Tag: Monthly Wrap Up

The Wrap – April 2024

The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Howdy Bibliofriends!

Where on earth has April gone? I feel like the last few weeks have been such a whirlwind and May is literally here and we’re barreling towards the mid point of the whole year…!! 🤯 The first half of my month was so very productive, however this last part has kind of fallen to sh*t in terms of my reading and blogging. More on that below!!

Life Update

Initially April was fabulous because I was on my Easter holidays from school. My partner and I got to visit my parents down in Cornwall and spend some time near the sea – it was blissful. We visited Tintagel castle and I became very obsessed with Arthurian legends. We also took a trip to an aquarium in Plymouth. We seem to be cursed with our aquarium visits as the last two that we have visited, we’ve both had to leave because the fire alarm was going off – thankfully we still got to go back in and see all of the sharks and big fish. After returning from Cornwall, we did one of our 2024 day trip adventures and went to Cardiff on the train. We took a tour around Cardiff Castle and visited an amazing second-hand bookshop! I talked a little about this in my mid-month Magical Readathon review.

Then fast forward to the return to school and the absences have been bonkers, we’re all picking up extra lessons and my parallel teacher is currently on medical leave so I’m doing my best to hold up a whole year group – thankfully I have a great team of helpful colleagues who are all pitching in too.

There is another reason for the lack or productiveness on my reading and blogging part – but I thought I’d save that for the music section! 😉

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Films/TV, Music) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading in April

The first half of April was incredibly productive with my participation in the Magical Readathon. It definitely helped me tick quite a few books off the list!

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the eerie atmosphere surrounding Hiraeth Manor and the way the surrounding waters, coastline and mists were almost swallowing up the land. The secrets surrounding the Angharad book were also mystically intertwined to the story and I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Voyage of the Damned by Frances White ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A murder-mystery set on a ship… loved it! Everything about Ganymedes Piscero’s character was so endearing. I really bought into the whole blessings part of the storyline and trying to work out not just whodunnit, but also the unique blessings of each of the individuals. The animal references and likelihoods were also cleverly crafted.

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow didn’t I just devour this book! From the setting, to the characters, to the idea of magic and war – this book had everything I was craving in a magical escapade. I also loved this representation of elves and fae too as my brain automatically puts them in LOTR or ACOTAR vibes so it was nice to see this varied representation.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Looking back on this I actually want to downgrade my original rating a little as I feel 3* was too generous. I went into this hoping for a bit of a Tomb Raider style, archeologically driven storyline but about 90% of the story was centred around the character relationship and the smut. It was far too much into the romance box for my liking and I have to admit that I speed read it towards the end.

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Without spoilers… I had to reread the final two chapters again because I could not believe what I had read and if I had read it correctly. I still can’t tbh! I have no idea how this story can possibly unfold now… My mind is reeling but I am so irrevocably in love with this series!

#CurrentlyReading

I’m going to take it a little easier in May at deciding what to read. I posted a Top Ten Tuesday a couple of weeks ago about which books are kind of in the starting line, but after being so driven with the Magical Readathon, I just want to let my bookish whims roam free.

I’m currently reading The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni, as well as a non-fiction book about horse racing called The Jumping Game by Henrietta Knight. On audiobook, I’m on A Dance With Dragons to finish off the Game of Thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin.

What I’ve Been Watching

As part of a Film Club, we’re often at the Cinema at least once a week so I watch a lot of movies. I’ve been using the app Letterboxd to track what I’ve seen and give them rating. If you’re on the app and want a new follower be sure to add me! My profile name is: tillyj

I finally finished Beef! And watched quite a bit of other stuff…

Movies/TV, I’ve seen:

  • Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Cinema) – I freakin’ love Godzilla! This movie was action-packed, and we saw it in IMAX so the images and sounds were on-point! One of my favourite films of this year so far!
  • Seize Them! (Cinema) – I liked that this was a British medieval-style comedy. Some of it was funny and had me laughing, but it was also a bit of an average watch.
  • Monkey Man (Cinema) – Don’t get me wrong, although this film is gory, violent and quite sad – the storytelling was brilliantly and poignantly done. Films in this style don’t usual capture my attention but the references to Hanuman and Indian mythology throughout sucked me right in.
  • Scoop (Netflix) – Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell as Emily Maitlis and Prince Andrew were phenomenal castings! They really got into the depths of their characters and for some strange reason it (almost) made me want to watch the original interview again!
  • Civil War (Cinema) – Wow, oh wow do you have to see this movie! I was blown away and gave it 4.5*! Although you might think this is about war, and whilst it does contain highly graphic depictions of war brutality, the underlying story is about the press photographers on the front line and the dangers they go to just to get their pictures and report the news. Kirsten Dunst was exquisite in her role and did so well at playing the emotionally detached, yet emotionally vulnerable journalist. Spectacular!
  • Back to Black (Cinema) – Marisa Abela did such a stellar job at taking on the role of Amy Winehouse. She showcased everything and sounded so hauntingly like the real Amy without just being pegged as a tribute act. I know there have been plenty of dividing opinions about it, but what I took away from the film was just how deeply one person could feel and the tragic circumstances of how the addictions to whatever love, alcohol or drugs affected her life.
  • Abigail (Cinema) – I can’t help but think of Matilda every time I see Alisha Weir in a film. That being said, she was fantastic as a scary-ass ballerina in this film. It was spooky but funny at the same time and the bloodiness of it all by the end had me squirming in my seat.
  • Challengers (Cinema) – There is something so brilliant in the way this film tells you a story about the lives of three tennis players and then leaves you reeling about how the tennis is almost the fourth character in the whole story. Very cleverly done and engaging!
  • Baby Reindeer (Netflix) – I literally had no idea where this was going. This was dark, twisty yet had some comedic elements at the same time… The fact that it is genuinely a true story and acted by the person who wrote it and lived through it is brilliant. A story I won’t forget in a while that’s for sure!
  • Lost in Translation (Netflix) – This is one of those films where I couldn’t quite decipher what the plot was supposed to be. I was waiting for some major event or storyline to reveal itself but it just appears to be one of those films which follows the ins and outs of a couple of characters and their major life crisis for a couple of hours. I don’t think it’s quite my type of movie!
  • Beef (Netflix) – I finally finished it – the ending two episodes ramped it right up! I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing on my screen at one point (sliding doors – iykyk…!) I can’t help but feel like the characters got what they deserved even after all of the absurdity that it started with a honked horn and a little bit of road rage!

Music

Y’all know this is going to be about The Tortured Poets Department right??? This is the entire reason my productivity has hit the floor and I haven’t read a book or written that many blog posts since mid-April. I have been listening to this album non-stop…. I think it may dethrone Folklore as my favourite TS album! It has grown and grown and grown on me with every listen. I love it, and it’s ruining my bookish life! I’m gathering a post together about my album thoughts – 31 songs is a lot to get your head around so I don’t really want to say too much else about it here, but know that the musings are definitely coming! 🤍🖤

And that’s a wrap! How was your April? Did you have a productive month? I’m really hoping I get my reading groove back this month, especially after my little book buying splurge earlier in April. What are you all looking forward to reading in May?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – March 2024

The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Howdy Bibliofriends!

March is over, it’s the middle of the Easter holidays, Spring is finally here! There seem to be lots of good things to celebrate in this month’s wrap post… and plenty to look forward to too!

Life Update

Life in March has been busy…! There’s quite a bit going on at work. We took my year group of 30 8-9 year olds away to the Peak District for a Residential which was super fun, but also took up lots of time and energy reserves. I have spent the first week of the holidays catching up with life admin, adulting things and lots of reading!

This month’s sports calendar has also been hectic! There have been horseracing and rugby events on throughout the month. The absolute highlight being my team winning the Premiership Rugby Cup! That victory was such a special night – I think I needed lots of time for my voice to recover from all of the pitchside screaming!

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Films/TV, Music) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading in March

With the busyness of March, I didn’t really read as much as I wanted to, however I am still ahead of schedule on my Goodreads Reading Challenge. I had been waiting for the Easter holidays to dive into Crescent City 3 – House of Flame and Shadow and boy was I glad that I did!!! I felt like I entered a black hole until I’d finished it, and even then I would have to walk around my house at the end of certain chapters with ‘omg omg omg’ going round and round in my head like a public service announcement. It’s definitely been a fun reading month!

This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the mix of Ancient Greece and technical, A.I. automatons. You can check out my spoiler-free review for This Golden Flame here.

Yellowface by R. F. Kuang ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Well if this novel didn’t pack a punch! Savage satire poking a big ‘take-a-look-at-yourself’ finger to the publishing industry… this book absolutely slices and I loved it!! You can read my spoiler-free review here.

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I haven’t quite digested my feelings on this book yet… I know that I liked elements of it, I just can’t quite verbalise or even put into words which bits those are at the minute – a review will come!

A Feast For Crows [A Song of Ice and Fire #4] by George R. R. Martin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
These audiobooks have given me a newfound love for this series and I’m desperate to read A Dance with Dragons just so I can actually finish watching the TV Show – I know that Martin hasn’t actually finished writing the book series yet – but I’m trying desperately not to get spoiled by anything!

House of Flame and Shadow [Crescent City #3] by Sarah J. Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are no words… yet! Again review incoming, and when I say review I actually mean a longwinded, rambling post where all my inner-thoughts and feelings just fall onto the electronic page! 🤯

#CurrentlyReading

My April TBR is a little packed as I’m attempting to take part in the Magical Readathon hosted by @book_roast! I loved this challenge back when it was related to the OWLs and NEWTs from the Harry Potter series, but now G has intricately designed her own readathon with maps, guilds and different paths and side quests! I’ll be posting more about that tomorrow so stay tuned!

What I’ve Been Watching

As part of a Film Club, we’re often at the Cinema at least once a week so I watch a lot of movies. I’ve been using the app Letterboxd to track what I’ve seen and give them rating. If you’re on the app and want a new follower be sure to add me! My profile name is: tillyj

March has been pretty jam-packed with movies and TV shows!

Movies/TV, I’ve seen:

  • Lisa Frankenstein (Cinema) – When I found out that Isabella Summers (the Machine part of Florence + the Machine) had created the score for this movie, I immediately added it to my watch list. It’s a quirky, whimsical film which I enjoyed a lot!
  • The Royal Tenenbaums (Disney +) – I’d heard a lot about how great this Wes Anderson film is, the cast is pretty outstanding… however, I still fell asleep partway through.
  • Dune (Rewatch) – I am so glad that I rewatched this to refresh my brain before Dune 2. I’ve read the book so I already know what happens but it really got me in the Arrakis zone!
  • Dune 2 (Cinema – IMAX) – This was even better than the first movie and made me love the whole Dune series even more. I immediately left the cinema, went to Waterstones and bought the book sequel! 🙈
  • Damsel (Netflic) – Loved Millie Bobby-Brown, loved the costumes and the setting, landscapes etc… but seriously, the story is entirely predictable and top tip: when you’re trying to hide from a dragon, please stop screaming!!! 🤷🏻‍♀️
  • Past Lives (Netflix) – Some of my friends highly rated this film and I’d heard that it had a few nods during awards season. I loved the shifts between the characters’ childhoods and their adult lives. I genuinely had no idea where that ending was going, and even still… I’m not sure it was entirely what I wanted!
  • Drive-Away Dolls (Cinema) – I’m taking a leaf out of Thumper’s book here in that if I can’t say anything nice, I’m not saying anything at all. Drive-Away Dolls is really not my kind of movie. One of my friends loved it though…
  • Irish Wish (Netflix) – I’m not sure if I’m a closet Lindsay Lohan fan or if it was just the Irish vibes that made me watch this. You can guess what happens in the whole story just by watching the trailer. The acting was ok. The costumes and scenes of Ireland were magical and now I feel the need to visit the Cliffs of Moher too.
  • Freelance (Netflix) – John Cena, action film, lots of guns – pretty much your average action film!
  • Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire(Cinema) – The opening action scene is by far the best ‘ghosthunters’ bit of the whole film. I loved the ideas for the storyline but felt like the mythology of the characters could have been expanded a little. It’s quite slow after the awesomeness of the opening but overall very nostalgic and satisfying.
  • Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (Netflix) – Whilst I haven’t read the Bridgerton books, I am a huge fan of the TV show and this spin-off was no exception. I loved the parallels between the young and old(er) characters from the TV show. Again, costumes and scenery were on point, particularly as I could recognise the shots of Blenheim Palace which is not very far away from me at all and I’ve been lucky to visit many times.
  • Beef (Netflix) – The opening couple of episodes of this were so good, then I felt like it got a little eccentric and lost its way – I still haven’t quite finished it yet so maybe it’ll have a spectacular ending. A super-fun concept though.

Music

Asides from all of the Taylor Swift music on my phone, I was so excited to finally download Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER album! 🤠 For about 18 years whilst I was growing up, I went to Line Dancing classes and even choreographed and taught some of my own – therefore I grew up with this huge love of country music. I love that so many legacy artists within the genre have come out in support of this record and helped contribute to it. Is this pure or typical country, for whatever pure/typical country actually is…? Perhaps not, it takes inspiration from a melting pot of musical genres but the influences are undeniably there within the soul of every track. Beyoncé’s rendition of Jolene keeps the spirit at the heart of an incredibly beloved song whilst turning it completely on its head. No longer is the lead singer begging for Jolene not to mess with her man in a politely assertive way, they are now upfront declaring their authority and calling out Jolene’s crap like an apex predator – it’s so brilliant! This album will definitely be on repeat for the foreseeable – at least until The Tortured Poets Department comes out next month!

And that’s a wrap! How was your March? Did you have a productive month? I’m totally looking forward to the Magical Readathon starting and compiling my book list from the prompts! What are you all looking forward to reading in April?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – February 2024

The Biblioshelf3 Comments

Howdy Bibliofriends!

It feels so good to be wrapping up another month of the year! February was actually a pretty good month for me in so many ways!

Life Update

I have finally managed to update my OS software on my Macbook! The little nerd inside me is so happy about this as my Mac has been having issues for over a year! I thought it was well and truly destined for the Home of Retired Laptops, however after some extensive internet digging and offloading stacks of my old files, I was finally able to download the latest operating system and update Chrome! Every time I wanted to visit a website, it came up with security messages and some websites wouldn’t even work at all, so I am overjoyed that everything is now working again!

With Spring on the way, I have been having a massive decluttering of my office/library and managed to shift a load of old books and paperwork that I didn’t have a use for anymore. I really love the feeling you get from having a good clear out – of course, I’ll be filling up all of those spaces with new books though!

Where are my fellow Swifties at? Anyone else excited for The Tortured Poets Department?!?! That live stream drop during the Surprise Song Set on the Eras Tour had me so excited! I can’t wait for April 19th. If this album is anything like Folklore or You’re Losing Me then this will hit so hard!

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Films/TV) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading in February

February was a seriously good month for me! I’m actually a little shocked at how much I read! 😂 I had a week off for half-term and due to my Spring Cleaning drive, managed to get through quite a few books that I’ve had on my TBR list for a fair while!

The Sea of the Dead (Magicians of Venice #2) by Amy Kuivalainen ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I first got into this series though NetGalley and really enjoyed the first instalment. The mixture of Italy, Atlantis, Magicians and a magical archive really drew me in. I listed to The Sea of the Dead via Audible and I’m not sure if it was the narration or just the general pace and direction of this sequel that didn’t have me enjoying it quite so much. I’ll definitely read the final book in the series though, at some point!

A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #5) by Sarah J Maas ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved the in-depth way this went into Nesta’s character and her development as one of the key figures in this book series. She has a really redemptive arc that was quite heartwarming to read. I love all of Maas’ work but I almost took half a star off for the over-exaggerated and almost unnecessary smut scenes. Fifty Shades of Fae wasn’t really what I signed up for… 😂 You can read my spoiler-free review here.

