So I'm starting a book review blog...
Nothing beats the feeling of being immersed in a good book. (Well, other than a good cup of tea - I am English after all!)
But, I used to hate reading when I was younger. At primary school, I really struggled with reading due to my (then undiagnosed) dyslexia and the frustration that it caused my (again, then undiagnosed) autistic self. I could always be found with a notebook and pen writing my own stories (mostly about horses, I’ll admit).
Then one summer, I came across a book called I Am the Great Horse, by Katherine Roberts in WHSmith when shopping for a family holiday. I’ve always loved history (by this point, I‘d already decided that I wanted to study archaeology), and I loved horses, so seeing a book about Alexander the Great’s horse had me intrigued.
.jfif) |
| I Am The Great Horse, by Katherine Roberts |
It was slow going, with the book being 539 pages long. But it had me enraptured, and started the mild obsession with reading that saw me through the rest of my school years. After that point, I would get into trouble in lessons not only for writing stories instead of doing my work (sorry Mrs. P.), but also for reading. Instead of doing homework, I’d be reading. Instead of going to bed, I’d be reading. Waiting for the vet or farrier at the yard, I’d be reading (you get the picture).
All because of one book.
Now, I don’t get a chance to read books anywhere near as much as I’d like due to the responsibilities of being a mum, work and writing my own novels. And I’m still a slow reader (cue my husband reading 7 books on holiday as opposed to my 2 and a half).
 |
| Reading on the tram back down from Snaefell (Isle of Man). |
But that doesn’t stop me; I listen to audiobooks in the car and whilst doing chores, and I read webtoons and comics as a palate cleanser.
I want to share my love of books with others, and what better way than to start a little blog sharing my thoughts on some of the books I’ve read! I’m going to try to post a review every Friday evening, but please bear with me for when life gets in the way.
 |
| Reading whilst the husband and child play Lego Star Wars. |
About the Reviews
In my reviews, I will always try to be honest and not overly critical - as an author myself, I know full well how much blood, sweat and tears go into writing a novel.
My reviews will focus on the books that I enjoy, namely fantasy (with a mix of action, cosy and romance), historical fiction and webtoons/manhwa (for those who don’t know - comics that are normally originally published in Korean). To keep it simple, I will group the genres together.
I’m also a very firm believer in no spoilers (it is one of my biggest pet peeves!). Whilst I’ll talk about specific characters and plot points within the review, I will be as vague as possible so as not to give anything major away. I’ll be focusing on the setting, tone and character dynamics.
And for the historical fiction, there will be a mention on how well researched I think the book is (because every historical fiction fan knows how important that is to enjoying a good history book!). The same goes for books that I consider ‘spicy’ - as well as a spice meter, I’ll try to allude to how interwoven it is in the plot and how explicit it is, so you can make your own choice about if you want to read it.
So, without further ado, pull up a comfy chair with your furry (or scaled) friend and a cup of tea, and let’s chat about some books.
 |
| Reading whilst snuggled up with Perry, our very distinguished English gentleman. |
Comments
Post a Comment