Happy new year! In episode 134, Rachel and I share our favourite books reads in 2024 – counting down from ten to one. And we each pick one of the other’s top 10 to read for our next epi…

Stuck In A Book Blog

01.01.2025

My top books of 2024 – Stuck in a Book

One of my favourite bookish moments of the year is sitting down with my reading diary – a list of the books I’ve read since 2002 – and choosing my favourites of the year. Usually …

Stuck In A Book Blog

31.12.2024

Finishing A Century of Books with Alice Thomas Ellis – Stuck in a Book

My final slot on A Century of Books turned out to be 1990, and I decided to read The Inn at the Edge of the World by Alice Thomas Ellis, which I bought last year in the Lake District. When I chose …

Stuck In A Book Blog

30.12.2024

Back by Henry Green – Stuck in a Book

You know when Caustic Cover Critic used to those funny posts of appalling cheap reprints of classics? Here’s an example. Among those that are simply confusing were a few that clearly put the …

Stuck In A Book Blog

27.12.2024

Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark – Stuck in a Book

When I ranked Muriel Spark’s novels recently, there were a couple I hadn’t yet read. A few people had good words to say about The Bachelor though nobody seemed very enthusiastic about A…

Stuck In A Book Blog

23.12.2024

Laughable Loves by Milan Kundera – Stuck in a Book

I was quite a way into my choice for 1969 on A Century of Books – Margaret Drabble’s The Waterfall – when I decided I’d had enough. I’m sure I’ll go back and fin…

Stuck In A Book Blog

22.12.2024

Revisiting an old favourite – Stuck in a Book

When I had a cold a month ago, feeling sorry for myself and tired, the latest Slightly Foxed Edition arrived through my door. I was a bit surprised that it was the series’ first fictional off…

Stuck In A Book Blog

14.12.2024

#133: Do We Have Reading Rules? and Two Willa Cather Novels – Stuck in a Book

Willa Cather and reading rules – welcome to episode 133 of ‘Tea or Books?’! In the first half, we discuss reading rules – when we’re picking up a book, are there certa…

Stuck In A Book Blog

11.12.2024

Another Century of Books Round-Up – Stuck in a Book

As December continues apace, so does my need to catch up with A Century of Books posts. So here is a whole bunch of mini-reviews (more mini than review) of books I’ve read for ACOB that I don…

Stuck In A Book Blog

08.12.2024

Why I chose these books in Hay-on-Wye – Stuck in a Book

I’ve been away in Hay-on-Wye for a couple of nights, staying in a lovely airbnb cottage with some friends. I’ve stayed overnight in Hay once before, but I’ve never done two nights…

Stuck In A Book Blog

06.12.2024

Choose by M. de Momet – Stuck in a Book

Last year, I decided to watch three films which dealt with oh-so-relatable problem of “Oops! I remarried and my first spouse is still alive!” The first was the execrable modern schlock …

Stuck In A Book Blog

04.12.2024

A Woman’s Place 1910-1975 by Ruth Adam – Stuck in a Book

I have well over a hundred Persephone Books, and the hit rate of successes is astonishingly high. There’s a reason that they have the devotion and respect of legions of readers. And so why ha…

Stuck In A Book Blog

27.11.2024

Frederica by Georgette Heyer – Stuck in a Book

Believe it or not, I’ve only read one Georgette Heyer before – I listened to April Lady and really enjoyed it. In the three years since, I’ve bought quite a few Heyer novels but h…

Stuck In A Book Blog

25.11.2024

Books from Malvern and Tewkesbury – Stuck in a Book

As mentioned, I spent a couple of nights in beautiful Malvern – sadly I felt pretty ropey with a cold, but it didn’t stop me popping into the excellent Malvern Bookshop, and Amnesty sec…

Stuck In A Book Blog

24.11.2024

StuckinaBook’s Weekend Miscellany – Stuck in a Book

Hello hello – it’s been a while since I did a Weekend Miscellany, hasn’t it? And I am spending at least some of the weekend in a lovely airbnb in Malvern, as a little treat to mys…

Stuck In A Book Blog

13.11.2024

The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham – Stuck in a Book

Someone in my book group chose The Razor’s Edge (1944) by W. Somerset Maugham after hearing it recommended on a YouTube video – making it my second Maugham of the year, after reading Th…

Stuck In A Book Blog

13.11.2024

Top Ten Tuesday: Destination Titles – Stuck in a Book

I don’t often manage to join in with Top Ten Tuesday, but today I’m going to! This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is: “Destination Titles (titles wi…

