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.