Jason’s book club #19
Some birthday book gifts alongside Emma Marriott, Torsten Weitse, Ben Arronovitch, Liz Pichon, Derek Landry,Kathryn Foxfield, J.K. Rowling
Hello and welcome to the 19th issue of Jason’s Book club.
This month I celebrated a big birthday and did this across the ‘pond’ in New York! What city! We went with the kids so yes very expensive, but sooo many familiar sites it felt like walking on a film set.
We did the usual tourist bits and throughly enjoyed several observation decks views including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock (Rockefeller building) and Sumit One (Vandabilt building).
Still managed to get some book treats in with a visit to the New York public library, where yes managed to get a library card (although only a temporary one!). More bookish treats at Barnes and Noble as the wife bought me several fabulous books for my birthday to add to the list (see the picture), including one from my Reading Challenge #1 2025
Needless to say my reading took a bit of hit in terms of reading lists, most notable with no new non fiction one this month but back on it next month.
April 23rd was World Book night in the UK and while I was not able to access there quick reads selection, did manage to indulge in a bit of their #reading hour challenge.
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Non-Fiction
Trip to New York cut short my non fiction reading so while I did finish this nice short read The History of the World in bite sized chunks by Emma Marriott, will be choosing another non-fiction for May’s read.
Fiction
The Call of the Ice Fields,
By Torsten Weitze translated by Tim Casey
One line summary: The last paladin was last seen hunting the fearsome dragon Four Claws far to the south in the Ice Fields. Ahren and company following scant clues must travel across the ocean and vast ice fields to find the last Paladin. Yet they all know He who Forces will have planned surprises to see them fail this last hurdle.
Rating: Recommend to others
Format:
- [ ] Audiobook
Narration:Gildart Jackson, is an English actor, writer, and audiobook narrator. He is best known for portraying Gideon in the TV show Charmed
Chapters: 25 and epilogue
Pages / Length: 23 hours 19 minutes
*How I discovered / Who recommended
Free books 1-3 of the series on Audible plus, so picked the rest.
Opening Lane "I spy with my little eye I spy something that is wet."
If you like this try:
The rest in the series
Audiobook version here
The Adversary, Book Thirteen of the 13th Paladin.
By Torsten Weitze translated by Tim Casey.
One line summary: The 13 paladins are assembled and the armies of the world are ready to assault the Osbidian Fotress but the Dark God has had centuries to plan and is about to spring his trap that will deliver all of creation to him.
Rating: Recommend to others
Format:
- [ ] Audiobook
Narration:Gildart Jackson, is an English actor, writer, and audiobook narrator. He is best known for portraying Gideon in the TV show Charmed.
Chapters: 21 and epilogue
Pages / Length: 22 hours 44 minutes
*How I discovered / Who recommended
Free books 1-3 of the series on Audible plus, so picked the rest.
Opening Lane "The obsidian fortress and the ring surrounding it was so still it almost seemed like the final battle had long since been fought."
If you like this try:
The rest in the series
Audiobook version here
Foxglove summer (book five of Rivers of London, by Ben Arronovitch
one line summary: Two missing girls in rural Herefordshire go missing and PC Grant wizard in training helps out but ends up in deep trouble.
Rating: Recommend to others
Format:
- [ ] Audiobook
Narration: Kobna Holdbrook- Smith
Chapters: 17
Pages / Length: 11 hours 27 minutes
*How I discovered / Who recommended
Borrow box - Book 5 of Rivers of London
*Impression:
This series continues to be a cracker, definitely my sort of series, British sensibility, magic, humour and just a whiff of real danger to the main characters.
Opening line "I was just past the hoover centre when I heard Mr Punch scream his rage behind me."
If you like this try:
The rest in the series
Get it free here
Kids
The 13 year old has been taking a slow pace with his Tom Gates listens as only completed Tom Gate’s is absolutely fantastic (at some things) by Liz Pichon.
The 11 year old read the new Skullduggery Pleasant book, A Heart full of hatred, by Derek Landry. His murder mystery phase continues his Kathryn Foxfield collection having read Getting away with murder and Tag you’re Dead.
The 8 year old is still listening to my reading her the fourth in the Harry Potter series Harry Potter and Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling, which had a break while in New York!
Book Quote of the month
"To be saved, we must follow the precept of the Book Common Prayer: "Read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest."" (Mortimer Adler & Charles van Doren, How to read a book The classical guide to intelligent reading)
From Resurfaced using Readwise
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I hope you get around to reading, learning or enjoying from these books, if you live in the UK then if your local library stocks them please support them and borrow from there or if you prefer to buy a books most of them in this email can be ordered from Bookshop Online for next day delivery. If not Amazon usually have it.
Enjoy these books or if it is one that is helpful for you, please feel free to recommend it to someone you feel would also benefit.
If you know of a good book let me know and thank you for reading.
Jason