Audiobook narrated by Sarah Ovens.

Continuing the journey of Keladry of Mindeland through her years as a page. Having been allowed to stay and train to earn her knighthood, Kel faces new challenges.

- Not my favourite book in the series but still a solid entry. Kel grows and develops well and works to overcome her fears.

- This book addresses things such as periods and puberty in an open and factual way without judgement, something younger me will be forever grateful for.

A decent sequel to First Test and a necessary read to enjoy the rest of the series.

Audiobook narrated by Sarah Ovens.

An old favourite from my younger days. Follow Keladry of Mindelan as she embarks on her journey to knighthood, encountering monster such as misogyny, sexism and resistance to change.

- My inner child squealed with delight when I started listening to this book. I read this quartet religiously as a kid and teenager and it was always so comforting. Listening to it was like coming home.

- The book is definitely meant for a younger audience but doesn't hold back on the central themes. However, it really portrays well how Kel overcomes the various hurdles in her way and shows that the less trodden path isn't necessarily the wrong one.

- This is the first time I've consumed the book in audiobook form and it was great. My only gripe was occasionally words had slightly different pronunciations from what I had assumed from reading the physical books and it did bring me out of the story. 

Great for kids out there who are following paths that challenge gender and social stereotypes. This book and series informed a lot of who I am today and I highly recommend it for kids from about 8-10 years onwards. 

Audiobook narrated by Victor Bevine.

A different direction for our drow protagonist on this third installment. Drizzt has made it out of the underdark and into the surface world. However, he soon finds that his life will still be full of challenges and ones quite different from those he's face before.

- I enjoyed the change of environment and the way the plot placed fresh obstacles in Drizzt's way for him to overcome. Not all challenges can be solved with drow magic or scimitar blades.

- I thoroughly enjoyed the sections with Mooshi and his role in mentoring Drizzt. I love a good fantasy mentor and find the relationship very comforting.

- Throughout this book (and the earlier ones too), I enjoyed the narrative around morals and discussions on what makes a person. Drizzt and other characters face quandaries based on stereotypes, assumptions of their character, the discord between others' perceptions and their own internal conscience. Whilst the trilogy does feel like a traditional good Vs bad fantasy, there are times where it explores the grey areas of morality and how different people come to find peace within themselves.

I've really enjoyed following Drizzt and will return to him again in the future. Definitely recommended for lit RPG fans, those who enjoy fantasy about other races and twisting, episodic storylines.

A worthy sequel to Homeland and a dark and winding continuation of Drizzt's adventures. Drizzt has escaped his home city but threats find and pursue him, both in the wilds of the underdark and from his abandoned family.

- The dungeon master and D&D nerd in me loved meeting all the different creatures, races and monsters within this book, particularly the dark gnomes whose society I found very interesting. Several of these will be put to good use in my home game.

- The portrayal of Drizzt's internal battle and his struggle to remain himself and true to his moral was well done in a slightly clichéd classic fantasy manner. The way his companions and foes affect him is realistic and I enjoyed the sections focused on bonding with friends.

- The book switches between following Drizzt and following the exploits of House Do'Urden and this was a great contrast. The politics of the previous book continued to play out and gave a change of pace from the more action packed sections.

Thoroughly enjoyable and I will be going straight on to Sojourn as I'm eager to see how Drizzt goes on from here. 

A solid and standard Poirot novel featuring all the twists and red herrings one would expect plus a mildly Christmas orientated setting.

"Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" - Lady Macbeth

- A cosy vaguely Christmas themed mystery that, whilst not in the top tier of Christie's works, is a satisfying and enjoyable entry in the series.

- The characters were fascinating and well written and for a good part of the book I was kept guessing. And even when my mind did stumble upon the right solution, this book continually gaslit me with "But are you certain?", as any good mystery should.

Perfect for Christie fans and those that like a good cosy, armchair mystery. I enjoyed reading this over the Christmas period and would recommend it as a comfortable winter read.

A short and sweet graphic novel about two ghosts who bond over their anxieties and help each other in the process.

- The art style is sweet and I enjoyed the monochrome aesthetic.

