I am so happy to say that 2021 was the fifth year of gemsbooknook…
I set myself some goals for the year and I am so excited to say that I have reached most of them. I hoped to complete my Goodreads goal of reading 100 books, write 70 book reviews, write 30 Wacky Wednesday posts, write 20 Sunday Session posts, and get 450 followers. I am happy to say that I have achieved these goals.
The only goal that I didn’t meet was reaching 12000 viewers on my blog.
I have kept up with my Facebook page, Twitter account, Instagram account, and Pinterest account to accompany my blog. I have been kept pretty busy with all of these accounts, but I have loved every second.
I even participated in my sixth Bookmas, now that was awesome, hard work, but awesome.
I have kept up with my Sunday Sessions post; I have really loved writing them. It is a bit of a wacky idea where I just write whatever I want. From rants to poetry or whatever else takes my fancy. I am hoping to keep it up in 2022.
If you follow me on Instagram you will have noticed that I haven’t been posting every day. I have Instagram posts to accompany my blog posts and I have added a few Bookmail posts throughout the year as well.
Not only have you all helped me to achieve my blog goals of 2021 but your likes and comments have kept me motivated to do my best with every post or review.
I love being a member of the Hachette Books Bloggers database, and I am looking forward to continuing that into 2022.
gemsbooknook wouldn’t be what it is without all of you. Thank you so much for your support in 2021, it really has meant the world to me. I look forward to bringing you more content in 2022.
Welcome to my December Wrap Up. I had a great reading month, finishing 25 books (1 book off my TBR). I also received 2 ARC’s this month.
I have reviews up or coming up for these books so as usual this is just going to be a brief rundown on each book I read.
Without further ado, let’s get into my December Wrap Up:
Escape From The Ghetto by John Carr: This book was fantastic. The story was so crazy that if I hadn’t had already known it was a true story I would have believed that it was a Historical Fiction novel. John Carr did a wonderful job with this book; tracing his father’s life during World War II and then writing with so much heart and emotion. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. Everyone needs to read this book right now.
Excuse Me, Santa by Dave Hughes and Holly Ife: This book was awesome. I love a good Christmas book and this one had everything I had hoped for; a fun story, amazing illustration, and a wonderful message. I also loved that it was a little bit naughty making it even more appealing for young readers. I am so glad that I decided to pick this book up and I am excited to add it to my ever-growing list of annual Christmas reads.
The Long Weekend by Fiona Palmer: I am a massive fan of Fiona Palmer so I couldn’t wait to get stuck into this book and I am happy to say it not only lived up to my high expectations; it well and Truly surpassed them. It had everything I have come to expect from a Fiona Palmer novel; a fantastic plot, amazing characters, and utterly beautiful writing. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this wonderful book.
Greta Thunberg by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: This book is from the Little People Big World series that I have been making my way through lately. Covering the events that led Greta Thunberg to be a household name, this wonderful little book has the perfect amount of information to introduce young readers to both Greta Thunberg and climate change as a whole. Adding an extra layer to this book are the wonderful Illustrations by Anke Weckmann.
Jesse Owens by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: My final Little People Big World book for the year and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t know much about Jesse Owens before I went into this book so I actually learned a lot reading this book. I really enjoyed learning about his childhood and his life after athletics. Adding to the great information provided in this book are the awesome illustrations by Anna Katharina Jansen. I can easily see this book being devoured by young readers and their families.
Little Monsters by David Walliams: I am a massive fan of David Walliams so I went into this book with high hopes. I am happy to say it not only lived up to my high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them. This wonderful book celebrates being different in an unexpected way that will thrill young readers and their families. Perfectly complimenting David Walliams’ fantastic story is utterly fabulous illustrated by Adam Stower. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book.
The Little Prince by Louise Greig: This book was absolutely beautiful. It captured everything that makes The Little Prince such an adored story while adding a fresh layer to it for younger readers. The utterly beautiful Illustrations by Sarah Massini perfectly compliment the story and will easily captivate young readers and their families. I am so glad that I have this book on my bookshelf and I look forward to re-reading it many more times in the future.
