What I read in February 2025

I have read Paladin's strength by T. Kingfisher. This is the second book in the Saint of steel series. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my Series TBR, Authors TBR and for a buddy read. This is an adult fantasy romance book.

Another great book from this author. I laughed a lot. I really liked the representation for the female main character. The ending felt a little bit rushed, but that's okay.

I'm currently reading The heron's cry by Ann Cleeves. This is the second book in the Two rivers series. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this one for my Series TBR. This is an adult mystery book.

Liking this more then the first book. The pace is a bit better. The mystery is also more intriguing I think. Still really like the atmosphere and set up and especially like all the characters.

Another solid book in this series with a good twist at the end.

I'm currently reading The rage of dragons by Evan Winter. This is the first book in The burning series. I'm reading an owned ebook. Reading this for The Haunted Party readathon for The Haunted Party with the prompt: read a book big book. This is an adult fantasy book.

Loving this so far. Finally an adult high fantasy book that I'm enjoying, it has been a while. What I love about this book is how action packed it is so far. Really enjoying that. Characters are good, but I do need to get to know them a bit more. What I also love is that the chapters are pretty small, so it feels like I'm flying through the book instead of slogging on. Hope it will keep this up.

I took a break from this book for a while and picked it back up again recently. I really enjoyed reading the rest of the book. It was well paced with a good ending as well.

I'm currently reading Record of a spaceborn few by Becky Chambers. This is the third book in the Wayfarers series. I'm reading an owned copy. This is an adult science fiction book with LGBTQ+ characters.

At first I was not sure how to feel about this book. There was a prologue part that I did not really vibe with or understand. Fortunately it went quickly to the actual story and I'm loving that, which was to be expected. I love that we are following a lot of different characters and just their general life on a spaceship. Really fun! Curious if there will be a more general plot, but don't mind if that is not the case.

This was absolutely amazing, of course. It took me some time to read, but I liked that. I could take everything in slowly, which was nice. Excited to read the final book.

I have read Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. This is the first book in the Legends & Lattes series. I read an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my third read of this book. This is an adult fantasy book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I loved this so much again. It's such a comfort read for me. I noticed this time that it's also super well written. Haven't read it physically before, so this time I really noticed that more. Very atmospheric. Just absolutely amazing.

I have read Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa. This is the first book in The Morisaki Bookshop duology. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my goal of reading more asian translated books. This is an adult contemporary book.

The beginning started great. We had a good set up of the story and the characters. Then we went to the bookshop and I really enjoyed that. But very fast we weren't in the bookshop at all. Most of this book is just drama between characters which is not something I enjoy reading about. I just wanted the days at the bookshop, like the title promised. Was a big disappointment and I won't be continuing the series.

I'm currently reading Ducks by Kate Beaton. I'm reading an owned copy. Reading this one for a buddy read. This is a graphic novel memoir.

Very conflicted about this book. I really love the illustrations. The story is very interesting so far. I just hate all the sexism in this book. But that is of course the experience the author had, which is horrendous. Just tough to read about, but very important to do so. My enjoyment is therefore not very high, but I do think it's a great book so far.

My enjoyment was still very low for this book throughout, so that would be 3 stars. But the book itself is definitely 5 stars. It's very beautiful and well written I think. Therefore my rating is in the middle of those two ratings.

Goals Update and January Wrap Up:

What I read in January 2025

I have read Book boyfriend by Kris Ripper. I listened to the audiobook. Read this one to stay on top of reading LGBTQ+ books for my goals. Have also had this one on my TBR for a while. This is an adult romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Probably gave this a higher rating then was probably the case whilst reading, but I just think this book needs to be shared more. The author is super cool and this book just needs to get out there more. I really liked all the characters in this book. It was very queer, which is awesome. The plot was fun. The only thing that wasn't for me was the miscommunication in this book. But in the end I did understand why that happened, so therefore gave it a higher rating.

I'm currently reading The bromance book club by Lyssa Kay Adams. This is the first book in the Bromance book club series. I'm reading a Dutch ebook. Reading this one because I want to try more of this genre. This is an adult contemporary romance book.

I'm liking this a lot so far. I love the concept. I love that we are following a married couple, feels very original. The men in the book are great, really like how the author wrote them. I also like the women in the book, they are written very well. The only thing I don't like is a certain character. This would have been a new favorite if it wasn't for him.

This was great! I really enjoyed it. Laughed a lot and was just a fun time. The ending was also well done.

I have read That blue sky feeling Volume 2 by Okura. This is the second book in the That blue sky feeling series. Read an owned copy. Read this for my Series TBR and for a buddy read. This is a romance manga with LGBTQ+ characters.

The beginning of this one was not the best. Was scared it wasn't going to be good. But fortunately it got better and I really enjoyed the story. Still disliked the homophobia, but it is what it is. I had also hoped for more romance, since there hasn't been any yet. So that genre is sort of a spoiler for this series. Excited to finish the series with the last volume.

I have read Cat's café by Gwen Tarpley. This is the first book in the Cat's café series. This is my third read of this book. I read an owned copy. This is a comic.

This comic is the absolute best. I love it with my whole heart and could read many more volumes of it. Hopefully they will be made.

I have read Lose you to find me by Erik J. Brown. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my Authors TBR. This is a young adult contemporary romance book.

The cover is already the best and it is exactly what the book is. Super fun restaurant parts and a romance. This author writes characters very well and I laughed a couple of times too. Story was fun, we had a good plot point throughout the book. Romance was great.

I have read Daindreth's assassin by Elisabeth Wheatley. This is the first book in the Daindreth's assassin series. I listened to the audiobook. Read this one for a buddy read and also to try out this genre more. This is an adult fantasy romance book.

I liked this a lot! What I especially liked were the characters. The plot was also good and I really liked the magic system. The romance had a good pace for me. Just an overall good reading experience.

I have read Cat + Gamer Volume 2 by Wataru Nadatani. This is the second book in the Cat + gamer series. I read an owned copy. This is a contemporary manga.

Again, did not like this one as much as volume one. Not sure why I liked this one less then the first volume. Probably because it wasn't new anymore? I don't know. It also felt a bit too fragmented of a story maybe? Just the main character playing games and the cat reacting to that. I don't know. I have one volume left that I own and we shall see if I want to get the other volumes as well.

I'm currently reading Malice by John Gwynne. This is the first book in The faithful and the fallen series. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this one for a buddy read and I have been wanting to read this series. This is an adult fantasy book.

This book is good, but it is also sort of hard to follow. Not that I really mind, but it does decrease my enjoyment of it. There are a lot of perspectives we are following and I don't really see the point yet why so many. The narrator narrates very well, but he does have a certain accent that is a bit hard to follow especially with names. So this is a slow read, but that's okay. I always like adult high fantasy and this is no exception, I am very intrigued.

The confusion was there for me throughout the book. But only with certain perspectives, basically the ones that we didn't get to hear from often. I also don't have much to say about the book. It was a solid fantasy book, but not more then that. The only aspect that felt original was the giants, so hope we will see those more in future books.

I have read Spy x Family Volume 2 by Tatsuya Endo. This is the second volume in the Spy x Family series. I read a copy from the library. This is a manga.

I did not like this as much as the first one. Mainly because there was a bullying element in the book and I hate reading about that. But otherwise the story is still really fun.

I'm currently reading Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. This is the first book in the Inkworld series. I'm reading the Dutch ebook, but I also own the book. This is my sixth time reading this book. I needed a comfort read and this is exactly that. This is a middle grade fantasy book.

Not a lot to say about this one, because it is one of my favorite series of all time. I have read it a lot of times, so know the story very well. Excited to be back in this world and loving every minute of it. It is going to be a slow read, because I am reading other things in between.

Yes, still amazing. Still a favorite. Still loved it!

I have read Spy x Family Volume 1 by Tatsuya Endo. This is the first volume in the Spy x Family series. I read a copy from the library. This is a manga.

This was the best! I have heard great things about this series and when I saw that my library had a couple of volumes of it I was super excited. I did not know though that this was really funny! I laughed out loud multiple times. The characters were great and the whole concept is really awesome. Just really enjoyed it and excited to continue with the series.

2025 Goals and December Wrap Up:

What I read in December 2024

I have read Ice planet barbarians by Ruby Dixon. This is the first book in the Ice planet barbarians series. I read the Dutch ebook. Read this for a Discord book club. This is an adult romance science fiction book (smut level pretty high).

Is this well written? No, it is very simple and some things are really stupid. Is it entertaining? Yes, it definitely is so far. Very curious if I will keep liking it. It is very out of my comfort zone, but really enjoying that right now.

This was... something. This is very much out of my comfort zone, but I just wanted to try it and I have been liking female/male romance more. This book was not well written. Not well written at all. The beginning was very weird and graphic (not in the smut way yet). The rest of the book was just okay. It was pretty entertaining. The romance was sort of okay? Also weird, but sort of okay. The smut was also okay. I think it was well written enough and the author did not use annoying terms. Don't think I will continue with the series, but we shall see, maybe if I feel like it at some point. The second book is available on my ebook app, so we shall see.

I have read Raze by Roan Parrish. This is the third book in the Riven trilogy. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my Series list. This is an adult romance series with LGBTQ+ characters.

This one might have been my favorite of the series. I really enjoyed the two main characters in this book. I loved all the diversity in this book. The romance was very well developed and well done. I just love this author's romance books very much.

I have read Shadow and bone by Leigh Bardugo. This is the first book in the Shadow and bone trilogy. I read a Dutch copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Have had this series on my Want to read list for a while, so therefore picked it up. This is a young adult fantasy book.

