John's 2013 attempt - 26,000 pages

I just managed to reach my 2012 target of 25,000 pages on the last day of the year but this year i am concentrating on the smaller books so i may get there and maybe a few days before the end of the year.

Got the ticker up and running after i finished my first book of 2013. Agatha Raisin and the Busy Body by M.C.Beaton never fails to disappoint and i got a good laugh out of it as usual. It wasn't a long book but as i am trying to reduce my TBR pile by reading my shorter books predominately this was one of them.

Was that made into a movie? ^

Hi TJ, not sure about any of M.C.Beaton's books being made into movies but the earlier books were made into radio dramas on BBC radio4 a couple of years ago and her Hamish Macbeth books were on BBC tv in the early nineteen nighties starring Robert Carlyle.

Hmm. It just sounds really familiar. Haha I'll figure it out ;)

Book number two finished this afternoon, Dear Teacher by Jack Sheffield. This is the third book in the series and i can't wait to read the next three from my TBR pile and the seventh in the series is due out shortly.

The antics of a village school in North Yorkshire in the late 1970's into the 1980's helps me to reminice my teenage years as the author links in what was in the news, on t.v and the music of the time into his story. I get to read a lovely story and have a laugh at the same time.

That's always good. :)

My book list is so long I feel like I can never get through it!

Third book finished this afternoon, True Colours, my life by Adam Gilchrist. I really enjoyed this autobiography as it laid bare the insecurities of a great player who had to deal with thoughts of being in the wrong place, missing his family and crying in public much to the bemusement of fellow team mates who thought he had lost the plot. I thought Adam a great player but also a typical brash aussie cricketer, i take it all back after reading this book. I only saw him on television or read about him in the newspapers as a cricketer but now i feel as if i know him, i would love to meet the guy just to chat about the book and tell him how i think about him. A really thoughtful book, good on y'mate.

Won't be long before book four is finished keeping me on track for 75 books and 26,000 pages.

Fourth book of 2013 finished this morning, The Winter Garden Mystery by Carola Dunn. I really enjoy these gentle whodunnits with Miss Daisy Dalrymple always seeming to have a nose for a crime committed. The style of writing amuses me and as i read i chuckle at the language used by the supposed gentry. This was book two of the Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries and i have no doubt i will read a few more before the year is out as i have the remaining eighteen on the bookshelf.

You're just cruisin!

I wish TJ, it's looking quite good now but get to October and the pressure starts. How are you doing my dear?

Is there a certain month where you read more often then another?
and I'm good how are you?

Not really TJ, i try to aim for at least 2,000 pages per month and normally i prefer books of 500+ pages but as i have in excess of 1300 books in the house to read i am trying to read books with between 200 to 400 pages in length this year to reduce my TBR pile.

I am a lot better now that i have got rid of the cold bug that has been going around.

My reading is really sporadic and it's based off of work and school schedules haha! The summer months I read a ton.

Be thankful it's just the cold and not the deadly flu!!!

Fifth book of the year finished this morning, Birds of a Feather by Jacqueline Winspear. I love sleuth Maisie Dobbs, these are refreshing books giving an insight into Britain between the wars. Looking forward to the next two on my book pile.

Sixth book of the year finished at tea-time today, A Married Man by Catherine Alliott. I enjoy Ms Alliott's books even though she has been classed as a chick-lit writer, i read her first book after reading the blurb on the back in my local library and have been hooked on her books since and other authors who write in a similar vein. Book seven will be finished tomorrow or wednesday depending how busy i am tomorrow.

Seventh book of the year finished last night, Village Teacher by Jack Sheffield. Jack's books are absolutely brilliant and i can't wait to read the next two that are on my book shelf and am just waiting for the seventh book to come out in standar paperback. So that's 10% of my target pages read after 37 days of the year.

Book eight finished last night, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith. I love Mr McCall Smith's books and have a number of his other books on my shelves and will hopefully read all these by the end of the year.

Book nine finished a little earlier, The Oak Apple by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. The Morland saga is brilliant and mixes a fictional tale with true history. The author is going to take the Morland family up to the present day an is up to book 35 which takes us to the late twenties so i think another ten books will see her up to date. I have up to book thirty on my shelves so i've got plenty to go at.