Stories For Kids Who Dare To Be Different by Ben Brooks: This book was fantastic. Even though it is aimed at children I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. There were so many interesting people featured in this book, all of them with an amazing stories. I had heard of maybe a quarter of the wonderful people featured in this book so I really enjoyed learning about the ones that I knew nothing about. Adding to the amazing information provided were the absolutely beautiful illustrations by Quinton Winter. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book.
Mim And The Baffling Bully by Katrina Nannestad: I loved this book. As soon as I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to have it; I mean a magical, Travelling book caravan, what’s not to love? This book was everything I hoped it would be. I had a great story while a wonderful message, awesome characters, and beautiful writing. Adding to this already wonderful book were the fantastic illustrations by Cheryl Orsini. As this is just the first book in a new Middle-Grade series; The Travelling Bookshop, I am looking forward to more adventures as the rest of the series is released.
Wishyouwas by Alexandra Page: This book was beautiful. This is a Middle-Grade book but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. I loved the plot, the characters, and the writing. I loved how this book felt; like a warm hug. The story was sweet yet had an edge of you seat story arc that was perfectly paced to keep you engrossed from start to finish. Adding to the wonderful story are the awesome illustrations by Penny Neville-Lee. I am so glad that this book is the first in a series. I can’t wait to get my hands on book two.
Gangsta Granny Strikes Again by David Walliams: This book was awesome. I am a massive David Walliams fan so I usually go into his books knowing what to expect, so I was surprised and excited to read the first-ever sequel that David Walliams has written. I am happy to say this book didn’t disappoint. It had everything you expect from a David Walliams novel; great characters, a quirky plot that has a nice message, writing that’s a little bit naughty, and fantastic illustrations by Tony Ross. I also really loved that this book was a sequel; I hope it’s not the last sequel we see from David Walliams.
Christmas Re-Reads 1:
I have read these books before; I love reading and re-reading Christmas books.
My Special Christmas Adventure by Julia Wilson: This is one of my all-time favourite books. it was a gift from my Nan and Pop when I was a kid and I read it every year on Christmas eve. As this is my first Christmas without my Nan, reading this book this year was an emotional experience for me. This personalized book contains a magical Christmas story with myself, my sister, and my cousin as the characters. Every year it fills me with Christmas Spirit and I look forward to reading it every year. I love it each and every time that I read it.
Santa Is Coming To Sydney by Steve Smallman: I love a Christmas story set in Australia, so when I saw a book set in Sydney I just had to have it as there aren’t a lot of Christmas stories that are solely set in Sydney/New South Wales. This great story has a modern twist and fantastic illustrations. To have a story that is not only set in Australia but in Sydney specifically is wonderful. This awesome book features many Sydney suburbs and landmarks to enjoy whilst getting a healthy dose of Christmas magic. I know that you can get this book set in many different places so that children can have a Christmas story set where they live; which I think is fantastic. This book is a must-have for all young readers and their families.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss: I love the Grinch. I love Dr. Seuss and the Grinch is one of his greatest. Filled with Christmas spirit and heart, told with Dr. Seuss’s unique writing and charm, How The Grinch Stole Christmas is a must-read for me every Holiday Season. Reading How The Grinch Stole Christmas has become a Christmas tradition for me and after reading it again this year I am so glad that I decided to make How The Grinch Stole Christmas a Holiday staple and I am excited to re-read it again next year.
Christmas Re-Reads 2:
As I have read these books before and I have reviews for them, I will just include the links to the reviews if you would like to check them out.
Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Characters Of The Year Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.
