15 (very) mini-reviews - January to March round-up

Where has the first quarter of this year gone? It seems to have flown by. One minute it's dark and soggy January, and all of a sudden Spring has well and truly sprung! My garden has come alive with bluebells and dandelions (nice and wild, just the way I like it!). It's getting warm enough to read outside now (with a nice cup of tea, listening to the birds singing etc.)

My year so far has been filled with lots of lovely books and I am well on track to meet my goal of 50 books this year. I am also doing swimmingly on my book-buying ban... I've actually found it a lot easier than I thought, my library has kept me very happy!

Below is a list of the books I read in January, February and March, with my thoughts on each summed up in one (not particularly grammatically correct) sentence. I'm hoping to get back on track with blogging and regular reviews in the coming months!

1. The First Book of Calamity Leek by Paula Lichtarowicz.
★★★★ (4 stars). Beautifully written, powerful, dark and sad - a twisted tale of sisterhood and survival in the face of extreme cruelty, with a very unique and ambitious narrative.

2. Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake.
★★★★ (4 stars). A demanding read, yet rewarding - a real blast of the grotesque, one of those books that fits in to the category of "not quite like anything else I've read before..."

3. Aurorarama (The Mysteries of New Venice #1) by Jean-Christophe Valat.
★★★★ (4 stars). A mesmerizing mix of fantasy, alt-history, sci-fi and steampunk, with a literary feel and exquisite world-building.

4. The Invention of Hugo Carbet by Brain Selznick.
★★★★ (4 stars). Utterly charming, very sweet and poignant - an ode to childhood, wonder and the birth (and power) of cinema.

5. Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede.
★★★ (3 stars). An American alt-history filled with adventure and magic, a very sweet protagonist and a gripping story, but deeply (and very sadly) flawed - see the reviews on Goodreads for more details.

6. Cold Earth by Sarah Moss.
★★★★ (4 stars). A chilling, very absorbing read that had me transfixed from start to finish (thank you so much to Hannah for sending me her copy of this wonderful book!).

7. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol.
★★★★ (4 stars). A very charming and spooky graphic novel - a coming-of-age tale with a ghostly twist!

8. Ivy by Sarah Oleksyk.
★★ (2 stars). Another graphic novel, not bad, just a bit too angsty and angry for my tastes.

9. Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor.
★★★★ (4 stars). Stunning sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone - I was utterly transfixed, yet again, by this author's magical storytelling.

10. All the Birds, Singing by Evie Wild.
★★★★ (4 stars). A beautiful book, a stark portrayal of fear, old ghosts and painful pasts, but also hope and moving forward.

11. The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince by Robin Hobb.
★★★★ (4 stars). Two simple but elegant tales from a master story-teller, accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

12. Naming Monsters by Hannah Eaton.
★★★★ (4 stars). A very moving graphic novel about loss and bereavement, a thought-provoking study of cryptozoology and the real-life monsters that weave our myths.

13. Burial Rites by Hannah Kent.
★★★★★ (5 stars). Heartbreaking and hauntingly beautiful, well-crafted, stunning, unforgettable.... READ THIS BOOK!*

14. Lips Touch: Three Times by Laini Taylor
★★★★ (4 stars). Three vibrant, creative stories, accompanied by awesome illustrations by the author's husband that bring the stories (even more) to life.

15. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
★★★★ (4 stars). A very insightful graphic memoir, intelligent, witty and moving - a great read.

*My book of the year so far.