Sunday Post #130

                                                     

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer (image above belongs to @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer). It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 
I am also linking The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where bloggers discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics.

Life

I started teaching again this week after a welcome Christmas break. As always, I miss the Christmas decorations and cosy look of the house.

I got great news this week, my grandmother (90) and her sister (92) got their first shot of the Pfizer vaccine! I'm so happy they were among the first ones, it's such a relief because one of my biggest fears was contaminating them one way or another. 

Blog and books

I finished reading After Dark, such a wonderful Murakami book. I can't decide which of his books to read next. Recommendations are welcome!

I'm currently reading Stamped, a nonfiction book about racism and antiracism, it's very interesting so far. I could easily see myself using this book in one of my lessons one day.

This week I also posted my October, November and December Wrap Up and my favourite post of the year: My Top Ten Favourite Books of 2020.

As you can tell, my reading tastes have changed this year, so I would like to challenge myself to read more nonfiction (let's say 10 books), Japanese literature, classics (at least 5 books) and literary fiction.

To help with these goals I'm joining 

January in Japan on Instagram, 

The Nonfiction Reader Challenge (hosted by the wonderful Shelley from Book'd Out, I will try the option: Nonfiction Nibbler: Read 6 books, from any category), 

The Japanese Literature Challenge (hosted by Meredith at Dolce Bellezza) and 

the Beat the Backlist challenge hosted by Novelknight. 

Movies and TV Shows

I started watching Schitt's Creek this week, so far I don't really get all the Emmy nominations but I will continue watching the show.

I also watched another western with my father (it's one of his favourite genres), Rio Bravo, which was great! Stumpy is now one of my favourite movie characters of all time. Have you seen it? Other western recommendations are always welcome!

What did you read or watch recently?

As always please leave some recommendations on what I should read or watch next! 

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, TVShowTime and Goodreads! I would really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Top Ten Favourite Books I read in 2020

As you will notice my reading tastes changed a bit this year. I discovered I love reading non-fiction books and Japanese fiction. Two genres I previously didn't read much of. I hope to read more of these in 2021 as well. In addition, I also discovered I don't dislike audiobooks and that they're perfect to read non-fiction books.

During the strange year of 2020, I found to time to read more classics as well, these have been on my list for ages and I'm so happy I finally read them and enjoyed them as much as I thought I would.

Here are the best books I read in 2020 (in order of the date I read them in)!  

1. Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

2. Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

3. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

5. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell

6. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

7. Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

8. Educated by Tara Westover 

9. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

10. In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park

What were some of your favourite books last year?



As always please leave some recommendations on what I should read or watch next! 

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, TVShowTime and Goodreads! I would really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

October, November and December 2020 Wrap Up

I didn't read that much during the months of October and November, so I decided to combine the last three months of 2020 in one wrap up.

These are the two books I read in October:

1. Becoming by Michelle Obama 

I listened to the audiobook and loved the experience! 5 stars!

2. The Bird's Nest by Shirley Jackson

My third Shirley Jackson novel, very interesting and entertaining! I always like stories about a character with multiple personalities. 4 stars!

These are the two books I read in November:

3. Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Entertaining, weird and very atmospheric, 4 stars!

4. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

4 stars, this book has been on my shelves for quite a long time. I bought it years ago in a second-hand bookshop in Gerona, Spain. I remember the place very well and hope to visit it again in a year or two.

These are the seven books I read in December (I found some new favourites!):

5. Educated by Tara Westover 

Another great biography and audiobook. I can't recommend this book enough. Read it! 5 stars!

6. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

3 stars, (unpopular opinion: not my favourite Schwab read).

7. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

This was such an entertaining and interesting collection of stories set in only one place, a cafe. 5 stars!

8. Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast by Oscar Wilde

I really like Oscar Wilde, although I don't agree with every quote. 4 stars!

9. In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom by Yeonmi Park

This memoir was incredibly difficult to read at times but it's such a powerful book, everyone should read it. 5 stars! As in Educated, this book also shows the importance of education.

10. Giant Days, Vol. 7 (Giant Days, #7) by John Allison 

4 stars, I quite enjoy this series.

11. Giant Days, Vol. 8 (Giant Days, #8) by John Allison

4 stars.

Have you read any of these books or are you planning to? Leave your thoughts and recommendations down below!

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, TVShowTime and Goodreads! I would really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Sunday Post #129

                                                    

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer (image above belongs to @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer). It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 
I am also linking The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where bloggers discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics.

Life

I wish you all a more joyful and healthy new year! I celebrated New Year's Eve with my parents, it was strange not to have my grandparents there but we did share the same menu. And let me tell you, the food was incredibly good!

Today is my final day of my Christmas break, I get back to teaching tomorrow. I have some goals I want to reach this year and I'm excited to get them going!

