This post contains the books I've read, or listened, through in 2018.
Since I'm already over the 52 books read in 52 weeks mark I've decided to post the books, mostly audiobooks, I've read to date now. House building tasks certainly allow a good chunk of time to listen to audiobooks ... and they help to keep you awake :)
The number beside each book is my personal rating for the book, or audiobook, at the time of reading with the range being:
(1) = would not recommend,
(2) = some interesting aspects but not one of my recommended reads,
(3) = would recommend.
(4) = Really good, enjoyable, (or worthy) read, would definitely recommend
(5) = Excellent book, highly recommend
The next few are ongoing, sip, reads so I’m adding them here until they are finished:
A: How to Read Slowly ~ James W. Shire (3)
B: The Richest Man in Babylon ~ George S. Clason N/F recommended read by Jay
C: The Christian Family ~ Larry Christenson (4)
D: Christian Living in the Home ~ Jay Adams (4)
E: The Invisible Child: On Reading and Writing Books for Children ~ Katherine Paterson
(As in previous posts, I won't include the books I'm reading for my own extra-mural studies; and, the titles in green are ones I pre-read as possible reads for Daisy.)
1: KJV Life Application Study Bible: The Books of; Nehemiah, Acts (5+) the Bible linked is so interesting to study with!
2: Picture Miss Seeton bk.1 ~ Heron Carvic (3) Kent village of "Plummergen”, and London, England. Cosy mystery. See my review on audible here
3: When Sorry Isn’t Enough ~ Gary Chapman & Jennifer Thomas (2) N/F. Self-help, Christian. My review, on my book reviewing blog.
4: In This Grave Hour ~ Jacqueline Winspear, Narrated by Orlagh (2) Kent, and, London, England. My review.
5: Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret ~ Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor (4) England & China. N/F. Christian. My reviews
6: Death in the Stocks ~ Georgette Heyer (3) Ashley Green, Buckinghamshire, & London, England. repeat listen. Discuss with Daisy. Themes in the book include multiple engagements, manipulative ‘gold diggers’, workplace fraud, promiscuity for ‘gain’ = a form of prostitution.
0: The Alice Network ~ Kate Quinn (1) (Recommended listen. Dropped after 2 chapters … a woman uses really graphic profanity. Meh! Should have checked it out at goodreads first. )
0: The Garden Party and Other Stories ~ Maeve Binchy (1) Dropped. The first 2 stories dealt with survival after divorce, and in the 3rd story the couple were heading for one.
7: News From Thrush Green, bk:3 ~ Miss Read (audio) (4) Cotswold, U.K.
for those that like the heads up about divorce themes, this story has that. Surprise ending.
0: Dr Morelle: Collected Cases. BBC Classic Radio Crime ~ Ernest Dudley (audio) dropped
0: A House in Sicily ~ Daphne Phelps N/F dropped. I wanted to like this, but it was just so unengaging.
8: The Third Man Factor ~ John Geiger N/F (2) Global.
9: Manna from Hades ~ Carola Dunn Cosy mystery (3) Cornwall, England.
Eleanor Trewynn is not unlike Mrs. Pollifax though definitely more dithery. Having only read a few of Dunn’s Daisy Dalrymple cosy mysteries I was a little surprised at the amount of cursing the author injected into this book. No f bombs.
10: Dead Mountain ~ Donnie Eichar N/F (2) Russia, Ural Mountains.
The mystery surrounding this case is interesting. Eichar writes well and is building background for his theory on what caused the hikers death - he presents ‘scientific explanation’ as the solution to the mystery. Perhaps. I'm not convinced the case is solved. For others that like to know things like this too: the author uses an ‘F’ word early on in the book.
11: My Family and Other Animals ~ Gerald Durrell (4) N/F Autobiography Corfu, Greece.
12: Young Mrs. Savage ~ D.E. Stevenson (2) Fiction. Gentle read/romance. Scottish Countryside. Others may like to know, Stevenson uses an ‘N’ word when talking about some dark-skinned children.
13: Gray Matter ~ David I. Levy, M.D N/F. Medical/Memoir/Christian (5)
14: Listening Valley ~ D.E. Stevenson (3) vintage read/clean romance. WWII. Edinburgh, Scotland. Could generate triggers for some (child who’s parent neglect her reverts inside herself to cope, and has others trying to manipulate her as an adult – see reviews over at goodreads.
Ends well ;)
15: Alice in Wonderland, and, Through the Looking Glass ~ Lewis Caroll (2) Caroll fans will not want to read the next bit... this is the first time I've been through these titles and found the experience average at best.
Books that I’m counting towards a Brit-trip, mystery centric, reading challenge start from here:
16: Murder on the Flying Scotman: A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery, Book 4 ~ Carola Dunn (3) Cosy Mystery. London – Edinburgh train. (Durham. Stevenage, Herefordshire). Dunn seems to be giving a slight nod to Agatha Christie' s Murder on the Orient Express. For other mums who like to know content ahead of time: While the beginning of Alex and Daisy’s courtship is sealed with a kiss in this book, the detailing of the interaction – beyond a few heart flutters - remains ‘clean’.
