Bookish Reflections – December 2018

A monthly round up of all things bookish at Sammi Loves Books…It’s my attempt at becoming more accountable in my reading and reviewing habits…

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In a nutshell

I’ve caught up with everything, book-wise and (this) blog-wise!  Woohoo!  I’ve realised that this year’s Goodreads challenge set at 40 was perfect – high enough to push me on, but not too high to stress me out.  So I will stick with the same number for next year.

Festive Reads Fortnight has been and gone for another year; I was hoping to read another of Dicken’s Christmas stories, but time was against me.  I really enjoyed two out of the three I did manage, and have another “favourite author” to add to my list.

To try and keep on top of my inability to stop buying books (as bad habits go, can this really be considered one?), I hope to implement some “No Book-Buying” months in 2019…It will be interesting to see if this works at all.

I’ve sorted the draft of next year’s schedule for this blog, and I must say, I’m quite excited about it.  There will be more bookish content to go alongside the book reviews, including a year-long reading challenge…more information to come…

Books I’ve reviewed

• Styx and Stones by Carola Dunn
• Miss Kane’s Christmas by Caroline Mickelson
• The Boy-Bishop’s Glovemaker by Michael Jecks
• This Year It Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy
• Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody
• Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn
• A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody

Favourite read(s) of the month

• Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn
• The Boy-Bishop’s Glovemaker by Michael Jecks

Books I’ve bought (or been given)

I knew this month that things would go a little pear-shaped.  Shopping trips, Christmas and more post-Christmas shopping trips…well in my world that can only mean one thing: books, and lots of them!

• Death in the Clouds by Agatha Christie
• At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie
• The Poisoned Chocolate Case by Anthony Berkeley
• Britain BC by Francis Pryor
• Lion in the Valley by Elizabeth Peters
• March Violets by Philip Kerr
• The Z Murders by J. Jefferson Farjeon
• A Death in the Dales by Frances Brody
• Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir
• Anne Boleyn, A King’s Obsession by Alison Weir
• Arabella, England’s Lost Queen by Sarah Gristwood
• The Floating Admiral by Members of The Detection Club
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
• Master and God by Lindsey Davis
• The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough
• The Magician’s Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

Books I’ve downloaded

• Miss Kane’s Christmas by Caroline Mickelson
• The Brands Who Came for Christmas by Maggie Shayne

What I’ve been reading on Wattpad

• Hooked by KC Farrah
• Epic by KC Farrah

December’s “Read and Review” Goals*

• Styx and Stones by Carola Dunn
• Rattle His Bones by Carola Dunn
• Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody
• A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody
• Death of an Airman by Christopher St John Sprigg

* Light blue = review posted | Blue = review not posted | Black = did not read / review

What I’m reading and reviewing in January

• Death of an Airman by Christopher St John Sprigg (read, awaiting reviewing)

That’s all I’ll put on my list for now.  Next year’s books can be chosen next year, although I do have my eye on a number of fantasy and historical fiction volumes…

Goodreads Reading Challenge

• ♥ • ~ COMPLETE ~ • ♥ •

My goal is 40.  I’ve read 44.  110% complete.

Other reads (books not on Goodreads): 3 (Outside the Law by Anthony Berkeley | Surfacing by Annest Gwilym | This Year Will Be Different by Maeve Binchy – short story audiobook review)

Total books read so far this year: 47