Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I HAD To Buy, But Have Still Not Read

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Hello!

The theme this week is actually a freebie, so we can choose ourselves. I read through the list of previously done Top Ten Tuesday, and this title caught my eyes. I knew I definitely do that all the time, and I have several books in my TBR shelf with books that I just HAD to buy when I found out about it.


The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson is the first one on this list, though it it not the book that has been neglected the longest. I bought this right after christmas, after hearing a lot about it and I knew I wanted to read it ASAP, but I have yet to pick it up. I am, however, still very excited about it.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness has been on my shelf for longer than I can remember, but I still haven't picked it up. I bough it because the premise sounded really interesting, and it still does, I just can't get around to it. There's always some other book to read.

Room by Emma Donoghue. I can't remember when this got on the list, but it's definitely been there for over a year. I haven't seen the book yet, or even seen the trailer, because I really want to go into this book not knowing anything, and then seeing the movie later.


Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a book I'm ashamed is on this list. I did try to pick it up one time, after hearing so much hype about it, but I couldn't focus and didn't even get 10 pages in. I still have it, and I honestly think that it's a book I'll really enjoy, and hopefully I'll get to it before 2016 is finished.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, though this a book I hadn't really heard much about, I picked it up knowing that I wanted to read it as soon as possible. I love greek mythology, and that was enough for me to buy this book. I don't really know a lot about this book, but I want to go into it not knowing, so I'm fine with that.

Saga, Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughan  and Fiona Staples. This entered my shelf when The Final Empire did, and I was just as excited about this, if not more. The worst thing about this one, is that it's so short. It takes less than an hour to read, and I still haven't picked it up. It will be on my July TBR, so hopefully that'll make me read it.


More Than This by Patrick Ness is the newest edition on this list. I saw it in a bookshop in England, and I just had to pick it up. I haven't read anything by Patrick Ness, but I've only heard good things about his book. There's a reason two of the books on this list are by him, though I wish I had gotten to them both already.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, I have to admit, after I bought this I wasn't so hyped for it. I really wanted it for christmas, and I was lucky enough to get it, but I just put on my shelf and forgot about. Every time I saw it I did want to pick it up, but I just never got around to it. This is the next book on my TBR, so I'll hopefully start this within the next few days.

Life and Death, Twilight Reimagined by Stephenie Meyer. I couldn't NOT put this on my list. I've always been a huge fan of Twilight, because they made me love reading. Therefore I just HAD to have this when I heard about it, and I got it for christmas. I just haven't felt like it was the right time to read it, and therefore I kept putting it off. I want to get to it.

Do you have any unread books on your shelf, that you just HAD to get?

Saturday, June 25, 2016

View from page thirty: The Girl in the Photograph



Book: The Girl in the Photograph
Author: Kate Riordan
Genre: Historical fiction

Goodreads synopsis:
In the summer of 1933, Alice Everleigh has arrived at Fiercombe Manor in disgrace. The beautiful house becomes her sanctuary, a place to hide her shame form society in the care of the housekeeper, Mrs Jelphs. But the manor also becomes a place of suspicion, one of secrecy.

Something isn't right.

Someone is watching.

There are secrets that the manor house seems determined to keep. Tragedy haunts the empty rooms and foreboding hangs heavy in the stifling heat. Traces of the previous occupant, Elizabeth Stanton, are everywhere and soon Alice discovers Elizabeth's life eerily mirrors the path she herself is on.

My view from page thirty:
I think I will really enjoy this book, once I get more immersed in it. It takes some time, for me at least, to get used to new writing styles and therefore to be able to fully immerse myself in the story. 

There hasn't happened a lot yet, our main character has gotten pregnant with a married man, and has to be sent away. She has not yet arrived at Fiercombe manor, but it probably won't be long. She can only stay home until she begins to show, because nobody can find out.

This is an adult fiction book, and I don't mind reading them, I'm just not used to it. It's not a book I normally would choose for myself, but my cousin handed it to me and insisted that I try it, so I am. I generally enjoy adult fiction, so I hope that means I will enjoy this book as well.

The book is an historical fiction, and again, something I normally never read. I've read on other historical fiction this year, and I did enjoy that. I hope this will be a good book to read this summer, and I hope it doesn't take too long to get through. My cousin said she finished it in three days, so I don't think it'll take long for me either.