So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:
FAVORITE MALE CHARACTER OF THE YEAR
Trevor Benson – The Return by Nicholas Sparks
FAVORITE FEMALE CHARACTER OF THE YEAR
Rachel – The Last Woman In The World by Inga Simpson
MOSTRELATABLECHARACTEROFTHE YEAR
Tilly Frost – How To Write A Love Story by Katy Cannon
COUPLEOF THEYEAR
Amy and Roger – Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson
VILLAIN OF THE YEAR
Obscurosmith – The Grandest Bookshop In The World by Amelia Mellor
MOST DISLIKEDCHARACTER OFTHE YEAR
James – City of Villains by Estelle Laure
ROYAL OF THE YEAR
Princess Anna – Let It Go by Jen Calonita
SIDEKICK/NON-MAINCHARACTER OFTHE YEAR
Brevity – The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith
SIBLINGS OF THE YEAR
Prentiss and Landry – The Sweetness Of Waters by Nathan Harris
FREE CHOICE – FRIENDSHIP OF THE YEAR
Vera Frankel and Edith Ban – The Light After the War by Anita Abriel
Well, that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.
‘The captivating true story of one boy’s flight across Europe to escape the Nazis. A tale of extraordinary courage, incredible adventure, and the relentless pursuit of life in the face of impossible challenges.
In early 1940 Chaim Herszman was locked into the Lodz Ghetto in Poland. Hungry, fearless, and determined, he goes on scavenging missions outside the wire limits, until he is forced to kill a Nazi guard. That moment changes the course of his life and sets him on an unbelievable adventure across enemy lines.
Chaim avoids grenade and rifle fire on the Russian border, shelters with a German family in the Rhineland, falls in love in occupied France, is captured on a mountain pass in Spain, gets interrogated as a potential Nazi spy in Britain, and eventually fights for everything he believes in as part of the British Army. He protects his life by posing as an Aryan boy with a crucifix around his neck and fights for his life through terrible and astonishing circumstances.
Escape from the Ghetto is about a normal boy who faced extermination by the Nazis in the ghetto or a Nazi death camp, and the extraordinary life he led in avoiding that fate. It’s a bittersweet story about epic hope, beauty amidst the horror, and the triumph of the human spirit.’
This book was fantastic.
If I didn’t know that this book was a true story before going into it, I would have believed that it was a Historical Fiction novel; that’s how astonishing this story is. The journey that Chaim Herszman went on in order to survive is truly extraordinary.
John Carr has done an amazing job in retelling this story in a way that draws the reader in and transports them all over Europe during WWII. John Carr’s ability to draw the reader in is equally as impressive as the emotion he is able to radiate off the pages of this book. I had genuine laughing moments while reading this book followed by heartbreaking sobs. Reading Chaim Herszman’s story is like riding an emotional rollercoaster.
I can’t imagine living through the events that take place in this book so knowing that they were experienced by a real person made for a truly phenomenal reading experience.
I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book.
I am so glad that I read Escape From The Ghetto and I honestly think everyone should read this book at least once in their lifetime.
Escape From The Ghetto by John Carr is a must-read for everyone.
It’s Bookmas 2021 Day 12 and that means it’s time for my Favourite Book of 2021!
Drum roll, please…
A Week to Remember by Esther Campion
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I will provide the synopsis and then we can talk more about it.
A Week to Remember by Esther Campion
With its brightly painted front door, white-sash windows, and garden path sweeping down toward the sea, Lizzie O’s guesthouse promises a welcome escape from the world. Aisling and Mick Fitzgerald are traveling all the way from Tasmania to celebrate their wedding anniversary, but Aisling is burdened with a secret that could ruin their marriage. Declan Byrne, exhausted from an unhealthy routine of long hours, takeaway, and too much red wine, has spontaneously taken the week off to visit the village of his childhood summers. Katie Daly returns to West Cork after an absence of 35 years to care for her aging mother only to find she must confront her painful past. Finally, Mia Montgomery is taking this holiday without telling her husband.
Each of this group of strangers is at a crossroads. And one week in the middle of winter may change all of their lives.
