August 2021 Reading Wrap-up

With eleven books finished this month, this is not only a 2021 record, but the most I’ve read in one month in a really long time! Could it be the new lockdown having something to do with it? I certainly have more free time than I did this time last month. And I’m walking each day, giving me more time for audio books. Not that any of this would make me wish our new slew of COVID cases on anyone just for more reading time!

PAST MONTH’S READING:

1. Hidden By Jade (Razor’s Edge Chronicles #5) by Celine Jeanjean (urban fantasy – 3 stars – review) (read July, reviewed August)
2. Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts by Kate Racculia (contemporary/magical realism– 4 stars – review) (read July, reviewed August)
3. This Will Be Funny Someday by Katie Henry (contemporary YA – 4 stars – review)
4. I’ll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara (non-fiction/true crime – 3 stars – review)
5. The Dry by Jane Harper (crime/thriller – 4 stars – review)
6. Sadie by Courtney Summers (YA crime/thriller – 3 stars – review)
7. Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (play script – unrated – not intending to review)
8. Where Shadows Rise (Sanctuary #1) by Amy Laurens (YA fantasy – 3 stars – review)
9. Paddington Helps Out by Michael Bond (children’s – 4 stars – not intending to review)
10. Shadowblack (Spellsilnger #2) by Sebastien de Castell (YA fantasy – 4 stars – review forthcoming)
11. Ferryman (Ferryman #1) by Claire McFall (YA fantasy/romance – 2.5 stars – review forthcoming)
12. The Court of Miracles (A Court of Miracles #1) by Kester Grant (YA historical/retelling – 3 stars – review forthcoming)
13. Geekerella by Ashley Poston (YA contemporary/retelling – 4 stars – review forthcoming)

BOOKTUBE:

I have a YouTube channel where I promote Australian books using the hashtag #AusReads, and also indulge my compulsion for signing up to readathons. Here are the latest videos:

1. Royal Readathon TBR
2. Royal Readathon Mid-Month Update
3. Royal Readathon Wrap-Up

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

I’ve really enjoyed the first two books in the Spellslinger series. These were the only two I had on hand when I took this photo, but I now have the rest of the series and I can’t wait to dive into book three.

You can see all my bookish photos (plus some RL as well) on my Instagram.

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: nothing at the moment.

Ebook: I have just started The Performance by Claire Thomas for book club. It’s technically the August book but our catch-up is not until September 5 so I have plenty of time!

Audio book: I’ve started tentatively dipping my toe into the horror genre, despite being a wimp most of the time. Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes was recommended for people of my scaredy-cat level, so I have started listening to it.

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

I’m keen to get started on Charmcaster by Sebastien de Castell, the third Spellslinger book. I’m also planning to spend September reading some more books and other resources relating to self-publishing so those are definitely high on the list.

What are you reading? 🙂

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August 2020 Reading Wrap-up

I’m a little bit disappointed as I sit down to write this post. I swear I read more than this post suggests. I guess it’s because I started two 500+ page books, neither of which I have managed to finish yet.

PAST MONTH’S READING:

1. Euphoria Kids (YA fantasy – 4 stars – review) (read July, reviewed August)
2. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (sci-fi/horror – 4 stars – review) (read July, reviewed August)
3. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (YA fantasy – 4 stars – review)
4. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (gothic horror – 3 stars – review forthcoming)

5. None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney (YA thriller – 4 stars – review forthcoming)

6. Ring of Bright Water by Gavin Maxwell (memoir – 4 stars – not intending to review)

BOOKTUBE:

I’m really enjoying vlogging again! I’m hoping to stick with it! Even if I didn’t do so great with the readathon!

I didn’t put anything up this month (I’ve got a couple of things lined up and ready to go, though), but here are the videos I posted in July again, in case you’re interested:

1. 2020 Trope-ical Readathon TBR
2. Trope-ical TBR Blooper Reel

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

The cover of Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina

I think my re-read of Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina marks the first time I have re-read in print a book that I first read in audio form.

The difference was amazing! I didn’t find the audio book engaging at all, and only gave the book 2 stars as a result. But reading it in print, seeing the way the characters stories and the overall storytelling and the formatting all interact. It was brilliant!

You can see all my bookish photos (plus some RL as well) on my Instagram.

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I’m re-reading this for one of my book clubs, having initially listened to the audio book in 2016. It’s such beautiful writing!

I’m also reading The Toll by Neal Shusterman, the third and final book in the Arc of Scythe series. Yay for actually finishing series that I start!

