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Books I Read in January 2022!

My reading goal this year was to start with one book a week, which went really well! My non-numerous goal this year is to just enjoy my books and not rushing my reads, so this is a great balance for me!

1. Dust by Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor - I read this for university, and while this is an extremely beautiful written book, I just could not enjoy it because of it's complexity. I am aware that this makes my rating extremely subjective, but you have to read between the lines so much and have to have so much background knowledge to understand the context (historically and culturally) that this was just really hard to get through. It was frustrating at times because I really wanted to understand, but couldn't. I like a challenging read, but this one just wasn't for me at this point of my life (or at least literary experience). 2/5

2. Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert - I started this series last year and really enjoyed the first book, and the second one did not disappoint! I really loved the insight into a literature doctorate and in general, just liked the dynamic between Dani and Saf. I listened to this as an audiobook, which I expected to be cringy when it comes to the steamy parts, but it was actually quite alright! If you like romance like The Love Hypothesis, I'm sure you'll like this one! 4.5/5

3. You'll Be The Death of Me by Karen McManus - Having thoroughly enjoyed McManus' books so far, I was indeed a little disappointed with this one. The book is yet again a YA-murder mystery, but it felt very repetitive knowing her other books; if you read mystery, you want everything to feel brand new and interesting, otherwise you won't have that *icantputthisbookdown* spark. And I definitely could put this book down. I really liked The Cousins and One of Us Is Lying, but this one did not feel like a whiff of fresh air, it felt like writing new characters in a template already used.... 2/5

4. Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert - I just had to finish off this trilogy right away, and I did love this one just as much. The setting at the BnB, the very lovable characters and the fantastic, witty writing. Amazing. I cannot wait to read more from Talia Hibbert. 4/5

5. Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig - This was an AMAZING read. I am usually not big on non-fiction books, but this one blew my mind. The talk about mental health, stress and how it is connected to our modern world and especially social media was really inspiring. It made me reflect on my media consumption and also more aware of it. A definite recommendation! 5/5

#books i read in january #books #booklr #reading #reads #read #book #booktok #Book Recommendations

Books I Read In November

Hi! It's been a while and I've been in an absolute reading slump but here is what I've read in November! Also, if anyone has recommendations for fast-paced romances to get me out of this reading slump, please do tell! <3

1. Window Shopping - Tessa Bailey (3/5) I was really excited for this book and I looved the whole window decorating theme?? I also enjoyed the reversed sunshine/grumpy trope as I haven't read much of it before. The book was good and fun to read, but that was all it was to me. I'm super excited for Hook, Line and Sinker next year!!

2. November 9 - Colleen Hoover (5/5) I held on to this book until November to get the fall/early winter vibes and it was definitely worth it. Looking at my initial rating of the book, I loved it while I was reading it and it was so engaging, but the more I think about this book and especially Ben's character, the more flaws I spot. Right now, this probably would be more of a 3 or 4 out of 5, but I'll leave my initial rating as it reflects my reading experience. However, be aware that this book definitely has some flaws in my opinion!

3. The Love Hypothesis - Ali Hazelwood (5/5) I literally cannot tell you the reason why I put this book off for so long. It was SO good?? I literally devoured this book and loved everything about it: the conversation about academia, women in stem, relationships, friendships everything!!! This book delivered and is so worth the hype. I cannot wait for Ali's novellas next year!

And that is it my friends! "only" three books this month, but, as I like to stress, the amount of books you read in a month/year does not define how "good" of a reader you are. As long as you read out of pure enjoyment, the number of books you read is so irrelevant!

Have a great December and happy holidays to the ones who are celebrating. xx

#books #reading #booksofnovember #novemberbooks #november 9 #colleen hoover #booklr #tbr #favorite books #romance #the love hypothesis #ali hazelwood #window shopping #tessa bailey

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okay, don't get me wrong, i think lucy hale is a great pick to star in 'the hating game' BUT IF THEY DONT GIVE HER BLUE CONTACT LENSES I WILL THROW HANDS. HOW. WILL. THEY. MAKE. IT. WORK. IF SHE DOESNT HAVE BLUE EYES??? i'm mad.

