Welcome to This Week by Proxy. Join me as I look back on the past week to see which books I’ve read, the reviews I’ve posted and the goals I’ve completed.
| This Week by Proxy: 01 – 18 March 2018 |
I seem to have managed to avoid doing an end of week or end of month post for some time so this week’s post will be a little more beefy than usual! Even though it serves to make me look as though I’ve read a hefty amount of books, it really does highlight the abysmal number of reviews that have surfaced over that time. A big fat zero. I definitely need to schedule in a few more… or at least one. Yes, one would probably do it.
I hope you’ve all had wonderful weeks, happy reading everybody!
| Books Read |
| 1. |
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames
A complete impulse buy, the hype surrounding this book completely went over my head. But wow, were they right. With a band of gritty and dangerous characters, Kings of the Wyld is a non-stop thrill ride from start to finish.
| 2. |
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Following on from my Top Ten Tuesday post about books I could re-read forever, I realised it was about time I reread The Secret Garden, one of my childhood favourites. As charming now as it ever was, this book is an enchanting tale of growth, friendship and childhood in Edwardian England.
| 3. |
The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams
Having spent far too long on my bookshelf, the sequel to the wonderful Copper Promise lived up to all expectation as an exciting and dangerous adventure through icy kingdoms and frozen wastes. The Silver Tide, here I come.
| 4. |
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Another book from my Top Ten Tuesday list, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a book I can return to again and again and always find enjoyment. Nonsensical and amusing, Lewis Carroll’s famous works never get old.
| 5. |
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
My favourite book of all time, this year’s re-read of The Lord of the Rings couldn’t come soon enough. The absorbing narrative, the beautiful descriptions and the intricately drawn characters all work together to create a book that is a perfect component of the whole.
| 6. |
Binti is a beautifully wrought novella which, in its few pages, manages to create an absorbing tale with believable characters, and wonderfully succinct worldbuilding. I cannot wait to continue Binti’s adventures in book two.
| Currently Reading |
Shamefully I’m still currently reading The Vagrant by Peter Newman and The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Neither of these books have really got my juices flowing so they’ve fallen a bit to the wayside, however I am determined to continue with them both!
Having also added two classic re-reads to my currently reading list, The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë I’ve decided I’ll probably put together a Classics Club list in the very near future.
Added to this, I’m also re-reading The Builders by Daniel Polansky, a beautifully dark novella and Shadowblack by Sebastien de Castell, the second book in the wonderful Spellslinger series.
| Posts |
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Books I Could Re-Read Forever
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Book Quotes by P.G. Wodehouse
Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten… Books With Plot Twists and Surprises
Teaser Tuesdays: February 27 – Lois the Witch by Elizabeth Gaskell + The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Teaser Tuesdays: March 06 – The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams + The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Teaser Tuesdays: March 13 – Binti by Nnedi Okorafor + The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Waiting on Wednesday: The Hyena and the Hawk
Waiting on Wednesday: Charmcaster by Sebastien de Castell
Waiting on Wednesday: Grey Sister by Mark Lawrence
Friday Firsts: The Iron Ghost by Jen Williams
Friday Firsts: The Builders by Daniel Polansky
Friday Firsts: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
The Friday Face-Off: Greek Mythology
The Friday Face-Off: …But Icarus Flew Too Close
The Friday Face-Off: I Got No Strings to Hold Me Down
Chapter + Verse – The Hobbit: Chapter IV – Over Hill and Under Hill
| March Goal Progress |
To read five books
Status: 5 of 5 Complete
What have you been reading this week? Have you accomplished any goals?
Books by Proxy 
The Kings of the Wyld was pretty good. I’d like to read the sequel because I liked Eames’s writing.
Unfortunately, I’m now convinced that I don’t like the Lord of the Rings trilogy much. I just completed The Two Towers by audiobook but didn’t like it. I much prefer the Hobbit and love the LOTR movies.
Ahh, that sucks about The Vagrant. I do want to read it though. There’s a goat in it that I’m curious about.
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It’s a shame you haven’t enjoyed The Lord of the Rings – but no books is for everyone! I find it difficult finding fault with it but these things are so subjective that you just have to take and leave them as you find them!
I also can’t wait for Bloody Rose 😀
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I love Tolkien’s book and need to reread them again some time soon.
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They’re continually amazing 😀 I hope you get round to a re-read soon!
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I have too many unread books at the moment 😊
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I heard that ‘The Vagrant’ is just average… so I won’t pick it up^^ Jen Williams has been on my list for a while now, but I haven’t managed to get to her yet. One day though 😀
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Oh I couldn’t recommend Jen Williams enough! She’s fantastic 😀 The Vagrant is very beautifully written… so far… I just can’t seem to get into the storyline.
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I’m glad you enjoyed The Iron Ghost – I’ve just completed the second book in The Winnowing Flame series and LOVED it:). I hope you’re enjoying The Moonstone and Jane Eyre – I was blown away by Jane Eyre when I first read it and also loved The Moonstone. I have The Builders by haven’t yet got around to reading it. Have a great week:)
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Thank you! I loved them both – but Jane Eyre is definitely something special 😀 I think the first time I read it I was a little too young to appreciate it fully but it’s such a beautiful read!
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Oh yes – and the reason why it is still a bestseller is because it is such a delightful story so well told:))
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You’ve had a good time and this is a perfect representation of the catch 22 of blogging. Too much reading = getting behind with reviews. I’m starting to catch up with my backlog but that’s simply because I’m not reading as much – because I’m reviewing instead. Then next week I could read 2 or 3 books and be behind all over again. 😀
Lynn 😀
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And I seem to be continuing it now! It’s a good job I scheduled some posts as I’ve barely breathed for two weeks. I’m definitely having something of a classics renaissance of late! 😀
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Every time I see a post with Kings of the Wyld I just wish I could experience the story again for the first time.
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Not long before we have Bloody Rose though!! 😀
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Genuinely can’t wait. I’m keeping a free credit spare on Audible for the day it drops 😊
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Good idea!! 😀
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I’m so happy you enjoyed Kings of the Wyld: it was an amazing discovery and wonderfully delightful book. And the second volume is practically around the corner 🙂
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Oh it was amazing! It drew me in completely – I dont think I looked up or took anything else in for days! I can’t wait for the sequel 😀
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This week I have still been reading historical fiction Six Tudor Queens: Katherine of Aragon, The True Queen by Alison Weir and the American classic This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Happy reading and I look forward to seeing your Classics Club list… in the near future 😀
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These sound like great reads! I’m currently re-re-reading Emma as I never finished it after leaving it at my parents house the other year! I definitely need to write this list before I strike even more off! 😀
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I have Emma on my Classics Club list to re-read 😀
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