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.

Hobbies of an early-30-something

During that hazy twenty minutes between my alarm going off and eventually forcing myself out of bed, I always have a quick scroll through the day's Timehop memories. I joined Facebook about 11 years ago which means that Timehop now shows me updates from as far back as 2007. I was in my third year of university for the first half of 2007 and worked in Tesco for the last half, so life was very different back then.

My daily trip down memory lane has made me realise that my hobbies and interests have changed quite a bit over the last ten years as I've got older and my lifestyle and priorities have changed. I enthusiastically decided a few weeks ago that this would make an excellent topic for a blog post.

So, here's a bit of an audit on how my hobbies have changed from my early 20s to my early 30s...

New hobbies

Blogging
I set up my blog in 2011 and have been blogging pretty regularly since, particularly over the last five years. Blogging is a great creative outlet for me and I do genuinely enjoy updating my own little corner of the internet.

Walking
Although I used to walk everywhere when I was a student, that was more out of necessity rather than because I enjoyed it. I couldn't afford to pay for taxis and I didn't pass my driving test until I was 21, so walking felt like a bit of a chore. Nowadays, I love going out for walks around our beautiful local areas.

Eating Believe it or not, I used to be quite a fussy eater when I was younger. While I was at university and for a couple of years afterwards, I didn't really appreciate the joy of food like I do now. I'm not a very good cook and I couldn't afford to eat out much, so I used to live on pasta and beans on toast. These days, it won't surprise you to hear that I LOVE eating. 

Walt Disney World
I went to Walt Disney World for the first time when I was 25 and I well and truly caught the bug. I've been six times since then and fully intend to go back next year.

Pyjamas
I've always worn pyjamas (obviously), but I've only started getting really excited about them during the last few years. I think I prefer shopping for new pyjamas than shopping for actual clothes.

Dogs
I was absolutely terrified of dogs in my early 20s. Now, I think I actually prefer dogs to people most of the time and I've even got my own amazing dog.

Old hobbies

Rugby
In my early 20s and for many years before that, I used to spend an absolute fortune on rugby tickets. I went to watch Swansea playing regularly when I was still in school, and I bought tickets to watch both Cardiff and Wales on a regular basis throughout my time at university. These days, I'm not bothered about watching the games on TV let alone in real life. I'm not sure when I fell out of love with it, but at some point it just stopped being a priority for me.

Collecting newspaper cuttings

Anyone who has ever lived with me will know that my bedroom walls and furniture used to be completely covered in newspaper cuttings featuring my favourite rugby memories, my favourite rugby players and my favourite celebrities. I also had separate folders full of cuttings which I couldn't fit on the walls. About six years ago, I decided that my bedroom walls looked much nicer without all that clutter and I haven't looked back since! 

Going out on a Friday and/or Saturday night
I used to go out quite regularly at the weekends in my early 20s, but these days I love nothing more than to curl up in my aforementioned pyjamas on a Saturday night with a film and a hot chocolate (and perhaps a glass of wine if I'm feeling adventurous).

Hobbies that have lasted the distance

Reading
I've loved reading since I was about four years old when I used to devour new Enid Blyton books every day. My love for reading has never wavered, and I hope it never will.

Gym
I started going to the gym during my second year at university. I've been a member of a few different gyms over the years and have experimented with exercise classes, cardio and weight training. This is definitely a hobby that's remained very constant over the last ten years or so.

Disney
My love for Disney has grown since I started visiting Walt Disney World (and so has my collection of Mickey ears), but it's always been there since I was a little girl who was obsessed with 101 Dalmatians, Bambi and the Jungle Book.

Music
Listening to music became a hobby in my mid teens, and it's still up there as one of my favourites. My music taste hasn't really changed since then... I'm currently listening to S Club 7's Greatest Hits.

Neighbours
I did have quite a big gap where I didn't watch Neighbours for a few years during my mid 20s, but it's well and truly back in my life now and brightening up my evenings.

Buying pink things 
This isn't really a hobby as such, but pink has been my favourite colour for as long as I can remember and that remains the case to this day!

How have your hobbies changed over the last ten years? 

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!