2025 Wrap Up

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As we reach the end of another year many of us reflect on the year we’ve lived. For me 2025 has been very up and down, with a fair amount of challenges, but there’s been plenty of good too, and that’s what I’ll be focussing on here. It has been my most popular year on the blog, so a huge thank you to you, my readers, for stopping by. I hope it’s been a year of more good than bad for you and that 2026 holds good health, friendship, and excellent books.

Books

I started the year borrowing a stack of non-fiction from the local library about technology and the effect it’s having on us all. These books proved to be fascinating, anxiety inducing reads. They made me reflect on the way technology, and specifically social media, impacts human life on a much broader scale than the individual. I had previously thought mostly about the amount of time we waste scrolling, on the way it degrades relationships due to its constant pull of attention, but these books make me appreciate how much of a problem it is for humanity as a whole, and how its implications can be so much more severe than some wasted time. The Chaos Machine by Max Fisher gave this wide picture, and The Cyber Effect by Mary Aiken really focused in on the impact technology has on young people. An unsettling but important read for anyone with young people in their life. Having been convinced of the dangers of tech, I was pleased to read this recent article on The Guardian which suggests people are moving away from their digital lives in search of real connection. There’s also been a lot of talk on social media recently about how we use technology and how many are planning to shift their use in 2026 to more intentional - using technology as a tool rather than an extension of ourselves. This feels like a worthwhile, achievable aim. 

This year I have also finally cracked the spine on a few books that have been patiently waiting my attention, sometimes for years. This has been a mixed experience. Most recently, I finished City of Wonders by Eduardo Mendoza which I had eagerly anticipated. It was probably my most disappointing read of the year. This is not to say it’s a terrible book, not at all. Early on I really quite enjoyed it, but the further I got into it the more I had to force myself to go back to it. When you go in with high expectations you’re more likely to be disappointed and perhaps if I had just picked it up and read it immediately it would have left a better impression. Similarly, The Mad Women’s Ball by Victoria Mas is one I’ve been looking forward to reading. It didn’t quite hit in the way I’d expected but there was more in it to enjoy. The ideas and issues in it were easy to feel connected to even if the execution wasn’t quite as smooth as I’d hoped. A more successful anticipated read was O Caledonia by Elspeth Barker, which was not quite what I expected but wonderful nonetheless. Absorbing, atmospheric, with a protagonist that feels incredibly real. Finally, and probably the book that has been on my radar for the longest of these (since I saw A.C. Grayling talk at the Hay Festival back in 2016) was a non-fiction, The Age of Genius, which I finished up in the last days of the year, and which I found fascinating. 

The most fun read of the year was undoubtedly Just One Damned Thing After Another by Jodi Taylor, a lively time travel novel which happily is the start of a series. Regular readers will know that I read series incredibly slowly, so it is testament to how much I enjoyed this that I’ve already read book two. My favourite book of the year however, was probably Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, a moving story of friendship, creativity, and ambition in a period where you didn’t have to be a huge company to create bestselling video games. I loved getting to know the characters, frustrating as they could be at times, and learning more about the work that goes in to creating video games, a topic I’m not particularly familiar with.

I’ve got a few books lined up to read in the early days of 2026, including getting back to Ferrante’s excellent Neapolitan Quartet with The Story of the Lost Child. A non-fiction I picked up a few months back which is drawing my attention, A Life of One’s Own by Joanna Biggs should be an early finish. I’m also considering finally picking up a copy of Mantel’s epic Wolf Hall. As ever, I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading and loving recently.

Exhibitions:

It’s been a year where I’ve embraced my love of art. A reliable favourite was the Broderer’s Exhibition. They exhibit every few years and the work is always stunning. A real testament of what can be done with needle and thread. I also particularly enjoyed Dangerously Modern: Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890-1940 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, on until 15th February 2026. The artists were almost all new to me and I loved their artwork. It was also interesting to learn about their travels and the influences they took back to Australia with them. I regret not buying the exhibition guide. Not a temporary exhibition, but an art gallery I also enjoyed on my travels was the National Gallery in Athens, well worth a visit.

