The Book Blogger Memory Challenge Tag

This tag is originally created by Rebecca but I discovered it at The Becca Fowell and decided I really liked the idea of it. The tag was created by Laura at Laura Lovelock.

The rules are as follows:

You must answer these questions without using the internet or looking at your bookshelves.
Once completed tag 5 people (If you want to do it please consider yourself tagged).

1. Name a book written by an author called Michael
Congo by Michael Crichton

2. Name a book with a dragon on the cover
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon

3. Name a book about a character called George
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

4. Name a book written by an author with the surname Smith
Frostfire by Jamie Smith

5. Name a book set in Australia
Tomorrow when the war began by John Marsden

6. Name a book with the name of a month in the title
A Million Junes but I can't remember the author

7. Name a book with a knife on the cover
The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli (US cover)

8. Name a book with the word 'one' in the title
One of Us is Lying by Karen M McManus

9. Name a book with an eponymous title
The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare

10. Name a book turned into a movie
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

2018 Reading in Review

So in 2018 I set my goodreads target to 50 and managed to read a total of 153 books. Below are some stats about my year of reading.

My best reading month was August 2018 in which I read 18 books and my worst was September when I read 6.

Genre wise the split was as follows:

Fantasy 100
SciFi 28
Historical 8
Dystopia 8
Contemporary 4
Urban Fantasy 2
Adventure 2
Thriller 1

The contemporary surprised me as I don't usually enjoy contemporary but of the 4 I read I most enjoyed Floored.

I read in different formats this year too.
40 Hardbacks
38 Paperbacks
30 Audiobooks
29 Graphic Novels
11 ARC copies
5 ebooks (some arcs were ebooks so this may actually be more)

98 books were YA
28 Middle Grade
27 Adult


87 of the books I read were published in 2018 with the remaining 66 published before then.

I also DNF'd 7 books.

112 of the books I read were part of a series and 40 were standalones. 15 of the series reads completed series and 43 of them were beginnings of new series/duologies. I had 4 re-reads which was all part of the Spellslinger series as I listened to them all on Audiobook.

December 2018 Wrap Up

So in December 2018 I managed to read a total of 14 books, .

In order of reading I completed Ms Marvel vol 2 by Various, Small Spaces by Katherine Arden, Explorers on Witch Mountain by Alex Bell, Blood and Sand by CV Wyk, Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare, Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman, Sakura Clear Card vol 5 by CLAMP, Father Christmas and Me by Matt Haig, Guardians of the Galaxy vol 1 by Various, Skyward by Brandon Sanderson, All the Wandering Light by Heather Fawcett, Poe Dameron vol 5 by Various, New Avengers AIM vol 2 by Various and Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody.

 

 

                            

Stats:

Hardback = 5

Paperback = 1

Graphic Novel/Manga = 5

Audiobook = 3

Ebook = 0

 My 5 star reads were Explorers on Witch Mountain, Queen of Air and Darkness, Thunderhead and Skyward. Explorers on Witch Mountain was a brilliant middle grade polar fantasy sequel which was just as endearing as the first book. Queen of Air and Darkness was a brilliant ending to the Dark Artifices trilogy, with enough set up for the next lot of books too. Thunderhead, blew me away just as Scythe did in November and I now begin the long wait for the last book in September/October time. Skyward was the most amazing sci-fi and my first ever Brandon Sanderson book - but it won't be my last!

This month all of the books I read were brilliant! I don't think any of them were less than a 3 and a half with most getting 4 stars.

(*From 30th November until 30th December I took part in the Summoning Spells: A Summoner Readathon. And all of these books were completed as part of that readathon)

(Original readathon blog post here.)

Review #147 - Father Christmas and Me by Matt Haig

Details:

Title: Father Christmas and Me

Author: Matt Haig

Publisher: Canongate Books

ISBN 13: 978-1786890689

Synopsis:

It isn't always easy, growing up as a human in Elfhelm, even if your adoptive parents are the newly married Father Christmas and Mary Christmas.

For one thing, Elf School can be annoying when you have to sing Christmas songs every day - even in July - and when you fail all your toy-making tests. Also it can get very, very cold.

But when the jealous Easter Bunny and his rabbit army launch an attack to stop Christmas, it's up to Amelia, her new family and the elves to keep Christmas alive. Before it's too late . . .

Review:

Review #146 - Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card vol 5 by CLAMP

Details:

Title: Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card vol 5

Author: CLAMP

Publisher: Kodansha Comics

ISBN 13: 978-1632366597

Synopsis:

With the Final Judgment passed, Sakura thinks school life will be quiet, but then all her cards suddenly turn blank! The mysterious new power she discovers will change how she thinks about her powers...

Review:

Review #145 - Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman

Details:

Title: Thunderhead

Author: Neal Shusterman

Publisher: Walker Books

ISBN 13: 978-1406379532

Synopsis:

It’s been a year since Rowan went off-grid. Hunted by the Scythedom, he has become an urban legend, a vigilante snuffing out corrupt scythes in a trial by fire. Citra, meanwhile, is forging her path as Scythe Anastasia, gleaning with compassion. However, conflict within the Scythedom is growing by the day, and when Citra’s life is threatened, it becomes clear that there is a truly terrifying plot afoot.

The Thunderhead observes everything, and it does not like what it sees. Will it intervene?

Or will it simply watch as this perfect world begins to unravel?

Review:

Review #144 - Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare

Details:

Title: Queen of Air and Darkness

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

ISBN 13: 978-1471116704

Synopsis:

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks. Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined. Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

Review: