It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Date .This meme is a great opportunity for book bloggers to showcase their ‘book-ish’ habits for the week. It is a good forum to share books read in the past week, current reads and upcoming reads. It is also a fantastic way to connect with fellow bookworms and add some books to your reading wishlist. Thanks for hosting Book Date!
So the first week back at school for term 4 has flown by already! Last week was a busy one for me, especially on the book events front. I attended two fantastic author talks. The first was Hannah Kent of Burial Rites fame, she was in Perth promoting her second novel The Good People. Two days later I followed that up with an amazing author talk given by West Australian author and national treasure, Tim Winton. Here is a glimpse of some photos taken from both author talks.
On the reading front this week I finished three books. The first was a Goodreads giveaway book for review, an Australian true crime novel, Into the Darkness: the mysterious death of Phoebe Handsjuk by Robin Bowles. I also read an e-book review copy of Opal’s Story by Phyllis H Moore, which was provided by the author. Finally, I read a book from my personal TBR pile, a lovely Australian rural romance /historical novel, The Grazier’s Wife by Barbara Hannay. On the reviewing front, I posted three reviews this week, which was a positive effort. If you wish to catch up last week’s reviews you can read them on the links provided here:
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult review
Le Chateau by Sarah Ridout review
Into the Darkness: the mysterious death of Phoebe Handsjuk by Robin Bowles review
I had a fantastic incoming books haul this week. Three books were sent to me for review, so I’m going to be busy! I also took advantage of a Booktopia special for free shipping and purchased some books online, which were delivered today. I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing some great books this week and taking a rest from the excitement of the author talks that have kept me busy over the last few weeks. I have some more booked in next month though, which I am really looking forward to. I wish you all a great reading week and if you are reading this, I thank you for stopping by. Please feel free to comment on my books if you have any thoughts 🙂 Mrs B
What I read last week:
(Goodreads giveaway copy for review)
(Author provided copy for review)
(From my personal TBR pile)
What I am currently reading:
(Author provided copy for review)
What I plan to read next:
(From my personal TBR pile – Part 1 of series)
(Review copy for Beauty & Lace – Part 2 of series)
What I received this week:
(Autographed purchase at author event)
(Author provided print copy for review)
(Personal purchase)
(Personal purchase)
(Personal purchase)
Best wishes for a great week – Mrs B 🙂
Mrs B's Book Reviews 
What lovely books! They are all new to me, so I’ll be watching for your reviews. Thanks for sharing…and for visiting my blog.
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Thank you so much for stopping by Laurel 🙂
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I’m beyond envious that you got meet Hannah Kent and get a signed book! Her Burial Rites was one of my top fave books last year, hands down. I am eager to pick up this new one also.
I have heard good reviews about Santa Montefiore’s series, and will definitely start reading her– the question is which one to start with? Have a good week ahead.
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Thank you Rita, it was a very special moment believe me to meet Hannah Kent. I’ve been a big fan since Burial Rites first came out. I actually watched a documentary explaining how Burial Rites came to be a few years ago, from then on I was hooked. I hope you manage to get to read her new one.
I’m glad to hear you have heard some good reviews on the new Santa Montefiore series. I am keen to begin this new series. I have read a couple of her previous books. The Secrets of the Lighthouse was very good, I can highly recommend it 🙂
Wishing you a lovely week 🙂
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Great looking line up of books. Author’s events sound marvellous, Australia has many amazing authors. I picked out a Santa Montefiore book at the book fair, just because I saw the authors name on a blog. Looks like you could be a fan. I should look up mine on Goodreads to see if others I follow have read it.
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Thank you for coming by Kathryn. The author events were so good last week. We are very lucky to be blessed with some very talented authors here in Australia and even in Western Australia where I live.
I love book fairs, it sounds like you do too. I hope you enjoy your Santa Montefiore book. I’ve read a couple before this current series. The Secrets of the Lighthouse was my favourite.
Enjoy the rest of your week 🙂
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Nice looking covers on those books. I hope the stories are good too. I love author events. It is so nice to put a face with an author’s name. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
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Thank you for taking the time to stop by Kathy. I hope you are having a great reading week.
There are some great covers in my selection this week, I do love a good cover. I’m hoping the stories inside will be as good too!
I agree author events are fantastic, they give a great window into the person behind the book and they also give a book a personality or another layer while reading it 🙂
Just heading to your blog now to check out your weekly report 🙂
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The book events looks fun, I always like going to those. 🙂 I’ve tried an Australian author or two and have had great luck so far!
The Blue Train and Wild Island both look good too.
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The book events were both really fun Greg. I hope you also manage to get to some author events too.
I’m so glad to hear our Australian authors have performed well for you so far!
I’m really looking forward to reading both Wild Island and The Blue Train very soon but I have some review books to get to first!
Enjoy the rest of your week and thanks for stopping by 🙂
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You have lots of interesting books that I’ve also earmarked for reading. I’m bringing Wild Island home from the library today and Songs of Love and War is in my TBR pile. Barbara Hannay is an author I’ve still to try. The Secret Years is on my wish list and The Grazier’s Wife looks good too. Deborah O’Brien’s book looks interesting. She has a couple of other books that I wouldn’t mind reading, Mr. Chen’s Emporium and its sequel. Enjoy your week, but I’m sure you will with all those great titles to read!
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Thanks so much for stopping by Yvonne. It was a great book haul for me last week, I just wish I had more time to get into these lovely books!
I’m glad to hear you have a copy of Wild Island, do enjoy and I look forward to your thoughts.
I also hope you manage to get to Songs of Love and War, Santa Montefiore is an author I always enjoy.