When I read this book earlier in the year I knew it would be up there as one of my favourite books of the year so I wasn’t surprised to find it at the top of my list when I started planning Bookmas. This book well and truly earned its place as my favourite book of the year given that I read it so early in 2021 and I am still thinking about it at the end of the year.
One of the things I love most about Esther Campion’s novels is her ability to create amazing, relatable characters. This book has a great array of wonderful characters that I just fell in love with. I love how different all of the characters were and how their individual personalities interacted with one another. Seeing the characters create bonds as they got to really know each other made for a fantastic reading experience.
The way that Esther Campion weaves together multiple stories lines into one coherent narrative is utterly brilliant. The way that the various stories being told were personal to each of the characters yet the way in which the characters were able to help each other grow and deal with their own situations felt really natural and beautiful.
As usual with an Esther Campion novel, the writing was utterly beautiful. It was warm and lyrical with a real cinematic quality to it. The descriptions were outstanding and the dialog felt natural and consistent. Esther Campion’s ability to draw a reader in and keep them captivated from start to finish is a real gift and one of the reason’s I am always excited to get my hands on her books.
I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I am very happy that this book ended up being my favourite read of the year, and I am fairly certain that it will easily keep its place as one of my favourite books of all time.
That’s it for Bookmas Day 12!
Bring us to the end of Bookmas 2021!
I hope you have all enjoyed Bookmas 2021 as I really enjoyed putting it together for you.
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
It’s Bookmas 2021 Day 11 and that means it’s time for my Favourite Historical Fiction of 2021!
Drum roll, please…
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I will provide the synopsis and then we can talk more about it.
The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris
Landry and Prentiss are two brothers born into slavery, finally freed as the American Civil War draws to its bitter close. Cast into the world without a penny to their names, their only hope is to find work in a society that still views them with nothing but intolerance.
Farmer George Walker and his wife Isabelle are reeling from a loss that has shaken them to their core. After a chance encounter, they agree to employ the brothers on their land, and slowly the tentative bonds of trust begin to blossom between the strangers.
But this sanctuary survives on a knife’s edge, and it isn’t long before a tragedy causes the inhabitants of the nearby town to turn their suspicion onto these new friendships, with devastating consequences.
This book was absolutely fantastic. I had a tough call to make in not having this as my Favourite Book of 2021. This book is pretty much my equal favourite book of the year and easily one of the best books I have ever read.
I didn’t have a whole lot of expectations going into this book so I was blown away by how amazing it was. It wasn’t by any means an easy read but I was captivated from the very first page and absolutely fell in love with the characters which compelled me to keep reading in order to find out what happened to them.
There are so many wonderful elements to this book starting with the characters. Nathan Harris created a variety of characters that had distinct feelings, personalities, and behaviours which made seeing these characters interact with each other and grow over the course of this story really interesting and believable.
I will freely admit that the plot of this story is heavy. It deals with slavery and racism and at times was difficult to read. In saying that, I am really glad that I read it. Nathan Harris did a wonderful job in capturing the time period and the issues that these characters were facing. I feel that by focusing on a few characters and not the American Civil War and Slavery as a whole, readers were able to get a sense of the tragedies without being overwhelmed by the scale of these injustices.
Adding to the amazing characters and great plot was utterly beautiful writing. The descriptions had a real cinematic quality to them and the emotions absolutely radiated off the pages. The pacing was perfect making it possible for the reader to slow down when the story required it while also allowing for a frantic pace when anticipation was being built.
I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. Nathan Harris knocked it out of the park with this book and the fact that this is his debut novel is astonishing. I genuinely hope everyone reads this book at least once in their life. In fact, if you are reading this, do yourself a favour read this truly wonderful book as soon as you can.
It’s Bookmas 2021 Day 10 and that means it’s time for my Favourite Non-Fiction of 2021!
Drum roll, please…
Witness by Louise Milligan
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I will provide the synopsis and then we can talk more about it.
Witness by Louise Milligan
A masterful and deeply troubling expose, Witness is the culmination of five years’ research for award-winning investigative journalist Louise Milligan.
