Monday 3rd February
09:14 Good morning and happy Monday! How are you all? I hope you’re all very well! I had a lovely weekend reading and I’m really looking forward to this week’s books, I have so many options for reading. I’m thinking I want to get back into some fantasy books since it’s been forever since I’ve read a fantasy.
I got up to the second book in the Liveship Trader’s Trilogy by Robin Hobb last year and I’d love to carry on this epic book series because it was so good! I also have the first book in the Wheel of Time series which is The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan. I’d love to pick this series up because I feel like I’m the last person on Earth to not read it. I also have the first book in the Mistborn trilogy, The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson to read. Finally I have The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco to pick up, I was so excited when this came out and I honestly have no idea why I haven’t picked it up. So lots of choices!
I’m starting this week off with the book I left last week’s reading blog with; Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson. This is the 4th book in the Jackson Brodie kinda mystery books. I find these books quite hard to categorise but I’d say they’re action mysteries surrounding ex police officer and now ex private detective Jackson Brodie who wants a quiet life but still keeps getting pulled into solving cases/mysteries. The series has been so good so far and I’m so sad that I’ve only got one book after this one.
I ended up reading this series because I bought what I thought was a standalone book which turned out to be the 5th and final (so far) book in this series. Luckily my library had the first 4 books available on Overdrive (which is a library app you must check out, it’s brilliant). I’m glad I’ve only discovered this series now because I think there was 10 years between books 4 and 5 being published. I’m not sure if this book will carry on after book 5 but I hope it does, and I hope I’m not waiting 10 years for the next book.
I’m off to a meeting in Liverpool today so I’m hoping to get some time when it’s done to pop into Liverpool Central Library and get some reading done as I love getting an hour in there to read! Anyway, I better stop messing around because I’ve gotta leave the house in 15 minutes, so I’ll stop waffling on now. I’ll be back when I have a reading update!
Tuesday 4th February
10:09 Good morning and welcome to Tuesday! Yesterday I finished off Started Early, Took My Dog by Kate Atkinson.
This is the 4th book in the Jackson Brodie series and this was the best book so far. I don’t really want to give anything away by explaining what this book was about but the intertwining of the different mysteries in this was genius. It was such a hard hitting and fast paced read and I loved it, I’m giving it 4.5 stars.
I’m starting 2 books now, firstly the most recent book in the Jackson Brodie series, Big Sky by Kate Atkinson which is set 10 years after the last book, in Whitby follows the story of a pedophile ring and possibly human trafficking, I’m not sure yet I’m only 116 pages of the book but it’s really really REALLY REALLY REALLY good so far and I’m loving it!
I’ve also picked up an audiobook cause I can’t stop listening to them, ok? This book has been on my radar for ages and I’m excited to be starting The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. I’m just hoping because this is a detective style mystery book that I don’t get things confused with Big Sky but I’m sure I won’t.
I also decided to do a February TBR in the hope I get some books off my TBR shelves this month…
I’ve chosen Big Sky as that’s what I’m currently reading. Gothic Short Stories is a book I got for Christmas off my Parents and I just think it sounds really good. I’m loving true crime at the moment so I’d love to pick up The Murders at White House Farm. As I said I wanted to read more fantasy I’ve chosen A Throne of Swans, The Never Tilting World and The Starless Sea all of which have been highly recommended to me. Finally, as it’s Valentine’s Day soon I’ve chosen a romance, Three Amazing Things About You. I can’t wait to get to all these books, I just hope the excitement lasts throughout the month and I get to all these.
I probably won’t be back now till tomorrow when I hopefully finish reading something and don’t just watch hours of YouTube videos! As for now, I’m off to work. Speak to you all soon.
Wednesday 5th February
19:58 Good evening lovelies. Straight to the reading. I’ve finished Big Sky by Kate Atkinson.
This is the fifth and final (so far) book in the Jackson Brodie series and it was FANTASTIC! It followed Jackson as he becomes intertwined in the investigation of a pedophile and trafficking ring. This was very fast paced and incredibly hard hitting and I just adored it. I’m so sad there’s no more Jackson Brodie books and I’ll miss him till we’re hopefully reunited again with a new book.
I’m also 75% of the way through The Snowman by Jo Nesbo. I’m really enjoying this audiobook and I honestly feel like I’m right in the action so I’m gonna carry on listening to this tonight. I’m also determined when I’ve finished this I’m gonna pick up a book from my Feb TBR! More later š
21:50 AND I’ve finished The Snowman by Jo Nesbo.
This is the 7th book in the Harry Hole mystery/crime/thriller books but despite that, it’s the first book in this series I’ve read; mainly because it’s the one I’ve seen around the most. I didn’t feel like I couldn’t keep up with this book because I hadn’t read the others, it was an independent story in what I can imagine is an overarching series that you would pick up on if you’d read the rest of the books.
So essentially, this little kid wakes up and his mother has gone missing. When he looks out of his window he sees the snowman that appeared earlier that day is now wearing his mother’s favourite scarf. Detective Hole gets this mad letter about a snowman that suddenly starts to make sense when he is brought on to investigate the disappearance. As the investigation goes on, this turns into multiple cases he can see link together and he soon finds himself in a scary game with the snowman.
Honestly, this book is atmospheric AF! There’s a line in this that made me cold and I never really warmed up when reading it. I also didn’t call the big plot twists in this book which is always so satisfying to me when I’m reading, I always feel so disappointed when I’m not shocked. I get like I was in a police investigation and it was terrifying. Not the fastest paced book but a puzzle you connect the pieces too until you get the full picture. I absolutely adored this book and thought it was incredibly clever. I’m giving it 4.5 stars.
