Reading Review: December 2017

December 27, 2017Leave a comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Strange Weather by Joe Hill

Total Library Books Read This Month: 2
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 2

Total Library Books Read 2017: 31
Total Own Books Read 2017: 4
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 35

MY READ OF THE MONTH

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden. It was magical and the perfect winter read. I found the right book at the right time. I also can’t wait to read the sequel.

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is 15 books read. I’ve read:

Cell by Stephen King
Golden Hill by Francis Spufford
The Trees by Ali Shaw
The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
The Muse by Jessie Burton
North and South by John Jakes
The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan
The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher
Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling
The Magicians’ Guild by Trudi Canavan
Feed by Mira Grant
The Novice by Trudi Canavan
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling
Needful Things by Stephen King

Have really enjoyed participating in this challenge and I’m probably going to sign up for it again for 2018.

GOODREADS

My final total for this year is 35 books, which is much more than I ever expected to read. I’m looking forward to starting the challenge again in 2018.

GOALS

I’ve kept up with blogging throughout the year, and posted my reviews quite quickly.

Have enjoyed a few readathons but wish I’d known about more of them in advance so I could have taken part in more.

So concludes December’s Reading Review. See you again next year.

Reading Review: November 2017

November 29, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

Origin by Dan Brown

The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman

A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne M. Harris

The Coven by Graham Masterton

Total Library Books Read This Month: 5
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 5

Total Library Books Read 2017: 29
Total Own Books Read 2017: 4
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 33

MY READ OF THE MONTH

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. The story was gothic and atmospheric, it built tension gradually and held my interest and fascination through all the revelations. It became a little more scary as the wooden companions became more menacing. Definitely a book I’d recommend.
You have no idea how long I sat here deliberating, going between this book and A Pocketful of Crows by Joanne M. Harris, which is also really good.
I picked some good reads for this month!

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 15 books read. So far I’ve read:

GOODREADS

I’m currently at a total of 33 books. Wonder how many I’ll reach in total by the end of the year?

GOALS

I’m still managing to (mostly) post my reviews in a timely fashion, and I’m keeping track of my challenge progress.

I finally did it… listened to an audio book. I found it more enjoyable than previous attempts. I’ve found before that my attention seems to wander when I listen to rather than read the words on the page and I don’t retain it as well, but this time that didn’t happen and I would probably listen to another audio book some time, although my first love is always going to be a brand new physical book I think.

So concludes November’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: October 2017

October 29, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

Needful Things by Stephen King

Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King

Total Library Books Read This Month: 2
Total Own Books Read This Month: 1
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 3

Total Library Books Read 2017: 24
Total Own Books Read 2017: 4
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 28

MY READ OF THE MONTH

Two King books and I’m trying to choose between them? That’s tough. And throw in Harry Potter and I’m really stuck. I don’t think I can choose this month.

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 15 books read. So far I’ve read:

GOODREADS

I’m currently at a total of 28 books. Wonder how many I’ll reach in total by the end of the year?

GOALS

I’m still managing to (mostly) post my reviews in a timely fashion, and I’m keeping track of my challenge progress

So concludes October’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: September 2017

September 29, 2017September 29, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams

The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley

Gwendy’s Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

Total Library Books Read This Month: 3
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 3

Total Library Books Read 2017: 22
Total Own Books Read 2017: 3
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 25

MY READ OF THE MONTH

I sat for a while going back and forth between two books this month, but am settling on The Ninth Rain by Jen Williams. I’d wanted to read it for a long time before I finally got around to it, and it lived up to all the positive reviews I’d already read. I’m also looking forward to the next in the series.

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 13 books read. So far I’ve read:

GOODREADS

After meeting my original goal of 20 books last month I’m currently at a total of 25 books. I keep thinking I might put my target up a little, but I think I’ll just keep reading, see how many books I end up with then maybe alter my target next time.

GOALS

Still keeping up with my reviews, and these monthly progress updates.

So concludes September’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: August 2017

August 29, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

The Novice by Trudi Canavan

The Dry by Jane Harper

Darien by C. F. Iggulden

Total Library Books Read This Month: 3
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 3

Total Library Books Read 2017: 19
Total Own Books Read 2017: 3
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 22

MY READ OF THE MONTH

The Novice by Trudi Canavan. That was a huge book, and I thought it would take me a while to read, but I found myself flying through it and managed to read it in about a week because I always had to find time for ‘just one more chapter’. Hopefully next month I’ll get around to reading the final book in the Black Magician trilogy.

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 13 books read. So far I’ve read:

GOODREADS

I met my target of 20 books this month, and so far I’ve completed 22 books. I know it was a low target but I was really pleased to complete the challenge. Anything I read now is a bonus, unless I decide to increase my target a little? I may have mentioned before that I’m not the fastest reader in the world, so perhaps I’ll just carry on and see what I end up with.

GOALS

I took part in the latest Bout of Books. I really enjoyed participating in the read-a-thon and even managed to write and post my review for Darien during the even, which I’ve never done before.

I’m keeping up with these monthly progress updates.

Have also managed to meet my Goodreads challenge target this month.

