Rediscovering my reading mojo

I've always loved reading.

I used to completely devour books when I was in school. I'd read at the dining table, in the bathroom, in church, while everyone else in my family was watching TV, and in bed late at night with the help of the handy streetlamp outside my window. I also used to read in the car if I was in the middle of a particularly good book, even though I knew it would make me feel horribly sick by the time I got to the end of the journey. That's dedication for you.

After finishing school, I decided to study English Literature at Cardiff University. My degree was entirely focused on reading and writing and I absolutely loved it.

Quite predictably perhaps, I fell out of love with reading for a few years after I finished my degree. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to read for pleasure without needing to analyse and annotate significant words and phrases, and I found it quite difficult to get out of the habit.

Thankfully, after I had a Kindle for Christmas in 2012, I very quickly became a bookworm again and went on to discover lots of new authors and genres over the next few years.

I set myself a target of reading 50 books in 2015, and I did it! I set myself the same target for 2016 and fell four short, but 46 books in such a turbulent year still felt pretty impressive.

Unfortunately, in 2017 and 2018, I really struggled to lose myself in my beloved books. 2017 was a horribly difficult year where I only managed to read about 20 books. 2018 was a better year on the whole, but a lot of my brain space was taken up with starting and settling in to my new job which meant I only read 14 books throughout the whole year. These might sound like big numbers to some people, but for me they were pitifully low.

I started 2019 with a firm determination to rediscover my reading mojo, and I'm pleased to report that it's going well so far. I've already read 6 books since the beginning of January and I've got a couple of pre-ordered books arriving this week from two of my favourite authors.

My main motivation for rediscovering my insatiable love for books was realising that reading is a huge part of who I am. It helps me to escape into another world when I've had a stressful or upsetting day, it keeps me away from aimlessly scrolling through my phone, and it provides my introverted brain with valuable 'recharge' time.

I've started documenting the books I've read in 2019 on my Instagram stories with a little one sentence review. I'm always looking for recommendations, so if you're reading this and you also share the books you've read on Instagram or on your blog, please let me know!

On that note, I'm going to turn my laptop off and get back to my book.

Books I read in 2015 (part 2)

If you follow me on Twitter or Bloglovin, you might have read the first half of my 'Books I read in 2015' series over the weekend.

For those of you who haven't read it yet, I read 50 books in 2015 so I'm blogging about them and giving each book a one sentence review. So, without further ado, here are my summaries of books 26-50! Again, I've provided links to each book if you're interested in reading them.


26. Anne of Avonlea, Lucy Maud Montgomery
Another lovely and quaint story about a slightly wiser Anne, but nothing will ever beat the first book (see the last entry of my previous post)!

27. Anne of the Island, Lucy Maud Montgomery
Anne goes off to college in this book which means a lot of the series' childish charm has disappeared by this point.

28. Anne of Windy Poplars, Lucy Maud Montgomery
The worst book of the series - a huge part of the book is made up of letter exchanges between Anne and her boyfriend which makes for a very slow and plodding narrative.

29. Anne's House of Dreams, Lucy Maud Montgomery
Back to form with a bang - Anne starts a family and the whole thing is beautiful!

30. Anne of Ingleside, Lucy Maud Montgomery
A hilarious book full of Anne's children's adventures, sorrows, joys and scrapes.

31. Rainbow Valley, Lucy Maud Montgomery
Another excellent book which introduces a whole new family and their trials and tribulations.

32. Rilla of Ingleside, Lucy Maud Montgomery
The most poignant book of the series which requires many tissues - Anne and her family live through the horrors of World War I and certainly don't emerge unscathed.

33. The Illegal Gardener, Sara Alexi 
Your heart is made of stone if the heartbreak and the desperately unjust juxtaposition depicted in this book fails to have a profound and lasting effect on you, particularly during the current political climate.

34. Dead Wrong, Helen Durrant
This book would have been absolutely amazing if a clumsy throwaway sentence in the middle of the book hadn't revealed the identity of the murderer!

35. Dead Silent, Helen Durrant
An enthralling book with a cliffhanger ending which means you just HAVE to download the next one.

