Inkvotary

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #268 – Happy New Year 2024

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Dec 2023 17:28:00 +0000

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #268

No new books this week.

Sunday Post #225

Every year I hope that the new one will be good. Even a better one. That nothing bad will happen. But after the pandemic years, I know that we live in different times. And after the war in the Ukraine has taught us all that nothing is impossible, even the evil ones, I don´t expect much. And still, I hope that the new year will be a better one. That nothing evil will happen, even when it does.

The year 2023 was for me personally one big drama. One, I will always remember. But I know too, that I also became stronger while going through all those evil things. I got a bad medical diagnosis that shocked me, but I know that I will fight it and get out of it even stronger. That I will become healthy again and that 2024 is a year I am looking forward to. Precisely because I know that there are so many good opportunities in store for me.

I hope, 2024 will be a happy, healthy, and successful year for us all

And how was your week?

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Happy New Year by Malin Stehn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 21:18:00 +0000

The cover of this thriller caught my eye immediately. And the story behind it took me by surprise. The dynamic style, the incredible psychological finesse the plot shows, and the way how the author Malin Stehn describes the atmosphere and all the emotions – are fantastic. If you are a parent of a daughter, think twice if you want to read this thriller. Because the author is a mother of a daughter herself and uses knowledge in full for this plot.

Happy New Year*
by Malin Stehn
Translation Maria Poets
Original Title Ett Gott Nytt År
Publisher Fischer Scherz on October 12, 2021
Genre Thriller
Pages 462
Format Paperback
Source Fischer Scherz
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Thick fog lies over the city: 17-year-old Jennifer disappears from a party. At the other end of town, her mother Lollo is toasting the New Year with her old friends Nina and Malena. They don't have much in common anymore, but the families' New Year's Eve celebrations are a tradition. When the parents wake up after an evening of too much alcohol and too little honesty, the nightmare is reality. Pure panic follows. Dark secrets come to the surface. How well do we know our friends and our loved ones? And what really happened on that New Year's Eve?

Story

Smilla's best friend Jennifer disappears from the New Year's Eve party, plunging several families into a psychological abyss of fear, despair, and panic. But why does everyone react like this? And where exactly does the truth lie?

Style

With an incredibly flowing reading pace, the pages just pass the reader by in a very dynamic way. The author hints at a lot that gives the impression that there is at least one big secret lurking hidden here. Its discovery causes a huge bang and irrevocably changes a character's life. I'm not sure I'm happy with the scene. Well, the psychological effect at the end is absolutely successful, but everything else?

Characters

Here, the typical worries and hardships of families who are friends are described who think they really know each other but then have to realize that they know nothing, absolutely nothing, about each other.

Like every man his age, Fredrik struggles with the seductive games played by his daughter Smilla's friend. His wife Nina doesn't like their behavior but can't do anything about it. Her friend Lollo, on the other hand, doesn't understand why her husband Max continues to pursue his real estate business while his daughter Jennifer has disappeared, and the family is going through a time of fear and panic.

Conclusion

A well-constructed thriller that makes for entertaining reading pleasure. The author presents the reader with some surprising twists that the reader absolutely does not see coming. In the end, I was surprised again. I can only recommend it.

Happy reading

*Fischer Scherz kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Mit einem unglaublich fließenden Lesetempo ziehen die Seiten am Leser auf sehr dynamische Weise nur so vorbei. Die Autorin deutet vieles an, was den Eindruck entstehen lässt, dass hier mindestens ein großes Geheimnis im Verborgenen lauert. Dessen Entdeckung sorgt dann auch für einen gewaltigen Knall und ändert das Leben von einer Figur unwiderruflich. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich mit der Szene wirklich zufrieden bin. Gut, der psychologische Effekt am Ende ist absolut gelungen, aber alles andere?

Charaktere

Hier werden typische Sorgen und Nöte von befreundeten Familien geschildert, die meinen, sich wirklich zu kennen, dann aber erkennen müssen, dass sie nichts, aber auch gar nichts voneinander wissen.

Fredrik kämpft wie jeder Mann seines Alters mit den verführerischen Spielchen, die die Freundin seiner Tochter Smilla treibt. Seine Frau Nina mag deren Verhalten nicht, kann aber nichts dagegen tun. Ihre Freundin Lollo hingegen versteht nicht, warum ihr Mann Max seine Immobiliengeschäfte ungerührt weiterverfolgt, während seine Tochter Jennifer verschwunden ist und die Familie eine Zeit der Angst und Panik durchlebt.

Resultat

Ein gut aufgebauter Thriller, der für unterhaltsames Lesevergnügen sorgt. Die Autorin präsentiert dem Leser einige überraschende Wendungen, die man als Leser absolut nicht kommen sieht. Am Ende war ich dann doch noch mal überrascht. Kann ich nur empfehlen.

*This book was published in English by Penguin on November 24, 2022.

Malin Stehn

Malin Stehn is fascinated by the complexity of interpersonal relationships. The Swedish author has received numerous awards for her extensive work. Her sophisticated psychological suspense novels “Happy New Year” and “Just a Lie” immediately hit the bestseller lists and are translated into many languages. Malin Stehn has two grown children and lives with her husband near Malmö.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Sturmjahre-Das Versprechen Einer Neuen Zeit by Lia Scott

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Once again, the cover design is very atmospheric with soft colors. This time, however, the color choice is a bit darker, but I still like it a lot. The country is in a spirit of change and people want change. Lots of change. The female population is striving for more self-determination and rights. It was nice to see how the author took this up and integrated it.

Sturmjahre-Das Versprechen Einer Neuen Zeit*
by Lia Scott
Sturmjahre Saga #2
Publisher Fischer TB on August 30, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 491
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Dark lakes and rugged mountains - great emotions in trying times.
Scotland 1919: After the end of the First World War, people are fighting their way back to everyday life. Archie Dennon has returned to Scotland alive but badly scarred by the consequences of the war. Archie has long been attracted to Vika, who works in his pub. But the dark memories of the war keep coming back to haunt him and make it difficult to admit feelings. When Archie finally admits how he feels for Vika, it's too late. Vika has lost faith in a shared future. So she leaves Foxgirth in the black of night and tries to start over in Glasgow. But can they really forget each other? (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary).

Story

Vika only wants one thing: to win Archie's love and have a good life for herself and her son. She is skeptical about her Aunt Geillis' plans. Even more so when she notices that Vika is in different circumstances. The supposedly loving treatment of the aunt is over. Will Archie finally realize what Vika means to him?

Style

Lia Scott's writing style in this volume is also sensitive, easy to read, and very atmospheric. Well, it's a bit long-winded here too. But that seems to be part of every one of her novels. In this second part of the Storm Years saga, Lia Scott also knows how to convincingly convey the mood of the time and the living conditions in the country and in the city to the reader's eye.

Characters

There are many wonderful contrasts between the individual characters here. Vika, who has loved Archie for a long time and has terrible table manners, Archie, who sees himself as the king of his small village and rules in his pub. And the rest of the Dennons, who all just want one thing: to finally put the war behind them and build a future.

Conclusion

An entertaining, solidly written novel that awakens a longing for foreign countries and wonderful landscapes. There are a bit too many pages for my taste, but it's bearable. It's best to read it yourself and form your own opinion.

Happy reading

*Fischer TB kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The book was, at the time of this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Auch in diesem Band ist der Schreibstil von Lia Scott feinfühlig, einfach zu lesen und sehr stimmungsvoll. Gut, stellenweise ist es auch hier etwas langatmig. Das scheint aber wohl Teil eines jeden ihrer Romane zu sein. Und auch in diesem zweiten Teil der Sturmjahre Saga versteht es Lia Scott, die Stimmung der damaligen Zeit und die Lebensumstände auf dem Land und in der Stadt überzeugend vor dem Leserauge auszubreiten.

Charaktere

Es gibt hier viele wunderbare Gegensätze bei den einzelnen Figuren. Vika, die Archie schon seit langem liebt und furchtbare Tischmanieren hat, Archie, der sich als der König seines kleinen Dorfes sieht und in seinem Pub regiert. Und der Rest der Dennons, die alle nur eins wollen: den Krieg endlich hinter sich lassen und eine Zukunft aufbauen.

Resultat

Ein unterhaltsamer, solide verfasster Roman, der die Sehnsucht nach fremden Ländern und herrlichen Landschaften weckt. Für meinen Geschmack zwar mit etwas zu vielen Seiten, aber auch hier aushaltbar. Am besten selbst lesen und eigenes Urteil bilden.

Lia Scott

Lia Scott, born in 1984, lives with her husband, two children, a dog and lots of chicken in a small town near Freiburg. With the Storm Years Saga, she combines her love for Scotland with the moving fates of the time - during and after the First World War. Lia Scott is the pen name of author Lilian Kaliner.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Threads Of Power-Die Feinen Fäden Der Magie by V. E. Schwab

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

As beautiful and poetic as the novel was to read in places, anyone who doesn't know the Shades of Magic books should read these first. V.E. Schwab's worlds are unique and yet in many ways the same. And still, the author knows how to draw her readers into its fascination. Not with spectacle or a loud tone, but with its brilliant style, the magical use of words, and some very well-created characters who capture the readers´ hearts in their very own way.

Threads Of Power-Die Feinen Fäden Der Magie*
by V. E. Schwab
Threads Of Power #1
Translation Sara Riffel, Petra Huber, Alexandra Jordan
Original Title The Fragile Threads Of Power
Publisher Fischer TOR on October 25, 2023
Genre Fantasy
Pages 731
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer TOR
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

There were once four worlds, each vibrant with magic, connected by a single city: London. But the magic grew too quickly and forced the residents to isolate themselves from each other. Since then, there are only a few who can travel through all four worlds. Kell Maresh from Red London and Delilah Bard from Gray London are the last Antari, the last planeswalkers. Until a tinkerer named Tes comes across an artifact that would allow all humans to visit any of the four worlds. Attracted by the endless possibilities, rebels, criminals, and magicians set out on their trail. Tes must prevent the artifact from falling into the wrong hands at all costs. Because the consequences would be terrible.

Story

Tes has the incredible talent to not only see the fine threads of magic but also to repair them. She doesn't even need any tools. But when others discover this ability and understand what is possible with it, Tes is in great danger. Because their talent arouses desire.

