What I've Been Reading Recently- Christmas 2021 Edition| CarenzaOnBooks

I know this post is a bit late, but I wanted to share the books I read in the final months of 2021. I didn't read as much as I wanted and that was because I started my first graduate job as a Christmas Bookseller at my local Waterstones. I'm still working there, which is why I haven't been as active on here and why I wasn't able to read as much as I like. I read 6 books in November and in December, making my total read for 2021 84 books. Let's get into the books I read over Christmas last year! 

November

no one is talking about this by Patricia Lockwood

The reason I read this book is because everyone seems to be talking about it. It was nominated for the Booker and Women's Fiction prize in 2021. I can see what this book was trying to do, it just didn't quite do it for me. I do think it highlighted how we view the internet and online culture. It's been a couple of months since I read it and it didn't really leave an impact on me. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters

I enjoyed Detransition, Baby much more than no one it talking about this. The themes of what it means to be a woman today and how they are so varied were very powerful. The characters felt real, they were all over the place and were the type of characters I like to read about. I personally felt the ending was a bit rushed, which is why I ended up giving it 3.5/5 stars. I also have a full, spoiler filled review, which you can read here. 

Loki: Agent of Asgard by Al Ewing

I had dabbled with comics before this, but after receiving this as a birthday present, I am very interested in reading more comics. I really enjoyed the Loki TV show and I really enjoyed the source material. It was funny, and had a great story. There are so many comics that I'd love to read after reading this. I gave it 4/5 stars.  

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This was my audiobook listen for November and I would really recommend the audiobook version of this available through Apple Books for free. It's narrated by Karen Gillan, who does an amazing job of narrating this story. For the actual story, I didn't care for it that much. Maybe I would have enjoyed it more as a child as it's a children's classic, but as an adult, I didn't connect with it as much. For the audiobook alone, I gave it 3/5 stars. 

Once Upon a Winter by H.L Macfarlane and others

Taken from Twitter

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an eARC to read before publication and to review. I enjoyed some stories a lot more than others in this collection. I think the idea was strong, but the execution didn't quite work for me. I found the collection a bit too all over the place. I have a full spoiler filled review, which you can read here. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

A reread for my book club. I read this book back in 2017 and adored it. However, I've changed a lot as a reader in the last four years. I did enjoy it this time, but nowhere near as much as I did in 2017. I can see why it's problematic. I think the saving grace is the relationship between Lou and Will as they have such strong chemistry. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

December

The Wolf Den by Elodie Harper

Historical, feminist fiction is very popular at the moment and with books like The Wolf Den out there, rightly so. I had been wanting to read this for a while and so I finally got around to it in December. This book is brutal, it does not shy away from how awful these women's lives were. But it also shows them coming together and supporting each other in difficult times. I cannot wait for the sequel to come out later this year. I have a full, spoiler filled review, which you can check out here. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R Tolkien

I wish I was as talented as J.R.R Tolkien as this collection was beautiful. The stories in the letters, the artwork that went alongside them. Just everything about these letters was amazing. Even if you aren't a Lord of the Rings fan, I would recommend reading this book. You get to see the letters alongside a typed out version of what was in them. I gave it 4/5 stars

The Christmas Murder Game by Alexandra Benedict

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I enjoyed it. It was fin and escapist. It was an easy read. On the other hand, it was very poorly written and crafted. There were good and bad things about it. It did hit the spot of a Christmas murder mystery I have a full, spoiler filled review of my thoughts on this book, which you can read here. I gave it 3/5 stars.  

Sex Education: The Road Trip by Katy Birchall

If you are a long time reader of my blog, then you will know I adore Sex Education on Netflix and was very happy when they announced a book to go alongside it. I finally read it in December and sadly I was disappointed. I think the story would have worked better as a one off, longer episode. I also found the writing style very inconsistent, with it randomly switching POVs for one paragraph, before returning to our main POV, which was Maeve. It was a fun and easy read, but I was expecting a bit more from this. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sōsuke Natsukawa

This was exactly what it said on the tin. It had a cat saving books. And I loved it. It highlighted what it meant to be a reader and the joy we get from books. It's a translated fiction that's been so popular at work. I adored every second of reading this book. The cat was a great character and I would love to read more from this author. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix

My final book of 2021 ended up being a bit of a let down. I bought this for my birthday because it looked cool and I had seen a BookTuber I like recommend it. However, I was so confused about what was happening. There was just a bit too much world building and it went over my head a lot of the time. It might be that I picked this up at the wrong time as I wanted something easy to read to finish off my reading for the year. I might give this another chance in the future. But for now, it gets 3/5 stars from me.

