2017 TBR Books Shame Tag - Update #2

Hi booklovers

Long time no see. After seeing Caitlynn and Jenn's (thriceread.com) doing an update of this tag, I thought I'd take a look at my TBR Books Shame tag.

The last time I updated you was at the end of June and I wasn't really doing a good job of making a dent in my TBR.

Let's see how I've been doing since then:

Currently reading
Read
Added in 2017
DNF


TBR list - physical books:

*Renee Ahdieh - The Wrath and the Dawn

                      - Flame in the Mist

*Josephine Angelini -Trial By Fire

*Brodi Ashton - Everneath

                       Everbound

*Jane Austen - Emma

                      Mansfield Park

                      Persuasion

                      Pride and Prejudice

                      Sense and Sensibility

*Leigh Bardugo - The Language of Thorns

*Anne Bishop - Written in Red

                       Murder of Crows
                       Visions in Silver (added in 2017)
                       Marked in Flesh (added in 2017)

*Malorie Blackman - Noughts & crosses

*Elly Blake - Frostblood 

*Kendare Blake - Three Dark Crowns

*Alexandra Bracken - The Darkest Minds

                                Passenger

*Anne Brontë - The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

*Emily Brontë - Wuthering Heights

*Charlotte Brontë - Jane Eyre

*Terry Brooks - Het Zwaard van Shannara

                       Het Wenslied van Shannara

                       De Elfenstenen van Shannara

                       De Nazaten van Shannara

                       De Druide van Shannara

                       De Elfenkoningin van Shannara

                       De Wakers van Shannara

                       De Eerste Koning van Shannara

                       De heks van Shannara

                       Antrax (English)

                       De Schaduw van Shannara

                       Jarka Ruus

                       Tanequil

                       Straken (English)

                       Dragers van de zwarte staf 

                       De Elfen van Cintra

                       Vluchtelingen van Shannara

*Trudi Canavan - The Magician's Apprentice

                          Priestess of the White

                          Last of the Wilds

                          Voice of the Gods

*Cora Carmack - Roar

*Blake Charlton - Spellwright

*Cassandra Clare - City of Lost Souls

                            City of Heavenly Fire

                           

                            Clockwork Prince

                            Clockwork Princess

*Susanna Clarke - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell

*Jenny Colgan - Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe

*Katharine & Elizabeth Corr - The Witch's Kiss

*Julie C. Dao - Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

*Susan Denard - Something strange and deadly

*Charles Dickens - David Copperfield

                            Nicholas Nickleby

                            The Old Curiosity shop

*Anne Easter Smith - Daughter of York

*Heather Fawcett - Even the Darkest Stars

*Amanda Foody - Daughter of the Burning City

*Stephanie Garber - Caraval

*Elisabeth Gaskell - Cranford

                              Return to Cranford

*Sophie Gee - The Scandal of the Season

*Jeff Giles - The Edge of Everything

*Kristian Giles - Raven Blood Eye
 

*Alison Goodman - Eon

                            Eona

*Seth Graham-Smith - Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

                                  The Last American Vampire

*Claudia Gray - A Thousand Pieces of You
                       Ten Thousand Skies Above You (added in 2017)
                       A Million Worlds with You (added in 2017)

                       Defy the Stars

*John Green - Let it snow

*Philippa Gregory - The Kingmaker's Daughter

                             The White Princess

          

                             The Other Queen

          

                             Wideacre

                             The Favoured child

                             Meridon

          

                             Changeling

*John Gwynne - Malice

* Alwyn Hamilton - Rebel of the Sands

*Bernhard Hennen - De elfen

                              Elfenlicht

* Wendy Higgins - The Great Hunt

*Robin Hobb - Royal Assassin
                      Assassin's Quest

*Amanda Hocking - Frostfire

*A.G. Howard - Unhinged

                       Ensnared

*An Janssens - Drakentovenaar

*Vic James - Guilded Cage

*Erika Johansen - The Invasion of the Tearling

                           The Fate of the Tearling

*Robert Jordan - The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

                         The Shadow Rising

                         The Fires of Heaven

                         Lords of Chaos

                         A Crown of Swords

                         The Path of Daggers

                         Winter's Heart

                         Crossroads of Twilight

                         Knife of Dreams

                         The Gathering Storm

                         Towers of Midnight

                         A Memory of Light

*Sophie Jordan - Firelight

*Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff - Gemina

*Kody Keplinger - The DUFF

*Robert J. King - Artifacts Cycle I: The Thram & The brother's War

* Jay Kristoff - Nevernight (added in 2017)
                      Godsgrave (added in 2017)

*Stephanie Laurens - The Lady Risks all

*Mark Lawrence - Prince of Thorns

*Theo Lawrence - Mystic City

*Scott Lynch - The Lies of Locke Lamore

*J. Lynn - Wait For You

*Sarah J. Maas - Queen of Shadows
                      - Empire of Storms

                      - A Court of Wings and Ruin (added in 2017)

*Gail Z. Martin - Sworn

*George R.R. Martin - A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow

                                A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold

                                A Feast for Crows

                                A Dance with Dragons

                                De ijsdraak

*Taran Matharu - The Novice

*Morgan Matson - The Unexpected Everything

*Louise May Alcott - Little Women & Good Wives

*Marissa Meyer - Winter

                          Stars Above

                          Heartless

*Richelle Mead - Bloodlines

*Jennifer Niven - All the bright places

*Garth Nix - Clariel (Eng)
                   Goldenhand

*Christopher Paoline - Brisingr

                                 Inheritance

*Alexey Pehov - Shadow Prowler

*Stephanie Perkins - My true love gave to me (I've read some of the stories)

*Jodie Picoult and Samantha Van Leer - Between the lines

*Lana Popovic - Wicked Like a Wildfire

*Sara Porter - Vassa in the Night

*Terry Pratchett - The Colour of Magic

*Sara Raasch - Frost Like Night

*Laura Resnick - A Planeswalker Novel: The Purifying Fire

*Morgan Rodes - Frozen Tides
                         Crystal Storm

*Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind

*Rainbow Rowell - Attachements

*J.K. Rowling - The Tales of Beedle the Bard

*Angie Sage - Magyk

*Malinda Salisbury - The Sin Eater's Daughter

*Brandon Sanderson - The Final Empire

                                 The Well of Ascension

                                 The Hero of Ages

*Andrezj Sapkowski - De Laatste Wens

                                Het zwaard van het lot

*F. Scott Fitzgeral - De Grote Gatsby

*Victoria Scott - Fire & Flood

*Samantha Shannon - The Bone Season

*Neal Shusterman - Scythe

*Evelyn Skye - The Crown's Game

*Megan Spooner and Amie Kaufman - These Broken Stars

*Maggie Stiefvater - The Raven Boys

*Matthew Sturges - Midwinter

                             The Office of Shadow

*Michael J. Sullivan - The Crown Tower

*Laini Taylor - Daughter of Smoke And Bone

                   - Strange the Dreamer

*J.R.R. Tolkien - The Two Towers

                         The Return of the King

                         The Silmarillion

                         The Unfinished Tales

*Brent Weeks - The Way of Shadows

*Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman -

                                                  Draken van de herfstschemer

                                                  Draken van de winternacht

                                                  Draken van de lentedooi

                                                

                                                  Het tijdperk van de tweeling

                                                  De strijd van de tweeling

                                                  De Beproeving van de tweeling

                 

                                                  Bones of the Dragon

                                                  Secrets of the Dragon

                                                  De Furie van de Draak

                 

                                                 Dragons of the Dwarven Depths

                                                 Dragons of the Highlord Skies

                 

                                                  Wachters van de leegte

                                                  Reis voorbij het einde

                 

                                                  Vuurzee

                                                  Toverslang

                                                  Chaosschepper

                                                  Dwaalwegen

                                                  Meesterpoort

                 

                                       De schepping van het doodszwaard

                                              De doem van het dooszwaard

                                              De triomf van het doodszwaard

                                              De erfenis van het doodszwaard

*Tad Williams - De Drakentroon

                       De Steen des Afscheids

                       De Groene Engeltoren: De Belegering

                       De Groene Engeltoren: Het Ontzet

Out of my 170 unread books I've so far read:

- 9 books that were on my TBR from before 2017

- 7 books that were on my TBR from 2017

I've bought 31 books. 

I think it's safe to say I'm not making a dent in my TBR at all. And you know what, I'm okay with that. I like having a variety of books to choose from and as long as I don't have a TBR of over 250 books, it's alright.

This being said, I am very happy with my reading this year. Even though I've only read 16 books of my physical TBR, I've been reading a lot of graphic novels, a couple of review e-books and I've been rereading some books as well in order to continue with / finish series that I've started before.

(I will be doing a blogpost on the series that I've started and hopefully will be able to finish this year.)

How's your TBR of shame doing so far this year? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies

Fairyloot #6 - August 2017

Hi booklovers

It took the August Fairyloot box a very long time to get here and I'm again rather late in posting my unboxing, so here we go:

The August theme was 'Otherworlds'.

The gorgeous spoiler card

Exclusive Witchsoul Candle 

from Book and Nook

Exclusive Fictional Worlds Sleeping Mask 

by Fairyloot

Exclusive Handmade Velaris Pendant Necklace 

by Oh Panda Eyes

Exclusive Westeros Tea Strainer

by Fairyloot

Exclusive Neverland notebook

by TJ Lubrano

Exclusive Lord of the Rings magnetic bookmarks

by Paperly and Co

I got Frodo and Sam

 Exclusive Northern Lights

by Melissa Nettleship

The book:

Wicked Like a Wildfire by Lana Popovic

It came with a letter from the author and 

a signed bookplate

 Some bonus items

 

 

I really liked the contents of this box, but I'm very curious to see what will be in the September box.

 

Did you get the August Fairyloot box or are you eagerly awaiting the September one? Are you subscribed to any other (book)subscription boxes?

Let me know in the comments.

 

Bye for now

 

Annelies

 

Bye

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairyloot #5 - July 2017

Hi booklovers

This Fairyloot unboxing is long overdue, so without further ado, here it is:

The July theme was 'Tricksters'.

As usual, we get a stunning spoiler card

An exclusive Sherlock Enamel Tin Mug

An exclusive Loki Lotion by Geeky Clean

Officially licensed Hogwarts playing cards

A fortune telling kitchen glove (this has already come in handy)

An exclusive Harley Quinn print

(I already gifted this to someone who is obsessed by HQ)

Terrible truths bookmark (Six of Crows)

The July book is 'Daughter of the Burning City' by Amanda Foody

Fairyloot bookmark

Full unboxing

I'm eagerly awaiting this month's box, which is themed 'Otherworlds'. Fingers crossed it gets here this week (and I put my unboxing up a lot quicker!)

Bye for now

Annelies 

31 day reading challenge.

Hi booklovers

A couple of months ago I saw a video on Little Book Owl's channel where she talked about the ’30 day reading challenge’ and I thought it was a great idea. 

August is the second month of my summer break so I should be able to read every day of the month. This might not be anything special, but I want to keep track of how much I read and which format I read the most of: physical books, e-books, audiobooks, graphic novels. I’ll try to write down how many pages I read / minutes I listen to an audiobook daily in my bullet journal and update you weekly. (I'm actually a bit late in posting this since I'm already a week into the challenge :-s I'll be posting an update for week 1 soon.)

Have you tried this challenge? Any tips on how to make sure I read daily? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies

June - July 2017 - wrap up.

Hi booklovers

I'm halfway through my summer holiday and July has flown by so quickly, so it's time for my June - July wrap-up.

June

*War and Wind (e-arc) - Alex Lidell - 4 stars. I was really happy when I recieved my review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed Air and Ash, (review here) so I was really looking forward to reading War and Wind. I enjoyed the second book just as much, if not more than the first one. We get to see a lot more of all of the beloved characters: Nile, Domenic, Catsper. We also got to meet some new characters, who were very interesting - even though some got on my nerves because of what they did (not because of how they were written!). I still hate captain Rima with a passion - even more so than in book 1. He is such a manipulative bastard!
There were so many plot twists I didn't always see coming and I was very pleasantly surprised by them. They kept me intrigued and made me want to keep reading. I loved Domenic even more as a character because of how he is willing to sacrifice his own happiness in order to give Nile her 'happy ending'.
The ending was the perfect stepping stone to the third book and I can't wait to read that.

*A Thousand Pieces of You - Claudia Gray - 5 stars. I've had this book on my TBR for quite a while now and I finally felt like picking it up. I loved this story very much - I alternated between reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook and that definitely added to the great reading experience. I don't think I've ever read a story about interdimensional travel and it really intrigued me. I loved Marguerites character - even though she made some stupid mistakes - and I liked her interaction with Paul. I liked this book so much I immediately ordered the second and third book so I could binge read them and I hardly ever do that!

*Ten Thousand Skies Above You - Claudia Gray - 4 stars. The second book in the Firebird trilogy was just as fast-paced as the first one. I really enjoyed seeing the different universes and how Marguerites, Theo's and Pauls stories develop there. Not as good as the first one, but still a solid 4 star read.

*A Million Worlds With You - Claudia Gray - 4.5 stars. The fact that I read all three books in this trilogy back to back is saying something. This was a very solid conclusion. I have to admit it was sometimes a bit confusing to know which Marguerite we were following but I enjoyed this nonetheless.

I'll be doing a review of the trilogy and link it here once it's up.

July

*Bad Romeo (e-book) - Leisa Rayven - 3.5 stars. I liked the story, but it did have some clichés and one of the main characters was very, very angsty. I, nonetheless, will continue with the series.

*Snow Like Ashes - Sara Raash (reread) - 4 stars. I buddy (re)read this with one of my pupils. When I read it the first time I gave it 4.5 stars, but this time I'm taking off another 0.5 star because I found there to be some clichés I didn't pick up the first time around. However, I still enjoyed it very much.

*Written in Red - Anne Bishop - 5 stars. This is one of the best books I've read this year and it will definitely make my top 10 of 2017. The interaction between the Others (shapeshifters) in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg (the squeeky toy) and some of the other humans is great and refreshing. Finally a book where vampires actually enjoy being vampires :-)
(I'll be posting a full review later.)

*Second position (e-book) - Katherine Locke - 4.5 stars. This is the second NA novel about artists that I've read this month (the first one being Bad Romeo) and I have to say I enjoyed this one a whole lot more. I read this book for the #OWBookclub and the theme for July was mental health and disability.

This book deals with topics of mental health and disability in a very human and realistic way. At least it feels realistic to me since I don't suffer from any mental health problems or disabilities. To me it felt like the problems were dealt with in a sincere way, without glossing over it or exagerating things. I loved the conversations between Aly and dr. Ham.

The way the relationship between Aly and Zed progresses and develops was at a much slower pace than in other NA novels and that was good. Given their history together, it wouldn't have felt right if everything went back to normal from the start. I also like how 'normal' they act, they do every day things.

Both their professions - Aly being a ballet dancer and Zed being a teacher - appealed to me very much.

The only thing that didn't feel completely necesarry for me was the 'epilogue', the interview Aly gave. I'm definitely going to read the sequel.

*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (reread - audiobook) - J.K. Rowling - 5 stars. 
The way Stephen Fry did the voice of Umbridge made me hate her even more than I did when reading the book for the first time.

*The Unexpected Everything - Morgan Matson - 3.5 star. Definitely not the best book by Morgan Matson. The story was too long and it dragged at times. It was a cute read, but I fear Morgan is starting to use the same 'concept' in her stories. What I did really like, however, was the appearance of previous characters and places. It makes it more fun to read the books in publication order.

I'm very happy with my reading over the last two months even if there were some books I didn't enjoy as much as others.

What was your favourite book of June of July? Let me know in the comments.

Bye for now

Annelies