HelenNZ back for 2013

Having completed 76 books this year, I am up for this challenge again. I have yet to devise any strategies. My main focus will be my own shelves as my TBR stands at 284 and I have set a goal of only adding 25 books to that collection. I suspect this could be hard to achieve but it might be a deterrent to impulse buying.







So that this years books don't get buried in amongst the older stacks, I am re-organising my shelves and will list them here. The theory being a bit like if you write down what you eat you will diet more successfully! LOL.

1. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel*
2. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan*
3. The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari
4. The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields
5. White Shanghai by Elvira Baryakina#*
6. The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones*
7. Love and summer by William Trevor*
8. The song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
9. Even the Dogs by Jon McGregor
10.An Honourable Man by Gillian Slovo
11.Skylark byJenny Pattrick
12.The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan
13.Peaches for Monsieur le Cure by Joanne Harris
14.The Beginners Goodbye by Anne Tyler
15.A Train in Winter byCaroline Moorehead
16.The Mountain byDrusilla Modjeska*
17.Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
18.Restoration by Rose Tremain
19.The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
20.The Lives we Leave Behind by Maxine Alterio#*
21. Anticipation byTanya Moir
22. Grace Williams Says it Loud by Emma Henderson
23. NW by Zadie Smith*
24. State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
25. La Rochelle Road by Tanya Moir
26. Fosterling by Emma Neale
27. The Warden by Anthony Trollope
28. The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
29. The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
30. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson*
31. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi adichie
32. Questions of Travel by Michelle de Krester
33. Home by Toni Morrison
34. Soon by Charlotte Grimshaw
35. Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka*
36. In Custody by Anita Desai
37. Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai*
38. The Artist of Disappearance by Anita Desai
39. The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
40. Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler
41. A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
42. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh
43. The World According to Garp by John Irving
44. The Cider House Rules by John Irving
45. And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
46. Pilgrimage by Jacinta Halloran*
47. Altered Land by Jules Hardy
48. The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud
49. The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker
50. The Dinner by Herman Koch
51. An Accidental Terrorist bySteven Lang
52. Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
53. Father of the Rain by Lily King#
54. Frederick's Coat by Alan Duff#*
55. The Big Music by Kirsty Gunn#
56. A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
57. The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin
58. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
59. In the Absence of Heroes by Anthony McCarten
60. A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell
61. The Below Country by Nicholas Edlin
62. The Missing by Tim Gautreaux
63. The Auschwitz Violin by Maria Angels Anglada
64. An Accommodating Spouse byElizabeth Jolley
65. May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Homes
66. To the End of the Land byDavid Grossman
67. Days of Grace by Catherine Hall
68. Shelter by Frances Greenslade
69. The Pages by Murray Bail
70. Plainsong by Kent Haruf
71. The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey
72. The Intentions Book by Gigi Fenster
73. The Confidant byHelene Gremillon
74. A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
75. A New Map of the Universe by Annabel Smith*
76. Unlawful Entry by Marilyn Duckworth
77. Portrait of the Artist's Wife by Barbara Anderson
78. Lost Voices by Christopher Koch
79. The Woman in the Fifth by Douglas Kennedy
80. A Special Relationship by Douglas Kennedy
81. The Kindness of Strangers by Shonagh Koea
82. Outbreak of Love byMartin Boyd
83. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
84. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

An * denotes they are now read.

Any books won or gifted will be a bonus and will not count in the goal of 25 and will be marked with an#. So currently 18 purchases plus 1.
Now 18 plus 2.

Welcome back!

Happy to have you back, Helen!

Good to see you back again ......

Hi Helen, Happy New Year!

Only 25 books? I could never achieve that myself!

Welcome back and happy New Years!

Hi Lisa, I am probably wishful thinking. Already I have seen that our local bookshop is having a half price sale. So tempting...

On the bright side, I have finished my first book of the year, so the list begins:

January

1. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh 7/10
2. I for Isobel by Amy Witting
3. Foal's Bread by Gillian Mears 6/10
4. February by Lisa Moore 7/10
5. Caribou Island by David Vann 9/10
6. There Should be More Dancing by Rosalie Ham 7/10
7. Paddy's Puzzle by Fiona Kidman 8/10
8. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
9. Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier 8/10
10. Tracks byLouise Erdrich 7.5/10

Hi Helen, congrats on finishing the first for 2013!

