I have read 26 books so far in 2019, which is more than I usually read. Since I've already read a lot this year, I wanted to give a summary of the books that I have read so far, a mini summary of what the books are, and what I thought of them.
Let's start with January!
In January I read 7 books.
1. Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman
I listened to Thunderhead on audiobook, and thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a fantastic sequel, it's such an interesting concept, also the writing is super well done. It had me on the edge of my seat, and I'm so glad that book three is coming out soon!
2. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
This was a reread for me, but I really enjoyed it. I jumped between the audiobook and the physical book, and it was a joy to read. The audiobook was so great because all of the narrators were incredible, and it was just fun to know what was going to happen (for the most part, it was a book I'd read a year or two ago) but still be surprised.
3. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
This was not a reread, but honestly I was so intensely in love with the series that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the sequel. I jumped straight into the sequel and honestly I was so glad I did. It was a great continuation, and it made me fall in love with Leigh Bardugo's storytelling and her writing.
4. City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab
This book was super fast to read. I love Edinburgh so it was nice to go back to a place I love even in book form. It’s always hard for me to get lost in any form of horror book, I’ve made myself unafraid of horror because of bad experiences from a young age, but this was cute and it wasn’t super horrifying and didn’t try to be anything it didn’t want to be. I’d definitely recommend this if you think you’d like a fast paced quick read filled with ghosts and adventure. Will definitely pick up the next one.
5. Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare
Reread. I needed to get ready for Queen of Air and Darkness. I listened to the audiobook (because James Marsters narrating the audiobook is always going to be something I'm willing to try), and to be honest it was really nice to revisit the world. Cassandra Clare isn't one of my all time favourite authors, but I do enjoy her worlds.
6. This Savage Song by V. E. Schwab
I wasn't sure what to think about this book, I really loved the writing of it, but I saw the twist coming a mile off, and I wasn't totally in love with it, but I did enjoy it. Definitely made me want to explore her works more, but I also knew that it wasn't going to go onto a favourites list any time soon.
I wasn't sure what to think about this book, I really loved the writing of it, but I saw the twist coming a mile off, and I wasn't totally in love with it, but I did enjoy it. Definitely made me want to explore her works more, but I also knew that it wasn't going to go onto a favourites list any time soon.
7. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
I read this book because I was going to an event with Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, and I'm going to be honest, I've known for a while that I am not entirely in love with Holly Black's work. I have read three or four books of hers, and I tried to read this one knowing it was very well loved. I really wasn't a fan. I'm a big hater of humiliation tropes in books, I'm also not a great fan of faerie books, so it was definitely not a book for me, but I thought I had to attempt to read it.
In February I read
1. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
This was a book that I read again for the event, but also I wanted to read it so that I wasn't spoiled. I must admit, this was not my favourite book that Cassandra Clare has brought out. I didn't think it was a great end to the series - in fact I didn't really think that it was an end to the series - and I was just sick of certain ideas from Cassandra Clare. It most definitely wasn't my favourite by her, and though I will continue to read books by Cassandra Clare, I don't think I'm going to be desperate to read it straight away.
2. A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
This was a very interesting contemporary. I've only read one book by Tahereh Mafi, and while I enjoyed it, I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. The first chapter was so hard hitting that I couldn't stop thinking about it or talking about it. It was a lot cuter than I expected, and in some ways it was a lot softer in ways than I expected, but it was still super powerful.
3. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
In March I read
1. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas is going to be one of those authors that I will always pick up. Her story was intricate and raw and honest, and to be honest I related to a lot of things on a seriously personal level, and I think she's such a good story teller and because of how raw and honest everything that she writes is, it's something I genuinely feel like she's so important as an author right now.
2. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
I really enjoyed this book, but it certainly wasn't as good as book one. I didn't feel as swept away with the story, but I thoroughly enjoy this as a series. I was a bit disappointed in this book as a sequel, at the same time I think the second book in a series is always going to feel a little problematic? Expanding on the world enough to keep a reader interested while keeping that integral feeling from book one is a difficult thing to do.
3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
This was a reread. I love Laini Taylor, and I just really wanted to read it again because the writing is beautiful, the worldbuilding is incredible, I dunno, I just really fancied rereading it.
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
This was a contemporary that I had heard great things about, and it worked with the fact I'd read On the Come Up not long before. I'm not a huge fan of poetry, but I really enjoyed it. It wasn't the worst book I've read and I'd certainly read more by the author later.
In April I did a readathon, which was the Magical Readathon, so I was trying to pass my OWLs.
1. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This was a reread, and honestly, my friend was listening to the audiobook for the first time, and I felt as though it was something I really wanted to reread. I've read it both as a book, and as an audiobook, and honestly the audiobook is so well done it's incredible to listen to.
2. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Again another reread. After I'd read Illuminae I couldn't just not continue with this series. Honestly this is one of my all time favourite series and I will most likely reread it every year.