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update after watching the trailer: SHE DOESNT HAVE BLUE EYES

#the hating game #sally thorne

Books I Read in October

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson - Amazing. If you liked Normal People, I’m pretty sure you’ll like this one. I liked it even better as it has some really important conversations about being Black in there as well. Stunning writing and a quick read.

Passing by Nella Larsen - Another really quick read which will be interesting for fans of ‘The Vanishing Half’! Gets you thinking!

Der erste letzte Tag by Sebastian Fitzek - This is a German novel from an author who usually writes thrillers. It was fun, the characters were well thought-through, but that was about it for me.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - A really interesting novel that follows the family of two sisters over the span of 250 years, starting in Ghana and going across the ocean to current times in the U.S.. The novel could have been a bit longer, the last few chapters felt a little rushed, but other than that a beautiful novel with amazing writing.

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah - I really enjoyed this book and Kristin Hannah has just the most relatable characters in the whole world. Kate??? My heart broke for her.

Taboo by Kim Scott - An important book and deals a lot with intergenerational trauma and Aboriginal suffering. Really well written.

Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid -A re-read. I needed a pick-me-up to get out of a reading slump and this was the perfect book for it. I love this book with all my heart.

October TBR

I hope you all have your TBR-stack ready for October! With Uni starting, I don’t know how much reading I’ll get done, but I’m excited for the books on the list!

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Der erste letzte Tag by Sebastian Fitzek

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Passing by Nella Larsen

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

#Tbr #october #readings #october reads #booklr #open water #caleb azumah nelson #salt to the sea #ruta septeys #der erste letzte tag #sebastian fitzek #the kite runner #khaled hosseini #passing #nella larsen #the picture of dorian gray #oscar wilde #jane austen #northanger abbey

Books I Read in September

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry - I tried not to get too excited going into this book, as hyped up books always seem to disappoint me. But this one absolutely did not. It made me smile and my heart ache all at the same time. Perfect for the last rays of summer-sunshine at the beginning of the month! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker - This was a very heavy read and I had to put it away and come back to it a couple of times. I just didn’t find the writing to be engaging enough to finish it quickly, even though it was stunning. I liked the pov of Achilles! ⭐️⭐️

The Great Ex-Scape by Jo Watson - A cute, light-hearted romance but by no means on the same level as Love to Hate You by the same author. ⭐️⭐️

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey - Really cute and steamy, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of Brendan. His character was too bossy and a little shallow at times. ⭐⭐️⭐️

Heimat by Nora Krug - This is such an important book about heritage, culture and identity. Wonderful read. Definitely recommend! ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie - My first time ever reading this! It was cute and reminded me of my childhood crush. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

New Horizons by Lily Lucas - The fourth book in the “Green Valley Love” series and I’ve been waiting to get to Cole’s book. However, the female heroine in the book just wasn’t it for me. Cole deserved better :( ⭐⭐️

The Legacy - Elle Kennedy. I was deeply disappointed by the final book in the Off-Campus series. Apart from Dean and Allie’s novella, I felt like all the stories were extremely out of character for the couples. The same miscommunication dispute also bothered me. I think the series would’ve been better if Elle had ended with The Score. ⭐⭐️

Diver’s Heart by K.A. Knight - I went into this book thinking it was comparable to Ugly Love (judging plainly from the cover) but I couldn’t finish this. It was badly written imo and I just have to admit that I do not like reverse harem. Not my book! (DNF)

To Love Jason Thorn by Ella Maise - Oh my god, this book blew me away. It was very much cliché and rom-com-typey but it had all the spice and I loved the characters chemistry. A little cheesy at points and I was missing a little more solving of the characters problems at the end. ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️

To Hate Adam Connor by Ella Maise - I really liked Lucy in ‘To Love Jason Thorn’ and I was swept away by this book!!! The spice??? The heartache??? The relatable characters??? This book had it all and more and really hit home for me in more than one way. Definitely recommend! ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

listening to delicate by taylor swift while the characters in a slow-burn romance novel first hook up is an out of this world experience. 10/10 recommend.

