Top Ten Tuesday: Graphic Novels I Want To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Saga, Vol 3 // Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

Blankets // Craig Thompson

Nimona // Noelle Stevenson

Maus // Art Spiegelman

Ms. Marvel // G. Willow Winson

Sex Criminals // Matt Fraction & Chip Zdarsky

Mer // Joelle Sellner

The Wicked + The Divine // Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie & Matt Wilson & Clayton Cowles

Are there any graphic novels you want to read?

Review: Zom-B

Title: Zom-B
Author: Darren Shan
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's
Year published: 2012
How I got this book: Bought it through BookDepository (affiliate link)
My rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
When news reports start appearing of a zombie outbreak in Ireland, B's racist father thinks it's a joke - but even if it isn't, he figures, it's ok to lose a few Irish.

B doesn't fully buy into Dad's racism, but figures it's easier to go along with it than to risk the fights and abuse that will surely follow sticking up for Muslims, blacks or immigrants. and when dodging his fists doesn't work, B doesn't hesitate to take the piss out of kids at school with a few slaps or cruel remarks.

That is, until zombies attack the school. B is forved on a mad dash through the serpentine corridors of high school, making allegiances with anyone with enough gall to fight of their pursuers.

My thoughts:
I have always loved Darren Shan, and that's why I figured I should give this series a try as well. I am not a big fan of zombies, as I find them terrifying, but I wanted to give them a chance. And, honestly, I was a bit disappointed. 

The characters were awful, as well as the main character. Everything B did annoyed me, and because B is the narrator we read the thoughts justifying the actions. I had a problem with the racism in this book, even though it is made clear that racism isn't okay. I also had some issues with the abuse in the book, but I am hopeful that both of these problems will be solved in the next books. 

Even though the book is called Zom-B, you don't really meet them until the end of the book. When we did meet them, everything happened so quickly, and before I knew it the book was over. I don't know if this is a series I will finish, but I want to pick up the next one to see how it evolves.

If you are a fan of Darren Shan other series, or a fan of zombies, you should give this book a chance. But, if this doesn't sound like something you'll enjoy, you might want to pick up something else instead. 

Buy this book?
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Video - Books I Want To Re-Read in 2017 !

Hello!

I decided to try something different this week, so instead of writing a blogpost, I made a video! It's not the best, as I'm not used to being on camera like that, but I enjoyed making it. It felt nice doing something else than just writing a list on the blog, even though I enjoy that as well.

I think I'll make more videos in the future, but I will still write most of my posts. If I post any videos, I will use them in posts here. Even so, if you want more videos on this blog, please subscribe to my youtube channel and leave a comment on the video, or on this post. If no one wants me to make videos, I'll just continue writing on my blog as usual.

I hope you enjoyed this video, and I will talk to you in my next post!

Review: The Book of Mirrors

Title: The Book of Mirrors
Author: E.O. Chirovici
Publisher: Century
Publishing date: 26th of January 2017, today!
How I got this book: I got this as arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
When big-shot literary agent Peter Katz receives an unfinished manuscript entitled The Book of Mirrors, he is intrigued. 

The author, Richard Flynn is writing a memoir about his time at Princeton in the late 80s, documenting his relationship with the famous Professor Joseph Wieder.

One night in 1987, Wieder was brutally murdered in his home and the case was never solved.

Peter Katz is hell-bent on getting to the bottom of what happened that night twenty-five years ago and is convinced the full manuscript will reveal who committed the violent crime.

But other people's recollections are dangerous weapons to play with, and this might be one memory that is best kept buried.

My thoughts:
This book was so suspenseful, and I could not put it down. I read a few pages on the first day, but when I got really into it the next day, I was hooked.

The book has three parts, and we read from three different perspectives. The first part is mostly the manuscript itself, but we also get some from the agent's perspective. The middle part is from a reporter's perspective, and the last is from an ex-police officer, who worked on the case when it actually happened. 

Throughout the novel I kept changing my mind about what had happened and who to trust, which I actually really enjoyed. I liked that I didn't know what had happened, until it was revealed. You don't know which characters are reliable, and that makes it harder to know what is going to happen next.

I will definitely recommend this to people, and also recommend starting it knowing as little as possible about the plot. That's what I did, and I enjoyed this so much. I haven't read that many adult mystery novels, but every time I do, I wonder why I don't read it more often. I hope Chirovici comes out with more mystery novels, because I will pick them up!

Buy this book?
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Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
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A Court of Wings and Ruin cover

Hello!

This is not the kind of posts I usually do, but I am so excited that I need to talk about it! Today, we finally got the cover for A Court of Wings and Ruin, the third book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (ACOTAR). ACOTAR is one of my favourite series, so I was super excited to see the cover for the next book. And let me tell you, I was not disappointed.

http://worldofsarahjmaas.com/

Both of these covers are absolutely gorgeous, and I am completely in love with her dress. At the moment, I am in favour of the US cover, because that shade of green is just do die for. I also feel like that colour fits better with the other ones, but that is just my personal opinion. This makes me so excited to read this book, and I can't wait to get my hands on it in May! Less than 4 months to go! 

What do you think of the cover for A Court of Wings and Ruin?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want To Read In 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Hello,

This week we have a freebie for Top Ten Tuesday, so I decided to list the books I definitely want to get to in 2017. I will not include 2017 releases in this list, as I already have a list of anticipated releases here.

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

A Series of Unfortunate Events (the entire series) - Lemony Snicket

The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss

The Knife of Never Letting Go - Patrick Ness

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks 

Room - Emma Donoghue

The Princess Diaries - Meg Cabot

What books do you want to read this year?

Review: The Song of Achilles

Title: The Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Year published: 2011
How I got this book: Bought it through BookDepository (affiliate link)
My rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their difference, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

But when the word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

My thoughts:
I have had this on my shelf forever, always wanting to get around to picking it up. I am so glad that I finally did. I didn't have high expectations for this, mainly because I wasn't as excited as I used to be since it spent so long on my shelf, but I was so wrong. This is a novel which has Patroclus and Achilles as its main characters, Achilles being the famous hero from Greek mythology. For me, the fact that I knew quite a lot of the mythology was a big advantage, but it is by no means necessary to be able to enjoy this book.

The friendship and romance is this book's strong suit. Even though I knew how it would end, I couldn't help rooting for them, and hoping that maybe, just this time, it would end differently. The fact that it didn't, no surprise there, still broke my heart. You connect with the characters, and you want the best for them.

One of the most interesting parts of it, to me, was how Achilles changed during the Trojan war. We follow him, as his reputation and destiny goes to his head, and his pride gets too much. We see him through Patroclus eyes, and how much Achilles is hurting Patroclus and the others around him, because of his pride. Achilles goes from being this lovable character, so someone you want to shake and yell at, to get it together. In the end, Patroclus deserved so much better. Yes, it was obvious Achilles still loved him, but he also loved himself more. 

At the end of the day, this is probably not going to be a book for everyone, though I wish it was. It includes LGBTQ+ themes, without forcing them on you or making it seem forced. It is a fantastic story, and I wish everyone would read it. I will definitely be recommending this to a couple of my friends, and hope they will read it as well. If you are interested in Greek mythology, or this book seems interesting, you should give it a try. If you don't like it, you can always put it down, but you'll never know unless you try it. 

Buy this book?
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Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
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Top Ten Tuesday: Underrated Books I Read In 2016

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's theme is underrated books, specifically books I read in 2016. I decided to go for books with under 500 ratings on Goodreads, and therefore ended up with only 6, as they are the books I really enjoyed. 

Be Light Like a Bird - Monika Schröder

Full Share - Eliza Freed

Julenatt i Blåfjell (roughly translated to Christmas Night in the Blue Mountain) - Gudny Ingebjørg Hagen

Inborn - Amy Saunders

Wrecked - Maria Padian

A Year and a Day - Isabelle Broom

Have you read any of these books? 