Liking this so far, but not very far into it. I think it's pretty original so far. I like the characters and am curious to see where the story will go.

This was really good! Some parts original, some parts not really, but that is more so because it is an older book, so can't fault it for that. I really liked the main character. The world building and magic system were exactly how I like it. Story itself was good, ending was good. Excited to read the rest of the series.

I have read The Christmas bookshop by Jenny Colgan. I read a Dutch copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this for my in real life book club. This is an adult contemporary romance book.

Did not like this as you can see. I thought this was going to be a cosy read, but it really was not for me. The main character just kept fighting with her sister and that was really annoying to read about. The only part I liked was the bookshop, but that was actually a very small part of the book. The romance was kind of stupid, so did not enjoy that either. There was also quite a bit of fatphobia. Would not recommend.

I have read A kind of spark by Elle McNicoll. I read a copy from the library. Read this one, because it was recommended to me for the autistic representation. This is a middle grade contemporary book.

This was absolutely amazing! I loved this so much. The story itself was a tough read, because there was a lot of bullying and ableism. But I just loved the representation a lot. I could really see myself in the main character. It helps that the author herself is autistic as well, so she just knows what she is writing. Very glad I finally found a book with good autistic representation.

I have read Bryony and roses by T. Kingfisher. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for the readalong I'm doing of all of her work. This is an adult fantasy with a romance.

This was another retelling that really worked for me. I really loved Bryony as a main character, she was the best. I loved her passion for gardening. The story itself was similar to the one I know, but also unique enough to enjoy it. Laughed a couple of times again. Another excellent book from this author, what a delight.

I have read The skull by Jon Klassen. I read a Dutch copy from the library. Read this because it was recommended on my favorite podcast. This is children's fantasy picture book.

This was a very lovely story. It was the right creepy vibes. The art was not really for me, but the story and writing style was definitely for me. Would recommend.

I'm currently reading Fool's fate by Robin Hobb. This is the third book in the Tawny man trilogy. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my second read of this book. This is an adult fantasy book.

Loving it so far of course. I don't remember too much about this book, so excited to see where the story goes. Probably still going to be five stars.

This was the absolute best of course. Loved it so much. Wasn't that emotional compared with the first trilogy, so do think this is my "least" favorite of the whole three trilogies. But it is still absolutely amazing and another masterpiece.

Stats November 2024:

What I read in November 2024

I'm currently reading Paladin's grace by T. Kingfisher. This is the first book in The saint of steel series. I'm reading the ebook whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my second try reading this book. Reading it for the readalong and my Authors TBR. This is an adult fantasy book with romance and mystery elements.

I stopped reading this book earlier this year. I have been liking female/male romance quite a bit recently, so therefore picked it back up. It's really funny to read some of the same things as the first time and not liking it the first time, but liking it now. So I'm glad I tried it again.

Very glad I finished this one! Laughed a lot, like always with Kingfisher books. Excited to read the rest of the series.

I have read West wind by Mary Oliver. I read the ebook. This is an adult poetry collection.

I randomly picked this up, because I was in the mood to read something short and easy. My favorite podcast talked about this author, so therefore picked this poetry collection up instead of another. I'm glad I did, because I very much enjoyed it. It was easy to follow with beautiful prose and a theme that I liked.

I have read Black mad wheel by Josh Malerman. I read a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult horror book with historical, fantasy and thriller elements.

This book was pretty good. It's exactly the kind of horror I like. More psychological then anything else. I liked the slow build up of the tension. The ending was a bit too out there for me though, so therefore a bit of a lower rating then I had hoped.

I have read Rental person who does nothing by Shoji Morimoto. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for Nonfiction November, not for a specific prompt. This is an adult memoir.

This book was exactly what I needed at the moment. It was a lot of fun to read, but it also makes you think. It was lighthearted as well. The whole concept is absolutely amazing, I love it. The book was a bit repetitive, but I didn't really mind that. Be conscious of that going into it though.

I have read Convenience store woman by Sayaka Murata. I listened to the audiobook. This was my second time reading this book. I read this book for my in real life book club. This is an adult contemporary book.

I liked this as much as the first time I read it. The concept is amazing and I really love the main character. What makes this less good for me is a certain character. I absolutely hate him. He is probably my most hated character ever. For me that makes the book somewhat less enjoyable. But overall I highly recommend it.

I have read Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher. I read the ebook. Read this for the T. Kingfisher readalong I'm doing on Discord. This is an adult fantasy book.

This was really good, really enjoyed it. I usually don't like retellings, but Kingfisher does it very well. What I liked about this book is that the story is very different from the one I know. Therefore it was an interesting read. I loved the characters, as always in her books. The pace in this book felt good to me, the length was perfect. Just really liked it overall.

I'm currently reading The pumpkin spice café by Laurie Gilmore. This is the first book in the Dream harbor series. I'm reading the Dutch ebook. This is an adult romance book with a mystery.

I randomly started this book. I couldn't find a nonfiction book I was interested enough in to start as an ebook. Saw this and am in the mood for something easy and funny, so started it. It's out of my comfort zone, because it is a female/male romance. Hopefully I will like it. So far I have laughed a lot, so that is great.

I really liked this one! Have I become a female/male romance reader? Maybe. It really depends on the kind of story I think. There was enough in this book for me to like other then the romance. I also really liked the characters, so that helped too. There were some sex scenes, but not a lot. I also really liked that they were not really explicit. They were, but certain terms weren't used. So I'm definitely continuing the series.

I have read A complicated omega's second love by Kichi Uekawa. I read the ebook. Read this because I have quite a few manga on my ereader and just want to read more of those. This is an adult romance manga with LGBTQ+ characters.

I liked this one! The concept of omega's and alphas etc is not really my thing. But it wasn't that prevalent in this story I think. It was more so a love story between these two men and I really liked that.

I'm currently reading Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein. I'm listening to the audiobook. I'm reading this one for the Nonfiction November Readathon with the prompt: path. This is an adult nonfiction book with art, memoir and nature elements.

Enjoying this so far. It's very fun to follow the process. I like that this is part memoir and part facts. It is a lot about covid though, not really enjoying that. It also feels a bit chaotic, not a lot of structure. Sometimes a bit hard to follow therefore.

I really liked this one. It had a lot of different nonfiction elements/genres in it, which was really fun. I learned a lot. It was still quite chaotic, but easy enough to follow. The covid parts were not that present anymore in the latter half of the book, so that was great.

Stats & Wrap Up October 2024:

What I read in October 2024

I have read Rend by Roan Parrish. This is the second book in the Riven trilogy. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my Series TBR and Authors TBR. This is an adult romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Loved this one more then the first book. I was more emotionally attached to these characters. What I really enjoyed about this book was that it was about a married couple. I don't think we see that very often in romance. Very excited to read the last book.

I'm currently reading The housemaid by Freida McFadden. This is the first book in The housemaid series. I'm reading a Dutch copy lend from a friend and listening to the audiobook at the same time. Reading this for The Haunted Party readathon for Scary story with the prompt: read a thriller/horror book. This is an adult thriller.

Enjoying this so far. It's pretty intriguing. Like all the characters and the set up of the story is good. I'm not liking a certain element, a bit afraid where the story will go with that. But I am excited to see where it goes and if I will like it.

Well I did not like it. As with most thriller it went downhill fast for me. With some plot things I just really dislike. They are put in thrillers quite often, so the genre is therefore so difficult for me. I'm not going to continue the series.

I'm currently reading A heart of stone by Renate Dorrestein. I'm reading a Dutch owned copy whist listening to the audiobook. This is my second read of this book. Reading this for The Haunted Party readathon for Coffin with the prompt: read something short. This is an adult contemporary book with literary writing.

I have been hesistant to read this one again, because I was not sure I would like it still. But I'm very glad I finally did, because I'm loving this so far. I really love how this story is told. It does go from timeline to timeline, but it is very clear to me. The plot is the most intriguing part. I do already know what happens, but I don't mind with this one. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep it after I finish it.

Definitely going to keep this book on my shelves. I really loved it the second time. Very complex story. Still a very intriguing read even though I knew the ending.

I have read Cat + gamer Volume 1 by Wataru Nadatani. Read an owned copy. Read this for The Haunted Party readathon for Face paint with the prompt: read a manga/graphic novel/comic. This is an adult contemporary manga.

This was an absolute delight! The best manga I have read and exactly what I want to read for manga I think. This was super cosy and cute. The drawings were the best, story was great. And the cat... so adorable! Loved it. Excited to read more from the series.

I have read Small town pride by Phil Stamper. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my To Be Read list for this year. This is a middle grade contemporary book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This was a lovely book. Really enjoyed listening to it, the narrator was great. Story was very good. Characters were well done and I did really feel for them. Ending felt a little bit rushed, would have liked to see more.

I have read That blue sky feeling Volumwe 1 by Okura. This is the first book in the series. I read an owned copy. Read this for The Haunted Party readathon for Face paint with the prompt: read a manga/graphic novel/comic. This is an adult (but maybe young adult) contemporary romance manga with LGBTQ+ characters.

This was very cute, I really enjoyed it. Loved the characters and the story. Drawing style is good. What I did not like was the beginning of this book. A lot of homophobia and some bullying. It makes sense for the book and where it is from. But I really don't like those things in books. Hopefully that will be less in later volumes.

I have read Nine goblins by T. Kingfisher. I read the ebook. Read this for my Authors TBR and for the readalong I'm doing for all of her work. This is an adult fantasy book.

