2020 in Review

Well 2020 has gone so it is time to look back and see how it went.

Firstly, I would like to say a massive thank you to all my followers for supporting my blog and encouraging me. I would also like to say a massive thank you to all my fellow bloggers for writing such fantastic posts that have kept me entertained through 2020 and have also made me buy and read some books that I would have never thought of reading.

I read 71 books in 2020 and was really pleased with that result as I had a reading slump in January and February that made a dent in my reading time so I was concerned I would not reach my reading goal. Lockdown 1 and 2 helped because it gave me more time to read – about the only bonus of the lockdowns.

I also discovered that I think my favourite genre is now historical fiction, it was always fantasy and sci-fi but I think historical fiction has taken over. I still love fantasy and sci-fi though and the first two books I am reading in 2021 are from the genres historical fiction and sci-fi so I am having a nice balance.

I read 18,043 pages in 2020 so I obviously read longer books than 2019 as I only read 15,902.

The longest book I read was Katherine of Aragon: The True Queen by Alison Weir at 624 pages.

The shortest book I read was Letters from Fairyland by Charles Van Sandwyk at 24 pages.

My average book length was 254 pages.

I haven’t actually got a favourite book of 2020 but I have a favourite series instead and that is the Six Tudor Queens series by Alison Weir. I love this series and I can’t wait for the last book in the series and will definitely be reading more books by Alison Weir.

Sadly, my Waterstones Challenge has had to be put on hold because I am shielding as much as possible due to Covid and underlying health issues.

So I think that is about a wrap of my 2020. I have some great plans for the blog in 2021 and can’t wait to get reading and blogging.

Happy Reading!

2021 Reading Goals

Happy New Year!

I hope 2021 is a better year but to be honest I can’t see that it will dramatically change straight away. However, I still plan on having a good reading and blogging year.

My reading goals for 2021 are as follows…

My Goodreads reading challenge will be 70 books again as I only just managed 70 in 2020. I have to do a lot of reading for studying so need to factor that in.
I plan to do a few buddy reads in 2021. We are starting with Dissolution by C. J Sansom, hopefully if we enjoy the book we will carry on with the series.
The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey. I plan to read the series this year as I love the TV series and have just started reading the first book in the series and absolutely love it.
Agatha Christie. I have only ever read short stories by Agatha Christie so 2021 is my year to read more of Agatha Christie’s full novels. I won’t set a goal of how many but I plan on reading the books in order of publication.
Shakespeare Challenge. This challenge I started in 2020 so I hope to get a few more ticked off the list in 2021.

So there are my Reading Goals for 2021. Hopefully, I will get to tick them off as I don’t think they are too strict, after all I am a mood reader and reading should always be fun and not restrictive.

Please drop me a comment with your 2021 reading goals.

Happy Reading!

December 2020 Wrap Up

Hello!

I need to do my 2020 Wrap Up but I thought I would get my December Wrap Up complete first. I think December has been my best reading month this year. I have absolutely loved all the books I have been getting through and have really felt like I am back on track with my reading.

So here are my December statistics

I must admit I was very shocked that I had managed to read 12 books. However, some were quite short though I will be honest.

So here are the books…

Now this one should have been on the November Wrap Up but I finished this right after I had scheduled the post so it can go on this post instead.

Pages: 460

Format Read: Paperback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 416

Format Read: Paperback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 64

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 208

Format Read: Paperback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 246

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 248

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 392

Format Read: Paperback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 319

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 256

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 20

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Pages: 96

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Review

Pages: 128

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

Pages: 24

Format Read: Hardback

Dragon Rating: 🐲🐲🐲🐲🐲

There is my December! I hope everyone had a good December and got some reading done. Some books do not have reviews yet but I promise they are on the way.

Please drop me a comment if you want to chat about any of the books.

Happy Reading!

Christmas Book Haul

Hello!

So this Christmas I had some books for Christmas! I had three books and they are absolutely stunning.

I collect the De Luxe Editions by Harper Collins of Tolkien’s works and my husband very kindly bought me Letters from Father Christmas to add to my collection. In fact it was my husband who started me collecting this set as he gave me The Unfinished Tales for my Christmas present for our first Christmas together.

