So in the run up to Christmas I’m doing a count-down (well, a count-up). Twelve days of books! But j

So in the run up to Christmas I’m doing a count-down (well, a count-up). Twelve days of books! But just like the song, I’m going to increase the number of books each day, with a theme. I’ll link the previous posts on each new one, but if you’d like to follow along I’ll also be tagging them ‘hermitknut’s bookmas’. On the Eleventh Day of Christmas… the world is a stage.The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton is the second Kate Morton book I read, and reminded me why I like her so much. We follow Laurel, an actress, in the wake of her mother’s illness as she tries to puzzle out her mother’s past. At the same time, we get the narrative from her mother’s perspective, leading up to the defining moment of her life. Part character development, part family story, part mystery. I really do love these books.Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters is something I had been meaning to read for a while, and never got to. I’m so glad I finally did! Nan is a great character, and we follow her as she progresses from first girlfriend to steady partner, detouring through performing on stage dressed as a boy, living with a wealthy lady, and socialism. It’s a fantastic story that delightfully fills the pages with lesbian and bisexual women, as opposed to the usual one-or-two-ifyou’re-lucky scenario.Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones is a mix of fae court and goblin king traditions, with a whoooole lot of sex thrown in there. Liesl must rescue her sister, but in the course of this she falls for the Goblin King. The atmosphere is heady, and the focus on Liesl’s musical ability meant I felt like I could almost hear the music in the book. Intriguing.Ballet Shoes for Anna by Noel Streatfeild follows Anna and her siblings, who have to move in with their uncle and aunt after the loss of their parents. Their uncle disapproves of Anna’s ballet, but she is determined to continue learning. A charming classic that I reread every so often - it’s pretty simple, but done well.Pantomime by Laura Lam is the first of a trilogy following Micah Grey, who has in this book fled their parents to join the circus. The world is a psuedo-Victorian, magical environment, with a lot of secrets in its history. Lam does a good job of balancing a central character with a larger cast of secondary characters, and this is absolutely worth a read. Lost for Words by Stephanie Butland probably falls under chick lit of some kind, not a genre I read much of. I evidently need to read more! Loveday, our main character, is really wonderful. She’s more or less done with people, particularly sharp about anyone who thinks crossing her boundaries is acceptable, and trying to figure out her life after what happened to her parents when she was a child. Not to mention building the confidence to maybe finally perform some slam poetry. Great book.The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket is the first book of A Series of Unfortunate Events, in which Count Olaf tries to get hold of the Baudelaire fortune by marrying Violet for real during a production of a truly terrible play. It’s hard to talk about this one book without talking about the series as a whole, but honestly it’s one of those things I feel like everyone should read. It’s basically satire for children, with an excellently nasty villain and Snicket’s unique brand of dark, dry humour.Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars by Miranda Emmerson follows Anna Treadway in the search for a missing actress and tries to, in the process, untangle the secrets she’s hiding. It’s a good read with some neat characters, and the way Emmerson writes the feel of the time and place is excellent.Flying Tips for Flightless Birds by Kelly McCaughrain is coming out in March. Twins Finch and Birdie have a great double act on the flying trapeze - but when Birdie gets hurt, Finch has to figure out how to keep going with the help of his friend, Hector. Who he would maybe like to become more than a friend. Slow-burn, sweet romcom (though more com than rom). The Noise of Time by Julian Barnes is a fictionalised account of Shostakovich living under Stalin. The tension throughout the whole book stays with you even after you’ve put it down - Barnes really vividly brings this era to life, along with the constant steady fear of living in that kind of regime. The Bed and Breakfast Star by Jacqueline Wilson is Elsa’s story of losing her home in a fire and living with her family in a bed and breakfast. She wants to be a comedian and is forever cracking jokes. A funny, heartfelt book that I loved as a kid and still like to reread occasionally.Previously:On the First Day of Christmas… my favourite book of all time. On the Second Day of Christmas… books about people exploding.On the Third Day of Christmas… the very biggest fans.On the Fourth Day of Christmas… books about princesses.On the Fifth Day of Christmas… memory is everything.On the Sixth Day of Christmas… serial killers abound.On the Seventh Day of Christmas… women growing wise.On the Eighth Day of Christmas… dragons are people too.On the Ninth Day of Christmas… the gods are among us. On the Tenth Day of Christmas… animal friends. -- source link

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