36h readathon reading update 2.

Reading update,

To all the boys I've loved before page 190.

Pieces of her 10 hours 38 minutes. [ 6 hours left & I'm determined to finish it! ]

How it it going for you guys?

Happy reading!

36 h readathon update.

36 h readathon update. [ 5 hours in ]

To all the boys I've loved before - Jenny Han page 161 [ I started on page 130 ]

Pieces of her - Karin Slaughter 8 h 33 minutes [ I started on 4 h ]

How's it going for you guys?

36h readathon 2018.

Hello dear bookworms,

I'm participating in a 36h readathon. It started by 12.00 today & will end on 23.59 tomorrow. I'm listening to Pieces of her - Karin Slaughter on audiobook. Currently I'm 6 h in to it & I have 10 h left. The other book I'm focusing on is To all the boys I've loved before - Jenny Han which I started reading with a friend a couple of days ago. I'm on page 131 & I'm reading it on my phone as an e-book. I'd like to read e-books on some kind of other device because the phones screen is way too small & it's a bit annoying.



Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35887251-pieces-of-her

ebook, 480 pages

Published August 21st 2018 by William Morrow

What if the person you thought you knew best turns out to be someone you never knew at all . . . ?

Andrea knows everything about her mother, Laura. She knows she’s spent her whole life in the small beachside town of Belle Isle; she knows she’s never wanted anything more than to live a quiet life as a pillar of the community; she knows she’s never kept a secret in her life. Because we all know our mothers, don’t we?

But all that changes when a trip to the mall explodes into violence and Andrea suddenly sees a completely different side to Laura. Because it turns out that before Laura was Laura, she was someone completely different. For nearly thirty years she’s been hiding from her previous identity, lying low in the hope that no one would ever find her. But now she’s been exposed, and nothing will ever be the same again.

The police want answers and Laura’s innocence is on the line, but she won’t speak to anyone, including her own daughter. Andrea is on a desperate journey following the breadcrumb trail of her mother’s past. And if she can’t uncover the secrets hidden there, there may be no future for either one of them. . . .



Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before

Kindle Edition, 355 pages

Published April 15th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

Are you participating? What are you reading? 


Until next time, happy reading! 

The joy of Cristmas Book Tag

Hello dear bookish friends,

To the questions!

1) Anticipation: The Christmas excitement is real, what book release(s) are you most anticipating?

I don't keep track of new realeses actually, I usually read older books.

2) Christmas Songs & Carols: What book or author can you not help but sing it's praises?

Cassandra Clare, George R.R Martin, Diana Gabaldon.

3) Gingerbread Houses: What book or series has wonderful world building?

I haven't read a lot of fantasy lately but the one I can think of is Game of thrones by George R.R Martin.

4) A Christmas Carol: Favorite classic or one that you want to read

I want to read War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy at some point. It seems like something I just have to do before I die, hah! A friend of mine finished it this year, so I really have to read & annotate it.

Synpsis:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/656.War_and_Peace?from_search=true

Paperback, Oxford World's Classics, 1392 pages

Published June 25th 1998 by Oxford University Press (first published 1867)

'War and Peace' broadly focuses on Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 and follows three of the most well-known characters in literature: Pierre Bezukhov, the illegitimate son of a count who is fighting for his inheritance and yearning for spiritual fulfilment; Prince Andrei Bolkonsky, who leaves his family behind to fight in the war against Napoleon; and Natasha Rostov, the beautiful young daughter of a nobleman who intrigues both men.

As Napoleon’s army invades, Tolstoy brilliantly follows characters from diverse backgrounds—peasants and nobility, civilians and soldiers — as they struggle with the problems unique to their era, their history, and their culture. And as the novel progresses, these characters transcend their specificity, becoming some of the most moving, and human, figures in world literature.

5) Christmas Sweets: What book would you love to receive for Christmas

I'd love to have the Harry Potter series ( hardcover edition, in English ) by J.K. Rowling. It's one of my favorite series & I really want to read them again & annotate them.

6) Candles in the Window: What book gives you that warm fuzzy feeling

To all the boys I've loved before - Jenny Han.