What underrated books did you read in 2016?

Review: The River at Night

Title: The River at Night
Author: Erica Ferencik
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Year published: 2017
How I got this book: I got this as an arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
A high stakes drama set against the harsh beauty of the Maine wilderness, charting the journey of four friends as they fight to survive the aftermath of a white water rafting accident, The River at Night is a nonstop and unforgettable thriller by a stunning new voice in fiction.

Winifred Allen needs a vacation.

Stifled by a soul-crushing job, devastated by the death of her beloved brother, and lonely after the end of a fifteen-year marriage, Wini is feeling vulnerable. So when her three best friends insist on a high-octane getaway for their annual girls' trip, she signs on, despite her misgivings.

What starts out as an invigoration hiking and rafting excursion in the remote Allagash Wilderness soon becomes an all-too-real nightmare: A freak accident leaves the women stranded, separating them from their raft and everything they need to survive. When night descends, a fire on the mountainside lures them to a ramshackle camp that appears to be their lifeline. But as Wini and her friends grasp the true intent of their supposed saviors, long buried secrets emerge and lifelong allegiances are put to the test. To survive, Wini must reach beyond the world she knows to harness an inner strength she never knew she possessed.

With intimately observed characters, visceral prose, and pacing as ruthless as the river itself, The River at Night is a dark exploration of creatures - both friend and foe - that you won't soon forget.

My thoughts:
This book is absolutely brilliant. This will be a short review, as I recommend knowing as little as possible when you are starting this book. 

The characters are relatable and flawed, and you connect with them all. The writing draws you into the story, and it feels like you are a actually there, with the characters. I flew through this book one sitting, I was not able to put it down. I don't have a lot of experience when it comes to thrillers, but after reading this I want to read a lot more.

This is a book I will definitely be giving away as presents this year, because I want a lot of other people to read it as well. If you think this sounds interesting, even though you're not the biggest fan of thrillers, you should give this a try. I am so happy I read this, and I want to read more from Erica Ferencik in the future.

Buy this book?
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Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
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Review: The One Memory of Flora Banks

Title: The One Memory of Flora Banks
Author: Emily Barr
Publisher: Penguin
Published: January 12th 2017
How I got this book: I got this book as an e-arc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
My rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis:
Seventeen-year-old Flora Banks has no short-term memory. Her mind resets itself several times a day, and has since the age of ten, when the tumor that was removed from Flora's brain took with it her ability to make new memories. That is, until she kisses Drake, her best friend's boyfriend, the night before he leaves town. Miraculously, this one memory breaks through Flora's fractured mind, and sticks. Flora is convinced that Drake is responsible for restoring her memory and making her whole again. So when an encouraging email from Drake suggests she meet him on the other side of the world, Flora knows with certainty that this is the first step toward reclaiming her life.

With little more than the words "be brave" inked into her skin, and written reminders of who she is and why her memory is so limited, Flora sets off on an impossible journey to Svalbard, Norway, the land of the midnight sun, determined to find Drake. But from the moment she arrives in the arctic, nothing is quite as it seems, and Flora must "be brave" if she is ever to learn the truth about herself, and to make it safely home.

My thoughts:
This will be a spoiler-free review, and I will therefore not comment specific things within this book.

I am so glad that I chose this to be the first book of 2017, because it made me excited for reading this year. To me, this was a clear 5 star book. I could not put it down once I started in, and finished it in a day, despite reading it on my computer. My mind was so focused on this book, and on Flora, that I had to finish this before continuing with the other books I was reading. 

Though I have never experienced anything like Flora, and could not see myself in her setting, I felt so connected to her. The writing style was perfect for the story, and kept me on my toes. It was easy to understand how Flora's brain worked, because of the writing style. 

