December in review

So we have reached the end of the year. 2015 was one of many ups and downs - a few more downs. Can't say I am sorry to see the end of it. I did fall short of my target 100 reads, but I will talk more about that in my end of year round up. In the meantime, lets look at December.
Stats first.

Kindle - 0                               Library -0
Book - 3                                 Own - 4
Audio - 1                              Borrowed (non library) - 0
Fiction - 2                      
Non-fiction - 2
Female Author - 3                  New to Me Authors - 2
Male Author - 4
Australian Author - 4

I feel like I read more in December. Maybe I'm missing something between Bitter Greens and Island Home, but for the life of me I can't remember what it is - if it even exists! It was obviously a big month for Australian authors and a nice even split between memoir and fiction. The only one not in the running for best book of the month is Relativity. Very strange month indeed!

Questionable Deeds was our book club read - but I had read that earlier in the year. It provoked some interesting discussion, if not a little reserved as at least a few of us are personal friends with the author.

So there you have it, 2015 finally finished. I've already finished 1 (almost 2) book(s) this year, but don't want to review them until I do a final 2015 review. I'm currently on my son's computer as mine is out of commission for the moment. Hopefully the component needed to see it back in action will be here this week! 

I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and your new year is off to a good start. Here's hoping 2016 is a good one for us all!

November in Review

So are you ready for Christmas? I'm not, nowhere near it! I'll just stick my fingers in my ears and sing la la la for a little while longer!

8 reads this month. Not bad, but I am unlikely to hit my target of 100 by the end of year. Such is life, no biggie really.

Stats first.

Kindle - 1                              Library - 6
Book - 4                                  Own - 2
Audio - 3                                Borrowed (non library) - 0
Fiction - 6                       
Non-fiction - 2
Female Author - 6                  New to Me Authors - 4
Male Author - 3
Australian Author - 6

Big month for audio - 3. Only one that I was really impressed by though was Still Alice. The Heart Goes Last and The Serial Killers Club fell short of the mark. I was bitterly disappointed with The Heart Goes Last as I quite like Margaret Atwood but this one just didn't do it for me.

The Jungle Dark was a very personal read for me and has definitely left it's mark, but the pick of the month is by far and away Geraldine Brooks' The Secret Chord. Brooks is an author who just gets better and better. The Secret Chord has reminded me I've yet to read Caleb's Crossing so expect to see that soon.

Looking Forward

Nothing new borrowed or bought this month, although I have made a list of books I hope to get through over the Christmas break. I made it a few weeks ago and have already made a start, but this is what is still on it.

Island Home - Tim Winton (we all know I adore Tim Winton!)

The Little Red Chairs - Edna O'Brien

The Beast's Garden - Kate Forsyth

Caleb's Crossing - Geraldine Brooks

Not Just Black and White - Lesley & Tammy Williams

This list only includes those books I actually have in my possession. My actual TBR list is way longer!!

So how was your November? What are your plans for holiday reading?

October in Review

October?? Already gone??? Oh help!!!

On the reading front, not a bad month.

Stats first.

Kindle - 4                                Library - 3
Book - 3                                      Own - 4

Audio - 0                                     Borrowed (non library) - 0
Fiction - 5                       
Non-fiction - 2

Female Author - 2                        New to Me Authors - 5
Male Author - 6
Australian Author - 5

7 reads this month. Not bad and a great selection. Pick of the month is hard, but I think The Martian has to be it. If you have seen the movie and thought it was good, read the book - it's excellent. Brother of the More Famous Jack was our October book group read and Flesh Wounds is our November read. Both were really enjoyable and well worth discussing. Brother of the More Famous Jack surprised me - I enjoyed it but didn't think there was much to it until we started talking about it and I discovered there was quite a lot! Flesh Wounds should produce a great amount of discussion plus a game or two of "Who has the weirdest parents?"

No audio this month, although I am more than half way through Margaret Atwood's The Heart Goes Last. Like last month I'm listening to a lot of podcasts, having added The Moth and The Guardian Books podcast to my subscriptions. I often find myself in the car laughing or crying as I listen to some amazing stories.

Looking forward

No hard copy book purchases this month - no book launches! Although given I have yet to open any of the purchases I mentioned last month, most probably not a bad thing!

Not many library borrowings either, but have added a couple to the list.

I'm continuing my love affair with Kate Forsyth, picking up her children's novel, The Puzzle Ring and Cracking the Code by Stephen and Sally Damini and Leah Kaminsky I picked up after hearing an interview with them on Richard Fidler's Conversation Hour. I'm going to concentrate on library books in November because while I do have a huge amount out, I can't just keep renew the ones I do!

As for the Kindle, I have purchased The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks, Flesh Wounds by Richard Glover, and Little Red Chairs by Edna O'Brien. At least I know I have a choice in what I want to read!

Well that's October, looking into November. What was your month like?