Taylor Swift: The Whole Story by Chas Newkey-Burden ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I was given this as a Christmas present from someone who knows how much of a Swiftie I’ve become! Given that this was published around 2014, it really isn’t the whole story – anyhow, this read a little bit like a kid’s high school essay. The author clearly did a lot of research, but not all of the quotes were entirely verified. Most of it read as a track-by-track album analysis mixed with how Taylor’s dating life could have influenced her songs.

We Shall Sing a Song into the Deep by Andrew Kelly Stewart ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This novella has been on my TBR ever since I heard about it in the SFF Yeah podcast from Book Riot. I was quite taken by the main character and her narrative voice. I’ll be posting a Biblioshelf Musings post of it very soon!

The Roughest Draft by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This popped up on my iBooks store and I must shamefully admit that I was initially drawn in by the pretty pink cover! The plot revolves around two co-writers who are struggling to work together and write their follow-up novel. The blurb reminded me so much of what I love about Emily Henry’s novels so I took a punt on it. Overall, it’s a pretty predictable romance but I managed to breeze through it in just a day so it’s definitely helped my 2024 reading goal tick along!

Rivals (American Royals #3) by Katharine McGee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s no secret that I adore this series! After getting my friend hooked on it too, she purchased the thirs book in the series and let me borrow it! I’m still reeling from the ending, and one character really had me warming to them until they went and did something sneaky at the end…! I genuinely have no idea where this series is going to end up but I am desperate to find out!

The Hours by Michael Cunningham ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book had been sitting unread on my bookshelf that in my Spring Cleaning blitz it became time to read it or throw it out! Thankfully I chose to read it because it was such a moving and interestingly sequenced book. It’s also in my copy of 1001 Books To Read Before You Die, so reading this ticked off many little goals. I’m not entirely familiar with all of Virginia Woolf’s work. I read Mrs Dalloway at University but that was about it. I admired the work Cunningham went into to link the three main characters together and layer their narratives around each other. It was highly effective and made this an intriguing and enjoyable read.

The Bone Witch (The Bone Witch #1) by Rin Chupeco ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I listened to this via Audible and it’s one of those books I have really conflicting emotions about. I can’t tell whether I liked it or not – there are definitely some aspects to it that I majorly appreciated but I just can’t put my finger on why I’m not exactly raving about it just yet.

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another TBR purge or read choice and as it is such a well-known piece of fiction I made myself read it. Not gonna lie, I really struggled to get through it. Whether because of the writing style (lack of speech punctuation) or the genre type, I found it hard work. Whilst I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed reading it – I’m glad that I did as it is one of those key texts that is of high cultural and literary importance; again, one of my 1001 Books To Read Before You Die entries!

If I Have to be Haunted by Miranda Sun ⭐️⭐️⭐️
YA fantasy about a ghost speaker on a quest to resurrect the ghost of high-school enemy. This was quite cute, but it read a little bit like playing a computer game – one level after the other. The ending was pretty predictable but I really enjoyed the author’s description and world-building.

#CurrentlyReading

Physical Book: This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria – Ancient Greece meets AI robots and pirates… I’m enjoying it so far!

Audio Book: A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4) by George R.R. Martin – I have a renewed love for this series since discovering the audiobooks!

What I’ve Been Watching

As part of a Film Club, we’re often at the Cinema at least once a week so I watch a lot of movies. I’ve been using the app Letterboxd to track what I’ve seen and give them rating. If you’re on the app and want a new follower be sure to add me! My profile name is: tillyj

Over my half term break we watched the NFL Super Bowl for the first time! Being from the UK, we don’t tend to follow NFL as a major sport, but since one of the rugby players from our local club has transferred to America to try and make it in the NFL program, we were keen to see what it was about! We support Gloucester Rugby and our team made it through to the final of the Premiership Cup and with the Six Nations in full flow, February has been a fun month for watching sport!

Movies/TV, I’ve seen:

  • American Fiction (Cinema) – I found this so funny! I love it when films poke fun of their own subject matter. This was about a black American writer who found that his work wasn’t being published because it wasn’t ‘black enough’. A hilarious plot ensues, with an ending that made my spin as if to say, ‘What just happened?!’ If you love bookish movies, this one may well be for you!
  • Dead Poets Society (Streaming) – So of course, with the announcement of a certain upcoming album titled ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, my mind kept dragging back to this move and the fact that I hadn’t seen it. Boy, did this film steal a little bit of my heart. For starters, Robin Williams! 🧡 Secondly, he plays an English teacher in a Prep School, which as a teacher at a Prep School, I obviously connected with. I must say, I wasn’t prepared for the turns the movie would take, and there were definitely tissues needed… but that ending!!! I loved it!
  • Argylle (Cinema) – Quirky action film, had me rolling my eyes at some points. I enjoyed the Kingsman vibes and the references to the main character being a novelist. A little absurb at times. It was good, not great!
  • Castaway (Streaming) – Winston, dear Winston!! Definitely the hero of this piece! Again, an ending that had me screaming at the TV, but what an iconic film!
  • Bob Marley: One Love (Cinema) – Go for the music – not for the storyline. The pace is very slow and steady, they do a good enough job at explaining the events leading up to Marley’s shooting, his Exodus tour and what happened post-tour leading up to his death. I would have liked a bit more background about the Wailers and their initial success in Jamaica to really get into the history of such an iconic artist and band.
  • The Marvels (Streaming) – I haven’t seen Miss Marvel and I definitely felt like there was a piece of my Marvel history knowledge missing when watching this. Not the worst Marvel film the studio has put out since Endgame but it didn’t have feeling ecstatic about superhero films again. Goose the Cat and his Kitten parade was the only takeaway I think I’ll remember!
  • One Day (TV series – Netflix) – Finally something which lives up to the masterpiece that is David Nicholls’ novel One Day! The main characters were just superb and I loved the way each episode was broken down into different years. They also took their time to give each year exactly what it needed, some episodes were 30 minutes long, others were about 20 mins. The final episode hit me really hard – although knowing what was coming was bad enough, but the fact they took the time to do the ending of the book justice made me love this series – even if it did leave me in floods!
  • Anyone But You (Cinema) – A Much Ado About Nothing inspired rom-com. Predictable but laugh-out-loud funny all the same!
  • Players (Netflix) – This was predictable in all of the wrong kinds of ways. I appreciated how the ‘sports playbook’ made it interesting, and how it reminded me of How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days, but overall, I just could not care less about these characters and their happy ending. Sorry!
  • Wicked Little Letters (Cinema) – I knew this would be right up my street from the first few seconds of the trailer! Hearing Olivia Coleman and Jessie Buckley fling graphic swear words and scenarios at each other in a slanging match had me laughing so hard! This film is based on a series of explicit letters which were posted to residents in the village of Littlehampton. It’s based on a true story and has a balance of humour and darkness. I loved it! Definitely not for the faint of heart, or for people who show the slightest hint of outrage at the word ‘crap’.

And that’s a wrap! How was your February? Did you have a productive month? I’m totally looking forward to Spring being on the horizon and putting together my March TBR pile! What are you all looking forward to reading in March?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – January 2024

The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Howdy Bibliofriends!

Happy February! 2024 is well and truly underway! I always look forward to reflecting on my entire month as it gives a real sense of closure. Also thinking about the month ahead is always exciting as I like to be positive about all of the good events that are on the horizon!

Life Update

Life in January started off incredibly well. Having a good chunk of time off over the Christmas period, with a lighter-than-normal schedule, meant that I came into 2024 feeling quite chilled and relaxed! I finally got around to starting up my blog again which had been on my mind for so long.

At the start of the year, I decided that I was going to make a list of 12 day trips to new-found places! The first one of those we did in the middle of January by going to Oxford. I’ve visited the city of dreaming spires many times before, but I’d never visited The Castle and Prison or been there to specifically hunt for bookshops. We found some wonderful stores including The Last Bookshop (which is where I bought a brand new Mexican Gothic for £4!), Gulp Fiction in the Covered Market (a coffee shop turned bookstore) and Arcadia (which doesn’t really have a lot of second hand books, but is predominantly a cute little fairyland/treasure trove filled with loads of assorted knick-knacks).