Style

V. E. Schwab's writing style sounds like a beautiful melody. Almost poetic and fascinated me. By naming each place and stating the year, you immediately know where you are in the plot. This was also necessary for me because I only partially know the history of the Shades of Magic series. So it was very helpful in finding my way around.

Characters

They are basically the characters that also appear in the Shades of Magic books. With Ren, the daughter of Rhy, and Tes, the tinkerer, the author has added two new ones. Ren is smart and a great little girl, Tes is more of a quiet, quiet teenager who lives very secretly. Both give the novel their own charm.

Conclusion

A beautiful novel that is best read only after you have already read the earlier volumes of the Shades of Magic series. Otherwise, the picture will be out of round and not entirely logical. Apart from that, the author's incredibly diverse and profound fantasy comes into its own here. V.E. Schwab masters High Fantasy in her very own way and presents full-bodiedness rounded off in an elegant, sonorous finish.

Happy reading

*Fischer TOR kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Schreibstil von V. E. Schwab klingt wie eine wunderschöne Melodie. Beinahe schon poetisch und hat mich fasziniert. Durch die Nennung jeden Ortes und der Angabe von Jahren weiß man sofort, wo man sich in der Handlung befindet. Das war bei mir auch nötig, da ich die Vorgeschichte aus der Shades of Magic Serie nur teilweise kenne. So war es sehr hilfreich beim Zurechtfinden.

Charaktere

Es sind im Prinzip die Figuren, die auch in den Shades of Magic Büchern auftauchen. Mit Ren, der Tochter von Rhy und Tes, der Tüftlerin hat die Autorin noch zwei neue hinzugefügt. Ren ist pfiffig und ein großartiges kleines Mädchen, Tes eher ein ruhiger stiller Teenager, der sehr im Verborgenen lebt. Beide geben dem Roman ihren eigenen Charme.

Resultat

Ein schöner Roman, den man besser erst dann lesen sollte, wenn man die früheren Bände der Shades of Magic Serie bereits gelesen hat. Sonst wird das Bild unrund und nicht ganz logisch. Abgesehen davon kommt hier die unglaublich vielfältige und tiefgründige Fantasy der Autorin voll zum Zug. V.E. Schwab beherrscht die High Fantasy auf ihre ganz eigene Weise und präsentiert Vollmundigkeit abgerundet in einem eleganten, klangvollen Abgang.

*This book was published in the English language by Tor Books on September 26, 2023

Victoria Schwab

Victoria (V.E.) Schwab is the author of the »World Walker« trilogy and the New York Times bestseller series »Vicious & Vengeful«. Born in 1987 she is the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Schwab has a penchant for tea and BBC shows, and a serious and well-documented case of insatiable wanderlust. When she's not wandering the streets of Paris or climbing any hill in England, she's sitting in the back of a café, spinning on her stories.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Merry Christmas 2023 To You All

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 15:51:00 +0000

Christmas 2023 will be a very peaceful and quiet matter. There is no big decoration, I still need to finish two books before the year ends, and some other things too are still hanging in the balance. I am just not in the mood for big festivities or anything else. My Christmas post will be rather short this time.

I know I am blessed with a roof above my head, something warm to eat and drink, with my dry and warm clothes on, and – most of all – there is no war in my country. Germany is a safe haven, with a democracy, a respected law, and many other good things.

Despite not celebrating much, I want to wish all those who celebrate, no matter how and where:

Merry Christmas And Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #267 – Sunny 3. Advent 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 16:54:00 +0000

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #267

No new books this week.

Sunday Post #224

I am still busy reading down my pile of review books. Only two books left… My daily routine with the medication is now on a timeline: Six months said my Doc. At least. If not forever… And she made it clear that I will have to get used to the freezing feeling I now have deep inside. As if ice cubes are running through my veins now. I got the approval for most of the books I had asked for a few days ago for the year 2024. So good news on that front *Yay*

I finally got all the ingredients for my chocolate cookies at home and can start baking them, if I find the time that is. Guys next Sunday IS already Christmas!

And how was your week?

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Spur Der Finsternis by Nora Roberts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

The cover of the German edition is different from my taste. But it is the story behind it, that thrills me. And the fantastic plot. The author really knows how to catch her readers. With "Identity" she proves again, her storytelling ability. That she knows perfectly how to create great characters. Her main figure Morgan is a wonderful woman. As an old Nora Roberts fan, this novel proves that the author can still write great stories beyond imagination.

Spur Der Finsternis*
by Nora Roberts
Translation Christiane Burkhardt
Original Title Identity
Publisher Heyne on November 15, 2023
Genre Contemporary Romance
Pages 526
Format Hardcover
Source Heyne
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶

Morgan works hard to fulfill his dream of owning a house and bar. But her modest life is suddenly upended when her best friend Nina is murdered. She doesn't have time to mourn because the FBI tells her that she is dealing with a serial killer and identity robber. And this one is actually targeting Morgan himself. Step by step, the perfidious hacker takes everything from her: her savings, her house, her identity. Desperate, Morgan flees back to her family in Vermont and piece by piece puts the pieces of her shattered life back together. But her pursuer is always on her heels - and the people she loves. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary).

Story

Morgan is broke. A Hacker has stolen everything from her so she sees no other option but to move back to her family. A fresh start in Vermont is all she wants to get herself back together. Together with her mother and grandmother and a new job where she does what she knows best. And with Miles, the new man in her life.

Style

Nora Robert's writing style is unmistakable. With a lot of feeling and even more sensitivity, the author describes the beautiful Vermont landscape and the emotions that Morgan goes through. A real cinematic experience takes place in the reader's head. At times I even imagined that I could smell the cocktails that Morgan created during the course of the story. And Nora Roberts proves once again that she can easily create an atmospherically dense novel out of nothing, even if it isn't.

Characters

As usual from Nora Roberts, the reader is presented with strong and profound characters. Without any cliche, but with rough edges. Morgan is particularly strong. She is a bartender with heart and soul who, after a fateful encounter with a stranger, starts all over again. The strength and strength of her family helps her. The Nash women not only have a strong backbone, but they are also particularly tough. And with exactly this quality, Morgan defies her tormentor and teaches him what girl power really means. But I particularly liked Howl. Miles' dog. It's an absolute blast!

Conclusion

What a brilliant novel! I am completely thrilled. Big emotions, strong characters, and a great plot. As an old Nora Roberts fan, all I can say is: read and enjoy!

Happy reading

*Heyne kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Nora Roberts Schreibstil ist unverkennbar. Mit viel Gefühl und noch mehr Feinfühligkeit beschreibt die Autorin die herrliche Landschaft Vermonts und die Emotionen, die Morgan so durchmacht. Da spielt sich ein regelrechtes Kopfkino beim Leser ab. Teilweise hab ich mir sogar eingebildet, die Cocktails riechen zu können, die Morgan da so im Laufe der Handlung kreiert hat. Und Nora Roberts beweist einmal mehr, dass sie es einfach kann, einen atmosphärisch dichten Roman wie aus dem Nichts zu erschaffen, auch wenn er es nicht ist.

Charaktere

Wie von Nora Roberts gewohnt, werden dem Leser starke und tiefgründige Figuren präsentiert. Ganz ohne Klischee, dafür mit Ecken und Kanten. Morgan ist dabei besonders stark. Sie ist mit Leib und Seele Barkeeperin, die nach einer verhängnisvollen Bekanntschaft mit einem Fremden, nochmal ganz von vorn anfängt. Dabei hilft ihr die Kraft und Stärke ihrer Familie. Die Nash-Frauen haben nicht nur ein starkes Rückgrat, sie sind auch besonders tough. Und mit genau dieser Eigenschaft, trotz Morgan ihrem Peiniger und lehrt ihn, was Frauenpower wirklich bedeutet. Aber besonders gefallen hat mit Howl. Der Hund von Miles. Der ist der absolute Knaller!

Resultat

Was für ein genialer Roman! Ich bin restlos begeistert. Große Emotionen, starke Figuren und ein klasse Plot. Als alter Nora Roberts Fan kann ich nur sagen: Lesen und genießen!

*This book was published in the English language by St. Martin´s Press on May 23, 2023

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writer’s groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #266 – Snowy 1. Advent 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 12:39:00 +0000

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #266

No new books this week.

Sunday Post #223

The last week I was again busy reading books and getting some medical appointments done. I completed my GR Reading Challenge and achieved with the New Release Challenge the New Release Pro Status. And I finished the Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon with two read-and-reviewed books. YAY! After all the shit this year, those are good news.

My Two Ho-Ho-Ho Reads

And how was your week?

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

A Venom Dark And Sweet-Was Uns Zusammenhält by Judy I. Lin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

The cover is a dream. Well, pink is still not my color, but it works great here. And after reading part one, I naturally wanted to know how the story ends. I liked the mystical aspect, even if I often had the impression that I was looking at anime characters.

A Venom Dark And Sweet-Was Uns Zusammenhält*
by Judy I. Lin
The Book Of Tea #2
Translation Michaela Kolodziejcok
Original Title A Venom Dark And Sweet
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on August 30, 2023
Genre Fantasy
Pages 432
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Sauerländer
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

The young tea magician Ning is on the run. Something evil has descended on the Kingdom of Dax, and the Exiled Prince has usurped the Dragon Throne. Together with the rightful princess of the empire, Ning is now looking for the brave and desperate to join them in order to reclaim the throne. But something else, much older than people's petty conflicts, has awakened and haunts Ning in her dreams... (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Ning is on the run and wants to help the rightful heir to the throne. To do this, she has to find some items and bring them back to the palace. Not easy when an entire army is chasing you and an ancient force that doesn't mean anything good is spreading through you.

Style

The author has also written this second and final part of The Book of Tea Dilogy in a powerful and opulent manner. Judy I. Lin guides the reader through a wonderful landscape and scenes that are simply beautiful at a quick reading pace. What I particularly enjoyed was the fact that the plot followed seamlessly from the end of the first book and I was quickly back in the action.

Characters

A wide variety of characters are played off against each other here. The author shows fascinating characteristics of the individual characters. Not all successful, but certainly profound.

Ning has to prove her innocence. But she can only do this if she can get certain items and then use them in the palace. The way she does it is nice to watch, even though she always remained a bit strange to me and I did not really get access to her.

