Balancing the Books – October 2022

janetemson

Nov 1

I like October. The weather tends to be mild (for the moment anyway), and there is the hint of something in the air. The leaves turn and fall, the clocks go back and there's a sense of settling, of gently, predictable, welcome change. We have a birthday to celebrate, half term to survive and of course, the sugar fuelled Halloween to prepare for; much costume and decoration discussion. There's not always a lot of reading time but when I did pick up a book, I managed to pick good ones.

I also went to two book events. Rachel Joyce, creator of Harold Fry, was in conversation with Alison Barrow from Penguin Random House, at Huddersfield Library. On the same day I also went to Sheffield to a Hachette event, accompanied by Jules Swain, who many of you will know from Twitter. There we chatted to publicists and rights

So will there be a balance this month? I think we all know the answer to that...

Here's what came to lives with us at Casa Emson:

Citadel by Kate Mosse.
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel. Both of these were charity shop finds.
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett, sent for review by Viper.
Wolf Pack by Will Dean, sent for review by Point Blank Books.
Cuddy by Benjamin Myers, sent for review by Bloomsbury.
The Launch Party by Lauren Forry, sent for review by Zaffre.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.
Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner.
The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery. These three were also charity shop buys.
Winnie the Witch by Valerie Thomas and Korky Paul, sent for review by Oxford University Press.
Speak of the Devil by Rose Wilding, sent for review by Baskerville.
The Only Suspect by Louise Candlish, sent for review by Simon & Schuster.
Promise Me by Jill Mansell, sent for review by Headline.
What Child is This? by Bonnie Macbird, sent for review by Harper Collins.
Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson, a signed edition treat to myself from Snug Bookshop.
The Thirty-One Doors by Kate Hulme, sent for review by Coronet.
Urgent Matters by Paula Rodriguez, sent for review by Pushkin Vertigo.
The White Priory Murders by Carter Dickson, sent for review by the British Library.
The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore, sent for review by HQ.
My (extra) Ordinary Life by Rebecca Ryan, sent for review by Rebecca.
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff, sent for review by Allen and Unwin.
Mrs Van Gogh by Caroline Smailes, sent for review by Caroline.
Conversations on a Long Marriage by Jan Etherington, sent for review by Souvenir Press.
Driving Home for Christmas by Joanna Bolouri.
Single in the Snow by Helen Whitaker.
One Last Gift by Emily Stone. These three were sent for review by Team Bookends.
The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce. This was a purchase at her event, and came home signed of course.
All the Fun of the Fair by Caroline Hulse.
Rosewater by Liv Little.
On Savage Shores by Caroline Dodds Pennock.
Maame by Jessica George.
Stories from the Tenants Downstairs by Sidik Fofana.
The Book of Eve by Meg Clothier. These were from the Hachette event.
Dead Man's Creek by Chris Hamer, sent for review by Wildfire.
The Sanctuary by Emma Haughton, sent for review by Hodder & Stoughton.
T H White a Biography by Sylvia Townsend Warner, sent for review by Handheld Press.
The Prisoner by B A Paris, sent for review by Hodder & Stoughton.
Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati, sent for review by W&N.
Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor, sent for review by Fleet.
Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey.
Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart.
Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. Three more charity shop finds.
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake, sent for review by Tor.
Grave Intentions by R V Raman, sent for review by Pushkin Vertigo.
Clara & Olivia by Lucy Ashes, sent for review by Oneworld.

Here's what I managed to read:

The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell.
The Memory of the Air by Caroline Lamarche.
There's Been a Little Incident by Alice Ryan.
A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske.
Diary of a Tuscan Bookshop by Alba Donati.
A Sliver of Darkness by C J Tudor.

I did, in fact, read a bit more than this as I was reading entries for a competition, to help decide the reader's choice award. I'm also counting Winnie the Witch as an outgoing as I'd already read it, but reviewed it for the 35th anniversary edition. I also gave away 3 books to a friend. At least I think it was three. I wasn't in and gave her a bag to rummage through. Not sure I can get away with it being 40 she took... So that's 45 (gulp) in and 10 out. Ah well, there's always next month. Though I did order 6 books just before midnight last night that will arrive in November...

I hope your reading this month had all treats and no tricks.

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