Moving away from art for a moment, an exhibition at the Science Museum in London, Versailles: Science and Splendour really caught my attention. I enjoyed it so much I wrote a whole review of it. Sadly, it’s now closed.

Travel

2025 started with being stranded on a mountain road in the Cairngorms in a snow storm. A dramatic start, but a beautiful one nonetheless. Our journey back from Scotland allowed us to finally visit Whitby, somewhere that has been on the to-visit list for well over a decade now. It was every bit as lovely as I’d hoped, as well as being bitterly cold. I’d love to go back and spend a bit more time exploring.

I make no secret of finding winter a difficult season (although have tried this year to really embrace all the seasons and what they have to offer) and so visiting a sunnier country toward the end of winter is always an aim to bridge the gap to Spring. This year I was lucky to be able to visit Greece for the first time. We spent almost a week in Athens before heading over to Aegina for a few days of island life. I absolutely loved Athens. It felt relaxed during the day and vibrant in the evenings. Visiting in March meant the weather was warm and sunny during the day and cooler in the evenings. Planning your days to avoid the heat was not a consideration, and the city smelt gorgeous as the orange trees were in blossom. Outside of the city the mountains were covered in wildflowers, a truly beautiful time to visit. Aegina was fairly quiet, tourist season not having kicked in, but in Aegina Town there was plenty open and we explored the ancient ruins around the island as much as possible. A day trip to Agistri was a quiet one, with almost everything being shut, but we enjoyed a pleasant walk, and managed to find an open restaurant for a delicious lunch.

UK weather not being on our side for trips this year, we had a very rainy camping trip in Wales. Putting up your tent in torrential rain and trying to sleep in a lightning storm might not be the most appealing but we saw some beautiful places. The National Botanic Gardens of Wales were lovely despite the weather. We could definitely have spent more time there than we allowed for it. The gardens at Dyffryn were also particularly beautiful, and we enjoyed an evening stroll around the pretty seaside town of Penarth. 

A trip to Gran Canaria was a nice change of pace for people whose holidays are usually pretty full on. We came back feeling more relaxed than any other holiday we’ve been on. That’s not to say we didn’t get out to see the island however. A dolphin watching tour allowed us to see a pod of dolphins in the wild, and a day in Las Palmas provided the culture hit we often seek. A beautiful city with interesting museums and galleries, and a particularly nice beach. A day trip took us into the centre of the island, showing us the variety of landscapes and an insight into the history that has changed it from the lush island it once was. The botanic gardens in Maspalomas made for a pretty stroll on a sunny afternoon. I enjoyed seeing plants that you never see in the UK, and those that you only see in greenhouses here growing outside, and thriving for being in their natural habitat.

An unexpected trip to Australia in October meant seeing the country in Spring for the first time, and with it the beautiful purple jacaranda trees in bloom. We were also incredibly lucky to see dolphins playing in the waves at Palm Beach. We enjoyed the Saturday markets around Sydney and the bookshops of Glebe (a good secondhand bookshop making the otherwise very expensive books of Australia more affordable). We were fortunate to be there during the Sculpture by the Sea trail in Bondi so checked that out, and of course, wandered round more botanic gardens. 

2026 will probably be a quiet year for travel as our bank accounts recover from 2025, but as we had to shift a trip to Belgium for the Australia visit we know we’ll be going there. Any recommendations of what to see and do very welcome. 

2023 Wrap-Up

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Here we are again, at the close of another year. How has 2023 treated you? Well, I hope.

It’s been a good reading year for me. My numbers may be nothing exceptional (23 as I write, likely to tick over to 25 by the time the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve), but the content has been strong. I’ve managed an almost exactly even split between fiction and non-fiction, and both categories have included gems. Early in the year I finally picked up Invisible Women, an important read which opened my eyes to the manifold ways the world is designed for men. The Science of Storytelling was also an excellent read as someone interested both in psychology and writing, and I’d urge any budding writers to pick up a copy. I borrowed it from the library but might need to add it to my own collection. Finally, one that hasn’t made it on to this blog yet, but was one of the most gripping non-fiction books I’ve read in a long time - Lost Connections by Johann Hari was an enlightening look at depression and anxiety. It made me reconsider what I’ve been told about causes and treatment, and think more deeply on the way shifts in society impact our mental health. I couldn’t stop talking about it while I was reading it.

For fiction, some highlights were the second in Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet (I’ll get to book three soon..) which absolutely left me desperate for more, I’m just not one to binge series. Recently I enjoyed The Winter Garden for a bit of magic and wonder, and The Confessions of Frannie Langton which was intense and dark and absolutely gripping. My favourite fiction read of the year has to be Demon Copperhead (many thanks to the fabulous readalong leader who got me to read it). It is by no means an easy read, it deals with difficult topics, but you feel so much empathy for the characters, and learn a lot about real life in Appalachia as a result. Any Kingsolver fans reading this, please offer tips on what to read of hers next.

I’m not one for planning my upcoming reads much, but I’m likely to be reading Unwell Women and The Moonstone soon, both of which have been sitting patiently on my shelves for too long. I also have excellent recommendations from my bookish friends to see me through the next twelve months. Have you read any of them?

My theatre consumption this year has been varied - from the brilliant Hamilton to the sweet Winnie the Pooh Musical and the bonkers The Great British Bake Off Musical. Many an enjoyable night out has been had. My exhibition game has been lacking somewhat, but the highlight was likely The Rossettis at the Tate Britain, one I would gladly have spent more time in. The Maria Bartusová at Tate Modern was also fascinating and thought-provoking. In the new year I’m looking forward to heading to the Royal Academy for Impressionists on Paper.

I’ve not travelled as much this year, but was lucky to have an incredible trip to Germany in December. Highlights include visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. Yes, it’s an unoriginal day trip, but there’s a reason it’s popular. Perched on a crag in the mountains, the views from it are utterly breathtaking. The interiors are incredible, inspired by the Middle Ages, they are lavish and beautifully crafted. You can only visit by guided tour, and it moves you through at quite a pace, but it is absolutely worth it. (If you’re thinking of going, I’d recommend taking a Flixbus from Munich for around €14 rather than the organised tours that cost four times that and don’t offer much more than transport). Going up Zugspitze was also a highlight. Having had heavy snow a few weeks before we visited, it was a frozen winter wonderland. The Alps stretch for as far as the eye can see, and the views take in five countries. It’s expensive but absolutely worth it, and is a full day activity. A day trip to Innsbruck from Garmisch-Partenkirchen was a lovely unexpected addition to our time there. The bus ride was so beautiful as it winds through the mountains, it was worth the €6.99 for the views alone. Innsbruck itself is a beautiful city, surrounded by mountains, and dressed in its finest for Christmas. 

The view from Neuschwanstein

I was also able to spend a few days camping in Scotland earlier in the year. It rained a lot and I came back with nigh-on 70 midge bites, but it was a refreshing trip. We based ourselves in Luss, on the western shores of Loch Lomond, which proved an excellent base for exploring the area. A ferry across from Tarbet to Inversnaid led to excellent walking routes, and on return, the walk from Tarbet to Arrochar via the Three Lochs Way was a treat. My highlight, though, was kayaking to one of the small islands. It was a day with storm clouds threatening, but the beauty and peace of the island, draped in purple rhododendrons, was something my heart longs to return to. We’re hoping to spend more time in Scotland in 2024, walking the West Highland Way. I hope that you’re able to take a break in the coming year and enjoy the rejuvenating benefits of whatever type of holiday you prefer.

