New purchases

Long time no see! I have been on a trip to Normandie, Guernsey and Jersey. It was a nine day trip on the road from morning to evening, so I had not so much time to blog. There will be some reports from our trip which was very nice and interesting, as well as a few short reviews of books read lately.

During the trip I was exhausted in the evenings and I just read a few very easygoing historical fiction books. Now at home again I will go back to One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It is a little bit more demanding to read.

Today I went to a "Book Festival" and though I was very restricted and disciplined (at least I thought so myself!) I came back with 16 books! Yes, I know. As if I don't have several TBR shelves already full of books. But when the books cost 2-5 € each, it is difficult to resist.

Of the 16 books I have divided them into four piles; five books with favourite authors, six books with authors I wanted to read, three with biographical content and two thrillers.

Favourite authors

Diana Gabaldon, The Scottish Prisoner - a 'side' book out of her Outlander series. I love historical fiction and Diana Gabaldon writes very well.

Philip Kerr, Prague Fatale - I read his book The Quiet Flame and loved it. Therefor I grabbed this one and I am sure I will not be disappointed.

Tracy Chevalier, Burning Bright - historical fiction at its best. London at the end of the 18th century.

Catherine Cookson, Kate Hannigan's Girl. Read several books by her when I was young, but that was a long time ago. I recently read a biography about her To be a lady: Story of Catherine Cookson by Cliff Goodwin and, after that interesting account of her life, I wanted to read something else by her.

Paulo Coelho, Adultery. I think Coelho does not need a lot of introduction. I recent read his The Witch of Portobello and loved it. This should be an interesting read.

Authors or books I wanted to read

Jessie Burton, The Miniaturist - several of you have written reviews on this book, and it is on my to read list. I was very happy to find it here.

Fay Weldon, Long Live the King and The New Countess - historical fiction from the beginning of the last century. Not what I normally connect with Fay Weldon, but historical fiction is never wrong in my life. I have only read Lives and Loves of a She-Devil by her.

Karin Alvtegen, Betrayal - should really have been under the title above. I have read one book by her and it was great. A Swedish author writing about people who are slightly outside the normal society.

Alice Munro, Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You - wanted to read her ever since she got the Nobel Prize. Here is my chance.

Karin Slaughter, Faithless - a lot of you read books by her and I have been curious to read something of hers. They had several books by her, but this was the first one I saw.

Biographies

Edna O'Brien, Byron in Love - Byron life is always fascinating to read about. I just realise she is the author who wrote Zee & Co which I read, and I think saw the movie, many years ago.

Marjorie Graham, Up in Lights - was expected to grow up a respectable girl, but her desire in dance took her to the theatre and a life in the lights.

Elisabeth Luard, My Life as a Wife - This is about the marriage between Elisabeth and the 'King of Satire' Nicholas Luard. I have never heard about any of them, but it seems like an interesting life story.

Thrillers

I don't read a lot of thrillers. I love them, so I don't really know why I don't?? The first books I saw were two thrillers and only for 2€ each.

Lotte and Sören Hammer, The Hanging - a Danish couple and considering the high number of excellent thrillers coming from the Scandinavian countries, I thought it was not to be missed.

Lucie Whitehouse, before we met - Introduced as "A whirlwind romance. A perfect marriage. Hannah Reilly has seized her chance at happiness. Until the day her husband doesn't come home . . . Sounds exciting.

Of course I would like to start reading them all right away. But, alas, I have obligations to other books, so they have to wait a little bit.