36. Dead List, Helen Durrant
Although this was another gripping read throughout, the excitement petered out in the final chapters which contributed to a disappointing anticlimax.

37. Finding Emma, Steena Holmes
Not the type of book I'd usually read as it was quite sentimental, but I couldn't put it down until I reached the very tearful end.

38. What Katy Did, Susan Coolidge
A book I always intended to read when I was younger but never got around it... an easy read with lots of obligatory morals and lessons!

39. The Magpies, Mark Edwards
This book massively freaked me out by focusing on perfectly ordinary people in ordinary situations who turn into absolute monsters and life-wreckers... they could live next door to anyone!

40. Girl on a train, A.J.Waines
A slow start, but the characters in this book are cleverly and intricately woven to create a pretty shocking finale.

41. Lost Girls, Angela Marsons
Another grim encounter with DI Kim Stone which involves the abduction of two little girls, and yet another Marsons book you won't be able to put down!

42. The Girl in the Spider's Web, David Lagercrantz
I was disappointed by this book and didn't think it lived up to the original trilogy - a slightly confusing narrative which lacks Larsson's captivating writing style.

43. Dark Murder, Helen Durrant
A spin off to the original Durrant trilogy which doesn't disappoint - a whole new set of characters and their challenges who are arguably more interesting than the original cast!

44. Splinter the Silence, Val McDermid
Tony Hill and Carol Jordan reunite to solve a crime which hasn't even been uncovered yet... another blinder from the queen of crime fiction!

45. Christmas is Murder, Val McDermid
A short story collection which still manages to enthral in spite of the brevity of the stories.

46. Girl number one, Jane Holland
Just spectacular - most certainly one of the best and most addictive books I've read all year.

47. Miranda, Jane Holland
I was hoping for more of the same after reading Girl Number One, but Miranda is much more slow-paced, more philosophical and less appealing.

48. No Kiss Goodbye, Janelle Harris
This book blew me away and left me shell-shocked, questioning everything I thought I knew about the human mind and its complex emotions.

49. Little Girl Gone, Alexandra Burt
A journey into a mother's damaged subconsciousness where the reader cleverly finds out the next shocking development alongside the protagonist as she uncovers her buried memories.

50. Stranger Child, Rachel Abbott
What a book to end the year... I read this in a day and was absorbed by the plot twists, scandalous revelations and constant suspense.


I'm already on my third book in 2016... any recommendations?

Books I read in 2015 (part 1)

I made it my mission to read 50 books in 2015, and I did it!

I thought I'd list the books I read on my blog as a way of keeping a record for myself, as well as recommending the best ones to my readers. I'm not going to write a review of each one as that would take too long, quite frankly, but I will treat you to a one sentence summary of my thoughts.

Here are the first 25 books I read in 2015... check back for the second half on Tuesday!


1. This book will save your life, A.M.Homes

I didn't particularly enjoy this one and couldn't get engrossed in it at all... not a good start to my reading material for the year, and it definitely wasn't life-saving!

2. Die Again, Tess Gerritsen 

I absolutely loved this latest Rizzoli and Isles story and was gripped the whole way through. 

3. Northanger Abbey, Val McDermid

I was disappointed by this book but, in fairness, it's not a traditional McDermid offering and I should have researched it more before purchasing (I blame Jane Austen).

4. The fault in our stars, John Green 

Irritating in parts, utterly heartbreaking throughout. 

5. Because she loves me, Mark Edwards 

Enthralling book which kept me guessing until the very end, and kept me up until 2:30am. 

6. Life Support, Tess Gerritsen

A great stand alone medical thriller from Tess Gerritsen - nail-biting as ever!

7. Alan Turing: the Enigma, Andrew Hodges

Although I was looking forward to this one after seeing The Imitation Game, it unfortunately focused too much on detailed mathematics and computer science and not on the man himself. 

8. Bloodstream, Tess Gerritsen 

The weakest Tess Gerritsen book I've read to date as it was a little predictable, but still better than your average crime novel. 

9. Travelling to Infinity, Jane Hawking 

A poignant and easy-to-read autobiography which I immediately had to buy after watching 'The Theory of Everything'. 

10. Forward Slash, Louise Voss and Mark Edwards 
The clever red herrings and well-managed suspense almost make up for the overly annoying main characters (almost). 

11. Silent Scream, Angela Marsons 

One of my finds of the year - fantastic characterisation, thought-provoking themes and a gripping plot. 

12. Unthinkable, Clyde Phillips 

Although this wasn't a bad read, the final outcome was very predictable which meant the last few chapters weren't as captivating as they could have been. 

13. Lingo:A language spotter's guide to Europe, Gaston Dorren 

Very different to the books I usually read - an interesting delve into European languages (including Welsh) and their origins. 

14. What you wish for, Mark Edwards 
This isn't a bad book, but I'm not interested in the extraterrestrial which meant I didn't enjoy it as much as Mark Edwards' other novels.

15. Fifty Shades of Grey, E L James

I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about, and I'm still wondering if I'm totally honest... very dull on the whole. 

16. Fifty Shades Darker, E L James

Although this one had a better plot than the first book, the characters, dialogue, terrible writing style and constant email exchanges were still extremely irritating. 

17. Fifty Shades Freed, E L James 

Possibly the most exasperating and repetitive book of the three. 

18. The girl with the dragon tattoo, Stieg Larsson 

I know I'm late to the party with this one, but it was well worth the wait!

19. The girl who played with fire, Stieg Larsson 

I loved learning more about Salander's background and I was totally gripped by this admirable sequel. 

20. The girl who kicked the hornet's nest, Stieg Larsson 

An amazing tale of integrity, courage, determination and unforgivable corruption - probably my favourite book of the three. 

21. The Middle Child, Angela Marsons 

Very different to Silent Scream, but this one also had me on tenterhooks until the final distressing chapters. 

22. Evil Games, Angela Marsons 
The excellent sequel to 'Silent Scream' which continues to give an insight into the fascinating Detective Inspector Kim Stone, alongside a thrilling non-stop plot. 

23. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll 

I can't believe I didn't read this until 2015 - weirdly and inexplicably wonderful!

24. Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll 

This book was a little TOO weird, even for me. 

25. Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery 

One of my favourite childhood novels which definitely hasn't lost its charm.


Have you read any of the books above? What were your favourite reads in 2015, and did you read any shockers? Look out for the second instalment in a few days!

An Instagram summary of the last month...

I've had a crazy few weeks which has resulted in no blog posts whatsoever. Most of my recent blog posts seem to start with a similar apologetic sentence, so I really want to get back into blogging regularly.

I thought I'd kick off my return to the blogging world by summarising the last month using my Instagram photos. It turns out that I've managed to fit in quite a lot! On that note, you'll ALWAYS know what I've been up to if you follow me on Instagram as I insist on updating it daily.

So here goes... feast your eyes on these photographs!


1. Four weekends ago, we walked to Cardiff Bay on a sunny day and had a lovely meal and cocktail in Signor Valentino. I love living so close to such pretty places!

2. I got promoted... I'm now a Communications Manager! It was a stressful few weeks leading up to the interview and official confirmation but I'm so excited about this opportunity. As you can see, Stitch was VERY excited for me.

3. I went for a work night out and had some tasty cocktails in Las Iguanas on a sunny Friday evening. Perfect end to a busy week.

4. I went to see my parents to celebrate my father's 70th birthday. I had a tour of his beautiful garden then we went to one of his all time favourite places... the Harvester!

5. We had a lovely evening at our friends' new house with lots of food and drinks. Sophie made me an amazing (and very aesthetically pleasing) glass of Pimm's!

6. We ventured into Cardiff city centre a few times during the last month. It's looking so beautiful at the moment with lots of pretty flowers and trees in full bloom.

7. We've done lots of work on the house over the last few weeks which has taken up a fair amount of time. Two of my very important contributions were buying this stunning orchid for the living room and re-arranging our bedroom.

8. I went to Southampton to celebrate my youngest nephew's first birthday. Both my nephews are so handsome!

9. I bought the most beautiful new Fiorelli bag... yes, that is important news in my world and definitely warrants an Instagram post (or two).

10. I went to the Smoke Haus and ate (most of) this beauty. Messiest burger I've ever eaten. I had to eat the entire thing with a knife and fork!

11. I enjoyed a relaxing sunny evening in the garden with a cocktail, some light refreshments and my Kindle.

12. I had my first ever personal training session at the gym! It left me ever so slightly exhausted but I'll definitely be continuing the programme over the next six weeks. Operation 'tone up for Florida' is ON.

13. We went to see Inside Out at the cinema (and bought a new Yankee Candle for the living room). Amazing film! You all just have to see it.

These photos pretty much sum up everything exciting I've been up to over the last few weeks. Posts like this make me realise how lucky I am to have so many things to enjoy and to look back on with fond memories. I might start writing a similar post every month as a reminder of what I've got up to... watch this space! 

Happiness is... #1

I saw the idea for this post on the lovely A Life of Geekery blog, where Vicki has listed 100 things which make her happy in two separate posts. I'm going to write about 50 things rather than 100 things... I'm not sure if I could come up with 100 things within a realistic timeframe! It's good to reflect on what makes you happy whenever life seems a bit rubbish, however small those things may seem, so this list should come in useful.

I decided to link each item to a relevant blog post if there was one... it turns out that I write a lot of blog posts about the things that make me happy! Isn't that what blogging should be all about? That's probably a separate blog post in itself.

So here are the first 25 things that make me happy, in no particular order...

1. Cwtches (or hugs, for those of who you aren't aware of this lovely Welsh word)
2. Listening to my Now That's What I Call Disney CD
3. Fresh bedding
4. Haribo Jelly Babies
5. Buying outfits for Duffy the Disney Bear
6. A good session in the gym
7. Proofreading
8. Joe's Ice Cream
9. Going on holiday to Florida
10. McFly
11. Sun
12. Buying a new diary
13. Painting my nails
14. Going for long walks
15. Friendly people
16. Pyjamas
17. Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean
18. Saving money
19. My Kindle
20. Watching a Disney film
21. Friday evenings
22. Barbecues
23. Watching Outnumbered
24. Ticking items off my to-do list
25. Welsh rugby Grand Slams

What makes you happy?

Q and A: Books!

I definitely love books a lot more than the average person does. I've always loved having my head in a book for as long as I can remember, and reading is my favourite form of escapism. I had a Kindle for Christmas, which has possibly made me even more enthusiastic about reading new books. However, rest assured that I won't be getting rid of any of my hundreds of paperbacks. The Kindle is just adding to my reading experience, rather than replacing my books.

I read this book Q and A on the lovely Cocktails and Teacups blog, and couldn't wait to fill it in myself. So here goes...


What are you reading right now?
The Bubble Gum Thief, by Jeff Miller. Amazing book so far!


Do you have any idea what you’ll read after you’ve finished this book?
Probably The Vow, by Kim Carpenter.


Five books you’ve always wanted to read but have never got round to?
A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald
Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
The Magus, John Fowles
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte


What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?
The Marketer, the magazine I get through my Chartered Institute of Marketing membership. I don't really like magazines and think they're a waste of money... probably not a popular opinion.


What’s the worst book you ever read?
I don't tend to dislike many books, but I thought P.S. I Love You by Cecilia Ahern was awful. I couldn't wait to finish it, and reading it felt like a real chore towards the end. I kept hoping it would get better, but it just got worse! I think Ahern used the word 'giggled' a minimum of three times on every page. Extremely irritating.


What book is really popular but you really hated?
See above...!


What’s the one book you recommend to everybody?A Place of Execution, by Val McDermid. It's difficult to choose one favourite book to recommend, but this one is definitely up there.


What are your three favourite poems?
I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, William Wordsworth
All of Shakespeare's sonnets, the man was a genius.
Don Juan, Lord Byron


Where do you usually get your books?
Amazon and charity shops mostly.


Where do you usually read your books?
I always read a few chapters in bed before going to sleep.