Conclusion

An opulent, visually stunning novel that I found almost better than its predecessor. The author takes the reader into a foreign realm and shows a fascinating culture that is delightful to look at and yet somehow remains strange and distant. Just read it for yourself and form your own opinion.

Happy reading

*Fischer Sauerländer kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Sprachgewaltig und sehr opulent hat die Autorin auch diesen zweiten und letzten Teil der The Book of Tea Dilogie verfasst. Dabei führt Judy I. Lin den Leser im zügigen Lesetempo durch eine herrliche Landschaft und Szenen, die einfach nur wunderschön sind. Was mich besonders erfreute, war die Tatsache, dass die Handlung nahtlos an das Ende vom ersten Buch anknüpfte und ich so wieder schnell im Geschehen war.

Charaktere

Die unterschiedlichsten Figuren werden hier gegeneinander ausgespielt. Dabei zeigt die Autorin faszinierende Eigenschaften der einzelnen Charaktere. Nicht alle gelungen, aber durchaus tiefgründig.

Ning muss ihre Unschuld beweisen. Das kann sie aber nur, wenn sie bestimmte Gegenstände an sich bringen und diese dann im Palast einsetzen kann. Die Art, wie sie das macht, ist schön zu beobachten, auch wenn sie mir immer etwas fremd blieb und ich keinen richtigen Zugang zu ihr bekam.

Resultat

Ein opulenter, bildgewaltiger Roman, den ich fast besser fand als den Vorgänger. Die Autorin entführt den Leser in ein fremdes Reich und zeigt eine faszinierende Kultur, die reizvoll anzuschauen ist und doch irgendwie fremd und distanziert bleibt. Einfach selbst lesen und eigenes Urteil bilden.

Judy I. Lin

Judy I. Lin, New York Times bestselling author of the Book Of Tea duology, was born in Taiwan and immigrated to Canada with her family as a young girl, where she still lives with her husband and daughters. As a child, whenever she could, she stuck her nose in a book and escaped into their imaginary worlds. Today she works as an occupational therapist by day and creates her own fantasy worlds at night.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Gameshow-Das Versprechen Von Glück by Franzi Kopka

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

The final volume was a bit better than expected. The cover is in the style of part one. But this novel didn't really blow me away either. I'm torn, to say it frankly. But one thing is certain. I was happy about the happy ending. Despite all the suffering, the many deaths, and the pathological hunger for more, this brought light to the story.

Gameshow-Das Versprechen Von Glück*
by Franzi Kopka
Gameshow #2
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on October 11, 2023
Genre Fantasy
Pages 428
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Sauerländer
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶½

Nobody can win this game.
Cass learned the truth about the game show and decides to fight on the side of the Resistance. But the plan to overthrow the perfidious system of game masters is more than risky. In addition to the constant danger of being discovered, Cass realizes that fatal games are also being played outside the arenas. And soon she has to ask herself whether she trusts the right people. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Cass is horrified. At the end of the big party, the winners face not freedom, but death. Nothing is as it seems and yet she has to believe in the good. That the White Zone exists. And that Jax and the others will make it.

Style

The story goes through the story at a quick reading pace. The author describes her scenes in a clear, simple way and the dialogue is quick-witted. The plot is sometimes really brutal. And since Cass is now officially dead, she mostly stays with Flannery in the bunker. The author shows her everyday life there in a lively and varied way. And the end, when the plan is put into action, was quite interesting.

Characters

Everyone's fight against the Gamemasters is in full swing and the author shows how Cass, Jax, and Val, and their friends fight back against the most powerful of them all. Long-held secrets are revealed, and Cass wonders once again why Flannery keeps asking about her health. For a long time, it was not clear to her that she played a central role in his plan and that he had to protect a dangerous past.

Conclusion

Much more gripping and varied than the first part. Anyone who likes the novels by Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth or Kendare Blake will also find themselves well entertained here. With her final tape of the Gameshow, Franzi Kopka delivered a fantastic conclusion with a happy ending factor. Wonderful head cinema included.

Happy reading

*Fischer Sauerländer kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. This book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Im zügigen Lesetempo geht es durch die Handlung. Die Autorin beschreibt auf klare, einfache Weise ihre Szenen und die Dialoge sind schlagfertig. Der Plot ist teilweise richtig brutal. Und da Cass nun offiziell als tot gilt, hält sie sich hauptsächlich bei Flannery im Bunker auf. Die Autorin zeigt ihren Alltag dort auf lebendige und abwechslungsreiche Weise. Und das Ende, als der Plan in die Tat umgesetzt wird, war schon interessant.

Charaktere

Der Kampf aller gegen die Gamemaster ist in vollem Gange und die Autorin zeigt, wie Cass, Jax und Val mit ihren Freunden gegen den mächtigsten von allen zur Wehr setzen. Dabei werden lange gewahrte Geheimnisse aufgedeckt und Cass fragt sich einmal mehr, warum Flannery sich ständig nach ihrem Befinden erkundigt. Dass sie eine zentrale Rolle in seinem Plan spielt und er eine gefährliche Vergangenheit schützen muss, ist ihr lange Zeit nicht klar.

Resultat

Viel packender und abwechslungsreicher als der erste Teil. Wer die Romane von Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth oder Kendare Blake mag, der wird sich hier ebenfalls gut unterhalten fühlen. Franzi Kopka hat mit ihrem finalen Band der Gameshow einen grandiosen Abschluss mit Happy End Faktor geliefert. Herrliches Kopfkino inklusive.

Franzi Kopka

Franzi Kopka was born in 1990 as the daughter of a bookseller. Thanks to the numerous novels in the house, she grew up wondering »what if« and started making up stories for her three younger siblings at an early age. She finds most of her inspiration when she travels, especially in London, which is her true love, and which is the setting of her debut »Gameshow – The Price of Greed«.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Ein Geheimnis Im Schnee by Viola Shipman

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 17:24:00 +0000

It's always a good idea to read a Viola Shipman novel. The books are always about family, feelings, and nature. And this time it was a very moving and particularly touching story. I read my way through pages where I shed some tears, others where I smiled at the situation Amberrose found herself in, and others where I savored the beauty of the moment. Never let anyone tell you again that a man cannot write emotional novels. Because Wade Rouse aka Viola Shipman can. The Secret Of Snow proves it!

Ein Geheimnis Im Schnee*
by Viola Shipman
Translation Anita Nirschl
Original Title The Secret Of Snow
Publisher Fischer TB on September 27, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 403
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶

Reluctantly, Southern California meteorologist Sonny Dunes returns to the long, cold, snowy winter of northern Michigan... with the added humiliation of moving back in with her mother. Sonny is no longer an outsider like she used to be, but she's not a local either, and her past catches up with her everywhere: from the school friends she alienated, to the former journalist colleague who is now her boss, to the tragic reason for her departure from home. If Sonny ever wants to be here at home again, she needs to make peace with her former self and listen to her heart. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Sonny moves back to Michigan. Her new job takes her back to her beginnings, and she has to do a lot of humiliating things. But she pulls through and starts standing up for herself again. To rediscover life. Does she also have time for Mason? Or the courage to admit her feelings?

Style

Viola Shipman writes in a very poignant and moving way about Amberrose and her little sister Joncee. I could literally hear the little girl giggling happily at some points, even if the author didn't write about it in one scene. Together with all the memories and experiences that Amberrose experiences every day at work, whether in the office or in the great outdoors, a completely successful, touching story is told here. The pain of all those who are still left of a family and live with it as best as possible was sensitively portrayed and yet clearly noticeable.

Characters

Sonny is used to being stared at by strangers. But I found the fact that strangers were looking through the hedge at her just to watch her sunbathing by the pool a bit irritating. In general, Amberrose, as Sonny's real name is, is an unusual woman. She doesn't mince her words, offends, is great at her job and otherwise prefers to hide away. Sonny is terrified of losing control. So, she doesn't give herself or others a chance right from the start. The more I got to know her, the more compassion I felt for her. And the constant shaking of her legs – God, it annoyed me after a while! A lovingly meant tic from her mother that had the complete opposite effect on me. Sorry.

Conclusion

One of the most beautiful winter novels I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The story still resonates with me. Viola Shipman writes very sensitively, and her words have a very special magic to them. I was moved to tears and very moved and thank you from the bottom of my heart for this incredibly personal story.

Happy reading

*Fischer TB kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Viola Shipman schreibt auf sehr ergreifende und bewegende Weise über Amberrose und deren kleine Schwester Joncee. Ich konnte an so mancher Stelle das kleine Mädchen buchstäblich fröhlich kichern hören, selbst wenn die Autorin in einer Szene darüber nicht geschrieben hat. Zusammen mit den ganzen Erinnerungen und Erlebnissen die Amberrose tagtäglich auf der Arbeit, ob im Büro oder in der freien Natur erlebt, wird hier eine rundherum gelungene rührende Geschichte erzählt. Der Schmerz all derjenigen, die von einer Familie noch übrig sind und so gut wie möglich damit leben, war feinfühlig dargestellt und dennoch deutlich spürbar.

Charaktere

Sonny ist es gewohnt, von Fremden angestarrt zu werden. Das Fremde ihr aber durch die Hecke gucken, nur um sie beim Sonnenbaden am Pool zu beobachten, das fand ich dann doch etwas irritierend. Überhaupt ist Amberrose, wie Sonny eigentlich heißt, eine ungewöhnliche Frau. Sie nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund, eckt an, ist spitze in ihrem Job und möchte sich ansonsten aber am liebsten verkriechen. Sonny hat Angst vorm Leben davor, die Kontrolle zu verlieren. Also gibt sie sich und anderen schon von Anfang an keine Chance. Je mehr ich sie kennenlernen durfte, umso mehr Mitleid hatte ich mit ihr. Und dieses ewige Schütteln ihrer Beine – Himmel hat mich das nach einiger Zeit genervt! Ein liebevoll gemeinter Tick ihrer Mutter, der bei mir das glatte Gegenteil bewirkt hat. Sorry.

Resultat

Einer der schönsten winterlichen Romane, die ich je das Vergnügen hatte, lesen zu dürfen. Die Geschichte klingt noch immer in mir nach. Viola Shipman schreibt sehr gefühlvoll und ihren Worten liegt ein ganz besonderer Zauber inne. Ich war zu Tränen gerührt und sehr bewegt und bedanke mich von Herzen für diese unglaublich persönliche Geschichte.