7) Christmas Trees & Decorations: What are some of your favorite book covers?








8) Christmas Joy: What are some of your favorite things about Christmas And/Or some of your favorite Christmas memories?

The wonderful food & the company!

Christmas at Hogwarts Readathon.

Hello my dear readers,

The Christmas at Hogwarts readathon is taking place from Dec 17th - Dec 23rd. 
All you need to do is to follow the map. 

Here's the announcement video, check it out!

Let me know if you'll be participating!

As always, happy reading!

Christmas cozy reading night.

Hello fellow bookworms,

The Christmas cosy reading night is starting on the 19th of December 7 pm until 9 pm.

The idea is just to grab something good to snack on, maybe sit in your pyjamas, lit up a cozy candle, a cup of tea or any other beverage that you prefer & spend a few hours on reading & relaxing.

Let me know if you'll be joining! I'll definetly try to join it.


Until next time, happy reading!

Buddy read!

Hello my dear readers,

I'm buddy reading a wonderful book together with a dear friend of mine from Goodreads. A while ago we read another book together & realized that we have a lot of things in common when it comes to books. We have similar tastest, which is awesome. My buddy hasn't started reading yet, but I'll uptade you all when I know more about what she thinks about this book.




Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15749186-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before

E-book Edition, 355 pages

Published April 15th 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

So far I'm about 130 pages in to this book & I'm really loving it. It's very sweet & innocent at times, which is a relief becaause I have been reading some really hard & heavy books so far. A couple of months ago I saw the movie adaptation & I like to compare the two. there are some big plot differences between them & I actually like Peter a lot more in the book than I did in the movie. No, I won't spoil this book for you. I've laughed, cried, oh the feels! I just can't put it down. It's a wonderful feel good read, which I reallt need right now. Since I've been struggling with reading slumps, I think that these kinds of books are perfect to get me out of them. I'm looking forward to finish this one & tell you all about it. 

Until next time, happy reading. 

I'm joining the Constantly reading book club.

Hi my bookworms! 

I'm just checking in to tell you that I'll be joining the Constantly reading book club. 

We'll be reading 11/22/63 - Stephen King 

Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10644930-11-22-63?ac=1&from_search=true

Hardcover, 849 pages

Published November 8th 2011 by Scribner

Life can turn on a dime—or stumble into the extraordinary, as it does for Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine. While grading essays by his GED students, Jake reads a gruesome, enthralling piece penned by janitor Harry Dunning: fifty years ago, Harry somehow survived his father’s sledgehammer slaughter of his entire family. Jake is blown away...but an even more bizarre secret comes to light when Jake’s friend Al, owner of the local diner, enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination. How? By stepping through a portal in the diner’s storeroom, and into the era of Ike and Elvis, of big American cars, sock hops, and cigarette smoke... Finding himself in warmhearted Jodie, Texas, Jake begins a new life. But all turns in the road lead to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald. The course of history is about to be rewritten...and become heart-stoppingly suspenseful. 

I hope that you'll be joining too! Let me know. 

Happy reading to you all. 

Finished books TOME TOPPLE READATHON#7

Hello fellow readers, 

Here are the updates for how it went for me during the TOME TOPPLE READATHON#7 2018. 

I'd say that the readathon went okay, not as good as I thought it would go but I'm still satisfied with the amount thar I read. I finished 1 book during these 2 weeks, American Gods - Neil Gaiman. I chose the second book that I wanted to begin after I finished the first one but life got in the way so I didn't have the time to read it. I miss reading so much, but at some point I just feel lika I'm going in & out of a slump this whole year. It's so hard to even finish a book. Hopefully I'll continue reading again soon. I haven't read anyting since I finished American Gods. Which is a shame. But I guess that some books are easier to send me in to a slump than others. My thoughts about the book where that I wasn't sure about the religous aspects & I wasn't familiar with the Gods that were a big part of the plot. Aslo the pace was a bit slow & I felt a lot of confusion thoughtout the book. My plan is to pick up my physical copy & annotate it, I think that could really help me to keep me focused. 