When I finish this book I will write a full review and post that here as well, so keep your eyes peeled for that, if you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts on this book.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

View from page thirty: Inborn



Book: Inborn (The Birthright #1)
Author: Amy Saunders
Genre: Science Fiction

Goodreads synopsis:
Rosamund Brandt has had a semi normal life for sixteen years. Well, semi normal for a family descended from aliens. Sure, she could create portals and her family had a secret basement. But she went to school, had a best friend, and got her driving permit like every other teen.

However, her definition of "normal" unravels when a killer with multiple powers and an agenda steps into town. When Rosamund herself becomes a target, she has a choice between playing the killer's game and saving a few, or getting to the core of the murders and stopping them for good.

Rosamund's choice will save everyone she cares about - or unleash a new era for herself and her family, shattering whatever hope for going back to normal she had.

My view from page thirty:
Technically, this is more like view from page thirty-six, but I could't stop in the middle of a chapter.

So far, this book seems okay. The beginning starts with Rosamund and her family going through an escape drill in the middle of the night, when Rosamund stumbles over a dead body. That's a pretty action-packed start, and it grabs your attention.

I have yet to get used to the writing style, so I'm not reading it as smoothly as I would like to, but that usually changes when I get really into the book. It takes time to get used to different writing styles, and it doesn't mean that this book is written bad.

We then follow Rosamund the next day, where she meets Lachlan, a new boy at her school. Chapter two ends in a small cliffhanger, and I can honestly say that I'm intrigued as to what is going to happen. 

I hope I can connect with Rosamund, though her ancestors are aliens, and I hope I'm not disappointed by this book.

When I'm finished with it, I will write a full review and post it here.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite 2016 Releases So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Hello!

This week the theme is favourite 2016 releases so far, which is perfect for me. I've read so many great books so far this year, and I hope the second half of the year will be just as great.



A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas has been my absolute favourite release so far this year. It made me marathon the entire Throne of Glass series again, because I couldn't get enough of Maas' writing. I gave this 5 stars, and I still cannot stop thinking about it. It's one of my favourite books all time, and I honestly can't wait for the next book to come out in May 2017. You can read my review here.




The Passenger by Lisa Lutz was not a book I expected to like as much as I did. I as able to read it through NetGalley, and I absolutely loved it. It's not a genre I normally read, as I tend to stick to YA-fantasy or contemporary, but I'm so glad I read this. It really opened my eye to the new genre, and I want to read more like this. You can read my review here.




Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel is unlike any book I've ever read. It's written entirely in transcripts, but you still get super involved in the story. It's a magnificent sci-fi novel, that I devoured in one sitting. You can read my review here. 




Full Share by Eliza Freed is the perfect summer read if you're looking for a light-hearted, romantic story. It takes on a couple of issues, but not in a way that it brings down the mood of the story. I didn't want to put this down and finished it in one sitting. You can read my review here.



I'll See You in Paris by Michelle Gable is an adult fiction novel. You follow two stories from several years apart, that somehow wind up together at the end. The books is fantastic and entertaining, and something I'll recommend to everybody. You can read my review here





What are your favourite 2016 releases so far?

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Review: Full Share

This book will be out June 21st. I got an e-arc from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.


Title: Full Share
Author: Eliza Freed
Publisher: Brunswick House
Year published: 2016
How I got this book: I got it as an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Nora Hargroves's post-grad life includes a horrific entry-level job, a cave of an apartment, and a strict avoidance of all interpersonal relationships. She knows only one thing about herself - she wants to be left alone.

Avoiding her mother's forced family time, she seeks solitude on her own terms. In a poorly ventilated, overcrowded Dewey Beach rental, she discovers there's no place to hide. Not from yourself, not from your life, and not from love. This is the story of Nora Hargrove's full share.

"I learned the heling power of a good bloody Mary and a dip in the Atlantic. I kayaked in the dead of night and witnessed the only shooting star I've ever seen. I fell in love on a bed made of pallets. I lived.

Life is deep. Dive in."

My thoughts:
I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, I only wanted to read some nice romance. And that was exactly what I got. This review will not contain spoilers.

My favourite part of this book was the characters. They were all so complete and had such depth, and you connected with each of them. Nora, the main character, was my favourite. I saw myself in some parts of her, though not much, but I still really enjoyed reading from her perspective.

