Friday Reads: Kingdom of Ash and Theatrical

In some ways, I can't believe it's already halfway through January. In others, that first week back to work after Christmas doesn't half drag, does it? Anyway, I'm here with a little reading update.

This morning I finally finished Kingdom of Ash, the finale to the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Maas. I started the mammoth of a book on the 1st of the month if you can believe it! I know it's nearly 1000 pages but that is a long time for me to be reading one book. Part of that was because I couldn't take it to work with me - no way was I carting that to and from work every day! So, finally finished it and I'm... conflicted. 

Now, despite all the gossip and drama with SJM's books, I do like them. But because it has been so long since I read the book before, and I just point-blanked refused to buy/read the Chaol spin-off book, I couldn't remember a lot. And I mean a lot! Names, places, shared histories - pfft, gone from my brain. So I don't think I got max enjoyment because of that. The other thing was, of course, the length of the book. I did enjoy the last 100 pages or so, that last big battle and the happy-ever-after wrap-up, but the toing and froing between all these groups of people, sometimes overlapping, sometimes not even really doing anything, that got boring quickly. All in all, glad I read it and completed the series but it wasn't the grand finale I expected, I think.

The other book I'm reading is Theatrical by Maggie Harcourt. I started this last week and I'm halfway through, just reading it on my kindle in my lunch breaks. Really loving it so far, I love the theatre and would so love to know more about the goings-on backstage, plus I've been looking forward to this book since the summer and I needed a contemporary story to break up Kingdom of Ash and my next read, which is going to be The Wicked King by Holly Black.

Let me know what you've been reading and enjoying so far this month and see you next time!

New Year, New Blogging Strategy?

Hello! As you may already be aware, this blog has very nearly died a death and I accept complete blame for that. I really haven't been putting in the effort - life didn't exactly snap back to normal after I finished university like I thought it would and honestly, blogging has been the last thing on my mind. But I don't want to abandon this blog (although, honestly, I'm a little tempted)! However, things are going to change around here.

Obviously, I haven't really been around much and that's because I went back to work in September to a major regime change and general re-structure. That means for a while, I was at risk of losing my job, the rest of my team and I had to apply for our jobs and the whole department got a reshuffle. It was all very confusing for about 3 months. But then, good news! I was interviewed and offered a job in a different department for full-time hours!

(Note for the confused: for three years, I have worked part-time in a college library. Starting in the new term, i.e. next week, I will be working in the Learning Support section of the same college.)

What this means, apart from more money, is that I'll be working a lot more than I've been used to and therefore am unlikely to be blogging or even reading or checking book-twitter as often as I do now. But I have a plan! I think. I'm going to write more relaxed, reading-update-style posts and have a monthly mini-review round up. That way, I still write formal reviews but also you guys, if you care, can stay up to date with my reading progress - and probably prod me if I'm getting behind! How does that sound?

Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see happen on this blog, and if you have any reading resolutions for the new year?