Today I thought I would post a little update about all the books that I read in December. December was a bit of a hectic month but I was also off over the Christmas period so I did manage to get quite a bit of reading done. In total I read 13 books, so let’s dive into what they were!
Gemina – Ami Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
First off I continued my love affair with the Illuminae series. I couldn’t wait to dive into the second instalment and if it’s possible I loved it even more than I loved Illuminae. This was a definite favourite. (5/5 stars.)
The Island – M. A. Bennett
I really enjoyed S.T.A.G.S by the same author and was really looking forward to reading this one. It was a bit unbelievable and I really struggled with the main character. Overall it was an interesting story but it didn’t live up to my expectations. (2.5/5 stars)
The Language of Thorns – Leigh Bardugo
I finally got around to reading The Language of Thorns and I really enjoyed these beautiful fairy tale stories. It was interesting to get another take on the Grishaverse and while these stories didn’t hook me in the same way as Bardugo’s other books, I still really liked them. (4/5 stars)
The Lost Sisters – Holly Black
I am just obsessed with all things related to The Cruel Prince so as soon as I heard about this little short novella I dived straight into it. Told from the perspective of Taryn, I loved every second and if anything it just made me more desperate to read The Wicked King (5/5 stars)
My Sister – Michelle Adams
This creepy psychological thriller was an intense, wild ride. The story follows a young woman who is estranged from her family. When her mother dies she returns home to uncover why she was sent to live with her aunt as a child. The story is multi-layered with lots of sinister twists I didn’t see coming, it was a brilliant read. (4/5 stars)
The Perks of Being A Wallflower – Stephen Chobsky
I remember reading this as a teenager and thought it would be interesting to revisit the book as an adult. I enjoyed reading the story, mainly for the feeling of nostalgia, but I didn’t love it as much as I did when I read it the first time. I think possibly my tastes have changed in a big way, but overall I found it a fairly average read. (3/5 stars)
Lifelik3 – Jay Kristoff
After reading Gemina I wanted to dive straight into Obsidio but I didn’t have a copy, so instead I picked up Lifelik3. This story is crazy fast paced with brilliant characters and an unforgettable story. I’m so excited to read the next book in the series, I’m only hoping I won’t have to wait too long for it to be released. (4.25/5 stars)
To Kill A Kingdom – Alexandra Christo
I was really excited to read this after all the buzz around it when it was released. I love retellings and this sounded like the dark and sinister Little Mermaid retelling we’ve all been waiting for. I thought this was easily going to be a five star read for me, and while I really enjoyed it, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. I liked the characters and the story was fun and interesting I think it just didn’t live up to the expectations I had in my head. (4/5 stars)
Artemis – Andy Weir
This is one that has been sitting on my shelf for a while and since I’ve really been in the mood for space stories I decided to pick it up. This is my first Andy Weir book and I really liked it. My enjoyment was much more focused on the characters rather than the actual plot. I loved Jazz and her band of merry helpers, she was such a funny fascinating character that you can’t help but love her. (3.5/5 stars)
Wild Magic – Tamora Pierce
I think I’m one of the few people that didn’t read Tamora Pierce growing up. Wild Magic is my first book by her and I found it a little difficult to get into. The story was a little slow paced for me and I found the story left me wanting more. I am interested to continue the story and learn more about this large cast of characters that are so well known in fantasy fiction. (3/5 stars)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass – Lewis Carroll
I haven’t read a classic in quite a while and I thought it was time to revisit an old favourite. Alice’s Adventures are stories that I will never tire of. They’re fun, fascinating and so easy to dip in and out of. If you haven’t read Lewis Carroll’s books before, you should definitely give it a shot. (4/5 stars)
My Sister, the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite
This caught my eye honestly because of the title. It arrived from the publisher and I ended up reading it in one day. It was dark, at times funny and honestly just such a gripping story. I really loved the authors writing style and I flew through this short, original story. (4.25/5 stars)
The Winter of the Witch – Katherine Arden
The last book I read in 2018 was also probably my favourite book of the year. The conclusion to The Winternight Trilogy was everything I hoped it would be and more. It broke my heart and I am so sad to be saying goodbye to the characters from one of my all time favourite series. Everything about these books has captured my attention. The gorgeous writing and the stunning setting, the blend of magic and mystery as well as a memorable cast of characters. If you haven’t read The Bear and the Nightingale then now is the perfect time to pick it up as you can binge read all three (5/5 stars – all the stars!)
