The second in an occasional series that gives me an opportunity to recycle posts on a theme, (the first was geographical – Surrey). This time the five books I’ve chosen all feature a ra…

Annabookbel

17.10.2024

Simenon & a Maigret for the #1970club – AnnaBookBel

It’s time for another reading week hosted by Simon and Kaggsy – this time books published in 1970. Looking at the Wikipedia page for 1970 in Literature I’ve read loads through the…

Annabookbel

17.10.2024

Short reviews catch-up – Susie Dent, Fred Sirieix, Barbara Pym, Michael Findlay – AnnaBookBel

Guilty by Definition by Susie Dent Popular broadcaster and lexcographer Susie Dent has written her first novel, after writing a handful of books all about words, and jolly good fun it was too. (I w…

Annabookbel

11.10.2024

My Rude Awakening by E C Featherstone – AnnaBookBel

It’s hard to know where to start with this memoir! I’ll be totally up front – I wasn’t sure it was a book for me. The cover suggests a polo-playing toff who pursues a woman …

Annabookbel

08.10.2024

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Translated by David Hackston I’m delighted to be helping to lead off the blog tour for Antti Tuomainen’s latest novel, a standalone murder mystery set in the world of saunas, all done w…

Annabookbel

07.10.2024

Six Degrees of Separation: Long Island – AnnaBookBel

I’m a day late to the first Saturday of the month, but there’s still time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six…

Annabookbel

03.10.2024

Five Feat… “Surrey” – AnnaBookBel

This is the first of a new occasional series ‘Five Feat…’ (apologies to those who don’t like the slangy abbreviation of ‘featuring’, but it keeps it neat!). I&#8…

Annabookbel

01.10.2024

Red Dwarf: Discovering the TV Series by Tom Salinsky – AnnaBookBel

Volume 1: 1988-1993 – Review with Guest Fun Facts by the author Having been a fan of Red Dwarf since the very beginning, I had to read this book. Of course it brought back all the memories fl…

Annabookbel

27.09.2024

Shiny Linkiness – Rare Singles by Benjamin Myers – AnnaBookBel

I’m over at Shiny today with my review of the rather wonderful Rare Singles – a heartwarming book with a ‘Northern Soul’. Some superb characters, superb descriptions of the …

Annabookbel

24.09.2024

Paul Auster Reading Week II anyone? – AnnaBookBel

Back in February 2020 I hosted a Paul Auster Reading Week. He was my most admired living author then, but sadly he died from cancer last April. Rather than time a second reading week for the annive…

Annabookbel

19.09.2024

Blood Debt by M.K. Murphy – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

Imagine the scene: you’re a hitman, hired to take out property developer Jason Florens before he can ruin someone else’s nefarious plans. But you reach the site where he is and someone …

Annabookbel

16.09.2024

20 Books of Summer – final review part 2 – books #23-24, Smythe & Sterling – AnnaBookBel

Here are my final reviews of the extra books from my TBR piles that I managed to squeeze in for 20 Books of Summer in August. As they were extras to the 20, I don’t feel guilty at all for the…

Annabookbel

11.09.2024

Watchlist: July to the start of September – AnnaBookBel

Bingeworthy TV Slow Horses (AppleTV+) is back for series 4 – what more can I say – it’s the best thing on any TV platform! Initially centring around River’s father played by…

Annabookbel

09.09.2024

The Torments by Michael J Malone – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

I’m delighted to be one of those leading off the blogtour for The Torments – Michael J Malone’s sequel to The Murmurs which introduced us to Annie Jackson and her twin brother Lew…

Annabookbel

09.09.2024

20 Books of Summer – final reviews part 1 – Orwell + books #21-22 by Barrett & deWitt – AnnaBookBel

Now the first week of being back at School is over, I shall revert to some shorter reviews for the remaining books I read which, Orwell excepted, were extras to my twenty! So I don’t feel gui…

Annabookbel

07.09.2024

Six Degrees of Separation: After Story – AnnaBookBel

First Saturday of the month, time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a s…

Annabookbel

06.09.2024

Fledging by Rose Diell – AnnaBookBel

When I was approached by Will from Renard Press to read this book, I found its premise really intriguing and said yes, of course! I found I kept wanting to call it ‘Fledgling’ – b…

Annabookbel

01.09.2024

#20booksofsummer24 – Round-up! – AnnaBookBel

I’ve signed up to Cathy’s annual ’20 Books of Summer’ challenge every year since 2016. Although you can pick your level of 10, 15 or 20 books – I’ve always aimed…

Annabookbel

30.08.2024

Shiny Linkiness – Walsh and Towles for 20 Books of Summer – AnnaBookBel

I’ve had two recent reviews published at Shiny New Books recently, both read as part of my #20booksofsummer24 reading. Kala by Colin Walsh A superb slowburn literary dual time-lined thriller,…

Annabookbel

29.08.2024

Two Fab Thrillers – Jordan Harper & Steve Cavanagh – AnnaBookBel

Two superb thrillers for you today, one from last year and in my #20booksofsummer and one brand new out. Everybody Knows by Jordan Harper I love the tag line of this novel, ‘In Hollywood, nob…

Annabookbel

23.08.2024

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable – AnnaBookBel

Historical novels have long taken characters from real life as their inspiration, whether it be for an imagined narrative or a retelling of a life, which can be well-known, or little-known. The Ins…

Annabookbel

17.08.2024

Two contemporary French novels – De Vigan and Mehdi – for #WITMonth #20booksofsummer24 – AnnaBookBel

From my pile of unread novels by French women authors from Europa Editions for both WIT Month and 20 Books of Summer – two reviews for you. Both contemporary stories with dark themes (you hav…

Annabookbel

13.08.2024

#20booksofsummer24 – Dinerstein Knight, Osman and El-Mohar & Gladstone – AnnaBookBel

A three-fer for you today of my #20booksofsummer24 hosted by Cathy, I’m now up to 17 read, 3 to go. One OK, one great fun and one very very different – in that order. Hex by Rebecca Din…

Annabookbel

12.08.2024

Prey by Vanda Symon #SamShephard6, blogtour – AnnaBookBel

This is the first novel I’ve read by New Zealander Symons. It’s the sixth in a series, and whilst I like, where possible, to start a series from the beginning, this sixth volume is like…

Annabookbel

09.08.2024

#20booksofsummer24, No. 10, A Luminous Republic by Andrés Barba – AnnaBookBel

Translated by Lisa Dillman I read this book in July, intending to review it sooner for Stu’s Spanish & Portuguese Reading Month, so I’m a bit late – but had good intentions. B…

Annabookbel

07.08.2024

How to be Nowhere by Tim MacGabhann #20booksofsummer24 No 8 – AnnaBookBel

I might make my 20 Books of Summer (hosted by Cathy as always) with days to spare this year – I expect to finish reading my 15th book tomorrow, and then will get into my #WITMonth TBR reads w…

Annabookbel

04.08.2024

Six Degrees of Separation: The Museum of Modern Love – AnnaBookBel

First Saturday of the month, time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a s…

Annabookbel

01.08.2024

It’s Women in Translation Month, #WITMonth – AnnaBookBel

At the start of #WITMonth, I usually go back over my reading from the last one to see how many other books by women in translation I’ve read over the past year. Here’s my list from Sept…

Annabookbel

30.07.2024

The Trap by Ava Glass – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

I’m going to start my thoughts with saying, that although the first of Ava Glass’s ‘Alias Emma’ books, The Chase kept me up all night to finish it, the new one – the t…

Annabookbel

28.07.2024

Rememberings by Sinéad O’Connor – AnnaBookBel

Yesterday, it was a year since Sinéad O’Connor was found dead in her South London home. I hadn’t realised that when I picked her memoir out of the TBR piles a couple of weeks ago, but r…

Annabookbel

25.07.2024

Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox, blog tour – AnnaBookBel

The moment I read Knox’s first book, Sirens, the first in his excellent Manc-noir Aidan Waits trilogy, I knew I’d want to keep on reading this author. After the three Aidan Waits books,…

Annabookbel

24.07.2024

Kalmann and the Sleeping Mountain by Joachim B Schmidt – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Translated from the German by Jamie Lee Searle I’m delighted to be leading off the blog tour for this novel by Swiss author Schmidt, who has lived in Iceland since 2007. I hadn’t realis…

Annabookbel

24.07.2024

Shiny Linkiness – AnnaBookBel

I’ve had a run of non-fiction reviews posted at Shiny New Books, so for those who’ve not seen them, here’s a capsule paragraph on each with links to my full reviews. The Future of…

Annabookbel

22.07.2024

The Winter War by Philip Teir and Joe Country by Mick Herron, #20booksofsummer24 7 & 8 – AnnaBookBel

Two reviews for you today from the TBR, continuing my 20 books of summer… The Winter War by Philip Teir Translated from the Swedish by Tiina Nunnally I remember acquiring this novel shortly a…