This book is mainly a YA contemporary, but it also gave me the feel of a thriller. Simply because there was so much we didn't know, or Flora didn't know. We would learn information with her, but she would forget it within the next chapter.

I did love that a part of this book took place in Norway, more specifically on Svalbard. I am Norwegian myself, so I am always really thrilled when Norway is a part of a non-Norwegian book. I have never been to Svalbard myself, but Longyearbyen, which Flora was, is amazing. It was obvious that the author knew what she was writing about, and she included small details that I found really funny. Like the fact that Flora was happy she got coins with holes in the middle, when she got Norwegian kroner. Details like that made my really happy, and I am sure other Norwegians will react in the same way.

If you don't want any spoilers at all, skip this paragraph, but it won't contain an specific incidents. Even though I really liked the ending of the book, I do wish we had gotten a few more answers. But then again, I always want a bit more after finishing a book, no matter what. I was not happy with the mother at all, when we had the big reveal. I understand that she had er own thing, but there should definitely be consequences for what she did. I cannot imagine how Flora must have felt. 

This is definitely a book that I will recommend to other people, because I want more people to read this book. If I had a physical copy I would lend it out to all of my friends, but I might just gift them the book instead. If the plot of this book seems even slightly interesting to you, you should pick it up and give it a try. I was unsure of how I would feel about the book in the beginning, but I absolutely loved it, and I want others to try it and love it as well.

Buy this book?
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Amazon (UK)
BookDepository (worldwide, affiliate link)
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Top Ten Tuesday: 2016 Releases I Didn't Get To Last Year

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

Heartless - Marissa Meyer

Stars Above - Marissa Meyer

Starflight - Melissa Landers

Passenger - Alexandra Bracken

Truthwitch - Susan Dennard

Rebel of the Sands - Alwyn Hamilton

The Star-Touched Queen - Roshani Chokshi

The Love That Split the World - Emily Henry

The Forbidden Wish - Jessica Khoury

Three Dark Crowns - Kendare Blake

What 2016 release do you want to read, that you didn't get to read last year?

View From Page Thirty: Anna Karenina

Book: Anna Karenina
Author: Leo Tolsoy
Genre: Fiction

Goodreads synopsis:
Leo Tolsoy's classic story of doomed love is one of the most admired novels in world literature. Generations of readers have been enthralled by his magnificent heroine, the unhappily married Anna Karenina, and her tragic affair with dashing Count Vronsky.

In their world frivolous liaisons are commonplace, but Anna and Vronsky's consuming passion makes them a target for scorn and leads to Anna's increasing isolation. The heartbreaking trajectory of their relationship contrasts sharply with the colorful swirl of friends and family members who surround them, especially the newlyweds Kitty and Levin, who forge a touching bond as they struggle to make a life together. Anna Karenina is a masterpiece not only because of the unforgettable woman at its core and the stark drama at her fate, but also because it explores and illuminates the deepest questions about how to live a fulfilled life.

My view from page thirty:
Picking up this book is quite a big project for me, though I am really enjoying it so far. It has been sitting on my shelf, and with it's size it looks quite intimidating. I have always wanted to read Anna Karenina, but it is not just a book you pick up and fly through. I am reading other books at the same time, to make sure that I don't get bored, but so far I think the book is great.

I know the main plot of the novel, and I have seen the movie, but there are still a lot of things that I don't know. I have only seen the movie once, and that was when it came out, so most of the details are forgotten. Because of this, I am excited to continue on with the book, as I don't really know what is going to happen. It's definitely a slow read for me, but I am determined to finish it. Hopefully before summer. I am so glad that the copy has a character list, because I am thirty pages in, and already having problems remembering who is who, with all these characters and names. 

I will not be writing a full review of this book once I am finished, which is why I'm doing view from page thirty instead. I'm hopeful, and I do think that I'll really enjoy this book. And hopefully it'll get easier remembering the characters as I get more invested with the story.


Have you read Anna Karenina? And if you have, what did you think of it?