August Wrap-Up (15 books!)

September is here and it's time for another monthly wrap-up. It's so weird to think that Halloween is next month. I mean, this year seems to be flying by so fast! 

So this month I read a total of 15 books. While I didn't read as many novels as I did last month, I read quite a few comics and a bunch of children books. And starting with these, we have...

The Children Books

I was tidying up the cupboard where I keep all my childhood books when I found the Enid Blyton novels I used to love as a kid. I don't have any full series of hers or anything but the ones I own are quite well-loved. Feeling a bit nostalgic, I decided to re-read a few of those books. The first two I read were story collections involving fairies, pixies, talking toys and lots of magic. While some stories have aged a little bit, Enid Blyton's writing remains as beautiful and addictive as ever. The collections I read were The Fairies' Shoemaker and Other Stories and The Smickle Smockle and Other Stories. I gave both 4 stars. The next Enid Blyton book I read was The Secret of Moon Castle. While their families are renting an old castle, a group of children stumble across a mystery and strive to uncover it, finding secrets and having exciting adventures along the way. I loved re-reading this one. I gave it 4 stars as well.  

I also read The Adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels, which I gave 3 stars. While the illustrations were absolutely charming, the stories came off as a bit too naive, and that too, even for a children book. The illustrations are so gorgeous though that if I had to give a rating based on that alone, I would have given the book 5 stars. 

The Comics

I also read volumes 1-7 of Fables, written by Bill Willingham. OMG, this series. It started out just okay and turned out to be utterly amazing. I gave vol. one 3 stars, vol. two 4 stars and vol. three 3 stars. At that point I thought the storyline was rather unique and the characters quite interesting. Then I read vol. four and it BLEW ME AWAY. This one is called March Of The Wooden Soldiers and it's where the action really begins. So if you read the first volumes and aren't much impressed, do read on! I promise you won't regret it. I gave volumes four, five and six a rating of 5 stars each. Vol. seven wasn't my favorite and I gave it only 3 stars. I'm very eager to read the next volumes as soon as I get my hands on them though because this series in general is just fan-tas-tic! And the artwork, too, is really cool. 

The Classics 

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." This famous quote is the first line of Rebecca, the bestselling classic by Daphne du Maurier. While it took me a few chapters to really get into the story, this book ended up winning me over. It's a classic suspense novel with hints of romance and I had honestly never really read a novel like this before. A young, and rather naive woman arrives at the estate of Manderley as Maxim de Winter's second wife. While she's at first as eager as she is intimidated by her new life, she soon realizes that the shadow of her husband's first wife, Rebecca de Winters, lingers still in the great house. So strong is Rebecca's presence that though she's dead, she begins to unravel the new Mrs de Winter's life. I loved this book and gave it 4 stars. It has Gothic undertones and comes to a correspondingly befitting ending. 

I also read To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and again, really loved it. I gave it 5 stars and devoured it over the course of a couple of days. It's a coming of age story that shows themes like racism and social acceptance through the eyes of a child. I loved it so much that I was actually a bit scared to read Go Set A Watchman. I'm reading it though and I'll be sharing my thoughts on it in my next wrap-up.

I also really enjoyed A Room With A View, by E.M. Forster. During her vacations in Italy, Lucy meets two men. One is a lower class young man who unexpectedly catches her attention and the other is the richer and more socially acceptable man she ends up getting engaged to. The other man's presence in her life however soon starts to change Lucy and the way she looks at the world. As the story unfolds, Lucy now has to choose between the man whom society would have her marry and the one she believes she might find true happiness with. 

This Month's Favorite

I can't believe I waited so long to read this book! The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a book that will give you all the feels, gut you mercilessly and make you feel all warm and fuzzy again, all within a few pages. Henry has a rare disease that makes him uncontrollably travel back and forth in time. Clare is his soulmate. While Henry was 28 when he first met her, Clare actually met him for the first time when she was 6 when an older Henry time-traveled to her. This book brings a new take on the subject of time-traveling and shows how these two people fall in love, more than once, and move ahead despite the uncontrollable forces in their lives. A truly beautiful book that I would recommend to everyone. 5 stars, of course.

Follow me here:

Bloglovin'
Facebook
Pinterest
Google +
Instagram

Have a great...

Cover Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

July Wrap-Up (11 books!)

