Bookish Discussions

Favourite Books of the Year So Far:

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I know, I’m late to the party, but I wanted to get this up.

Before July started, I had read 51 books. I’m on track to read roughly 110 this year, which is my new goal, but let’s focus on the first half of the year.

I had some good reading months, and some naff ones, but I’ve managed to whittle down 51 books to five *really* great onesMost of them, if not all of them actually, are historical. We’ve one non-fiction, and then the rest are historical fiction, mainly set in the Victorian period.


The Binding by Bridget Collins

I find it hard to believe this is Collins’ debut novel. It was complex, emotional and original.

Reminiscent of the 19th century, people can visit book binders to rid themselves of painful or treacherous memories. Once bound, their memories lose the power to haunt them. Emmett Farmer, our protagonist, is sent to be a binder’s apprentice. His curiosity is peaked when he is forbidden to enter the room in which the books are stored, and by the arrival of the lordly Lucian Darnay, with whom he senses a connection with.

The Binding had such an innotivate storyline, taking something we are familiar with and turning it on its head. Who would have thought that books could possibly be someone’s unwanted memories? It’s immersive and beautifully written, with an unexpected romance and an excellent set of characters. A must read!

Continue reading “Favourite Books of the Year So Far:”

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Bookish Discussions

February Reading Wrap-Up:

I’ve been super busy in February, hence the lack of posts (I’m really sorry, OK). I’ve been at work pretty much every day as I head to Krakow next week and Belfast the week after. I did manage to get quite a bit of reading done, though, so let’s chat about that.


Here’s all the nine books I read this month:

– The Binding by Bridget Collins / 4.5 stars

– A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin / 4.5 stars

– The Foundling by Stacey Halls / 4 stars

– Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg / 4 stars

– The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins / 0 stars

– And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou / 0 stars

– No One is Too Small to make a Difference by Greta Thunberg / 3 stars

– A Storm of Swords: Part One by George R.R Martin / 4 stars

– The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker / 2 stars

Continue reading “February Reading Wrap-Up:”

Bookish Discussions

The Foundling // Can Bess Find Her Child?

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I’m heading off to Stacey Halls’ author event at Waterstones this evening. I’ll be listening to her chat about her debut, The Familiars, and her most recent novel, The Foundling. I didn’t want to go without having read her newest work, so I dedicated the weekend to it.

So… It’s London, 1754. Six years after leaving her newborn at London’s Foundling Hospital, Bess Bright returns to reclaim the illegitimate daughter she never knew. But her daughter has already been claimed, by her…

Less from a mile from Bess is Alexandra, a wealthy housebound woman, who is persuaded to hire a nursemaid to take care of her daughter. Her past is threatening to catch up with her, and will soon tear her carefully constructed world apart…

It sounds like a lot, right?

It was brilliant. Halls writes such captivating stories. She has quickly become a favourite author of mine, writing such tense and atmospheric historical fiction. Her writing style is simple but elegant. It’s enchanting and addictive. I flew through it in two days, which could have easily been one, because I couldn’t get enough of these characters.

Continue reading “The Foundling // Can Bess Find Her Child?”