February 2021 Reading Wrap-up

February was another slow reading month and I was lucky to get through four books. I went through a two week reading slump where I DNFed a few things and didn’t feel like reading anything. Fortunately, I feel that I have pulled out of that now. GoodReads is telling me I’m four books behind schedule on my goal (75 books for the year) but I’m hopeful I’ll be able to catch up in March.

PAST MONTH’S READING:

1. A Whole New World (Twisted Tales #1) by Liz Braswell (YA fairy tale retelling/fantasy – 3 stars – review) (read December 2020, reviewed February 2021)

2. A Wild Winter Song by Gregory Maguire (magical realism/historical fantasy – 2.5 stars – review) (read January, reviewed February)

3. Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed (YA contemporary/historical – 4 stars – review) (read January, reviewed February)

4. Hard Time (Time Police #2) by Jodi Taylor (YA sci-fi- 3 stars – review) (read January, reviewed February)

5. Axiom’s End (Noumena #1) by Lindsay Ellis (sci-fi – 4 stars – review)

6. Everless by Sara Holland (YA fantasy – 3 stars – reread, no review)

7. Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault (historical fantasy/retelling – 4 stars – review forthcoming)

8. Touched By Magic by Celine Jeanjean (urban fantasy – 3 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. March 2021 Trope-ical Readathon TBR

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

This was the library haul I ended up with very early on in the year. Usually I have a decent amount of self-restraint when I go to the library but it failed me a few times in a row .

Teo books standing side-by-side. They are The Binding by Bridget Collins and sligthly taller, The Betrayals, also by Bridget Collins.

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

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: I have started Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta as my first Trope-ical Readathon book. The prompt is a book written pre-2000; it was published in 1992.

Ebook: I am a couple of chapters into my ARC of The Girl in the Sunflower Dress by Katie Montinaro. I met Katie on a self-publishing course last year and we connected on social media afterwards. I was excited to get a copy of her debut and give her that support.

Audio book: I will soon be starting The Christmas Hirelings by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. This is under 4 hours long and I’m using it for the audio book for Trope-ical Readathon.

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

In the interests of keeping the reading slump at bay, I am planning to keep reading fairly light books. I’ve been meaning to read Geekerella by Ashley Poston for a while, so I think that will be my next read.

What are you reading? 🙂

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January 2021 Reading Wrap-up

January has been a bit slow for reading and even slower for reviewing. I never really felt settled into a new 2021 routine before I took a week’s holiday to go visit my parents. I feel like I’m finding my groove now but I do think it’s a bit rude that my GoodReads challenge is already saying I’m two books beh

So without further ado:

PAST MONTH’S READING:

1. A Wild Winter Song by Gregory Maguire (magical realism/historical fantasy – 3 stars – not intending to review)

2. The Rising Rooks by Celine Jeanjean (fantasy/steampunk – 5 stars – review)

3. Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know by Samira Ahmed (YA contemporary/historical – 4 stars – review forthcoming

4. Hard Time by Jodi Taylor (YA sci-fi- 3 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. How I nearly completed a readathon for once in 2020 – #AusReads and #Musicalathon Wrap-up
2. December Library Haul – What I’ll be reading over the holidays

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

This was the library haul I ended up with very early on in the year. Usually I have a decent amount of self-restraint when I go to the library but it failed me a few times in a row .

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

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: I have returned to Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis. I am really enjoying this, but I can understand why some people would find it slow or tedious.

Ebook: Nothing at the moment.

Audio book: While in theory I have an audio book in progress, it’s very much on hold at the moment as I really haven’t been in the mood for audio books.

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

I think next will be Everless and Evermore by Sara Holland. I gave Everless five stars when I read it as an ARC a few years ago, but I never got around to reading the sequel. So I may just skim Everless and then dive into Evermore properly. Or I might get totally sucked in. I can’t remember much so I probably will. Hopefully I enjoy it just as much the second time around!

