Book things

WWW Wednesday 14. March 2018

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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 did you recently finish reading?

This week I’ve just finished audiobooks. So far I’ve only liked biography audiobooks, especially when the author, a personality, narrates it. I’ve listened to My Fight / Your Fight by Ronda Rousey, Secrets for the Mad by dodie and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Favourite was Ronda Rousey’s and I learned a lot from Trevor Noah’s book, it’s mostly about him growing up in South-Africa. Would really recommend both, dodie’s book seemed to be aimed at girls fourteen years and younger. I also DNF’ed Every Ugly Word by Aimee L. Salter, it’s about bullying which is good, but it felt whiny, not really the girl, more the entire book. Not to mention how predictable it was.

What are you currently reading?

The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson, Harry Potter e la pietra filosofale and The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Continue on my current reads. Also Mary Oliver’s New and Selected Poems Vol. 2 if it ever arrives in the mail.

Books That Surprised Me | Top Ten Tuesday

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The best feeling is picking up a book you don’t know much about, with low expectations and finding out how amazing it is. And then there’s a book with a lot of hype, or that you’ve got hope for, but it was a let down. I’ve linked book reviews I’ve written.

TTT

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

– positive surprises –

Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen

  • I didn’t have expectations going into this book, and it turned out to be good, young adult fantasy. Enjoyed it a lot.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

  • First book I read by Haruki Murakami, which probably wasn’t the best idea, but I loved this journal/running diary. I don’t even run.

The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

  • First book by Brandon Sanderson I ever read and I was blown away. His writing and world-building is excellent, the ideas so complex for how many and varied books he produces. I can’t keep up with all the releases.

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Liu Ken

  • I’ve never loved short stories like I do with these. So much creativity, orginality and important topics within immigration and asian culture

 

– negative surprises – 

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

  • The other Cornelia Funke books are great, this is very below average

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

  • The perfect example of the last book ruining a trilogy

Cress and Winter by Marissa Meyer

  • I liked the first two books, but these weren’t as good.

Ash by Malinda Lo

  • Boring and dull, but with a cute f/f relationship

Half Bad by Sally Green

  • Below average, very cliche witch-book

TBR for the near future

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Here’s books I hope to read for the next two weeks. I never actually follow tbr lists, but let’s give it a shot. 

 

My fight / your fight by Ronda Rousey (audiobook)

Bruised by Sarah Skilton

Imogen has always believed that her black belt in Tae Kwon Do made her stronger than everyone else–more responsible, more capable. But when she witnesses a holdup in a diner, she freezes. The gunman is shot and killed by the police. And it’s all her fault.

Now she’s got to rebuild her life without the talent that made her special and the beliefs that made her strong. If only she could prove herself in a fight–a real fight–she might be able to let go of the guilt and shock. She’s drawn to Ricky, another witness to the holdup, both romantically and because she believes he might be able to give her the fight she’s been waiting for.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Guy Montag is a fireman. In his world, where television rules and literature is on the brink of extinction, firemen start fires rather than put them out. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden.

Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television ‘family’. But then he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people did not live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television.

When Mildred attempts suicide and Clarisse suddenly disappears, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.

Mary Oliver’s New and Selected Poems vol. 2

The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson

If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

For almost as long as she can remember, Carey has lived in a camper van in the heart of the woods with her drug-addicted mother and six-year-old sister, Jenessa. Her mother routinely disappears for weeks at a time, leaving the girls to cope alone. Survival is Carey’s only priority – until strangers arrive and everything changes

WWW Wednesday 7. March 2018

aquapages // eline5 Comments

It’s wednesday again and time to give an 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 did you recently finish reading?

I started and finished Jade City by Fonda Lee this weekend, it was a good read and kept me turning the pages. Afterwards there were some things that irked me, but in all it was an exciting urban fantasy gang drama. With lots of action. I have a lot of thoughts, which will come in a later review (of course).

