Stephen's Books of 2019

I love doing author interviews and one of the questions I always ask them is about books that inspire them and their writing style. As part of the series to connect with the reading community, today I am talking to my book blogger friend Stephen who is also a writer! I think there will be much to learn from him about writing and reading.

Like all posts in the 2019 in books series, remember that Stephen’s words are in italics and since this is a bookish discussion, all book links open in a new tab so that you can refer to them afterwards.

Welcome to Armed with A Book, Stephen. 🙂 Tell me a little bit about your love for books.

Thank you so much for asking me to take part, Kriti! I have loved and been fascinated by books for as long as I can remember, and it is a privilege to now be able to write about them on my blog. They have, and continue to help me learn, discover incredible stories, gain new perspectives, and immerse myself in fictional worlds. A great combination!

I agree! Books are the way to go to learn. They offer so much more in the storytelling than just a story.  To keep track of your reading every year, do you participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge or set reading goals for yourself? How do you usually choose this goal and what was your goal for this year?

Yes, this is my second year of taking part in the challenge. I find it a highly effective way to chart my reading progress, and that it provides me with extra motivation.

When I choose my target I like it to be a realistic number of books, but also something that gives me a bit of a challenge. My target for 2019 is 50 books, which I managed to reach in October 🙂

That’s great! I think at the beginning of the year, deciding a practical number is easier but as we read books and start to inch towards the goal, book by book, it is an amazing feeling to surpass it! 

Yes, I completely agree! Did you have a target for this year?

My initial target was 50 but I surpassed it in September I think, changing it to 75. I am completed that as well now. With getting reviewer copies from NetGalley, authors and publishers, the number of books and amount of reading skyrocketed for me. How do you choose which books you will be reading?

The main factors that make me decide I want to read a book, are the synopsis; reviews from my blogging friends, and if I have enjoyed previous books from the author. 

It can often be difficult choosing which one to read next! My decision is often down to a combination of which books I am anticipating most, and also the genre. In 2019 I have aimed to read a wider range of genres and I think I have achieved that successfully.

There are so many genres out there! I learned about noir fiction this year and had no idea that was a thing! 

That’s very true! Since I began book blogging, I have discovered several genres that I never knew existed!

About the books this year

Since you are a writer, did you read any books this year that got you thinking about your writing style? How did these books inspire you?

When I read a book, I analyse the writing style very closely and sometimes compare it to my own. After The End by Clare Mackintosh deals with an emotional topic and I was interested by the techniques she used to convey it. The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow is a very eloquently told story that has inspired me to write with more imagination. 

I remember you mentioned The Ten Thousand Doors of January earlier. I wish I could have made time to buddy read it. I look forward to sharing my thoughts on it when I get it next year. 

I can’t wait to hear what you think! The concept is very clever, and the author writes with such elegance. 

To what extent does the style of other authors influence and shape your own writing?

I haven’t tried my hand at writing a story anytime recently so I can’t quite answer that question. 🙂 But I will say that with reviewing books and expressing my thoughts about them on my blog, I’ve been better about noticing and appreciating the writing style of authors. Michael Williams’ Trajan’s Arch and Bob Van Laerhoven’s Return to Hiroshima were quite well written and different from the usual simple prose that a lot of books employ.

Do you have a particular approach to writing book reviews for your blog? Do you take notes while reading? Do you sometimes find it hard to articulate your thoughts? 

I do a lot of highlighting as I read. If it is a physical book, chances are that I will use post-it notes to keep track of highlights and add comments as I go. In a kindle book, I’ll sometimes type in notes. Articulating the thoughts as I read is a challenge. I find telling others about the book helps in bringing forth what I was unconsciously thinking while reading. I have often had discussions with my partner about my current read and that has led to many a note. 

Ah, it is interesting that talking to someone else about your current read helps to develop your thoughts. It can often be very difficult to put thoughts into words, and for me there are times where I only succeed in doing this while writing my final review.

Do you like your books to be clean and pristine or are you ok with marking them with highlights and writing in the margins?

