Monthly Wrap-Up – April 2023

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Hello and welcome to my monthly wrap-up for April 2023! If you’re UK based, I hope you’ve had a lovely long weekend? If you’ve spent it with a book, then that’s time well spent if you ask me.

This month started off as a parody of last month. I spent a while working through my ‘first’ read of the month (as it was a chunky read). Then, things sped up from there. I vary this month in that things started to slow down again…

 

Books Read

 

The Mad Ship

As of last month’s monthly wrap-up post, I was 120 pages into The Mad Ship. If you are unfamiliar with this book, it is an epic 906 pages total.

That left me with a lot of reading to do at the beginning of the month. I actually set this aside for a couple of days in order to read the next book on this list ahead of the blog tour I took part in. However, as soon as I finished, I jumped straight back into this one.

Much like last month, I was reading this book for a good chunk of the month. It’s obviously very long, but not only that, Robin Hobb’s narrative is dense. In my experience, they are not books that you can read very quickly, even if you try.

 

Thanks For Sharing

As I briefly mentioned above, Thanks for Sharing at the beginning of the month in order to read it in time to provide my review for the recent blog tour.

This was a complete change from The Mad Ship, and it was nice to pick up something different. I wanted to pick up this book as I have recently been appointed to a sustainability committee at work. My intentions were to read the book to get some ideas and general information about sustainability and the environment.

I got that from this book, and so much more! The book recounts the author’s experience of trying more sustainable lifestyle over the course of about a year. That might not sound thrilling to some, but this was relayed in a funny way. We get to experience the ups and downs of trying to incorporate change into family life. There is a lot of humour throughout this book, and that really helped make the reading experience that little bit more enjoyable!

 

Eagle of Mercia

I read a second book in April for a blog tour obligation, although that tour post isn’t coming until Wednesday this week.

Eagle of Mercia is the fourth book in the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles, written by M.J. Porter. So far, I have read and reviewed each of the books for a blog tour post. I have enjoyed every single one! Eagle of Mercia was no exception.

The standout element for me in these books is the perspective from which these books are written. I really like Icel, our protagonist. His is a perspective we don’t necessarily expect from this time period. He is a youth that does not long to be a warrior, although increasingly, he steps up to his obligations to protect his own. Instead, Icel would rather be healing the wounded. That is how he spent his youth, and he longs for peace in times of political turbulence.

The narrative and storyline we get to enjoy in this fourth book is quite unlike the others we have seen to date. We see our characters move far beyond their own pastures for a rescue mission.

If you’re intrigued by the sound of this book and want to find out more, check out my blog tour post on Wednesday!

 

Stolen Focus

Next, I picked up Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. This is the second non-fiction book I picked up in the month, and I found this both informative and interesting.

For part of the book, the author recounts a journey he undertook in order to separate himself from external forces stealing his focus, and invests his time into the things he wanted to do. It shouldn’t surprise you that writing was one of his main goals. What is refreshing about this book is that it doesn’t point the finger… at least, not exclusively at individuals.

Based on this author’s experience, a lot of self-help books of this nature apportion blame on individuals for their lack of focus. However, the author has researched extensively why there are a large number of external factors that are increasingly stealing our focus. He briefly touches upon a Netflix docu-film that I watched a little while ago, and I would recommend watching this as an alternative way of learning about some of the concepts in this book. It’s called The Social Dilemma.

This isn’t just a book heavy on research. If you do genuinely want some advice on little things you can do to help improve your focus, this is included in the book. However, it makes it very clear that there’s only so far you can go when you are surrounded by many external factors (technology, environment etc) that all contribute to reduced focus, so that you are forearmed with that information and don’t get disappointed if you still struggle. 

 

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

The last book I have been reading throughout the month of April is The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi. This was the April book club read for Ezeekat’s book club on Fable.

I’m too late to input my thoughts on the book to the group, as I am still reading this as of the 1st of May. I had hoped this was going to be a little bit of a quicker read. It is quite whimsical and fantastical in nature, yet it is still quite a substantial read. As of this monthly wrap-up, I made it to just over halfway through the book.

Although the going is a little slower than I had hoped, I am still enjoying this one. In short, the story line is set around a group of former pirates, led by an infamous woman, who are reuniting for one last adventure/mission. The setting of the book is Middle Eastern, which is unusual for fantasy. I’m also enjoying how the book touches on what it is to be Muslim and some of the religious customs that I’m not overly familiar with. It’s a perspective that I don’t see very often, but it’s one I’m enjoying!

 

Summary

In all, I read just under 2000 pages in April. That’s about 1000 less than reported in last month’s monthly wrap-up, which goes to show just how much of a roll I was on! I’m still happy with the reading progress I made, and most importantly, the books I picked up over the course of the month.

