From Abscond to Unsettled

I had expected to read more books last month as I was home all month. I suspect family history activities got in the way. 

As we are off travelling shortly and will not have too much time to read I am pleased that I am ahead of the game in the Goodreads Reading Challenge

2025 Reading Challenge

2025

READING

CHALLENGE

books completed

15 books ahead of schedule

64/100 (64%)

View Challenge

I must have been in a generous mood last month as I awarded rare (for me) five stars to two titles on the list, The Paris Novel and The Diamond Eye. 

Once again my month provided an eclectic mix of biography, history, fiction, murders and kids' books. Family was a theme in several of the works.  I particularly enjoyed Unsettled as it made me think and reflect on Australian history and made me ponder on any interactions that may have occurred between my white and indigenous ancestors.  Balcony over Jerusalem by John Lyons, a news journalist who keeps popping up on the ABC, providing me with a perspective on the ongoing situation in the Middle East. My four Libby accounts provided most of the eBooks I read in June.

BTW I also read a few that aren't yet listed on Goodreads.

May Reading

Considering that I had a little holiday at the beginning of May I'm quite satisfied with the results of my reading this month. I'm also pleased that my four Libby accounts supply me with plenty of free reading matter. I also read a couple of local history books which are not in the Goodreads database, I'll have to rectify that. 

I'm still on track to finish the Goodreads 2025 Challenge. 

My progress in the Goodreads Challenge

Here are the covers of some of the books I read. The only one that was a disappointment was Convict Orphans. 

April Catchup

Here I am in mid May and I haven't reported on my reading in April. That is was rather a lean month for reading I blame on my participation in the A to Z Blogging Challenge. 

It also  took me quite a few days to get through Kate Grenville's Secret River. This heavy tome in physical format had been sitting on my bedside table for several years. Defeated by its weight I hadn't read it so I finally procured the eBook. I am so pleased that I did.

Following are the covers of the books (except for a rather old book on Lake Mac)I  read in April 2025. Most of them were eBooks borrowed from local libraries' Libby collections. BTW you can follow my reading journey here on GoodReads.

Lake Macquarie

 

by
Kathrine Bell

A Light Month for Reading

March for me was a month of travel. As often happens I didn't get much time to read when I was on the road, sea and sky. 

I am pleased to report that I managed to read seven books and that I am still on track to reach my goal of reading 100 titles this year.

I'm still on track with the Goodreads Challenge

My reading in March included some new-to-me authors, Charlie Donlea and Alafair Burke. Their mysteries certainly drew me in and maintained my interest.. 

Quite Pleased with February Result

My 2025 Challenge Stats

 Although I have only read a few pages in the last couple of days I am quite satisfied with the volume of my reading in February. 

As I will be be travelling in March and attending and speaking at Connections2025, an Australasian genealogy conference, my reading time will be impacted. Being eight books ahead  of schedule will help me to keep on track to reach my target of 100 books read this year.

You can follow my reading journey on Goodreads, here https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2580847-jill-ball

Here are the covers of  the eleven books I read in February.