I’m going to catch up on these monthly wrap-up posts, I swear. Starting with November when half the books I read were co-written, which is an odd little coincidence! I really liked most of the books I got around to in November and even now, months later, really want to re-read at least two of them because of how much they impacted me. So!
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
I listened to the audiobook of this and it was so dang good even though I knew whodunnit (the BBC show was great too). I was genuinely spooked as it ramped up towards the end and the atmosphere was just so well-developed. The narrator, Hugh Fraser, does a lot of Agatha Christie audiobooks so I’m really looking forward to listening to some more when Autumn rolls around, which is really the perfect Christie season.
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Magisterium: The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
I agree with my initial review on my re-read of this! Although I did rate it slightly lower; four stars rather than five, as I find that ramped up cliffhangers tend to make me rate books slightly higher the first time around. Plus, with the reading one right after the other, I found a continuity error and that is the kind of stuff that bothers my nitpicky soul when it comes to entertainment.
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Magisterium: The Silver Mask by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
I posted my full review of this just a few weeks ago here!
Sometimes he forgot how small she was because her bravery loomed so large in his mind.
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Magisterium: The Golden Tower by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
Unsurprisingly, I loved the final book in this series and it even had me laugh out loud at some points. Everything was tied up and rounded out well, it’s what you hope for in a final book really.
My main problem with the series and this book, in particular, is just how rushed it all feels. On one hand; they’re both pretty busy authors, Holly Black has her new series and Cassandra Clare seems to have a couple series on the go. And the Magisterium series didn’t get much attention after the first book had its week on YouTube. On the other hand, I just wish they had taken their time with it a bit more. I gave books two to five, four stars and I genuinely think they could’ve all been as good as the first book with just a little more fleshing out.
I do hope Holly Black and Cassandra Clare work together again in the future. I’d love a companion series set in this world that delved into the European mages and their hatred of Chaos magic.
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Persuasion by Jane Austen
Literally everyone I spoke to when I was starting to read Austen’s works said that this was their favourite, even my mother who has pretty great taste. But it was my least favourite of the five I’ve read so far. I just didn’t connect with these characters at all and it really lacked some of the playfulness that her other works have. Maybe I’ll re-read it in a few years and my opinions will change but I’d much rather dive into Sense & Sensibility again.
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Autoboyography by Christina Lauren
Fun fact about me: Ebooks trigger my migraines so I mainly borrow them from the library as a way of deciding if I want to buy a physical copy. I also don’t read very fast. I dip into books in short bursts rather than long stretches. I read this book in ebook form, in one night. And ended up buying a physical copy too.
I’ll be doing a full review of this one because it blew my mind.
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Christmas with the East End Angels by Rosie Hendry*
You can read my full review here!
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Heartstopper: Volume 1 by Alice Oseman
I really like the Heartstopper comic, I read it online and decided to back it on Kickstarter and now it’s traditionally published! It’s adorable but, maybe because I read a lot of comics, I just don’t think the art translates well in print.
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An Easy Death by Charlaine Harris
I love Charlaine Harris but alternate history Wild West stories might not be the genre for me. The main vibe of the book that has stayed with me is an uncomfortable relationship with sex throughout. You’ve got an older male character ‘waiting’ until a female character is old enough to sleep with, and while there is an openness about sex work, the term ‘whore’ is thrown about. I guess because of the time? I’ll still probably read the next book. I can’t just not read a Charlaine Harris.
“-I stood looking up, seeing the vastness above me, nothing between me and the hereafter. I had my place, standing here on this dirt.”
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Imogen's Typewriter. 