chesilbeach

Managed to swim yesterday and today, and already seeing some improvement.

Finished Lockwood & Co: The Whispering Skull today. The second book in the series and as good as the first. Definitely going to read the whole lot at some point - there are five full length novels plus a short story in total. Staying with a YA theme, I'm going carry on with Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine, which is the third book in her Great Library series.

I've had a lot going on at home recently, and although I've stuck to the diet, I haven't been able to do much exercise, but my situation has changed now and I've started swimming again. I've only been once this week so far, but I'm going both Saturday and Sunday this weekend, and hoping that I'll be able to go at least three times a week, with the odd extra if I can fit it in. As far as the diet is going, it's been slow for the last couple of months because of the lack of exercise, but I have lost 26lbs in total since the beginning of March.

Finished Landskipping by Anna Pavord, which was a book from last year's Wainwright Prize long list that I still had on my shelf, and it was worth the wait! I thought it was a wonderful book, and especially loved the last few chapters with so much focus on my beloved west Dorset. Bought a signed copy of Autumn by Ali Smith! I've been meaning to get this one for a while, and when I stopped in a Waterstone's today and saw they'd picked the book for their fiction book of the month, and then saw they had a signed copy, it was too good an opportunity to miss! Can't wait to see her at an event in a couple of months next time, especially as she'll be discussing my absolute favourite book of all time, Girl Meets Boy. So excited

Current reading status Kindle: Reader, I Married Him by Tracy Chevalier (19%) Paperback: Lockwood & Co: The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud (32/470 pages) Hardback: Landskipping by Anna Pavord (finished) Audiobook: Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond (finished) After a week away from books for the most part, I've managed to do some reading again today. I've finished Landskipping today, and listened to the end of SaSC yesterday afternoon. Out to pick up some shopping today, I stopped in Waterstone's for a quick browse, and came away with a signed copy of Autumn by Ali Smith, so I absolutely could not walk away without buying it.

Have gone a bit mad with book buying recently, with a special deal on Georgette Heyer books on Kindle and then a trip to the book shop on Saturday, my TBR is back up over 50, but I'm not bothered. I'll start working my way through them again and see how I get on. Books bought are: A Civil Contract by Georgette Heyer Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer Charity Gril by Georgette Heyer Cotillion by Georgette Heyer Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer Sylvester by Georgette Heyer The Quiet Gentleman by Georgette Heyer The Talisman Ring by Georgette Heyer These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer Birdcage Walk by Helen Dunmore Freshers by Tom Ellen & Lucy Ivison Indigo Donut by Patrice Lawrence Lockwood & Co: The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud The Huntress: Sea by Sarah Driver I'm going to an event with Ali Smith and Kamila Shamsie later in the year, and I've never read any of Kamila's books, so I've also just downloaded Home Fire which is one of the books they'll be discussing, so I'll be a bit more informed before the talk.

Current reading status Kindle: Reader, I Married Him by Tracy Chevalier (19%) Kindle: The Second Chance Café in Carlton Square by Lily Bartlett (finished) Hardback: Landskipping by Anna Pavord (175/220 pages) Audiobook: Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond (5:35/13:17) Fell off the wagon and bought a lot of books, Kindle ones mostly at bargain prices, and some comfort shopping in the bookshop yesterday (it's got to be better than comfort eating, right?). Not felt quite so much like reading the past couple of days, but have still managed the odd bit here and there.

Current reading status Kindle: The Long and Short of It by Jodi Taylor (finished) Kindle: Reader, I Married Him by Tracy Chevalier (19%) Paperback: The Persephone Book of Short Stories (finished) Paperback: Cream Buns and Crime by Robin Stevens (finished) Hardback: Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski (finished) Audiobook: Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond (5:35/13:17) The last couple of days has involved a lot of sitting and waiting, so I've been reading most of the time as a bit of escapism. I've finished two books I was over halfway through - SiaT and TPBoSS, found a paperback I'd forgotten I'd bought and read that - Cream Buns and Crime and then (re)read the short stories in The Long and Short of It by Jodi Taylor which was a collection of St. Mary's short stories that I'd read before, but with one new one too. A nice precursor to reading the newest St. Mary's book coming out on Thursday, which I've preordered. Not sure what I'm going to read next, but nothing too taxing!

Thank you all. I will get around to writing up all my reviews on the books I've missed so far, and then I'll do a round up of my favourites and least favourites too. It might be a while as things are happening in real life that mean I don't have much time or energy to think about that sort of thing at the moment, and I'm just escaping into reading more books.

