Since way back, I've been keeping a (Works) database list of books that I read, or listened to. Looking back on 2024, most of the titles I've listed were audio books - but with some, I had both the Kindle and the Audible version and shifted between them. All in all I have some 60+ titles listed for 2024. Most of those new to me were probably reviewed or at least mentioned on my blog along the way, but some re-reads may not have been.
In January and into February, I listened to a series of 8 novels by Josephine Tey, read by Karen Cass. Six of them featuring Inspector Grant. I read some of her books way back in my youth and enjoyed getting reaquainted with them now.
In February-March, I listened to a collection of six of Lucy Maud Montgomery's novels about Anne of Green Gables, read by Beth Kesler. The first one I've kept returning to ever since my teens (in Swedish translation), and I had read a few more in the past as well, but not all of them. - I also read Mary Norton's Bedknobs and Broomsticks on Kindle (children's books).
In March, I reread/listened to three books in Elly Griffiths' detecetive series about Ruth Galloway (forensic archaeologist), and also got started on (re)listening to JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy, which I continued with into April.
I continued to reread (as audio books) the Ruth Galloway series (15 books) through spring and summer. I have followed that series book by book as they were published (15 books), some on Kindle, some as audio. I now used my monthly Audible credits to collect as audio books those that I did not already had in that format. I like the characters and they are books I can happily read/listen to more than once.
In between those, I also listened to...
P.G. Wodehouse's first book in his Blandings Castle series (Something New) (Audible),
Patti Callahan's Becoming Mrs Lewis (about C.S. Lewis and his friendship and then marriage to Joy Davidman) (Kindle), The Canal Murders by J.R. Ellis (A+K) (another British crime series I'm following), An Assasination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey (Lady Hardcastle series), and Middlemarch by George Eliot, read by Juliet Stevenson (a favourite English classic of mine).
In August, I read/reread (listened to) two books in another series by Elly Griffiths - Bleeding Heart Yard and The Last Word. After that, I read three Swedish books by a Swedish author (Carin Hjulström) as audio + e-books, borrowed via the library.
In September, a branch library re-opened in my part of town, and I borrowed a few printed books from there. But I find it hard to read printed books now. I was diagnosed with some macular degeneration on one eye last winter - I don't really feel that it has got any worse since then, but "it is what it is", and reading small print is more of a strain for my eyes now than it used to be. Short texts are okay, but with novels I much prefer to listen now - or at least read as e-books, where I can adjust the font and size to suit me. Alas the Swedish libraries and publishers don't use the Kindle system, though, and that's one reason why I read a lot more English books than Swedish these days (ever since my first Kindle which I think I bought back in 2010).
In October I listened to Jacqueline Winspear's 18th book in her series about private detective Maise Dobbs (The Comfort of Ghosts). That inspired me to start over with that series as well, and collect as audio books (read by Orlagh Cassidy) those that I don't already have in that format. (I have followed that series through the years through a mix of printed books, Kindle and Audible; some borrowed and some bought. The ealy books are set in the years between the two world wars, and then go on through WWII and beyond. Some of them I've liked better than others.
In October, I also listened to Peter May's sequel to his Isle of Lewis trilogy, The Black Loch - read by Peter Forbes (who has recorded all of May's novels).
In November, I had a spell of listening to some Great Courses collections of lectures, which I then discovered were free for me to listen to via my Audible membership. (No longer on the "free" list since New Year, though.) Those I listened to in full (except that I no doubt dozed off here and there!) were The Old Testament; King Arthur: History and Legend; The Life and Writings of C.S. Lewis; and (parts of) Great Mythologies of the World.
In December, I continued with a couple of more in the Maise Dobbs series. I also listened to Dickens' A Christmas Carol. And then around Christmas got restarted for the umpteenth time on J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series read by Stephen Fry... (Good night time reading because I know them so well - and still enjoyable because Fry's narration is so good.)
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Anything in particular that you read in 2024 that you'd like to recommend?
I wanted to track my books like you do, but each time I tried, I would forget to do it, and I hate spread sheets, find them difficult to do. I sometimes download a book to read and it says READ on it and I have to return it. you do a good job keeping track.
ReplyDeleteI am on book 9 of a series from Kindle unlimited. by Dawn Lee McKenna, The Forgotten Coast Florida Suspense Series. I have been reading a couple of hours each day and enjoyed all 8 that I finished. you might not have access to them.