Though this was an amazing love story, it also focused on personal growth. Especially in Nora. She has a lot of issues, and the book explores that in a wonderful way. It talks about mental illness in a really open way, and how that affects your life.

This was the first book I've read by Eliza Freed, and it definitely will not be the last. This book is perfect for the summer, reading it at the beach or by the pool. 

Before picking this up, you should keep in mind that this is a New-Adult book, and it does contain explicit sex scenes. Not much, but if that's not something you're comfortable with, you should be aware of it. That said, I will recommend this to a lot of people. The story was absolutely brilliant, and I flew through it in one sitting.


Buy this book?
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Review: Bitterblue


Title: Bitterblue (Graceling Realm #3)

Author: Kristin Cashore
Publisher: Dial
Year published: 2012
How I got this book: Ordered it on BookDepository (affiliate link)
My rating: 4,5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Eight years have passed since the young Princess Bitterblue, and her country, were saved from the vicious King Leck. Now Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea, and her land is at peace.

But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisers, who have run the country on her behalf since Leck's death, believe in a forward-thinking plan: to pardon all those who committed terrible acts during Leck's reign; and to forget every dark event that ever happened. Monsea's past has become shrouded in mystery, and it's only when Bitterblue begins sneaking out of her castle - curious, disguised and alone - to walk the streets of her own city, that she begins to realise the truth. her kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year long spell of a madman, and now their only chance to move forward is to revisit the past.

Whatever that past holds.

Two thieves, who have sworn only to steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck's reign. And one of them, who possesses and unidentified Grace, may also hold a key to her heart ...

My thoughts:
This is the last book in the Graceling companion series, and I really enjoyed it. As I said, it's a companion series, so you don't necessarily have to read them in the right order, but that's what I did, and I think it was the best for me. I would recommend reading Bitterblue last anyway, because it takes place after both Graceling and Fire, and contains spoilers for them. Fire takes place first if you want to read it chronologically, but it doesn't really matter if you read Graceling or Fire first, neither spoils the other. 

It took a couple of chapters before I really got into this book, but that's because it's been a while since I read Graceling and Fire, and I needed to get myself back into the story. 

We follow Bitterblue, the queen of Monsea, throughout this book. We first met her in Graceling, when she was a child, but this takes place eight years later. We see Po and Katsa in this book, but personally, I did not enjoy Katsa as much in this book. That may just be because it's been a while since I've read Graceling and connected with her. I did really like Po in this book, and how supportive he was of Bitterblue.

Bitterblue was such a great character in this book, and I connected a lot with her. She acted like a normal person, and some times that not really the case with book characters, unfortunately. Bitterblue is about my age in this book, and I can't imagine going through what she has, and having all that responsibility. 

There are SO many characters in this book, which is not necessarily bad. It did, however, meant that it took a while for me to understand who was who, and actually understand everything.

I did really enjoy this book, and flew through it. I wish we could have more series in this world, because I want to know more. I wish the ending felt a bit more like an actual ending, but it wasn't too bad. 

If you want to read this series, or are having doubts about it, I recommend giving it a shot. Start with either Graceling or Fire, depending on what order you want to read them in, and just start. This wasn't the best in the series, but I did still enjoy it a lot. 

Buy this book?
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Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
AdLibris (Norway)

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases For The Second Half Of The Year

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Hello!

This week the theme is ten most anticipated releases for the second half of the year. There are so many great books coming out, and I can't wait to get my hands on all of them. 


The first on this list had to be Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas. This is the fifth book in the Throne of Glass series, one of my favourite series of all time. The release date is September 6th, and I can't wait. I just finished rereading the series, and I need more as soon as possible.


The second book in this list had to be The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan. This is the second book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series, and I absolutely loved the first book, The Sword of Summer. This book will come out October 4th, and I'm so excited!

The rest of the books I will just list the title, author and release date.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - J. K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, John Tiffany - July 31st

On the Other Side  - Carrie Hope Fletcher - July 14th

Harry potter and the Chamber of Secret, illustrated edition - J. K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay - October 4th

This Is Our Story - Ashley Elston - November 15th

The Light Fantastic - Sarah Combs - August 2nd

Wrecked - Maria Padian - October 4th






Saving Hamlet - Molly Booth - November 1st

Inborn - Amy Saunders - July 21st







I probably forgot some books that I actually am excited about, so therefore I ask you, what's your most anticipated book for the second half of 2016?

