Chick-lit-week #1 'The Girls Guide to Homemaking'

Hello everybody,

You've probably all noted that I've been quite AWOL here this year. I haven't even posted a single review. I'm a bad bad girl *ashamed*. Well, I'll try to be better in the future.

I've started out this blog as a way for me to keep up with my reading, organize it, remember the books I've read and give ideas to others, what books to buy, where to find ideas of new books and so on. Let's face it, I was really lost back then (2.5 years ago), and I still am most of the time. I still have no idea what I'm doing, haha. Anyway, when I started this blog I was mostly if not only reading chick-lit. This has changed during the past 8 months, now I'm leaning more and more towards YA, contemporary and paranormal, fantasy and thus I read less and less chick-lit. Sometimes though I like to go back to my *roots* and read a pink, girly and flowery book again :). 

So, this week my focus will be on the few chick-lit books I've read during the past months, I probably won't write any long and thoughtful (when have I ever done that?) reviews, only some short recommendations and random ramblings about feelings and emotions (blaargh) because I'm all about those..haha

The Girl's Guide to Homemaking by Amy Bratley

'What makes you happy? What do you want from life?' I ran through a list of things that I supposed would make me sound cool. And then I told the truth. 'A home,' I said. 'A home with some people in it I love.' On a mission to have the perfect home, with tweeting bluebirds and a white picket fence, Juliet hits a major stumbling block - reality. On the first night with her boyfriend in their new flat, Juliet discovers that Simon has been sleeping with her best friend. After growing up in a dysfunctional family with secrets that haunt her, there's no way she is prepared to build her nest on a broken branch. Heartbroken and seeking an escape from her troubles, Juliet retreats into the comforting world of her grandmother's 1950s homemaking manuals, discovering tips like 'put a ribbon in your hair to brighten your husband's day' and though Juliet knows that won't get her anywhere, she discovers that craft and homemaking are back in style. Taking control of her life, Juliet is determined to get her home with a heart. But who will win hers?

Why did I pick this up?
I've seen this book mentioned on various book-blogs and chick-lit sites, but it didn't really *jump* at me, yelling buy me, buy me!!! I've dismissed it with a single glance, never to look back. Why did I do that? Well, firstly I don't like the cover, it's a bit old-fashioned (though cute!) but screamed 'old-lady' at me and secondly the title, what's up with that? I have to quote myself here (one of my earliest posts from 2009):
And I don't particular care for books with titles such as "A Singles Guide to...",. 


Well, that should say it all, but it doesn't. Homemaking - urrghh, not my thing, at all. Nope, I was never ever going pick up this book. And not because I judged the book by its cover, but because I wasn't the target-group for this book, simple as that.

But how did I end up with this book anyway, and reading it, and LOVING it? A few weeks back I had the privilege to be able to visit THE Bookshop in Zürich, The Orell Füssli English Bookshop. So when I was browsing their shelves I realised with horror that I've already had read every single book that looked interesting! So after a while, with that sinking feeling in my stomach that I had come all the way there for nothing, I started to randomly pick up books, read the blurb and put them pack. Then I saw The Girl's Guide to Homemaking, I recognized it and thought, well, it can't hurt, so I picked it up, read the blurb and bought it! (I later also found some books upstairs in the YA-section).

My thoughts about the book, why I liked it:

This from my Goodreads-account: 'Page 171, Yay - I finally have some spare time to read! I'm in LOVE with this book!!!!!'.  So, yeah, this book really surprised me. I was hooked from the first page, I wanted to know how Juliet would rise herself up again and start anew after hearing her boyfriend call out her best friends name in the first night at their new home. The home that was everything to Juliet.
What I most liked about this book is the contrast. The contrast of the inside from the outside. What's written in those pages doesn't match the cover or title. Amy Bratley managed to constantly surprise me, throwing curve-balls at me. I love the contrast of  Juliets 'homemaking' to how Juliet speaks and acts. I cried, I laughed, I couldn't put it down!

In My Mailbox # 12

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren , find out more about it on her IMM-page.

So, I wasn't sure if I was going to post an IMM this week, mainly because of lack of time. I've had a really bad week (not a bad book-week though) and I'm not really feeling all that great. But I was staying up late watching tennis, seeing my fave lose (made me sad), too much energy in my body now to sleep..so I decided to write this post.

I've finally gotten around to buy the Wicked Lovely - series, Yay me..can't wait to read them!

Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr

Fragile Eternity - Melissa Marr

Radiant Shadows - Melissa Marr

Darkest Mercy - Melissa Marr

How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf - Molly Harper.

After falling in love with Molly Harpers writing while reading And One Last Thing... (I've written about it here), I just had to get this one. I've read it in one sitting, it's hilariously funny :D

Stitches and Scars - Elizabeth A. Vincent. My first book bought and read on my Kindle. Loved the reading-experience, didn't like the book, at all :(

I Love the 80s - Megan Crane. Feels like I've been waiting for ever and ever for this one. Will be reading this one ASAP!

Swept Off Her Feet - Hester Browne. Liked this one, a nice fluffy read, featuring a ball in a Scottish Castle.

Everybody Jam - Ali Lewis

The Scarlet Kimono - Christina Courtenay. Gorgeous Cover!!

So, that's it from me this week, what did you all get?

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox # 11

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren , find out more about it on her IMM-page.


So I'm back again.