I read 11 books in July, which is crazy since I've actually been super busy this past month. I was also very lucky to pick up some amazing books this month. Most of these are 4 stars or 5 stars book that I would absolutely recommend. If you've read these books too, I'd love to hear your thoughts about them!  

The Classics 

The first classic I read this month was Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë and I absolutely loved it. I gave it 5 stars. After a poor investment leaves her father heavily impoverished, Agnes Grey decides to take up a job as a governess to bring financial support to her family. Agnes has however no experience with the job and a secluded life confined to her family’s company has left her with little awareness of the real world out there. While she is initially enthusiastic to start working and earn her independence, the disdain of her employers and the indiscipline of their children soon bring her to a much harsher reality than the one she had envisioned. This beautifully written little book shows the struggles of an unmarried woman at a time where women had almost no job prospects save for the trying and often ungratifying task of the governess. A must read for all Brontë fans.

The next couple of books I read were books 1 and 2 in the Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In A Study in Scarlet, a man is found dead in the bloodstained room of an abandoned house and Sherlock Holmes is called to assist the police in unraveling the mystery. The book also shows how Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson came to meet, setting the stage for one of the best bromances in literature. I loved this book and gave it 4 stars.

Book 2, The Sign of the Four, didn't disappoint either. It’s been a while since Sherlock Holmes has had any mystery to solve and he has sunk in a deep melancholy, resorting to cocaine-induced hazes to overcome his idleness. Everything changes though the day a beautiful young woman comes to him with a mystery unlike anything he’s ever faced before. Thus ensues a mystery involving a wronged woman, a stolen Indian treasure, a wooden-legged ruffian and even the beginning of a love story. I also gave this one 4 stars. 

The YA Books

This month I also read The Walled City by Ryan Graudin. This book was definitely one the best I've read so far this year. The Walled City is home to chaos. It’s where girls are pitilessly banished to brothels and gangs rule with fear and violence. In a place where trust is an open invitation to backstabbing, three people will find their lives unexpectedly interwoven. Dai is trying to escape a dark past. He has one shot at escaping the Walled City forever and starting a new life elsewhere but to get that, he has to fulfill a very dangerous mission for someone else. Jin, whom everyone believes to be a boy, is actually a girl who had to resort to disguise to escape the gangs and brothels of the city. For two years, she’s been surviving in the streets of the Walled City, while also trying to find her lost sister. Mei Yee has been trapped in a brothel for two years, dreaming to escape but afraid to do so. She’s prepared to give up of her dreams of freedom until one day, she sees a face at her window. I gave this book 5 stars.

I also read More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera, which I also really enjoyed. Life hasn’t been easy for Aaron Soto. Dealing with his family’s poverty and his father’s recent suicide has taken a toll on him. Although his girlfriend has been by his side throughout all of his ordeals, Aaron still can’t shake off the pain and haunting memories inside him. Then, one day, he meets Thomas. Suddenly Aaron has someone with whom he can fully be himself and at first, he feels like he might have at last found a path to happiness. But when his new friendship with Thomas start to turn the people in his life against him, Aaron decides to do something about the new person he’s become. If he can’t change the people around him, then he’ll change who he is. And thus, one day, he decides to try the Leteo Institute’s new and revolutionary memory-alteration procedure. This book was really well-written and fast-paced. I can't recommend it enough! I gave it 4 stars. 

The Children Books

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke, was also one of my favorite books this month. Meggie lives a quiet life with her father, a bookbinder. Father and daughter are very close, even sharing a common love for books. One day though, a mysterious visitor arrives with strange news and Meggie begins to realize that she doesn’t quite know her father the way she always thought she did. Indeed, her father has a secret he’s been keeping from her for years. He has an extraordinary magical power. A power that gives life to words and stories. Someone now wants this power for himself and sends his forces after Meggie’s father. And thus begins an adventure like those she always thought only happened in books. If you love books, then you need this one in your life. I gave it 5 stars. 

Isabelle Day Refuses To Die Of A Broken Heart, by Jane St. Anthony, follows the story of a young girl who moves in a new town with her mother after her father passes away. Isabelle is still pretty shaken by her father's death and at first finds it hard to open up to the new people in her life. Over time though, as new friendships develop, Isabelle begins to slowly become herself again. I gave it 3 stars. It was quite pleasant to read but ended in a rather abrupt and unsatisfying way. 

The Nowhere Emporium by Ross MacKenzie is about a young boy, Daniel, who stumbles one day across a shop unlike anything he's seen before. He is soon recruited by the owner, Mr Silver, and thus enters the magical universe of the Nowhere Emporium. Despite some similarities with books like Harry Potter and The Night Circus, I found this one quite fun to read, hence a 4-star rating. 

The Illustrated Children Books

These two books can both technically qualify as picture books, although they do come with a narrative text. My favorite was The Specific Ocean by Kyo Maclear. It's the story of a little girl who's unhappy to be spending her holidays in a lonely beach house with her family, until the the ocean begins to reveal its hidden magic to her. I found the artwork simply gorgeous, hence a 4-star rating. If you have kids or young siblings, you might want to get this book for them. 

The next book is The Tea Party in the Woods by Akiko Miyakoshi. Although it did have beautiful illustrations, I found the story to be way too simplistic, hence only a 3-star rating. It takes its roots in Little Red Riding Hood, although it comes with a unique fantasy spin.

This Month's Favorite 

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini totally made an emotional wreck out of me. This book follows the volatile and violent events of Afghanistan’s last 30 years through a very emphatic and human approach. Through the eyes of two women belonging to different generations, we discover the horrors of war, the weight of tragedy and finally the power of hope and courage. We watch these two women survive and grapple for their happiness as their very world falls apart. This book will haunt me for a very long time. I was scared of finding a tragedy-heavy war story and instead I discovered the beautiful and very human story of two women who lived, dreamed and hoped in a time where the world around them had turned to merciless chaos. A five star book, like few I've come across before.

So that's it for this month's wrap-up guys. Have you read any of the books mentioned here? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Follow me here:

Bloglovin'

Facebook

Pinterest

Google +

Instagram

June Wrap-Up (16 books!)

June was an awesome reading month. I read 16 books, most of which I really enjoyed. Because there are so many books this month, I thought I would group them by category. Or at least attempt to! I like how diverse my reading was this month. I got through classics, LOTS of children books and a few recent releases. So without further delay, let's begin!

The Classics 

The first classic I read this month was Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. It covers the events of a day as middle-aged Clarissa Dalloway makes the preparation for the upcoming party which is to take place in the evening. As the day slowly passes, Clarissa reflects on her faded youth and the people who were important to her then. Meanwhile, somewhere else in town, a young war survivor slowly sinks into madness, haunted by visions and nightmares. I gave it 5 stars.

The next classic I read was Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In this rags-to-riches story, Pip's modest life takes an unexpected turn when a mysterious benefactor enters his life and decides to man a gentleman out of him. Through his relationships with characters such as strange the Miss Havisham who hasn't stepped out of her tattered wedding dress since her groom abandoned her at the altar, and the cold and beautiful Estella who captures Pip's heart, the young man begins a journey of self-discovery through a book which is as captivating as it's eventful. I gave this book 4 stars.

I also read Fairy Tales of Andersen by Hans Christian Andersen, which is a compilation of some of Andersen's best fairy tales. If I had to rate these stories individually, there are many which would get 5 stars. Because there were some I enjoyed less than others though, I ended giving this book 4 stars. I'll definitely be reading more of Andersen's stories later on. 

My TBR shelf veterans...

After four years (or so), I finally completed the Wicked Lovely series, by Melissa Marr. Finally :D I read books 4 and 5, respectively Radiant Shadows and Darkest Mercy, back to back over the course of two days. These books might not have much to offer plotwise and they may not have the best characters in YA fantasy, but you have to give them credit for being fast reads. I would recommend these books mostly to those who, just like me, have been following this series for a while and just want to know how it ends. Oh, and I gave them 2 and 3 stars respectively. 

The children books I kinda liked...

These are last three books in the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Book 6,  The Horse and his Boy, follows the adventures of two runaways, a Narnian talking horse and a little boy, as they attempt to reach the land of Narnia. It was rather enjoyable and I ended giving it 3 stars. 

Book 6, The Magician's Nephew, follows the adventures of Polly and Diggory, two young children who find magic rings which give them the power to travel between worlds. Their rings eventually lead them to the dangerous Queen Jadis who sets out to conquer their world, and later to a barren land where they come to witness the birth of Narnia. I found the mythology and creation of Narnia in this one quite fun to read about, hence a 4-star rating. 

