It's that time of year!
I have no idea how we're here again, the year has absolutely flown by.
A lot has happened this year and I'm not sure I've really paused to take in how far I've come.
The year began with the final term of my third year, so that meant it began with university reading...and I didn't enjoy a lot of the set texts, I can't lie. In fact, both of my least favourite books this year were from a course on modernism.
However, university quickly came to an end and I was more free than I had been in years to read what I wanted to.
And let me tell you, that was an overwhelming feeling when confronted with a TBR that had been growing for three years and, having joined the bookstagram community, was only getting longer.
Here's my reading wrap up for 2019
Books Read: 31
Favourites
Becoming, Michelle Obama
One of the most inspirational books I've read, Becoming has stuck with me since I borrowed it from boyfriend's mum. The political side of things was interesting but the reason I loved it so much was for the questions it provoked.
Obama's story prompted questions about happiness, and the way that it changes as your situation does. I admire her so much and her book was an inspiration to me. I think it's one I could re-read throughout my life and take something different from it every time.
The Good Immigrant, ed. by Nikesh Shukla
The Good Immigrant is an incredible opportunity to learn about the many and varied challenges that immigrants face in Britain. Reading the news can give you such a skewed idea about the situation in Britain; even when written by immigrants or people of immigrant descent, publications have a bias t, a target market, and they will feed into it. The collection in The Good Immigrant is honest, raw and unbiased. It also remains funny and hopeful.
It's a really great read and I found that I couldn't put it down. The essay format makes it a really easy to read and I think it will become a great reference point for the future as Britain becomes more racially charged.
Least Favourites
Coming Up for Air, George Orwell
Nothing happened in this book. I hate it when nothing happens. And don't try the whole "oh but they learn a big deep lesson about humanity and life and changes who they are as a person.
That's not this book. Orwell may be a great writer, but this book goes in a frustrating circle and it felt like there was zero development. I got the interwar hopelessness and the feeling of futility. I just hated the book.
The Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
Every time I read Woolf, I want so much to enjoy it. And I never really do. The only writing I do like from Woolf is A Room of One's Own, and the fact that is a non-fiction talk given to women should probably suggest to me that Woolf's fiction, and most modernism, is not for me.
Point of view is incredibly difficult to understand in The Lighthouse, switching from one to the next without signposting. This, of course, is not entirely necessary in a book. If I wanted to, I can probably find examples of books where this happens that I don't hate. But a changing point of view combined with an inexplicable timeline made the book near impossible to read.
Unexpected Loves
The Long Way to A Small Angry Planet, Becky Chambers
I say this frequently, but sci-fi always manages to surprise me. Repeatedly, I doubt I'm a sci-fi person when it comes to books (who knows why I think this when I like sci-fi films), and repeatedly I am proved wrong by some very talented writers.
The Long Way was full of obvious allegory. For a while this bothered me, but the effort of Chambers to cover important topics and to promote a message of acceptance and understanding really touched me. I can't say it was beautifully written, but it was a brilliant premise and, at it's heart, a book about friendship.
Biggest Disappointments
Liars Gospel, Naomi Alderman
I love Naomi Alderman. The Power is one of my all time favourite books, and I think she's a very talented writer...
But Liars Gospel didn't just slightly disappoint me because I had high expectations, it massively let me down. Granted, the premise really excited me - as soon as I read the blurb I wanted to get straight into it. It was unlikely to ever live up to what I had in mind. But this did so much less than I had hoped for. The plot, the narration, none of it felt like it lived up to the premise. My excitement definitely contributed to the disappointment, but it was more than that; it didn't focus on what it said it would.
Jesus' life never really felt like it was the heart of this story. It was sat on the sidelines the whole time, even though the blurb is centred completely on that one idea.
Order of Darkness Series, Philippa Gregory
Maybe disappointing isn't the word. Frustrating is more accurate.
Knowing how well Gregory can write, this series has frustrated me to know end. My boyfriend brought me a collection, so I've read the first three and can go no further. What's kept me this long is the potential of the writing. The plot is fairly weak, not helped by the writing making it incredibly predictable, but my god do these characters have potential. I want to like them so much but they just don't quite hit the mark.
If you're a fan of Philippa Gregory, do yourself a favour and don't read her YA. It's nowhere near as good as her historical fiction.
DNF'd
I don't think I DNF'd any books this year...I have a real thing against DNF'ing. Once I've started a book, I want to finish it. Simple as. I've disliked books a hell of a lot, but I think I've always got through them.
Favourite Bookstagram Accounts
@stakedshelves - Ellen has an absolutely stunning account! Her photography is amazing, and such a source of inspiration for me.
@bibliophilesshelf - It's the simplicity that pulls me back to Lauren's account. There's nothing extravagant about the photos, instead focusing completely on the books themselves...something which I think sometimes gets lost on bookstagram.
@quillsandcaludrons - I could hardly name my favourite bookstagram accounts without including a Harry Potter themed one! A Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff working together to create warm, positive, Harry Potter content...exactly what I'm here for!
Favourite Booktuber
Naya Reads and Smiles remains one of my favourite Booktubers. She's just the happiest, loveliest person and a pure joy to watch.
She loves YA fantasy, dystopian fiction, and adventure novels - which is great for me because I love all the recommendations. I have no idea how she gets through them all though...
She's also an author in progress and I am so excited to read what she eventually publishes, because I know one day she will.
And there's this years wrap up. 2019 has been a weird one for reading: I've largely gone through the unread pile of books in my room, which are from a massive variety of people and places. It means I've read a lot of different genres through the year and books I wasn't excited about starting. Hopefully 2020 will be the same, with lots of new and unexpected books, but to begin with I already have a very long TBR (which will be shared in the start of January) so let's get reading!