Mid Year Freak Out Tag 2025

Hello!

I haven’t taken part in this Tag since 2021 so I thought it was high time I took part again. I haven’t read as many books as I usually have by this time of the year but hopefully I will have some good answers.

The Mid Year Freak Out tag was co-created by Ely @ Earl Grey Books and Chami @ Read Like Wildfire.

What is the best book that you’ve read so far in 2025?

I just can’t choose between these two as they have definitely been my favourite reads of 2025 so far.

What has been your favourite sequel of the first half of the year?

This is the only sequel I have read this year so far so it is definitely my favourite. Review

Is there a new release that you haven’t read yet but you’re really excited to?

I had this preordered but as per usual it has been sat on my TBR pile since it arrived. I am planning on reading it this year though.

What is your most anticipated release for the second half of the year?

I have had this preordered for ages and I can’t wait for the release.

What is your biggest disappointment so far?

I was really excited to read this but I was really disappointed with it.

What is your biggest surprise so far?

I downloaded this book in 2018 when I fist got my Kindle and it was a 99p purchase. It has sat on there ever since but this year I decided to give it a read and I will be honest I wasn’t expecting much but I was absolutely hooked. I downloaded book 2 straight away.

Favourite book to movie adaptation this year?

Haven’t seen any sadly.

What is the prettiest book cover so far this year?

I loved the cover of this book and the pictures inside.

Who is your new favourite character?

My favourite new character that I have discovered this year is Paige Mahoney.

A book that made you happy?

I was so happy to reread this book. It made me laugh so much.

A book that made you cry?

Haven’t had one so far this year.

What are your anticipated reads for the second half of 2025?

These are definitely the two books I am most looking forward to in the second half of this year.

If you have taken part in the Mid Year Freak Out please drop me a link and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 27/11/2024

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I can’t believe it is nearly December. I am still throughly enjoying my Nonfiction November reading and I might let it continue into December as well. However, I do have a lot of Christmas books planned for December.

What I am Currently Reading

Why have I never come across Mary Hollingsworth before? I can’t put the Catherine De’ Medici book down which does mean my Wheel of Time reading has been a little neglected recently.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

Really enjoyed these two books. Here is my review of Children of England.

What I Think I will Read Next

I suspect I will be into my Christmas reading next so here are some of the possibilities.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Top Ten Tuesday: Oldest (aka Earliest Published) Books On My TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. For more info please check out Jana’s blog.

Hello!

I was going to do a book review today but when I saw the prompt for today for Top Ten Tuesday I thought it was perfect. I love reading the classics and although I haven’t read many recently it is my plan to get back into reading more next year.

Here is my list:

Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot
Sylvia’s Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell
Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy
Shirley by Charlotte Bronte
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Quite a few Gaskell and Hardy but I’ve always hoped to read all of Hardy’s full length novels. I’ve also hoped to read all of Dickens’ books so Little Dorrit would be quite a substantial book to tick off the list.

What old books do you have one your TBR?

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 13/11/2024

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a busy day teaching and playing for a funeral but I have managed some reading in the breaks. I am thoroughly enjoying my non fiction reading this month.

What I am Currently Reading

I’m still plodding along with my Wheel of Time series each evening but my main reading is Children of England by Alison Weir. I am throughly enjoying Children of England so far and I am learning a great deal I did not know.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

This took me a long time to read but I really enjoyed it. My review will follow soon.

What I Think I will Read Next

My next read will definitely be one of these as I really want to read them but I’m not sure which one.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Top 5 Tuesday: Bookish Villains

Top 5 Tuesday was created by Shanah at Bionic Book Worm, and now being hosted by Meeghan reads.

Hello!

It has been ages since I took part in a Top 5 Tuesday so I thought it was high time I took part again. I also love this weeks topic as who doesn’t love a good villain!

So here are my villains…

Cruella de Ville from 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith – I read this book as an adult and loved it and I have since read it a few more times as it is an absolute favourite. Cruella is the perfect villain in this book.
Alec D’Urberville from Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy – Now this villain is a real baddie and one I hated whilst reading the book. Sometimes you can get a soft spot for a villain but I had no soft spot for this monster.
Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – I’m sorry but they were both as bad as each other so I have put them together. These two deserved each other as they were both masters of destroying peoples lives.
Mr Rochester from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – I’m sorry but he was a mean man. He had no qualms about dressing up as a gypsy and messing with Jane’s mind. He lied to Jane and mentally tortured the poor woman.
Agatha Trunchbull from Matilda by Roald Dahl – This is a childhood favourite of mine but one I have also read as an adult. Trunchbull is such a meanie beanie and I think she is great. Dahl was so good at creating villains it was hard to just pick one.