Let me know in the comments how the TOME TOPPLE READATHON #7 went for you! 

As always, happy reading. 

Poll results.

Hello my dear readers,

I created yet another poll after I finished American Gods to see which book you'd like me to pick up next. It was a really close call on these books & they all seem to be books that a lot of people like, which is amazing.


Here are the results from the poll; 



The outsider            [ 8 votes ]

The poppy war        [ 5 votes ]

The clan of the cave bear       [ 5 votes ]

The secret history     [ 5 votes ]


I'm so happy that you participate in the polls, it's so much fun to see what you guys think.
Until next time, happy reading!

Week 1 of TOME TOPPLE READATHON#7

Hello my dear book worms,

I've survived the first week of TOME TOPPLE READATHON#7 & it has been a lot of fun! I've finished my first book today & it was a very enjoyable & a roller coaster ride. So, on to the thoughts & some information about the book that I finished listening to during this first week. As I've said before, I won't be reading any physical books at all, just audiobooks because of the time crounch.



Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30165203-american-gods?from_search=true

My review on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2047780519

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

This is the author's preferred text, never before published in the UK, and is about 12,000 words longer than the previous UK edition.

My thoughts: 

I gave this one 3.5 stars, because I just don't know but something about it made me feel that I couldn't focus on the story. It felt a bit messy at times & I think that I need to go back & re read it at some point so I can annotate it. 

What did you read? 

Until next time, happy reading! 

Pagan & Wiccan book recomendations.

Hello book worms, 

Here are some Pagan & Wiccan book recomendations, if you have any recomendations leave them in the comments below. Let's share some wonderful books with eachother! 

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/546069.The_Seeker_s_Guide?ac=1&from_search=true

Paperback, 436 pages

Published October 3rd 2000 by Villard Books (first published 1999)

In 1977, Elizabeth Lesser cofounded the Omega Institute, now America's largest adult-education center focusing on wellness and spirituality. Working with many of the eminent thinkers of our times, including Zen masters, rabbis, Christian monks, psychologists, scientists, and an array of noted American figures--from L.A. Lakers coach Phil Jackson to author Maya Angelou--Lesser found that by combining a variety of religious, psychological, and healing traditions, each of us has the unique ability to satisfy our spiritual hunger. 
In The Seeker's Guid, she synthesizes the lessons learned from an immersion into the world's wisdom traditions and intertwines them with illuminating stories from her daily life. Recounting her own trials and errors and offering meditative exercises, she shows the reader how to create a personal practice, gauge one's progress, and choose effective spiritual teachers and habits. Warm, accessible, and wise, this book provides directions through the four landscapes of the spiritual journey: 
THE MIND: learning meditation to ease stress and anxiety
THE HEART: dealing with grief, loss, and pain; opening the heart and becoming fully alive
THE BODY: returning the body to the spiritual fold to heal and 
overcome the fear of aging and death
THE SOUL: experiencing daily life as an adventure of meaning and mystery.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1058114.Pagan_Paths?ac=1&from_search=true

Paperback, 192 pages

Published March 7th 2002 by Rider (first published March 1st 2002)

Paganism, which has its roots in the ancient nature religions, is one of the fastest growing movements in the West today. As such, it is a collection of “spiritual paths” that express their beliefs in subtly different ways, explored here in this illuminating guide. Discover the natural beliefs and practices of Wicca, Hedgewitch traditions, Druidry, Shamanism, Asatru, Mystery Groups, and Eclectic Paganism—as well as the Pagan approach to magic and the significance of sacred lives. Learn how to lead a Pagan lifestyle, and explore the growing role of Paganism in today’s world. Whether you’re setting out on a Pagan path for the first time, or have been committed to one for many years, this informative book will help you in expressing your own beliefs and understanding those of others.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1205520.The_Modern_Pagan?ac=1&from_search=true

Paperback, 432 pages

Published January 5th 2006 by Rider

Paganism means living in harmony with nature and respecting all that nature has to offer. It is a sustainable way of life that has existed in the British Isles for thousands of years and that has survived secretly among scattered households throughout the UK. Although it is not a religious path (true pagans do not worship deities), paganism will appeal to anyone who cares about the environment, who is interested in maintaining an organic lifestyle or who believes in respecting their roots whilst catering for the future. Paganism may be thousands of years old, but it is particularly suited to meeting our twenty-first century concerns.