17: A Murder is Announced ~ Agatha Christie (3) (1950) Cosy Mystery. Relisten. Fictional Chipping Cleghorn. Not for Daisy.
18: Death in A White Tie ~ Ngaio March (3) Golden Era Mystery. Relisten. Not for Daisy, bit too romance-y/intense adult feelings. London, England
19: A Duty to the Dead: Bess Crawford Bk1 ~ Charles Todd (4) Kent, England. not for Daisy, very mature themes. Victim is proportedly disembowled, adultery between cousins resulting in a child, obsessive love, narcissism, incarceration.
20: Overture to Death ~ Ngaio Marsh (3) (relisten) “Chippingwood Village”, England. not for Daisy VERY mature themes.
21: Damsel in Distress: Daisy Dalrymple Bk 5 ~ Carola Dunn (3) Cosy Mystery 1923, post WWI. Countryside near Malvern, England. Okay for Daisy
22: An Impartial Witness: Bess Crawford Bk2 ~ Charles Todd (3) Hampshire, England. Not for Daisy. (changed my mind later in the year. Discussed issues and handed it to Daisy.) Themes is this book, none are covered in graphic, or in a blow by blow detailed account; adultery resulting in pregnancy, murderer stalks his victims, narcissistic manipulator.
24: Bitter Truth: Bess Crawford Bk3 ~ Charles Todd (2) Sussex. Themes: Domestic violence, euthanasia. Not sure why Bess was so easily talked into helping a woman who’s character displays became little more than that of a ‘spoilt brat’.
25: An Unmarked Grave: Bess Crawford #4 ~ Charles Todd (4) Sussex, Somerset (Dover, Kent) England. Themes: Narcisscism - seems to be a theme the Todd’s write a lot about - some stalking in this book, though not written with a psychological thriller tone.
26: Anna, Where are You? (Miss Silver, Bk: 20) ~ Patricia Wentworth (3) Cosy mystery. London & Lincolnshire, England
27: Moon Over Manifest ~ Clare Vanderpool Audio (2) Children’s Fiction. I think children’s books are much more enjoyable when I have a child to share them with.
28: Suggestible You ~ Erik Vance (2) N/F Psychology. It’s always interesting to read a book by an author whose world view doesn’t align to my own. Good for growth.
29: In Sheep’s Clothing: Understanding & Dealing with Manipulators ~ George K. Simon (3) N/F Psychology Interesting, due to the collection of case studies mentioned in this book.
30: Hickory Dickory Dock ~ Agatha Christie (3) (1955) London, England
Lots of red herrings. Not for Daisy, yet. Themes: Matricide, mention of a pornography collection, alcoholism, euphemistic mention of pimping and prostitution.
31: The Bettencourt Affair ~ Tom Sancton N/F (2) (1955) Biographical Paris, France. epukapuka copy. Started out really interesting and then just became a long winded telling of a series of events that could have been told in half the time. Before hitting play in front of younger children other parents may appreciate knowing: Lots of very mature adult themes. Narcissistic personalities, abusive (emotionally and physically) parents. No graphic content, although the author seems to over focus on the many homosexual relationships, and, physical and emotional adulteries the proponents in the Bettancourt Saga indulged in. Other themes include suicide, dementia, fraud.
32: Dead Man’s Mirror ~ Agatha Christie (3) (1937) Wiltshire, England.
33: Knit Together ~ Debbie Macomber Audio (3) N/F Christiain/Inspirational This would appeal to Macomber fans. Not a favourite for me though there is some interesting content in this book, especially how Macomber became a writer in spite of dyslexia, and, then how she became a Christian as an adult. Macomber is a strong advocate of friendship evangelism.
34: The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World ~ Steven Johnson N/F (3) London, England. Others may like to note, Johnson pens every adjective he could find relating to human waste. The middle of this book wasn’t so interesting for me as I was very familiar with Snows portion of the story… time to skip ahead to the last few chapters.
35: A Casualty of War: Bess Crawford #9 ~ Charles Todd (3.5) epuk ebook Wiltshire, Lancashire (or Greater Manchester), Cambridgeshire Seemed to drag in the middle.
36: Evans Above ~ Rhys Bowen (audible) (2) Llanfair, Wales. Liverpool, Lancashire, England. Manchester. Detailing for others that like to know extra content: quite a bit of sexual innuendo, sexually aggressive barmaid who lusts after Evan Evans. (I like my flufferton choices ‘cleaner’ than this.) Some cursing, includes an f-bomb.
37: Footsteps in the Dark ~ Georgette Heyer (relisten) (3) Faux English Village. For others that like to know extra content too: a planchette board is used to try and contact the “ghost”.
38: Mr Reginald Peacock’s Day ~ Katherine Mansfield (1) Short story.
38: Mr Reginald Peacock’s Day ~ Katherine Mansfield (1) Short story.