I’ve also read “Hver gang du forlater meg” (translation: everytime you leave me) by Linnéa Myhre, and it was okay. Kind of. The writing wasn’t horrible, at least, but I’m really glad I’m not in that character’s head. The plot was boring, even if it dealt with eating disorder which is important. Basically the girl was only waiting for the guy to return and sometimes tried to dig her way out, to gain some confidence. It included too little insight in her thoughts, and some weird elements like calling her hypnosis/therapist “Den vise” (translated The Wise One). I just didn’t understand most choices that were made. 

What are you currently reading?

Not a lot of progress on the spanish Harry Potter e la pietra filosofale since last week. Jade city took all my reading time. On the other side I’m 13% through with 60 highlights for translation or just to mark funny words and great sentence structures, so there’s that. And I wondered why it took so long time to gain progress.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Continue on hp and read some of Emily Dickinson’s poems. I’m looking for books with martial arts, maybe I’ll start Bruised by Sarah Skilton.

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Book Quotes

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

Here’s at least some of my favourite book quotes. Enjoy.

 

“I am pressed so hard against the earth by the weight of reality that some days I wonder how I am still able to lift my feet to walk.” 

― Katja Millay, The Sea of Tranquility

 

“Dawn was coming. The Waystone Inn lay in silence, and it was a silence of three parts.”

– Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind

 

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

– J. K. Rowling, The Prisoner of Azkaban  

 

“And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.”

– Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

 

“I swear, my dear. Sometimes our conversations remind me of a broken sword.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Sharp as hell,” Lightsong said, “but lacking a point.” 
― Brandon Sanderson, Warbreaker

 

“I liked the idea of living in a city — any city, especially a strange one — liked the thought of traffic and crowds, of working in a bookstore, waiting tables in a coffee shop, who knew what kind of solitary life I might slip into? Meals alone, walking the dogs in the evenings; and nobody knowing who I was.”

– Donna Tartt, The Secret History

 

“Forgive me, for all the things I did but mostly for the ones that I did not.”

– Donna Tartt, The Secret History

 

“I need to stop fantasizing about running away to some other life and start figure out the one I have.”

– Holly Black, The Darkest Part of the Forest

 

“She laughed and broke into a run, racing out to grab handfuls of raindrops from the air, all alone in a world of diamonds.” 

― Scott Westerfeld, The Secret Hour

 

“You can look at a picture for a week and never think of it again. You can also look at a picture for a second and think of it all your life.” 

― Donna Tartt, The Goldfinch

WWW Wednesday 28. February 2018

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Every wednesday you answer three questions, if you would like to know more it’s hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

What did you recently finish reading?ab

I’ve read three books in the whole of February: Crush by Richard Siken, Silence Fallen by Patricia Briggs and Airborn by Kenneth Oppel, in that order. Reviews will be up soon. They were all pretty average books, but Airborn was definitely the winner.

What are you currently reading?

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Not much has changed since last week, I’m still reading We Have No Idea by Jorge Cham and the spanish Harry Potter e la pietra filosofale. It’s my first spanish book and in one week I’ve finished two chapters. It’s going okay I think, considering I had to prioritize reading for my actual spanish test, which also was today. I’m certainly looking up a lot of spanish words on my kindle. Búho is owl, btw.

 

What do you think you’ll read next?hg

I’ve had a book on my shelf for a year named “Hver gang du forlater meg”, translated the title would be “everytime you leave me”. I got it from a friend I moved away from, and for a year I haven’t thought that maybe the title was a obvious hint at me. Which means I should probably read it by now and make sure there’s no passive agressive or joke-ish reason behind it. It seemed like a love story, which is why it was on the shelf for that long, but I guess I’ll give it a try.

Exciting Book Releases 2018

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The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

We’re already two and a half months into 2018, so this first book I have already read. And would absoloutly recommend! Holly Black did not disappoint.

Why: fairies, morally grey characters, bloodbath, game of thrones – vibes. Kickass female main character who has survived a lot already (nothing like being kidnapped as a child).