My self-imposed book-buying-ban is officially over and I got a little crazy when I was ordering books, so there were a lot of books waiting here for me when I got home from the airport...awesome :)

Not only is my book-buying-ban over, but this week was also my birthday, I'm 26 now, feeling a bit old to read so much YA..haha :), anyway, I got a Kindle for my birthday, which is awesome as there is no more space for my books in my room!

 I also got a kindle leather case, pink of course, but it hasn't arrived yet...

So, these are the books I've bought during the last two weeks:

Faking It - Lotte Daley (This sounds like a nice 'fluffy' read)

The Ballroom Class - Lucy Dillon (After loving Lucy's newer books I just had to get this one too)

Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many - Heather Wardell (Like the title, NOT the cover!)

City of Bones - Cassandra Clare (Finally I'm going to read these!)

City of Ashes - Cassandra Clare (And how gorgeous are the covers!!)

City of Glass - Cassandra Clare

Angelfire - Courtney Allison Moulton (Sounds interesting)

Dark Mirror - M.J.Putney (Ooh, like the sound of this one)

The False Princess - Eilis O'Neal

Babe in Boyland - Jody Gehrman (hope it's as hilarious as the movie She's the Man :P)

Sean Griswold's Head - Lindsey Leavitt (Love the title and the Cover)

Pathfinder - Orson Scott Card (I fell in love with this cover/book when I was in The Bookstore in Zurich, but it's a really big hardback so I couldn't buy it - too heavy)

Desires of the Dead - Kimberly Derting ( I've been waiting like crazy for this one!)

Insatiable - Meg Cabot (I've been wanting to read this since it came out, but never got around to buying it)

A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness ( Sounds amazing!)

I just realized that I forgot a few :S well, will be posting them next week. 

 So, now I have to decide which one to read first, decisions, decisions :) . So, what did you all get this week?

Happy Reading!

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!

    ______________________________________________

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!

In My Mailbox # 10

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren , find out more about it on her IMM-page.

I didn't think I was going to post an IMM this week, mainly because I thought that I wouldn't have any new books this week, as I'm away from home, but also because I'm still undecided about the future of this blog. But you are many out there who don't want me to shut this blog down, and of course I really would miss blogging about books. I'll be thinking about this a bit longer, if I'll continue it'll be with some changes. Mostly I want it be a bit more personal, I've been struggling trying to make my blog similar to others, follow their 'model'. But that's not who I am, so, I'd adopt a more personal style which I'm aware doesn't suit everybody.

Back to books. I'm currently staying in Switzerland and I convinced my parents to take me to Zürich as I wanted to go the The Bookshop. As it was my birthday-wish (I'm going to be 26 in ten days, Eeeeek! :S) they were kind to do so. As I was about to go into the bookshop my dad said, 'wait, you have to take a picture for your blog'. I hadn't even thought about that..haha.

The Orell Füssli English Bookshop had a great selection of English books, something I'm really not used to as I live in a non-English-speaking country. Though they didn't have all the books I wanted, as they were published too recently. Anyway, it was hard to decide which books to buy, it was quite expensive, and I have a limit on my baggage (20kg), so I settled on these five :). So, this is what I bought, a mix of genres and sub-genres...

Withering Tights - Louise Rennison

The Girls' Guide to Homemaking - Amy Bratley

Rosebush - Michele Jaffe

Hush, Hush - Becca Fitzpatrick

Lament - Maggie Stievfater

So, this is My Mailbox this, what did you all get?

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox # 9

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren , find out more about it on her IMM-page.

Well, another week with two IMM's back to back...It's been a slow book-week mostly due to the fact that I haven't ordered or bought any books for a while, as I'm going to be out of the country for a few weeks. The books that arrived were a few late-comers from my previous order.

Anyway,  I'll probably won't do an IMM for a while (as I'm going to be away). And I'll take that 'forced' hiatus as a chance to seriously consider If I'm going to continue blogging or if I'm going to shut my blog down. This due to various reasons, one of them is the serious lack of time I've experienced recently, but also some serious self-doubt. Anyway, I have two more reviews scheduled, and maybe I'll be back in a few weeks...who knows.

Moonlight (Dark Guardian #1) - Rachel Hawthorne

Full Moon ( Dark Guardian #2) - Rachel Hawthorne

Dark of the Moon ( Dark Guardian #3) - Rachel Hawthorne

Shadow of the Moon ( Dark Guardian #4) - Rachel Howthorne

 Will Work For Prom Dress - Aimee Ferris - This just looked so cute, I couldn't resist :)

Please Don't Stop The Music - Jane Lovering

So, what did you all get? 

Happy Reading!

In My Mailbox # 8

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren , find out more about it on her IMM-page.

Another busy week for me, but I did get a few short reviews done, so that's better than nothing, right?

Anyway, I didn't buy as many books this week as before, as I'm going to be out of the country soon and I don't want books to arrive with no one to claim them at the post-office.

Delirium - Lauren Oliver - The removable cover-jacket and the cover of the hardback beneath it

Shadowfever - Karen Marie Moning - This is just so gorgeous! I can't wait to read it, I'm currently reading #3 (Faefever) in the series. AMAZING! AWESOME! Again, removable *see-through* cover and the cover of the book underneath it! Awesome :D

The Iron Witch - Karen Mahoney - Beautiful Cover.

That's it for me this week, can't wait to see what you all got!

Happy Reading!!