whatkimreads

Back to school: Teacher Training College

2014-09-22T20:34:00.001+02:00

You might have noticed my complete absence from this blog for the past week. Now before you express your complaints, I had a very good reason for this temporary break! Settle down, sweethearts. I'm back and I'm here to stay. You see, the reason for my hiatus was school. I had my first week of school and since I always need those first few days to get accustomed to everything, I decided I would just leave the blog for a short while.

So now that I'm back, I'd like to tell you about my new school and what exactly is it I do there. I tried university for two years, studying English and Dutch linguistics and literature, but it just wasn't for me. I had a hard time admitting that to myself, but now I'm happy that I got out of that negative spiral. I wasn't a very good student and I constantly felt like I didn't get it and I didn't belong. I wasn't very happy with life.

So then I decided to quit! Ah! Freedom! But not for very long, since I still have to earn a degree. I still love languages and I still love my English and Dutch dearly, so I didn't want to give up on my favourite subjects (and let's just be honest: the only two things I'm really good at). So what did I choose?
TEACHER TRAINING COLLEGE!
Yes, I only just learned what it's called in English today. How convenient!

So yes, I'm studying to become a teacher in English and Dutch (and I might even do an extra year in History as well! Just for funsies. History is fun.) With this degree I will be able to teach kids from ages 12 to 16, sort of like Middle School, I suppose. So basically I have to get a bunch of teenagers to listen to me nag about English or Dutch. Lovely, isn't it?!
Please excuse my sarcasm. You see, it's not that I'm not excited (because I am!!! Very much!!), it's just that I can't help being realistic about this: teenagers aren't easy to handle. And I will have to learn a lot about managing a class room so I can be a good teacher, since that's what I'm aiming for. I'm passionate about my subjects, and I also care for youngsters, but jeeeez don't get me started on how annoying they can be. We've all been there. (Some never left...)

No really, I'm actually very excited to have started a new chapter in my life (nice and cheesy, yes). I really want to grow and evolve and just become an interesting person, a good teacher and a loving woman. I've had one class of each of my different courses now, so I can say that I really do enjoy it and I feel very comfortable at school. In this first week I also tried to get to know a lot of people, since I didn't have any friends at university, and I even made some lovely friends. I couldn't be happier! I feel good, very motivated, accepted and for once I don't feel like everything is way over my head. I feel right! I feel so happy! Okay, lots of feelings here.

Basically this is what I felt like sharing about my life as a teacher in training. Now that school has started I can build up a new routine to keep everything running smoothly, homework-wise and blog-wise. I might make some changes, like days I'll be posting on, but we'll see about that.

Thanks for sticking around while I was otherwise occupied. Y'all are the greatest!

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

2014-09-12T18:00:00.000+02:00

Between Shades of Gray

Ruta Sepetys
Published by Philomel Books 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, World War 2

Goodreads | Bookdepository

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

I've always been interested in war stories, so this book caught my eye immediately. The Holocaust is something that makes me sick to my stomach, but still I want to know more. This book, however, does not exactly deal with the Nazi's and the Jews (which is what I thought it would be about). This book tells the story of how intellectual people were treated by the Russian communists. And I'll be really honest about this: I didn't know about any of this yet! In school I only learned about the Holocaust, never ever did anyone mention how the Russians deported innocent people to camps in Siberia. I was mind blown. So that's one of the things I loved about this book, it was brand new information! (At least for me).
I absolutely loved Lina's mother the most of all the characters in this book. She is just such a beautiful woman, on the inside I mean, because no matter what people were doing to her, she remained a good person always. And in the end I believe that's one of the hardest things to do. It's so easy to get angry with people and to become selfish and only care for yourself. But it takes so much strength to be nice to people who are treating you like shit. This woman is a role model, she truly is.
The cute little romance between Lina and Andrius was another thing that I really liked. It didn't just happen but it grew slowly and became stronger. Also I love the thought of love being "born" in such horrible conditions.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

So why didn't I rate it 5 stars? I don't know, really. This book was well written, but not amazing. Some of the characters were absolutely stunning, but none of them trule made me feel emotional. I thought about this book for a while after finishing it, but in fact I was only thinking about this new information and not really about the story itself. I guess I'm missing something, thought I don't know what it is exactly. I just feel like there could have ben more. I also wasn't satisfied with the ending.

Have you read the story of Lina and her family yet?

Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

2014-09-08T15:00:00.000+02:00

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Jesse Andrews
Published by Harry N. Abrams 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Goodreads | Bookdepository

Greg Gaines is the last master of high school espionage, able to disappear at will into any social environment. He has only one friend, Earl, and together they spend their time making movies, their own incomprehensible versions of Coppola and Herzog cult classics.

Until Greg’s mother forces him to rekindle his childhood friendship with Rachel.

Rachel has been diagnosed with leukemia—-cue extreme adolescent awkwardness—-but a parental mandate has been issued and must be obeyed. When Rachel stops treatment, Greg and Earl decide the thing to do is to make a film for her, which turns into the Worst Film Ever Made and becomes a turning point in each of their lives.

And all at once Greg must abandon invisibility and stand in the spotlight.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

This is not your average story about a boy who has a friend who has cancer. Not at all. I loved how the author (and of course the pseudo-author, Greg himself) made that clear from the beginning and even throughout the story kept stressing that this is not and will never be that kind of story. I thought it was refreshing, outside of the box, creative.
Personality wise, Greg and his friend Earl are difficult to identify with, because they are soooo weird, but in the end you have to like them even if it's just a little bit. I think the author did a great job at portraying these two kids just the way they are. They are absolutely crazy to a point where it gets obnoxious, but hey, at least he didn't hold back because he wanted us to like his characters. I don't think they are like-able at all, which is sort of a big deal since main characters are usually the ones we have to like, right?
The typography in this book is all over the place, and I love it! Greg, the kid who supposably writes this book, uses all kinds of different formats to tell his story. There's regular text, but when he gets bored of that he uses movie script format or even just dots as if the whole text is a list. He also includes text messages (whorrendous spelling included, of course). This book is written by a creative teenager, who doesn't play by the rules. I like it, it works!
The first half of the book was absolutely hilarious, which is quite odd when you think about the fact that there's a young girl fighting against leukemia. I laughed out loud at some of the comments Greg made to his readers. There's this especially funny part where he and Earl accidentally get high and they have this conversation in which they don't even use words. Then the second half got a bit more serious, the tension rising as Rachel got sicker and sicker. It never really got too sentimental. Except maybe at one time, where Greg sort of had his little breakdown, which I thought was one of the best parts of the book. So yes, the balance of humor and serious stuff was a bit off, but then again I liked this, because it's not conventional.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

The level of extreme absurdity was a bit high at times, which made it hard for me to find it believable and therefore hard to stay into the story. I understand that the things Greg says are mostly intended as jokes, and I do agree that he is very funny, but sometimes I just thought it was all a bit too much, that he was taking it too far and then it would lose some funniness. I do agree that this fits his awkward personality nicely, but I thought it was really obnoxious to read it sometimes, so yeah, I'm just being honest here.

Have you read Me and Earl and the Dying Girl? Would you like to?

Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

2014-09-07T15:00:00.000+02:00

Wonder

R.J. Palacio
Published by Knopf 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Goodreads | Bookdepository

I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

Cute cute cute cute! My gosh, this book is so cute! I loved Auggie, I loved his personality, his jokes about his face and how he interacts with his friends and his parents.
The Pullman family is literally a dream family. I know, they have their issues, August to start with, but also Via and the fact that she realises she will always get less attention than her little brother and even though she understands, it doesn't make it easier. But his parents are so lovely, I can't even describe how I feel about Auggie's parents. They handle situations so well, they have created this wonderful atmosphere in the family where everyone has it's place and they have a really strong bond which I hope I will experience one day with my own family.
The amount of tears I shed during this story!! I wasn't just sad when something bad happened to Auggie or the family, but when he grew and he made friends and he resolved issues I was tearing up because, oh damn, it's all so cute and heartwarming and uuuugh I just want to cuddle this book and its characters so much.
I loved how we got to experience the story from different kids' point of views and I have to say Via's part surprised me the most. I loved how mature and thoughtful she was about August and her family.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

THERE ARE NONE! THIS BOOK IS PERFECT!

Have you ever cried multiple times during a story? Would you like to read Wonder? Or if you have, don't you just want to cuddle with it for the rest of your life?

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

2014-09-05T15:00:00.000+02:00

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Michelle Hodkin
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Adults 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Goodreads | Bookdepository

Mara Dyer doesn’t think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.

It can.

She believes there must be more to the accident she can’t remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.

There is.

She doesn’t believe that after everything she’s been through, she can fall in love.

