Audio books have taken over my life! I love the convenience of listening to a book whilst not being relegated to bed or the couch for hours at a time (though I love doing that). I love when there are fun little sounds, a podcast element or it’s read by the author, it really makes my experience more enjoyable and I wanted to share a couple of my favourites with you!
This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt is books that were written before you were born. I was born in 1992 and out of the 400 or so book that I have read over the last 4 years only 2 were published before I was born. So for today’s list I figured I add the other 3 books that are currently on my TBR that were written before 1992 as well to round the number up to five!
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
Just like last year I have decided that every three months I will go through my reading list and pick out the top 10 favourite books I have read during that time. Then at the end of the year I will compile my list and pick out my top 10 overall of 2020. If you want to read any of my reviews for these books just click on the titles!
So my reading recommendations for January, February and March are:
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Lock Every Door by Riley Sager
Loveboat, Taipei by Abigail Hing Wen
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant
Frankly in Love by David Yoon
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Wicked Fox by Kat Cho
The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
I figure its time for another WWW Wednesday Update!
I am currently about 100 or so pages into Golden Son by Pierce Brown, which is the second book in the Red Rising Trilogy!
I just recently finished The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien
I think I want to read Fire by Kristin Cashore which is a companion novel to Graceling. I’ve had this book on my TBR for ages and I really think its about time I gave it a read!
I mean this book is pretty well known but if you haven’t heard it’s about a Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who enjoys a comfortable and quiet life. His contentment is disturbed one day when a wizard named Gandalf and a bunch of dwarves arrive on his doorstep to take him away on an adventure.
I was just in the mood for a stand-a-lone fantasy that I would be able to loose myself in and as I was perusing my shelves I realized I haven’t actually read The Hobbit. I dove straight in and found it a little bit difficult to comprehend at first. There is just something about J.R.R Tolkien’s writing that makes it difficult for me to stay focused, which was similar to my experience reading The Lord of the Rings Trilogy as well. After about the first 100 pages or so I was more familiar with his style and I was able to focus on the actual plot.
Bilbo started off quite a bit blustery and rigid. He definitely goes through a transformation over the course of the plot and we see him become a lot more forward and direct. At time he can be very selfish and I grew weary of him dwelling on his homesickness but it doesn’t stop him from moving forward.
I really wish we would have followed Gandalf and his journey in banishing the necromancer with the rest of the wizarding council. He is such an interesting character that is always weaving in and out of the story and I really would of loved a few chapters from his perspective exclusively.
All of the dwarves were interesting though none really had any depth. I found J.R.R Tolkien never really gave any of his characters other than Bilbo much substance. Their own personal history and personalities are quite shallow. I would of been a lot more invested if we are given a more in depth look into their characters and how they distinguish from each other.
The overall plot was very entertaining and interesting. There is definitely more of a focus on the world building and the establishment of the different creatures that live in Middle Earth as opposed to any character development in my opinion. There were times that the story felt a little rushed but it was exactly what I expected and needed to read at this time!
⭐️3/5 stars Enchanting, adventurous, classic!
Amy Leigh Reads 