Can't Wait Wednesday: The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2) by R.F. Kuang

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. It's based on Waiting On Wednesday hosted at Breaking the Spine.

The searing follow-up to 2018’s most celebrated fantasy debut – THE POPPY WAR.

In the aftermath of the Third Poppy War, shaman and warrior Rin is on the run: haunted by the atrocity she committed to end the war, addicted to opium, and hiding from the murderous commands of her vengeful god, the fiery Phoenix. Her only reason for living is to get revenge on the traitorous Empress who sold out Nikan to their enemies.

With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.


The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.

-- Goodreads.com description --

The Dragon Republic is the sequel to The Poppy War and I'm incredibly excited to read this one! The Poppy War, though quite gruesome at times, was one of my favourite books last year. I'm looking forward to reading what happens next!

Which books are you excited to read? Recommendations are always welcome!

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

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Sunday Post #70

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted here @ 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. 

Life

I'm sorry I've been absent for a couple of weeks, I got busy and now I'm on holiday in Spain with limited internet connection. More than half of our holiday is already over and it's raining again now, which is why I found time to blog. I love this country and this place! I've been going to the same place with my family for 22 years and I never get tired of it.

(this was our view this morning!)

This morning we went to a local antique fair and I bought some gorgeous silver jewels. I've been wanting to buy some and I love it when things have an unique story.

Blog and books

I've read quite a lot this past week, my favourites were Skyward, Norse Mythology and Fairy Tail volume one (which I read in Spanish!).

Movies and TV Shows

I haven't watched much lately because I want to spend my time differently here.

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 #69

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. 

Life

The end of the schoolyear is near which means I had a ton of exams to correct last week. Correcting is definitely not my favourite part of the job. But my that part is over and there is only one week left before the summer holidays start!

Blog and books

I have read a bit more in Aurora Rising this weekend and started two manga series which I'm really enjoying. So far, I've read four volumes of Waiting for Spring and I'm reading the sixth volume of A Silent Voice right now, having started the series only this afternoon.

Have you read Aurora Rising? I have difficulties remaining interested in the story. This makes me sad because Jay Kristoff is one of my favourite authors.

Movies and TV Shows

I've been watching the kdramas Go Ho's Starry Night and Lucky Romance. I enjoyed both but still need to watch the final episodes of the latter.

I also watched Wine Country which I sadly didn't enjoy all that much. Do you have any Netflix recommendations?

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 #68

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. 

Life

I have so much correcting to do and I do nothing but procrastinating. I loathe correcting writing assignments in any language. Maybe that's not the best feat for a language teacher :) I wish the weather would be nicer, I hate gray, windy days.

Blog and books

I haven't really been reading or blogging this week, when I didn't have to work, I caught up with some TV shows.

Movies and TV Shows

I watched Romance is a Bonus Book on Netflix and I really enjoyed, mostly because all the characters work for a publishing house and we get to see them working on creating books and going through the entire process. I also loved all the bookish quotes.

I also started watching Are You Human Too? for the second time, it's my favourite kdrama about a robot having to pretend to be a human.

This weekend I also started watching the fourth season of Lucifer. Really enjoying this season! I'm going to watch the final episode tonight! Feel free to leave some recommendations on what to watch next!

I also enjoyed the film Victoria and Abdul, it sheds some light on a part of history I wasn't familiar with before.

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 #67

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. 

Life

Feeling better although I still cough a lot. I also get to stay on more month in my current school which is great because the schoolyear ends at the end of June!
Also posted a picture of my signed Helen Hoang book on Instagram and the likes kind of exploded, it now has 263 likes and for me, that's a lot!

Blog and books

I read quite a lot this week, I reread The Kiss Quotient and adored The Bride Test! Currently reading Aurora Rising and enjoying it. I just realised that I haven't really posted a book haul or wrap up in 2019. Is that still something you are interested in reading? Then I will try to post them all soon, so let me know!

Movies and TV Shows

I didn't watch any movies but I started watching the Chinese drama Well Intended Love. It started out great but some character's decisions are just crazy and more than a little creepy. I also feel like it's started to drag and the season should have been a lot shorter.

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 #66

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. 

Life

So, I did end up having a bronchitis and laryngitis (still not over) which in turn infected my vocal chords which made me unable to speak and teach for two days. It's quite awful to be ill while you are substituting another ill teacher. It's not a good impression I've made.

In other news, I voted today! Although, looking at the results that are slowly coming in, it looks like we'll have another a pitch-black Sunday today :(

Blog and books

I have posted my review of The Number of Love this week, really enjoyed it!

Read Lincoln in the Bardo while I was ill and I can't say I enjoyed that book. It's a little too weird and I didn't really get the point. I think I would have preferred a story about Lincoln's life more. Have you read it?

Movies and TV Shows

I watched Doctor Strange for the first time, I enjoyed it but it was strange and the humour was not my cup of tea.

After that I watched Guardians of the Galaxy because that's one of my favourite Marvel movies! Still need to catch up on a lot of others before I can watch Avengers. By the way, Groot is the best!

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!

Review: The Number of Love (Codebreakers #1) by Roseanna M. White

Three years into the Great War, England’s greatest asset is their intelligence network—field agents risking their lives to gather information, and codebreakers able to crack every German telegram. Margot De Wilde thrives in the environment of the secretive Room 40, where she spends her days deciphering intercepted messages. But when her world is turned upside down by an unexpected loss, for the first time in her life numbers aren’t enough.

Drake Elton returns wounded from the field, followed by an enemy that just won’t give up. He’s smitten quickly by the too-intelligent Margot, but how to convince a girl who lives entirely in her mind that sometimes life’s answers lie in the heart?

Amidst biological warfare, encrypted letters, and a German spy who wants to destroy not just them, but others they love, Margot and Drake will have to work together to save them all from the very secrets that brought them together.

-- Goodreads.com description --

First of all, I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was drawn to this book because codebreaker stories intrigue me. I loved The Bletchley Circle and the movie adaptations about Enigma.

The Number of Love is however set during the First World War. The story is told from three perspectives, Margot De Wilde, a Belgian refugee working as a codebreaker, Drake Elton an English spy in Spain and a German spy who threatens them on a personal level.

As I am Belgian myself (although I'm Flemish and not from Wallonia) I loved reading about a Belgian character, which is a rare opportunity for me. Margot views the world through numbers, loves her family and despite avoiding many social interactions with others, is able to strike up a meaningful friendship with Elton's sister. I did irk me at times that she is always described as incredible smart or the smartest person they know and only being 18 years old. Before the war started she already attended university.

Elton's perspective was interesting to read from as I like reading about spies. The romance between Margot and Elton was very slow-paced (my favourite kind!) and well-developed. Despite their many differences they always respect the feelings and wishes of the other.

The German perspective added some tension to the story and while I enjoyed this, I would also have enjoyed a book that focused on the first two perspectives alone as well.

All in all, I had a wonderful time reading this book. I liked the setting (I love Spain, England and actually live in Belgium) and the period. The characters were interesting and well-developed as was the slow burning romance. I highly recommend this book and gave it 4,5 stars! 

I haven't read any other books by Roseanna M. White but I'm looking forward to checking them out. I'm now highly anticipating the second codebreakers book which focuses on a secondary character from The Number of Love.


Have you read this book or are you planning to? Leave your thoughts 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 week!