She’s wrong.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

The writing is very easy to read and makes you fly through this book in no time. Of course it was essential to write Mara's story in first-person narrative, so that you can truly see and experience what she is thinking and how she sees things that are happening around her. I'm usually not a big fan of this particual narrative style, but in this book it worked so I actually really liked it.
There were definitely some scary moments there! And at times I got very sucked into Mara's perspective (because of the writing) and I was equally confused when thinks just turned out to be hallucinations and stuff like that. And that's even scarier than blood and people in mirrors and stuff. You're reading one thing, you believe it, and then suddenly you have to believe something else. I can't even imagine how freaked out I would be if I were in her shoes.
ROMANCE AND PERFECT CUTE FROWNING ARROGANT NOAH WITH LONG LASHES AND BRITISH ACCENTS. Need I say more? Noah, if you exist in real life, let me just give you my address and you can come fix me.
I also loved the relationship between Mara and her brother Daniel. I need a brother like that.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Sometimes I was having some difficulty to understand Mara's way of dealing with things. Of course I have never been truly paranoid like she is, but hey girl, it's okay to accept professional help! I sometimes got a bit annoyed at how she thinks "Everybody thinks I'm crazy but I'm NOT crazy and everything I see is real and I don't need medication or therapy blablabla..." Hate to break it to ya, girlfriend, but you are fucked up and you need help. Obviously. But of course that wouldn't make the story all that fun and adventurous and it would also sort of end the romance between her and Noah. You see, I get it, but still, it's annoying to listen to her complaining about it over and over again.
Oh and, Noah, my dear boy, you know I love you but I'm just a bit pissed at how perfect you are. Is there even ONE thing about him that isn't perfect? Let me think. Oh he smokes. Seriously, that's it. I would have appreciated it if these fictional boys who fall in love with ~~crazy~~ protagonists weren't always so perfect.

Have you read Mara's creepy story yet?

September TBR

2014-09-01T15:00:00.000+02:00

A new month has started and September isn't just any month! I will be starting a new chapter in my life: back to school and this time I want to be as good as I can be so that one day I'll be a great English and Dutch teacher. But of course, with school comes a lot of responsibilities and much less time to read. I do still want to read as much as I can, though. So let's look at the books I have planned for this month.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: I'm already halfway through this and wow, it's so unlike anything I ever read! I'm excited to know where this story goes.
The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer: I got this one from the library because I thought it would be interesting.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman: I made a deal with my sister that we would go see this movie later this month, so of course I had to squeeze in the book first!
Where She Went by Gayle Forman: And if If I Stay is as good as I expect it to be, of course I'll want to read the sequel.
The Ask and The Aswer by Patrick Ness: As you may have noticed, I am going a little Patrick Ness crazy right now. I adored The Knife of Never Letting Go so much, so of course I want (need!) to finish the Chaos Trilogy as soon as possible.
Monsters of Men by Patrick Ness: Like I said, I want to know how this ends!!!!

Tell me about your plans for September!

Closing August

2014-08-31T15:00:00.000+02:00

I can't believe August is over already! My first month of blogging has flown by. August was also my last whole month of summer break. I'm starting school again in two weeks, so I probably won't be able to read as many books as I have this month. And how many is that, you may ask? ELEVEN! I read eleven books in one month! I've honestly never read this much, so this is a great start to my life as a reader and also to my bookblog. I'm very happy about all the books I read this month. So let's officially close August.
The books I've read.
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - ♥♥♥♥ The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin - ♥♥♥♥ The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - ♥♥♥♥♥ Wonder by R.J. Palacio - ♥♥♥♥♥ Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - ♥♥♥♥ Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews - ♥♥♥♥ Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino - ♥♥ A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness - ♥♥♥♥♥ The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness - ♥♥♥♥ Sold by Patricia McCormick - ♥♥♥ More Than This by Patrick Ness - ♥♥♥♥♥
Yes, yes, I admit it: I have a very serious case of Patrick Ness fever. HE'S JUST SO GOOD!
I will be reviewing most of these books in September, so keep an eye out for that!
Personal updates.

This month I had my first student job, which means that I have worked for the very first time in my life! It wasn't pleasant, though. Hopefully I'll have more luck next summer.
I enrolled in my new school to become a teacher in English and Dutch (my mother tongue). I'm very exciting about this new adventure in my life.
In August my family welcomed to new (tiny) family members. They're two little brothers and they (don't quite) listen to the names Charlie and Chippie. We rescued these two from the local animal shelter and they are SO FLUFFY!