That’s you all caught up now that we’re through my monthly wrap-up post!

Have you read any of the books I’ve featured today? Are they on your reading list?

 

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Sunday Summary – 30th April 2023

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Happy long weekend all! It’s time for my weekly Sunday Summary post, catching you up on all the latest reading progress and bookish news of the week.

The first post I shared this week was published on Wednesday. In that post, I reviewed the very first book I read in 2022. Yes, that is how far behind I am on reviews! The book is The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay; one I wouldn’t necessarily have discovered/picked up on my own, but it was recommended to me and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

On Friday, I shared the next instalment of my series, Shelf Control. For this week’s post, I featured a legal thriller written by a prominent author in this genre. I have featured one of his books before, as that is also on my reading list to pick up! However, I am still yet to read any of these books. Check out this week’s post to find out who I’m talking about.  

 

Books Read

 

Stolen Focus

As of last week’s Sunday Summary update, I was a third of the way through Stolen Focus by Johann Hari. Naturally, I have been progressing with this book throughout the week, and I finished it on Wednesday.

I like how this book discusses some individual things we can do in order to improve our own focus, but also highlight that we’re up against it. It seems that a lot of self-help books try to point the finger at individuals for a lack of focus. However, as this book rightly points out, we live in a world where increasingly, everybody is vying for attention. I mean, look at me – even by writing this blog post, I’m hoping to take a small portion of your attention. Hopefully, not in an aggressive or distracting way… but still.

This book covers both sides and it’s packed full of research that has been collated in order to educate us about our focus. It was a really informative read, and the narrative style was enjoyable.

 

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi

Next, I decided to pick up my book club read, The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi. I am enjoying this book, but at the same time, it’s not one that I am being successful in reading very quickly. When I was getting my facts together for this post, I surprised myself when I saw that I’d finished Stolen Focus on Wednesday. That’s not that long ago, but it feels like I’ve been working through The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi a lot longer than that.

It’s a fun book. In essence, we follow an adventure led by Amina, an infamous pirate. Through her quest, she seems to be getting together old friends in order to help her find a rare treasure and uncover what is currently a bit of a mystery. I won’t say any more than that, so as not to spoil the book. I am at the halfway point right now, and I’m interested to see where this is going to lead.

One of the elements I have liked very much is that the book is set in the Middle East. Quite often in fantasy, the setting is either entirely fictional, or heavily westernised. That clearly isn’t the case in this book! I like that it explores what it is to be a Muslim. The protagonist has clearly not abided by that faith in her past, but she is trying her best now. It is a perspective I don’t see very often, and I read a lot of fantasy! I’m enjoying this change of scenery and focus when it comes to religion.

 

Books Discovered

I have absolutely no news in terms of additions to my reading list, or book purchases this week.

 

Coming Up…

It is the beginning of a brand-new month next week. So, that means it’s going to be a busy one!

I’m taking advantage of the bank holiday tomorrow in order to update you with my monthly wrap-up for April. Most of that reading progress has already been covered in my Sunday Summary post. However, I do intend to make further progress in my current read tonight, so that will be included in that post.

On Wednesday, I’m taking part in the blog tour for Eagle of Mercia by M.J. Porter. I read the book earlier this month in advance of the tour, and I’m looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you. Eagle of Mercia is the fourth book in the Eagle of Mercia Chronicles. I’ve had the pleasure of touring for each of these books so far. I’ll be continuing by sharing my thoughts on this latest book next week.

I also have my May TBR to squeeze in. I already have quite a full schedule planned this week, but I don’t want to leave it until next week to tell you what I’m reading. So, I am going to share my May TBR on Thursday.

On Friday, I am sharing a First Lines Friday post with you. When I drafted my blog post to go live this Friday, I made a bit of a boo-boo. I only realised that I drafted a First Lines Friday post in error, thinking that was the post due this week, until I was setting the post up on my blog. So, I decided not to waste the effort I’d made so far and I’ve already scheduled it to go live this Friday. With all the posts I’m sharing in addition to this next week, maybe that’s not a bad thing that I’ve already done it…

And of course, I will end my marathon run with another Sunday Summary at the same time next week! It’s a good job we have another bank holiday next week, because I’ll need the rest!

 

For now, that is all from me in today’s Sunday Summary post. I am going to make a little more progress with The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi before turning in.

What are you reading?

 

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Shelf Control #64 – 28/04/2023

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Happy Friday and welcome to today’s Shelf Control feature post! I’m looking forward to sharing today’s post, as I get to feature a legal thriller by an author that is well-known, but I am yet to try!

Before we get into it, let’s recap what my Shelf Control feature is all about.

Shelf Control is a regular feature – a meme run by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies. It’s a celebration of the unread books on our shelves! The idea is to pick a book you own but haven’t read and write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up!

