WWW Wednesdays #257- February 26th

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 on another series mini binge-read and I’ll be reading Blue Night and Beton Rouge by Simone Buchholz one after the other in preparation for the blog tour next month. I’ll probably take a little break before reading the third one so I can get those shorties reviews written before I have tot think about the blog tour review. 😉

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Where The Lost Wander by Amy Harmon (4/5 stars) REVIEW 06/04
I think most people will know by now that I’m a huge fan of Amy Harmon’s work and I have been eagerly anticipating her newest title Where The Lost Wander. I was stoked when I was able to get a chance to read this story early, and it was without doubt a wonderful experience. While not my absolute favorite title, this is still a beautifully written story that is definitely able to provoke emotions. I found the pace to be a tad slow, but the characters are well developed and it was a fascinating portrayal of 19th century US.

2. The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben (4/5 stars) REVIEW 16/03
I admit I was sold as soon as I read the blurb! I never would have guessed my request for such a popular title would actually be approved, but I’m definitely happy I had the chance to read this one early. Such a fascinating read! While certain aspects of the plot might be a tad farfetched, it has a high entertainment factor and I literally flew through the pages. This makes me want to give priority to more of his titles this year! I had forgotten how much I enjoyed his writing in the past.

3. I’ll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara (4/5 stars) REVIEW
I’ve been wanting this true crime title for so long now, and I’m still not sure what held me back… I’m happy I finally did take the time to read it, because it turned out to be a fascinating (and terrifying) read.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

With a possible trip happening in the second half of March, I need to step up my ARC game for a bit and read a bunch that are due soon… First up is Strangers by C.L. Taylor, which I’ve been dying to read anyway. Then I’ll probably read The Body In The Garden by Katherine Schellman, and I need to read Mexico Street by Simone Buchholz for the upcoming blog tour too. My latest TBR jar pick is still The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott, which I’m not sure I’ll end up having time for soon…

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WWW Wednesdays #256 – February 19th

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 two pending ARCs… I love anything Amy Harmon writes and I’ve been highly anticipating Where The Lost Wander; even though I have a pile of other ARCs that are due first, I just couldn’t wait any longer to pick it up. I’m also starting The Boy From The Woods by Harlan Coben, a title I’m still surprised I was actually approved for although it might just have been an early birthday present as it publishes on my birthday next month. 😉

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce (4/5 stars) REVIEW
There was just something about the blurb and main character Harold Fry that made me think it would be my kind of book, and I thought his character was giving off seriously A Man Called Ove vibes too… My instincts turned out to be right on both counts, and Harold Fry is without doubt the reason this story worked so well for me. The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry is both a heartwarming and heartbreaking journey and a character-driven story with a wide cast of quirky characters… Recommended if you enjoy slower fiction reads!

2. Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 24/02
Deep Down Dead is thrilling, exhilarating and simply explosive from the very beginning until that final page. It was fascinating to learn more about where Lori came from and how she turned out to be the kickass bounty hunter she is today… What a powerful and shocking transformation! Your heart will beat miles a minute as you keep turning those pages, both learning more about the past as well trying to keep up with the action-packed and highly flammable present.

3. Deep Blue Trouble by Steph Broadribb (4,5/5 stars) REREAD (2018 REVIEW)
This one was just as good the second time around! A little snippet of my 2018 review: “If you like refreshing, fast-paced, suspenseful and action-packed thrillers with a strong female lead, you are in for a real treat with Deep Blue Trouble. Bounty hunter Lori Anderson seriously kicks ass and isn’t afraid to step on a few toes to get the results she is after. The writing is strong, filled with plot twists and will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page… Trust me, you will want to know what happens to Lori and you will enjoy every single step along the way. Thriller fans will love this one!”

4. Deep Dirty Truth by Steph Broadribb (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 24/02
Oh boy, binge-reading the first three Lori Anderson books has sure left me breathless! My heart is still beating like a maniac and I definitely need a dose of sugar to come to my senses again… What an explosive, action-packed and absolutely thrilling ride! Deep Dirty Truth is already the third book of this series and of the same high quality and entertainment level as the first two books.

5. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie (2/5 stars) REVIEW 28/02
I loved watching the Peter Pan adaptations when I was little, so I fully expected to love the original story and classic as well… But I guess it wasn’t ment to be. I wasn’t a fan of the writing at all and except for a few entertaining moments I found the story mostly dull and rather slowpaced… I even started skimreading at one point and that is never a good sign. The story was also a lot darker than expected. The original Peter Pan definitely wasn’t my cup of tea, and turned out to be quite a disappointing experience to be honest. I’ll stick with the adaptations this time around!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’ll probably read I’ll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara next as I’ve been meaning to for ages now and I really need to step up my non fiction game this year. Afterwards, it’s another series mini binge with Blue Night and Beton Rouge by Simone Buchholz in preparation for my blog tour stop of the third book next month. My latest TBR jar pick is still The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott, which I’m not sure I’ll end up having time for this month…

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WWW Wednesdays #255 – February 12th

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 The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce, and basically the only reason I haven’t finished it yet is that we went on an impromtu camping trip these last few days and I didn’t have much time to read. I fully expect to finish it today though! Afterwards I’m finally starting my first series binge-read with Deep Down Dead by Steph Broadribb. I loved my first encounter with Lori and I definitely can’t wait to (re)read all books in order!

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Perfume by Patrick Süskind (4/5 stars) REVIEW 28/02
This story had intrigued me ever since I first watched the movie years back, but somehow it took me a long time to finally make time for the original story. I’m definitely glad I finally did read the book! Patrick Süskind has a way with his words that really makes the descriptions come alive and Grenouille’s story is both horrifying and absolutely fascinating at the same time. I already knew what was going to come as I’ve seen the movie muliple times, but even so I highly enjoyed reading this modern classic.

2. Death Deserved by Jørn Lier Horst & Thomas Enger (4,5/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 20/02
Look out for my full review during my stop of the blog tour!

3. Things In Jars by Jess Kidd (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 17/02
I won a gorgeous hardback copy of Things In Jars in a giveaway last year, but somehow it took me way longer than expected to actually read it… I’m kicking myself now, because it was an absolutely brilliant read. The wonderful prose only enhances that Victorian London feel of the plot, I loved the hint of the surreal and the Irish folklore and this is definitely magical realism and Gothic mystery at its best. The unique and diverse cast of characters, the folklore, the plot, the writing, the suspense… There is so much to love!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

After finishing my current reads, I’ll continue my series binge-read with book two and three of the Lori Anderson series: Deep Blue Trouble and Deep Dirty Truth. I might even read the fourth book too depending on if I feel like writing a blog tour review haha. I also can’t wait to finally pick up my ARC of Amy Harmon‘s newest story Where The Lost Wander. I absolutely love her work and I fully expect this one to be another favorite! My latest TBR jar pick is still The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott, which I’ll probably pick up soon as I love roadtrip stories and it would be a perfect break in between my thriller series binges. 😉

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YVO’S SHORTIES #128 – Infinity + One & Thin Air

Time for another round of Yvo’s Shorties! This time around two backlist titles I’ve been looking forward to read, and both ended up being excellent reads. Amy Harmon is one of my favorite authors and Infinity + One was without doubt another great read. And I’ve been looking forward to pick up my beautiful copy of Thin Air ever since I bought it, and it was just the right story for the time of the year.

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Title: Infinity + One
Author: Amy Harmon
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Music
First published: June 8th 2014
Finished reading: October 14th 2019
Pages: 350

“We weren’t so different, Finn and I. Cages come in lots of colors and shapes. Some are gilded, while others have a slamming door. But golden handcuffs are still handcuffs.”

I think most will be aware of the fact that I adore Amy Harmon‘s books by now… I’ve decided to make the wait for her next story Where The Lost Wander a little less painful by tackling some of her backlist titles I still had pending. I was going to finally pick up The Bird And The Sword, but my heart screamed for a dose of contemporary romance and Infinity + One sounded perfect for the job. As soon as I realized this story was going to have references to the infamous Bonnie and Clyde couple, I was sold. I’m a huge sucker for historical crime references, and who hasn’t heard about the story of Bonnie and Clyde?! This element was definitely a huge bonus for me, and I loved how it played a role through the whole story in multiple ways. Bonnie and Finn are in many way opposites, but I loved how well their characters worked together in this story. The thorough development of both characters, giving them flaws and having them making mistakes, really makes them come alive for me and I was soon addicted to their story despite the fact it kind of has that insta-love vibe going on. But between the road trip feel of the plot, the dangerous angle, the Bonnie and Clyde references, the music and the spark between Bonnie and Finn among other things, there were many elements to make you forget about those few cliches. The writing is just as wonderful as I’ve come to expect of her work, and while Infinity + One isn’t my absolute favorite of her work, it’s undeniably an excellent read fans of the genre will love.

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Title: Thin Air
Author: Michelle Paver
Genre: Historical Fiction, Paranormal
First published: October 6th 2016
Publisher: Orion
Finished reading: October 16th 2019
Pages: 240

“Up and up my eye climbs, past sweeping, dark-red precipices and glaring white ice, to those immaculate peaks, the highest trailing a banner of wind-blown snow across a sky so intensely blue that it’s almost black.

Kangchenjunga.”

I admit this was initially a cover love buy for me, although as soon as I read the blurb I was convinced I made the right choice. Partly a historical adventure story set in the 1935 Himalayas, partly a ghost story, Thin Air turned out to have a very interesting mix of different elements and it’s a story perfect for this Halloween month. First up we have the historical fiction aspect, as this story is set in 1935… I think the author did a great job describing the historical elements and it gives us a good idea what it would have been like joining such a expedition back then. That brings us to the next element: the international setting in the Himalayas (India, Nepal), with the mountain Kangchenjunga being almost like another character. The descriptions of the setting really made the mountains come alive for me, and it’s part of the reason I enjoyed the story. Another thing that stands out is the paranormal aspect of this story. We learn about a past failed expedition and its tragic end… And with strange things happening to the main character Stephen, you definitely get that spooky vibe. But this story also almost reads like an adventure journal where you learn more about mountain climbing, what happens during this expedition as well as the other characters as Stephen sees them. Some are definitely not that likeable, but it was very interesting what the extreme experience and weather conditions do to a person. I had a great time reading this story and definitely didn’t see that ending coming! Thin Air is without doubt a great Halloween as well as a proper Winter read. It definitely makes you want to bundle up in a pile of blankets with a steaming mug of your favorite beverage closeby!

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WWW Wednesdays #242 – October 16th

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 my copy of Thin Air by Michelle Paver, a cover love buy with a very promising premise and a title I thought would be perfect for this Halloween month. I’m also finally starting The Lion Tamer Who Lost by Louise Beech, although I admit I’m a bit worried my heart will suffer immensely before I reach the final page… And also that I’ll have yet another impossible review to write afterwards. xD

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen (4/5 stars) REVIEW
The first thing that people seem to mention when it comes to Antti Tuomainen‘s recent books is the way he is able to introduce dark comedy more than successfully into an already solid crime thriller. Nordic noir with a healthy dose of blacker-than-black humor? You can definitely count me in for that! I’ve been looking forward to finally discover his work for some time now, and while I thought it was going to be my pink and fabulous copy of Palm Beach Finland, I’m more than happy my first introduction has been Little Siberia in the end. If you like your humor dark and your Nordic Noir lighting fast, bloodchilling and touching at the same time, Little Siberia is simply a must-read. It’s like a big black bowl of delicious and hilarious crime magic!

2. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (5/5 stars) REREAD
Ove is easily one of my all time favorite characters, and A Man Called Ove was long overdue for a reread… After watching the Swedish movie adaptation last week, I decided to just give in and meet up with Ove again, and the story was just as magical the second time around. The Swedish movie adaptation is highly recommendable as well as it stays so close to the original story and it portrays Ove and the other characters perfectly. I won’t be writing a new review, but you can find my 2016 review here if you are interested.

3. Hydra by Matt Wesolowski (5/5 stars) REVIEW 23/10
Boy, this book blew me away! I already had a brilliant experience with the first Six Stories book, but Hydra left me lost for words and unable to write a proper review… The podcast format, the premise, the characters, the paranormal and horror elements, the writing, the suspense and plot twists… I don’t even know where to start my review, as everything was just pure magic.

