I didn’t finish as many books as I had wanted in March, but I am really happy that I made a dent in my list of Netgalley approved titles. According to Goodreads I’m currently four books behind schedule so that’s a bit daunting, but I know that is because I have been focusing on the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, and they are quite thick books. So fingers crossed I can get back on track soon.
But without further ado, here is what I read in March, and what I plan to read in April.
So I know I sort of disappeared towards the end of last year, a lot went down in my personal life, and I just had no time for blogging or bookstagram. My 2.5 year relationship ended, I had to move all my stuff back home, I had to deal with the breakup, I also got a proper adult full-time job, so that had a lot of adjustments of its own. So yeah things have been insanely hectic since October 2017. However, I think things are finally evening out and I now can start dedicating pockets of time to my book hobbies, which makes me really happy.
I can’t promise I will be completely consistent, but I am going to try to make sure at least one post a week goes up, but I won’t let myself feel bad if something comes up stopping that from happening.
So without further ado my first wrap up for 2018!
In September I got through three of the four books I had set out to read, so I am really pleased with my effort overall. I did not expect to read four books, I was really hoping to get through at least two when it was getting close to the end of the month and I hadn’t completed any. However, in the last couple weeks I was bit by the reading bug and just devoured these books. I will get to Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give another month (probably November), as it was not meant to be this month.
The books I completed were:
In August, I decided to partake in ARC August. To get through some of the Advanced Reader Copies I had recently acquired through Netgalley, and I did a lot better than I anticipated. I got through an insane seven books! Three of which were graphic novels but nonetheless this was my best month, and all books were ARC’s from Netgalley.
So now I am at 37/50 books in my Goodreads challenge, so I have already read more books than I did last year.
The seven books I read were:
• Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody. 4 stars. This was different to what I was expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The mystery, the magic, the crazily diverse cast of characters. I highly recommend it. Read my full review here.
• An Uncertain Grace by Krissy Kneen. 3 stars. This novel is unlike anything I’ve read before, the different POVs and how they reveal the life of Liv was very interesting. Read my initial thoughts here.
• Her by Garry Disher. 3 stars. This was an unusual novel, although it was definitely a book out of my reading comfort zone. I just wanted more from it, it just felt lacking in certain areas. Read my initial thoughts here.
• Lady Stuff: Secrets to Being a Woman by Loryn Brantz. 4 stars. This was amazing, perfectly relatable and just a lovely light and easy read. Highly recommend to all fans of Sarah Scribbles. Read review here.
• The Little Red Wolf by Amèlie Flèchais. 4 stars. The illustrations within this book are breathtaking, such detail, it just immediately draws you in. I love the twist of a fairytale classic. Brilliant. Read my review here.
• Anne of Green Gables: A graphic novel by Mariah Marsden. 4 stars. I had to read this when I saw it listed on Netgalley. A couple of months ago I watched the Netflix adaptation, and having never read the original book I was looking forward to seeing how similar they were. Read full review here.
• Dating You/ Hating You by Christina Lauren. 5 stars. I absolutely loved this book. It was my first official NA novel, and it was just perfect. I loved the switching POVs getting to see events from both Carter and Eve’s perspectives. The romance and workplace rivalry was excellent and I swooned so often. Highly recommend. Read initial thoughts here.
With the success of last month, I decided to try to take it easy with the expectations for this month. Especially since my anxiety is rearing its ugly head which means more time knitting to help keep it at bay.
• A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. This series is one I found out about through bookstagram. It comes so highly recommended that I was intimidated to start it with such hype and acclaim to its name. But I am already halfway through and I love it, I am completely sucked into the story, and the characters and will have to get the second novel in the series before I finish this because I want to start it immediately after.
• Editing Emma: The Secret Blog of a Nearly Proper Person by Chloe Seager. This is an ARC gifted through Netgalley, at first from reading the summary it reminded me of Zoella’s Girl Online, except more grown up. There are references to masturbation, sex and more grown up topics that Zoella’s very tame G-rated books. I am enjoying it so far.
• Friend Request by Laura Marshall. This is another Netgalley ARC, and I can’t wait to read it. Its premise is so intriguing. Louise opens Facebook one day and has a friend request from her old school friend Maria Weston, except Maria died 25 years ago.
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This is being touted as the best and most important book of the year. Based on the Black Lives Matter movement, Starr witnesses her best friend being shot by a police officer for no reason, and she is torn about what to do. I cannot wait to read this.
Let me know what books are on your TBR, or thought on the books above.
I have also done a wrap up for February, March, April, May, June, and July so please feel free to check those out too.
July was a slow month for me reading wise, I only finished two books, however, I’m okay with that because I was focusing on my knitting because I want to try to sell some items online. Plus according to Goodreads, I am two books ahead of schedule, which is a nice feeling. Means I don’t have to panic about what to read to meet my goal. I am currently at 31 books out of 50 (I finished a book this morning). That being said I definitely want to work on my improving my reading speed.
Welcome to my monthly book wrap up and TBR. June was a fair effort and as I write this, I am two books ahead of schedule according to Goodreads. Therefore, I am pleased with that.
June was a great month, I attended Supanova and met two authors, so keep an eye out for a post all about that. I got a LOT of new books last month, from the mail and second hand. I also recently signed up to Netgalley, so I have started to read a couple eARC’s, and I’m excited about the opportunities that could eventually bring.
In June I read three books, I had planned on four, but like I mentioned above I am currently ahead of schedule so I’m okay with this.
I know it is a bit late in the month to be posting this. However, I made a promise to myself to post a wrap up each month this year, and I want to keep it.
I seem to have hit my stride, reading wise, so to say. In April, I did really well, and the streak continues. Last month I read four book, which isn’t as good as April’s five but still better than the one book in March.
Considering I’m still on low shifts and minimal work, I have more time to myself to read, though currently reading has been battling for my attention ever since I took up knitting again. I wish I could do both, and maybe there is a way, it would just require some balancing. So, if anyone knows any tips to knit and read simultaneously please let me know.
In March I didn’t do very well, things got hectic and I only managed to finish one book. Fortunately,last month I did much better. I’m actually quite proud of my progress in April.
In April I read 5 books, three physical and two eBooks, I only didn’t read one of the books from my TBR but I am going to attempt to get through that one this month. I have currently read 18 out of 50 books, and am currently two books ahead of my reading schedule according to Goodreads.
This month I did abysmally, so terribly in fact that I almost wasn’t going to do this post this month. However, since I made myself a promise to try to do this monthly here I go.
Life got busier than I expected in March, rushing about, renewing my work contract, doctor’s appointments, and more just left me with little time to dedicate to reading. Additionally I also started knitting again so some nights I would choose knitting to calm the mind before bed over reading.
So this has been delayed a little, mostly because I wasn’t sure what to write for the beginning of the month, a book review or a tag. Then I stumbled across a lot of bloggers posting monthly wrap ups, which I thought was a great idea and something I’m definitely thinking about doing continuously throughout the year.