What books did you read in November and December??  

What I've Been Reading Recently- Winter Edition 2021

2021 really has flown by and suddenly we're into the final two months of the year. This means it's time for my "what I've been reading recently this autumn" post. Across September and October, I read 14 books. This was a step down from my summer reading, but I'm still happy with what I've been reading. Here's to hoping the end of 2021 will be as good as the last few months as I'm well on my way to hitting my Goodreads challenge.  

September 

In September I read 6 books, two of which were rereads. September ended up being kinda of a busy month as I went on a mini-holiday with my family, which meant I didn't have much time to read. 

The Foundling by Stacey Halls 

My first read of September was a book I was excited to read and had been leftover from my August TBR. You might have seen in my last what I've been reading recently post, that I loved The Familiars by Stacey Halls. So much so that I immediately bought her second book to read. Sadly, I didn't end up enjoying this one as much. I really didn't like one of the characters and struggled to connect with the story. I have a full spoiler filled review, which you can read here. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

This book had some of the most beautiful writing I have ever written. SMG has become someone I am dying to read from again. Thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the story and the setting. My only qualm with this book is that the main character could be a bit annoying and repetitive at times. I will be making my way through her other books as that was just some of the best writing I have ever read. I gave it 4/5 stars.

  

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

The first book I reread this month. After really enjoying the TV show adaptation, I have been giving the books a second chance. I wasn't wowed by the SoC duology when I first read it in 2019, but I'm happy to say I enjoyed it a lot more this time. It still didn't quite live up to the hype for me, but you can really see the improvement in the quality of writing and characters. I cared a lot more this time, perhaps because I knew what was going to happen at certain points. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo

My other reread was the other half of this duology. Again, this book grew on me with this reread. I can see why it's so beloved. I am interested as to why it's getting a sequel, as I felt the ending was strong. It would take away from some of that mystery. I'm now interested in reading the Nikolai duology, which I'm finally going to read at some point. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Autumn by Ali Smith

I have wanted to read this series for a while and am so happy that I've started this. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but I ended up really enjoying it. I liked the intertwining storyline. I liked the themes being discussed and how Ali Smith approached them. It was a nice, short and easy book to read. I am looking forward to continuing this series throughout the year. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

My final read of September was the prequel to The Hate U Give. I was looking forward to this as Angie Thomas is such a good writer, however this ended up being my least favourite of her books. I found Maverick a hard character to connect with and this didn't add much to what I already knew from THUG. It was an important story to tell, but just didn't have the same emotional punch as THUG. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

October

During October, I participated in Spoopathon, a month long readathon for Halloween. This really helped me stay motivated with my reading and I managed to read 8 books this month. Most of them were for Spoopathon, but I did fit in three non-Spoopathon books. 

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

I decided to join the new local book club in my town and the pick for October was this. It's a translated fiction book and I did not like it. I didn't like the characters, I found them too similar and whiny. I didn't like the story. I just didn't like it. I don't think I'm the target demographic for this book, especially as I'm the youngest in the club by 10-15 years. I would not recommend this book. I gave it 2/5 stars.  

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

On the other hand, I would highly recommend this book. I read this in one sitting and I adored it. It has such a sweet message at it's core. The artwork is beautiful. It's one of the most heartwarming books I've ever read and I wish I could read it for the first time again. I loved it. An easy 5/5 stars from me. 