Work has been somewhat mad this past two weeks for various different reasons, however having the blog to try and keep persevering with is presenting a good distraction from my constant procrastinations over the joy that is being a teacher! I honestly love my job and my class are adorable, but this last month has been Challenging – yes, with a capital C!

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Upcoming Reads, Films/TV) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading in January

The Brothers Hawthorne by Jennifer Lynn Barnes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely adored this book! Having loved the original trilogy so much, I was initially a little hesitant about a seemingly spin-off novel, however I am so glad I dived in! This brought back all of the things I loved from the series but from the fresh perspective of Jameson and Grayson. I can’t wait for the Final Gambit to be released later this year.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From one 5* read to another… boy am I glad I hopped on this hype train! This book came to me at the right moment and mindset for me to fall head over heels for it. Those closing paragraphs… what a cliffhanger!

King of the Cloud Forests by Michael Morpurgo ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was purely a school-based read. We’re doing a mountains topic and I was trying to find an English text which linked to that theme. I found the relationship between Ashley and the yetis so sweet. The ending was incredibly heartwarming too. I think our children will enjoy discovering Ashley’s adventures in the Himalayas.

A Storm of Swords (Parts 1 and 2) by G. R. R. Martin ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After giving up on both the TV series and attempting to read this as a physical book a couple of years ago, I tried my luck with the audiobook and do not regret it in the slightest – I was hooked! And can we talk about that final chapter… 😱 Much has been said about Roy Dotrice’s narration, but I personally found it very charming. He managed to bring the characters to life in a way which just wasn’t happening for me on the actual page. I never realised he holds the Guinness World Record for the most character voices by an individual for an audiobook, but I guess if you’re solo narrating the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire Series’, you’re pretty much guaranteed the accolade right…? I wonder which book series has the most characters in ever? That would be an incredibly nerdy thing to find out! 🤓

#CurrentlyReading

Physical Book: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas – because y’know… Crescent City 3 👀

Audio Book: The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco – this is one I’ve had in my library for a while. I’m only a few chapters in but am quite intrigued the magical elements and the heartglass concepts.

Upcoming Reads

I have that standard bibliophile problem that my shelves are stacked full of unread books. I try to keep my TBR fairly flexible and rather than set a fixed, monthly TBR, I tend to go with my reading mood or something that I’m desperate to either start or finish. As February is a short month, I’m going quite conservative here…

  • Taylor Swift The Whole Story by Chas Newkey-Burden (a Christmas gift from someone who knows me all too well!)
  • A Feast For Crows by George R. R. Martin (Game of Thrones #4 – on Audiobook)
  • Rivals by Katharine McGee (American Royals #3 – my friend gave me her copy 😍 thanks Nikki!)
  • House of Shadow and Flame by Sarah J Maas (Crescent City #3 – I don’t think I’ll be able to keep myself away from it for too long!)

What I’ve Been Watching

With Six Nations starting this weekend, we recently started watching the Six Nations Full Contact on Netflix. It’s such a brilliant behind the scenes documentary which really showcases some of the men behind their rugby playing personas. I was quite taken aback by the hardships some of them had faced to get to where they are currently. Still in the middle of making my way through the Percy Jackson series, I just had to start Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+. I like that it’s more true to the books than the movies, and that Rick Riordan had more control over it. It does a pretty good job of bringing the series to life.

Movies, we’ve seen:

  • One Life (Cinema) – I was actually really taken by this. It was a little hard to get into at first with the flashbacks between time periods, but the impact of Nicholas Winton’s actions and the legacy he created was so heartwarming. Anthony Hopkins is fantastic at displaying that on screen!
  • Priscilla (Cinema) – Ever since watching Marie Antoinette, I’m always intrigued by Sofia Coppola’s portrayals of historical events. With Priscilla, she completely nailed the boundary between the love story of Elvis and Priscilla, but also the flipside of how Priscilla was essential groomed into being the type of woman and wife that Elvis wanted. It was mesmerising but uncomfortable at the same time. I came away really enamoured with the film and wanting to find out more about Priscilla’s story.
  • Lift (Netflix) – Kevin Hart & Co in an airplane heist… Fast and Furious meets The Italian Job with a little Mission Impossible thrown in for good measure. Harmless, action thrills fun!
  • Poor Things (Cinema) – I can totally see why Emma Stone won the Golden Globe for this! Barbie Oscars drama aside, I would totally give Emma Stone the Academy Award for this. The way she fully encapsulated the awkwardness yet vulnerabilities of Bella’s character was just beyond! From her movements, to her facial expressions and the intonations and inflections in her voice… I was blown away! Don’t get me wrong, this film is graphic and rude and slightly perverse on so many morality levels, but it was weirdly refreshing to watch something that wasn’t a biopic or a superhero movie. It’s made me intrigued to now see what the book is like. Overall, the movie is quirky entertainment with a side of twistedness!

And that’s a wrap! How was your January? Are you still on track with your 2024 TBR or reading goals? I’m totally looking forward to my February TBR pile and having the half term holiday to sink my teeth into it! What are you all looking forward to reading in February?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – September 2021

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Howdy Bibliofriends!

September definitely felt like a ‘blink and you’ll miss it moment’ – seriously where has that month gone?! Although the pace was fast, looking back on it there were actually so many things that happened: the return of the Magical Readathon, starting my new job at a new school and our first stable yard Open Day (post-pandemic restrictions). Overall, this September seems to be the most positive month I’ve had in ages filled with lots of wonderful times! ☺️

We’re off to see the James Bond film tonight and I’m so excited!! I also have a new Audible subscription so please send recs of audiobooks as I’m totally procrastinating on what to get with my 2 free credits – HELP! 😂🙈

Life Update

Starting at my new school has been so wonderful and such a breath of fresh air after all of the work related problems from the past couple of years. I am actually loving my job again and it’s brought about a whole new energy which I’ve really been missing. Even friends have commented and said I seem like a much more positive person nowadays! 😂 I guess it’s pretty amazing what a change of scenery and a reduction of toxicity can do for your personality!

For the first time in about two years we were able to hold our annual Open Day at the stable yard I’m a part of. It was so nice to have visitors around the yard again and show them our fabulous horses and facilities. So far, this is our best season yet as we’ve had more winners already than ever before with the biggest part of the jumps racing season still ahead of us. The good vibes are in full flow at the minute, long may it continue!

I was so happy to see the return of the Magical Readathon hosted by Book Roast! I loved it back in it’s HP form but G has really pulled out all of the stops to make this bigger, better and more unique than ever before. You can read my original TBR below or scroll down to the What I’ve Been Reading section to find out more!

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Upcoming Reads, Films/TV, Music/Podcasts, Pokemon Go) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading

Having a readathon definitely helps my drive and determination to try and plough through the books – I think is probably my best reading month of the year so far. Despite only needing to fulfil two prompts to ‘pass’ the readathon, I always try to pick something for every prompt just in case I change my mind on the book I want to read, I’m such a mood reader at times! I’m going to write a proper wrap post for the Magical Readathon soon to go back over the prompts and challenges etc. but for now, here’s what I read in September:

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was so much fun and the perfect ‘end of school holidays’ distraction that I needed!

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I finally started the Percy Jackson series! Greek mythology is one of my favourites so I can’t believe it took me this long to get around to it. I loved the way Riordan blended ancient Gods and contemporary worlds together. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It took me ages to finish this behemoth of an audiobook (clocking in at 19hrs long) and I’ve decided audio is definitely the way forward for me in terms of reading more of Murakami’s works. I much preferred Kafka to The Wind Up Bird Chronicle as I think I had a bit more of an understanding as to what was actually happening! Nakata’s character was adorable and the loved the speculative, magical-realism element the book had.

The Violent Season by Sara Walters (eARC)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Violent Season comes out into the world next week! I was fortunate to get an eARC of it via Netgalley. The story revolves around a sleepy little town called Wolf Ridge where every November a strange sickness takes over the town’s residents and it turns into the season of violence (hence the title). I thought it would have paranormal / The Purge style vibes but this wasn’t quite the case. It was still an enjoyable read though. Review to come next week!