First 3 books added to the shelves. They did have 25% off...

1. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
2. Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan
3. The Taliban Cricket Club by Timeri N. Murari

Now to bury them in the shelves before Don arrives home...

Looking forward to seeing what you think of Bring Up the Bodies. I have not managed to get my hands on a copy yet.

I want to hear what you think of The Taliban Cricket Club. We have that one at the library.

> 11 &12. I could be a little while getting to these as I am trying to focus on my existing books and then there is the book group monthly reads. Oh the pressure :-)!

ooo I've heard good things about all three of those books - good score!

I enjoyed Bring up the Bodies I like McEwan but haven't read Sweet Tooth and I've never heard of Marari. None the less, it looks like you're in for some good reading.

Book No.5 done Caribou Island and what a gripping tale it was. Hard to refocus on life after its intensity!

Yay. That's 7. An e-book finiished last night and a NZ title today.

Hi Helen : ). Woot, you had a wonderful reading month in January! I loved February, and I see you've recently added Bring Up the Bodies. The latter is one that's on my list, but I think I'll make it a summer read. I recently finished Small Wars which I LOVED, and I saw your name on the "top 100 similar libraries" as also having it. Have you read it?

Hi Nancy, I agree with you. I, too, loved Small Wars and Sadie Jones' earlier book The Outcast. I have yet to read The Uninvited Guests but must buy a copy.I am trying to limit my purchasing this year but this might be one I have to purchase!

O0ps! Now I have gone and ordered it and three more slipped in the basket. They were on my wishlist though...

Caribou Island looks interesting. I will have to see if my local library has a copy. Thanks for the mention, Helen.

O0ps! Now I have gone and ordered it and three more slipped in the basket. They were on my wishlist though... Don't you hate love it when that happens : ). Good shopping, Helen!

First book for February finished. Gosh if I kept up the momentum of January I would reach 120 books this year, but I can't see that happening. Especially as I need to tackle some of my heavy tomes, most of last month's were 200 - 350 pages. One on my shelf is 1450 pages, thats the equivalent of 5 books!

February

11. The Watch Tower by Elizabeth Harrower
12. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
13. The Pregnant Widow by Martin Amis
14. Loving Ways by Maurice Gee
15. Obedience by Jacqueline Yallop
16. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
17. The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones
18. Unless by Carol Shields

I am thrilled with my progress in all challenges thus far and particularly satisfying after such a great book. Back to the shelves...

Remains of the Day was one of my top reads of last year : ).

Thanks for visiting again Nancy. I have just found your thread. You have quite a following! Some great reading and reviews so far. I will be interested in your Canadian titles in particular.

Hi Helen, so glad you found my thread. Lovely to "see" you there. I'll be happy to introduce you to some of my favourite Canadian authors : ). Actually, I've just started Helen Humphreys' Coventry; she's a new Canadian author for me; her writing is just lovely.

I don't think I can fault Purple Hibiscus, beautiful writing and so many more recommendations at the back of the book. Nice mail today. Two new books, The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones and Love and Summer by William Trevor. Now which book do I take to bed tonight? Delicious feeling of anticipation...

Helen, I've read two of Sadie Jones' novels: The Outcast and Small Wars. I loved them both. Will be looking forward to your thoughts on Uninvited Guests; sounds like it might be another for my WL. Enjoy your delicious feeling of anticipation ... : ).

Hi Helen! Nice to meet you! I see like me , you have to bury your books before your husband sees quite how many books you have purchased recently. I've been meaning to read a book by William Trevor - perhaps I should start with Love and Summer ?

>30 vancouverdeb:. Hi Deb, I purchased this as it ismy online bookgroups read for September. We read predominantly Australian and New Zealand literary fiction and this was voted as our one International read for the year. I have yet to read any of his books and this looks an easy read at a little over 200 pages. I will wait until August for this one otherwise the detail tends to get buried in the many other books.
>29 lit_chick:. Well, I have finished The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones and it is very different in tone and in style to her previous books. I did still enjoy it as she creates some distinct characters, however it has a supernatural element to it. I will try to write my review later.

