Mid Year Reflection 2023

It is coming up on halfway through the year, and what a busy six months it has been! I thought it would be a bit of fun to recap all that’s been happening so far in 2023, considering how much reading I’ve been doing, and how much life I’ve been living. I have been meaning to do monthly wrap-ups again this year, but with the speed at which 2023 has progressed thus far, I’m not surprised that I haven’t been able to get around to them. If I review the books (either here or on my Instagram), I will link to them throughout this post! I apologise for how long this has ended up, but I hope you enjoy!

January —

Probably my favourite month of this year so far since I spent it in the United Kingdom with my partner. We spent the whole month gallivanting around England, Scotland and Ireland, spending time with family and some of my favourite people in this world (Han and Erica). To finally get to spend time with these two lovely humans after being friends for so long was honestly such an incredible start to the year. Anton, Erica and I explored London and the British Museum, and Han, Alex, Anton and I spent a few wonderful, frosty days in Edinburgh. After not being able to travel for three years, getting to see incredible sites like Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, and Edinburgh Castle was my ideal start to the year. During this time, I started to get back into consistently reading and ended up reading the entirety of The Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty. I gave the entire trilogy 4 ★’s, and I would definitely recommend them!

February —

February was less exciting than January, unfortunately. I acclimated back to Australian summer and our timezone and got back to work after my blissful month off. I also got back into tennis and into volunteering at the Hellenic Museum. This month I enjoyed the warmth that Melbourne continued to offer, I took a pottery class and made a very cute, very wonky jewellery bowl, and spent a gorgeous afternoon at the hot springs with two of my favourite people. I finally visited Tori’s Cafe in the city with my lovely and talented friend Vickie (whose business TitlePieces is where I get all of my favourite bookish accessories), and I got an incredible opportunity to handle and pack away some ancient Cypriot pottery. As if this month wasn’t busy enough, I also had my orientation day for my Masters.

Amidst all of that, I still managed to read 9 books! The first book I read was The River of Silver, a small book with numerous novellas from different POVs — the kind of extra book everyone hopes for after finishing an incredible series. Then, I was off on my Lynette Noni spree, where I read all of her books I hadn’t yet read (The Prison Healer Trilogy and then her Whisper Duology). Just like when I read her Medoran chronicles in 2021, I was completely hooked immediately by both of these series, and proceeded to read all five books in the span of less than two weeks. Lynette Noni has quickly become one of my favourite authors of all time. After all of that fantasy/dystopian, I really mellowed with The Three Theban Plays by Sophocles which has quickly become three of my favourite Greek tragedies (although Antigone was already a fave). Then I finally finished The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien before embarking on my Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas reread.

March —

Here’s where life starts to get very, very busy! I officially started my Master of Archaeology this month, and I have a hell of a commute to get there. I also became VP of the Ancient Rome and Greece Club as if I didn’t have enough going on because teaching at a different university also resumed for me! I had three classes of the intro to ancient history and archaeology unit to teach, which was a lot of fun, but a lot of work. Most of this month was spent on the train, reading uni papers, doing assignments, prepping for classes, and drinking a lot of coffee. It took me most of the month to get back into a study routine, but luckily for me everything I was learning was interesting. This month I also turned 25! Mildly terrifying to think about, but I had a wonderful weekend with friends and family, it was low-key but lovely.

Now this is where the reviews stop, but because of how much I had to commute on public transport, the reading didn’t cease with a total of 6 books. On top of the readings for class, I continued my reread of Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fates, Queen of Shadows, and Empire of Storms, while also reading The Assassin’s Blade and Tower of Dawn for the first time. I am a sucker for a romantasy, and this series being more fantasy with a subplot of romance, is one of my favourite series ever.

April —

In April, family from the UK came to visit, so we spent many of our weekends playing tourist, drinking wine and having an all-around great time. We panned for gold at Sovereign Hill (and visited a beautiful bookshop in Ballarat), and spent a night in one of my favourite places, Lorne (on the Great Ocean Road). Continued to spend lots of time in the city and on the train, and continued to increase my caffeine intake as the semester progressed. During April, though, a highlight of the year — Supanova — took place! My lovely friend Amber (@waydes_reads)and I spent the day at the Melbourne Showgrounds, where we listened to author panels, bought lots of books, and met some incredible writers (including two of my favourite authors, Lynette Noni and Samantha Shannon). It’s always a really incredible opportunity to be able to talk to people you admire and tell them just how much you enjoy their work.

This month I finished three books as I had less and less time for recreational reading, I finished Kingdom of Ash which was an incredible finale to the series, and then clearly, I needed some comfort reads since I listened to the audiobooks of A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury — another Sarah J. Maas reread.

May —

This was a far less exciting month as we moved towards the pointy end of the semester. With lots of assessments and marking, comfort food and lots of coffee, I didn’t enjoy my social life quite as much as I had up until this point. Although for Mothers Day, my mum and I headed into the city for a candle-making class at the Hellenic Museum and then to lunch and cocktails. I did get a chance to relax at the end of the month, though, with a facial and massage and brunch at my favourite cafe in Mornington, Commonfolk.

In May, I finished my ACOTAR audiobook reread with A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Frost and Starlight, and A Court of Silver Flames. Then I finally got around to finishing some new books that have been on my TBR for far too long — Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. I read the Grisha Trilogy in 2018, and where I gave that a solid 3 ★’s, this duology was a solid 4 ★’s. It was the dialogue and the dynamic between the crows that really elevated this duology for me, although there is just something about Bardugo’s writing that stops me from really getting immersed in her books.

June —

What is crazy is that it’s already June! Looking back at the year so far, it has struck me just how much I have squeezed into only 5 and a half months. And, of course, unsurprising to everyone at this point, I have squeezed a lot into this month as well. Despite having many, many, many essays to mark, I have managed to go out for a delicious meal with my friends in the city, and I saw my favourite band (Ball Park Music), play twice in one weekend. Not to mention I met the lead singer after the second show and got a pic with him! For the third time this year, I got to tell someone who I admire how much I love their work (although I definitely made a complete fool of myself this time).

As of June 17th, I have finished 5 books. I finally got around to reading Elektra by Jennifer Saint — I adored it! It was so good, and I especially liked Cassandra’s point of view. I have found a new favourite series, Legendborn by Tracy Deonn. I gave both Legendborn and Bloodmarked 5 ★’s and am truly obsessed (especially with Selwyn Kane). This month I have also finished Lightlark (2.5 ★’s) which had a good premise but poor execution, and The Serpent & The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent, which I had seen absolutely everywhere and it did not disappoint. It didn’t do anything particularly unique, but it was still addictive and very enjoyable. A must-read for ACOTAR fans. I am currently reading the second book in the Nightborn Duet The Ashes & The Star-Cursed King, as well as listening to the audiobook of Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin — both of which I am very much enjoying.

Well, that’s probably enough of that! I hope you enjoyed this little life and reading update/reflection. I hope your 2023 is going well! Let me know what your favourite read of the year so far has been, and your favourite month so far!

Review: Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn

Bloodmarked ★★★★★ | Book twenty nine of 2023 | audiobook / paperback

Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn is the second book in the Legendborn Cycle which draws inspiration from Arthurian legends and weaves it into a twenty-first century American setting. This instalment picks up where Legendborn leaves off, and now the stakes are higher than ever with Nick abducted and Bree’s world completely turned on it’s head. This series beautifully handles important and difficult subject matter like grief and loss, trauma, and racism while being an empowering story imbued with magic and love — this series is an absolute gem.

This is one of those rare occasions that the second book in a trilogy was just as good as the first. Bloodmarked not only had me up until the early hours of the morning after reading it all day to finish it, but it is full of complex characters, incredible friendships and friendship-dynamics, a fleshed-out world with intricate magic systems, and a plot that doesn’t loosen it’s grip, even after the final page. We are introdued to many new characters as Bree’s world of the Legendborn and Rootcrafters expands, but Deonn has blessed us with so many incredible scenes with Sel, Bree, William, Alice and Nick. The dialogue in this series is one of my favourite parts about it, along with the personal growth and absolute badassery of our main characters.

“And... you're also the most wondrous being I have ever encountered, will ever encounter. And I believe there is nothing in this world that you cannot do.”

