December 2018 Reading Wrap-Up!

Hi all! 

Welcome to my December 2018 Reading Wrap-Up! It was a great end to a fabulous year of reading. Just to let you know, 2019 will look quite different on my blog. I am going to finally tackle all of the physical, unread books on my shelf, so instead of doing monthly wrap-ups, I will be giving them their own full-post reviews. For now however, here is what I read and thought in December. I hope you enjoy!

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. If you’re interested, the live show discussing the novel will be held January 18th 6pm PST on MissSassyKassie’s YouTube Channel. 

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: Okay, there were many things that 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 and I look forward to watching the mini-series adaptation. Oh and if you’re wondering whose side I am on? No adult should ever hit another child. Period.

RATING: I gave this 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 and with moving house, a baby and Christmas, I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it in time. That book was Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I have no doubt I will read it someday. 

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 and I love the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This classic tale was whimsical, adventurous and compelling. I adored the scene where Bilbo first meets Gollum and challenges 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 that I ended this year with such an iconic read. 

RATING: I gave this 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: a collection of quotes and wise words, one for every day of the year. It includes funny, insightful, inspiring thoughts from Wonder’s fans, famous authors and personalities – from Roald Dahl and Paul McCartney to Anne Frank, Tolkien and Popeye – 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 and the cameos from all of the characters from Wonder. It’s such a nice keepsake for my shelves. Definitely worth buying! 

RATING: I gave this 5/5 stars. 

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

Thanks for reading!

Peace & Love xoxo 

Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Book Depository Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own