So for many, May will have felt like it was at least three months on. For others, they will be asking how on earth it’s flow by so fast.

We’ve seen sun, rain, attempted home-schooling and a cancelled holiday. But we are safe, fed and healthy so that’s all we can ever really ask for.

As for books inwards and despatched, it’s been a bit of a slow one, much like me when it comes to getting out of bed.

So what new books made their mark on the excel spreadsheet of doom (aka the to read list), and what managed to receive a golden tick to show it had been shipped onwards (or read).

Coming through the door were these lovely titles.

1. Dear Reader by Cathy Rentzenbrink, sent for review by Picador

2. The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves, a purchase for my mother and therefore by extension me.

3. The Riviera Express by TP Fielden, sent for review by the author.

4. This Little Dark Place by AS Hatch, sent for review by the author.

5. Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers, sent for review by W&N.

6. The Devil You Know by Emma Kavanagh, sent for review Orion.

7. Escape to the French Farmhouse, an ebook via NetGalley and Transworld.

8. The Lonely Fajita by Abigail Mann, an ebook via NetGalley and One More Chapter.

9. Ankomst by Gohril Gabrielsen and translated by Deborah Dawkin, sent for review by Peirene Press.

10. The Curator by MW Craven, sent for review by Constable.

11. All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville – West.

12. The Curate’s Wife by EH Young.

13. Overture to Death by Ngaio Marsh.

14. The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie.

15. The Mirror Crack’d From Side to Side by Agatha Christie.

16. 4.50 From Paddington by Agatha Christie. These last 6 were purchases from Ironbridge Books. I told them to surprise me with the Christies and they sent some good ones.

Here is what I read.

1. A Registry of My Passage Upon the Earth by Daniel Mason.

2. Escape to the French Farmhouse by Jo Thomas.

3. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn.

(and half of The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard).

I posted two books to bloggers and sent five books to my sister-in-law which will be a temporary debit. So 16 in and 10 out. Not that balanced but still a relatively quiet month. I’m taking part in the 20 Books of Summer challenge that starts today so hopefully June’s edition will see more on the debit side.