Finally a book by T. Kingfisher I absolute loved! Was to be expected since adult fantasy is my favorite. The humour in this one was the best I've read from Kingfisher, I loved that so much. The story itself was the best. I always find the pace and the length a bit off in her books, but for this one it was perfect. My favorite was of course the characters, the most important thing for me in books. The goblins were the best, the elves were, all the animals were great. Just loved it!

I have read Somewhere beyond the sea by T.J. Klune. This is the second book in the Cerulean chronicles series. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for a buddy read and my Authors and Series TBR. This is an adult fantasy book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I was hesistant about reading this book. The house in the cerulean sea is my favorite book of all time. That book was supposed to be a standalone, so was not that excited to find out it got a sequel. But I should have trusted T.J. This was absolutely amazing. The start was already the best. He dedicated this book to the trans community and I appreciate that so much. The story itself was as to be expected with a lot of feeling, but with this one we had some more difficult topics as well. I loved to learn more about all my favorite characters. Also some new characters. It was just the absolute best. So this one and book one will be my favorite of all time now. Immediately bought the book the day after.

I have read The spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. I listened to the audiobook. Read this one for a buddy read. This is an adult fantasy book with romance elements.

This was amazing! Was a bit hesistant about this being a female/male romance, but fortunately it did work for me. This book was what I love about cosy fantasy. It was all just very nice and heartwarming. The characters were all amazing. Story was very lovely. Just absolutely loved it. Only thing that I did not like was that the love interest was introduced very quickly. I also did not really like the ending.

I have read Dreams of another land by Peter Kenny. I read an owned copy. Read this for The Haunted Party readathon for jack-o-lantern carving with the prompt: read an autumnal/cosy book. This is a fantasy book and I also think it's poetry.

I only read part of this book. I did not like it. It was very chaotic, did not have any structure. The poetry itself, well I assume it was supposed to be poetry, did not do anything for me. It did not have a good rhythm or anything. What I did like were the drawings, they were very beautiful. It was also about Lord of the rings, which I love, so it was fun to read because of that. Unhauled this one and unhauled the other one I had as well.

I have read Black cat ABC by Sue Boettcher. I read an owned copy. Read this for The Haunted Party readathon for Black cat with the prompt: read a book with a (black) cat on the cover. Not sure how to put this book into a genre, it is nonfiction.

I liked this. The drawings were very beautiful. The words used were good for learning more English and they fitted the cat well. Nice tiny book.

I'm currently reading Ragdoll by Daniel Cole. This is the first book in the Fawkes & Baxter series. I'm reading the Dutch ebook whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this because I got the second book recently. Also reading this for the readathon I created called The Haunted Party and added this one for the prompt: scary story - get in the mood for a scary night: read a thriller/horror book. This is an adult crime mystery thriller book.

Enjoying this so far. The mystery and crime aspect is very good, enjoying that. I don't really like the characters so far, but that's not really necessary for a thriller. I really hope this author won't make weird comments about women, which happens too often in thrillers. So hope this will be a win for me.

So as was expected the author did make weird comments about women. I'm so tired of this. It was some time ago that I finished this book and can't even remember the ending, so that says enough I think. Not going to continue with this series, so unhauled book two.

Stats & Wrap Up September 2024:

What I read in September 2024

I'm currently reading Hani and Ishu's guide to fake dating by Adiba Jaigirdar. I'm reading a copy from the library. Reading this for the Magical Readathon for Shapeshifting for Ordinary with the prompt: read a book with jewellery on the cover or in the title. This is a young adult contemporary romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Enjoying this so far, but not having a chance to read it really, so need to make an effort to finish this one. I really like the set up of the book. The fake dating makes sense, which is great. Both of the characters are very well written. Excited to see where the romance will go.

This could have been a higher rating if it was longer. They were together for like 10 pages. In a romance I also want to see them being together. I also didn't like some communication parts.

I'm currently reading Babel by R.F. Kuang. I'm reading a copy from the library and listening to the audiobook at the same time. This is a buddy read I'm doing. Reading this for my Authors TBR and I wanted to give the book a second chance, since I tried it some time ago. Also reading this for the Magical Readathon for Spells & Incantations for Distinguished with the prompt: steal a book from another TBR. This is an adult historical fantasy book with literary writing.

The first time I tried to read this I didn't really like it. I also really did not want a difficult book at the time and everyone said this was that. In my experience now it's not that difficult actually. It's more so a bit of a mystery you are following with the main character, which I really enjoy. The magic system is very cool. The characters are my favorite part of the book. It's still a little bit of a difficult read with the lectures that are given and information I don't fully understand, but I'm just taking my time with it.

I did not like this enough to finish the whole book. I stopped at about 300 pages, so I am counting it as a read book. Did not give a rating, because I don't know what I would give it. On one hand I did enjoy reading it. I just really did not like how the story was going. It went in a direction I did not like. I also wanted to learn more about the characters, but the character work fell flat. The themes in the book were also just too much for me.

I have read Forest of wonders by Linda Sue Park. This is the first book in the Wing & Claw series. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for Conjuration for Ordinary with the prompt: bat on the cover. This is a middle grade fantasy book.

I wanted to read another book for this prompt, but I DNFed that one. It was difficult to find a good option. But when I typed bats into my audiobook app this one came up and this was a perfect pick. Super fun to find a new series that I enjoyed in this way. Also perfect of the prompt because the bat is a very much in the book as well.

This book was very enjoyable. The best part for me was the magic system. It was all about apothecary. The title and cover are a bit misleading, it doesn't take part a lot in the forest. But I did not really mind, the story was very fun. The ending was a bit chaotic and the twist not really to my taste, but I do think I will continue with the series.

I'm currently reading Ring shout by P. Djeli Clark. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this one for the Magical Readathon for Conjuration for Qualified with the prompt: an award winning book. This is an adult historical fantasy book with horror elements.

This one is good so far, but very heavy and I was not feeling the best last week, so put it down for now and will finish it later. The start was very good and pretty creepy. Sometimes it is a bit hard to follow, especially with certain accents the narrator does. But the fantasy element is great so far and curious to see where the story will go since it is such a short book.

This was very good. I think it was the perfect length for what the story wanted to be. The whole concept was fascinating and very well thought out. Definitely can see what it has won an award. The rating wasn't higher, because I didn't fully connect with the characters and what I mentioned before with the audiobook. Nevertheless a great book, would highly recommend.

I have read Dark matter by Blake Crouch. I read an owned Dutch copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This was my second time reading this book. Read it for the Magical Readathon for Spells & Incantations for Qualified with the prompt: book shown in any of G's videos. This is an adult science fiction thriller.

It was quite some time ago that I read this book. I could remember the highlight, but not the details. Was a fun reading experience to read it a second time. I flew through the book, it was really good. This is a very fast-paced thriller with a lot of twists. I love that. Would recommend going in blind, then it is even better. Not sure if I will keep the book, because it's not a book to reread often. But would highly recommend.

I'm currently reading Wolfsong by TJ Klune. This is the first book in the Green creek series. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this for my Authors TBR. Also reading it for the Magical Readathon for Restoration for Ordinary with the prompt: night sky on the cover. This is an adult fantasy romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Loving this so far. I really like the family aspect in this book. It is one of my favorite things to read about. I also like that this is more of an actual adult book from this author. What I mean by that is that there are more graphic scenes like fighting in this one. Refreshing.

Loved this so much! The only small thing I did not like was that some things were repeated too often, which got me rolling my eyes sometimes. But other then that it was perfection and definitely a new favorite from this author.

I'm currently reading Never been kissed by Timothy Janovsky. This is the first book in the Boy meets boy series. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this one for the Magical Readathon for Art of illusion for Ordinary with the prompt: random emoji generator (I got a taxi and think the cars are close enough). This is a new adult contemporary romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Very fun book so far, because I love the cinema and this is set there a lot. The premise of the book is good, but I do think the author could have made it better if there was a bit more mystery about who the love interest would be. This book also feels very much young adult even though the characters are in their twenties. Hope the romance will make the book better.

In the end this was a fun read, but definitely not my favorite romance book. The romance did not really get better. It was also not fully the forefront which can be nice, but here it felt too much in the background. I did really like all the characters and loved the cinema aspect.

I'm currently reading Hurricane child by Kacen Callender. I'm reading the ebook. This one is for my Authors TBR. Also reading it for the Magical Readathon for Psionics & Divination for Ordinary with the prompt: favorite author's debut book. This is a middle grade contemporary book with LGBTQ+ characters.

So far this is great, but also very heavy to read. I hate how the main character gets treated. I think the writing style is not very well suited to a middle grade audience, it is too complex. I sometimes have a hard time following the story, so I can imagine children having even more difficulty. The story itself is very complex, but a good read so far.

In the end a pretty good book. The story itself was the best part I think.

I have read The golden fool by Robin Hobb. This is the second book in The tawny man trilogy. I read an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This was my second read of this book. Read this for the Magical Readathon for Spells & Incantations for Ordinary with the prompt: five star prediction. This is an adult fantasy book.

This was the best of course. Easy five star read again. There is one thing I do really miss in these books, but that is a personal preference and a bit of a spoiler so won't say anything about it. Therefore it was a bit less enjoyable and I did need to read some fanfiction to read what I actually wanted to read in the book.

Stats & Wrap Up August 2024:

What I read in August 2024

I'm currently reading How to be a movie star by TJ Klune. This is the second book in the How to be duology. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for my Series and Authors TBR. This is a contemporary book with romance elements and LGBTQ+ characters.

I really enjoyed book one and I'm enjoying this one as well. What I especially love about this duology is all the diversity, really fun to read. I do think I'm liking this one a bit less, because of the actor element. So might be a bit of a lower rating, but we shall see.

