Book things – Page 14

Bookish Worlds I’d Want to and Never Want to Live In | Top Ten Tuesday

May 29, 2018aquapages // eline5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week.

I started this list thinking about bookish worlds i’d never want to live in, trying to gain inspiration from other posts since it’s late tuesday already (I usually have these planned out). Turns out a lot of others no-worlds, like The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, I don’t have such a problem with. Would I prefer to live in a world with cruel fae, probably bullying and threatening me? No, and it might be the “fuck everything” vibe all around me now when it’s exam season, but it would be interesting. So here’s a couple worlds I would like to live in and a couple I wouldn’t.

More bookish worlds I would love to live in

I mean, Hogwarts and the world of Harry Potter is a given. I’m a slytherin, took some time to accept that when I was like eleven, but I’ve come to embrace it.

The Graceling realm (by Kristin Cashore) is tough to live in, but I would definitely live here if I could get a grace, which is kind of a gift or magic ability, I’d even take the ability of making everything clean really quickly.

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, like I already live in cold Norway, I’d take the gods and godesses as well.

The Raven Cycle world by Maggie Steifvater, like I just want the woods to be magical. They already are a bit, but you know.

Bookish worlds I would never live in

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente is kind of our world in the future, just with another universe (hopefully) with lots and lots of aliens. So many types, who all have a big music competition (it makes sense in the book, almost, it’s hilarious anyway) where humans extinction depends on proving us sentient by not coming in last place. It all depends on one song, by artists barely any has heard about. Like Eurovision, hah.

Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin has a world where nazis took over. Enough reasoning, awesome book, here’s my full review.

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen, the book takes place in the wild west, I wouldn’t last long and it doesn’t sound fun.

i can not make these boxes disappear or bother to find two more books

and i can’t care because i have a fever, send tips if you know how to

When Exam Season Is Upon Us

May 23, 2018aquapages // eline3 Comments

So. This blog has had a very quiet week. I’m checking in at 10pm to say this quiet time is temporary, I had a couple posts scheduled when going to Belgium a month ago, but since then it’s been crazy busy. And I was chosen to have spanish written exams next tuesday, which I’ve known for a week already and not done anything abotu because family has been visiting, which leaves me with a week left to learn an entire language and how to write spanish essays well. One thing is knowing enough of a language to survive, another entirely seperate thing is knowing how to write argumentative and informative texts. The damn verbs are what’s killing me here.

Enough about exams, talk of them is all over the place and have to grow quite boring. The good news is that my last obligatory spanish class is in a few weeks, as I did not voluntarily put this upon myself for next year as well. No, this person is going to have to survive politics, as it was the only class available besides damn economics for business and I looked at all those spreadsheet formats you have to memorize and was like “shoot me”, along with physics and math. I can already see how this is not a well-formulated blog post by that sentence alone, but bear with me. I’m trying to get my thoughts to turn into spanish the way I imagine alchemists tried to turn objects into gold, and failing just as miserably.

Books I’m reading: I still read some to relax, even though that too has been reduced drastically. I recently bought “The essential Rumi” in some kind of desperation for someone to tell me what’s important and right in this world. It’s not that, which I never expected either, but so far (literally ten pages in) nice poems. I also got “The wastland and other poems” by T. S. Elliot and “Oathbringer” by Brandon Sanderon, which I haven’t started yet, but damn that’s a physically large book.

What I am actually reading is “Space Opera” by Catherynne M. Valente and it’s fantastically absurd story about a interstellar, multiplanetary song contest where if earth comes last they’re completely destroyed. And I also finished “Edgedancer” by Brandon Sanderson because it seemed like a good thing to do before Oathbringer and did not even realize I’ve written a whole review on it before right now. I’m out of it everyone. See you next week 🙂

The only important thing here: regular scheduling back in the end of next week (which solely means more posts and book reviews), thank you to everyone who follows me as I recently noticed I had 100 blog posts!

Books I Disliked But Still Glad I Read| Top Ten Tueday

May 15, 2018April 24, 2018aquapages // eline4 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week. This week’s prompt I found especially difficult, so it’s going to be a shorter list of five books.

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

I’ve written a whole review of why I didn’t like this book. In short this book solved a lot of problems in usual ya fantasy books, which is why I think people like it, but it created maybe even more. I’m still angry at those footnotes (which was the least of the problems). Still, glad to have read it since so many is praising it, but I’m not one of them.

Storm Glass by Maria V Snyder

I really liked Poison Study by Maria V Snyder and thought of her as a possible new fav author. Every other series I’ve read by her has proved this wrong, as it becomes unoriginal and the characters flat. Still glad I gave them a shot, think I will stop trying the series now.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

This book had its problems and overall it was too pretentious and predictable to like it. If you want the summer-house group story read “the summer I turned pretty” by Jenny Han instead. The mystery part wasn’t a big deal, as far as I remember. But it was enjoyable for a while, until it got boring and I can see why some people like it.

Ash by Malinda Lo

This book has got a lot of praise, but I didn’t like this one either. I think it’s a problem with me and Malinda Lo’s writing overall. I can like the plots, like in Legends, but it feels slow and I lose interest. Cute lesbian romance though.

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

The book that made me give up on the heroes of olympus series, even if I loved the Percy Jackson series. I don’t think I’ve bothered to take up any other Riordan series since either, and it’s been four fucking years. That’s how bad it became. Good to have finished the series though.

Books With My Favorite Color On the Cover | Top Ten Tueday

May 8, 2018April 7, 2018aquapages // eline1 Comment

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week.

Now, I’m horrible at choosing one favourite anything. So one colour? Ended up with three, kind of. It makes this list a nice gradient though.

Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Aahh, anyone else feeling nostalgic to the beginning of throne of glass? When our main character was eighteen years old and an assassin trying to make it? A simpler time, haha.

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson

This book has been on my TBR forever and I would love to hear your thoughts if you’ve read it!

Of Triton by Anna Banks

An entertaining summer read, with mermaids! It’s the second book in the series, which is great and full of all the magical water adventure you’d expect.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

A fantastic book that I’ve just written a whole review about.

La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

I’ve heard mixed opinions on this book, but I would still very much like to read it. The cover is lovely though.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

I need more books with f/f relationships in my life, and this one was lovely. Here’s a complete review, but I was crying reading this and it’s thoughts on loneliness were spot-on like I’ve never read before.

The F- It List by Julie Halpern

Another book that’s been on my TBR forever and I think I’ll have to get to soon. Would love to hear your opinions if you have some!

The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett

On my TBR list, it’s a boarding school with magic so I’m sold.

The Secret Hour by Scott Westerfeld by Nina LaCour

This series is great! In short, they’re a group of people who get one hour extra each day, so 25 hours. For one hour everything in the world stops, and from there the plot unfolds. Made me think of how I would spend the extra hour.

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

Look at that cover! It’s soo pink! And the title is great. I heard it had lesbian and bisexual characters, so it was quickly added to my tbr.

Book Series I Want to Finish | Book Things

May 4, 2018April 28, 2018aquapages // eline1 Comment

So I’ve gone through a lot of my unfinished series and sorted them into those I want to finish and those I’ve finally given up on, if you want that second list please let me know.

Splintered by A.G. Howard

It’s a great series so far and I have yet to read book three Ensnared and the shorter story Untamed. I need to know how all these characters ends up, even though I didn’t feel as excited for book two as book one. It helps that it has fantastic goodreads ratings (4.2!!)

Demonata by Darren Shan

Listen, I started this series back when I was a kid. It was absoloutely horrifying and I LOVED IT. Darren Shan was the author behind a lot of my nightmares, but I weirdly related to the main character that as far as I remember was nothing like me. I’ve read book one through eight out of ten and I really want to read the whole thing again. I distinctly remember a boy absoloutly hating his sister and putting rat guts in her hair towel. And then everyone partners up with demons, or something. There’s some twisted characters. Darren Shan’s other series Cirque du Freak is a great vampire series as well. I’m convincing myself here, I need to pick these up again soon.

All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness

I really liked book one, I don’t really remember book two. I think I’ll need to reread it along with reading book three, which is the reason I haven’t done it yet. I hate rereading books I kind of remember, if they’re not really good. I love witch books though, and the time travelling in this series was actually good.