3. A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
The third book in the series, and I'm going to be honest, I read this thinking that the final book came out in April. I was so upset when I realised it was April 2020. The cliffhanger at the end of this book was incredible and honestly I'm super excited for the final book to come out so that I can read it.
4. The Way of All Flesh by Naomi Alderman
This was an audible original, a mini story on the running app Zombies, Run! (which is a fantastic app if you're into audio storytelling and want to get fit!). It was a quick hour and a half of a murder mystery that's a really funny story.
5. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Again a reread, I just felt as though I had to continue on with this series. I honestly thoroughly enjoyed this, again the audiobooks are incredible and I genuinely recommend this as an audio series.
6. The Walking Dead Volume 1 by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, & Frank Darabont
I quite enjoyed this, it's a little different to the tv series, but it was a quick read. I can't recall too much from it, but I definitely think it's worth checking out if you fancy anything like this.
7. Lumberjanes 2 by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Leonardo Favia, Maarta Laiho, Brooke Allen, & Brooke A. Allen
This series is still super cute, I am still trying to find my way when it comes to graphic novels, but I'm trying a few different types of things. It's a cute random little idea, and I might continue with the series, but it's definitely not a huge series that has me hooked.
8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
I read this almost ten years ago, and I really wanted to reread it to see if I enjoyed it. And it's an interesting adult fantasy that I'm curious how it's going to continue. This was again an audiobook, because I find any books that I can't get through properly I find it easier to read on audio. The narrator was good, the pacing is good, I'm excited to continue with the series.
9. Lumberjanes 3 by Noelle Stevenson, Carolyn Nowak, Maarta Laiho, Aubrey Aiese, Brittney Williams, Aimee Fleck, Faith Erin Hicks, Rebecca Tobin, Felicia Choo, & T. Zysk
Again it was a quick read, I don't particularly remember it, I think these ones are cute, but quite forgettable.
10. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meghan Spooner
After reading this book, I've come to the conclusion that survival books are not my type of books. I found this tedious and frustrating, and pretty dull. All I wanted was for there to be more action, and instead all it was was two characters on a desolate planet surviving, and not a lot else. This paired with the fact that it's not really as much of a space book in how I wanted, I just think something was missing something for me.
In May so far I have read
1. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
I have been wanting to read The Priory of the Orange Tree for a while, and because of this I wanted to get a feel for the writing that Samantha Shannon does, so I'd gotten the audiobook of this to listen to. It was an interesting and very different book, but I don't think it's a genre that I particularly am interested in. I'll try out the sequel, but I don't know if it's going to be for me. I found it very strange and a little rushed maybe.
2. Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin
This book was very curious, I enjoyed it and I got frustrated with it in equal parts. Sarah Maria Griffin is able to take the teenage years and really bring it to life, even to the extent of how dramatically you change within a couple of years. It was such an interesting book with enough magic to keep me interested, but also be just about characters and character progression and other things like that.
And that's it! These are the books that I've read, I have had an overwhelmingly good experience with the most that I've read. I'm hoping to read more, and I'm hoping to continue to read good books. If you have any recommendations and any ideas what I could do with the blog, please let me know I'd love to know your thoughts.
I read this book because I was going to an event with Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, and I'm going to be honest, I've known for a while that I am not entirely in love with Holly Black's work. I have read three or four books of hers, and I tried to read this one knowing it was very well loved. I really wasn't a fan. I'm a big hater of humiliation tropes in books, I'm also not a great fan of faerie books, so it was definitely not a book for me, but I thought I had to attempt to read it.
In February I read
1. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
This was a book that I read again for the event, but also I wanted to read it so that I wasn't spoiled. I must admit, this was not my favourite book that Cassandra Clare has brought out. I didn't think it was a great end to the series - in fact I didn't really think that it was an end to the series - and I was just sick of certain ideas from Cassandra Clare. It most definitely wasn't my favourite by her, and though I will continue to read books by Cassandra Clare, I don't think I'm going to be desperate to read it straight away.
2. A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
This was a very interesting contemporary. I've only read one book by Tahereh Mafi, and while I enjoyed it, I did not expect to love this book as much as I did. The first chapter was so hard hitting that I couldn't stop thinking about it or talking about it. It was a lot cuter than I expected, and in some ways it was a lot softer in ways than I expected, but it was still super powerful.
3. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
I really enjoyed this book. It was brutal, I can't say anything else about it, but it was a fantastic book. It's rare to find a book where it feels so real, you often find that the heroine suddenly finds strength and can outwit everyone, and you didn't get that at all in this book. Everything that happened felt like it would happen. It was brutal, it was action packed. But also the book's writing was incredible. I felt like the writing was so fantastic with how it evoked emotion and description, but even with that it was so fast paced that you felt like you were racing through it to find out exactly what happened. Honestly such a good book. |
In March I read
1. On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
Angie Thomas is going to be one of those authors that I will always pick up. Her story was intricate and raw and honest, and to be honest I related to a lot of things on a seriously personal level, and I think she's such a good story teller and because of how raw and honest everything that she writes is, it's something I genuinely feel like she's so important as an author right now.
