Looking Back : March 2012

I read six books this March:
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1. Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
3. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
4. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
5. The Gates by John Connolly
6. You Deserve Nothing by Alexander Maksik
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My favourite book of March was a difficult one to choose, but if I had to pick I would go for The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt. Mainly because it's a book I wouldn't normally pick up, but I did because it was one of the books that was featured in the TV book club on Channel 4 (or More 4?), and I'm glad I did because it blew me away. Another book included in the TV book club was You Deserve Nothing which I also really loved. I had been avoiding The Night Circus a bit because I was scared it wasn't going to live up to the hype but I finally picked it up in March and I was so happy that I finally did because it was amazing and magical! Due to it being Charles Dickens bicenary in February I decided to pick up one of his works and I finally finished it in March. That work being Little Dorrit and I really savoured the writing. The next book read in March was Confessions of a Shopaholic which I thought was hilarious like the film. The final book was The Gates by John Connolly which was alright. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I was a kid but it was still a fun unique read.

Looking Back : February 2012

I read eight books in February.
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1. Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
2. Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder
3. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
4. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
5. Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
6. Harry Potter: Page to Screen by Bob McCabe
7. Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
8. The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
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My favourite read of February was probably Harry Potter: Page to Screen. It's a mammoth book that provides a fantastic look behind the scenes of the whole franchise. My second favourite was definitely A Fault in our Stars which was an amazing read, but I've come to expect nothing less from John Green. I finished the Poison Study trilogy in February too. I really enjoyed the series but the first book (Poison Study) was definitely the best of the three. I finally got around to reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret and it was a beautiful book with awesome drawings and I only hope the film is as good when I finally get around to it too. I really enjoyed Silence as well and can't wait for the next installment in the Hush, Hush series. Wondrous Strange was a surprisingly good book and The Mysterious Affair at Styles was classic Christie.

In My Mailbox (39)

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

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I've acquired nine books from the past few weeks:

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1. The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland

2. Everneath by Brodi Ashton
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3. You Deserve Nothing by Alexander Maksik

4. The Somnabulist by Essie Fox
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5. Before I Go To Sleep by S. J. Watsom

6. I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith
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7. Rules of Civilty by Amor Towles

8. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt
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9. Supernaturally by Kiersten White
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I think you can tell I've been heavily influenced by the TV Book Club from Channel Four these past few weeks. I've been watching the half hour episodes religiously each week and the books sound so good and intriguing, which is why I have five of them in my list this time. I'm especially looking forward to The Sisters Brothers which recieved universal praise on the show. I also picked up I Capture The Castle after hearing it is one of J. K. Rowlings favourite books and not only that but the synopsis sounds enchanting. I purely picked up Everneath on its stunning cover and Supernaturally was a must after reading and enjoying Paranormalcy last year. Finally, The Owl Killers was purchased simply becasue I love owls and I have raed good reviews about it. I can't wait to get stuck in :)

Looking Back : January 2012

I read eight books in January:

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1. Matched by Ally Condie

2. 11.22.63 by Stephen King

3. The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen

4. A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle

5. To The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

6. Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

7. A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard

8. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

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My favourite read of January was 11.22.63 by Stephen King. It was an amazing read that immerses you in the 1950s and 60s of America. It mixes time-travel, horror, nostalgia and the unease of deja vu. It was closely followed by Bittersweet and Poison Study. Bittersweet was a top star read which was not surprising since I now expect nothing less from the fabulously talented Sarah Ockler. I had heard a lot about the work of Maria V. Snyder and I had had the Poison Study trilogy unread on my shelves for ages and I'm so glad I've finally got around to starting them because Poison Study was brilliant and I can see why Snyder's fans rave about it.

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Matched was a surprisingly good read too. I had previously read Delirium by Lauren Oliver and had constantly heard it compared to Matched and whilst I thought Delirium was an okay read I didn't think it lived up to the hype so I was initially skeptical about reading Matched. I'm glad I did though because in my opinion it surpassed Delirium and I can't wait to read the sequel (Crossed). Both A Small Free Kiss in the Dark and The Vampire Stalker were quick and good reads, the latter being quite light and the first with a vein of sorrow and depth running through it.

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A Study in Scarlet was my first literary introduction to Sherlock Holmes and I found him to be and ingenious character. Whilst I thought the plot to be a bit ramshackle at times (especially the crazy Mormon tangent in the middle), I am intrigued to read more of Holmes. To The Lighthouse was an okay read. I think I read it at the wrong time of year and would be better suited to a long lazy summer day on the beach. The plot is almost non-existent but the characters philosophical musings do draw you in.