Helen, lovely review of Purple Hibiscus. So glad you enjoyed : ). Thumb-up! Hmm, I didn't know that The Uninvited Guests had a supernatural element to it; that does sound very different from Jones' other work. Will look forward to your review.

I am satisfied with my progress again this month plus some great reads. Time to pick up my bookgroup read The Mountain by Drusilla Modjeska, a good 400 pages.

A lovely start to my day... three new books arrived by courier.
Restoration by Rose Tremain
Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann
The Particular Sadness of the Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

However, I am going to blow my book buying goal out of the water! Totally unrealistic. I might have to review it...

I enjoyed this book, I like McEwa.

First book of the month completed, one for bookgroup and very good it was too.

March.
19. The Mountain by Drusilla Modjeska
20. Le Bal by Irene Nemirovsky
21. The Party at Sienna by Jill Jamieson
22. White Shanghai by Elvira Baryakina
23. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

This month is NZ book Month and $5 vouchers are distributed to the populace to be used purchasing books. NZ Book Council posted a new book on my facebook page and I was so taken with it, the cover is gorgeous I went down and bought it, Anticipation by Tanya Moir.

Stopping by to say hi! Nice new books! Always a pleasure to have books arrive! Enjoy. I just read The Colour by Rose Tremain and quite enjoyed and I see that you have just received Restoration. Enjoy!

Hi Helen, glad you are acquiring and enjoying some new books! How nice that $5 vouchers are distributed in NZ for book month!

Hi Deb, I found more new books on my visit to Auckland yesterday and they were only $10. 2 more NZ titles plusN-W by Sadie Smith (which has just been longlisted for the Women's Fiction prize and State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. I rearranged my bookshelves recently to keep this years purchases separate, while I try to focus on my older books. When I am on target I allow myself a new one for a reward. :-)

Hi Nancy, I have decided to use the vouchers to buy my 4 grandchildren a book each for Easter. It is a nice gesture by the booksellers and I am sure must boost sales

Well it appears that my buying of new books goal is totally unrealistic. If I keep buying at this rate I will have added at least 100 by the years end. I will now push my goal out to 50...But I love my bargain books.

I know the difficulty of trying to reign in book purchases, Helen! I've got a couple arriving from amazon ca on Wednesday and another one arriving from the Book Depository in a about 10 days. Fortunately I don't yet have grandchildren, or I am sure I'd be buying for them too! It's always a happy day when a new book arrives and we can comfort ourselves in the knowledge that we are keeping bookstores open! :)

Thanks Deb I feel reassured about my profligacy:-) Now I have received an email from the library saying Gone Girl is waiting for me. If I can finish this other dreary book, I might pick it up for the weekend to take to the beach.

What a lovely book thought: I might pick it up for the weekend to take to the beach. A few more months before those days are upon us again here. I LOVE summer!

We have had a beautiful long hot summer here. First rain in months, this week. Poor farmers are experiencing drought conditions but it has been wonderful for the rest of us. Last summer was dismal. So will hopefully manage a final swim for the season but even a walk on the beach soothes the senses.

April.

24. The Swing Around by Barbara Anderson
25. The Kindness of Your Love by Linda Olsson
26. Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver
27. Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson
28. Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel
29. According to Mary byMarianne Fredriksson

Helen, summer sounds to have been delightful! So tickled that ours is on the way. I am a summer girl : ). Saw your review on the main page for The Swing Around. Thumb-up. Thanks for posting it.

Hi Nancy, gosh you're quick off the mark. I am trying to catch up on all my reviews this afternoon. They have been hanging over me...but the joys of three daughters and four grandchildren have kept me from the computer.

Well, this is the second book on the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist I have read and this one I feel deserves it's inclusion. Once again Barbara Kingsolver has written a thought provoking book with well crafted characters. Flight Behaviour really struck a chord with me as the New Infants class at the school where I work study and breed the Monarch butterflies each year. This year they have become part of the tagging programme, as well and have released well over a hundred butterflies.

I've been wondering about Flight Behaviour, Helen. Sounds like you enjoyed which is a good enough endorsement for me! Onto the list ...

Well as it was the only Atkinson on my shelf, I thought I would read Emotionally Weird and as the title suggests, it is unusual in both story and format. None of her books, for me, have been as good as her first, Behind the Scenes at the Museum. However, I am prepared to give her latest a chance, Life After Life, as it is now shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Hi Nancy, I would have thought Barbara Kingsolver's reputation as a writer would have been sufficient to pique your interest. With books like The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer and The Lacuna being a recommendation in themselves, but pleased that my humble opinion can persuade you to read it. :-)

Hi Helen, will you be coming to the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival this year?

#53 I've only read The Poisonwood Bible, Helen, which admittedly was a wonderful read. I've got but have not yet read The Lacuna and Flight Behaviour. All on the list ... the neverending list!

I second Helen's endorsement of Flight Behavior; it was one of my favorite books last year and one of Kingsolver's best.

Hi Kerry, yes I hope to make the Saturday. My husband Don is having knee replacement surgery next week, so one day away might be all I can manage this year.

I hope the surgery and recovery go well, Helen. What a thing! I hope he gets great nursing care, it can make all the difference.

Thank you Megan. The surgery went very well on Monday and we arrived home today. The nursing care was great. Thanks to medical insurance it was a private hospital. I managed to take 5 minutes to myself and visit the local Whitcoull's store and wouldn't you know it they had a renovation sale. I bought Life After Life by Kate Atkinson and couldn't resist Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. I also found Home by Toni Morrison and Questions of Travel by Michelle de Krester on a sales table. A successful venture.

May.

30. The Mary Smokes Boys by Patrick Holland
31. Chinaman by Shehan Karunatilaka
32. The Cowboy Dog by Nigel Cox
33. Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
34. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
35. NW by Zadie Smith
36. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
37. The Absolutist by John Boyne
38. The Peacocks by Barbara Anderson

Hi Helen - Great to hear your husband's surgery went well. Good luck with the recovery.

Nice book haul. I'm anxious to hear about Americanah; I've loved Adichie's other books.

Helen, so glad to hear your husband's surgery went very well. And you managed a successful book venture, too! Well done : ).

Thanks Beth and Nancy.
I am currently reading the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Chinaman byShehan Karunatilaka, for my online book group. Finding it a slow read as it is heavily based on cricket.

Helen, I'm glad your husband's surgery went well! Hope all is well for you!

Well I have just completed reading Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, which means I have read 5 out of 6 of the shortlisted Women's Prize for Fiction selection. I am not sure what all the hype is about for this one, as it frustrated me with it's format.

Hi Helen from freezing Wellington! I bought Life after Life for my Kindle last week but haven't read it yet. And I just finished Americanah today, and LOVED it. Hope you do too.

The cricket book sounds a bit too crickety for me.

#65 Helen, good to know I am not the only one who was not so enamoured with Life After Life. I found it grew tiresome, and it sounds like you did, too. Congratulations on reading 5 of 6 shortlisted books! Well done!

> Hi Cushla, not to flash in Paeroa today either. Only 8 degrees out and very heavy skies. I see Queenstown is expecting a high of 3! So it could be worse.
A pot of soup simmering on the stove and heating on. I am lucky to be home today, work tomorrow.
A good day to catch up on my book reviews I am so far behind I might struggle a bit to write them. I promised myself that I wouldn't let this happen again but feel I need to be home alone to concentrate and that hasn't happened with Don on sick leave.
I am really looking forward to Americanah. The reviews have been great, some expecting it to be shortlisted for major awards. My problem is that as it is one of my recent purchases, it has to wait until I have read one off my shelf and then there is the book group one too. Sigh...never enough time.

> Hi Nancy, yes, I have been a bit naughty reading new and library books but I've always wanted to try and make my own judgement. I often find myself out of step with all the hype about some books. I am actually preferring my current read The Absolutist by John Boyne, which covers World War 1.
I also found the ending of Life After Life a bit strange. I guess she was reborn again...

Sleet and hail down here at the moment - your soup sounds good! I have not done book reviews all year - am flat out with my first year of teaching. But I'm making myself read a little bit every day.

You are being disciplined about reading books off your shelf! I bought a John Boyne novel at the Johnsonville Bookfair at the weekend - The House of Special Purposes. Haven't read anything by him yet but have heard good things on here, so it's nice to see you enjoying The Absolutist.