2020 Wrap-Up

Writing a summary of 2020 feels an almost impossible task. It’s been a surreal and challenging year, and there’s little enthusiasm surrounding the new year as the pandemic ramps up once again. I hope you have found moments of joy nonetheless, and that any wounds the year has inflicted will heal over the coming months and years. There’s a sense of collective trauma that has encouraged more open discourse around mental health, and this is one thing that I hope we’ll continue into the years ahead. Our worlds have shrunk this year and for many, the pace of life has slowed dramatically with empty days stretching out, yet months passing rapidly, leaving a sense of disorientation when we realise quite how much time has passed. It’s been surreal and often lonely, but there has been beauty within it, communities coming together, time to contemplate the things and people that mean the most to you, and a chance to look more closely at your surroundings. In walking the same streets over and over I’ve noticed little details I would previously have marched past in a rush to get home or to go to work. The changing of the seasons has garnered far more attention as we see the increasingly familiar landscapes change, flowers blooming, trees turning golden, and for some, the first laying of snow. This increased connection to and appreciation of nature has been another slice of light in a dark year, and one that I hope I don’t lay aside carelessly when life offers some return to ‘normal’.

I have become more involved in the wider book blogger community this year, cheering each other on, encouraging endlessly increasing to-be-read piles, and taking part in virtual readalongs that have made the act of reading more social, allowing us the chance to discuss books as we read them. It’s been an invaluable source of joy, thank you to each and every one of you who has been part of this in any way. Regular readers will have noticed a new presence on the blog this year - blog tour posts. These have been a great opportunity to broaden my reading, bringing some contemporary fiction into my book pile. Many of the books I would never have picked up otherwise, and although they weren’t all to my taste, there have been some real standout reads, notably The Beast and the Bethany and Amari and the Night Brothers.

I’ve read slightly more books this year than the past few and it’s been quite a mixed bag. My first read of 2020 remains a highlight - The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose, a

beautiful novel connecting disparate lives through art. Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser also had me thoroughly engaged in a story that spans decades and continents. On the non-fiction front The Moth: Occasional Magic had me marvelling at the strength of the human spirit and the huge breadth of experience. Van Gogh: A Life was one of the biggest books of the year and succeeded in bringing to life the intricacies of this most famous of artist’s journeys. Finally, a book that topped the non-fiction bestseller charts, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, a book that everyone should read at least once.

I’m not one for planning my reading too far in advance, but my short-term reading list includes The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, which I’ve heard wonderful things about; The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante; and a spot of Agatha Christie. The latter part of 2020 has been somewhat lacking in non-fiction and so I intend to jump back on that bandwagon, recommendations always welcome. 

I hope your shelves are overflowing with excellent books to dive into and that the new year holds some wonderful things for you all. And remember, after every storm the sun will shine again. Wishing you peace, love, and good health for the days to come.

2019 in review

Another year draws to a close, and another challenging one for the planet. In a world gone mad it can feel as though the book blogging community is a little bubble of calm and positivity that I’m happy to be a part of. Thanks to the Two Amy’s Bookclub in the first half of the year (it’s sadly now been disbanded), I read a few more current books and some I wouldn’t have come cross otherwise – Bear Town I’m looking at you. Some other highlights were Normal People and The Binding. All very different books but ones that caught me up in their world, make me think, and dealt with serious issues in interesting and unique ways.

It’s been a year of some fantastic fiction including Autumn by Ali Smith, a humourous and thoughtful examination of the world we live in and the importance of relationships in making sense of it. The Blind Assassin although long, swept me along and I was left wanting more. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante is a powerful start to a quartet, the rest of which are on my to be read pile for 2020.

I started the year with the intention of alternating between fiction and non-fiction and although I didn’t quite manage a 50/50 split, I did read some amazing, interesting, and challenging books such as James Bloodworth’s Hired: Undercover in Low-Wage Britain and Why Grow Up? by Susan Neiman, both books that sparked a lot of discussions and that I continue to refer back to.

I was lucky to spend some time this year working in a public library and it was a great reminder of what a precious resource they are. Yes, it’s wonderful that they give access to all to a huge array of books for free but they are also so much more. I was surprised by the amount of regulars who came in to read the papers, use the computers, do their homework, or simply to interact with others. I’ve always felt joy when visiting libraries but have a new appreciation for the myriad of services they provide and a deep sadness at their dwindling numbers.

