Tag: book wrapup

October 2021 Wrap Up

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So Halloween is over for another year and now we are into what I call pre-Halloween. Now this month was probably one of my best reading month probably ever! I read loads of spooky books this month and had a great time. I also managed to finally get back into Netgalley and started reading ARCs again which was super fun.

  • I read 6 books this month.
  • I read 1 ARC this month.
  • Genre: 4 fantasy, 1 horror and 1 non-fiction.
  • Gender of authors: 6 women and 1 man.
  • Race of authors: 3 white authors, 2 black authors, 1 south asian author and 1 pacific islander author
  • Age range: 2 middle grade, 2 YA, 1 children’s and 1 adult
  • Format: 3 paperback, 2 hardcover and 1 eBook.

If you want to read more in-depth versions of my thoughts click the the titles for my reviews.

Beneath the Citadel by Destiny Soria (4.5 stars)

Going into this novel I didn’t have many expectations but what I got was a story about friendship and trust. I loved the structure of the novel flicking between the past and present. I loved the the characters and the different relationship dynamics between the core group. This novel was just super fun and exciting to read.

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Padraig Kenny (4 stars)

This book is the perfect mix of The Addams Family meets Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children! So much heart, so much excitement and so much adventure. I loved the huge variety of characters and the multiple POVs introduced. This was a perfect Halloween read!

All of Us Villains by Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman (5 stars)

The Hunger Games if it was set in a fantasy world. I loved the world/lore of this novel, the characters and all their varying and complex dynamics, the exploration of family and the exciting yet incredibly tense plot. I read this as an ARC but I am definitely buying the book when it comes out physically I enjoyed it that much!

Good Night Stories For Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Black Girl Magic edited by Lilly Workneh (4 stars)

I really enjoyed being able to learn about loads of women I had never heard of before and being to learn about their contributions to the world from science to music. I loved the championing of black women/non-binary people in both the illustrations and as well as the individuals mentioned within the novel.

Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago (4 stars)

I just picked this up randomly after being enticed by the beautiful cover. This was a super cute story celebrating the introverts of the world and the beauty of friendship.

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson (5 stars)

Probably my favourite book of the month. I really enjoy books where we see new beliefs and old beliefs clash. Witches vs God essentially and this book was it! I loved the setting, the female protagonist, the writing was so beautiful and structured incredibly well, the messaging within this novel just hit every mark for me.

September 2021 Wrap Up

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September was a very interesting mix of books this month. It started off strong and started teetering by the end but the books that I did enjoy will stay with me for a long time. I also started my new job as a BOOKSELLER this month which is monumental. So far, it has been great and I am super excited for what’s to come. Let’s jump in!

  • I read 6 books this month.
  • I read 1 ARC this month.
  • I DNFed 1 book this month, that’s 6 so far for the year.
  • Genre: 3 fantasy, 1 contemporary, 1 horror and 1 non-fiction.
  • Gender of authors: 4 women and 2 men.
  • Race of authors: 3 white authors, 1 asian author, 1 black author and 1 Middle Eastern author.
  • Age range: 3 adult and 3 YA
  • Format: 4 paperback, 1 eBook, 1 hardcover.

If you want to read more in-depth versions of my thoughts click the the titles for my reviews.

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (4 stars)

This was an YA I had heard loads about and I finally managed to get round to read it. I loved the world building, loved the characters (especially the variety of female characters) and the plot was INTENSE! I completely understand the reason why this book got the hype.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (5 stars)

Another YA book that I picked up due to the hype on social media and another YA book that DID NOT DISAPPOINT! This novel was super impactful, it was intense and I loved exploring the characters and watching them grow over the course of the book. I had to pick my jaw up from the ground.

The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir (4 stars)

I am not a massive non-fiction reader but having grown up learning all about the Tudors I really wanted to continue that learning and expand on my knowledge. I really enjoyed this book and I got lost in the history and the past of the country I live in. There was so much I didn’t know and it was super fun to learn so much more.

The Whistling by Rebecca Netley (2 stars)

This was a book that I read as an ARC. So, thank you Netgalley and Micheal Joseph for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The review in question will be out this week so stay tuned.

The Child Thief by Brom (DNF)

This was a book that had been on my TBR since 2015! So I am super sad to say that I didn’t love it. I personally didn’t connect to the story or characters and it was also too dark for my personal preference. I also didn’t love how the women were portrayed.

One Piece Omnibus Vol. 1 by Eiichiro Oda (3 stars)

I have heard so much about this series both as the manga and as the anime. I thought the anime might be a bit hard to tackle so I decided to give the manga a go. My thoughts are mainly that it was super fun but I didn’t connect to the story too much. The characters were cool and I enjoyed the funny moments but I am personally not running to buy the next volume.

August Wrap Up 2021

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So, a bit of a rocky month last month. I basically didn’t read any books for the last 2 weeks of the month as I was celebrating birthdays. I still managed to read some books but I could have read more.