You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I think this was probably my favourite read of the whole month! I listened to it on audio with narration by Julia Whelan and it had me both laughing and crying at different points! Sometimes a book just comes along for you at the right time and it becomes everything you needed in that moment – You and Me on Vacation was exactly that. I’m turning into such a fan of Emily Henry’s writing, she creates some endearing characters and storylines. You can check out my spoiler-free review here.

Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Never Have I Ever is a short story collection from Isabel Yap and is based on Filipino folktales, myths and legends. I first came across the book on the Book Riot SFF Yeah! podcast and remember having to wait weeks for it to arrive from Bookshop.org as it had to be ordered direct from the supplier. I’ve always been intrigued by mythologies and tales from different cultures. Yap has a superb writing style which mixes threads from fantasy, speculative and magical-realism genres with contemporary vibes for modern readers. It’s a remarkable anthology and definitely got me in the spooky Halloween spirit!

#CurrentlyReading

As it was only £4.99, I completely caved and purchased the audiobook of Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer. I was determined not to continue anything to do with the Twilight series as I read it so long ago but curiosity (and my love of bargains!) got the better of me! I can’t believe it’s over 24 hours long and I must confess that I’ve had to crank the speed up to 1.5x because Edward’s narration is a little drawn out in places. I’m loving the background into the Cullen family so far.

In a bid to try and ‘read it before you see it’ I’ve recently started Dune by Frank Herbert in the hope I can finish it before the film comes out in cinemas later this month. At over 500 pages and tilted more into the Sci-Fi part of the SFF genre, I was a little apprehensive at first but now I’m about 200 pages in and loving it. Now I have majorly high expectations for the movie! 😂

Upcoming Reads

My book haul this month is making me so excited about my upcoming reads! I got the Illumicrate edition of Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff which is so stunning – the sprayed edges, the pearlescent hardback… it’s so gorgeous I almost don’t want to read it. (if that makes any sense?!)

I’ve also got some pretty cool ARCs on Netgalley and the release dates are fast looming so I’m keen to make my way through those pretty soon:
Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar – publication date: 28th October
The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl – publication date: 2nd November
Swashbucklers by Dan Hanks – publication date: 9th November
A Three Dog Problem by SJ Bennett (Book 2 of the HM the Queen Investigates sereis) – publication date 11th November

What I’ve Been Watching

TV this month has been all about Grey’s Anatomy (again!) – it’s one of my all-time favourite series so I’ve been binging my backlog including Seasons 14, 15 and 16 and I’m now trying to rapidly make my way through Season 17 before it disappears from Sky later this month. Season 16, episode 16 (Leave a Light On) had me bawling my eyes out! In one way I’m so angry and gutted that the storyline had to go in that direction but what the writers did with it was so sentimental and just felt so right for that particular character that even though I don’t like it, it’s pretty perfect really.

Money Heist is back!! I can’t believe I got to the end of the 5th episode and then have to wait another few months for the second part of the season! Another cliffhanger/resolution/ending which made me grab the tissues. I get so sucked in to these TV programmes! 😂

Has anyone seen The Chair on Netflix with Sandra Oh? It’s on my watchlist but I haven’t started it yet.

Cinema movies this month have been:
Free Guy (LOVED IT!)
Respect – Aretha Franklin biopic (I never knew how turbulent her life was)
Shang Chi and the Ten Rings (the dragon scenes were epic)
The Many Saints of Newark (Sopranos prequel film)

Pokemon Go Update

I’ve definitely lost a bit of interest in the game since school started again. I basically leave my house at 7.15am and don’t return until 6.30pm so with the nights drawing in and the weather definitely turning more autumnal by the second, I’m not able to get out and play as much as I used to. The Fashion Week event was quite fun but it was a real sprint to the line to make sure I found all of the Fashion Challengers to battle for the Timed Research. I did manage to get a hundo Chansey and a hundo Furfrou out of it though.

September’s Shiny Haul
Lugia (finally!)
Oshawott (and all it’s evolutions on Comm Day)
Galarian Meowth (spotlight hour – I was so happy to see this guy!)

My Trainer Code: If any fellow Pogo players want to add me, my trainer code is: 8327 7170 2277

And that’s a wrap! How was your September? Are you heading into Autumn or is your weather still sunny and warm? I’m totally feeling the spooky vibes of Halloween and the witching season so feel free to send some bookish recommendations my way! What are you all looking forward to reading in October?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – August 2021

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Howdy Bibliofriends!

“August slipped away like a moment in time…” – wow, where have those holidays gone and how is it September already?! Looking back now it feels like it disappeared in the blink of an eye although actually feel like I reached the perfect balance of relaxation and recreation to prepare for the forthcoming month!

Life Update

It was really nice to get back into reading and blogging again Summer – it’s definitely been my most active month for a while. I spent a majority of my holidays by the sea in Cornwall. We had some beautifully warm weather and sunny days. Where we are there is a main beach where all the tourists congregate but if you walk about a kilometre further up you discover a little secret beach which I literally had to myself every single day bar the rare dog-walking local ambling past. It was bliss!

Away from Cornwall I managed to catch up with some wonderful friends; we had an indulgent afternoon tea that was filled with all sorts of goodies and even a cheeseboard! I felt like such a Snorlax afterwards. I went to the races a few times with our stable yard which in turn led to seeing UB40 perform. But by far, my highlight of the entire month was our DB BBQ. DB is one of my racehorses and in amazing style he managed to win his hat-trick race (his third back-to-back win) on a day when two of the other yard’s horses also achieved the same feat so it was a treble of trebles! The whole of our syndicate got together to celebrate and it was a night filled with fabulous food, friendship and fizz. We each got mugs with our lovely horse on it and I came away with a stunning framed picture of one of his wins which now takes pride of place in my Office.

As August drew to a close I prepared myself for starting my new job at a brand new school – unloading my car I just couldn’t help but look around in awe at the school settings and the disbelief that I actually get to work there! I’m finally feeling super excited and positive about starting work again and I can’t wait to meet my new class! Wish me luck for September though, I know it’s going to be such hard work! 😂🙈

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Upcoming Reads, Films/TV, Music/Podcasts, Pokemon Go) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading

August felt like I got my reading mojo back (slightly!) – I read 4 books in total and although I’m still 6 books behind my reading goal schedule, August’s progress has been the best since about March. Here’s what I read in August:

Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith (Strike #5)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love the Strike novels. The plot just feels so well crafted and by the time I think I’ve finally figured out whodunnit, there will be a red herring or twist in the tale to make me have to rethink everything! This was edge-of-my-seat, page-turning crime and I loved every minute of it!

Can You Sign My Tentacle? by Brandon O’Brien
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If you’re looking for a weird Sci-Fi, Poetry, Comptemporary fusion then look no further than this book! I received an eARC of this Carribbean author’s work from Netgalley. It takes Lovecraft and modern hip-hop influences and turns them completely upside down. I went into it on a bit of a whim but it was incredible and seriously made me consider the power of writing and imagination to send a message and challenge ideals without resorting to cancel culture. You can read my spoiler-free review here.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a delightful Fairytale retelling of The Wild Swans. I was blown away by the magical world Lim created and can’t wait to read more of her writing. Check out my review here.

The Hawthorne Legacy by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games #2)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Puzzles, secrets, invisible ink and a whole heap of family drama… I adore this series of books and have literally devoured each read in just a day! After the ending of The Inheritance Games, I had no idea where the sequel would go but I was SO HERE FOR IT! I couldn’t believe it when I got my ARC request accepted on Netgalley and now I’m left twiddling my thumbs until the final installation of this gripping trilogy. My review is up next week so swing back to check it out!

#CurrentlyReading

I’m still going with my Kafka On The Shore audiobook by Murakami – I have about three hours left but I’m finally starting to pull together some little threads about what I think is going on! Perseverance has definitely been the key with this read!

