I saw this on Portebello Book Blog and By The Letter Book Reviews and felt compelled to do this myself!
Author You’ve Read the Most Books From
This has to be Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine when you take into the stand-alones and the Wexford series I have devoured a fair few of her books.
Best Sequel Ever
This is really hard but I’m going to pick The Lewis Man by Peter May which is the middle book of the Lewis Trilogy – if you haven’t read these, you are missing out.
Currently Reading
Play Dead by Angela Marsons the fourth in the amazing Kim Stone series
Drink of Choice While Reading
Coffee, coffee and coffee – I’m addicted
E-Reader or Physical Book
I love my kindle and couldn’t live without it for ease and space reasons but I now accept that I prefer a physical book
Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated in High School
At the time I was in high school it would have been Rupert Campbell-Black from Jilly Cooper’s Riders although he would have been far too old for me of course!
Glad You Gave this Book a Chance
There are loads but most recently, Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain by Barney Norris was an amazing read, one that has softened my opinion of literary fiction considerably.
Hidden Gem Book
White Lie by Andrea Gillies which blew me away with its deep and dark secrets that shaped generations of the Salter family in Scotland.
Important Moment in Your Reading Life
Being invited to join the Amazon Vine program which meant that I was offered books that I might previously have ignored which really expanded my reading.
Just Finished
Don’t You Cry by Mary Kubica
Kind of Books You Won’t Read
No fantasy novels or sci-fi – I’ve tried to embrace the genre but it just isn’t me!
Longest Book You’ve Read
I’m not sure this is the longest in all time but about six years ago I read London by Edward Rutherfield which came in at a whopping 1152 pages – it took a long time for me to read but it was worth it to travel through London’s history and witness the changes.
Major Book Hangover
Ooh this is hard, possibly after reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent where I had immersed myself in Agnes’s story in Iceland where she awaited trial for murder with the Jonsson family – heartbreakingly sad!
Number of Bookcases You Own
Four but I desperately need a new one, I can’t part with any of the books currently residing in my abode!!
One Book You’ve Read Multiple Times
Margaret Forster’s Shadow Baby a book which underlines the fact that mothers come in all shapes and sizes and not always in a good way! Better still this is one of those dual time-line stories which I love!
Preferred Place to Read
If I could be on holiday all year round it would be by the pool on a sun-lounger with a fruity cocktail – reality designates my dear bed though.
Quote that Inspires You/Gives You all the Feels from a Book You’ve Read
I’m not sure that this inspires me so I’m going for the second half of the question from The Go-Between by L.P. Hartley
“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”
Reading Regret
That I will never have time to read all the books that I want to!
Series You Started and Need to Finish
Lots and lots, including those that I started part way through! The one I am most compelled to finish is Camilla Läckberg’s Patrik Hedstrom and Erica Falck series– I’m up to book eight, Buried Angels but I think I still need to read book four too!
Three of Your All-Time Favourite Books
I’m not sure how I’m supposed to choose just three, I will but on the proviso that I can change my mind at any time to include the three-hundred books which would be a far fairer question.
Asta’s Book by Barbara Vine
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brook
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
Unapologetic Fangirl For
I’m not really a fangirl in the long-term way, maybe I don’t have the stamina but everyone who talks books to me gets told about the aforementioned Lewis Trilogy by Peter May
Very Excited for this Release more than All Others
This has to be Love You Dead by Peter James which is out later this month! Considering I am fairly rubbish at reading series, this is one I always pre-order and make space in the reading schedule for!
Worst Bookish Habit
Buying far too many books that deep down I know I will never have time to read.
X Marks the Spot: Start on the Top Left of Your Shelf and Pick the 27th Book
The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver, which is a ‘sliding-doors’ novel; Irina McGovern’s destiny hinges on a single kiss. Whether she stays with her reliable partner Lawrence, or runs off with Ramsey, a hard-living snooker player.
Your Latest Purchase
Pariah by David Jackson, the first in Detective Callum Doyle series bought because although I have the fourth in this series, Cry Baby, I enjoyed A Tapping at my Door so much I wanted to start at the beginning of his previous series.
Zzzzz-Snatcher Book (Last Book that Kept You up Way too late)
White Is The Coldest Colour by John Nicholl which was not only compulsive reading, the subject matter was so dark sleep wouldn’t come easily anyway.
I love the Lewis trilogy too. I have his latest Coffin Road but just haven’t had time to read it yet!
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The Lewis Trilogy was just brilliant and one I came across by accident so for me a lucky find.
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Have you read Entry Island? It’s also excellent.
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OMG Astas Book is one of my all time favourites too! My copy is so dog eared because I read it again every couple of years. I also have my original copy of Riders by Jolly Cooper from 1985 which takes pride of place on my bookcase even though it has seen better days!! 🙂 if I have time today I must do this as well.
