Tag: wrap up

Monthly Wrap Ups

June Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well today. How was your June? Mine was so full I barely had time to myself. Some good things happened though, I saw Iron Maiden and Halestorm play live, I saw a couple of theatre shows and I read some good books.

Did you read any good books this month, what were they?

Today I am bringing you my wrap up for the month of June!

From my TBR I read:

  • Murder At The Beauty pageant by Helena Dixon – I did read this. It’s number 11 or maybe number 12 in the Miss Underhay cosy mystery series. Each installment is a brilliant short mystery with characters you love no matter what. It’s always a delight to delve into another book in the series.
  • Murder At Traitors Gate by Irina Shapiro – I did read this. This book is the second in the Bell and Tate series, a historical mystery series set around Victorian time in London I believe. I like that this series can balance the lightness of the character’s relationships with the darkness of the crime. It has a gothic feel to the series which I love.
  • To Sway A Bard – I did read this. I thought I was going to enjoy this a lot more than I did. It had all the great parts it needed: a thief character, a sheriff who is hunting the thief, enemies to lovers, a high stakes adventure, royalty, banter. But for me it was not taken as far as it could have been, it felt a little underdeveloped. I still enjoyed it but not as much as I hoped I would.
  • A Witch’s Guide To Love And Poison – I did read this.
  • A Rivalry Of Hearts by Tessonja Odette – I read half of this book before deciding to DNF it. Not because there was anything wrong with it because there wasn’t. It was well written and well plotted, the romance was good, I liked both the main characters but I got bored and having to read another half that would have been much more of the same wasn’t appealing so for now I have DNF’d it. I might come back to it later.
  • Fall Of The Argosi by Sebastien de Castell – as I am writing this I have not started this yet, however there are twelve more days left in June so I am pretty sure I will be able to have read it by the end of the month.
  • Vera Wong’s Guide To Snooping On A Dead an by Jesse Sutanto – I did read this. I enjoyed it. The second in the vera wong mystery series following a chinese mother who owns a tea shop and keeps getting herself involved in murder investigations.

So, by the end of the month I should have managed to read all seven of the books that were on my TBR for the month AND outside of it I have also read the new Rob Rinder book, The Protest which was one of my most anticipated reads for this year.

Monthly Wrap Ups

May Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. It is the end of June. I honestly don’t know where this month went. I have been so busy trying to meet my PhD deadlines that the month has flown by. How has the month been for all of you?

I did manage to read a bit this month, not as much as last month but I got through some pretty good books and I did manage to finish my TBR so I’m happy with that.

From my TBR I read:

  • The Ballad Of Never After by Stephanie Garber – I enjoyed this book a lot more than Once Upon A Broken Heart so I’m glad about that because I loved her Caraval series then when I wasn’t sure on Once Upon A Broken Heart I was worried, but unnecessarily because the second book was much better.
  • Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas – I finally got around to reading this book after far too long. I have to say the first half of the book was dragging a little bit but once the action started kicking in I was more intrigued, and I got sucked into the story and I can’t wait to keep going with the next book in the series. I will be posting a book review on the 23rd June.
  • Library Of Shadows by Rachel Moore – I wasn’t sure about this book going into it but I was pleasantly surprised. If you want to see all my thoughts about this book I will be posting a book review on the 13th June.
  • The Murder Hypothesis – again, another book that I wasn’t sure about when I picked it up but I thought it was good, for a YA mystery it was intriguing, nothing overly special or groundbreaking but an enjoyable read.
  • The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton – another book that has been on my shelf for a while that I have been meaning to get to, and of course I loved it. It was actually in line for my favourite book of the month, it just missed out on that accolade.
  • In Want of A Suspect by Tirzah Price – the continuation of Lizzie and Darcy’s story that started in Pride and Premeditation. I loved the first book, it was one of my favourite books that I read in that year, and this second book was just as good, I have to say that the romance in this novel wasn’t quite as good as in the first book in my opinion but it was still good. This was my favourite read of May.

Outside of my TBR I also read: The Mysterious Affair of Styles by Agatha Christie which I was a little bit underwhelmed with, it was okay but not the best of her novels. And I also read Murder At The Charity Ball by Helena Dixon which is maybe the tenth book in the Miss Underhay series? A solidly good book all round.

So, that means this month I read 8 books which is a pretty good effort with how my month has been going. How many books did you get through this month? Which book that you read was your favourite?

Monthly Wrap Ups

February Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day and a good start to the month of March. February is over and that means it is time to talk about all the books I read in February.