No, still 4 stars. Mainly because I appreciate this book, and this duology, so much for the diversity. The ending also just made me really happy.

I'm currently reading The keeper by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. I'm listening to the audiobook. I'm reading this for the Year in Aeldia challenge with the prompt: scary/dark book. Wasn't in the mood for anything adult, so choose this one. This is a middle grade mystery book (but might be horror? we shall see).

Enjoying this so far. Like the dynamic between brother and sister. The vibes are good, very mysterious. Not very far into it, so can't say much about the story yet. Do think I will enjoy the book overall.

The ending lost me a little bit, but overall a good book. I have read a book very similar to this one, so that probably also was why I did not enjoy it fully. That book was adult, so went more towards horror, which was more fun than this one.

I have read The twilight garden by Sara Nisha Adams. Read a Dutch ebook. Read this for my in real life book club and for my Authors TBR. This is a contemporary book with historical elements and LGBTQ+ characters.

I tried to read this last year, but due to a reading slump didn't get to finish it. I'm glad I read it now. It was a good book, with characters I really loved. The story itself was very beautiful and made me feel very warm inside. Would highly recommend this author.

I have read In memoriam by Alice Winn. Read a copy from the library. Read this, because I want to read some books out of my comfort zone and want to read more LGBTQ+ books. This is a historical book with literary and romance elements with LGBTQ+ characters.

Loved this so much! This one was out of my comfort zone, because it is a historical book. But this book is set in World War I which is a time period I am interested in. Horrendous to read about the war. Loved the characters a lot in this book. I also really liked the set up of the book, with letters interwoven into the story and news articles.

I have read The penguin lessons by Tom Michell. I read a Dutch copy from the library. Read this because I want to read more nature books. This is a memoir with nature and travel themes.

This book was fun to read, but also had some more difficult parts in it. It was really fun to read about the penguin in this book, absolutely loved him. I do think it could have been a shorter book, because he wasn't in the whole book. Some parts really went indepth with the politics of the country this is set in. I did not really care for that, did skip some parts. Still a very hopeful and inspiring story.

I have read The city we became by N.K. Jemisin. This is the first book in The great cities series (duology? trilogy?). I read a copy from the library. Read this for a buddy read and read this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult contemporary fantasy book.

This book is very complex, but I love that about it. The writing is really beautiful. The concept is very cool and very thought provoking. I did think this could have been a standalone, so therefore not the full five stars from me.

I have read As brave as you by Jason Reynolds. I read the ebook. Read this one for my Authors TBR. This is a middle grade contemporary book.

This was a good book. A lot of different layers to it. I really like how the author writes the story and also really liked all the characters.

I have read A closed and common orbit by Becky Chambers. This is the second book in the Wayfarers series. I read a copy from the library. This is an adult science fiction book.

This was the absolute best, loved it so much! Felt very much the same as book one, same vibes. I was hesistant at first about us following new characters in this one, but I did not mind in the end. Can't really say much other then that I loved it a lot.

I have read A house with good bones by T. Kingfisher. Read the ebook. Read this for the readalong I'm doing for all the books by this author. This is an adult horror book.

This one was my least favorite Kingfisher horror book unfortunately. It was very funny as always, loved that. Also loved the characters as always. But again with this one, the pace felt off. I also did not think this was scary, only for a small part of it. Still a good read as all of her books are.

I have read Upright women wanted by Sarah Gailey. I read a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this one for a buddy read. This is a dystopian book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This one was pretty similar to Outlawed, which made it very obvious why this one wasn't good in my opinion. First of all this is a dystopian, but the only thing that shows that is that there are apparantly cars in this world. Something has happened, but we as a reader don't know what. That was frustrating. Other then that, the story felt super random and unecessary. If the author wanted to tell this story I really think this book had to be way longer. There was also a case of insta love in this book, which felt really weird and actually inappropiate. So very much a no for me. I did like the characters and the LGBTQ+ representation.

I have read Outlawed by Anna North. I read a copy from the library. Read this because my favorite podcast recommended this one. I also want to try and read as many LGBTQ+ books as I can. This is a historical book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This was a very good book. What I loved the most were all the LGBTQ+ characters of course. The story itself was very interesting. The pace was very well done in my opinion. It was hard to read about what women went through in this time period.

I'm currently reading Minor mage by T. Kingfisher. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for the readalong I'm doing for this author. This is a middle grade fantasy book.

Loving this a lot. Will be high on my list for ranking all her books. Love the magic in this one, especially that our main character can't really do it. It's such a fun concept. Also love the familiar. Story so far is fun with some dark parts which is to be expected from this author.

This was great! Could have been even better with certain changes, but still a really fun read.

I have read There's no such thing as an easy job by Kikuko Tsumura. I read a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. I read this because my favorite podcast recommended it. This is an adult contemporary book with literary writing.

I loved this so much! Such a surprise, because literary writing is most often a miss for me. This book was very calm. Nothing much happened, but that was the best. I also love the whole concept, because I have found this myself as well with jobs. I would recommend it if you want a lighthearted read with nothing much happening.

I'm currently reading Fool's errand by Robin Hobb. This is the first book of The tawny man trilogy. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my second time reading this book. This is an adult fantasy book.

Loving this so much, which was no surprise. I'm sad I waited that long, I really want to read these books more often. They are very emotional for me though, so it does makes sense why I haven't.

Nothing else really to say other then: it is a masterpiece.

I have read Epic adventures: explore the world in 12 amazing train journeys by Sam Sedgman. I have read copy from the library. I read this for my Authors TBR. This is a childrens nonfiction book about travel, nature and science.

This was the absolute best! Loved everything about it. The whole book is really beautiful. All the art is amazingly made. The train journeys were super cool. All the facts about the trains, but also about the different countries, were very interesting. Overall a very fun quick read with lots to learn.

I'm currently reading How to sell a haunted house by Grady Hendrix. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult horror book.

So far a good set up. I really like this author's writing style. Excited to see how much I will like this one compared to the other books I have read from this author. Also curious to see how scary it will be. I am reading it before going to sleep so we shall see if that is a good choice or not.

In the end this one wasn't really for me. Very early on you already know what the scary thing is and the rest of the book is basically fighting that thing. It felt repetitive in the end. Did like how the characters evolved through the story, so therefore still a pretty high rating.

I'm currently reading You're the one that I want by Simon James Green. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this one because I want to read more romance. This is a young adult romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I thought this book was adult, so was a bit disappointed when it turned out it is actually young adult. But the disappointment faded quickly, because this book is so funny! Have been laughing a lot. Probably because of the narrator and his accent as well, it makes it very fun to listen to. I do however think that the narrator made a weird choice with narrating for one of the characters, it feels kind of problematic. But story itself is really fun so far.

This was a lot of fun! Laughed a lot. Romance was great. Would recommend!

What I read in July 2024

I'm currently reading The cybernetic tea shop by Meredith Katz. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for a buddy read. This is an adult science fiction book with LGBTQ+ characters and a romance.

Liking the book so far. The writing is not my favorite, it doesn't flow very well. I do really like the characters so far and the set up of the story. I am a bit nervous about the romance part, hopefully I will like it.

The romance was not really a romance, so I'm very glad about that. Therefore a higher rating then expected. This was a very quick cosy read, enjoyed it a lot.

I'm currently reading An echo of things to come by James Islington. This is the second book in The licanius trilogy. I'm reading the ebook. Finally continuing with this series, have been wanting to do that for a while. This is an adult fantasy book.

Not enjoying this as much as the first book. There are a lot of flashbacks, which is understandable, but I really don't like those. Don't care about them. The characters are all in very different posisions from the first book and am not enjoying that either. I think this book will be a bit of a struggle to finish. I do still love the characters and the story itself is good as well. Am curious to see what will happen and I do think I will like book three more.

This was definitely a struggle to finish, but I did it! Still stand by what I said. I really do think I will enjoy book three more, I hope the author won't give any flashbacks or way less. The ending was also super intriguing, so am excited to read book three. Might not be for a while though, this burned me out a bit.

I'm currently reading Riven by Roan Parrish. This is the first book in the Riven trilogy. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this one for my Authors TBR. This is an adult romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Did not want to pick this one up at first, because of the sexual content. But these days I don't mind that as much, so decided to pick it up. Really enjoying it. Don't think as much as the Garnet run series, but still a really fun time.

This was great! A really fun romance as always from this author. Very well developed characters. Just a lot of fun. Excited to read the rest in the trilogy.

I'm currently reading The half burnt house by Alex North. I'm reading a copy from the library. Reading this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult thriller.

Enjoying this a lot so far. Alex North is one of the few thriller authors I know I can trust to write a good thriller with no problematic elements. In fact this one has some diversity in it, which I think is awesome. It's very casual, but that is exactly what I like for these kind of books. Story itself is really good, it has a lot of elements. Excited to see where it is going.

Well... this went downhill quickly. This book just did not work. Mainly because there were a lot of perspectives and we got to know a lot of information because of that. The suspence was therefore lacking a lot.

I'm currently reading The sky on fire by Jenn Lyons. I'm listening to the audiobook. Thought it would be fun to read a new release I have seen other people reading. This is an adult fantasy book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Really enjoying this so far. I did not like The ruin of kings, it was too complicated for me. This one doesn't feel complicated at all. Story is very straightforward, but not in a bad way, just easy to understand. I really like that we have only one POV, because fantasy tends to have multiple. I enjoy the characters the most in the book. Story is also fun to read.

Very solid fantasy book. I really hope it will stay a standalone. The diversity was great in this book. However did not like how the author handled the trans character, because she wrote a couple of times about the mother, but it was the father. I got confused, I thought the MC had two mothers and one father, but that was not the case. So would have been nice if the author had handled that differently. Other then that really good, great ending. Really enjoyed it.

I'm currently reading Darius the great is not okay by Adib Khorram. This is the first book in a series with the same name. I'm reading this as an ebook. Have wanted to read this one for a while because of the diversity. This is a young adult contemporary book with LGBTQ+ characters.

So far this is great. Darius is an amazing character, love him. I especially love his love for tea, I'm also a big fan. Curious to see where the story will go, so far it lacks a bit of direction. But the diversity in this book is so awesome, that is already enough to love this one.

This was really good. It was a pretty emotional book, I did really feel that. Refreshing to have an LGBTQ+ book that is not a romance. Not a higher rating, because I did not like certain choices for the writing. A lot of repetition, especially in the dialogue with words I don't think anyone really says.

I'm currently reading The adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty. This is the first book in the Amina al-Sirafi series. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Picking this back up where I left off in November last year. This is an adult historical fantasy book.

Glad I picked this back up again, it is a lot of fun to read. I really like all the characters in this book. The audiobook is absolutely amazing. Story itself is good, but the pacing does feel a bit off to me. Still really enjoying it.

This was a let down in the end. The pace felt very off in this book. The main thing that kept me going was the humour, I really liked that. It also feels strange to me to have elements from our world in a book and high fantasy elements. I just don't really like that.

I'm currently reading The long way to a small angry planet by Becky Chamber. This is the first book in the Wayfarers series. I'm reading a copy from the library. Reading this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult science fiction book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Loving this so far! It reminds me a lot of To sleep in a sea of stars, which was a science fiction book I really loved. I love how the author writes characters, just the best. Worldbuilding is also exactly what I like, enough information that you understand things, but not over explaining everything. Hope this will be a new favorite for me.

I loved this so much! New favorite for sure. Everything was perfect, I don't think I have a single thing I did not like. Need to get the second book quickly.

I have read The curious incident of the dog in the night-time. I read a Dutch copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this for my in real life book club. This is a contemporary book with a mystery in it.

The beginning of this book was very strong, I really loved it. Mystery was intriguing. Main character was interesting. But the mystery itself was solved pretty quickly. Then everything went into chaos and it made me really uncomfortable. Ending felt rushed.

I'm currently reading The age of magical overthinking by Amanda Montell. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult memoir with psychology elements.

Enjoying this so far. It has great idea about the psychology of our time. I really like that the author talks about her own experience and explains the psychology with that in mind.

This one wasn't for me. It felt very chaotic, I don't like that. There were also two mentions of HP, authors just don't do that okay. So therefore such a low rating as well. Not going to read more from this author, so deleting her from my Authors TBR.

I'm currently reading Yesterday is history by Kosoko Jackson. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this, because the concept sounded super cool and was curious. This is a young adult science fiction book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Loving this so far, it's awesome! This book is about time travel, which is super cool. The representation is amazing. It's just super good and am loving my reading experience. Audiobook is also the best.

This was great! Some things I did not fully enjoy, so therefore not the five stars I had hoped for. But still a great read.

I have read Authority by Jeff VanderMeer. This is the second book in the Southern reach trilogy. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for my Series TBR. This is an adult horror science fiction book.

Enjoyed this less than the first book, but it was still pretty good. It was very different from the first book. There were almost no horror elements and we were in a different place from the first book. But still an interesting read. Very curious about the last book, good cliffhanger at the end of this one.

I'm currently reading Remainders of the day by Shaun Bythell. This is the third book in The diary of a bookseller series. I'm reading an owned copy. Reading this because I love this series so much and want to keep up with my owned tbr. This is an adult memoir.

So far I think I like it better than the second book, but I'm only one month in (it's in diary format). It's always lovely to read these books and they make me very happy.

Loved this so much! Definitely better than the second book. The author explained things less and had more anecdotes with costumers. It was very interesting that these diaries are very old, this one was from 2016. I really hope he has kept up with them and that we will see more.

I'm currently reading The nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I'm reading the Dutch ebook whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this for a buddy read I'm doing with someone. Also reading it for Year in Aeldia with the prompt: read a book with a flower on the cover. This is an adult historical fiction book.

So far this is really good. I really like the writing style and especially the character building. This genre is out of my comfort zone, but am enjoying learning more about a period in time I do already know things about, but learning some new things here.

Did not finish all of this book. At one point the characters made such awful decisisions, I was just done. Some things in this book felt very strange to me, weird choices were made. I did really enjoy how it was written, very well done. So therefore still a pretty high rating, can recognize that this is a good book overall. Just not really for me.

I have read The rivals of Casper Road by Roan Parrish. This is the fourth book in the Garnet run series. I listened to the audiobook. This was my second read of this book. This is an adult romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Read this in a day, love this series so much. I could reread these over and over again. Another great couple, characters worked out very well as always.

I'm currently reading Remarkably bright creatures by Shelby Van Pelt. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this for a buddy read. This is an adult contemporary book with a mystery.

Loving this so far. It reminds me a lot of Fredrik Backman and I really love his books. In this one I especially love that we get a perspective of the octopus. The audiobook narrators are both amazing, which is super fun. Story itself is intriguing so far, do hope we get more of a clearer plotline to follow.

This was the absolute best, loved it so much. I loved all the characters. The story itself was very good and well thought out. Might be a new favorite, but do need a reread to be sure.

Stats June 2024:

What I read in June 2024

I have read I could chew on this by Francesco Marciuliano. I read the ebook. Read this for my Authors TBR. Also read it for the Orilium Year in Aeldia challenge with the prompt: envelope or typewriter on the cover. This is a book of poetry.

This was really fun! Did not love it as much as the one with the cats, which I might reread soon, but a very fun read nonetheless.

I'm currently reading Aristotle and Dante dive into the waters of the world by Benjamin Alire Sáenz. This is the second book in the Aristotle and Dante duology. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my second time reading this book. This is a young adult contemporary romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I have only read this once, so very excited to read this again. So far it's the absolute best. It is very long, so excited to see where the story goes, because I can't really remember much.

Loved it of course! Couple of things were repeated a bit too often, but I don't super mind that. To be honest I could read way more books in the series. Just following Ari and Dante for the rest of their lives would be the absolute best.

I'm currently reading The hollow places by T. Kingfisher. I'm listening to the audiobook. This is my second time reading this book. Reading this one again because of the cancelation of the audiobook subscription. And of course because I'm doing the readalong of all her books. This is an adult horror book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This is probably my favorite T. Kingfisher book so far. I really love the characters in this one and the humour. It's also the most scary one of all of them for me. Very creepy parts in this book. I might increase my rating for this one, but we shall see.

Did not increase my rating, because for me this one is actually too long. Which seems strange for me to say, because I never say that, but here we are. One part in the book is super creepy, but for me it just stoppes after that, but we still have half the book to go. Still enjoyable to read that part, but it could have been a five star read for me if that wasn't in there.

I have read What feasts at night by T. Kingfisher. This is the second book in the Sworn soldier duology (series?). I read the ebook. Read this for the T. Kingfisher readalong. This is an adult horror book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This was great! I really like the characters in this series, so was happy that there is a sequel. The story itself was nice and creepy, really enjoyed it. Perfect length for the plot. Really hope there will be more books in the series.

I'm currently reading Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe. This is the first book in that series. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my third time reading the book. Reading this, because I cancelled my subscription for an audiobook app, but did want to listen to this one still. This is a young adult contemporary book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I love this book so much. It's definitely in my top 5 of all time favorites. I really connect with the main character Ari. I understand and feel his loneliness. I also absolutely love the contrast between him and Dante, just the best.

Just loved this so much! I am very glad there is a sequel, because the romance part in the book is like two pages. So I do think this book could have been longer, but a sequel is also great.

I'm currently reading What moves the dead by T. Kingfisher. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for the T. Kingfisher readalong I'm doing on Discord. This is my second time reading this book. This is a horror book with LGBTQ+ characters.

First time I read this I listened to the audiobook. Would not recommend, because the narrator is not a good fit for the main character. It got me very confused about the identity of the main character. The ebook is easier to follow because you don't have the narrator ruining it for you. So far it is as creepy as I remembered. Don't think it will be my favorite horror by Kingfisher, because it is lacking the humour. But nevertheless will be a great read.

Very good book. It is very creepy in parts, loved that. Love all the characters, as always. This one is a bit less funny then the other ones so therefore not my favorite. But still really good. Excited to read the sequel soon.

Stats & Wrap Up May 2024:

What I read in May 2024

I have read How to be autistic by Charlotte Amelia Poe. I read the ebook. Read this because I'm autistic myself and want to read more books about it. This is an adult nonfiction memoir.

I did not really enjoy reading this book. It felt very chaotic. The title of the book feels very misleading to me, it did not feel like a book about autism let alone how to be autistic. It felt like a book about this person's life and sometimes we got some autism things in there, but those felt very random. I did find the book interesting to read and only had a moment I wanted to put it down at the end, so therefore still a pretty high rating.

I'm currently reading Woman, eating by Claire Kohda. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this for a buddy read. Have been wanting to explore if literary horror is my thing, so this was a good choice for that. This is an adult literary thriller with horror elements.

So far it's an interesting book. Not sure what to think of it yet. I like the set up of the story and am very curious to see where it goes. The main character is intriguing, so hopefully that will help whilst reading.

The main character was my favorite part of the book. I really liked her and related to a lot of things she talked about. The writing wasn't completely for me, which makes sense since it is literary. Some things weren't explained, so that was also something that lowered my rating. It also felt too short, had wanted to learn even more. The conversations about food were very interesting and was also a part I loved about this book.