Annabookbel

14.07.2024

NY Times 100 best books of the 21st C – AnnaBookBel

Don’t you love checking off your reading against various best of lists. The New York Times has published its list of the best 100 books of the 21st Century so far, having consulted 503 noveli…

Annabookbel

12.07.2024

Jigsaw Puzzle Times #1 – AnnaBookBel

I tend to do most of my reading at the start or end of the day, and when I’m at home during the day there’s nothing better to while away the hours if you don’t want to read than t…

Annabookbel

11.07.2024

The Divorce by Moa Herngren – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

Translated from the Swedish by Alice Menzies If you’re going to write a novel about a long marriage and its demise specifically, wouldn’t you want to hear both sides of the story? I say…

Annabookbel

08.07.2024

Six Degrees of Separation: Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck – AnnaBookBel

First Saturday of the month, time for the super monthly tag Six Degrees of Separation, which is hosted by Kate at Booksaremyfavouriteandbest, Six Degrees of Separation #6degrees picks a s…

Annabookbel

03.07.2024

Book Group Report: Black Dogs by Ian McEwan #20booksofsummer24 – AnnaBookBel

Do you remember the pre-internet days of ‘Book of the Month’ type clubs (including the Folio Society back then) where you signed up to buy so many books a year etc. There was one called…

Annabookbel

01.07.2024

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly, #20booksofsummer24 – AnnaBookBel

Being so busy these last couple of weeks at school, I’ve not been blogging much, being tired in the evenings, not sleeping well due to the heat – but perversely getting lots of reading …

home›Annabookbel›Books & Literature

Annabookbel - Books & Literature

Five Feat… Trains – AnnaBookBel

Simenon & a Maigret for the #1970club – AnnaBookBel

Short reviews catch-up – Susie Dent, Fred Sirieix, Barbara Pym, Michael Findlay – AnnaBookBel

My Rude Awakening by E C Featherstone – AnnaBookBel

The Burning Stones by Antti Tuomainen – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation: Long Island – AnnaBookBel

Five Feat… “Surrey” – AnnaBookBel

Red Dwarf: Discovering the TV Series by Tom Salinsky – AnnaBookBel

Shiny Linkiness – Rare Singles by Benjamin Myers – AnnaBookBel

Paul Auster Reading Week II anyone? – AnnaBookBel

Blood Debt by M.K. Murphy – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

20 Books of Summer – final review part 2 – books #23-24, Smythe & Sterling – AnnaBookBel

Watchlist: July to the start of September – AnnaBookBel

The Torments by Michael J Malone – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

20 Books of Summer – final reviews part 1 – Orwell + books #21-22 by Barrett & deWitt – AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation: After Story – AnnaBookBel

Fledging by Rose Diell – AnnaBookBel

#20booksofsummer24 – Round-up! – AnnaBookBel

Shiny Linkiness – Walsh and Towles for 20 Books of Summer – AnnaBookBel

Two Fab Thrillers – Jordan Harper & Steve Cavanagh – AnnaBookBel

The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable – AnnaBookBel

Two contemporary French novels – De Vigan and Mehdi – for #WITMonth #20booksofsummer24 – AnnaBookBel

#20booksofsummer24 – Dinerstein Knight, Osman and El-Mohar & Gladstone – AnnaBookBel

Prey by Vanda Symon #SamShephard6, blogtour – AnnaBookBel

#20booksofsummer24, No. 10, A Luminous Republic by Andrés Barba – AnnaBookBel

How to be Nowhere by Tim MacGabhann #20booksofsummer24 No 8 – AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation: The Museum of Modern Love – AnnaBookBel

It’s Women in Translation Month, #WITMonth – AnnaBookBel

The Trap by Ava Glass – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Rememberings by Sinéad O’Connor – AnnaBookBel

Imposter Syndrome by Joseph Knox, blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Kalmann and the Sleeping Mountain by Joachim B Schmidt – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Shiny Linkiness – AnnaBookBel

The Winter War by Philip Teir and Joe Country by Mick Herron, #20booksofsummer24 7 & 8 – AnnaBookBel

NY Times 100 best books of the 21st C – AnnaBookBel

Jigsaw Puzzle Times #1 – AnnaBookBel

The Divorce by Moa Herngren – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation: Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck – AnnaBookBel

Book Group Report: Black Dogs by Ian McEwan #20booksofsummer24 – AnnaBookBel

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly, #20booksofsummer24 – AnnaBookBel

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