Tenth book of the year finished an hour ago, The Cat who could read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun. This keeps me on track for all my challenges but i'm not going to get complacent.

Eleventh book of the year finished a few hours ago Kill Alex Cross by James Patterson and takes me to just shy of 4,000 pages. This leaves me a little bit behind to achieve my target but i am not worried just yet. I may finish another book before the end of February which depending on on the one i finish may put me bang on target.

Twelth book of the year finished about an hour ago Agatha Raisin As the Pig Turns by M.C.Beaton. I just love these books as they are such a relaxing read. Not sure yet what my next book will be, so many to choose from.

Book number thirteen finished a few hours ago The Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri. I love the Inspector Montalbano series and have now read the first three with three more on my book shelf. The last two weeks have been a bit manic on the book buying front but they have all been from secondhand or charity shops apart from two and so have not cost more than £1 each. I am in the process of having a count up of books to be read and how many pages that entails, sad i know but intriguing to find out.

Do you work :).

Unfortunately no due to spinal arthritis although i do help out at a local primary school three afternoons a week listening to children read as this for some is the only time each week that an adult other than the teacher listens to them read.

I'm sorry to hear about the arthritis. That is excellent that you get to help the kids out though.

I have been doing for nine years now and am a governor at the school now and i am a governor at my local high school and have been for eleven years. We also have a two year old granddaughter who we look after two days a week so i am quite busy but have to be careful. I have morphine patches which are changed every three days plus 4 painkilling tablets each day just so that i can move around but am in constant pain. I joined a group of like minded readers to help save our village library, it was closed by the council at the end of january and we hope to re-open on March 18th, villagers have been very good in donating books to add to the books that were left by the council. We have been busy since we first heard about the closure in September 2012, we received a one-off grant from the council of £12,500 after submitting a business plan, i am vice-chairman for my sins but we have enough volunteers to have it open for two hours more than when council owned. We couldn't let it close without a fight and we have been successful.

Just an update on the reading matter in the Simpson household as of 7th March 2013.

Books to be read: 1489

Total number of pages to be read: 644,356

The above total of books includes the following:

books of 500 to 699 pages = 284
books of 700 to 999 pages = 109
books of 1000+ pages = 31

So a grand total of 424 books in excess of 500 pages, i did say i liked really long books. I will try to keep these stats updated monthly.

Further to post 28, i cannot believe that i have nearly 1500 books in the house to read and even if i read all those the number of pages added to the number of pages that i have read up to now would still leave me 35,572 pages short of one million pages read, what's that all about,lol.

I just love statistics and reading just gives me lots of stats to work with.

Well that's book fourteen finished about an hour or so ago, Now and Forever by Danielle Steel. This is the third Ms Steel book that i have read and i have about 50 odd more of her books on the shelves in the loft. I have to admit i am a bit of a closet Ms Steel fan and am determined to get the rest of her books and read them all but Mrs S thinks i am mad. Soon be through the 5,000 barrier.

Book fifteen finished last night, The Ex-Wives by Deborah Moggach. At first i was a bit unsure of this book as it it seemed a bit weird but as i read on i became more and more intrigued as to what was going to happen and how it would end, i wasn't disappointed. It was not what i had begun to expect and so it came as a nice surprise. That's me throught he 5,000 page barrier and so onto 10,000 pages. I am a fifth of the way to two of my targets and nearly a third of the way to another target.

Book sixteen finished a couple of hours ago, Please Sir ! by Jack Sheffield. This book has given me a lot of laughs with the kids answers to questions and the broad yorkshire dialect used by some children. It is also like a history lesson where i can look back at what i was doing, reading, eating and listening to in 1982. I wasn't prepared for the cliffhanger ending though and so my next book will be book six in the series Educating Jack as i can't wait too long to find out what the cliffhanger ending was leading to.

Book seventeen finished a couple of hours ago, The Black Echo by Michael Connelly. I like Mr Connelly's books and in particular the Harry Bosch series, he never fails to deliver with the pace and a good storyline. It was nice to read the first in the Harry Bosch series. Nice to dip under the 20,000 pages to go to my target.

