I don’t usually do a reading round up or do a book haul post. That said I thought it might be interesting (for me at least), if I had a look at how many books I manage to read in a month and compare it to how many arrive in the house. I know for a fact that the one in one out policy is never implemented, though I am trying to reliquish some books to make room for the kids.

I don’t read many books each month, at least not compared to many bloggers, though none bloggers will probably wonder where I get my time to read as many books as I do. Because of that it is more than likely that the scales will be tipped towards incoming books rather than outgoing ones (i.e. read books or those given away). I am lucky in that I sometimes receive books for review, though at the moment I get very few books sent to me so the bulk of my incoming books tend to be the ones I have bought. I did manage to limit myself to only 3 books on my jaunt to London. Which is nothing short of miraculous.

First up what entered across the threshold of the Emson household.

1. It Walks by Night by John Dickson Carr.

2. The Measure of Malice edited by Martin Edwards.

3. The Body in the Dumb River by George Bellairs. These first three were kindly sent for review by the British Library.

4. The Secret of Chimneys by Agatha Christie. Another charity shop find to add to my Christie collection.

5. No Signposts in the Sea by Vita Sackville West. Another Green Virago to add to my collection.

6. The Toy Makers by Robert Dinsdale. Another charity shop find.

7. The Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves. A 2020 book sent for review by the publisher, Cornerstone.

8. Casino Royale by Ian Fleming.

9. Goldfinger by Ian Fleming.

10. For Your Eyes Only by Ian Fleming.

11. Everything Under by Daisy Johnson.

12. The Hollow Men by Rob McCarthy. Bought together with the Bonds and Everything Under in a bumper charity shop haul.

13. Killing It by Asia Mackay, sent for review.

14. Good Evening, Mrs Craven by Mollie Panter-Downes. One of the books I brought back from London.

15. The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted by Robert Hillman. This was an impulse purchase from Hatchards when I was in London.

16. Tombland by C. J. Sansom. A last minute purchase from Kings Cross.

17. The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton by Edith Wharton.

18. The Virago Book of Witches edited by Shahrukh Husain. Both this and The Ghost Stories of Edith Wharton were kindly sent by Virago for review.

19. Amnesty by Aravind Adiga. Sent for review.

20. The Monster by Seth Dickinson. A prize from the fabulous blogger David at TheBlueBalloon.

21. The Quantum Universe by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw. A Twitter prize.

 

Outgoings (also known as those I read).

1. Scrublands by Chris Hammer

2. Rule Britannia by Alec Marsh

3. Hydra by Matt Weslowski

Technically I finished Hydra in October but I’ll not tell anyone if you don’t.

I gave 26 books to one of the school mums  and sent one very overdue book prize out.

So 21 in, 30 out which I don’t think is too bad. A step in the right direction (towards a TBR that isn’t likely to kill me if it falls over). Hopefully the balance will continue into October.