Stuck In A Book Blog

11.11.2024

The Man on the Pier by Julia Strachey – Stuck in a Book

If you know the name ‘Julia Strachey’, it’s probably for Cheerful Weather for the Wedding – reprinted by Persephone Books, and later made into a very enjoyable film. Or perh…

Stuck In A Book Blog

08.11.2024

The Children’s Bach by Helen Garner – Stuck in a Book

I bought The Children’s Bach (1984) by Helen Garner in Oxford’s newest bookshop, Caper, a while ago. I might have mentioned the shop before. From the outside, it looks like a children&#…

Stuck In A Book Blog

07.11.2024

Norah Lofts – now in British Library Women Writers series! – Stuck in a Book

I realise I haven’t yet said that Lady Living Alone by Norah Lofts is out in the British Library Women Writers series – with another lovely cover: It’s another quick turnaround &#…

Stuck In A Book Blog

04.11.2024

Casualties by Lynne Reid Banks – Stuck in a Book

Long-termers here will know how much I love The L-Shaped Room, and over the past couple of years I’ve been exploring more of Lynne Reid Banks’s considerable output – further promp…

Stuck In A Book Blog

02.11.2024

Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid – Stuck in a Book

I don’t hear much about the latest fiction, but there are some titles that break through my early-20th-century mindset. Everyone was talking about Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid five years ago,…

Stuck In A Book Blog

29.10.2024

A Pint of Semi-Skimmed Down The Old Gullet: Peas in a Podcast #18! – Stuck in a Book

Somehow it’s episode 18 of the podcast I do with my identical twin brother Colin! In this episode of the usual nonsense, we cover the important topics: favourite bridges, the milk marketing b…

Stuck In A Book Blog

25.10.2024

#132: Interview: Edward Carey on Edith Holler – Stuck in a Book

Edward Carey joins us to discuss his latest novel, Edith Holler. Welcome to episode 132! Rachel and I both love Edward Carey’s novels, so it was a real joy to have the opportunity to intervie…

Stuck In A Book Blog

23.10.2024

All Men Are Liars by Alberto Manguel – Stuck in a Book

I see quite a few people write about Alberto Manguel’s non-fiction, about reading and libraries, but not so often his novels. I picked up All Men Are Liars (2008, translated from Spanish by M…

Stuck In A Book Blog

22.10.2024

And the next club will be… – Stuck in a Book

Thanks so much for your contributions to the 1970 Club! There are so many books I now want to read (with The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons head of the pack) – and some I now know to avoid…

Stuck In A Book Blog

21.10.2024

The Listeners by Monica Dickens – #1970Club – Stuck in a Book

The 1970 Club is drawing to an end, and I have a LOT of reviews to catch up on – perhaps foolishly, I’ve been away since Thursday. But it’s been great, as always, and Karen and I …

Stuck In A Book Blog

17.10.2024

#1970Club: your reviews! – Stuck in a Book

It’s the 1970 Club! This week, we’re reading and reviewing any books published in 1970. Please share your links to 1970 Club reviews in the comments, wherever you write them – blo…

Stuck In A Book Blog

17.10.2024

Island in Moonlight by Kathleen Sully – #1970Club – Stuck in a Book

You may well know Brad’s blog Neglected Books. As the name suggests, he reads and reviews books that are neglected – but we’re not talking about authors who could do with a boost,…

Stuck In A Book Blog

17.10.2024

Trespasses by Paul Bailey – #1970Club – Stuck in a Book

When I reviewed Jenny Offill’s brilliant novel Dept. of Speculation earlier in the year, I asked for recommendations for other books told in fragments or vignettes. The comment section has lo…

Stuck In A Book Blog

12.10.2024

#1970Club coming up on Monday! – Stuck in a Book

Just popping in for a quick reminder that the 1970 Club is coming on Monday! Hosted by me and Karen (see her post about it), we ask everyone to read one or more books published in 1970 and post a r…

Stuck In A Book Blog

11.10.2024

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri – Stuck in a Book

A Century of Books can sometimes turn up some real gems that I wouldn’t have otherwise read. When I was looking through my books, I didn’t find anything I particularly wanted to read fr…

Stuck In A Book Blog

08.10.2024

Unnecessary Rankings! Muriel Spark – Stuck in a Book

It’s time for another unnecessary rankings! In today’s iteration, I’m turning my attention to a very prolific novelist – I’ve been steadily reading her for years, help…

Stuck In A Book Blog

05.10.2024

#131: Do We Read Deeply or Shallowly? and One Year’s Time vs Which Way? – Stuck in a Book

