September Favourites (Monthly favs #9)

My favourite books I've read in September aka the month of Awesomesauce!!!

Yay, I finally got my reading mojo back. I really missed it, I didn't have it at all since January and life was lonely without it.  Anyway, if I count my DNF and my 70% read book from yesterday, I've read 21 books in September! Also, I've finally started to read sad books. I've always avoided them before, because of several reasons, but now I finally manage to read them, I'm finally catching up, so if you have any suggestions/recommendations hit me with them, please :)

There were a lot of books to chose from this month, obviously, the following are the ones that impressed me most.

Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts - Claire LaZebnik

Despite her name, Keats Sedlak is the sanest person in her large, nutty family of brilliant eccentrics. Her parents, both brainy academics, are barely capable of looking after themselves, let alone anyone else, and her two uber-intelligent siblings live on their own planets. At least she can count on one person in her life, her devoted boyfriend Tom. Down-to-earth and loving, he's the one thing that's kept Keats grounded for the last decade. But when Keats's mother makes a surprise announcement, the entire family is sent into a tailspin. For the first time, Keats can't pick up the pieces by herself. Now she must re-evaluate everything she's ever assumed about herself and her family - and make the biggest decision of her life.

This is the only chick-lit novel I read during September, and in fact the first I've read in quite a while. I love this gem of a book. It's smart and it's funny. I enjoy the quirky writing style, it made me think and laugh out loud. The similarities between Keats life and my own where a bit spooky sometimes.

Epic Fail - Claire LaZebnik  
Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.

I started this one immediately after having finished Families and Other Nonreturnable Gifts, because I needed an other LaZebnik fix. Epic Fail is her first attempt at YA and she succeed at it.
My short review I wrote on Goodreads right after finishing Epic Fail:  Claire LaZebnik is my hero :) Honestly, ALL her books are wonderful! This one was really cute and well-written. Yes, I'm a huge Jane Austen fan, but I don't actually like all the re-tellings and adaptations. Yes, there are good ones out there, but there are also many bad and redundant ones.
I liked this take on Pride and Prejudice a lot. It's cute and refreshing and doesn't follow the original too close, so it doesn't get boring. It manages to reproduce the spirit of the story and it doesn't feel forced or awkward. Really cute and likeable!

Raw Blue - Kirsty Eagar

Carly has dropped out of uni to spend her days surfing and her nights working as a cook in a Manly café. Surfing is the one thing she loves doing … and the only thing that helps her stop thinking about what happened two years ago at schoolies week.

And then Carly meets Ryan, a local at the break, fresh out of jail. When Ryan learns the truth, Carly has to decide. Will she let the past bury her? Or can she let go of her anger and shame, and find the courage to be happy?

Go READ this one! Seriously! It's awesome. Yes, I know I'm gushing.I'd heard so much good about this book before reading it. And frankly I was quite scared to read it myself. What if I don't like it? What if I'll be disappointed? Aussie books are quite different from US or UK Young Adult books. Not sure why though. They're darker, more realistic maybe, the writing is different. This is my quote from Goodreads after finishing Raw Blue in the middle of the night: "Help, what am I going to do now? I need more. More of this blanket called book that wrapped around me all cozy and blue and left my body and mind so raw. It's perfect." 

 Fixing Delilah - Sarah Ockler

Things in Delilah Hannaford's life have a tendency to fall apart.
She used to be a good student, but she can't seem to keep it together anymore. Her "boyfriend" isn't much of a boyfriend. And her mother refuses to discuss the fight that divided their family eight years ago. Falling apart, it seems, is a Hannaford tradition.
Over a summer of new friendships, unexpected romance, and moments that test the complex bonds between mothers and daughters, Delilah must face her family's painful past. Can even her most shattered relationships be pieced together again?
Rich with emotion, Sarah Ockler delivers a powerful story of family, love, and self-discovery.

I bought this one after having read and enjoyed Twenty Boy Summer, Ocklers debut novel. Fixing Delilah is everything I wanted it to be and I actually enjoyed it more than Twenty Boy Summer. It's sad and it feels real.

