YVO’S SHORTIES #71 – Big Little Lies & Outlander

Time for another round of Yvo’s Shorties! This time around two books I have been meaning to read for a long time and finally decided to read in 2018. Both turned out to be more than pleasant surprises! Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.

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Title: Big Little Lies
Author: Liane Moriarty
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Mystery
First published: July 29th 2014
Publisher: Berkley
Finished reading: December 23rd 2018
Pages: 460

“They say it’s good to let your grudges go, but I don’t know, I’m quite fond of my grudge. I tend it like a little pet.”

I’ve been meaning to read another Liane Moriarty book for a long time, and I’m probably the last person on earth to finally pick up Big Little Lies. I kind of picked it up on a whim while browsing my kindle, and I definitely not regret making that decision. There is no doubt that Liane Moriarty knows how to write an intriguing mystery that goes out with a huge bang. I liked how she kept what happened that fatal night a secret in such a way that you don’t have a clue about the who or why until the final bombshell is dropped. I definitely didn’t see the ending coming! The plot is both intricate and well constructed and part of the reason this story is such a success. I liked the idea of following the three main characters is the weeks before the incident, especially since they are mixed with those police interview bits to keep you intrigued and curious about what happened. You will be on the edge of your seat until you find out all the details! I wasn’t sure about every character, but their development is without doubt very well done. Each character has its own background and problems, and while there were a few cliches involved, I could really appreciate the abuse angle and the necessary attention it brings to the fact it ‘can happen to anyone’. There is a lot of drama and some of it was a bit farfetched, but the ending definitely makes up for it. All in all Big Little Lies was a success for me and I’ll be looking forward to watching the TV adaptation.

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Title: Outlander
(Outlander #1)
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy
First published: June 1st 1991
Publisher: Dell
Finished reading: December 28th 2018
Pages: 866

“Sometimes our best actions result in things that are most regrettable. And yet you could not have acted otherwise.”

I have been meaning to read Outlander for years now, but both the sheer size of the books and the fact that I wasn’t sure the story would be for me made me hesitate for a long time. I don’t mind big books if they are good, but I feared there would be way too much romance involved for me to tolerate… But Outlander turned out to be the exception to that rule. Once I finally started reading and finished the first few chapters, I knew Outlander and me were going to get along just fine. All in all it took me about a week to finish it, which is not bad at all for such a beast of a book… And I had a surprisingly good time with it as well. Why surprisingly, would you say? Well, there are a lot of sexy scenes involved in Outlander, something that normally makes me drop a book like hot coals and discard it right away. They still made me cringe at points (adult content just isn’t for me ladies!), but the rest of the story was intriguing enough for me to tolerate them. The writing is excellent and the worldbuilding is sublime. I really felt like I were in Scotland myself along with the main characters; the descriptions of both the time period and surroundings extremely well done. The time travel aspect is also very interesting, especially since it comes back repeatedly in for example Claire’s profession as a nurse in the 20th century. I really liked Jamie as a character and while Claire can be exasperating at points, she does make for a good story. The story flowed well and managed to keep my attention all the way to the end. I’m definitely glad I finally give in and read Outlander, and I will be looking forward to read the sequel this year.

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WWW Wednesdays #203 – January 2nd

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?

A new year and a new start! After one caipirinha (Brazilian cocktail) on NYE, I needed something easy on the brain so I decided to pick up Goodreads Choice Awards winner The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. Sadly, it turns out to be another case of not-for-me. Sexy scenes and romance cliches? This isn’t going to end well… I’m also starting the sequel The Crown Of Embers by Rae Carson as part of my vow to finish more series this year. And Mala Vida by Marc Fernandez is an upcoming ARC I need to read ASAP. The blurb sounds fascinating, so I’m looking forward to it now that I have recovered from my hangover.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (4/5 stars) REVIEW 07/01
Once I finally started reading and finished the first few chapters, I knew Outlander and me were going to get along just fine. All in all it took me about a week to finish it, which is not bad at all for such a beast of a book… And I had a surprisingly good time with it as well. Why surprisingly, would you say? Well, there are a lot of sexy scenes involved in Outlander, something that normally makes me drop a book like hot coals and discard it right away. They still made me cringe at points (adult content just isn’t for me ladies!), but the rest of the story was intriguing enough for me to tolerate them. The writing is excellent and the worldbuilding is sublime.

2. The Girl Without Skin by Mads Peder Nordbo (4/5 stars) REVIEW 03/01
I was without doubt more than pleasantly surprised by The Girl Without Skin. I like my crime thrillers dark and disturbing, and an interesting international setting is always a bonus for me. This story isn’t for those with a weak stomach, as there are a lot of graphic scenes involved including violence, bloodcurdling murder scenes and abuse. The Greenland setting is excellently executed and it felt like I were there myself along with the main characters… The story itself chilled me to the bone. If you like dark crime thrillers, you should definitely give this one a go!

3. A Spark Of Light by Jodi Picoult (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 10/01
I’ll start off with saying that abortion is a very tricky topic to write about, and I think Jodi Picoult did it splendidly. Her writing style is just as strong as ever and I also loved the reversed time chapter technique she used. I admit I was confused at first because I didn’t realize that straight away, but I think it adds a little something extra to the story. Why? It’s simply very intriguing to meet the characters at such a critical point in their lives and then slowly find out how they got there… I did see part of the final plot twist bombs coming, although not all. The ending was a bit abrupt for me, and I personally would have liked to see the main characters being followed up for a while longer.

4. Doll Bones by Holly Black (2,5/5 stars) REVIEW 10/01
I was looking for a little something different to read and when I came across this title on my kindle I decided to pick it up on a whim. Sadly, I can’t say I actually enjoyed reading the story. I can’t put my finger exactly on the why, but part of it had to do that I didn’t like the characters and I had a hard time connecting to the story. The story wasn’t exactly credible and not as scary as I would have thought either.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I have two NG ARCs that are up next: Here And Now And Then by Mike Chen and The Couple On Cedar Close by Anna-Lou Weatherley. I also want to read Artemis by Andy Weir, since I’ve been meaning to do so ever since it came out. The Martian is one of my all time favorites, but I’ve been told not to set my expectations too high to avoid disappointment… Well see how things go I guess. My newest TBR jar pick is still The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble.

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WWW Wednesdays #201 – December 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 in the middle of the Christmas At Hogwarts #magicalfeast2018 readathon, and currently I’m on to book number four A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig. I discovered this series some time ago when I read the ARC of the third book of the series, and I’m excited to be binge-reading the first two books this close to Christmas! I’m also enjoying my time with Outlander so far, although I’ve put it on hold until I finish the readathon titles. I’m currently at 16%, so there’s still a long way to go…

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Vengeful by V.E. Schwab (4,5/5 stars) REVIEW 20/12
As soon as I started, I just couldn’t make myself stop… V.E. Schwab is one of my absolute favorite authors, and Vengeful is without doubt a brilliant sequel. It’s been too long to properly compare it with the first book, but what I do know is that I loved every single minute of my time with book two. While the plot is actually quite simple, it is both the writing style and character development that blow you away.

2. Perdimos Nuestro Camino (I Have Lost My Way) by Gayle Forman (4/5 stars) REVIEW 21/12
I was super excited to receive my very first book mail ever through the Masa Critica program at Babelio, and of course I couldn’t resist picking it up straight away. It’s the Spanish translation of I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman and without doubt an excellent title. Both the writing style and character development really stood out for me. The author sure has a way of creating unique and diverse characters! My heart went out for them and the ending left me craving for more…

3. The Deal Of A Lifetime by Fredrik Backman (3/5 stars) REVIEW 26/12
I’m a big fan of Fredrik Backman’s books and I really needed to start reading more Christmas themed stories, so I thought this would be a perfect fit… I was surprise to have a less than positive reaction to the story. I admit the story is clever in a way, but somehow I wasn’t able to connect to the characters or writing and the plot was all over the place. Interesting premise, but this time around he failed to hit the mark for me.

4. Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald (/5 stars) REVIEW 23/12
I know contemporary romance isn’t really my thing, but I like to step out of my comfort zone every once in a while and this title sounded like a lot of fun. The writing is fast and there were without doubt some very witty moments, but there were also characters who started to get on my nerves and there were quite a few cliches involved. I admit I had a good time reading this one though.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

There is no doubt I’ll pick up The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig next as I want to read both books in a row. I’m then reading Down Among The Sticks And Bones by Seanan McGuire next, which is also my final #magicalfeast2018 book. I loved the first book, and I’ve been looking forward to continue the series ever since. And as an early Christmas present to myself I will be reading Bridge To Burn by Rachel Amphlett during the weekend! I can’t wait to spend more time with Kay Hunter. ❤ My newest TBR jar pick is still The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble.