Book 7, The Last Battle... was just terrible. There's a fake Aslan who's creating chaos in all the land of Narnia, lots of racism and a great deal of misogyny. At this point, I just want to forget about this book. This is sad because if not for the sexist and racial cringeworthy scenes, this would have been an awesome series. But as it is, The Last Battle is just a poor ending to an enjoyable book series. One star, duh...

The children books I really liked

This month, I also read the Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. These books follow the adventures of the twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory as they discover the hidden world of faeries after moving in the old house of their Great-Aunt. This was overall very fun to read. Each of the five books in this series is around 120 pages or so and read more like segments of the same story rather than individual novels of their own. In fact, the books had rather abrupt endings which feels like they could have been combined to form larger volumes but were, for some reason, split into five. This is why I gave them 3 stars each. This however remains a really nice children fantasy series and I would totally recommend them to fans of the genre.

Recent Releases (2014-2015)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is a Beauty and the Beast retelling set in a faerie universe. When 19 year old Feyre accidentally kills a faerie during a hunt, she is taken away to the faerie lands as retribution for what she has done. Feyre soon realizes that her captor, Tamlin, is not just any mere fae but in fact one of the strongest of his kind, gifted with very powerful magic. While Feyre initially tries to figure out a way back home, her growing friendship for Tamlin and terrifying revelations about their world, soon begin to make her question her plans. Is her place truly back in her old life or is it in this new land, with its promises of magic and protection? This book was overall quite good. I ended up giving it four stars.  

All The Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr, is a historical fiction set during WWII. It follows the two main perspectives of a blind French girl who lives in German-occupied France and a young German soldier who is given a chance to rise from the poverty of his childhood by joining the military services. I gave this book 5 stars and I'm not even kidding when I say this is now of my favorite books ever. Beautifully written, with a lyrical prose, delightful descriptions and just the right pacing, this is a book that will make you feel all the feels and stay with you for a long time. Trust me, you need this book in your life!  

This Month's Favorite 

After their parents die abroad, Melanie and her younger siblings are sent to live with an uncle they barely know, who owns a toyshop in London. There, Melanie meets her mute aunt Margaret, along with Margaret's brothers. Francie, who doesn't talk much, seems to care mostly for his music while Finn, outrageous and daring, quickly befriends Melanie. And ruling over their strange, mismatched household is Melanie's uncle, who is as mysterious as he is menacing. Indeed, his only love seem to be the lifelike puppets he creates himself. Short but powerfully written in a lyrical language rich in subtle messages and hidden meanings, this was not only my favorite book of the month but also one of the most unusual and interesting books I've ever read. While it doesn't actually have any element of supernatural nor magic realism, the book does convey a somewhat Gothic atmosphere that I really enjoyed. A five star book for sure.

So that's it for this month's wrap-up guys. Have you read any of the books mentioned here? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Follow me here:

Bloglovin'

Facebook

Pinterest

Google +

Art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo

May Wrap-Up

This month I read a total of 7 books. Yep, that's a bit less than my usual monthly reads but I've been reading a lot of classics lately and while they do take quite a chunk out of my reading time, I've actually been really enjoying them. Without much delay, let's jump right into it!

7. Death of Wolverine by Charles Soule - 3 stars

This miniseries follows the concluding storyline of one of the most legendary X-Men, Wolverine, across 4 issues full of awesome writing and equally awesome artwork. I had never read an X-Men comic before and what I knew about the characters and the universe was based mostly on what I'd seen in the movies. The story was still pretty easy to follow though and you just can't help get attached to Wolverine/Logan. He's such an awesome character. I would have given one more star if not for the fourth and last issue which somewhat fell kind of flat. Overall though, this was a really good comic miniseries. 

6. The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy - 3 stars

Yes, I've been reading quite my fair share of Thomas Hardy lately. Like many of his novels, this is a drama/romance story set in a small 19th century town. The book follows the interwoven stories of several people who each in their own way are struggling to get the object of their desire, may if be the love of another or a raise in societal status. With its backdrop of 19th century rural life, romance and lingering tragedy, this is one of Hardy's best works. I found myself really enjoying the first half of the book but around the midpoint, things somewhat started to slow down a bit, hence the 3-star rating. This however remains a very poetic and beautiful story about life, society and love and if you enjoy Thomas Hardy's novels, definitely pick this one up. 