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

This book was so hyped and beloved, that I had wanted to read it for a few months. In short, this book just wasn't for me. While I liked the characters, I didn't like the story or the writing. I think this is a case of a celebrity getting to write a book. This was a murder mystery and I still don't know who committed which crimes. I won't be continuing with this series and I'm going to give my copy away. You can read my full spoiler filled review here. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton

I adored Stuart's other book, the Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, so I was excited to read this as it was finally out in paperback. This did not disappoint. This was another clever murder mystery. I liked the characters and I loved the confined setting of the ship. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending, but aside from that, I had a great time with this book. I cannot wait to see what Stuart Turton writes next. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Mina and the Undead by Amy McCaw

This book had a very rocky start, which meant I leant towards giving it 3 stars for most of my time reading it. However, it grew on me. I liked Mina as a character, she felt realistic. I wasn't convinced by the instalove storyline. Overall, this was quite a fun and easy read. I do plan on reading the sequel when it comes out next year. I gave it 3.5/5 stars.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

This was probably one of the most disappointing books I have read. I went in expecting spookiness and witches and I did not get that. I didn't like the characters or the story. This reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing, which was another book I didn't like. I will not be keeping my copy as I was just so disappointed by it. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Mouseguard: Autumn 1152 by David Petersen

If you are looking for a fun, fantasy graphic novel with mice in it, then I'd recommend this. I liked the world building and the premise of this. I also really enjoyed the artwork. I struggled with working out which character was which at times as some of the mice looked similar and you could only tell by the colour of their cloak, which they wouldn't always wear. I am interested in continuing this series as it was entertaining. Kinda like a mice version of Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones. I gave it 3/5 stars.

The Places in Between by Rory Stewart

The final book I read in October was the November book club book. This was a non-fiction book about a guy walking across Afghanistan in 2002. I don't read much travel writing, it isn't a genre I naturally gravitate towards. I found Rory a difficult narrator to connect to. A lot of what happened became quite repetitive. The only thing I really liked about this book was the parts featuring the dog he adopted along the way as I wanted to know if it was okay. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

So those conclude my reads for autumn 2021. What books did you manage to read this autumn??

What I've Been Reading Recently- Summer Edition 2021| Carenza Bramwell

Summer is officially over. Autumn and spooky season are here. As summer is now over, it's time for me to share my wrap up for the last couple of months. Between July and August, I read 22 books. I'm really happy with the amount I'm reading at the moment as when I was finishing my degree, I didn't have as much time to read and that made me sad. I'm hoping for some more good reading months this autumn. 

July

This July I read 14 books! This is the most I have read in a very long time. This was because I was only holiday for ten days and I was staying with a friend and she lent me a lot of graphic novels to read. I am so happy with how much I read in July.

Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

A reread from my read or go shelf, I'm still not sure why I'm continuing with the Red Queen series when I'm not really enjoying it. There's a part of me that wants to know how this series ends. I wasn't wowed by either of these short stories and since reading them, I have donated my copy to charity. It got a 3/5 stars from me. 

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 

This was my first time reading a book in prose and it was an enjoyable experience. I know Elizabeth Acevedo is a beloved author in the book community and after owning this for almost a year, it was time to read it. I have a full spoiler filled review, which you can read here. While I enjoyed it, I struggled with the dual POV. I would read another book from Elizabeth in the future. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Another book that I had had on my TBR for quite some time and am glad that I read. I would class this as sci-fi, which is a genre I struggle with reading. I thought the premise was very original. I found it easy to read and for once didn't mind the first person perspective. I thought it was good, but I wasn't wowed by it. I am going to read the sequel. It got 3/5 stars from me. 

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

The Familiars is a contender for a favourite book of the year. Set in my home county, I adored this book. As it has a gothic, witchy undertone, I do wish I had read it in spooky season, but I'm glad I finally read it. I have a full, spoiler filled review, which you can read here. Stacey Halls has become an autobuy author and I am very excited to read her next book. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Avatar the Last Airbender- The Search

The first book I borrowed from my friend. We're both big Avatar fans and I've been meaning to continue with the comics since last August, but life got in the way. This was probably my favourite of the three Avatar ones I've read. It answered a question that I had wanted to know about since I was a child. Loved the story and the art. It got 4/5 stars from me. 

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill

This was one I actually recommended to my friend after seeing a lot of positive reviews and while I was staying with her, she lent it to me. This was the cutest graphic novel I have ever read. I love the Tea Dragons and want one of my own. It had great LGBT rep. I cannot wait to continue with this trilogy. An instant favourite. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

I had seen this floating around bookstagram for a while and bought it during one of my "I'm stressed about my degree" book buying binges. After a rocky start, this became an incredibly powerful read. It will make you feel a lot of things. I have a full spoiler filled review, which you can read here. If you are interested in feminist books or translated fiction, then I'd recommend this one. It got 4/5 stars from me. 

Avatar the Last Airbender- The Rift

We're now into a run of books that I borrowed from my friend. This was the other Avatar comic that I hadn't read. My main complaint was that I didn't like the direction it took one of the characters in. It didn't feel entirely in character for them. Aside from that, I enjoyed this one, just not as much as The Search. I gave it 4/5 stars.  

Legend of Korra- Turf Wars Part One-Three 

After finishing my friends Avatar comics, I then read her Legend of Korra ones. I read the three volumes of Turf Wars. This picks up where the show leaves off. I really liked the relationship that we see in this one. It was a strong story. It got 4/5 stars from me. 

Legend of Korra- Ruins of the Empire Part One-Three 

My final reads for July were the other three volumes in the Korra series. Compared to the other story, I didn't enjoy it as much. I can't go into too much detail as that would include spoilers. There was just something about this one that didn't quite work for me. I still enjoyed it. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

August

In August, I read 8 books. A lot of these were fantasy books as that was clearly what I was in the mood for. August actually ended up being the month where I read the most pages as I read a lot of big books. 

100 Nasty Women of History by Hannah Jewell

I actually started this in July but ended up finishing it in August. This is a non-fiction book about women from history. I have a lot of feelings about this book. Firstly, I really liked how diverse the women were in it. They were from different times, countries, races, religions, sexuality, classes. You name it, it was probably featured in this book. I had only heard of maybe ten of these women before, so it opened my eyes to a lot of amazing women. Now here are the things I didn't like about this book. Too much swearing, it ended up detracting from the points. A lot of anti-men and anti-British comments that just didn't sit right with me. All of this meant I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I had wanted to love it, but the writing ended up being a bit off putting.  

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. It actually came out in May, but I decided to read it in August as it's set in August 1983. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an incredible writer. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite books. I loved Malibu Rising. I read over 200 pages in one day because I could not put it down. I am going to be writing a full review, which will come out later this month, because I need to share all my feelings on it. It got 4.5/5 stars from me. 

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

I then embarked on my reread of the Serpent and Dove series in preparation of the last book coming out. Having read this book three times, I now have some concrete feelings on this book. Asides from the pacing, I have no issues with this book. Lou and Reid are some of my favourite characters. What I wouldn't give to make this a TV show as I could see it being really good. You can read my review from 2019 (which does have spoilers) here. I've come to the conclusion that this is a 4.5/5 stars for me. 

Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin 

Blood and Honey is my least favourite in the series. There's just something about it that doesn't quite work for me. Out of the three, this took me the longest to read at almost a week. I still like it, but not as much as the books either side of it. I do like the dark tone and it reflects the events of book one. You can read my review from 2020 (again, this has spoilers) here. This reread made it a 3.5/5 stars for me. 

Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin 

While I didn't enjoy Blood and Honey as much, Gods and Monsters did not disappoint. The ending was everything I wanted. It went in interesting directions throughout. The character development was great. Lou and Reid are still icons. A full review will be coming very soon as I have so many things to say about this finale. I'll be having a sticky bun in Lou's honour. I of course gave this book 4.5/5 stars.  

Enchantée by Gita Trelease

This was a reread for me as I originally read it back in early 2019. I have it 4/5 stars then, but my reading tastes have changed a lot. I really liked the characters and the setting of the French Revolution, but I struggled to remain engaged with the plot. This could have done with being cut down as I got tired of reading the same scenes over and over. This time around I gave this 3/5 stars. 

Liberté by Gita Trelease

Having seen mixed reviews for the second book in this series, I was a bit unsure of how I would feel. A lot of what I had struggled with in the first book had been removed. The plot about the Lost Girls and Camille's leaflet was probably my favourite storyline. I did feel that there was too many storylines and at times I struggled to keep on top of what was happening. I really liked the characters and the setting again. I gave this 3.5/5 stars in the end.  