That was it for August! Tell me about your month.

Review: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

2014-08-29T15:00:00.000+02:00

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood
Published by Vintage Books 2007
Genre: Classics, Dystopia, Feminism

Goodreads | Bookdepository

The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one function: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire – neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs.

Brilliantly conceived and executed, this powerful evocation of twenty-first-century America gives full rein to Margaret Atwood's devastating irony, wit and astute perception.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

The first reason why I love this book, is because of its strong feminist message, of course. This is a really creepy dystopian story in which women are just... I can't even... It's literally a nightmare of mine. What if one day things just get out of hand and before you know it, you don't even own your own body anymore. Your body solely exists to create another human being, that's it. That's all you're good for.
I can't say I necessarily enjoyed reading this book or enjoyed the story, because no, I did not. But that's not the point of this book! This book hasn't been written to entertain you with a nice plot and fluffy characters. This book makes you feel uncomfortable and it makes you cringe, multiple times. But that's exactly why I love it so much, because it sort of hurts to read it and it doesn't leave you indifferent.
I did enjoy the writing style, which I thought was kind of sober and melancholic, especially when the narrator talks about life before.
ALSO THE ENDING! I loved the ending. I'm not saying anythin about it, except that it gave me hope.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

I personally didn't really understand the last chapter. For me, that part could have been left out.

Talk to me about any feminist book you have read!

Review: Eldest by Christopher Paolini

2014-08-27T15:00:00.002+02:00

Eldest (The Inheritance Cycle #2)

Christopher Paolini
Published by Alfred A. Knopf 2005
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dragons

Goodreads | Bookdepository

Darkness falls... Swords clash... Evil reigns.

Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesméra, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider. It is the journey of a lifetime, filled with awe-inspring new places and people, each day a fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon isn't sure whom he can trust.

Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall – one that puts Eragon in even graver danger.

Will the king's dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life...

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

I enjoyed Eldest more than Eragon because I noticed I was a lot more invested in the story and the characters in the second book. Sometimes it takes me a while to get into a story and really be interested in what happens, and I guess this time it took me an entire book to get there. Better late than never, right?
Once again I really liked how the connection between Eragon and Saphira grows stronger and stronger, even though they each have their own personality.Their bond keeps them together no matter what and that's a beautiful thing.
All this would-be romance, aaagh! It's so sad to see both my favourite character suffer from being in love... I can't say more, don't want to spoil things for you!
A new character, Oromis, is introduced and gawd do I like him! He reminded me of someone very close to me, so that's always nice. He's a great tutor to Eragon and everything about him just demands endless respect. He's great.
In the beginning I was a bit bored by the chapters from Roran's story, but as his story progressed and he progressed as well as a (marvelous) person, I really started to like him.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

The story was still so very slow and loooooooooong before anything really happened. These books could have been much shorter and maybe better...
The big final at the end which involves a person I can't name for the sake of spoilers just didn't do it for me. Bad plot twist, bad!

Have you read Eldest yet? If you have, what did you think about the ending?

BoutOfBooks 11 Wrap Up

2014-08-25T17:00:00.000+02:00

The past week I participated in a read-a-thon for the very first time. I had a lot of time to read at the beginning of the week, but then the last three days were a lot more busy, so I read less. Last week I also posted my goals for BoutOfBooks. Updates were posted on my Twitter and Goodreads of course. Let's see how I did!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 18th and runs through Sunday, August 24th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 11 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Did I reach my goals?

I ended up not really liking my 5 hour-goal, so I decided to keep to the goal to read at least 150 pages a day. Monday: 373. Tuesday: 263. Wednesday: 269. Thursday: 268. Friday: / Saturday: / Sunday: 177. Which bring me to a total of 1350 pages! Wow! So actually I did still read an average of 189 pages a day... So this goal is in the pocket!
I didn't finish the TBR list I created for the read-a-thon because I wasn't in the mood for Ariel by Sylvia Plath, so I started The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness instead. And let's not forget that I also read A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, which wasn't on the list, so I still read 4 books in total + almost finished a fifth! Let's just consider this goal reached, okay?
I did read at least one classic, because I finished Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. It was an ok read, but I didn't fully understand it and I have no idea how to review a book like this, so I have decided not to review it on this blog.
And lastly of course, I had lots of fun reading! I had no idea I was able to finish an entire book in one day. Does that sound silly? Probably! But I only really got into reading during the last two years, during which I was studying at university, so I never had the time to read an entire book in a single day. (Also note that I was reading more heavy stuff back then, and I just can't read those at the same speed as young adult books.) I loved this week and I think I did really well for my first read-a-thon and I'll definitely by participating in more of these in the future.