The next two books are by the same author Charles Van Sandwyk. These two books are Folio Society editions that my in-laws very kindly gave me for Christmas and I absolutely love them especially Letters from Fairyland. The other book is a collection of stories about fairyland called How to See Fairies.

There are my beautiful books!

I really do love beautiful books and that is why I generally end up with more than one edition of a favourite book.

Happy Reading.

The Weekly Brief

Hello!

I hope everyone has had a good Christmas and got some fantastic new books to read. I got some very beautiful books that I will be posting about soon.

So here is what I have been up to in the blog world.

Posts this Week

Currently Reading

So there is my Christmas week on the blog. I’m hoping to get lots of reading done next week.

Happy Reading.

WWW Wednesday: 23/12/2020

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?

Happy Wednesday!

I can’t believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! I have slowed down a little on my reading this week and have only finished the one book, but it was a good book and I have got a load of housework done instead.

What I am Currently Reading

This is my Christmas tradition and I have just started it today. Every year I buy a new edition of The Nutcracker then read it on the last few days of the run up to Christmas. I just love the story and I always enjoy reading a different translator’s take on the story and of course beautiful illustrations.

What I have Recently Finished Reading

Literally finished this, this morning so review will follow shortly. I did really enjoy it though.

What I will Read Next

This will definitely be read on Christmas Eve as it is another Christmas tradition of mine. I had this book for Christmas when I was little and now I read it every Christmas Eve. It doesn’t take long to read but it always makes me think of that magical Christmas morning when I opened this amazing book.

So there is my WWW Wednesday for this week. Please drop me a link with your WWW Wednesday and I will head over for a visit. Also please drop me a comment if you have any Christmas reading traditions.

The Weekly Brief

Happy Sunday!

Apologies for the lateness in this post, I will be honest I got distracted making a disastrous carrot cake. Really not one of my best bakes.

Anyway, here is what I have been up to on the blog this week.

Posts this Week

Currently Reading

Thoroughly enjoying this so far.

No books acquired this week as I am waiting to see what books I might get for Christmas.

I hope everyone has had a good week reading and blogging and I hope everyone has a good run up to Christmas.

Happy Reading

Friday Poetry: Sara Teasdale

Happy Friday!

Christmas is fast approaching, so here is another Christmas poem and this one is by Sara Teasdale.

This poem is by Sara Teasdale, Teasdale was an American lyric poet born in 1884. Sadly she committed suicide in 1933.

Christmas Carol

The kings they came from out the south,
All dressed in ermine fine;
They bore Him gold and chrysoprase,
And gifts of precious wine.

The shepherds came from out the north,
Their coats were brown and old;
They brought Him little new-born lambs—
They had not any gold.

The wise men came from out the east,
And they were wrapped in white;
The star that led them all the way
Did glorify the night.

The angels came from heaven high,
And they were clad with wings;
And lo, they brought a joyful song
The host of heaven sings.

The kings they knocked upon the door,
The wise men entered in,
The shepherds followed after them
To hear the song begin.

The angels sang through all the night
Until the rising sun,
But little Jesus fell asleep
Before the song was done.

Sara Teasdale

Happy Reading!

Christmas Reading List 2020 Update

Hello!

I thought it was time for a Christmas reading list update. I am really racing through my Christmas books and I am thoroughly enjoying them and I have also added some extra ones into the mix as well.

I am currently reading Midwinter Murders by Agatha Christie and Christmas at Highclere by The Countess of Carnarvon.

Here are the books I have read so far…

Christmas is Murder by Val McDermid

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

The Lion Book of Christmas Poems by Sophie Piper

A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

A Perfect Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor

Christmas at Woolworths by Elaine Everest

Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights by Carole Matthews

So the Christmas books I have left over are…

The Christmas reading is going really well and I can’t quite believe how quickly I am finishing books at the moment. Christmas at Highclere wasn’t originally on the reading list but I started browsing through it yesterday and I just got hooked.

Please drop me a comment with your Christmas reads as I would love to see what everyone is reading or planning to read over the festive period.

WWW Wednesday: 16/12/2020

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 we are back to Wednesday again, time seem to be flying by at the moment. I hope this post finds you all well and not to stressed as the festive season approaches.

So here is what I have been up to with my reading.

What I am Currently Reading