I had another pretty amazing reading month, although just as last month, the majority of the books I read were audiobooks (I sadly don’t have much time for actual reading š¦ ). Still I managed to read 11 books (plus a novella), DNF one and get partway through three others. So overall, pretty pleased with the amount of reading I’ve done.
As some of you may know, Tome Topple also happened in November and I participated in it this time around. You can check out my TBR for it here. I’m going to do this wrap up a bit differently. I’ve decided that from now on, I will also include DNFs and books I’m only partway through in my wrap up. It’s going to be a bit longer than usual, but I think this way more accurately captures my reading month.
Tome Topple books
For tome topple, I had 6 books on my TBR, 3 audio and 3 physical books. I was not expecting to read all of them by any means, but I wanted to have options.
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
This was the first book on my physical TBR for the readathon and I started with it. I did not finish it, I got 150 pages in and I put it down. I’m not officially DNFing this, I still want to read it, but it was just not what I was in the mood to read at all. So I’m putting it to the side until I am in the mood to read it. My impressions from what I read so far were mostly positive, although as with The Night Circus, there’s just something about Erin Morgenstern’s writing that doesn’t quite click for me. I still think it’s beautiful, but I find it hard to read. I also think I likeĀ The Night Circus better. This is less magical. At least so far. My prediction is that this will be a 3.75-4 star read for me.
The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
This was the second book on my physical TBR for the readathon and I DNFed it. I’d started reading it a while ago and put it down because I didn’t like the characters. Any of them. I decided to give it another go because the world and the story seem cool, but I just don’t like any of the characters. I find them all annoying to the point that I can’t be in their heads. They all piss me off. I can’t tell you why exactly, they just all have thins… thing in common. I don’t know what it is, but basically you can tell they’re all written by the same person, because they have thatĀ je ne sais quoi in common and that’s what annoys me in all of them. I don’t know if I’m explaining that in a way that makes sense, but the gist of it is I don’t like the characters and I’m not going to commit to a series of 700 page books of being in their heads. I got about 180 pages in.
Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson
This was the third book on the physical TBR and I didn’t finish it. It’s huge, but it’s what I’m currently reading. I’m not sure how far I got during the actual readathon because I forgot to write it down, but I am currently on page 240 of it. I’m loving it as always. I do think there’s slightly too much Shallan and not enough Kaladin in it so far, but I’m sure I’ll get plenty of Kal in the remaining 1000 or so pages.
I also read the novella, Edgedancer before reading this. It’s not included in the Tome Topple TBR because it doesn’t fit the criteria for the readathon, but I’m mentioning it here because it’s the same series basically. I absolutely loved the novella, Lift is one of my favourite characters in the series and I can’t wait to see more of her. She’s so funny, she makes me laugh and she’s really interesting. I want to know more about her. I gave the novella 5/5 stars.
A Feast for Crows by G. R. R. Martin
Moving on to the audiobook section of my TBR, I first listened to this one. I don’t have much to say about it that you haven’t already heard. I love this series and I’m enjoying the re-read. I’m noticing things I hadn’t before and also remembering a lot of things I’d forgotten. It’s a good time and I really, REALLY hope we’ll get book 6 in this lifetime.Ā 5/5 stars
The Toll by Neal Schusterman
Then I listened to this, which was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I was disappointed by the finale. I have mixed feelings about it. I didn’t give it a rating because I genuinely don’t know how to rate it. I didn’t like the ending. At all. It blindsided me in a way and normally I like that, but I think in this case, I found it to be stupid. I’m not going to go into it too much here, but I’ll probably have a discussion post about it. But I found it very unsatisfying.
That is it for the Tome Topple. Overall, I think I did okay, but could have been better. I wish I’d enjoyed more of the books I’d read, but can’t love everything. Moving on to the rest of the books I read this month.
Non-tome topple books
Winternight books 2 & 3 by Katherine Arden
After reading the first book at the end of October, I quickly binged the rest of the series and it’s now one of my favourite series. I put it off for so long and I ended up loving it so much (story of my life). I read it at the perfect time as well, it’s perfect for winter and now I’m trying to get my friend to read it too so I can gush to her about it. I was tempted to immediately start reading it again when I finished, but I resisted.Ā 5/5 starsĀ for the whole series. I hope Katherine Arden writes more fairy-tale books. Her and Naomi Novik just please write more fairy-tales.
The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien
I also completed my re-read of this series in November as well. It made me cry. I love this series so much, it’s such a huge part of my childhood and and just who I am as a person and it is so special to me. I don’t have words. Of course I gave it 5/5 stars.
Narnia books 1-6 by C. S. Lewis
After finishing LOTR, I had the urge to also re-visit theĀ Narnia books and I honestly think I’m enjoying them more now as an adult than I did as a kid. I listened to the first 6 books in rapid succession and I’m kind of sad that there are only 7 of them.
Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
Finally continued with the Farseer books. As with the first one. I liked it, but I don’t care about the characters (except for the animals). I don’t dislike them, I’m just indifferent and detached from them. So I’m not loving the books as much as I could. I still find the story interesting, particularly once you get past the one third mark in each book, it’s actually quite gripping. I will continue with the series and hopefully, I will eventually come to care about the characters, if not in this series, then in consequent ones. I gave itĀ 3.5/5 stars.
Books I have started
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
This is my current audiobook. I’m maybe 30% into it. I’m enjoying it thus far, but… I don’t think It’s going to be a favourite. It might surprise me, I don’t know. But so far I’m not loving it as much as everyone who’s been raving about it. I like a lot of aspects of it, but I also have issues with a few things like the blatant drug abuse that goes on and at least so far, it seems like it’s almost… encouraged? It’s really weird and btw, if drug abuse and addiction is a trigger for you, definitely stay away from the series. And then there’s this scene (minor spoiler ahead)Ā where Rin destroys her uterus and like fair enough, that’s her decision to make, but it was done so quickly. Like, there was no pondering or consideration for it. One of the characters does briefly address the fact that it’s literally removing one of your major organs… to get rid of your period? And yeah, she was young and didn’t quite understand what that means and she was scared because she hadn’t known about periods. But still, I feel that should have received more page time than it did. (spoiler ends)Ā
That concludes my wrap up. Sorry, I know it was a long one, but I had a lot going on this month!
A Book Nerd 