Game of Thrones! I finally read it!

So I’ve finally read it, Game of Thrones. Years after I started watching the show, I actually picked up the 800+ page book and finished it. You guys know, as a massive bookworm I 99.9% of the time prefer to read the book first, before diving into a screen adaptation of anything. However, I had tried to read the book and just really struggled to get into it. I then struggled to get through the first season of the TV show (with Dany being the only thing pulling me through) but got much more into the show as the seasons progressed.

Having already watched the show helped me so much in this instance, which is odd for me to say. However, I already care about the characters and feel invested in them (something that I definitely didn’t in season 1 or when I attempted to read this the first time) which helped me to carry on through sections that I wasn’t as interested in and kept me going for certain characters and events.

I will say that I’m not sure yet why I wasn’t overly keen on this. I don’t know if it was that I didn’t feel invested enough in each character or if maybe it was simply because it’s my first adult high fantasy and I’m not quite there yet with my comprehension. I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect that as I have always managed very well with fantasy reads but I’ll be reserving judgment until I have read more in the genre, and also within the series. I will definitely be carrying on and I hope that my enjoyment increases overtime within the books in the same way as it did within the TV series.

December Wrap Up| 2018

I set my tbr as four books this month, and as per I deviated pretty early on. So let’s get into what I actually read in December! If you’d rather watch this in video format (with closed captions) then click here to go to my YouTube channel.

Five Go Gluten Free by Bruno Vincent -> 3/5*

This parody of Blyton’s well-loved Famous Five was a fun and quick little romp. I adored the original books as a child and it’s fun to see the group brought into the modern day and dealing with the most random of problems.

Five Give Up the Booze by Bruno Vincent -> 2/5*

Seeing as I read the book above so quickly I thought I’d get through this one as well. I did have a bit of a problem with one section, which is why it dropped a star, however, it’s also a fun little parody and I look forward to reading more from this mini-series.

Other Words for Smoke (sampler) by Sarah Maria Griffing -> 4.5/5*

25 pages and I’m hooked! I am so excited for the full book to be released so I can become fully immersed within this amazing world. Thank you Titan Books for the sampler!

The Devouring Gray (sampler) by Christine Lynn Herman -> 4/5*

Another sampler I was very kindly sent by Titan Books, another 25 pages and another book I am super excited for in 2019! This is also going on my tbr!

 

Enemy of the State, pt. 2 of 6 by Millar, Romita Jr., and Janson -> 2/5*

Honestly, I wasn’t that keen on this. I think I just don’t like comics as they’re too short and I don’t get enough of the story in one go. I don’t have any more comics in my tbr that I own so this is the last one.

Game of Thrones by George RR Martin -> 4/5*

I finally read it!! Finally!! This is a chunker of a book at over 800 pages, and I’ll be honest, when I tried to read this book before watching the show I just couldn’t get into it. There was too much for my little brain. But now that I’m completely up to date with the show (and in love with it) it was much easier to get through this book and I ended up really enjoying it.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens -> 5/5*

Starting Christmas Eve, and finishing Christmas Day, I read this little classic novella from Dickens. This was such an entertaining little book that I really enjoyed and I’m glad I’ve finally read the original after seeing various adaptations over the years. It was also a lovely way to spend Christmas Day.

Little Moments of Love by Catana Chetwynd -> 4/5*

My lovely boyfriend gifted me with this book for Christmas, and I read it on Christmas day! We always send Catana’s comics to each other and this was such a sweet and thoughtful gift from him.

Legend by Marie Lu -> 3.5/5*

It took me a while, but once I got into this book I flew through it! I was tempted to give it 4*s but it doesn’t quite match up to other books I’ve given that rating. But, overall I massively enjoyed it, I even enjoyed the romance! And I look forward to carrying on with this trilogy in the future.

And that’s it! I should have read The Mime Order, and who knows. Maybe by some magic, I’ll read it tonight, but being realistic I won’t finish it this year. Ah well! That’s my last wrap up of 2018! It’s been a helluva year and I’m looking forward to 2019!

My December TBR| 2018

This is going to be a pretty small tbr for the last month of year, so let’s get into it!
Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

I’ve technically been reading this books for a few years now, as I started it when I was around 18 (and as of writing I’m 22), however, I haven’t read anything further in around 3 years. I’m completely caught up with the show so far and would love to actually read the books so this is my priority for the month. Because it’s so big, the rest of my tbr is very small as I don’t know how long it’ll take me to read, but I hope that I’ll read it quicker than I think and have time for a few more books than are on my list.

