#021 | Chapter Complete: Wrapping up the last six months

Chapter Complete: Wrapping up the last six months

Welcome to the last episode of season two! Today we're wrapping up the last 6 months of 2019. We chat about how our reading challenges are going, and our favourite books of the year. Stick around for a whole lot of recommendations!

Currently Reading

Each episode of Rants and Reviews we share what we’re currently reading, so you can discover our favourite genes, add some books to your TBR pile, and hear us rave and rage about characters, plot, setting and more.

Sophie is currently reading:

Radioactive Evolution by Richard Hummel

Anjali is currently reading:

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare and co
The Eyes of Tamburah by Maria V. Snyder

Main feature

(07:20) We kick off the main feature but chatting about our Goodreads Reading Challenges. We're both aiming for 50 books for the year, and we're both on track, with several books ahead of schedule.

(10:25) Next up we chat about about how our Vow To Read lists are going. Here's a bit of a reminder what we Vow to Read in 2019:

Sophie’s Vow To Read list

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Anjali’s Vow To Read list

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
A Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee
King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo
P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

(12:50) At the beginning of the year we also made a list of books we wanted to re-read, because we both decided we weren't very good at re-reading the books we love. Tune in to hear how we're doing!

Sophie’s Vow to Re-Read list

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
Divergent by Veronica Roth
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Anna and French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anjali’s Vow to Re-read list

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling
A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo
Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell (check out our Rainbow Rowell episode!)

(17:40) With a little bit of Googling/Goodreads searching on Anjali's part, we establish our lists of Top Reads of 2019 so far, and we spend a few moments quickly going through them. You'll have to tune in to find out which ones our in our top books are!

(23:58) "Imagine if we were limited to a certain about of 5-stars per year?"

(24:20) Because we're only halfway through the year, we decided to share some of the books we're hoping to read in the second half of the year. These include, but in no way limited to Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, Romanov by Nadine Brandes (you can find Anastasia's review of this book on Blogger's Bookshelf) and The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab.

(31:35) Sophie is doing well on her Book Buying Ban for 2019 ... but Anjali, were she on a book buying ban, would have failed long ago. We also have a chat about epic book sales coming to our cities, and how many books Anjali bought at the Auckland Book Sale the first year she went. Let us know what your favourite books of the year have been, how your challenge is going, and if you're taking part in the Penguin Turning Pages Book Bingo!

Outro

It's the end of Season Two! We hope you've enjoyed this season full of TBR piles, Harry Potter references, in-episode Googling, and of course, books. Let us know how your Goodreads Reading Challenge is going if you're taking part, and what you hope to read by the end of the year. As always, we welcome your feedback and reading suggestions. You can flick us a Tweet, or send a message or tag us in a post on Instagram. Follow along on Spotify, iTunes, Acast, Podbean and more to be the first to hear about Season three! Until then, as always, happy reading.

Books mentioned in this episode

Dream of Italy by Nicky Pellegrino, Every Breath by Nicholas Sparks, Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan, China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan, The Flat Share by Beth O'leary, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green, The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Makenzi Lee, On the Come Up by Angie Thomas, A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas, Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte, King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo, Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis, Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas, Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak, Pumpkin Heads by Rainbow Rowell, Little Women by Louise May Alcott, Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, The Toll by Neal Shusterman, The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab, Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab, One and Future by Amy Rose Capetta, Romanov by Nadine Brandes, A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas.