Month: December 2022

Wrap Up: 2022 in Books

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left2 Comments

It’s the last day of 2022! So I’m looking back on all the books I read this year. I read 22 books in total so didn’t quite reach my goal of 25 but I’m not surprised since it’s been a bad year health-wise and I was in a reading slump for a couple of months. I’m glad to have managed to read 22 though.

I love the stats that come with Storygraph, so here are a few of my charts for 2022. I read more audiobooks than I ever have before due to chronic pain making reading physical books difficult. I am so happy to be able to read audiobooks as it’s enabled me to keep reading.

How was your reading year? Did you achieve your goals?

Happy New Year! I hope 2023 brings you joy – and lots of books!  

Audiobook Review: Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley-Jones

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley-Jones

Genre: Romance, Comedy

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Hodder & Stoughton, narrated by Helen Keeley

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

It’s the golden rule of pretending to be someone’s girlfriend: don’t fall for their sister.

After a year from hell, Haf is ready to blow off steam at a Christmas party: a kind stranger, a few too many drinks and suddenly she’s kissing Christopher under the mistletoe—in front of his ex-girlfriend.

The next day the news is out that they’re apparently a couple, madly in love and coming to Oxlea to spend the festive season with Christopher’s family. But Haf doesn’t have better holiday plans and to save her new friend from embarrassment, she agrees to pretend to be Christopher’s girlfriend for Christmas.

It has the makings of a hilarious anecdote they’ll be telling for years. Until Haf meets Christopher’s sister: the mysterious, magnetic and utterly irresistible Kit. Maybe love was waiting for Haf in this quiet little town all along….

Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Laura Kay and Carol—this is sheer festive joy as you’ve always wanted to see it.

As soon as I heard about Make You Mine This Christmas earlier this year – a romance with queer, neurodivergent and disabled characters in the main cast – I knew this had to be my festive read in December. This book made me laugh and cry, and I had such a fun time listening to the audiobook, which had great narration by Helen Keeley.  

Some parts of this book are ridiculously cheesy, and some parts are just bonkers, but you know what, I loved that. I loved seeing queer and disabled people fall in love and experience all the tropes and Christmassy romance. The main trope here is fake dating, so if you aren’t a fan, this might not be the book for you. I really enjoyed the author’s spin on this trope, and it provided plenty of opportunities for humour and Christmas chaos. I felt the spark and connection between Haf and Kit, and enjoyed the slow burn and romantic tension. They only actually get a few days together, but the chemistry was definitely there right from their meet cute.

Although the romance is, of course, the beating heart of this book, I wouldn’t have enjoyed Make You Mine This Christmas nearly as much without the equally important platonic relationships. Just as much care and attention is given to the friendships in the book as the romance. Seeing Haf’s existing friendship with Ambrose and her new friendships grow was heart-warming.

Make You Mine This Christmas is a cosy and festive read with fantastic rep so if you are looking for a holiday romcom then this should be going to the top of your list!

Best and Worst Series of 2022

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

This tag was originally created by Mara from Bookslikewhoa and seemed like a fun way to look back at the series I’ve read this year!

What is the best series that you caught up with this year that is still a work in progress?

I didn’t actually manage to catch up with any series this year – I’m always behind!

What is the best work in progress series that you are still catching up with? OR What is the best completed series that you are still catching up with?

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. I loved the first book and the prequel novella and will definitely be catching up on the rest next year.

What was your favourite first book in a series this year?

The Councillor by E. J. Beaton. I absolutely loved this book. There’s no word yet on when the sequel will come out though.

What is a first book in a series you read this year that you think should have just been a standalone, not a series?

I don’t think I’ve read any books this year that fit this.

What is your most over-hyped series of the year?

Not got any of these this year either.

What is a series that you DNFed this year?

The Bone Witch series by Rin Chupeco. I read the first book last year and was considering continuing this year but I didn’t get round to it and I think I will probably not be continuing this series.

What was your favourite series finale of the year? OR What was your least favourite series finale of the year?

My favourite series finale of the year was Thronebreakers by Rebecca Coffindaffer.

What was the biggest cliffhanger you had in a series this year?

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo ended with some pretty dramatic twists!

What is your favourite spinoff series you read this year?

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, which is set in the same world as the Spin the Dawn duology.

What is your most anticipated next book in a series that you read this year that will come out next year?

I’ve not read any that are out next year.