 Saving Francesca - Melina Marchetta

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian's, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom.  Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an an impossibly dorky accordion player.  The boys are no better, from Thomas who specializes in musical burping to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about.

Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling who she really is.  Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

Someone on Goodreads said that Fixing Delilah reminded them of Saving Francesca, which I hadn't read. I've read so many raving reviews about Melina Marchetta so, yep, I just had to read this. It took me a while in the beginning. The writing, the language was difficult for me, but after the initial slow beginning I was all hooked and couldn't put it down again. It's a slow burn, it draws you in and doesn't let you go. It's was a really surprising experience for me.

Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit -- more sparkly, more fun, more wild -- the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket -- a gifted inventor -- steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

I don't think I need to say much about this. You all know why you NEED to read this. Enjoy!

August Favourites (Monthly favs #8)

My favourite books of August.

August has been another month during which I just couldn't read, it's been an emotional month for me with lots of setbacks and books just couldn't help me this time. According to Goodreads I've read 9 books in August, a few of them were Re-Reads.


My hands down favourite book in August was:

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard

It all begins with a stupid question:

Are you a Global Vagabond?

No, but 18-year-old Bria Sandoval wants to be. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a guided tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists with fanny packs are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. When Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspokenly humanitarian sister Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path.

Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel across a panorama of Mayan villages, remote Belizean islands, and hostels plagued with jungle beasties, they discover what they've got in common: both seek to leave behind the old versions of themselves. And the secret to escaping the past, Rowan’s found, is to keep moving forward.

But Bria comes to realize she can't run forever, no matter what Rowan says. If she ever wants the courage to fall for someone worthwhile, she has to start looking back.

Kirsten Hubbard lends her artistry into this ultimate backpacker novel, weaving her drawings into the text. Her career as a travel writer and her experiences as a real-life vagabond backpacking Central America are deeply seeded in this inspiring story.

I'm in LUUURVE with this book! I loved everything about it. The Road-Trip-y feeling, the gorgeous guy, the locations and descriptions of them and the DRAWINGS! There are wonderful drawings in this book that give the story that little extra something. I'll post a review of this wonderful book a little closer to its Release Day in March next year.
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The second book that made it into my *Favourite* list was an unexpected one:

And For Your Information... by Denise Deegan. A Butterfly Novel

Everyone thinks they know who I am - ditzy Sarah, who cares more about appearances than she does about anything real. And yeah, I do care about what people think of me. Take my friends Alex and Rachel. We all go to Strandbrook College, Dublin. We're supposed to be best friends. But Alex and Rachel - they're really close. They tell each other things that they would never tell me. I try not to mind. And then there's Simon. He's my sort-of boyfriend but we hardly see each other. And when we do, I feel like he doesn't really 'see' me, you know? Everything's such a mess right now. My dad left us to be with Her; my mum is really angry all the time; and my brother Louis, he just doesn't care. I guess that's why the shoplifting started. It makes me feel good. In control. I just want everything to change. And it does. The day I got caught ...

This cute little book took me completely by surprise. I think I've never ever cried so much while reading a book, I got really emotionally invested. I read it almost a week ago and it still hasn't left me. I'll be posting a longer review next week :)

July Favourites (Monthly favs #7) - Ice Boy, why so cool?

Favourite Books of July or the Ice Boy edition

Another month has come and gone and sadly I didn't have much time to read. I've also been in a weird mood and didn't feel much like reading :(. So I've only read 8 or 9 books during July and none has stood out, none is deserving of a spot in my 'Favourite of the Month' list. Well, none except one that is.

The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4)

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.


To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice

I'll publish a review of the Iron Knight a little closer to its Release Date. But let me just say it is a bitter-sweet but perfect ending to this lovely series. I cried and I laughed. Now I have that sad and empty feeling I always get when I finish a wonderful book. Can't wait to read more of Julie Kagawa's work.

