2017 is here and about time.
Of course my first post of the year is a TBR, however I’ve got some other exciting things planned for this blog in 2017! Last month I managed to read four (and a half) books, so I’m optimistically squeezing five onto my list this month.
Here’s my TBR for January 2017:
1. On Writing – Stephen King
‘“Long live the King” hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King’s On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it—fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.’ – Goodreads
One of the challenges that I have set myself this year is to read at least one non-fiction book every month. So I’m trying to kick January off on the right track with Stephen King’s autobiography/writing guide.
2. The Traveller Series – Tiffany Teoh
‘The series started from a longing to want to travel after hearing all the good and bad tales from long term backpackers.Every single piece that made it and didn’t make it in this is book has a special place in my heart as they were the beginning of a journey of a memory that never happened, but a longing that was constant.We all naturally have it in us to wonder and wander, it’s just a matter of allowing it to take you to places.’ – Goodreads
I wrote a blog post in October about all the reasons why I want to read this book – read it here. Finally this January I think I’m going to have enough time to get round it reading this collection. Yay.
3. Soucery – Terry Pratchett
‘All this books and stuff, that isn’t what it should all be about. What we need is real wizardry.
There was an eighth son of an eighth son. He was, quite naturally, a wizard. And there it should have ended. However (for reasons we’d better not go into), he had seven sons. And then he had an eighth son… a wizard squared…a source of magic…a Sourcerer. Unseen University has finally got what it wished for: the most powerful wizard on the disc. Which, unfortunately, could mean that the death of all wizardry is at hand. And that the world is going to end, depending on whom you listen to. Unless of course one inept wizard can take the University’s most precious artefact, the very embodiment of magic itself, and deliver it halfway across the disc to safety…’ – Goodreads
Another one of my 2017 challenges is to try and read all of Terry Pratchett’s novel, most likely it won’t happen but I made a bet with a friend of mine. There’s a whole £5 at stake people! I have this one out of the library at the moment so I’ll start with it – I hope you all don’t get board of Terry Pratchett reviews…
4. Death Comes to Pemberley – P. D. James
‘It is 1803, six years since Elizabeth and Darcy embarked on their life together at Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. Their peaceful, orderly world seems almost unassailable. Elizabeth has found her footing as the chatelaine of the great house. They have two fine sons, Fitzwilliam and Charles. Elizabeth’s sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live nearby; her father visits often; there is optimistic talk about the prospects of marriage for Darcy’s sister Georgiana. And preparations are under way for their much-anticipated annual autumn ball.Then, on the eve of the ball, the patrician idyll is shattered. A coach careens up the drive carrying Lydia, Elizabeth’s disgraced sister, who with her husband, the very dubious Wickham, has been banned from Pemberley. She stumbles out of the carriage, hysterical, shrieking that Wickham has been murdered. With shocking suddenness, Pemberley is plunged into a frightening mystery.
Inspired by a lifelong passion for Austen, P.D. James masterfully re-creates the world of Pride and Prejudice, electrifying it with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted crime story, as only she can write it.’ -Goodreads
Picked up randomly due to a librarian’s recommendation (got to get those Bookish Bingo squares, am I right guys?) I’m quite looking forward to reading this. She described it to me as perfect for the fan of literature and of crime – so I have to give it a go!
5. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street – Natasha Pulley
‘1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties.
The Watchmaker of Filigree Street is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy, it opens doors to a strange and magical past.’ – Goodreads
This book was written by one of my favourite teachers a Uni, so I bought myself it as a reward for making it through this last term. I haven’t had time to read it over Christmas so I’m hoping to have time to get round it this New Year!
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Let me know what you’re planning to read this January or if you’ve read any of these already – I’d love to hear what you thought of them. Happy New Year everybody, I hope you find your new favourite book in 2017!
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