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter me was a nice trilogy, I didn’t agree with every choice and the first book was the best, but especially with the novellas I was satisfied. Then a new book comes out, which I’m all excited about and I’ve seen one good review in a sea of bad ones among the book blogs I follow. They’re all saying how excited they were, then the characters changed too much and all went to shit. I’m slightly horrified, but still thinking about reading it. It has a good goodreads rating, but I’m suspicious.

Of Neptune by Anna Banks

This is a cute and entertainting mermaid series and I’ll be delighted to continue it with the third book and novellas during next summer. I really like gathering up summer reads, anyone else?

The Others by Anne Bishop

Vision in Silver, the third book in the excellent The Other, an urban fantasy series. It’s one of the better urban fantasy I’ve read, maybe beaten by Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thomson series. If you have any urban fantasy recommendations, send them my way! I really like how the community of supernatural beings are built up in this one, along with the main characters place among them as an diplomat of sorts.

WWW Wednesday, 2. May 2018

May 2, 2018aquapages // eline3 Comments

Time for the wednesday update! If you would like to know more about www wednesday, where you answer three questions every wednesday, it’s hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

What are you currently reading?

Masked Desire by Alana Delacroix: I’ve only just started, but it’s urban fantasy. Something with a supernatural council and changing faces. The multiple pov’s right at the beginning has made it a bit confusing.

What did you recently finish reading?

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi: absoloutly fantastic fantasy book! review will be out soon, but i would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Head On John Scalzi: a sci-fi book with a really interesting concept, people with a virus that make them locked in their bodies, so robot bodies are made for them, which leads to a new kind of people. Too much fbi investigation over discovering this world and society, too little character focus. Full review linked.

Sadie by Courtney Summers: Podcast format book that follows a girl Sadie trying to revenge her sister’s death. It has its issues, most of all the format and how boring it makes the writing. Review out soon!

What do you think you’ll read next?

Fawkes by Nadine Brandes: “Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.” This seems very intriguing and I’m excited.

Books I’d Slay a Lion to Get Early | Top Ten Tueday

May 1, 2018April 26, 2018aquapages // eline5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week.

Disclaimer: I wouldn’t slay a real lion for any books, but here’s the list of the books I would love to get early.

acofat

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

Release date: 1. May

Why I want to read it: It’s a court of thorns and roses novella, the one series by Maas I haven’t given up on yet.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Release date: 10. July

Why I want to read it: Miryem’s family of moneylenders are in financial trouble, so she decides to fix it by collecting the villagers’ debt to them. That sounds badass, as well as the mention of turning silver to gold. Don’t know which direction this plot will take, but I’m here for it. Uprooted by Naomi Novik was incredible, before that I loved the Temeraire series, so I would’ve given it a chance just based on that.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

Release date: 25. September

Why I want to read it: It’s a Hank Green book! I’M SO EXCITED

Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente

Release date: 4. October

Why I want to read it: I’ve read Deathless by the author and liked it, as the sequel isn’t due any time soon, I’ll definitely pick up this book. And the name!

The Truth About Keeping Secrets by Savannah Brown

Release date: February 7th 2019

Savannah’s debut novel! I’m so excited! I’ve liked her writing and poems a long time, and hopeful that her longer writing will be interesting as well.

There Will Be Other Summers by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

The second book of “aristotle and dante discovers the secrets of the universe”. I need this so much, but Sáenz’s other book “the inexplicable logic of my life” was great as well and made the wait a bit easier.

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

The first book Truly Devious was great young adult mystery and I need more.

The sequel to Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

No title, expected date in november. I really want it.

Nightblood by Brandon Sanderson

This will probably exist some day, but who knows when. The first book Warbreaker was great. In the meantime I’ll continue reading the Stormlight archive.

And finally …

Doors of Stone by Patrick Rothfuss

I would very much like the third book of the kingkiller chronicles. That said – STOP ASKING FOR IT. You can’t look at the replies of a Rothfuss tweet without seeing people whining about where the book is. Authors doesn’t owe you anything, consider that horrifying thought carefully. Even George R. R. Martin doesn’t owe you an end to Game of Thrones. This book still very much belongs on this list, even if I also don’t want the series to be over.

Book Series I Won’t Finish

April 27, 2018April 28, 2018aquapages // elineLeave a comment

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I’ve gone on a purge of my tbr list and realized there’s book series I won’t ever get to because of various reasons. It might be years since I read the previous book, maybe the book wasn’t that good or it didn’t need to be made into a series. So here’s my official goodbyes!

