Booking Ahead: May 2022

May 1, 2022April 29, 202210 Comments

Welcome to the TBR pile once again! This month there’s one book I will definitely be reading as I’ve already started it:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers #1) by Becky Chambers – Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

Beyond this I’m not sure what I’m in the mood for reading at the moment.
I might try another Agatha Christie, which will possibly be Death on the Nile, or I might go for The Highway by C. J. Box as I’ve been watching the series Big Sky which is based on this book.
I might even get back to my Dark Tower reread. Next up is Wolves of the Calla.

Or, I might end up choosing something completely different.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: April 2022

April 1, 20228 Comments

Welcome to another edition of Booking Ahead, a chance to showcase a few of the books that are catching my eye at the moment. I have a feeling this month it’s going to be another month of bookish musings rather than definite reading plans, so, on to the books…

The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – Described as ‘a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon’, I like the sound of this tale of magic amongst Loisail’s most notable socialites. It sounds like a romance with added magic.

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn – This is the second book in the Bridgertons series, and has mostly caught my eye because of the arrival of the latest tv series which I’ll probably end up watching at some point. I never got around to reading the first book, but I think this story features different main characters so I’m hoping that won’t matter too much.

The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex – Centres around a group of lighthouse keepers who went missing without any explanation. It sounds so mysterious, moving between the last weeks at the lighthouse and, two decades later, the people left behind, not knowing what happened to their loved ones.

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley – I’ve read a few of Natasha Pulley’s books in the past and always enjoyed them. This one follows Joe, a man with amnesia who, after finding a century-old postcard signed by someone known only as ‘M’, decides he must find this person, in the hope that he will also find out more about himself.

So, there are a few of the books that may feature in my reading this month. There’s also the chance that something completely unexpected will catch my eye…

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: March 2022

March 1, 20224 Comments

Welcome to another wander through my TBR pile. I only have a couple of definite reads in mind this month; after that I’ll see where the reading mood takes me…

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters – I mentioned this one last month and didn’t have chance to start it, so I’m hoping to pick it up over the coming weeks instead. It’s another reread and I’m looking forward to it.

Murder is Easy by Agatha Christie – I haven’t read any Christie in a while and I liked the sound of this. A country village may have a serial killer in it’s midst, according to one resident, who tells her story to Luke Fitzwilliam and soon after winds up dead. Intrigued that the woman may have been telling the truth, Fitzwilliam ventures to the village to discover what, if anything, is going on.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: February 2022

February 1, 202211 Comments

Welcome to the first Booking Ahead of 2022. I’ve noticed that recently Booking Ahead has more accurately been monthly musings about some of the books catching my eye rather than definite plans for what I’m going to read. I have a feeling this month’s edition is probably going to be similar, so without further ado..

Last month was a mix of varied genres for me, and I’ll probably continue trying to read a variety, particularly from my under-explored genres as mentioned in my Reading Resolutions. Historical, sci-fi, maybe even a total change and add in a bit of romance? That being said, I think fantasy is also calling out to me again and I can’t wait to get back into my Dark Tower reread, which brings me to my first and only definite read this month…

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King – The next in the Tower series is a story within a story within a story and was a later edition to the series as a whole, written after the series had been completed and placed between books 4 and 5. I’ve already started this and am enjoying being back with these characters again.

And in under-explored genres I have some ideas…

Historical, I fancy rereading Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. I wanted to do this a while ago but haven’t actually got around to it yet.

Sci-fi, I’m thinking Dogs of War and/or Bear Head by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I really haven’t read much sci-fi at all.

I have some of the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn should I fancy giving romance a try, and there’s a new tv series coming soon so now might be a good time to give the books a try?

Some of these titles may feature in the month of reading, or who knows, something else might totally surprise me.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: December 2021

December 1, 20212 Comments

Welcome to another Booking Ahead. It’s going to be a short list this month, only two books, and one of those I’ve already started. If I finish these maybe I’ll have time to pick up something a little seasonal too…

The Noise by James Patterson and J. D. Barker – A mysterious explosion kills thousands in the Pacific Northwest—and only two young girls survive. The newest in psychological suspense from the mind of James Patterson.
Two sisters have always stood together. Now, they’re the only ones left.

