When this thick hardback arrived out of the blue from Irish publisher, The Irish Pages Press, with the most polite review request, I was flattered to be included in this mailing. I’ve been di…

Annabookbel

19.12.2024

Review catch-up: Susanna Clarke, Amy Lord, Daniel Klein – AnnaBookBel

In an effort to clear the decks a little so I can concentrate on my year-end posts, here a three shorter reviews for you today. The Wood at Midwinter by Susanna Clarke This is a short story publish…

Annabookbel

18.12.2024

Book Group Report: White Ivy by Susie Yang – AnnaBookBel

Our book group met last week for our traditional December meeting Book Group Christmas Curry, and in between popadoms and mains we managed to discuss this month’s book. White Ivy is the debut…

Annabookbel

16.12.2024

Renard Press Christmas Card Classics – AnnaBookBel

I’ll be back with reviews during the week – it’s been a bit hectic – and I’m doing the finishing touches for our school mag still. For now, I’d like to highlight…

Annabookbel

11.12.2024

The Making of Brio McPride by R.A. Ruegg – AnnaBookBel

Pitched as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time meets Life of Pi and coming with a pledge that 30% of the royalties from the book would go to UK mental health charities, this debut nov…

Annabookbel

08.12.2024

Six Degrees of Separation: Sandwich by Catherine Newman – AnnaBookBel

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

Annabookbel

06.12.2024

Five Feat . . . Duos – AnnaBookBel

In my irregular themed look at old posts (previous posts here), this time I’ve picked Duos as the link. Like the musical duos Simon & Garfunkel and Althea & Donna, all the titles in t…

Annabookbel

01.12.2024

A plan for Jan – Echoes of Eco II – Re-reading Foucault’s Pendulum – AnnaBookBel

Inspired by a recent read which mentioned the Knights Templar in passing, I’ve decided to set myself a little project for January, and you’re all welcome to join in. Back in January 2019…

Annabookbel

29.11.2024

A #NovNov24 read for Norway in November: Doppler by Erlend Loe. – AnnaBookBel

Translated by Don Bartlett and Don Shaw Alerted belatedly to Dolce Bellezza’s Norway in November reading month, I was able to find a novella to fit in, thus fitting #NovNov24 too. Back in 201…

Annabookbel

25.11.2024

The After-Life of Brian by Julian Doyle – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

Before I tell you about what is inside this book, take a look at its cover above. See the irreverent humour in the tagline at the top ‘Spoil Christmas for someone special’, the homage t…

Annabookbel

25.11.2024

2 more novellas for #NovNov24: A ‘Maigret’ by Simenon and a ‘Parker’ by Stark – AnnaBookBel

The Madman of Bergerac by Georges Simenon (No 15) Translated by Ros Schwartz Inspector Maigret is embarking on a holiday, going to the Dordogne to see an old friend and colleague, with a small job …

Annabookbel

22.11.2024

Three to See the King by Magnus Mills, #NovNov24 – AnnaBookBel

Somehow I managed to miss reading Mills’ third novel, published in 2001, before. Time to put that right. Although Mills’ novels are always about work, and usually and specifically, men …

Annabookbel

21.11.2024

Celebrating Alan Garner’s Life of Creativity – AnnaBookBel

This Tuesday, I went to Blackwell’s in Oxford with friend and fellow Garner devotee Fiona to see Alan Garner’s daughter Elizabeth, (also an author of two novels I’ve long meant to…

Annabookbel

20.11.2024

Nonfiction November Week 4 – Mind Openers – AnnaBookBel

Week 4 is hosted by Rebekah at She Seeks Nonfiction blog. The topic is mind openers, and she asks: One of the greatest things about reading nonfiction is the way it can open your eyes to the world …

Annabookbel

15.11.2024

Nonfiction November Week 3 – Book Pairings – AnnaBookBel

Week 3 of Nonfiction November is the always intriguing Book Pairings topic, hosted by Liz at Adventures in reading, running and working from home. Nothing had occurred to me as suitable pairings th…

Annabookbel

12.11.2024

#NovNov24 – an assortment of Novellas – Morpurgo, Magariel, Schenkel – AnnaBookBel

Book Group Report – War Horse by Michael Morpurgo Just occasionally in our book group, we’ll read a children’s book – usually a classic – and War Horse will surely bec…

Annabookbel

10.11.2024

A Screenplay for #NovNov24 – Dougal and the Blue Cat by Eric Thompson – AnnaBookBel

Reading screenplays is difficult, with fewer clues apart from stage directions to imagine the scene, they often come across as strange and in the case of the first Magic Roundabout movie, completel…

Annabookbel

09.11.2024

Shiny Linkiness – Despentes and Ayoade – AnnaBookBel

I’ve two recent reviews at Shiny to share with you here too. Both are lockdown books, such is the length of the publishing cycle. Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes Translated by Frank Wynne…

Annabookbel

07.11.2024

Black Storms by Teresa Solana – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Translated from Catalan by Peter Bush I’m delighted to be today’s stop on the blog tour for another new to me crime author, now published by Corylus books in translation. It’s the…

Annabookbel

07.11.2024

Nonfiction November Week 2 – Choosing NF – AnnaBookBel

Week 2 of Nonfiction November is hosted by Frances at The Volatile Rune. She asks: What are you looking for when you pick up a nonfiction book? Do you have a particular topic you’re attracted to? D…

Annabookbel

05.11.2024

Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

I’m delighted to be bringing the blog tour for this book to a close. Karla’s Choice was one of my most anticipated reads of the season, written by Harkaway – son of John Le Carre …

Annabookbel

02.11.2024

Six Degrees of Separation: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney – AnnaBookBel

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

Annabookbel

31.10.2024

The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

You know me and spies! How could I resist? Especially given that this novel is set in Bahrain, a small island nation I knew little about, which would prove to be so fascinating. The author lived in…

Annabookbel

29.10.2024

Nonfiction November – My Year in NF – AnnaBookBel

Nonfiction November runs for 5 weeks from today! As always, week 1 is ‘My Year in NF’, and is hosted by Heather. I’ve participated since 2017! My best ever NF year was 2019 when I…

Annabookbel

29.10.2024

Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðardóttir – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Translated by Lorenza Garcia This was the first novel by Lilja Sigurðardóttir that I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. Dark as Night is actually the fourth in her ‘Áróra Investig…

Annabookbel

24.10.2024

#RIPXIX Reprieve by James Han Mattson – AnnaBookBel

I had no idea that ‘extreme haunts’ were a thing until I read this novel in which a team takes on the most extreme escape room of them all – Quigley House in Nebraska – a fu…

Annabookbel

20.10.2024

Five Feat… Trains – AnnaBookBel

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

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

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

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…

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Annabookbel - Books & Literature

Dear Orson Welles (and other essays) by Mark Cousins – AnnaBookBel

Review catch-up: Susanna Clarke, Amy Lord, Daniel Klein – AnnaBookBel

Book Group Report: White Ivy by Susie Yang – AnnaBookBel

Renard Press Christmas Card Classics – AnnaBookBel

The Making of Brio McPride by R.A. Ruegg – AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation: Sandwich by Catherine Newman – AnnaBookBel

Five Feat . . . Duos – AnnaBookBel

A plan for Jan – Echoes of Eco II – Re-reading Foucault’s Pendulum – AnnaBookBel

A #NovNov24 read for Norway in November: Doppler by Erlend Loe. – AnnaBookBel

The After-Life of Brian by Julian Doyle – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

2 more novellas for #NovNov24: A ‘Maigret’ by Simenon and a ‘Parker’ by Stark – AnnaBookBel

Three to See the King by Magnus Mills, #NovNov24 – AnnaBookBel

Celebrating Alan Garner’s Life of Creativity – AnnaBookBel

Nonfiction November Week 4 – Mind Openers – AnnaBookBel

Nonfiction November Week 3 – Book Pairings – AnnaBookBel

#NovNov24 – an assortment of Novellas – Morpurgo, Magariel, Schenkel – AnnaBookBel

A Screenplay for #NovNov24 – Dougal and the Blue Cat by Eric Thompson – AnnaBookBel

Shiny Linkiness – Despentes and Ayoade – AnnaBookBel

Black Storms by Teresa Solana – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Nonfiction November Week 2 – Choosing NF – AnnaBookBel

Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway – blogtour – AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation: Intermezzo by Sally Rooney – AnnaBookBel

The Peacock and the Sparrow by I.S. Berry – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

Nonfiction November – My Year in NF – AnnaBookBel

Dark as Night by Lilja Sigurðardóttir – blog tour – AnnaBookBel

#RIPXIX Reprieve by James Han Mattson – AnnaBookBel

Five Feat… Trains – AnnaBookBel

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

Simenon & a Maigret for the #1970club – 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

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