40 in 2018: August

Over the summer holidays I have struggled to have laptop time to write up this blog, but I haven't stopped reading! I hope you enjoy this month's reviews!

Books I read in July

A Classic:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
I'm still reading this! Need to crack on with it. I have it on my Kindle and I'm not sure it's helping... I do prefer a hard book, but as it was free on Kindle then it qualified as part of my 'no new books' challenge.

Bookish Mamas Book Club:
(Not read) The Children Of Blood And Bone by Tomi Adeyemi 
The book this month really didn't appeal as it's a Young Adult Fantasy, but the aim of joining a book club was to challenge myself and widen my reading list. However, I haven't managed to find it in a charity shop, so in line with my aim not to buy any new books this year for myself I haven't managed to read it.

Unfinished business:
Ratburger by David Walliams
One of the highlights of my week is going into school and supporting children with their reading. Many of those I read with find it difficult and need practice and lots of encouragement. One book which I have frequently heard snippets of is Ratburger by David Walliams, so I decided it was time to actually read this book from beginning to end! David Walliams is being hailed as the next Roald Dahl and I can kind of understand why, but I have to say that I didn't enjoy this book as much as the Dahl books I have read. The story follows the character of Zoe as she struggles with a depressed dad, a gross step-mum, a rat friend, a school bully (with issues of her own) and a ice-cream man with a darker side job. I can see why it's a favourite with older primary school children and I'm sure we will be seeing them in our house in the coming years!

Library Lucky Dip
Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts
This book had me very confused in the beginning! I had no idea if it was fantasy or not, and that made it a difficult read. But once I found out that it definitely was fantasy (from reviews on Goodreads) it was a much easier read. But it wasn't great: six people with special powers (seer, witch, werewolf, mermaid, immortal and time traveller) who are fighting the baddy! An interesting lucky dip book but I won't be reading any more by this author.

Others:
The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley
Back in April I read The Pearl Sister, which is the fourth book in The Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley, and it encouraged me to re-read the first three books again. I first read this book back in 2016 when a friend recommended it to me and lent me her copy; I was immediately hooked. It has been great re-reading it knowing what happens in the next three books and some elements of the story made a little more sense and connections were made. This first book focuses on the story of Maia, the eldest of the sisters, who discovers the links to her birth family in Brazil and their relationship with the maker of the 38m Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro. It is an exciting story which jumps between Maia's own story and the story of Izabela Bonifacio 80 years earlier. I would definitely recommend this book.

Twits by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)
Yet another audiobook! We had lots of long journeys this month as we went on holiday to Dorset. I love having audiobooks in the car and this one didn't disappoint. One of my favourite quotes comes from this book:

“A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”

BFG by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)
The BFG is a great book and another one that we enjoyed on a long journey. I love the friendship that forms between two characters who are both oddities in their own world.

**Book of the Month** The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)
The Magician's Nephew - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - The Horse and His Boy - Prince Caspian - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - The Silver Chair - The Last Battle
The seven books in this series have been favourites of mine ever since I first read them as a child and I have enjoyed introducing them to our children. The stories follow the country of Narnia from its creation in the first book, through various challenges and adventures, to its demise in the last book. I think every child has a desire to enter a magical world where they can talk with animals and win battles over evil. My absolute favourite of this series is The Horse and His Boy so it takes Book of the Month!

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers
Francine Rivers is known for her christian romances and this was her new release. I enjoyed it at the time, but interestingly it's not stuck in my mind as well as some of her previous books. The 'romance' between Roman Velasco and Grace Moore stumbles along, and I have struggled with some of the religious aspects of the book too.I think I will have to re-read this and see what I think second time round.

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
It felt so disrespectful to be reading about suffering in The Netherlands during WWII whilst on our summer holiday, but it was the book I had taken with me so I persevered. This was a real mix of challenging and inspiring; Connie Ten Boom lived through one of the toughest times, yet her and her sister Betsy's faith in God was unshaken. This is definitely a must read for all Christians.

Unspoken by Dee Henderson
I enjoy reading Henderson's books as I like mysteries. This one was an easy read, though the plot was kind of strange!

Books I hope to read in August

Like last month's blog I am writing this in September and so don't remember what I planned to read in August!

Total list of books read in 2018

* Book of the month*

13 books in July

63. Unspoken by Dee Henderson
62. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
*61. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)*
60. The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)

59. The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

58. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)

57. Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)

56. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)

55. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Audiobook)

54. Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts

53. BFG by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

52. Twits by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

51. Ratburger by David Walliams

50. The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

7 books in June

49. A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie (Audiobook)
48. Matilda by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

47. Cure by Robin Cook

46. Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

*45. Liverpool Girls by Lyn Andrews*

44. Murder on a Summer's Day by Frances Brody

43. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

432. Close to Home by Cara Hunter

7 books in May

41. The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

40. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (Audiobook)

39. The Worst Case Scenario Cookery Club by Chrissie Manby

38. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

*37. The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah*

36. Taken by Dee Henderson (Audiobook)

35. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

8 books in April

34. Gypsy Princess by Violet Cannon

33. The Lake House by Kate Morton

32. Julie and Julia by Julie Powell

31. The Potluck Club: Takes The Cake by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson

30. The Potluck Club: Trouble's Brewing by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson

29. The Potluck Club by Linda Evans Shepherd & Eva Marie Everson

*28. The Pearl Sister by Lucinda Riley*

27. The Wrong Side Of Goodbye by Michael Connelly

8 books in March

26. Win, Lose or Die by John Gardner

25. Underwater Adventure by Willard Price

24. How To Stop Time by Matt Haig

23. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

22. Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn

*21. Hands Free Mama by Rachel Macy Stafford*

20. Belgravia by Julian Fellowes

19. Remember by Karen Kingsbury, with Gary Smalley

7 books in February

*18. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Vol 1 by J.R.R. Tolkien*

17. Five Give Up The Booze by Bruno Vincent

16. The Whistler by John Grisham

15. Grand Depart by Susan Perry

14. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

13. The Secret of Nightingale Wood by Lucy Strange

12. Redemption by Karen Kingsbury, with Gary Smalley

11 books in January

*11. Walking the Nile by Levison Wood*

10. Valley of the Shadow (Cornish Mystery 3) by Carola Dunn

9. The Black Ship (Daisy Dalrymple 18) by Carola Dunn

8. Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult

7. The Power by Naomi Alderman (Unfinished)

6. Without Warning (Elite Guardians 2) by Lynette Eason

5. Always Watching (Elite Guardians 1) by Lynette Eason

4. The Bloody Tower (Daisy Dalrymple 16) by Carola Dunn

3. Requiem for a Mezzo (Daisy Dalrymple 3) by Carola Dunn

2. Death of a Policeman (Hamish Macbeth) by M.C.Beaton

1. Black Raven (Shetland Book 1) by Ann Cleeves