Tag: reading

Mega Reading Wrap-Up

Smashing this years Goodreads goal and burning through ARCs. Here’s what I’ve been reading this year…

Well here we are in 2020 and already I failed to do a monthly reading wrap-up. Are we surprised? I think not. My inconsistency in all things is to be expected by now.
Instead today I’m covering both January and February, I’ve gone a different direction this time and shared my star ratings! Is this because I’m too lazy to take individual images and have just screenshot my GoodReads list? I admit nothing.

Aaaanyway, I’m off to a good start this year. My GoodReads challenge is set to 75 and I’ll revisit mid year with the possibility of increasing to 100, but for now I’m being chill about it.

As I write this my Netgalley score is at 81% as well it should be since I’ve read 14 ARCs in the past two months! I won’t be elaborating on them all since some have reviews scheduled later in the year- be sure to come back and discover them.

Here we go… Continue reading “Mega Reading Wrap-Up”

October Reading Wrap-Up

Welcome back ghosts and ghouls,
I think it’s about time I posted another wrap up, it’s been a while! Being October you’ll find my TBR was mostly Halloween themed last month.
I’ve shied away from long novels recently, (my re-read of IT was abandoned before it even began) so I managed to finish a good amount of books this month. Take a look;

Continue reading “October Reading Wrap-Up”

How Important Is A Plot Twist?

I’m beginning to find it more difficult to find books that shock, scare or surprise me, one of my priorities when choosing what to read. I love trying to guess endings and I’m always happiest when I fail to do so.

I agree with the notion that when a book announces a twist, shocking revelation or surprise ending they’ve already eliminated those exact qualities.
We’re prepared for what’s to come and immediately start picking up on any hints and red herrings subconsciously, if not on purpose.

However, there needs to be connections to the end result earlier in the book to make them feasible. When a surprise comes straight out of left field and has no build up it feels lazy and sometimes makes no sense at all.
It’s a very nuanced art and (I assume) extremely difficult to balance the right amount of direction without paving the way to an obvious conclusion.

Often I’ll see reviewers rave about how they ‘never saw it coming’ and secretly roll my eyes, but I’ve also been amazed by revelations other readers had easily predicted.

For me a plot twist is a major factor in any suspense, crime or thriller novel. Done wrong it can leave me indifferent to the books other redeeming qualities. Done right it can rocket a mediocre read to much higher standing.

How do you feel about plot twists?

Do you have any good examples I should read?

Reading Wrap-Up 18/02

A successful week of reading!

Last week I was house bound, the latest theory from several doctor appointments is that I have gall stones. My diagnosis has changed 3 times so I’m waiting on an ultrasound to confirm. During that time I was unable to move around or eat, so what else could I do but read!?
I devoured SIX books! That’s huge for me, I usually have too many time constraints to manage more than 3 on a good week.

So! If I could take a moment to brag, here’s what I read last week… Continue reading “Reading Wrap-Up 18/02”

2018 -Books I Meant To Read

In August last year I had my 30th birthday and left my long time career as a fashion retail manager, between these two major events I cashed in HARD on gift vouchers from my loving family and colleagues. I spent these entirely on books -obviously- nobody expected any less of me. 

Suddenly my (already extremely long) TBR list was growing at lightning speed! This meant that many of the books I’d been looking forward to got lost amongst over fifty new purchases. Of course my monster TBR increased again over the festive period and I even reached the stage where I wanted for nothing! Upcoming releases excepted. 

I’ve made it through the entire first month of the year with almost no purchases! That’s a first for me. Instead, I’m focusing on #SeriesToFinish and a backlist I’m quite certain would beat me in a fist fight.

Here are *just a few* releases I own but didn’t get around to reading last year… Continue reading “2018 -Books I Meant To Read”

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