Monthly Round Up – October 2015 – The Curious Ginger Cat

It’s that time again! Check out what I’ve been reading in this month!

New Books – received, bought & won

1.     Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan
2.     False Nine by Philip Kerr
3. Hand of God by Philip Kerr
4.     The Widow by Fiona Barton
5.     Euphoria by Lily King (thanks to Isabelle Broom @ Heat Magazine)
6.     A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
7.     The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
8. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
9. The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
10. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
11. The Return of Sherlock Homes by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
12. The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)
13. His Last Bow & The Case-book of Sherlock Homes by Arthur Conan Doyle (thanks to Dead Good Books)

Plus some Netgalley requests:-

1.     Lost Girls by Angela Marsons
2.     Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper by Debbie Johnson
3.     The Killing of Polly Carter by Robert Thorogood
4.     What Happens at Christmas… by T.A. Williams

Books I’ve Read

1. A Summer of Surprises by Jan Ellis
2. Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin
3. Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan
4. Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale
5.     Don’t Turn Around by Caroline Mitchell
6.     Playing With Fire by Tess Gerristen
7.     Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams by Sue Watson
8.     The Dead Dog Day by Jackie Kabler
9. The Bookshop on the Corner by Rebecca Raisin
10.   The Damascus Cover by Howard Kaplan
11. Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes by Denise Grover Swank
12.   The Parisian Christmas Bake Off by Jenny Oliver
13.   What Happens at Christmas… by T.A. Williams
14.   Wish You Were Here by Catherine Alliott

Summary of Reviews, Blog Tours & Cover Reveals

1.     A Summer of Surprises by Jan Ellis
2.     Summer by the Sea by Jenny Hale
3.     Evil Games by Angela Marsons
4.     Somewhere Only We Know by Erin Lawless
5.     Stirred With Love by Marcie Steele
6.     The Wedding Cake Tree by Melanie Hudson
7.     The Guilded Life of Matilda Duplaine by Alex Brunkhorst
8.     The Quality of Silence by Rosamund Lupton

Plus, a couple of other blog posts:-

1. Author Q&A with F.L. Darbyshire
2. Release Day Blitz of What Happens at Christmas by T.A. Williams

Things I’ve Done

October has been quite a difficult month for me as it began with my Grandmother’s funeral. Fortunately, things quickly improved. Whilst the funeral was difficult, it was lovely to see all of my extended family again. We live far apart (them in Manchester or further north and myself near Windsor), so don’t often get the chance to catch up properly. The weekend of the funeral was also my nephew’s first birthday. I bought him his first bicycle/tricycle – a Scramblebug and it was hilarious watching him trying to work out how to use it.

The month further improved with a long weekend in Dubai in the middle of the month. I will do a separate travel post about the holiday in due course, however I can say that it was another amazing holiday!

At home, we have been having a HUGE sort out. We’re hoping to be in a position to sell our flat and upgrade to a house at some point in the not too distant future. We’re trying to make the flat look big, airy and uncluttered, for valuation purposes. I love sorting things out, so I’ve been in my element, with the exception of having to get rid of some of my piles of books. Fortunately, I’ve come up with a plan – I’m gifting those books to my sisters and mother, that way I can steal them back when we have more room!