Bloodlust and Bonnets by Emily McGovern 

My final read of the month was not one I had on my TBR, but was very enjoyable. I bought this during a recent book trip to Oxford. This is about a group of queer people hunting a vampire in Regency England. If that doesn't make you want to read it, I don't know what will. I found this very funny and silly. I adored the art style, the storyline and the humour. It was a wonderful graphic novel. I gave this 4/5 stars. 

So that concludes my wrap up for the summer. What books did you read this summer?? 

What I've Been Reading Recently- Spring Edition 2021| Carenza Bramwell

I refuse to believe that we are already a third of the way through the year. This year is going insanely fast, which is both a good and bad thing. Like everyone else, I want to go back to normal and we're getting one step closer to that. However, I finish my degree next month and don't have anything planned, which is causing me a lot of anxiety. So if time could slow down, that would be great. Between March and April, I read 12 books. 

March

In March, I read four books. This was quite a slow reading month for me as I was very busy with uni work and wasn't very well for most of March. Here are the books I read in March.

The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis

The first book I read in March, I decided to pick this up after adoring the TV show. You can read my review of the Netflix adaptation here. I did spot that there were some changes from the book to the show, which I think have been changed for the best. I still think that Beth is a great protagonist and I really enjoyed reading about her. Personally, I do think I prefer the TV show as the descriptions of chess were a bit lost on me. With the TV show, you had the visuals to help you. I enjoyed my time reading this book and gave it 4/5 stars.  

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

I was so excited for the release of the second book in the Lost Hours series. I do have a whole review of this book, which you can read here. Without discussing any spoilers for this book, I will admit that I was unsure how to feel about it when I finished. I read it in three days, which I think was a mistake. I ended up finding it a bit underwhelming for what I was expecting. I still enjoyed reading it and am interested to see where the series goes. I gave it 4/5 stars.  

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

This was an impulse purchase before the shops closed in December and I'm glad I decided to get it. The writing style was beautiful. I have never read a book by Maggie O'Farrell before and I would be interested in reading from her again. This is a retelling/ fictionalised version of William Shakespeare's life. More specifically, it's about his son Hamnet and how he is supposed to have inspired Hamlet. I felt that this book required a basic knowledge of Shakespeare's life and Hamlet, which I have. I think if I hadn't had that knowledge, some of the story would have been a bit lost on the reader. I also gave this one 4/5 stars. 

Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh   

I haven't had the best experience with Renee's books and sadly this was no exception. I just found this underwhelming. There were too many characters and POVs for my liking. I did like the feminist message at its core, but this book just ended up not being for me. I have one more book by Renee to read and that is The Wrath and The Dawn. I've heard such good things about it, so we'll have to see if I get along with this book. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

April

In April, I read 8 books, 3 of which were rereads. I'm very happy with the books I managed to read this month as I started the month not feeling well and swamped by uni work. 

The Binding by Bridget Collins

I actually started reading this in March, but didn't finish it until April. I think the best way to describe my thoughts on this book were that they were all over the place. The plot, the characters, the writing, it was just all over the place. It was split into three sections and I did actually really enjoy the middle section. Apart from that, this book just wasn't for me. I do have Bridget's other book, The Betrayals, which I am not unsure about how I'll feel going into it. I gave it 3/5 stars.   

Through the Moon- Dragon Prince by Peter Wartman

I recently watched The Dragon Prince on Netflix and was very happy when I discovered there were graphic novel spin offs. I thought this one was okay. There were some odd character decisions, which felt a bit off for them. The artwork was stunning. I am going to continue with this series and can't wait to see where they take the characters. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

If We Were Villains by M.L Rio

This was by far my favourite read of the month (excluding the books I reread). I was hooked. I couldn't stop reading this. I do have a full review for this book, which you can read here. I loved the story and the characters. The atmosphere was wonderful. This book made me miss the theatre with every fibre of my being. I will say that the Shakespearean dialogue did get a bit annoying after a while and I did start to skim read it in places. Asides from that, I adored this book. I gave it 4.5/5 stars.  

