What with moving, unpacking and generally not having a new normal routine, reading fell by the wayside this month. I finished the wonderful Ann Patchett and then…well… I did unpack lots of books though there are still yet more to come. I have started a box of ones to pass on as well, so books are very much on my mind even if I am not reading many!
I tried to listen to a couple of audiobooks, but either the voices were wrong (so important!) or the story wasn’t for my mood. In the end though I settled for, and naturally enjoyed, Ann Cleeves Red Bones, the third in the Shetland series, a great story and a good voice – and then I found my old paperback copy. To be honest, I’ve been mostly listening to various podcasts while unpacking (99% Invisible, That’s Helpful and Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street for example).
As I write, I have almost finished Jenny Lund Madsen’s Iceland set Thirty Days of Darkness. It is the tale of a Danish literary author who accepts a challenge to write a crime novel in thirty days. She travels to a small village in Iceland and then there is a murder, and naturally she gets caught up in the hunt to find the killer. It is actually quite a funny book, and well paced. It has also given me my reading mojo back, so to speak, so that can only be a good thing too.
That is my mini post – promise more next month! I have a pile of books to tackle, and a couple of ones I want to re-read that I found when unpacking, so now I just need to find the time.
The what’s on your bookshelf challenge is hosted by fellow bloggers Deb, Sue, Donna and Jo. The idea is to share what you’re reading, what you’ve enjoyed lately share – why they resonated with you, how they made you feel, who are your favourite authors and what you recommend.
Thistles and Kiwis is a Wellington, New Zealand based blog written by Barbara, who likes cats, summer, good food and pretends to garden.
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram @thistlesandkiwis. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com or lofgren@thistlesandkiwis.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
I have enjoyed all the Ann Cleeves novels I have managed to get hold of. Your bookshelf looks enticing!
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I have months like that also! No review of Ann Patchett? Was it Tom Lake
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Oh I mentioned it last month in August’s post and yes it was Tom Lake and yes I loved it.
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Oops I must have missed it!
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I loved the book – I almost didn’t want it to end.
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Oh I’m really keen to read the Thirty Days of Darkness Barbara! Thanks for joining us given you’ve been so busy. I agree finding the right voice in an audiobook is vital!
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It is a good fun read. I started what sounded like a good book (journalist, Oslo, crime) but the voice was ‘too American’. He read that the temperature was 30…and I had to do a double take…but of course the temperatures were converted from centigrade from the original book to fahrenheit and that so annoyed me I couldn’t listen any more. Isn’t it the silliest things that can just make you switch off? 🙂
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Oh yes, the voice and my mood make a huge difference on those audiobooks I’m able to get into versus those that go unfinished! 30 days of Darkness sounds fabulous.
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The voice makes such a difference. There was one I tried and I swear it was a computer generated voice as there was just so little engagement with the text!
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I’m in the middle of Tom Lake and just got my copy of Cleeves newest book of her latest series “The Raging Storm.” Can’t wait to dive in.
Loved “The Covenant of Water,” by Abraham Verghese. One of the best I’ve read in a long time.
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Ann Cleeves books are great for getting you involved in the storyline from the start I think. “The Covenant of Water” sounds intriguing.
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It was a lovely book from start to finish!
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Hi, Barbara – I can completely relate to having too much on and/or not being in the right mental state to read. I didn’t realize that Milk Street had a podcast. I will take a look for it! Wishing you a smoother month ahead!
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Yes the Milk Street podcast is fun – nice and gentle somehow. And thanks for the wishes…we are getting there bit by bit.
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This is the third time someone has mentioned Thirty Days of Darkness in the last few weeks – it must be a sign I need to read it. Thanks for linking up with all you have going on.
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You are a good reader. Your bookshelf is full of books. Nowadays only few of read books. 👌great job
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