Deciding What to Read

I am a slow reader and my TBR pile is getting 'higher'! I'm sure there are a lot of you like me and you are not really making inroads into the pile before you're attracted to yet another title. I started to think about what prompts me to buy a book. Those of you who know me will say it's a striking cover design, an intriguing title and unanswered questions in the blurb maybe. Yes, it's all of those things but what else? Looking at the list of what I'm hoping to read next on my Kindle, I've tried to categorise my choices to show the range of novels I found there.

Genre - I enjoy historical novels and family sagas. As well as meeting strong characters, who often have battles of their own to face, I learn about what it was like to live during those times and how society has changed. Here are two I can't wait to read:
- Set in 1908, The Ferryman's Daughter by Juliet Greenwood has been described as a gripping new saga of strength, family and hope. I had the pleasure of welcoming Juliet onto my blog on May 25th where you will find out more about her and her novel.
- Heartbreak in the Valleys by Francesca Capaldi. It is set in the Welsh valleys in 1915 during World War 1.

Recommendations - Over lockdown, I have 'attended' a number of virtual Society of Author events as well as those at the wonderful Hay Digital Festival. One book that I definitely wanted to read was Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet after hearing her interviews and reading such good things about the novel. It is inspired by Shakespeare's son of the same name who died. The story of the bond between twins and the grief that pushes a marriage to its limit, the author reimagines the life of a boy whose name was given to one of the most famous of plays, Hamlet.

Crime - I enjoy reading crime novels and next week I welcome fellow Ruby Fiction author, Claire Sheldon onto my blog. Her debut novel, Perfect Lie, is already receiving lots of 5* reviews. However, what attracted me to the novel was this in the blurb - the main character, Jen, has started to receive strange gifts in the post ... first flowers, then a sympathy card. It could just be a joke...But then the final gift arrives, and Jen has to question why somebody is so intent on shattering her life into pieces... My imagination is going into overdrive and I'm looking forward to finding out what's going on to this person who is striving to be the 'wife and mother of the year'.

Authors I know - Today is the publication day for my good friend, Sue McDonagh's third novel in the art cafe series, Escape to the Art Cafe. Set on the beautiful Gower peninsular, I know I will be in for an entertaining escapist read. I thoroughly enjoyed her first two books and like them, I understand this one may be read as a standalone. However, I'm looking forward to meeting up with some of the characters from those earlier books, too. I'm sure that as well as the humour and romance in the novel that I'm bound to find in Sue's writing, she will be discussing serious issues, too.  

Sequels and books by authors whose novels I've enjoyed before - Three books stand out on my list: 
Angela Petch's novel The Tuscan Girl. I chose this after enjoying her wonderful WW2 story, The Tuscan Secret 
Endless Skies by Jane Cable. I love the way Jane's stories look back to the past and know this is a book for me.
The Runes of Destiny is due out in December and is Christina Courtenay's sequel to Echoes of the Runes. Her timeslip novel was excellent and I can't wait to continue with the story.

I have read so many amazing books recently and maybe that is for another post but I hope you've enjoyed a peek at what is waiting for me to read over the next month or so.  
Why not pop a recommended title of a book you've enjoyed in the comments? Thank you.

You may also follow me on Twitter @JanBaynham and on my Jan Baynham Writer page.