This is one of those books and series that will stay with me long after it is over for more ways than one. You can now find me impatiently waiting for the final book while obsessively re-reading my favourites scnes (*cough* Bree’s birthday *cough*).

Review: Legendborn by Tracy Deonn

Legendborn ★★★★★ | Book twenty eight of 2023 | audiobook / paperback

I have so many thoughts about this book but I have to keep this review short — i don’t want to spoil a single thing.

This book was raw, magical, heartwarming — it has consumed me for the past three days.
Bree, our main character, goes through an incredible journey — she works through and embraces her grief, her trauma. She learns about who she is — her identity is such a foundational aspect of this book — and as she makes her way through magic, her family history, the history of the world she has found herself in, and through it she finds friends, she experiences love and utter heartbreak.

This YA contemporary fantasy draws on the Arthurian legend, a whole body of lore that is slippery, with branches splintering off it as the legend developed through the centuries. Deonn has created something new within the world of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, she includes so many twists and turns in this story I could not stop reading.

I am hooked.

5 stars.
PS. I love Selwyn Kane.

Review: Elektra by Jennifer Saint

Elektra ★★★★☆ | Book twenty seven of 2023 | paperback

Elektra by Jennifer Saint, despite the name, follows the lives of three women from ancient Greek mythology: Clytemnestra, Cassandra, and Elektra. The lives of these women are intertwined through this book through their three points of view as Saint draws comparisons between the women and their journeys through hope, grief, revenge, and peace.

Cassandra, the princess of Troy and sister to Paris, cursed with the gift of prophecy only to never be believed was my favourite of the three women. By disallowing Apollo to take what he believes he deserves after granting her with the gift of prophecy, she is cursed and shunned by her family and her people. Her powerlessness despite her wisdom and her continuous desire to help, to be heard, struck me time and time again.

Such a man speaks poetry in place of facts and thinks he tells a higher truth when all he spins is fantasy (67-68)

One of my favourite aspects of this book was the transformation of Clytemnestra, from a young woman to a loving mother, to having her child murdered by her husband in front of her eyes. The overwhelming grief and need for revenge that radiated from her throughout the novel was almost tangible. Clytemnstra is branded as a murderer who finally gets whats coming to her at the hands of her own son, but Saint reminds us of the grief that must have driven her hand. Saint reminds us that Clytemnestra lived through the worst betrayal, and her shift in demeaner caused by heartbreak humanises her in a way Greek tragedy does not.

Nothing brought them more joy than the fall of a lovely woman. They picked over her reputation like vultures, scavenging for every scrap of flesh they could devour (87)

Saint presents the Curse of Atreus and the Trojan War being experienced by the women. We don’t read pages upon pages of bloodshed from the battle, but the effect these events had on the women in Troy, and in Mycenae. The most striking element to Elektra was the nuance of Saint’s retelling — despite Cassandra, Clytemnestra, Elektra and even Helen all being women living through war, and despite these women being on different sides of the war, Saint binds these women together through shared experiences, while also conveying the varying ways people react to the same events. Elektra holds her father in the highest regard to the final page, believing his sacrifice of her sister was as the gods demanded, all while Clytemnestra kills Agamemnon for her children, assuaging her grief for Iphigenia. In the final moments of Cassandra and Clytemnestra, the women are the same in their desire for peace. Elektra being feulled by revenge as she always hated her mother for, and for her belief that Cassandra was lucky to have been chosen as a slave by such a great king as her father.

This book was a beautiful retelling of a brutal and bloody episode of Greek myth.

Review: Whisper Duology by Lynette Noni

The Whisper Duology ★★★★☆ | Books eight and nine of 2023 | paperback

Lynette Noni has done it again my friends.

Whisper — ★★★★☆

For two and a half years ‘Jane Doe’ or Subject six-eight-four has been held in the secret government facility of Lengard, and during that time she has not uttered a single word. She knows that one wrong word, one single word, could ruin everything.

This was my first sci-fi read in a long while, and I absolutely devoured it! I read this book in one sitting. I truly could not put it down. You start off with absolutely no clue what is going on, and as you keep reading, little snippets are given away until finally, on the last page, you feel all caught up, although you aren’t really and then you’re just feeling lucky that the second book has already been published and you don’t have to wait. The suspense of this book, the fact that you only get slow trickles of the truth, it was addictive.

I thought that the supernatural element of this book was really well thought out, and it felt like something unique. I also loved the main character and her general development throughout the book. It gave me JLA Lux Series vibes which was a bonus, but it had all of Noni’s immersive and captivating writing style and ability to rip out your heart but also smile and laugh as you read. I think one of the things Noni does so well is write an imperfect character. What made this book so gripping was the fact that Jane Doe is imperfect, she’s broken. She has been through hell, and you get the first person account of her life and her trauma. You go with her as she grows. It’s really hard to review a book like this without going things away, since as the reader you’re kept in the dark from the point of view of Jane for the whole book, but another thing that Lynette Noni does is create friendships in books that have the ability to worm their way into your heart and take root. She did this again with the set of characters Jane creates relationships with, and the love interest(s) are of course polar opposite, with one conflicted soul and another dark and adorable. I cannot wait to get into book two.

Weapon — ★★★★☆

All I can say is that I cannot believe how much happened in a single book. As one question got answered three more arose. My main qualm with this book was the lack of Enzo, he is such a ray of sunshine so the fact that he got so little airtime after establishing his friendship with the MC was such a bummer. I loved that although I guessed at a couple of things, I was never really 100% sure what was going on. The new character additions were definitely a highlight, with Keeda, Pandora, Smith, and Arryn, the latter of which quickly became a favourite character of mine. It’s such an odd sensation reading a book with the faintest hint of a feeling that everything isn’t as it seems. Cami is an absolute sweetheart, and after everything the main character and Ward went through in the first book, I really was expecting more from him in this one. I was a little disappointed with his role and the amount of time he was given in the book, but I loved the ending, it had me enraptured.

There was something about reading the main character finally getting to embrace who she is, work though the mysteries of her past, and become a bit of a badass that was such a highlight, although I would have loved to have read more about her developing her powers, and really growing as a Speaker throughout the book. Plus, I feel like there were still a few unanswered questions at the end of it that I would have loved the answers to.

Overall this was a brilliant sci-fi duology that had me absolutely hooked from the first page. Noni gives you just enough info to keep our head out of the water but infuriatingly little that you cannot put it down until all of your questions have been answered. Addictive and another incredible read from Lynette Noni.

Review: The Prison Healer Series by Lynette Noni

The Prison Healer Series ★★★★★ | books five, six, and seven of 2023 | paperback/e-book

This review of the entire series is spoiler free, but it’s also a rave because I loved it so much. Lynette Noni has taken her place firmly as one of my favourite authors of all time. This is the second time that she has made me fall completely in love with reading again, completely in love with a series and with a whole set of characters. This series has consumed my every waking moment since I started it. The emotion that Noni evoked from me while I read this series (in particular the final book) is the reason I read. A re-read so I can annotate all of my favourite parts is definitely in my future. Thankyou, Lynette Noni.

The Prison Healer ★★★★★ — Hooked me from the first page. Kiva is such a great main character. It had a plot that sucked me in, but it was the characters, the found family, Naari, Tipp, and Jayden that sealed the deal for me. Honestly, this book gave me the YA fantasy hit I needed. I hate that, once again, I have waited so long to pick up another great book, especially considering I DEVOURED the Medoran Chronicles. The ending to this made me SO glad that I waited until the entire trilogy had been published though. This book kept me on my toes just enough that I didn't quite know what was coming next, but still managed to rip my heart out and made me verbally ‘aawww’ a few times — all the signs of a good book.

The Gilded Cage ★★★★☆ — now I may not have liked it as much as the first book, but boy was I completely entranced. Lynette Noni had me hanging on her every word. I just kept picking this book up at every available moment. This blog is a Jaren fan club, as it is a Caydon fan club. I think the thing that bothered me was because of how attached I have become to Jaren, to Naari and to Tipp, and Kiva’s inability to choose a side when it was so clear which side she needed to take. I love her spunk and especially in the prison healer, I loved her morals. The way she stood up for the people who needed her help, and her loyalty to those she cared for. I just felt like Kiva was a different person in this second instalment, which, because now I am sucked in hook, line, and sinker, just had me screaming at her to pull it together!! As always, my rating is 100% on vibes and I still absolutely LOVED this book, it was just Kiva’s choices and constant conflicting emotions throughout that bothered me (especially with one side of the conflict clearly not being deserving of her). But god, did it make for incredible reading.

