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 teaching but in every gap I have had I have managed some reading which has been nice. I am thoroughly enjoying my chapter a day of my buddy read book and I am finding it a nice way to start my day.
What I am Currently Reading
Unleashed which is my buddy read is going really well and I am finding it really interesting so far. A Three Dog Problem is absolutely brilliant and I can’t put it down. I am already looking forward to the next book in the series.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I quite enjoyed this but it wasn’t what I was expecting. My review will be posted soon.
What I Think I will Read Next
As usual I have no idea what I will read next. I have so many books planned at the moment that I feel a bit overwhelmed and have no idea what to read next as I just want to read them all!
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Death Comes at Christmas edited by Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane
Blurb
The award-winning Marie O’Regan and Paul Kane invite you to a festive gathering of bestselling, critically acclaimed and award-winning writers in tribute to classic, British period crime stories. From locked room mysteries on Christmas eve to devilish whodunits and tales of simmering rivalries unfolding at the dinner table, these thirteen original seasonal tales will delight and shock at every twist and turn. So, unwrap the presents, pour a mug of mulled wine and follow the bloodstained footprints through the freshly fallen snow as winter descends and darkness lurks in the shadows.
Review
I’m not a huge short story fan but at Christmas I always make an exception and buy some short story books because you can’t beat a good Christmas murder mystery.
I will be honest I wasn’t overly enthralled with this book. There were some stories that really caught my interest but most just lacked the lustre that I usually enjoy in a short story about a Christmas murder mystery. I won’t go into every story but here are the ones which have stayed with me for good and bad reasons.
One of the stories that I really enjoyed was one of the first stories in the book. How to Commit Murder in a Bookshop. I thought this story was very clever and I really had no idea what was going on till the very end. It was beautifully written and I loved the characters, especially the bookshop staff.
The Red Angel was also a good story and was very surprising. I loved the ending and really didn’t see it coming.
Christmas Yet to Come was a piggy back on the classic A Christmas Carol and to be honest I thought it was rather an insult to Dickens. I could see what the author was trying to do but I didn’t enjoy the story and didn’t find that it flowed very well. It was also rather predictable.
Icarus was probably my least favourite story of the collection as it felt unfinished and it was also the shortest story in the book. It just felt like the author had forgotten the storyline and then not bothered to finish it.
Overall, I could take or leave this book as it just felt a bit ‘meh’. I give this book 3 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
I hope everyone has had a good start to the week so far. I’ve not managed any reading yet but I am hoping to do some reading later.
I currently have a huge pile of books on my landing which is one of my many TBR piles. I really want to reduce this pile so that is the inspiration for my January TBR.
I doubt I will manage to read all of these books but I’m hoping to make a reasonable dent in the TBR.
I hope everyone has had a good weekend so far. I am back teaching tomorrow and I must admit I will miss my extra reading time. Blogging has been back on track this week but I still have a few book reviews to catch up with.
Unleashed by Boris Johnson is my current buddy read with my best friend. We are reading a chapter today and really enjoying it so far. I have also recently started A Three Dog Problem and I am thoroughly enjoying it so far.
I have been doing quite a bit of thought regarding my Bookish Goals for 2025. My 2024 goals did not go exactly to plan. I had to lower my book goal, I didn’t finish the Shardlake series, I didn’t manage to read my planned 24 books of 2024. However, I did keep up with my book reviews and I did make progress with The Wheel of Time series so it wasn’t all bad.
Do more buddy reads (if you are interested please drop me a message)
Try to finish at least one series I have started.
Explore different genres.
I managed 45 books in 2024 but a lot of those books were huge. In fact 2024 was the year of big books so I’m planning some shorter reads for 2025.
I haven’t really done much on my Classics Club Challenge recently and I am missing my classics. I really want to read more classics this year as my deadline is 2027.
As my challenge to keep up with book reviews kept me well on track last year I am hoping to do the same this year. I have also been planning my blogging content more which has been a big help in pushing me to do my book reviews. I just need to be as organised for my Bookstagram!
This year I want to do more buddy reads. I have already started my first buddy read this year with my best friend and I am really enjoying it. Each day we read a chapter and then chat about it and it is lovely.