A visual of the books I read this week.

Have you participated in BoutOfBooks? Tell me about your week!

Review: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

2014-08-20T21:00:00.000+02:00

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne
Published by Modern Library 2000
Genre: Classics, Historical Fiction

Goodreads | Bookdepository

This is a troubling story of crime, sin, guilt, punishment and expiation, set in the rigid moral climate of 17th-century New England. The young mother of an illegitimate child confronts her Puritan judges. However, it is not so much her harsh sentence, but the cruelties of slowly exposed guilt as her lover is revealed, that hold the reader enthralled all the way to the book's poignant climax.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

Okay, so. I did not enjoy this book at all, but I do have to admit Hawthorne's writing style is quite ok, I mean it's good. I think if he didn't write as good as he did, I wouldn't have finished this. So yes, on a positive note: the writing makes up for what is actually written.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Can I just get this over with: what the actual fuck is wrong with that CHILD?! Throughout the entire book I just went so crazy because of that bloody child. What's her name again? Oh right, Pearl. The thing that I just couldn't get over was that this Pearl is like a three year old child and she asks these deep, meaningful questions as if she's a 69 year old philosopher. Just, no. And the other thing was how in the book they keep saying again and again and again and once more that she is possessed or the devil itself or whatever because she is a product of sin. Now that's all very nice and all, but she is still a child, a 3 year old, so stop making her act like she's so wise and knows stuff she obviously can't know.
Just the overall message of this book made me so angry. Why does the woman who commits adultery get to go to prison and be frowned upon for the rest of her life, while the man who was part of it wasn't even discovered until he finally crumbled under the weight of his conscience, or whatever. No Hester, listen up girlfriend, when a crime is comitted by two people, two people have to be punished. Especially for a crime like adultery. How can you just blame it all on the woman? I just can't deal with this.

Have you read The Scarlet Letter? Do you disagree with my hateful feelings?

Books illustrated: The Handmaid's Tale

2014-08-18T17:00:00.000+02:00

In Books illustrated I want to share some beautiful artwork evolving around the books I read. This can either be fanart or illustrations by a professional artist. In any case, I really like these little pieces of art and that's why I want to share it with you. This episode features The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

(Source) - (Source) - (Source)

(Source)

Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

2014-08-17T22:00:00.000+02:00

Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle #1)

Christopher Paolini
Published by Corgi Books 2005
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Dragons

Goodreads | Bookdepository

One boy . . .

One dragon . . .

A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds.

Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

When I have to describe Eragon, I have to say it's just enjoyable. Nothing worth screaming about, but also not all bad.
The connection between Saphira and Eragon takes a while to get used to. I mean... Dragons and humans, talking through their thoughts. I know right, it just takes some getting used to that whole thing. But once you do get over it, it's actually quite funny. I loved their relationship and how Saphira calls Eragon her little one (even though she is much younger than he is!). Saphira is also very protective of Eragon and they even have little fights sometimes because they are both stubborn.
No insta-love! Or at least I didn't experience it that way. Eragon sees Arya in his dreams, sort of, and although he is fascinated because of her beauty and he does want to rescue her just like that, his feelings only really develop much later. So that's always nice!
I also really liked the world of Alagaësia itself and of course the whole theory behind the use of magic through words.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

A bit slow paced and I also only really started to connect to the story at the end. Which is really quite late if you consider how man pages this book actually has. The entire book is basically one big roadtrip through Alagaësia and then at the end there's a battle but not the most exciting thing ever. Because of this I decided not to give it 4 stars, even though I did like a lot of elements in the story.
The fighting scenes just didn't feel alive and real to me. I know it's hard to describe and entire battlefield and I respect that, but I have to be honest about it, it just wasn't right. And when there's so much going on at once and you don't really see it all happening in your mind, it's hard to keep track of everything.

Have you read The Inheritance Cycle yet? Or are dragons not really your thing?

Read-A-Thon: BoutOfBooks 11

2014-08-15T15:00:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I found out about the BoutOfBooks Read-A-Thon and I thought why the hell not? This will be my very first Read-A-Thon ever and I am really excited to see how it'll go. The Read-A-Thon runs from August 18th to August 24th and I will be updating on my progress on Twitter and Goodreads.

