde

Crime

• Truth be Told by Kia Abdullah

Christian

• Daniel For You by Daniel Helm

Children’s

• The Racehorse Who Learned to Dance by Clare Balding

Recommended Books

I am a big believer that all adults should still read Children’s books - it is a way of keeping us feeling young and they are very some good children’s books out there. This is the third in the series about the Racehorse Nobel Warrior who in previous books won the Derby against all odds and bested a bunch of kidnappers. And in this latest instalment Nobel Warrior is being to Dance – it is Charlie’s way of helping her best friend Polly find a new way to make Polly’s equestrian dreams come true, and forge a new path for the racehorse who when he arrived with Charlie could not even gallop!

Literature: August 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and July, I was able to read 104 books and now August has ended I am up to 111 as I read 7 books this month. This is a low number for me, not sure what happened to me! Now I have another 44 to read before reaching my target.

So what are the 7 books I read in August?

Crime

• The House Guest by Mark Edwards
• The Skylight by Louise Candlish

Fiction

• The Wafflehouse on the Pier by Tilly Tennant
• Love from A to Z by SK Ali

Christian

• Faithful Leaders by Rico Tice

Short Stories

• The Great Cornish Getaway by Fern Britton

Recommended Books

This month I recommend Love from A to Z by SK Ali. This book tells the story of Adam and Zayneb, two Muslim teenagers who meet each other while they are on Spring Break in Doha. They are both dealing with their own issues.

Adam is struggling with his new diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and how to break the news to his dad who is still dealing with the death of his wife who died after a battle with the same diseases.  Zayneb has been suspended from school due to speaking up to her teacher who won’t stop reminded the class how ‘bad’ Muslims are. She is struggling with this and the way that other people treat her when they see her hijab.

They both clock eye in the airport and then actually meet each other in arrival in Doha when it transpires Zayneb’s aunt works with Adam’s dad in the International School. They get to know each other and realise they have feelings for each other but it's not a smooth road for them both.

I loved this book and thought the writer described MS very well. 

Literature: July 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and June, I was able to read 95 books and now July has ended I am up to 104 as I managed to read 10 this month. So now I have another 51 to read before reaching my target.

So what are the 10 books I read in July?

Crime

• The Dying Detective by Leif GW Perrson
• Bedlam by LJ Ross
• Dying Inside by Damien Boyd
• Marshlight by Joy Ellis

Fiction

• Everything I’ve Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Christian

• Chosen by David Barr
• Arriving Well by Cate Brubeter
• We Need to Talk About Race by Ben Lindsay

Children

• Mary Poppins Opens the Door by P.L Travers

Biographies

• That’s Another Story by Julie Walters

Recommended Books

I really recommend We Need to Talk about Race by Ben Lindsay. The subtitle of this book is Understanding the Black Experience in White Majority Churches. This book offers eye-opening insights into the black religious experiences, challenging the status quo in white-majority churches. The book is filled with examples from real-life stories including Ben’s own story of how they as Black people have felt within white churches. Ben shows us how we can work together as a church to create a truly inclusive community and accept each other the way God accepts us – as his children.  

 

 

 

Literature: June 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and May, I was able to read 77 books and now June has ended I am up to 94 as I managed to read 17 this month. So now I have another 61 to read before reaching my target.

So what are the 17 books I read in June?

Crime

• The Russian by James Patterson
• All Fall Down by M.J Alridge

Fiction

• The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
• Music from Another World by Robin Talley
• The Harpy by Megan Hunter
• Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
• My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Christian

• Popcultured by Steve Turner
• Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado
• The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosario Butterfield
• Leading a Special Needs Ministry by  Amy Fenton Lee
• The Inconceivable Truth by Joanne Graham
• Abortion by Lizzie Ling

Children

• Paddington at Large by Michael Bond
• Paddington Marches On by Michael Bond

Biographies

• Hear Me Out by Sarah Harding

Books to Avoid

I had to read The Harpy by Megan Hunter for my book club and it was one of the worst we have read together and one I think you should definitely avoid. The story was weird and hard to follow, however, the style of writing was good so that is a positive. 

Literature: May 2021 Books

It is a new year, it's 2021, we are now out of lockdown, but I am still finding time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and April, I was able to read 62 and now May has ended and I am up to 78 as I managed to read 15 books this month. So now I only have another 77 to read before I read my target.

So what are the 15 books I read in April?