June Favourites (Monthly favs #6) - Very short reviews

Ugh, another month has come and gone, where does all the TIME go? Is there a time-graveyard somewhere (along with the missing socks and my missing books?). Anyway, as I love my *statistics*, here comes my short recap of June where I present my favourite books I read over the past month.

I've been on a blogging hiatus (and still am, kind of), due to spending my Summer at the lake:

I've tried to read a lot, but was often distracted, sometimes by various animals as the BIG BLACK SNAKE I came across or stories my father told me daily about coming eye to eye with a wolf or a moose...this country is scary...lol :). Anyway, according to Goodreads I've read 16 books, which is not as bad as the previous months. I also discovered that I like to read on my Kindle much more than I like to read actual *tree* - books.

So, here are my June favourites!:

Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern

On the first day of Lillian’s summer-before-college, she gets a message on her cell from her sort-of friend, Penny. Not only has Penny faked her own kidnapping, but Lil is the only one who figures it out. She knows that Penny’s home life has been rough, and that her boyfriend may be abusive. Soon, Penny’s family, the local police, and even the FBI are grilling Lil, and she decides to head out to Oregon, where Penny has mentioned an acquaintance. And who better to road-trip across the country with than Lil’s BFF, Josh. But here’s the thing: Lil loves Josh. And Josh doesn’t want to “ruin” their amazing friendship.

Josh has a car and his dad’s credit card. Lil has her cellphone and a hunch about where Penny is hiding. There’s something else she needs to find: Are she and Josh meant to be together?

I have mentioned a few times earlier that I simply love Road-trip books. As I've never been to the US I find it really interesting to read about all this peculiar places and look up pictures of these places on google. I love being in a car, even though I don't have a driving license myself ( I've never had enough money...). Most of my Summer-holidays consisted of my family driving all over Europe, yeah Road Trips!
For me this book had everything, the right places, the right pacing, an interesting story, a sweet romancing, a little bit of mystery. It is a coming of age story, finding the right way and there's just enough of an openness at the end to not lock the story in between it's covers but still giving me that feeling of content.....

Back When You Were Easier to Love - Emily Wing Smith

What's worse than getting dumped? Not even knowing if you've been dumped. Joy got no goodbye, and certainly no explanation when Zan - the love of her life and the only good thing about stifling, backward Haven, Utah - unceremoniously and unexpectedly left for college a year early. Joy needs closure almost as much as she needs Zan, so she heads for California, and Zan, riding shotgun beside Zan's former-best-friend Noah.

Original and insightful, quirky and crushing, Joy's story is told in surprising and artfully shifting flashbacks between her life then and now. Exquisite craft and wry, relatable humor signal the arrival of Emily Wing Smith as a breakout talent

This is also a Road-trip books, but quite different from 'Don't Stop Now'. This books actually took my kind of by surprise. I never expected to like it, event though I really adore different and quirky books. I downloaded the sample to my kindle and when I saw the word 'Mormon' I was intrigued. I've never read a book set within the mormon culture before and it was quite frankly not what I wanted to read about at this point, I just wanted to read a book about a boy and a girl ..a road and a car...lol. Well, there isn't much 'mormon' in this book as far as I could detect, or at least it didn't hinder my reading-experience. I loved the *journey* Joy went through, most of all her internal one. I really enjoyed this book, it gave me quite a few things to think about.

The Single Girl's To-Do List by Lindsey Kelk

A hilarious and romantic standalone novel from the bestselling author of the I Heart series Rachel Summers lives every area of her life according to a to-do list and so far, she is ticking most things off. She has a job she loves (make-up artist to the stars), the perfect boyfriend, a cosy London flat and a fantastic circle of friends. All that remains on her life to-do list is to get married, have a baby and live happily ever after. Simple. Well, not quite! Suddenly, Rachel's perfect boyfriend wants to take a break. She's convinced it's just cold feet but when the break turns into a split, her best friends Emelie and Matthew step in and come up with the ultimate heartbreak cure -- the single girl's to-do list, the top ten things Rachel must see and do to kick-start her fabulous, new single life. But nothing can prepare her for the adventures that unfold as the to-do list takes them all over town and even abroad, and proves to all three that love is out there if you're willing to take a chance!