I currently have the Wheel of Time series, The Expanse series and the Shardlake series to finish! I am determined that this year I will finish one of these series. I really don’t want to start another series whilst I still have these series sat making me feel guilty.
I also hope to read some different genres this year. I have certain genres that I tend to avoid and other genres I cling to like a security blanket. This year I want to try some of the genres I avoid. I’ve already started by reading a ghost story and I’m currently reading a biography, neither of which I would usually touch but both that I’m thoroughly enjoying so far.
So there are my goals for 2025. I really hope I do better than I did in 2024. Good luck with your bookish goals!
My chosen poem this week is by the American poet, editor and former literature professor at Central Connecticut State University and City University of Hong Kong and Chairman of the APWT, Dr Ravi Shankar (1975).
Snowfall
Particulate as ash, new year's first snow falls upon peaked roofs, car hoods, undulant hills, in imitation of motion that moves the way
static cascades down screens when the cable zaps out, persistent & granular with a flicker of legibility that dissipates before it can be
interpolated into any succession of imagery. One hour stretches sixty minutes into a field of white flurry: hexagonal lattices of water
molecules that accumulate in drifts too soon strewn with sand, hewn into browning mounds by plow blade, left to turn to slush.
December was definitely my best reading month of 2024. Most months in 2024 I was lucky to read 3 or 4 books but in December I managed to finish a massive 9 books! I have fallen slightly behind with my book reviews though sadly. I promise I will catch up soon.
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?
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had a good New Year’s Eve. I’ve had a lovely day of reading today which has been bliss. I’m still reading my Christmas books until 6th January but I have also started my first buddy read of the year.
What I am Currently Reading
Unleashed by Boris Johnson is my buddy read and we are aiming for a chapter a day. I’m a bit dubious of A Christmas Ghost Story so far but I’m hoping it proves to be good.
What I have Recently Finished Reading
I have just finished my reread of the Hogfather by Terry Pratchett and absolutely loved it. My reviews of these books will be posted very soon.
What I Think I will Read Next
I have a huge pile of books sat on my landing and they are all TBR. I’m not sure what I will next but I’m very excited about these.
Please drop me a comment with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit.
Murder at the Christmas Emporium by Andreina Cordani
Blurb
It’s Christmas at The Emporium, a bespoke gift shop hidden in the depths of London’s winding streets featuring handcrafted delights unavailable anywhere else. Tinsel coils around the wooden beams, lights sparkle in the windows and the open fire crackles comfortingly. As closing time approaches after a busy trading day, only a few customers drift towards the exit – but they find they cannot leave. The doors are locked.
What initially seemed an innocent mix-up turns sinister as the shopkeepers seem strangely uninterested in lending assistance. The festive cheer has all but disappeared among a growing feeling of unease – and then a chilling discovery is made in Santa’s grotto.
For those that survive the night, it will be a Christmas to remember.
Review
This is my first book by Cordani and I chose it because I loved the cover and the title of the book. Thankfully I was not disappointed!
I loved this book because it gave me real Charlie and the Chocolate Factory vibes with Agatha Christie vibes. It was a weird concoction which worked brilliantly together and although it was set in modern day London, at times you could almost say it was set in Victorian times with a bit of Dickens Christmas thrown in as well.
Montagu Verity is definitely the Willy Wonka character in this book. He is a born and bred showman but he also has a sinister side to him which starts to emerge as the story goes on. He also knows a disturbing amount about his special guests.
This book has historical flashbacks which helps build up the story and connects all the modern events together. Each chapter builds on what has happened before and starts to create a rich tapestry of facts for the reader to try and unravel.
I really liked the mix of characters in this book and although I struggled with Merry’s character to begin with she definitely became a favourite. I also really liked Fran and Knives. The descriptions in this book were stunning and it really made me want to visit a Christmas Emporium. I could not put this book down and give it 5 out of 5 Dragons.
(All purchases made using one of the above affiliate links gives a small percentage of money to myself with no extra cost to yourself. All proceeds go towards the upkeep of this blog. Thank you ever so much, your support is gratefully received.)
About the author
Andreina Cordani is a writer and journalist who writes fiction for adults and young adults.
Lady Book Dragon 