Over the course of January I managed to read ten books, two of which were graphic novels and three were children's. It was a fairly productive month for me reading-wise, balancing a full-time job with an overflowing TBR. And I think I came out on top, all things considered.
So without further a-do, here are the books I finished in January.
"Good Omens" - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
No Rating Given
SUMMARY:
Armageddon only happens once, you know. They don't let you go around again until you get it right.
According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - the world's only totally reliable guide to the future, written in 1655, before she exploded - the world will end on a Saturday.
Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea...
People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it's only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day.
This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons - well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel - would quite like the Rapture not to happen.
Oh, and someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist...
THOUGHTS:
This one really didn't do it for me, I'm not sure if it was the books fault or if it just wasn't for me.
Either way this book is a cult classic, and because of this I didn't really see a point in giving a star-rating because either way I think you should read it. But I'm just not a fan.
The TV programme was entertaining though, I would highly recommend it as I think it portrays the story's intention better than the book did!
Overall I felt like there wasn't much of a plot and the humour wasn't really my kind of humour.
This book left me even more conflicted about whether or not I like Neil Gaiman.
For a full review, please click here to read the "Good Omens" review on my blog.
"Matilda" - Roald Dahl
No Rating Given
"It’s a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful"
SUMMARY:
That might be true of most parents, but for Matilda Wormwood, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Matilda’s parents hardly notice her at all; they’re much more interested with fiddling customers at Mr Wormwood’s second-hand car business, playing bingo or eating their dinner in front of the TV. Even at school it’s not much better, the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull is a fearsome gorgon of a woman who likes nothing better than throwing small children out of the window at the smallest provocation.
Matilda is no ordinary child though; Matilda is something special and she’s had enough with the grown-up’s bullying ways. With the help of her wonderful teacher Miss Honey, Matilda might just be able to change things for the better.
Waterstones invites you to meet marvellous, magical Matilda and watch as she shows that, with a little ingenuity, even the smallest people can make a big difference.
It’s amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it.
THOUGHTS:
Has its sweet moments, but I feel like it was explicit enough that this is not how parents should behave. I think that it has the potential to be quite harmful for a child who is subjected to a parent's abuse.
Other than that I still think the film was better, as a lot of my favourite scenes from the film were not actually in the book.
For a full review, please click here to read the "Matilda" review on my blog.
"Tunnel of Bones" (Cassidy Blake #2) - V. E. Schwab
No Rating Given
SUMMARY:
Trouble is haunting Cassidy Blake... even more than usual. She (plus her ghost best friend, Jacob, of course) are in Paris, where Cass's parents are filming their TV show about the world's most haunted cities. Sure, it's fun eating croissants and seeing the Eiffel Tower, but there's true ghostly danger lurking beneath Paris, in the creepy underground Catacombs.
When Cass accidentally awakens a frighteningly strong spirit, she must rely on her still-growing skills as a ghosthunter - and turn to friends both old and new to help her unravel a mystery. But time is running out, and the spirit is only growing stronger. And if Cass fails, the force she's unleashed could haunt the city forever.
THOUGHTS:
I felt that the plot in this one was stronger than the first in the series.
Schwab seems to have found her voice a bit more in this one as well, this one didn't read as shockingly middle-grade as its former "City of Ghosts".
I wish that the series had more of an over-arching plot rather than the "independent" plots that we have gotten so far. I also wish that the story contained more of the parents TV show, and that it wasn't used solely as info-dumping sessions.
I am being nit-picky but I would like this story to go further, and it just needs that little bit more of a push to get there.
Overall, this one was quick to read and very enjoyable. I held off rating this one, as I am not the audience that it is targeting, and I may not be the best to judge it. But I did really love this one, and I am excited to see where the next one takes us in New Orleans.
Stay tuned for a full review of "Tunnel of Bones".
"Heartstopper" (Volumes 2 & 3) - Alice Oseman
Vol. 2 SUMMARY:
Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. An LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the second volume of
Heartstopper
Nick and Charlie are best friends. Nick knows Charlie's gay, and Charlie is sure that Nick isn't.
But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family ... and himself.
Heartstopper is about friendship, loyalty and mental illness. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie's lives that together make up something larger, which speaks to all of us.
Vol. 3 SUMMARY:
Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Nick's even found the courage to come out to his mum.
But coming out isn't just something that happens once - there's Nick's older brother, and a school trip to Paris, not to mention all the other friends and family - and life can be hard, even with someone who loves you by your side. As their feelings get more serious, Charlie and Nick will need each other more than ever before.
THOUGHTS:
These are such lovely little graphic novels. They are wholesome and charming and just... ugh... so fantastic. They are easily binge-able, and can be read in under an hour.
Somehow, despite their brevity they remain very satisfying reads.
Volume #3 is my favourite so far. Loved the Paris setting, further character development, and the way mental health was discussed in the third one.
I love the way this series tackles diversity, mental health, and LGBT issues in a way that never tokenises the characters. They are treated the same as a straight character would be treated, which is really refreshing on so many levels.
There will be a review of the first three volumes of the "Heartstopper" series, likely to be published by the end of this month. Stay tuned!
"Circe" - Madeline Miller
No Rating Given
"When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist."
SUMMARY:
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. Yet, in the golden halls of gods and nymphs, Circe stands apart, as something separate, something new. With neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and scorned and rejected by her kin Circe is increasingly isolated. Turning to mortals for companionship, she risks defying her father for love, a path that leads her not to the marriage bed but to a discovery of a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.
