Monday 28 December 2020

Books Read In 2020

I'm pleased with the number of books I've managed to read this year, especially as my reading dropped off a bit after my dad died in June. I found myself unable to concentrate on reading, as well as most other things, during this time but I did get back into it again eventually. During December though I've only read two books as I just haven't seemed to have time for anything. In total I've read seventy five books this year.

In 2015 I challenged myself to read Agatha Christie's murder mystery books in chronological order. There are 66 in total and I averaged one book a month for five and a half years, having completed this challenge just before my dad died. I never got the chance to tell him I'd finished reading them all, he was always interested in which book I was reading having read some of them himself.

I've found some new to me authors this year so as well as reading books by authors I already enjoy, I've read quite a few books from some different authors, some of which I'll continue to read. Some new favourites are Dani Atkins, Elaine Everest, Celeste Ng and Mary Gibson. Some old favourites are Charity Norman, Amanda Prowse, Jojo Moyes and Donna Douglas.

Passenger to Frankfurt - Agatha Christie

The Colours of All the Cattle - Alexander McCall Smith

Nella Last's Peace - Nella Last

Nemesis - Agatha Christie

Elephants Can Remember - Agatha Christie

Postern of Fate - Agatha Christie

The Nurses of Steeple Street - Donna Douglas

District Nurse on Call - Donna Douglas

The Light in the Hallway - Amanda Prowse

A Nightingale Christmas Promise - Donna Douglas

The Librarian of Auschwitz - Antonio Iturbe

Nightingale Wedding Bells - Donna Douglas

To the Land of Long Lost Friends - Alexander McCall Smith

The Girl in the Red Coat - Kate Hamer

The View From the Corner Shop - Kathleen Hey

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry - Rachel Joyce

The Story of Us - Dani Atkins

A Good Heart is Hard to Find - Trisha Ashley

While I Was Sleeping - Dani Atkins

Our Song - Dani Atkins

This Love - Dani Atkins

The Christmas Sisters - Sarah Morgan

The Choice - Edith Eger

Fractured - Dani Atkins

The Woolworths Girls - Elaine Everest

If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things - Jon McGregor

The Other Half of Augusta Hope - Joanna Glen

The Perfect Couple - Jackie Kabler

In Five Years - Rebecca Serle

Half a World Away - Mike Gayle

Curtain - Agatha Christie

A Mother's Journey - Donna Douglas

Dear Edward - Ann Napolitano

The Wish List - Ruby Hummingbird

Found - Erin Kinsley

Sleeping Murder - Agatha Christie

One Split Second - Caroline Bond

Three Hours - Rosamund Lupton

When All is Said - Anne Griffin

Love After Love - Ingrid Persaud

Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng

The Man Who Didn't Call - Rosie Walsh

The Keeper of Lost Things - Ruth Hogan

The Secrets of Strangers - Charity Norman

Poirot Investigates - Agatha Christie

The Garden of Lost Memories - Ruby Hummingbird

The Beekeeper of Aleppo - Christy Lefteri

Sister of Mine - Laurie Petrou

The Day She Came Back - Amanda Prowse

Where There's a Will - Beth Corby

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding - Agatha Christie

I Confess - Alex Barclay

The Chain - Adrian McKinty

The Day the Nazis Came - Stephen R Matthews

The Alibi Girl - CJ Skuse

Everything I Never Told You - Celeste Ng

All We Left Behind - Danielle R Graham

Hughie Mittman's Fear of Lawnmowers - Conor Bowman

The Holiday - TM Logan

Christmas at Woolworths - Elaine Everest

Wartime at Woolworths - Elaine Everest

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird - Josie Silver

A Gift From Woolworths - Elaine Everest

After the End - Clare Mackintosh

Blood Orange - Harriet Tyce

Foreign Fruit - Jojo Moyes

Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts - Mary Gibson

Jam and Roses - Mary Gibson

Gunner Girls and Fighter Boys - Mary Gibson

Bourbon Creams and Tattered Dreams - Mary Gibson

Hattie's Home - Mary Gibson

A Sister's Struggle - Mary Gibson

The Peacock Emporium - Jojo Moyes

One Moment - Linda Green

The Secret Santa - Trish Harnetiaux

The stand out book for me this year was The Other Half of Augusta Hope by Joanna Glen. I don't know what it was about this book that did it for me, it's just a touching story which is beautifully written and I came across it by chance during the first lockdown when I'd run out of books to read so I was looking for something on my Kindle. In fact, I stumbled across many books this way this year. Other memorable books were The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri and Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts by Mary Gibson.

Now that my Agatha Christie challenge has come to an end I'd like to think of a new reading challenge, what that will be I don't know, however, I'm going to cut back on my reading in 2021. I've found that I immerse myself in whatever I'm reading to the detriment of my other hobbies. I'd like to spend more time on them this coming year, but we'll see how it goes.

25 comments:

  1. I've read 82 books this year, and like you found loads of new authors, I can't imagine not having a pile of books close by to read.

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  2. Wow!That is an amazing list.During the year I have read quite a few of your recommendations and shall note down some more.Seeing in your side bar the one a day blanket,I am using up my stash to make yet another blanket.I usually manage 6 to 8 per evening.Five rounds each.

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  3. That's an impressive list of reading material. Well done on completing your Agatha Christie challenge.

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  4. That is a very admirable accomplishment.

    I'm sort of the other way around. I've knit so much that I haven't cross stitched or read very much.

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  5. That's an impressive amount of reading. I only read when I go to bed but I haven't been reading a lot lately, it always seems to slow down as the year goes on

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  6. That's an impressive total, Jo. Well done you!

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  7. I loved the Man who didn't call. Your knitted work is incredible Jo. I'm hoping to get a couple of patterns and some wool this week to keep myself busy.

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  8. Well done Jo, that's no mean feat. Happy reading.

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  9. Well done in such a traumatic year. I've not read any novels this year, but do delve in & out of my reference books regularly. I also have trouble concentrating in stressful times & am a true Virgo in that I feel I should be doing something constructive all the time & helping others. Like you I miss my Dad terribly & it is actually his birthday today (29/12). He would have been 97. Take care, stay safe & huggles.

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  10. 75 books - that is really impressive! I've just finished one of the books in your first picture - Little Fires Everywhere. I very much enjoyed it. I love the idea of the Agatha Christie challenge, I've read a few of her books but probably not as many as I should!
    I found you whilsst blog hopping, be lovely to see you over on mine at emeraldcottage.blogspot.com
    Jillxo

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  11. I see you've read The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry - what did you think of it? I read it in April and was really impressed - I wrote a review on my blog and also sent a copy to Eileen, in fact I think that may be the one she sent on to you as she did mention it :) I also read the sequel to it - not quite as impressive but still good and with a very surprising twist at the end.

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    1. I really enjoyed The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, I seem to remember reading it before Eileen, I got my copy from one of the charity book stalls in Tescos or the local chemist, I can't remember which now. I haven't read the sequel.

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  12. I've read around the same number over the year. Well done on reading all the Agatha Christie books, I've probably read them all but over many years. Good that you found a handful of memorable books. Happy reading. xx

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  13. I always love seeing what books the people have enjoyed. If you like a good mystery you might like the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny it is easily my favourite crime series and starts with Still Life, they are currently 16 in the series and one is published each year. You do have to read them in order because of the backstory which continues through all the books.

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  14. wow, that is a seriously impressive list!

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  15. That's a great feeling, isn't it. Well done! I have been an avid reader most of my life but this year really slacked off. I spent way too much time on YouTube watching Vlogs. I hope to finally find some balance in how I spend my time in 2021. I am keeping your list of books for future reference. I have already read all of Agatha's books and a few of the others. 💖

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  16. Wow Jo that's an impressive amount of books, there's nothing better than getting lost in a good book. I'm having serious problems with my eyesight and have had to cut down on my reading. I am listening to more audio books but they take an age to listen to, reading a book I have found is so much quicker.

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  17. Great. You have not wasted time this year. Please stay safe. Happy holidays to you.

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  18. I read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

    Sadly, my reading has suffered this year, but I fully intend on getting back into the swing of things in the new year.

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  19. That's quite a bit of reading! thanks for the list. I think I will give some of them a look over. Have you read the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear? There about a dozen at this time, I think, and should be read in order. I found them to be enjoyable.

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    1. I haven't read the Maisie Dobbs series. Thank you for the recommendation.

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  20. What a fantastic list! I'm always on the lookout for recommendations and have written down some titles. So thanks for that. Happy New Year!
    Amalia
    xo

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  21. That is an impressive list and a lot of reading!xxx

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  22. Wow Jo!
    An impressive list of books, well done :)

    All the best Jan

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  23. I loved The Other Half of Augusta Hope, and I think it might've been your review that made me put it on my birthday wish list. I also really enjoyed The Keeper of Lost Things, I might have to read that again.
    xx

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