What are you reading? 🙂

December 2020 Reading Wrap-up

December was not only a good reading month, but I managed to get back into reviewing regularly! Apparently having an accountability thread on Twitter can work wonders! I’ve still got two books to review, but those will be coming in the next few days. So without further ado:

PAST MONTH’S READING:

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles, Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle, Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, Stranger Planet by Nathan W. Pyle, The Binding by Bridget Collins

1. The Binding by Bridget Collins (fantasy – 4 stars – review)

2. Strange Planet by Nathan W. Pyle (comic – 5 stars – not intending to review)

3. Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan (YA contemporary – 3 stars – review

4. Stranger Planet by Nathan W. Pyle (comic – 5 stars – not intending to review)

5. Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles (YA fantasy – 4 stars – review

6. The Iron Line by L. M. Merrington (historical fiction – 3.5 stars – review

7. A Very Krampy Christmas (Gretchens [Mis]Adventures #8) by P. A. Mason (fantasy/humour – 4 stars – review

8. She’s Having a Laugh, edited by George McInroe (creative non-fiction – 3 stars – review

9. Universal Love: Stories by Alexander Weinstein (short stories/sci-fi – 4 stars – review forthcoming

10. A Whole New World by Liz Braswell (fantasy/fairytale retelling – 3 stars – review forthcoming

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell, Universal Love: Stories by Alexander Weinstein, She’s Having A Laugh, edited George McInroe, A Very Krampy Christmas by P. A. Mason, The Iron Line by L. M. Merrington

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. How I nearly completed a readathon for once in 2020 – #AusReads and #Musicalathon Wrap-up
2. December Library Haul – What I’ll be reading over the holidays

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

Whoops, I didn’t post a single bookish photo throughout December. (In my defence, I spent the month feeling exhausted). Here’s one I just posted yesterday, an aesthetic for my circus fantasy, Facing the Music, which I’m hoping to finish writing this year.

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

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: A Wild Winter Swan by Gregory Maguire. I’m reading this for the Swell Publications book club, but I have to be honest, I’m not really into it. It’s a bit too literary/magical realism for my tastes.

Ebook: The Rising Rooks by Celine Jeanjean. This is the last book in the Viper and the Urchin series and I can’t believe it’s coming to an end. This is an ARC and the book comes out on January 9, so I geuss I’d better get a wriggle on!

Audio book: Hench by Natalie Zina Walshots. This is a really interesting deconstruction of the superhero genre. While superheroes aren’t generally my cup of tea, this one was highly recommended by Seanan McGuire and so far I am liking it.

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

I have a huge pile of library books all due back on January 16, so it’ll need to be one of those. I’m not 100% sure which yet, though Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth is fairly high up on the list.

What are you reading? 🙂

November 2020 Reading Wrap-up

November was a much better reading month than the past couple, I’m glad to say.

SEPTEMBER READING:

Cosi by Louis Nowra, Ripper by Angela Slatter, Newsletter Ninja by Tammi Labrecque, Breaking the Surface by RebeccaLangham, Who Could That Be At This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

1. Cosi by Louis Nowra (play script – 3 stars – not intending to review)

2. Ripper by Angela Slatter (historical fantasy – 4 stars – review)

3. Newsletter Ninja by Tammi Labrecque (non-fiction – 5 stars – not intending to review)

4. Breaking the Surface (Outsiders Project #2) by Rebecca Langham (sci-fi/LGBTI – 4 stars – review)

5. Who Could That Be At This Hour? (All the Wrong Questions #1) by Lemony Snicket (MG humour – 3 stars – not intending to review)

6. A Pocketful of Eyes by Lili Wilkinson (YA contemporary/mystery- 4 stars – review)

7. Doing Time (Time Police #1) by Jodi Taylor (YA sci-fi – 3 stars – not intending to review)

8. The Lefthanded Booksellers of London (YA historical fantasy – 2 stars – not intending to review)

A Pocketful of Eyes by Lili Wilkinson, Doing Time by Jodi Taylor, The Left-handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

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. #AusReads #Musicalathon November TBR

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

The book “The Binding” by Bridget Collins sits on a wooden table at an angle. There is a latte in a tall glass next to it. .

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

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: The Binding by Bridget Collins. I’m reading this for one of my book clubs. It’s a slow burn, definitely. And there are a few world-building things that are bothering me. But other than that, I’m enjoying it.

Ebook: The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. At this point, I’m not sure if I’m going to see this through. The worldbuilding is incredibly flimsy and the main character is kind of awful… but some reviewers and friends whose bookish opinions I respect a lot say it is surprisingly touching and fun, so I’m trying to give it a chance.

Audio book: Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles. This was one of my most anticipated 2020 releases and so far it’s living up to expectations. Steve West is also one of the narrators and I loved his performances of the Strange the Dreamer books; it’s really great to be hearing his voice again.

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

I’m really looking forward to Hollowpox (Nevermoor #3) by Jessica Townsend! Even if the Hollowpox is a mysterious illness affecting Wunimals. I wonder if that aspect of the plot was part of the reason for delaying the original early-2020 release. Anyway, I need to read three more books to complete my 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge and this is definitely high on the list.