From my TBR:

  • Murder At The Wedding by Helena Dixon – I did read this. It is the seventh? I think, book in the series following Miss Kitty Underhay and her murder mystery adventures. It is a series set in the 1930s and it is a cosy mystery series. It’s so bingeable, fast paced and action packed.
  • A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas – I did read this. Okay, so I loved it because it’s Feyre and Rhysand and everyone but as far as a book goes I don’t think it had enough to fully pull me in. I enjoyed it but I am glad it was only a short novella and I am excited to read the final book A Court of Silver Flames while waiting for the next book to be written and published.
  • The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis – I did read this. This is the second book in the Bronte mystery series. The three bronte sisters are the main characters and they trek all over the moors solving murder mysteries happening in their home town of Haworth. I love the almost gothic feel of these novels, they are dark and atmospheric and I can’t stop reading them. There’s two more in the series so far and I need to go out and buy them immediately.
  • The Veiled Kingdom by Holly Renee – I am currently reading this and planning on finishing it today, the day I am writing this which is the 20th February. It is the first in a series about a princess who is hiding her identity after escaping her cruel Father and she ends up in the rebellion. So far it is good, I find the writing a bit young even though the topics talked about make it firmly adult so I’d say I like it but currently it is not a new favourite.
  • Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros – I did read this. It is the second book in the Fourth Wing series.
  • Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros – I read this too. The third and most up to date book in the Fourth Wing series. I will be posting my full reviews of Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm this month so keep an eye out for that!

So, from my TBR I read all 6 books (yay for me!) and then outside of my TBR I read: Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin which I ended up LOVING, surprisingly. I also read The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter and This Is Not A Game by Kelly Mullins and the Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.

Altogether that means I read 10 books in February which I am very happy with. How was your reading in February? What was your favourite read?

Monthly Wrap Ups

July Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a great day today.

July is at an end and I think it is safe to say that it was my best month for reading so far this year, both in the amount of books and my enjoyment of those books.

So, my July TBR, technically I didn’t finish it because I didn’t read the exact books I put on it BUT I did read a bunch of books so I read more books than I put on my TBR so I am going to count that as finishing it.

This was my TBR:

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

I did not read this book, it was actually in the pile for me to read next, to break up some of the mysteries I have been reading like a palate cleanser, but I didn’t get around to it.

The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley

I am currently reading this book and I have three days left of the month so I am optimistic that I will finish this book by the end of July.

A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene

I did not read this book, I didn’t even think about it this month so hopefully I will get to it soon but that time is not yet.

The Whispering Dark by Kelly Andrews

I was excited about this book but as with A Feather So Black I haven’t been drawn to fantasy at the moment so I didn’t get around to it.

The Jewelled Moth by Katherine Woodfine

I did read this book, it is the second in the series and actually I enjoyed it more than the first book.

Outside of my TBR I have also read: I finished Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood, The King’s Mother by Annie Garthwaite (the best book I have read so far this year!), The Suspect by Rob Rinder, The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz, Queen Macbeth by Val Mcdermid, and I started Seven Likely Suspects by Katy Watson as well.

So in July I read 8 books this month! I am very happy with that amount. How has your reading been this month? Any great books?

Monthly Wrap Ups

February Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today.

Today I am bringing you the wrap up for my February reading, which, spoiler alert, did not go well.

I did a lot in February. I went to a Nightcourt Ball! based on the ACOTAR books and it was a very cool experience, I got to dress up like a fantasy princess and dance for a night and they had people dressed up as the characters from the books and even a live singer, who was excellent. It was tiring but fun.
Then next up in February, I went to Disneyland Paris with my Mum and my sister and my Sister’s family. This was also great but it didn’t give me much time for reading unfortunately.

So, onto what I read this month. I’ll save the list this month I had five books on my February TBR and I only read one (which I literally finished this morning.)

So, in February I read The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood, the third book in the Marlow Murder Club series. I have loved the previous two books in the series but for me this third one fell a bit flat and well, it took me a month to finish it. I’ll give my thoughts in a review later this month but for now that’s it for this post, I didn’t manage to read anything else in February. All I hope is that I get some good books read in March.

How was your reading in February? What was your favourite book that you have read recently?

Monthly Wrap Ups

October Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a wonderful day today.

October was quite the month for me, I had a stall at Cardiff Comic Con and I got some really good progress done on my PhD, I am exhausted but it is going to be worth it – I think!

Anyway, so my reading went down this month because all my free time is taken up with work but I still enjoyed a couple of books this month.

  • Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber – starting off good, I managed to read this one and I enjoyed it, if there isn’t a book review up by now there will be one soon.
  • Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco – I did not manage to read this one.
  • From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout – I didn’t manage to read this one either.
  • Assistant to the Villain – I am currently reading this one so I have started it in October and I should, should, be able to finish it before the end of the month.
  • A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid – I didn’t own this one at the time and so I couldn’t read it because I didn’t get it and I can’t get it on my library app at the moment.
  • Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo – I did not read
  • Mrs Death Misses Death – I did read this one!
  • The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi – I did not read
  • Devil Makes Three by Tori Bovilano – I did not read this
  • Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller – I did not read this

So, off my TBR I managed to read three books: Once Upon A Broken Heart, Mrs Death Misses Death and Assistant to the Villain. Outside of my TBR I have also read an ARC this month – Last Girl Breathing by Court Stevens which I will be posting a review for on the 6th November.

What did you guys read in October? And what did you think of them?