In the shadow of Mount Hood, sixteen-year-old Tennant is checking rabbit traps with her eight-year-old sister Sophie when the girls are suddenly overcome by a strange vibration rising out of the forest, building in intensity until it sounds like a deafening crescendo of screams. From out of nowhere, their father sweeps them up and drops them through a trapdoor into a storm cellar. But the sound only gets worse…

The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison – When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his father’s Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead. Thara Celehar found the truth, though it did him no good to discover it. He lost his place as a retainer of his cousin the former Empress, and made far too many enemies among the many factions vying for power in the new Court. The favor of the Emperor is a dangerous coin.

Now Celehar lives in the city of Amalo, far from the Court though not exactly in exile. He has not escaped from politics, but his position gives him the ability to serve the common people of the city, which is his preference. He lives modestly, but his decency and fundamental honestly will not permit him to live quietly. As a Witness for the Dead, he can, sometimes, speak to the recently dead: see the last thing they saw, know the last thought they had, experience the last thing they felt. It is his duty use that ability to resolve disputes, to ascertain the intent of the dead, to find the killers of the murdered.

Now Celehar’s skills lead him out of the quiet and into a morass of treachery, murder, and injustice. No matter his own background with the imperial house, Celehar will stand with the commoners, and possibly find a light in the darkness.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next ~~month~~ year for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: November 2021

November 1, 20215 Comments

November, and this month I’m selecting one definite read, which is…

‘Salem’s Lot by Stephen King – This is my current read. I decided to reread this as one of the characters features in the next of the Dark Tower books in my series reread and I wanted to remind myself of this story first as it’s a long time since I last read it.
So, once I’ve finished this it’s possible that some Dark Tower books may make an appearance in this month’s reading. This would be The Wind Through the Keyhole, which features Roland telling the group stories from his past as they shelter from a storm, and also Wolves of the Calla. It’s been a while since I picked up book 4 and I do want to get back to the series while the story is still fresh in my mind. I can remember enjoying this volume first time around.

Or, I may just see where the reading mood takes me once I’ve finished ‘Salem’s Lot. I seem to be doing that a lot recently, selecting whatever catches my eye at the conclusion of my latest read, so who knows what else may make an appearance over the coming month?

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: October 2021

October 1, 20217 Comments

It’s time to take another look at my TBR pile and select some reads for October.
As I may have mentioned previously, Readers Imbibing Peril (#RIPXVI) is ongoing throughout this month so I’m going to mention a couple of potential reads for that event. Last month saw an epic TBR list and, of course, I didn’t manage to read even half of the books I listed, so there will be some reappearances this time around, and I’ll scale it down to something a little more realistic. My last Top Ten Tuesday post talked about TBR books, and there were plenty of comments about what people had enjoyed, so here’s a selection of what I’m hoping to read over the next month…

Crooked House by Agatha Christie – It’s been a while since I last read a Christie, and I picked this up after I finished The Secret History. I had no clue what to start next and this cover caught my eye.

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell – The books I’ve read already by Laura Purcell are perfect for autumn reading when the nights are drawing in and you’re ready to settle in with something slightly spooky. I still remember how much I enjoyed The Silent Companions, a book I’d definitely recommend for the dark nights of autumn. I hope this one is just as good.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke – Recent winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction. I’ve seen a lot of good reviews, and I’ve had this on my TBR list for a while now, so hopefully this month I’ll finally discover it for myself.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow – I’ve mentioned this one a few times already. Really enjoyed The Ten Thousand Doors of January when I read it earlier this year, so I’d like to find time for this soon.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: September 2021

September 1, 20217 Comments

The arrival of autumn usually sees me craving something a little gothic or slightly spooky in my reading choices, and this year is no exception. I always look forward to choosing potential reads for when the afternoons are rainy and cool or the nights are beginning to draw in and I want to get lost in a great read.
There are many titles I’m interested in reading at the moment, so this month I’m going very much overboard with my list, knowing that there’s no chance I’ll read them all in September, but thinking more that they’ll see me through the whole season.
In keeping with a change of reading mood, and Readers Imbibing Peril (#RIPXVI) happening throughout September and October, here are a few (or a lot of) titles catching my eye at the moment…

To begin, books I hope to try in September – gothic, historical, mystery, magical, academic settings, I can’t wait to get started…

The Secret History by Donna Tartt – you know that autumn and particularly September are upon us when this title appears on my TBR list again. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve thought I would like to read this book and yet so far I still haven’t managed to get around to it. It’s always this time of year when I remember it too.

A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik – A magical school setting? Next book available very soon? Sounds good.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow – I loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January when I read it earlier this year, so I’d like to find time for this over the coming weeks.