July in Review

I've hit a bit of a reading slump at the moment - nothing appeals, nothing inspires. Anyway, it's flowed to my blog obviously and it's taken me awhile to get motivated and get my July in review up.

Stats for July

Kindle - 3                                    Library - 4
Book - 2                                      Own -4

Audio - 1   
Graphic novel - 2                       Borrowed (non library) - 0
Fiction - 7                            
Non-fiction - 1

Female Author - 1                        New to Me Authors - 2
Male Author - 7
Australian Author - 0

Big graphic novel/ comic strip month. Reading slump.

Pick of the month would easily be All The Light We Cannot See.  Beautifully written and moving. If you are interested in WWII fiction, I highly recommend it. I was a little disappointed with Buy Me The Sky, interesting subject, but just lacked something.

Book group Coin Locker Babies and I am still working on it. I missed the discussion as the kids had a trampoline competition!

Skullduggery  was the only audio book for the month and I continue to recommend this series. Audio seems to be the only thing firing for me at the moment and I am close to finishing my second one for August.

So I continue. I'm struggling with August's book group book as well. I'm dipping into a lot of different things in an attempt to fire my reading mojo again. I think it's working. Anyone got any - you absolutely have to read this ideas for me?

How was your July?

June In Review

Half the year gone! Christmas mad friends of mine have started posting things like how many days until Christmas. Personally I continue to stick my fingers in my ears and sing la la la la.

Like May, June has been a good month. I finished off the  Children's Book Council short listed older and younger reader books. Great range of books this year and hopefully I'll get up my picks for winners and notables soon.

Stats for June:

Kindle - 2                                    Library - 8
Book - 8                                       Own -4

Audio - 1                                     Borrowed (non library) - 0
Graphic Novel - 1
Fiction - 12                             
Non-fiction - 0

Female Author - 6                        New to Me Authors - 4 (5 if you count Robert Galbraith)
Male Author - 6
Australian Author - 6

Pick of the month is hard - so many good books this month. I loved The Minnow and The Protected - expect both to appear in my short list wrap up post. A Man Called Ove and The Cuckoo's Calling were also great books. As for Soon, Gleitzman's whole series about Felix is wonderful.

Book group was Susan Duncan's Salvation Creek. It was just as good as I remembered and was a great discussion. This month is Coin Locker Babies and I am really looking forward to it.

I managed to finish my audio book A Man Called Ove just before we went away for two weeks so haven't really started anything new. I have the next Skullduggery and Inside the O'Briens ready to go. Looking forward to both!

At the moment I have 5 books to do reviews of, all read while we spend two glorious weeks in New Zealand. Keep an eye out, they'll be coming soon!

How was your June?

May In Review

May has been a good month. I managed to lay my hands on and read 8 of the Children's Book Council short listed older and younger reader books. Better still, as I sit here, I have another two I've just picked up from the library which means there are only 2 outstanding. Hopefully by the end of June I will have read them all.

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Melbourne late in the month which allowed me to chew through a book a day. I was down there for my son to compete in the Australian National Gymnastics Championship as a trampolinist and I'm very proud to say he walked away with a 7th in double mini tramp and a 2nd in trampoline in his age group. I've uploaded the video below if you are interested. Routine actually starts at about 42 secs.

So I suppose I should get onto the book part of my month! Stats:

Kindle - 1                                     Library - 9
Book - 9                                       Own -3

Audio - 2                                      Borrowed (non library) - 0
Fiction - 12                               
Non-fiction - 0

Female Author - 7                        New to Me Authors - 8
Male Author - 5
Australian Author - 10

Definitely made up for the lack of Australian authors this month, funny that, given I've been reading short listed books!

My pick for this month definitely Girl on A Train - fantastic, suspenseful stuff. My biggest disappointment would have been Amnesia. Just realised they are both audios. The narrators were great on both these books and in fact Colin Friels may be the sole reason I finished Amnesia.

There's no book group book in this lot. I have two weeks to read Susan Duncan's Salvation Creek. It will be a reread for me and I'm looking forward to it.

No audio book on the go at the moment either as I am listening to a dramatised podcast called Serial that a couple of friends put me onto. It is good! If you like audio books, I suggest you give it a go. Download the first episode and I guarantee you'll be hooked. I've only got one episode to go and I will be reviewing it when I've finished.

How was your May?

April in Review

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm feeling a bit like this at the moment.

The year is flying by at a ridiculous rate of knots.

April stats:

Kindle - 2                                     Library - 3
Book - 3                                       Own - 4

Audio - 2                                      Borrowed (non library) - 0
Fiction - 7                               
Non-fiction - 0

Female Author - 2                        New to Me Authors - 2
Male Author - 6
Australian Author - 0

No Australian authors this month, although I'm teetering about Ben Elton because he does live here now. Also the first month with no non-fiction.

My pick for this month is hard. I loved Two Brothers and Skullduggery Pleasant.