Monthly Wrap Ups

September Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all doing well. Today I am bringing you my wrap up for September. I will tell you all now, my reading has taken a backseat because I have now started my final year of my PhD and that is what is taking precedence over everything else at the moment. I was still happy with everything that I got read this month, it wasn’t much but the books I did read I enjoyed more than I have been recently.

Wrap up!

  • Love On The Brain by Ali Hazelwood – I did not read, I have to say I was really feeling big fantasy reads this month and as this book is definitely not one of those I wasn’t at all interested in reading it right now.
  • As Good As Dead by Holly Jackson – I did not read – I really want to finish this series but I didn’t get enough time this month!
  • Belladonna by Adalyn Grace – I did not read, I have seen mixed reviews for this book. I am still very interested in reading it thought.
  • From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L Armentrout – I did not read this. I hoped I would get to this one, I am drawn to it at the moment (spoiler for my October TBR) hence why I am keeping it on my TBR and I will hopefully read it next month instead
  • Well Met by Jen De Luca – I did not read, another romance and I was not feeling this genre this month
  • Finale by Stephanie Garber – I did read this! I have finally finished this series and I LOVED it. My review of this book is coming in October so look out for that.
  • Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman – I did not read
  • The Luminaries by Susan Dennard – I did not read this either
  • The It Girl by Ruth Ware – I did not read this, actually I did a huge unhaul where I got rid of 107 books and this was one of them.
  • A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft – I did not read
  • Book Lovers by Emily Henry – I did not read
  • Murder Most Royal by S J Bennett – I did read this book, another series I am now up to date with

I hope you enjoyed my wrap up, what was your favourite read in September?

Monthly Wrap Ups, Uncategorized

August Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! I can’t believe how quickly the summer has gone by this year. I had a long list of things I wanted to get done over the holidays and now they are ending I have barely done anything from my list. Is anyone else like that?

One item on my list was read a lot more and well.. that did not happen. I read a bit but I definitely didn’t stick to my TBR. Oops.

Let’s get into the wrap up!

  • A Disaster in Three Acts by Kelsey Rodkey – I did not read
  • Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey – I did not read, I wasn’t feeling a romance book this month.
  • Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody – I did not read this book
  • The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson – I did not read
  • Lady Macbethad – I was so excited to start reading this but I didn’t get around to it this month
  • A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry – I did not read
  • Daughters of Night by Laura Shepherd Robinson – I did not read this
  • The Agathas – I started to read this book and I did not enjoy the part that I read, I’m not sure yet if I will go back and try and read this again at another point or if I will find someone else to have it
  • A Gathering of Shadows by V E Schwab – I did not read
  • The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton – I did not read

So.. I only read part of one book from my TBR but I did read two books from outside my TBR which were: Winterhouse by Ben Gutterson and Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials by Marion Gibson.

What did you read in August? and what did you think of it?

Monthly Wrap Ups, Uncategorized

2022 Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Friday bookish people! My goodness the end of the year has arrived very quickly and it is time to do my yearly wrap up. For this year I am going to show a picture of the book cover of every book I have read this year all broken down into categories determined by the star rating I gave the book.

overall, this year I have only managed to read 49 books, compared to over 100 last year.

2 star

This year I read no books that I disliked so much that I gave them one star, it was close but I eventually decided the books in the two star category are:

In my 3 star category are:

4 star ratings

and finally… my two books I read this year that I rated five stars are…..

Monthly Wrap Ups

May Wrap Up!

theblindscribe

Happy Thursday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I know this is a couple of days late but I haven’t been very well. But finally I can put up my May wrap up! I had a much better reading month, part of this was because I took part in the 48 hour readathon hosted by Becca and the Books on YouTube for which I ended up reading seven books over a weekend.

So, let’s see what I managed to read this month from my TBR:

  • The Crooked Sixpence by Jennifer Bell – I did read this! It was one of the seven books I read for the readathon, a review will be coming soon
  • The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling – another book I read as part of the readathon, review coming soon
  • Graceling by Kristen Cashore – I did not read this
  • Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare – I did not read this
  • Last Chance Books by Kelsey Rodkey – I did not read this
  • Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao – I did not read this
  • A Three Dog Problem by S J Bennett – I did not read this
  • The Crowns Game by Evelyn Skye – I did not read this
  • A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross – I did not read this
  • The Final Girls Support Group by Grady Hendrix – I did read this for the spooky book prompt of the readathon
  • A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske – I read this while on the drive up to Cardiff for a concert this month
  • The Key in the Lock by Beth Underdown – I did not read this
  • Dangerous Women by Hope Adams – I started this book in May and I am currently finishing it now
  • A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz – I did read this
  • Cecily by Annie Garthwaite – I also read this
  • Queenslayer by Sebastien de Castell – and I read this

Outside of my TBR I also read Turtles All The Way Down by John Green, Newts Emerald by Garth Nix and Love Him To Death by Tanya Landman

I think I read 11 books this month which is really great and a lot better than the past few months.

That’s it for my May Wrap up, I hope you all had a good reading month. My reviews of the books that I read will be going up soon!