Storygraph 2024 wrap up

 

How much do I love Storygraph??? It gets better and better

Reconnecting with my love of Reading has been an absolute joy it really has. 76 books! OK a lot of small ones here but that's fine, I've found a lot of new authors too and look at these cool graphics!

My mood map! Oh I love this feature will be interesting to see what 2025 looks like!

Storygraph December 2024

Interviewing the dead by David Field

 yes this should be right up my street but i ended up skimming it good enough but just not amazing. 

Welcome to Cooper, Tariq Ashkanasi 

blimey what to day about this? It also seemed to divide reviwers opinions, it was well written but just such a grim story. 

The Runaway by Rebecca Gable this was on Audible i did really enjoy it probably mostly because Miriam Margolies was the narrator but it was an enjoyable story not sure ill continued with it though? Do I want to buy the others? Falconers crusade by Ian Morson - Good solid historical mystery, engagingly written, good historical detail, I have the bosses so will dip into that every now and then. 

Stitches and witches by Nancy Warren 2nd in Vampire knitting club series, I want to end the year with some reliable books, I love this cozy series so.mich and this didn't disappoint now I'm swithering about Kindle unlimited? All this series are on there I don't think I will though because that would tie me in to just reading this series in one go and I want to pace it out? I think I might need to find a way of keeping a track of series and books I want to read? The TBR pile on storygraph is fine but that's for specific books? 

Bitter roots by CJ Carmichael Loved this so much, echos of Peyton Place, family secrets small town. 

I gave this 5 stars because I was gripped by the plot and writing I loved the characters with all their flaws, I've bought the next in the series I can feel a binge coming on!

Wilderness rescue, Stormy hearts by Harmony Noble ok I'll confess this is not my usual fare ... written by a relative, I'll leave it at that.

Christmas corpse by Katie Forrest (Mona Marple) Just a lovely charming story. Well written moves along nicely it's not a huge surprise who the culprit is but that's OK this is warm and  engaging and a great read at Christmas time

Voices of the dead, by Ambrose Parry

I did eventually enjoy this, but I wasn't keen on the female narrator,  particularly when she dud an American accent but the plot was good enough to keep me engaged quite twisty and turny but in a good way.  I dud take to the characters and care about them, historically interesting too, a vivid slice of life in Victorian Edinburgh 

Wintering by Katherine May

I'm giving this 4 stars because this book really spoke to me at a time when I'm wintering myself 

I've seen other reviews where readers commented about the immense privilege the author has in being able to do some of the things discussed, give up her job etc. I can see this and yes there is considerable privilege there but I don't agree that this makes it a "bad" book. The underlying message about the need to accept these periods when they come into our lives us still valid I feel. If we accepted the necessity of this then perhaps as a society we could help and support those who do nit have the privilege of the author 

I feel the message is less about "do it this way" and more about changing our mindsets to accept that these periods come into all of our lives and society as a whole need to be more accepting and supportive of this

Mysterious affair at Styles

This is the recent Audible original with Peter Dinklage as Poirot and Himish Patel as Hastings, I would love to see them do more of these, both actors were superb in their roles and I'm very picky about who plays Poirot!

Cracking and faithful adaptation great atmospheric music great ensemble cast, can't praise enough

Midwinter murder

Not the best Agatha Christie short story compendium but still readable. Personally I'm not as fond if the non Poirot or Marple stories but there are enough of them in here to keep me happy

The Performance by Alish Sinclair

What a fabulous short story, a prelude to the Castle Dancers series which is due January 2025 intriguing story line, I've had some of this authors books for ages but never got round to them, this is well written with interesting young heroine. Look forward to reading some more of these five 🌟 for this!

Bunburry A difficult position by Helena Marchmont 

I just love this series and have been saving this up to be my last read of 2024 what I love is that although inqould class this as cozy its not too cozy, it still tackles serious issues, racism, death etc but within the traditional cozy format another 5 🌟 finish and a great way to end 2024 😊

Storygraph November 2024

So! I'm almost caught up 😊 November was a bumper month, my last 3 Jeffrey Deaver short stories, Ninth and nowhere got 4 stars, deservedly, i do love a plot with intertwined stories. The victims club also got 4 stars although I think I was being generous it felt a bit "dashed off" if you know what I mean? Surprise ending only got 3 stars this was such a mixed story some great bits then some "is the same person actually writing this" bits? 