In The Modern Pagan, Brian Day explains how to live in a way that honours the land and its inhabitants. There is advice on celebrating seasonal festivals, on cultivating a true pagan garden, on creating delicious food and drink from hedgerow fare, on herbal medicine, on the importance of pagan parenting and family values, on living in harmony without prejudice and discrimination and much more. The core principles of Modern Paganism will make sense to anyone who is tired of the hustle and bustle of our polluted lifestyles, and who is looking for a way to live that is in balance with our fellow human beings and the natural world

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1441190.The_Wheel_Of_The_Wiccan_Year?ac=1&from_search=true

Paperback

Published April 4th 2002 by Rider

Thousands more people today are discovering how the nature-based beliefs of Wicca can help them to connect with the natural world and with a sense of their spiritual heritage. The eight Wiccan festivals mark the turning of the seasons. In The Wheel of the Wiccan Year, experienced Wiccan Gail Duff describes--The core beliefs of Wicca and the significance of the festivals--The eight festivals - what they mark; how they relate to traditional spiritual beliefs and to our lives today--How to celebrate the festivals through rituals, affirmations, meditations, activities and decorations, spells, songs and chants--How to create oils, candles, incense, food and wine for the celebrations--Rituals for the lone practitioner as well as for groupsThe Wheel of the Wiccan Year is the perfect reference book for the growing pagan market and for anyone who simply wishes to enrich their life by re-aligning it with the natural cycle of the year.

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/317618.A_Witch_Alone?ac=1&from_search=true

Paperback, 224 pages

Published February 4th 2002 by Thorsons (first published August 30th 1991)

This book carries on the tradition of the solo village witch emphasizing white rather than black magic. It is a practical manual of instruction for those who choose the solo path of study and particularly stresses the importance of being in tune with nature. As there are approximately 13 moons each year – the book is divided into 13 parts. Each section is aimed at lasting from the new moon to the dark to make the student fully aware of the changing power in the tides of the sea and the tides of the self. The moon-long sections deal with a variety of taditional arts, skills and mental exercises which enables the aspiring witch to discover the inner world of magic inside him/herself.

2019 reading goals!

Hello my wonderful readers. I felt like it's time to plan ahead a bit. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep these goals but I'll try my best. 

1.  Read more new authors.
2. Start my vlogging channel on Youtube again.
3. Set my goal at 60 books. 

What are your reading goals for 2019? Let me know in the comments below!

As always, happy reading! 

Final results from the poll.

Hello book worms, 

I'm here to share the final results from the poll that I posted yesterday.

[ 36 votes ]   American gods - Neil Gaiman

[ 7 votes ]     The secret history - Donna Tartt

[ 7 votes ]      The clan of the cave bear - Jean M. Auel

[ 5 votes ]     The outsider - Stephen King

[ 2 vote ]       The poppy war - R. F Kuang

The winner is, 

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30165203-american-gods?ac=1&from_search=true

635 pages, Audiobook is 22h 31 min

Published June 21st 2011 by William Morrow

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

I'll begin with this book tomorrow, 16th of november by midnight for the TOME TOPPLE READATHON. I'm really looking forward to this! What are you going to read?

Happy reading, queen of the books.  

Poll for what I should begin reading during TOME TOOPLE #7

Hello bookish friends,

I recently started a poll where I asked you guys to vote on what book I should begin reading when it's time for the TOME TOPPLE readathon.
This poll will be up until tomorrow & I'll make sure to post the final results. So far you guys have voted like this;

[ 28 votes ]   American gods - Neil Gaiman

[ 6 votes ]     The secret history - Donna Tartt

[ 5 votes ]      The clan of the cave bear - Jean M. Auel

[ 4 votes ]     The outsider - Stephen King

[ 1 vote ]       The poppy war - R. F Kuang

I love the tv adaptation of American gods so I feel like I should really enjoy it. At one point I want to read my paperback copy & annotate it. Keep on voting guys!