5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis - 3 stars

This installment, the third in the publication order, sees the return of Lucy and Edmund to Narnia. This time, their sullen cousin Eustace accompanies them, somewhat against his will. The two Pevensies are reunited with old friends, including Caspian, as they all embark on a sea journey towards lands both unknown and magical. This was a very satisfying addition to the series and might even have obtained a fourth star if not for the character of Eustace. I understand why it was important for readers to initially find him unsympathetic but in my case I think it worked a bit too well and after a few pages, I just got a bit frustrated with him. It could also be that I was just missing the two older Pevensies. 

4. Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy - 4 stars 

Yep, another Thomas Hardy book! I guess it means I have a new favorite author :) This is so far the most dramatic of the books I've read by him. It follows the story of Tess, a girl born to a peasant family and whose father learns he's of noble ancestry. For her parents' sake, Tess accepts to seek the rich branch of the family to claim kinship. Thus she meets her 'cousin' Alec and what then follows will forever change her life. Some might argue this book deserves 5 stars but Tess, while being a very human and relatable character, isn't quite as strong a female character as I like to read about. I however really enjoyed this book and would like to reread it at some point.

3. Silas Marner by George Eliot - 4 stars

Old and solitary Silas Marner's life is turned upside down when one day someone steals the treasure he'd been gathering and hiding for years. Silas soon afterwards finds an abandoned child in his home and ends up adopting her. Initially depressed by the loss of his treasure, Silas finds new joy in his unexpected fatherhood and thus his life slowly begins to change. If the plot sounds familiar it's because Gabrielle Zevin's novel 'The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry' is loosely based on this book. This was quite a short and quick read and within 200 pages or so, George Eliot manages to explore human nature with her always captivating and occasionally witty prose. This might not be the best book to start with if you're interested in discovering George Eliot's works but if you're already a fan of her books, you might not want to miss out on this one.

2. The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis - 4 stars

This book follows the adventures of Eustace and his schoolmate Jill Pole as they unexpectedly find themselves carried into Narnia, where they are sent on a mission to find the King's long lost son, the Prince Rilian. Their adventures lead them to new friends and foes, and down into the eerie Underland where dark schemes are brewing. This is the first Narnia book without any of the Pevensie siblings but we do get a more mature and brave Eustace as well as lots of scenes with Aslan. Overall, this installment was very fun to read. 

1. Saga Vol. 4 by Brian K. Vaughan - 4 stars 

More space drama, action, sexiness and badass awesomeness. Need I say more? This graphic novel series just keeps getting better and better. There were issues that I enjoyed less than others but overall, this remains a volume that should greatly please fans. 

So that's it for my wrap-up. Is there anything here that you've read or want to read? Let me know in the comments!

Follow me here:

Bloglovin'

Facebook

Pinterest

Google +

Have an awesome

April Wrap-Up (9 Books!)

François Batet

April was a pretty good reading month for me. I read a total of 9 books and I loved every single one of them. Because of that, ranking them is going to be a bit tricky. So, if a book in this wrap-up is ranked low, it doesn't mean the book was bad. It just means that out of all the books I've loved, for some reason, I liked that one slightly less. 

Also, as you'll notice when reading this post, I've been reading a lot of classics lately. If you have suggestions based on those I've read so far, do leave them in the comments. You're also welcome to use the ones mentioned here as recommendations if you're interested in reading more classics.

9. The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling - 4 stars

This is a collection of fairy tales set in the universe of Harry Potter. These are supposedly popular stories that all children of the wizard world are familiar with. Overall, I think this was quite a fun read. Aside from the stories, which are great, as are all the things that come from J.K. Rowling's pen, really, you also get little notes about the 'history' behind these stories by the author. If you're a fan of Harry Potter, do check this book out. Also, I read this in, like, 30 mins so it's great if you're looking for a quick read.

8. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira - 4 stars

Lauren has recently lost her sister May, whom she loved and looked up too, and as she begins high school, she must both learn to cope with her sister's death and navigate life as a high school student. One day, in her English class, she gets an assignment which requires her to write a letter to a dead person of her choice. What originally starts as schoolwork soon becomes her new way of coping with the things in her life. She writes more and more letters to various celebrities who passed away, eventually keeping the letters to herself rather than turning them in to her teacher. And through her own words, she begins to see truths she hadn't realize she already knew. Reading this, I had the same feelings I had when reading the Perks of Being a Wallflower. So if you liked the Perks, you'll like this book as well.