Next up was Troy which I listened to on Audible with Stephen Fry narrating, just sublime

Next up The Waiter by Ajay Chowdhury, I loved this,  only 4 stars I think it could have been a bit tighter? But it was a close call but I will read more in the series. The deception of Harriet Fleet wonderful I loved this, don't know why I didn't give it 5 stars? So well written, true gothic novel,  characters I cared about a great sense of place and time, I think I knocked a star off  because I felt the ending slightly implausible but overall a great read. Leave the lights on, I'll be honest I skimmed this boo, and I really hated it ... the whole smart house premise left me cold, the heroine I was annoyed with I just wanted her to grow a backbone and say no to all the smart house tech and the plot became more convoluted,  I genuinely don't know why I didnt DNF it. Dragon ripper  hmm not awful but not brilliant either,  I liked the main  female protagonist but not the other it was just OK?

Storygraph October 2024

So! October, well October was a strange month I had a major crash and wasn't able to read for a while, so I started reading Jeffery Deaver short stories on prime to ease back in, really enjoyed them perfect way to get back into it, so I read JD Robb - Naked in death whuch was very entertaining i would read some more in this series but wouldnt rush too if you know what i mean, satisfying but not amazing.

By Jeffrey Deaver i read - Cause of death really enjoyed this one it keptme engaged, Turning point yes another good one,  Scheme ah yes really enjoyed this one, very twisty,  The debriefing good and engaing but no my favourite of the lot, and Verona yes this was fine and entertaining but not my favourite still a cracker though

Storygraph September 2024

Blimey 9 books!!! September was good, let's have a look. Mrs Rochesters ghost, I didn't give it a rating but I did mostly enjoy it, there were some jarring bits in the plot but not enough for me not to finish I think I would have given it 3.5 stars, Vow of chastity,  yup I did try another Sister Joan mystery and it was another DNF, just can't get into them. Buried by CJ Carmichael - OMG! Why didn't I rate this??? I loved this series, its a bit different in that if you want to know the ending to need to buy all three books, I got the first one cheap but bought all the others, even though its a story about librarians being murdered! Edited in March 2025, I went back and rated it 4⭐️  Face of Clara Morgan ... hmmm I thinking liked this but it was very disturbing. Forgotten was the second in the CJ Carmichael saga loved it. Winter Queen, really couldn't get into this just not for me. Exposed, last in the CJ Carmichael trilogy really loved this will definitely read more. Head in the ice, first in the Bowman of the yard series by Richard James, now I'm a suckered for a victorian murder mystery and this fitted the bill perfectly,  characters I cared about a few nice subplots, perfect, I have more in the series and will go back to them. Redemption of Alexander Seaton on Audible I do love this series I've read the book but it was lovely to come back to it and listen to it. Devil in the Dock, second in the Bowman of the yard series, perhaps not quite as gripping as the first but still very solid read. Murder under the Mistletoe by Liz Fielding, I do love a nice cozy series and Liz Fieldings book are fab, a well deserved 5 ⭐️

Storygraph August 2024

So we are now in to August! Only one book finished and again I'm annoyed I didn't rate it? It was lovely, Days at the Moritsake book shop,  well written spare writing nothing overblown, characters I grew to love and was invested I their story and back story, I have the second one to start. Heritage, well DNF I don't think I was in the mood to be honest? Space opera is normally my thing but I just wasn't feeling it 

