I finished a lot of Michael Connelly this month. The worst part is waiting for the eBook to become available from the library. Let’s just say I have a lot of books on hold! Also devoured a lot of Laura Lippman, whose Private Investigator protagonist reminds me fondly of Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone. Gotta say I’m not hugely keen on the Baltimore setting as it’s an American city I have no interest in, but her writing and plots are strong enough to see me through. I tried a few other crime writers in March: McIlvanney, Ellison, Peter James. None of them really grabbed me. I think I’m about to admit defeat…

I’ve been struggling with focus and motivation recently, so I was surprised to see that I finished 34 books in Feb. Mostly novels, particularly books in series’ by authors I enjoy like Michael Connelly & Candice Fox (crime/mystery) or Steven Saylor & Ruth Downie (crime/mystery set in Ancient Rome). Eden by Candice FoxNever Never by James Patterson and Candice FoxThe Venus Throw by Steven SaylorA Murder on the Appian Way by Steven SaylorTerra Icognita by Ruth DownieFall by Candice FoxBlack & Blue by James Patterson and Candice FoxAll the Missing Girls by Megan MirandaLight the Dark by Joe FasslerIt’s OK to Feel Things Deeply by Carissa PotterA Pocket Full of…

A new year, a new list. Up until a few days ago, I felt like I’d hardly ready anything this month, but apparently I’ve cranked out quite a few novels! Only five non-fic books made my Jan list; the rest was genre fic, mostly mystery stuff. All in all, I finished 32 books in January. I’m making my way through Michael Connelly’s back catalogue after picking up “The Late Show”, which was published mid-2017. The old stuff is a little dated, but in a very entertaining “L.A. noir in the ’90s” way. I also stumbled across Steven Saylor’s Roma Sub Rosa novels, which are mysteries set in the ancient Roman…

Another year done and dusted. This one was a big reading year, although I didn’t add many titles to the list in December itself – too busy with everything else. I’m not complaining! Lots of work, sunny days, and holiday celebrations took up my time instead. The yearly total came to 368. Most of those were eBooks borrowed from Auckland Libraries and read on my iPad. A slight majority were fiction, and the vast majority were first-time reads. The list for December: Death Message by Kate London Resolution by Denise Mina The Spirit Almanac by Emma Loewe Brightly Burning by Alex Donne Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop Etched in…

I managed to squeeze in some extra reading time this month by lugging my iPad everywhere with me. Honestly, Auckland Libraries OverDrive is one of my favourite uses of the internet. It’s free to use once you sign up/in with your library card, and the selection is actually pretty damn good. I make sure to recommend books for them to purchase regularly too. I received some books on my birthday so this month I have actually read some analogue novels too, but it’s hard to beat the convenience of digital. That being said, I’m not sure it’s done my eyesight any favours. Lots of crime/suspense/thriller/mystery stuff this month, including some…

October is always a busy month for me – and with low mood issues, it’s also been a difficult one. But I still managed to squeeze in 18 books, which I feel good about. It’s quite a collection too. Spec fic (I think I love Jo Walton), romance, crime thriller, fantasy, and the odd non-fic for research purposes. Short month, so short recap. Here’s the list: The Just City by Jo Walton The Bourbon Thief by Tiffany Reisz The King’s Name by Jo Walton Blood of the Earth by Faith Hunter Curse on the Land by Faith Hunter Flame in the Dark by Faith Hunter The Celtic Goddess by Trevor…

September was Comic Book month at Auckland Libraries, so I tried a bunch of graphic novels, and found some amazing stories. I liked comics as a kid (particularly X-men and Catwoman) but always kinda wished the stories were longer so I became a fan of collected editions and graphic novels. My first G.N. was “Dragonflight” by Anne McCaffrey – I’d read and loved the series beforehand, so the graphic novel was a wonderful find (at Rotorua Library back in the ’90s). As an adult, I became obsessed with Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman” overture, and I’ll admit there are lots of online comics that I regularly ready. So finding “The Wicked +…

Well, Jesus fuck me gently with a chainsaw: this month I finished 53 books. FIFTY THREE! It still counts if much of that was volumes of poetry, right? Actually, I feel like I should get bonus credit for reading poetry. I enjoy it occasionally, when I’m in the mood, but since August 24th was National Poetry Day, I pushed hard to try works from a wide variety of poets (and squeezed in a few of my faves too – I’m looking at you Rupi Kaur and Selina Tusitala Marsh, with heart eyes!), with a focus on including Kiwis, women and people of colour. The rest was a fairly typical mix…

July was a bad month for my mood, so my read list mostly consists of the comfort of fantasy and spirituality, although I did manage to pound out a few Ruth Rendell’s too. Props for Robert Dinsdale’s “The Toymakers”, which is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read. Loved it. I Am Rebecca by Fleur Beale How to Start a Red Tent by Isadora Gabrielle Leidenfrost Simisola by Ruth Rendell Road Rage by Ruth Rendell Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist Strange Devices of the Sun and Moon by Lisa Goldstein Aromatherapy for Women by Maggie Tisserand Not her real name by Emily Perkins The Greek Myths by…