February 2023 Wrap Up

January was a slow reading month and I didn’t actually finish any books, but in February I finished two! February was also an exciting month because I went to my first book event since before the pandemic! I went to the Norwich event on Samantha Shannon’s A Day of Fallen Night tour. It was amazing to hear her talk about her writing and world building and I came away feeling so inspired. I also got my copy of A Priory of the Orange Tree signed!

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri ⭐⭐⭐.5 – I struggled to get through this one as I found the pacing too slow for me. There was so much I loved about this book, but the pacing just held back my enjoyment and it did take me quite a while to read it. It’s a fantastic book so would still definitely recommend it, I just didn’t click with it sadly.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I decided it was time to take a break from fantasy and read something totally different. I’ve read a few Agatha Christie novels before but not in any order. So this time I decided to read the very first Poirot novel. I was hooked all the way through and there were so many twists and turns!

While in Norwich I popped into a couple of independent bookshops and as soon as I spotted the UK paperback edition of One For All by Lillie Lainoff on the shelf, I just knew I had to pick up a copy!

After writing a lot in January, February wasn’t so good. I’ve been struggling with my current project, which is essentially a completely refreshed version of an old project I’m writing again from scratch, but although I’m writing on a clean document, I am essentially editing/redrafting what came before. I’m someone who loves first drafts and struggles with redrafting and editing, so I’m finding it challenging! But hopefully I will learn a lot from it.

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

January 2023 Wrap Up

I am very late with my January wrap up. The last few weeks just seem to have been very busy. I didn’t manage to finish any books in January! I’ve been listening to the audiobook of The Jasmine Throne and I’ve been finding the pacing a bit slow so it’s been taking me a while to get through it. I’m also halfway through reading Broken Web.

In January I had two exciting Fairyloot parcels. The Atlas Paradox, which matches the first book excellently. And the Daughter of the Pirate King set which I ordered months ago. It was worth the wait though as they are such gorgeous editions.

Although I didn’t do so much reading in January, it was a great month for writing. I wrote the most words I’ve written in one month in a long time, so I’m feeling very happy about that.

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

December 2022 Wrap Up

The last wrap up of 2022! In the last month of the year, I finished two books, both of which I loved, so it was a pretty good month.

King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I just loved being back in the world of the Grishaverse, and Leigh Bardugo always writes a great story.

Make You Mine This Christmas by Lizzie Huxley-Jones (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I rounded off the year with a Christmassy read! This book was super fun and entertaining, and hit the emotional beats really well too.

I got Master of Iron, the sequel to Blade of Secrets, for Christmas and I’m really excited to read this one.

I finally, finally, got back into writing in December. I’m working on a new version of an old project, and I’m 13,000 words in now, so slowly but surely making progress.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books of 2022

It’s time to share my favourite books of 2022! From epic fantasies to romcoms, I read some excellent books this year.

Top 10 Tuesday was originally created by The Broke and the Bookish, but has now moved to That Artsy Reader Girl. If you’re interested in taking part click here.

Breathe and Count Back From Ten by Natalia Sylvester – This is undoubtedly my favourite book of the year. It was also my only five star read (what happened, 2022?!). I really connected with this book as a chronically ill person and found it a very emotional read.

The Councillor by E. J. Beaton – I wish this book was more well known because it was just so good. It’s full of intrigue and the audiobook has a fantastic narrator. Highly recommended if you enjoy political fantasy!

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon – I loved Priory of the Orange Tree so decided to read Samantha Shannon’s other series and I’m so glad I did! I wasn’t sure about this one at first but it grew on me the more I read and I ended up loving it.

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Wrap Up: 2022 in Books

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!  

End of Year Book Tag 2022

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.

October 2022 Wrap Up

This month was super busy at work so I’ve been really tired and not had much energy for blogging, but I have managed to do some reading and finished three books this month!