*This book was published in the English language by Graydon House on October 26, 2021

Wade Rouse

Viola Shipman is a pen name for Wade Rouse, a popular, award-winning memoirist. Rouse chose his grandmother’s name, Viola Shipman, to honor the woman whose charm bracelet and family stories inspired him to write his debut novel, which is a tribute to all of our elders. Rouse lives in Michigan and writes regularly for People and Coastal Living, among other places, and is a contributor to All Things Considered.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #265 – Still Busy Reading Books

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 18:14:00 +0000

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #265

No new books this week.

Sunday Post #222

The last week I was busy reading books. Wherever I go, a book is with me. I got into a heavy rain shower while walking on Black Friday to a shoe shop, but I got my winter boots for half the price. In the evening I watched for the last time Wetten, dass. A show I grew up with. It was very emotional. And to see Cher sitting on the couch listening to one of her songs sung by a German actor and accompanied by guitar was very moving. And today, yes, I am doing this a bit briefly, I linked up a HoHoHoRAT review and the jigsaws I solved a few days ago over at Maureen´s Book Blog.

Current Ho-Ho-Ho Read

And how was your week?

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Winterglücksträume by Sue Moorcroft

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Sue Moorcroft, YOU ROCK! Well, the cover is way too pink and tacky for my taste, but the novel between the book covers is simply phenomenally good! I'm excited. I laughed and cried so many tears. I could have slapped a certain person left and right while I would have liked to see more of the Pup quiz. The rest of the novel presented one great scene after the other and at the end, it was one big happy Christmas. Thank you for the fantastic reading pleasure.

Winterglücksträume*
by Sue Moorcroft
Translation Tanja Hamer
Original Title A White Christmas On Winter Street
Publisher Fischer TB on September 27, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 456
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶

When Sky quits her job, she buys a house in Middledip. She had her best Christmas in the village. She wants to rearrange her life and is looking forward to a quiet celebration. But the residents are in the middle of preparing for the Christmas lights competition. Sky also has to make her house and garden shine in a brilliant sea of lights. She gets help from the attractive Daz, who she soon sees as more than a neighbor. As the two get closer, Daz's ex-girlfriend shows up. Will a Christmas fairy tale come true for Sky in the snowy Middledip? (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

The moment Sky sits in the auction house and the corner house is auctioned off; Sky knows that she absolutely has to have the house. All of her positive memories lie there, and her foster mother, Nan Heather, is the epitome of what a loving mother is to her. When she can finally call it her own, she moves in and begins to live her dream of owning her own home.

Style

The writing style is simple and simple. The feelings between the lines are highly emotional, disturbing and sometimes very desperate. And the moment when the main character finally sits in the auction house and buys a house that her boss actually wanted was the best moment for me up to that point. I couldn't help but laugh at that. From then on, the author fires off fireworks not only of emotions, but also of delicious scenes and dialogues that have it all. I didn't know Sue Moorcroft could write like that!

Characters

From a fraudster to a complaining old woman to a clever eleven-year-old boy, there is everything the character box has to offer. And Sky, the main character, tops everything.

Sky didn't have an easy childhood. Her mother was an alcoholic and so Sky quickly learned about the negative sides of life. At sixteen she left home and was placed in foster care. One of them was Nan Heather and it was there that Sky experienced something like a normal family life for the first time in her life. Including a nice Christmas. Sky remembered all of this when she bought the corner house at auction. I was impressed by the way she approached the renovation sustainably and with enthusiasm. How she lives her principles and starts making friends.

Conclusion

Great Christmas novel! I am absolutely thrilled. Depending on the situation, I suffered along with the characters, cheered along or laughed along with them. The author conjures up scenes and images on the paper, just great. For me, this is the author's best novel to date. Both in terms of rating and content.

Happy reading

*Fischer TB kindly provided me this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Schreibstil ist einfach und simple. Die Gefühle zwischen den Zeilen sind hochemotional, aufwühlend und manchmal auch sehr verzweifelt. Und der Moment, als die Hauptfigur endlich im Auktionshaus sitzt, und ein Haus ersteigert, dass eigentlich ihr Chef haben wollte, war für mich der bis dahin beste Augenblick. Da konnte ich mir ein Lachen nicht verkneifen. Ab da feuert die Autorin ein Feuerwerk nicht nur an Emotionen ab, sondern auch an köstlichen Szenen und Dialogen, dass es in sich hat. Ich wusste gar nicht, dass Sue Moorcroft so schreiben kann!

Charaktere

Da gibt es vom Betrüger über eine meckernde alte Frau bis hin zum pfiffigen elfjährigen Jungen an Figuren alles, was die Charakterkiste zu bieten hat. Und Sky, die Hauptfigur, toppt alles.

Sky hatte keine leichte Kindheit. Ihre Mutter war Alkoholikerin und so lernte Sky schnell die negativen Seiten des Lebens kennen. Mit sechzehn zog sie von daheim weg und kam zu Pflegefamilien. Eine davon war Nan Heather und dort lernte Sky zum ersten Mal in ihrem Leben so etwas wie ein normales Familienleben kennen. Inklusive eines schönen Weihnachtsfests. All das hat Sky in Erinnerung, als sie das Eckhaus ersteigert. Mich hat die Art begeistert, wie sie nachhaltig und mit Elan an die Renovierung herangeht. Wie sie ihre Prinzipien lebt und dabei anfängt, sich Freunde zuzulegen.

Resultat

Großartiger Weihnachtsroman! Ich bin absolut begeistert. Je nach Situation hab ich mit den Figuren mitgelitten, mitgefiebert oder mitgelacht. Die Autorin zaubert Szenen und Bilder auf das Papier, einfach nur klasse. Für mich der bislang beste Roman der Autorin. Sowohl vom Rating her als auch inhaltlich.

*This book was published in the English language by Avon on October 27, 2022

Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times and internationally bestselling author of contemporary fiction and reached the coveted Number 1 spot on Amazon Kindle UK with THE CHRISTMAS PROMISE. She's won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, the Readers Best Romantic Read Award, and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She writes contemporary fiction of life and love and is a past Vice-Chair of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and editor of its short story anthologies. Her novels, short stories, serials, and columns have appeared around the world. She has created writing courses for the London School of Journalism and DigitalSea and is the author of a writing guide. An army child, Sue was born in Germany then lived in Cyprus, Malta, and the UK. She's worked in a bank, as a bookkeeper (probably a mistake), as a copytaker for Motor Cycle News and for a typesetter, but is pleased to have wriggled out of all 'proper jobs'.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Dark Sigils-Wie Die Dunkelheit Befiehlt by Anna Benning

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

I might not be as thrilled about the story and plot, but the wonderful cover design thrills me very much. This time the story was successful for me only in places. It was average, mixed with some enjoyable reading. Some characters were convincing while others were not. And as far as Adam is concerned, it can't get any colder. A pity.

Dark Sigils-Wie Die Dunkelheit Befiehlt*
by Anna Benning
Dark Sigils Trilogy #2
Publisher Fischer KJB on May 24, 2023
Genre Urban-Fantasy
Pages 489
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer KJB
Goodreads
✶✶✶½

The Dark Sigils are the most powerful artifacts ever forged. But in exchange for their magic, they take everything from us - our own freedom and the chance to love who we want. My only hope is to join the rebels in reaching the mysterious eighth Dark Sigil. Only with his help will I be able to determine my own life. But the path there is dangerous... and I don't know if Adam will let me go. For he knows the darkness that will take over the world if the sigil bearers resist their fate. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Rayne wants to be free from her Dark Sigil. She wants to decide how to live and whom she can love. Not an ancient artifact. But Adam wants the world to remain the way the world always was. And if that means leaving Rayne in the cold, so be it.

Style

From the start, the story was a bit boring. I couldn't befriend the ice-cold Adam, and everything remained strangely distant. Anna Benning's writing style was clear and easy to read, but the amount of filler was a bit too much for me. The novel would have clearly gained more with significantly fewer pages. And what is suggested at the very end, that Adam no longer has a connection to Rayne and that she is supposed to become something that she doesn't actually want, seemed artificial to me. And yet I felt a strange pleasure while reading it. One or two chapters were quite entertaining.

Characters

This time I didn't warm to the characters. Adam is cold-hearted, Rayne clearly struggles with this and when Adam finally brutally loses his connection to Rayne during the plot and another character appears on the field, I am a bit confused. The fact that Adam has his own plans for Rayne and himself at the very end also didn't make sense to me.

Conclusion

I oscillate between a strange enthusiasm for reading and slight disappointment. It was a strange mishmash of confused story, ice-cold characters, and a plot that didn't entirely make sense. And I absolutely didn't like what the author did with Adam and Rayne.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer KJB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The book was at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Von Beginn an war die Story etwas langweilig. Ich konnte mich mit dem eiskalten Adam nicht anfreunden und alles blieb auf eigenartige Weise auf Distanz. Der Schreibstil von Anna Benning war zwar klar und einfach zu lesen, aber das viele Füllmaterial war mir eine Nummer zu viel. Der Roman hätte mit deutlich weniger Seiten eindeutig mehr gewonnen. Und was sich ganz am Ende andeutet, dass Adam keine Verbindung mehr zu Rayne hat und sie etwas werden soll, was sie eigentlich gar nicht will, das kam mir künstlich vor. Und dennoch hab ich beim Lesen ein seltsames Vergnügen verspürt. Das eine oder andere Kapitel war dann doch recht unterhaltsam.

Charaktere

Diesmal bin ich mit den Figuren nicht warm geworden. Adam ist kaltherzig, Rayne hat damit sichtlich zu kämpfen und als Adam im Handlungsverlauf schließlich die Verbindung zu Rayne auf brutale Weise verliert und eine weitere Figur auf dem Spielfeld auftaucht, war ich etwas verwirrt. Auch die Tatsache, dass Adam ganz zum Schluss sehr eigene Pläne für Rayne und sich hat, war für mich nicht ganz logisch.

Resultat

Ich schwanke zwischen seltsamer Lesebegeisterung und leichter Enttäuschung. Das war ein eigenartiger Mischmasch aus konfuser Geschichte, eiskalten Figuren und einem nicht ganz logischen Plot. Und was die Autorin mit Adam und Rayne gemacht hat, dass hat mir absolut nicht gefallen.

Anna Benning

Anna Benning was born in 1988, the youngest of three children. While studying literature, she wrote book reviews for a magazine and also worked in a bookshop. She has been a publisher's editor since 2013. One day she took heart and put her own stories on paper. "Vortex" is her debut.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Solartopia-Am Anfang Der Welt by Victoria Hume

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

It was the cover design, that had caught my eye from the beginning. And with the combination of an interesting-sounding summary, I asked for this book. I can´t tell you what my expectation was, besides of getting a good story to read. But while reading it, I discovered that I didn´t get emotionally involved with neither the plot nor the story itself. But as always, read the novel yourself and see how you think about it.

Solartopia-Am Anfang Der Welt*
by Victoria Hume
Solartopia Dilogy #1
Translation Katrin Segerer
Original Title Turris
Publisher Fischer KJB on October 25, 2023
Genre Future Fiction
Pages 307
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer KJB
Goodreads
✶✶✶½

For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old Nova has lived with her best friend Finn in Turris, a huge, once luxurious high-rise building. Far below there is nothing but toxic smog. At the top of the tower, however, they are self-sufficient thanks to their roof garden. But when the toxic fog creeps up the tower and Nova's garden begins to die, she knows: they must leave Turris. On a life-threatening journey, Nova realizes that what she knows about the world is not true. She and Finn discover Solartopia, a futuristic metropolis where people seem to live in harmony with technology and nature. Together with the young pilot Jett, they uncover the secret of Solartopia - and unleash a battle that could destroy the last remnants of humanity.

Story

Nova can hear plants and flowers. She knows exactly what they need to flourish and does everything to keep them alive and in a good relationship with her. But then, the toxic smog starts to come closer, and Nova has to leave the high-rise building, she calls home. And gets to know the world in a way, she had never thought she would.

Style

The story has a very long run-up before anything actually happens. And so, I didn't get emotionally into the novel for a long time. Sure, the idea of botany and how Nova lives with plants and uses her unusual gifts is fascinating. But the plot didn't really blow me away. It's only in the last third that the author practically opens up her bag of tricks and sets off a firework display of action and great ideas that really excited me. I am only mentioning the home, where Euly lived. That scene was a blast. If the author had done this from the beginning, it would have been an absolute top rating. So, my opinion is only a bit above average, no matter what I think about the environmental component, the author brings toward the end of the story and plot.

Victoria Hume's language style is sluggish and creates a very gloomy mood, despite the protagonist's cheerful singing. The writing style is easy to read and kept simple, but unfortunately, it doesn't really captivate you.

Characters

The author plays with the reader for a long time when it comes to the character of Finn. Only in the last third of the novel does it become clear that Nova is struggling with her psyche and has literally gotten herself into something because of sheer loneliness. This was presented very well for the twelve-year-old age group and the topic was well resolved.

Conclusion

I feel like many other readers of this novel. The story isn't really mine, but it doesn't really leave me alone either. A lot of things don't make sense for a long time before the author literally sets off a fireworks display of action and events in the last third, and all of a sudden, all hell breaks loose. Even now, as I type these lines, I'm not sure whether I found that to be a good thing or not. But one thing I do know is that the environmental component that Victoria Hume addresses here is incredibly interesting.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer KJB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Die Geschichte hat einen sehr langen Vorlauf, ehe überhaupt was passiert. Und entsprechend bin ich gefühlsmäßig lange nicht in den Roman hineingekommen. Sicher, die Idee mit der Botanik und wie Nova mit den Pflanzen lebt, ihre ungewöhnliche Gabe einsetzt, ist faszinierend. Aber wirklich umgehauen hat mich der Plot nicht. Erst im letzten Drittel öffnet die Autorin praktische ihre Trickkiste und zündet ein Feuerwerk an Action und großartigen Ideen ab, die mich richtig begeistert haben. Hätte die Autorin das von Beginn an gemacht, wäre es ein absolutes Spitzenrating geworden.

Victoria Humes Sprachstil ist träge und erzeugt eine sehr trübe Stimmung, trotz der fröhlichen Singerei der Protagonistin. Zwar ist der Schreibstil gut zu lesen und einfach gehalten, aber wirklich mitreißen tut er leider nicht.

Charaktere

Über lange Zeit spielt die Autorin mit dem Leser, was die Figur des Finn angeht. Erst im letzten Drittel des Romans wird klar, dass Nova hier mit ihrer Psyche zu kämpfen hat und sich buchstäblich in etwas hineingesteigert hat vor lauter Einsamkeit. Das war für die Altersgruppe der Zwölfjährigen sehr gut dargestellt und von der Thematik her gut gelöst worden.

Resultat

Mir geht es wie so manch anderem Leser dieses Romans. Die Geschichte ist nicht wirklich meine, lässt mich aber auch nicht wirklich los. Vieles ergibt über lange Zeit keinen Sinn, ehe die Autorin dann im letzten Drittel buchstäblich ein Feuerwerk an Action und Ereignissen abbrennt und urplötzlich die Hölle los ist. Selbst jetzt, wo ich diese Zeilen tippe, bin ich mir nicht sicher, ob ich das als gut empfunden habe oder nicht. Aber eins weiß ich, die Umweltkomponente, die Victoria Hume hier anspricht, die ist unglaublich interessant.

Victoria Hume

Victoria Hume was named one of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' Undiscovered Voices of the Year in 2022. She is an ecologist and can therefore often be found in the wilds of England. Her love of nature gives her stories a special emotional depth. She lives in Brighton with her husband and son. The “Solartopia” two-parter is her debut.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #264 – Busy Reading Books

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Nov 2023 15:41:00 +0000

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #264

New book arrived.

Review Copy

The left cover is showing the one of the German edition. The right one is that of the US edition.

Sunday Post #221

I am in a panic. I´ve still got eight books to read, including my current read but the year has only six weeks left for me to do so. Yep, each of those books is a review copy, so yes, they need to be read and reviewed this year… So, I am reading almost every free minute, writing my reviews at the weekend, and literally stopped taking care of the garden, visiting blogs, or doing other things. At least for the moment.

Current Ho-Ho-Ho Read

And how was your week?

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Ich In Deinen Augen by Paige Toon

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 15:43:00 +0000

The book should come with a warning sign. The novel isn´t the bright and nice story you might expect. Not with pedophilia as one of the main topics. Paige Toon puts a finger on all the dark things that come with that and the other theme of Siamese twins. Shows the psychological side of both and how two figures try to come to terms with that. Still not sure, if she was successful.

Ich In Deinen Augen*
by Paige Toon
Translation Heidi Lichtblau
Original Title The Minute I Saw You
Publisher Fischer Krüger on October 25, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 413
Format Paperback
Source Fischer Krüger
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Sonny is attractive, self-confident - and only in town for the summer. The perfect opportunity for Hannah because she doesn't get involved in long-term relationships. Neither does Sonny. But the better they get to know each other, the more attracted they become to each other. Both have to struggle with demons from the past. Does their love still have a chance? (personal translation ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Hannah has come to terms with her demons. But her family hasn´t and so her uncle wants her to finally find a way to live with them without harming the entire family structure. But Hannah is hesitant to get into the absolute dark part of her nightmares. It is too painful. Maybe Sonny is the one who can finally help her? Or is he having some demons of his own?

Style

Paige Toon uses a simple writing style here that reads clearly and yet is strangely melancholy. She hints at many mysteries, but it takes almost half of the novel before she begins to clear things up. In combination with pedophilia (sexual abuse of children) and that of conjoined twins, the author walks a fine line when it comes to dealing with the two main themes. Not always well solved, but the psychological component is probably not easy to handle here either. Unfortunately, this makes the story seem very overloaded in some places. Sometimes less would definitely have been more.

Characters

The author packs a lot of different characters into the story. And almost everyone has a problem with each other in one way or another. I found that a bit tiring in the long run. Especially since the novel also has some heavy topics as a background and the two main characters are already fully occupied with them.

At first glance, Hannah seems like an ordinary young woman. But appearances are deceiving. She has a lot of problems, and it scares some people around her. When she gets to know Sonny's daughters, it's clear that Hannah is hiding something from him too.

Conclusion

A solid novel that tackles several heavy themes. One or the other would have been enough for my taste. But both together? On the other hand, Paige Toon wrote sensitively about all the problems, although often very dark and melancholy. Just read it for yourself and form your own opinion.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Krüger in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Paige Toon verwendet hier einen einfachen Schreibstil, der sich klar liest und dennoch eigenartig schwermütig ist. Sie deutet viele Geheimnisse an, braucht aber fast die Hälfte des Romans, ehe sie die Dinge beginnt, aufzuklären. In Kombination mit Pädophilie (sexuellem Missbrauch von Kindern) und dem der siamesischen Zwillinge bewegt sich die Autorin auf einem schmalen Grat, was die Bearbeitung der beiden Hauptthemen angeht. Nicht immer gut gelöst, aber die psychologische Komponente ist hier wohl auch nicht einfach zu handhaben. Leider wirkt die Geschichte dadurch an einigen Stellen auch sehr überladen. Weniger wäre manchmal wohl eindeutig mehr gewesen.

Charaktere

Die Autorin packt hier eine Menge unterschiedlicher Figuren in die Geschichte. Und fast alle haben auf die eine oder andere Art ein Problem miteinander. Das fand ich auf Dauer etwas anstrengend. Zumal der Roman auch einige heftige Themen als Hintergrund hat und die beiden Hauptfiguren da schon voll damit beschäftigt sind.

Hannah wirkt auf den ersten Blick wie eine gewöhnliche junge Frau. Doch der Schein trügt. Sie hat jede Menge Probleme und macht einigen Leuten in ihrer Umgebung dadurch Angst. Und als sie die Töchter von Sonny kennenlernt, ist es klar, dass Hannah auch vor ihm etwas verschweigt.

Resultat

Ein solider Roman der gleich mehrere heftige Themen aufgreift. Für meinen Geschmack hätte das eine oder das andere gereicht. Aber beide zusammen? Andererseits hat Paige Toon feinfühlig über all die Probleme geschrieben, wenn auch oftmals sehr dunkel und schwermütig. Einfach selbst lesen und sich darüber ein eigenes Urteil bilden.