If you want to read more about the Shelf Control feature, check out Lisa’s introductory post.

 

The Rainmaker – John Grisham

Genre: Legal Thriller

Pages: 419

Audience: Adult

Publisher: 01 Apr 1995

Publication Date:

 

 

Goodreads – The Rainmaker

In The Rainmaker, John Grisham tells the story of a young man barely out of law school who finds himself taking on one of the most powerful, corrupt, and ruthless companies in America — and exposing a complex, multibillion-dollar insurance scam. In his final semester of law school Rudy Baylor is required to provide free legal advice to a group of senior citizens, and it is there that he meets his first “clients,” Dot and Buddy Black. Their son, Donny Ray, is dying of leukemia, and their insurance company has flatly refused to pay for his medical treatments. While Rudy is at first skeptical, he soon realizes that the Blacks really have been shockingly mistreated by the huge company, and that he just may have stumbled upon one of the largest insurance frauds anyone’s ever seen — and one of the most lucrative and important cases in the history of civil litigation. The problem is, Rudy’s flat broke, has no job, hasn’t even passed the bar, and is about to go head-to-head with one of the best defense attorneys — and powerful industries — in America.

 

My Thoughts

The Rainmaker isn’t the first John Grisham book I have featured in a Shelf Control post. However, as of writing this, I am still yet to read any of his books.

I have heard a lot of good things about John Grisham as an author. In what I have already read of the legal thriller genre, this is also something I enjoy. It’s not something I read a lot of, granted. However, it is a genre that I enjoy reading as something different to the typical books I pick up!

I like the sound of The Rainmaker as the synopsis and storyline is one we can all get behind. It deals with a humanitarian subject. I’m not sure how detailed this plot explores the circumstances of Donny Ray, but I am intrigued to read about his story and circumstances all the same. You may recall that I went out of my way to read Me Before You as it features difficult themes around disability and assisted suicide.

Obviously, those are two very different things. However, I really enjoyed that the subject even made it into a book. A lot of people like to look the other way when it comes to this sort of thing, but I’m not one to shy away. What I’m trying to say is, if we get some gritty detail in The Rainmaker, I’m all for it.

Have you read The Rinmaker or any other books written by John Grisham? 

Thanks for taking the time to check out today’s Shelf Control post, and I look forward to seeing you in the next one!

 

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Book Review: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon

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Today’s book review is for the first book I picked up and finished in January 2022 – The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon.

The book was recommended to me (and a copy loaned to me) by my sister’s boyfriend, Chris. I will be open and honest and say that I didn’t know what to expect going into this book. It sounded good, but it combines a theme and a setting that I wouldn’t necessarily expect to go together… World War II and comics.

Even though I’m not a comic book fan, I actually enjoyed it’s inclusion and emphasis in this narrative. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get on with this particular theme, but it ended up working out really well. Even if you’re not sure about it, I would recommend giving it a go anyway!

If you want to find out more, here are the details of the book!

 

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon

Book cover - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & ClayGenre: Historical fiction

Pages: 639

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Picador USA

Publication Date: 19 Sept 2000

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

 

Goodreads – The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

Joe Kavalier, a young Jewish artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdini-esque escape, has just smuggled himself out of Nazi-invaded Prague and landed in New York City. His Brooklyn cousin Sammy Clay is looking for a partner to create heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit America – the comic book. Drawing on their own fears and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the Escapist, the Monitor, and Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men. With exhilarating style and grace, Michael Chabon tells an unforgettable story about American romance and possibility.

 

My Thoughts

 

Plot

I really enjoyed this multifaceted novel and all the different elements and subgenres it brings together. It combines historical fiction, which I already love, with an emphasis on living in times of war. There are parts which touch on direct conflict, but the emphasis is more on the average Joe (no pun intended) and life during the period of World War II.

A subject that played heavily in the narrative, which was completely new to me, was comic books. Our main protagonists, Sam and Joe, become famous for producing new comic books and characters. This is a combination of genres which I have never seen before. If you’d asked me if I thought I would enjoy them together, I would have been sceptical. But, they go hand-in-hand very well in this book.

Whilst the subject of comic book producers could be seen as whimsical, in the wider landscape of World War II, it’s easy to believe these creations become a tonic for both the populous and the protagonists looking to escape their everyday lives, and enact a form of justice which they will never see in their lifetimes.

 

Characters

Naturally, this book does not shy away from difficult subjects. Joseph Kavalier escapes the clutches of the Führer when he is sent to America. He has a distant familial link to the country and narrowly manages to get in. He hopes to save enough to be able to pay for the rest of his family to join him the US. However, not all goes as planned. Adversity and strife are no strangers to the characters in The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay.