The Blood Traitor ★★★★★ — I think I loved this as much as I loved the first one. The trauma, the healing, the found family, the redemption, the love, the magic. I am finding it hard to put into words how this book affected me. I haven’t felt so strongly about fictional characters in a very long time. The main group of characters in this book, their dynamic together and separately was the highlight. Noni gave us some incredible character arcs, some twists I didn’t see coming, and some truly heartwarming and heartwrenching moments. The suspense of the first 80% of this book (iykyk) had me unable to put it down. It was wonderful being introduced to more of the world, and despite me (as always) wanting more exploration of the world Noni has created, it wasn’t necessary to the greater story. The development of friendships and personal growth in this book was one of the things that struck me the most. The plot was more fast-paced in this one than the previous two, and to say I was hanging off every single word is an understatement. It’s impossible to say more without ruining something so I will have to leave it at that.

If you have read this series, let me know how you found it! Are you as completely obsessed as me?

Review: The Daevabad Trilogy (books 2 and 3) by S. A. Chakraborty

The Kingdom of Copper ★★★★☆ | book two of 2023 | e-book

The Empire of Gold ★★★★☆ | book three of 2023 | e-book

The Kingdom of Copper and The Empire of Gold by S. A. Chakraborty are books two and three of the Daevabad Trilogy, a rich fantasy trilogy full of epic battles, feuding families and magic. Books two and three of the trilogy were just as enthralling as City of Brass, and although I went into book two still mildly confused with all of the different types of djinn and daeva and the connection between Nahid and Ashfin, I enjoyed the entire series all the same. The books didn't get 5 ★ ratings from me only for a couple of reasons. I thought that the books could have used one final edit as there were a couple of errors and unclear phrasing. I also feel like the magic system wasn’t fully explained, and I still found the different groups and who they were loyal to a bit confusing.

But as always, I review books based on the vibes and my personal enjoyment over anything else. I found myself picking up my kindle constantly, and reading until I fell asleep, something I haven’t felt the urge to do in a long time. The books made me laugh out loud, and the characters and their sarcasm and quips and the whole combination of found family and enemies-friends-lovers triangle of sorts all had me hooked. Every scene with Nahri and Ali either brought a smile to my face, or made me laugh.

I particularly enjoyed the character development throughout this series, and I loved having three POV’s throughout the entire trilogy. It gave the story depth, and allowed the reader an intimate look into the minds of our three main characters. Nahri, Ali, and Dara were all nuanced characters that go through so much in the course of the books, I loved having each of their perspectives. The different relationships and dynamics of this book was an absolute highlight, and although the book is definitely plot driven, it is also character driven (and you know me, I love a book driven by its characters). I have gone through and tabbed/underlined all of the sections I highlighted on my kindle, and its safe to say that this is definitely one of the more thoroughly annotated book series I have read.

This series was a wonderful start to 2023, and hopefully it just keeps getting better. Have you read this series? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or over on my Instagram ✨

Dear 2023...

If you’re new here then welcome, if not, welcome back. Last year, 2022, was a busy, chaotic, rewarding year. I undertook new challenges and filled my days with work that enriched me. I didn’t read as many books as I was planning on at the beginning of the year, but I wasn’t planning on having such a busy year.

I finished a total of 28 books in 2022, which I am really happy with considering I was doing my work for World History Encyclopedia, tutoring at a university and volunteering at a museum towards the end of the year. I will never be one of those people who read 100 + books in a year, but I’m okay with that.

