bookmonkey

I'm trying to shop ahead this year. Last year was a last minute rush. I wasn't used to working full-time and ran out of time. But, I'm a terrible shopper so I'm not getting far yet.

I finished Killer Heat by Linda Fairstein and started Tennison by Linda La Plante.

Finished The Year of the Runaways by Sanjeev Sahota. 4 .1/2 out of 5. My best read so far this year.

Awful. We've had extremely heavy rain and thunderstorms all week, mostly at night, so no sleep. There's also been heavy, early snow and more on the way. We're too low where I live for the snow, but it's definitely been cold enough.

I've noticed recently that some books I tend to 'hear' in my head with an accent. Sometimes the accent is of the country the books set in, sometimes it's not. And it's not all the time.

Good review Ian. I'm a big Ian Rankin fan. Have you read any of the ones originally written under the Jack Harvey pseudonym. I've got them all (all 3) but only read one recently. Quite different to Rebus, but still got Rankin's excellent writing. I agree about the Fox books. I reread those recently, too, and really enjoyed them. It's a shame Rankin hasn't written more of them. Will you be getting the next Rebus when it comes out later this year? I've been dropping hints to my kids since it was announced last year.

Finished The Black Path by Asa Larsson. Started Bleeding Hearts by Ian Rankin.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Why God? (From Miss Saigon)

I finished Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier this week. Really enjoyed it, although Jamaica Inn is still my favourite of hers. I'm also making my way through the Logan and Steel series by Stuart MacBride. I'm up to the fourth one, Flesh House, and enjoying these books.

I think your definition sounds good Gaia. I go by what my library classes them as, since that's where I get most of my books from. I often don't agree with their genres though. The fiction books are organised by genre, not by author, so I look in both thrillers and crime (what they library classes as these genres). I seem to prefer mostly European thrillers/detectives, a lot of British, and getting into Scandinavian writers now. I used to watch a lot of American crime shows on TV, so for me it's not linked to that. There don't seem to be as many on TV here now. As for local writers, there aren't very many that I've seen in NZ, at least not at my library. I have read a few books in other genres from NZ authors, some I liked and some I didn't.

Congratulations Frankie. That's a big achievement.

Looks like you got it worst down there.. Glad to hear you're ok.

Where are you Poppy? We got a lot rain and very strong winds, some power out in places, but not too bad. I've seen it's really bad further south. Nearly washed away State Highway 1 north of Wellington.

Thanks for that Talisman. I'll definitely be adding those to my list. Tomorrow's library day, so I'll see which one's my locals got,.

I'm listening to an Arnaldur Indridasson at the moment. I like his books. What other Icelandic authors are there?

It was. I was a bit disappointed about the coverage of the 20th century though. I've also read Paris and New York. So far New York is my favourite.

I'm reading Victim Without a Face now and really enjoying it. I read quite a lot of Nordic crime.

Finished Russka by Edward Rutherfurd. Also finished this week Always Watching by Chevy Stevens.

Even hotter now. We reached 37C yesterday, hottest it's ever been here. And it's not going to cool down any time soon. It's 9 am now and it's already 24C.

Finished Norhanger Abbey by Jane Austen. My favourite Jane Austen so far. I've read Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park, too.

I read 63 last year, the first time I've kept count of how many books I read. 3 so far this year.

We've got a three day weekend here and I'm glad. It's been really busy at work, so I need the break.

(Don't know how to multi quote sorry). We don't usually need air conditioning Virginia. This sort of heat is not normal for us. It's never, in my memory, been this hot for more than a few days before. Or this early in the summer. Our usual is maybe 3-4 days over 25, not three months in high 20s, and this week, all week above 30. I can't handle the heat either, I get heatstroke easily. It's raining today, but still over 30C so very muggy too.

North, Poppy. Palmerston North. It's not just that it's hotter than usual, it's been this way for over three months now.