I just realized that all my favourite books this month are about journeys. This chick-lit-y book is also about one. It's the journey from being just dumped and miserable to enjoying single-ness, this is achieved with the help of a list. A list written while being drunk. I love Lindsey Kelks novels. I enjoy her humour, her talent to draw me in, the feel every emotion within the pages, to identify with the characters. A perfect Summer- Beach-Read (or Winter-hot chocolate-on couch-read).

Groundswell by Katie Lee

EAT, SURF, LOVE. A butterfly flaps its wings in New York City . . . and a groundswell forms in Mexico. . . .

Sometimes the biggest ripples come from the smallest events. Like the day that Emma Guthrie walks into world-famous movie star Garrett Walker’s trailer. When she steps through the door, she’s a novice PA who’s just dropped out of college after losing her scholarship. When she walks out, she’s on her way to becoming Mrs. Emma Walker—wife of an A-list actor. Soon, Emma has made the transition from nobody to red-carpet royalty, trading jeans and flip-flops for closets full of Chanel and Birkin bags, swishing past velvet ropes to attend every lavish party and charity gala on both coasts. With her husband’s encouragement, Emma pens a screenplay based on her life, Fame Tax, which becomes a blockbuster sensation. Through it all, Garrett is her ally and her mentor . . . until their relationship is thrown into question by an incriminating text message that Emma discovers on Garrett’s phone the night of the Met Costume Institute Gala.

Devastated by her husband’s infidelity and hounded mercilessly by the paparazzi, Emma must flee New York City to get away from it all and clear her head. Her destination? A sleepy coastal town in Mexico where no one recognizes her and there is nothing but unspoiled beaches for miles. Here, she meets Ben, a gorgeous, California-born surf instructor, who teaches her about the healing powers of surfing, shows her the joys of the simple life, and ultimately opens her up to the possibility of love.

From Manhattan’s hippest restaurants to the yacht-and-celebrity infested waters of St. Barts, Katie Lee’s debut novel is an irresistible insider’s glimpse into a glittering world—and a captivating story about how losing everything you thought you wanted can be the first step to finding what you need.

And another book about a journey, gosh, what is it with the month of June??
This book also completely surprised me. It has all the elements I don't like in a book. Written by kind of a celebrity (even though I've never heard of her, as I live in Europe), a too long flashback and too *new-life* story, I still enjoyed this book immensely! I downloaded it to my kindle one late evening and I didn't go to bed until I'd finished it sometimes early early morning (or late night :P ).

So, last but not least, these are about my own journey, about how I've grown, where I've come in my life....

The Rywig- series by Berte Bratt

These books were some of my favourite books when I was a very young teenager. They were already *old* when I read them some 16 years ago, as they're set in the 50's and 60's in Norway, Germany, Africa, Australia and Canada.

I recently bought them used and got the revisit my favourite childhood characters. Yes, I teared up. Yes, I still love them. Yes, they opened up my eyes to things I didn't see before. They are still changing me, even all these years later.....

May Favourites (Monthly favs # 5) - Short reviews

Hello Again,

I thought I'd take a short break from my recent hiatus (not sure yet when that is going to end, but soon I hope, I had my last day of uni the day before yesterday, and even though I'm not done with everything I'll still have more time to read and hopefully to write. My parents are coming to visit soon and will stay a while, so I'll spend my summer on a camp-site at the lake not far from here....) to post my May favourites (yes, I love my statistics!).

I didn't have much time to read in May, due to *finals* and some serious tennis-watching and yeah, I still was in a reading slump for most of the month. But it seems now that I've gotten out of it, thanks to my kindle, it certainly makes it easier.