Thank you both. I know I keep a note of numbers but I don't have a target or even care how many I read, but I do like my statistics, and they're more important that the total number. Trying to improve my male:female authors ratio this year, and it's much better than last year already.

Had a couple of days of sitting and waiting, so have been devouring books and have finished four books - Storm in a Teacup and The Persephone Book of Short Stories both of which I was already over half way through, then today I've read Cream Buns and Crime by Robin Stevens and The Long and Short of It by Jodi Taylor (which is a collection of short stories which had mostly initially been available as audiobooks, but collected together with a brand new story, so I whizzed through most of it having read/listened to most of them before). The new Chronicles of St. Mary's is out on Thursday, so the short stories were a nice settling into the world again before I start the new one which I've pre-ordered.

Thanks @Athena

They're not my cup of tea, but I know a lot of people here like them, so I thought there would be a few recommendations!

There are eight Peter Hamilton books on the Big Deal today at 99p each

She sounds a bit like Amelia herself! Wow, number seven on the hardback chart ... I never knew they were such popular books. :)

Already it's been a bit changeable this morning, and rain forecast for this afternoon, getting heavier into the evening, so a perfect excuse to curl up in the chair and read a book.

Current reading status Kindle: The Go-Between by L. P. Hartley (finished) Kindle: Reader, I Married Him by Tracy Chevalier (19%) Paperback: The Persephone Book of Short Stories (page 303/477) Hardback: Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski (page 154/291) Audiobook: Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond (4:43/13:17) I finished TG-B yesterday evening. That's two milestones for me, the end of the English Counties challenge, and my one hundredth book of the year. A cause for celebration ... I might treat myself to a new book! Not sure what to read next, but want to try and reduce the list above, so I might go back to either SiaT or TPBoSS. Or maybe both. Or maybe neither!

100.

Pleased to hear you enjoyed both Sea Room and Sightlines. I read Sea Room years ago when it first came out, and I can't remember that much about it, but I read Sightlines much more recently and thought it was fantastic. I can't remember if you've read Findings by her? Another excellent book you should look up, if you haven't read it yet. :)

I finished The Go-Between yesterday, and that completes my English Counties challenge! My main challenge now is to try and reduce my TBR a bit more, and keep it somewhere around the 10-15 books. Currently at 38, so hopefully shouldn't take too long.

I haven't managed to review my last book on this years longlist, but I will try and get around to it soon. However, I did finish reading the entire longlist before the prize winner was announced, which I was really pleased with! My favourite this year was The Running Hare by John Lewis-Stempel, which I thought was pretty damn near perfect as a nature book. I had three joint second favourites - A Sky Full of Birds by Matt Merritt, The Otters' Tale by Simon Cooper and The Wild Other by Clover Stroud. Apart from A Sky Full of Birds, all my favourites were shortlisted, so I was in with a good chance, but the judges went with John Lewis-Stempel's other shortlisted book, Where Poppies Blow as the winner. Personally, I didn't get on with it, but I can appreciate his writing - obviously, since I picked his other book as my winner! - and this is his second win in three years and the prize has only been going for four years. I wasn't sure if I'd try to read them all again this year before the longlist was announced, but I have to say, on the whole, it's been a most enjoyable summer of UK nature and travel writing, and I think this may become an annual event for me. This year, I'm going to try and get ahead of the game and read some more potential nominees before the announcement of the longlist, and I've asked other people on social media who also read the books for recommendations, so I have a nice list building ready for Father Christmas, assuming I've been a good girl this year .

My absolute favourite warm summer night song - Estate by Claire Martin

Current reading status Kindle: The Go-Between by L. P. Hartley (page 143/262) Kindle: Reader, I Married Him by Tracy Chevalier (19%) Paperback: The Persephone Book of Short Stories (page 303/477) Hardback: Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski (page 154/291) Audiobook: Summer at Shell Cottage by Lucy Diamond (4:43/13:17) Have had a couple of extremely busy days at work including a late night, so haven't read much until today. Decided to go back to TG-B and see if I can finish the English Counties challenge books. I'm obviously in a much better frame of mind for it today than when I first started as I'm already over halfway through. Will be concentrating on that tomorrow and hoping I can finish it.

Watched Strictly Ballroom again last night. LOVE this film. "A bit of musicality, please"

It's been a mixed day again, rain showers, some sunshine, but quite windy throughout.