Friday, 19 April 2019

Book hauls revisited Jan - March '18

Hi booklovers

Last year I started taking a look at my book hauls from the previous years to see how many of those books I've read since then.
For some reason I stopped doing them in July last year, so I'm picking it back up for my 2018 hauls.

January
*The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

February
*Immortal Reign by Morgan Rhodes
*The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert
*Angelfall by Susan Ee

March
*Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
*Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
*The Way of Kings pt 1 by Brandon Sanderson
*The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson
*Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
*State of Sorrow by Melinda Salisbury

Out of the 11 books I bought and the 1 book I was gifted (Angelfall) I managed to read 6:
*Immortal Reign
*Unravel Me
*Unite Me
*Ignite Me
*Etched in Bone
*Ready Player One

Which of the unread books should I get to first? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Book Haul Dec. '18 - Jan. - March '19.

Hi booklovers

Let's take a look at the books I bought during the last couple of months.

At the very end of December I went bookshopping with a friend and we went to Waterstones Brussels and Sterling Books.


Here are the books that I got there:


Half a King by Joe Abercrombie
La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey
The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft
In January I bought only one book: Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody. I bought this secondhand from someone I follow on IG.
I didn't buy any books in February, but I did buy some in March:

Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (which I've already read.)
The His Dark Materials box set by Philip Pullman. (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) I've read these about 15 years ago for my dissertation, but the copies I had didn't match. Plus, I also found out that the first one was the American edition, which is apparently censored. So I wanted to get the matching UK editions and I have to say, they look stunning.


Which books did you get over the last couple of months? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies

Wednesday, 17 April 2019

WWW Wednesday - April 17th

Hi booklovers

Today I thought I'd try something new :-)

"Welcome to WWW Wednesday! This meme was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words. Just answer the three questions below and leave a link to your post in the comments for others to look at. No blog? No problem! Just leave a comment with your responses. Please, take some time to visit the other participants and see what others are reading. So, let’s get to it!"

I found this on Nadine's blog.

The Three Ws are: 
What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently reading:
I'm actually reading three books at the moment.

Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
I just started this one today and I'm reading it for my Transfiguration O.W.L.: book with a red cover or sprayed edges. This one actually has both.
I'm only 28 pages in so I can't really say all that much about it. I've read the first book in de Castells Greytcoats series and I loved that, so I'm curious about this one. I've heard some mixed things about it.

This is the fourth book in the Coincidence series. Even though I mostly read fantasy books I'm sometimes in the mood for some (contemporary) NA (especially when I'm on a school holiday, because I tend to read past my bedtime when reading NA :-D ).
I usually like my NA to be of the angsty kind. However, I found the first two books in this series (about Callie and Kayden) to have just the right amount of angst, but book three (the first one about Violet & Luke) to be a bit too angsty. I'm curious to see where this one will go.

The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
I'm listening to the audiobook of this one for my History of Magic O.W.L.: a book that was published 10 or more years ago.
I have about 10 hours left of the audiobook and I'm enjoying it very much. This is actually my second time listening to this book. I have a long history with this huge series. I started reading it about ten years ago but I didn't read the entire series back then. Three years ago I discovered audiobooks and I started listening to this series, but I never got past book 4. This year I really want to get further into the series, so I decided to relisten to the first books and then continue and finally finish this 14-books series.
Recently finished:
Shadow Me by Tahereh Mafi
This is book #4.5 in the Shatter Me series and it's the third novella in this series. I recently reread the original trilogy so I could finally read Restore Me and this one.
I really enjoyed seeing the events through Kenji's POV. We really got to see a different side of him and we got some backstory for him. I'm definitely picking up Defy Me.
I read this for my Potions O.W.L.: a sequel.
The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins
This one is completely different from the book by Robert Jordan. This is actually a retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The Singing Bone”, which I actually don't know anything about.
This was a bit predictable at times (even though my guess for the ending was not correct) and it definitely has a couple of typical YA tropes.
I liked the interpretation of magic and I'll probably pick up the conclusion to the duology even though I'm a bit scared that it will be too focused on the romance.
(This is the review I wrote on Goodreads and when I first finished it, I went online to see if I could get the sequel. But now that a couple of days have passed, I'm feeling less inclined to get the sequel. We'll see how I feel about it in a couple of weeks/months.)
I read this for my Ancient Runes O.W.L.: a retelling.
 
What's next?
I am very much a mood reader, so predicting what my next read is going to be isn't easy for me. Since I'm still taking part in the O.W.L.s magical readathon for the rest of the month I'll probably read books that fit some of the prompts.
Maybe I'll go for
Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb
This is the third book in the Liveship Trades trilogy and I really want to know how the story ends. I love Hobbs writing and even though I'm a non-native English reader I have no trouble getting through these easily (I alternate between reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook).

Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
This is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses. Theirs is a world in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city. A world transformed by a power based on an essence known as breath. Using magic is arduous as breath can only be collected one unit at a time.


So far, I've really enjoyed all the books I've read by Sanderson and I've heard this one is a lot of fun.

Both these books could go towards the Charms O.W.L.: age line: read an adult work.

The problem with these are that they are both chunky books and thus not ideal for readathons.

So I might pick up this one instead
Brieven van Marie (Letters from Marie) by Lize Feryn
This is in Dutch and it's a companion book to the Flemish tv-series called In Flanders Fields about World War I. The first book was Maries diary and this is a collection of letters Marie writes after the war has ended.
This one could go towards the Herbology O.W.L.: plant on the cover.

Have you read any of these books or are you planning to read any of them? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies


Tuesday, 16 April 2019

Anticipated releases April - June 2019.

Hi booklovers

Just like at the beginning of the year I'm going to take a look at the books I'm looking forward to in the months of April, May and June.

April
*2nd: Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi
I read Restore Me(#4) and Shadow Me(#4.5) for the O.W.L.s magical readathon and I'm curious to see how the story will continue.

May
*1st: One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence
This premise sounds really intriguing.

*7th: Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I already know that these two write awesome space stories. Hopefully this one will be up there with the Illuminae Files.

*9th: Finale by Stephanie Garber
Very excited to see how the story ends. I might do a reread of the first two before reading this one. I'm going to preorder the hardcover edition so it has the secret cover like the other two.

June
*11th: Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I remember really enjoying The Dark Elements trilogy by Armentrout. This is apparently a spin-off series so I'm going to give the first book a go.

Are any of these books on your anticipated releases lists as well or are there other books you are excited about? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies

Tuesday, 9 April 2019

Jan - Feb - March '19 wrap-up.

Hi booklovers

I just realised that I haven't posted any monthly wrap-ups this year.
So, today, I'm going to combine the January, February and March wrap-up.

* = Beat the Backlist reading challenge book

January
1) Lovers Like Us* - Becca and Krista Ritchie - 4 stars
2) Alphas Like Us* - Becca and Krista Ritchie - 4 stars
3) The Eye of the World* - Robert Jordan - 4 stars
4) Unravel Me* - Tahereh Mafi - 3 stars
5) In An Absent Dream - Seanan McGuire - 5 stars
6) Tangled Like Us - Becca and Krista Ritchie - 4 stars
7) Days of Blood and Starlight* - Laini Taylor - 5 stars
8) Saga Volume 9* - Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples - 5 stars

February
9) The Mad Ship* - Robin Hobb - 5 stars
10) Fracture Me* - Tahereh Mafi - 3.5 stars
11) Sleeping Giants* - Sylvain Neuvel - 4 stars
12) Waking Gods* - Sylvain Neuvel - 4 stars

March
13) The Redemption of Callie and Kayden* - Jessica Sorensen - 4.5 stars
14) The Risk - Elle Kennedy - 4.5 stars
15) Dreams of Gods and Monsters* - Laini Taylor - 5 stars
16) Girls: Conception* - the Luna brothers - 4 stars
17) Girls: Emergence* - the Luna brothers - 4 stars
18) Ignite Me* - Tahereh Mafi - 3.5 stars

I can honestly say that I've had three great reading months so far and I hope it will continue to be a great reading year.

How has your reading been so far? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies


Monday, 1 April 2019

Sequelathon wrap-up.

Hi booklovers

Yesterday was the last day of the #sequelathon, so here's my wrap-up.