I loved The Secret Years and Moonlight Plains by Barbara Hannay. The Grazier’s Wife was lovely too. I will be posting my review up soon.
Deborah O’Brien’s books are great too. Highly recommend Mr Chen’s Emporium and The Jade Widow if you can get hold of them!
Wishing you a lovely week, enjoy your books too 🙂
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There’s nothing quite like hearing an author read from their book and give you insight into the spirit behind it – I really love that behind-the-scenes feeling! 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by Jane. I agree there is nothing better than hearing an author do a reading from their own book – beautiful. It certainly adds another dimension to the book when you read it. I love the behind the scenes writing process stuff you get from these talks.
Enjoy your books this week and happy reading 🙂
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I love the cover of The Birdman’s Wife! You got a nice selection. Happy Reading!
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The Santa Montefiore books look really good. I am not familiar with a lot of the books you mentioned but I hope you enjoy them! I’m glad school is going well. This year is just flying by. Before you know it Christmas will be here.
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I have to agree Christine, the Santa Montefiore books both look good, they are calling my name! Thanks for the school wishes, only a few more weeks to go! I can’t believe how fast 2016 has gone too! I’m not ready to think about Christmas just yet – lol!
Thank so much for stopping by, I hope your week has been going well 🙂
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Ooh, I didn’t think anyone had heard of Santa Montefiore. I thought I might be the first person on here to read her before anyone else. Lol. I have The Secrets of the Lighthouse and can’t wait to read it.
Sitting on my shelf also are Barbara Hannay’s first two rural books but haven’t read them yet. I really want to read The Grazier’s Wife but I’ve been told to read Meet Me at the Teahouse first.
And I think it was Pamela Cook that said The Boy Behind the Curtain is excellent. I have read one of Tim Winton’s books but was very disappointed, I even gave my friend the book to read for her opinion and she felt the same way. The book was absolutely amazing and then at the end, there was nothing, no ending, it just stopped dead. If they’re all like that I won’t be reading any more of his, which is a shame as he writes beautifully.
I was lucky enough to find at the Book Fair a book by Deborah O’Brien called A Place of Her Own. It’s a shame I didn’t find Mr Chen’s Emporium, that’s one I’ve been wanting to read for a long time. All the other authors on your list, Amanda, I haven’t heard of.
Wishing you a nice week of reading.
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Sue, we are kindred book spirits! I’m so glad to hear you also like Santa Montefiore. I have to recommend The Secrets of the Lighthouse, by far my favourite! I’m keen to get into both her books this week, if I only had more time!
I love Barbara Hannay as you would have guessed. I have read all her rural releases now. On your advice I just downloaded Meet me at the Teahouse, which is a big thing for me as I am terrible for e-books (I just can’t gel with them!). I will make an exception for this one as it is only available in ebook format. I’m working on my review of The Grazier’s Wife but in short its another stellar read from Hannay!
I’m glad to hear Pamela Cook said Tim Winton’s new book is excellent. I probably won’t get around to reading it for awhile. Signed books tend to get left in my display cabinet now. What was the Tim Winton book you had trouble with? That’s a shame but I can understand your frustration. Cloudstreet is still my favourite 🙂
The Deborah O’Brien book sounds like it was a great find at the book fair – lucky you! I really enjoyed Mr Chen’s Emporium (the best of the three) Jade Widow was good too. I’m looking forward to her latest, she kindly personally signed it too!
The rest of my books on my list are ones I’ve seen on other book blogs (Debbish & Sam Still Reading are my faves) which I bought via Booktopia as they recently had a free shipping special. There is also ebook – After the Fall – that I got send to review from an Indie author from the US.
Thanks again for stopping by this week Sue xx
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Hi Amanda,
The book Im referring to is Tim Winton’s The Riders.
Yeah, I prefer printed books over ebooks too. it’s a shame though as there are a lot of great ebooks out there that may never see the light of day in print. So I like to support some of those authors. I don’t have a Kindle as such but I do have the Kindle app on my laptop. I prefer that than walking around with a Kindle.
I told you about the Roseanne Beckett (Catt) talk that’s happening next month, well, it has been postponed until next year – I’m a little disappointed but I guess sometimes unforeseen circumstances happen. The more I read of this book ‘Ten Years’ the more I would like to meet her. She sounds like an incredible person. I hope one day you’ll get a chance to read this book, Amanda. It’s mind-boggling! I’ve even begged my husband to read it. If there’s one book I want him to read it has to be this one! So I’ll see how he goes.
xoxo
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Hi Sue,
I am yet to read The Riders, I will let you know what I think if I ever get around to reading it! 🙂
My thoughts are the along the same lines as you re: ebooks. That’s good you have the kindle app on the computer it allows you to still read some great books that are only available in ebook format. It is a shame sometimes as many great books will never be printed. I first read Tess Woods book in ebook format, I received it free from Tess on my kindle. I’m so glad it got printed! I got a kindle a few years ago for an xams present but I really only use it when I travel or to get hold of ebook only books. I also read on my ipad if it is a review ebook.
That’s a real shame to hear your author event has been postponed until next year. Something to look forward to in 2017! It must be a great read if you are encouraging your husband. It will be interesting to hear his thoughts. I must look it up.
I hope your weekend has been nice and you got some reading time in. It’s been a Santa Montefiore weekend for me. Finished one and 200 pages into the next!
xxxx
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So many of these books look good!! The Birdman’s Wife, After the Fall, Wild Island – all sound wonderful! Enjoy your reads!!
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Hi Erin, thanks for stopping by- it’s lovely to hear from you. Yes all the books this week are very appealing, I just wish i had some more time to read them! I hope your reading week is going well 🙂
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