chesilbeach

I've been thinking about this, as I was sure I read it recently, and I think it might be one I skimmed through as I'd already read it but was a book group choice - is it The Novel In The Viola?

Aww, that's so adorable!

I'm about a third of the way through Saplings now, and enjoying it immensely. Slightly tickled that there are two brothers called Albert and Ernest, although slight gutted that the author only shortens Ernest's name. Would have loved them to be Bert and Ernie as the book was written long before the start of Sesame Street.

Happy New Year to you too, Ian. Hope you enjoy re-reading the Harry Potter books this year.

I'm quite surprised to find I've read 57 of these books! I have to admit, the scale is just too daunting for me, and I know there are books on the list I never want to read, so I'd never be able to complete the list, but it's interesting to review it every now and again, and see how I'm doing. There are quite a few of the books on the English Counties challenge, so I think my numbers will increase over the coming years.

These are beautiful. I'll have to get my own set - I'd been thinking about Pippi since I saw Sari's reviews, and now I know I want to read Astrid's books!

What a delightful day today has been - first day back at work after a long break over Christmas, a new cough that has settled in nicely and requires attention every few minutes, and all the extra traffic on the way home around the shopping centres due to the sales! Still, back home with a cup of coffee and a catch up on BCF, before settling down with my book for an hour now.

Thanks Julie. I've only kept records since 2006, but even remembering back further, yes, I do think this is my highest total.

Interestingly, when I was in Mr B's bookshop just before Christmas, I noticed that they have produced a limited edition hardback of another of Arto Paasilinna's books - The Howling Miller. I couldn't justify spending that amount on a book for myself so close to Christmas, but I might see if they still have any on my next visit to Bath and try that one too. Is it a crime novel? I just had a look on amazon, and the first review says not to read the blurb or other reviews as they spoil the story, but one of the comments mentions crime, and the cover looks like that might be the case too. I'm not great with crime fiction, unless it's a bit quirky, as in comic or historical, and nothing too violent or graphic - will I be okay with this one, do you think? Probably both! One of the other people at the book group had read other Reynolds books, but all the ones she talked about didn't sound like anything I would want to read, so I think it's more aimed at him than science fiction in general. I do read all the reviews on Steve, Laura, James and Tim's threads, and see if anything jumps out at me to dip my toes in again, but nothing so far. Maybe 2014 will be the year. It was certainly a surprise, but it's made me even more curious to read more Du Maurier. There's one of her books on the English Counties challenge, so I don't think it'll be too much longer before I get to do that. I know, although at least with a swap, even if the person doesn't like it, they haven't had to spend any money on it, so they're not out of pocket. Of course you don't sound patronising - just supportive. I'm actually thinking I'm just going to draw a line under 2013, put it behind me, and not do this --> . Onwards and upwards! Thanks. I was chatting to OH about it this morning, and he admitted he just picked some books he'd like to read himself, so it was just a strange coincidence that all his choices were debut or fairly new authors, and I love reading books that no-one else I know has read, as when you find a gem, it's nice to be able to spread the news. I just wish there had been more good 'uns in there but there's no denying that 182 was an spectacular number. I don't think I'll get close to matching that this year, but I have no qualms about that, I just want a better year of reading this time around.

Thank you all! I'm hopeful for a better reading year and I'm going to make a positive start with a Persephone book - Saplings by Noel Streatfeild (whose name I always find difficult to get right, as it's just not natural to type the e before the i instead of the usual spelling of field! )

Hope the puppy calms down a bit and gives you some more reading time in 2014! Have a great reading year.

I will be interested to hear what you think of the these two books, Kylie. I've had to stop reading her Phryne Fisher series, as a chunk of the books in the middle of the series are no longer available over here. I'm not sure why, but it might be to do with different publishing deals, or perhaps awaiting a new edition to tie in with the television series, but I can't get hold of them at the moment, and my library doesn't have them either. Hoping they will be available again at some point, as would like to carry on with the series. The two you've bought are another series she's written, so I've been considered trying them while I'm waiting for the Phryne Fisher ones.

Sorry to hear about your family, Kay, and wish them all a speedy recovery. Hope 2014 is a more positive year for you all. Pleased to see you enjoyed the Danny Baker book - I love his radio programme, but I think he is a marmite broadcaster, you either love or hate his style. I'm not very good with biographies and memoirs, but I imagine his would be very interesting. Maybe I should try them as audiobooks - I might get on better with them that way. P.S. Just realised something … you've got that whole trifle to eat between you now. Looks like you'll be eating it for pudding for the rest of the week!