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WWW Wednesdays #200 – December 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 going to try and focus solely on Outlander by Diana Gabaldon during the rest of the week to see if I can make a proper dent into the story. It’s going to be tricky though, because I have a copy of Vengeful staring at me demanding to be read… I’m not sure how much longer I can resist temptation.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 13/12
Girl With A Pearl Earring turned out to be a very interesting story set in the 1660s in a Dutch city called Delft. The description of both the setting and era is very well done, and I like how the author stayed true to the Dutch names. The writing was solid and made it easy to follow Griet’s story as things develop. There were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way though.

2. My Life In A Cat House by Gwen Cooper (4/5 stars) REVIEW 18/12
I knew I wanted to read My Life In A Cat House as soon as I saw the gorgeous cat on the cover. A memoir written by a fellow cat admirer? Yes please! I admit I hadn’t heard of Gwen Cooper before I started this memoir, but this hasn’t prevented me from highly enjoying her different ‘tails’ about her five cats. We get to know each of them through memories and anecdotes about why each cat is unique in its own way. My Life In A Cat House will make a great gift for any cat owner or cat lover in general.

3. The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena (4/5 stars) REVIEW 20/12
There have been a lot of mixed reviews around this one, and I definitely think I have benefitted from waiting until the hype died down. I ended up enjoying this domestic thriller way better than I thought I would .There are some things to be said about the writing style and the credibility of it all, but overall it was without doubt an entertaining ride and the ending definitely was unexpected. I’ll be looking forward to read more of her work now!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab has been calling me ever since I got a copy and I don’t think I can resist much longer. I’ve been dying to find out how things continue! I’m also planning to read the pending ARC Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald soon as it sounds like a fun read. And as part of the whole gift to myself and reading mostly my own books until next year, I want to read Down Among The Sticks And Bones by Seanan McGuire. I loved the first book, and I’ve been looking forward to continue the series ever since. My newest TBR jar pick is still The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble.

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WWW Wednesdays #199 – December 5th

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 almost finished with Girl With A Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier, the final book for the When Are You Reading? challenge. I could have finished it days ago, but I’ve been busy prepping and painting walls, ceilings and other DIY stuff, leaving me without much free time to do other things… Including all things bookish. It also explains why I’ve been MIA lately… The fun part is that I’m still not finished either. xD I promise I will bloghop and answer all pending comments soon!

I’m also starting the ARC My Life In A Cat House by Gwen Cooper. How could I resist that cover? It sounds like an interesting read as well… And yes, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon finally appears on my currently reading list. I’m hoping to making a dent in the story as soon as I finish my other current reads.

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Blue Blood by Sara Blaedel (4/5 stars) REVIEW 13/12
This translation from a Danish crime writer (also called Call Me Princess in some translations) was without doubt an entertaining ride. The writing style was easy to like, and I just loved the setting in Denmark. I was drawn to the story and plot straight away, and found myself literally flying through the pages… Trigger warnings are in place for rape and violence, but the subject is really well handled and reading more about the dangers of online dating is definitely intriguing.

2. A Woman Of War by Mandy Robotham (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 08/12
There is no doubt that A Woman Of War offers quite an original take on a what if? situation that could have changed everything. I’m not sure what to make of the way the pro-Nazi characters are portrayed, but it is definitely quite unique no matter how you feel about it. The writing was solid and I especially enjoyed Anke’s flashbacks even though the parts set in Ravensbrück were quite brutal. All in all an interesting although a bit unorthodox WWII historical fiction read.

3. Love Looks Pretty On You by Lang Leav (2,5/5 stars) REVIEW 11/12
Unfortunately, I can’t say Love Looks Pretty On You turned out to be an entirely positive experience. There was just something about the writing style and tone this time around that didn’t manage to convince me completely. I found that the poems in Love Looks Pretty On You lacked proper cohesion between them and there was no absolute theme and obvious connection between all of them. Instead of the positive tone I was expecting from the title, there were a lot of negative feelings portrayed in the poems. Not bad perse, but not what I expected and somehow I wasn’t able to connect to most of the poems.

4. The Songbird Girls by Richard Parker (4/5 stars) REVIEW 19/12
I always enjoy reading Richard Parker‘s thrillers, and this sequel to a new detective series is no exception. The writing style makes it easy to fully emerge yourself in the story, and the case detective Tom Fabian has to investigate this time around is without doubt fascinating. I love myself a good serial killer mystery! I did have my doubts about certain aspects of the credibility of it all and I was surprised to see this story was rather ‘mild’ compared to his other dark, twisted and nailbiting stories… But it was without doubt an entertaining and still thrilling read. And that ending! I’m definitely impatient to find out what will happen in the next one.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

Sorry Not Sorry by Sophie Ranald is one of my next pending ARCs, and it sounds like a superfun read at that. Just the change of genre I need! I also want to read A Spark Of Light by Jodi Picoult some time soon… And I need to read the ARC The Girl Without Skin by Mads Peder Nordbo soon as well. My newest TBR jar pick is still The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble.