2022 Reading stats

Out of the 28 books I read last year, 17 of them were physical (so either hardback or paperback), 3 of them were e-books and 9 were audiobooks. I had an average rating of 4.13 / 5 which tells me I made some good reading decisions last year, and I finally got to some books I have been meaning to read for a long time (The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, Mythos, If We Were Villains). My most read genre of the year, unsurprisingly, was fantasy, and my favourite read of the year were House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper, Vicious by V. E. Schwab, and If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio. That being said, the non-fiction I read River Kings by Cat Jarman and Queens of Jerusalem by Katherine Pangonis were both really wonderful books, considering they were outside of my comfort zone I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed them! I also loved diving into The Story of Tutankhamun by Gary Shaw, in celebration of the hundred year anniversary of the discovery of the boy king’s tomb.

2023 reading goals

This year I am going back to university to do my masters in archaeology, and I will be juggling multiple jobs and volunteering commitments so I’m not going to pretend as if I am going to have ample free time to read. I am looking forward to being a student again, although wracked with nerves at the same time! However, I would like to make a conscious decision this year to read rather than watch TV. I would like to keep working my way slowly through my physical tbr, and only purchase a select few anticipated releases (such as The Temple of Fortuna by Elodie Harper and Atalanta by Jennifer Saint).

I have already finished a book this year, The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty, and I am looking forward to finishing the series, as well as finishing The Lord of the Rings trilogy in audiobooks, and Heroes by Stephen Fry that I am in the midst of reading at the moment. I would like to finally read Elektra by Jennifer Saint (considering Ariadne was one of my favourite reads of 2021 I’m not sure why it’s taking me so long to pick this one up), and honestly, I’m looking forward to seeing where my mood reading takes me.

What are your goals for 2023, reading to otherwise? I would love to hear them!

Review: The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

★★★★☆ | book one of 2023 | e-book

— what a brilliant first read of the year!

The City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty is the first book in the Daevabad Trilogy. The tale is heavily grounded in Middle Eastern folklore and includes Arabian nights influences (I’m not all that familiar with Arabian nights but that is the consensus). The book is set in Egypt, and also Daevabad, the fictional land of the Daeva, Djinn and Shafit. As an ancient history graduate, I loved the setting of the book. It brings me joy to recognise things like the Euphrates River, and the use of ziggurats in the Daevabad capital, not to mention the setting of Cairo. The book includes a rich fantasy world and a diverse range of characters set within a highly political city.

I did find it confusing at times, I wasn’t sure if it was because I didn’t pay enough attention to something important early on in the book, or if it really just wasn’t all that clear throughout. I found it difficult to keep the machinations of the world in order, the difference between the Djinn and the Daeva, which tribes liked whom and which were enemies. It didn’t necessarily ruin the book for me because I personally love deep world building, complex political situations and when authors are uncompromising with their world, however, I often found myself reading but not completely understanding what was going on.

The general air of confusion I had while reading it made it difficult to ascertain which characters were on whose side, however I still enjoyed the diverse cast of people. Loved the MC Nahri in the beginning as a conwoman who basically fell into this new world, but towards the end she became less interesting to me. Ali is a complex character who I really enjoyed being in the mind of, and Dara, well, he always gave me weird vibes but I also can’t help but feel bad for the guy and I definitely liked him a lot for the first half / 3/4 of the book — definitely harbouring conflicting feelings for him. The book was more violent than I was anticipating, but overall I think it added to the authenticity of the story, and heightened the risks.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I struggled to put it down despite my comprehension issues at times. My confusion around some of the terms and the world itself didn't really affect my enjoyment, and the ending has me picking up the next book right away.

Have you read this book or this series? Let me know what you think of it!

Review: The Story of Tutankhamun by Garry Shaw

★★★★☆.5 | paperback | book twenty-four of 2022 — I was provided a free paperback Advance Uncorrected Bound Proof, and finished hardback copy from Yale University Press — thankyou!

The Story of Tutankhamun by egyptologist Garry J. Shaw is a brilliantly written new biography of the boy king, spanning from his birth and early life under his father Akhenaten’s new religious regime, all the way up to his death and the discovery and subsequent treatment of his mummy and burial goods in the twenty-first century. This is truly a wonderful addition to the centenary celebration of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon.

