Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) included. They are marked with an *. No affiliate links used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
I finished 2018 with a heavy dose of non-fiction, which seems appropriate considering 45 of the 70 books I read last year fell into the non-fiction category. It seems I’m all about the memoirs, essay collections and feminist non-fiction these days, which I am thoroughly enjoying.
Once upon a time I did weekly round-ups of articles, blog posts and stuff from the internet that caught my attention. While I grew tired of that particular blog post format, I do still enjoy sharing those things on Twitter (follow me here, if that sounds like something you’ll enjoy!). For the last couple of years I have shared the articles, from the previous year, that had the biggest impact on me. This is year no different.
Some of these articles stayed with me because I agree with them wholeheartedly. Some made me think about things differently. Many made me realise that I need to do better especially with anti-racism work. They’ve helped me understand the world a little better or challenged my views on certain issues, in the way that great writing so often does.
Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) included. They are marked with an *. No affiliate links used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
A more accurate title for this post would be ‘My Favourite Books of 2018’ because not all of them were published in 2018, but I called my first yearly book round-up the ‘Best Books of’ back in 2015 and feel the need to be consistent so we’re just going to go with it.
2018 was the year I stopped rating books by stars on Goodreads. I still list the books I’ve read (you can find me here), but I realised that star ratings are not something I judge books on and, to be honest, there can be so little difference between four and five stars that they feel pointless.
It was also the year of reading to my own schedule instead of feeling that I needed to read the latest releases all the time. That said, by being more selective with the advance reader copies I accepted six of my top ten were books I was sent for review purposes (they’re marked with an * throughout the post). Turns out I quite enjoy reading new releases, even when it is at my own pace!
Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) included. They are marked with an *. No affiliate links used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
November was the month of the chest infection from hell (the joys of a suppressed immune system!), which meant lots of time curled up on the couch spent reading in between painful coughing fits. Here are the books that saw me through it.
Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) included. They are marked with an *. No affiliate links used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
I’ve been dealing with an arthritis flare-up for the past few months. As a result, the blog has taken a back seat because typing has been difficult. While I’ve been reading a lot, partly due to painsomnia, I’m only getting round to writing about the books I read in October now.
I’ve written about how I became a feminist and reading played a significant role in that. I have a list on my phone of all the feminist non-fiction I have read over the last few years.
Books that resonated with me when I first started learning about feminism leave me frustrated now. Intersectionality is the reason for that. It wasn’t a concept I was familiar with then, but the books on this list all deal with feminism from an intersectional perspective.
Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) included. They are marked with an *. No affiliate links used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
Earlier this year I scaled back the number of advance reader copies (ARCs) I accept for review from publishers and authors. As a result, I’ve really been enjoying reading books as and when they grab my attention. Here are the books I read during September.
We are all shaped by the world around us. In positive ways, negative ways and complicated ways. When you read a lot, words on pages help shape your thinking and experiences. Sometimes you understand why. Sometimes books affect you in ways you cannot fully explain or understand.
View this post on Instagram
“Maybe now it will actually begin to feel real. We actually did it.” I type, not for the first time. Clicking “send tweet” as the tears begin to fall. Opening Facebook, I type a similar message. The Kerry for Choice WhatsApp group is next, followed by an expletive laden text to P. My phone is buzzing so much it scares Arwen (the dog).
President Higgins signed the Thirty-Sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill into law. The Eighth Amendment has officially been Repealed. Yet, the joy I expect isn’t there. Relief and exhaustion are all I have. They are all I’ve had since May 25th.
Some Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) included. They are marked with an asterisk *. No affiliate links used. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
My reading has been sporadic recently so I have, once again, combined multiple months into one quick-fire reviews round-up. Here are the books I read during July and August.