So, according to Goodreads I've read 9 books in May, started one on the last day of May and have one DNF (and lots and lots I only read one page and discarded, but those don't count). Out of these 9 books I have a grand-total of 5!!! favourites, which is kind of crazy. Anyway, here they are, with my short-reviews:

What Happened to Goodbye - Sarah Dessen

Since her parents' bitter divorce, Mclean and her dad, a restaurant consultant, have been on the move - four towns in two years. Estranged from her mother and her mother's new family, Mclean has followed her dad in leaving the unhappy past behind. And each new place gives her a chance to try out a new persona: from cheerleader to drama diva. But now, for the first time, Mclean discovers a desire to stay in one place and just be herself - whoever that is. Perhaps her neighbor Dave, an academic superstar trying to be just a regular guy, can help her find out. Combining Sarah Dessen's trademark graceful writing, great characters, and compelling storytelling, What Happened to Goodbye is irresistible reading.

Not surprisingly, the new Sarah Dessen is on the top of my list of my favourite books of the month, if not year. I'm a big Sarah Dessen fan, and I loved this book. I like books that are slow, where nothing really happens. Books that feel real, slow-simmering books, that somehow crawl under your skin and suddenly *boom*, you're crying, feel so much emotion and can't let the book, the story, the characters go, don't want it to end. This is one of these books. I can't exactly pinpoint what I love about this book, because there's not much of a plot, the premise is simple, the writing perfect.

Moonglass - Jessi Kirby

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.
While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.

How gorgeous is that cover, seriously! It's breathtaking. This book really surprised me. Again, it's a slow book, one that draws you in without you noticing. I cried during the last pages, big fat tears, really. It is beautifully written, the story sad and believable. I want to move to the beach now! haha.


                                                         

 Tempest Rising - Tracy Deebs

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her—and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

This is my first *mermaid*-book. Somehow I've always been fascinated by the mythology but never got around to read a book with this theme. That's probably why I was like a wide-eyed child of wonder. Seeing something for the first time, everything is so beautiful and new. I found its premise really interesting. In the beginning it reminded me a lot of Moonglass because Tempest's mother had willingly gone into the ocean. And also the passion for art and the beach. But whereas Moonglass was a contemporary *reality* read, this one is mythology and paranormal and whatnot.

At some point while reading I made this note on Goodreads:  "Somehow this book manages to combine all things I normally hate in books, that irritate me, annoy me, make me want to throw the book across the room, all my pet-peeves and MAKE IT WORK! Brilliantly so! I don't know why, I don't know how, it just does!"  

So, what were those things that normally really annoy me? For instance I hate cheating in books, really really hate it. I've recently read a book that was quite similar to Tempest Rising in the cheating department, and let me tell you, I threw that book against the wall several times. But here it worked! It didn't bother me. My second pet-peeve is *insta-love*, gaah, hate that. But again, Tempest Rising made it work, brilliantly so. There were a few things more, but it would take me all day to ramble on about it.
With that said, read this book, it's beautiful.

Divergent - Veronica Roth

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

I'm not going to say much about this book. It was really really hyped before its release day, and it was well-deserved! It's not usually my genre, but everybody was raving about it so I just had to had it, right? Once I'd started reading the first page I couldn't put it down again. I was hooked. If you haven't read it yet, Go READ IT, I'll wait!

Cross My Heart - Katie Klein
True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice. . . .

Jaden McEntyre and Parker Whalen are a wrong fit from the start. Jaden is driven and focused, Harvard Med School within reach. Parker has a past-a reputation-and the rumors about his mysterious habits abound. So there's no reason why, when they're assigned to work together on a project in English, they should discover they have anything in common, or even like each other, and they definitely shouldn't be falling in love.

As they bond over Edith Wharton's tragic novella, Ethan Frome, the "bad boy" vibe Parker plays begins to dissipate. Soon, Jaden finds herself shedding her own "good girl" image: sneaking around to be with him, confiding in him, and ultimately falling hard for this leather-wearing, motorcycle-driving loner who plays into the rebel stereotype.

Still, Jaden can't shake the feeling that there's more to Parker than he's letting on. He's hiding something from her, and discovering the truth means reconciling the Parker she's grown to love with the person he really is. Because it's possible that his life inside the classroom-everything Jaden knows-is one, massive lie.

I found this book whilst browsing on my kindle. I downloaded its sample and started to read...and never stopped (yeah, I bought it after I've read the short sample, of course). Anyway, I think this was the month of slow books. The ones that grow on you. This certainly was one of those. I loved Jadens voice, she really drew me in. I'm can't say too much about this book without revealing too much. There was a big twist at the end that I really didn't expect. Really didn't see that coming. I thought I had it all figured out, haha.

April Favourites (Monthly favs # 4)

Yes, I know, I'm ridiculously late with this post. I mean we are already five days into May! 
April has gone so fast it didn't even register in my mind. I've had a bad month, really. Somehow I just got into a reading slump. It got to the point that I picked up a random book, read the first page and threw the book away, next! I think I started about 20 books I just felt *Meeh* about. It felt like I'd lost the pleasure of reading, like it became a task, hard work. And I've never ever felt like that before, I've been reading regularly since I was 8 years old (I was reading before that too, but not as much...). Anyway..the month started off good, then got really really slow when I was in that black hole, I managed to get myself out of it and read three books in a row, but now during these past five days I haven't touched a book yet. Let's hope the excitement of books comes back to me!
According to Goodreads I managed to read 11 books during the month of April, I'm not quite sure though if I've finished all of them. Most of these books were a disappointment really, but here are my two favourites:

Girl on the Run by Jane Costello

Abby Rogers has been on health kicks before - they involve eating one blueberry muffin for breakfast instead of two. When she's encouraged to join her fitness-fanatic best friend's running club - by none other than its gorgeous new captain - she finds a mysterious compulsion to exercise.

.

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I'm a big fan of Jane Costello's novels, ever since I've picked up Bridesmaids in a book store in Stockholm. I loved this book. It's funny and charming and wonderful, it's exactly the kind of book that made me fall in love with *girlie* books in the first place.
I was hoping to be able to feature this one in my *chick-lit corner*..we will see how that goes..lol

After I'd read this wonderful book I fell right into that black hole I was talking about earlier, no book was good enough. That lasted about two weeks if not longer, during those weeks I discarded about twenty books. Finally I got an idea how to get out of it. I was thinking about what kind of book I'd like to read and immediately thought about Sarah Dessen. I didn't want to reread any and then it just hit me: You have a kindle, use it! So I did and downloaded a few Sarah Dessen books I hadn't previously read.

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen

Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about, the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it.

I'd heard so much about this book. Everybody loved it, everybody recommended it, but somehow I never got around to reading it. Let me tell you, YES, it really IS THAT GOOD!
I went through all the emotions while reading this book. I felt frustration, so much frustration I just wanted to scream at the mother, I felt butterflies in my stomach, first love *sigh*, I felt the sorrow of a loss and I cried, and I laughed and smiled and felt hope.
So, if you somehow have lived under a rock these past five years and haven't read this yet GO READ IT RIGHT NOW!..I'll wait  :P

March Favourites (Monthly favs #3)

March oh March where have you gone?

This has been a very very strange month indeed. Hope April will be better!
According to Goodreads I've read 14 books during March. Whis is one more than I've read in February even though February was a few days shorter! Anyway, the books I've read this month haven't exactly blown me away. Different from earlier months I only have two books in my favourite-folder and both of them are chick-lit (I've read four chick-lit books out of fourteen books in total!).

My two favourite books in March 2011 were:

The Girl's Guide to Homemaking by Amy Bratley

This book really took me by surprise. It was not at all what I'd expected. I enjoyed it mucho and couldn't put it down.

You can find my review-recommendation-thingy here.

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I Love the 80's by Megan Crane

I'm a big, no huge, fan of Megan Crane. I just love her writing, the quirkiness, the humour, the warmth, everything.

This book is so much fun, it has it all. Music, the 80's!!!!, the fun fashion, the hot hunk, the adorable heroine, romance, mystery, time-travel, murder....and so on. 

I hope to find time to write a review soon :)

Loved it!                                                                                                                  

February Favourites (Monthly favs #2)

Fabulous February? Well, February has been kind of a slow month for me, I'm not quite sure why.
I've struggled quite a bit this months. There's been a lot on my mind. As always I've been busy with my research for my Masters-thesis, I've been in Switzerland for the past two weeks and I've been debating with myself whether to continue this blog or not (due to time-issues and low self-esteem).

According to Goodreads I've read 13 books during these four week. So here are my favourite books I've read during February 2011:

The Fever-series by Karen Marie Moning

In the beginning of February I started to read the Fever-series by Karen Marie Moning. Once started I couldn't stop. I'm so glad that I had all five books at hand and didn't have to wait a year or so in between. These books are intense. They mess with your head, play punchball with your heart, shatter it to pieces and patch it together in a new different way. I've changed, at least inside. I was a mess while reading these. I just wanted to stay home all day and night and read. Nothing could keep me away, I forgot to eat and didn't sleep.
I rushed through these series, constantly hoping to find a save place in the pages, so I could stop and take a break. But it's not possible to rest, you are always on the run, always being challenged, the game is constantly changing. There's no time to take a deep breath, no way to stop until it ends. For me the books are no stand-alone books, they have to be read all at once :), there's no conclusion (for now) until the last page of the last book.
Check it out if I haven't already read this series, if you're after something totally different, something that catches you and never ever releases you again. I've caught the fever and there's no cure!

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After having read the Fever-series I had some difficulties starting new books, firstly I had to start living again (after having put it on hold while reading) and secondly all the books just felt 'meehhh', bland, boring after these books. So it took a while until I found a good book again. Something totally different from the Fever-series, something totally different from all the books I've read lately.

                                                                           

 

Please Don't Stop the Music by Jane Lovering

How much can you hide? Jemima Hutton is determined to build a successful new life and keep her past a dark secret. Trouble is, her jewellery business looks set to fail - until enigmatic Ben Davies offers to stock her handmade belt buckles in his guitar shop and things start looking up, on all fronts. But Ben has secrets too. When Jemima finds out he used to be the front man of hugely successful Indie rock band Willow Down, she wants to know more. Why did he desert the band on their US tour? Why is he now a semi-recluse? And the curiosity is mutual - which means that her own secret is no longer safe ...

I was looking for some fluffy chick-lit. Something easy to read, something feel-good, something different from my dreary research, something with no vampires, angels, were-wolves and other paranormal creatures. Something that's not dark, troubled and emo. Well, I can say that Please Don't Stop the Music hasn't any paranormal creatures inside its pages. Fluffy, cheerful and feel-good? Well, I was sobbing through half of it. When I reached the last word I first had to dry my tears before I could do anything else. I don't know why this book affected me so much, why it sent me on an emotional roller-coaster. But it did. Somehow it resonated deeply within me, it twisted my heart. I loved this book. The writing is wonderful. It's funny and hilarious but also sad, there's a story behind it. But oh the writing, it did something with me. Its excellent, the words affected me.



So, these are my February Favourites.
I'll be back on Sunday with an other In My Mailbox ( I'll be going back to Sweden soon and hopefully there will be some new books waiting there for me). Next week I hope to be back with some minor changes, full of energy and new stuff to write about (one can always hope). (If you have a wish or some suggestions please let me know - through email or comments). 
In other news, I've purchased a kindle a few days ago (as a birthday-present to myself) so I'll be able to read even more in the future, yay :)
Happy March! Happy Reading!