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WWW Wednesdays #198 – November 28th

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 titles… The first a historical fiction ARC set during WWII: A Woman Of War by Mandy Robotham. The second one of the physical copies I got during our Europe trip and one I’ve been meaning to read: Blue Blood by Sara Blaedel. I totally didn’t realize this was the second book of a series, so fingers crossed it can be read as a stand-alone.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

1. Children Of Blood And bone by Tomi Adeyemi (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW 09/12
While I do have to say that this first book of a new high fantasy series failed to blow me away completely, I can also understand the love for this story. In fact, I was going to give it an even higher rating before the appearance of the romance scenes… Which I felt were completely unnecessary and made me feel a little disappointed. The writing is good though, and I really like the idea behind Children Of Blood And Bone. The quest was a bit too simple to my taste, and the plot twists a bit too abrupt, but overall it was without doubt a very entertaining YA fantasy read with pleasant enough characters.

2. Hunting Annabelle by Wendy Heard (3,5/5 stars) REVIEW
If you are looking for an interesting thriller read with an original touch, Hunting Annabelle is a good option. Set in 1986, this story doesn’t follow the typical thriller structure and plot and with the help of unreliable narrator Sean you will find yourself spinning in circles while you try to figure out what is happening. The final twists were a bit too farfetched and over the top to be credible for me, but it definitely isn’t something you will see coming… Dark, intriguing, a healthy dose of blood and serial killer and a very interesting mental health angle: Hunting Annabelle has it all.

3. Babel by Gaston Dorren (3/5 stars) REVIEW 04/12
Some of you might already know I’m actually a philologist and linguistics has always been one of my favorite areas of study. Therefore I thought Babel would be perfect for me… I mean, traveling the world through twenty languages that together can make you communicate with at least half of the world population? Sounds like pretty much a dream topic for philologists to me. Sadly, this book failed to hit the mark completely for me.

4. Heresy by Melissa Lenhardt (3/5 stars) REVIEW 05/12
The idea of a historical fiction read with a Western vibe about a gang of female outlaws sounded absolutely fascinating, so I’ve been looking forward to Heresy. While I still think the idea behind this story is fascinating, somehow I wasn’t able to enjoy the execution as much as I thought I would. Between the slower pace, lack of cohesion and parts that dragged, it took me a relatively long time to reach the final page. And while I rooted for Margaret and her gang, I also somehow just wanted to get it over with… And that’s never a good feeling. I do think this was mostly me though, so if you don’t mind a slower pace and an unusual format, you will probably enjoy this one.

5. PLUS+ by Bethany Rutter (4/5 stars) REVIEW 10/12
I know, I know, you are probably as surprised as I am to see this title pop up on my blog. PLUS+ isn’t just a little out of my comfort zone, it’s waaaaaay out. But, as someone who has struggled with her weight her whole life, there was just something about this title that drew me in.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

With only one month left in 2018, I really need to step up my goal game and finally read my 800+ pages book. So I’m going to start Outlander by Diana Gabaldon soon! I’ll probably read it in between other books depending on how much I like it. I also need to read a few more pending ARCs… The Songbird Girls by Richard Parker and Here And Now And Then by Mike Chen are probably next. My newest TBR jar pick is still The Insect Farm by Stuart Prebble; I won’t be able to get to it this month, but I’m hoping to read it before the year is over.

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WWW Wednesdays #79 – February 24th

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 still haven’t finished All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr… Don’t get me wrong, I love this book so far both because of the prose, setting and characters, but somehow I haven’t been in the mood to read it. I’m fearing a starting reading slump, so I am trying to read quick, ‘easy’ or different reads instead. I’ve just picked up Bestiario by Julio Cortázar as well to start working on my promise to read more Spanish books; I’ve read a lot of his short stories during Uni and it’s nice to revisit them.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

* The first book I finished was Every Day by David Levithan. I had my reservations and wasn’t sure what to expect, but it turned out to be an excellent read.
* I then read Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn mostly because I needed something short and entertaining to get me to read again. Like the title says, this book is without doubt strange, mysterious and very intriguing! Recommendable.
* I also finished Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas, a book I picked up on a whim after remembering how much I loved Dangerous Girls last year. I still prefer that one, although Dangerous Boys is almost as good. Abigail Haas knows how to play with the reader’s mind!
* The last book I finished is Mr. Kiss And Tell by Rob Thomas, a Veronica Mars sequel that didn’t really live up to expectations. I loved the first book, but the sequel read a bit slow and failed to keep my attention. There was too much focus on the relationship between Veronica and Logan and politics and the actual case they were working on was pushed to the background…

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I really want to pick up The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton soon; both because I have been looking forward to it for quite some time now and I need it for a challenge as well. I might read Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson first though if I’m in the mood for a light read…. And I also finally want to stick to my promise and start with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, but that depends on how I feel after finishing my current reads. The Liar’s Chair by Rebecca Whitney is still my newest TBR jar pick.