Throughout her career charting the experiences of people who have the courage to come forward to police and then look to find justice in court, Milligan has watched how witnesses are treated (or, too frequently, mistreated) in the courtroom. They have described to her how they relive the associated trauma, often years later. Then, she saw this first-hand when she became a witness and was cross-examined herself in the trial of the decade, R v George Pell.
Never-before-published court transcripts expose widespread systemic flaws. And through a combination of extraordinarily candid interviews with defence counsel, prosecutors, and even judges, and the heartbreaking stories of witnesses in a number of high-profile cases, the brutal reality of the system is laid bare.
Revealing the devastating effects of an adversarial legal system that can be sexist, callous, and too oftenweighted towards the rich and powerful, Milligan also highlights its failure to protect the wellbeing of the most vulnerable. In detailing these flaws and the ongoing human cost, Witness is a compelling call for change.
This book was utterly amazing. I was captivated from the very first page and I couldn’t put it down. I should say right off the bat that this book was not easy to read; subject matter-wise. I found this to be a frightening and emotional read; more so because it could happen to me or one of my sisters and that really scares me.
Getting to see the inner workings of the legal system and how victims of sexual assault are treated when they go to court was both fascinating and infuriating. Seeing everything Louise Milligan went through when she testified in the Pell case gave me a much deeper understanding of how difficult the legal system is for normal, non-legal working people. I cannot imagine how daunting the experience was but I am so glad that Louise shared her journey with readers.
After reading this book it is easy to understand why so many victims of sexual assault don’t report it to the police. I honestly don’t think I would put myself through the trauma of a trial if I was in that position. The women that do go through the reporting and trial can only be described as unbelievably strong.
I truly believe that this is a book that will stay with me forever and I think everyone should read this book at least once in their life. If you happen to be an Australian I think you should definitely read this book to get a better understanding of our legal system and how it treats victims of sexual assault as well as witnesses in court cases.
It’s Bookmas 2021 Day 9 and that means it’s time for my Favourite Australian Book of 2021!
Drum roll, please…
The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson
I LOVED THIS BOOK!
I will provide the synopsis and then we can talk more about it.
The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson
AFTER THE FIRES. AFTER THE VIRUS. THEY CAME.
It’s night, and the walls of Rachel’s home creak as they settle into the cover of darkness. Fear has led her to a reclusive life on the land, her only occasional contact with her sister.
A hammering on the door. There stands a mother, Hannah, with a sick baby. They are running for their lives from a mysterious death sweeping the Australian countryside.
Now Rachel must face her worst fears: should she take up the fight to help these strangers survive in a society she has rejected for so long?
This was almost my book of the year for 2021; it was that good. From the moment I started reading it, I knew it would be one of my favourite books of the year, maybe even of all time. Once I finished reading it I knew I was right in making that call.
I loved that this book was set in present times so even though things were different to the world we live in I could recognize everything in this book yet it was all eerie and a little off. I also really loved that this book was set in Australia; in places that I have actually been. A lot of authors would have set this book in a major city; somewhere like New York or London maybe, but setting it in Australia; not even a main city in Australia, made it a more intimate and as such a more creepy story.
The way in which Inga Simpson captured the various character’s fears and behaviours was truly authentic and relatable. Since the characters were so real you could easily understand why they were making the choices they were making and the difficulties that they were facing due to their different personalities. Watching the characters fight with each other while also depending on and trusting one another was really interesting to see develop as the story unfolded.
As for the story it was so creepy and yet not at all unbelievable. I kind of got Stephen King vibes while reading this book. Everything was set and rooted in reality with characters that could be members of your family or your neighbours. Having such human characters in such a freaking situation made for a fantastic reading experience.
I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. It had everything I want in a great novel. Utterly beautiful writing, an amazing plot, and characters that you want to succeed. I am so glad that I read this book and I highly recommend everyone get themselves a copy of this book.
gemsbooknook 