I much prefer to keep my books free of any highlights or annotations. If there is something in a physical book that catches my eye, I take it down in a notepad. However, I do make full use of the highlighting and note features on my Kindle!

Are there any books you read this year that made you a better writer? 

I cannot think of any specific examples, where I can look back at a particular book and say ‘Yes, that really inspired an improvement in my writing’, but I think that we take something from every book we read, even subconsciously. I have also been lucky enough to see several authors speak at literary events, which have turned out to be very helpful towards my approach to writing.

I believe that every story I read has something to offer and changes me in ways. Was there such an impactful read for you this year? Were there any books that challenged your thinking and you learned a lot from?

I find that dystopian reads often challenge my thinking, and the plot of After The Green Withered by Kristin Ward, where water is used as currency, had an impact on me. A writer/character’s voice can be so powerful, and I especially found this in the YA books I read this year. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo were both memorable reads!  

You know what, this is probably why I have been an avid reader of dystopia lately! There are so many versions of the world that people have imagined and that I have found, as a reader, to be quite believable. I plan to post about my dystopian reads at the end of the year. 

Looking forward to finding out more about them. Is there one that you particularly recommend?

A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker stood out for me. It’s about the music industry and how, when public gatherings become illegal and the availability of music is controlled through an organization, people still find a way to make and enjoy music. I shared my thoughts and interview with Sarah on the blog.

Speaking of recommendations, I know it is hard to give them, especially when we read so many books in a year! If you had to choose, tell me about four books that I should check out and why. 

• The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton – This has an incredibly complex and ingenious concept/plot which I think was executed to perfection. My review

• The Muse by Jessie Burton – The quality of the writing is simply brilliant and the plot is so cleverly woven together across two timelines. Jessie Burton is one of my favourite authors. My review

• Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield – Storytelling at its best! My review

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas – This an unbelievably powerful book which I would recommend to anyone. The characters are well drawn and make it very authentic. My review

I have heard of all of them except the first one which sounds amazing! Hopefully, I can squeeze in at least 2 of these next year. 🙂

The Year Ahead

Would you change anything, whether it is your reading habits, review routine or reading goal, for 2020?

I don’t think I am going to make major changes. However, at the end of 2019 I have been making an effort to read more books containing diversity and I aim to continue that in 2020. My reading goal will increase very slightly; perhaps I shall set a target of 52 books. I may also start taking part in some blog tours.

What are your reading plans for 2020, and how do they differ from 2019?

I started book blogging around the middle of the year and since then, 70-90% of my reads every month have been review copies. For next year, I want to spend a little less time reviewing and actually read the books that I have bought/ been gifted in the last few years. I am also trying to arrange at least one buddy read a month. 

I find that buddy reading can help give you different perspectives on a book and make you consider it in other ways. What do you feel that you have gained from your previous buddy reads?

Buddy reading is amazing! I have read two books this way, so far, and apart from gaining new perspectives, as I read the book, I felt motivated to think more about what I was reading. Ariel and I read The Farm and there was so much I want to discuss with her, and anyone who has read The Farm for that matter! I posted our discussion here. I don’t think I would have engaged with the book in the same way if I didn’t know that I would have someone to talk to as I am reading it.

We usually work on a Google doc together, set up a timeline for milestones and dates for discussion, even though we write in Google doc whenever possible. How do you engage in buddy reads? I am looking forward to reading The Glass Woman with you next year!

Yes absolutely, buddy reading enables me to engage with a book even more! It is interesting that you use a Google doc to discuss, I think that is a great idea! 

I have done six buddy reads so far, and we have always discussed via direct messages on Twitter, when we reach an agreed point in the book. Looking forward to reading The Glass Woman with you!

I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Stephen! Please let us know what you think and share with your circles! Our handles will be tagged if you use the tweet below.

Ways to connect with Stephen:

Next up, tomorrow, I’ll have my Instagram friend, Lindsay, over to learn about her year in books.

Thanks for reading! ❤️