Until next time, happy reading.

Finished books June - November 2018

Hello my dear readers, 

I'm making this blog post to keep you updated on the few books that I've finished during the months of June until November 2018. I'll put down the finished date in the information too, so you guys know when I finished the book. I have read some childrens literature which I won't include here but feel free to check them out on my account on Goodreads. You know where to find me.

Finished 13th of November 2018
The Lemesurier Inheritance: A Short Story - Agatha Christie

18 pages

Published July 23rd 2013 by Witness Impulse

Previously published in the print anthology Poirot's Early Cases.

The Lemesurier family is plagued by a medieval curse, ensuring that no firstborn son will ever receive his inheritance. Can Hercule Poirot solve the riddle of the curse?

My thoughts;
I gave this one 4/5 stars. I enjoyed this short story a lot. It kept my interest the whole time.

Finished 12th of November 2018
The witch of Willow hall - Hester Fox

Paperback, 364 pages

Published October 2nd 2018 by Graydon House

Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences but those around you, as well.

New Oldbury, 1821 

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia, and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall. The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…
My thoughts;
I gave this one 4/5 stars. 

I was expecting something else from this one but I really enjoyed every second of the story. I really liked the characters & I thought the ending was really sweet.

Finished 26th of October 2018
It's always the husband - Michele Campbell

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published May 16th 2017 by St. Martin's Press

Kate, Aubrey, and Jenny. They first met as college roommates and soon became inseparable, even though they are as different as three women can be. Twenty years later, one of them is standing at the edge of a bridge . . and someone else is urging her to jump. 

How did things come to this?

As the novel cuts back and forth between their college years and their adult years, you see the exact reasons why these women love and hate each other—but can feelings that strong lead to murder? Or will everyone assume, as is often the case, that it’s always the husband? 

My thoughts; 

I gave this one 3/5 stars. 

Finished 14th of June 2018
To kill a mockingbird - Harper Lee

 

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.

My thoughts; 

I gave this one 3/5 stars.

Finished 11th of June 2018
The stranger - Harlan Coben

 Hardcover, 386 pages

Published March 24th 2015 by Dutton

The Stranger appears out of nowhere, perhaps in a bar, or a parking lot, or at the grocery store. His identity is unknown. His motives are unclear. His information is undeniable. Then he whispers a few words in your ear and disappears, leaving you picking up the pieces of your shattered world.

Adam Price has a lot to lose: a comfortable marriage to a beautiful woman, two wonderful sons, and all the trappings of the American Dream: a big house, a good job, a seemingly perfect life.

Then he runs into the Stranger. When he learns a devastating secret about his wife, Corinne, he confronts her, and the mirage of perfection disappears as if it never existed at all. Soon Adam finds himself tangled in something far darker than even Corinne’s deception, and realizes that if he doesn’t make exactly the right moves, the conspiracy he’s stumbled into will not only ruin lives—it will end them.

My thoughts; 

I gave this one 3/5 stars. It was okay, nothing special really. 

Finished 8th of June 2018
The hypnotist - Lars Kepler ( Joona Linna #1 )

Hardcover, 503 pages

Published June 21st 2011 by Sarah Crichton Books 

Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9835731-the-hypnotist

In the frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes.

It’s the sort of work that Bark has sworn he would never do again—ethically dubious and psychically scarring. When he breaks his promise and hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.

My thoughts;
I gave this one 4/5 stars. I really enjoed it & I can't wait until I finished all the books in this series.

TOME TOPPLE READATHON #7 TBR

Hello book worms!
Here's my TBR for the TOME TOPPLE READATHON #7.
I won't be following all of the challenges but my plan is to read as much as possible during these two weeks.
Tell me, what will you be reading?