Fiction

The Unseen by Roy Jacobson

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris

Crime

In Bad Company by Viveca Sten

The Rock by LJ Ross

The Girl Who Took an Eye for an Eye by David Lagencratz

Turn a Blind Eye by Jeffrey Archer 

Christian

Redeemed Like David by Mark Ballenger

Unleashed by Gavin Calver

If Only by Jennie Pollock

Angry Conversations with God by Susan E Issacs

Get Up Off Your Knees by Raewynne Whiteley & Beth Maynard

Going Back to God When you Feel Empty by Tanya Marlow

The Art of Listening Prayer by Seth Barnes

Short Stories

The Machine Stops by E.M Forster

Stories to Make You Smile by Fanny Blake

Recommended Books

Well this month there is one book that is really outstanding and I would definitely recommend and that is American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins. It is a masterpiece. It is a hard read but definitely worth reading.

American Dirt follows Lydia Quizano Perez and her son Lucas are from Alcapulco, Mexico and are on making their way to America to escape one of the cartels who came in and upturned their family and left Lydia with no choice but to take her son and run for their lives, as the cartels can’t reach them there.

Throughout the whole journey, Lydia is looking over her shoulder to make sure that the cartel’s El Jefe is not on her tail. Both her and Lucas have to overcome obstacles that face them like jumping on top of trains (the only way migrants can really make their way to the border). They make friends with two other girls who are also making their way to safety in America and the four of them help each other and look after each other on the journey.

American Dirt is one of those books whose characters really get under your skin and make you care for their safety, and it makes you cry, frustrated and angry at the same time. It is a great read and I really recommend everyone reads it.

 

Literature: April 2021 Books

So it is a new year, it's 2021, but we are still in lockdown which means more months of staying inside and staying away from others which also means more time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. Between January and March, I was able to read 50 and now April has ended I am up to 62 as I managed to read 12 books this month. So only another 93 books til I reach my target.

So what are the 12 books I read in April?

Biography

My Name is Why by Lemn Sissay

Greenlights by Matthew McConaghy

Running by Ronnie O’Sullivan

Unashamed by Lecrae Moore

Fiction

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

Christian

An Ocean of Grace by Tim Chester

1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly by Dale Ralph Davis

2 Kings: The Power and the Fury by Dale Ralph Davis

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Children’s

Paddington Abroad by Michael Bond

Non-Fiction

Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson

Difficult Books

I had to read My Dark Vanessa for my book group his month and boy was it a difficult read. It made me feel so uncomfortable because the storyline revolved around Vanessa, a 15-year-old schoolgirl who is manipulated into having a sexual relationship with her English teacher. What made it so uncomfortable is that Vanessa still kept in touch with him after leaving the school and still believed that her teacher did nothing wrong and that he truly cared for her, despite the fact he was brought up on charges of having done the same thing to some of his other pupils. I just wanted to shout at Vanessa and tell her to stop being so naïve and to leave her teacher behind.

Literature: March 2021 Books

So it is a new year, it's 2021, but we are still in lockdown which means more months of staying inside and staying away from others which also means more time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. The first two months of 2021 have seen me read 35 books and now in March I have read 15 which brings me to 50 books. So only another 105 books to go till I reach my target!

So are the 15 books read in March?  

Thriller / Crime

• Lies, Lies Lies by Adele Parks
• I’ve Got My Eyes on You by Mary Higgins Clarke
• Dead Man’s Footsteps by Peter James

Biography

• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• The Sanest Guy in the Room by Don Black

Fiction

• The Secret Seaside Escape by Heidi Swain
• The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
• The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
• The Next Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Christian

• 2 Samuel for You by Tim Chester
• Disappointments, Doubt and other Spiritual Gifts by Mike Yaconelli

Children’s

• White Horse of Zennor by Michael Morpurgo
• Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
• Friend or Foe by Michael Morpurgo

Young Adults

• Followers by Megan Angelo

Books in a Series

In January I started to read the DS Roy Grace series by Peter James. This month I have continued with the series by reading one more “Dead Man’s Footsteps” So now have 11 more to read in the series as there are 15 books in total.

Recommended Books

It seems that every month my recommended books are biographies and this month it is no different as I really enjoyed “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson, which discussed the author’s childhood as an African American growing up in the 1960s in South Carolina where both segregation and racism exist and later on in New York where she develops a close friendship with Maria from Puerto Rico. This is a great story of family and friendship.