Angela Milne, Theodora Benson, and reading deeply – welcome to episode 131 of Tea or Books?! In the first half of the episode, we discuss a topic suggestion by Heidi – do we read deeply…

Stuck In A Book Blog

02.10.2024

The Spring House by Cynthia Asquith – Stuck in a Book

We all know that the quality of a book is no guarantee that it will stay in print. The ones that survive almost always have merit, but the ones that disappear could be equally brilliant. And I was …

Stuck In A Book Blog

24.09.2024

Barrel Fever by David Sedaris – Stuck in a Book

I remember falling in love with David Sedaris. I was staying in a Youth Hostel in the Lake District, having gone there to give a talk on ‘the fantastic fringes of the Bloomsbury Group’ …

Stuck In A Book Blog

23.09.2024

Life hacks and hand cream! Peas in a Podcast #17 – Stuck in a Book

Oh my gosh Peas in a Podcast is BACK! Due to HUGE DEMAND! For those not in the know, it’s the very occasional podcast I do with my brother Colin, arguably about nothing. You might be able to …

Stuck In A Book Blog

16.09.2024

The Clocks by Agatha Christie – Stuck in a Book

I’ve reached the point where I can’t really remember which Agatha Christie novels I’ve read and which I haven’t. Which I suppose is a good thing, because it means I can go b…

Stuck In A Book Blog

13.09.2024

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields – Stuck in a Book

When I was in Canada last year (how I miss it and how I want to return!), I met up with Debra and she very kindly gave me a copy of The Stone Diaries (1993) by Canadian literary royalty Carol Shiel…

Stuck In A Book Blog

11.09.2024

Treasures of Time by Penelope Lively – Stuck in a Book

One of the things I love about my book group is how varied our book choices are – not just the latest hit novels, but ranging back over a century and more. Somebody suggested we read some Pen…

home›Stuck In A Book Blog›Books & Literature

Stuck In A Book Blog - Books & Literature

#134: Our Top 10 Books of 2024 – Stuck in a Book

My top books of 2024 – Stuck in a Book

Finishing A Century of Books with Alice Thomas Ellis – Stuck in a Book

Back by Henry Green – Stuck in a Book

Aiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark – Stuck in a Book

Laughable Loves by Milan Kundera – Stuck in a Book

Revisiting an old favourite – Stuck in a Book

#133: Do We Have Reading Rules? and Two Willa Cather Novels – Stuck in a Book

Another Century of Books Round-Up – Stuck in a Book

Why I chose these books in Hay-on-Wye – Stuck in a Book

Choose by M. de Momet – Stuck in a Book

A Woman’s Place 1910-1975 by Ruth Adam – Stuck in a Book

Frederica by Georgette Heyer – Stuck in a Book

Books from Malvern and Tewkesbury – Stuck in a Book

StuckinaBook’s Weekend Miscellany – Stuck in a Book

The Razor’s Edge by W. Somerset Maugham – Stuck in a Book

Top Ten Tuesday: Destination Titles – Stuck in a Book

The Man on the Pier by Julia Strachey – Stuck in a Book

The Children’s Bach by Helen Garner – Stuck in a Book

Norah Lofts – now in British Library Women Writers series! – Stuck in a Book

Casualties by Lynne Reid Banks – Stuck in a Book

Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid – Stuck in a Book

A Pint of Semi-Skimmed Down The Old Gullet: Peas in a Podcast #18! – Stuck in a Book

#132: Interview: Edward Carey on Edith Holler – Stuck in a Book

All Men Are Liars by Alberto Manguel – Stuck in a Book

And the next club will be… – Stuck in a Book

The Listeners by Monica Dickens – #1970Club – Stuck in a Book

#1970Club: your reviews! – Stuck in a Book

Island in Moonlight by Kathleen Sully – #1970Club – Stuck in a Book

Trespasses by Paul Bailey – #1970Club – Stuck in a Book

#1970Club coming up on Monday! – Stuck in a Book

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri – Stuck in a Book

Unnecessary Rankings! Muriel Spark – Stuck in a Book

#131: Do We Read Deeply or Shallowly? and One Year’s Time vs Which Way? – Stuck in a Book

The Spring House by Cynthia Asquith – Stuck in a Book

Barrel Fever by David Sedaris – Stuck in a Book

Life hacks and hand cream! Peas in a Podcast #17 – Stuck in a Book

The Clocks by Agatha Christie – Stuck in a Book

The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields – Stuck in a Book

Treasures of Time by Penelope Lively – Stuck in a Book

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