So those are the books I read in December! If you’ve read any of these definitely let me know what you thought and also let me know what the best books you read in December were!
This was a really fun and enjoyable read. The story is told in alternating points of view between the two characters and I really liked seeing things from each characters perspective. To Kill a Kingdom is a dark and sinster retelling of The Little Mermaid, but it is so much more gripping and enticing than the Disney version. The plot draws you in early on and I was eager to know how the story was going to end. I really liked our two main characters though I would have loved the opportunity to get more from the cast of secondary characters. Elian’s sister, Madrid and Khalia. I really enjoyed the banter between the Elian and Lira, and it was interesting watching their relationship develop,
She was an excellently written character and one that I could probably write about for days. I absolutely loved her and I became attached so quickly to this beautiful protagonist. The representation of anxiety in this book is completely spot on, and I loved watching Kiko as she grows and develops as a character. Starfish is sweet and sad in equal measure and I honestly can’t recommend it highly enough.
Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.
Scithrowl in the east and the Durns in the west. Everywhere, the emperor’s armies are in retreat.
his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.
been freed from an enchanted deck of cards, two months since Tella has seen Legend, and two months since Legend claimed the empire’s throne as his own. Now, Legend is preparing for his official coronation and Tella is determined to stop it. She believes her own mother, who still remains in an enchanted sleep, is the rightful heir to the throne.
enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year over and over, he knew he could be saved if a girl fell for him. But that was before he learned that at the end of each autumn, he would turn into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. That was before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.
allies with Levi Glaisyer, the city’s most famous con man. Saving his life in the Shadow Game forced Enne to assume the identity of Seance, a mysterious underworld figure. Now, with the Chancellor of the Republic dead and bounties on both their heads, she and Levi must play a dangerous game of crime and politics…with the very fate of New Reynes at stake.
character, Princess Amara, from being killed off from her favorite franchise, Starfield. The problem is, Jessica Stone—the actress who plays Princess Amara—wants nothing more than to leave the intense scrutiny of the fandom behind. If this year’s ExcelsiCon isn’t her last, she’ll consider her career derailed.
2. Shadow of the Fox – Julie Kagawa
4. Skyward – Brandon Sanderson
6. Wolves of Winter – Tyrell Johnston
7. Shadowscent – P. M. Freestone
8. The Poppy War – R. F. Kuang
10. Girls of Paper and Fire – Natasha Ngan
12. Fire and Blood – George R. R. Martin
14. Empress of All Seasons – Emiko Jean
This book is beautifully written and really draws you in. I spent a full Saturday afternoon completely absorbed in this moving book. If it’s possible I loved this one even more Than Letters to the Lost. It’s a little quicker paced than the previous book and I think most definitely darker. More Than We Can Tell absolutely takes you on a wild ride of emotions, dealing with romance, friendships, abuse and lots of other things in between. I’m not normally a crier but a couple of times I felt myself getting watery eyed over this moving and emotional book.
Sara Holland. Evermore is the second book in the Everless series. I was lucky enough to win an ARC of Everless at YALC in 2017 and honestly I just devoured this book. I’ve been waiting (not so) patiently ever since for the release of the next book in the series. It was even greater to meet Sara at YALC in 2018 and get a signed copy. The world building in book one was excellent and I thought the story had such a unique plot. It was fast paced and incredibly gripping so I have really high hopes for Evermore. Evermore is being published January 3rd 2019 by Orchard Books and you can bet this is going to be one of the first books I read in 2019.
Series: This Mortal Coil #1
The world building in this book is so superb. There’s so much technology and science woven into the story and it’s well thought out and explained. Although there’s plenty of tech and science speak it’s well explained to the reader and doesn’t take over the story. This was probably my favourite aspect of the book, learning more about the virus and the genetic enhancements people have made.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 