Here we are again, the months are flying by fast! How is it August? Has anyone else started saving for Christmas? With that delightful thought, here is my monthly wrap up!
What were my highlights?
The Silverblood Promise was a delightful surprise this month! Perfect blend of Mask of Mirrors meets The Tainted Cup. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I’ve always been partial to a good mystery that needs solved so I donned my cap and got to reading! And as always, for my love of crime and mystery to meet a fantasy world will always be a top hitter in my book, especially when it is written as well as this was. I will be staying tuned for book two later this year.
Tombs of Atuan was a short novella but brilliantly written and captured. There is a reason Ursula is well-cemented as a leader in the fantasy genre. If you haven’t read any of the Earthsea Cycle you need to. Old school fantasy, bite sized but packs a punch. Writing with such an under current of meaning and thought, another great addition to this series.
The Winners was a stab to the heart. How much do I need to say on this one? It kicked me while I was down with fantastic, emotive writing, powerful themes and meaning. For some reason Backman can read my mind and capture what I struggle to vocalise. His writing cuts to the bone and although this finale started on the slower side and I was wondering where it was going.. I needn’t had worried and I’ve spent many a late night thinking of this book once I finished it.
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi was a book I was very excited to read. It started off so well, I loved the writing and the scene setting. There was good balance between dialogue, description and moving the plot forward. Sadly this one took a turn half way through. I felt like I was in a dream state. I vaguely remember flying cows or something similar.. The second half of this book felt like a completely different genre to the first half and sadly I could not vibe with it. It’s now on it’s way to my friend who I think will enjoy this book a lot more than I did!
My favourite read this month
Obsidio was my favourite of this month. The finale to the Illuminae Files trilogy this one was The Winners but on steroids. So sad. So haunting. And for a book set in space with the technology advancements that come with that.. this book felt so real. The war felt so real. The impact of the war on normal, every day people. On soldiers. On children. The heartache I felt with book one and two was nothing compared to this. I had to take breathers throughout this. As someone with small children, reading this book became too much at times, but I am glad I perservered. This is a fantastic end to a brilliantly smart and heavy trilogy!
Physical TBR update!
| Currently Reading | Books Finished | Still To Read | Did Not Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 184 | 78 | 2 |
I have been making my way through my physical TBR, look at that number! I’ve de-stashed and have been focussing on reading what I have versus buying more. I feel accomplished and I feel a weight has came off my shoulders. It’s nice to have my own little library, especially as a mood reader, but it is also very overwhelming and I want to bring that number down much lower!
Upcoming..
I REALLY want to start Shogun so that is a priority on my list this month! I I pre-ordered ages ago the gorgeous edition from The Broken Binding so it is now looking at me on my shelf.
I also purchased a paperback copy of The Will of the Many. I’ve seen soooo many people talk about this book, and after meeting a friend for dinner who has also urged me to pick up this book, I could not resist. I must get on to that one ASAP.
I told myself I would continue with Mistborn but that hasn’t happened yet so it is on my hopefuls for August but I also want to read more indie books as I’ve been slacking lately!