Wrap Up: March 2017

Wrap-Up, 06/04/2017

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March 2017

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I actually began writing my March wrap up in March so that’s one hell of an accomplishment, however it is now 6th April and I’m only just uploading it. The amount of books I read last month was rather pitiful as I’ve been way too preoccupied with my final year of university and all the deadlines that seem to be in the exact same week (joy). I popped into my drafts to write my mini review of Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson around mid month just after I finished it:

“Warbreaker is the first book I finished this month (horrifying considering it is over halfway through March) and I read half of it in one sitting because I got so enraptured by the story. Brandon Sanderson is one of my favourite authors of all time, his style of writing and the worlds he creates I love so much so don’t be surprised that I’m going to babble on about how much I enjoyed this book. A testament to how much I loved it is the fact I liked all the characters, though Vivenna and Vasher are my favourites. The book centres around the Hallandren who worship ‘Returned’ gods and two Idrian princesses (who worship Austre instead) and end up in the land of the Hallandrens. One of these princesses is marrying the ‘God-King’ of the Hallandrens while the other is desperately trying to save her sister and prevent war between the kingdoms. Vivienna is my favourite due to her character development during the story and how she adapts to a world so different from her own, it isn’t magical, she doesn’t suddenly become amazing – she struggles, it’s not simple or easy for her and I really liked that. The book itself is relatively slow, but not in bad way, I loved every second, but a lot of action happens in the final hundred pages where the speed picks up. This originally terrified me because I couldn’t believe Sanderson could complete the story with so few pages but he did, in a relatively believable fashion though there was a definite deus ex machina vibe. The one thing that saddens me is that there is a sequel planned but it’s not a high priority for Sanderson meaning it could be many years away. However, I would recommend this book, as I would all of his books, because it does actually finish. There’s no cliffhanger, just the opening for a sequel which I want because I want more Vivenna and Vasher, and of course, the wonderful Nightblood.”

So. It is now the end of the month and all I succeeded in doing was getting partially through two books. I haven’t managed to finish any of the books I was reading in February (Hard To Be A God and The City And The Stars) and sadly I’m probably not going to finish them in April either. Now is not a good time for reading because I’m very much concerned with university right now but after the 27th April, the vast majority of the stress should be over thank god. I’ll have one assignment and one exam in May so I should be able to relax a little and get a good chunk of reading done in between revision and work. These are the books I’ll be continuing in April and I have one additional book I hope to read but doubt I’ll have time for:

The first is Eagles At War by Ben Kane which I am reading for a university assignment. I have a write a review from a historian’s perspective but, despite having to do a critical reading, I’m enjoying the book a lot more than I thought I would! If you’re a fan of Roman period historical fiction then I highly recommend checking it out (I’m also a little bit in love with Arminius).

I’m also about sixty pages into Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas, at least I was at the end of March, I’m maybe a hundred pages in now. It is incredibly YA in its writing, like really, really YA with the usual depth-lacking characters and is lacking much substance in general. This is how YA novels tend to be though so I suppose I shouldn’t expect anything more. That’s not to say I’m not enjoying it though, I’m not loving it but it’s readable and I’ll finish it.

The third book I somewhat intend to read is Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson but I have such high hopes and excitement for this book that I may leave it for when I’m less stressed out about uni.

Love,
Rhiannon