12 Days of Blogmas: Recent Reads

Hello! I’m back to blogging again after my hiatus and I’m back with a bang because I’ve stupidly decided to participate in Blogmas. However, this time I’m doing just 12 Days of Blogmas as it will be easier and of course we’re already partway through December so I’ve missed most of 25 days of Blogmas anyway.

Ramble over, I thought my first post would be of the books I’ve read over the last couple of months. With my course, I’ve not wanted to read too much but I’ve still needed something to dip into in the evenings.

I have five books to share so let’s get into it.

The Secret Key (Agatha Oddly #1) by Lena Jones

An enjoyable MG mystery based around a 13-year-old teen detective, who is very much inspired by Agatha Christie – she sees Poirot in her mind! I thought I’d love it more than I actually did (I’ll blame my on and off reading slump and not being the biggest MG reader) but it was still fun and it was nice to have that British setting, even if it was London.

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny

Another MG that you could also say is YA but one that completely worked for me as it was full of mystery and creepiness, yet had such a strong message of found family and friendship, and the problems people face when being cast as “the others.” I loved everything about it from the story, to the characters, the different perspectives, and the villain who was your classic ‘love-to-hate creepy villain.’ I think if you liked the peculiarity of Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, this will be one to enjoy.

A Spindle Splintered by Alix E Harrow

I have fallen into the clutches of Alix E Harrow’s writing and I don’t want to leave it. This is the second Sleeping Beauty retelling I’ve read this year and I loved it, even the contemporary commentary about the story, which is not usually something I go for. However, I thought it worked really well and it was nice to have a completely different take on fairytale retellings than what we’re used to. I can’t wait to see what else Alix E Harrow does with this world and other fairytales in this ‘Fractured Fables series.’

Call The Midwife A Labour of Love: Ten Years of Life, Love and Laughter by Stephen McGann

Call The Midwife is always one of those programmes I make a habit of watching because its values, its storytelling, its balance of life is something that really touches me. There’s nothing else like it, maybe apart from All Creatures Great and Small, that has this capacity to show drama and keep it real, so every time there is a book released about the show and everything that goes on behind the scenes, I need it. Similarly to the others that have been released throughout the years, I loved it. I find it so interesting to see where they find the inspiration, what social aspects they want to focus on, the thoughts of cast members past and present, and the roles of everybody else behind the scenes who make this show what it is. It was definitely the right book to escape in whilst trying to cope with the worst week of my course, that’s for sure! It’s not the kind of book I can give a rating to either, so I won’t be leaving one.

The World of All Creatures Great and Small: Welcome to Skeldale House

I’ve mentioned the All Creatures Great and Small reboot a lot since series one came out last year because it has been such a feel-good, cosy and comforting show to escape into when the crap has been too much, and similarly to Call the Midwife, I’ve really wanted to know everything that’s gone on behind-the-scenes. It gave me exactly that. It was easy, interesting reading and it’s made me love the show more because I’m now aware of what the production and the cast are doing to ensure that the history of the stories and characters and the way they portray that history is respectful and honest. It gives me faith that for however long the series lasts, it will provide me with a lot of comfort and escapism. It’s another book I can’t really rate, so I won’t leave a star rating for it.

And there we have it, the five notable books I’ve read recently and my start to the 12 Days of Blogmas!

What have you been reading recently? I’d love to know!

Thanks for reading and have a brazzle dazzle day!
xx