Book eighteen finished a couple of hours ago, 15 Seconda by Andrew Gross, whilst waiting for my bread to bake. I enjoyed the book and have a couple more of his on the shelf to read at some point. That's the trouble with having so many favourite authors whilst adding new ones.

Nineteenth book finished earlier today, Educating Jack by Jack Sheffield. As usual the author made me laugh, feel sad and made me remember what was happening in 1982/83. The only downside is that i have to wait until September for book seven in the series.

Book twenty finished late last night, A Street Cat Named Bob by James Bowen. I loved this book, could be because i like cats and have one of my own but the story of a recovering addict and a street cat who form an unbreakable bond is one to warm the heart. I have seen James and Bob being interviewed on breakfast t.v. and Bob the cat is so cute. I can't believe i have got to twenty books and broken through the 7,000 page barrier by the end of March.

Latest reading stats:

Books on shelves at 7-3-13 1489
Books added to end of March 20
Books read since 7th March 7

Revised book total 1502

Pages to read at 7-3-13 644,356
Pages added since 7th March 10,347
Pages read since 7th March 2,632

Revised total pages to read 652,071

Book twenty-one finished late on thursday,The Cat who ate Danish Modern by Lilian Jackson Braun. I love these Jim Qwilleran whodunnits and have another eight or nine on the book shelves. I seem to be on a roll at the moment and to this end will be reading a James Patterson to keep the numbers going.

Finished book twenty-two earlier today, Max by James Patterson. I really do enjoy the Maximum Ride series and have the next two on my book shelf and have reduced the Patterson pile by one and they help with my page count.

Finished book Twenty-three finished a little earlier, A Time to Kill by John Grisham. I finally got round to reading Grisham's first novel and an enjoyable and interesting read it is. I have read a few of his books prior to this one and he is one of my favourite authors and i have a number more on my book shelf. This one takes me over the 8,000 page mark and going well for my target.

Book twenty-four finished this morning, Country Doctor by Michael Sparrow. I finished this whilst waiting for my bread dough to prove. It was a delightful book telling the trials and tribulations of a country Doctor from medical school through to being a rural doctor in Devon. The tales and anecdotes were funny and sometimes a little bit sad but the patients he saw were the source of these and you wonder what your doctor is thinking when you happen to have to see one. His descriptions of his time at med school and his subsequent postings up to and including his present position as a country GP are interesting and funny and i look forward to reading his follow up book which is sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me to pick it up.

My progress is on track and i am enjoying the read.

Book Twenty- Five finished this afternoon, The Contract by Gerald Seymour. I have always loved this author's books and remember reading his first Harry's Game and then watching the ITV adaptation with Ray Lonnen in the role of Harry. I have read 15 of Seymour's books and have the remainder on the shelves and will get another couple read before the year end i hope.

Book Twenty-six finished at 11:43 pm yesterday, Split Second by David Baldacci. I got to a point where my wife stopped reading her book and turned her bedside light off and i had to say i cannot do the same as i must finish this book, i can't leave the last twenty pages till tomorrow, that's how gripped i was with this book. It is the first by this author and i need to get more by him as i really enjoyed it. This one has taken me through the 9,000 page barrier.

Book Twenty-Seven finished this morning, Hiss and Hers by M.C.Beaton. Once again Agatha Raisin makes me laugh with her escapades in and around the village of Carsely. The usual characters help her out with her investigations and in the case of the reliable Mrs Bloxby, she tries to make Agatha see sense and try to act her age in respect of her love life. I love these books and wish they would transfer them to television, the radio versions of the first few books were good with Penelope Keith playing the part of Agatha. Soon be up to the 10,000 page barrier.

Wow! You have just been reading away in the two months I've been gone! Good for you! Almost to 30 books I see. I hope you are on the 75 book challenge as well.

Hi TJ, yes the reading is going well and yes i joined the 75ers this year to try and reduce the TBR pile, some hope. Enjoy your kindle my dear.

