January 2021 What I’ve been Reading

January 2021 What I’ve been Reading

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Being in lockdown means I can do one of three things; work, walk or read. Given that I’ve read 13 books this month, can you guess what I’ve been doing the most of? Opps.

I wanted to create a post telling you what I’ve read and what I recommend. Hopefully you can pick up a book or ten from this post!

 

Love your life by Sophie Kinsella

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My parents got me this book for Christmas (well, it was one of those occasions where your mum buys it and your dad just smiles as you unwrap it – although, Covid meant they didn’t get to see me unwrap it… Anyway, I’m going off topic.) 

Sophie Kinsella has always been a favourite of mine (you can watch an interview I did with Deborah Klee discussing the books that have influence my life and my writing here). However, I found this book to be rather disappointing and lacking in Kinsella’s usual spark. 

 

The Cornish Cream Tea Christmas by Cressida McLaughlin

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This is another book that I received as a Christmas present. I loved it so much and a month later my heart is still in Cornwall. 

A thoroughly enjoyable festive read. I loved all the characters – including the dogs! The story had many different layers to it that left me eager to keep reading. Having just finished the book I find myself wanting to book a trip to Cornwall to recreate the magic within the story. Thank you for a lovely Christmassy escape.

 

 

The Searching Songbird by E. P. Stavs

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I’ve read the first book in the Shendri Series and I’ve been eager to read this book. Stavs is a wonderful writer, perfectly capturing my imagination and heart. 

This is the second in the series from E.P. Stavs and it really did not disappoint. Lily was a wonderfully balanced character with hidden depths and a real female inspiration. The story itself was exciting, fast-paced and left me unable to put the book down. The author has a wonderful balance of mystery, action, suspense and romance. I love the concept of the series and I cannot wait for the third book to be released!

 

The De-Coding of Jo: Hall of Ignorance by Lali A. Love

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I was astounded by this book. It really is like nothing I have ever come across before. A brilliant read and I had no idea where the plot was going to go. 

 

I won this book in a competition that Lali hosted back in November.

From the first page I knew this book would be like nothing I had ever read before. The story was incredibly unique and engaging. The book balances teenage coming of age angst, mental health problems, and sexual identity, whilst also exploring fantasy. Lali has cleverly combined all of these aspects to create a fantastic world filled with spiritual energy, relatable characters and teenage angst. The plot has been wonderfully constructed to leave the reader guessing until the final pages.

I can promise you that this book is like nothing you’ve ever read before.

 

Where Darkness Meets Light by Sabrine Elouali

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I love anything that raises awareness of mental health and Sabrine has wonderfully described the struggles to help others who pick up her book of poetry. 

A brilliant read delving into the mind of mental health. There were a number of poems that spoke to me (particularly Toxic and Rose Tinted). This is a truly beautiful book that hopes to reach out to others that are suffering.

 

Kingdom of Thorns by Katherine Macdonald

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This isn’t the first book I’ve read by Katherine Macdonald and I’d downloaded another of hers before I had even finished this one. I absolutely love her writing and the imagination that she puts into her fairytale retellings.

This is the second book I’ve read by Katherine Macdonald and it definitely won’t be the last. I absolutely LOVED this story and could not put it down. The plot is incredibly well thought through and magical. There’s a twist in the book that had my heart soaring. I can honestly say that I loved every page of this story and felt all the emotions that were pouring from the pages. It was well written and I must say I prefer it to the original Sleeping Beauty!

 

Lottie’s Locket by Maria Johnson

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I really, really enjoyed this book. Johnson’s description of Orovand was brilliant and whisked me away to a magical world for a few hours. 

I’ve spent a wonderful afternoon in the magical world of Lottie’s Locket. When Lottie is gifted a locket on her 11th birthday she gets quite the adventure! She’s whisked away to a magical world filled with gold, scrumptious food and unicorns! As Lottie discovers the world of Orovand she soon finds herself at the heart of an Agatha Christie style mystery. Can she solve the mystery in time to return home?

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and the description was wonderful. The story itself was engaging. A brilliant story both for young and old readers!

 

DeLuca by Darren Arthurs 

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I love a book with a strong female lead and DeLuca had just that! 

A brilliant story with an inspirational main character. I love a book with a strong female lead and Breanna DeLuca did not disappoint. The plot was great and kept me wanting to keep turning the page – I finished the book in a single evening as I couldn’t put it down. There were a few loose ends, leaving room for a sequel!

 

The Tales Next Door by Ranjana Joshi

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I love short stories as I can pick them up and read them with a cup of tea or if I need a 10 minute break from writing. 

Short, easy to read and interesting stories. I loved that I could just sit down for 10 minutes and lose myself in one of the stories. Each one was unique and I didn’t know what was coming next.

 

The Sorceress by Taliesin Govannon

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I love a YA supernatural read as it holds lots of nostalgia for me. It brings me straight back to being a teenager and reading every supernatural romance I could get my hands on.

This book is an explosion or magic and everything supernatural. However, it also focuses on the lives of three teens and their introduction to new worlds. The story follows Annie as she learns about her destiny and her past lives. With romance, teenage angst and magic this book has everything you could possibly want!

 

Shadow Stained by Rachel Hobbs

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This is the darkest supernatural I’ve read to date but I absolutely loved it! 

A thoroughly thrilling read! Ruby finds herself bored with life and wanting to return to the city, however, before she has a chance her life is turned upside down. When demon lord, Drayvex, enters her life nothing will ever be the same again. I absolutely loved this book. It was filled with demons, amazing description of magical worlds and Ruby was a badass character. It was interesting to see Drayvex develop feelings for Ruby whilst fighting his inner evil nature. A great read and I’m looking forward to the next one!

*I won this book in a giveaway, however my review is completely based on my own opinion*

 

Comrades, Concubines and Lovers by Graham Hunter

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I cannot recommend this book enough! It’s interesting and educating at the same time. Graham has had so many different experiences across the globe and he’s been kind enough to share his memories with us. A truly eye-opening read. 

A truly fascinating read. The story recounts Graham’s life and his experiences as a travelling salesman from the 80’s through to 2000. Graham’s experiences around the world were truly fascinating, especially his memories of Russia in the 80s. However, the story truly captured my heart when Graham met a very lovely Russian lady. Their struggles to be together were truly shocking. This book pulled at my heart strings and left me pondering the ways of the world.

Thank you, Graham, for sharing your life so openly with us.

 

Since September by Allison Martine

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The Bourbon Books are a wonderful, sizzling romance. 

Having read the first book in The Bourbon Books (Dibs) I’ve been eager to clear my TBR list to read this. I was thrilled that it carried on with Olivia and Adam’s relationship. It was nice to see them continue to grow as a couple and to heal after their respective heartbreaks. The story focuses on them planning their wedding, and the various opinions they come up against. Some people are happy for them, others think they’re moving too quickly.

I loved the sense of humour and the little references to book 1.

A really great read that did not disappoint. Looking forward to book 3!

 

Let me know if you pick up any of the books I’ve mentioned.