Banished by Zeus to the remote island of Aiaia, Circe refines her craft, fate entwining her with legends: the messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home. As her power increases and her knowledge grows, so Circe must make the ultimate choice: to decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
A source of fascination for ancient writers from Homer to Ovid, Circe is a character whose story is steeped in magic and mystery. Caught up in the story of heroes, she is a figure apart, a player in the lives of heroes and gods but one who has never commanded her own story, until now.
THOUGHTS:
If you were to focus solely on the writing, this book was perfect. The style was beautiful, and there was so much depth to this fictional memoir.
However, I felt that the plot was lacking and the story dragged a lot.
Part of the problem behind this book is that it isn't a fantasy in the way that most people view fantasy. It is really only a memoir, and as such the voice of Circe was beautiful.
It's the story of a minor god, her narrative forgotten or only told from male perspectives (eg. Odysseus in Homer's "The Odyssey"). This book gave her her voice.
Circe is a remarkable flawed character who never seeks retribution, but instead wants people to see her flaws and to see her how she is. Which is impressive especially compared to the gods that we encounter in this book that see themselves as perfect specimens.
If you are interested in Greek mythology, give this one a "go" it is a really interesting perspective, and ties in to "The Odyssey" really well. I think that I preferred "A Song of Achilles" to this one, which is also a really good novel if you like the Greek myths.
If you are looking for action, this is certainly not for you.
There will not be a full-length review of "Circe" - Madeline Miller
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
☆☆☆☆☆/5
"'Give me Harry Potter’ said Voldermort’s voice ‘and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded.'"
SUMMARY:
Harry Potter’s days at number four Privet Drive are coming to a close, as his seventeenth birthday approaches, Harry will no longer be protected from Lord Voldemort’s discovery by his mother’s charm. The time for hiding is past. Harry, Ron and Hermione face a near-impossible mission set by Albus Dumbledore, they must hunt down and destroy the remaining Horcruxes but they have little to go on and in the face of hardship and loss, even the strongest friendships will be tested to their limit. There are riddles to be solved: What is the truth behind the fabled Deathly Hallows? How can a Dilluminator, a book of fairy tales and an old snitch be any use? And what is the meaning behind the prophecy that binds Voldemort and Harry together? As they face the final fight, everyone risks losing all that they love and in the end, Harry and Voldemort must face each other alone in one final, deadly duel. To finish it, once and for all.
THOUGHTS:
A really strong conclusion to such a beloved series. And really satisfying too.
I have finally, after twenty-two years, finished the Harry Potter series, and it is such a bittersweet accomplishment.
There will not be a full-length review of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" - J.K. Rowling presently, however there may be one when I do a re-read of this series SUMMER-AUTUMN 2020/WINTER 2021.
"Pine" - Francine Toon
They are driving home from the search party when they see her. The trees are coarse and tall in the winter light, standing like men. Lauren and her father Niall live alone in the Highlands, in a small village surrounded by pine forest. When a woman stumbles out onto the road one Halloween night, Niall drives her back to their house in his pickup. In the morning, she's gone.
In a community where daughters rebel, men quietly rage, and drinking is a means of forgetting, mysteries like these are not out of the ordinary. The trapper found hanging with the dead animals for two weeks. Locked doors and stone circles. The disappearance of Lauren's mother a decade ago. Lauren looks for answers in her tarot cards, hoping she might one day be able to read her father's turbulent mind. Neighbours know more than they let on, but when local teenager Ann-Marie goes missing it's no longer clear who she can trust.
THOUGHTS:
The more time I have had to "sit" with this book, the more I've grown to dislike it.
This book was probably my biggest disappointment of the year so far...
"Pine" opens up really atmospheric and moody. There were a ton of technical flaws that the author makes, constantly telling instead of showing, misuses of literary devices, and really robotic, stilted writing. Even with these flaws the atmosphere was strong enough that I wanted to keep reading. And I regret continuing.
The storyline gets worse, and progressively more convoluted as the story continues.
The mystery element was really unoriginal, and unexciting. Not to mention the fact that it wasn't introduced until the last 30 pages or so, and then was really rushed. There was no reason for the mystery aspect of the story, it could have been left out entirely.
I felt like there was no point in reading it.
There will not be a full-length review for "Pine" - Francine Toon.
"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" - Shirley Jackson
No Rating Given
SUMMARY:
Living in the Blackwood family home with only her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian for company, Merricat just wants to preserve their delicate way of life. But ever since Constance was acquitted of murdering the rest of the family, the world isn't leaving the Blackwoods alone. And when Cousin Charles arrives, armed with overtures of friendship and a desperate need to get into the safe, Merricat must do everything in her power to protect the remaining family.
THOUGHTS:
I love Shirley Jackson's writing style. It stood out so much in "The Haunting of Hill House" just as much as it does in "We Have Always Lived in the Castle". Paired with her haunting atmospheres, and excellent storytelling skills, you get the recipe for a good spooky story.
If you have not yet read "The Haunting of Hill House" I suggest you do, it is SO different from the TV Programme. I personally found "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" to be a lot more confusing than Hill House, but all the same it was a pleasure to read.
Wrap-Up
I really enjoyed the majority of the books that I read in January. I had my first book club meeting with my work colleagues, which was a lot of fun. "Circe" was our bookclub choice for January, and funny enough we all had the exact same opinions of it. No one was particularly impressed, but hey, it was fun all the same.
February I have one definite bookclub read ("Scythe" by Neal Schusterman, and a possible second one ("To The Lighthouse" by Virginia Woolf).
I also have a couple buddy-reads going on in Feb; "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall" by Anne Brontë and "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee.
Over the end of January into the beginning of February, I read "Daisy Jones and the Six" so expect a Review shortly. I am currently reading "The Wicked King" - Holly Black.
Happy Reading!
Théo
