2018 in Books | What I Read

Hi, Another year is drawing to an end and for once I'm not in a mad panic to finish my Goodreads challenge. I've actually started on next years challenge already. I've not blogged at all this year and I'm posting this reading round up as I do enjoy looking back at these posts. It's been four years since I first found and joined Goodreads. In that time I've completed my pledged challenge of 35 books per year, that's a staggering total of 140 books. Without further ado here are the books I read in 2018.

 2018 Pledged Books

1. A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1) - V.E. Schwab ★★★★☆
2. A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2) - V.E. Schwab ★★★★☆
3. The Art of Being Normal - Lisa Williamson ★★★★☆
4. A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) - V.E. Schwab ★★★★☆
5. Moxie - Jennifer Mathieu ★★★★☆

6. Seven Days - Eve Ainsworth ★★★☆☆
7. Going Viral (Potion, #3) - Amy Alward ★★★★☆
8. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood ★★★★☆
9. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher ★★★★☆
10. The Memory Book - Lara Avery ★★★★★

11. Calling Major Tom - David M. Barnett ★★★☆☆
12. Monsters - Emerald Fennell ★★★☆☆
13. Tender - Eve Ainsworth ★★★★☆
14. Caraval - Stephanie Garber ★★★☆☆
15. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas ★★★★☆

16. One of Us is Lying - Karen McManus ★★★★☆
17. Illuminae (The Illuminae Files, #1) - Amie Kaufman ★★★☆☆
18. Read Me Like a Book - Liz Kessler ★★★★☆
19. Salvage - Keren David ★★★☆☆
 20. Goodbye, Perfect - Sara Barnard ★★★☆☆

21. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood, #1) - Becky Albertalli ★★★★☆
22. Truth or Dare - Non Pratt ★★★☆☆
23. Ink (Paper Gods, #1) - Amanda Sun ★★★☆☆
24. How Not to Disappear - Clare Furniss ★★★★☆
25.The Exact Opposite of Okay - Laura Steven ★★★★☆

26. The Nowhere Girls - Amy Reed ★★★★☆
27. The Heart Goes Last - Margaret Atwood ★★★★☆
28. Stone Mattress: Nine Wicked Tales - Margaret Atwood ★★★☆☆
29. The Next Together (The Next Together, #1) - Lauren James ★★★★☆
30. The Last Beginning (The Next Together, #2) - Lauren James ★★★★☆

31.The Fandom (The Fandom, #1) - Anna Day ★★★☆☆
32. Truly, Wildly, Deeply - Jenny McLachlan ★★★☆☆
33. The Sun Is Also a Star - Nicola Yoon ★★★★☆
34. Rain (Paper Gods, #2) - Amanda Sun ★★★★☆
35. Storm (Paper Gods, #3) - Amanda Sun ★★★☆☆

See previous years: 2015 Challenge, 2016 Challenge and 2017 Challenge

Please let me know of any book recommendations, I'm always looking for new books to read.
Sam 

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2017 in Books | What I Read

Hi, I managed to finish my Goodreads challenge and as per normal it was down to the last few days before I completed my pledge of 35 books. That doesn't sound like much but when I look back I'm in awe of just how many stories and worlds that I've been able to explore. Doing the math it works out at 10 and a half days per book, based on how slow I know I read some of these books, I'm really surprised I hit my goal this year.

 2017 Pledged Books

1. Riot - Sarah Mussi ★★★★☆
2. Seed - Lisa Heathfield ★★★★☆
3. Radio Silence - Alice Oseman ★★★☆☆
4. The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir - Lesley Allen ★★★★☆
5. Nerve - Jeanne Ryan ★★★☆☆
 

6. Solitaire - Alice Oseman ★★★☆☆
7. Beautiful Broken Things - Sara Barnard ★★★☆☆
8. The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins ★★★★☆
9. The Silver Linings Playbook - Matthew Quick ★★★☆☆
10. Feed - Mira Grant ★★★☆☆

11. The Potion Diaries - Amy Alward ★★★★☆
12. Royal Tour - Amy Alward ★★★★☆
13. Monster - C.J. Skuse ★★★☆☆
14. The Sky Is Everywhere - Jandy Nelson ★★★★★
15. The Shock of the Fall - Nathan Filer ★★★★☆

16. Paper Butterflies - Lisa Heathfield ★★★★☆
17. If I Was Your Girl - Meredith Russo ★★★★★
18. ...And a Happy New Year? - Holly Bourne ★★★☆☆
19. This Savage Song - Victoria Schwab ★★★★☆
20. Luckiest Girl Alive - Jessica Knoll ★★★☆☆

