WWW Wednesdays #261 – March 25th

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 Josie Quinn book number eight Find Her Alive by Lisa Regan… I have a weak spot for this series and I just couldn’t resist getting a copy of the newest on Netgalley. I’m also starting And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott in preparation for the blog tour of the sequel next month.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. I Am Dust by Louise Beech (5/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 18/04
Look out for my review during my stop of the blog tour!

2. She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be by J.D. Barker (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 28/03
She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be is as unique as its long title, and the right person will treasure this story as much as I did. I had a fantastic time reading every single chapter, and I never felt like the story was overlong or should have gone in a different direction. Big is in this case most definitely better! And this book has only reconfirmed to me J.D. Barker belongs on my list of favorite authors.

3. Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (4,5/5 stars) NO REVIEW/REREAD
I definitely had a great time revisiting an old childhood favorite of mine. I loved Pippi when I was little and I must have read the book at least a dozen times back then… I remember loving the TV show too, and even dressing up as Pippi during carnaval once. She is a wonderful character most children will be able to connect to instantly!

4. Harry Potter Y Las Reliquias De La Muerte by J.K. Rowling (4,5/5 stars) NO REVIEW/REREAD
I finally completed my Spanish reread of the Harry Potter series! It had been too long since I last read the seventh Harry Potter book and I had forgotten about so many details… I always love revisiting this world and this has been no exception!

5. The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (5/5 stars) REVIEW 04/04
I still can’t believe it took me this long to read this story! I love bookish books and this is without doubt a new favorite. The writing, the bookish elements, the characters, the plot, even the romance… I loved it all.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I’m picking up the next Hercule Poirot The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd as soon as I finish my current reads… I also need to read the upcoming ARC The Lost Orphan (also known as The Foundling) by Stacey Halls soon. And I don’t think I will be able to resist John Marrs’ newest title What Lies Between Us either even though I have other ARCs I should probably read first haha. I’m also hoping to read Manhunters by Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña soon, as I have a weird interest in the war on drugs and I loved the Netflix series.

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WWW Wednesdays #260 – March 18th

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 She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be by J.D. Barker, which is as long as the title and a most anticipated 2020 release as I loved his 4MK series. I will also start I Am Dust by Louise Beech tomorrow as a birthday present to myself… There is no need saying that the other reads will be on hold while I read this one. 😉 ❤ And of course I’m still reading the Spanish version of the seventh and final Harry Potter book: Harry Potter Y Las Reliquias De La Muerte… I’m currently about halfway into the book and I’m planning on finishing it within the next week or so depending on how long it takes to finish my other current titles.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Deep Dark Night by Steph Broadribb (4,5/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 30/03
Look out for my review during my stop of the blog tour!

2. The Missing Sister by Elle Marr (3/5 stars) REVIEW 24/03
There was something about the blurb that intrigued me back when I first saw it on Netgalley, and I couldn’t resist getting a copy… It wasn’t necessarily a bad read and there were things I loved including the setting and premise of the story, but overall I was unable to fully connect to the story or characters and certain aspects of the plot and plot twists were just a bit too farfetched for me.

3. Love And Other Words by Christina Lauren (4/5 stars) REVIEW 04/04
I loved my first encounter with their work back in January, so I’ve been really excited to pick up Love And Other Words to see if their magic would make me enjoy contemporary romance once again. I’m not sure if it was because I was in need of a change of genre, but I had a brilliant time with this story! I literally flew through it and finished it in no time at all.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

It’s been a while since I last read an Agatha Christie title, so I’ll probably end up reading the next Hercule Poirot The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd soon. I also want to read my first Rachel Abbott book, And So It Begins, in preparation for the blog tour of the sequel next month… And I don’t think I will be able to resist John Marrs’ newest title What Lies Between Us much longer, so I’m going to read it as another birthday present to myself. 😉 My latest TBR jar pick is still The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott; it will be the first contemporary I will read when I’m in the mood for a change of genre.

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

WWW Wednesdays #259 – March 11th

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 flying through Deep Dark Night by Steph Broadribb in preparation for my upcoming blog tour stop… It’s so good to meet up with favorite character Lori again! I’m also starting yet another ARC: The Missing Sister by Elle Marr. And of course I’m still reading the Spanish version of the seventh and final Harry Potter book: Harry Potter Y Las Reliquias De La Muerte… I’m currently about a quarter into the book and I’ve already rediscovered so many details I had completely forgotten about!

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Strangers by C.L. Taylor (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 31/03
I think it’s safe to say that I now have a new favorite C.L. Taylor title. What a read! I’m glad I cleared my schedule before diving into this story, because there was just no way on earth I was going to stop reading before I knew how it would all end. What an absolutely masterful and simply brilliantly constructed psychological thriller!

