Welcome to 2021! I hope this year is much better than 2020, and some more normal life can resume. I know that in the UK it certainly won’t for at least a few months. But hopefully this will allow me to get into a strong routine for the year before I can start socialising again. December was an interesting month, work was hectic for the first three weeks so I didn’t get to read as much as I wanted. I had a few days of working late in the run up to Christmas (and still didn’t manage to get everything I wanted done completed).
As I am completing the Backlist Challenge I am planning on reading at least two books each month that have been on my TBR for a while. I may end up reading more than that per month but my minimum is going to be 2, which I will share with you at the beginning of the month! This Month’s Backlist Reads are:
Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
This book is the first of the Nathaniel Cade Series, it follows Zach Burrows and his work with the President’s Vampire. It is a thriller and paranormal book and it has been sitting on my bookcase for far too long so I felt that it was past time to pick it up and read it. If I really enjoy it there are at least two sequels to read as well.
The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
I have been following Holly Hearts Books on youtube and she really enjoyed this series. It is adult fantasy so again not something that I usually pick up but as I was gifted the trilogy for Christmas I now have no excuse not to read it! I have heard a lot of good things about Brandon Sanderson’s worldbuilding and writing so I have high expectations for this book.
In addition to these books Medievalathon starts on 10th January and if you want to join in you can find the information here. There are 25 prompts for the month long readathon. I know that I will not be able to read that many so I have settled on choosing the Blacksmith Profession and I have listed the 5 prompts that I am planning on completing and the books to read are listed below.
Prompt 1: Read a book with gold, silver or bronze on the cover
Eragon this has been on my TBR list forever so if I manage to squeeze it in will also count towards my Backlist Reader challenge so I should have double the motivation to read this!
Prompt 2: A book you are scared to read
Sorcery of Thorns. I have heard a lot of good things about this book so I am scared to read it incase I don’t like it as much as everyone I have heard from on this book.
Prompt 3: A book with a Weapon on the Cover
City of Lost Souls, this book that I have been meaning to read for ages. I started the Mortal instrument series last year and I have read four of the six books. I feel like I have not been finishing series recently so I am going to go back and read this book.
I am aware that this cover doesn’t have a weapon on the cover, but the version on my bookcase does.
Prompt 4: A hardcover
The Final Empire version that I was bought for Christmas is the 10th anniversary hardcover edition (I feel that the key to my success with this is to double up where ever possible and this is on my Backlist Reader book to read). I am really looking forward to reading this book and I am chomping at the bit to start!
Prompt 5: A Series Finale
Mortal Instruments City of Heavenly Fire. As I mentioned earlier, I haven’t been finishing series and this is the series finale for the Mortal instruments and I need to finish this series.
There are a lot of books that I am planning to read. Medeivalathon lasts until 10 February so this is slightly longer than January. I am hoping to start the year off strong to manage to complete my 50 books in a year.
In December I finished 3 books and this was 917 pages. One of the reviews will be coming out soon, the other is a Christmas book so I don’t know if you want to see the review now or later (it is written and ready to be shared so let me know in the comments!)
I wrote the following Reviews during the month
My annual read of Hogfather by Terry Pratchett this got me into the Christmas mood, even when everything else seemed determined to prevent it!
I also posted the a review of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, I still haven’t been able to watch the Muppets version of the book.
I also shared the following posts which aren’t reviews
The Throne of Glass book Tag, I really enjoyed completing this post, and I think I have a few more tags to do which I wil share this month.
I completed my thoughts on each of the Hogwarts houses with my Be Greatful you are a Gryffindor post.
I shared some thoughts about Can a book ever be bad which was certainly interesting to write.
As this is my Decemeber wrap up, it wouldn’t be complete without a Birthday and Christmas Haul and sharing my aims for 2021.
Indulgent Readers 