This was my original TBR:
1) Read the sequel you've been putting of the longest: Knight's Shadow by Sebastien de Castell.

2) Continue with a series that you started last year: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi or Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb.

3) Finish a series: Again: either Ship of Destiny or Ignite Me.


And this is my wrap-up:
1) Girls: Emergence by the Luna Brothers. I read the first volume back in 2017, so it's safe to say I've put off reading volume 2 for quite a while.
2) Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi. I finished this one yesterday morning. I'm glad I did, this way I can read Restore Me for one of my O.W.L.s.
3) Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel. I listened to the final book in the trilogy on my commute and while adulting. (Technically, I only finished it today, but I only had about an hour left of the audiobook, so I'm counting it.)
I'm definitely calling this readathon a success :-) Let's hope my O.W.L.s will be just as successful!

Bye for now

Annelies


Friday, 29 March 2019

OWLs readathon TBR

Hi booklovers

Last year I didn't know about the O.W.L.s readathon until it was over, so I'm very happy that now I've heard about it on time. This readathon is hosted by Book Roast. You can find her announcement video here. The readathon takes place during the month of April.

G has really put a lot of time and effort in creating this readathon and I'm so happy to be taking part in it.

'O.W.L.s' stands for 'Ordinary Wizarding Levels', which are the exams Hogwarts students take in their fifth year.

A new feature this year is that you can 'choose' the O.W.L.'s for a specific career. Of course you can also try to read books for all 12 exams.


Since I probably won't be able to read 12 books in one month, I will be focusing on the O.W.L's required to become a Librarian. If I finish the books for this career, I might 'take other exams' as well.

In August there is the follow-up readathon, which are of course the N.E.W.T's. For this readathon you can only take the exams for the O.W.L.'s you passed.

I'm going to be sharing my TBR for the subjects that I want to focus on and then I'm going to show what other books I might also read.

As always, I'm going to be giving myself a choice of books for each subject, otherwise this won't work.

Librarian:

Ancient Runes:
A retelling.

I actually only have one book for this:
*The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins.

Arithmancy:
Work written by more than one author.

*These Broken Stars by Amy Kaufman and Megan Spooner
*Paper Girls
(I know my copy of Girls volume 2 is also in the photo, but that is because this was originally also on my TBR. Only, I have read this for the sequelathon :-D )

Defence Against the Dark Arts:
Reducto: Title starts with an 'r'.




*Roar by Cora Carmack
*The Red Knight by Miles Cameron
*Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi
*Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
*Red Sister by Mark Lawrence (still need to get that one though)

History of Magic:
A book published at least 10 years ago

*The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
*Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
*Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson (which is the one I'm most likely going to pick up because there will be a readalong for this one during April.)
*Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan
*Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb

(I know the second book is not the UK edition of Northern Lights, but I have since gotten the UK edition, so it would be that one I'd be reading.)

Transfiguration:
A book with sprayed edges or a red cover

*Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell
*Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (reread)
*The Edge of Everything by Jef Giles



The other subjects are:

Astronomy:
A book with 'star' in the title.


*These Broken Stars (if I don't use it for arithmancy)
*Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
*Defy the Stars by Claudia Grey


Care of Magical Creatures:
A book with a land animal on the cover.


*Northern Lights - it has a bear on the cover

Charms:
Age-line: read an adult work.

*The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
*Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan
*Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb
*Red Sister by Mark Lawrence

Divination:
A book set in the future.

*These Broken Stars
*Stars Above 
*Defy the Stars 
whichever one I don't use for another prompt.


Herbology:
A book with a plant on the cover.

I only have one book with a plant on the cover and I would rather use it for another subject.



Muggle Studies:
A contemporary book.

*Brieven van Marie (Letters from Marie). This is a companion to the Flemish tv-series 'In Flanders Fields'. (This is the one I could use for herbology as well because there are poppies on the cover.)
*A New Adult book (don't know which one yet)


Potions:
Next ingredient: a sequel.


*Knight's shadow by Sebastien de Castell.
*King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence.

I'm very excited to start this readathon and I'm also very curious to see if I'll succeed and how many subjects I'll pass.


Will you be taking part in this readathon? If so, what's your TBR? Let me know in the comments.



Bye for now



Annelies