So concludes August’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: July 2017

July 28, 2017August 27, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling

The Magicians’ Guild by Trudi Canavan

Feed by Mira Grant

Total Library Books Read This Month: 1
Total Own Books Read This Month: 2
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 3

Total Library Books Read 2017: 15
Total Own Books Read 2017: 3
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 18

MY READ OF THE MONTH

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. I’m enjoying this series re-read a lot. I can understand now why people take the time to re-read books they’ve enjoyed. It’s not something I’ve done much of in the past, but I’ll certainly make time for old favourites again in the future.

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 12 books read. So far I’ve read:

GOODREADS

I’ve set myself a low target for this year of 20 books. So far I’ve read 18 books.

GOALS

I’m still (mostly) keeping up with posting my reviews soon after I’ve finished the book.

I’ve also read more of my own books/backlist books than I have new/library books this month, which I think is a first and helps me with my Beat the Backlist challenge.

So concludes July’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: June 2017

June 29, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt

The Boy on the Bridge by M. R. Carey

Total Library Books Read This Month: 2
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 2

Total Library Books Read 2017: 14
Total Own Books Read 2017: 1
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 15

MY READ OF THE MONTH

Do I really have to pick between them? I guess I do, don’t I? Okay. The Boy on the Bridge. There, I chose. I love the world that Carey created in The Girl with all the Gifts and to have a chance to go back and experience it all over again with a new set of characters was perfect reading for me. And the ending!!! Not saying another word…

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 9 books read. So far I’ve read:

GOODREADS

I’ve set myself a low target for this year of 20 books. So far I’ve read 15 books.

GOALS

I’ve finally started making an effort to read the books I already own, and will hopefully be adding more to my Beat the Backlist total over the next month.

I’m keeping up with most of my reviews and also my monthly reading updates.

So concludes June’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: May 2017

May 28, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher

Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty

Total Library Books Read This Month: 2
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 2

Total Library Books Read 2017: 12
Total Own Books Read 2017: 1
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 13

MY READ OF THE MONTH

The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher is May’s Read of the Month. It was unique, with some great characters, and the talking cats just added that little something extra.
Had I started See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt earlier in the month and had it finished in May I’m sure that would have been a contender too, because the writing so far is atmospheric and beautifully eerie.

BEAT THE BACKLIST

My total for this challenge is currently 9 books read. So far I’ve read:

I originally set myself a target of 8 books for this challenge, so this month I’ve actually reached and surpassed that target. I’m really pleased as I usually end up neglecting older books in favour of new releases, so I didn’t know how I would do when I first signed up for the challenge. I’m going to keep going and see how many I end up with. I think for now I’ll set a new target of 10 books for the year.

GOODREADS

I’ve set myself a low target for this year of 20 books. So far I’ve read 13 books.

GOALS

I participated in Bout of Books 19, which was really good, and am on the lookout for other reading events taking place.

I reached my initial Beat the Backlist target of 8 books, so I’ve now decided to try for 10 Backlist reads this year.

I’m keeping up with most of my reviews.

So concludes May’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: April 2017

April 29, 20177 Comments

Books I’ve Read

The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan

Sins of Empire by Brian McClellan

Total Library Books Read This Month: 2
Total Own Books Read This Month: 0
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 2

Total Library Books Read 2017: 10
Total Own Books Read 2017: 1
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 11

My Read of the Month

How can I choose? Really? It’s an impossible task this month. I’ve read two books, both by the same author.
The Autumn Republic was the conclusion of the Powder Mage trilogy and was a wonderful way to wrap up that series.
Sins of Empire is the start of a new series set in the same world but years later and it was also a great beginning. There’s just no choosing between them.

Beat the Backlist

My total for this challenge is currently 7 books read. So far I’ve read:

Goodreads

I’ve set myself a low target for this year of 20 books. So far I’ve read 11 books.

Goals

I’m sticking making a decent effort at my main reading challenge for the year, Beat the Backlist. My current total stands at 7 books read.

I’m keeping up with most of my reviews.

I’ll be taking part in the next Bout of Books, which I’m looking forward to (I love a good readathon).

So concludes April’s Reading Review. See you again next month.

Reading Review: March 2017

March 29, 2017March 29, 20171 Comment

BOOKS I’VE READ

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

North and South by John Jakes

Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan

Total Library Books Read This Month: 2
Total Own Books Read This Month: 1
Overall Total Books Read This Month: 3

Total Library Books Read 2017: 8
Total Own Books Read 2017: 1
Overall Total Books Read 2017: 9

MY READ OF THE MONTH

North and South by John Jakes.
It’s the first book of a trilogy about the Mains and the Hazards, two families drawn together by great friendship who will find themselves fighting on opposing sides during the American Civil War. This first book is over 800 pages and covers the years before the war begins. I’ll definitely be reading the next book, which is over 1000 pages long, but I might choose a few shorter books to read first!

BEAT THE BACKLIST

btbchallengeslider

My total for this challenge is currently 6 books read. So far I’ve read:

Cell by Stephen King
Golden Hill by Francis Spufford
The Trees by Ali Shaw
The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler
The Muse by Jessie Burton
North and South by John Jakes