When you were little, did you have any reading habits?
I used to read at the table, on the toilet, when I was walking around the house, in the car, in other people's houses, in church, on holiday... I was constantly reading something or other. I used to aspire to be an authoress when I was younger, and would always try to write a chapter or two of my own after finishing a really good book.


What’s the last book you stayed up half the night to read?
Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy. Brilliant book.


Have you ever ‘faked’ reading a book?
No... why would I fake it? I love reading!


Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?
No, but I've bought several books just because I like the sound of the blurb on the back. I don't usually take much notice of the cover.


What was your favourite book as a child?
So many to mention... the whole Chalet School series by Elinor M. Brent Dyer, every single Enid Blyton book ever written (especially The Magic Faraway Tree and the Five Find-Outer books), the Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene, the Babysitters' Club books by Ann M. Martin, and George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl.


Which book changed your life?
Difficult to think of just one book... all Enid Blyton's books had a huge influence on me as a child and sheltered me from reality for a while!


What is your favourite passage from a book?
I'll have to get back to you on this one... too many to mention!


Who are your top five favourite authors?
Val McDermid
Ben Elton
Louisa May Alcott
J.K. Rowling
Margaret Atwood


What is your favourite classic book?
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

Five notable mentions?
The Vanishing Point, Val McDermid
The Web, Jonathan Kellerman
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris
Blue Sky July, Nia Wyn

5 reasons why you should get a Kindle

When the Kindle was first released a few years ago, I was one of those people who vowed that they'd never buy one. I love books, always have done, and I couldn't see the appeal of reading books off a little screen. In my mind, the Kindle could never replace the experience of holding a real book, turning the pages and using some kind of novelty bookmark.

Earlier this year, I tried out a friend's Kindle (after a lot of persuasion) and realised that it's actually a great alternative to a real book. I proceeded to ask for a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas, and I absolutely love it and often wonder what on earth I did without it.

Here are my top 5 reasons why you should get a Kindle:

1. Save some space
   If you're anything like me, you literally have hundreds of books in your house/flat/bedroom. This gets a bit tiresome when you move house nearly every year, as I've been doing since I was 18.  I won't be getting rid of any of my books at this stage, unless I find very cheap Kindle versions, but having the Kindle means I'm less likely to buy more. This is good for my living room space and my bank balance, seeing as my current bookcases are all full and I'd have to invest in a new one if I bought more new books.
   
   
2. Save some moneyKindle versions are generally cheaper than their paperback counterparts, even if it's only by 50p. If you like reading the Classics, most of these books are actually free or extremely cheap. For example, I bought the four books from Louise M Alcott's Little Women series for 77p. Call me old fashioned but I love those books, especially when they're 77p for four! I know you initially have to fork out some money to buy the Kindle, but you'll see a return on your investment with frequent bargains like this one. Alternatively, you could just ask Santa to buy it for you next Christmas so that you don't have to spend any money at all.
   
3. Fit more into your suitcaseI take about 3 books with me whenever I go on holiday, which obviously takes up valuable space in my hand luggage and my hold luggage, not to mention adding to the weight of my bags. Now, all I need to take with me is my very slim and lightweight Kindle!
   
   
4. Discover random books you'd never have found in a book storeI've found so many random books for free or for 20p since having my  Kindle. Some of these have been recommended by Amazon based on my previous purchases, and I've found some myself by looking at the list of books which cost £2.99 or less. One example is 'A hundred year old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared' by Jonas Jonasson. I would never have found this in a book store, but I downloaded it for 20p after reading the positive reviews and liking the sound of the synopsis on Amazon. I'm a third of the way through and it's truly one of the best books I've ever read. It's funny, heart warming, shocking and inspiring in equal measures. Not bad for 20p! I'll post a review on here when I've finished it.
   
   
5. Buy a beautiful pink caseYou can't buy a pink case for your books... you can definitely buy one for your Kindle. Mine was £6.99 from Amazon and it looks great. Here's some photographic evidence:
   

Hopefully I've persuaded you all to at least consider getting a Kindle... Happy reading!