Legend by Marie Lu

I haven’t read a single book by her, and I’m hoping to change that this month. It’s a short book so I should be able to fit it in around/after GoT and I’m really hoping that I’ll speed through it and love it!

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I’ve owned this one for a little while now, but I’ve been saving it for Christmas. It’s a relatively short story (very short for Dickens!) so I’m hoping to read it on Christmas Eve to get into the spirit for the day!

 

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon

It has taken me for absolute ever to get around to book 2 in this series, so I’m really hoping that while I am back home for the holiday season I get to read this book and probably cry at something she does to the characters!

 

And that’s it! I do have 3 more books on a “backup” tbr if I read through GoT much quicker (Orphan Monster Spy by Matt Killeen, Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin, and Pyramids by Terry Pratchett) but these are the main 4 I would like to get to.

Have you read any of these? Especially Legend as I haven’t heard much about it! Comment below and tell me your thoughts!

My October TBR!| 2018

After such a busy start to Masters life, I attempted to cut down my tbr for this month… I failed. But let’s have a look at what I couldn’t stop myself from adding to my list! I have done a video version of this on my YouTube channel, click here to go watch that! (It’s also my first video with Closed Captions, which I intend to add to every video I upload from now on. Making my content available to even more people!)

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada

I was lucky enough to win a physical ARC of the second book in this series in a Twitter giveaway, but I’ve yet to read book #1! So this is definitely first up for this months tbr!

 

Hero at the Fall by Alwyn Hamilton

Book 3 in the Rebel of the Sands trilogy, I am so excited to finally get around to the final of the series!! This is also a book I’ve borrowed from the library and it has to be back by the 15th October… so this is a must!

 

A Promise Stitched in Time by Colleen Rowan Kosinski

If you’ve followed me for any time at all you know I love WWII literature. This cover seems to indicate this, and therefore I expect to really enjoy it! I hope this ends up being the case

 

This Cruel Design by Emily Suvada

Time for book 2! I put other books of different genres in between the reading of this series as I tend to meld books all into each other if I read a series in one big go. So I want to be able to differentiate whilst also reading before the publication date! That’s the plan, at least.

Weird War 2 by Richard Denham

This seems to be a book that talks about the funny and interesting aspects of WWII that aren’t very well know. I anticipate this being a quick and fun read

 

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

I don’t actually aim to finish off this book this month, I just want to get another 100 pages in. Of course, I’d love to finish it but I’m still attempting to be realistic! But, who knows.

 

And that’s it! I don’t know if I’ll manage to get around to it all but I really hope so as this is a really interesting selection of books that promises to be a good reading month!!

Have you guys read any of these? And are you excited for This Cruel Design? I’m so excited to get to this series and I hope I love it!

Books I’m taking to University| 2018

I’ve gone on about it enough, but if you’re new to my content… I’m off to do a Masters this September in Geological and Environmental Hazards! The University I’m going to is different than my undergrad one, and a lot further away, and also the course is going to be much harder. All of this means that I won’t be taking as many books away with me as I would like, so let’s get into this sadly small list.

First things first, I will be taking my Kindle, so I’ll have my eBooks and eARCs with me on top of these physical reads.

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones #1)

I started reading my dad’s copy of this a couple years ago, but never got around to finishing it. Fingers crossed, taking this large book as one of my few should encourage me to finish it (you’ll see this as a theme in this list).

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Again, another book that I have started previously and another one that is intimidatingly large! I’m only 60 odd pages into it, so not very far in this 950 odd page book!

 

A finally, yes – finally

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett (The Century Trilogy #1)

Yet another huuuuge book! And I have this in hardback so it looks even worse! I’ve not actually started this one, but I’m looking forward to getting into it.

 

And that’s it! I’m only taking 3! Part of that is because they’re so big, I’m hoping that by having a limited selection of physical books I might finally tackle these intimidatingly large tomes that I’ve been putting off. Also, as I said, a Masters is (obviously) more difficult than an undergraduate degree and I imagine I’ll have a lot less free time so at the start I don’t know how much I will be able to read.

I will also have my kindle, and there are a few libraries within the city that I’m moving to so I’m definitely going to sign up there and take some books out if I have the time! I’ve never been to this city before so I don’t know where the bookshops are… so I need to go exploring! And I’m sure I’ll end up buying some books when I do this so I shouldn’t take too many with me!

I’ll be heading back home for Christmas so if I end up finishing these three then I can swap them out for some more then, and seeing as they’re so big I can take more, smaller books! So I’m hoping I have it all sorted out and that I’ll be able to read a lot more than I’m expecting to! But if not then I’ll have to suffer through for the year and focus on my education, I’m sure I’ll survive!