#taylor swift #reputation #delicate #slow burn #romance #novels #reading

Books I Read In August

Better late than never, here are the 14 books I read in August! This was a very romance-y month, as I was on holiday for most of it and I really enjoy reading light romances when I’m away. My top three would have to be 1)The Spanish Love Deception, 2) Ugly Love and 3) The Heart Principle!

Wild by Kristin Hannah - Out of all her books I've read so far, this is probably my least favourite. And it doesn't have anything to do with the impeccable writing style, I think it is just the overall theme and plot that didn't interest me as much. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

New Beginnings by Lily Lucas - I listened to this as an audiobook and while this was definitely fun, it didn't have any type of wow-factor for me personally. But the whole au-pair trope was definitely some fresh air in the romance department! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

101 Essays that will Change the Way you Think by Brianna West - I heard many very mixed opinions about this book and I am definitely with them on this one. While some essays really hit home and felt extremely well written, others seemed unfinished or out of place. Fun to flip through but I wouldn't buy a second edition (if there were one). ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas - OH. MY. GOD. This book - I don't have any words. So many tropes: he falls first, enemies to lovers, fake-dating, all my favourites!!! This was such a fun, cute read I just couldn't put down. If you liked The Hating Game or Shipped, you will definitely love this! If anyone asks why my standards are so high, I will just hand them this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

New Promises by Lily Lucas - This was a refreshing take on a ‘standard’ friends to lovers romance. It actually kept me guessing until the very last chapter! I enjoyed reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Defy by L.J. Shen - This was a novella taking place before the first book in the ‘Sinners of Saint’ series and I really enjoyed it but I think it definitely deserved a full book of its own. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ruckus by L.J. Shen - This is the second book in the ‘Sinners of Saint’ series which I enjoyed in the beginning but felt more and more annoyed with towards the end. Especially the main character Rosie was getting on my nerves with her attitude and jealousy towards her sister.

New Dreams by Lily Lucas. This was the “weakest” book of the green valley series so far for me. I just couldn’t connect with the characters really well. ⭐️⭐️

Beach Read by Emily Henry - Hyped up extremely on BookTok atm, so I had high expectations. It’s a great book and I loved the story, but it was not anything that really blew me away. I would like, however, to give Gus and January a big hug. ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover - Again, extremely hyped up at the moment but WOW, I loved it. Colleen Hoover just does it over and over again with her books. Amazing, heartbreaking and so beautiful. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

The Alice Equation by Davina Stone - While I wasn’t wooed by the plot itself, I loved that the book takes place in Australia, which I always like. Curious to read the sequel about Polly as I found her to be a very interesting character! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lizzie & Dante by Mary Bly - I heard so, so many great things about this book but sadly was a little disappointed by it. While I loved the setting in Italy, the characters and story just didn’t do it for me. ⭐️⭐️

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory - I loved this! The jobs described in this book were really interesting to read about and I loved Alexa’s character. Drew, however, was way too jealous imo. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang - I was waiting for Quan to have his own story ever since he first appeared in The Kiss Quotient. And wow, this book did not disappoint! This book was so vulnerable, sweet and emotional, I loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

What was your favourite of the month?