  • I read 6 books this month.
  • I DNFed 2 book this month, that’s 5 so far for the year.
  • Genre: 2 fantasy, 2 contemporary, 1 murder mystery and 1 romance
  • Gender of authors: 4 women and 2 men.
  • Race of authors: 4 white and 2 asian
  • Age range: 3 adult and 3 YA
  • Format: 2 paperback, 2 webtoon, 1 manga and 1 ebook

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett (DNF)

I think it is time to say goodbye to Mr Pratchett. Sadly, while I enjoyed some of his books I just don’t love them enough. They are either good or bad and no book has ever really impressed me. Because of that I have decided to not continue reading the Discworld series.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett (5 stars)

OMG! What a book! This will be a book that I will forever be screaming from the mountain tops that people should read it. What makes this book so unique is that it is written in the form of emails, text messages, newspaper clippings and it make for such an exciting and fresh reading experience. The characters were written so well, the mystery had me on the edge of my seat and the ending was just perfect. A must read!

The Binding by Bridget Collins (DNF)

There was nothing majorly wrong with this novel, I just could not connect to it in the slightest. Then about 25% in some changes happened which I just didn’t personally like and I just decided not to continue.

Always Human by Ari North (3 stars)

This webtoon was beautiful! The colours, the character design, the music was all perfect. This story is more character focused than plot focused which isn’t something I normally go for and, especially at the beginning of the novel, I struggled a little bit with the relationship as it felt quite rushed and the mis-communication trope was very strong but by the end of the comic I found myself really enjoying the characters and their love story.

Your Letter by Hyeon A Cho (4 stars)

This was a really beautiful mystery comic with an amazing art style, really interesting characters and I wish it was longer than it was!

Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1 by Tomohito Oda (2 stars)

This was a bit disappointing. The art style and the premise of the manga was good but it fell short with overly stereotyped characters which at times were borderline harmful representation. This manga had a lot of potential and obviously I am only commenting on the first volume but I just felt the author relied more on harmful stereotypes.

July Wrap Up 2021

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To be honest, I didn’t think I would do as well as I did this month since 2 weeks of the month was dedicated to one book but I am super happy with how this month went! So many 5 stars!

  • I read 8 books this month.
  • I DNFed 1 book this month, that’s 3 so far for the year.
  • Genre: 3 fantasy, 2 murder mystery, 1 romance, 1 horror and 1 sci-fi.
  • Gender of authors: 3 women and 5 men.
  • Race of authors: 5 white, 2 asian and 1 latinx.
  • Race of illustrators: 2 white and 1 asian.
  • Age range: 7 adult and 1 YA
  • Format: 5 paperback, 1 ebook, 1 hardcover and 1 webcomic

The Shadow Rising – Robert Jordan (4 stars)

Another great installment in the series and with the tv show a matter of months away I am happy to have got through this chunky book. 1000+ pages! I really enjoyed the varying plot lines, I love where the series is going and I look forward to more. I did have to deduct 1 star because, while the plot is amazing, the pacing is SUPER slow!

Saga Vol. 1 – Brian K. Vaughn and (4 stars)

I had heard so much about this series so I finally caved in and got the first volume. Like with most first volumes it was mainly there to set up the main plot points and character motivations. The art was really good, the story is super interesting and I am invested in the characters. Looking forward to volume 2.

Labyrinth: Coronation Vol. 1 – Simon Spurrier (2 stars)

I picked this up due to being massive Labyrinth fan but sadly this comic, which is meant to be a prequel about how the Goblin King became the Goblin King, had so many misses for me. It was too rushed, I wasn’t as invested in the characters or really the plot. I also didn’t love the art style.

The Inugami Curse – Seishi Yokomizo (3 stars)

I was super excited to read this as I loved the first novel by this author. While I still really enjoyed it and would recommend it, it wasn’t as good as the first one for me. I think my rating would have been higher had I not figured out some of the key elements very early on. But it still was an enjoyable novel.

Miss Abbott and the Doctor – Maripaz Villar (5 stars)

This was a super cute romance set in a vague victorian town that follows two completely opposite individuals as they fall in love. The romance is great, the side characters are great, this comic has so much wit and heart and I wish I could physically own it!

The Devil and the Dark Water – Stuart Turton (5 stars)

Another amazing book this month. I am loving this author at the moment! I really loved all the characters, the atmosphere and the mystery. There were times I thought I figured it all out but boy was I wrong! This definitely up there in my Top 10!

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns – Julic C. Dao (DNF)

Sadly, this didn’t work out. It had a lot of potential and I really like the premise but sadly I found the main character to be a bit boring and the writing itself didn’t grab me. I wanted to skim most of it but I just decided to put it down.

Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia (5 stars)

WOW! This book flew under my radar last week but I picked it up and was INVESTED! I don’t really read much horror but I felt there was a really strong mystery element to this story which I love. This was so far removed from what I normally read and I am so glad that I gave it a go. Great atmosphere, amazing writing, brilliant characters and a super exciting but gruesome plot!

June 2021 Wrap Up

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So, I had a pretty positive month this month considering how much I struggled in May. I read some really good books this month and started my first 1000+ page book. I won’t be finished until next month but it is quite a feat! I also have found a new author I am excited to read more from and continued reading some trusty authors I know and love.

  • I read 5 books this month.
  • Genre: 4 fantasy and 1 contemporary.
  • Gender of authors: 3 women and 2 men.
  • Race of authors: 1 white, 3 asian and 1 middle eastern.
  • Age range: 3 adult and 2 YA.
  • Format: All paperback.

Alloy of Law – Brandon Sanderson (4.5 stars)

It felt so great to jump back into the world of Mistborn. This book is set 300 years after the events of The Hero of Ages and the world has evolved and changed. I really enjoyed meeting the new characters, seeing how the magic system has adapted, how the world has changed and where this series will take us next. It was super enjoyable and I sped through this book.

We Hunt the Flame – Hafsah Faizal (5 stars)

This was a book that the entirety of Book Twitter was raving about. After I saw all the positive tweets about it I had to pick it up and this book was worth the hype for me. It was actually better than I expected. I cannot wait to read the sequel and more of Faizal’s books in general.

Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 13-15 – Hiromu Arakwa (5 stars)

Another instalment in a series I cannot praise enough. I enjoyed reading this instalment a lot as we get more backstory to certain major events in the books past and we get to learn bit more about the world as a whole. We also meet some very interesting characters as well. OOooo, the series is getting more and more intense and I love it.

Attack on Titan Vol. 1 – Hajime Isayama (3 stars)

So, I picked this up because I wanted to see how the first volume was compared to the first episode of the show. I will be honest, I was not blown away by this volume. The art style wasn’t my favourite and things felt quite rushed but I have faith that the series is going to get better with each volume I pick up.

Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 1 – Bisco Hatori (2.5 stars)

Another case of having seen the show and wanted to compare the original source material to the adaptation. This one also didn’t work out for some of the same reasons. Not a fan of the art style, things felt rushed and I just wasn’t enamoured by it.

May 2021 Wrap Up

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So, during the month of May I got awful tonsillitis which meant that I had no energy and some big changes was happening in my life which basically meant that I was battling a reading slump the entire month. I still managed to do ok but I had so many other books I wanted to read. As I write this now I am still trying to get out of the slump with the next book I’m reading but I will be honest, I have lost my rhythm.

  • I read 5 books this month.
  • I finished a re-read I started back in 2019.
  • Genre: 1 fantasy, 2 murder mystery, 1 contemporary and 1 historical fiction.
  • Gender of authors: 2 women and 3 men.
  • Race of authors: 2 white and 3 asian.
  • Age range: 3 adult, 1 YA and 1 middle grade.
  • Format: 2 paperback, 1 hardcover and 2 ebooks.

The Decagon House Murders – Yukito Ayatsuji (2 stars)

So, this was an average read for me to start off the month. I loved the plot but I felt that the writing wasn’t that engaging, I started losing interest in the novel itself and by the time the reveal rolled around I just wasn’t invested enough anymore.

Orange: The Complete Collection Vol.2 – Ichigo Takana (5 stars)

I read the first volume in April and thoroughly enjoyed it. I instantly went out and bought the second volume straight away. I really enjoyed this volume, the art was beautiful and the characters were great. I will be honest in the fact that I preferred the first volume, I felt the ending of the series was a bit too abrupt. I wish it was expanded a bit more but overall this was a beautiful and emotional story that I will re-read numerous times.

The review linked is a whole series review not just of volume 2.

The Mystery of Three Quarters – Sophie Hannah (3 stars)

This book sadly didn’t match up to my experience reading her second novel but book 3 just missed the mark on something. I thought the plot was interesting and Poirot was great as per usual but something felt missing. I felt that the other characters were quite flat and some plot points were left unresolved. It wasn’t a bad book but it didn’t match up sadly to the previous novel which was my favourite.

Delusion – Hongjacga (3 stars)

This was a web comic that I read for most of the month. The comic started off really strong but I felt it started wavering around the halfway mark and by the time it finished I was a bit confused on the story and the direction it went in. The art was beautiful and I was fully engaged in the story but I felt that the ending could have been better.

The Last Olympian – Rick Riordan (5 stars)

So, I started this re-read in August of 2019 after I decided to stop my Harry Potter re-read due to J.K Rowling’s transphobia. i was super nervous as this was one of my childhood faves well as you can tell by the rating of this book that I loved it. I felt this book was a perfect ending to a great series and I am super excited to start the Heroes of Olympus series next year!

The review linked is a look back on my re-read as a whole.