Where has the year gone?! I think I say that every year. I must be getting old. Really old.

Here’s a quick round-up of the important (reading) bits –

• One book away from finishing the Australian Women Writers reading challenge (although I won’t stop there)
• Also one book away from finishing the What’s in a Name reading challenge
• On target for the Translation and Foodies Read reading challenges
• Lagging a few books behind on the Off the Shelf reading challenge
• My alphabetical list of authors still has some gaps – letters Q, U, Y and Z to be filled in as the year progresses
• I have managed to stick to my resolution of shutting up when my book group is selecting a title. In some cases it was easy because I wasn’t there. In other cases I just took big gulps of wine when we got to the book selection bit of the evening so that my mouth was otherwise engaged.
• My physical (as opposed to virtual) TBR stack is officially out-of-control. Expect I’ll have to activate a book-buying ban soon.
• Best book I’ve read this year: 99 Reasons Why by Caroline Smailes. This is not the book for everyone. There’s quite a lot of words in it that I wouldn’t let my kids say. It’s depressing beyond belief. But I’m still thinking about it.

Lastly, I’m declaring May as NetGalley Month – I have lots of great titles waiting in my NetGalley TBR stack, all of which I was so excited to be given access to – May is the month to pay them the attention they deserve. Expect a month of reviews about new releases including –

A Dual Inheritance by Joanna Hershon – May 7th
The Offering by Angela Hunt – May 14th
Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser – (paperback release) May 14th

Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin – May 21st
The First Rule of Swimming by Courtney Angela Brkic – May 28th
The Whole of My World by Nicole Hayes – June 3

KC, at Bat by Tom Mendicino – June 6th
Joy by Jonathan Lee – June 6th
And Sons by David Gilbert – July 23rd