4. Like Follow Kill by Carissa Ann Lynch (4/5 stars) REVIEW 20/10
The writing is solid and makes it really easy to fly through those pages. The plot is also well constructed and handled perfectly to keep building up that suspense as well as managing to mislead you successfully. Things can be said about the credibility of certain aspects of the plot, but there is no denying that Like Follow Kill was a very entertaining ride with an ending that I never saw coming and left me flabbergasted. Those final chapters are on fire!! If you enjoy reading psychological thrillers with an unreliable narrator and an explosive twist, Like Follow Kill should definitely be on your wishlist.

5. Infinity + One by Amy Harmon (4/5 stars) REVIEW 25/10
I think most will be aware of the fact that I adore Amy Harmon‘s books by now… I’ve decided to make the wait for her next story Where The Lost Wander a little less painful by tackling some of her backlist titles I still had pending. I was going to finally pick up The Bird And The Sword, but my heart screamed for a dose of contemporary romance and Infinity + One sounded perfect for the job. And it definitely was! While this story isn’t my absolute favorite of her work, it’s undeniably an excellent read fans of the genre will love.

6. The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 05/11
I’ve been a fan of her psychological thrillers ever since the first one came out, and The Other Daughter is another excellent read. Well written and with a humongous plot twist bomb I never saw coming!!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m probably reading Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson next so I can finally finish the final era for the When Are You Reading? challenge… I also need to read the ARC Cold Fear by Mads Peder Nordbo some time soon. And it’s time for another dose of Matt Wesolowski with the third Six Stories book Changeling as soon as I’m able to get my thoughts together and actually finish my review for Hydra. I also need to finally read my latest TBR jar pick The Museum Of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman some time soon.

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WWW Wednesdays #241 – October 9th

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’ve probably already finished Little Siberia by Antti Tuomainen by the time this post goes live… I’ve been flying through it and I definitely understand the love for his writing now! More in my blog tour review going live this Saturday October 12th. I’m also starting the sequel Hydra by Matt Wesolowski for an upcoming #WesolowskiWednesdays #Orentober post… And I read the first few pages of Like Follow Kill by Carissa Ann Lynch before I realized my blog tour stop was really close, so I’ll continue with that after I finish the other two.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Tunnel Of Bones by Victoria Schwab (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 19/10
I think everyone probably knows by now I’m a huge fan of Victoria Schwab’s books, and I’ve loved every single book I tried so far. This middle grade series is no exception, and even with high expectations Tunnel Of Bones was just as good as I was hoping for. If you are looking like a fun, quick and fabulous Halloween story, you have just found your next read! You will find paranormal elements, humor, friendship, a dose of forboding and a hint of danger, all sprinkled with that French je ne sais quoi that makes you love every single page of this story. Is it too soon to ask about the next book yet? I’m seriously addicted to this series.

2. Close To You by Kerry Wilkinson (4/5 stars) REVIEW 18/10
Look out for my full review during my stop of the blog tour!!

3. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 21/10
I admit I took a chance when I decided to get a copy and read The Bride Test. I’m very much allergic to sexy scenes in contemporary romance reads, and after a less than favorable reaction to The Kiss Quotient I thought it would be better to just stay away. But there is no denying that Helen Hoang can write and I love how she develops her characters, so I just couldn’t resist giving this story a try in the end. I’m so glad I did, because while I found the many many sexy scenes to be cringeworthy, I somehow enjoyed the actual story a lot better than the first book.

4. The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 21/10
I had that feeling that it would be a perfect read for the time of the year, and both my instincts and the reviews I read in the past were absolutely right. If you are looking for a little something to get you in the right mood for Halloween, The Twisted Tree is a fantastic choice. Norse mythology, horror and paranormal elements are mixed together with a YA contemporary story in the most successful way… Both the Norse mythology elements and the actual setting on a small island in the middle of nowhere Norway really took this creepy story to the next level.

5. The Dinner Party by R.J. Parker (3/5 stars) REVIEW 13/10
I had quite high expectations for this story, but somehow I didn’t end up having the reaction I expected to have to this story… If you are looking for a twisty, explosive and shocking thriller, The Dinner Party fits all those points and more. The tension is build up slowly but steadily in the rest of the story, mixing secrets and twists with moments of action and suspense. I initially had a very good feeling about this story, but as the storyline continued and evolved, I started wondering about the credibility of it all. As for the characters… Sadly, I can’t really say I liked them.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I need a little break from the thriller genre again after my current reads, so I’m picking up another Amy Harmon backlist title next: Infinity + One. I love her books so far and I’m planning on reading the last missing backlist titles ASAP. Then it’s either Halloween theme again with Thin Air by Michelle Paver or a psychological thriller ARC The Other Daughter by Shalini Boland depending on what I’m in the mood for. I also need to read my latest TBR jar pick The Museum Of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman some time soon.