Publication date: January 2nd

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Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi

Why I’m excited: it’s the fourth book of the shatter me series, and I absoloutly fell in love with it the first time I read it. I’m ready to reunite with Juliette – it’s been FOUR years – not to mention Warner. He’s my very problematic fav. The synopsis speaks of tragedy and hints at a darker Juliette, and I’m so ready for it. Please don’t break my heart, or the entire world with those powers.

Publication date: March 6th

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Burn Bright by Patricia Briggs

Why I’m excited: It’s the 5th book of the Alpha and Omega series, which is in the same universe as the Mercy Thomson series. Werewolves all the way. I have to say I’m a bit worried about this one, just finished Silence Fallen (mercy thomson) and it was a let down. Still have my hopes up for this book, and Anna & Charles being safe (yeah, right).

Publication date: March 6th

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Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Why I’m excited: Conspiracy? Black zombie hunters during the American civil war? I’m ready to get my hands on this.

Publication date: April 3rd

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On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Why I’m excited: The author behind the masterpiece that is “The Hate U Give” is publishing a new book! This time it’s about a girl who’s an aspiring rapper, before her mom loses her job and they are facing the possibility of homelessness. Angie Thomas has already proven her capabilities to me and the rest of the world, second books are difficult, but I wish all the best for this book.

Publication date: May 1st

Angie Thomas on the come up

Reading Harry Potter in spanish

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It’s the middle of winter vacation and I’ve decided to start a project: to read “Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone” in spanish. Which makes it “Harry Potter e la pietra filosofale”, I had to google translate that, so now you know the level I’m at. In other words; wish me luck. 

A bit of background: I’ve had spanish in school for four and a half years. As usual with school language classes, the first three years we learned the basics, like colours and numbers. The fourth year we suddenly learned a shit-ton (in comparison) of grammar and verbs. Reading a spanish book now is mostly motivated by the stress of having a spanish test in a week and my (actual for forever) final exams in three to four months. I’ve always wanted to learn languages, especially spanish, but having it as a school subject is a different thing and much worse as I need a good grade.

Hopefully reading this book will expand my vocabulary, make me more comfortable with spanish and bring some fun to it! At the very least be a challenge, and I don’t think it will be a problem to tick that box after having read the first chapter. Fortunately I’m reading the book on kindle, so I can translate words I don’t understand. So far I’ve figured out muggle is the same in spanish, Quien-usted-sabe is you-know-who and búhos is owls.

I’ve read the Harry Potter series multiple times, in two languages (English and Norwegian), so I hope this will be an okay experience. Maybe this post will keep me accountable, to stay to my plan and read a chapter each day. Or a chapter over two days, as I get more busy after the vacation ends. I have yet to figure out how often I will update my progress, but at least I’ve started.

Anyone else has experience learning language through reading? It’s a big part of how I learned english, so took a long time to learn to pronounce words as well. Learned only a couple months ago recipe isn’t pronounced like receipt, which made my friends laugh. The struggles of being a reader, I guess.

WWW Wednesday, 21. February 2018

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It’s the middle of winter vacation and I finally have more times on my hand to read and relax! This is my first time participating in WWW Wednesday by answering these weekly three questions. If you would like to know more, it’s hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

What did you recently finish reading?

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“Silence Fallen” by Patricia Briggs, the 10th (what!) book in the Mercy Thompson series. I’m mostly reading it out of nostalgia now, but the plot was pretty based on nostalgia as well. Book review out soon!

What are you currently reading?

ab

Too many books at once. “We have no idea” by Jorge Cham, a science book, just started the steampunk fantasy book “Airborn” by Kenneth Opel which seems promising and “Harry Potter e la pietra filosofale”, the spanish version of the first Harry Potter book. I hope to read a couple chapters of it each week for the near future. I’m only able to read multiple books at once if they’re very different genres.

What do you think you’ll read next?

wor

I’m horrible at prediciting, more often than not I will rebel against myself and end up reading something entirely different.

I really want to read “The words of radiance” by Brandon Sanderson soon, but we’ll see. It’s a big book that I have trouble putting down, so I’ll need to have my weekend open so I can, as I have with most other Sanderson books, read it long into the night.