For now I have parked She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan. I’ve heard great things about it so I’m determined that it will not become a DNF (I’ve only ever done that once before!), but I found it so hard to get into a reading rhythm and found myself just abandoning it and turning to TV – so for now, to keep my reading motivations on track, it’s on the bench. Anyone else ever feel that way with this book or is it just me?

I have FINALLY started my Rick Riordan reading journey with Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief! I haven’t even seen the films so I’m completely unspoiled. I only picked it up last night but I’m already halfway through. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to discover Camp Half-Blood, I love it!

Upcoming Reads

This month I am taking part in the Magical Readathon hosted by G (Book Roast). I loved this so much in it’s previous format with the Harry Potter OWLs/NEWTs theme but this time around it’s back… refreshed, rebranded, with it’s own unique magical world created specifically for readathon purposes! It’s like the readathon of all readathons and always helps me tick off my reading goals. G has put so much work into this, it’s epic! She’s epic!!
You can read my TBR for it here.

What I’ve Been Watching

Far too much TV in August to be honest but it was the holidays, so who cares?!

I have discovered the absolute joy that is Outer Banks on Netflix. If you’ve been following me for a little while you will know that treasure hunting is practically my favourite trope in the whole wide world. Hence why this treasure-hunting, mystery teen drama set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Bahamas was one of my favourite summer binges!

Greys Anatomy has long been one of my favourite TV shows until I somehow stopped watching it around Season 13 – probably as everything moved to streaming services and my broadband signal back then was so poor I couldn’t even watch a YouTube vid without it buffering! For some reason I just seemed to ‘remember’ that it was on Disney + now so I steamrollered my way through Seasons 13, 14 and 15 – I’m forcing myself to take a little break before launching back into Season 16 but I don’t think I can really wait that long before curiosity eventually kills the cat! 🙈

I caught the second season of the French programme Lupin on Netflix. Assan is a the main character who fashions his escapades on the French literary character Arsene Lupin, a gentleman burglar and master of disguise, from the novels by Maurice Leblanc. I liked that it wasn’t a terribly long series and answered the big cliffhanger of a twist from season one. I’m not sure whether there’ll be a third season but the storyline kind of feels resolved for me know so who knows whether it’ll be back.

My friend recommended Sex/Life to me so I watched that on Netflix. Isabella Summers, the Machine part of Florence + the Machine, did the music for it so that also pulled me in (FATM are my all-time favourite band!). It was an interesting series although I got a little annoyed in the end by Billie’s character and the very, very final scene was a bit of a WTF moment! Love triangles irritate me slightly as I always end up changing my mind about who should end up with who – I know that’s kind of the point but I procrastinate enough in my own life, I don’t need to be overwhelmed by it in other people’s too! 😂

It’s been a bit of a quiet month at the cinema but I did manage to catch:

  • The Suicide Squad – I’ve decided I’m definitely a Marvel girl – the DC movies just don’t keep me entertained enough.
  • The Courier – This was an interesting film that was definitely worth the watch and whilst I appreciated the storyline (based on real events) I don’t think it’s one I’ll need to watch again.
  • Don’t Breathe 2 – This was an entirely different film to its predecessor and was more violence than horror. I enjoyed the story they created with the blind man’s character as it gave the film a little more depth than the first one.
  • Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins – A fun film but a little longer than it needed to be.

What I’ve Been Listening to

Not much other than my audiobook of Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami.

Pokemon Go Update

Eevee Community Day was the best event of the month – and not just because Eevee is one of my favourite Pokemons, it definitely helped in me completing the Eevee shiny dex! My favourite wild shiny catch was Clefairy! I wasn’t really paying full attention as I was walking to the cinema but when I caught sight of those shiny green ears I could have squealed!

August’s Shiny Haul
Kabuto
Eevee x 11
Clefairy
Caterpie

My Trainer Code: If any fellow Pogo players want to add me, my trainer code is: 8327 7170 2277

And that’s a wrap! How are you all doing? What are you looking forward to this September – are you taking part in Magical Readathon or any other Readathons? How are you doing with your 2021 reading goals now that we’re in the final quarter of the year?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – July 2021

The Biblioshelf8 Comments

Howdy Bibliofriends!

The Summer Holidays are finally HERE! I’ve already had about 2 weeks off and it has been so nice to catch up with myself, my life, my housework and… my reading!

Life Update

In my last update I was counting down the days until I finished at my place of work, which I have now left. It felt like a weight off my shoulders to hand those keys back and walk out the door for the final time. I’ve been able to catch up on some much needed housework and clearing a few things out which has put me into such a great headspace that I’ve really been missing. My usual horsey trips and cinema trips are back in full force so normality seems to be on the up!

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Upcoming Reads, Films/TV, Music/Podcasts, Pokemon Go) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading

In July I finished reading These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden. Rebecca sent me this towards the start of 2021 and it is a multi-layered fantasy which branches off in two directions before converging again into one storyline and ending. It was so nice to read something quite dark and adult after lots of YA reads. I’m currently writing the review which should be up in a couple of weeks.

The second book I finished this month was The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta. Being in verse form I was desperate to read this as I’m a bit of a fan about things like that. I found the whole symbology of the flamingo really intriguing and can’t wait to write my review.

#CurrentlyReading

I’m currently reading Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim. I was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC of this from NetGalley but didn’t manage to get more than 5 chapters in before it was archived. Thankfully, a stunning exclusive edition of this same novel arrived last week in one of my books subscription boxes so I can finally finish the story. I’m excited to see what happens to Shiori and her brothers.

I got myself into a great habit of listening to audiobook whilst I would get ready for work but as it’s the holidays now this routine hasn’t been as frequent. I purchased Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami whilst it was on special offer so I’ve been plowing my way through that whenever I’m out in the car. Listening to Murakami via audio is so much easier than when I tried to read The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, I love Murakami’s style but sometimes it just doesn’t sink in when I read it myself!

Upcoming Reads

I always get to Summer and think about the entire bookshelf of novels I’m going to tick off my TBR… it almost never happens so I’m trying not to give myself a ‘goal oriented’ list this month – it’s bad enough Goodreads telling me I’m still 7 books behind schedule! 🙈

I do want to try and get as much reading in as possible though. Similarly to Six Crimson Cranes I also had the e-ARC for She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan but again couldn’t read it before it was archived… and again – thankfully a gorgeous special edition of this also came my way via one of my book subscriptions. That’s definitely on my priority list this Summer.

I have a review request from Brittany Willows for her Urban/YA Fantasy novel Bloody Spade and I am also part way through graphic novel series called Fiery Crown by Charles Cutting which I’ll be making real efforts with over this Summer. Watch this space for these reviews!

Other books which are pretty high on my TBR list are:

Dune by Frank Herbert (which I am hoping to read before the movie comes out).
Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline (I have been waiting to give this book my complete, undivided attention)
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust

What I’ve Been Watching

I’ve tried to really curb by TV time this month to get some more reading time in – it seems to have been working so far but I am now hopelessly addicted to this series of Love Island. It’s one of those guilty pleasures that I find so bad but so good at the same time!

At the cinema this month we’ve been watching:

  • Freaky – cheesy horror with a great correlation to the film Freaky Friday (which I have a bit of a soft spot for).
  • Black Widow – Loved this! felt so good to be watching a Marvel film again and I love Scarlett Johansson’s character so I’m glad she got her own movie.
  • Old – This was a definitely a horror with a difference. I didn’t quite know what to expect but the plotline was unique and intriguing.
  • Escape Room: Tournament of Champions – I am a huge fan of Escape Rooms! I caught the first film of this series on Netflix during the lockdown and it quenched my first for not being able to participate in a real-live one. I just had to catch the sequel on the big screen and it did not let me down! It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but it’s definitely mine!
  • Jungle Cruise – This was such an awesome film! One of my favourites of the entire year! Slightly long perhaps for the storyline but it was so funny and the scenery gave me total wanderlust vibes.

What I’ve Been Listening to

Not much other than my audiobook of Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami.

