I am a ridiculously slow reader and have to restrict how long I read rather than by progress half the time. I would have probably starved to death a long time ago otherwise. While 2020 has been a bizarre and difficult time for everyone, one of the silver linings for me personally was that it left me with more opportunities to sit down with a book without having to worry about other obligations. The following list has been arranged in the order I read them rather than preference. (Please note this list contains fiction and non-fiction):
1. Daughters of Chivalry: The Forgotten Children of Edward l; Kelcey Wilson-Lee
This book almost read like fiction, it was packed with twists and turns but I learned so much! I think I have discovered new personal heroes. I loved how this book showed medieval women as more than political tools to be used by their fathers and husbands. It was amazing to read about their struggles and achievements, I couldn't wait to share what I had learned with others!
2. The Artists Way; Julia Cameron
You may or may not have heard of this book - it's been around for over 20 years. It is a book written by an artist for other artists on developing creative confidence. I worked through this book during lockdown - I found it so helpful. Not only did it help me find inspiration again but helped with my mental health in general (I believe the book draws on a lot of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy techniques) It made me brave enough to start this blog and to post on Bookstagram. (I tried to word this in a less cheesy way and failed miserably - sorry!)
3. The Winternight Trilogy; Katherine Arden
I found this series to be utterly engrossing. Arden draws inspiration from Russian folklore and creates an atmospheric, beautiful piece of literature. The characters throughout were wonderfully layered and complex - particularly the protagonist, Vasya. She felt so real to me, I loved how she developed as her understanding of her power grew. She learned of her own importance and made her own choices despite the manipulations of those around her. You willed her to succeed.
4. Deeplight; Francis Hardinge
Initially, I had mixed feelings about this novel. While I found the concept interesting I struggled to like many of the characters. However, as the protagonist began to learn more about himself and his values I grew to like him. Written with unique elegance this narrative explored what it meant to overcome your fears and face uncomfortable truths, within ourselves and others.
5. The Book of Dust Volume Two: The Secret Commonwealth; Phillip Pullman
So this book has been very high on my to-read list but I kept procrastinating. I just had this feeling of dread that I wouldn't enjoy it and how that might taint my love for the original trilogy. Reuniting with Lyra and being able to join her on her adventures as a young adult felt like coming home. Without giving away any spoilers there were a few things that I wasn't happy about happening to Lyra. I keenly felt the injustice of it, but I found the plot intriguing. I am loving the focus on the relationships between people and their daemons. I am looking forward to the next book as this one ended on such a brilliant cliff-hanger. I will not be delaying reading it by any means!
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