The Girls at 17 Swan Street by Yara Zgheib

As much as I think that (1) mental illnesses should be talked about, (2) people should be aware and educated on these topics, and (3) feel free to speak about them to others to help them overcome their struggles, I’m also not usually the targeted audience for the books that are focused on “mental illnesses”. Normally I wouldn’t even pick them up.

«The Girls at 17 Swan Street» sounded like something I might enjoy, and besides, we are bound to leave our comfort zone from time to time. This was my attempt of trying something different, of expanding my reading horizons.

I didn’t dislike it, I didn’t enjoy it either. It was one of those books that once I put down, I didn’t want to pick up again.

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The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons | The First Disappointment of 2019

Usually, when a new release is compared to Brandon Sanderson, John Gwynne, and Patrick Rothfuss, you’d expect it to be good, right? Or at least decent.

I was promised this: Uniting the worldbuilding of a Brandon Sanderson with the storytelling verve of a Patrick Rothfuss, debut author Jenn Lyons delivers an entirely new and captivating fantasy epic. Prepare to meet the genre’s next star.

Instead, I got the worst book I’ve read in a long time. I have 10 pages of highlights from 60% of the book and most of them are BAD!, so let’s get started!

The First BookHaul of 2019!

Many people begin the new year with clearing their bookshelves, to purge and make room for all the new releases of 2019. I, however, am still not ready to give away my books.

Besides, beginning the new year with a book haul, instead of an unhaul is so much more pleasurable! And that is what we are doing today.

Since my last haul in July 2018, I’ve accumulated another 17 books, featured below:

Whisper by Lynette Noni | A new favorite young adult Sci-fi!

There is something about Young Adult Sci-fi / Dystopian series like Divergent, the Hunger Games, the 5th Wave, that appeal to me more than anything else.

Whisper by Lynette Noni was an unexpected page-turner that kept me awake at nights. What can you not like in a book full of political manipulations, secret governmental facilities, special abilities, and hidden experiments?!

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton | A Unique Murder Mystery for Agatha Christie fans!

What do you do when someone dies at her own welcome party? And what the day repeats itself over and over again, and you watch Evelyn Hardcastle kill herself for the thousands of times?

Aiden Bishop knows what it feels like when you are incapable of helping, watching the death approach again and again. Watching it through the eyes of 8 different hosts, 8 different people with their own habits, strengths, and weaknesses.  Watching and hoping that the next day you will come closer to solving this mystery.

The Universe is Expanding and so am I by Carolyn Mackler |Don’t get fooled by the amazing cover!

Virginia Shreves is back in this follow up to «The Earth, my Butt and Other Big Round Things».

Q: Is it absolutely necessary to read the first book?

No, I haven’t read it and didn’t feel like I missed anything. Just treat this as a completely new book and you will be fine.

Q: Did it make me want to purchase and read the first book?

Also, no. I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters and only the shortness of the book made me plunge through it till the end.  

June & July Wrap Up [2018] | Throne of Glass Obsession!

It is the 12th of August as I am writing this and I’ve come to realize that: 

(A) the summer is almost over! There is only August left and, while I happen to live a walking distance from the beach, I’ve only gone a couple of times this year and I have to remedy this as soon as possible!

(B) I’ve been far more into fantasy this summer with a comparison to last year when all I practically read were contemporary and literary fiction all day every day. And

(C) Throne of Glass is actually an AMAZING SERIES WITH A LOT OF ACTION, DRAMA & BETRAYALS. Who would have thought that I’d fall in love with Throne of Glass, after absolutely hating the Court of Thorns and Roses?! It’s a mystery for me too.

*The list could go on and on. I love lists. But who doesn’t?

Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier |Murder + Serial Killer + Secrets don’t stay buried forever!

I might have made a mistake to binge read Gillian Flynn books at the beginning of my blogging career. Ever since that point, no thrillers ever came close to twisted and dark characters of Gillian Flynn.

Jar of Hearts had a few graphic moments and gore details, but I’ve predicted the twist way too soon. After that, the book lost a little bit of its appeal and I had to force myself to pick it up again.