Just had to share this from Facebook with an appreciative audience!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/what-to-do-with-all-those-books

#70 Perfect! Thoroughly enjoyed that, Helen : ).

June.

39. Clear Light of Day by Anita Desai
40. Listening to Country by Ros Moriarty
41. Mrs Kimble by Jennifer Haigh
42. Lives We Leave Behind by Maxine Alterio
43. Rangatira by Paula Morris

Hi Helen, I haven't read Clear Light of Day, but I knew Anita Desai's name sounded familiar. Went to her author page: she wrote the short story, "Games at Twilight" which is presently on our grade 11 English curriculum. Must try one of her novels. Clear Light of Day was Booker SL'd, so sounds like a good place to start.

Hi Nancy, I purchased three of Anita Desai's novels after hearing her speak at the Auckland Readers and Writer's Festival last month. She presented as a beautiful, gracious, intelligent woman. In fact, she has been shortlisted three times for the Booker and her daughter Kiran won the Booker in 2006 with her first novel - talented ladies.

Oh dear another 5 new bargains have found a home tonight. But River of Smoke for $10, what's a girl supposed to do, especially as I had the first and third in the trilogy...Now a complete set :-). Plus 2 Anne Tyler's and 2 more John Irving's I have yet to try the latter, so will make a point of it for my alphabet challenge.

LOL, Helen, what's a girl supposed to do, indeed! Ah, River of Smoke reminds me that Ghosh's trilogy is another one I keep meaning to get to. Haven't yet read Sea of Poppies, but I have a copy and am looking forward.

Hi Helen,
thanks for your words of support on my thread! My mum is fairly understanding if I tell her what is going on with my/the kids lack of sleep, but she and my dad plus parents in law always say something to the effect of "oh well, thats parenthood for you" or "we've all been there".
I am so disappointed by the kids' grandparents lack of interest and support in their lives. They will do something if asked but have never instigated taking the kids for an outing or off our hands for a few hours every now and then. I get all silly and jealous when I see grandparents out with little kids at the things I take the kids to. Ah well, I suppose I am just cranky and tired right now, so will have to pick up my game :)

>75 HelenBaker: you had to get the book to complete the trilogy! $10 is a bargain too, I didnt really like the first of the series, but the cover is lovely, so I wouldnt mind having it around :)

Thanks for stopping by, Megan. I find the difference these days with raising children is the extra pressure you are all under. I didn't go back to work until my youngest was 8 and then it was part-time at her school. I admire greatly your generation, often trying to manage fulltime jobs and a family. Some of my contemporaries are critical of the time I give to my daughters but my two youngest are working fulltime out of financial necessity. I am able to help my daughter who lives here by taking the two girls two days a week which saves on childcare and I feel very close to them. My oldest daughter in Auckland is able to stay at home because my youngest pays her to look after her son who is 18 months. However with only three months between the two boys some days it is bedlam and if one gets sick it goes through them all. That's what happened last year with the stomach bug. It was so virulent that they told me to stay away until they were all clear for a week and I still managed to get it. My youngest daughter kept relapsing. It was just awful. Monday is my non scheduled day and I am often on the road to Auckland to help out up there. So I understand how you must be feeling. Thank goodness we enjoy reading. A lovely distraction from the pressures of life.
I'm currently rereading Rangatira as I have to lead an online discussion with ANZLitLovers in a couple of weeks. Last night I found myself sitting writing questions at midnight as I couldn't sleep until I had got them off my brain.
Time to get back to my knitting. The girls are all crying out for winter woollies for the kids.

Helen, leading an online discussion with fellow book-lovers sounds wonderful! Good for you : ). And I admire your enjoyment of knitting, and helping out your daughter with woollies for the kids. Lovely!

>79 lit_chick:. Thanks Nancy. Heading off to read and knit at the same time:-)

>78 HelenBaker: I really admire your dedication to your grandkids (and daughters) Helen!
And knitting too :)

An aboriginal quote from a book I recently read says it all 'My family is the country of my soul, my family is the song of my life. It leads me across the landscape of my destiny.' Quite beautiful I thought.
Although I love them dearly, I love my quiet time too:) When the children are around there is very little of my reading time.