Storygraph July 2024

 Goodness! OK this was my first month with covid so yep I read a lot! 11! But a lot were quite quick reads, so without further ado! The wayward alliance, do you know I do t actually remember much about this! Maybe more to do with my mindset than the book? Hold your tongue, I had forgotten about this one! Really good and it's set in Aberdeen too, must look at getting more of hers, I do like a gruesome serial killer story and this fitted the bill, enough twists and turns to keep me engaged. Vampire knitting club and Tagnghles and Treason, the first and the prequel in the vampire knitting club series, I ADORE these hooks,don't know why I didn't rate them I should have, writing a cozy is actually quite difficult and Nancy Warren does it marvellously I'm invested in the characters and the plot skips along nicely. Year of wonders what an amazing book based on the true story of the village of Eyam which cut itself off to stop the spread of the plague, loved this one. Vow of silence, just cojld not get to grips with this book, I have more in the series so will try with the next one. Trial of Gwen Foley, loved this book, engaging loved the characters plot skipped along nicelywell deserved 5 stars.  Next 2 - False Truths and Dangerous Lessons - Bunbury mysteries,  i have to declare i know the author, Olga Wojtas writing as Helena Marchmont, a lovely lovely lady but her books deserve 5 stars, great character development loveable characters and great story lines and the plots fairly skip along too, love them. A rising man, I really really really wanted to like this one  but I inky gave ut 3 stars and I remember why I didn't like it, too over blown, it just felt in dire need of a good edit. Kings investigator, yup DNF it was dire sorry but 😬it was. Wool on Audible well another DNF but thus time it was the narrator I really couldn't take to them, will ftry the book, lov3d the TV series. Bluebird bluebird,  yes this didnt really grab me not enough to DNF but maybe I wasn't in the mood? 

 

Storygraph June 2024

Ah yes June was a good month for reading! 8 books! Canticle for Liebowitz, I loved the radio play, the book was as good which I know is back to front but I've heard the radio play so much it's embedded in my mind, dystopian future society plot but well written and i loved the characters. Salt Lane by William Shaw, I love this series I think I have them all, must get back to them, police procedural but well written and engaging. Minstrel malady, should have been right up my street but a but meh? Ok but not amazing. Recovery of Rose Gold, nope didn't take to it, didnt like any of the characters,  good plot but just didnt gel with me. Bacchanal , this had so much promise but just felt very underdeveloped, especially in the later stages it just felt as if it lost its way. The rookery, I've got the Penny Green boxset, they are engaging enough but not my ultimate favourite but are OK. The Maids secret, yes I preferred this one in the Penny Green series, plot licked along nicely, I must rate my books more.  City of ghosts, yes again this is OK, it's not as good as Sam Eastland Inspector Peckala series but it's fine, might get more of the audio books

Storygraph May 2024

 

OK confession time! I skimmed this one,  it was fine but jeez sooooooo long! And did t grab me enough to stick with it, which is fine I know know Ken Follett isn't for me, I had always wondered

 

Storygraph April 2024

 Hmm so I gave notes on an execution 4 stars? I sort of remember it? But not enough to make it still stand out for me? I must write more reviews that would help!

The library of the dead I really wanted to like this book but only gave it 3 stars an OK read but not amazing, I have some more in this series I'll see what they are like. Djnin patrol I didn't rate which means I probably didn't like it that much, I wanted to like it but I think it dragged too much for me?

 

Storygraph March 2024

OMG the sewing machine! I had forgotten what a fantastic book that was, I was wary of it at first thinking it might be too sentimental but far from it, I'm always a but mixed about Jasper Fforde but I did love the last dragon slayer I think it was because it wasn't as drawn out as some of his others, the revenant of Thraxton Hall? Well it was ok pleasant enough, Limelight, I have the box set of the Penny Green Novels, again pleasant enough but didn't grip me but maybe it was the mood I was in?

Storygraph February 2024

So! What was February like! I haven't rated any of these whuch normally means I wasn't that fussed about them,  maybe I should rate more? The doll house was ok quite liked it but it just wasn't wow for me, ditto Tokyo Zodiac murders, maybe it was the headrace I was in?

Must have been because I now remember I actually really liked the girl from nowhere I want to read the rest of the series, and I liked the familiars too! Reminder to self, rate books and keep my want to read list up to date!

Way of the Argossi was ok but not sure it left me wanting more?

 

Storygraph January 2024

OMG how much do I love storygraph!!! I need something other than long covid to blog about and what better than reading!!! And storygraph gives me these cool graphics!I'm doing this retrospectively so might not remember them all!

So I read 6 books??? Blimey I don't actually remember this but I do remember some of the books, PC Doherty always a favourite and a reliable read, the 2 Mark Dawson ones were freebies for signing up to his newsletter,  not my usual read but enjoyable, Robert Van Gulik always a favourite i love Judge Dee, Fressingham witch I don't actually remember much about that but I only gave it 3 stars which is not bad but probably means it's not memorable for me