Reading goals.

I will try to... Read for 5 hours every day or read at least 150 pages.
I will try to... Finish the TBR list posted below.
I will try to... Read at least 1 classic book.
I will try to... Enjoy my very first Read-A-Thon and have lots of fun reading!

Read-A-Thon TBR.

First of I want to read the last two YA books on my August TBR that I haven't started yet:

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

One of my goals is to finish 1 classic, so I chose to read:

Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino

And to make it all a bit more diverse I will also read a collection of poetry:

Ariel by Sylvia Plath

I have truly never read 4 books in 1 week, so this is a big challenge! I hope I'll make it. If you'd like to follow my progress during the week, you can read my updates on my Twitter page and of course on Goodreads.

Review: Full Frontal Feminism by Jessica Valenti

2014-08-13T15:00:00.000+02:00

Full Frontal Feminism

Jessica Valenti
Published by Seal Press 2007
Genre: Non-fiction, Feminism

Goodreads | Bookdepository

Feminism isn't dead. It just isn't very cool anymore. Enter Full Frontal Feminism, a book that embodies the forward-looking messages that author Jessica Valenti propagated as founder of the popular website, Feministing.com.

This revised edition includes a new foreword by Valenti, reflecting upon what’s happened in the five years since Full Frontal Feminism was originally published. With new openers from Valenti in every chapter, the book covers a range of topics, including pop culture, health, reproductive rights, violence, education, relationships, and more.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

This book is the perfect introduction into what feminism is and what it means to be a feminist. Of course, everyone can take it as far ar he/she wants, and that's totally fine, but this book just provides the basic things that feminism deal with. And it is specifically written for young women, which you can derive from the language the author used. She talks to the reader as if we are her girl friends. Which I thought was fine, I found her quite funny and times, but I suppose some readers might find it a bit annoying.
I loved how this book covered everything but not in great detail. When you just want to know more about feminism in general, this is exactly what you need. It questions how things are done in society and it questions how we think about women. The author does use a very strong voice to sort of persuade the reader into becoming a feminist, but personally I didn't find that disturbing at all. But maybe that's because I already was a feminist when I read it and I already agreed with everything anyway.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

What annoyed me was that, of course, this book is very centred on the US and all the examples of laws or research or any specific things are US only, which of course isn't all that relevant to me. I do understand that feminism has to be spread world-wide and that every feminist should feel that way, but it's just the plain truth that I'd rather be interested in reading about unfairness that happens, for example, in my country. Maybe even just Europe, that would already hit a bit closer to home. Not that I don't think it's absolutely terrible and unfair that all these things are really going on in the US. It's just a disadvantage for a reader who doesn't live in the US.

Do you consider yourself a feminist? Would you consider reading books on feminism?

Review: The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay

2014-08-11T15:00:00.000+02:00

The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now

Meg Jay
Published by Twelve 2012
Genre: Non-fiction, Self help

Goodreads | Bookdepository

Our "thirty-is-the-new-twenty" culture tells us the twentysomething years don't matter. Some say they are a second adolescence. Others call them an emerging adulthood. Dr. Meg Jay, a clinical psychologist, argues that twentysomethings have been caught in a swirl of hype and misinformation, much of which has trivialized what is actually the most defining decade of adulthood.

Drawing from a decade of work with hundreds of twentysomething clients and students, The Defining Decade weaves the latest science of the twentysomething years with behind-closed-doors stories from twentysomethings themselves. The result is a provocative read that provides the tools necessary to make the most of your twenties, and shows us how work, relationships, personality, social networks, identity, and even the brain can change more during this decade than at any other time in adulthood-if we use the time wisely.

The Defining Decade is a smart, compassionate and constructive book about the years we cannot afford to miss.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

I realise this kind of book isn't for everybody, but personally I can really enjoy a good self help book. I'm the kind of person who thinks a lot about life and my future and I try to plan it all out in my head. Of course nothing will quite be the same as I imagine it now, but hey, a girl can dream! Sometimes I lose my grip, though, and I lose focus on what I'm supposed to do now that I'm officially in my twenties. This book focuses on a few cases of people in their twenties who are all sort of lost and want to find their way back in track of life. This book also stresses the importance of your twenties multiple times. I liked how it dealt with three different parts about work, relationships and yourself as a person. I read this book months before I started this blog, so the details are a bit washed out by now, but in general I enjoyed this book.
I liked how the author included examples of cases she handled, cases in which these people talked about what was going on in her life and she then clarified how she helped them see their lives differently and how they actually helped themselves become better in whatever they needed to improve in. Wahhh!! I love some insight on psychology in practice. It's intriguing how a small change in perspective can really change someones life for the better.
Also there are some very remarkable statements in this book, as well as research material. Personally I was the most stunned by the fact that, apparently, living together before getting married does not improve your chances of having a successful marriage. I mean WHAT? I totally believed it did! Curious? Read the book!