What are you reading? 🙂

September/October 2020 Reading Wrap-up

It’s another “monthly” wrap-up covering two months, as I didn’t really read enough during September to warrant the effort of writing a post. October improved, even as I was madly scrabbling to finish my last book to make it count for this month.

SEPTEMBER READING:

1. Sleep No More by Ellie Marney (YA crime – 4 stars – review) (read August, reviewed September)

2. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (gothic horror – 3 stars – review) (read August, reviewed September)

3. The Blood Countess (Pandora English #1) by Tara Moss (YA urban fantasy – 3 stars – review)

4. Holiday Brew (Belladonna U #2) by Tansy Rayner Roberts (urban fantasy – 4 stars – review)

5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (historical fantasy – 4 stars – re-read, no review)

OCTOBER READING:

1. People of Abandoned Character by Clare Whitfield (historical fiction – 4 stars – review)

2. Veiled War by Celine Jeanjean (steampunk fantasy – 5 stars – review)

3. Future Girl by Asphyxia (YA contemporary/sci-fi – 5 stars – review)

4. It’s Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake by Claire Christian (contemporary romance/comedy – 5 stars – review)

5. Lovely War by Julie Berry (historical/magical realism – 4 stars – not intending to review)

6. Coraline by Neil Gaiman (MG horror- 2 stars – not intending to review)

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. August 2020 Trope-ical Readathon Wrap-up
2. How I Failed at #AusReadsSept
3. #AusReads Mid-month Update

FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

I didn’t post any bookish photos in September, so have a couple from October:

The book “Future Girl” by Asphyxia being held up in front of a sign that says “Paperchain Manuka”. The photo was taken for Love Your Bookshop Day on October 03.

The book “Lovely War” by Julie Berry sitting on a wooden table, with a bunch of white flowers next to it.

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

CURRENTLY READING:

Physical book: Harlequin’s Riddle by Rachel Nightingale. I have to admit this hasn’t really grabbed me, but I’m about two thirds of the way through and I plan to finish it.

Ebook: Nothing on the go at the moment.

Audio book: Doing Time by Jodi Taylor… i have to admit I’m less than an hour in and I already have a few issues with the writing style, but I’m giving it a bit more of a chance before I write it off.

PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta has been on my monthly TBRs for a while now but this is the month it definitely gets read! Promise!

What are you reading? 🙂

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? 🙂

July 2020 Reading Wrap-up

July was a bit of a weird reading month. It started strong but then I got stuck on an ARC I wasn’t enjoying and ended up in a bit of a slump. I came through in the end though, with a total of four books read in the month.

When lockdown hit and I only read one book for the entire month of March, I lowered my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal from my usual 75 down to 50. I’ve hit 41 now and I am hoping to read at least 9 books in August (I’m doing another readathon!) So I’ll definitely surpass my goal and it’ll be interesting to see by how much.

PAST MONTH’S READING:

1. Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans (YA fantasy – 3.5 stars – review forthcoming)

2. Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant (sci-fi/horror – 4 stars – review forthcoming)

3. The Opium Smuggler (The Viper and the Urching #7, Origins #1) by Celine Jeanjean (fantasy/steampunk – 4 stars – review)

4. Catching Teller Crow by Ambellin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina (YA magical realism – 4 stars – reread, no review)

BOOKTUBE:

I resurrected my Booktube account! I posted two thing!. I decided I’m going to do readathons via YouTube, and keep this here blog for reviews and monthly wrap-ups. And the occasional tags like Down the TBR Hole (which I haven’t done in a while – time to get back to that one!)

Here’s what I posted:

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

   FAVOURITE BOOKISH PHOTO:

   

   Damsel by Elana K. Arnold and Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova

   I almost thought I didn’t post anything bookish this month, until I remembered my birthday photos!

   It was my birthday last weekend and while I was not expecting gifts from anyone, several people gave me book vouchers! So I was not complaining! One of the vouchers went towards Damsel by Elana K. ARnold and Incendiary by Zoraida Cordova, both books I have on my TBR.

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

   CURRENTLY READING:

   

   Physical book: Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte. This is a library book I I had to put on hold while I was reading ARCs, and it got to the point I had to renew it, but I’m enjoying diving into it now.