Book Twenty-Eight finished last night, Size Doesn't Matter by Meg Cabot. I have to say that i do enjoy these Heather Wells mysteries and now need book four and five in the series. I have also made good progress with book 29 due to not feeling too good yesterday and so to keep my spirits up got some good reading time in.

Book Twenty-Nine finished at lunchtime today, Deadline by Simon Kernick. I enjoyed this book as much as previous Kernick books, the opening salvo doesn't seem to have much to do with the story until much later in the book. This one takes me through the 10,000 page barrier.

Book Thirty finished last night, The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson. A stand alone novel from the prolific Mr P, this is the 66th Patterson that i have read and ten more on the shelves. I think that by the end of 2017 i will have read my 100th Patterson.

Book Thirty-One finished yesterday, The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith. These Isabel Dalhousie novels are very charming and the descriptions of Edinburgh make you want to visit. Isabel cannot resist accepting a request to do a little bit of investigating whilst looking after a baby, having a young fiance and editing the Review of Philosophical Ethics. I have the next two Dalhousie novels on my book shelf and hope to read these during 2013.

Book Thirty-Two finished earlier this evening, Flora's Lot by Katie Fforde. This the first Katie Fforde that i have read and will be reading more of her books in the future. It was a good read a bit on the chick lit genre but better. The writing was good with a good story that kept me wanting more. Not sure what i will be reading next to go alongside the Cynthia Harrod-Eagles book that i am nearing the end of.

Book Thirty-Three finished at midnight on wednesday,The Black Pearl by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. This was book five in the fabulous Morland saga. The author is up to book 35 with 36 in progress, i have the first 30 so i have plenty to go at and along with another 190+ series' to start, continue or finish plus a whole load of other books, there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day especially as i am still purchasing books. Oh well once a book-a-holic always a book-a-holic.

Book Thirty-Four finished today, The Little Village School by Gervase Phinn. This is the first in the Little Village School series and i really enjoyed it and am glad that i have the second one which i am going to read as my bedside book. My reading is going well and i am on track with my challenges at the moment although i am taking nothing for granted.

Book Thirty-Five finished a short while ago, Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs. This is the second Tempe Brennan that i have read and am looking forward to reading more. I enjoy the fact that she works between Montreal and Charlotte and was/is a Charlotte Hornets basketball fan as i was/is. The story is well paced and kept me wanting more. Although my time is being taken up by a major family illness at the moment i am still on track at the present time, this may be in part to the fact that today i had to have a bit of me time before going to the hospital and read well over 300 pages across two books, this has helped me recharge my emotional batteries.

Book Thirty-Six finished late last night, Trouble at the Little Village School by Gervase Phinn. After finishing the first in this series i had to read the second one and was not disappointed and now can't wait for the third book to appear. This book has taken me to within touching distance of the halfway mark in my challenge of 26,000 pages so with seventeen days left in June i am on track to achieve this.

Book Thirty-Seven finished last night Fang by James Patterson. Only two more in the birdkids series to go and this one started to tie a few loose ends up. I will be sad when i've read the last two as i have enjoyed this series but no doubt he will come up with something else. I am now past the halfway mark in my challenge and look forward to getting to the 15,000 mark.

Book Thirty-Eight finished on Tuesday night, Body Double by Tess Gerritsen. Ms Gerritsen certainly writes well, the plot twists and turns and finally she lets out who the culprit is, I have enjoyed the books that I have read by her and look forward to the ones remaining on my TBR pile.

Book Thirty-Nine finished on Friday night,Requiem for a Mezzo by Carola Dunn and then Book Forty finished on Saturday night, A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore. I enjoyed both books immensely and look forward to reading further books by both authors.

Book Forty-one finished on the 8th July in Salisbury, Death of a Cad by M.C.Beaton. I do enjoy these Hamish MacBeth books years after watching him on T.V in the nineties

Book Forty-Two finished a couple of days ago, Kill me if you can by James Patterson. Yet another from this prolific author that I enjoyed and the twist in the tale about halfway through caught me unawares. My reading has been slow in July up to now due to my birthday and sorting things out for my FIL but should pick up again. I am still on track for my targets but can't afford any more slow downs.