The poppy war - R.F Kuang

Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068705-the-poppy-war?from_search=true

544 pages, Audiobook is 18 h 58min

Published May 1st 2018 by Harper Voyager

When Rin aced the Keju, the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies, it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard, the most elite military school in Nikan, was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

Link to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30165203-american-gods?ac=1&from_search=true

635 pages, Audiobook is 22h 31 min

Published June 21st 2011 by William Morrow

Days before his release from prison, Shadow's wife, Laura, dies in a mysterious car crash. Numbly, he makes his way back home. On the plane, he encounters the enigmatic Mr Wednesday, who claims to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America.

Together they embark on a profoundly strange journey across the heart of the USA, whilst all around them a storm of preternatural and epic proportions threatens to break.

Scary, gripping and deeply unsettling, American Gods takes a long, hard look into the soul of America. You'll be surprised by what - and who - it finds there...

The secret history - Donna Tartt

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29044.The_Secret_History?ac=1&from_search=true

559 pages, Audiobook is 22h 4 min

Published April 13th 2004 by Vintage 

Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite New England college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. But when they go beyond the boundaries of normal morality they slip gradually from obsession to corruption and betrayal, and at last - inexorably - into evil.

The clan of the cave bear [ Earth children #1] - Jean M. Auel

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40611463-the-clan-of-the-cave-bear 

516 pages, Audiobook is 22 h 16 min

Published October 6th 2016 by Bantam

This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love. Through Jean M. Auel's magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear. 

A natural disaster leaves the young girl wandering alone in an unfamiliar and dangerous land until she is found by a woman of the Clan, people very different from her own kind. To them, blond, blue-eyed Ayla looks peculiar and ugly--she is one of the Others, those who have moved into their ancient homeland; but Iza cannot leave the girl to die and takes her with them. Iza and Creb, the old Mog-ur, grow to love her, and as Ayla learns the ways of the Clan and Iza's way of healing, most come to accept her. But the brutal and proud youth who is destined to become their next leader sees her differences as a threat to his authority. He develops a deep and abiding hatred for the strange girl of the Others who lives in their midst, and is determined to get his revenge.

The outsider - Stephen King 

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36124936-the-outsider?from_search=true

561 pages, Audiobook is 21 h 29 min 

Published May 22nd 2018 by Scribner

An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.

An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.

As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.

I will be listening to these on Audio because it's a lot easier for me. What's your TBR? Have you read any of these? 

Let me know in the comments. 

Until next time, happy reading! 

TOME TOPPLE #7 ANNOUNCEMENT

Hello fellow readers,

Long time no read, right? Don't worry. We're officially back in business! The truth is, I have been reading but not as much as I used to. Hopefully this blog will help me to be inspired. I've missed you all, so much.

Now, on to the TOME TOPPLE READATHON #7 2018.

Here's one of the hosts, check her out!

When is it?

It begins on the 16th by midnight & ends on the 29th by 11.59 pm.

Which are the challenges?

1] Read a graphic novel.

2] Read more than one Tome. 

3] Read a Tome that is part of a series. 

4] Buddy read a Tome. 

5] Read an adult novel. 

What is a Tome? 

It is a book that is over 500 pages long. 

Goodreads group link: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/201929-tome-topple-readathon

What will you be reading?


Until next time, happy reading!

I'm particapating in a readalong in June!

I will be participating in the read-along in June with the wonderful Ange. In this video, she explains what is going to happen throughout the month. 





Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/156538.North_and_South?ac=1&from_search=true

When her father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience, Margaret Hale is uprooted from her comfortable home in Hampshire to move with her family to the north of England. Initially repulsed by the ugliness of her new surroundings in the industrial town of Milton, Margaret becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill workers and develops a passionate sense of social justice. This is intensified by her tempestuous relationship with the mill-owner and self-made man, John Thornton, as their fierce opposition over his treatment of his employees masks a deeper attraction.

Until next time, happy reading! 

Books I finished in May 2018

May was a really good reading month for me. A lot of my progress was achieved by audiobooks. So I really like the Nextory App. If any of you want to have a good app for audiobooks, I really recommend this one. Anyway, on to the books! That's the reason you're reading my blog after all.





Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10818853-fifty-shades-of-grey

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

Rating: 3/5 stars
My thoughts:  
** spoiler alert **

 Problematic things: 
Repetitive
The fact that Ana says that Mr Grey is a stalker & then says; oh but he’s so beautiful.
All the characters say that they are all beautiful all the time & they are not well developed.
The story goes from cliches to new cliches.
Did not like any of the characters.

Better things: 
I enjoyed the sex parts & the relationship between Ana & Mr Grey. 



Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/792161.War_Horse
A powerful tale of war, redemption and a hero's journey.

In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

Raiting: 5/5 stars 
My thoughts: 
It was so good! I wish there were more pages though. I’d love to read more books like this one. I recommend it to everyone!  

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6339664-hush-hush 
A SACRED OATH
A FALLEN ANGEL
A FORBIDDEN LOVE

Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

Raiting: 3/5 stars
My thoughts:  
Full of tropes, very slow in the beginning & I didn't find any of the characters that interesting. I thought I would like it more than I did.

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29430049-paris-for-one-and-other-stories

Nell is twenty-six and has never been to Paris. She's never even been on a romantic weekend away--to anywhere--before. Traveling abroad isn't really her thing. But when Nell's boyfriend fails to show up for their mini-vacation, she has the opportunity to prove everyone--including herself--wrong. Alone in Paris, Nell finds a version of herself she never knew existed: independent and intrepid. Could this turn out to be the most adventurous weekend of her life? Funny, charming, and irresistible, Paris for One is quintessential Jojo Moyes--as are the other stories that round out the collection. 

Raiting: 3/5 
My thoughts: I loved the first & the last story in this book. But I felt like it missed something. 



Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35441934-vem-bryr-sig
 Djurrätt är en hjärtefråga för veganen Therése och hon skildrar här hur det gick till när hon blev medveten om djurens situation och stegvis blev vegetarian och vegan. Det blir en personlig berättelse om ett uppvaknande och även en introduktion till ett djurvänligare liv.

Okej, alla människor kanske inte vill bli veganer, men var och en kan hitta sin grej att engagera sig i. Det handlar om hur man vill leva sitt liv, vad som är viktigt för en själv. Klyschan stämmer ju: ingen kan göra allt, men alla kan göra något. För allt hänger ihop, det gäller att ta ansvar och orka bry sig.

Raiting: 5/5 
 My thoughts:  
This book gave me such a boost. I’m so happy that I stopped hurting animals & thanks to this book I feel more proud than ever before for making that decision. She’s wonderful & I absolutely love her! 

  

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30230923-arthur 

When you are racing 435 miles through the jungles and mountains of South America, the last thing you need is a stray dog tagging along. But that's exactly what happened to Mikael Lindnord, captain of a Swedish adventure racing team, when he threw a scruffy but dignified mongrel a meatball one afternoon.
When they left the next day, the dog followed. Try as they might, they couldn't lose him - and soon Mikael realised that he didn't want to. Crossing rivers, battling illness and injury, and struggling through some of the toughest terrain on the planet, the team and the dog walked together towards the finish line, where Mikael decided he would save Arthur and bring him back to his family in Sweden, whatever it took.

My raiting: 5/5 stars
My thoughts: 
A really touching story between two souls who found safety & love. A really sweet story.  

 

 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12600138-ready-player-one

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win—and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape. 

Raiting: 5/5 stars
My thoughts:
 I loved the references in this book. It was a real reminder of my young self. Great characters & a wonderful time.  

 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13158800-the-light-between-oceans?ac=1&from_search=true

A captivating, beautiful, and stunningly accomplished debut novel that opens in 1918 Australia - the story of a lighthouse keeper and his wife who make one devastating choice that forever changes two worlds.

Australia, 1926. After four harrowing years fighting on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns home to take a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day's journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season and shore leaves are granted every other year at best, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby's cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, whose records as a lighthouse keeper are meticulous and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel has taken the tiny baby to her breast. Against Tom's judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them. 

Raiting: 5/5 stars 
My thoughts: That ending was heartbreaking 😭! A great story with wonderful characters. I loved this one so much. 

I really hope that the upcoming month is just as good! I loved reading this much.  

Until next time,