I have not got a clue what I wanna read next but I’ll let you lot know when I do!
Thursday 6th February
15:54 I started this morning picking up Gothic Short Stories from my TBR pile and it was a DNF for me, only got about 10 pages in and I wasn’t feeling it. In no way a bad book but I just wasn’t in the mood for it. I’m gonna keep it and attempt it at another time.
I think picked up A Throne of Swans by Katherine and Elizabeth Core.
This book is about a load of noble families who turn into the bird of their house. There’s this 17 year old whose father dies and she takes on his role as protector of their land. Problem is since her mother was murdered years before and she was caught in the attack, she can no longer turn into a bird cause she’s traumatised (obviously). She’s now at the mercy of her uncle the King whose a bit of a bum hole to put it lightly and has to go to his bit of the kingdom to find out some answers and fight and stuff.
I liked this book. The first 100 pages are a bit slow, this is more of a political fantasy where you’re introduced to how the word works and how the royal family rules. I didn’t think the characters were very connectable but I liked them enough that I kept reading. There was a little bit of fighting, some deceit and a bit of love that’s obviously not smooth sailing. But by the end of this book I was pretty hooked and now I need to know what happens but I can’t cause the next book ain’t out till 2021. Story of my LIFE!
This is your typical kind of YA book, you’re not gonna find anything you haven’t read before in it but as a series starter it wasn’t half bad. It kept my attention which is a hard job. If you like the Throne of Glass series, that kinda YA fantasy then you’ll probably like this, I think it’s worth a go. I gave it 4 stars, it might have been more of a 3.5 but the ending was a cliffhanger and a half, plus it had some angsty forbidden love in it and that gets me EVERY BLOODY TIME.
22:57 This is a late night for me believe it or not! I had to stay up to watch Love Island (don’t judge me) and then I wanted to finish The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee.
I realise I didn’t even inform you lot I was reading this but in my Defense I didn’t think I’d finish this in one evening but here we are.
This is what I would call a companion novel to The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue which was one of my favourite books of last year. In this one were following the sister of the protagonist of the previous book as she tries to get someone to give her medical training so she can live her dream of being a doctor. But as this is historical fiction, ever man in a douche!
I’m not disappointed with this book, I’m giving it 4 stars but I was surprised with the direction it went. Not a lot really happened in the book and I felt like all the action and plot points happened in the last 3 chapters. It wasn’t a cheeky as the first book but I loved the main character in this. I also loved the inclusion of a character who is, although it’s not explicitly said, a-sexual. I also loved that it was about 3 women and their friendship and them saving themselves and being independent. Unfortunately for me it just felt a bit lacking. I’d love more books in this world, I think the author has created a band of characters that you really like and route for in a horrible world. There’s so many characters from these 2 books I’d love to read about and I hope I get too one day. My advice with this one is not to go into expecting to feel the way The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue made you feel because it’s not the same, and rightly so since our main girl Felicity deserved her own story – I just wish it had been different.
Ok I’ve rambled on a lot now and it really is passed my bedtime so I’m off to bed. I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you what I’m picking up next!
Saturday 8th February
19:06 Hello it’s me, the reader who slumps for no reason! I’ve been feeling super slumpy, help me. At least I have read things! First I read Tales of Unexplained Mysteries by Steph Young.
This book was gifted to me by the author and I’m part of the book tour for this book on the 24th February, check back then for my review!
Secondly, I’ve started and I’m now about 20% through Close to Home by Cara Hunter. This is another crime mystery book and it’s ok so far, I’m not loving it but I’m not sure if that’s because I’m really not enjoying it or if I just can’t be bothered to read! Bye!
Sunday 9th February
19:52 It’s fitting to end this week’s reading blog with a final review. I literally just finished Close to Home by Cara Hunter.
This book is about an 8 year old girl who goes missing and the investigation that follows. I absolutely loved this book! I liked that it looked not only at the police investigation and gave you snippets from the interviews but also the media take on the case with things such as Twitter and how people react with things like mob justice. This book is so well written, the twists and turns are both shocking but subtitle lead you to the answer at the end which I didn’t guess but looking back was there throughout the book.
I thought the first maybe 25% was a bit slow but the build up is SO WORTH IT! You know when a book is just satisfying and you finish it and just think YES? Well that was this book for me. I’m absolutely going to read more of her books in the future; it’s just a shame none of them are on my library app or I’d be straight on with the next book.
Don’t think I’m gonna read anything else tonight so I’m gonna wrap this week up. I think my most disappointing book of the week was Tales of Mysteries Unexplained just because it was the book I enjoyed the least, this was a great reading week! And I think it’s obvious the book I liked most was Close to Home by Cara Hunter.
For some reading stats surrounding how I consumed books this week; I read 3 books from my Feb TBR and DNF’d 2 (sorry Gothic Takes and The Starless Sea, you just weren’t for me). I read 7 books all together, so I’m still ahead of my goal to read 345 books this year, having read 49 books so far. 4 of these books were physical, which is great cause I’m trying to work on getting down my TBR bookcase which I did this week. And 3 were glorious audiobooks. No smutty short stories this week so I didn’t read any ebooks.
Thank you for joining me in another weekly reading blog, can’t believe I’ve done 43 of these now! See you all next week!
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