I also read “The Sanest Guy in the Room” by Don Black. I didn’t know much about Don Black except that is a songwriter, but heard good reviews of the book and thought it would be interesting to read and it was. Interwoven with the stories behind songs that he has written e.g. ‘Diamonds are Forever’ Don talks about his wife of 60 years Shirley who died in March 2018 and how he has coped with his grief. I just loved the way that he cited song lyrics and told stories of how these songs came about. He also talks about his friendships with other songwriters. 

I also highly recommended Mitch Albom’s books “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” and “The Next Five People You Meet in Heaven”. These books are an easy read. The first one follows the life and death of Eddie and the second one of Annie and how in heaven they start a journey where they both meet five people who had a significant impact on their lives who help them understand that their lives were not meaningless and they were not mistakes but that their lives had meaning. Something we all want to hear.

Literature: February 2021 Books

So it is a new year, it's 2021, but we are still in lockdown which means more months of staying inside and staying away from others which also means more time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. In January I read 21, and in total have now read 35 as in February I managed to read 14.  

So what were those 14 books?

Crime

• Not Dead Enough by Peter James
• Her Name is Rose by Clare Allan
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
• Darkness Rising by A.A Dhand
• The Greenway by Jane Adams

Poetry

• History Will Remember When the World Stopped by Donna Ashworth

Biography

• An Open Book by Darren Clarke
• Walking with Ghosts by Gabriel Byrne
• Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham

Fiction

• In Five Years by Rebecca Searle

Christian

• 1 Samuel for You by Tim Chester
• Harnessed for Adventure by Gordon Hickson
• The Good and Beautiful Life by James Bryan Smith

Children’s

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Books in a Series

In January I read two books in the DS Roy Grace series by Peter James and continued with the series by reading one more “Not Dead Enough”.  So now have 12 more to read in the series as there are 15 books in total.

Recommended Books

I struggled with a couple of the books this month, but there are ones I definitely did enjoy and would recommend and both of these are biographies of people. The first one is “Walking with Ghosts” by the Irish actor Gabriel Byrne. I listened to this book as an audiobook and it was so lovely listening to his gorgeous Irish accent. Unlike normally celebrity biographies Byrne does not talk about all the glitz and glamour of Holywood, instead, he tells of his early life including his parents, his childhood as well his early acting life. It is a very interesting story but harrowing at times as he tells about the abuse he suffered during his time in the Seminary when he was 13 and felt like he had a calling to Priesthood. 

The other biography I enjoyed reading was that of “Talking as Fast as I Can” by Lauren Graham. Lauren is best known as Lorelai Gilmore in Gilmore Girls who is a fast-talking character hence the name of the book. In this book, Lauren looks back on her life, sharing stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, talking about the challenges of being single in Holywood as well as telling stories of her time in Gilmore Girls and how she came to write her first book “Someday, Someday, Maybe” in her breaks between filming on Parenthood.

Literature: January 2021 Books

So it is a new year, it's 2021, but we are still in lockdown which means more months of staying inside and staying away from others which also means more time to read.

As I managed 152 books in 2020, I thought would up the ante and go for 155 in 2021. In January I managed to get a good start to that target as I read 21 books. . Not sure I will be able to do that every month though.

So what were those 21 books?

Short Stories

• A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor
• Chess Story by Stefan Zweig
• How Much Land Does a Man Need by Leo Tolstoy

Crime

• Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer
• Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer
• Dead Simple by Peter James
• Looking Good Dead by Peter James
• Haunted by James Patterson
• Ambush by James Patterson
• Blindside by James Patterson

Children’s

• A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond
• Paddington Helps Out by Michael Bond
• Lost on the Amazon by R.A Montgomery

Christian

• Be Equipped by Warren Wiersbe
• Be Strong by Warren Wiersbe
• I Thought There Would be Cake by Katharine Welby-Roberts
• Genesis: Salvation Begins by Andrew Reid
• Judges for You by Timothy Keller
• Ruth for You by Tony Merida

Fiction

• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Real Life

• War Doctor by David Nott

Books in a Series

As you can see I have been reading a few books by the same authors which are parts of a series. ‘Nothing ventured’ and ‘Hidden in Plain Sight’ are the first two books in the William Warwick series by Jeffrey Archer. I really enjoyed these books and am looking forward to the next installment which comes out in April 2021.

