Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Sharlene from Real Life Reading that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.
December is always a bit mad but this year seems even busier than usual. But the end is in sight: only one week left until Christmas! I’m looking forward to having a little time off and spending almost all of it reading.
Bagehot by James Grant – IT IS HERE!!! This is probably my most anticipated book of the year and I’ve been saving it for holiday reading – who wouldn’t want to spend Christmas reading about the Greatest Victorian? (Book Depository)
How to Live by Sarah Bakewell – Montaigne has been coming up in my reading a lot lately so it felt like time to finally read this much-praised biography from a few years ago. (Book Depository)
Mozart by Paul Johnson – I was rereading Eva Ibbotson novels in November, which are always full of passion for music and especially for Mozart. I felt inspired to read more about the man himself so placed a hold on this slim biography. (Book Depository)
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles – I’ve heard nothing but praise for this novel about a count confined to house arrest in a grand Moscow hotel through some of the most eventful decades of the 20th Century. (Book Depository)
A Month in Siena by Hisham Matar – I’m intrigued to see what I’ll make of this. It’s a slim volume about a month (funnily enough) Matar spent in Siena immersed in Sienese art. I love Siena but definitely do not love the Sienese School so we’ll see how I get on with it. Maybe he’ll inspire in me a love of almond-eyed Madonna’s with eerily long fingers. We’ll see. (Book Depository)
The Girl Who Reads on the Metro by Christine Feret-Fleury – A tiny little novel for book lovers. (Book Depository)
All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West – I’ve not had much luck with Sackville-West’s writing but I’ve always wanted to read this novel, about a widow who surprises her family by reviving old dreams and embracing new opportunities rather than fading into sedate old age. (Book Depository)
The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland – I have already teared up reading this and I’m only two chapters in. This story of a young woman figuring out her life after receiving a heart transplant seems ideal for unwinding. A little crying, a lot of heartwarming…perfect. (Book Depository)
Our Stop by Laura Jane Williams – I will always have time to try a recommendation from Sarra Manning (Book Depository)
The Perilous Sea and The Immortal Heights by Sherry Thomas – As soon as I started The Burning Sky, I placed holds on these remaining books in the trilogy. I raced through them over the weekend and enjoyed the series immensely. As always, Sherry Thomas is fantastic. No matter what genre she writes, I am delighted to read it.
Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali – Inspired by my success with Sherry Thomas’ YA series, I thought I’d read a little more YA and this has been on my radar since it was released to widespread praise in 2017. (Book Depository)
What did you pick up this week?
The Captive Reader 
I thoroughly enjoyed Girl Who Reads on the Metro—a book about books is lovely
Excellent, I’m glad to hear that! I haven’t heard that much about it but the combination of Paris and books sounded irresistible.
You have picked up a good selection this week. I hope you enjoy them,. All the best for the holidays and happy reading in 2020.
And to you too!
I hope that reading about the life of Mozart does not put you off his glorious music. A different biography of the composer did have that effect on me, at least a little. I was not every impressed by his childish sense of humour. In particular, I struggled to grasp how the creator of such glorious musical sound could, apparently, be so amused by the sound of flatulence. Perhaps it is no more unusual than a great writer being fascinated by rude sounding words?
Have a happy Christmas holiday period.
I have always found that a little hard to reconcile about him but, knowing it already, maybe that will make it easier to read about? I’ll find out!
[…] saw this on Claire’s previous Library Loot post, and thought I’d borrow it too! An added plus is that it’s a translated […]