This week has been a quiet one for the most part with nothing major to write about so I’ll get straight on to my reading and blogging news…
This week I’ve finished reading five books:
Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton
I loved this book – it’s one of those novels that grabs you on the first page and then the pace doesn’t really let up throughout. I’m thinking that I might try and review this one soon.
This book is incredible. It’s so powerful and brutal but compelling at the same time. I reviewed this for the blog tour this week so you can read my thoughts on it here if you’d like to.
My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young
I’ve had this book on my TBR for five years and finally picked it up this week. I’m annoyed at myself for not reading it sooner as I very much enjoyed it. So much so that I immediately picked up the second book in the trilogy…
The Heroes’ Welcome by Louisa Young
This is the second book in the above trilogy and has also been on my TBR for a while so I was really pleased that I enjoyed the first book and could get straight on with this one. The third book is now awaiting me on my TBR and I’m looking forward to reading that soon.
The Elephant in the Room by Jon Ronson
This is a very short book (52 pages) all about the run-up to the 2016 American presidential election and is very interesting. It predominantly looks at some of the men involved in the Trump campaign and how much influence they may have had.
This week I’ve blogged six times:
Sunday: Weekly Wrap-Up
Review of The Wild Air by Rebecca Mascull for the blog tour
Monday: April Wrap-Up
Wednesday: WWW Wednesday
Review of Block 46 by Johana Gustawsson for the blog tour
Saturday: Stacking the Shelves
This is what I’m currently reading:
Fairytale Interrupted by RoseMarie Terenzio
I can’t even remember when I got this book but it was on my TBR and I spotted it when sorting my kindle this week. I picked it up and was intrigued enough to keep reading. It’s a book about John F. Kennedy Jr by his PA. I’m about a quarter of the way through it at the moment and so far it’s predominantly about setting up the magazine George and is really interesting.
The Way Back Home by Freya North
This is another book that I noticed when sorting my Kindle out and decided to make it my next read. I’ve read 10% of it so far and am struggling to get into it but I’ve always enjoyed Freya North’s books so am going to give it a bit longer to see if it grabs me.
Fragile Lives by Stephen Westaby
I was sent this for review a couple of months ago and finally got to pick it up this week. It’s a hard read because of the subject matter but it’s fascinating and I’m looking forward to reading more.
The Comfort of Others by Kay Langdale
This book is so beautiful and I hope to be able to read more of this week. I’m really enjoying it but am struggling to read the faint print at the moment. I’m considering buying the ebook book, or the audio book if there is one, so I can find out what happens.
How to Survive a Plague by David France
I read another couple of chapters of this book this week and am really engrossed in it. It’s a very powerful book and one I highly recommend.
Update on my TBR:
TBR at the start of January 2017: 1885 (see my State of the TBR post)
TBR in last week’s Wrap-Up: 1933
Additions:
Books bought/received for review/gifts: 12
Subtractions:
Books read this week: 5
Books I’m currently reading: 5
TBR Books culled this week: 1
Total:
TBR now stands at: 1934
I’m really pleased that I’ve very nearly broken even with my TBR this week! Obviously it’d be better if I was reading more books than I was acquiring but keeping my TBR steady is better than the numbers going up and up!
I’m linking this post up to Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer’s Sunday Blog Share. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
How has your week been? What have you been reading? Please share in the comments below. If you write a wrap-up on your blog please feel free to share the link. 🙂
RatherTooFondofBooks 
Wow that looks like a great week bookwise for you Hayley and I always say the joy of a large TBR is that there are always plenty of hidden treasures; it looks like you’ve found a couple of them 🙂
It’s ended up being a good thing that my kindle had a wobble this week as I did find some great-sounding books that I’d forgotten about. I’m hoping to be able to read a few more of them soon. 🙂
Wow TBR standing at 1934… That is a lot of reading 😉
I know… I have no willpower with books either so my TBR keeps on getting bigger. I’m meant to be trying to reduce it this year but I’m failing so far! There are just too many good books being published 🙂
I love it when you pick up a book you’ve had for years and then you just nosedive into the series like that. It’s sometimes worth saving them just to do that!
It’s been ages since I got engrossed in a trilogy or series so it has been really lovely to discover this one in my TBR. I hope to read the third book this week and then I’ll be seeing what other gems might be hiding on my TBR. 🙂
I’m so glad you found a new trilogy to love. It’s such a great feeling, isn’t it, to casually pick up a book like that, only to find yourself really drawn in. Glad you enjoyed that discovery!
Yes, it was wonderful to pick the book up and find I adored it right away. I’m kicking myself that it had been on my TBR for so long but maybe it was serendipity that I picked it up now. 🙂
Looking forward to your review of “Dead woman walking “. Sharon Bolton is one of my favorite authors.
I’m hoping to get some reviews finished and scheduled this week so hopefully I’ll have a review of Dead Woman Walking up soon. I’m a big fan of Sharon Bolton too.
Brutal is definitely the word for Block 46!! I have her second book in French and I’m so not waiting long to read it 😀
Since you told me I could create folders I haven’t read much, I’m too busy having fun reorganizing the Kindle hahaha
Have a nice week my sweet Hayley xxxx
I’m so jealous that you’ll be reading the follow up to Block 46 soon! I hope it’s as incredible as the first book.