‘Dead Simple’ and ‘Looking Good Dead’ are the first two books in the DS Roy Grace series by Peter James.  Currently, there are 15 books in this series so I have a few to go to complete the series but I am already on the third one of the series so am heading in the right direction.

‘Haunted’, ‘Ambush’ and ‘Blindside’ are part of the Detective Michael Bennett series by James Patterson. They are currently 13 books in this series and these are number 10, 11 & 12.  Looking forward to reading the last one but I am waiting until it comes down in price!

Recommended Books

I would recommend all the books I have read as I enjoyed them all, well apart from ‘I thought there would be cake’ as I just struggled so much with it. However, there are two outstanding books this month and these are ‘The Midnight Library’ and ‘War Doctor’.

‘The Midnight Library’ is a fiction book and I loved it from the moment I started it until the moment I finished. It centres on Nora who is in the space between life and death and finds herself in a place called the Midnight Library and within this library, the bookshelves go on forever. Every book provides Nora to try another life she could have lived and see how life would have turned out for her if she had made a different choice.

It is a novel that really brings you into the story and it really gets you thinking about things, especially how you live your own life.

And the second book ‘War Doctor’ is a non-fiction book that centres on the life and work of Dr David Nott who is a Consultant Surgeon who for the past twenty years has taken unpaid leave from his job working in the NHS to go and work as a trauma surgeon in some of the most dangerous war zones including Sarajevo, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Darfur, Congo, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Gaza, and Syria.

From this book, you can tell that Dr. Nott is driven by his desire to help others. However, he doesn’t always just help others, he also teachers local doctors to learn how to treat the appalling injuries that war inflicts upon its victims.  It is an extraordinary story that saw Dr. Nott live through some very harrowing events within the countries he went to serve.  

Literature: December 2020 Books

So it is the end of the year, the end of 2020, and what a year it has been – a year of staying inside and away from others. So during this time of having to stay inside, what else do you do but read – which is exactly what I have done.

My target at the beginning of the year was to read 60 books and by April I hit that target so I decided to up the target to 100 and I hit that in July. I did not increase my target, just decided to read for fun. And now at the end of December, at the end of the year, I have read 152.

During the first few months of lockdown, I read 10 books a month, but as restrictions lifted and I could go out and about, I was getting an average of 7 books a month. In December I managed to read 15 books – the most books in any month of 2020.

So what are these 15 books I have read in December?

 

Biography

 Once Upon a Tyne by Ant & Dec

Little Big Things by Henry Fraser

Christian

Be Counted by Warren Wiersbe

Ephesians for You by Richard Coekin

Praying for Your Missionary by Eddie Byun

Fiction

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Crime

Forgive me by Joy Ellis

Hysteria by L.J Ross

Cuthbert’s Way by L.J Ross

The Seagull by Ann Cleeves

Anthologies

Dear NHS by Adam Kay

Last Christmas by Greg Wise & Emma Thompson

My favourite book this month was Little Big Things by Henry Fraser. This is a very honest biography of a 29 year old guy who went on holiday to Portugal as a healthy sport-loving 17-year-old, but came home as a tetraplegic after a five into the sea went wrong.  Henry talks about the days after the accident and the weeks he spent in the hospital both in Portugal and in England and his finding his way to who he was now and coming to terms with the fact that life would be very different as he would be spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Like everyone else Henry has low times in his life, but for the most of it his outlook is positive, and with the help and support of his family and friends Henry has embraced his life and accepted his life now, and as someone who lives with a chronic illness this really spoke to me and made me assess my attitude to my life and to focus on now what I can’t do but what I can do.

Literature: November 2020 Books

November Books

Every month instead of writing individual book reviews for the books I had read, I just post a list of those books.  At the beginning of the year, I set a target of reading 60 books but due to lockdown and having more time on my hands, I actually hit that target in April so I increased my target to 100, and by end of July, I had read 102. Instead of increasing my target again, I decided I would just read for the sake of reading. 

So now it’s November and I have managed to read 10 books and these are the books I have read:

Biography

 A Grateful American by Gary Sinise

Children’s

What not to do if Turn Invisible by Ross Walford

Christian

Dirty Glory by Pete Greig

Be Holy by Warren Wiersbe

Praying the Bible by Donald S Whitney

Fiction

When Life Gives you Lemons by Fiona Gibson

The Dilemna by B A Paris

The List of my Desires by Gregoire Delacourt

Crime

The Disappeared by Joy Ellis

In the Name of Truth by Viveca Sten

 

So the best book I read this time was A Grateful American by Gary Sinise which was a biography of Gary’s life which included his childhood, his teenage years, and the start of his theatre company Steppenwolf in Chicago. Gary also talks about the relationship with his parents, his marriage, his children, and the parts he has played in theatre productions and movies and shares of the role that made the most impact on his life - Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump. 