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Of course there were also some subjects that didn't interest me at all and were kind of boring, but hey, I guess everyone has different problems and needs different advice, so it's ok. It didn't lessen my thoughts about the book that much, which is why I still wanted to give it four stars.

Do you read self help sometimes?

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

2014-08-10T15:00:00.000+02:00

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Matthew Quick
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 2013
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary

Goodreads | Bookdepository

How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?
Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher. Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

THE FEELS! I had so many feels during this wonderfully emotional book. It was a rollercoaster for sure. At one point I was laughing and crying and frowning and I-don't-even-know. I think it's because of how this very emotional and difficult subject, suicide by a teenager, was handled with humor and careful dialogue. It was wonderful and it made me feel hopelessly sad and terribly happy at the same time.
The characters are all unique and fitted very well. Sometimes in books I just feel like certain characters are fake, they don't belong in the story and they don't add anything to the story. But not in this book, no, in this book all the characters are lovely and I don't think the story would be as great without them. First there's Leonard, of course. He's very weird and intelligent and just different from the kids in his school. He's very conscious of his being different and it gives him pride in one way but it also hurts him. And then of course he is wounded because of something that happened to him a while ago. Although Leonard is a bit of a weirdo (or a lot...) he is very relatable. Don't we all feel like the people are us are just übermorons? What makes him so relatable is his humorous way to talk about his problems. I think he's definitely not the first person to use humour to express what isn't so easy to express. My favourite character, though, was his teacher... AW MAN!
The teacher, Herr Silverman, is literally the best teacher ever. Not only are his classes challenging, he also cares. Let me say that again: he cares. Every single part where I cried in this book, it was because of him and his huge amount of caring and tact and just heroic I-need-to-save-this-kid attitude. He's the hero of this story, guys! The hero of uncontrollable sobs and whimpers, that is. I regret nothing. He's amazing. Read the book and you'll agree with me.
The plot was another thing I really enjoyed. The entire book is one day in Leonard's life. And not just any day, oh no, it's his birthday and the day he decides to end it all. Not just his own life but the life of his former best friend who is responsible for his fucked up life. But before he can end it, he has to say goodbye to his friends, people who he liked and made life a bit more bareable. I thought this idea was very touching. We're talking about a deeply unhappy person here, driven to actually kill himself and someone else, but before he goes he knows he has to thank a few people.
Also, there's this scene where Leonard takes the train to watch grown-ups go to work and just describes how depressed they all are and he just sort of begs the world to give him a sign that life will get better... Oh my gosh, don't we all relate to this so much? Especially as a teenager, sometimes all you have to hold on to is the future that you can build for yourself. This scene hit me right in my personal feels, man.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Really the only thing I can think of is the ending. I mean.. the lack of an ending, really. I want to KNOW! I need to KNOW!

Have you read Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock yet? Would you like to?

August TBR

2014-08-08T15:00:00.000+02:00

Every month I make a list of the books I aim to read in that month. I don't knew yet if I'll make it, but hey, at least I intend to. This month my TBR list includes two Classics and five Young Adult books that I'm very curious about. You can follow me on my Goodreads to see how I'm doing, if you like. See you next month for another TBR list!

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy: This massive Russian classic has been on my TBR list for a long time, but I never really had the courage to read it. Why? Because it's just so LONG! Anyways, I think I'm finally ready to dive into the tragic story of Anna, Count Vronsky and others. I won't finish this one in August, but I'll be satisfied if I just start.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood: I am very curious about this Dystopian classic, even though I know very little of what it's about. But hey, it's Margaret Atwood, so it'll all be fine.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: I heard a lot about these books through BookTube and Bookbloggers, so when I saw it in my library I didn't hesitate to pick it up. I won't be reading this at night, though, I'm very prone to nightmares!
The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin: Naturally, if I like the first book, I'll want to dive into the second one as well. We'll see.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Also on my TBR list because of BookTube/Bookbloggers and just because I'm curious to know how good it really is.
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: I love stories that take place during one of the World Wars, so a holocaust story instantly grabs my attention.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews: I think this one is quite similar to YA that I've read before, so I'll probably like it. And that's why it's on the list!