21. A Quiet Kind of Thunder - Sara Barnard ★★★☆☆
22. Who Runs the World? - Virginia Bergin ★★★☆☆
23. How to Love - Katie Cotugno ★★★★☆
24. Elizabeth Is Missing - Emma Healey ★★★☆☆
25. How Hard Can Love Be? - Holly Bourne ★★★★★

26. Nina is Not OK - Shappi Khorsandi ★★★★☆
27. The Apple Tart of Hope - Sarah Moore Fitzgerald ★★★★☆
28. The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion ★★★★☆
29. It Only Happens in the Movies - Holly Bourne ★★★★★
30. The Bone Dragon - Alexia Casale ★★★☆☆

31. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves - Karen Joy Fowler ★★★☆☆
32. Damage - Eve Ainsworth ★★★★☆
33. The Young Elites - Marie Lu ★★★★☆
34. The Rose Society - Marie Lu ★★★☆☆
35. The Midnight Star - Marie Lu ★★★★☆

This year I only gave four books five stars. I feel a bit mean about this as looking back there were so many books I really enjoyed but at the time of reading can't have blown me away. The four books that I awarded five stars where; If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo, The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson, How Hard Can Love Be? and It Only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne.

What where your favorite book this year?
Sam 

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Reading Roundup | September

Hi, It's been a while since I've done one of these monthly book reviews and to be honest I want to go back and post the previous books I've missed for my own reference. I'm really behind on my Goodreads challenge but I'm not surprised because I've been slow/lazy with reading. I really need to plan what I want to read during the rest of year to stay on track so keep an eye out for a TBR for the rest of 2017. Both the books I read this month where finds at my favourite charity shop for books because they are only 50p each.

Reading Challenge 24/35

How to Love

Author - Katie Cotugno

Page Count - 389

First Published - 2013

I bought this book about a year ago and finally got round to reading it. As there was such a long time from picking this book out I'd forgotten what it was about, but it's obviously a romance book of sorts. 

Reena has loved Sawyer LeGrande since she can remember. The son of her parents friends they have grown up together but Sawyer has never shown Reena any attention until one day they fall in messy love. Sawyer leaves without an explanation, leaving Reena behind. Time passes and Reena has a new love of her life, her daughter Hannah. One day Sawyer arrives back in their lives and Renna has to work out where he fits in her new life.

This book was such a fun read because of the writing style of telling both the before and present story in alternative chapters. I overall wasn't blown away by this book but I did enjoy reading it and seeing how the story developed. I don't want to give spoilers but there's so much more to this story than I've explained above. I really enjoyed how as the reader was giving little bits of information from the past that then made the present situation make more sense.

 

Elizabeth is Missing

Author - Emma Healey

Page Count - 275

First Published - 2015

I've had this book on my radar as one I've wanted to pick up and it finally turned up at 50p. I hadn't realised until writing this post but this is another book that moves from past to present. This book does it more creatively through the main character getting confused and transitioning from present to past via memory triggers.

Maud is elderly and losing her memory to dementia. She writes notes to remind herself of things but doesn't remember what they mean. There's one note however that keeps resurfacing which is that her best friend Elizabeth is missing. The present story interlinks with the disappearance of Mauds sister
Sukey when she was a little girl. Maud is trying to solve one disappearance while getting confused and trying to solve the mystery behind her sisters disappearance.

I found this book a little long winded because I didn't have the time to sit down and totally indulge. I find this is a massive issue I have with my overall reading experience, it's me not the book. Again no spoilers, there's so much more to this story and if you only read it for one reason read it because it's an insight into dementia and how it affects people.

Any short story recommendations (I've got a lot of catching up to do on Goodreads)?

Sam

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Reading Roundup | May

Hi, Last month was a slow one for reading, I only finished two books, I'm really hoping to find the time in June to catch up on my Goodreads goal (currently one book behind). Both the books I read last month where ones I knew nothing about because I picked them up from my local charity shop for just 50p each.

Reading Challenge 14/35

The Sky Is Everywhere

Author - Jandy Nelson

Page Count - 320

First Published - 2010
 

Seventeen year old Lennie Walker is an avid clarinet player and content with living life in the slow lane shadowed by her older sister Bailey. The story starts just after Bailey's sudden death and covers Lennie’s feelings and how she handles the sudden loss of her sister. Lennie is forced to take center stage in her own life and suddenly boys are very much a part of her life. She is stuck between Toby her sister’s boyfriend who she finds a connection with because of their joint grief and the new boy who causes Lennie immense happiness. I was reading this book waiting for the inevitable to happen.

I read 'I'll give you the sun' another book by Jandy Nelson and loved her writing style, it’s very similar in this book, very honest and funny at times. A classic YA of self discovery with some romance thrown in, also covering grief and guilt. One of my favourite parts about this book is the illustrated pages littered throughout the book with these poems/stories that Lennie writes and then hides.

