January has finally ended! It always feels like such a long month. However February is really just January part 2, and more of the same.

What I read

I set my reading goal to 150 books again and I made a good start in January with 15 books read.

Quick stats:
1 BABAL*
4 Val McDermids
4 new authors
4 library books

I’m changing things up here, so bear with me.

January’s 5 star reads:

Out of Bounds (Karen Pirie #4) – Val McDermid
Another gripping cold case for Karen Pirie and Jason “The Mint” Murray to investigate, all while riling her boss by solving cases that they aren’t supposed to have anything to do with. Couldn’t put this down and read it in 24 hours.

A Brush With the Past 1900-1950 – Shirley Hughes
A really beautiful book packed with gorgeous period illustrations. Probably aimed at children but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping – Sagu Mandana
This was funny, touching and witty. I’d already read The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and this has the same hallmarks of found family, magical shenanigans and some romance.

January’s 4 star reads:

Trick of the Dark – Val McDermid
This is a stand-alone following a suspended psychologist as they are asked to investigate whether or not a mutual acquaintance is actually a serial killer. Very clever and kept me guessing. I actually wish that there were more books about Charlie Flint.

Final Edition (Lindsey Gordon #3) – Val McDermid
Another story about journalist Lindsey Gordon as she returns to Scotland and has to investigate a murder where she knows – if not likes – most of the suspects, and has to reveal a really rather unexpected culprit. Another one I read in about 24 hours.

Winter: The Story of a Season – Val McDermid
A wander through winter and what it means for Val McDermid. Perfect for reading while cosied up at home at this time of year.

The Cornish Castle Murder (Nosey Parker #8) – Fiona Leitch
Another fun book about Jodie Parker sticking her nose into a murder. Well, it happens at the hotel she’s about to get married at, so it’s hardly surprising. Audiobook was read by the brilliant Zara Ramm who I just love listening to.

80s Ghosts – V.S. Lawrence
I found this by an advert on Facebook and it reminded me of Stranger Things, though in actual fact is not very like Stranger Things at all. Instead it is about three people who are trying to make a living with a ghost hunting YouTube channel. So far none of the haunted houses have been haunted, and then they are invited to a school where dozens of students died in a fire during a dance. Spooky, surprising and very touching at times.

A Touch of Dead (Sookie Stackhouse Short Stories) – Charlaine Harris
I’ve been listening to the series at night when I fall asleep and felt like reading this collection again as it explains some events which are referenced in the main books.

All the Little Liars (Aurora Teagarden #9) – Charlaine Harris
This is my third time reading this (and I only had the vaguest recollection of the who and why dunnits). Lawrenceton – a small southern town – has had another murder. Aurora investigates but is more focussed on the fact that her teenage brother Phillip and his friends have gone missing. She’s sure they’re not responsible for the murder, but if not, where the heck are they?

Sleep Like a Baby (Aurora Teagarden #10) – Charlaine Harris
My third reading of this one too, and surprise surprise Aurora stumbles upon another corpse. This time it’s in her own backyard, though actually this isn’t the first time that’s happened either! She’s got the flu and a new baby to look after, her husband is away on a book tour so it’s a real challenge for her.

Creepy Crafts – Ashley Voortman
I love Ashley’s videos where she creates haunted houses/haunted teapots/haunted violins etc etc. This is a guide to making a variety of creepy objects and is full of her trademark snark and humour. (And her obsession with circle windows.)

Version 1.0.0

Version 1.0.0

January’s three star reads:

Accidental Magic (Myrtlewood Mysteries #1) – Iris Beaglehole
I wanted to like this more as it’s right up my street. Woman inherits house, discovers she’s a witch, there’s a whole big mystery surrounding her grandmother’s death. Unfortunately there’s some sort of spell (I think) making our main character forgetful so it was very frustrating as she bumbles about idiotically. The narrator was also dreadful and every character sounded like they smoked a hundred a day, even the teenage daughter. May try book two by ebook to see if that helps.

The Home Front Nurses – Rachel Brimble
Another one I thought I’d like more as it’s one of my favourite genres. I think this one had too much ‘tell’ and inner thoughts and not enough ‘show’. There was a huge focus on how these three girls were such amazing friends but it happened in an instant and was mostly talk. The setting was also quite far removed from the war, making it all talk and little action again. I may try book two to see if the series improves.

January’s two star reads

The Bookshop on the Beach – J C Williams
Again, something I should have loved – a bookshop by the beach. Except it was run by an idiot who couldn’t see that the very obviously bad person was sabotaging her. The writing was also annoying – every sentence went on forever and constantly repeated itself. Paraphrasing here but things like – “Why is he acting that way,” she thought, wondering why he was acting that way. What’s worse is that every character spoke this way as well as the narrator!

January’s one star reads:

None, thankfully!

Not yet rated as I didn’t finish them in January:

• The Bookshop at the Cornish Cove – Kim Nash
• Hurrah for the Circus
• Emma – Jane Austen
• The Official Reading Companion & History Briefings for the Chronicles of St Marys – Hazel Cushion

What I watched

• We finished Only Connect, and have continued with The Simpsons a few nights a week as Brodie loves it (even though he doesn’t get 90% of the jokes!) We’ve also watched a little more of Only Murders in the Building but haven’t finished it yet.
• I’ve watched a bit more of Byker Grove, and have reached 2002. I don’t think I was watching it as frequently by this point but I still vaguely recognise new characters as they appear so I must have seen bits of it. I’ve also watched some of H20 Just Add Water. I’ve never seen this before but was intrigued after seeing some parodies of it online. In a nutshell three Aussie girls turn into mermaids and grow tails any time they get wet. It’s weirdly compelling! My other solo watch has been Call the Midwife which seems to be wrapping up the 197os Poplar story, given that the real-life order moved out of Poplar and midwifery at that time mostly due to the massive increase in hospital births.
• My sister and I watched the first two episodes of Girl Bands Forever which pretty much told the same story as Boy Bands Forever – record companies signing up teenagers and then working them until they had breakdowns.
• We watched The Hobbit with Brodie, which he loved, but also said You should have shown me this before Lord of the Rings!

What I did

It feels as if it has rained constantly since the New Year so we haven’t been out much at all.

• Celebrated new year and introduced Telestrations to other family members. Much hilarity ensued. The photos below were part of one round which started as an ambulance which was guessed as a tank… which became the person trapped in an ice skate which was guessed as a boat.
• Another of the jigsaws I got for Christmas – Lego Ice Cream this time.
• Had lunch out for my mother in law’s birthday and lunch in for my mum’s.
• Some colouring in with the new pens I treated myself to.

How was your January?

*Books About Bookshops and Libraries