Category: Reading

2021 Reading in Review

This is what I wrote about my 2020 reading:

2020 was an odd year for reading. I usually read on average a book or two a week. This year I went through phases were I didn’t read for ages then I read five books in a week.

If I thought 2020 was odd, it had nothing on 2021. I read thirteen books this year–three of which were re-reads of Patricia Briggs novels. I think the last ‘new’ book I read was in June–the latest Phryne Fisher mystery.

I just couldn’t get into the mood to read new things. My goal was to read 48 books in 2021. A goal I quite obviously failed.

I think I read well over a hundred different fanfictions in various fandoms. So technically I did hit my goal, I suppose.

Of the few books I read this year, Bounce by Becca Seymour is probably my favourite.

The review I wrote for it:

I adored this book. Despite being forewarned, I wasn’t quite emotionally prepared for some of depths of human emotion that were delved into here. A lot of authors tend not to want to touch tougher subjects. They were handled beautifully and brilliantly in Bounce. It’s a wonderful romance between two loveable characters who’ve suffered through traumatic events of one variety or the other. The trigger warnings at the start of the book should definitely be paid attention to.

Here’s hoping next year is a better year for reading.

What about you?

What were some of your favourite reads this year?

10 Books on my TBR

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I have an incredibly long TBR on my kindle. Books I’ve bought that have languished unread for months (or years in a couple cases.) So here’s a least of ten, in no particular order, that I’ve bumped up in the hopes I’ll read them this month (or next, if I’m honest.)

  1. The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
  2. Get It Right by Skye Kilean
  3. The Plot is Murder by V.M. Burns
  4. Deep Fried Trouble by Tyora Moody
  5. Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon
  6. Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev
  7. The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
  8. Furiously Happy by Jenny Trout
  9. I’m Fine and Neither Are You by Camille Pagán
  10. The Psychopath by Mary Turner Thomson

Books I re-read in the past year.

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Photo by Sam Lion on Pexels.com

Both last year and this year thus far, I’ve honestly found it hard to read ‘new’ books at times. I wanted/needed the comfort of stories where I already knew the conclusion.

Granted, I’m autistic and often find comfort in re-reading stories.

Here are the books I’ve re-read at least once in the past year and a half.

  • Persuasion by Jane Austen
  • The Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries series by Kerry Greenwood
  • The first four books in the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs

There are a few other ones that I’ve re-read. And actually, I think I re-read the Miss Fisher series at least twice. I’ve even watched the TV adaptation and the movie a few times.

Last year was a cosy mystery sort of year.

Didn’t we all need something cosy? It can’t just be me.

Favourite Reads of 2020

2020 was an odd year for reading. I usually read on average a book or two a week. This year I went through phases were I didn’t read for ages then I read five books in a week. So I thought I’d share a few of my favourites from the past twelve months.

They are in no particular order. (Well, technically I’ve put them in alphabetical order)

  • A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau
  • Demons Do It Better by Louisa Masters
  • Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera
  • Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman
  • Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole
  • Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspooon
  • The Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries series by Kerry Greenwood – No lie, I read the entire series about three times this year.
  • Thicker Than Water by Becca Seymour

What about you?

What were some of your favourite reads this year?

The Romance of History

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My guilty pleasures often include reading a lot of Regency Romances and watching period films such as Persuasion and The Golden Bowl, or TV mini-series like, Downton Abbey and The Tudors.  I love the glitz and glamour of it all.  I do also enjoy injecting my pleasures with small doses of reality every once in a while.

Historical romances whether in written form or film all tend to gild the lily on what life was really like in whatever time period they are representing.  It’s enjoyable, but gives us a rose-tinted view of what history was truly like.

My hubby and I recently watched a fascinating BBC mini-series from 2001 called The Manor House.  They took a family along with twelve other volunteers and moved them into an estate house for a three month experiment where they all had to live as Edwardians.  From clothing to food to everything, it all centered around them living life as it was in the early 1900s.

The family became nouveau riche, titled and waited on hand and foot.  The other twelve volunteers became their servants from butler down to scullery maid.  It was a true glimpse at what life in a Downton Abbey style home would be like.  And it was nothing like the TV show.

It was fascinating to watch modern minds struggle with life in the 1900s.  The upstairs folk, naturally, handled it better.  The downstairs servants struggled with the inequality of it all.  I found it really intriguing to watch.

Three months really gave them long enough to truly immerse themselves into the roles they were playing.

It’s definitely worth watching if you’re at all interested in period films/romances.

The Reading List – July

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My Kindle Unlimited reading list for July.  It’s a little more varied than some of my previous finds.

1. The Tidy Closet 

Doesn’t everyone need tips for keeping their closet organized?

2. Dark Quartet: The Story of the Brontes.

I loved Jane Eyre, and the Brontes; story has always fascinated me.

3. The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen

Jacques Pepin is one of my all time favourite chefs.  His story is fascinating.

4. Wind, Sand & Stars

I adore The Little Prince, but I’d never read any other books by the author so I thought I’d pick up this one.  I wasn’t disappointed.

5. 1,000 Years of Annoying the French

With a title like that, it was impossible not to want to read it.

6. As Always, Julia

Julia Child. What else do I need to say? I think I’d read every book about her aside from this one.

7. Shakespeare’s Sonnets

This one was for research.  If I were buying it, I  would’ve picked a different one.

8. A Man with a Pan

I read A LOT of cookbooks, chef’s memoirs, etc. I might be a tad bit obsessed with it.

9. A Love Poem Collection

Also for research.

The Reading List

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I didn’t read as much in May as I’d hoped to.  That’s the trouble with writing, sometimes I forget to take a break and read.  Here’s what I’m hoping to read in June from my Kindle Unlimited list:

1. The Paper Magician by Charlie Holmberg

2. How to Talk Dirty (It’s a writing reference, I promise.=) )

3. 3-Day Guide to Dublin (also for research).

4. Dublin by Locals (also for research).

5. Inheriting Romance

What do you hope to read this month?