Well, that was one big reading slump of a month, wasn’t it?

Or was that just me? I just lost the urge to pick up a physical book completely and did other stuff instead – played video games, card games, watched TV, a bit of crafting and art…

I always find it hard not to beat myself up when I hit a big slump, because reading is supposed to be my thing, but I’m doing my best not to this time because life is still a bit weird and there is really no crime in a break. I’ve already read more this year than many people do in five years, one month off is really not a big thing.

Current year total 44/75

What I Read (Books & Audiobooks):

• Read With Pride (The Paper & Hearts Society #2) by Lucy Powrie: I enjoyed returning to the fun friendship group of this series, but I didn’t think this book was quite as strong as the first one. I loved the idea and the overall story but there were times when I felt like I was being force-fed the diversity a little bit. The inclusive representation was brilliant, but there were moments when it all felt a bit… tick-boxy. Overall it was good though and I will be picking up the next book when it comes out. 3.5*
• Lost Soul (Harbinger P.I. #1) by Adam J. Wright (Audiobook): For an entirely lucky dip book, picked up entirely because I adore the Audible narrator (Greg Tremblay. He could read me the phone book and I’d hang on every, single, word.), this was really good! A fun paranormal romp, following Alec Harbinger P.I. (That’s Preternatural Investigator, not the other sort) which had everything from terrified accidental teenage werewolves, to creepy evil Fey creatures lurking in the dark. Oh, and a flaming magic sword. Gotta love a flaming sword. My only thing was that the main character had a bit too much of a thing for a good burger, or pastry, or just food in general actually… I have read sex scenes that were less intense than the moments Alec was eating. It was almost uncomfortable at points, as combined with Greg’s voice, I was having some alarming emotions toward food items. 4*
• Shadowsea (Cogheart Adventures #4) by Peter Bunzl: The final instalment of the Cogheart books was a bit darker than the previous three, but just as exciting and thoughtful. This time, Lily and Robert are visiting New York City when they stumble across a scared looking boy staying in the next room at their hotel and soon find themselves in the middle of a scary mystery. Not only is this book full of steampunk fun, it also has submarines, giant diamonds, lots of snow… oh, and zombies. 4*
• Dragon Trouble (Unipiggle the Unicorn Pig #2) by Hannah Shaw: Arthur and I enjoyed returning to Twinkleland with Princess Pea, Unipiggle, and Arthur the Pixie. This time there were added dragons which made it even better. I really recommend this series for anyone who loves bright, funny books, is just jumping from picture books to chapter books, or has a thing for rebellious princesses who love muddy puddles and magical adventures! 5*

What I Listened To (Podcasts):

• We Need To Talk About The British Empire by Afua Hirsch: A series of six episodes where Afua Hirsh speaks to different people about how the British Empire affected the lives of them and/or their families. Most episodes spoke to those who were descended from the colonised, but she also spoke to someone who was on the ‘other’ side and grew up as a British child in India during British occupation. It was incredibly interesting to hear how the effects of the British Empire linger even now in ways I’d never considered. I also learned about how different areas in the Empire were used, abused, and ultimately abandoned. I learned a lot from this podcast and although it was an emotional and sometimes difficult listen, I looked forward to each episode. 4*