I can’t believe Bout Of Books 19.0 is already over!! I had a blast during this readathon and read way more than I thought I would be able to… No less than six finished books and four reviewed as well; definitely a new record. (Or at least I *think* so…) I also participated in three challenges (day 1,2,3), participated in the first Twitter chat and posted six readathon-related bookish photos on my Instagram… All in all a lot better than I hoped for!
DAY 7: SUNDAY MAY 14th 2017
# Pages read today: 192 (Manipulated Lives)
# Total pages read: 1.974
# Book continued: Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel
# Books finished: Enchanters by K.F. Bradshaw (3/5 stars) // Room by Emma Donoghue (5/5 stars) // Roses Of May by Dot Hutchison (3,5/5 stars) // Liar by K.L. Slater (4,5/5 stars) // Aurabel by Laura Dockrill (1,5/5 stars) // Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel (4/5 stars)
As for the wrap up: I managed to read 3 out of 5 titles on my original readathon TBR (actually reading the fourth today), so that’s definitely better than I hoped. And even better: I managed to complete all my goals as well! 😀
Finish and review 3 booksRead 150 pages each dayJoin a challengeMost importantly: have fun!!
BOOKS I’VE READ:
1. Enchanters by K.F. Bradshaw (3/5 stars) REVIEW
I was looking forward to read Enchanters, but I ended up having mixed thoughts instead. While I liked the worldbuilding, plot and general idea behind this story, I still think it was also overlong and even dragged at points. That might just be because the dialogue didn’t feel all that natural and I didn’t really like some of the characters in the first place though. The pace did pick up in the second half and there was a lot more action… All in all an interesting read, although I did have my problems with it.
2. Room by Emma Donoghue (5/5 stars) REVIEW
I still can’t believe it took me years to finally pick up my copy of Room, but it is without doubt one of my new all time favorites. The story itself is already both dark, shocking and powerful, but what makes Room even more special is that it’s told from the POV of a 5-year-old boy. Jack is a truly fascinating and unique character and having the opportunity to follow both him and Ma is a true blessing. This story will definitely stay with me for a long time! As you might have guessed, I can highly recommend this story.
3. Roses Of May by Dot Hutchison (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW
While not as strong or twisted as the first book, I still very much enjoyed Roses Of May. Especially the final part had a very fast pace and the writing style is very enjoyable to read. The serial killer and plot itself are both intriguing and the chapters with the killer’s thoughts added another level of suspense. I also might or might not have squealed when I saw my name mentioned in the story (doesn’t happen often, trust me!). The plot twists are interesting as well, although I did find out the killer’s identity early on. Without doubt still recommended though!
4. Liar by K.L. Slater (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW
Liar turned out to be another excellent psychological thriller read full of surprises. I found myself literally flying through the pages as I kept wondering about the chapter the story started with… Because Liar both started and ended with a bang. This is unreliable narrating at its best, and I loved every single minute of the ride. More than recommended for fans of the genre!
5. Aurabel by Laura Dockrill (1,5/5 stars)
I really wanted to enjoy this one and I still love the cover, but unfortunately I just couldn’t. I felt like it was as if I were reading in a foreign language I could only barely understand for most of the ride and I had a REALLY hard time finishing this one. In fact, I would probably have DNFed it if it wouldn’t have been an ARC. A little note: after some investigation, I found out this is actually a sequel and it becomes clear as you are reading Aurabel that a lot of both background AND essential information is missing if you don’t read the first book. That said, I don’t think this story has convinced me enough to actually try and read the first book. Unfortunately it ended up being a quite painful experience reading Aurabel.
6. Manipulated Lives by H.A. Leuschel (4/5 stars)
I have been wanting to pick up this collection of short stories about different characters dealing with the consequences of manipulators for a long time now, especially since I’ve seen various glowing reviews in the past. And I’m definitely glad I finally picked it up, because I really enjoyed reading them. Every story deals with a different angle and the stories are truly fascinating. My favorite story would be between the second and the third story; my least favorite probably either number four or five, but this doesn’t mean they were still good. If psychology fascinated you or you enjoy realistic fiction in general, Manipulated Lives is definitely a great read.
Did you join the Bout Of Books readathon and how did it go? Feel free to add your links! 🙂
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