- A comforting message, possibly more geared towards a YA audience as school work is mentioned a lot. 

- The laid-back pace of the book gelled well with the subject matter and definitely made it easier to enjoy the book.

Sweet, comforting with a nice calm message. Perfect for those wanting a gentle book about mental health.

A combination of song of love for the gifts of earth, the spreading of indigenous American philosophies and histories and botanical/zoological knowledge of the non-human people of America, Braiding Sweetgrass is both heart-warming and cautionary in its delivery.

- I am thankful to the author and this book for how it made me feel. I deliberately took my time reading and the slow, meandering journey made it all the more emotive. How I view the world beyond myself has changed.

- Rather than scaring with statistics or threats that a lot of ecological warnings consist of (quite rightly), Braiding Sweetgrass instead takes the time to show us the relationships and the gifts we stand to loose if we continue on our current paths. Showing how the each part of the world gives and receives motivates me to do better in my life, rather than depressing me into helplessness. 

- The prose is beautiful, though sometimes purple. I learned many new words reading this book (reading the eBook version and having access to quick definitions was definitely a plus) and the poetic way the information is told enhances the stories within.

An experience as much as a book. For anyone who enjoys the natural world, philosophies about humankind's place in the world and stories from indigenous cultures, this book will appeal.

Audiobook narrated by Victor Bevine.

In my spare time, one of my hobbies bar reading is Dungeons & Dragons and running my own campaign. The Drizzt books have been on my radar for several years but I've never got round to them before. Thanks to a convenient audible sale thought, I decided to commence the first book to ring in the new year.

Following the drow elf Drizzt Do-Urden, Homeland details his beginnings from the night of his birth and the events of his early life.

- I love the detailed descriptions of the underdark and the drow society, how Lolth the spider queen influences much of what happens there. Also the house and city systems made sense and added to the way the culture is. The setting has given me ideas for my own campaign 

- Drizzt is a fascinating character, though often overpowered and conveniently succeeds at most things. Despite this I look forward to seeing how he develops in later books, especially his relationship with Guenhwyvar.

- The book is steeped with characters from D&D lore and whilst someone unfamiliar with the game would likely be able to grasp the concepts, it has much more depth for those already familiar with the stereotypical dynamics and background of the game.

An enjoyable fantasy book within a D&D world. Recommended for fantasy RPG fans, fantasy fans and those who enjoy political fantasy.

Audiobook narrated by the author.

Being an NHS midwife, I'm intimately familiar with the delights of working over the Christmas period. As with This Is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay made me laugh and cry and empathise entirely with his festive anecdotes.

- Full of a mix of heartwarming, hilarious, concerning and occasionally extremely sad stories. The balance feels right and the way these are told is excellent. Kay also narrates this brilliantly and made me laugh so much my husband became slightly concerned for my wellbeing.

- A warning: if you are squeamish or not okay with hearing about some of the less funny elements of healthcare, in particular pregnancy loss related, then this book is not going to be your cup of tea. 

Perfect for those who enjoy humourous and real life anecdotes from the NHS with a festive focus. Made me appreciate the work my colleagues and I do each and every day, including over Christmas.

Audiobook narrated by Carey Mulligan.

As someone who has and continues to have mental health struggles, this book offered an interesting perspective. Nora has chosen to end her life but instead ends up in a library where she can try the lives she would have led if she had made different choices.

- Having read several of Haig's books in the past, this has a similar thought-provoking tone. The Midnight Library explores Nora's lives and problems but in doing so encourages the reader to be introspective.

- The idea of the library really caught my imagination and I love the concept. It seems portal fantasy is something I really like and this definitely falls into that category.

- This book does deal with difficult subjects including suicide, abuse, mental health, loneliness and estrangement and the myriad of emotions that accompany those topics. Whilst the message itself is uplifting and reassuring, those chapters could and can be difficult to read.

A wonderful novel from Haig and fans of his should definitely check this out. I would also recommend The Humans which deals with different aspects of mental health. An enjoyable but also purposefully difficult read that could be beneficial to those struggling mentally or for insight into their minds. Be kind.