I’m enjoying completing books and categories per this challenge.
The Categories
A book with an Island Connection
Away with the Penguins by Hazel Prior. About an elderly millionaire making a trip to Locket island to find out about penguin conservation. She is initially seems an uptight woman but it is good to see different aspects of her personality emerge as the book continues and past tragedies revealed.
A Christmas book
I read two. First One Day in December by Josie Silver. It is not set all at Christmas. It is a bit like my favourite book One Day in that follows a ‘will they won’t they couple’ over several years. It has some bitter sweet moments. Defiantly not a fluffy Christmas romance!
Christmas at the North Pole by Jamie Adnams. It was quite a whimsical book; I guess I managed to enjoy some charming snowy holiday vibes but overall a bit fluffy.
A book Set in Asia
I had a Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hossin on my list since reading Kite Runner last year. Both books are set in Afghanistan this one gave a insight into the lives of women ; it is mind boggling the difference in my life growing up in the UK at the same time as women in Afghanistan.
A book with X in title or author’s name
I doubled up on this category because I had one with x in authors name and one with x in title in TBR piles. First I read a Stuart Life Lived Backwards by Alexander Master. A biography of an unusual subject; a man who swings between prison, life of crime and homelessness. Shocking ending.
Between the time gap of a book with a building (tea shop) in the title and a book with a royal connection I read the Texas Ranger by James Pattison. AnnAmerican cop type thing, guess can see why James Pattison is popular for holiday reads and would maybe read one again.
A book with a building in the title
In between the two books for X category. it was Christmas. In a Christmas Eve box that I opened Christmas Eve Eve I received a book with a building in the title – I think a tea shop is a building! The book was Christmas with the Tea Shop Girls by Elaine Everest.
Actually the prologue was Christmas Eve then first chapter started 2nd Sep and worked forward to the aforementioned Christmas Eve; therefore it was not all Christmassy. It was a family saga set in wartime England; I do enjoy such books as it was a time of such change in the position of women. Indeed I enjoyed this one.
A book with a Royal Connection
I took part in a Christmas Secret Santa book exchange and was very lucky to received a few books (a book mark and chocolate). One of the books I received The Burning Girls. I decided I could use for the book with Royal Connection because the author’s name was Tudor like in Tudor monarchs.
Upon opening the book I found it was even more appropriate as it was centred around martyrs in time of Queen Mary. it was not a historic book however; it was set fairly recently with a female vicar regularly using airdrop feature on her phone and needing wi -fi. It had plenty of actions – twists and turns.
A book with weather referenced in the title
After reading and enjoying Alex Pine Christmas Killer I. December just before starting this challenge. I decided I could get away with reading his next book the Snow Killer in early Jan. It proved as enjoyable as the first even though this time I worked one big twist out early in the book; I was keen to keep turning pages to see when it would be revealed in the book!
A book set where born
I was born in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire which is an hour’s drive from where I live now in Sheffield. When in a discussion someone recommended Nell Pattison books for this category for myself I ordered two books. I read the first Silent House inside 24 hours. Now on to second and will have to buy third at some stage! The books are about a British Sign Language Interpreter who is employed to work with Scunthorpe police and hence becomes involved with murders with deaf communities. It is fascinating and thought provoking, getting an insight into the Deaf community. The Silent house kept me guessing, I did feel the answer to the mystery was a little flawed but as just small part of the book they is ok.
I have the following categories remaining and have got all the books plan to read apart from book bought second hand which will visit a charity shop for when read other categories.
A book from childhood
A book with a county in the title
A book of short stories
A book bought second hand
Wonderwall 