The Story of Tutankhamun undertakes a monumental challenge of synthesising everything that we do and do not know about Tutankhamun and displaying that information in a digestible manner that readers of all knowledge levels could not only understand, but enjoy. Shaw’s book utilises the most recent scholarship and scientific data to construct a hypothetical narrative of the boy king’s life, which I absolutely adored. Shaw draws on archaeological evidence, images, texts and all sorts of available data and research to reconstruct Tutankhamun’s life beginning in Amarna under pharaoh Akhenaten. If you aren’t familiar with the reign of Akhenaten, Egypt under this particular pharaoh was radically different as Akhenaten raised the sun disk the ‘Aten’ as the supreme deity of the region. He closed the temples and moved the capital of Egypt to Akhenaten (known today as Tell-el-Amarna). So, Tutankhamun was probably born in Amarna and was definitely born into a unique and radical time in ancient Egypt’s history. Shaw introduces us to how Tutankhamun's early life may have looked, and then goes on to give a really intimate look into just how difficult it would have been for the young boy (because he really was only a boy when he acme pharaoh), to navigate his years as king of Egypt.

Shaw then basically reconstructs the rest of Tutankhamun’s life, and the important things he undertook during his very short reign, and he does this by including as many of the artefacts found in the young king’s burial as possible. There is something deeply intimate about reconstructing the life of a boy who died over three-thousand years ago using artefacts that he would have owned, touched, used, and were deemed important enough to be buried with him to take to the next life.

Shaw doesn't finish his book at the death of Tutankhamun, but goes on to describe ancient Egypt after his death, and the following destruction of his name and image by his successors. Then, he moves thousands of years into the future, and to the incredible discovery of the tomb, and the mummy. I loved reading about the steps involved not only to the initial discovery and why it took so long to be found, but also the arduous and somewhat destructive process it was cataloguing and emptying the tomb.

This new biography of the young king doesn't necessarily add any new information to the wealth of knowledge of Tutankhamun, but that’s not the point. Garry Shaw has done a remarkable job synthesising everything we know and don’t know about Tutankhamun and created a compelling narrative-style breakdown of his life. This book is both a wonderful place for those who are new to Tutankhamun to learn about not only what was found, but how it may have been used during the king’s life, but with all of the recent scholarship to back it up. Not to mention the book is full of stunning colour images of artefacts and historical images which just adds to the tale.

If you are a lover of ancient Egypt, or you would like to learn a bit more about the household name Tutankhamun, then I could not recommend this book enough!

Review: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

★★★★☆ I am so happy to have finally read this book, and I am looking forward to continuing my J. R. R. Tolkien reads with the Lord of the Rings trilogy!

Full disclosure, I have attempted to read this book (and the Fellowship of the Ring) many, many times. Every time I’ve picked it up I have gotten about 20% of the way through and then given up. However, this time was different. I was looking for a new audiobook (I’m now on Scribd and I would definitely recommend it to all you audiobook lovers out there), and The Hobbit popped up on the home screen. I am so glad I decided to hit play, because this book was so wonderful (I know I am probably the very last person on earth to read this book).

I think the main thing I enjoyed about The Hobbit was the feeling that the narrator of the tale was talking right to me. The writing style was so captivating (although more so in the audiobook version for me), and it helps that the narrator, Andy Serkis, was absolutely brilliant. His Gollum is so good and very, very creepy (as it should be since he is the voice of Gollum in the movies!)

There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

I felt such a kinship with Bilbo and his conflicting desires to be on an adventure, and also be back at his cosy hobbit hole drinking tea and eating cake. I don’t think I have ever related to a character so strongly before, since I always want to be both exploring and adventuring, and also cosy and warm in the comfort of my own home. As you probably already know, Bilbo is joined by thirteen dwarves and the wizard Gandalf in his hobbit hole, and the adventure truly unfolds from there. Bilbo and his team come across goblins and elves and all sorts of magical, wondrous creatures, not to mention, the dragon Smaug. And of course, they get into all sorts of trouble and mishaps on their travels to the Mountain.

This is truly one of the most wholesome, and quite unexpected novels filled with a journey that keeps taking turns you don’t expect. If you’re like me and you’ve been putting off reading this book for no good reason, or the physical books aren’t for you, then I would definitely recommend the audiobook!

