What I Read Over Christmas And New Year (Part Two)

Oh yes, another post. This will be the last of these, then should be back to normal(ish) blogging schedule. A little more relaxed for the next few weeks but, hopefully, you will see some titles that I think you guys will LOVE! And some you might not. And some that are a little outside of my comfort zone and a little left-field! Oh yes, this year, I am planning to shake things up reading wise (you can blame last year for this! Sorry/not sorry in advance as I think you might be surprised and should be excited of the direction this year's reading is going to go!) 

So, let's shake off 2020 (again. I know most of us did it already but no harm doing it twice and with a Taylor Swift gif as well) and chat some of titles read over Christmas 2020 and New Year 2021, shall we? 

Ok, before I go any further, there is (at the time of writing this) two titles to chat in this post and these are going to be short, snappy reviews/write-ups. If you want fuller thoughts and opinions on either of these, you can always check out my bookish Twitter - @PewterWolf - or you can follow/friend me on Goodreads  (goodreads.com/pewterwolf) and keep up to date with all my page updates and mini-review write-ups. I am more active on Twitter but will try and do more status updates and maybe a poll or two on Goodreads when I need you guys to pick my next read. But enough of that, let's talk books! 

Title And Author: Against Fate by Damian Blood

Publisher: Self-Published (?)

Physical, eBook or Audiobook: eBook

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Bought

Length: 386 Pages

Yes, an adult MM romance and, oh, it's a little troupe heavy. But sometimes, you want something comforting, fun and something you know ends with a happy ever after. Nothing wrong with that, right?

First book in the Prince Castle series, Against Fate follows one incurable romantic, Luis, who decide that this year will be the year he will write that novel he has always wanted to write. But not sure where to start, his brother calls a favour from Adam Allister, a thriller writer who owes him a favour after his laptop crashed while editing his first novel. It doesn't help that Luis wants to write a romance and Adam is a huge cynic when it comes to romance in general. The spark between them is there from the moment they met, the slow burn between begins. But with Luis's clairvoyant grandmother warning that he will met his true love after having his heart completely broken, it looks like Luis is going to try as hard as he can't to not fall for Adam... 

Like I said earlier, sometimes you want to read something comforting, fun and a little predictable and this as a romcom read ticks all this books. I did struggle with the first few chapters, but I did enjoy this read and relationship. There are one or two troupes that I went "not sure about them" but seeing as I was reading a romance and knew the lead two were going to end up together, I let them slide up till a point. But I have read reviews on Goodreads and a few point one or two things out that I have gone "Yeah, you have a point there". Romance is still a new genre to me so, while this didn't exactly blow my socks off, I did have a good time reading this and am intrigued over the next instalment... 

One more book ... ok, audiobook to go and then will finish this post as I have a few more to write. And this is a reread and I blitzed this over the course of New Year's Eve 2020 while at work. Yep. I was working that day. And I do have a habit of reread this short little novella (is this a novella?). 

Title And Author: Clockwork or All Wound Up by Philip Pullman

Publisher: Corgi Yearling Books (Puffin)

Physical, eBook or Audiobook: Audiobook

Bought, Borrowed or Gifted: Borrowed from local library via BorrorBox app

Length: 92 Pages or 1 Hour 32 Minutes

Clockwork is as middle grade dark little fairy tale, warning us that stories are like clockwork. Once you've wound them up, you have to let them go. And with sometimes, the characters won't like where their story is going to end...

Like I said earlier, I do have a habit of revisiting stories when I need something comforting or background noise. And when I spied this and remembered how short it was, I requested it and listened. And iy was easy, fun listening. Plus, it help get my reading/audiobooking up to 100 (I KNOW! Won't happen again!). But I do like returning to this world so no real review about this one, but I do like this. 

And that's it. You guys are up to date. At the time of writing this, I have DNF 3 audiobooks (I kid you not!) and am currently reading/devouring my first physical book that I started on New Year's Day. Hopefully, you'll get to read my write-up of that in the coming few weeks! Definitely before the end fo the month!