Book Forty-Three finished yesterday, Lady of Hay by Barbara Erskine. This is the third book by this author that I have read and it did not disappoint. Ms Erskine blends history and fiction easily and produces a really good story, this one flits between 1186 and 1986 and the moving back and forth does not disrupt the reading.

Book Forty-Four finished earlier today, Blowing it by Judy Astley. This was a tale of three children of old rocker parents who would like them to give them their inheritance early. However, the parents decide to sell up and have a gap year of their own visiting festivals all around the world much to the chagrin of the kids. All seems to be going well until an illness puts all plans on hold, this is an amusing tale well written by Ms Astley. My reading seems on track but still a bit of reading to do to be certain of reaching the target.

Book Forty-Five finished last night, Merckx - Half man, Half bike by William Fotheringham. This book gave me a better insight into the man I have admired for many years. Eddy Merckx is THE truly great cyclist among an elite few. These men won races from the start of the cycling season to the end unlike riders like Lance Armstrong, who rode races as a warm up for the Tour de France. Even if he had won these clean he cannot be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Merckx. Merckx won 525 races in his career, Armstrong less than 100. A fabulous book and I will be able to glean more info on Merckx when I read Daniel Friebe's book about the man.

Book Forty-Six finished last night, A Cotswold Ordeal by Rebecca Tope. These Cotswold mysteries are a lovely read and the author's descriptions of the Local Cotswold area makes you want to visit. I am looking forward to the next one as this one ended with a possible love interest.

Book Forty-Seven finished on Friday Night, Murder on the Flying Scotsman by Carola Dunn. Once again Daisy Dalrymple gets involved in a murder case where her friend DCI Alec Fletcher and his sidekicks are required to solve it. This is doubly important because his daughter has stowed away on the train and found Miss Dalrymple and could be crucial to the case. A lovely way to pass a few hours by reading this book and I look forward to the remaining Daisy Dalrymple mysteries.

Book Forty-Eight finished a couple of hours ago, Angel by James Patterson. This is the seventh in the Maximum Ride series and I have enjoyed this one. Only have nine days to wait for the final book in the series to come out in paperback. I will miss the series but Mr P has already got another series up and running so I will have more of his books to read

I am on track for both my targets for this thread and could surpass both targets by a small amount.

Book Forty-nine finished at lunchtime today, The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen. I love the Rizzoli/Isles books and enjoy the fact that there is a side story running alongside the main event.

Book Fifty finished yesterday tea time, A Gathering Storm by Rachel Hore. I really enjoyed this book, the way the author moves from the present to the past is seamless and the story is great. The ending left the chance for a sequel in my eyes and I would look forward to reading it if it was done.

Last year I finished my fiftieth book on the last day of the year and completed my 25,000 page target, this year I have read my fiftieth book on day 233 of the year but am 6,825 pages behind the page count after 50 books.

Book Fifty-one finished last night, 11th Hour by James Patterson. Yet another cracker from the Women's Murder club, looking forward to book twelve.

Book Fifty-two finished last night, Fallen Women by Sue Welfare. I enjoyed this book with its tale of love and betrayal and then love again. It takes just one innocuous phone call to cause devastation to a family. A lot of thinking goes on and an awareness that do we really know the person we love. I need to find some more books by this author.
Can't believe I am just under 7,000 pages short of my target.

Book Fifty-Three finished a short while ago, The Voice of the Violin by Andrea Camilleri, 28-8-13 to 3-9-13. I love the Inspector Montalbano books and they never fail to please. The stories are well told and Montalbano is quite a character in the police ranks. I have some more of these books on my shelves and can't wait to read them.

Book Fifty-Four finished earlier this afternoon, Repeat Prescription by Michael Sparrow, 3-9-13 to 10-9-13. An enjoyable read about the trials and tribulations of a rural GP. The book was witty and light hearted and I did laugh out loud on one or two occasions. Whilst I have enjoyed both of Michael Sparrow's books, I will not be rushing out to buy anymore by this author.

The next book I finish will take me past the 20,000 page mark keeping me well on track for my target. If I continue reading at the pace I am I should reach the 28,000 page mark.

