Sunday Post #153

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

Got back to work this week and without any assignments and tests to correct the weekend was not that busy and I had lots of time to read. I took advantage of this in full!

Blog and books

Reader, I finished the book! I finished Jane Eyre and it was fascinating and brilliant. A classic I'm sure I will read again! Also very pleased with myself that I finally read this classic, after years of swearing I would in the beginning of the new year. It shouldn't have taking me so long to read this classic but I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience. I actually wouldn't mind reading it again right away (an unusual feeling for me). I will settle with watching the film this evening as there are so many other books I want to read too.

Movies and TV Shows

I didn't watch much this week, another episode of the charming show The Detectorists and the film The Good Liar. I wasn't too impressed by the latter even though the cast was phenomenal.

What did you watch or read 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 #145

 

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 finally had two weeks at the seaside, I still miss being able to travel to different countries but I was happy to relax in that of my own for now as well. I still don't feel as relaxed as I normally would be during summer break, but a lot has happened which makes this understandable I guess.

Tomorrow, my potter's wheel will finally arrive. I can't wait to start working with clay again! I'm a beginner but it so fun creating something, it relaxes me and clears my mind.

Blog and books

I'm currently reading Anna Karenina, and I'm enjoying this masterpiece so much! I always have trouble putting it down. The characters are written so vividly and in such detail, I feel like I know them all.

Movies and TV Shows

I watched the first episode of Loki, it was good, but I personally don't have the necessary streaming platform yet, so I don't know when I'll watch the rest.

I'm hoping to watch some Anna Karenina adaptions after I finish the book. I have seen some of them ages ago but I might compare them to each other and the book as well. Would that interest you?

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!

July 2020 Wrap Up

I discovered a lot of great books in July. I'm happy to say my reading slump is over!

I started reading Japanese fiction, and it's now one of my favourite genres. 

1. Fullmetal Alchemist volumes 21-27 by Hiromu Arakawa

This manga series got me through the lockdown :) I'm happy I finished the series and I got to return it to my friend's brother.

2. Ms Ice Sandwich by Mieko Kawakami

This was a short novella about a boy who likes Ms Ice Sandwich (a woman who sells sandwiches in a convenience store). It's a quick but interesting read. I especially liked the ending. 4 stars!

3. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (I Want To Eat Your Pancreas (Manga) #1-2) by Yoru Sumino

This was a surprising manga about two high school students, one of them has a pancreatic disease and is dying. I still need to watch the film but hope to do so soon! Have you read or watched I Want to Eat Your Pancreas? 4 stars!

4. Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami

This was such a beautiful story about Tsukiko, a woman in her 30s who meets her former high school teacher in a bar. They both seem lonely and start to sit next to each other every time they visit the bar. 5 stars! I highly recommend this one, I loved the writing style and want to read more by this author soon!

5. The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo 

Li Lan lives in 1890s Malaya and is asked to become a ghost bride to the son of a wealthy family. Soon after she starts to get haunted by said dead son. This book explores different views of the afterworld which was very interesting. There were supernatural elements in this book (ghosts of course) but there was also an interesting mystery and some romance. I truly enjoyed this book, there is a Netflix adaptations as well but I still need to watch it.    4 stars!

6. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I finally read We Should All Be Feminists and I really liked it. It’s such a short essay but I found so many important quotes. I definitely recommend it! 5 stars!

7. Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

I read Men Without Women in May and really enjoyed it. It sparked my interest in reading more Murakami this year. Norwegian Wood is an incredible read, both sad, beautiful and comforting at the same time. Trigger warning: suicide.

I highly recommend Norwegian Wood, it's one of my favourite books this year. 5 stars!

8. Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Sweet Bean Paste, another Japanese novel, is the perfect comfort read to me.

As the title suggests, sweet bean paste is an important part of the story. I've never tasted it but the descriptions are amazing. It's almost like I have eaten it as well.

The book tells us how the lives of Sentaro, a former criminal now selling dorayaki (sort of like a pancake filled with sweet bean paste), an old woman with crooked fingers and a young girl intertwine.

5 stars! And yes, there is also a film. I still need to watch that one as well.

9. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

A classic I should have read before but I thoroughly enjoyed it now. Wilde's writing style is fantastic. It's now one of my favourite classics.

And, you know what, I actually have seen the film adaptation of this one! :)

As you can tell, I found a lot of new favourites in July. Do you have any recent favourites?

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!

February 2020 Wrap Up

Here is my February wrap up. I'm happy I was able to read more this month than in January!

1. Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

This was a fun book. I enjoyed it but I like adult romances more. 3 stars.

2. If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane 

Really enjoyed this book, a bit slow in the beginning but I was hooked when the action between the two main characters picked up. 4 stars! I recommend this one and I'm looking forward to read more books by this author. Do you have any recommendations?

3. Get a Life, Chloe Brown (The Brown Sisters, #1) by Talia Hibbert 

I didn't like this one as much as I hoped I would, but it was still a fun read. 4 stars.

4. Born, Darkly (Darkly, Madly Duet, #1) by Trisha Wolfe 

This was very, very dark. I liked it but the ending creeped me out. Not sure I will read the sequel, I'm doubtful it will have a lot more to add to the story. 3 stars.

5. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Loved this one! It was quite slow paced, though, which is why I gave it 4 stars.

6. The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Mackenzies & McBrides, #1) by Jennifer Ashley

It took some time to get used to the writing style. 3 stars. Might read more by this author.

7. A Nordic King (Nordic Royals, #3) by Karina Halle 

Liked it but thought it was a bit too long. 3 stars.

8. The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark

Quite enjoyed this one. It certainly shows how self-destructive people can be. 4 stars. I'm now very intrigued to read more Muriel Spark books.  Do you have any recommendations?


What did you read recently?
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!

February Wrap Up

I read 10 books this month and I'm very happy with what I have read! Three of them were physical books and 7 were e-books. 

1. The Secret History by Donna Tartt

I read and loved The Goldfinch years ago and I received The Secret History as a Christmas present two years ago. It was one of my personal goals to read it this year and I'm so glad I did! It was fantastic! I love Donna Tartt's writing style and I did not have any other choice than to give this gem 5 stars! Highly recommend it!

2. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

I've been wanting to read this for so long and I finally did! It is a fantastic book and now one of my favourite classics! I know Holden Caulfield divides people in the book community but I loved him and he made perfect sense to me. Looking forward to reading more Salinger in the future! 5 stars! Again, highly recommend this one!


After reading these fantastic books and the events in my personal life put me into a bit of a reading slump and that's when I started to read e-books and novella's.

3. Criminal Enchantment (Enchanted, Inc. 0.5) by Shanna Swendson

I have read and loved the first five books in the series and I really want to continue it soon! When I got this novella as a free e-book, I couldn't resist. This is a lovely introduction to the characters from Sam's perspective, short but entertaining. 4 stars!

4. Someone to Wed (Westcott #3) by Mary Balogh

This was entertaining enough but the writing style and the repetitive emotions of the characters did annoy me at times. 3 stars.

5. The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (Rokesbys, #2)
by Julia Quinn

This was quite a fun romance novel, ridiculous but entertaining. 3,5 stars!

6. Because of Miss Bridgerton (Rokesbys, #1) by Julia Quinn

After realizing this book featured love to hate romance I just had to pick it up and I enjoyed it! 3,5 stars! Looking forward to reading more books in this series!

7. Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk

I already reviewed this book, you can find my thoughts here. 4 stars!

8. Binti (Binti, #1) by Nnedi Okorafor

This was so different from what I expected. It was entertaining enough but I do not get all the hype. I am probably going to continue but I did find it confusing at times. My main problem was that it was too short to be a well-developed story. 3 stars. Still might change it to 2,5 stars.