Sticking to the theme of free public resources, I came across this syllabus for a DIY MA in Creative Writing which I have begun working my way through. I admit however that I’ve made more progress with Tim Clare’s Couch to 80k podcast as each episode is only around twenty minutes and this feels a manageable chunk of time to commit almost every day. Spurred on by the thought of being able to study on your own terms I’ve undertaken to do similarly with Victorian Studies, a subject I’ve been longing to study further for the past decade. Accepting that it’s unlikely to ever be practical to go back to University, I am contenting myself with self-study and although I will of course miss out on lectures and seminars, I will enjoy having the luxury of time to spend as long as I want on each topic, reading widely.

Theatre visits have been few and far between but I was lucky enough to catch Notre Dame de Paris when it was in London at the start of the year and Rosmersholm in summer. 2020 is already looking promising with a number of tickets already organised, including a trip to Leeds for Northern Ballet’s 50^th anniversary gala and English National Ballet’s 70^th anniversary gala in London in the same month. What a treat of groundbreaking dance they will undoubtedly be. I’ll also being seeing out this year with the Royal Ballet performing Coppelia, a pretty, lighthearted production.

There have been some brilliant exhibition and museum visits this year including a trip to the William Morris Gallery and the Pre-Raphaelite Sisters at the National Portrait Galley (which there’s still time to see). They made me appreciate the pleasure of seeing famous paintings in real life, for example, Millais’ Ophelia which has never been a favourite, is utterly luminous in reality. The new galleries at Westminster Abbey are stunningly beautiful and designed sympathetically to their surroundings. Further afield it was a joy to be able to visit Hill Top, one of Beatrix Potter’s houses in the Lake District. At her request it has been preserved as she left it. The Villa Medici in Rome is a trip I’d definitely recommend and the Vatican, for all that it is undoubtedly impressive, made me appreciate smaller, more manageable galleries where you have the time and space to really appreciate the art.

I’m looking forward to another year full of books, theatre, art and travel and hope that yours is filled with all the things that make your heart happy.

Books of the Decade

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As 2019 draws to a close thoughts turn not just to reflecting on the year that’s passed but to the decade we’re leaving behind. ‘Books of the decade’ lists are of course hugely subjective but here are a few that stood out for me. Looking forward to delving in to everyone else’s lists and bringing my reading a bit more into the modern world.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

This book is definitely a love it or hate it read. Some dismiss it as being unrelentingly bleak, others feel deeply the suffering it depicts, not enjoying it but being moved by the emotion. I’m definitely in the latter camp. It broke my heart several times over but the characters linger years after reading. It follows the lives of four college friends as they try to find a place in the world for themselves, each dealing with their own challenges, none more so than Jude who takes centre stage, his traumatic story unfolding in front of us, flashbacks revealing the horrors of his youth.

Pick up a copy here.

The Humans by Matt Haig

The book that launched Haig into fame. A funny yet touching tale that raises some big questions and offers advice for those who feel lost in the dark. When an alien takes over the body of a pre-eminent mathematician who has just had a major breakthrough we get to see the human race from the point of view of a visitor to our planet. Although to start with he treats humanity with disdain he comes to see the bravery and beauty in our fleeting lives and the art we create to make it all worthwhile.

Pick up a copy here.

Harry Potter (Illustrated Editions) by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay

Fans of Rowling’s bestselling series have been delighted by the illustrated editions over the past few years. The tales of ‘the boy who lived’ are given a new lease of life with the gorgeous new illustrations by Jim Kay.

Pick up a copy here.

The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer

A breathtaking debut, with a protagonist who will stay with you long after turning the last page. Matthew Homes suffers from schizophrenia and he narrates his own story - the trauma of his childhood in losing his brother, his relationship with his parents, and his opinions on those looking after him. It is unsettling, moving, and humorous in parts.

Pick up a copy here.

Hired: Undercover in Low Wage Britain by James Bloodworth

Non-fiction at its absolute best. Incredibly readable although the subject can be difficult to sit with. Bloodworth worked in low-wage jobs around Britain for six months – in an Amazon warehouse, as a carer, in a call centre, and as an uber driver. He admits that his experience is different because he’s there out of choice and knows at the end of it he can go back to a more comfortable way of life but this is nonetheless an incredibly important read and one I would encourage everyone to pick up.

Pick up a copy here.