October and November Wrap Up 2017 | Only one month left!

It’s been very long since I sat down and wrote a post for my blog! Too long! But as you all know, life has a tendency to get in the way and ruin your plans. Fear not! No matter how busy December is going to be, I am ready to watch tons of Christmas Movies and type type type on my keyboard, while wrapped up in a cozy robe with a steaming cup of tea by my side.

Alright, alright.. let’s actually start talking about books!

If you’ve been following my blog, you know that I’ve been in kind of a reading slump for the past couple of months. It doesn’t completely go away but I was still able to read a few books in October and November, so let’s quickly go through them.

October 1st – «Homegoing» by Yaa Gyasi.

An amazing story that weaves through generations, starting with Effia and Esi, two sisters in eighteenth century Ghana, and following their children and grandchildren as the time changes, as destinies intertwine. I became a true fan of Yaa Gyasi’s writing and genuine characters she created. There is a detailed review on my blog with all the feels, make sure to check it out if you are interested to know more.

October 2nd – «Gray Wolf Island» by Tracey Neithercott.

The story begins by introducing us two sisters – Sadie and Ruby, but Sadie dies and Ruby is left with a promise. When I read the blurb of the book, I was intrigued by the treasure hunt and remote island, but what I got was something different and didn’t entirely sit well with me. My review is up on the blog for more details.

 

October 5th – «Fragments of the Lost» by Megan Miranda.

If you are looking for a dark thriller to enjoy during stormy winter nights, this is exactly what you need! Jenna is back in Caleb’s house, his room after his death and she does not belong there. Does his mother blame her for what happened to her son? Why did she ask her to pack his things? She is watching Jenna’s every step, but why?

October 22nd – «Tarnished City» by Vic James.

This might be my second favourite series after Harry Potter! There are so many political intrigues and magic, I absolutely love it! I am not even sure why so little people talk about this series when it’s so captivating and clever?!

Vic James created the Great Britain ruled by Skilled, by magic and by power, while unSkilled must do their slave days before they can live their own life. But are they ever free?

October 22nd – «Frozen Charlotte» by Alex Bell.

We’re waiting for you to come and play.

Three words: Creepy, Haunting and Weird. And I might never play with dolls ever again! And I can’t believe I used to love those ceramic dolls when I was little.. creepy.

November 4th – «A Time of Dread» by John Gwynne.

I was lucky to get the ARC of the first book in his new series Of Blood and Bone. I haven’t read the Faithful and the Fallen series to which this one is related, but it is definitely on my reading list right now! This was by far the most enjoyable epic fantasy I’ve ever read. A little bit slow at times, but I fell in love with the characters, as they are so different from each other.

November 5th – «The Science of Breakable Things» by Tae Keller.

I will be adding this book to my favourites list. In this incredibly emotional story, told through entries in a scientific journal, Natalie is trying to find out how to get her mom back, how to make her smile again and leave her room. There is always hope, even in the science of breakable things.

November 12th – «Gemina» by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff.

Do you remember how much I talked about Illuminae and how I absolutely loved the way the story was told? Well, guess what? It gets boring.

I still loved the sci-fi elements, but.. The second book felt exactly the same as the first, if that make sense. The same sarcastic dialogues, love, death, everything was too similar, even though the characters were different. I will still be reading the third book once it comes out in March next year, just because I need to know how all of this ends!

November 12th – «Little Pierrot Vol 1: Get the Moon» by Alberto Varanda and «The Little Red Wolf» by  Amélie Fléchais.

On the same day I read Gemina, I decided that it was time for some children’s graphic novels and picked up two that stood out the most to me on NetGalley and was quite disappointed by both. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous, especially of the Little Pierrot (I loved the cartoonish feel of these), but stories were either too confusing or too dark for me to enjoy.

November 26th – «The New Dark» by Lorraine Thomson.

Another disappointment of the previous month. I should make myself a promise that I will stop reading books that I don’t like from the very beginning. I always hope that at some point they will get better, but that almost never happens and I end up dragging myself into yet another reading slump.

I gave this one 2 stars because there were moments that I enjoyed, but for the most part, Sorrel, the “hero” main character, just ran away or stood and watch others getting killed. What can I even say about Sorrel? She hates her birthmark and hates when people try to use her because of her birthmark, but at the same time she has no idea what it means. Oh, and there are mutants! Which at first I thought were some scary creatures. Nope! Just modified humans.

November 29th – «If I was Your Girl» by Meredith Russo.

This is definitely the story that I won’t forget. Andrew Hardy always wanted to be a girl. From very early years he felt like he didn’t fit in his own body. But children can be very cruel and Andrew will have to be brave and strong to become who he was always meant to be. Gripping and very captivating, this story will not leave you indifferent.

Phew! That was a lot of books!  

Remind me next time to not combine two wrap ups ever again! On the brighter side, I managed to read quite a lot of books even during the reading slump, which I am very happy about!

Have you read any of these books? Let me know in the comments down below!

With love, Alex