I'm currently reading How to be a normal person by TJ Klune. This is the first book in the How to be duology. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult contemporary romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This book is quite a bit older than the recent TJ Klune books I have loved. So far it those feel the same as the other books, although this is contemporary. I really like the main character, probably because he is autistic. So far I do like the representation, but do hope we will see some growth. Excited to see the romance aspect.

This was a lot of fun! I laughed so much whilst reading this book, which was a delight. The humour level did get a bit much at certain points. Almost nothing felt serious. There was a certain plot point that I really disliked in this book, so I was hesistant to continue. But I'm glad I read on, because that did get resolved in the end. One other issue I did have was the weed use and that that didn't get challenged at all.

I'm currently reading Illuminations by T. Kingfisher. I'm reading the ebook. Reading this for the T. Kingfisher readalong I'm doing on Discord. This is a middle grade fantasy book.

Loving this so far! I thought this was young adult, so I did need some time to get into it. The main character is pretty naive, so therefore I was thrown off a bit. But now that I understand that it is actually a middle grade book, I enjoy it a lot! Really love the concept and that painting is such a big part of the book. The magic is super cool and original. Super fun read so far.

In the end this one wasn't my favorite. The story felt a bit too repetitive for me and not very suspenceful. I did love the characters a lot, therefore this rating.

I'm currently reading The long call by Ann Cleeves. This is the first book in the Two rivers series. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this for the Magical Readathon for Animal studies with the prompt: yellow title.

Have read a couple of thrillers lately and this one is not hitting as much as the other ones. Probably because it doesn't feel that suspenceful. I think I will finish it. Again a book with casual LGBTQ+ representation, which I really appreciate. Will try to finish it before April ends, but we shall see if I manage that.

I'm glad I took a break for this one, because after my break I enjoyed it way more. The mystery of this book was really well done in the end. I especially loved the characters, so really glad this is a series.

Stats & Wrap Up April 2024:

What I read in April 2024

I'm currently reading The poppy war by R.F. Kuang. This is the first book in The poppy war trilogy. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this for the second time. Reading this for the Magical Readathon for Inscription with the prompt: write down 3 titles, fold it and pick one. This is an adult fantasy book series with historical aspects.

I read this series 3 years ago and really wanted to read it again. I just need some good fantasy books in my life and this series is very good. Curious to see if I will like it more then the first time I read it. So far really enjoying it, love the school setting a lot. Rin is a very cool character. I do know that I disliked a certain plot point at the end, so we shall see how I feel about that now.

I increased my rating from 4 to 5 stars. I just absolutely loved this. Especially all the characters. What I appreciated more this time around was Rin not being a hero, but being a morally grey character. I also know what I didn't like the first time, but I understand now why it happened and can appreciate it. Very excited to see if I love the rest of the series more as well.

I'm currently reading The cabin at the end of the world by Paul Tremblay. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this for the Magical Readathon for Conjuration with the prompt: colour wheel. This is an adult horror book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I watched the movie for this book and really enjoyed it, so wanted to see what the book was like. So far I really enjoy it. I think the adaptation is great, very accurate so far. Really love that the author put some casual LGBTQ+ characters in the book, appreciate that so much. Story is very tense. I do know the twist of course, but that is fine. Curious to see if there will be any changes from the book.

I did not completely finish this book, was a bit done with it at the end part. A certain character had a perspective and I just couldn't. I think the movie is better, so would recommend that. I do think they changed a certain thing there, which was why I did not enjoy the book that much.

I'm currently reading The ocean squid explorers' club by Alex Bell. This is the fourth book in The explorers' club series. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this for the Magical Readathon for Alchemy for the prompt: circle on the cover. This is a middle grade fantasy book series.

Loving this so far. I had to wait quite some time to continue this series, because not all the books were available at my audiobook app and library. But my library finally has them all, so I can finally read the rest of the series. Fortunately this book is with a different set of characters from the first three books, so you can see this as a separate series (you do have to read the other books first). I really like the characters in this book. The audiobook is the absolute best and am very sad that for the other two books I don't have the audiobooks.

This was a super fun read, really enjoyed it! The ending was a bit abrupt and convenient, so therefore not the full five stars. Very excited to read the next book!

I have read The last house on Needless Street by Catriona Ward. I read the Dutch ebook. Read this for my in real life book club. It was my choice. Chose this one, because I thought it would be fun to read a thriller and I thought this one was good for the discussion. This is an adult thriller book with some horror vibes.

I read this over a longer period, so therefore didn't update at the beginning. The beginning started out pretty good. It was fun to guess what had happened and who was the person who did it. The characters we followed were a bit weird, but that was also pretty fun. It was definitely a fun book to discuss with the group.

However... there was a certain "twist" in this book that I just absolutely hated. I think it's very problematic. Even more so with the afterword where the author explains things. I just hate when thrillers do twists like this, but it is hard to avoid apparantly. I think it would have been a better idea if the author wrote a contemporary book with what the "twist" was about. And another book that was a thriller with the original story she made up. Very much don't recommend reading this book.

I'm currently reading The golden yarn by Cornelia Funke. This is the third book in the Reckless series. I'm reading the ebook. This is my second time reading this book. Reading this for the Magical Readathon for the Quest. This is a young adult fantasy book series (I don't really think it is young adult).

Loving this one more then the other books in the series. It's so fast paced and so suspenceful. I just want to keep reading. Again could not remember anything from this book even though I have already read it. Which is super fun!

This was great again! I really enjoyed the new characters introduced in this book. Story was also very good and can't wait to see where it goes.

I have read Alyssa's ring by Julia Gray. This is the fifth and final book in The guardian cycle. I read a copy from my father. Read this for the Magical Readathon for the Quest. This is an adult fantasy book series.

I finally finished this series! I have been working on it for 4 years. Feels good to have finished it. It was a very good ending, really enjoyed it. I don't think this series is very well written, but it is a fun one to read. I especially love the characters and the themes in the series.

I have read Gezinsverpakking (Family package) by the family Chabot. I read an owned copy. Read this for the Magical Readathon for Psionics & Divination with the prompt: prediction bingo. This is an adult literary nonfiction book in short story format.

I really enjoyed the book of one of the brothers in the family, so really wanted to get this collection for the Dutch Book Week. I'm very glad I did. I enjoyed all the stories a lot, but especially the ones by the mother and the one by the second to oldest brother. Really loved that the dog was a big part of the collection. Would love to read more by this family.

I have read If this gets out by Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich. I read a copy from the library. Read this for the Magical Readathon for Shapeshifting with the prompt: read from author who blurbed your last 5 star read. This is a young adult contemporary romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

This book was just okay unfortunately. I enjoyed the beginning, especially the characters. I did not like the story though. It was very bleek and depressing. The romance was very much in the background. So I mainly gave this a high rating because of the characters.

I have read Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I read an owned copy. Read this for the Magical Readathon for Spells & Incantations for the prompt: random number generator title length. This is a middle grade contemporary book.

I really loved the movie when I saw it and have been curious about the book for a while. Fortunately I found it in a thrift shop recently, so I could finally read it. It was a wonderful book. I don't understand how people can be so cruel, but it was good to read about. And it was great to see the other side as well. The different perspectives were especially amazing.

I'm currently reading Living shadows by Cornelia Funke. This is the second book in the Reckless series. Reading the ebook. This is my second time reading this book. This is on my Series TBR. Also reading it for the Magical readathon for Elemental studies with the prompt: source of light on the cover.

Enjoying this so far. I think as much as the first book. Did not remember much from when I first read it, but that has been years so makes sense. I really like the characters in this series and really like the worldbuilding. Story so far is fun.

This was great! Cliffhanger at the end, so immediately went into the next book.

I have read The ultimate guide to growing dragons by Andy Shepherd. This is the sixth book in The boy who grew dragons series. I read a copy from the library and listened to the audiobook. Read this for the Magical Readathon for Animal studies for the prompt: yellow title. This is a childrens fantasy book series.

I really enjoy this series and this book was great as well. I listened to the audiobook for the first time and would recommend it, it was amazing. This book felt a bit chaotic, because it was part guide and part continuing the story of book five. But I did enjoy it.

I have read November by Thomas Olde Heuvelt. I read a Dutch copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. I tried this book before, but I wasn't in the mood for horror then, so wanted to try it again now. Read this for the Magical Readathon for Alchemy with the prompt: circle on the cover. This is an adult horror book.

First time this book was a bit too scary for me, but now I was really in the mood to read horror. This was perfect for that. I really love how the author writes his characters, they feel very real. The story was great and it was really tense throughout. Ending was a bit too much for me, so therefore not the full five stars, but still really loved it.

I have read Perfect remains by Helen Fields. This is the first book in the D.I. Callanach series. I read a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this because this series has been on my tbr for a while and I really wanted to read a thriller. Hope I can fit it in for Magical Readathon somewhere, but we shall see. This is an adult crime thriller.

This was great. I have found out that these are the thrillers I actually enjoy. Basically detectives (or someone else like a journalist) figuring out who did it. I also like that we have the perspective of the killer as well. In this one I really liked all the characters, which is great because I can continue the series. The plot was very well done as well.

I have read The twisted ones by T. Kingfisher. I read the ebook and listened to the audiobook. This was my second time reading this book. Read it for the T. Kingfisher readalong I'm doing on Discord. Also read this for the Magical Readathon for Restoration with the prompt: book you think could cure a slump. This is an adult horror book.

This was great. I really love the writing of T. Kingfisher. I also really love the humour and how she writes characters. It was also a really spooky and creepy read. Especially a certain scene. The pace did feel off sometimes again, so that is something I don't enjoy in her books. Also the sentence concerning the twisted ones was used so many times it got really annoying. But overall a good read.