2. The Body In The Garden by Katharine Schellman (3/5 stars) REVIEW 
I loved the historical setting in 1815 London and the final twist was without doubt well played. I did have some issues with The Body In The Garden, including the pace, focus on frivolous high society events and characters, but I also think this might not have been exactly right story for me. If you enjoy character-driven and slower paced cozy mysteries with a historical setting and a hint of crime, you will be in for a treat with The Body In the Garden.

3. Mexico Street by Simone Buchholz (4,5/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 23/03
Look out for my review during my stop of the blog tour!

4. The Secret Admirer by Carol Wyer (4/5 stars) REVIEW 20/03
I’m a huge fan of Carol Wyer‘s detective thrillers, and Natalie Ward book number six is without doubt another shocking and solid ride. The writing makes it really easy to keep turning those pages, and I think the bigger focus on Natalie’s private life was definitely needed after that nuclear plot twist bomb in book five. The investigation in this one is intriguing, although I do have to guess I saw the ending coming early on… But the developments in Natalie’s private life are less easy to guess. That said, I will never like David and even the events in The Secret Admirer weren’t enough to make me feel sympathetic towards him… I can’t wait to discover how things will continue for all the main characters in play though.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I need a little break from thrillers, so I’ll probably read Love And Other Words by Christina Lauren next. Then I have one March ARC left pending: She Has A Broken Thing Where Her Heart Should Be by J.D. Barker. It’s a big one with almost 800 pages, but I loved his writing in the 4MK books and I just can’t wait to dive into this one. I also want to read my first Rachel Abbott book, And So It Begins, in preparation for the blog tour of the sequel next month…  My latest TBR jar pick is still The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott; I’m hoping to read that one soon in between upcoming thrillers.

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

WWW Wednesdays #258 – March 4th

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 finally started my Spanish reread of the seventh and final Harry Potter book: Harry Potter Y Las Reliquias De La Muerte. Way overdue! I’m planning on reading a chapter or two each day in between other reads if I have the time… I always love revisiting this series. ❤ I’m also finally reading Strangers by C.L. Taylor, a most anticipated read I’ve been really excited to pick up. I’m having a feeling I will finish it in no time at all depending on how much time I have to read today, and afterwards I’ll start straight away with The Body In The Garden by Katharine Schellman, which I’ve heard good things about.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Blue Night by Simone Buchholz (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 06/03
It took me a while to get used to the short and snappy writing style, and I also had a hard time figuring out who was who in the beginning. The flashback chapters were especially confusing at first, as you have no background as to who is who and how they all fit together. I honestly wasn’t sure if this story would be for me… BUT. Somehow, after I decided to take a little break and continue with fresh eyes, I started to warm up to Blue Night. Once I got the hang of both the writing style and the different characters in play, I was hooked. Or more than hooked; I literally devoured the pages, hungry for more.

2. Beton Rouge by Simone Buchholz (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 06/03
While it took me some time to get used to the writing and characters in Blue Night, I had no such problem with Beton Rouge. I was fully hooked as soon as I read the first chapter, and the same short and snappy chapters kept me turning those pages like there was no tomorrow. Beton Rouge is a lot more ‘readable’ and easier to follow for those without a proper background of the main characters, and the case Chas finds herself involved in is without intriguing. Her character is simply brilliant and I can’t wait to discover what happens in the next book.

3. Deadly Waters by OMJ Ryan (4/5 stars) BLOG TOUR REVIEW 14/03
Look out for my review during my stop of the blog tour!

4. If I Stay by Gayle Forman (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 09/03
I’m probably the last person on the planet to read this one! I’ve been meaning to try If I Stay for years now, but to be honest I wasn’t so sure if this story would be for me… I was afraid it was going to be too sappy and cliche for me, and that the hype around it simply wasn’t worth it. I confess I kept my expectations low, and the unexpected happened: I ended up being so much more invested in this story about Mia and Adam than I thought I would be!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

With a possible trip happening in the second half of March, I’m planning on reading as much ARCs as possible in the first half so I hopefully won’t miss any deadline. First up is blog tour title Mexico Street by Simone Buchholz, which I’m really excited about after Beton Rouge. Then I’ll probably read The Secret Admirer by Carol Wyer first to give me a little time to get that blog tour review ready… Followed immediately by Deep Dark Night by Steph Broadribb, which is my final blog tour this month. I can’t wait to meet up with Lori again!! ❤ #TeamLori My latest TBR jar pick is still The Way Back To You by Michelle Andreani & Mindi Scott, which I’ll probably try to read soon as a little break in between all those thriller ARCs.

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

BOOK REVIEW: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – by J.K. Rowling

Title: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows
(Harry Potter Series #7)
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: YA, Fantasy
First published: July 21st 2007
Finished reading: April 29th 2015
Pages: 608

“Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.”

Magical. Just magical. It’s been a long time since I last read the seventh and last book of the Harry Potter series, and it turns out that I had forgotten quite a few details. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows is probably the book I’ve read less of the series, but not because I didn’t love it. This last book is the darkest story of all where Harry and his friends have all grown up and have to face their worst challenge yet… J.K. Rowling truly delivered with this ending and I want to thank her for all those magical years reading about the life of Harry Potter. Growing up without these seven books wouldn’t have been the same… The prose is simply brilliant and the fast pace just makes you keep on reading. It is true that the books get darker as Harry grows up and it shows in the prose, but I guess that is part of the charm of this series. The main characters are written in a way that you think of them as your friends, and I think that every teenager and Harry Potter fan would have liked to visit the Hogwarts School Of Magic themselves. This series is definitely recommended for those who enjoy YA fantasy!

WARNING: Spoilers! I’ve tried to keep this summary short, but it’s almost impossible to keep it without spoilers… Please don’t read this summary if you haven’t read the previous books yet!

Harry and his friends are supposed to start their last year at Hogwarts, but after all that happened in the previous year they decide not to return to the magical school. Dumbledore has left Harry, Ron and Hermione with a special mission that they cannot tell the rest of the Order Of The Phoenix about… Voldemort has split his soul in order to survive and left the different pieces inside Horcruxes hidden in various places. It is up to the three friends to find the remaining Horcruxes and destroy them, because if they don’t Voldemort cannot be truly defeated. It is not an easy quest as they don’t know where the objects are or how to destroy them… And Dumbledore hasn’t left them with many easy clues. Will they be able to solve the puzzle on time and finally beat Voldemort?

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows is probably one of my favorites of the series. Even though there are so many sad moments and it was hard to accept this was actually the end of the series, J.K. Rowling did an amazing job with this last book. The final battle left me without words, as well as the epilogue… Those who have read this one already will understand why. This series is part of my childhood and I will always love revisiting the magical world of Harry Potter. The prose, the characters, the setting… Everything is just magical.

WWW Wednesdays #37 – April 29th

Originally featured at Should Be Reading and now hosted by Sam at Taking On A World Of Words, WWW WEDNESDAYS is still about answering the following three questions:

• What are you currently reading?

I have been reading Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige since yesterday and I’m absolutely loving it so far. I’m definitely going to try and finish it before the end of this month! Same goes for Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows; I’m about 70% into the story and it’s incredible how many new details I’m discovering while I’m rereading this last book in the HP series!

• What did you recently finish reading?

I finished Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead the other day and I cannot say I enjoyed reading it. I guess cheesy vampire stories are just not for me, especially if the main character is such an arrogant pain in the ***… I also finished The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka for my TBR Pile challenge, a novel that was ok in general but not the influential classic I thought it would be. Luckily my current reads are better!

• What do you think you’ll read next?

Using my TBR jar a while back got me A Twist In The Tale by Jeffrey Archer, a book I can conveniently use for my Bookish Bingo Girly Geek challenge… It was written in 1988, the year I was born. 😀 I’m also looking forward to be finally reading Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan… I’ve heard mixed things about it, but it sounds like an interesting read.

WWW Wednesdays #36 – April 22nd

Originally featured at Should Be Reading and now hosted by Sam at Taking On A World Of Words, WWW WEDNESDAYS is still about answering the following three questions:

• What are you currently reading?

I started reading The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand the other day and even though it is an interesting read, it’s so sad at the same time! I needed a break from all the sadness before actually finishing it, so I’ve started reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell last night as well. I’m not too far into the story yet, but so far it delivers.

• What did you recently finish reading?

I finished reading I’ll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson the other day, a novel that has been on my radar for a while now and I’m glad I’ve finally read it. The prose is really colorful to say the least, and the story itself interesting. A full review will follow shortly! I’ve also read Evensong by Krista Walsh, a novel that had a promising blurb but ended up being a huge disappointment…

• What do you think you’ll read next?

As I’m trying to complete my Ready For Spring Bingo chart as soon as possible, I’m probably going to read Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead next (Forgotten Fridays Pick). I’m not sure I will end up liking that one, but I will give it a go… Either that or I will read Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows first so I can finally finish my HP series reread. (Also part of the bingo chart… A reread.)