On The Same Page discussion

I attended a number of literary festivals this year and inevitably came back with books which have not been read yet. So this challenge would see me catch up with most of the unread ones. I have included the independent bookshop in Mold where I attended some author events and buy most of my books as one of the categories. I have linked to the festivals where possible. A lot more non-fiction than my usual selection and quite a Welsh and nature skew.

Gwyl Crime Cymru Festival: The 2024 one is online if you want to know more about Welsh crime! https://gwylcrimecymrufestival.co.uk/
1. The Unwanted Dead by Chris Lloyd
2, Breaking Free by G.B. Williams Completed 3 July 4 stars

FarmEd Farm and Food Literature Festival: https://www.farm-ed.co.uk/event-detai...
3. Across a Waking Land: A 1,000-Mile Walk Through a British Spring by Roger Morgan-Grenville
4. The Meaning of Geese: A Thousand Miles in Search of Home by Nick Acheson

Manchester Literature Festival: https://www.manchesterliteraturefesti...
5. Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis
6. The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

Chester Literature Festival: hosted on one of our favourite places in town https://www.storyhouse.com/
7. Divine Might by Natalie Haynes
8. All the Wide Border: Wales, England and the Places Between by Mike Parker Completed 29 March 4 stars

Newcastle Noir: https://newcastlenoir.co.uk/
9. Squeaky Clean: WINNER OF THE McILVANNEY PRIZE for SCOTTISH CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR
10. The Man on the Street

The Bookshop, Mold: https://www.mold-bookshop.co.uk/
11. Shaping the Wild: Wisdom from a Welsh Hill Farm by David Elias
12. The Turning Tide: A Biography of the Irish Sea by Jon Gower

13. The Seed Detective: Uncovering the Secret Histories of Remarkable Vegetables by Adam Alexander
14. The Year of Sitting Dangerously: My Garden Safari by Simon Barnes
15. The Birthday Girl by Sarah Ward
16. The Forcing or Whirligig (If I finish The Forcing before January)

What an interesting idea, Carolien. I will definitely check these out.

Good luck and happy reading.

What a great idea for picking your books!

Great idea, and very interesting titles, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on them. Happy reading!

I love this idea & the books look great! Happy Reading!

You've definitely made the most of getting to know your new home! These look interesting & I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Happy Reading!

What a neat way to pick your challenge. All unfamiliar with me. I look forward to your thoughts on them in 2024.

I love this way to select your books. I haven't read any of these books or attended any book festivals lately either. I now have some new goals for 2024. :-)

Lea wrote: "I love this way to select your books. I haven't read any of these books or attended any book festivals lately either. I now have some new goals for 2024. :-)"

I hope you get to some festivals! I'm loving them.

I'm off to Newcastle next weekend, and ready to book for Farm-Ed and Wales for next year. I am discovering that there are loads of festivals near me - the local one, Manchester, Liverpool, Wrexham (the Ryan Reynolds football club town), the Gladstone Library has two a year - I'm absolutely spoiled for choice!

Bill wrote: "What a neat way to pick your challenge. All unfamiliar with me. I look forward to your thoughts on them in 2024."

With the exception of Michael Lewis and Elif Shafak, these are all unknown authors to me too! The one advantage of this year is that I won't be adding too many new series to the pile either.

Patricia wrote: "You've definitely made the most of getting to know your new home! These look interesting & I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Happy Reading!"

We are really appreciating Chester. I love the scale of the place - it's officially a city (it has a cathedral), but is actually not that big. It has a reputation as the entertainment hub of the area and so there is always something happening.

What a creative way to build and organize your list. Love it!! I need to find book festivals in my area. That sounds like fun. Good luck and excited to see your thoughts on these books. 😊

Carolien wrote: "Bill wrote: "What a neat way to pick your challenge. All unfamiliar with me. I look forward to your thoughts on them in 2024."

With the exception of Michael Lewis and Elif Shafak, these are all un..."

Oh yes you will is my prediction..

Following with interest. I live in Minnesota, but Wales is one of my passions.

So now I need to add book festivals to my list of things to do in 2024. I appreciate the idea! Good luck.

It's been a real joy to be able to go and listen to authors who I have read for years or newly discovered. Tomorrow evening (train strikes allowing) I'm listening to Ann Cleeves in Newcastle!

That’s a very cool challenge! Enjoy your selections!

I love how you've chosen your books! And it makes me want to get out there and go to literary festivals. Looking forward to hearing about the ones you've selected. Happy reading!

So having spent the weekend in Newcastle listening to a swathe of new authors to me, the final choices are to be made from:
Whirligig
Squeaky Clean: WINNER OF THE McILVANNEY PRIZE for SCOTTISH CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR
The Man on the Street
The Forcing
Death on a Shetland Longship: The Shetland Sailing Mysteries (If you are a fan of Ann Cleeves's Shetland series, this is the next one to read)
The Girls on Chalk Hill
The Murmurs - Alondra you'll like this one!
The Darkest Sin
Dead Sweet: This year's most gripping debut thriller – first in an ADDICTIVE new Scandinavian Noir series…
The Peat Dead
The Tumbling Girl
The Picture House Murders
Fyneshade

Carolien wrote: "It's been a real joy to be able to go and listen to authors who I have read for years or newly discovered. Tomorrow evening (train strikes allowing) I'm listening to Ann Cleeves in N..."

Oh I'd love to hear Ann Cleeves. I'm a little jealous!

Interesting list.

Carolien wrote: "The Murmurs - Alondra you'll like this one!..."

I'm on it!! 👀👀👀