Monday 27th January
07:18: Good morning lovely friends! How are you all? Hope you’re all good! Welcome back to another weekly reading blog, I’m just on my way to work so I thought I’d give you a little update of what I’m currently reading.
Firstly I’m listening to the audiobook of Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin. I’m about a third of the way through this and I’m really enjoying it so far. Secondly I’m reading Those People by Louise Candlish which I’m about 75% of the way through, I’m not really enjoying this one but I’ve got this far so I’m determined to carry on with it. Better get off here so I don’t miss my stop on the bus and I’ll be back when I’ve finished something.
18:24 I finally finished Those People by Louise Candlish.
I just didn’t like it. This has been described as a slow burn thriller but to me, it was a no burn. It was just dull and I felt like a had to proper drudge through it. None of the characters were likeable, half of them I couldn’t even tell apart. Nope, just not for me. I gave this 2 stars.
Wednesday 29th January
07:31 Happy Wednesday! It’s both happy because I’ve finally got a day off work and I’ve finally finished Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin.
This is based on the 1988 tv series where Michal Palin and his tv team attempt to follow in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg in the 1872 book of the same name by Jules Verne. This book is almost like a travel diary and I love Michael’s openness and subtle comedy. Such a fantastic book and I really felt like I learnt a lot of him. I also felt like I’ve been on the journey which was just fantastic. I’m giving this 4 stars.
I noticed my library app had another Michael Palin audiobook, Pole to Pole. I can’t resist reading it so that’s what I’m gonna do! See you all soon.
09:19 I’ve listened to a bit of Pole to Pole and I’ll be carrying on with it today but my library hold of The a First Hippo on the Moon by David Walliams came through and I had to listen to it.
This is a really short children’s audiobook about a hippo going to the moon! It was so cute and so fun! I gave it 4 stars and it’s made me want to pick up more of his kid’s books in the future!
I had planned to have a day in the house today but as my husband is fabulous and cleaned the entire house last night, I’m gonna have a little day out and go to the cinema. Since I loved reading it so much last week, I’m off to see Little Women today at 10:30am and I’m very excited!
18:22 I finished Pole to Pole by Michael Palin!
Not much to say on this one that I didn’t say in my review for Around the World in 80 Days, I also adored this book and I’m giving it 4 stars.
I know I said I was gonna pick up The Starless Sea but I’m just not feeling it. So I’ve picked up and I’m currently 70 pages into Chuck Wendig’s Wanderers. This is a chunk of a book at just under 800 pages but I am loving it so far.
And if you were wondering I loved the film of Little Women, it was perfect and I cried the whole way through it. I also got a large mocha and a lotus muffin to enjoy through the film and I really did!
Saturday 1st February
07:02 It’s the weekend, yay! So where have I been since Wednesday? Watching Tiktoks and working, because isn’t that life? But now I’m off for 2 days and reading will be done. Firstly I bought 2 books yesterday…
These are just what I wanna read this weekend and I’m super excited to read them both. There’s nothing better than buying new books and just diving into them (sorry TBR bookcase).
And I finished the fabulous Wanderers by Chuck Wendig this morning. This is such a huge chunky book, I was worried with challenging myself to read 365 books this year that I’d pass up the big books for shorter ones but as I’m ahead of schedule I’m glad I took a couple of days to read this one.
A rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who might be the world’s last hope. Shauna wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with determination to a destination that only she knows. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from all over America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shauna, there are other “shepherds” that follow the flock to protect their family and friends on the long journey ahead. They will discover an America convulsed with terror and violence, where this apocalyptic epidemic proves less dangerous than they fear. As the rest of society collapses around them, and an ultra-violent militia threatens to exterminate them – the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on the unravelling of the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.
Just WOW. This book is huge and stuffed full of story that I’m finding it hard to even know where to start with reviewing this. For such a complex book, I’m gonna keep my review simple. This book is part horror, thriller, sci-fi and dystopian. A book that spans multiple stories and cleverly intertwines narratives to create a chilling book that isn’t to far into imagination land. It’s certainly a what if book, inspired in part by the political and social attributes of modern America. It felt particularly jarring to read as a Brit on Brexit day. This book has it all, a bit of romance, family drama, commentary on life blended so well with this bloody horrible almost post-apocalyptic feeling book. I gave this 5 stars. If you’re concerned with trigger warnings I’m gonna put them at the bottom of my blog for those of you who are interested.
17:57 So today I thought I’d read Big Sky by Kate Atkinson since it sounded so good! Here I am drinking a coffee this morning with said book…
I got 100 pages into this book and although really enjoying it I felt like I was missing something. After a little google I realised this was the 5th book in the Jackson Brodie detective series. So then I spent the afternoon eating chocolate, watching Harry Potter, YouTube Videos, more bloody tictoks and finally a nap. Now I’m gonna try reading again and I’m so thankful that my local library has the first 4 books in this series on audiobook and available right now. So like the only child I am, I’ve downloaded them all and I’m listening to the first one right now, Case Histories. Pray for me that I have some concentration tonight!
Sunday 2nd February
09:07 Good morning and happy Sunday! Hope you’re all having a fantastic weekend (well had a fantastic weekend by the time you read this). I’ve just finished Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
This is the first in the series of Jackson Brodie books, Jackson Brodie being an ex police man and current private detective. In this book we find him solving a multitude of seemingly unlinked cases while dealing with his own issues. I love a flawed detective and if you do, this book is one to check out. I honestly think I’m going to love this series and I gave this book 4 stars. I’m now moving on to the second book in the series One Good Turn!
12:22 And I’ve finished One Good Turn, book 2 in the Jackson Brodie series by Kate Atkinson.
This one follows Jackson who is visiting his actress girlfriend in Edinburgh for a fringe festival and of course doing some case work on the side. I didn’t like the book quite as much as the first one, mainly because it all seemed a bit too convenient. BUT I loved the Edinburgh setting so I’m still giving it 4 stars. I’m now moving onto the 3rd book in this series, When Will There Be Good News? When indeed!
15:59 You know when you just can’t stop reading because you’re so into something? That’s me with Kate Atkinson’s series. I just finished book number 3; When Will There Be Good News.
I think this has been my favourite one so far. 3 stories once again so fantastically interwoven into a story that was both shocking and highly exciting. This book was certainly more action packed and I really found myself all consumed in this book. I gave it 4 stars.
I’m moving onto book number four now Started Early, Took My Dog. This book is double the size of the precious 3 so I’m really excited to get reading (well listening to the audiobook). This one I think is set in or at least partially set in 1970’s London, I don’t think I’ve ever read anything set in the 70s so I’m ready!
20:25 I’m currently 25% through Started Early, Took my dog and I think I’m gonna leave it there for today. I’m so glad I had such a good reading weekend and after a slow (for me) couple of weeks, I’m feeling ready for a good reading week next week.
So, this week I read 8 books. 6 were audiobooks and 2 were physical books, not the best for getting physical books from my TBR but Wanderers was massive so I now at least have 2 average book size spaces on my shelves, yay! I also bought 2 books so I’ll have to try harder next week to read books from my shelves. But I don’t wanna slump myself so prepare for more audiobooks!
My most disappointing book this week was Those People by Louise Candlish, the more I think about it the more I don’t like it. I never mentioned before the terrible stereotypes in this book, just not good.
My favourite book this week was Wanderers, it was just a fantastic book, a true epic. Although not 5 star rated, I’m also obsessed with the Jackson Brodie series I’m currently reading and I’m looking forward to taking them into next week.
Thank you for joining me for another reading blog and I’ll see you all next week!
Trigger Warnings for Wanderers: Rape, sexual assault, abuse, pedophilia (no graphic scenes just an underlying story), religious extremism, racism, drug use, end of the world vibes, death, gory death scenes, gun violence, homophobia, fighting between family members and general despair at the world. There’s probably more, just be prepared for everything. If you’re easily triggered I just wouldn’t pick this book up.
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