Reading Record | First Fiction & Nonfiction Book of the Year

My reading record posts are a way for me to document all things bookish and reading in my life - I aim to post these consistently, with them most often being in a weekly format, however readathons and certain books have their own specific reading record. 

In this post I'm sharing my reading from the last week or so - since the start of 2020 - including the first fiction book I finished, and first nonfiction also. 

WEDNESDAY 1ST JANUARY

The first day of the new year and I’ve gone in with a clean slate, no lingering books being carried over, starting the new reading year with the first page of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton. I have wanted to read this book for a while, and after borrowing it from the library late December, decided to hold off delving in and kept it in mind as my first book of the year. As the new year approached, many other readers started sharing their favourites of the year, and this book kept cropping up, so I thought it was definitely a good choice to be my first book of the year.

I picked up The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle on two occasions today, finishing my reading day being at the 72 page point – so still very early on in what is a 500 page book.

Also today I started my first nonfiction of the year too, deciding on the newest nonfiction release from Erling Kagge – Philosophy for Polar Explorers. I really enjoy the writing of Erling Kagge – a Norwegian explorer, among many things – and find his books to be both thoughtful & meditative.

THURSDAY 2ND JANUARY

Further reading in Philosophy for Polar Explorers this evening, whilst enjoying a relaxing bubble bath; the two were a good combination. I am now at the 87 page mark, having read 8 of the 16 chapters. Each chapter focuses on a life lesson of sorts, with Erling Kagge sharing examples and relating it to his own experiences in life. Many of these are things we’ve all heard before, but the way in which Erling Kagge presents them is unique in many ways and gives a different perspective.

FRIDAY 3RD JANUARY

Today I have returned to The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, and have read to the end of page 159.

SATURDAY 4TH JANUARY

I continued a bit in The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle today, getting to just under the 200 page mark. My progress in this book is definitely slow going, but I’m okay with that – I think sometimes as book bloggers we fall into the mindset of ‘read all the books, as quick and fast as humanly possible’. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad about speeding through a gripping read (I hope I’ll experience that this year also), but I do want to be a bit more mindful & purpose driven with my reading this year.

There isn’t too much to tell you about The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, the blurb pretty much sums up all you should know going in plot wise I believe, however I will say it is the kind of book that requires concentration. I don’t feel like I’ve truly fallen into the story, as I’m more observing the goings on, however I am intrigued to see where this is all leading, as I honestly have no idea at this current point.

SUNDAY 5TH JANUARY

Further reading in Philosophy for Polar Explorers; another three chapters read.

MONDAY 6TH JANUARY

This morning I finished read Philosophy for Polar Explorers, making it my first book of the year to be completed! It was a great one to start with also; one of those books that makes you consider things and see them in a different light. In general I would recommend Erling Kagge’s writing, with this being my second favourite of his (Silence would be first, and Walking third).

Read to page 274 in Hardcastle today – now passed the half way mark.

TUESDAY 7TH JANUARY

Today I started my second nonfiction book of the year – The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold – which I have borrowed in audiobook format via the digital section of our library service. I’ve had my eye on this book for a good while now, hearing so much about it within the book blogging community, and I bumped it up my list after seeing it feature on many end of year wrap up posts in a positive light. My local library currently only carries this title via audiobook and I was bit unsure if that would be right for me, having never listened to nonfiction on audio before, however I need not worry as I have absolutely loved listening to this book... The audiobook is just over 10 hours long and I’ve already listened to an hour and 45 minutes today. I didn’t want to stop!

I am at the 350 page mark in Evelyn Hardcastle.

WEDNESDAY 8TH JANUARY 

Further reading in The Five today means I have now listened to just over 3 hours 30 minutes in total, and the focus of the book has shifted onto the second of the five women.

THURSDAY 8TH JANUARY

Hmm... After much pondering (probably far too much pondering spent on a book decision), I have decided to set aside The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle for now and start a new fiction book; I have been thinking about this for the last couple of days really.

Whilst I am steadily making my way through Evelyn Hardcastle, I am feeling like it is more of a chore than for the pleasure of reading... I think starting The Five, and feeling how enthused I am to sit and read that, has allowed me to further realise how I feel with regards to Hardcastle. I am not DNF’ing: I just want to get lost in a fiction book that is truly capturing me, which sadly Hardcastle isn’t that for me right now. I do intend to return to Hardcastle after my next fiction read; I want to see how the plot comes together and concludes, although more out of curiousity than actual investment in the book and the characters... I’ll be honest, I think the lack of likeable characters is one of the things putting me off Hardcastle.

Anyway, so this evening I started After The End by Clare Mackintosh... I have read just 37 pages, and I already feel more pull to it than Hardcastle. I can tell it is going to be a sad story, but one that will be a positive reading experience... It is reminding me almost, at this very early stage, of early Jodi Picoult books.

FRIDAY 10TH JANUARY 

Today I read further in After The End and also made progress in The Five. 

I now have just under six hours listen left in The Five; I predict I’ll have this nonfiction audiobook finished by the end of next week.

With regards to After The End, I was speaking with a fellow blogger on Twitter today about it, and she mentioned that it is drawn from the author’s own experience, which totally makes sense now, as all throughout reading (I am only 100ish pages in) I have been thinking about how strong the narrative is – knowing the author has sadly experienced such a tragedy herself makes sense with how the book feels.

SATURDAY 11TH JANUARY

More reading done in After The End... Things have taken an interesting turn, and I’m unsure if I like it or not.

SUNDAY 12TH JANUARY

I made it a priority to read at any possible opportunity today, and in doing so I managed to complete After The End by Clare Mackintosh. It is going to be hard to share my full thoughts on this book as I do maintain a spoiler free blog... Hmm... I found After The End to be a very emotionally charged book, which at times was quite hard to read, but at the same time I did not want to put it down. The story itself takes an interesting path, and the ending wasn’t quite to my usual reading tastes, however it worked well in this book and with the way this story had been told. Although this is my first completed fiction book of the year, I see After The End staying with me long after the year’s end.

BOOKS MENTIONED

The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton | Philosophy for Polar Explorers by Erling Kagge |

 The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold | After The End by Clare Mackintosh

QUESTION:

What was your first book of the year?