Book Fifty-Five finished earlier this morning, The Furies by John Jakes, 27-8-13 to 16-9-13. This is the fourth book in the Kent Chronicles series and as with the previous three I really enjoyed it. The remaining four books are sat on my bookshelf and I look forward to reading the next one.

This book has taken me through the 20,000 page barrier at the mid-point of the month and so it looks very likely that I will achieve my target.

Book Fifty-Six finished at tea time, Trouble at Prior's Ford by Eve Houston, 10-9-13 to 16-9-13. This is the third book in this series and once again I enjoyed being transported to this little village in South west Scotland. The tale tells of the goings on in this village and has a lovely cast of characters of all ages, class and social standing. I will be reading book four in this series as my bedside book.

Look at you go! This is my 3rd year in the 75 group but with everything going on it's like I'll never get it!

Book Fifty-Seven finished last night, Scandal in Prior's Ford by Eve Houston, 16-9-13 to 20-9-13. I need to get book five pretty quickly after the unexpected emotional ending of this book has left me wanting to know what happens next.

Book Fifty-Eight finished late last night, Broken Skin by Stuart Macbride, 16-9-13 to 25-9-13. Another enjoyable crime tale from Mr Macbride and i'm looking forward to the next one in the series.

Book Fifty-Nine finished late last night, Better than a Rest by Pauline McLynn, 21-9-13 to 29-9-13. I loved this tale of Leo (Leonora) Street PI in Ireland and her escapades both in work and her love life. Just need to get the first in this series. Definitely on track for my target and 30,000 may be a possibility.

Book Sixty finished this morning, Theodore Boone by John Grisham, 26-9-13 to 1-10-13. The first in the Theodore Boone series and I really liked it and look forward to reading book two and three that are on my bookcase. This is a successful foray into Teenage fiction along the lines of Patterson and Reichs.

Book Sixty-One finished on Friday, Nevermore by James Patterson, 1-10-13 to 4-10-13. This is the last in the Maximum Ride Series and I will Max and her bird kids.

Book Sixty-Two finished this afternoon, Touch the Devil by Jack Higgins, 4-10-13 to 11-10-13. Haven't read a Jack Higgins for a long while but glad I decided to read this one. The story is well told and the action moves at just the right pace. I had forgotten how good a writer he is and i'm glad that I have a few more of his books in the loft to read and won't wait too long before I get to the next one.

Book Sixty-Three finished last night, American Dreams by John Jakes, 30-9-13 to 15-10-13. This is the sequel to Homeland and takes the tale from the turn of the 20th century to the middle of the Great War. The intertwining of the stories of Pauli, Fritzi and Carl work well and we see the twists and turns of how their careers progress. I hope that the story continues as there is a lot of mileage in the tales to be brought to the reader.

On another note I am getting nearer to my target and am considering upping it to 30,000.

Book Sixty-Four finished just after lunch today, Post Mortem by Patricia Cornwell, 12-10-13 to 19-10-13. This is Ms Cornwell's first book and I really enjoyed it and can see why it won awards and that Kay Scarpetta is ingrained on our psychy.

Book Sixty-Five finished early this afternoon, A Clubbable Woman by Reginald Hill, 19-10-13 to 22-10-13. As with the previous book, I have read a book by this author before but it's nice to read the first in the series. The writing kept me wanting to read and therefore this was a quick read and I will be reading more by Mr Hill in the next few months.

Getting nearer to the target and am now under 2,000 pages to go.

Book Sixty-Six finished Thursday evening whilst listening to Tubular Bells, The Man Who Forgot His Wife by John O'Farrell, 16-10-13 to 24-10-13. This book made me chuckle from start to finish and I would recommend it to everyone. The story is well written and is a heartwarming tale of a man's fight to recover his memory whilst his best friend tries to re-invent his life and have a good laugh at his expense, then he realises that he is in the middle of a divorce with the woman he fancies like mad, read and enjoy.