Review: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

2014-08-06T14:21:00.000+02:00

The Book of Lost Things

John Connolly
Published by Hodder and Stoughton 2007
Genre: Fantasy, Fairytales, Young Adult

Goodreads | Bookdepository

High in his attic bedroom, twelve-year-old David mourns the death of his mother, with only the books on his shelf for company. But those books have begun to whisper to him in the darkness. Angry and alone, he takes refuge in his imagination and soon finds that reality and fantasy have begun to meld. While his family falls apart around him, David is violently propelled into a world that is a strange reflection of his own -- populated by heroes and monsters and ruled by a faded king who keeps his secrets in a mysterious book, The Book of Lost Things.

Taking readers on a vivid journey through the loss of innocence into adulthood and beyond, New York Times bestselling author John Connolly tells a dark and compelling tale that reminds us of the enduring power of stories in our lives.

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

The world that is created in The Book of Lost Things is absolutely stunning. David ends up in a high fantasy world full of strange animals, people and things-in-between. I wouldn't say any of the other characters has the same depth as David, but that didn't bother me at all. They were all interesting in their own way, especially the ones that were adapted from well known faiytales... Which brings me to my next point!
Fairytales! I loved LOVED how the author incorporated different fairytales into the story. I remember Snow White and the Dwarves the best, because I thought this part of the book was so funny. I don't want to spoil anything, but just imagine a big fat huge and just plain bitchy Snow White living with a bunch of socialist dwarves. Lovely!! Other fairytales that passed by were Little Red Riding Hood, Rumplestiltskin and The Sleeping Beauty but neither of the characters were their ordinary selves. They are all adapted into a gruesome version of the original story and in a very creative way too. Personally I really enjoy fairytale retellings and especially when the sweet stories are turned into something a bit less rainbow and sugar.
Character development. This is probably the most important thing about this book: David is growing up. What I like about his coming of age is that it happens in a really subtle way. I remember feeling he was so childish and a bit annoying at the start, but then suddenly at the end I was thinking: my goodness, he really has grown into a young man and it happened right under my nose! He never acted against his character just for the sake of growing up. It all happened in a very natural way, as far as a fairytale world can be natural of course.
The message behind the fantasy. I'm not sure how I can explain this without giving away the best part of the story, but the thing is that David started out as a young boy who is jealous of his baby half-brother. All he wants is for Georgie to just dissappear and that everything goes back to normal. Throughout the story David learns a lot about himself and about life and eventually, at the end, he discovers something in the Book of Lost Things that really changes the way he sees his new family. I loved every single thing about this big discovery and how the plot really came together.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Possibly, it might take the reader a while to get into the story. The beginning is a bit slow and it takes a few chapters for the book to really start. Personally, I had no trouble getting through the first chapters, but I did feel like the book only got really freaking awesome after a while.

whatkimreads

Back to school: Teacher Training College

Review: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read the story of Lina and her family yet?

Review: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read Me and Earl and the Dying Girl? Would you like to?

Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you ever cried multiple times during a story? Would you like to read Wonder? Or if you have, don't you just want to cuddle with it for the rest of your life?

Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read Mara's creepy story yet?

September TBR

Tell me about your plans for September!

Closing August

Review: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Talk to me about any feminist book you have read!

Review: Eldest by Christopher Paolini

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read Eldest yet? If you have, what did you think about the ending?

BoutOfBooks 11 Wrap Up

Review: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read The Scarlet Letter? Do you disagree with my hateful feelings?

Books illustrated: The Handmaid's Tale

Review: Eragon by Christopher Paolini

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read The Inheritance Cycle yet? Or are dragons not really your thing?

Read-A-Thon: BoutOfBooks 11

Review: Full Frontal Feminism by Jessica Valenti

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Do you consider yourself a feminist? Would you consider reading books on feminism?

Review: The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now by Meg Jay

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Do you read self help sometimes?

Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock yet? Would you like to?

August TBR

Review: The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

POSITIVE THOUGHTS

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Have you read The Book of Lost Things? If not, do you enjoy fairytale retellings?