Haha! Glad you’re having fun organising your kindle. I waste hours doing that sometimes – I actually find it quite relaxing to make a new folder for something and find books to go in it.
Hope you have a nice week too xxx
Fairytale Interrupted looks like one for me. I love all things Kennedy, and haven’t read enough about JFK, Jr. Thanks for sharing, and for visiting my blog.
It’s a good read – it’s as much about his P.A., who wrote the book, as it is about him but there are really interesting insights into JFK Jr. and his wife. I’m enjoying it for the most part.
Curious about Block 46 Hayley. Loving all the books in your post today. I am off to check some of them out. Have a lovely week!
Block 46 is harrowing to read at times but it’s so well-written and I’d recommend it. Thank you, hope you have a lovely week too 🙂
I’ll be turning my entire non-existent schedule upside down when my copy of Dead Woman Walking finally gets here! 😄
Haha! Well, it’ll be worth it as it’s brilliant! 🙂
Congrats on almost keeping the TBR level! I… think I increased mine. You remember my awesome April with just 5 books? So yeah. In like the three days of May I pretty much got… three times that. So… yep. Doing well here 😀
I also finally posted that interview! It was quite a touchie, if you want to check it out. You can find the link in my Sunday post or just near the top, cause I just post like twice a week and respect your 6 posts a week greatly 😀
Wishing you a good relaxing week 🙂
Thank you, I feel a sense of achievement from keeping it almost level! Ha!
I read your post last night and saw that you got some great books… it’s worth the TBR going up if you have fab books. I also went and read your interview yesterday and really enjoyed it. You asked great questions and it was fascinating to learn more about the book and the author.
Hope you have a lovely week too 🙂
Thanks, Hayley 🙂 yeah, you’re totally right. If it’s good stuff, it’s worth torturing the TBR 😀
Quite weeks are often the best huh 😉 At least, I hope it was a peaceful sort of quiet for you. You still managed to be pretty productive. 6 post is a feat in my opinion.
I hope you review Dead Woman Walking soon. I am excited to see your thoughts on it. I have my eye on that one. Have a wonderful and well week ahead 🙂
It was good to have a quiet week, it’s given me time to recover from the fall I had recently. It was nice to catch up on a few blog posts as well without feeling under pressure.
I’m in the middle of writing and scheduling some posts today and Dead Woman Walking is on my list 🙂
Hope you have a lovely week ahead too 🙂
I am not sure if you have devices at home to assist with mobility if needed? I had to give in and get a walker for my bad days. I literally had a fall for every month last year and few xrays and trips to ER did me in. I hated using it at first but is now my friend. Just a thought? I may snazzy it up even and let the kids decorate it haha 😉
Looking forward to that review ❤
Thank you for suggesting that 🙂 I do use devices at home. I can only walk a few tiny steps so I use a crutch, I can’t use a walker as I’m paralysed down my whole right side. I also wear a leg brace 24/7 to help me stand. I hated all of it at first and it’s hard to get used to having these things but if it gives us some independence back then it’s worth it, isn’t it? I think snazzying your walker up sounds like a great plan 🙂 xx
I figured it is a part of my life now. Acceptance is key right 😉 The kids have fun with the idea. I couldn’t make it without a nice dose of humor. Much love being sent your way ❤
Humour helps so much – my husband is great at helping me find the funny side of some of the worst aspects of being so disabled. It makes all the difference. Much love to you too xx
That Block 46 cover! So many bookish stuff, have a great week!
It’s such a striking cover, isn’t it? Thanks so much 🙂
I just finished, “Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So,” by Mark Vonnegut, M.D. Mark is Kurt Vonnegut’s son. I really enjoyed reading this because there is a lot of mental illness in my family. My nephew has schizophrenia, so I wanted to read a book by someone who is living with that. This book is fascinating.
This book sounds fascinating. I’ve not heard of it before but I will make a note to look it up. I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you for telling me about it.
As ever, it’s fascinating seeing what you’re reading and what you make of your selection – I like the sound of the J.R. Kennedy book and look forward to reading your thoughts on it in due course. Have a great week, Hayley:)
The JFK Jr book is good – it’s as much about his assistant as him but it gives an insight into his life, and into how his magazine George came to be. Thank you 🙂
I want to read Dead Woman Walking! Sounds awesome. Thanks for putting it on my radar. Enjoy all the books you’re planning to read and currently reading. Wow, you have Lots of options. Have a wonderful week. 😁
It was really good, maybe even my new favourite book by this author. I’m pleased you got to hear about it on my blog and I hope you enjoy it if you get the chance to read it. Thanks so much, hope you have a lovely week too 🙂
Wow, finished 5 books! That’s wonderful, I’m in awe 🙂
I had a lot of time to read this week so made the most of it 🙂
Now this week has been full of reading but very light books, and I feel like I’ll never catch up with reviewing them! Well done on keeping the TBR level!
Thank you. I hope you can catch up soon. I don’t always review my own books as sometimes I just want to relax with a book and not have to think about writing a review. Even so, I still have quite a few reviews to write up and post soon.
Congrats on knocking off some of your TBR pile. I don’t even look at how many there are on mine!
Thank you 🙂 I only started tracking my TBR this year and it really shocked me how many books I own that I haven’t read yet. I’m really trying to read some of my older books this year and have found some hidden gems on my bookcases.
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