Our book group book for this month was my choice and I went with Two Brothers. It's a great book for a book group and we had a great discussion. Some of us enjoyed it more than others, which I value in a book group book. It's interesting to see how things you really thought enhanced the story were a negative for others. 

I finished it!! You can read my review here. While I'm glad I can now say I've read (or listened to) Anna Karenina, I don't think it's something I will read again. I have the movie at home to watch and I'm looking forward to that.

So that was April. According to GoodReads I'm still lagging behind on my target of 100 books for this year. Just as well I'm not overly worried! The Children's Book Council has released it's short lists so look out for the reviews of the younger readers and older reader books. I'll also do the picture books and the early childhood books, but have a bit of a different plan up my sleeve for them.

How was your April?

March in Review

Well in terms of reading, my March was a lot better than February. Back in the groove and books I actually enjoyed. 

March stats:

Kindle - 1                                       Library - 5
Book - 6                                         Own - 2
Fiction - 5                                      Borrowed (non library) - 0
Non-fiction - 2

Female Author - 1                         New to Me Authors - 4
Male Author - 6
Australian Author - 2

I'm finding that working in libraries again means I reading a lot more library books and less Kindle. This is neither good nor bad, just is.

In March I completed 7 books - on par with January, a significant improvement on February.

My pick for this month would be either Looking for Alaska or The Virgin Suicides.

Our book group book for this month was The Rosie Project. I simply never got around to re-reading it and I was unable to go, choosing a night away with my husband instead. (sorry girls!). From what I hear the meeting went well and there was good discussion.

Hubby and I at Mt Tambourine.

Anna Karenina is still going in the car. By the end of March, I had listened to a further 53 chapters, taking me to the end of  chapter 210 of 238. That's 8:48:06 of listening time in March. A total of 34:06:27 total or around 90%. Hopefully April will see the end of it.

So that was March. I do need to pick it up a bit if I want to hit my target of 100 books this year. According to Goodreads I'm about 8 book behind schedule.

February in Review

So my February review is a little late. February has not been a good reading month for a couple of reasons. The first is I started a new job which has cut back my available reading time. No major problem, it just is. The second reason has a had a huge impact on my life and to be truthful, has been devastating.

On February 19 my husband rang me at work to tell me that one my best friend's husband had died - suddenly, unexpectedly, tragically. Adam's passing has left a huge hole in the life of my friend, Jodie and her two boys. Our families are close - very close. Losing Adam has been like losing a brother for myself and my husband, an uncle for my kids.

Adam doing something he loved.

Jodie started blogging at the beginning of February as part of her alcohol free month, aimed at raising money for a friend of hers with MS. She has continued to blog her journey after the loss of Adam so you can read about her and her wonderful family here at Over the Rim of my Glass. There is also a GoFund me page to help Jodie and her boys here. If you want, or able to, please donate to either her cause, or her friend Mary's cause.
For about two weeks after Adam's death I could not read. Just couldn't focus or settle on anything. The last week has seen my reading mojo start to return, so lets look at the reading aspect of February.

First, some stats.

Kindle - 1                                       Library - 2
Book - 2                                         Own - 1
Fiction - 2                                      Borrowed (non library) - 0
Non-fiction - 1

Female Author - 2                         New to Me Authors - 2
Male Author - 1
Australian Author - 

In February I completed 3 books.

Yep, that's it, three. My pick for the month would be Bones Never Lie.

Our book group book for this month was Self-Made Man. To say I didn't like it is an understatement and it scored my first one star for the year. It did provide some good discussion though.

Anna Karenina is still going in the car. As of today, I have listened a further 77 chapters, taking me to the end of chapter 156 of 238. That's 12:48:21 of listening time since the end of January. Added to January's total, that is 25:18:21 total or just short of 67% - I'm getting there!

That's my February. How was yours? What were your picks for the month? Hopefully my March will be better.

January in Review

This year I thought I would try and post a review of each month. We will see how we go - best intentions and all that!

Some stats for January.

Kindle - 2                                       Library - 4
Book - 5                                         Own - 2
Fiction - 4                                      Borrowed (non library) - 1
Non-fiction - 3

Female Author - 4                         New to Me Authors - 5
Male Author - 2
Australian Author - 1

In January I completed 7 books.

Not a bad start to the year! My pick of the bunch would be Middlesex. I loved the story, the writing and the characters. It would be a great book group book.

Our book group book for this month was We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves. It provided some great discussion and was another highlight for the month.

Anna Karenina is the audio book I'm listening to at the moment. Given it has 238 chapters and runs for 38 hours, it may take a while to get through! I am enjoying it though and with most chapters being around the 10 minute mark, it is easy to make sure you finish a chapter before getting out of the car. I am up to chapter 79, which equates to around about 12 and half hours of listening time - just short of 33% - yep, I'm in for the long haul!

That's my January. How was yours? What were your picks for the month?