Who are your favourite bookish villains?

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Was Super Excited to Get My Hands on but Still Haven’t Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. For more info please check out Jana’s blog.

Hello!

I can’t believe this is my first Top Ten Tuesday of 2024! I have no idea why I haven’t taken part this year as I usually love taking part in Top Ten Tuesday.

One of my aims this year was to buy less books and read them as quickly as I can rather than leaving them to get lost on one of the many TBR piles in my house. So far I have probably managed to read about 50% of the books I have bought or acquired this year.

So here is the list of books that I have been super excited to buy and even had on preorder for months and months and yet I still haven’t read.

Medea by Rosie Hewlett – I loved the sound of this book and had it preordered in 2023 and yet it arrived this year on the day of publication and I have still not read it! I really hope I get to read it soon.
Fate Breaker by Victoria Aveyard – I love this series and after reading Blade Breaker I was desperate to read Fate Breaker to see what happens next and yet I still have not read it even though it is currently sat looking at me from the top of one of my TBR piles in the lounge.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Bettany Hughes – This is another book I had preordered and yet it is still not read.
Twelve Caesars by Mary Beard – I love Mary Beard’s books and I will be honest I have actually read half of this book but haven’t finished it yet. I really need to concentrate with this book and I just haven’t had that concentration recently.
Queens of the Age of Chivalry by Alison Weir – Anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time will know just how obsessed I am with Alison Weir. I dream about reading all of her published books and yet so many sit unread on my TBR pile, this is one of those many books.
Henry the VIII the Heart and the Crown by Alison Weir – Same reasons as number 5.
House Odysseus by Clare North – This is another sequel that I have been excited to read and yet haven’t managed to read yet for no particular reason.
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati – This is a new author for me and a book I found in a bookshop and liked the look of but sadly it still sits unread.
The Templars by Dan Jones – I’m not overly fond of Dan Jones’s translation work but I do enjoy his books and I was very excited to get this book and read it.
Fairy Tale by Stephen King – I haven’t read much by Stephen King but I was really excited when this book came out and thought I would make the effort to read more King as I like his books but sadly this hasn’t happened yet.

I do wonder if the reason so many books I am excited about sit unread is because I am a mood reader. I know my fellow book bloggers have the same problem. Please feel free to tell me why you think you do the same as I would love to hear your theories.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 2/08/2023

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a very busy with my Etsy shop today which has been nice.

What I am Currently Reading

I have started reading these two books again after having a break whilst on holiday. I am thoroughly enjoying The Cicero Trilogy.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I finished my latest Muderbot book and I absolutely loved it. It has got to be my favourite Murderbot book so far.

What I Think I will Read Next

I have gone a little bit off track with my 20 Books of Summer Challenge but I am still working my way through my TBR pile.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 31/05/2023

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I have had a busy day playing for a wedding and teaching but hopefully the rest of the week will be quieter and involve lots of reading.

What I am Currently Reading

I have nearly finished this book and I have really enjoyed it. It could be one of my favourite Maigret books so far.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I really enjoyed this book and will be writing my review soon. Jennifer Saint is definietly an auto buy author for me now.

What I Think I will Read Next

My 20 Books of Summer Challenge begins tomorrow and I am very excited to get reading some of these books and also lower my TBR pile.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 24/05/2023

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I hope you are all having a good week so far. I am thoroughly enjoying the sunshine at the moment and hope it doesn’t disappear anytime soon.

What I am Currently Reading

I am really enjoying this book so far. Jennifer Saint is a definite auto buy author for me.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

Another fantastic book by Garth Nix. Review will be posted soon.

What I Think I will Read Next

I will be starting my 20 Books of Summer Challenge on the 1st June so my reading will be a little more structured than usual so hopefully it will be one of these books that I read next.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you

WWW Wednesday: 10/05/2023

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The rules are answer the questions below and share a link to your blog in the comments section of Sam’s blog.

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you will read next?

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I’ve had a really good week reading so far and I hope it continues.

What I am Currently Reading

I started this yesterday after binge reading The Left-Handed Booksellers of London on Monday. I had forgotten just how good Garth Nix was as an author.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

I wasn’t too impressed with The Power and the Glory but I absolutely loved The Left-Handed Booksellers of London.

What I Think I will Read Next

I have these 4 books lined up for this month as I need some shorter reads whilst working.

Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.

Happy Reading

Etsy

If you enjoy reading my blog and would like to make a donation I would be very grateful. Thank you