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Oh I hope you do this too!! My copy of Asta’s Book has seen better days too but even though it’s scruffy I’ll never part with it. Yes, was about 1985 when I read Riders – again fond memories although I no longer have my copy which got passed around the class!
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Just had to say I got so much out of reading your ‘A-Z of Books’ … ‘London’ evoked so many memories … must read again … ‘The Post-Birthday World’ now intrigues as toying with a ‘sliding doors’ approach to a story I’m working on…and so much more…going to have a go at this A-Z thing too. Thank you for the stimulation…for changing what I’d like to do today.. Eric.
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Oh Eric what a lovely comment! Yes London was an extremely good read with lots of interesting facts – I read The Post-Birthday World even further back in the past and loved the concept of how different life would look depending on a single decision. I do hope you do an A-Z thing too!
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These memes are always such an enjoyable nosy around other people’s reading habits! Pleased to hear that you’re more kindly disposed towards literary fiction, these days although I can’t see you being entirely seduced away from crime anytime soon.
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It’s funny because I’ve always read some, but I became disenchanted with my more recent choices because those I read were trying too hard to be clever or stylised for my tastes – Barney Norris’s book is clever but it doesn’t neglect relaying a great story (or stories) too. I think you’re right though there will always be a substantial amount of crime fiction sitting on my bookshelves.
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I agree with you on the Lewis trilogy, such good books. Plenty of others for me to check out too. Love how these type of posts give insight into how other people read and what they love in books.
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You are so right, when compiling these posts you condense all the books you’ve read into a succinct few and the results aren’t always quite what’s expected – yes there are a few crime novels on this list but there are other books that I love just as much!
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loved your post! I think I will do one too 🙂
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I do hope you do! 🙂
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very soon! 🙂
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Great post Cleo! Rupert Campbell-Black *sighs nostalgically* we all love a bad boy….
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Oh yes – he filled many teenage dreams!
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Oh, Cleo, this is great! So clever, and I love your responses. I’m completely with you on the coffee thing. And the Lewis trilogy.
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What a perfect combination that comment conjures up Margot!
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Great post! I loved that Wally Lamb book, too, and just saying the title makes me want to reread it.
I see some titles I need to check out….thanks for sharing.
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Yes, it’s years since I read the Wally Lamb book but I loved it and borrowed it a few times from the library!
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Great post! You know, it’s odd – on a day-to-day basis it sometimes seems as if we don’t really read the same kind of books, but when you summarise like this, so many of these answers could be mine! The Lewis Trilogy, Burial Rites, The Go-Between (which I would argue is also literary fiction, btw!), Camilla Lackberg… also agree that I love my Kindle for convenience, but prefer paper books when curled up on the sofa at the end of the day. And coffee…
BUT… I will not give up on sci-fi! I will get you to read Ken Kalfus’ Equilateral… I WILL!! It’s really much more lit-fi, historical fi and people-fi than sci-fi, despite the Martians… 😉
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😊 My reading has been less restricted this year but it is revealing when compiling these lists to see which books have really stood the test of time – Jilly Cooper is a case in point 😏 literary fiction too??? And really, I can’t!
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Lovely post Cleo! I have that Wally Lamb book and am going to push it higher up the TBR on your recommendation!
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It’s years since I read (and retread) this one, make sure you have hankies at the ready 😏 I loved it and nearly bought it last year as I originally borrowed it from the library – I resisted although the urge returned when writing this post!
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Great idea and interesting reading. If you liked ‘Year of Wonders’ by Geraldine Brooks you may also enjoy ‘Witch Light’ by Susan Fletcher and either of Rebecca Mascull’s novels ‘The Visitors’ or ‘Song of the Sea Maid’ – apologies if you have already read these!
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Thank you so much – I’ve added Witch Light to my wishlist as this sounds like an extremely good read!
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It’s fabulous – funnily enough I’ve just recommended it to @Joy_Isabella88 on Twitter, as she is reading Susan Fletcher’s most recent novel!
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I never realised that you share my dislike of fantasy and sci fi….. I just don’t get them. Maybe on the fantasy side I’ve just picked badly but they always feel so poorly written. I used to read a littl sci fi in younger days but now have no interest….
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Yes I’m often told I picked the wrong ones, personally I think I find it just too hard to make the leap away from reality and therefore can’t get absorbed into the storyline.
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Yep that’s my problem too. I’m so grounded in reality
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I love reading posts like this one, I think we all are curious to compare our reading habits and favourite books with others… we collide on quite a few points, but there are differences…
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It’s fascinating isn’t it? I share elements with many other bloggers but not one seems to share quite my combination – it’s the internet equivalent at peering at bookshelves when you go to another person’s house I think!
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