Monster

Author – C.J. Skuse
Page Count - 318
First Published - 2015

Nash is sixteen and thinks her biggest struggle is the fight for head girl at her prestigious boarding school Bathory. Her brother goes missing while traveling and her parents are forced to leave Nash at the school over the Christmas holidays to try and locate him. There have been reports of sightings of the Beast of Bathory (an old town legend) and people are going missing or been found dead. A blizzard rages outside the school and things start to get weird. The girls left behind over the holidays have to work together to survive until help arrives.

I believe this book would be classed as a thriller but with a YA setting, I'm not the biggest fan of thrillers as I feel a lot of the book tends to be filler to hold the suspense. I didn't dislike this book but I do think it's one that needs to be devoured and read in a few sittings to truly make the most of it. I struggled with the book because I didn't have the time to truly get into it.

Is there a genre of book you struggle to enjoy?

Sam

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Books I Want To Read In 2017

Hi, I wanted to share my Goodreads 'To Read List' which is pretty much what I would like to read this year but I'm open to change. My goal yet again is 35 as I only just manage to complete it again (December is always a blur), but I think it's still a worthy number to accomplish. Most of the books on my list are ones I cross referenced with my local library's inventory to see what I could go and read for free. I think it's really important to support your local library as more and more are being shut down because they are seen to be unused. Plus you can read loads of books and you don't have to feel guilty about your bank balance.

 

Books I Want To Read In 2017

To Get From The Library

1. Way Down Dark - Smythe, J.P.
2. All the Bright Places - Jennifer Niven
3. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
4. The Heart Goes Last - Margaret Atwood
5. Luckiest Girl Alive- Jessica Knoll
6. Dear Amy - Helen Callaghan
7. We Were Liars - E. Lockhart
8. The Daughter's Secret - Eva Holland
9. Faceless - Alyssa B. Sheinmel
10. Illuminae - Amie Kaufman
11. The Bone Dragon - Alexia Casale
12. The Next Together - Lauren James
13. The Next Beginning - Lauren James
14. The End of the World Running Club - Adrian J. Walker
15. Solitaire - Alice Oseman
16. Drop - Katie Everson
17. A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness
18. If I Was Your Girl - Meredith Russo
19. I Was Here - Gayle Forman
20. Paper Butterflies - Lisa Heathfield
21. The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
22. Nerve - Jeanne Ryan
23. Furthermore - Tahereh Mafi
24. The Lost and the Found - Cat Clarke
25. This Savage Song - Victoria Schwab

Physical Copies I Own

1. Seed - Lisa Heathfield
2. Riot - Sarah Mussi
3. The Potion Diaries - Amy Alward
4. The Potion Dairies : Royal Tour - Amy Alward
5. Beautiful Broken Things - Sara Barnard
6. Radio Silence - Alice Oseman
7. The Girl on the Train - Paula Hawkins
8. The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir - Lesley Allen*
9. Sockpuppet - Matthew Blakstad*
10. The Last Days of Night - Graham Moore*

So there is my collection of books I'd really like to read this year or at some point in the future at least. This post isn't that helpful for what the books are actually about but I'd like to do some smaller TBR posts with synopsis when I choose what I'm reading at that time. Every book sounds really interesting to me and I can't wait to see which of these books leaves a lasting impression.

 Have you read any of the books above or do you have anything you'd recommend I read?

Sam

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*book was won in a Goodreads giveaway

Reading Roundup | December Book Reviews

Hi, I did it I completed my pledged 35 books and today I'm sharing my reviews of the last three books of 2016. I'm aiming for 35 books again this year so I need to get reading. If you want to know what my favourite books of last year where check out my post 2016 In Books | My Favourite Books This Year.

December Reading Roundup - Year Book Count 35!

The Big Lie

Author - Julie Mayhew

Page Count - 323

First Published - 2015  

I have a habit of coming across books on Goodreads liking the synopsis and then forgetting what they are about but knowing that I want to read it. On my last visit to my local library I picked out 'The Big Lie' which is basically a story asking what if the Nazi's had won the war and Britain was now part of the Greater German Reich.

Jessika Keller is a good girl with the perfect life set out in front of her. Jessika is naive, believing everything she is told. She follows rules to the tee and is forced to choose where her loyalties stand on a daily basis. One of the more unexpected plot lines was Jessika's forbidden sexuality, this story has strong LGBT themes. Her ultimate sacrifice is who does she stand by? her family, her best friend or her country.

The concept for the story is not new but the way it's told from a young females perspective is. Maybe I loved this book so much because I wasn't expecting to, the subject really got me thinking. It's a while after reading this book that I'm writing this review and the story is still with me. I'd really recommend that you put it on your 2017 TBR.