I'm not reading anything at the moment, so need to decide on what to read next. I'm thinking of sitting down with a cup of coffee and starting with another of my Christmas presents - Saplings by Noel Streatfeild

It's not my cup of tea, but I know it's been fabulously received by a lot of people, so if you're interested, Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel is only 99p on the Kindle Daily Deal in the UK today.

I'm sure I've read this one … wracking my brains to try and figure out what it is!

Well done. Looking forward to seeing what quote you come up with and hoping I recognise it!

I run my own fan website for the BBC series Strictly Come Dancing which runs from October to Christmas, so a lot of my time was taken up with that, along with normal work (which itself has been a bit hectic of late), and my reading thread took a back seat. Although I was reading, I was often falling asleep when reading and ended up just picking easy reads that I didn't feel a burning desire to review, so I never got around to keeping my book thread up to date. However, with some time off work over Christmas, and the television series having finished, I'm easing myself back into proper reading mode, although OH bought me three children's/YA books for Christmas so it's been a very easy easing back in! Just done my 2014 thread today, but I intend to try harder to read something with a bit more depth next year. You're welcome! Yours did indeed arrive safely, and sits beautifully on the bookshelves which house my Christmas cards, so thank you to you too.

So that's the end of 2013 reading for me. 182 books in total, which is my most ever, but it hasn't been the most rewarding of years. Too often I've gone for easy reads or tried the free Kindle books available, and while on the whole it's been entertaining, I don't feel I've enriched my life by many of the books I've read. I'm not one for believing that you should only read "improving" books, and I feel that reading should be a pleasure, but I do notice when I don't read anything with any depth for a while, and I think other factors in my life have affected my reading this year which has resulted in a rather shallow period. I have other plans for my leisure time next year, so I know the number of books I read will be lower, and although I do keep a tally (the statistician in me won't allow me not to ) I'm not bothered by the prospect of a downward trend in the total number. What I do intend, however, is to make sure that I read some more demanding books, and take a more considered decision on what book to read next. Bring on 2014!

I've just finished my last book of the year, one of my Christmas presents - Alex, the Dog and an Unopenable Door by Ross Montgomery. Great kids book, fun, exciting and sad in parts, but an excellent quest for children, and one I think would work well read aloud. Probably aimed at the 8-12 year old, but certainly entraining enough for this adult to read too. The style actually reminded me a lot of Emma Kennedy's Wilma Tenderfoot series, the last of which I read earlier this year, and it was one of my favourite reads of the year.

I've also just finished my last book of the year, one of my Christmas presents - Alex, the Dog and an Unopenable Door by Ross Montgomery. Great kids book, fun, exciting and sad in parts, but an excellent quest for children, and one I think would work well read aloud. Probably aimed at the 8-12 year old, but certainly entraining enough for this adult to read too.

I've also just finished my last book of the year, so here's my list, excluding the poetry and biography questions, as I haven't read any of those, and I've added a YA award as well as the children's one, just because I can Your favourite read of the year? Sightlines by Kathleen Jamie Your favourite author of the year? John Marsden Your most read author of the year? M. C. Beaton (again!) Your favourite book cover of the year? The Misunderstanding by Irène Némirovsky The book you abandoned (if there was more than one, the one you read least of)? Under The Skin by Michel Faber The book that most disappointed you? The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson The funniest book of the year? Fibber in the Heat by Miles Jupp Your favourite literary character this year? Daisy Dalrymple Your favourite children's book this year? Wilma Tenderfoot and the Case of the Rascal's Revenge by Emma Kennedy Your favourite YA book this year? If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch Your favourite classic of the year? Mansfield Park by Jane Austen Your favourite non-fiction book this year? Sightlines by Kathleen Jamie Your favourite collection of short stories this year? Diving Belles by Lucy Wood Your favourite publisher of the year? Faber Your favourite audiobook of the year? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; read by Lindsay Duncan Your favourite re-read of the year? Mapp and Lucia by E. F. Benson

If you enjoyed Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, then you could try The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. I read these two quite close together and remarked on how they had a similar feel to their writing, and then found out later that they are actually husband and wife which struck me as an odd coincidence!

Of course not! There is no such thing as "too many books" so how can a TBR list possibly be "out of control and long"?

Had one final splurge for 2013 on the 12 Days of Kindle sale today: Understanding Austen: Key Concepts in the Six Novels by Maggie Lane Lady Margery's Intrigue by M. C. Beaton Hamish Macbeth Omnibus (books 1-4) by M. C. Beaton The President's Hat by Antoine Laurain