The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo

This was a lovely little feminist novella with a non-binary protagonist. I enjoyed reading it. My only issue with it was that I needed a tiny bit more information about the world as at times I felt a bit lost. There is a second novella in this series, which I am going to read when I get it. I gave this one 3/5 stars.  

The Call by Peadar O'Guilin 

I bought this back in 2017 after seeing it on a BookTubers channel. I think if I had read it in 2017, I would have really enjoyed it. However, reading it 2021 it just wasn't for me. I felt that the author built a wonderfully creepy atmosphere, which this book needed. I struggled to connect with the characters, partly because they were all 14-15 (and I'm nearly 21) and partly because of how they were written. There was something in the writing style that really bothered me. I have decided to part ways with this book and that I won't be continuing with the series. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

Heartstopper Volume One to Three by Alice Oseman

I decided to reread the Heartstopper comics in a spur of the moment decision. I needed something a bit lighter and fun for various reasons. I also wanted to refresh myself of the story with the fourth volume coming out this month. Alice is so good at creating interesting and complex characters. I adore these comics. I can't wait to see where the story goes. I gave them all 5/5 stars.

That concludes my spring what I've been reading recently. What have you been reading recently?

What I've Been Reading Recently- Winter Edition 2021| Carenza Bramwell

How are we already two months into 2021? Time is going so quickly! I've had a really strong start to the year with the books I've been reading. Over the last two months, I've read 14 books. I'm hoping that the rest of my reading year stays as strong. I'll be sharing the books I've read in January and February.

January

I read eight books in January, which I'm very happy with. I had quite a diverse reading month, reading from a wide range of genres and a whole spectrum of ratings. 

The Angry Tide by Winston Graham

I have been reading the Poldark books on and off since 2018, with one of my goals for 2021 to catch up on the books I own. This was the last one that I did and I decided to make it my first read of 2021. I miss the shortness of the first three books, but still enjoyed my time with this one. As this is the seventh book in the series, I can't talk too much about the plot without it being a spoiler. I am a big fan of the TV show and I know it's a crime in the book community to admit it, but there were aspects of the TV show that I preferred. A solid first read of the year, I gave it 4/5 stars.

Working on a Song- Lyrics of Hadestown by Anais Mitchell    

This was a Christmas present as I was a big fan of the musical. I didn't even know there was a book about this show. As the title suggests, this is the lyrics of Hadestown. However, it shows the final version and then talks about how it changed between each of the major productions. I am a big fan of "behind the scenes books", as I call them. I love learning about the creative process behind things I like and this was an interesting insight into a musical I adore. I also gave it 4/5 stars.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

After seeing rave reviews about Where the Crawdads Sing, I picked up a copy in October and finally got around to reading. Just before I started reading it, I was made aware of it's problematic content. I did let that taint my experience, however I think this book just wasn't for me. I do have a full review, which you can read here. My two main qualms with this book were the romance and the ending. Both just didn't sit well with me. That being said, I did enjoy the middle of this book. In the end, I gave it 3/5 stars and have decided I won't be keeping my copy. 

How Should One Read a Book? by Virginia Woolf

I saw this floating around bookstagram around Christmas time and as I had some Waterstones vouchers, decided to get it. I had only read one other Virginia Woolf book and I did not like it. However, this was an enjoyable and short book. A non-fiction book about how you should read books you enjoy, it's something a lot of readers will enjoy. It was a short, easy and fun read. I can see myself rereading it at various points in my life. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I had been wanting to read this for years and finally bought a copy in October. It's one of those books you see in charity shops all the time. I loved this book. I have a full review with all my thoughts, which you can read here. Each twist and turn was amazing. The characters were an interesting bunch, especially as you couldn't trust or like any of them. I had been interested in picking up Tartt's other books, however I've seen some blog posts/tweets floating around saying that the Goldfinch has some racist undertones and that doesn't sit well with me. I think I'll just stick to enjoying this one. I gave it 5/5 stars.  

