Let me start off by thanking all those who voted for my classic read of the month for February. Although to be perfectly honest, I think I’ll need more than February to complete this iconic romance novel.
My classic read of the month is Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell, a book that I have long avoided given the sheer length of it. Yet I have always been intrigued particularly by its context and setting, that of a world rife with the lucrative returns of slavery and a culture of riding, fighting and drinking. I’m sure I will have lots to say about this epic read and honestly I’m excited to get into it!
The End We Start From is the award-winning debut by Megan Hunter published in 2017 by Picador Books. Some time in the future, London is completely submerged by floodwaters forcing the protagonist and her family, including her newborn son, Z, to flee northwards to in search of refuge.
The story-telling is imaginatively distinctive and seems to carry a flavour of poeticism. Hunter creates a story that is uniquely her own with sparse prose, unnamed characters and animal symbolism. I thought this latter use of symbolism was both prolific and thought-provoking. It was as though the reader was being reminded of their insignificance especially in the face of natural disasters which we can never tame nor overcome…
Every month I’ll be reading a classic to add to my collection of reviews. Please help me choose which one I should read next by taking the survey below! And before you go, tell me in the comments: What was the last classic book you read and what did you think? Thank you in anticipation of your votes and Happy Reading! 📚
“There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.” Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen
A book of enchanting and whimsical folklore with fabled tales of quick-witted giants, crafty dwarves, life-granting apples and beguiling gods, Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman is a humorous retelling of age old Scandinavian myths.
The story is sequential in nature with each tale progressively building up anticipation for Ragnorok or ‘Doomsday’ at the end. The final chapter offers a powerful ending about cycles and continuity and it is written, unlike the rest of the narrative, in future tense which felt very prophetic and synonymous of the concept of Doomsday as a whole, something distant and apocalyptic.
Read the full review by visiting the Book Reviews page!
Blood Of Elves by Andrej Sapkowski is the second installment in the Witcher series, a fantasy world where Geralt a powerful sorceror protects and fights for the weak against fearsome beasts; monsters, dragons and elves.
Geralt takes on a more paternalistic role in Blood Of Elves being charged with the protection of Princess Ciri of Cintra whose home and city was sacked by the wrath of the Nilfgaardians. Geralt takes Ciri, our strong willed heroine on many adventures where she learns the way of the Witcher.
This novel feels like a coming of age story as it is mostly told from Ciri’s perspective. As Ciri grows, learns to fight and discovers hidden secrets about her abilities, she comes to realize how rife with conflict the world is. She discovers the power of ignorance in breeding hatred and fear. Hatred towards Witchers who are to many unnatural and ungodly. And tensions running high between Elves and Men.
Blood Of Elves is a very distinctive fantasy with a mature edge. It has all the winning attributes of prophecies, epic battles and magic. I’m still loving this series and can’t wait for the next part; Time Of Contempt!
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Hey Bookworms! Thank you for reading this review and please don’t forget to vote for your favourite book of 2018 here! Happy Reading! X
Last year was a year like any other. Full of highs and rife with lows. I experienced my fair share of both in equal measure despite how generic that sounds. Among other things, I’m so glad that I finally started this blog after years of procrastination and self-doubt. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still trying to figure this stuff out as sometimes I really feel so out of my depth. Nevertheless, its thanks to this little blog of mine that I have been able to read 50 books this year which I am extremely thrilled about!
c But those books which stood above the rest and affected me the most are those which I am going to share with you today. Here are my Top 5 books of 2018!
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Silent Companions by Laura Purcell “…This insidiously gothic horror story which I’ve been gushing over on various social media platforms, gripped me from the outset to the ingeniously sinister end.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This Is Going To Hurt by Adam Kay“… This book is without doubt unquestionably funny. Even at times when it shouldn’t be, the occasional tone of cynicism turns an otherwise dire situation into a witty anecdote.”⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini “… the writing style is flawless with imagery that is both scenic and vibrant. I loved reading his descriptions of Herat when Mariam first ventured there.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wonder Valley by Ivy Pochoda “… the writing is atmospheric, placing you in the scene so vividly as though you were running alongside Tony on his morning jog, or walking alongside Sam and Blake in the oppressive heat of the desert.”⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata “… the way it injected an almost unopened newness into the banality of being a store worker through Keiko’s unusual perspective was perfection.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐
These were utterly brilliant books which I greatly enjoyed reading. They lingered on in my thoughts well after I had finished reading them. They opened my eyes in some way and changed my outlook and I can’t wait to read each one of them again. Please click on the titles above to read my reviews! If you’ve read any of these books, please tell me your thoughts about it in the comments 🙂 📚
⬇️ Now I want to hear from you fellow readers!
⬇️ Vote for your fave book of 2018 here!
Thank you so much for your support in 2018 and for your feedback! Have a fantastic 2019 you bibliophiles! And to keep updated with my upcoming reviews, please visit the Book Reviews page 🙂
Such Is Love is a self-help book written by London based psychotherapist and writer Petra Hassall. It was published in 2018 by Troubador Publishing. This book is a fantastic read for anyone interested in the human psche and how it plays out in our intimate relationships, however it is specifically geared at those who are looking for the key to finding a successful relationship.
Such Is Love is written in an accessible and structured way that is easy to connect with. It debunks psychoanalytical jargon such as Displacement Theory and Transactional Analysis and applies such terms practically to situations we can all identify with, if not having experienced them ourselves.
The book is structured in a way that it explores five different scenarios in light of the games we play in love. From Come On In to House Of Cards, this book sheds light on how our unconscious interacts with others as a result of the lessons we have learned from the emotional bonds we formed at the earliest stage in our lives, or from our experience with former relationships.
I found Such Is Love to be a stirring and penetrating read that is very knowledgeable and accessible to all readers, but particularly those of us who have been romantically involved in some way. What makes this read engaging is its easy-to-read interactability. I’ve always been fascinated by the human psyche and as such plunged headlong into the cryptic verbiage of Friedrich Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud during my college days, but this book is neither cryptic nor is it full of verbiage. It provides simply stated yet thought-provoking insight that is practical and for that reason I rate Such Is Love..
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Thank you for reading this review! Please share your comments and tell me what’s the last self-help or non-fiction book you read? Until next time! 📚
