March & April Round Up

Hello!

It has been a while since I last did a reading round-up, or even a regular blog post for that matter, so it is time for another one.

A lot of things have changed for me lately, impacting how much little I’ve been reading and blogging, mainly that I’m now working my first proper job as a supply primary TA in a small SEN class! I told myself I didn’t want SEN so early on after becoming a TA (I wanted more general experience with the curriculum first, particularly in regards to teaching phonics) but I’m loving it and it is honestly becoming a godsend of a job! Also, it does come with a 20/25 minute commute every day + a bit of a wait for buses after school so my reading will probably pick up once I get back into the regular habit of it.

Moving all that aside, the last time I wrote a wrap-up was February and although I said I’ve not been reading much, I somehow managed to read 4 books. It’s a miracle really because I’ve been struggling to get into nearly everything I’ve picked up. Anyway, let’s just dive in.

Books Read:

Galatea by Madeline Miller

For me, this was the perfect introduction to Madeline Miller. A short, tiny book of 50 pages based on the Pygmalion myth, it gave me an insight into her writing and has stopped me from feeling intimidated by Circe and The Song of Achilles, both of which have been on my TBR for AGES!! I can’t really say that I enjoyed it but it is one of the first books and stories in a while that left me with many thoughts and questions, not just about Pygmalion but the wider themes and messages as well. I’m really glad I read it and like I said, it has given me the push to finally read her other books and jump on the Madeline Miller bandwagon.

The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O’Neill

The second instalment in the Tea Dragon Society graphic novels that I absolutely love. They’re sweet, wholesome, inclusive and simply a joy to read. I also enjoyed the inclusion of ASL in this one, which was mixed in with the spoken dialogue very organically as if it has always been there. Everything about this graphic novel was incredibly well done and I’ll definitely be reading the third one.

Gallant by VE Schwab

I don’t know how many times I’ve typed and subsequently deleted all my ramblings about this book because it’s proving difficult to talk about. I did really enjoy it though. Olivia’s characterisation, her use of Sign Language (I’m assuming ASL), the atmosphere and the mystery of Gallant captured my attention, and I was always a little irritated when I had to stop reading, but something constantly kept it at the 4-star mark and I still can’t quite put my finger on what that is.

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

This was a solid 3-star read, and whilst it wasn’t what I expected, I’m glad I’ve finally read it because it has been on my shelves for ages. There is a lot to unpack in this book such as the quarrel between the supernatural and religion, Maud’s desire to be more than what society expects her to be, and her father’s descent into madness. Aspects of that were interesting and certainly did capture my attention, but it took me a while to really get into it and figure out where it was going, and I think that slowness didn’t help. It didn’t work for me at this time and that is totally on me rather than the book because with everything going on, I should have picked up a different book.

Anyway, there we have it. Hopefully, I’ll get back into reading more regularly and have more bookish things to talk about over the next coming months!

What have you been reading lately?

As always, thanks for reading and have a brazzle dazzle day!
xx