2019 started off very well for me; reading wise, anyway.

I got to read some fantastic books in January and, thanks to a readathon hosted by popthebutterfly, I had a total of 6!! Have I mentioned how much I love readathons?!?

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

There has been a lot of hype around this book, so when the opportunity arose, I bought it because I needed to know what all the fuss was about.

Needless to say, it wasn't all that!

Sure, the author does the book justice in portraying Fairie-kind as we all know them to be; fickle, cruel and self serving - but when your MC is excruciatingly annoying, it becomes a bit of a slog to read. Add in the fact that it is also highly predictable and you get a mediocre read at best.

Rating : 3/5

The Colour Of Bee Larkham's Murder by Sarah J Harris

Another new author for me and this book surprised me pleasantly. I won a giveaway in June, I think, from NB Publishers and I won a promotional copy of Bee Larkham; Paint your own cover- it even included 12 little pots of acrylic paints and a paintbrush!

This was my second read of 2019 and I definitely enjoyed it. Those of you who have been following me for a while know that I have an autistic nephew; this book was written in such a way that I feel I can understand how he thinks a little better.

Please Note : This book is not an #OwnVoice novel (as I understand it).

Very well written with strong characters and amazing growth! Full of intrigue, this book will keep you guessing. Definitely check it out!

Full review coming soon!

Rating : 5/5

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Love, love, LOVED this book!!!

I have been dying to read this ever since I found out about it and I am so glad I finally read it!!!

Simon and Baz = Saz ?? #AllTheHeartEyes

Rainbow Rowell's writing is similar to Sarah J Maas's style, being clean, uncluttered and simple - no flowery flourishes or poetic prose - yet the words just flow off thebook and into your eye holes!

Character development is really great and I'd love to know see more of each of these characters, if Rainbow a sequel, etc. All the characters are relatable and well written and are super easy to love.

I have to admit that Simon is just a tad annoying in the first half of the book....

Rating : 4/5

The Language Of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

In case I wasn't convinced with the Six of Crows duology (which, I assure you, is not the case), this book has made me a forever Leigh Bardugo fan

Simply exquisite!!

Find my full review here : https://mrpinkink.wordpress.com/2019/02/07/pinkreads-book-review-022-the-language-of-thorns-by-leigh-bardugo/

Rating : 5/5

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

This book has just become my new all time favourite book!!! TPOBAW didn't just surprise me; it completely blew me away!!

Beautifully written, Stephen delves inside the teenage the mind and "translates" it in such a simple way; Charlie reminded me of when I was 15 and innocent and clueless, lol.

The character development is also really well done, because one can grow a lot in the course of a year or two - these being the "formative years" and all - and you cannot help but laugh and cry and get angry in all the right places.

This is a phenomenal read and I highly recommend everyone reads it at least once; this also makes a great gift for your teenagers - encourage them to read it after you have or even with you.

Full review coming soon.

Rating : 5/5

The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson

Take some Gaelic Folklore with a modern day fantasy twist, add in a smattering of romance, betrayal and espionage, and what do you get? The Wren Hunt.

Quick and easy to read, the writing is clear and concise - except for the all the Gaelic words... I feel that a book like this should have an included Glossary, because only Irish people know these words, or can pronounce them....

I love the main character, Wren, and how she deals with adversity and how she thinks for herself while she's torn between doing what her family wants her to do, what the community wants from her and what her job needs her to be.

The Wren Hunt will certainly keep you entertained of an evening; just make sure you have some coffee / tea and a snack or two to hand.

Rating : 4/5

And that is how I spent my time in January... What was on your TBR for January? Have you read any of these? Share your thoughts and comments in the comments section and tell me about it. As usual, please don't forget to like and share. Until next time...

Keep smiling