Hi all! 

Welcome to my December 2018 Reading Wrap-Up! It was a great end to a fabulous year of reading. FYI, 2019 will look quite different on my blog. I am finally going to tackle all of the physical, unread books on my shelf. Instead of doing monthly wrap-ups, I will be giving them their own individual reviews. For now however, here is what I read in December. 

Our Sassy Book Club pick for December was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which I re-read in May, so I didn’t read it again. 

1.) THE SLAP BY CHRISTOS TSIOLKAS (PHYSICAL BOOK)

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PLOT: At a suburban barbecue one afternoon, a man slaps an unruly boy. The boy is not his son. It is a single act of violence, but the slap reverberates through the lives of everyone who witnesses it happen.

MINI REVIEW: There were many things I liked and disliked about this novel. I enjoyed the drama and the different points of view from those that attended the barbecue. I also appreciated that it was set in Melbourne, where I’m from. So many locations that were referenced, I’ve been to, making it very easy to picture. What I wasn’t a fan of was the language. The whole book felt unnecessarily vulgar and crass. There was a lot of swearing, hardcore sex and racism. I’m not a prude by any means, but a lot of the time, it felt like the writing was crude for no reason. Pretty much every single character was unlikable and heavily flawed. I struggled to sympathise with any of them. Having said that, I am very glad I read it. Oh, and if you’re wondering whose side I am on – no adult should ever hit another child. Period.

RATING: I gave it 3.5/5 stars.

2.) THE HOBBIT BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN (OVERDRIVE BOOK) – MONTHLY CLASSIC PICK FOR DECEMBER 2018

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PLOT: Similar to November, I did not end up reading my original classic pick, because it was over 1,000 pages. With moving house, a baby and Christmas, I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it in time. That book was Les Misérables by Victor Hugo.  

The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself, by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies, are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo.

MINI REVIEW: I cannot believe I have never read The Hobbit. I adored the film adaptations, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This classic tale was whimsical, adventurous and compelling. I adored the scene where Bilbo first meets Gollum, challenging him to solve riddles. That entire chapter had me holding my breath. J.R.R. Tolkien was a brilliant writer, who bravely introduced the genre of fantasy into our world. I am so happy I ended this year with such an iconic read. 

RATING: I gave it 5/5 stars. 

3.) 365 DAYS OF WONDER BY R.J. PALACIO (PHYSICAL BOOK)

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PLOT: August Pullman stole the hearts of over a million readers, in the bestselling, award-winning Wonder. 365 Days of Wonder is a beautiful companion to the novel. It’s a collection of quotes and wise words, one for each day of the year. It includes funny, insightful, inspiring thoughts from Wonder’s fans, famous authors, personalities and from the novel itself.  

MINI REVIEW: There’s really not much to say about this inspirational book. I loved it! Every single day, for the entire year, I would send my mum the daily quote and we would remark on whether we liked it or not. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories in between the months, told by Mr. Browne. Not to mention, the cameos from all the characters from Wonder. It’s such a nice keepsake for my shelves. Definitely worth buying! 

RATING: I gave it 5/5 stars. 

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you had a wonderful 2018, filled with amazing reads. May your new year be safe and glorious! 

Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo