Favourite Books of 2022

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with my Favourite Books of 2022! 

There aren't that many this year, but still enough to do this post! 

I hope you enjoy it. 

2.1. Off the Record, by Camryn Garrett

As you can see, I have a full review (linked into the title) if you wish to see more of my in-depth thoughts but ultimately, this was a powerful, sensitive and compelling novel about a writer that wins the competition of a lifetime (a chance to write a profile for a rising movie star) and finds herself following a story where a series of actresses have struggled to come forward to talk about their experiences with a certain director. Trigger warnings for body image, sexual assualt, anxiety, depression, amongst others. 

This was one of my anticipated releases from a couple of years ago, and as soon as I saw it in a Waterstones in London, I picked it up straight away. Of course I loved it. 

2. Carrie Soto is Back, by Taylor Jenkins-Reid 

Finally! A book about tennis! This was everything I was expecting and more. Carrie Soto is Back is about Carrie's rise to fame as a child, teenager, and then her comeback when, seven years after retirement, one of her records is threatened. It's cut-throat, compelling, and you get the feeling that Carrie is more than just the battle-axe that she is known for. Carrie was a truly wonderful person to read about, and I loved how accurate the world of tennis felt (even though I have no idea whether it is actually like that). 

3. I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy 

Growing up, iCarly was one of my favourite shows to watch, coming in from school. Like everyone, I was genuinely surprised to discover the atrocities that Jenette's mother committed, forcing her daughter into the limelight, and then everything that stemmed from that relationship. This account, coming from the actress herself was 100%  honest and I'm so happy that Jenette was brave enough to confront everything that happened to her. 

4. Flight (Flight #1), by Vanessa Harbour

I never actually meant to read this. Purely by accident I picked up the second book in the duology, found out it was the 2nd book, and promptly downloaded Flight onto my Kindle. Three days later, and I've already finished book 1. 

Wonderful read. It's a middle grade set at the end of WWII, so there's the perfect balance of scary chapters, because of the war, but the right amount of light-hearted breaks and humour. I really wish I could go back to the start of this and read it for the first time, with fresh eyes again. I just want to gobble the children up, they're so well-written and fleshed out. Absolutely top class book. 

5. I Was Born For This, by Alice Oseman

I can't believe I nearly forgot about this! It was great to be able to pick up my last Alice Oseman book, and I think because I knew this would be the last one that I picked up before Heartstopper Vol 5, which comes out next year, I savoured it all the more. I'm not going to say it's my absolute favourite Alice Oseman book, because I don't have a favourite (I love them all equally) but it definitely holds it's own. It introduces the idea that singers and celebrities can experience anxiety and depression and although I was aware that that was the case beforehand, it's refreshing to read about that in a YA novel. Highly recommend Alice's novels if you haven't picked them up yet guys. 

6. Illegal, by Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin

Illegal tells the story of a young boy, making the journey across Africa in the hope of reuniting with his older brother, after he awakes to find him gone. Such a simple premise, I found this in a comic book shop in Romford when I went for my birthday, and read it the day I bought it. Hopeful and realistic, especially of the poverty-stricken world that Ebo must survive in day after day. So happy I picked this up (especially after seeing how much they were charging for this elsewhere.) 

Okay! Those are my Favourite Books of 2022! 

I hope you enjoyed reading about them, and as always, feel free to comment what your favourites of the year were too! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you all soon with my 2022 Wrap Up!

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxxx

December TBR (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm here with my final TBR for the year of 2022! 

It's been a wild year, full of good times, and at last I'll be posting the final TBR, which will catapult me into 2023! 

I won't be reading any festive books this month, or at least, I don't plan to. I might drop everything and just read Tinsel, or HP or something, but honestly, I doubt it. 

I hope you enjoy my TBR. 

1. Nothing More to Tell, by Karen M. McManus 

I'm already a part ways into reading this, and I'm actually enjoying it more than some other Karen M. McManus' recent books. Might have something to do with one of the protagonists working as an intern true crime journalist, but it's not just that. I'm about 240 pages in and if I manage to get this posted in enough time tonight, I'll be trying to finish this tonight. To put it bluntly, this is probably my favourite Karen M. McManus' book so far. 

2. The First to Die at the End (Death Cast #0), by Adam Silvera

They Both Die at the End is probably my favourite Adam Silvera book, so I'm eager to start this as soon as I can. (And it's even bigger than the first book so I can hardly wait.) I know next to nothing about this book (that's the way I want to keep it- because I have no idea why it's so large) but I'll give you the low down if you haven't read the first book. 

On 5th September, Death Cast call every person that is going to die that day. When Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio receive their news, they both want the same thing. To be with someone else who is having their last day. Fortunately, there's an app for that. Total strangers at the start, Mateo and Rufus are about to have one whole life's adventure- all in a single day. 

3. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin 

I found this book in London in September and despite not having heard of the author, or heard much buzz about it, I picked it up. I imagine people must like it, because it's a nominated book from the Goodreads Awards. 

Basically, it's about two people in a hospital, one that's recovering from a car accident, and one that's visiting their sister. Their love of videogaming becomes a shared world, a place of escape, of joy and of competitiveness- but that time is brief. But when they first lay eyes on eachother at a train station eight years later, they can't help but fall back into the world where they create gaming worlds that inspire, challenge and immerse players. This is the story about the perfect worlds that Sam and Sadie create, in an unperfect world. About all that comes with success: fame, failure, identity, creativity, and everything else. 

This has a similar feel to The First to Die at the End, it feels hopeful and magical and although they aren't considered to be christmas books, they sure feel like books to read in December. I have a sneaky suspicion that this is going to be a 5 * read, or even a favourite of the year. I'm intrigued to see if I'm right. 

4. Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1), by B.B. Alston 

5. Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations #2), by B.B. Alston 

Absolutely adored the first book, now I'm back with a re-read, and to take on the second. Not a huge fan of the cover but the story will undoubtedly be phenomenal. Might be a bit of an understatement to say I have high expectations. 

I always tend to enjoy middle-grades, they're light and funny, but engaging at the same time. However, I rarely enjoy them as much as I enjoyed Amari and the Night Brothers. Basically, we follow Amari, who after finding out her brother is missing in a magical agent society she knew nothing about, jumps straight in to find him.

Wonderful novel, wonderful characters, might even have been a favourite book of the year I read it. 

Very much looking forward to reading these. 

Okay! Those are all the books I'm hoping to read this month. 

However, since I've already finished my Goodreads reading challenge, I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get to all of them. 

Right! I hope you have a wonderful evening, let me know what you're planning on reading this month, and I'll see you all very soon! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxx

November Wrap Up (2022)

 Hey guys, this is Abi here, 

And I'm back with my November Wrap Up! So relieved to finish my Goodreads reading goal this month,  so I can sit back and relax without worrying about it. (Thanks Saga.) 

So because I was committed to the immense series that is Saga, I read quite a bit. 13 books, to be exact. 

I hope you enjoy my wrap up. 

1. Safe (Flight #2), by Vanessa Harbour

After being thoroughly surprised and flying through the first book, I hoped I would do the same with the second. For some reason, the opposite happened. I genuinely struggled to read more than 20 pages at a time, and although I was enjoying the story, I never felt any motivation to pick it up. 

Safe takes place in the last days of WWII, and we see Jacob and Kizzy into travelling to dangerous territory. When they're attacked they find a hiding place in a seemingly abandoned mansion. Until they start to hear strange sounds. Upon searching the mansion, they find a number of lost children and their ensemble of horses. Setting out in unknown territory, can Jacob and Kizzy make the treachorous journey back to safety? 

2. Saga Volumes 1-9, by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

It was such a joy to go back to this world after nearly two years away. I loved each volume just as I had before, maybe even more, because I knew that I had a brand new volume to devour at the end of it. Highly recommend if you're looking for an engaging and vast series that will have you desperate for the next volume to be released. 

3. Saga, Volume 10 (Saga #10), by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

An awesome return to the series. Meet some new characters, a new direction to the story, and a total obliteration of a home for our beloved characters. Yeah, you could say this volume was explosive to say the least. And, Hazel is growing up! I can't wait to see what this mischievious child does next! 

4. Carrie Soto is Back, by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

I honestly didn't think it was possible for me to love a Taylor Jenkins-Reid book more than I loved Daisy Jones and the Six but boy was I proved wrong. I was so excited/ hyped up for this book and I am happy to say that my expectations were very much exceeded. There are so few intense, sports based books around and I am so happy that this will be one of the books to set the standard for this type of book. Absolutely faultless. Game, set and match for this book. 

5. I'm Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy 

I finished this yesterday and I'm still reeling from this book. It was honest, poignant and will leave a lasting impression on you for at least a few hours yesterday. If you didn't know, this is about the life Jennette McCurdy, famous for playing Sam Puckett on iCarly, when she was forced into child acting by her narcisstic and abusive mother, and how this affected her later in life. Trigger warnings for bulimia, anorexia, emotional and sexual abuse, and addiction. 

But if you think you can read about those themes, then I truly recommend this novel, especially as Jennette recorded it herself. 

Okay! That's my wrap up for the month of November! I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment what you finished this month! 

I hope you have a wonderful evening and I'll see you soon with my TBR for December! 

Byeeee! 

-Abi xxxx