Throne of Glass: Tower of Dawn, book 6

As the series have progressed it went from young adult to new adult, the focus of plot and characters have shifted and for some reason I lost interest with each new book. Book five was a struggle to get through. I think there’s been too many let-downs that I can’t get over, it’s a whole post in itself. I’m still on the fence if I’ll ever give it another try, but I think I’ll spare myself from it.

The 5th Wave: The Infinite Sea, book 2

I’ve picked up the second book of this series twice, and while I liked the first one I couldn’t get into it. I have yet to see the movie with Chloe Graze Moretz though (I love that actress).

The Darkest Minds: In the Afterlight, book 3

The biggest problem is that I don’t know if I read the second book “never fade”. I’m pretty sure I did, because I tried to start it again and it was just familiar enough to be boring. That along with having been some years, I don’t think I’ll get to finish this one.

Night School: Endgame, book 5

Read it so long ago, started the book again, but wasn’t feeling it. Won’t happen, even though it has good ratings.

Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children: Hollow City, book 2

The first movie was good, will watch the next one too, but the book I read so long ago and doesn’t really catch my interest anymore.

Embassy Row: Take the Key and Lock Her Up, book 3

First book in the series was fun, second book more of a mess. I won’t get to the third, even though it has good ratings.

Currently Reading | Book Things

April 25, 2018April 24, 2018aquapages // elineLeave a comment

It’s time for another update! I’ve just come back from a week in Belgium, so that’s the reason behind the fewer updates this past week. It was so much fun! And also I feel awful now, hoping to not become really sick because I have two days to cram my entire math curriculum. FUn! Also going from nearly thirty degrees celcius to ten hurts a lot, I miss summer so much.

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I started reading “Wolf by wolf” by Ryan Graudin on the trip over, and even though it became a bit much war at the same time as I learned about WW1 and I was reading this book around WW2, the book was really really good. I would define it as magical realism, which I haven’t often seen in war books. In the book Hitler’s rule has taken over Japan and this girl was put in death camp and experimented on, which gave her some unusual abilities along with changing her looks from dark to fair. She escaped and is competing in this motorcycle race in this awesome plan to assassinate Hitler. It’s a weird plot, but it was done so well.

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I’ve given up on “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, it was time. I can’t bother to go check just how far I got, it was at least 40 percent, probably I got further than halfways. It was slow and uninteresting, even if I can see why it’s a classic with its ideas of the dystopian future and surveilance and such.

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“Head on” by John Scalzi is a book that took a while to get into, but I’m starting to like it. It’s a sci-fi book, with a dash of mystery and fbi agents included. A part of the population experienced something called “Haden’s syndrome” where they’re basically locked in their bodies, so robot bodies are made for accessiblity. Which leads to a new sport, Hilketa, where the players can attack each other without doing harm. Until one player dies, and the Haden fbi agent Chris is trying to find out how and why. Really cool concept, I haven’t gotten that far yet.

The Art of Escaping by Erin Callahan four out of five stars

My Fight / Your Fight by Ronda Rousey four out of five stars

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli five out of five stars

Leave This Song Behind three out of five stars

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson five out of five stars

Alt som ikke har blitt tjoret fast, Eirin Gundersen

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah five out of five stars

Secrets for the Mad by dodie four out of five stars

Young Adult Titles with “Night”| Top Ten Tuesday

April 24, 2018April 6, 2018aquapages // eline3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl to bring bookish friends together. A new topic is posted each week.

There’s a lot of frequently used words in young adult titles to pull from. There’s love obviously, dark, star, fall. I’m sure the list goes on and will be looking forward to seeing all the other lists with frequently used words in genre titles. I’ve made a top ten list of ya titles with the word night.

Here’s the three most popular books I could remember: Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas, Nevernight by Jay Kristoff and Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. I already see a trend.

Empire of Night by Justin Somper (vampirates = vampire + pirates !!!), Night Broken by Patricia Briggs and The Night Is For Hunting by John Marsden are action-filled books I loved.

The Night After I Lost You by Sarah Rees Brennan and Night School by C. J. Daughtery is parts of two good series with some spying and romance.

On my TBR is A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston and The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett. Turns out purple covers and “night” in the title is popular together.