July
44. Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada
45. When Gravity Snaps by Owen Marshall
46. The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam by Lauren Liebenberg
47. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
48. The Polished Hoe by Austin Clarke

Hi Helen, just thread cruising this morning. Not familiar with either of your July reads ... need to check on those.

I'm trying to figure out why anyone would want to polish a hoe. Now I'm wishing I'd had a PBJ sandwich after seeing your 46th book mentioned.

Hi Lori, The Polished Hoe is set on the Caribbean Island of Bimshire which had large sugar plantations. The hoe in question, Mary-Mathilda inherited from her mother. They were skilled workers and this was their prized tool, however Mary's mother wants a better life for her daughter, so accepts when the overseer moves from mother to daughter and Mary bears him a son. He sets them up in one of the better houses on the plantation, elevating her station and educating the son.
However, when Mary learns disturbing information about the past she polishes the hoe for altogether different reasons.
This book won Canada's Giller Prize and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam surprised me by being set in Rhodesia.

I am glad I read this one from the library. I found Perfect by Rachel Joyce an easy but not entirely convincing read.

August

49. Perfect by Rachel Joyce
50. Pilgrimage by Jacinta Halloran
51. No Highway by Nevil Shute
52. Frederick's Coat by Alan Duff
53. The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

The Polished Hoe sounds interesting, Helen. And a Giller winner, too. Hope you will enjoy The Testament of Mary as much as I did.

My youngest daughter just delighted me with 3 new books for my birthday. Wonderful. finally someone accepting the enjoyment I get from them and not thinking I have enough!

>90 HelenBaker: hooray! 3 books is 3x better than 1 book :)
Happy Birthday!

I have the Hans Fallada book (from your July list) to read, but the print is so small it puts me off. Did you love it?

September

54. The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard
55. Love and summer by William Trevor
56. The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate de Goldi
57. The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
58. Aloft by Chang-rae Lee

Nothing like a reprieve from stress to cause a book buying binge!:-) I got a little carried away when on a recent weekend away in Wellington. My daughter took me to her husband's favourite second hand bookstore. Foolishly I had my wishlist with me and I ask you what is a girl supposed to do? I had to stop at 'H' as I was being far too successful but it was so exciting enough to make one's head spin. They kindly couriered them home, free of charge, as we had only taken cabin luggage on the plane.

In balance, I have finished my first book of the month.
October.

59. Opportunity by Charlotte Grimshaw
60. So Much For That by Lionel Shriver
61. Their Faces were Shining by Tim Wilson
62. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
63. Postcards by Annie Proulx
64. Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother by Xinran

October has been a good reading month for you so far then!? :)

Stopping at H at the book shop? You need another trip methinks, to complete the alphabet!

Thanks for stopping by Megan.
My goal of restricting my purchases to 25 this year, is laughable now. I will have to accept, I am a total bookaholic. I now have to try and find some shelf space for 17 new books and as I seldom discard a book, unless it is a real dud and that is seldom as most a recommendations from trusted sources, this could take some reshuffling. Mind you not an unpleasant task as I rather like sitting on the floor handling lovely books and rediscovering what is hiding. I will probably emerge with an enormous stack for the bedside table...:-)

Amazing how a few days home-based and a night or two of insomnia can progress this challenge - two more for the month. However, my current read could slow me down although, I am already captivated by A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry. My goal is 100 pages a day as it is school holidays this week providing a little more quality time for reading.

Hi Helen, I completely understand about insomnia progressing reading challenges. Hope you will enjoy A Fine Balance as much as I did. I read that a few years ago, and I still find the characters wandering through my mind occasionally.

November
(Off to a slow start).
65. Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser
66. The White Woman on a Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey
67. The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller
68. A New Map of the Universe by Annabel Smith
69. Let the River Stand by Vincent O'Sullivan

December
70. The Sugar Mother by Elizabeth Jolley
71. The Empty Family by Colm Toibin
72. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
73. When the Elephants Dance by Tess Urize Holthe
74. True Stars by Fiona Kidman
75. The Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin

I completed this challenge by the skin of my teeth with two hours to spare. I am contemplating relaxing my approach this year with less challenges and more quality reading. I will possibly follow less threads as too much time lost on this computer.