Thronebreakers by Rebecca Coffindaffer ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – The sequel to Crownchasers was just as good as the first book. There were some lighter moments, but also heavier aspects like grief, which I think the author balanced really well. I liked seeing how Alyssa grew over the duology and was satisfied by the ending. If you’re looking for a quick and fun YA space opera, I’d definitely recommend this series.

The League of Gentlewomen Witches by India Holton (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐ – I was a little disappointed by this one since the first book was so good. There was a lot I did like about the sequel, but I just found it too slow and not as engaging as the first book.

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Sorcery of Thorns was such a delight to read that I was excited to pick up Margaret Rogerson’s next book. As soon as I started listening, I was drawn into the story. I just love Rogerson’s writing style, it flows so smoothly and paints such a vivid picture, making me really feel immersed in the world.

I was so excited to get my Illumicrate set of the Locked Tomb series and I was not disappointed! Their editions are just stunning. I also got the Illumicrate edition of Demon in the Wood and the Goldsboro edition of Mindwalker.

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

September 2022 Wrap Up

I didn’t get much time for reading in September so I only managed to read one book but it was a very long book! I’m hoping to have more time to read in October and make a bit more of a dent on the ever-growing TBR.

Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐ – I really enjoyed the previous books in this series but this one just felt too long. I found it a bit hard to get through as the pacing just felt so slow. I also didn’t enjoy some of the tropes / story decisions in this one. So I found this read a bit disappointing.

My preorder of The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim arrived this month and I also got the Illumicrate edition of The Oleander Sword. I haven’t actually read The Jasmine Throne yet but I didn’t want to miss out on the matching sequel! So I hope I enjoy the series.

I managed to do some writing in September but progress is still quite slow as things have been busy and I have been struggling with my health still.  

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

August 2022 Wrap Up

It’s September and that means autumn is coming! But first, let’s look back at August! I only finished one book but have two other books that I’m part way through. I realised I gushed about my new kitten last month and didn’t share any photos so here’s a cute pic of Ember! I probably won’t be posting much for the next few weeks as I have started weekly hydrotherapy for my AS which I am finding quite tiring so am resting a lot. I have four sessions and I’m really hoping they will help with my symptoms.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – I adored this cosy contemporary fantasy romance! It’s such a lovely book and a perfect pick for autumn. It has found family, which I love! I would definitely recommend the audiobook as the narration is fantastic and I loved listening to it.

My Fairyloot edition of Violet Made of Thorns arrived and it is very pretty. I also ordered a hardback copy of Breathe and Count Back From Ten after listening to the audiobook because I loved it so much and it meant so much to me, so wanted to have a copy on my shelf.

Writing progress is still very slow! I now have pain in my arms which is affecting my ability to type, so I’ve not been writing very often. I have now finished chapter two though!

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

July 2022 Wrap Up

What happened to July? And half of August? The time has disappeared and I’m only just posting my July wrap up! Things have been busy the last few weeks. We got an adorable new tortie kitten called Ember who is very sweet with a healthy dose of trouble. The weather here in the UK has been incredibly hot and I do not cope well with hot weather so the last few weeks have been a bit of a struggle. I am very much looking forward to autumn!   

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim ⭐⭐⭐⭐ – It took me a while to get into this one but I ended up really loving it! I enjoyed Elizabeth Lim’s first duology so I had high hopes for Six Crimson Cranes. Despite struggling a bit with the first half, things picked up in the second half and there were some fantastic twists and action!

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐ – When I started reading this book I really thought it was going to be a new favourite. I loved the imaginative worldbuilding and enjoyed the interactions between the main cast. However, I had mixed feelings about the plot and the tonal shift at the end was a bit jarring and just didn’t work for me sadly.

Since I finished all of the Agatha Christie books on my shelves, I picked up a new one recently – The Mystery of the Blue Train. My Goldsboro edition of Fevered Star also finally arrived. They shipped it to my old address (even though my new address was on the order!) but they were very quick to respond to my email and send out another copy to the correct address.

I have slowly been getting back into writing again but have been finding it quite difficult with the brain fog that comes with long covid. I’m now on the second chapter of my WIP and hopefully I will continue making progress with it!

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