O.W.L.’s Magical Readathon 2019: Sign Up #OWLsReadathon2019

It’s that time of the year again!! I first discovered the Harry Potter themed Magical Readathons last year, all hosted by the wonderful Book Roast. I joined the O.W.L.s late last year, so I’m so excited to be joining this April with everyone else! She also has some surprises in store this year as she has designed the most gorgeous guide and we will all be reading ourselves to a magical career of our choice! ❤ Find out more in her video below.

I’m very excited to be joining this readathon again, which is starting April 1st and will run the whole month until April 30th. I also earned five extra days for the Charms exam with a previous Christmas readathon hosted last year… Which basically means I can start reading my Charms title on March 27th already and have extra time for the other ones.

I have said it before but the wizarding career guide is so freaking gorgeous! There are so many careers to choose from and I had a hard time just choosing one… So I’ve decided to narrow it down to two, try and read all the O.W.L.s for both and pospone the decision until August when the next N.E.W.T.s readathon is hosted. So which careers did I pick? It was really REALLY hard narrowing it down, but in the end it’s between Librarian and Magizoologist for me. Librarian because I love books and I would love to spend my time in a magical library. And Magizoologist because I love animals and I would love travelling the world seeing all those magical creatures.

O.W.L.s needed for each career:

Librarian: Ancient Runes // Arithmancy // Defense Against The Dark Arts // History Of Magic // Transfiguration

Magizoologist: Care Of Magical Creatures // Charms // Herbology // Potions

Sadly none of the O.W.L.s overlap, so this means I will have to read at least 9 books in total to be able to still have a choice between both careers when the readathon ends. So what will I read for each prompt? A tentative TBR:

Stacking The Shelves #80 – March 23rd

Stacking The Shelves is hosted at Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I was doing pretty well not getting new NG books this week, but then I saw the new The Collector book was a Read Now and I hit that button before I saw it coming. I love this series, so I don’t really mind and I’m so excited to have book number four on my kindle! ❤

# NETGALLEY ARC #

Click on the summaries below to go to the Goodreads page… 

WWW Wednesdays #214 – March 20th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m finally reading The Dry by Jane Harper, an author I’ve been meaning to try for ages now and it’s definitely living up to expectations so far. I’m also starting my latest TBR jar pick Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt… I’m going to finish my Spanish reread of the fourth Harry Potter book Harry Potter Y El Cáliz De Fuego first though as I’m having too much fun revisiting their world.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Fourth Courier by Timothy Jay Smith (2/5 stars) REVIEW 
I really wanted to enjoy The Fourth Courier and it initially had all the signs I would. But between the chaotic plot, too many characters, sexist comments and negative stereotypes and cliches I ended up really disappointed by this story. I confess I probably would have DNFed if it wouldn’t have been an ARC… And I can’t say that reaching the final page was all that satisfying, with the forementioned negative comments and plot getting on my nerves every single page. Like I said before, I might have been the wrong target group here, so I suggest deciding for yourself if you want to give this story a try or not.

2. Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 24/03
While I did find it an entertaining read in general I can’t say the story managed to blow me away completely. It was fast-paced and the writing is engaging and really flows, but I found the plot to be quite predictable and I saw most plot twists coming from a mile away. This lack of surprise was a bit disappointing, but because I was warned before starting Then She Was Gone I already saw this coming.

3. Verity by Colleen Hoover (4/5 stars) REVIEW 24/03
While not my all time favorite CoHo, I still had an excellent time reading this story. Some parts were a bit predictable and I did see some twists coming, but I think the shock of that ending made me completely forget about that. What a way to mess with our minds and leave us hanging like that! It’s an open ending that will most definitely leave you wanting for more and second-guess what you just read and thought was true. And aren’t those just the best feelings when reading this genre?

4. 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne (2/5 stars) REVIEW 28/03
There is one thing for sure: this story was most definitely not for me. Why? Let’s just say that the sheer amount of adult content and sexy scenes made me want to throw my kindle against the wall and run away screaming. I know this has everything to do with me and nothing with the book, but it did mean 99 Percent Mine and me started off the wrong foot… While I can normally tolerate a certain amount of steam if the rest of the story makes up for it (her debut proves that for example), I didn’t feel the plot or characters made up for those scenes in this case.

5. Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (4/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 27/03
Look out for my thoughts during my stop of the blog tour on March 27th!! Spoiler: I really enjoyed it.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m picking up I Know You by Erik Therme next as I’m trying to make a dent in my NG shelves… And I’m not sure how much longer I can resist Wolfhunter River by Rachel Caine as it’s one of my most anticipated releases, so I’m going to read that one soon as well even though I shouldn’t. I’m also thinking about picking up Fruit Of The Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras as I’ve been meaning to read it for a while now. And I have a new TBR jar pick! Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain… I’ve been saying I was going to continue the series for years now, so I’m glad my TBR jar thought it was about time I really made that happen.

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Stacking The Shelves #79 – March 16th

Stacking The Shelves is hosted at Tynga’s Reviews and is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

So I haven’t been behaving too bad when it comes to new ARCs, although I did forget to mention last week I received an ARC of Bright Burning Stars for the blog tour I signed up for a while ago. Due May 17th, so thankfully I’ll have some spare time before the deadline arrives…

I was also invited by the author to read I Know You and while I have a superbusy schedule already I just couldn’t resist that blurb. Whoops? Then I saw two more titles I couldn’t resist and hit that request button before I could stop myself… And guess what? I was approved as well. Afterwards I just HAD to request the new Dee MacDonald as well because I absolutely adored The Getaway Girls last year. So of course I’m at 20 pending titles again. xD

# NETGALLEY BLOG TOUR #

# NETGALLEY ARC #

Click on the summaries below to go to the Goodreads page… 

WWW Wednesdays #213 – March 13th

WWW WEDNESDAYS is a weekly meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On A World Of Words and is all about answering the three questions below.

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m currently reading another upcoming ARC: The Fourth Courier by Timothy Jay Smith. This story has a fascinating setting, but sadly isn’t really living up to expectations so far… I’m also starting Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell, a story I’ve been looking forward to. And guess who’s finally continuing her Spanish reread of the Harry Potter series! I’m at book number four, and will be reading chapters in between other books so it will probably take me a while to finish it. Harry Potter Y El Cáliz De Fuego it is!

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Bones She Buried by Lisa Regan (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 21/03
Detective Josie Quinn has quickly grown into one of my favorite detective thriller series. I like my thrillers fast, entertaining, suspenseful and action-packed, and every single book has delivered exactly that so far. The main character is easy to like and meeting up with Josie Quinn is like visiting an old friend. Things can be said about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot and the fact that a LOT seems to be happening in such a small town and within such a small group of people. But I have to be honest here and say I was far too busy enjoying the ride to really think about it. This is one of those series you will find yourself flying through and it will be hard to let go before you reach the final page. The Bones She Buried is another scorcher!

2. The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 14/03
The Enchanted isn’t for everyone and if you are not a fan of magical realism I won’t suggest reading it. If you are open to the genre though, this story will prove to be a little gem. You will get swept up in the whirlwind that is this magical story and savour each and every single magical realism element that will help soothen the sometimes difficult and disturbing subjects as (child) abuse, violence and mental health. Rene Denfeld did a fantastic job combining the different elements, waving them together in such a way that will leave you speechless by the time you reach the final page.

3. Here We Are Now by Jasmine Warga (3/5 stars) REVIEW 15/03
It might have been that I had set my expectations too high, but unfortunately I can’t say I was all that impressed by this story as a whole. It’s not a bad read and fans of character driven YA contemporaries will probably have a great time with this one. It’s not the writing either, which felt natural and I just loved the many musical references. But there was just something about the plot and characters that didn’t manage to convince me.

4. Smoke And Key by Kelsey Sutton (3/5 stars) REVIEW 
There were a lot of things I loved about Smoke And Key and this is by no means a bad read. There were just certain elements that really irked me and failed to live up to the fascinating blurb and fantastic beginning for me. The slow pace, the romantic elements, the love triangle, the predictability of the plot… All things that made me enjoy the story less than I thought I would. I still love the premise of this story as well as the historical setting, Under and its Corpse Bride feel characters and the magic among other things. It’s a very interesting story and I have no doubt this world will stay with me for a while.

5. The Courier by Kjell Ola Dahl (4/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 22/03
Look out for my thoughts during my stop of the blog tour on March 22nd!! Spoiler: I really enjoyed it.

6. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa (5/5 stars) REVIEW 15/03
The Travelling Cat Chronicles is the perfect book for anyone who enjoys being around cats. It’s so easy to relate to this wonderful story! The descriptions are wonderful as is the writing style in general… The characters will win over your heart in record time and will stay with you for a long time. Warning: make sure you have your tissues ready! Because the end will most definitely make you cry (I know I did, and I almost never cry).

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m going to pick up Verity by Colleen Hoover next no matter what… It’s been a while since I last read a CoHo book and I’ve been dying to read this one. I’m also going to pick up The Dry by Jane Harper after the weekend as a birthday present to myself… And I really need to read Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan as my blog tour stop is coming closer. My TBR jar pick is still Tell The Wolves I’m Home by Carol Rifka Brunt.

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You can also find me at Goodreads. Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Bloglovin’.

#FlashbackFriday – March Edition

After seeing Nicki @ Secret Library doing this meme lots of times, I decided to step up my game in 2019 and finally join the fun again. This meme is hosted by Kerry @ Chat About Books and is all about sharing my reviews from previous years.

Since I tend to read 10+ books per month on average, I’ve decided to only share my top reads for each year (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018). This means either a 4,5 star or 5 star rating depending on which was the highest rating that year (if there are less than four-five titles, I’ll share the books of both ratings).

Let’s go to my reviews, shall we?

MARCH 2018

4.5 STARS: This one was almost perfect. Surely fantastic! 

My Sweet Friend – by H.A. Leuschel // No Safe Place – by Patricia Gibney // The Sun Does Shine – by Anthony Ray Hinton // The Child Next Door – by Shalini Boland // Cocktails And Dreams – by A.L. Michael // Deadly Secrets – by Robert Bryndza // The Good Twin – by Marti Green

MARCH 2017

5 STARS: Absolutely and entirely mind blowing! I suggest you to pick up a copy now. 
Goodbye Days – by Jeff Zentner // A Conjuring Of Light – by V.E. Schwab

4.5 STARS: This one was almost perfect. Surely fantastic! 
I Found You – by Lisa Jewell // The Missing Ones – by Patricia Gibney // Last Breath – by Robert Bryndza

MARCH 2016

No 5 or 4,5 star ratings in 2016, so I’m sharing the 4 star ratings instead. Looks like I had a rather bad month that year!

4 STARS: Wow, this was really good. Close to amazing!
Kindred Spirits – by Rainbow Rowell // One – by Sarah Crossan // REREAD: Red Queen – by Victoria Aveyard // The Bookshop Book – by Jen Campbell // Random – by Tom Leveen

MARCH 2015

5 STARS: Absolutely and entirely mind blowing! I suggest you to pick up a copy now. 
The Shock Of The Fall – by Nathan Filer

4.5 STARS: This one was almost perfect. Surely fantastic! 
 Crown Of Midnight – by Sarah J. Maas // Heir Of Fire – by Sarah J Maas // Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (reread) – by J.K. Rowling // Siege And Storm – by Leigh Bardugo

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Have you read any of these titles yourself? Any of these on your TBR? I can highly highly recommend all of these!!

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You can also find me at Goodreads. Twitter. Instagram. Facebook. Bloglovin’.

Best Of… February 2019 @aharmon_author @AmazonPub @groveatlantic

I had originally decided to include this new feature in my monthly wrap ups, but I just felt there were too many facts squeezed into one little post and the whole purpose of putting my favorite reads in the spotlight was lost. So this is me giving those favorites their well deserved extra attention! I think most people will be able to guess what my favorite read of February was, especially since it is one of my favorite authors in general and also my second 5 star read of the year. Without further delay, February 2019’s favorite is… *drumroll*

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What The Wind Knows by Amy Harmon!! I’m a huge fan of her work in general and this newest story simply blew me away. What an absolutely stunning read!

What I said in my review:

“The writing and plot development are sublime. The writing style will have you under its spell from the very first page and the beautiful prose is one of the reasons I already know What The Wind Knows will appear on my list of 2019 favorites.”

“What The Wind Knows is wonderful romance story with a time travel twist set in a turbulent time of Ireland history. Beautifully crafted and simply splendid!”

Click here for my full review

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I read two books with a 4,5 star rating in February. Both have foreign settings and include historical facts in their story (although completely different eras). In fact, all three books of this post represent some part of the past! It must be one of the first times a mystery/thriller read didn’t make the list haha. Both books mentioned above are without doubt excellent reads and deserve all the praise. In the order I’ve read them:

What I said in my review:

“Colombiano is hands down one of the best books I’ve read so far this year and definitely worth your time if the topic interests you. Between the writing style, characters, descriptions and plot you will have no idea this story is that long as you will find yourself turning those pages with gusto.”

“Facts and fiction are mixed in a way that will give you both a goldmine of intriguing information about the conflicts between guerrilla, army and autodefensa as well as offering you a fascinating story and main character to follow. ”

Click here for my full review

Snippets of my upcoming review:

“This was such a stunning and absolutely fantastic read! It becomes clear from the beginning that the power of The Bird King is in the prose, attention to historical details and the hint of magical realism in part of the elements.”

“The historical setting, details and descriptions are perfectly elaborated with a gorgeous and magical prose you will cannot help but fall in love with. The pace of this story is slow, but it will make it that much easier to fully savour every single chapter and detail of their journey.”

MY REVIEW WILL BE POSTED ON MARCH 10th!!

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Have you read any of these titles above? What did you think of them? What were your favorite reads in February?

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