The role in Forrest Gump was Gary’s break into the movies as well as the start of his journey of supporting the military and the formation of his band, the Lieutenant Dan Band.  This was very interesting and informative book, not just about his life but about the role of the military within the United States of America.

Literature: October Books

 

Every month instead of writing individual book reviews for the books I had read, I just post a list of those books.  At the beginning of the year, I set a target of reading 60 books but due to lockdown and having more time on my hands, I actually hit that target in April so I increased my target to 100, and by end of July, I had read 102. Instead of increasing my target again, I decided I would just read for the sake of reading.

Most months in 2020 I have been able to read 10 or more books, but in October I only managed to read 8 books.  So what books did I read?

Crime

Blue Moon by Lee Child

Little Bird by Sharon Dempsey

Christian

Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Healthy Faith and the Corona Virus by Luke Cowly etc

Fiction

False Impressions by Jeffrey Archer

Short Stories

Six Foot Six by Kit De Waal

Non-Fiction

Diary of a Naturalist by Dara McAnulty

Children’s

The Trouble with Donovan Croft by Bernard Ashley

The best book I have read in October has to be Diary of a Naturalist by Dara McAnulty. This book is brilliant in many different ways but mainly because it was written by a 14-year-old boy who is also Autistic. It is written so well and Dara’s descriptions of nature are brilliant and I had to read it with google in my hand so I could look up the birds and other things he talked about. When Dara was describing being in a place or looking at something, I actually really felt I was standing there beside him seeing or experiencing the same thing.

Literature: September Books

 

Every month instead of writing individual book reviews for the books I had read, I just post a list of those books.  At the beginning of the year, I set a target of reading 60 books but due to lockdown and having more time on my hands, I actually hit that target in April so I increased my target to 100, and by end of July, I had read 102. Instead of increasing my target again, I decided I would just read for the sake of reading.

Most months in 2020 I have been able to read 10 or more books, but in September I only managed to read 7 books.  So what books did I read?

Crime

Past Tense by  Lee Child

Christian

Darkness Visible by William Styron

Fiction

The Librarian by Sally Vickers

Short Stories

Notting Hill Carnival by Candice Carly Williams

The little dreams of Lara Cliffe by Milly Johnson

Non-Fiction

Why you should read Children’s Books by Katherine Rundell

The Prison Doctor – Life Inside by Amanda Brown

None of these books really stood out to be this month. To be honest I am struggling to get the enthusiasm and concentration to read at the minute and am not sure why, think it maybe because I am suffering from fatigue – which is why there are a couple of short stories in there.

Literature: August Books

Every month instead of writing individual book reviews for the books I had read, I just post a list of those books.  At the beginning of the year, I set a target of reading 60 books but due to lockdown and having more time on my hands, I actually hit that target in April so I increased my target to 100 and by the end of July I had read 102. Instead of increasing my target again, I decided I would just read for the sake of reading.

Most months in 2020 I have been able to read 10 or more books, but in August I only managed to read 9 books.  And in total, I have now read 113 in 2020. So what books did I read in August?

Crime

Raven Black by Ann Cleeves

Dying Light by Joy Ellis

The Gift for Dying by M.J Alridge

Christian

Walking Backwards by Jeff Lucas

The Art of Rest by Adam Mabry

Short Stories

Cut Off by Mark Billingham

Looking for Captain Poldark by Rowan Coleman

A Fresh Start by Fanny Blake et al

Non-Fiction

52 Times Britain was a Bellend by James Felton

 

The whole title of James Felton’s book is ’52 Times Britain was a Bellend:  The history you didn’t get Taught at School’. It is a fully illustrated book chronicling 52 of the most stupid and weird things the Brits have done to the world and then conveniently forgetting all about them! This includes:

• Starting wars with China when they didn’t buy enough of our class A drugs
• Inventing a law so we didn’t have to return objects they had blatantly stolen from other countries
• Casually create muzzles for women
• And almost going to war over a crime committed by a pig!
• Despite the title of the book being a bit rude! I did enjoy this book and seeing history from another side – it was funny and eye-opening at the same time!