The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers – Two timelines – Paris, 1925 and Virginia, 2005 – a circus setting, and a possible family curse. This sounds mysterious and magical.

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke – I’ve seen a lot of good reviews for this one, and I’ve had it on my TBR list for ages now, so hopefully this season I’ll finally discover it for myself.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters – This would be a reread, which I’ve been doing quite a lot recently having never done it before. It’s so long since I first read this. It was probably pre-blogging days because I don’t think I ever wrote about it.

And possibly getting slightly more strange and spooky towards and during October with…

The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward – Have seen so many reviews for this that say just enough without giving anything anyway and I’m intrigued. I’ve wanted to read this for a while but kept saving it for this time of year.

The Shape of Darkness by Laura Purcell – I’ve read all of Laura Purcell’s novels so far and enjoyed every one. I think my favourite is still The Silent Companions, which is definitely one I’d recommend for the dark nights of autumn. This latest is another title I’ve been saving for my seasonal TBR list.

The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier – It’s a long time since I read anything by Daphne du Maurier and the mention of apparent time travel makes this sound interesting.

It Will Just Be Us by Jo Kaplan – A decaying mansion on the edge of a swamp and plenty of spooky goings-on by the sound of it, this sounds like a great choice for Readers Imbibing Peril.

Home Before Dark by Riley Sager – Another tale with a possibly haunted house, in this case Baneberry Hall, a place to which Maggie Holt returns after many years to renovate and prepare it for sale.

So, there’s a list guaranteed to keep me reading well into autumn. There’s little chance I’ll read all of these, and I’ll probably narrow my choices down a little for my Readers Imbibing Peril post later this week.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: August 2021

August 1, 20216 Comments

It’s time to select a few potential reads for the month. As predicted, due to reading Wizard and Glass I didn’t have chance to read much else last month, so there’s at least one book here making a reappearance. I’m reading slowly again at the moment, so this month I’m only going to choose a couple of books…

The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower #4.5) by Stephen King – Roland Deschain and his ka-tet—Jake, Susannah, Eddie, and Oy, the billy-bumbler—encounter a ferocious storm just after crossing the River Whye on their way to the Outer Baronies. As they shelter from the howling gale, Roland tells his friends not just one strange story but two . . . and in so doing, casts new light on his own troubled past.

In his early days as a gunslinger, in the guilt-ridden year following his mother’s death, Roland is sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape-shifter, a “skin-man” preying upon the population around Debaria. Roland takes charge of Bill Streeter, the brave but terrified boy who is the sole surviving witness to the beast’s most recent slaughter. Only a teenager himself, Roland calms the boy and prepares him for the following day’s trials by reciting a story from the Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother often read to him at bedtime. “A person’s never too old for stories,” Roland says to Bill. “Man and boy, girl and woman, never too old. We live for them.” And indeed, the tale that Roland unfolds, the legend of Tim Stoutheart, is a timeless treasure for all ages, a story that lives for us.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow – In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

But when the Eastwood sisters–James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna–join the suffragists of New Salem, they begin to pursue the forgotten words and ways that might turn the women’s movement into the witch’s movement. Stalked by shadows and sickness, hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote-and perhaps not even to live-the sisters will need to delve into the oldest magics, draw new alliances, and heal the bond between them if they want to survive.

There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.

Booking Ahead: July 2021

July 1, 20217 Comments

It’s time to select a few potential reads for the coming month. I’m going to list a few titles but the first book I must mention is the next in the Dark Tower series, Wizard and Glass. It’s a very long book, so I may be being a bit overly-optimistic with the rest of this list but there are quite a few books I’d like to try and get around to, and who knows what else will make it’s way onto my TBR list as well?

Here are a few of the books I’d like to read throughout July…

Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower #4) by Stephen King – This is the book that gives a glimpse into Roland’s past – his time with his old friends Cuthbert and Alain and his meeting with Susan Delgado. I remember enjoying this the first time I read it, so I’m looking forward to revisiting the story to see if I still enjoy it as much.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers – Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal – On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow – In 1893, there’s no such thing as witches. There used to be, in the wild, dark days before the burnings began, but now witching is nothing but tidy charms and nursery rhymes. If the modern woman wants any measure of power, she must find it at the ballot box.

There’s no such thing as witches. But there will be.

What are you hoping to read this month? Have you read of my picks, and if so what did you think?
See you again next month for another Booking Ahead.