Sam experiences his own difficulties. For a long time, he struggles to come to terms with his identity, in a world which isn’t very accepting of him, or others like him. He may not have had to flee for his life from a sadistic individual who would end it, but instead, he would face more widespread persecution if people knew his secret. 

Both of these characters come from very different backgrounds, and yet we see a lot of similarities between them. Whether they know it or not, I think these similarities draw them together… even more so than the family link they have. Yet at the same time, their differences create conflict in the narrative.

 

Narrative Style

The American Dream and escapism are the main themes of this novel. From Joe smuggling himself in to US, and his obsession to Houdini-esque escapes, to both protagonists escape attempts from the oppressive forces in their lives, the author has created a realistic narrative and setting.

The narrative combines a fast-paced plot line with an immersive story. From the busy streets of New York to an isolated army base and a mission to defeat the enemy, there is a depth to this novel which is difficult to describe, yet easy to appreciate when reading the book.

 

Summary

Had The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay not been recommended to me by my sister’s boyfriend, it is unlikely I would have read this of my own accord. However, I’m glad I did! It was refreshing to try something new and to push the boundaries of my usual reading repertoire!

Have you read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, or any other books, written by Michael Chabon?

 

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Sunday Summary – 23rd April 2023

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Good evening and welcome back to another Sunday Summary update from yours truly. It’s been a great week, and I hope you’ve had the same!

I began my blogging week with a Top Ten Tuesday post. This week’s particular theme was a non-bookish freebie. So, I decided to share some of the other hobbies I enjoy other than reading! I hope it helps you get a feel for the kind of person I am and gives you a chance to learn a little bit more about me.

On Friday, I shared another post in my Well, I Didn’t Know That! series. For this week’s post, I decided to take a look at features I am yet to explore on StoryGraph, an alternative to Goodreads. Inevitably, I ended up comparing the two sites a little bit in the post. If, like me, you are a Goodreads veteran and are interested in seeing more about the StoryGraph, check out that post!

 

Books Read

 

Eagle of Mercia

As of last week’s Sunday Summary, I was just one chapter into Eagle of Mercia by M.J. Porter. It was a start, but I hadn’t really gotten that far into the book. That’s not the case now. I managed to read the entirety of Eagle of Mercia this week, and it’s been good to get back into the series.

I really enjoy the perspective of the protagonist in this series. In the three books we have read so far, we have already seen a great deal of character development. That continues throughout Eagle of Mercia, but in a way that feels natural to the storyline.

I also like how the narratives in this series vary quite significantly from each book. It would be quite easy to fall into a trap of similar events, or at least the same structure of narrative. I don’t really find that with these. They are quite action-driven books, but they don’t feel repetitive or like a regurgitation of a previous story.

 

Stolen Focus

Next, I decided to pick up a non-fiction read for a bit of a change. Stolen Focus has been on my TBR for about a year now. I initially heard about it via a podcast, and was shocked at some of the statistics that are discussed in this book. I’m still shocked reading them for myself.

I am a third of the way through this book as of today’s Sunday Summary post. I’m already thinking about some of the ways I can change my behaviour to do what I can for my focus. There was a bit of irony in that I was reading the chapter about the detriment of ‘multitasking’ (called switching in the book) yesterday morning, whilst simultaneously trying to make breakfast.

The one thing I would point out to anybody interested in this book, is that it’s message is that it’s not all about you. Yes, there are small improvements we can all make in order to preserve our focus. However, its key message is that we are in a society full of competitors furiously vying for our attention. If you enjoyed watching The Social Dilemma on Netflix, this book touches on some of the themes explored in that docu-film.

 

Books Discovered

Just after I drafted last week’s Sunday Summary post, I read about a book that I’ve decided to add to my reading list. The book is called Sensitive by Jenn Granneman. It doesn’t seem to be that well-read yet, but it was recommended on LinkedIn by somebody I follow.

I am sensitive person. If I do say so myself, I am quite good at picking up on peoples emotions. So much so, being around negative emotions can have a negative impact on me. I want to explore the subject further, and I hope to do so with this book.

I also saw another book in our local The Works store today that caught my eye. If you read my blog regularly, you’ll know that I enjoy books based around World War II. Unsurprisingly then, I have added The Auschwitz Photographer by Maurizio Onnis (translated by Luca Crippa) to my reading list. Whereas previously I have read fiction based on experiences of those in the camp, the Auschwitz photographer is a non-fiction book.

 

Coming Up…

It’s been a few weeks since I shared a book review with you all. Now that I’m finally done with documenting my thoughts on the Harry Potter series, you can expect to find some variety in my reviews going forward! This week’s review will be for the very first book I read in 2022, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.

On Friday, I’ll be sharing my next Shelf Control post with you. If you are unaware, this is the series in which I feature upcoming books on my reading list that I’m excited to pick up. Naturally, I tell you all about these books in this post, and why I can’t wait to read them. This week’s book is a legal thriller by a big-name author who I’ve yet to read any books by!

Finally, I’ll be back with another Sunday Summary post in a week’s time. In that post, I’ll tell you about the books I’ve been reading, and all my other bookish updates.

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Sunday Summary!

Have you read any of today’s featured books? What are you reading now?

 

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Well, I Didn’t Know That! #9

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For today’s Well, I Didn’t Know That! feature, I am taking a look at new-to-me features on StoryGraph. If you’re not familiar with the site, it is an independent alternative to the likes of Goodreads. It allows you to track reading progress, organise the books you want to read, and set reading challenges. All of this kind of functionality is already in Goodreads. However, there are differences between the sites. In this Well, I Didn’t Know That! feature most, I intend to explore some of those.

Before I dive in, here is a link to the introduction post for my Well, I Didn’t Know That! series, in case you want to find out more.

Now, let’s go and check out Storygraph’s amazing features!

 

Reading Challenge flexibility

Currently, the Goodreads website only allows you to set a reading goal based on the number of books you aim to finish in a year. Storygraph is slightly different and offers more options for setting a yearly reading goal.

If you want to track your reading based on page count, rather than book count, that option is available to you. The best feature though, especially for audiobook listeners, is that the website can track your reading goal based on time listened. All you have to do is make sure the format of the book is set to audio, and that an option in your settings, records audiobook time in minutes rather than pages. The rest is all done for you!

This is functionality not yet available on Goodreads, and great for audiobook listeners.

 

The Devil’s in the details

Both Goodreads and Storygraph have ways in which to filter down your reading lists. Whether that’s book you’ve read, or books you have on your TBR.

As a veteran Goodreads user, I was surprised to see that Storygraph has a lot more functionality in terms of filtering and sorting books. Each book entry into the site records criteria such as mood, pace, length, format and even content warnings. And even better still, all of these are searchable/usable data points.

If you want to take a look at your bookish stats and see what mood the books you read are, that information is available to you! Here is an example of my stats based on my 2023 reading so far!

 

These fields are also searchable in your reading list section. For example, if you know you wanted to read a faced-paced, mysterious book between 300 and 499 pages long, the website can bring up listings from your reading list based on that criteria. The site is also flexible in that it can bring up entries matching any or all of those criteria! I’ve given just a basic example here, but there is a lot more detail and flexibility in the way in which information about books can be used.

 

Buddy Reads

A feature I haven’t used yet, but would like to be able to use in the future, is Buddy Reads!

Having had a look at the details on the website, you can set up a buddy read with multiple friends and share your thoughts on the book between the group as you go. A really great feature is that comments/spoilers will only be unlocked once your fellow reader has reached the same point at which you submit the comment. Not only is that incentive to keep reading, but this way, you’re not spoiling anything either. You can submit comments/discussion points at your convenience, but not in a way that ruins the other person’s experience.

It is also possible to get recommendations on books to buddy read with a certain group, depending on your individual tastes. This is behind a pay wall, I will disclose. Personally, I don’t pay to access all the features on the site as yet. However, if it continues to improve as I think it will, then I might consider it in future.

 

Upcoming New Feature – Book Club

I also want to make a brief mention of an upcoming feature I discovered when researching for this post. I’m looking forward to trying it for myself. At the bottom of the homepage of StoryGraph, there are details on functionality available on the site. Some of this is much like Goodreads, whereas others are improvements.

The last of these is an upcoming feature – the ability to set up a bookclub, vote on books, and have discussions about them… all on Storygraph. 

If this could be done within a site I already use to track my reading, I would consider this a massive improvement to using a separate site such as Fable. It would also be a great way to reach out to like-minded readers, as the size and popularity of the site will make for a greater community to interact with. 

 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Well, I Didn’t Know That! post.

Do you use Goodreads, Storygraph, or any other means of logging your reading progress? Do you have any preferences on how you manage your reading?

Let me know in the comments!

 

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Top Ten Tuesday – Hobbies Other Than Reading

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In today’s Top Ten Tuesday post, I have freedom to select today’s theme. It’s officially listed as a non-bookish freebie, so I’ve decided to talk about my hobbies, other than reading.

You’ll see some common themes in some of these, so I have grouped them together!

 

Crafts

Knitting

One of the things that will become very clear in this post, is that I enjoy crafting! One of my favourite hobbies, at least at the moment, is knitting.

In the last few years, I have re-taught myself the basics of knitting, and I’ve gone on to learn much more besides. Since then, I have made a number of scarves, several jumpers, a couple of cardigans, and even socks!

 

Cross-stitch

Another hobby that I have rekindled enjoyment of lately is cross-stitch. Along the same lines as knitting, it’s something I learned how to do when I was younger, but didn’t really pick it up again until the pandemic. I bought myself a fairly sizable Cross-stitch kit a couple of years ago, and have been working on it on-and-off ever since. Lately, I’ve been making a real push on progress with this particular kit. I’m nearly halfway through!

I have also bought myself the materials for a new project once this one is complete. That one is significantly larger. Maybe you’ll get to see it in five years time?!

 

Crochet

And this is a hobby I do a little less of at the moment. But, for the right pattern, I would definitely pick it up again. I like crochet as it’s less complicated than knitting. However, overall, I prefer the look of knitted garments. That’s why I made the switch to knitting over crochet a couple of years ago.

I have made some fun crochet projects though. As we were heading into the pandemic, I was already making my friends little one a baby blanket ready for her arrival. I have also made a teddy, little amigurumi figures and a jumper.

 

Gaming

Nintendo Switch

As well as being a crafter, I’m also a bit of a gamer. The latest game I’ve been playing on my Nintendo Switch is Stardew Valley.

I was a huge fan of another franchise called Harvest Moon years ago. I love the farming aesthetic and how this game goes along way to emulating the best parts of Harvest Moon, but also having a fresh take on it.

I also have a few other games now – Animal Crossing, Zelda, Minecraft and Mario Karts can all be picked up whenever I fancy!

 

PS4

I’m also partial to playing games on my PlayStation now and then. I tend to stick to one or two games at a time on my PlayStation.

The current game playing the most of is Horizon: Forbidden West. This is the sequel to Horizon: Zero Dawn… a game I picked up for free during the pandemic and loved! I really like the vibe and setting of the game (prehistoric tribal setting but with hints of a prior era of advanced civilisation, technology and machines). It’s quite the combo, but it makes sense when you play the game and discover the storyline!

 

Oculus

The console I am currently playing the most, however, is my new oculus quest. I decided to treat myself to this fairly recently, so I only have a couple of games that I really play at the moment.

Those are Beat Saber and a table tennis game called Eleven VR.  I like that, I’m able to play a game, but also be active in doing it. It’s a completely different experience.

 

Other

Listening to Podcasts

Listening to podcasts is a fairly new hobby I have started doing regularly… and geerally whilst I’m doing any of the aforementioned crafts projects!

I really enjoy doing something physical with my hands, such as crafting, and listening to something at the same time. That could be music, a documentary, or podcasts! I find the combination works really well. I’ve also found some good and interesting podcasts of late that publish new episodes on a regular basis. I look forward to these episodes coming out every week and I feel like this is a hobby that’s going to stick around for awhile.

 

Puzzles

Now, and then, I will occasionally break out a puzzle book or two. I have quite varied taste on the kinds of puzzles I enjoy. Looking back, they stem from learning how to do each of these puzzles from my grandparents.

Gramps taught me how to complete Hanjie puzzles, the ones that form a picture out of a grid. Gran taught me how to complete Codebreakers. I am absolutely shocking at crosswords (in stark contrast to my mum who is brilliant at them). Instead, I am far better at identifying letter combinations and patterns. Codebreakers are therefore better suited to me.

Grandad taught me how to complete Sudoku puzzles. My sister is also quite keen on these! I enjoy the large Sudoku puzzles that combine five grids into one – but they aren’t half a challenge!

 

Watching YouTube

On a more relaxed note, I regularly watch YouTube videos whilst eating my tea. It’s the time of day where I want to watch something whilst I’m sat down briefly, but I don’t want to watch anything too long either.

I will watch absolutely anything from videos by booktubers (that’s anyone who talks about books on YouTube, to the uninitiated), to people playing games. I’m a particular fan of watching a number of prominent Minecraft players playing on multi-servers together. The antics they get up to are hilarious!

 

Plants

Last year, I decided to try and improve my black-fingeredness when it comes to plants. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a couple of casualties along the way. RIP to last year’s trailing Ivy plants.

However, for the most part, I’m starting to be responsible enough to not kill the plants I have in the house. I’ve even managed to take a couple of pups out of a succulent I was given as a housewarming gift, and they are now growing independently.

My most recent ‘plant project’ is propagating a snippet from a pothos plant my sister owns. Haven’t been sat on the kitchen windowsill for a couple of weeks, it finally looks like it might sprout some roots! All being well, I hope to propagate a few of these start a plants and combine them into a larger part to grow together. Time will tell if I succeed.

 

What are your hobbies? Are you looking to try anything new? Have any of the hobbies listed in today’s top 10 Tuesday post caught your eye?

 

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Sunday Summary – 16th April 2023

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Good evening and welcome back to another Sunday Summary update post. As always, I’m looking forward to sharing all my bookish updates with you in this post! Before we dive into the books I’ve been reading this week, let’s take a quick recap of the blog posts I have shared with you.