I have read You need more sleep by Francesco Marciuliano. I read the ebook. Read this, because I have read another book by this author and want to read more. Logged this for Magical Readathon for Demonology with the prompt: book you did not pay for. This is a nonfiction self help book for adults.

Did not know this wasn't poetry as the first book was, so that was a bit of a surprise. But it was a fun read. I enjoyed the pictures in the book a lot, all the cute cats. Want to make an effort to read more from his books, because they all look great.

Stats & Wrap Up March 2024:

What I read in March 2024

I have read The empress of salt and fortune by Nghi Vo. This is the first book in The singing hills cycle. I listened to the audiobook. Read this because it was recommended a lot and wanted to listen to something short. This is an adult fantasy book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Dit not really like this. I think the audiobook had a lot to do with it, because I think the book was structured in a certain way and that did not come across on audio really. The story also felt a bit too random to me.

I have read The last bookwanderer by Anna James. This is the sixth book in the Pages and Co. series. I listened to the audiobook. Read this to finish the series. This is a middle grade fantasy book series.

Did not really like this one. The series went downhill for me from book four. I am glad I finished the series, just so I can recommend it or not to people. I do still really like the concept and the characters, but I did not like where the story went.

I have read Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer. This is the first book in the Southern Reach trilogy. Read a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this because I have seen the movie a few years ago and was really intrigued. So was excited to see what the book would be like. This is an adult science fiction horror book.

Really enjoyed this. It was a bit different from the movie, which was actually fun. It was very creepy which I liked. The ending was pretty good and am very curious to see what the rest of the series will be like.

I have read Razorblade tears by S.A. Cosby. I read a Dutch copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this for my Reading Authors challenge, because I loved Blacktop wasteland. I have also suddenly been in a thriller mood again, so leaning into that. This is an adult mystery thriller.

Loved this of course, did not expect anything else. These are the kind of thrillers I enjoy. A bit more action packed and just a fun time. I also really appreciate all the diversity in this book. It was in a casual way which is also appreciated. Can't wait to read more by this author.

I'm currently reading A wizard's guide to defensive baking by T. Kingfisher. I'm reading the ebook from Kobo Plus. This is my second time reading this book. Reading it, because I'm doing a T. Kingfisher readalong with online friends. This is a young adult fantasy book.

Wanted to reread this, because I really enjoyed it the first time I read it. Wanted to see if I could get a higher rating for it. Don't think that will happen, but still really enjoying this book. I really love the magic system and especially our main character with her baking magic. The story itself is good, but there are some slower parts that don't feel right for the pace. But it is a really fun read.

Not a higher rating, but still a really fun read. The pace is off in the book, so therefore not a higher rating. But I really love the story and characters.

I have read Holly by Stephen King. This is the third book in the Holly series, but in my opinion it's actually the sixth book. Read a Dutch copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook at the same time. Picked this up last week from the library, because I was suddenly in the mood to read a thriller/horror. I also love Stephen King's books most of the time, so new this was probably going to be a win. This is a crime book with horror and mystery elements.

I absolutely love Holly as a character, so was super excited when I saw King came out with this book. I knew it was not going to be a disappointment and it definitely wasn't. The plot was very good and well done. It was pretty horrific, but not too much for me. Holly was of course the absolute best and it was also fun to see the other characters again.

If you want to pick this book up, but you haven't read the other books: I think you will be fine. There are some things mentioned from books before, but not very often and it is not that important for the book. You do miss some character background of course, but don't think you miss much for this book. King does explain some basic things you should know about the character dynamics. So feel free to pick this up, but I personally enjoyed the other books a lot too, so if you can, pick those up as well.

I'm currently reading New from here by Kelly Yang. I'm listening to the audiobook on BookBeat. Again wanted to make the best of my free trial, so therefore picked this one up. I have wanted to read something from Kelly Yang for a while, so this is the perfect time. This is a middle grade contemporary book.

Really loving this. I love the diversity in this book and love to learn about different experiences. This book is about the start of the pandemic (so be warned) and it is very interesting to read from a different perspective then my country. I also love the ADHD representation for the main character. Also love that this is a mixed family and two of the kids pass as white and one of them doesn't. You learn in this book how difficult that can be. Just... amazing. High rating for sure.

This was the absolute best. I loved this so much. Learned a lot. Lovely ending. Just great.

I'm currently reading Assassin's quest by Robin Hobb. This is the third book in the Farseer trilogy. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my second time reading this book. Reading this, because I have wanted to since I finished book two in September, but I finally have room to read it now. This is an adult fantasy book series.

Loving this of course. It did break my heart immediately when I started, but that is to be expected from this series. I did not remember that well what happened in this one. The whole story of Fitz has blended together a bit in my head. But have remembered and yeah... Hope my heart can handle it.

My heart could handle it fortunately. Was a little emotional at the end, but not that much. The ending was beautiful and I can't wait to read Tawny man.

I have read Spellslinger by Sebastien de Castell. This is the first book in the Spellslinger series. I listened to the audiobook. Read this for the Year in Aeldia challenge. Also read this because it is on BookBeat and want to make the most of my free trial. I also heard a lot of good things about this series and was curious. This is a young adult fantasy book series.

The beginning was pretty promising. I really liked the set up of the story and the magic was pretty intriguing. But after that I did not enjoy it that much. The characters, especially the main character, are not really my taste. It also feels like a pretty generic fantasy story with some small unique things added. But the story was pretty good and the ending was a good cliffhanger. So think I will read book two, but not sure if I will read the whole series since it is long.

I'm currently reading Finding bear by Hannah Gold. This is the second book in The last bear series (duology?). I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this one, because I read book one and really enjoyed it. Saw on my audiobook app that this just published, so therefore reading it now. Also reading it for the Orilium challenge for my second character. This is a middle grade book and apparantly magical realism? but I would just call it contemporary.

Enjoying this so far. Did not remember much about book one, but that is not really a problem. Really like the main character. I especially love what this book has to see about climate change and taking care of animals.

Wasn't a great book in the end. Felt like a pretty unnecessary sequel. Do still enjoy the main character, but the story was a bit meh.

I'm currently reading Paladin's hope by T. Kingfisher. This is the third book in The saint of steel series. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this for the T. Kingfisher readalong I'm doing with a group. I skipped the other books in the series. Also reading this for my Authors TBR. This is an adult fantasy romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Enjoying this so far. I really love how the author writes. The humour is excellent. I also think the mystery in this one is pretty good. I am curious to see where it will go though. The characters are great. Am reading this one and not the rest of the series, because it is a male/male romance and I only enjoy those.

Yes this was really good! I enjoyed the romance a lot! Not extraordinary, but really fun nonetheless.

I'm currently reading The petrified flesh by Cornelia Funke. This is the first book in the Reckless series. I'm reading the ebook. This is my second time reading this book. Reading this, because the newest book has been out for a while and I really want to read that. So I need to reread the rest of the series to read that one, because it has been years since I read it. This is a young adult fantasy book series.

So far this is really good. I did not remember a lot, but only some small parts. I really like the set up of this book. I'm also not sure if this is actually young adult since the characters are in their early twenties. Story so far is really good and can't wait to read this whole series again.

This was super fun to reread! Very glad I decided to do that. I especially love the characters in this book. The world building is also great. Very excited to continue with the series.

I'm currently reading The shadow of what was lost by James Islington. This is the first book in The Licanius trilogy. I'm reading the ebook that I bought. Reading this, because I have wanted to read this series for a while and finally decided to just buy it on my new ereader. This is an adult fantasy book.

This is good so far. The worldbuilding is exactly how I like it. Enough to understand everything, but not too much so you get overwhelmed. The magic system is pretty cool. The story itself is well set up and it is not easy to figure out where it will go, which I like a lot.

This was amazing! This is exactly the kind of fantasy I love. There was literally nothing about it that I did not enjoy. I especially loved the plot twists near the end, even though I did see some coming, that did not matter at all. Super excited for book two!

Stats & Wrap Up February 2024:

What I read in February 2024

I have read All that's left in the world by Erik J. Brown. This is the first book in the All that's left in the world series (duology?). I read a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. Read this because I'm interested to read more in this genre and always fun to read a book with LGBTQ+ characters. Also read this for the weekend readathon. This is a young adult dystopian book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I loved this so much! Loved it from page one. I especially loved the audiobook, would highly recommend. There were two narrators for each of the boys and when they narrated parts that the other boy said something it was as if the other narrator said it. They changed there voice so well. The story itself was really well done. I loved everything about it. The pace, the plot, all the characters, just great. Definitely want to reread this and see if I want to own it.

I have read Feather by M.G. Leonard. This is the fourth book in The Twitchers series. I listened to the audiobook narrated by the author herself. Read this because I love M.G. Leonard and I love this series. I saw that there was a new book published so immediately read it, which was a fun experience. Read this for the Orilium challenge. Also read this for the readathon weekend. This is a middle grade mystery book series.

Love this series a lot and love M.G. Leonard. I love how she writes about nature. I also really like all the mysteries in this series. They are all well done. Very fun to have another perspective change in this book, so we are getting to know all the characters even more. Highly recommend this series!

I have read Gender queer by Maia Kobabe. I read a copy from the library. Read this because I was interested in the topic. I also had a weekend readathon and wanted to read some short books then. This is a memoir graphic novel about gender with LGBTQ+ people.

This was a very interesting read. I think it's important to learn about different experiences people had and it was good to read about Maia. I did think this was a young adult book, because it was in that section at my library, but it was definitely adult. Which bothered me, but that is more a me thing and not the books fault of course. I really liked the set up of this book and the drawings were done very well.