*This book was published in the English language by Simon & Schuster UK on August 6, 2020

Paige Toon

Paige Toon was born in 1975 and grew up between England, Australia and America. A philosophy graduate, she worked at teen, film, and women´s magazines, before ending up a reviews editor at Heat magazine. Paige is married, has two small children, and lives in Cambridge.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Eine Ewigkeit Für Uns by Marie Force

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 17:02:00 +0000

After all these years I had to read the last book of the Lost in Love-Green Mountain series by Marie Force. Not everything was perfect, but to see the entire Abbott clan in one place and to be back in Vermont again, was wonderful. Sure, a few pages seemed only to be stretching material, but the rest was reading pleasure. Does it sound odd when I say that it was about time to end this series? That it had become a bit too crowded? Read the book and judge for yourself.

Eine Ewigkeit Für Uns*
by Marie Force
Lost In Love Die Green Mountain Serie #15
The Butler, Vermont Series #9
Translation Lena Kraus
Original Title The Long And Winding Road
Publisher Fischer TB on October 25, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 444
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Max Abbott knows how much a broken heart hurts. First, his great love Lexi left him, and then the mother of his little son left him. That's why the young single father concentrates entirely on his small family and has sworn off women. Until he unexpectedly meets Lexi at his ten-year class reunion. Immediately the old feelings come back. But his life is different now and Lexi has dark years behind her. She knows all too well how fragile happiness can be. Can they still give their love a second chance?

Story

Max and Caden are one team. No matter what, they stick together and act as one. So when Lexi shows up after years of no word, and Max discovers that he still loves her, the question is how to prepare Caden that he will have to share his father from now on.

Style

The novel has a jump in time of around five years. It irritated me a bit at the beginning, but on the other hand there certainly wouldn't have been some sweet scenes with Caden, Max's little son, if it hadn't been for this time gap. To be honest, I lost track after just a few lines. The author often digs deep into the kitsch box and lists pretty much everything the Abbott family clan has to offer. Sometimes almost too much. The writing style is simply easy to read and often full of humor, charm, and a lot of wit. What I liked less is the author's habit of repeating many passages. In other words, she repeats things as if her readers couldn't remember one or two details.

Characters

There is a wonderful reunion with all the characters in the series. I liked Molly Abbott the most. How she helps Max and Caden through everyday life, explains things, and steers everything in the right direction was nice to see. I would have liked to have had a mother and grandmother like that. And seeing Will and Cameron from the first volume again was great.

Conclusion

A successful conclusion, even if some pages were unnecessary in my opinion. The background theme was a bit too dark for me, but seeing the moose again was totally worth it. This one scene eclipsed everything else. Delicious!

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Roman hat einen Zeitsprung von rund fünf Jahren hinter sich. Hat mich zu Beginn zwar etwas irritiert, andererseits hätte es aber auch so manche süße Szene mit Caden, dem kleinen Sohn von Max, bestimmt nicht gegeben, wäre dieser zeitliche Abstand nicht gewesen. Um ehrlich zu sein, ich hatte schon nach wenigen Zeilen den Überblick verloren. Die Autorin greift oftmals tief in die Kitschkiste und fährt so ziemlich alles auf, was der Familienclan der Abbotts zu bieten hat. Manchmal beinahe schon zu viel. Der Schreibstil ist schlicht gut zu lesen und oftmals voller Humor, Charme und viel Witz. Was mir weniger gefiel, ist die Eigenart der Autorin, viele Textstellen zu wiederholen. Zwar mit anderen Worten, aber sie wiederholt die Dinge, als ob sich ihre Leser das eine oder andere Detail nicht merken könnten.

Charaktere

Es gibt ein herrliches Wiedersehen mit allen Figuren der Reihe. Am besten gefiel mir Molly Abbott. Wie sie Max und Caden durch den Alltag hilft, Dinge erklärt und so alles in die richtige Richtung lenkt, war schon schön mit anzusehen. So eine Mutter und Großmutter hätte ich auch gerne gehabt. Und das Wiedersehen mit Will und Cameron aus dem ersten Band war toll.

Resultat

Ein gelungener Abschluss, auch wenn einige Seiten aus meiner Sicht unnötig waren. Das Hintergrundthema war mir eine Spur zu dunkel, aber das Wiedersehen mit dem Elch war das absolut wert. Diese eine Szene hat alles andere in den Schatten gestellt. Köstlich!

*This book was published in the English language by HTJB Inc. on January 17, 2023

Marie Force

Marie Force is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling, award-winning author of contemporary romance. She writes series as well as stand-alone novels. While her husband was in the U.S. Navy, Marie lived in Spain, Maryland, and Florida, and she is now settled in her home state of Rhode Island.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon 2023 Kick Off Post

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:10:00 +0000

Do you know the song “Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful …”? That line says it all today. For the eleventh year, Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer is our host. And I almost forgot that the challenge kicks off today. But a readathon without any books in hand is not really a readathon. So, two books are on my Christmas list for this thon and I hope that from now on until Monday the 27th, 2023, there will be (hopefully) enough time to read them.

Reminders

-Use #2023HoHoHoRAT when posting to social media so other participants and hosts can spot your updates, comments, etc.

-Please follow our lovely Elves and Host

-Any Holiday or Winter Setting/themed book from any genre, including horror. You can listen to audiobooks or read physical books, ebooks, graphic novels. No length requirements. Re-reads permitted. If you haven’t done so please link up to join. ONLY participants can take part in the fun challenges and prizes. To enter the participant giveaway you must read/listen to at least two books and finish one challenge. Be sure to check out the rules. You can join HERE.

Challenges

Kimberly found some Elven hosts. They have prepared fun challenges for you to take part in. Each will offer you the chance to win some goodies!

Maureen’s Book Blog is hosting, “Jigsaws“
Melissa the Book Nerd is hosting, “Holiday Bingo“
Lisa Loves Literature is hosting, “My Favorite Holiday Movie Trivia Mini-Challenge“
Caffeinated Book Reviewer is hosting, “The Twelve Days of Bookstagram”

12 Days of Bookstagram Challenge

Use the prompts and post daily for a chance to win a $20.00 Amazon gift card. (International winners can choose a book from Better World Books) Be sure to use hashtag #2023HoHoHoRAT and tag Kimberly @caffeinatedreviewer. She will select one random winner using the hashtag and random.org.

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Die Frauen Vom Lindenhof-Gemeinsam Der Zukunft Entgegen by Katharina Oswald

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 06:00:00 +0000

I'm excited! That was a worthy conclusion to the Lindenhof-Saga. Full of emotions, drama, and great characters. Well, I could have shot one or two of them on the moon, but the entertainment value was there. And Franziska is one heck of a fantastic girl. Despite all odds, she goes her way. Even when it means to do the unthinkable.

Die Frauen Vom Lindenhof-Gemeinsam Der Zukunft Entgegen*
by Katharina Oswald
Die Lindenhof Saga #3
Publisher Fischer TB on September 27, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 429
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶

Hohenlohe, 1999: Franziska Wagner wants nothing more than to live out her talent for woodwork and help shape the future of the Lindenhof. But her grandmother Marianne won't let her. Her prejudices against Franziska's origins are too deep. Marianne would much rather hand the farm over to her niece Helena, who has evil plans behind her back. Franziska runs away and follows in the footsteps of her other family to the Ore Mountains. There she gets to know the famous Seiffen wood art - and the sensitive Christian. Will her love finally separate Franziska from the Lindenhof or will she reunite with the Wagners? (personal translation © by Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

If Franziska knows one thing, it is that she is not welcome in her family at the Lindenhof. Neither her mother nor her father defends her when Grandma Marianne attacks her, which she does all the time. And Franziska is tired of not knowing where she belongs. There must be people somewhere who like her and accept her for who she is. No ifs and buts. And so Franziska decides to look for her biological grandmother in order to get to know her.

Style

This novel had everything I missed in the last one. The language was kept clear and simple. The scenes had everything from humorous to delicious to cruel and bitter. And the main character, Franziska, is an absolute highlight for an eighteen-year-old. On the one hand, she is a bit naive, but on the other hand, she has already experienced things that clearly set her apart from others her age. The two authors described the conflicts that arise from this in a sensitive and exciting way. I often had to put the book down for a moment, take a deep breath, and then continue reading again. There was a lot of conflict material between the sides.

Characters

I could have thrown Marianne against the wall from the start. While I admired and liked her incredibly in the first part, in this last volume she turned out to be cruel, unfair, and totally bitter. And to see that not even her own daughter Corinna made the effort to defend Franziska or show backbone towards Marianne, that horrified me. What mother, adoptive or biological, does something like that? On the other hand, you also have to say that the author duo has really delivered a brilliant performance here. The way the ladies brought out the emotions here was brilliant!

Franziska has just turned eighteen and feels absolutely unwanted. Neither her mother Corinna nor her father Marc give her the support she needs from her grandmother Marianne. Nobody defends her when she reveals her cruel niceties towards her granddaughter, and she doesn't sit at the table when the staff discusses projects. As if Franziska had no place at the Lindenhof. On the other hand, she is also accused of betraying the family when Franziska visits her biological family to see whether her place might be there.

Conclusion

I am completely thrilled. A novel full of drama, emotions, and injustice. The authors have turned many things from right to left and back again. I didn't always like it, but it was perfect for the plot. If you don't know the Lindenhof saga yet: read!

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

In diesem Roman war alles vorhanden, was ich im Letzten vermisst habe. Die Sprache klar und einfach gehalten. Die Szenen hatten von humorvoll über köstlich bis hin zu grausam und verbittert alles dabei. Und die Hauptfigur Franziska ist für eine achtzehnjährige ein absolutes Highlight. Einerseits etwas naiv, andererseits hat sie schon Dinge erlebt, die sie von anderen ihres Alters deutlich unterscheidet. Die Konflikte, die daraus entstehen, beschrieben die beiden Autorinnen auf feinfühlige und spannende Weise. Da musste ich oftmals kurz das Buch aus der Hand legen, einmal tief durchatmen, um anschließend wieder weiterlesen zu können. Da war viel Konfliktmaterial zwischen den Seiten.