Friday, June 10, 2016

Review: After You


This is the second book in a series, and will therefor contain spoilers for the first book. 

Title: After You (Me Before You #2)
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Year published: 2015
How I got this book: I borrowed it from my mum
My rating: 3,5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
 "You're going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push yourself. Don't settle. Just live well. Just live. Love, Will."

How do you move on after losing the person you loved? How do you build a life worth living?

Louisa Clark is no longer just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life. After the transformative six months spent with Will Traynor, she is struggling without him. When an extraordinary accident forces Lou to return home to her family, she can't help but feel she's right back where she started.

Her body heals, but Lou herself knows that she needs to be kickstarted back to life. Which is how she ends up in a church basement with the members of the Moving On support group, who share insights, laughter, frustrations, and terrible cookies. They will also lead her to the strong, capable Sam Fielding - the paramedic, whose business is life and death, and the one man who might be able to understand her. Then a figure from Will's past appears and hijacks all her plans, propelling her into a very different future...

For Lous Clark, life after Will Traynor means learning to fall in love again, with all the risks that brings. But here Jojo Moyes gives ut two families, as real as our own, whose joys and sorrows will touch you deeply, and where both changes and surprises awaits.

My thoughts:
I had a hard time deciding what I really felt about this book. I really wanted to like it, because I liked Me Before You so much, but I just couldn't. This is not a small book, and plenty of stuff happens throughout the book, but to me, it felt rushed. It felt like everything just happened, that Moyes just wanted to make it hard for Lou in this book.

Talking about Lou, I did not like her in this book. I absolutely adored her in Me Before You, but she annoyed me a lot of times in this book. I just could not relate to her at all, and that disappointed me in this book. She was so relatable in the previous book, but she changed too much. 

That said, she did redeem herself a bit in the end. I won't spoil you with what happened, but she I could finally see a tiny piece of myself in her again, and I had really missed that throughout this book


We meet a few new characters in this book, especially Sam and Lily. I did like Sam quite a bit, but I'm still not completely sure what I feel about his and Lou's relationship. I absolutely hated Lily for a while, I could not stand her at all. I felt like this was on purpose, that maybe Moyes didn't want us to like her, and if that's the case, she did it perfectly. I also hated how weak Lou was when it came to Lily, and she just could not stand up for herself at all.

Even though this is not as good as the first one, I did enjoy reading it. I didn't go into this book with high expectations at all, because my mum told me that she was quite disappointed in it. I think that saved the book a bit for me. Had I gone into it with hopes of liking it as much as Me Before You, I would have disliked this book so much more. 

You don't need to read this book to get closure with Lou, at least, I didn't. But if you still want to read more about her, I would recommend picking up this book. Just don't expect it to be like Me Before You. It's still good, I gave it 3,5 stars. It's not a book I would re-read, but I would suggest picking it up if you like Moyes' writing and if you connected to the characters in the previous book.

Buy this book?
Amazon (US)
Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
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Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Reasons I Love Reading

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Hello!

I am a big fan of reading, and there's not many things I'd rather do than dive into a wonderful book. This weeks topic for Top Ten Tuesday is "Reasons I Love X", and it was obvious that I had to do it on why I love reading so much. This will not be in any particular order, as all of these reasons add up to why I enjoy it.

Going on adventures
Even though I, technically, don't even leave my house, I go on so many adventures through book. I snuggle up in bed or on the couch whilst traveling through worlds, discovering amazing things and fighting dangers. I get to experience so much through books, and it's priceless.

Personal growth
This is something a lot of people don't think about, especially if they don't like reading. The thing is, through reading I have experienced to much and gotten to know so many different people. I've been inside of hundreds of heads, learning different ways to think and different kinds of mindsets. Even when you close the book, you take that with you.


Keeping an open mind
Because of all the different people I've met through reading, I've learned to not judge people before getting to know them. People go to so much stuff, that no one else knows about, and therefore you shouldn't judge before knowing someone. Through my experiences in books, I've learned to keep my mind open to new things, and it's amazing.

Virtual traveling
Through reading, I have been so many places that I'll probably never be able to see in real life. I've travelled all over the world, and to worlds that don't even exist. By keeping you imagination open, you travel through worlds and countries, experiencing it all through the pages.