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So overall a successful reading month and I only wish I could keep up to date with my blog as well :)

In My Mailbox (38)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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I got four books this week:

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1. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

2. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

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3. Harry Potter: Page to Screen by Bob McCabe

4. Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee

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I'm so excited to read The Fault in our Stars! It's the first book I've every pre-ordered and it looks amazing. I love the cover and mine was signed with a green sharpie :) John Green is one of my favourite authors, not just because of his thought-provoking stories but the way he is able to connect with his audience and make them care about the things that matter in the world, along with his brother Hank.

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The second book I got was Bittersweet which I also can't wait to get stuck into either. I loved Ockler's previous two novels (Twenty Boy Summer and Fixing Delilah) which were both summery reads but Bittersweet is set in Winter (I believe) and I'm curious to see how it matches up. Anyway, it's by Sarah Ockler so it must be good!

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Thirdly I picked up Cider with Rosie from my local Works bookshop for only £2.99. It's set in the Cotswolds which I live only a stones throw from and love to explore so I had to pick it up :)

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Finally, the book I have been lusting after for months arrived; Harry Potter: Page to Screen, and it must be the biggest book I own (and the heaviest) but it looks gorgeous. I've had a quick flick through and it is amazing and I can't wait to read it in depth!

Looking Back : Year 2011

I read a grand total of 110 books in 2011! I had set myself a goal of 100 books and I surpassed it by 10% :) So lets take a look back at some of them:

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Firstly, I would like to say goodbye to some of my favourite series:

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Not surprisingly they were all young-adult but they were some of my favourite series and it was bittersweet to read the final installments in 2011. Luckily a couple of authors are starting new series set in the same worlds. I can't wait!

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Biggest Surprise:

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A Monster Calls completely blew me away. It had the biggest emotional punch of any book that I have ever read. I urge everybody to pick it up. It is now takes pride of place amongst some of my other inspiring and all-time favourite reads.

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Biggest Disappointment:

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For a book with such a breathtakingly beautiful cover I was hoping the contents of Wither would be simultaneously beautiful but alas it was not to be. I have read fantastic reviews on it but for me it just didn't sit well. I can see where people are coming from because some of the writing is lyrical and the whole premise is intriguing but it just wasn't to be :(

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Favourite Author Discovery:

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I finally got around to reading Cloud Atlas in 2011 and it was my first experience with David Mitchell and he is now one of favourite authors. Cloud Atlas is one of the most original stories I have ever read and it transcends many decades if not centuries. I eagerly picked up The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet later on in the year and was not disappointed. I am excited to read more of his works. (Notable mention: Carlos Ruis Zafon with The Prince of Mist and Shadow of the Wind).

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Finally got around to reading:

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It felt like these three books had been on my shelves unread for ages and I feel like such an idiot for only just getting around to them because they were all outstanding stories. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo was a thrilling and suspenseful crime novel, The Name of the Wind was an epic fantasy and the first in a planned trilogy, and The Dark Angel was a dark and gritty historical novel with a dash of mystery. All were completely awesome!

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Best romance:

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Be still my beating heart. Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara are on fire! Gone with the wind not only transcends many genres, it also has one of the most sizzling and passionate pairings I have ever read about! (Notable mention: Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins for the adorable love between Etienne and Anna).

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Scariest book:

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I suppose it not surprising that my winner of this category would come from the king of horror, the one and only Stephen King, but I had no idea how good he is at getting into the deepest darkest fears of the human mind, especially of seemingly normal people. Full Dark, No Stars was amazing and by far the creepiest book I have ever read.

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Continued excellence:

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Daphne Du Maurier is one of my favourite novelists and she didn't disappoint with The Loving Spirit. Graceling by Kristin Cashore was amazing and I was ecstatic to find that Fire exceeded it by leaps and bounds. I can't wait for Bitterblue. I have only read one other work by Thomas Hardy and that was Tess of the D'Urbervilles but Far from the Madding Crowd was just as good and I look forward to reading more of his books.

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Worth the Hype:

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With the film coming out I thought I had better get around to reading The Help ASAP. Now I finally understand why it is a bestseller and it is most deservedly worth all the hype that came with it.

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Runner-up book of the year:

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Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey was another big surprise which had also been on my shelves unread for quite a while. A fantastic story that make you yearn for hot summer days. A coming-of-age story about a thirteen old boy named Charlie. It's heart breaking but heart-warming at the same time. It's nostalgic and mysterious with a plethora of layers. A must read!

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Book of the Year 2011:

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I'd previously read The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins and I really enjoyed it but it didn't leave a lasting impression with me. However, that is a completely different story with The Woman in White. It took me over a week to read but not because it was hard to read but because it was a story to be savoured. The epitome of a gothic horror book. Full of suspense and mystery it is a wonderfully eerie read and that makes it my book of 2011.

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Here's to 2012!