Charaktere

Von Beginn an hätte ich Marianne an die Wand schmeißen können. Hab ich sie im ersten Teil noch unglaublich bewundert und gemocht, hat sie sich in diesem letzten Band als grausam, unfair und total verbittert erwiesen. Und zu sehen, dass nicht mal ihre eigene Tochter Corinna sich die Mühe macht, Franziska zu verteidigen bzw. gegenüber Marianne Rückgrat zu zeigen, das hat mich entsetzt. Welche Mutter, egal ob Adoptivmutter oder leibliche Mutter, macht so etwas? Auf der anderen Seite muss man aber auch sagen, dass das Autorinnenduo hier wirklich eine Glanzleistung abgeliefert hat. Die Art und Weise, wie die Damen hier die Emotionen herausgearbeitet haben, genial!

Franziska ist gerade achtzehn geworden und fühlt sich absolut ungewollt. Weder ihre Mutter Corinna noch ihr Vater Marc geben ihr den Rückhalt, den sie gegenüber ihrer Oma Marianne braucht. Keiner nimmt sie in Schutz, wenn diese ihre grausamen Nettigkeiten gegenüber der Enkeltochter auspackt und auch sonst sitzt sie nicht am Tisch, wenn die Belegschaft über Projekte berät. Als ob Franziska keinen Platz auf dem Lindenhof hätte. Auf der anderen Seite wird ihr aber auch vorgeworfen, die Familie zu hintergehen, als Franziska ihre leibliche Familie besucht, um zu sehen, ob ihr Platz vielleicht dort ist.

Resultat

Ich bin restlos begeistert. Ein Roman voller Drama, Emotionen und Ungerechtigkeit. Die Autorinnen haben so manches einmal von rechts auf links und wieder zurückgedreht. Gefiel mir nicht immer, aber für die Handlung war es genau passend. Wer die Lindenhof-Saga noch nicht kennt: Lesen!

Katharina Oswald

Andrea Bottlinger and Claudia Hornung write together as Katharina Oswald. Both were born in Baden-Württemberg and love to imagine the fate of women from different decades. They have known each other for a long time and complement each other perfectly when writing: Andrea always pays attention to the structure of the story and Claudia delves deeply into the details and emotions. Together they have created a gripping family saga.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Happy Halloween 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 31 Oct 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Halloween isn´t the same in Germany as in America. But it is clear, that the Germans are spending more and more money on it. And even the inflation can´t change that. From the orange candle to the blood-stained glove at the supermarket, it was like every year. The sweet shelves were filled with all kinds of Halloween goodies. You could buy gummy bears in the shape of vampires, there were buckets of caramel-flavored popcorn, lollipops in the shape of spiders and I don't know what else. Whatever your Halloween-passionate heart desired, I am sure it was there some place.

This year Halloween fell on a Tuesday with rainy weather. But still, wearing a costume didn´t happen outside the streets. Maybe the one or the other kid at the supermarket wore a costume and was nicely made up. But else? Here, it was a quiet night. No trick or treat at the door. No happy kids in the street. As I said, Halloween in Germany is different.

For all those, who celebrate Halloween, I hope you will have fun and that you all stay safe and well.

Till next time

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Nur Eine Lüge by Malin Stehn

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 06:00:00 +0000

My first book by the author. And completely different than I expected. The cover alone looked completely different live in my hand. Pink, black, and white. The original cover wouldn't have been bad either. An irony is presented here that ultimately throws everything overboard and ensures a resolution that is unparalleled. I don't yet know whether this is Malin Stehn's style or whether it's just the final chord here.

Nur Eine Lüge*
by Malin Stehn
Translation Friederike Buchinger
Original Title Lycka Till
Publisher Fischer Scherz on September 27, 2023
Genre Thriller
Pages 424
Format Paperback
Source Fischer Scherz
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Two families. Friends first. Then enemies - linked by a deadly wedding.
Emily Brandt meticulously planned her castle wedding to William Nihlzén. There are only three things she doesn't have control over: the weather, her mother Annika, and her brother Erik. The weather cooperates, but during the extravagant celebration tensions arise, buried truths come to the surface - and shortly after midnight a body lies on the banks of the Öresund. (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

For Emily, the world changes completely the moment her big brother Erik suffers huge injuries in a car accident. Her mother Annika does everything within her power to get justice for him and the family. The moment, Annika knows what justice looks like in Sweden and she must stop everything because Mats wants her to, the family life, they all knew, is over. Emily is invisible more than ever and turns to the only family she knows actually has a happy and solid family life: William´s.

Style

The writing style is incredibly dynamic and easy to read in the first third. The lines and pages just fly by as you read. Because of the hints, the reader quickly gets the impression that Mats has a secret. One that includes several characters, but the author keeps it very secretive about what exactly they are for many chapters. I didn't like the fact that she changed her tone from about halfway through and went from dynamic to melancholic, which made everything seem a bit sluggish. Sure, the reader now knows what's going on with Mats and Erik, but since William is also informed by his father from then on, the change in tone makes no sense to me. In the end, despite all efforts, the truth finds its way to the public and one person is responsible for the death of another for absolutely nothing - what irony. I'm just not sure I'm really happy with the one key scene. Sure, the effect was completely psychologically successful at the very end, but did it have to be arranged that way? Ultimately, it is Mats who provides the facts.

Character

Nothing is as it seems here. After the car accident, several families who thought they were friends discovered they were anything but friends. Sides are taken, truths are obscured, and, like everywhere else, it turns out that money rules the world. The final consequence is delayed for eight years because family life is anything but happy for Emily. A condition that does not only come to light with Erik's accident.

Emily feels that her place in the family is anything but supportive. While her mother Annika drives her big brother to all the football games and literally screams her voice up on the sidelines, Emily must see how she gets to her games or training alone. The already unfavorable family dynamic is changed even more. That leaves traces. The author brings these so-called power struggles to light in a sophisticated way. For a long time, the reader only suspects things rather than really knowing them.

Conclusion

If it hadn't been for the change in tone, I would have given the book a straight five. So, it's just entertaining reading pleasure. The thriller itself is well structured and has some surprising twists that the reader doesn't see coming. But in the end, I was surprised again. Did that have to happen? Just read the story for yourself and form your own opinion.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Scherz in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Schreibstil ist im ersten Dritten unglaublich dynamisch und leicht zu lesen. Da fliegen die Zeilen und Seiten beim Lesen nur so vorbei. Aufgrund der Andeutungen bekommt man als Leser schnell den Eindruck, dass Mats ein Geheimnis hat. Eines, dass so einige Figuren mit beinhaltet, doch was genau es ist, damit hält sich die Autorin über viele Kapitel sehr bedeckt. Dass sie dann ab etwa der Hälfte dann auch noch den Tonfall wechselt und von dynamisch zu melancholisch wechselt, was alles etwas träge erscheinen lässt, das gefiel mir nicht so gut. Sicher, der Leser weiß nun, was mit Mats und Erik los ist, aber da ab da auch William von seinem Vater eingeweiht wird, macht der Tonwechsel für mich keinen Sinn. Am Ende findet die Wahrheit ihren Weg trotz aller Bemühungen an die Öffentlichkeit und eine Person hat völlig umsonst den Tod einer anderen verschuldet – welche Ironie. Ich bin mir nur nicht sicher, ob ich mit der einen Szene der Schlüsselszene wirklich zufrieden bin. Sicher, der Effekt ist ganz am Ende psychologisch absolut gelungen, aber hat es so eingefädelt werden müssen? Den letztlich ist es doch Mats, der für Tatsachen sorgt.

Charaktere

Nichts ist hier, wie es scheint. Mehrere Familien, die sich für Freunde halten, stellen nach dem Autounfall fest, dass sie alles andere als Freunde sind. Da werden Seiten eingenommen, Wahrheiten verschleiert und wie überall stellt sich heraus, dass Geld die Welt regiert. Eine letztendliche Konsequenz wird über acht Jahre hinausgezögert, denn für Emily ist das Familienleben alles andere als glücklich. Ein Zustand, der aber nicht erst mit Eriks Unfall zutage kommt.

Emily empfindet ihren Platz in der Familie, alles andere als unterstützend. Während ihre Mutter Annika den großen Bruder zu allen Fußballspielen fährt und sich am Spielfeldrand buchstäblich die Stimme heißer schreit, muss Emily faktisch allein sehen, wie sie zu ihren Spielen oder ihrem Training kommt. Die eh schon ungünstige Familiendynamik wird noch mehr verändert. Das hinterlässt Spuren. Diese sogenannten Machtkämpfe bringt die Autorin auf eine raffinierte Weise ans Tageslicht. Der Leser ahnt über lange Zeit die Dinge nur, als dass er sie wirklich weiß.

Resultat

Wäre die Veränderung im Tonfall nicht gewesen, hätte ich dem Buch eine glatte Fünf gegeben. So ist es nur unterhaltsames Lesevergnügen. Der Thriller an sich ist gut aufgebaut und hat einige überraschende Wendungen, die man als Leser nicht kommen sieht. Aber am Ende war ich dann doch noch mal überrascht. Hat das sein müssen? Ließ die Geschichte einfach selbst und bilde dir dein eigenes Urteil.

*This book was originally published in Swedish by Albert Bonniers förlag on February 3, 2023

Malin Stehn

Malin Stehn is fascinated by the complexity of interpersonal relationships. The Swedish author has received numerous awards for her extensive work. Her sophisticated psychological suspense novels “Happy New Year” and “Just a Lie” immediately hit the bestseller lists and are translated into many languages. Malin Stehn has two grown children and lives with her husband near Malmö.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #263 – Bye October And Hello Wintertime

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Oct 2023 15:54:00 +0000

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #263

New books arrived.

Review Copy

Sunday Post #220

It has become very cold, rainy, and grey. I found some sort of routine with reading (with or without glasses) and writing at least one review each day. But still, the pile of unread books is by 10. Including the four I received a few days ago. And I´ve got two books where I need to write a review. The last two months of the year seem to fly by very fast. And like every year I feel the pressure…

During the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, we got a TV update and with that, nothing works anymore. Frustrating. I never know what TV show I program the box will record. Ugh!

Last night (Saturday) we turned the clock back an hour. Why are we doing this? And today, Sunday, I noticed that the BBC new app got an update as well. And with that, I can´t open the app anymore. What the heck is wrong with all those updates? I see the main page, white with a red circle spinning around and around. But no “Top stories” opening. All I can open is the “Popular” section with the “most read” stories. The rest nothing. It is annoying…

And how was your week?

