Hello! Long time, no post. Two whole years in fact – yikes! It’s definitely been a while since I’ve written a blog post, so please bear with me as I get back into the swing of things. If you’re wondering what I’ve been reading in the past wee while, I’ve been keeping up to date on my Instagram and Goodreads, so feel free to head over there and have a look.
Anywho, what better way to return to blogging than with a post all about my favourite books of the year so far! I love seeing what people have been enjoying – their bookish infectiousness is always great – so here I am with my own list!
My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand, Jodi Meadows & Brodi Ashton
I can’t say enough good things about this series. They are unlike any books I’ve read before. They are a little bit historical, a little bit drama, a little bit retelling and a whole lot of humour. The characters are fully fleshed out, the pace is quick and they are the very definition of ‘page turner’. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series ‘My Calamity Jane’ later on this year.
Heartstopper: Graphic Novels by Alice Oseman
You’ve probably heard of this graphic novel series before. If you haven’t, I’m incredibly surprised! It’s incredibly well received and for good reason – it’s the queer contemporary graphic novel about sweet teen boys falling in love that we’ve all been waiting for. Alice Oseman is masterful at creating characters we’ve all been to school with and making relationships true and meaningful. Plus, the artwork is gorgeous. It’s a wonderfully good time.
This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
At the start of this year I gave myself a goal of reading more non-fiction. It’s a genre I’ve never really gravitated towards and to be honest, it’s scared me a little. However, I feel like I’m finding my stride. This read really tipped the scales for me, and I discovered that non-fiction can be just as hilarious and as heart-breaking as fiction can be. Adam Kay tells us about what it’s really like to work for the NHS – both the job and its effects on life and relationships. I was completely caught up in his story. I’ll be looking to pick up some of the other books associated with this one later on.
House of Earth and Blood: Crescent City by S J Maas
Probably the most talked about 2020 release, am I right? I’m on the side of the fence that really enjoyed this read. Yes, it’s a chunker and to be honest it took me the first 200 pages to really get into it, but the next 500 made it worth it. I guess it takes time to craft a world like this and it takes a while to tell your readers about it. We follow Maas’ usual characters – the fierce girl and the hunking giant of an actually soft man – as they try to uncover the mystery of a murdered wolf pack and a corrupt system. The usual fun, the usual tension between the love interests, and a heck of a good time. Also appreciated that the end *kind of* wraps up, so it could be seen as a stand-alone.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
This was actually a re-read for me, completely inspired by watching the recent movie adaptation (which was utterly gorgeous and I’d completely recommend). It was just as good as the first time I read it. Loveable sisters growing up and finding love and figuring out what they want out of life. For a classic it’s really readable and surprisingly fast paced. I listened to the audio book and that was great too. If you are unsure of classics, this would be a good place to start.
Where the Crawdad’s Sing by Delia Owens
A more recent read for me and I was completely blown away. We follow a young ‘marsh girl’ as she grows up amongst a prejudiced community and figures out how to live after a difficult family life. For your info: triggers for domestic abuse, neglect and attempted sexual assault. I felt all the things when reading this – I cried, I felt so angry, and yet I also felt hopeful. I was so immersed in this book. The characters were so real, the writing was utterly gorgeous and the nature writing within this story made me feel like I was outside in the marsh with our characters (even though I was actually in my house the whole time because… quarantine). Pick this up – you won’t regret it.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know how much I love Backman. I’ve read almost all of his backlist and I’ve never given any of his books below 4 stars. There something about his writing that just gets me right in the feels. This is the most harrowing book of his that I’ve read. I had an immense emotional reaction to this read – which I think is true for most of the people whom I’ve heard talk about this. I was tense from the first page, had dread in the pit of my stomach and felt a whole spectrum of emotions as I read. This book dealt with rape and the impact this has on the victim, their family and the community around them (so please be careful if this is triggering). It was dealt with so well by Backman, and I genuinely will think about this book for the rest of my life. What a book.
The Girl Meets Duke Series by Tessa Dare
Sometimes you don’t want to read something so intense. Sometimes you just want to read something fun. This series is the ultimate fun read for me. Each book follows a different girl from the same friendship group as they fall in love for the brooding Duke they come across. I love a good romance – and these always hit the spot. Its trope-y, it’s fast paced, it’s flirty and steamy, and it’s regency – so it gives me all the steamy scenes that I wish was present in Jane Austen, haha! I’m now working my way through the rest of Tessa Dare’s backlist and looking forward to them all.
The Binding by Bridget Collins
This book took me completely by surprise. I didn’t think I would fall in love with this book as much as I did. A brilliant historical fiction novel following a boy who falls into the world of bindings – where people’s stories are bound into novels to take away their pain or hide their secrets. It was just such a compelling read. The audio-book was gorgeously narrated too. If you love books about books and an intriguing plot, give this a go!
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And there we have it! My favourite reads of the year so far. I love writing posts like these because they remind me of all the things I’ve loved recently. Goodness, it’s been a good reading year so far. Let me know if you’ve read any of these and your thoughts! Also, what’s your favourite book of the year so far – I love a good recommendation!
Thanks for joining me, friends! Enjoy the rest of your week!
read it and leap; 