Pokemon Go Update

This month we finally had Go Fest! I spent the entire weekend just walking round my village catching Pokemon and raiding – it was great for my step count! 😂 I do love it when they host big events like this but they do tend to completely monopolise your time. I got a pretty decent shiny haul thought and the legendary raids day helped me to fill some gaps in my dex.

July’s Shiny Haul
Skarmory x2
Skorupi
Ralts
Slakoth
Aron
Audino x2
Alomalola x2
Kricketot
Roggenrola
Tangela
Snivy
Eevee
Rayquaza
Galarian Ponyta (with Meloetta hat)

My Trainer Code: If any fellow Pogo players want to add me, my trainer code is: 8327 7170 2277

And that’s a wrap! How are you all doing? What are you looking forward to this August – do you have any special holiday or reading plans? What are the upcoming book/film releases that you’re looking forward to the most?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

The Wrap – April, May and June 2021

The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Howdy Bibliofriends!

How have you all been? I’ve missed you blogging friends! Attack of the Book Slump left me pretty much M.I.A for the last three months – I’m so sorry! For some reason, reading – and anything and everything to do with it – just completely left me behind like some kind of adverse food reaction. It hasn’t been this bad for several years but as work life got ramped up and crazy (*eye rolls*), the usual solace I found in escaping into the pages of books suddenly seemed like hard work. I stopped listening to audiobooks and bookish podcasts, I didn’t even read or keep up with my blog or Goodreads accounts – zilch!

I have literally gone from being 4 books ahead of my 2021 reading target to being 6 books behind! For anyone who has asked me about reviewing their books or sent me an email or blog comment during these past few months, I’m dreadfully sorry and I will definitely get around to catching up soon.

Life Update

In teacher life – I have 9.5 days in my current place of work before I am escaping onto a new adventure – still teaching but at an entirely different school setting! Pandemic aside, the last two years at my current workplace have really taken chunks out of my soul – my mental health reached new lows, but finally… the end is nigh! My new school is so fantastic and I feel incredibly proud to have been given a job there. I know the workload and expectations are going to be higher than ever given what I’m walking into but I can’t wait to belong to part of a bigger team again.

Elsewhere in life, the cinema is finally open again – I am loving being back in front of the big screen. I’d forgotten quite how loud the IMAX speakers could be until I heard Godzilla’s almighty ROAR! The horse racing yard that I am a part of has had the most spectacular start to the season and the horse I actually own has won 2 races! We’re all super proud of him. There is a whole vibe of positivity and celebration in the air at the moment which is definitely boosting the spirits.

The rest of this Wrap Post follows my usual format (Past Reads, Current Reads, Upcoming Reads, Films/TV, Music/Podcasts, Pokemon Go) so feel free to skip any irrelevant parts!

What I’ve Been Reading

So, somewhere along the reading road I hit a few bumps. March saw an incredible mission to try and complete the Taylor Swift themed ‘Tis the Damn Readathon which was challenging but great fun. You can read my wrap for that here.

April then saw me surrounded in the worlds of The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox and House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas, both of which I loved (I mean, SJM never fails to have me reaching for the tissues!).

In May I read absolutely nothing! 🙈

June saw my self-imposed NetGalley deadline guilt kick in and I finally picked up All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue. An intriguing YA debut based around a mystical tarot deck – review coming up next week!

#CurrentlyReading

I’m currently reading These Violent Nights by Rebecca Crunden which is definitely satisfying my need for a more adult fantasy novel. There’s a lot to sink my teeth into but I’ve just about reached the halfway point.

Upcoming Reads

I have Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim and She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan in my NetGalley reading pile which are both exciting, upcoming July releases. Rumour has it, I’ll be getting them both as physical copies very soon as well… 👀!

I have a review request from Brittany Willows for her Urban/YA Fantasy novel Bloody Spade and I am also part way through graphic novel series called Fiery Crown by Charles Cutting which I’ll be making real efforts with over this Summer. Watch this space for these reviews!

What I’ve Been Watching

I have unfortunately succumbed to the Bridgeton hype! I wasn’t exactly bowled over by the storyline but I did love the costumes and the set-dressing! The return of the cinema has been so welcome and I’ve managed to go at least once, if not twice a week – thank goodness for my Cineworld Unlimited Card! I had my first 4DX experience for Fast and Furious 9 which was. So. Much. Fun. It’s not quite the immersive experience that the Avatar Flight of Passage ride is at DisneyWorld but it definitely kept me awake late on a Friday evening!

Looking back at my Netflix viewing activity from April, May and June – I now know what may have added to the diversion away from reading… enter: The Bold Type! This is one of my favourite shows ever! I’m so sad that Season 5 is going to be the finale but I’m praying it comes to Netflix soon; I have to keep blitzing past the spoilers on Instagram!

  • Love Wedding Repeat [Film – Netflix]
  • The Bold Type [Seasons 1-4 – Netflix]
  • Shadow and Bone [Season 1 – Netflix]
  • Things Heard and Seen [Film – Netflix]
  • Ibiza [Film – Netflix]
  • Something Borrowed [Film – Netflix]
  • The Perfect Date [Film – Netflix]
  • Bridgerton [Season 1 – Netflix]
  • The Woman in the Window [Film – Netflix]
  • Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant [Films – Netflix]
  • Second Act [Film – Netflix]
  • In the Shadow of the Moon [Film – Netflix]
  • Can You Keep a Secret [Film – Netflix]
  • Friends: The Reunion [Sky]
  • Game of Thrones [Seasons 1-3 – Sky]
  • Ugly Betty [Season 1 – Disney +]
  • Godzilla vs Kong [Cinema]
  • Cruella [Cinema]
  • A Quiet Place Part II [Cinema]
  • In The Heights [Cinema]
  • Fast ad Furious 9 [Cinema]
  • Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard [Cinema]
  • Dream Horse [Cinema]

What I’ve Been Listening to

  • Fearless (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
  • Staying at Tamara’s – George Ezra (this album always gives me major summer vibes)
  • The Lion’s Roar – First Aid Kit
  • In the Heights (film soundtrack)
  • Dolly Parton’s America (podcast)

Pokemon Go Update

Sometimes it feels like PoGo is the one constant in my life – even if just for 5 minutes everyday! 🙈😂

April, May and June’s Shiny Haul
Lopunny
Execute
Snivy
Nidoran
Marill
Snubull
Swablu
Bunnelby
Igglybuff
Gible
Bidoof
Tepig

My Trainer Code: If any fellow Pogo players want to add me, my trainer code is: 8327 7170 2277

And that’s a wrap! How are you all doing? What are you looking forward to this July? If you’re a Bold Type Fan or Shadow and Bone fan feel free to let me know or send me a comment about what you thought of the series!

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

March 2021 – #WrapPost

The BiblioshelfLeave a comment

Howdy Bibliofriends!

Life Update

It’s been a little while hasn’t it? I took some time away from my blog over the past couple of weeks to deal with some things on the home front, and they’re not fully sorted but it’s also not really in my control to sort so my headspace is in a bit of a weird place right now.

What I am loving is that Spring is finally arriving – even if in typical British style the day can turn from sun to snow to hail all in the space of a morning! It has been so nice to catch up with friends and actually socialise again as England comes out of another stage of lockdown. I always used to have a packed diary but I had forgotten how tiring it can be actually having to make the effort and get out there – I think I took to the lockdown hermit life too well even though I was still in school like normal! How are you all coping with the different stages of the pandemic wherever you live?

What I’ve Been Reading in March

March was a pretty good reading month for me even if I did hit a massive reading slump which is kind of still ongoing… 😏 Taking part in the ‘Tis the Damn Readathon was so much fun as it’s been quite a while since I’ve taken part in one. It was also a really good way to keep me in my Taylor Swift zone. Ever since Folklore my fandom has reached brand new heights! 😂

Books I read:
> The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
> The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley (audiobook)
> The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
> Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (audiobook)
> Lore by Alexandra Bracken
> Locke and Key Vol. 2: Head Games by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodríguez
> The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox

Instead of repeating myself, I did a small breakdown about each book and the readathon prompt they were for in a separate wrap post which you read here!