Women&Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard

Back to non-fiction, I decided to read this book. Mary Beard is a well-known academic in the UK and I'd had this on my TBR since the summer. A short read about feminism. It showed the link between well known myths and feminism, showing how some of the things that happened are still happening today. This will make you think and then make you angry. I am interested in reading more about feminism after reading this. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas

This was a book I bought with my Christmas money after seeing BooksNest rave about it. I read the description and it sounded like something I would enjoy. I was sadly wrong. I really struggled with the protagonist, I just didn't like her. However, my main problem with this book was that there was no plot. I did think it did a wonderful job creating atmosphere, but it sacrificed the plot a lot. I also felt that some of the academic terms went over my head at times. This book just really ended up not being for me. I gave it 2/5 stars.

Moulin Rouge by Baz Lurhman 

My final read of January was another non-fiction book and this was about one of my favourite films, Moulin Rouge. It had been a very long time since I watched the film and so I rewatched it. I then read this book, which is all about the behind the scenes process for making this film. It was an interesting insight into Lurhman's creative process and all that went into making this wonderful film. The last third was a series of behind the scenes photos from three different photographers, which was a nice touch. If you are a fan of the film, I'd recommend trying to get ahold of this book. I gave it 4/5 stars.

February

As February is a shorter month and was quite a busy month, so I only managed to read six books, which is quite good, but like the over ambitious person I am, I was hoping to read more. 

The Poppy War by R.F Kuang

This is such a beloved and hyped book in the book community, and rightly so. I hadn't read a fantasy in a while and was really in the mood for one, so I picked this up. Rin was an amazing character, I absolutely adored her journey. This was an epic fantasy. It was exactly the fantasy I was looking for. There was some quite dark content at times, this is a book about war, so I would be aware of that before going in. I am very excited to continue this series at some point in the year. I gave this 4/5 stars.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata

I had a lot of problems with this book. This was something I thought I'd enjoy and bought it with my Christmas money. I have a full review of this book, which you can read here. The marketing of this book really made it out to be a fun and fluffy book, when in fact this is actually quite a dark, social commentary. This has a lot of disturbing, triggering content such as child abuse, sexual abuse, rape of a child, murder and cannibalism. I felt sick while reading a certain part of this book. I can see what this author was trying to do, however I just did not like this book. I gave it 2/5 stars. 

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

My first YA book of the year! I had forgotten how fun YA can be and thankfully this reminded me. I had wanted to read this for a while and am so glad I finally picked it up. It had a bit of a rocky start, but improved in the middle. I didn't like the ending, however I enjoyed the rest. This did a really good job of tackling LGBT+ issues in the Latino community. I would read from Aiden Thomas again as they're a really good reader. This is the perfect book for Halloween. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Flake by Matthew Dooley

This year, my family and I did a small family Valentine's Day, with Flake being my present. I had mentioned it to my dad as it's a graphic novel set in the same part of the UK that we all grew up in. I loved this book. It had a wonderful story and some very pretty graphics. The humour actually made me laugh out-loud and I don't do that very often. It's really gotten me in the graphic novel mood. I gave it 4.5/5 stars.  

How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are by various authors

I have owned this book since 2015 and I finally finished it. I had read almost a half in 2015 and then gave up for some reason. This book is much more suited to me as a twenty year old, rather than a fifteen year old. While it's not a lifestyle I see myself living, it is one I enjoyed reading about. I would read more lifestyle books in the future. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

My final book of February was to reread Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare. Chain of Iron is already out by the time this post goes live and I felt I needed a recap of the first book. I do have a full review from last year, which you can read here. I was very happy to be back with these characters and in this world. I'm still not sure where this one stands in my overall ranking, but that will be determined by the remaining books in the series. I obviously gave it 5/5 stars.

That concludes my wrap up for the winter months. What did you read this winter?

Carenza :)x  

What I've Been Reading Recently- Christmas Edition| Carenza Bramwell

My final reading wrap up for 2020. Between the months of November and December, I read 12 books. December was the best reading month I've had since July-August. As it was the Christmas period, you will see some Christmas books on my list. 

