My A-Z Of Books – B

Hello everyone,

To mark my first five years of book blogging, I have decided to do an A-Z series of posts based on all the books I have read in that time, and about blogging in general. It felt like a fun idea!

These posts will include all of the most significant things for each letter, such as the authors and books I have read; the most memorable characters I have come across, and the most captivating settings. It is a bit like a pocket encyclopedia of my reading in the past five years, although it does not include everything.

Here are the things beginning with ‘B’.

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Bailey

A boy who visits the Night Circus in the book of the same name by Erin Morgenstern, and becomes totally enthralled by it, discovering a new act each night when shown around by his friends Poppet and Widget.

Baxter

One of DI Adam Fawley’s detective colleagues in the crime thriller series by Cara Hunter. He is known for snacking and being the resident tech expert. In the first five books he is the detective to have received the least character development, so maybe we will learn more about him in book six, which I am just starting now!

The Bear and The Nightingale

The first part of the Winternight Trilogy by Katherine Arden, which introduces you to a wonderful fantastical world full of mythology and folklore.

Beast

The fourth title in the Six Stories series by Matt Wesolowski, where the death of a teenage vlogger leads podcast host Simon King to investigate. Perhaps the eeriest book in the series so far.

Beatrice Belladonna Eastwood

One of Eastwood sisters who attempt to bring back witchcraft in The Once And Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. Of the three, she is the most studious and my personal favourite character, and I loved her ongoing romance with journalist Cleopatra Quinn.

Becca Bell

The older sister of Andie Bell, who died five years earlier and is the subject of Pippa Fitz-Amobi’s final year project in A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder.

Beck

The object of Joe Goldberg’s obsessions in You by Caroline Kepnes. He goes to extreme lengths to make her fall in love with him, but she turns out to be incredibly flawed, too.

Becoming

Michelle Obama’s autobiography, which I listened to on audiobook in 2021. A really fascinating perspective of her life and the experience of being First Lady of the United States.

Bee

One of the three main characters in A History Of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw, living in a commune. Bee is blind and in a relationship with the community’s leader, Levi, but soon develops mistrustful feelings towards him.

Ben

One of the main characters in The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech. He begins the story working with lions in a nature reserve, but it mostly focuses on his tragic romance with Andrew.

Benedikt Montagov

The brother of Roma Montagov, heir to the White Flowers gang in Shanghai during the These Violent Delights duology by Chloe Gong. A fairly reserved but likeable character, he is most notable for his slow-burning romance with Marshall Seo.

Bernadette

The main narrator in The Mountain In My Shoe by Louise Beech, who has escaped a toxic marriage and now acts as a mentor to a boy called Connor, who has grown up in care.

Bess Bright

One of the two main characters in The Foundling by Stacey Halls. She leaves her daughter at the Foundling Hospital but when she returns, discovers that she has been taken away by someone else claiming to be her real mother.

Beth Underdown

Author of The Key In The Lock, a mysterious, ghostly historical fiction which I read in late 2021. I also have her previous book, The Witchfinder’s Sister, on my TBR.

The Betrayals

The second book I read by Bridget Collins, full of abstract concepts and taking place in a mysterious academic institution where forbidden romance lurks within.

Beverley Adams

One of my book blogging friends on social media, who wrote her very own non-fiction book on the suffragette Edith Rigby, and she has more to come!

Bhagra

The Darkling’s battle-axe of a mother in the Shadow And Bone series, who teaches Alina Starkov how to strengthen her sun summoning powers.

Billy Dunne

The lead singer and lyricist for the band The Six, who are eventually joined by Daisy Jones to become one of the most acclaimed rock bands in history, in Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel.

The Binding

The first book I read by Bridget Collins, full of atmosphere and intrigue. It takes place in a world where people’s memories can be cast into the pages of a book; a practice which is seen as evil.

Black Hollow Lane

A mysterious society in a middle grade series by Julia Nobel, whose members will stop at nothing to uncover secrets held by main character Emmy Willick’s father.

Bob Fracklehurst

A taxi driver who appears in all the books by Louise Beech, having small but significant interactions with the main characters.

Bogdan

A mechanic and handyman who is a frequent visitor to Cooper’s Chase retirement village in Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club series. Just like the other characters, Bodgan is very endearing, showing remarkable levels of patience and also providing company to Elizabeth’s husband Stephen, who suffers from dementia.

Bone By Bone

The debut psychological thriller by Sanjida Kay, which tells an affecting story about a girl and her mother who suffer an ongoing campaign of bullying and persecution. I was so emotionally invested that I had to give it the full five stars.

Bone China

A book by one of my favourite authors, Laura Purcell. Typically Gothic and haunting, this one is set in a house in Cornwall where mysterious supernatural activity has long rumoured to have taken place, involving evil fairies.

Boscawen

The coroner in The Key In The Lock by Beth Underdown, to whom the main character Ivy is married in the later timeline and much to her regret. Despite that, he actually came across as a decent person.

Brazil

The setting for The Truth And Lies Of Ella Black  by Emily Barr. The book was disappointing and there were many things wrong with it, but the Brazilian setting was excellently conveyed.

Brian Mings

One of the four teenagers involved in the events leading up to the death of Tom Jeffries at Scarclaw Fell, in Six Stories by Matt Wesolowski. As the true crime podcast goes on, it becomes clear that Brian was a bit of a ‘hanger-on’, mostly ignored by his peers. But then comes a big twist in the final episode.

The Bridge

The house where Elsie comes to live with her new husband in The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. In fact, it is one of the scariest houses I have ever come across in fiction. Situated in a gloomy town, it is haunted by eerie life-size ornaments that follow you everywhere and cause death everywhere they go. The history of the house is just as dark.

Bridget Collins

The author of The Binding and The Betrayals, which I have written about already in this post. Her writing is atmospheric and although the pacing can sometimes be slow, the concepts are fascinating and they keep you immersed.

Bridie

The name of two characters I have come across in the past five years. Firstly a woman who forms part of a cult-like household in The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell, and also a Victorian London investigator in Things In Jars by Jess Kidd.

Brigid

A manipulative neighbour who Tom has an extra-marital affair with in The Stranger In The House by Shari Lapena.

Bristol

The city where I live! It has been the setting for several thrillers I have read in the past five years, including three by Sanjida Kay, The Missing by C.L. Taylor, and If I Die Before I Wake by Emily Koch. Even before that, there was I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh.

Bronwyn Rojas

One of the Bayview Four in the soon to be completed trilogy by Karen M. McManus. Bronwyn is clever and competitive, wanting to be the highest achieving student at Bayview when she becomes one of the suspects in Simon Kelleher’s death.

Brooklyn

A book by Colm Toibin, about a young woman from Ireland who falls in love after moving to the United States. Well known for being adapted into a critically acclaimed film.

Brynn Gallagher

Another Karen M. McManus character, this time in her most recent novel Nothing More To Tell. Brynn is an aspiring reporter who is determined to investigate the death of her favourite teacher four years earlier.

The Bullet That Missed

The third and most recent book in the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman, where the mystery surrounds the death of a local news presenter.

Bureau Of Supernatural Affairs

A secretive place full of magical beings and phenomena, where Amari is awarded a scholarship in Amari And The Night Brothers by B.B. Alston. The imagination that goes into everything here is one of the many reasons why I loved this book.

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And there we have it!

Have you come across any of these books, authors, or characters? Let me know in the comments!

Happy reading 🙂

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