9. Horimiya volume 1 by Hero, Daisuke Hagiwara 

I saw this one Missemmareadsalot booktube channel and I immediately wanted to pick it up, luckily I found the first volume as an e-book for only 1,99 euros. Really enjoyed this volume and I will definitely continue this manga series! It's so cute! 4 stars!

10. Kings of the Wyld (The Band #1) by Nicholas Eames 

Absolutely loved this book! It's an adult fantasy adventure novel and the character are incredible! I got attached to all of them immediately and I can't wait to read the sequel! If you're looking for an adult fantasy book with lots of humour, this is the book for you! 5 stars!


My favourite books last month were The Secret History, The Catcher in the Rye and Kings of the Wyld! Highly recommend them all!


Which books did you read in February? 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! 

Stacking the Shelves: New Year's Eve Book Haul

Stacking the Shelves is a meme co-hosted by Reading Reality and Tynga's Reviews. Each week bloggers share the books they got. These are the books I received on New Year's Eve from my family!

1. Middlemarch by George Eliot

I've heard great things about George Eliot and I can't wait to read one of her books! Middlemarch is quite intimidating, though! My parents got me this wonderful Penguin clothbound edition!

2. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

I've only read A Christmas Carol by Dickens but I hope to change that soon!

3. The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

I've heard good things about this book, so I'm eager to read it, because MAGICIANS!

4. A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

Yes, I've already read this series and yes I already own two copies of this book, but I just couldn't resist adding this gorgeous collector's edition on my wishlist!

5. The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden

I finally got my hands on this book! I've been wanting to read it since it came out! 

They also got me the Dunkirk DVD! Haven't seen it yet, but really excited to do so!


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

October Book Haul

Stacking the Shelves is a meme co-hosted by Reading Reality and Tynga's Reviews. Each week bloggers share the books they got. These are the books I got in October! 

1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brönte

This is my third copy of Jane Eyre!

3. Hunted by Meagan Spooner

I heard really good things about this one! Can't wait to read it!

4. Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers

5. The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic by Leigh Bardugo and illustrated by Sara Kipin

These are stories set in the Grisha universe, which I love! Can't wait to read this!

6. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns (Rise of the Empress #1) by Julie C. Dao 

I'm currently reading this one!

7. A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1) by Deanna Raybourn 

I have already read this one! 

8. The first four novels in the Bridgertons series by Julia Quinn

The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, An Offer From a Gentleman and Romancing Mister Bridgerton. I've already read the first two books in the series. They are not special but have the ability to relax me in very stressful moments.


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

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Have a great weekend everyone!

Stacking the Shelves: September Book Haul Part 2

Stacking the Shelves is a meme co-hosted by Reading Reality and Tynga's Reviews. Each week bloggers share the books they got. These are the other physical books I got this month! I'm excited about every single one of them!

1. Godsgrave (The Nevernight Chronicle #2) by Jay Kristoff 

I loved Nevernight last year, so I needed to get the sequel! Hope to read it soon!

2. Wonder Woman: Warbringer (DC Icons #1) by Leigh Bardugo

I love Leigh Bardugo and I love Wonder Woman!

3. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue (Guide #1) by Mackenzi Lee 

I ordered this on wordery.com but it arrived damaged :( like really damaged, if you need proof, check my instagram. I was horrified! Luckily I was able to get a refund and I bought the book somewhere else!

4. Warcross (Warcross #1) by Marie Lu 

Currently reading this one! So far, it's fantastic!

5. The Mad Ship (Liveship Traders #2) by Robin Hobb

I finished Ship of Magic last month and I'm slowly going to continue the series because Robin Hobb's books are huge!

I love these Penguin English Library classics! They're stunning!

6. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

7. A Study in Scarlet (Sherlock Holmes #1) by Arthur Conan Doyle

8. The Sign of Four (Sherlock Holmes #2) by Arthur Conan Doyle

9. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

I passed a bookstore in Ghent and I just couldn't resist getting these!



Which books did you recently get? Have you read any of the books mentioned above? Let me know which one I should read next! Leave your thoughts down below!


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