What I’ve Been Watching in March

  • Shadowhunters – Series 1

I finished watching the first season of Shadowhunters on Netflix. Being completely honest, I’m not sure it’s something I’ll continue with. I’ve read all of the books so was curious about the series but there are so many other things I think I’d rather try watching as I wasn’t really blown away by this one.

  • The Angel

I think this was based on the true story of Ashraf Marwan, an Egyptian spy (and President Nasser’s son-in-law) who tried to bring about peace with Israel. I didn’t really know any of the story beforehand so it was a little bit confusing to follow.

  • Extraction

Now this film I really enjoyed! Chris Hemsworth (a.k.a. Thor) is a mercenary tasked with rescuing a kidnapped teenager from a load of drug lords. It was fairly gory and there is a large amount of violence but I enjoyed the bond the mercenary and the teenager developed during the film.

  • Dead to Me – Season 1

Wow, this show! I can’t believe I didn’t see the twist at the end of the first episode coming! From there, the whole season was so addictive and I had to just keep clicking ‘next episode’ to see everything unfold. It’s kind of a tell-all show where the watcher knows exactly what is happening and is just waiting for the characters to find out to see their reactions. I definitely need to find out what is going to happen in season two after that incredible season finale.

  • Wandavision

OMG the ending to Wandavision, it went slightly off tangent for me but then the exploration of Wanda’s and Vision’s relationship just melted me! I’m so pleased we got to see Monica Rambeau as I can’t wait to see how her character evolves in the upcoming Captain Marvel II.

What I’ve Been Listening to in March

March has definitely been the discovery of the podcast! I’ve been listening to three different ones on a bit of a cycle during the mornings whilst I get ready for work.

That’s What I’m Tolkien About
This is such a great podcast by Mary Clay Watt which explores each the world of Tolkien chapter by chapter. I’ve come to this podcast fairly late (it’s up to episode 91/92 already). The Lord of the Rings and the movies have already been covered so I decided to start with The Hobbit chapters which are updated every Tuesday and always feature a special guest. I was so tempted to try and read the chapters along with the podcast, which I may go back and do for the LOTR books (the reading slump has beaten me to it this time around).

It’s Super Effective
This Pokémon podcast comes out every Monday and discusses all of the latest updates in Pokémon world. It’s pretty hefty at about 1.5 hours long but there is a mashup style music remix featuring as a break to each one which is kind of addictive. There’s a little too much TCG and Masters chat for me in some parts but the hosts SBJ, Will and Greg are incredibly entertaining and I like the Pokémon news and Pokémon Centre shopping updates they do. There’s also a Pokémon of the week style quiz to try and guess.

Book Riot’s SFF Yeah!
There had to be a bookish podcast in there from Book Riot! I love the way Sharifah and Jenn share their recommendations about books. I’ve mentally added so many more books to my TBR and actually preordered two books purely from their recommendations.

Pokemon Go Update

March was pretty quiet in the Pokemon Go stakes. I did find a group of local players in the village I live so I have been participating in more events and raids etc. which has been really nice. Rayquaza Raid weekend was such hard work! 😂 I did 15 raids, caught 14 of them and my 13th catch was my only shiny – how’s that for superstitious!  

March’s Shiny Haul
Krabby
Landorus (Incarnate Forme)
Fletchling (evolved into Fletchinder and Talonflame)
Voltorb
Eevee
Electrike
Castform
Chikorita
Pidgeot
Spearow
Rayquaza
Skarmory
Wingull

My Trainer Code: If any fellow Pogo players want to add me, my trainer code is: 8327 7170 2277

What I’m Looking Forward to it April

  • Easter holidays and Creme Eggs!
  • Lockdown easing and seeing friends.
  • The Shadow and Bone series!
  • Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

And that’s a wrap! What have you been reading/watching/listening to/doing in March? What are you reading in April? Have you got any exciting Readathons or social events lined up?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx

‘Tis the Damn Readathon Wrap Post

The Biblioshelf2 Comments

Aloha Bibliofriends!

In March I took part in the Taylor Swift based ‘Tis the Damn Readathon with my friend who is one of the biggest Swifties I know! Quite often my reading ambitions fall on the fantasy side of magical realism so I always end up giving myself too much to do and then fall out with myself when I don’t hit the goals: #ownworstenemy
I came up with a TBR of about 7 books as I wanted to try and hit all of the album prompts – you can read about that here!
Right towards the end of the month I hit a massive reading slump which probably killed my blog vibe too to be honest. I have just started reading Crescent City whilst it’s still the Easter holidays so I’m hoping that drags me out of it.

  • Album: Taylor Swift / Prompt: Read a Memoir / Book: The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

I love the Star Wars franchise and actually won a copy of this book through Bookmarks which is an online research panel lead by Penguin. It was the perfect choice for a memoir and it was so strange reading this knowing that she tragically passed away shortly after its publication. You read my review here.

  • Album: Fearless / Prompt: Do some meditation (non bookish prompt)

I didn’t read anything for this but I do meditate every morning before going to work so this felt like an easy prompt to achieve.

  • Album: Speak Now / Prompt: Listen to an Audiobook / Book: The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley

I was pleasantly surprised by this audiobook and ended up adoring its plot and characters. There was a day at school during remote learning where we set the children on an off-timetable creativity day so we didn’t have a live lesson schedule, this audiobook was the soundscape to my redecorating the classroom and laminating all of the resources. It’s one of those I could listen to again and again! Read my review here.

  • Album: Red / Prompt: Read a book with red on the cover / Book: The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart

This was a late addition to my TBR as I unexpectedly got approved for this on NetGalley in preparation for the paperback release of the book. This was such a great SFF book with a really curious twist on magic. I’m so intrigued that I can’t wait to see where the series goes next. Read the review here.

  • Album: 1989 / Prompt: Read a book with a number in the title / Book: Locke and Key Volume Two: Head Games by Joe Hill

So I cheated on this one a little – I didn’t have time to read my TBR selection for this but I figure it counts right? I watched the Locke and Key series on Netflix and was so captivated that I had to start reading the graphic novels too. They’re a little different to the TV show in terms of the timeline but it still satisfies that void whilst I’m waiting for Season Two to drop.

  • Album: Reputation / Prompt: (Blank Space Tile) Read a book Taylor has referenced / Book: Peter Pan (Audiobook)

I used a Blank Space tile for this one as I struggled to think of an idea for any of the prompts. I came across an audiobook of Peter Pan read by a whole cast of celebs including Joanna Lumley, David Walliams, Kit Harrington and others. It was put together by Martin Jarvis who did the Good Omens audiobook which I also loved. I enjoyed exploring this as it was a classic which I haven’t read before.

  • Album: Lover / Prompt: Do some self care (non bookish prompt)

This prompt happened lots in March, mostly with ice cream! 😂

  • Album: Folklore / Prompt: Read a book based on mythology / Book: Lore by Alexandra Bracken

When I discovered this book was a standalone, it rocketed up my TBR and I was definitely in the mood for some contemporary, yet magical YA last month. It was such a fun read and I enjoyed the way the author mixed the ancient mythology into a modern world context. There might be a review of it coming soon if I get time.

  • Album: Evermore / Prompt: Read a mystery or thriller / Book: The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox

Again, this was a little bit of a cheat one as The Absolute Book is classed as Fantasy but after reading it I feel that it definitely has a mystery twist too – I was mystified through all 640 pages, right up until the Epilogue! 😂 I read this for NetGalley so this week’s job is to get the review finished!

That’s my ‘Tis the Damn Readathon Wrap! It was so much fun to take part in a Readathon again, I can’t remember the last time that happened. Thanks so much to my friend @megalynreads on Twitter for suggesting it and to the fabulous team over at ‘Tis the Damn Readathon for putting together the most comprehensive Swiftathon I’ve ever seen! It definitely helped motivate me to keep my reading goals on track in March!

Did any of you take part in the readathon? What did you read in March?

As always, drop me a comment to chat! ☺️

T xx