7. Perfume: The story of a murderer by Patrick Suskind - 4 stars

This was the first classic I read in April and I absolutely loved it. It's rather dark and morbid for a classic, but it's also so beautifully written that you'll keep turning the pages despite how crazy things are becoming. This book is set in 18th century France and follows the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, a man born with a superhuman sense of smell. He soon becomes obsessed with capturing the scents around him. One day, he catches the scent of a young woman and decides he has found the most delicious of all perfumes. He then sets himself a task both ambitious and grim: to create the ultimate perfume from the essence of the beautiful young virgin. If you're in for a book with a very unique story and beautiful descriptions, this one is for you. The author does an awesome job describing scents and perfumes, making Grenouille's rather unique sensory experience come to life through words.

6. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - 4 stars 

This is another classic that quite fits the horror genre and which I really enjoyed. After his friend paints a remarkable portrait of him, young and beautiful Dorian Gray laments that while his portrait will forever remain beautiful, he will grow old and his beauty will eventually fade. He then swears that he would give anything to have his fate swapped with his portrait's. These seemingly harmless words somewhat come true and as the years pass, Dorian remains young while his portrait gradually grows older. The portrait however doesn't only reflect Dorian's age but also his sins and as the young man indulges into debauchery, his portrait begins to gradually change, becoming a shameful reflection of his soul.

5. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells - 4 stars

This is not only one of earliest sci-fi books, but it's also one of the first books ever written on time travel. It follows the story of a 19th century man who builds a time machine that takes him thousands of years into the future, well past our current century. Sci-fi is not a genre I read a lot from but I really enjoyed the story and concept. Also, at less than 120 pages, this was also a rather quick read.

4. Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol - 5 stars

This is a graphic novel and it's one of the best I've read so far. Originally from Russia, Anya and her family now live in the US. Anya struggles to fit in with the other kids of her school, is embarrassed by her family and is very self-conscious about her body. One day, after accidentally falling into a well, she makes a rather strange encounter. At the bottom of the well, Anya meets the ghost of a girl who died there a long time ago. While at first she's not too sure what to make of this rather unusual situation, Anya eventually befriends the ghost girl. After all, having a ghost for a friend is still better than having no friends at all, right? Oh, so Anya thinks... This graphic novel not only has a unique and very cool plot but its artwork is also really nice since it uses solely shades of purple and grey. I would totally recommend this to anyone who is looking for a really good graphic novel.

3. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy - 5 stars 

After inheriting her late uncle's farm, Bathsheba Everdene comes to Weatherbury to take up her new role as mistress of the farm. Her great beauty and independent personality soon catches the attention of three different suitors: the loyal shepherd Gabriel Oak, the gentleman farmer Boldwood and the dashing and seductive Sergeant Troy. Subject to the love of these three men, Bathsheba is drawn to make a decision that ends up hurting more people she had accounted for. What initially started as a mere game of seduction then takes a dramatic turn, casting the shadow of tragedy over the fates of these four people. Check out my full review of this book here. 

2. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly - 5 stars

If not for the book I'll be mentioning next, this would have been my favorite book of the month. This book was soooo good! I can't even express how much I loved it. Twelve year old David is mourning the loss of his mother. His father's remarriage to another woman and the birth of an unwelcome half-brother only makes things even worse for him. David's only solace are books, especially those about fairy tales. Soon, David begins to hear his books whispering to him. Before he can figure out what's happening, fiction and reality collide and David finds himself propelled into a fairy tale land. However, this strange world holds horrors and dangers David had never imagined he would one day have to face. Setting out to find the land's mysterious king's legendary Book of Lost Things, rumored to hold the key to all sorts of mysteries, David has to both survive and figure out a way to return to his world.

This book has a very fairy tale feel to it. Don't be fooled by the cover and blurb though. While this may sound like a middle-grade fantasy, this is NOT actually for children. It has very scary moments, including rather gory scenes. Think blood, guts and severed body parts. But while this book is meant for a more adult audience, it still retains a fairy tale narrating voice, which I believe adds to the beauty of the story. A must read for any adult who isn't afraid of the occasional dip back into childhood.  