2. A Torch Against the Night by Sabaa Tahir
I really enjoyed this book, but it certainly wasn't as good as book one. I didn't feel as swept away with the story, but I thoroughly enjoy this as a series. I was a bit disappointed in this book as a sequel, at the same time I think the second book in a series is always going to feel a little problematic? Expanding on the world enough to keep a reader interested while keeping that integral feeling from book one is a difficult thing to do.
3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
This was a reread. I love Laini Taylor, and I just really wanted to read it again because the writing is beautiful, the worldbuilding is incredible, I dunno, I just really fancied rereading it.
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
This was a contemporary that I had heard great things about, and it worked with the fact I'd read On the Come Up not long before. I'm not a huge fan of poetry, but I really enjoyed it. It wasn't the worst book I've read and I'd certainly read more by the author later.
In April I did a readathon, which was the Magical Readathon, so I was trying to pass my OWLs.
1. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
This was a reread, and honestly, my friend was listening to the audiobook for the first time, and I felt as though it was something I really wanted to reread. I've read it both as a book, and as an audiobook, and honestly the audiobook is so well done it's incredible to listen to.
2. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Again another reread. After I'd read Illuminae I couldn't just not continue with this series. Honestly this is one of my all time favourite series and I will most likely reread it every year.
3. A Reaper at the Gates by Sabaa Tahir
The third book in the series, and I'm going to be honest, I read this thinking that the final book came out in April. I was so upset when I realised it was April 2020. The cliffhanger at the end of this book was incredible and honestly I'm super excited for the final book to come out so that I can read it.
4. The Way of All Flesh by Naomi Alderman
This was an audible original, a mini story on the running app Zombies, Run! (which is a fantastic app if you're into audio storytelling and want to get fit!). It was a quick hour and a half of a murder mystery that's a really funny story.
5. Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Again a reread, I just felt as though I had to continue on with this series. I honestly thoroughly enjoyed this, again the audiobooks are incredible and I genuinely recommend this as an audio series.
6. The Walking Dead Volume 1 by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, & Frank Darabont
I quite enjoyed this, it's a little different to the tv series, but it was a quick read. I can't recall too much from it, but I definitely think it's worth checking out if you fancy anything like this.
7. Lumberjanes 2 by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Leonardo Favia, Maarta Laiho, Brooke Allen, & Brooke A. Allen
This series is still super cute, I am still trying to find my way when it comes to graphic novels, but I'm trying a few different types of things. It's a cute random little idea, and I might continue with the series, but it's definitely not a huge series that has me hooked.
8. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
I read this almost ten years ago, and I really wanted to reread it to see if I enjoyed it. And it's an interesting adult fantasy that I'm curious how it's going to continue. This was again an audiobook, because I find any books that I can't get through properly I find it easier to read on audio. The narrator was good, the pacing is good, I'm excited to continue with the series.
9. Lumberjanes 3 by Noelle Stevenson, Carolyn Nowak, Maarta Laiho, Aubrey Aiese, Brittney Williams, Aimee Fleck, Faith Erin Hicks, Rebecca Tobin, Felicia Choo, & T. Zysk
Again it was a quick read, I don't particularly remember it, I think these ones are cute, but quite forgettable.
10. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meghan Spooner
After reading this book, I've come to the conclusion that survival books are not my type of books. I found this tedious and frustrating, and pretty dull. All I wanted was for there to be more action, and instead all it was was two characters on a desolate planet surviving, and not a lot else. This paired with the fact that it's not really as much of a space book in how I wanted, I just think something was missing something for me.
In May so far I have read
1. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
I have been wanting to read The Priory of the Orange Tree for a while, and because of this I wanted to get a feel for the writing that Samantha Shannon does, so I'd gotten the audiobook of this to listen to. It was an interesting and very different book, but I don't think it's a genre that I particularly am interested in. I'll try out the sequel, but I don't know if it's going to be for me. I found it very strange and a little rushed maybe.
2. Other Words for Smoke by Sarah Maria Griffin
This book was very curious, I enjoyed it and I got frustrated with it in equal parts. Sarah Maria Griffin is able to take the teenage years and really bring it to life, even to the extent of how dramatically you change within a couple of years. It was such an interesting book with enough magic to keep me interested, but also be just about characters and character progression and other things like that.
And that's it! These are the books that I've read, I have had an overwhelmingly good experience with the most that I've read. I'm hoping to read more, and I'm hoping to continue to read good books. If you have any recommendations and any ideas what I could do with the blog, please let me know I'd love to know your thoughts.
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