Sandra, you're right, Kindle Unlimited is not available in Sweden. I looked up the series on Amazon though and read the blurb for the first book in that series.Too many repetitions of words like sinister, horrible, nightmare etc for my taste... ;-)
DeleteMy book list is growing very long. Yet, I have kept myself so busy that I haven't gotten to it 1 year later.
ReplyDeleteI have read all of Lord Of the Rings. I saw Anne Of Green Gables the movie. My recommendation is One Hundred Years Of Solitude.
ReplyDeleteGinny, I remember that you've mentioned A Hundred Years of Solitude as a favourite of yours more than once. I know it's a classic but I've never read it. I looked it up on Audible now and put it on my list of audio books to maybe spend one of my credits on...
DeleteAll the books I have read in 2024 appear as reviews on my blog, and they are usually a mix of ebooks on Kindle and physical books - most of the time, I am parallel-reading; on Kindle when I am travelling (which is the case almost daily), and physical books at home.
ReplyDeleteOne book that stands out for me in 2024 is about Alexander vom Humboldt. The review is here:
https://librarianwithsecrets.blogspot.com/2024/10/read-in-2024-24-die-abenteuer-des.html
It is non-fiction in the form of a graphic novel.
In fiction, the most important and impressive book I have read in 2024 was "Our Missing Hearts", with the review here:
https://librarianwithsecrets.blogspot.com/2024/09/read-in-2024-20-our-missing-hearts.html
Meike, I always enjoy your book reviews, whether they tempt me to also actually get the book or not :) I looked up this one on Audible now, and the listening sample sounds good too, so I added this one to my "wishlist" there as well (i.e. audio books to maybe spend a membership credit on).
DeleteThe Bryant and May series by Christopher Fowler are interesting and have a wealth of incidental information about London's history. The DI Nikki Galena series, set in the Lincolnshire Fens, by Joy Ellis, I found very good. Lindsey Davis' Marcus Didius Falco series is excellent, as is S.J. Parris's Giordano Bruno series. I recently read The Skylark's Secret by Fiona Valpy, which was intriguing, and The Canal Murders by J.R. Ellis. I seem to read a lot of detective fiction!
ReplyDeleteJanice, I have the whole Yorkshire series by J.R. Ellis for Kindle+Audible. Fiona Valpy sounds familiar but I'll have to check my database list to see if I actually read anything by her. The other names don't ring a bell with me, so there's more for me to check out! I do read (and watch) quite a lot of detective fiction too - with a preference for British.
DeleteJanice, I searched my blog and found that I did read one book by Fiona Valpy back in 2022: The Dressmaker's Gift. https://dawntreader-island2.blogspot.com/2022/05/two-novels-set-in-france-during-wwii.html
DeleteThat's quite a reading list!
ReplyDeleteI have read all the T.E. Kinsey Lady Hardcastle series and enjoyed them - something a little different from normal murder/mysteries - and several of The Canal Murders.
Have you read any of Martin Walker's "Bruno, Chief of Police", series? They are also a little different, set in rural France, and as well as murders, include quite a few recipes with details of how to prepare and cook local dishes. I started reading the books some years ago when I had my first Kindle, so it must be getting on for 20 years! I think the latest book was no 22 in the series. The same group of people crop up in every book, so it makes things clearer to start at the beginning. I think they are all still available on Amazon Kindle.
For the first time, I've been watching the Harry Potter films - mainly due to the lack of anything better to watch over the holiday season. I couldn't rave about them, as I found the lack of natural colours off putting. I don't enjoy "moody". However I found the special effects quite fascinating and spent much of my time wondering "How did they do that"! For most fans the films must be a revelation, to see the text translated into action.
Carol, I have the whole Lady Hardcastle series too, for both Kindle and Audible. Never heard of the Bruno series. I'm not all that much of a foodie or francofile, though, so not immediately tempted. - I have read/listened to the HP books more times than I've watched the films. I agree about some of the special effects being spectacular, but films also have to "concentrate" the story, which may be more or less noticable depending on how well one knows the original. They are very well done in the way that one follows the young actors growing up though. It's been a while since I last watched the films now but I have them on DVD. I do recall that I liked some of them better than others.
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