1. Dubliners by James Joyce - 5 stars

This is a short story collection following the lives of various people who live in 20th century Dublin, hence the title. While each story is unique, together they depict a very realistic portrayal of 20th century Dublin. Some of you might be familiar with James Joyce's masterpiece, the kinda daunting Ulysses. Dubliners is quite the contrary because the writing style is very simple in comparison, making it very easy for readers to follow the story. As you read though, you will nevertheless pick up hidden meanings and complexities that may not be very apparent at a first glance for having instead been skillfully woven into the seemingly simple narrative. This makes for quite a rich and clever reading experience. Definitely something I would recommend to anyone who's in for a great short story collection.

So that's it for my wrap-up. If you've read or want to read any of the books I've mentioned here, do share your thoughts in the comments!

Follow me here:

Bloglovin'

Facebook

Pinterest

Google +

March Wrap-Up

March was one hell of a hectic month. Between reading the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe and having a blast at it and writing my dissertation for uni, I've barely had time to post new material on the blog these past few weeks. Yet, despite how busy and crazy this month has been, I managed to read a total of 11 books which I'm quite happy about. 

So here's the list of the books I've read starting with the one to which I gave the lowest rating till the one I enjoyed most. As usual, I'm using the Goodreads star rating system, which you can read more about in my previous wrap-up. 

Let me know if there's anything here you've read! 




11. This one summer by Mariko Tamaki - 3 stars

This was probably the biggest disappointment of last month. I was really expecting more of this graphic novel, largely due to the hype it has been getting lately. The artwork was very beautiful with purple used for all the art rather than the customary black. The story though fell quite flat. It's basically the coming-of-age story of two girls as they spend summer at the beach. There's not much happening with the exception of the occasional drama which, in my opinion, felt almost forced sometimes. This graphic novel could have got a 2-star rating but earns a third star for the beautiful art.

10. Fragile eternity by Melissa Marr - 3 stars 

Wicked Lovely is a YA series about faeries and if you've read the previous month's wrap-up, you know I've been trying to finally put this series behind me. I've owned all the 5 books in the series for what feels like forever and was feeling kind of bad about it. So, I decided to slip a book from the series in each if my monthly TBR lists with the view of getting this over with very soon. This month I read the Fragile Eternity, which is book 3. I don't have much to say about this book other that it was a fast-paced read. Lots of faerie drama and angst. Not something I would recommend to YA fans. 

9. Ask the passengers by A.S. King - 4 stars

Astrid has questions. Lots of them. She just doesn't really have anyone to share them with. So she spends hours lying on the picnic table in the backyard and sends her thoughts to the strangers in the planes flying overhead. As she slowly falls in love with a girl, Astrid starts to question herself and the society around her, suddenly unsure of the very person she is and what it means to be different in a society as judgmental as the one she lives in. And in a town that could as well have been called 'gossip', things don't take long to get a little out of hand. 

I turned to this book hoping to find a light and quick read and was instead pleasantly surprised to discover a deep and very well written story. Astrid is a very relatable character and while her sexuality is indeed one major issue explored in the book, the story is so much more, with an array of characters each with their own issues. Unlike YA books when parents and siblings tend to fall somewhere in the background, here they are well fleshed out secondary characters with as much stuff to deal with as Astrid. Pick this up guys, you won't regret it.

8. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - 4 stars

The Narnia books are today classics of children literature and many of you have probably already read a few or all the books in the series. It's only now that I'm reading them though, largely due to the fact that I had been spoiled about the entirety of the last book a few years ago. The spoilers kind of took away my desire to read the books for myself and I would have probably not even thought about them again had I not watched Karina, a YouTuber, talk about them in her videos. Check out her channel, she's awesome. So I got my hands on book one and guess what? Yep, I loved it! Now, next time I watch the movie again with my sister, because it's one of our childhood favorites, I'm going to be looking out for details from the books! 

Onto the story now. It's wartime and siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent to live with an old professor until things get better back at home. When Lucy, the youngest, accidentally stumbles into a magical world after entering a wardrobe, the children are dragged almost despite themselves into an adventure beyond their imagination involving talking animals, a land of eternal winter and an evil queen who also doubles as a powerful witch. Give the book a try guys. It's really worth it.

7. Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis - 4 stars

Prince Caspian is the second book in the Chronicles of Narnia. I can't really give much a plot for this one since it would spoil most of the first book's ending. Also note that the order of the books vary as per the publications but in case you were wondering, I'm going by the original publication order. I loved book one so much that I decided to pick up Prince Caspian and again, I ended up really loving it. In fact I loved this one better than book one, hence the slightly higher ranking. So far, the Narnia books have proven to be very fast-paced and enjoyable reads and I'm really excited to get to more of these in April. 

6. Matilda by Roald Dahl - 4 stars 

If you've read my full review of this book, you already know how much I loved it. Matilda is the story of a little girl gifted with a great intellect and who possesses an avid passion for books. The story follows her discovery of books as she learns to better understand the world and the people around her and stand up for herself when things get tough. To know more about this book, click here for my full review. 

5. The storied life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin - 4 stars

I also did a full review of this book, which you can read here. This book follows the story of a bitter and sarcastic bookstore owner who one day discovers an abandoned baby in his shop. What he chooses to do next not only changes his entire life, but also the whole community of his little town. If you love books, you're really going to really enjoy reading this because the main characters are as much book nerds as some of us (me included hehe) are. 

4. Poetry and Tales by Edgar Allan Poe - 4 stars

It would be hard to try and write a summary for this book since this is a collection of all the works of Mr. Poe. It includes both his poems and short stories at a page count of over 1400 pages. I wish I could say I own the book but sadly, I haven't been able to buy mine own copy yet. Instead I borrowed the book from my uni library and has spent the last couple of months slowly getting through it. The main things I'm going to retain from this book is that Mr. Poe was a very intelligent man and a great writer. With both a talent for horror and a very humorous streak whenever he felt like it, Mr. Poe has crafted unique stories that will sometimes make you recoil in horror and sometimes burst out laughing. It takes talent to juggle between genres like that so kudos to the guy. How I wished he had lived a little longer and wrote more amazing stories! I really loved it. I had to return my library copy before I could remember to take a picture so instead I have pictured here the edition in which I want to buy my own copy of E.A. Poe's complete works. Does anyone of you own this edition? Let me know!

3. A monster calls by Patrick Ness - 5 stars

This book was original developed by Siobhan Dowd but she died of cancer before she could finish her project and Patrick Ness was thus called in to finish her book. Mr. Ness is a very good writer and does Siobhan's idea justice in bringing to life, through his beautiful prose, the story of Conor, a young boy who is struggling to cope with his mother's sickness as she battles cancer. Conor's story takes a turn for the unexpected when one night, a real life monster comes to him. As Conor does his best to cope with his mother's failing health and the changes that this is causing in his life, the monster visits again and again, each time with a new story to tell Conor. Before the little boy can figure out the real reason behind the monster and his visits, things begin to unravel in his life. The beauty of this story genuinely took me off-guard. Read this book people and prepare to have your heartstrings seriously struck. With its dark illustrations and its beautiful writing, this is a book you will fall in love with before you even realize it. 

2. In real life by Cory Doctorow - 5 stars

I could write a whole post on the amazing graphic novel that is In Real Life which... I actually did. Check out my full review of it here, complete with images from the graphic novel. This book takes us into the gaming world, while keeping things simple enough for even non-gamers to feel at ease with the setting, and follows the story of Anda as she gets deeper into this new universe and encounters new people who will forever change the way she sees the world around her. An amazing story, awesome art and great characters... In Real Life definitely deserves 5 stars.  

1. Lexicon by Max Barry - 5 stars

I started off really wondering what I was doing reading this book and almost put it down for good. Then I decided to read some more and... ended up giving it 5 stars. If like me you've struggled with the beginning, mostly due to lack of information, don't give up on this book yet. It'll definitely end up blowing your mind away. In this story, there exist people gifted with the ability to use words as weapons to bend others to their will. They are called poets and hide their true identities by adopting the names of famous poets such as Charlotte Bronte or Virginia Woolf. The book follows two main characters, each seemingly unrelated to the other at the beginning, as we learn more about the poets and the power struggle that has been going on in their ranks. You really don't want to know too much before going into this as part of the magic of this book resides in figuring things out as you read on. Also, can anyone else can spot "Why did you do it?" written on the cover?? It's only now that I'm noticing it and I spent almost two weeks with this book!

So these are all the books I've read in March guys. Share your thoughts in the comments letting me know if there's anything here you've also read. 

Follow me here:

Bloglovin'

Facebook

Pinterest

Google +