Another month has ended, and time to look at what I read.  I have been busily judging  the entries in a novel length writing competition, which of course I can’t share here, so the amount of published works I got through In July is limited, but here’s what I read.

How to Sail to Somewhere, by Ashleigh Barton (Lothian, 2025). I finished last month with a young adult book involving an hour, and started this month with a younger reader’s book also involving an island. Quite a coincidence and, although both involved two girls and an island, they are very different books.  I loved the gentle mystery of this one, and the themes of friendship, grief and belonging. The Letter With the Golden Stamp, by Onjali Q. Rauf (Orion, 2024). Unfortunately the cover image here isn’t the same as the one I bought, which called to me with its gold highlights, red mailbox and more.  Either way, I adored this book and its first person view of being a young carer trying to make sense of the world while also trying to help a sick mother and two younger siblings. In parts funny and whimsical, it is also just really touching. The Riding Gallery, by Sally Murphy, illustrated by Martina Heiduczek (Walker Books, 2024). Yes, I did read my own book, cover to cover for the first time in a while, in honour of its first birthday. The Story of Growl, by Judy Horacek (Brio Books, 2021).A delightful picture book which I think I brought back from a conference a few years ago, and hadn’t got round to reading. Whisper on the Wind, by Claire Saxby & Jess Racklyeft (Allen & Unwin, 2022). This one was sitting in my wardrobe with the one above and, while I know I read it when I bought it on that trip, I also had to reread and fall in love with it all over again before I could shelve it. Lovely.

Books for Adults

The Skeleton House, by Katherine Allum (Fremantle Press, 2024). I have bene meaning to get hold of this for a while, so glad that I finally did.

 

 

That brings my annual total (so far) to 64.  I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading.