Hi beauties! Where has the time gone? November went by so fast. November was sort of a crazy month for me since finals begin right away in December. That means more studying and less reading. I still managed to read quite a bit and even finished book that I had been reading for over a month. I read 6 book in total.
Overall, I am happy with the amount of books I managed to read this month. My finals are all 3 days a row in early December so I’m hoping to read even more in December!
How did you do in November? Let me know in the comments!
Hi beauties! Time for my October wrap-up. After reading only 3 books in August and then rocking it in September with 10 books, I ended up reading . . . 3 books. Not a great month. Life got kind of crazy and I lost motivation to read. I was planning on reading more spooky books this month but I got kind of burned out since I read so many last month.
I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours as part of a review tour.
Growing up, I was a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables. I read the book and used to watch the animated TV show on PBS. I wanted to live in Avonlea with Anne. So naturally I was excited to read this book.
I was not disappointed. The book felt in the spirit very much like Anne of Green Gables. I can tell that the author did her research (in her author’s note she goes over in detail how much research she did). It had the same quaint feel as the original. Even the stylistic choices mimicked the original. The book is divided into three parts: Marilla of Green Gables, Marilla of Avonlea, and Marilla’s House of Dreams. The chapter titles even paid tribute too.
The author has a fantastic writing style. The whole book just flowed so nicely and transported you into Marilla’s world.
I thought the inclusion of the Underground Railroad in Canada was a bold choice. I was happy the author incorporated it because it was an area of history that I did not know much about. I enjoyed learning more about Canada and its history.
Overall, this was a worthy prequel to an iconic classic series. I think a reread of Anne of Green Gables is in my future.
Hi beauties! I am back with another wrap-up and I just have to say that I am thrilled with how much I read this month. After an incredibly sucky August, I smashed September and read 10 books.
Overall, I read some amazing books this month. I read 3 books off of my Spooky TBR which I am really happy about. I’ve never did a themed TBR before so I had no idea if I could actually follow it, but so far so good.
How was your September? What was your favorite book that you read this month? Tell me in the comments!
I received this book for free as part of a blog review tour.
This was a very interesting book. I’m not quite sure what to make of it.
Initially I was drawn to the premise. It’s about a woman getting involved with a married professor who helps her with her novel writing. I didn’t quite know how this would play out. I didn’t know if it would take a more scandalous route or play it safe.
In the end it did go a safe route. For me, I thought it got too safe past the halfway mark. I was really into the story in the first half, but once I got into the second half it got a bit boring. There wasn’t much conflict to make it more interesting.
There was an unexpected touch of magic to the story. I’m not quite sure it really added much to the plot. It definitely gave the book an extra something but it also felt a bit out of place and random at times.
I did like the setting. The story takes place in Ireland which gave it a very quaint feel. I loved Oliver’s house by the sea. He had an amazing library. The book states, “the minute the library door was fully open, there was a heavenly smell of books, the intense aroma of lots and lots of books. The smell was like a heavenly perfume…it was truly a spectacular literary oasis. There was a gold mine of books in this enchanted nook. And the whole atmosphere was entirely magical” (pg. 41-42).
I also liked the message of finding love later on in life and the message of not giving up on your dreams.
Overall, there were some things that I didn’t like, but there were also things that I did like. If you like the premise and you’re looking for something quick to read, then consider reading this.
Synopsis
Flora Air is passionate about writing and she dreams of becoming an author, but she’s in a fog with her mundane day job. She meets a charismatic professor who nurtures her writing and suddenly her dreams seem possible. A touch of magic at the professor’s home adds old-fashioned charm and enchantment to Flora’s writing journey. When she realises she loves the married professor, her journey takes a wild turn. Can Flora actually succeed in becoming an author? What happens to the love Flora Air feels for the professor
Author Bio
Janice Cairns is the author of quality romantic fiction. For more than thirty years she has lived in Edinburgh and her first three novels are set there. She now lives in a historic market town not far from Edinburgh. Most of her time is spent writing or thinking about writing. She loves long country walks, reading good books and eating out in lovely restaurants.
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I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This poetry collection was phenomenal.
In a way this is almost like a novel told in verse. Each section of the book tells a different part of the author’s life. From his alcoholic beginnings to going to jail to finding love, the book covers it all and takes you on a journey. The poems really come from his heart and you can feel the emotions and vulnerability behind them. They felt so authentic.
The author is an incredibly talented poet. I was very impressed by his work. I was expecting a more Instagram poet kind of style, but from him you get more classic poetry. Unlike a lot of Instagram poets, his poems actually do rhyme and there are no one liners. So if you’re tired of or don’t like the Instagram style of poetry but still want something modern to read, this is your book!
I also liked the few prose pieces that were included. They took the book to the next level.
Overall, I loved this collection and am looking forward to seeing what else he publishes in the coming years.
This month started out super promising in terms of reading. It was by far my best reading month. I was in such a reading groove for most of July. I read a total of 9 books.
Then, on July 26th, I watched the series finale of Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, and I was completely decimated. I’m still not over it and am holding onto hope that Hulu will pick it up. I literally haven’t read a page of any book since I watched the finale.
I received this book for free from the publisher (Berkley Publishing) in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book! It was everything!
To start, I obviously loved the bookish aspect of it. Like chapter sixteen, when she describes her bookshelves….just wow. This book perfectly captured what it’s like to be a bookworm. It’s like a giant love letter to all of us.
Interspersed between chapters are daily planner templates that Nina fills out each day. Not only were those super cute, but they were very insightful and offered an interesting glimpse into the mind of Nina.
This book was also hilarious. There were some funny situations and Nina has a unique sense of humor that I loved.
I also enjoyed the family aspect. One storyline was Nina discovering who her father was (he recently died and Nina was contacted in regards to his will) and meeting her numerous relatives. I loved her interactions with her family and how she was able to develop a bond with them. It was very heartwarming to see.
The supporting characters were awesome as well. There was an interesting collection of people and personalities. I especially loved the elementary school girls in Nina’s book club. They were adorable and funny!
Lastly, the trivia tidbits were so fun! I loved reading the random trivia facts that get thrown around by various characters, including Nina herself.
Overall, if you consider yourself a bookworm, then read this book!
I received this book for free from the publisher (Dial Press) in exchange for an honest review.
I just want to start off by saying that I’m a huge Sophie Kinsella fan. Her books are always so funny and a feel good read.
This book definitely takes a while to really get going, but once it does, it’s great.
As usual Sophie Kinsella knows how to create an eccentric cast of characters. From Fixie’s siblings to the store employees, there was no shortage of hilarious characters. One of my personal favorites was Stacey, the overly flirtatious and sexually suggestive employee.
I was surprised at how Christmasy this book ended up being. The last chapters centered around Christmas which I found totally appropriate for the message of the book. A lot of the book centers on Fixie and her familial relationships and the Christmas aspect brought it all together nicely.
I didn’t find this book to be as funny as some of her other books, but I didn’t mind since it was so heart warming. It had such a strong message of family.
I also liked the character development of Fixie. Fixie starts off as being very naive and a little bit of a pushover. But by the end she learns how to stand up for herself and what she believes in.
Overall, this was another fabulous book by Sophie Kinsella.
I received an ARC of this book for free from TLC Book Tours as part of a review tour.
This was such a heartbreaking read! It was sad, yet beautifully written.
This book has dual storylines, but I loved that the author really let the historical story shine! Naoko’s story was the more interesting of the two, so I was glad that the author devoted more time to it and was able to really flesh it out.
The subject matter of the book touches upon a very unknown part of history. It deals with the relationship between American servicemen and local Japanese woman and the children they had. I never knew about this so I was really fascinated by this story. Also being mixed race myself (I’m Filipino and white) I was particularly struck by the attitudes towards mixed race people. I could tell that the author did a lot of research and I liked the author’s note at the end where she talks about the real life inspiration behind the book.
The strongest part of the book is the writing. Ana Johns writes in such a tragically beautiful way that perfectly captures the mood of the story.
The book is a little slow in the beginning, especially with the contemporary storyline. But by the time you get near the end, you’ll be flipping pages like crazy to find out what happens next.
Overall, I recommend this book for historical fiction lovers, especially those with an interest in Japan.
Odd and Bookish 