   

   Ebook: Scone and Spells by Rosie Pease. I started this a few weeks ago and again 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: All Systems Red by Martha Wells… to be honest, I’m not entirely sure I am going to continue with this. The book has come highly recommended but the audio book is not read in a very engaging way. So I might switch to the ebook.

   PLANNING TO READ NEXT:

   

   Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. This was, um, my book club’s July read, but I’m not sure any of us managed to finish it in July. Our meet-up is not until August 09 for this reason!

   What are you reading? 🙂

   

June 2020 Reading Wrap-Up

Wow, we are now halfway through 2020! For a year that has dragged on beyond belief in some ways, it’s hard to believe we’re already at the midpoint.  

Past Month’s Reading

1. Burn by Patrick Ness (YA alternate history/fantasy – 4 stars – review)
2. Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl #1) by Eoin Colfer (MG fantasy – 5 stars – not intending to review)
3. Thunderhead (Arc of Scythe 2) by Neal Shusterman (YA dystopia – 3 stars – not intending to review)
4. What Unbreakable Looks Like by Kate McLaughlin (YA contemporary – 4 stars – review)
5. A Natural History of Dragons (Memoirs of Lady Trent #1) by Marie Brennan (fantasy – 4 stars – review)
6. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch (sci-fi – 2.5 stars – not intending to review)
7. Of Hair and No Hair (Gretchen’s Misadventures #3) by P. A. Mason (fantasy/satire – 4 stars – not intending to review)

Favourite Bookish Photo:

It was definitely the month for reading dragon stories and writing dragon stories and buying other dragon stories I haven’t read yet! There were a lot of dragons this month. You can see all my bookish photos (plus some RL as well) on my Instagram.

Currently Reading:

Physical book: Euphoria Kids by Alison Evans. This is a beautiful YA fantasy about trans and non-binary characters just living their lives with fairies and witchcraft. I’m really enjoying it. 

Ebook: Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant is both my ebook and audio book at the moment thanks to Whisper Sync. I love that this delves into mermaids but with a sci-fi bent. But also some horror elements. It’s not what I would normally read but I love Seanan McGuire (Mira Grant’s alter ego) so I wanted to check this out. 

Audio book: See above.

Planning to Read Next:

This is not completely set in stone, but I think it will be Angel Mage by Garth Nix. I got rather distracted from my 20 Books in Summer challenge of reading all the Australian books I own, so it’s time to get back to that. 

What have you been reading lately? 🙂

#Medievalathon and General May Reading Wrap-up

I thought this was going to be another slow reading month, but much to my surprise, I finished quite a few books! I managed to negate what I thought was a trend of reading fewer than five books in odd-numbered months and many more in even-numbered ones. So yay that!

Past Month’s Reading:

I decided to do a Medievalathon wrap-up and my usual monthly wrap-up in the same post, since there didn’t seem to be much point in repeating what I read during the month in two separate posts. So instead of just a list, you also get the prompts these books filled as well. The graphics show you what I earned by fulfilling each prompt.

 A Pristine Book: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton (literary spec fic – 4 stars – review).

A book under 300 pages: Greythorne by L. M. Merrington (Gothic/historical fiction – 4 stars – review)

A book with a dragon on the cover: Ochre Dragon by V. E. Patton (fantasy – 4 stars – review)

A scary book: The King of Crows by Libba Bray (The Diviners #4) (YA historical fantasy – 4 stars – review forthcoming)

A book with orange on the cover: Oasis by Katya de Becerra (YA sci-fi – 2.5 stars – review)

A romance: Kindred: 12 Queer #LoveOzYA Stories edited by Michael Earp (YA short stories/various genres – stars – review forthcoming).

I also read Writing Killer Cover Copy by Elana Johnson, but it didn’t fit any of the prompts. It was a non-fiction four-star read. 

So to sum up, I made it to the rank of Queen at least, and Empress if you count the non-prompt-y book. Not a bad effort! 

Favourite Bookish Photo:

Uhhh… this was my only bookish photo this month. It also might be my most popular Instagram post ever!  You can see all my bookish photos (plus some RL as well) on my Instagram.

Currently Reading:

Physical book: Burn by Patrick Ness. Alternate history — with dragons! I’m really enjoying this so far. I don’t even notice the pages turning. I was hoping to finish this in May and also earn the shield for Medievalathon (a book you have high expectations for) but I guess if my weapon is bows and arrows, I can’t hold a shield anyway, can I? 