November

In November, I only managed to read 4 books. I was really struggling to find time to read with my uni work and general lack of motivation. Here are the four books I did read that month. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab

This book restored my faith in VE Schwab as a writer after a couple of bad experiences with her, which included actually donating one of her books (which I know regret, especially as it was signed). I have a full review of my thoughts on Addie LaRue, which you can read here. But to summarise, I loved this book. I plan on revisiting the VE Scwab books that I own and am very excited for the Addie LaRue film adaptation. I gave it 4.5/stars.   

Mythos by Stephen Fry

I went into this expecting it to be a fictions retelling of famous Greek myths, but it was in fact Stephen Fry's non-fiction on them. He is someone I admire, so I wanted to try his writing. I did enjoy it, finding his take both informative and funny. I have since ordered the remaining books in the series. It's broadened my interesting learning more about mythology. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Cows Can't Jump by Philip Bowne

Next I read a book I was sent through my university magazine. This tells the story of 18 year old Billy, who falls in love with a girl and chases her across Europe. It has the backdrop of Brexit and Trump being elected. I liked this book, but I didn't love it. I found it funny, but at times struggled to engage with the story. As far as debut novels go, it was a solid attempt. I think in the end it just wasn't for me. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

The Young Elites by Marie Lu

My final read of November was The Young Elites by Marie Lu. Having really enjoyed the Legend series, I figured I would fly through this one too. Sadly, I just didn't enjoy this one as much. It's one I have a full review for, which you can read here. I found the main character annoying and struggled to connect with the plot. It goes without saying but I will not be continuing the series. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

December

In December, I read 8 books, my best reading month since the summer. I did reread three books. I'm very happy to finish the year on such a high. 

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

My first read of the month was These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong. This is a YA historical urban fantasy retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in Shanghai in the 1920s. It sounded like something I adored. I have a full review with all my thoughts, which you can read here. I loved the characters and the setting, but found myself uninterested with the plot. I will read the sequel as I want to find out what happens, but the plot just lost me. I gave it 3.5/5 stars. 

This Winter by Alice Oseman

Next I read my first Christmas read and that was the last novella in the Heartstopper/Solitaire series by Alice Oseman. This is set before Solitaire but after Heartstopper. It follows the Spring family one Christmas. It does tackle a serious issue of eating disorders. I have really enjoyed every instalment in this series and this was no exception. I gave it 4/5 stars.  

Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon by James Lovegrave

I saw this online and when I was in Waterstones with my mum, I just had to get it. This was a fun, slightly silly Christmas read. As the title suggests, Sherlock Holmes and John Watson are called to solve a Christmas themed mystery. Overall, it was a fun and enjoyable book. My only issue was that I didn't particularly enjoy the ending. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

I then began my reread of the Truly Devious series as a recap for the third book. I found it just as fun and entertaining as the first time I read it. Maureen is really good at writing crime books. I flew through this books as her writing is just addictive. I gave it 4/5 stars.

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

Next in the series was The Vanishing Stair. My feelings towards this one are very similar to my feelings for Truly Devious. Another fun and enjoyable book in this series. I gave it 4/5 stars.

The Hand On the Wall by Maureen Johnson

This was the first book in the series that I wasn't rereading. Overall, I found it an okay conclusion to the series. Some of the twists along the way were shocking, but the actual ending wasn't what I hoped it would be. I know there is a spin off novel coming out this year, which you can bet I will be getting. Despite the let down ending, I still gave this book 4/5 stars.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JKR

My final reread of 2020 was to finish the Harry Potter series I had started as a part of a community readathon in April. Obviously, with all the controversy surrounding JKR, the readathon was cancelled. I finished it myself as I couldn't stand not finishing the series. I will now probably not pick these books up for a very long time as I'm unsure where I stand with Harry Potter.  

Frank Get the Door by Janey Godley 

My final read of 2020 was a short, funny book I got for Christmas. Janey is a Scottish comedian, who throughout lockdown, has been dubbing press conferences from the First Minister of Scotland with comedic versions. Just google it and you'll have a laugh. They released this book, which is a transcribed account of the majority of the speeches. A highly funny read, it's one I'd recommend if you want something a bit lighthearted. I gave it 4/5 stars.

That concludes my final wrap up for 2020. I will be continuing this series in 2021 as I have enjoyed documenting my reads throughout the year.

Carenza :)x