Lament

Author - Maggie Stiefvater

Page Count - 356

First Published - 2011
 

I have mixed feeling about this book, it was neither good or bad I just didn't connect with the characters or the story. I picked 'Lament' and it's follow up 'Ballad' back in March from a charity shop. If I saw them now I'd leave them behind as I know that I just can't read supernatural romance books anymore.

The books romance is very close to that of Bella in Twilight. The female character in this case named Dee just can't help but be attracted to Luke. Dee is a cloverhand which means she can see faeries. One day Luke turns up and everything she knew about her world changes, it comes to light that Luke is really an assassin sent to murder her.

My issue with the story was that nothing was every really explained, a lot of faerie related terminology is used but then not expanded on. Dee is all too ready to just accept the faerie realm like it's a normal occurrence. There are unexplained connections between characters which just annoyed me as why even have them if there's no meaning behind it. Overall it was a quick read and not unreadable but I'm not rushing to read 'Ballad'.

The Hogfather

Author - Terry Pratchett

Page Count - 445

First Published - 1996
 

Well this is a weird book to review as I've already got an idea about the characters and the city of Ankh-Morpork for reading previous disc world books. I don't know if I'd have enjoyed it as much if I didn't know Pratchett's writing style. It's a good stand alone book with enough relatable subject matter referring to Christmas and the general festive feeling that the story is easy to follow.

Someone has hired an assassin to rid the world of The Hogfather so Death has donned his red suit to remind the humans about their need to believe. Pratchett's books are well known for there dark humor and this book is no exception. I'm going to see if I can find the televised version to compare.

What's the first book of the New Year you're reading?

Sam

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2016 In Books | What I Read

Hi, Another year almost over and another 35 books read. I completed my Goodreads challenge today with a mad reading session to get the final book finished (I always forget how much time Christmas takes up). I've added my overall stars out of five on the books I've read this past year so you can see what I've enjoyed the most.

2016 Pledged Books

1. Infinite Sky - C.J. Flood ★★★☆☆

2. Divergent - Veronica Roth ★★★★★

3. Insurgent - Veronica Roth ★★★★★
4. It’s Not Me, It’s You - Mhairi McFarlane ★★★☆☆

5. Panic - Lauren Oliver ★★★☆☆

6. Allegiant - Veronica Roth ★★★★☆

7. The Fire Sermon - Francesca Haig ★★★☆☆

8. The Year of the Rat - Clare Furniss ★★★☆☆
9. Room - Emma Donoghue ★★★★☆

10. All the Rage - Courtney Summers ★★★★☆

 11. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling ★★★★☆

12. The Martian - Andy Weir ★★★☆☆

13. The Girl with All the Gifts - M.R. Carey ★★★★★

14. The Glittering Art of Falling Apart - Ilana Fox ★★★★★
15. Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy - Lucy-Anne Holmes ★★★★☆

 16. The Age of Miracles - Karen Thompson Walker ★★★★☆

17. What Milo Saw - Virginia Macgregor ★★★☆☆

18. The Crooked House - Christobel Kent ★★☆☆☆

19. Shiver - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★☆☆

20. Linger - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★☆

21. Forever - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★☆
22. Summer Nights at the Moonlight Hotel - Jane Costello ★★★★☆

23. The Miniaturist - Jessie Burton ★★★☆☆

24. Sinner - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★★☆
25. Soulmates - Holly Bourne ★★★★☆

 26. A Step Towards Falling - Cammie McGovern ★★★★☆

27. What's a Girl Gotta Do? - Holly Bourne ★★★★☆
28. Four: A Divergent Story Collection - Veronica Roth ★★★☆☆
29. This Last Kiss - Madeleine Reiss ★★★★★
30. Armada - Ernest Cline ★★★☆☆

 31. Asking for it - Louise O'Neill ★★★☆☆
32. I’ll give you the sun - Jandy Nelson ★★★★☆
33. The Big Lie - Julie Mayhew ★★★★★
34. Lament - Maggie Stiefvater ★★★☆☆
35. The Hogfather - Terry Pratchett ★★★☆☆

Some of my favorite books from this year where the most unexpected. The books that I gave five stars too where The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey, The Glittering Art of Falling Apart by Ilana Fox, The first two books in the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, This Last Kiss by Madeleine Reiss and lastly The Big Lie by Julie Mayhew.

Books that I didn't rate as high but I'd recommend everyone reads include The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker, All the Rage by Courtney Summers, What's a Girl Gotta Do? by Holly Bourne, Asking for it by Louise O'Neill and I’ll give you the sun by Jandy Nelson.

I'm already planning my TBR for 2017 and I'm so looking forward to getting ahead on next years reading challenge. I'm thinking about sharing my TBR, would this be something you're interested in seeing?

Sam 

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