39: Farmers, Your Store for 100 Years ~ Ian Hunter (3) This book would only be of interest to other Kiwis, and was definitely of interest to Dh & I as we’d read quite a bit about this stores founder, a devout Christian, Robert Laidlaw, who was a contemporary of US businessmen Robert Le Tourneau and Henry Heinz.
Started in 1909, as a mail-order business, Farmers went on to become one of New Zealand's most frequented and largest chain of fashion department stores – which is teeny tiny compared to US stores :D
40: Landmarks of Britain ~ Amy Williams Revised ed. (3) N/F. Brit Trip
(I was hoping to find a book about different UK counties, they are not to be had for love nor money from our local library, this was the best I could do.) As I’ve already encountered many of the locations in this book via literature, documentaries, and, films I found it an interesting read
41: The Alington Inheritance. (Miss Silver, Bk: 31) ~ Patricia Wentworth (3) Cosy Mystery. England After 4 or 5 drop and restarts, and then not until Jenny ran away did I feel any real interest in this story.
42: Cover Her Face (2) Essex
43: Devices and Desires (0) Norfolk. Absolutely ‘meh’. Loathed this book.
Both titles are from P. D. James BBC Radio Drama Collection: Seven Full-Cast Dramatisations ~ P. D. James (returned this audiobook. Sexually-centric (and graphically violent) who-dunnits with f-bombs included in the listening are never going to be appreciated audiobooks for me.
44: The Shattered Tree: Bess Crawford Mystery #8 ~ Charles Todd (3) Kent. England. France
45: A Pattern of Lies: Bess Crawford Mystery #7 ~ Charles Todd (3) Kent
46: A Colourful Death: A Cornish Mystery Bk 2 ~ Carola Dunn (4) Cornwall. Quite a bit of cursing, easier to skip in a written format. Not for Daisy, too many ‘complex’ affairs.
47: An Accidental Death: A DC Smith Investigation Series, Bk 1~ Peter Grainger (4) Norfolk I enjoyed this book so much I prompty purchased another in the series, #6. Extra detail; there is cursing in this book, no f-bombs though. The main characters beloved spouse has just died, a teen is drowned, Grainger euphemistically refers to: a previous, violent, case ivolving young girls, and a unmarried couple starting a sexual relationship.
48: Persons of Interest: DC Smith, Bk4 ~ Peter Grainger (4) Huntingdonshire, Norfolk. Started out a bit slow. I’m appreciating how Grainger handles the telling of this story. Extra: The story presents relationship details without going into steamy encounters, no graphic violence. Some cursing and while there are no f-bombs the author injects an abbreviation of that swear word.
49: Whose Body? ~ Dorothy L. Sayers (Relisten) (4) London, Norfolk
50: Clouds of Witness ~ Dorothy L. Sayers (4) (Relisten) Yorkshire
51: The Remains of the Day ~ Kazuo Ishiguro (4) Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall. A book that generates pause and ponder moments – life is not a fairy tale. Stevens was a prime example of dedicated Butler to the gentry. Very enjoyable.
52: The Reluctant Widow ~ Georgette Heyer (5) West Sussex. A favourite Heyer relisten.
53: The Monogram Murders: The New Hercule Poirot Mystery Bk 1~ Sophie Hannah (2.5) London/ Great Holling (Faux English town), England. My review
54: Frederica ~ Georgette Heyer 384pgs (4.5) London. Watford, Hertfordshire. Another favourite Heyer relisten.
55: Hidden Places ~ Lynn Austen (4.5) USA 1930’s. Christian fiction with an underlying mystery: who is Gabe Harper? My review
56: First, Catch Your Weka: A Story of New Zealand Cooking ~ David Veart (4.5) My review
57: A Long Shadow (Inspector Ian Rutledge #8) ~ Charles Todd (4) (London/ Sussex/ Northamptonshire/ Hertfordshire/ Suffolk) My review
59: The Time Keeper: A Novel ~ Mitch Albom (2) I enjoyed Have a Little Faith by this author so much that I was hoping The Time Keeper would deliver the same appreciation. It didn’t; this read is not a keeper for me. I did appreciate the thought running through the book though: each person is gifted with a set amount of time to use for a purpose while on earth – use that time to its full potential.
60: To Die but Once (Maisie Dobbs #14) ~ Jacqueline Winspear, narrator Julie Teal (3.5) (Hampshire/ Sussex/ Kent) My review
Mild swear words. Lots of mature, adult, themes are referred to euphemistically. Wilson, the detective I don’t like ;) uses God’s name in vain. I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I first thought I would.
62: Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death: Bk1 ~ James Runcie (2) Cambridgeshire / London.
63: The Talisman Ring ~ Georgette Heyer (re-listen) (4) Sussex
64: Time and Tide : DC Smith #7 ~ Peter Grainger (3.5 ) Norfolk
Part 2, of 52 books in 52 weeks, can be found here
Part 2, of 52 books in 52 weeks, can be found here
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