Ebook: Scone and Spells by Rosie Pease. I started this a few weeks ago but I got distracted. This is a fairly light read though so once I get back to it, it shouldn’t take too long to get through.

Audio book: Axiom’s End by Lindasy Ellis. This is absolutely my jam. I love books that explore the political ramifications of first contact. And this one sounds like it has linguistic stuff, too! Agggh. I’m less than an hour into it at the moment but I think I’m going to really enjoy it!

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

Apart from the books hanging over from August, I’m only reading Australian books this month! Or attempting to. I think I’ll read Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta next. I’ve had this one on my shelf for a while and I’ll still be in a fantasy mood after The Night Circus, most likely!

What are you reading? 🙂

Combined July and August 2019 Reading Wrap-up

I was travelling at the end of July and I’d read so few books during July it hardly seemed like they warranted their own post anyway. In August, I found my groove again and started making up for it. I’m still behind on my GoodReads 2019 challenge but I’m not too bothered about that. 

Past Month’s Reading:

July:

 

1. 1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (MG fantasy – 5 stars – not intending to review)
   2. Lair of Dreams (The Diviners #2) by Libba Bray (YA historical fantasy – 3 stars – review)
   3. The Nowhere Emporium by Ross McKenzie (MG historical fantasy – 4 stars – review)
   4. Cupid’s Match by Lauren Palphreyman (YA urban fantasy – 3 stars – review)
   5. The Book With No Pictures by B. J. Novak (children’s/humour – 4 stars – not intending to review)

August: 

1.  
   1. Mother Tongue by Juliue Mayhew (YA historical fiction – 3 stars – review)
   2. Small Spaces by Katherine Arden (MG urban fantasy – 3 stars – not intending to review)
   3. Cleaning House by Jeanne G’Fellers (queer fantasy – 3 stars – review)
   4. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (contemporary fantasy – 3 stars – review)
   5. Women of Wasps and War by Madeleine D’Este (fantasy – 4.5 stars – review)
   6. A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle (MG fantasy – 2 stars – not intending to review)
   7. The Women In Black by Madeleine St John (historical fiction – 4 stars – review)

It wasn’t until I started writing this post that I realised I had read three books by authors called Madeleine in a row. Ha. 

Booktube:

I have a BookTube Channel where I talk about Australian books. For the last few months, this has been sadly abandoned, but I have a script ready to go to get back into it in September. 

You can check out the channel here. 

Favourite Bookish Photo:

For July:

For August: 

You can see all my bookish photos (plus some RL as well) on my Instagram.

Currently Reading:

Physical book: No physical book at the moment.

Ebook: I am reading Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This has a folky, fairytale air to it that I am enjoying.

Audio book: I have started The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee but I’ve listened to less than an hour at time of writing. I’m not sure if Monty’s going to grow on me at his point. 

Planning to read next:

I have You Must Be Layla By Yassmin Abdel-Magied from the library. It has mixed reviews but will the second book by an Australian WOC for my Australian Women Writers Challenge (and the diversity challenge I set myself within the main one). 

What are you reading? 🙂

August 2018 Reading Wrap-up

Past Month’s Reading:

I  felt rather slumpy this month, though seven titles, only two of which were audio, is not a bad effort for a month. Particularly considering I have been quite busy and reading time was hard to come by. I’m also a bit behind on my reviews! August seemed to drag on, there were times when I wasn’t well, and on top of that, I also had uni work and job applications pop up and take up a lot of time.

• Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (dystopia – 4 stars – review) (read July, reviewed August)
• Loch of the Dead by Oscar de Muriel (historical mystery – 3 stars – review)
• Legion by Brandon Sanderson (science fiction – 4 stars – review)
• Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel (science fiction – 4 stars – review forthcoming)
• Blackwing by Ed McDonald (fantasy – 3 stars – review forthcoming)
• All the Little Bones by Ellie Marney (contemporary/crime/romance – 5 stars – review)
• Waking Gods by Sylvain Neuvel (science fiction – 3 stars – review forthcoming)
• Legion: Skin Deep by Brandon Sanderson (science fiction – 3 stars – not planning to review)

Currently reading:

Physical book: As I just finished Skin Deep literally last night, I am currently not in the middle of anything.

Ebook: Ditto.

Audio book: I have just started Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel, the third and final book in the Themis Files. I have really enjoyed the first two so I hope this last instalment lives up to them. 

Planning to read next:

Someone in a Facebook group I’m a part of suggested trying an anthology to stop feeling so slumpy. I have picked up Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy, which features 13 stories from the villain’s perspective by different popular YA authors. I’m  really excited to read this one.

How is your reading going?