Reading Again

I have just finished my most recent set of books that I got out of the library and I'm already languishing. Reading is so lovely. I can't quite describe it actually, but it's just wonderful to be lost in a world for a moment, get to the end and feel as though you've accomplished something; like you've been on a journey too. Well, it is for me anyway.

I know I might not get to the library this week, so I thought I may as well publish this most recent slew of books now, rather than have it wait until next month. This last six weeks has been the most productive reading time I've had recently, I didn't realize it until I was counting up the books at the end of May and saw I'd read twelve in just over a month. This is a lot of books.

Book of Secrets by Cynthia Voigt
Book of Kings by Cynthia Voigt
Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix
The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mable by Natasha Lowe
Gap Year in Ghost Town by Michael Pryor
A Curse as Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce
Goth Girl and the Fate Worse than Death by Chris Riddle
The Firework-Maker's Daughter by Phillip Pullman
The Last Duchess by Laura Powell
Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddle
Secret Guardians (Rouges Book 2) by Lian Tanner
The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

I just want to give a few notes now for people's reference as well as my own future memory jogging.

The two Cynthia Voigt books are the next two in the Mr Max series that I started in 2018. It was absolute joy to see them both on the shelf together at the library and know I could finish what I had started. They were excellent.

Newt's Emerald by Garth Nix was absolutely amazing. I can not rave enough about this book. I read it twice in less than a week. Does that count as an extra book? I don't know, but I know I could certainly have read it a third time and still loved it. It is a period drama meets with magic and a detective story. Fantastic. Hands down winner. Even now, I want to read it again.

Gap Year in Ghost Town is by an Australia author who I have never read before, but apparently usually writes the kind of books I love, and Gap Year in Ghost Town is away from his norm. I did like it, especially being set in Melbourne, it was really interesting to read a book that referenced locations I knew or had been too.

Based on Rumpelstiltskin, A Curse as Dark as Gold was a little long, but good. Although I had no idea the original fairy tale is apparently anti semitic? Who knew!

The two Goth Girl books were hilarious to read because they had so many references for grown ups. For example, Ada Goth has six nannies who leave in quick succession, including Hebe Poppins, who walks like a penguin, spontaneously bursts into song and ends up running away with the chimney sweep, and after that comes Nanny Darling, who is a sheepdog. I am looking forward to when the girls can read them, because they are very similar to the Ottoline books, which they already love, but with a bit more dark humor.

Secret Guardians (Rouges Book 2) by Lian Tanner. All I have to say is it's better to know that you are reading book two before you start than finding out half way and then being too far in to stop. I would like to read book one. And also book three.

The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend I have seen everywhere before, and it was really glorious. A little Harry Potter, but also unique.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Fabulous, really enjoyable. I hear there is book two, which I would also like to read. Neil Gaiman, you continue to be my favorite Doctor Who writer, and I am increasingly wishing I had more of your books in my collection.

And that's all from me. Go read some books people. I should probably do some paperwork. Or sewing. But hopefully also more reading soon.