Books I Read in July

I have to be honest, I don't think July was my favourite reading month ever! We started off VERY strong with The Book Thief, but it went a bit downhill for me after that; there just wasn't a book that completely wooed me. Let's see what August has on offer! What were your favourite July reads?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - This was amazing. So creative, so well thought out and incredibly heartfelt. I loved it so much, and it was deeply saddening, but such an important book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney - I really liked the multi-dimensional, well-thought out relationships in this book. However, I had the same problem with this book as I did with Normal People: the characters are so full of emotion which just don't come across on paper. Again, this would work so well as a show, but it lacked some depth for me as a novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Illuminae by Amy Kaufmann - This was really cool and such a different approach to writing a novel and I had fun with it. However, it didn’t really move me and I doubt it will stay at the top of my head when asked what my favourite books were. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just Kids by Patti Smith - This was extremely fun to read and gave me all the vibes I wanted. The writing is beautiful and poetic and you feel captivated by Patti’s story. What an amazing memoir that gives you a true insight into the artistic world of NYC. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune - As I am not typically a fan of fantasy, this book was quite new to me. I enjoyed it, but I just couldn’t connect with it on an emotional level. For that reason I might also found it to be a tad bit longer than it had to be. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breath by Tim Winton - I felt extremely close to this book. It is an ode to the sea, the waves and the beach and that is what I was hoping for when I picked this book up. Amazing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mein bester letzter Sommer by Anne Freytag - A little cheesy at some points but still a wonderful YA novel. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Burnt Sugar by Avni Doshi - A wonderfully written, heart-wrenching story about a very interesting mother-daughter dynamic. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan - This was really interesting and fun to read, all while being very short. I think you should definitely try this if you're in a reading slump! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"there are words i'll never learn to spell."

- aristotle and dante discover the secrets of the universe, 2012.

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Books I Read in June

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. This is the sequel to 'A Good Girl's Guide to Murder' and Pip is onto her second mystery in her small town of little kilton, and wow! I loved it!! The story, so carefully and witty constructed, the characters - amazing (pip is a badass!!!) and it's just so FUN to read. Definitely recommend this series to anyone looking for some good ya-mystery. can't wait for the final book later this year!

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. This book follows Aristotle and Dante through their teenage years. Oh my, I loved this so, so much. The writing was beautiful, the characters were great and I just had so much fun reading it. In fact, I loved this so much I will write a paper on this!!!

Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus. I've read all of Karen McManus' books so far, but I have to admit that this one felt like the weakest to me. I feel like dealing with three murders that all haven't been solved made this a really confusing read to me. I still enjoyed the authors writing and the characters, but it just wasn't my fav!

Turtles All The Way Down by John Green I was pretty disappointed by this book. I thought it had so much potential, but sadly didn’t live up to any of it. However, I still liked the mental health representation, even though this book definitely needs a TW for self-harm!!!

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah This book was hard to read at some points, but still so so beautiful. I am again amazed at how captivating Kristin Hannah writes her stories and makes the character so dang reliable. I don’t think I have anything negative to say about this book, I loved the insight into remote living in Alaska. Wonderfully done.

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi I feel like this book just wasn’t my cup of tea (or coffee, haha). I was constantly looking for a more philosophical message that I just couldn’t find.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid The queen has done it again. This was so, so good. I read this while laying at the pool in 35C degree weather and it was perfect. I loved the brilliantly executed characters and the whole vibe in general. Has TJR become my favourite author???

Trumpet by Jackie Kay This book was beautifully sad. All the characters and their feelings were so brilliantly done. The different stages and ways of mourning the characters went through were so amazingly described and just made my heart ache. This could be great for people who liked the seven husbands of evelyn hugo!

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman I had a hard time getting into the book, but I have to admit the end was well done. Gail Honeyman made it so easy to not like Eleanor Oliphant but you still felt for her deeply at the end. Well done, but I don't think I enjoyed it as much as others have previously.

Get A Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. I loved this romance. It has a great disability rep, the writing is fun and the story itself is just great. I particularly liked the healthy communication between the main characters - misunderstandings were never dragged out but talked about and resolved fairly quickly. One thing that bothered me was that the more intimate scenes felt like I was almost reading another book because the writing style was quite different. However, I was able to overlook that because of the book was just so great.

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. I really liked the idea behind this book, however, I wasn't the biggest fan of reading it. It is beautifully written and really clever, but I just couldn't connect with the characters/story too much.