January Favourites (Monthly favs #1)

Hi Everybody

I'm sooo behind with reviewing books that I thought I'd post a few short *recommendations* of my January favourites. I've been way busy with my Masters Thesis and catching up on stuff I missed during the month I had to stay home, half-blind due to a nasty eye-infection, and reading way to much that reviewing and keeping my blog alive came second or eehm, third. Anyway, here are my January favourites, according to Goodreads I've read 20 books and I've started but haven't finished another 2, so choosing my favorites wasn't easy. There's no reason behind my picks, all aren't 5 stars, it's a mix of contemporary YA and paranormal/fantasy and chick-lit. I've chosen them because of how they made me feel, still make me feel.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Wow, what a wonderful book. I was hooked from page 1 and wanted it to go on and on, I was so sad when it ended.
What I loved about it: The topic/issue - I've never experienced a loss close to me. Matson handled it perfectly, I could feel the sorrow and most of all the guilt. But it isn't a sad book, there's so much hope there  too. The Road-Trip - I love Road-Trips. I've never actually been on a real one, but I've spent my childhood travelling all through Europe with my family - trailering. Amy and Roger visit some interesting places, they all play a crucial part in the psychological/intellectual journey. It's not only a journey across the US but also a journey as a person. It feels real and believable.
The Romance - Of course :D, so sweet!
And how cute aren't all the pictures and receipts and other small tidbits that make the book feel so real?!

And One Last Thing by Molly Harper

I wouldn't call this one chick-lit, I'd call it chuckle-lit. Oh so hilariously funny this book is. Lacey is such a strong character. She takes the humiliation and hurt and turns it into something good, something productive. I like the fact that she didn't play the victim. That she was strong. It was lovely to read about her journey back to her true self, her empowerment, and the tools she used to get there, to be who she is, to find out what she wants. Harper is a wonderful writer, the words melt on the page, and it made me chuckle, no, laugh so many times, I finished it with a big smile on my face!

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

There actually isn't much I can say about this book. If you haven't read/started this trilogy about The Iron Fey yet, just do. They are wonderful books, superbly written. So much raw emotion. I've cried so many tears while reading this book. I've a hard time to describe how these books make me feel. The last time I've felt like this while reading a book I was a teenager, reading a trilogy written by my favourite author Federica deCesco, the books were about a girl called Samira who fell in love with a Tuareg, nomadic people from the Sahara/Algeria. Anyway, The Iron Queen wraps you up like a cocoon, making you feel all warm inside, tingling. Perfect!

Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon

This is another *chick-lit*. A real cozy read, perfect for a winter evening. Dillon has a wonderful writing style, the words just flow and before you know it you've reached the last page, craving more. I'm really not a dog person, really, I'm not. I'm so scared of dogs. But this story actually made me fall in love with dogs, crying for them. They are the real stars of this book. Normally I don't like the 3rd person POV, and normally I don't like reading books with multiple main-characters. But Dillon pulls it off really well. I was long into the story before I noticed that it actually wasn't 1st POV! and I had no problem with keeping up with the three main female characters. It's a warming and charming tale of loss and new-found happiness and dealing with life.

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

Unearthly has the most stunningly beautiful cover I've ever seen! Really, it's so shiny, a mere picture doesn't do it justice, at all!

Unearthly really surprised me. I'm new to the YA-genre, and I'm even newer to the paranormal side of YA. I've tried to catch up during these past few months and came to the conclusion that I don't like books featuring Angels. I was sooo wrong. Thanks to the raving reviews and the beautiful cover I picked it up, and I haven't regretted that decision for even one second yet. Wow! I have no idea how many times I can say perfect and loved it in my reviews, but I have to say it yet again. It wasn't the paranormal stuff and the whole mythology of the story that drew me in the most (even though it's so well executed!) but the realness. Even though Clara is an Angel-blood and not all human the story felt real, it felt tangible.
I'm totally Team Tucker!

The Body Finder by Kimberly Derting

Oh, my goodness, January really was a month of awesome for me. Especially because I found this little gem at my local bookstore! This really isn't my normal kind of read. I usually avoid everything that has with murder and serial-killers to do. But I truly enjoyed this book. I can't wait for the second book in the series and I'm truly grateful that I don't have to wait an eternity for it.
Best thing about it? The chemistry between Violet and Jay!