Reading roundup – Aug/Sept

Looking back over the summer reading and I’ve read some really great books. Here’s a quick roundup

August

I read six books in August, helped largely by having two weeks off work. First up was The Trials of Koli, by M. R. Carey. Book two in the Ramparts trilogy, and an excellent second installment. Make sure you read book 1 first!

Then we had the deliciously spooky Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, which came highly recommended by @runalongwomble and @bluebookballoon, so of course I couldn’t resist. Fantasic book.

Next up in my holiday reading was Josh Malerman’s Malorie, the much-anticipated follow-up to the excellent Bird Box. Really enjoyed this – tense, pacy and with a similar feeling of dread to the first book.

I really enjoyed Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi (review to come). It was clever and… different. A series of murders, a panoply of mysteries and lots of fun trying to work out whodunnit.

A non-fiction book next – The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself and Win by Maria Konnikova. Konnikova, a writer and student of human behaviour (with a PhD in psychology) takes her skills and applies to them to the poker table under the wing of legendary poker player, Eric Seidel. Fascinating stuff.

Last, but by no means least we had Grave Secrets by Alice James, another of @runalongwomble’s booktempting… tempts. Simply enormous fun, with a delightful sense of humour and a marvellous lead in Lavington Windsor, estate agent for the undead by day, necromancer by night. Zombies, vampires and a bit of croquet.

Phew. Six books in August. On to…

September

First up we had M.W. Craven’s Cut Short, a trio of short stories featuring Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw from The Puppet Show, Black Summer and The Curator. I love these characters and could happily have read a dozen more. It’ll keep me going until book 4, I suppose…

Another delve into non-fiction with Do Make, by James Otter. Interesting book – James Otter left his job to set up a company making wooden surfboards. Less about making, and more about his story becoming a maker, but interesting. And now I want to go make a surfboard.

Two huge books to round out September. Stuart Turton’s The Devil and the Dark Water has been on pre-order since January, but I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy, and tore through it. Absolutely brilliant. The world’s greatest detective (no, not that one) is being transported to Amsterdam aboard the Saardam, but the devil himself may be on board.

And finally we have The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. Addie LaRue, a girl with seven freckles, one for every love she will ever have. A girl who wants a life of her own. A girl who made a deal with the gods who you definitely should never, ever pray to after dark.

Utterly sublime. Schwab’s writing is gorgeous, and Addie LaRue will live in your memory for quite some time. One of my books of the year.

So, that was my summer reading list. Have you read any of them? Any take your fancy? Tell me what you’ve been reading, I’d love to know.