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ARC REVIEW: The First Girl Child – by Amy Harmon @amazonpub @aharmon_author

Title: The First Girl Child
Author: Amy Harmon
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
First published: August 20th 2019
Publisher: 47North
Finished reading: July 22nd 2019
Pages: 400

“I’ve come to believe that home is not a place. Home is inside of us. Home is the people we love. Home is what we strive for.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and 47North in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I consider Amy Harmon to be one of my absolute  favorite authors and her stories never fail to blow me away. What makes her books stand out is that with each new title we get offered a completely unique story belonging to a wide variety of genres. There are not many authors who can pull off more than one genre, and Amy Harmon is able to do so with utter and total success. The First Girl Child has once again proven to me that she truly is a brilliant writer. I already fell in love with her 2019 historical fiction release, What The Wind Knows, earlier this year, and this new fantasy title is the second book to receive the full five star rating this year. Want to know why you should add The First Girl Child to your wishlist straight away?

This is already my sixth Amy Harmon book and my first time reading one of her fantasy stories (I’ve been meaning to read The Bird And The Sword for ages though), and I was completely blown away by it. I know already that The First Girl Child will stay with me for a long time… Its high fantasy world being one of the favorite places I’ve been lucky enough to visit so far this year. Oh yes, the worldbuilding in this story is absolutely brilliant. Using Norse mythology influences, Amy Harmon has created a new God and son of Odin named Saylok, and has shaped the fantasy world around his story. I loved the idea behind the star-shaped island of Saylok, with its different clans named after the different animals representing the children of Saylok. And the animals are not just for decoration, as the inhabitants of each clan bear a resemblance to their respective animal in both a physical way and through their customs. You will find many many references to the Nordic culture and myths as you are reading Bayr’s story, and this was personally a huge bonus for me as I have a weak spot for Norse mythology and Nordic culture in general.

While the different clans and the inner workings of life in Saylok might have that historical feel, The First Girl Child also gives us a proper dose of fantasy with the help of the magic of the Keepers and the Runes. The fact that we don’t know a lot about the history behind the Runes and its power, other than that it’s basically blood magic, only adds to the mystery around the Keepers and the role they play in protecting Saylok. The Keepers play a big role throughout the story, with the main character Bayr growing up with them, and Temple Hill was a fascinating backdrop for Bayr’s story in general. The plot is well constructed and is build around the curse his dying mother put on Saylok and all its inhabitants. No girls will be born from the day she voiced her curse and died, and Bayr will be Saylok’s only hope… With no further explanation about how he is supposed to save Saylok available straight away, I kept eagerly reading and I loved seeing the future slowly unravel. Years pass in a fluent way, and the pace is kept at a speed that will make you turn those pages like there is no tomorrow. The brilliant writing only adds to this feeling and gives The First Girl Child the high quality I’ve come to expect when it comes to Amy Harmon‘s books.

But this story is nothing without its characters. Bayr, Alba, Ghost, Dagmar… Those are only a few of the characters that will win over your heart and make you fall in love with this story. The main stars of The First Girl Child are Bayr and Alba, and I adored both their characters and their relationship together. The character development in general is brilliantly done and shows them evolving realistically over time. The fact that nobody but Dagmar knows about the curse gives the story an interesting twist, and that is not the only secret that is being kept from the other characters. Things slowly escalate as years pass without another girl child being born, and I had a fantastic time learning all about Bayr and Alba’s story. The First Girl Child ended with a bang and without doubt left me wanting for more… And I’ll keep my fingers crossed we’ll get to visit Saylok and its characters again some time in the future.

The worldbuilding, the Norse mythology influences, the characters and their development, the plot, the writing… Oh yes, there were plenty of reasons that made me give The First Girl Child the full five stars it deserves. I can highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a good fantasy story with characters you cannot help but fall in love with and a healthy dose of Nordic references. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

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