I began the week with a discussion post, which I shared on Tuesday. In that post, I share the benefits I have enjoyed by joining an online book club. I also talk about why I think anyone can also benefit from joining a similar group… whether online or in person. 

Next was the turn of my First Lines Friday feature post. For this particular feature, I shared a historical fiction novel sat on my bookshelf and begging to be picked up. A word of warning that it is an introduction from a book set in the Auschwitz-Birkenau, concentration camp during the Second World War. Naturally, it very quickly establishes the way in which those interred were treated (which is to say, abysmally) very early on. If that’s the sort of thing you’re not comfortable with reading, then by all means skip this post. However, if you’re intrigued by books in this setting as I am, there is a link for you to check out that post above!

 

Books Read

 

The Mad Ship

I didn’t appreciate how much of a push I’ve made with this book until I took a look at where my progress was this time last week! As of last week’s Sunday Summary update, I was around 350 pages into this book. That alone is the length of some of the other books on my April TBR all by themselves. However, these books are incredibly chunky. The Mad Ship weighs in at 906 pages… and I finished the remaining 550 odd pages over the course of this week!

I only finished The Mad Ship last night, so it is taking me most of the week to do that. But, that’s crazy progress! It’s a significant page count, but it’s also a very dense storyline. It’s not something you can read that quickly. Well, it’s not something that I can read that quickly. Needless to say, I am both really happy and a little bit amazed that I’ve been able to make such progress and finish this book. Not that it’s been any effort – in fact, it’s been quite the opposite. The narrative got to a point where I really got into it and I’ve wanted to pick it up and see what happens next!

 

Eagle of Mercia

Since I have a couple of books with a similar setting on April’s TBR, I decided to pick the first of these two books next. My logic behind this is that I can separate the two books with another genre in between so I don’t mix them up on my head. I’ve also picked this first one in particular as I have to have this read by the beginning of May to review for the upcoming blog tour. I have only read the first chapter so far, but it is a start.

I’m hoping this will prove an easy and relatively short read in comparison to The Mad Ship. If that proves to be the case, then I may find myself in a similar situation last month. I spent a good deal of time reading A Game of Thrones, but then whipped through several shorter books in the latter half of the month. That may yet happen again this month. 

 

Books Discovered

On the book acquisition front, it has been a quiet week! Well, technically I did have a book turn up on my doorstep earlier this week, but it wasn’t for me so it doesn’t count!

 

Coming Up…

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday theme is a non-bookish freebie. That means I have free rein on the topic, and I plan to use that post to tell you a little bit more about me. I’m not going to reveal any more than that at the moment in case I decide to change the angle in which I tackle this post. 

On Friday, I plan to share another Well, I Didn’t Know That! post. In a previous post in the series, I took a look at the Goodreads website and talked about some of the lesser explored features. For this post, I am going to be doing a similar take, but this time with StoryGraph. I am relatively new to StoryGraph, so I’m sure there is plenty I am yet to have discovered about the site!

You know the drill by now. My final post of the week will be at the same time, because it’s my Sunday Summary update.

 

I hope you have enjoyed today’s Sunday Summary post and have had a fabulous week.

Are you reading anything at the moment? Do you have any book recommendations for me?

 

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First Lines Friday – 14/04/2023

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Good evening and welcome to this week’s feature post – First Lines Friday!

For today’s post, I feature a book with difficult themes. The book is set in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during the Second World War. The narrative jumps straight in to discuss the treatment and deaths of those interred in the camp (which sadly was one of many such sites). What makes this narrative even worse is that it is heavily based on a true story. An individual who was unfortunate enough to have spent time in Auschwitz came forward with her story, her experience.

So, consider yourself warned. If this is a topic that you don’t feel comfortable with reading, then stop reading this post here. If, like me, you do not shy away from this theme or setting in history, then read on below for today’s excerpt and find out what my featured book is!

 

 

The Nazi officers are dressed in black. They look at death with the indifference of a gravedigger. In Auschwitz, human life has a little value that no one is shot any more; a bullet is more valuable than human being. In Auschwitz, there are communal chambers where they administer Zyklon gas. It’s cost-effective, killing hundreds of people with just one tank. Death has become an industry that is profitable only if it’s done wholesale.

The officers have no idea that in the family camp in Auschwitz, on top of the dark mud into which everything sinks, Alfred Hirsch has established a school. They don’t know it, and it’s essential that they should not know it.

 

The Librarian of Auschwitz – Antonio Iturbe

Genre: Historical fiction

Pages: 445

Audience: Adult

Publisher: Ebury Press

Publication Date: 04 April 2019

 

 

Goodreads – The Librarian of Auschwitz

Based on the experience of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, this is the incredible story of a girl who risked her life to keep the magic of books alive during the Holocaust.
Fourteen-year-old Dita is one of the many imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz. Taken, along with her mother and father, from the Terezín ghetto in Prague, Dita is adjusting to the constant terror that is life in the camp. When Jewish leader Freddy Hirsch asks Dita to take charge of the eight precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak past the guards, she agrees. And so Dita becomes the librarian of Auschwitz.Out of one of the darkest chapters of human history comes this extraordinary story of courage and hope.

My Thoughts…

Despite the awful events that occurred in Auschwitz-Birkenau, or any other concentration camp that was established during the Second World War, I’m fascinated by the subject. To date, I have read numerous books that explore the tragedy and cruelty that those interred experienced.

I am a firm believer that we should not blinker or censor our history. It is only through reading books like this, and learning from those who had to suffer, that we can ensure the same mistakes do not happen again. I was initially interested in this book for its setting alone. However, to understand that the fiction is heavily based around the real life experience of a woman called Dita Kraus makes it all the more heartbreaking.

The Librarian of Auschwitz is a rare book on my TBR, in that it was initially written in another language (Spanish) and then later translated into English. I don’t have many books of this nature, and historically I haven’t read that many either. That’s not really a conscious decision on my part. So much so, I didn’t even realise this book wasn’t originally written in English until I picked up my copy of it today to feature the book!

Have you read The Librarian of Auschwitz, or any of the other books in this period and setting? Let me know in the comments!

 

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Discussion Post: The Benefits of Joining a Book Club

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There are so many benefits to joining a book club… and sharing a handful of these benefits is the purpose of today’s discussion post. A few months ago, I joined an online community and started reading along with Ezeekat’s book club on Fable.

Now more than ever, it is easy to join in! The effect of COVID-19 is that a lot of these previously in-person events went virtual. As someone who lives in a relatively small community, I have been unable to find a reading group locally. However, my brief experience of the online book club I have joined has been an enjoyable one. In this discussion post, I discuss a few of the benefits I have already enjoyed being a part of this group!

 

Accountability to read

One of the perks I don’t necessarily need as much, but will benefit other people greatly, is having accountability to pick up a book. I already read on a regular basis anyway. However, even for somebody who picks up books a lot, having a set read to pick up in a month and a conversation to take part in is motivation to get stuck in.

If you are someone who doesn’t read all that much, then having a deadline or a date in order to submit feedback by, can be the nudge in the right direction! What can be especially useful about platforms like Fable is that a book club host can prompt readers to offer feedback by chapter or section. That way, if you don’t get all the way through the book, you can still have your say. It’s also at your convenience, and however far you get!

At the same time, it’s okay to skip a month. I really wasn’t interested in last month’s book selection. So, I made the decision not to try and force myself through it and discussed that briefly in my March TBR post. And that was fine! There were no repercussions or callouts for making that decision. Ultimately, we want to read because it is something we enjoy… not because it is a chore we must endure.

Not every book will be for you, and there is no shame in choosing not to pick it up.

 

Reading out of comfort zone

Book clubs come in all shapes and sizes. Whether you choose to join one that focuses on a set genre, or even author, or go for something significantly broader, there is one out there for you.

Ultimately, the kind of group you decide to join will affect the book selections you are given. The broader the topic, the more adventurous I would recommend you being with your reading. I have favourite genres, but ultimately, I will pick almost anything up and give it a go. In fact, the main reason I wanted to join a book club is to help me read out of my comfort zone!

The book club I am part of at the moment tends to stick to books with a fantastical element. Readers of my blog will know that fantasy is by far my favourite genre. However, the books chosen (at least so far) often have other elements to the storyline. Some may have sci-fi elements, or a lean more into romance than I would choose to pick up myself.

Just because those are the nature of books being chosen at the moment, that’s not to say that won’t change in future. That is also the beauty of a book club. They can evolve over time… especially depending on the people that make up the group!

 

Community/Bookish Discussion

That leads me on nicely to my final point in this discussion post. There are lots of readers out there, and if you can immerse yourself in a community of like-minded people, and you can’t go far wrong. Especially with the power of going online, you can reach out to far more people than you could ever hope to meet in person.

Everybody who reads a book does so from a unique perspective. Everybody will have their own perception of the events based on who they are, and their experiences. No person, therefore, reads a book in the exact same way. For that reason, it’s great to be able to reach out to those people and discuss their alternate views.

Group size and setting can vary significantly, so I am sure you can find a community that works for you.

 

If you’re an avid reader and/or part of a book club, I’d love to know more! This is a discussion post after all! Do you meet in person, or online? If you aren’t part of a book club yet, is it something you would be interested in?

 

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