What is your most anticipated series to catch up with next year based on what you read in that series this year? OR What is the series you’re most excited to stay caught up with next year based on what you read in the series this year?

I really want to finish the Bladesmith duology by Tricia Levenseller.

What is your favourite series that you finished this year?

The Aurora Cycle. I didn’t enjoy the last book as much as the previous two but overall, it was a great series.

What is your favourite episodic series of the year?

I’ve not read any.

What is a series that you finally bailed on after holding onto it for a long time?

I hold onto series for eons and I don’t think there’s any I’ve given up on this year. They sit on my TBR for eternity.

What is the series you were most surprised that you liked this year?

The Atlas Six. I wasn’t sure it would be for me but loved it.

What is the series that you meant to catch up with or finish this year that you didn’t?

So. Many. Series. Shades of Magic, to name one.

What is a series you finished this year that you think is greater than the sum of its parts? OR What is the series you caught up with this year that you think is greater than the sum of its parts?

This is an interesting question but I don’t think I have any that fit.  

What series have you enjoyed this year? Chat with me in the comments!

End of Year Book Tag 2022

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

I can’t believe 2022 is nearly over. December seems to have flown by! Today I’m doing the End of Year Book Tag. The tag was created by booktuber Ariel Bissett.

Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?

I’m currently reading Make You Mine This Christmas and definitely want to finish it by the end of the year. I’m halfway through The Wolf of Oren-Yaro but I think that may end up being a DNF as I just don’t think the book was for me. I also still need to finish Harrow the Ninth but I think I may pick that up again in the new year.

Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?

No but I am reading a Christmas book which feels very seasonal.

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

I don’t think there are anymore releases on my radar to come out this year.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

I’m not that fast a reader so I won’t manage three. I want to finish Make You Mine This Christmas and I’m hoping to fit in The Last Tale of the Flower Bride which I have an audio ARC for.

Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?

I’m really intrigued by The Last Tale of the Flower Bride. It’s the kind of book that I’ll love or I won’t, so I hope it becomes a surprise favourite.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2023?

Yes, but I’m a mood reader so I rarely manage to stick to those plans! I’m terrible at finishing series so the series I have in progress are high up on my list for next year.

Have you done the End of Year Book Tag? Feel free to share your post in the comments.

Audiobook Review: King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Publishing Info: Audiobook by Audible Studios, narrated by Lauren Fortgang

Star Rating: 4/5

Back Cover Summary:

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war – and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army. 

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried – and some wounds aren’t meant to heal. 

Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse is one of my favourite series, and I just knew King of Scars would be a great choice to get me out of a reading slump. This is the first book in a duology, but it follows the Shadow and Bone trilogy and the Six of Crows duology. I would definitely recommend reading the previous books as the protagonists in King of Scars are returning characters from both of the previous series. It was interesting to follow characters beyond their original stories, see how the traumas of the previous books have impacted them, and explore how their characters develop further, which made me feel an even stronger connection to them than I did before.

In King of Scars, we follow multiple POV characters like in the Six of Crows series, and I really enjoyed getting to see the different perspectives. I’m intrigued to see how Nina’s story ties in more with the main plot in the sequel, as her plotline did feel quite separate from Nikolai’s in this book. Both plotlines were engaging and the character development was very strong. Having seen how their characters started out in previous books, it was great to follow their progression in King of Scars, and Leigh Bardugo did a fantastic job of developing each of the three protagonists. I especially liked getting Zoya’s perspective, she’s a really interesting character with a lot of depth and it was great getting more insight into her past and her inner thoughts and feelings.

Read More »

November 2022 Wrap Up

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Hello everyone! It’s been a while since I last posted. I have been in such a bad reading slump. I’ve picked up and put down so many books and been really struggling to get into reading and blogging. I started reading King of Scars recently though, hoping that a book by one of my favourite authors would help bring me out of the slump, and it has worked! I am enjoying reading again and hopefully that will continue.

The Pale Dreamer by Samantha Shannon (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – The only thing I managed to finish in November was a novella in the Bone Season series. I don’t always enjoy short stories and novellas but this one was great. I love Samantha Shannon’s writing and the narrator for this series is fantastic.

Illumicrate’s October book came a little late and didn’t arrive until November. It was The Whispering Dark and I’m really excited to read this book.

Just a short post today as things have been pretty quiet for me on the reading front, but I am hoping to get back into blogging more again!

What books have you enjoyed this month? Chat with me in the comments!