Have you read The Hobbit? Please do let me know your thoughts in the comments, or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨✨

Review: The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper

★★★★★ — The House with the Golden Door was probably my most anticipated read for this year, and boy, I was not disappointed! Please do not read on if you haven’t read The Wolf Den.

The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper is the second in a trilogy, which began with my favourite read of 2021, The Wolf Den. I am always slightly hesitant when it comes to the second instalment of a trilogy, with many (Catching Fire excluded) often serving as nothing more than a stepping stone or filler to a grand conclusion. The House with the Golden Door, however, did not fall into this unfortunate phenomenon.

Historical Context

Elodie Harper has once again produced a captivating historical fiction novel that takes you right into the streets and the homes of ancient Pompeii. Set in 75 CE, Pompeii is still a thriving Roman town, looked on by Venus Pompeiana, the patron deity of the city. When reading this book, it feels like you are walking right alongside Amara, you can feel the heat beat down on you as she sits in her garden, you can feel the cobblestones as she walks the streets and you can almost see the detailed wall paintings described throughout the book. This is particularly interesting since in 79 CE, Mount Vesuvius erupted and the entire city of Pompeii (and the neighbouring city of Herculaneum) was covered in ash, preserving the daily life of ancient Romans in Pompeii.

First Writer: Lovers, like bees, live a honeyed life.

Second Writer: I wish.

— Pompeii Graffiti exchange (pg. 189)

Harper includes vivid detail of surviving wall art, architectural features and even whole buildings (like The Wolf Den which survives along with the erotic wall paintings). Harper continues to include snippets of graffiti from the walls of Pompeii, and introduces us to different homes and interiors. Harper has the distinct ability to use what survives of the ancient city, and the lives of those who once inhabited it, and bring it back to life, or, has given it a second life, a new life.

My Thoughts

This was a beautiful and heart-wrenching tale. As you know, this series of books follows Amara, a Greek woman who was sold into slavery and ended up as a prostitute in the brothel at Pompeii, known as the Lupanar or ‘Wolf Den.’ At the end of the previous instalment, poor Dido was killed, and Amara was freed by Pliny, and given a new home to live in by her Patron, Rufus. So although she was heartbroken with the death of her friend, having to leave her fellow women behind at the brothel and having to end her budding romance with a fellow slave Menander, she was feeling optimistic about her newfound freedom. Just because this book wasn’t set primarily in the brothel doesn’t mean it was a light and happy read. Amara has to be more courageous than she ever has before in the face of heartache and betrayal. Her friendships with the women she left behind don’t remain the same as when they were all at the same social standing, and the fluctuation of these personal relationships made this story feel all the more real.

The gods raised you to freedom. Treating slaves as equals only lowers you back to the gutter you came from.' (pg. 90)

The House with the Golden Door is an incredibly nuanced exploration of the social lives and class structure both in Pompeii and the wider Ancient Roman world. We see these social complexities all through the eyes of Amara, who is grappling with her own shifting status, now as a freedwoman, with slaves of her own, however still at the complete mercy of Rufus, and to another extent Felix. Harper delves into these social complexities by exploring the rules to be upheld and the social expectations to be maintained by a freedwoman, who wants to reclaim agency over her own life but is still restricted. I think what struck me early on was how believable it all felt. We as readers experience the conflicting aspects of Amara’s life, the intricacies of social relationships she has to uphold, and the deterioration of some of her friendships. To expect her relationships to stay static while she changes as a character in both status and mind, would feel false. However, Amara’s liminal role as a freedwoman dependant on a man whose love is dwindling and who knows intimately the life of a slave, traverses a new world of love, deceit and friendship that sees her continually grow in courage and strength.

I love the way Harper sets up her chapters. She prefaces each chapter with a quote, either from an ancient poet or writer, or graffiti found at Pompeii. These aren’t just random quotes, but they are imbued with the theme of the following chapter, and really set either the physical or emotional scene for Amara. These kinds of details absolutely blow me away, and it’s one of the main reasons why I adore this book (and its predecessor).

Have you read The House with the Golden Door or The Wolf Den? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, or over on my Instagram @kell_read ✨