I'm currently reading Notes on a nervous planet by Matt Haig. I'm reading the Dutch ebook. Reading this for my Authors TBR. This is a self help book with themes of health and psychology.

Already very good of course. I really love the author's nonfiction books. Very curious what he has to say about this topic and what I can learn from it.

Did not like this one as much as his other book I read. This one felt very chaotic and I don't really like that. What he had to say was interesting, but it felt like it didn't go anywhere really.

I'm currently reading The sky blues by Robbie Couch. I'm listening to the audiobook. I'm reading this, because I got a 60 day free trial for a BookBeat and want to use that as much as possible with books that are not on Storytel. This is a young adult contemporary romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Loving this so far. Which is pretty easy with these genres. I really like the main character and I love the diversity in this book. Story itself is pretty standard, but I don't really mind that.

So... that took a turn. I was going to give this 3 stars. When the story evolved certain things were not done very well in my opinion. But this is a debut, so that is sort of expected. It was still a fun story. But: there were quite a few HP references. This book came out in 2021. There is a trans character in this book. No. Just no. Don't do that. So therefore I removed another star from my rating. This is just not okay.

I'm currently reading The return of the king by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is the third book in The lord of the rings trilogy. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. Reading this for my Rereading Challenge. This is an adult fantasy book and is considered a classic.

This is my favorite book in the trilogy (I do love the Hobbit more). I think this is still the case. I'm already reading this one way faster than the second book. I also don't mind in this one that we have the two parts with the different characters. I did not like that in the second book, but it makes a lot of sense in this book. It also adds a lot of tention.

Yes this is still my favorite of the trilogy. I just love it. I also really love that we have a longer ending in the book then in the movies. Appreciate that a lot. Just love this series so much and will probably reread it next year or the year after.

I'm currently reading Beartown by Fredrik Backman. This is the first book in the Beartown series. I'm reading an owned copy. This is my third time reading this book. Reading this for my Rereading challenge. This is an adult contemporary book.

What can I say about this? It's just one of my favorite books of all time. I love Backman's writing of course. But in this book it is mainly about the characters for me. The detail he brings into the characters is amazing. The story itself is powerful and a must know for people.

Just... an awful beautiful heartbreaking story.

I'm currently reading The lights on Knockbridge lane by Roan Parrish. This is the third book in the Garnet run series. I'm listening to the audiobook. This is my second time reading this book. Reading it for my Rereading TBR. This is an adult romance book with LGBTQ+ characters.

Just loving rereading lately, so continuing with that. I just absolutely love this series and this one is also super fun. I also love that we see the characters from the previous books in here and even a character from the next book (which I didn't realize the first time I read this). I also love that we have so much diversity in this series. In this one for example a father that divorced his husband and now needs to take care of his daughter alone. The other character has, I think, social anxiety and I think that is handled very well. Just love it.

This was such a delight to read, I absolutely loved it. There was a third act conflict in this one, but it made sense to me. Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

I'm currently reading Strong female character by Fern Brady. I'm reading an owned ebook. Reading this because I heard good things about it and want to read more books from autistic authors. This is an adult memoir with topics of feminism and health.

The start was a bit difficult to follow, but after that the author went in chronological order, so now it is easier. I find this a very interesting read and to see her perspective on autism. But also what her life was like with no diagnosis. Certain things I don't like to read about, but that is a me thing and not the book.

Solid book. Well written, although it was a bit chaotic sometimes. I actually hope Fern will write a part two in a couple of years time when she has had her diagnosis longer.

I'm currently reading To sleep in a sea of stars by Christopher Paolini. This is the first book in the Fractalverse series. Not sure if the second book is actually a sequel, but we shall see. I'm reading a copy from the library whilst listening to the audiobook. This is an adult science fiction book series.

I read about a third of this earlier this year, but wasn't in the right headspace to continue with it. Now I'm picking it back up. Still really enjoying it. This is the kind of science fiction I like. Not a lot explained, but enough so you understand. And just great characters with a good concept. It is a long book, but I really don't mind, because it is very cool. Excited to finish it now.

This was incredible, really loved it. What I loved the most were the characters. All well developed and just really fun to read about. The story itself was good as well, but sometimes it was hard to follow. Didn't understand everything, so therefore not the full five stars, but that could change on a reread.

I'm currently reading The house in the cerulean sea by TJ Klune. Apparently this is now a series, so this is book one. I'm reading an owned copy whilst listening to the audiobook. This is my third time reading this book. I'm reading this one for an in real life book club I'm participating in. This is an adult fantasy book with LGBTQ+ characters.

I'm going to read this very slowly, so will take a while before I will finish it. Of course I'm loving it. I'm also really loving discussing the book with everyone. Especially fun to hear what they think will happen. It will probably still be my favorite book of all time.

Yes still my favorite book of all time. Just absolutely love it. I will read this multiple times in the future. Super excited now for the sequel.

Stats & Wrap Up January 2024:

What I read in January 2024

I'm currently reading Confessions of a bookseller by Shaun Bythell. This is the second book in The diary of a bookseller series. I'm reading an owned copy. This is my second time reading this book. Reading this for my Rereading Challenge. This is a nonfiction memoir book.

I gave this a slightly lower rating than the first book the first time I read it. Just a little bit of a lower rating. I can see why now, I think the author explains certain things more in this one, which is not always enjoyable or interesting to read. But I love it nonetheless, just slightly less than the first book.

Yeah my rating is still the same. I am very curious about the next book though, because I think it's from a couple of years later. Can hopefully start that soon.

I'm currently reading Best laid plans by Roan Parrish. This is the second book in the Garnet run series. I'm listening to the audiobook. This is my second time reading this book. Reading this for the Orilium Challenge. Also reading it for my Rereading Challenge. This is an adult romance book series with LGBTQ+ characters.

I had no idea what to listen to next after dnfing the series I was reading. I tried another book, but did not like it. Tried another one, also did not like it. Then I just went to my Rereading challenge and picked this. I love this series so much, almost the only romance I do actually enjoy. I love the characters just so much. I also love the diversity a lot. It is not only queer characters, but also with mental health problems and just all different kinds of guys. Just love it a lot. I might actually have to buy this one this year, because I do own the first book.

Great, just great. Need to buy this one. Love it so much.

I have read The duchess of Bloomsbury street by Helene Hanff. I read a copy from the library. Read this because it is sort of the sequel to Charing Cross Road and it was in the same book I had out from the library. This is an adult nonfiction book and a memoir.

Did not like this one as much as the first book. Mainly because it was less bookish and it was not in letters, but in a diary form. I did like that I got to learn what happened to Helene and the bookshop after the first book. So would recommend if you liked the first one.

I have read The diary of a bookseller by Shaun Bythell. This is the first book in The diary of a bookseller series. I read an owned copy. This was my second read of this book. Read this for my Rereading challenge. This is an adult nonfiction book and a memoir.

I just absolutely love this book. It's just amazing. I love how fun it is to read. Very lighthearted. Also super fun to learn about the bookselling world and what it is like owning your own bookshop. All the different people are a delight. The diary itself is written just right. I just love this. Want to start the second book soon and hope I can get the third book soon as well.

I have read 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I read a copy from the library. I read this for the Orilium challenge (for my second character, not the one mentioned on my challenge page) for January with the prompt: read a book physically. This is an adult nonfiction book and a memoir.

This was great. I just love books about books and this was that. The writing style surprised me, it was way easier than I expected. Which made me think that I might enjoy other nonfiction books that are older.

I'm currently reading Best served cold by Joe Abercrombie. This is the first book in the First law world trilogy. I'm listening to the audiobook. Reading this, because I finished the first trilogy in this overarching series and now want to read this trilogy (which is actually 3 standalones and 1 short story collection). This is an adult fantasy book series.

Really enjoying this so far. Probably the same amount as the books before, but we shall see. Love that we are following a completely different character in a different part of the world. But also fun that we are following another character who we met in the previous books.

I was about 2/3 of the way through, saw how much I still needed to listen to (5.5 hours at my speed) and was like: no not going to do that. There were certain twists in this book that I did not like. I also asked someone if I should continue, but they said they did not like the next book. I read what that one is about and nope have no interest in that. So I put this on finished (since I did read so much of it). I did give it still a pretty high rating, because I did like most what I read. It might have become a lower rating if I finished it. But I did not. I would still recommend the first trilogy, but maybe just skip these books.

I'm currently reading The Christmas club by Mel Taylor-Bessent. This is the third book in the Christmas Carrolls series. I'm listening to the audiobook. This is a middle grade contemporary book series.

So much fun, just so fun. These are my favorite Christmas books. Curious to see how long this series will be, no idea. Hope there will be more, because I just love it.

This was amazing! This one was better than the second book in the series. That one felt slightly off. This one felt like it needs to be. Really joyful and fun. Love it!

I have read Galatea by Madeline Miller. I read a copy from the library. Read this for my Reading Authors challenge. I have now read all the books by Madeline Miller. This book is a mythology short story.

This was really good. The topic was not really my thing. But how Madeline Miller writes... It's just so good. I also really loved the author's note and what she explained about the story. Just great, would highly recommend her books.

I have read Marmalade: the orange panda by David Walliams. I read a copy from the library. This is a children's picture book.

I read this because I started 2023 with a picture book and wanted to do that again this year. And it was great! This was so cute and wholesome. But also with good lessons for kids. Just great!

See here my Wrap Up & Stats for 2023:

Do you want to read my older reviews?

Here is my StoryGraph link: A Robin Reads