Blog and books

I started reading After Dark by Haruki Murakami yesterday and I'm really enjoying it! It has a brilliant playlist to listen to as well!

Movies and TV Shows

I finished the second season of His Dark Materials and it was really good! I adore the opening theme of this show!

I also watched a couple of films this week: Some Like it Hot, To Catch a Thief, The Searchers and my personal favourite, The Untouchables (also an amazing soundtrack!).

What are your favourite films? (Mine are The Untouchables and Parasite).

What did you read or watch recently?

As always please leave some recommendations on what I should read or watch next! 

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, TVShowTime and Goodreads! I would really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Stacking the Shelves: December 2020 Book Haul

  

Stacking the Shelves is a meme co-hosted by Reading Reality and Tynga's Reviews (the image above belongs to these blogs too). Each week bloggers share the books they got.

These are the books I got in December! Some of them I got myself and others were lovely gifts!

1. The Burning God (The Poppy War #3) by R.F. Kuang

I really liked the first two books and am excited to read the final one soon!

2. Only Dull People Are Brilliant at Breakfast by Oscar Wilde

This year I read The Picture of Dorian Gray for the first time and fell in love with Oscar Wilde"s writing style. I quite enjoyed this little book as well.

3. Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke

I have yet to read this one but I have heard brilliant things about it.

4. Stillhouse Lake (Stillhouse Lake #1) by Rachel Caine 

This was a gift from my lovely Secret Santa @Spiderwebz! I'm excited to read it!

5. Jade City (The Green Bone Saga #1) by Fonda Lee

This is another book from my Secret Santa @Spiderwebz! She also got me Shaduw van de wind and Jane Eyre!

6. The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa

This year I discovered that I adore Japanese fiction, so I wanted to get more Japanese books. Can't wait to read this one!

7. The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold 

This was a Christmas gift from my family! The hardcover is stunning!

8. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig 

Another Christmas present from my family! I've heard incredible things about this one!

9. Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto

A New Year's Eve present from my family! Another Japanese book to add to my collection!

10. Strange Planet (Strange Planet #1) by Nathan W. Pyle

A New Year's Eve gift from my family! I already read this one and quite enjoyed it!

11. There's No Such Thing as an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura

The last gift I received in 2020! Very excited to read this Japanese book!

Which books did you get recently? Have you read any of the books mentioned above or are you planning to? Leave your thoughts down below!


If you liked this post please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads! I really appreciate it! 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! 

Sunday Post #128

                                                   

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer (image above belongs to @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer). It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 
I am also linking The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where bloggers discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics.

Life

It's still sometimes a struggle to feel okay during this pandemic but I'm trying. I celebrated Christmas with my parents but missed my other family members and friends. I did get some lovely gifts and had fun making gift packages for my young cousins.

Two months ago I got myself a new coffee machine and I'm in love with making a caramel macchiato on my own. That's definitely one of the best things of 2020.

What are some of your favourite things during this difficult year?

Blog and books

I'm still reading and enjoying In Order to Live, haven't read  much else this week.

Movies and TV Shows

I started watching Blackadder again, one of my favourite British TV shows (recommendations always welcome!) and I also watched Bridgerton, which I quite liked.

I also watched two films this week: The Importance of Being Earnest (which I loved, because Oscar Wilde is brilliant) and The Happy Prince.

I'm thinking about writing a post about my favourite films and TV shows in 2020, is that something you would like to read about?

What did you read or watch recently?

As always please leave some recommendations on what I should read or watch next! 

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, TVShowTime and Goodreads! I would really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Sunday Post #127

                                                  

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer (image above belongs to @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer). It’s a chance to share news ~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead. 
I am also linking The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance of Readerbuzz where bloggers discuss what they are reading and other bookish topics.

Life

I've been absent for some time because I have been feeling a bit down lately. I'm starting to feel better now and I have also started reading again (which usually indicates my mood as well). 

I'm on my Christmas break! It's going to be very different this year and I miss going out with my friends and family a lot but I'm also grateful for the little things that can bring a lot of joy as well. 

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas this year!

Blog and books

I just finished Before the Coffee Gets Cold today and fell in love with the cafe and it's staff and customers. I'm very excited to get the sequel as well.

This week I also started a new audiobook: In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park, a North Korean girl's story to freedom. I'm not that far in yet but I can tell it is going to be a moving and important but difficult read.

Movies and TV Shows

I watched a couple of (Christmas) films recently. My favourite was probably The Christmas Chronicles. Do you have a favourite Christmas film?

What did you read or watch recently?

As always please leave some recommendations on what I should read or watch next! 

If you enjoyed this review, please follow me on Bloglovin', Twitter, Instagram, TVShowTime and Goodreads! I would really appreciate it!

Have a wonderful day everyone!