Ebook: Potency (Glow #1) by Aubrey Hadley. I haven’t had any ARCs for a while but I remembered I had two due in June, so I thought I’d best make a start. This was originally slated for release a year ago, but the consistent feedback they received from Netgalley led to them taking time to redevelop a lot of it. This is the updated version (I never received the original). I’m interested to see how it goes. 

Audio book: .Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman, number two in the Arc of Scythe. I didn’t love the first book enough to go out and buy the second, so I waited until my library’s copy became available. I’m really enjoying Greg Tremblay’s narration. I wonder if I might have liked the first book a bit more had I also listened to it. 

Planning to read next:

I’m taking part in the blog tour (my first one!) for What Unbreakable Looks Like by Katie McLaughlin, so I want to make sure I’ve read it well before the due date of my review. 

What are you reading? 🙂

March/April 2020 Reading Wrap-up

What a weird month March was! I read one whole book and DNFed a bunch. I just wasn’t in the mood. Things were changing so rapidly and I just didn’t have the space for books. I was more interested in spending time on Facebook checking in on friends and trying to get work-from-home arrangements all sorted.

Fortunately, I feel like April has calmed down a little. I know this comes from a place of privilege, but now that shut-down has reached the point of “Don’t go out except for essentials” and there is actually a list of what those are, I feel like I know what I’m doing, rather than balancing on a knife-edge, waiting for more news.

Since I only read one book in the whole of March, I’ve rolled that month in with this month’s wrap-up. As usual, I have not always written a review, but I’ll link to GoodReads if I expressed more than a sentence or two of thoughts there.

Past Month’s Reading

1. The True Colour of the Sea by Robert Drewe (short stories/literary fiction – 2 stars – GoodReads)
2.  Scythe (Arc of Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman (YA dystopia – 3.5 stars – review)
3. Troll Hunter: Witch For Hire by P A. Mason (fantasy – 4 stars – not intending to review)
4. The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews (historical romance – 3 stars – not intending to review)
5. That Night In Paris (Holiday Romance #2) by Sandy Barker (romance – 3.5 stars – review)
6. Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal by Anna Whateley (YA contemporary – 5 stars – review)
7. The Damsel Gauntlet by P. A. Mason (fantasy – 4 stars – review)
8. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman (contemporary romance – 3 stars – mini review) 
9. Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (YA sci-fi – 4 stars – review)
10. There she Goes by Lynne Shelby (contemporary romance – 3 stars – mini-review)
11. Cookies and Curses by Rosie Pease (cozy mystery/paranormal – 3.5 stars stars – mini review)

Interesting how many of these were romances of one form or another. I have no idea where to find it now but I was reading an article a few weeks ago about how sales of romance always go up in times of crisis, and how romance books basically kept the publishing industry afloat during WW2.  I think we all need a guaranteed happy ending or two to get us through these strange times. 

Booktube

I have an announcement on that front. After several months of sporadic posting, I have finally decided to let my Booktube channel die. It was started on a bit of a whim and it was fun for a while. But I wasn’t really invested in it and putting together videos takes a lot more work than blogging. So I’m just going to keep this as my little corner of the bookish Internets. 

Favourite Bookish Photo:

March: 

I’m probably a little bit biased with this one, as I’m currently in (online) rehearsals for a musical adaptation of The Thornthwaite Inheritance by Gareth P. Jones. But seriously, these books were such fun. If you enjoy The Addams Family and A Series of Unfortunate Events and quirky British humour, then you will love these books! 

April: 

We might be going into the colder months here but we are lucky enough to still get beautiful sunny days even when it’s chilly. This photo was taken on a Saturday morning when I  sat outside on my sun lounge and read for a couple of hours. I read Aurora Rising just in time for the sequel, which came out a couple of days ago. 

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

Currently Reading: 

Physical book: Ochre Dragon by V. E. Patton. I’m finally reading this! This is by one of my dear writer friends, and also it has dragons so how has it taken me this long? Also I love that one of the characters is a woman over 50! How often do you see that in fantasy?

Ebook: No ebook at the moment. 

Audio book: The King of Crows by Libba Bray, book four in the Diviners series. This is… three big road trips at the moment? Don’t get me wrong, I’m enjoying it, it’s just,… taking a while to literally get anywhere. 

Planning to Read Next: 

I’m not completely sure yet but I suspect it might be Oasis by Katya de Becerra. I won a signed copy recently and i can’t wait to get started. I’ve heard such good things about it and it sounds fascinating! I just hope it lives up to expectations. 

What have you been reading lately? 🙂