So it's been a while.
As aside from a few blog tours I haven't been blogging properly for a good long while. Over the past few years my teaching job started to take up more and more of my free time and head space and that took its toll on both the time I had available to read and my inclination to want to sit and write out blog posts especially in the dark days of lockdown when I was spending my days glued to a screen trying to teach remotely.
This summer I left my teaching job and I started work at the very lovely Norfolk Children's Book Centre where I get to spend my days surrounded by all the books which is brilliant. Over the last few years I've never stopped reading but the rate in which I was getting through books slowed way down but now I'm out of teaching and with the books all day my reading mojo is definitely back so hoping to return to here more frequently to cover some of my favourite reads each month in addition to all my usual activities on twitter, instagram and goodreads.
September reads
Over the course of September I read 28 books which was made up of 14 picture books, 7 children's books, 4 YA books and 3 adult books. 10 of those were review books. To see the full list of everything I read in September check out my read shelves on goodreads or have a look through my twitter or instagram feeds (@overflowingklc on both)
Favourite picture books
One of the joys of my new job is that I have rediscovered picture books and I'm being treated to some real gems. My favourite ones read in September include Sometimes I am Furious by Timothy Knapman, I Dare You by Reece Wykes and Maybe by Chris Haughton.
I loved all three of these mostly because they all made my chuckle in unexpected ways. Particularly so with I Dare You which did not go where I thought it might.
Favourite children's book
I've been looking forward to The Little Match Girl Strikes Back for a while. I've always liked Emma Carroll's books both as a reader but also as a history teacher and they often ended up being my go to books to recommend to my KS3 readers. I bought a signed copy of this little gem when it came into the shop and it did not disappoint. It is a brilliant take on the traditional story which gives lots of insight into the living and working conditions of the working poor in Victorian London as well as giving The Little Match Girl a voice to fight back and push for a change.
Favourite YA book
Activist by Louisa Reid has been on my radar for a while as I've seen early reviews popping up so I was excited to get my hands on an early copy of this which came into the shop after an event. It is stunningly good and covers issues around consent, sexism and the power of one voice demanding change so well.
Favourite Adult books
I was spoilt this month which some brilliant adult books for review.
The Christmas Celebration by Heidi Swain is out in October. I got my hands on a copy from Team Books and The City who sent me a finished copy for taking part in the blog tour to celebrate its release which I have coming up later in the month so I won't say much other than that I loved it and save a review for the blog tour.
Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Paige Toon is just brilliant. Paige's books always are and I was so very excited to get my hands on such an early copy of it. I won't say much again as it is probably a bit too early to be doing so apart from to say it is brilliant and if you are a Paige Fan you will love it.
Beautiful Little Fools by Olivia Horrox looked like a me book when I first saw it appear on netgalley and it absolutely was. It is set in the 1920s in a Cornwall seaside village and feels like one of Eva Ibbotson's older titles. It is definitely a coming of age story and has a dreamy romance as part of the story. I really loved it.
If you are inclined to buy any and want to support indie bookshops please use bookshop.org to make your purchase (or pop into NCBC if you are local)
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