Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And it's (finally) the end of January! I know I'm not the only one to see this month come to an end. But, the end of one month brings the start of another!
And yet, I need to see the month wrapped up until I can move on to the next. Honestly, the monthly wrap ups are one of my favourite posts to write because I get to be reminded of all that I accomplished in the duration of the month!
Enjoy! Here's what I did!
-BOOKS-
I read a total of 5 books in the month of January, and each and every one has been a stand-out for different reasons. Here's what I read:
1. The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe
I read a few chapters of this before I lost my copy a few months back. After finding it, I decided I should at least try to finish it. The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on Dita Kraus' real life experience of Auschwitz from the time that she was 14 years old. She was the librarian, moving and concealing the books for years, constantly aware that a hand on her shoulder could be the death of her. This is definitely something worth reading if you want a real and raw perspective of what it's like in Auschwitz because it feels like I lived every minute of Dita's experience even though it's a book that's under 500 pages.
I honestly didn't plan to pick up this one this month, but something just drew me to the audiobook I had recently downloaded. I actually wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this, even though the rest of the world was. But it was something about hearing voices of the characters that made them seem that much like the people they were playing. This is a real life account from all the different band members, and other people close to them. It's also the only one in existence. But whether it was the way the story unfolded, the way it was written, or the way the band rose to the top only to come crumbling down, I don't know. But I highly recommend this if you haven't read it yet!
This was such a complex read (but it was amazing.) If I hadn't tried really hard to read a certain amount each day, I feel like I wouldn't have got half as much of an impact as I did. There were so many wonderful elements engrained in this story, it would take forever for me to talk about everything that I loved about this book. I know it's intimidating, but when else will you be able to say that you read an 800 page, Urban Fantasy standalone? Rarely! So if you're on the fence about whether to attempt this novel, I urge you to at least try it, it doesn't matter how long it takes, it will be worth it!
This book is DARK. When I say DARK I mean, do not read this unless you are over the age of 16 because you would not believe the poop that goes down within the pages of this novel. It says in the corner of the cover that it's not suitable for younger readers. That is definitely right. 13 Minutes starts with Natasha being found the morning she nearly drowned. The question on everyone's lips is how did she end up in the lake? What happened the night before? And the story just unfolds from there. I finished this book just under a week ago and even writing this wrap up now, all the things that take place in this book are coming back to me and it's CRAZY. A really addictive read.
Just got a smug grin on my face right now. This isn't out until 6th February but when I saw it in my local Waterstones on Wednesday I just couldn't resist. I read it in one sitting, and it was just as cute and amazing as I was expecting it to be! My two favourite lovebirds fly off to Paris in this one, (hence the map) and I'm now pretty certain that Alice Oseman can turn any event into a cute-fest! I'm feeling a little flat knowing that I'm now going to have to wait until next year for volume four, but I hope that the rest of the world loves the volume as much as I have next week! (Honestly my heart and my EMOTIONS were took on a journey during this graphic novel.)
And yet, I need to see the month wrapped up until I can move on to the next. Honestly, the monthly wrap ups are one of my favourite posts to write because I get to be reminded of all that I accomplished in the duration of the month!
Enjoy! Here's what I did!
-BOOKS-
I read a total of 5 books in the month of January, and each and every one has been a stand-out for different reasons. Here's what I read:
1. The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Antonio Iturbe
I read a few chapters of this before I lost my copy a few months back. After finding it, I decided I should at least try to finish it. The Librarian of Auschwitz is based on Dita Kraus' real life experience of Auschwitz from the time that she was 14 years old. She was the librarian, moving and concealing the books for years, constantly aware that a hand on her shoulder could be the death of her. This is definitely something worth reading if you want a real and raw perspective of what it's like in Auschwitz because it feels like I lived every minute of Dita's experience even though it's a book that's under 500 pages.
2. Daisy Jones & the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I honestly didn't plan to pick up this one this month, but something just drew me to the audiobook I had recently downloaded. I actually wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this, even though the rest of the world was. But it was something about hearing voices of the characters that made them seem that much like the people they were playing. This is a real life account from all the different band members, and other people close to them. It's also the only one in existence. But whether it was the way the story unfolded, the way it was written, or the way the band rose to the top only to come crumbling down, I don't know. But I highly recommend this if you haven't read it yet!
3. The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon
This was such a complex read (but it was amazing.) If I hadn't tried really hard to read a certain amount each day, I feel like I wouldn't have got half as much of an impact as I did. There were so many wonderful elements engrained in this story, it would take forever for me to talk about everything that I loved about this book. I know it's intimidating, but when else will you be able to say that you read an 800 page, Urban Fantasy standalone? Rarely! So if you're on the fence about whether to attempt this novel, I urge you to at least try it, it doesn't matter how long it takes, it will be worth it!
4. 13 Minutes, by Sarah Pinborough
This book is DARK. When I say DARK I mean, do not read this unless you are over the age of 16 because you would not believe the poop that goes down within the pages of this novel. It says in the corner of the cover that it's not suitable for younger readers. That is definitely right. 13 Minutes starts with Natasha being found the morning she nearly drowned. The question on everyone's lips is how did she end up in the lake? What happened the night before? And the story just unfolds from there. I finished this book just under a week ago and even writing this wrap up now, all the things that take place in this book are coming back to me and it's CRAZY. A really addictive read.
5. Heartstopper Volume Three (Heartstopper #3), by Alice Oseman
Just got a smug grin on my face right now. This isn't out until 6th February but when I saw it in my local Waterstones on Wednesday I just couldn't resist. I read it in one sitting, and it was just as cute and amazing as I was expecting it to be! My two favourite lovebirds fly off to Paris in this one, (hence the map) and I'm now pretty certain that Alice Oseman can turn any event into a cute-fest! I'm feeling a little flat knowing that I'm now going to have to wait until next year for volume four, but I hope that the rest of the world loves the volume as much as I have next week! (Honestly my heart and my EMOTIONS were took on a journey during this graphic novel.)
-TV SHOWS & FILMS WATCHED-
Films
1. The Lion King (good start to the year)
2. Inside Out
3. Jumangi: Welcome to the Jungle
4. Jumangi: The Next Level (Cinema)
5. The Perks of Being A Wallflower (one of my favourite films of all time)
6. Into the Woods
7. IT: Chapter 2
8. To All the Boys I've Loved Before (Been dying to watch this film recently, and just in time for P.S. I Still Love You, which is out on Netflix on 12th February.)
9. Midnight Sun
10. Wonder
TV shows
1. A Series Of Unfortunate Events (Seasons 2/3- Finished)
2. Bad Education (Seasons 2/3 - Finished)
3. The Next Step (Seasons 1-3)
4. Sex Education (1/2- Currently working through Season 2)
5. Miranda (Season 1/2)
6. Spinning Out (Season 1- Finished)
7. Dragonball Z (that's right-we're watching it again)
Right! That's my January Wrap Up! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to let me know what you read in January, I'm always looking for cool recommendations!
I hope you have a wonderful evening, and I'll see you all in February!
Byeeeee!
-Abi xxxx
I LOVED Daisy Jones.
ReplyDeleteSo did I! One of my favourites of the year so far, though that's not hard!
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