WWW Wednesdays #78 – February 17th

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 started All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr a few days ago and so far I’m in love with the prose. It’s so beautifully written! It’s been a while since I last read a WWII themed story as well, so I’m really enjoying this novel. I’ve also started Every Day by David Levithan, although it’s still too early to tell if I like it or not.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

* The first book I finished was Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider, my last TBR jar pick. I literally flew through the pages and I really loved the story and its characters.
* I then read Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, which turned out to be a lot better than both Gone Girl and Dark Places. Sick, twisted, disturbing, but very well done.
* The last book I finished since last week is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, and it sure took me a long time to do just that. I know everybody seems to love this read, but unfortunately I wasn’t blown away by it. I didn’t hate it either, but I just expected more of it… More about my problems in the full review.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

I really want to pick up The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton soon; both because I have been looking forward to it for quite some time now and I need it for a challenge as well. I might read Mr. Kiss And Tell by Rob Thomas first though since I’m in the mood for a mystery read and I loved the first book. I also finally want to stick to my promise and start with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon as soon as I finish All The Light We Cannot See… And The Liar’s Chair by Rebecca Whitney is my new TBR jar pick.

WWW Wednesdays #77 – February 10th

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 still not that far into Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, but I plan to change that today. Hopefully I will like it as much as everyone that has recommended this novel to me! I’m also still decided whether to DNF Eve by Iris Johansen or not. I have put it on hold for now, but the combination of a misleading blurb (it was supposed to be the first in a trilogy, but ended up being book number twelve in a series, so a lot of background is missing) and sexual attraction/romance scenes that make me cringe really make me not want to continue reading it.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

* The first book I finished was Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, a book I ended up enjoying despite my initial reservations about the love triangle. I loved the worldbuilding, plot and action and will be picking up the sequel soon.
* I then picked up Never Never Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher to finally find out how the story ends, and I ended up being VERY disappointed with how they decided to conclude the story.
* I was actually going to DNF the last read, Death Of Secrets by Bowen Greenwood and in a way I wish I did, because it really was a bad read. Lousy characters, chaotic plot and I didn’t like the prose either… I just couldn’t concentrate on the story even though the general idea of the story does have potential.

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

As soon as I finish Me Before You, I will pick up All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. I was actually planning on picking it up during the weekend but I didn’t have a lot of time to read… I also want to make a start with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon so I can finally begin with this series I have been wanting to read for ages. And I want to give Gillian Flynn another go and read her other novel Sharp Objects as well. My latest TBR jar pick is still Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider.

WWW Wednesdays #63 – November 4th

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

• WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

I’m about 60% into The Valentine Circle by Reinaldo DelValle and while it’s not a mindblowing read, the general plot is interesting enough for me to keep reading. I will probably end up finishing it later today… I still haven’t continued with Outlander by Diana Gabaldon; not because I’m not enjoying it, but there are a few other books I want to finish first before fully commiting to this giant.

• WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

Three books and a novella this week; not bad at all…
* The first is The Fear Trials by Lindsay Cummings; an excellent prequel novella that gives the perfect introduction to the story and will convince you to read the rest of the series.
* Next up is Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver, a novel that kept popping up at my TBR lists and finally decided to pick up. Not a bad read, but I wasn’t overwhelmed by it either…
* I then decided to read The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey since it was the last title on my October TBR I hadn’t started yet. I know other people love this series, but I wasn’t convinced by the sequel either.
* After two mediocre reads, I wanted something good and decided to pick up the Anna sequel Girl Of Nightmares by Kendare Blake. While not as good as the first book, this one is still really good!

• WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

As soon as I finish The Valentine Circle, I will either start Six Of Crows by Leigh Bardugo or Carry On by Rainbow Rowell. Basically I’m superexcited to read both and I will be having a hard time deciding which one to pick up first. I also want to read Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling since it’s nominated for the Goodreads Choice awards… And my new TBR jar pick is Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.