Improving my vocabulary
English is not my native language, though I most of the books I read are English. By reading all of these books, my vocabulary has extended so much. It helps my writing, and everyday life. By reading so much English and learning new words, I have an advantage for the rest of my life, with everything that includes English. 

It's a wonderful hobby
Some people like to hang out at the mall, watch movies or just hang out. I really like reading. With books you're never alone, and there are always something to do, something to read. No matter what kind of mood you're in, there's always something for it. If you want to read something sad, pick up a sad book. If you want to read something funny, pick up a funny book.


It brings me joy
Getting to know all the different characters, and connecting to them, gives my a lot of joy in life. Being able to think about characters outside of reading the actual book is something I enjoy so much, and books connects you to other people as well. When a book is so wonderful that you don't want to put it down, that's me favourite thing. When it's so good that you can't stop thinking about it, even after you've finished it, that's the main reason reading is so great.


There are plenty of other small, random reasons I love reading as well, but I can't list them all. This post would go on forever! Instead, I want to ask you a question. Why do you love reading?

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Wrap Up: May



It's been quite a while since I've done a monthly wrap up, but I've somehow managed to read a lot of books. Way more than I thought I did. I haven't been reading this much earlier this year, and therefore I didn't see a reason to write wrap ups, but now I'm back in the game. As you might notice, most of the books this month were re-reads, but I still had a wonderful reading month. I enjoyed it so much.


The first book I read was Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. I started it at the end of April, and finished it early in May. I did enjoy the book, though I wasn't the biggest fan of the format. I could have enjoyed it more if I've read it at a different time, but that happens.


Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling was the second book I read in May. I'm pretty sure I finished this in a day, but I spent a lot of time home because I was sick, so I did have a lot of time to read. I think this was the 5th time reading this book, and I still absolutely love it. I am slowly working my way through the book again, but I've limited myself to one book a month, so I'll actually read something else as well.


I finally read The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan this month. I got it for christmas, and have been wanting to read it since then. I just never picked it up, even though I knew I would love it. I finished it in a day, I just couldn't pick it down. I love mythology, and Greek and Norse are my favourites. Because I'm from Norway I know quite a lot about the mythology in this book, and it made it all the more enjoyable. I can't wait for the next book to come out.


I had to re-read A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas before the next book came out. I finished this in two days, and loved it even more than the first time I read it. I have yet to come across a book by Maas that I didn't become completely obsessed with.


Obviously, my next read was A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. It came out on the third, but I had to wait for it to actually arrive, since I ordered it online. I still haven't seen it in a bookstore in my town, which makes me really sad. I could not put this book down. I finished it in less than twelve hours, and I'm so sad that there's only one book left in the trilogy.


The next book I read was A World Between by Robert Herzog. That was the biggest disappointment this month. I didn't really enjoy it at all, because the point of the book didn't interest me. There was a lot of quantum physics and things, and that's just not my cup of tea, though I have no doubt that several others will love it.


After that, I still couldn't get ACOMAF out of my head, and I knew I had to read something else by Maas. I ended up picking up The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas, deciding it was time to re-read her other series. It was, somehow, even better now than the first time around, and I finished this in a couple of days as well.


The day after I finished The Assassin's Blade I picked up Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. I would have picked it up immediately, but I finished it at 1 in the morning, and I had school the next day. I finished it in a day and a half, not really being able to think about something other than the book.


As soon as I finished Throne of Glass I picked up Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas. Thankfully, it was Friday, and I could stay up late reading. I finished the book on Saturday afternoon, and, shockingly, picked up Heir of Fire as soon as I finished. I am enjoying re-reading this series so much, and I'm so glad I'm doing it. I can't wait for Empire of Storms to come out in September.

I did manage to finish Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas on Sunday, and I am super happy about that. I did not expect to read through the books so fast, but somehow I am able to, even though I'm in the middl of my exam period. I finished Heir of Fire on Sunday night, and because of my exam on Monday morning I wasn't able to pick up Queen of Shadows immediately, but I did pick it up when I got home from my exam. 



Because of all the re-reads I haven't been writing that many reviews, because I don't really like reviewing books when it's not the first time reading them. And for some of them, I've posted reviews earlier. However, the books that I've written reviews about, are linked in the book titles.


How was your reading month?