I set my goals for the year in April, so it's about time I considered a quick update.

Goal No 1: Do a Themed Monthly Post
That's going well, with a monthly View from the Window

Goal No 2: Accept the Unexpected
I am being more flexible when something happens and I realise it will be impossible to complete all the things I'd wanted to complete on a particular day.  So although I don't have anything specific to point to, I have the sense that my mindset is changing.

Goal No 3: To Embrace My Personal Interests
This has to do with my ridiculous attempts to do three courses, four craft projects, read three books and write two separate ficlets in one day as well as whatever else I'm committed to on that day.  I'm learning to mentally say 'let's see how much I can do' and actually achieving more than I might expect, because I'm enjoying what I'm doing.

25 Things in 2025
Currently I've completed 18 out of 25.  Of those that remain, 3 were July to December and in progress, 1 is running behind as it won't be finished by the end of this month, but will be before the end of the year, 2 will be listed at the beginning of next month and the final 1 is for the complete year.  So I'm very pleased with how this is going and delighted I took on the challenge.

9 books this month, which means I'm at 60 for the year.  Some were started towards the end of last month, but mostly this is because my local library is shut for a (much-needed) refit for a month, so I made sure to have plenty to read.

V for Victory by Lissa Evans
I read Crooked Heart last year, and this is the follow up novel.  It's set in the last few months of WWII and is just as good as the previous book, with compelling characters and an interesting plot, with the characters intertwining in very believable ways.

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose
I had the first book in the Molly the Maid series last year when it was abridged for the radio.  This book was one of the Goodreads Summer Challenge books and as there was a copy available at the library I decided I'd read it (also it's shorter than the main series).  It was obvious what was happening, but it was understandable why Molly was struggling with events.

Maigret and the Lazy Burglar by Georges Simenon
The library has some new Maigret editions, so I reserved a couple when I realised they were coming in and this was one of them.  It's set in Paris, and is one of the later books in the series.  Maigret uses his knowledge and vast experience to solve the case.

The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett
Continuing my progress with the Rincewind series.  I enjoyed this more than some of the others.  All the wizards are involved and the Librarian is present, which I always enjoy.  I thought it was good fun, set in the Discworld's version of Australia, with all the usual inventiveness.

Death and the Conjurer by Tom Mead
A modern whodunnit, although set in the 1920s.  I can see the attraction of the book, but it wasn't one which worked as well for me, but that was partly because it was a locked room mystery, which is not a genre I'm particularly keen on.

The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Powers 1804-1999 by Misha Glenny
I originally borrowed this from the library, but it's over 700 pages and not something which can be read quickly, so I bought myself a cheap copy.  I found it really interesting, although I did get confused with various people.  It was something I knew little about, so I was glad to have read it.  And yes, it took me 7.5 months to finish, because I wasn't reading it all the time.  It also showed how throughout the 200 years the Great Powers only became involved when they could use it to their advantage, and that even at the end of the time they didn't seem to have learnt anything.

Small Bomb at Dimperley by Lissa Evans
I'm enjoying books by Lissa Evans, so I've set up an alert for when the library obtains new books by her.  So, when they announced they'd purchased the new paperback, I put in a reservation, and fortunately it arrived before the local library closed.  Set just after WWII, it was another enjoyable read.  The ending was possibly to be expected, but the process of getting there was neatly done.

The Penguin Book of Murder Mysteries edited by Michael Sims
If I'd realised the mysteries were Victorian ones, I wouldn't have got the book.  I had already read three of the stories elsewhere, and of those that I hadn't I only enjoyed one.  I suspect if you like the style of these early mysteries you might enjoy them, but I can see why only Sherlock Holmes remains well known (and none of his stories were included).

A Stroke of the Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett
This was on my library list of 'to read at some time', but there was a copy in the local library, so I shot in on the last day it was open and borrowed it.  Very short stories, but all highly entertaining, and definitely appealing to my slightly 'off the wall' brain.


The Goodreads Summer Challenge finished in the middle of the month and I managed 5 of the 9 categories.  I wasn't planning on doing them all, just those which had books which actually appealed.  

We're just back from a couple of days break in Dulverton, which is a village on Exmoor.