Happy reading

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Die Geschichtenwandler-Steinerne Drachen by Kristen Perrin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

It was the plot, that made me want this book. Dragons are always a good idea for a story. So why not here, too? Well, it reminded me a lot of the famous gargoyles and there wasn't much left to bring them to life, but in the end, Enna's best friend Delia manages to do something new with it. The story about the dragons at the end of the book sounded rather tense and action-filled than the rest of the novel. Good, it's a bit too brutal, for my taste, but apparently, today’s kids want that.

Die Geschichtenwandler-Steinerne Drachen*
by Kristen Perrin
Die Geschichtenwandler Trilogy #2
Translation Fabienne Pfeiffer
Illustration Helge Vogt
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on September 27, 2023
Genre Children 11+
Pages 370
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Sauerländer
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Whoever awakens a dragon awakens the power of stories.
Enna has inherited the magic of green ink - and as the youngest member of the secret society of story shifters, she has already saved London from destruction once. Then she suddenly encounters a whole new kind of magic. At the market she watches a dragon rise from the steam of a pan - and is lured by a strange boy. And this isn't the only dragon to come to life. What is this mysterious dragon magic all about? Can Enna win the battle with the dragons? And can the story shifters help with their magic? (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Enna sees dragons in London. But how is that possible? And when Enna discovers that Delia is now having magic of her own, she discovers that jealousy isn´t a nice feeling. And why is her grandmother always on a trip when she needs her? Enna is looking for answers. But will she find them, and if yes, will it be in time to save Londen.

Style

This time the writing style is simple and clear, and I like it. The book tells the story of dragons. Basically, how we imagine dragons to be. Only here, in London, do petrified dragons suddenly come to life. Enna has lost her magic, and the story-changer society has also become a very tired society. And yet there is a lot of humor, irony, and repartee between the lines. The story itself reads well this time and is well done. Well, in places I would have liked a little more oomph and less filler between the pages, but people can't have everything. And again, the book is printed in green. Both the map and the novel itself. Sometimes a bit tiring to read.

Characters

Enna has changed. Since she lost her magic and accidentally discovered a dragon in a market, she has to learn that this time it's not her who has the magic, but her friend Delia. And she shows her often enough that it is not Enna who is in control and therefore has the reins in her hand, but she. If Enna doesn't really fit, Delia holds a clear mirror in front of her face. And it's not pretty.

Conclusion

This story is much more rounded and exciting compared to Volume 1. Still very dark and at times very brutal. Nice, the action-packed pages make the story very entertaining, but the tone is rather monotonous and dull. And the events towards the end of the novel are quite brutal. But as always, just read it for yourself and form your own opinion.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Sauerländer in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Schreibstil ist diesmal einfach und klar und gefällt mir. Das Buch erzählt die Geschichte von Drachen. Im Grunde so, wie wir uns Drachen vorstellen. Nur hier, in London, erwachen versteinerte Drachen urplötzlich zum Leben. Enna hat ihre Magie verloren und auch sonst ist die Geschichtenwandler Gesellschaft eine reichlich müde Society geworden. Und dennoch gibt es jede Menge Humor, Ironie und Schlagfertigkeit zwischen den Zeilen. Auch die Story selbst liest sich diesmal rund und gelungen. Gut, stellenweise hätte ich mir etwas mehr Schwung und weniger Füllmaterial zwischen den Seiten gewünscht, aber der Mensch kann nicht alles haben. Und erneut ist das Buch in Grün gedruckt. Sowohl die Karte als auch der Roman selbst. Manchmal etwas anstrengend beim Lesen.

Charaktere

Enna hat sich verändert. Seit sie ihre Magie verloren hat und per Zufall einen Drachen auf einem Markt entdeckt, muss sie lernen, dass diesmal nicht sie das Mädchen mit der Magie ist, sondern ihre Freundin Delia. Und die zeigt ihr oft genug, dass es jetzt nicht Enna ist, die die Kontrolle und somit die Zügel in der Hand hat, sondern sie. Passt Enna nicht wirklich, hält ihr Delia doch einen deutlichen Spiegel vor das Gesicht. Und der ist nicht schön.

Resultat

Diese Geschichte ist wesentlich runder und spannender im Vergleich zu Band 1. Trotzdem sehr dunkel und stellenweise auch sehr brutal. Schön, die actionreichen Seiten machen die Geschichte sehr unterhaltsam, aber der Tonfall ist eher monoton und trübe. Und die Ereignisse gegen Ende des Romans sind doch reichlich brutal. Aber wie immer gilt, einfach selbst lesen und eigenes Urteil bilden.

Kristen Perrin

Kristen Perrin is originally from Seattle, USA, where she spent several years working as a bookseller before immigrating to the UK to do a Masters and PhD. She is passionate about children's literature while also working on projects for different age groups, from picture books to young adult books - anything that could be funny, magical, or mysterious. She lives with her family in Surrey, southern England, where she enjoys browsing antique shops, stamping in the mud with her two children, and collecting too many plants.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest

Sturmjahre-Ein Gefühl Von Unendlichkeit by Lia Scott

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 13:45:00 +0000

The soft colors of the beautiful cover and the design motive was the first thing I noticed. And when I found out, that the author was the same only with a different name from another series I had read, I had to know how this novel is. The tone is different, the writing style is different, and the time of the story is different. However, the way the author describes the landscape is still the same. And Scottland is with its rough and gorgeous landscape and people the perfect setting for this new family story.

Sturmjahre-Ein Gefühl Von Unendlichkeit*
by Lia Scott
Sturmjahre Saga #1
Publisher Fischer TB on April 26, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 492
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

Gentle hills, rough cliffs: a great love in dramatic times.
Scotland 1917: Green meadows and strong winds - this is the home of Bonnie and her family. But since the First World War raged, she worked as a nurse caring for injured soldiers in a London hospital. When her brother Archie lands on Bonnie's ward, she is incredibly relieved that he is still alive. Archie is accompanied by his comrade Connor, who is immediately attracted to Bonnie. When they return home together, she finally feels something like confidence again - but the shadows of the past threaten her happiness...

Story

Bonnie wants to help. She works in Edinburg as a nurse and when one day her brother is in her ward, she knows what to do to help him. Back home he and the other soldiers have to deal with their pain, and nightmares, and Bonnie too, needs to deal with the past and the pain of the present. And if she will ever have a happy future, she needs to convince not only her brother but also the man she loves, that everything is worth fighting for.

Style

Lia Scott's writing style is sensitive, somewhat lengthy in places, and easy to read. The way she presents the mood of the time and the living conditions in both the city and the country to the reader is very successful and convincing. The horse-drawn carriages, the houses, and the Scottish landscape were described so vividly that you couldn't help but see it vividly in front of you. The exuberant townhouse in Edinburgh alone was so obvious, it was almost too much for me. In terms of furnishings. The author plays with incredible contrasts that have it all.

Characters

There are many wonderful contrasts here in the individual characters. Archie, who sees himself as the king of his small village, Bonnie, who is almost too guarded by him, Connor, who at some point got on my nerves with his overwhelming feelings of guilt. That was a bit too much.

Blaire, Bonnie's sister, on the other hand, is awesome. How she keeps her brother Archie under control, what she dares to say or even do, hats off to her! And everything is held together by mother Mairead in a patient, I-see-everything way. This character is the secret star of the novel. When her son Archie says no, she gives her blessing in a mischievous and charming way. This leads to some delicious scenes and dialogue.

Conclusion

A solidly written novel that scores with a fantastic Scottish landscape. But I don't understand why it had to go on for well over 400 pages. Here less would clearly have been more. As a positive point, I also note that I really liked some of the characters. And Bonnie's sister is an absolute blast. She often made me laugh. Whiskey and gin will never again have the same meaning for me as they did before reading this novel, that's for sure *laughs*

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The book was, at the time of this review was published, only available in the German language.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Lia Scotts Schreibstil ist feinfühlig, stellenweise etwas langatmig und einfach zu lesen. Wie sie vor dem Leser die Stimmung der damaligen Zeit und die Lebensumstände sowohl in der Stadt als auch auf dem Land ausbreitet, ist schon sehr gelungen und überzeugend. Die Pferdekutschen, die Häuser und die schottische Landschaft, das war so plastisch beschrieben, da konnte man gar nicht anders, als es bildhaft vor sich zu sehen. Allein das überbordende Stadthaus in Edinburgh war so deutlich, das war mir fast schon zu viel. In puncto Einrichtung. Die Autorin spielt da mit unglaublichen Gegensätzen, die es in sich haben.

Charaktere

Es gibt hier viele wunderbare Gegensätze, bei den einzelnen Figuren. Archie, der sich als der König seines kleinen Dorfes sieht, Bonnie die von ihm fast schon zu sehr bewacht wird, Connor, der mir mit seinen überbordenden Schuldgefühlen irgendwann gewaltig auf den Nerv ging. Das war einen Tick zu viel.

Blaire, die Schwester von Bonnie hingegen ist der Hammer. Wie die ihren Bruder Archie im Griff hat, was die sich traut zu sagen oder gar zu tun, Hut ab! Und alles wird von der Mutter Mairead auf geduldige und Ich-seh-alles-Weise zusammengehalten. Diese Figur ist der heimliche Star des Romans. Wo ihr Sohn Archie nein sagt, gibt sie auf verschmitzte und charmante Weise ihren Segen. Das führt zu so manch köstlicher Szene und Dialog.

Resultat

Ein solider geschriebener Roman, der mit einer fantastischen schottischen Landschaft punktet. Doch warum er weit über 400 Seiten gehen musste, erschließt sich mir nicht. Hier wäre weniger eindeutig mehr gewesen. Als positiven Punkt merke ich aber auch an, dass mir einige Figuren sehr gefallen haben. Und Bonnies Schwester ist der absolute Knaller. Die hat mich oft zum Lachen gebracht. Whiskey und Gin werden für mich nie wieder die Bedeutung haben wie vor dem Lesen dieses Romans, das ist schon mal sicher *lach*

Lia Scott

Lia Scott, born in 1984, lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and lots of chicken in a small town near Freiburg. With the Storm Years Saga, she combines her love for Scotland with the moving fates of the time - during and after the First World War. Lia Scott is the pen name of author Lilian Kaliner.

Twitter ❀ Instagram ❀ Goodreads ❀ Facebook ❀ Bloglovin ❀ Tumblr ❀ Pinterest