Book Sixty-Seven finished this afternoon, Killing Hour by Andrew Gross, 22-10-13 to 29-10-13. I have enjoyed his co-writing with James Patterson and this is the third book of his own that I have read. The story is well written and the pace of the book keeps you reading to find out what the next twist is. Getting closer to my target and should easily surpass my previous best yearly page total.

Book Sixty-Eight finished this morning, Shakespeare's Landlord by Charlaine Harris, 29-10-13 to 3-11-13. This is the first in the Lily Bard series and I really did enjoy it. It was a refreshing read with a lead character who I knew to have secrets but was shocked when it was revealed a third of the way into the book. I am looking forward to the remainder of the series.

Book Sixty-Nine finished this afternoon, Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich, 3-11-13 to 8-11 13. This is one of the in between books in the Stephanie Plum series and yet again I had a really good chuckle whilst reading this one. Looking forward to more of these in future.

Book Seventy finished this morning, Tongue in Cheek by Fiona Walker, 25-10-13 to 12-11-13. This is the second in the Lodes Valley series and continues the tales of intrigue and sex in the Cotswolds involving various families with a big estate and newcomers to the village. The village is full of gossips and there is plenty to gossip about and that involves the various families and the horses that are the main protagonists, this is an amusing tale from a writer in the same mould as Jilly Cooper and she is fast becoming the new Jilly Cooper. I have the remaining two books in the loft and will get around to them as soon as possible.

This book took me through the 26,000 page target and now for 30,000 pages, whatever happens this will be my best year for the number of books read and the page count.

Book Seventy-One finished this afternoon, The Black Ice by Michael Connelly, 8-11-13 to 18-11-13. This is the second in the Harry Bosch series and I am getting to know Harry better and what makes him tick. The writing is very good and Connelly's previous career has proved to be very beneficial to his writing and it works brilliantly.

Book Seventy-Two finished last night, Chloe by Freya North, 12-11-13 to 23-11-13. A lovely light hearted read by an author I like. This tells the tale of a young woman whose Godmother has recently died but who has left Chloe a letter which will change her life hopefully for the better.

Book Seventy-Three finished late last night, Guilty Wives by James Patterson, 18-11-13 to 27-11-13. I eventually enjoyed this book, it was a bit of a slow burner until the half way mark and then I just wanted to read and read. I am now only 122 pages shy of my best total in a year so that will be beaten.

Book Seventy-Four finished last night, It's Now or Never by Carole Matthews, 24-11-13 to 28-11-13. This was an entertaining read that made me laugh and cringe at times. I am now past my best ever yearly page total and now have 30,000 in sight.

Book Seventy-Five finished last Tuesday, School's Out by Jack Sheffield, 28-11-13 to 3-12-13. This latest instalment had the full range of emotions with fun and tragedy key elements. The way the author weaves events of the time with the fiction is done brilliantly. Yet again he left a cliff hanger at the end of the book and I now need book eight asap.

Book Seventy-Six finished at tea time today, At Risk by Stella Rimington, 28-11-13 to 12-12-13. This was an excellent read by the former head of MI5. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Book Seventy-Seven finished a short while ago, Gardens of Delight by Erica James, 3-12-13 to 16-12-13. I really enjoyed this book from my wife's pile of books. It tells the tale of three main characters with a good support cast with a theme revolving around gardens and gardening. They end up on a trip to visit gardens in Italy and the three main characters will see their lives change by the end of the trip, for good or bad. I will read more by this author in future.

Book Seventy-Eight finished yesterday lunch time, Damsel in Distress by Carola Dunn, 16-12-13 to 22-12-13. Once again Daisy Dalrymple gets involved in trying to solve a crime. Her old chum Phillip Petrie has fallen in love and then the love of his life is kidnapped, he needs to get Daisy to help him out. These tales of derring do in the 1920's are amusing and give a feel good factor, I enjoy these books and will try to read more of them in 2014.

Book Seventy-nine and Eighty finished today, Hero at Large by Janet Evanovich, 22-12-13 to 31-12-13 and Shadow of the Titan by Alan Fenton, 12-12-13 to 31-12-13. It has been a difficult last eight days but I was determined to reach eighty books read and get to 30,000 pages read and with these two I achieved both. Looking forward to doing this again in 2014.