Bookish Weekly Wrap-Up: 12/10 – 12/23/18

 

Happy Sunday bookworms!

I cannot believe Christmas is only 2 days away!  I am happy to report that I am all ready, so bring on the Christmas chaos!

This last week my brother and his wife were in town for the holiday, so we spend a lot of family time together & celebrated Christmas with my side of the family.  It was a great week!  I didn’t get much done around the blog, but I did get lots of reading done 🙂

Let’s see what I’ve been reading lately…

*Bookish Weekly Wrap-Up is a weekly post where I feature what posts were published on the blog for the past week, any bookish/blog happenings, what I recently finished reading, what I am currently reading, what I will be reading next, noteworthy posts around the bookish blogosphere, and any interesting bookish articles I came across.

Monday 12/10

10 Books on my Winter 2019 TBR

Thursday 12/13

Book Event: Kate Morton’s Book Tour for The Clockmaker’s Daughter

Saturday 12/22

Book Event: Books by the Banks Book Festival 2018 + Book Haul

Recently Finished Reading:

» The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

Feelings in a few thoughts:

• This was probably one of the most complex plotlines I’ve ever read.  This is one of those books that you really have to pay close attention to.
• I would NOT recommend reading this one in audiobook form – It was hard enough to follow in print form, so I cannot imagine trying this on audiobook.
• I LOVED the concept behind this murder mystery – a person waking up in a new host body every day with a new perspective – it was very unique spin on the murder mystery genre.
• I was underlying & tagging everywhere in this book because I was determined to figure it out… that didn’t happen.
• Because the plot was so complex, it did make it hard to follow at times.  This would be my only criticism.  I feel like Turton could have simplified the plot a bit and it would have made the book less “busy” feeling.

» Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak

Feelings in a few thoughts:

• I would not have chosen this book to read for myself, but it was picked as December’s book selection for one of my book clubs.
• If you enjoy Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, you’ll enjoy this book!  Or if you need a chick-lit book to read on the beach over Christmas, this would fit the bill.
• Too cliché & too many unlikable characters.

» The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

Feelings in a few thoughts:

• The first 30-ish% of this book is painfully slow, but things do pick up a bit.
• I’d recommend this one for history buffs, or anyone interested in more about the Edison vs. Westinghouse’s “war of the currents.“
• This book wasn’t exactly exciting or thrilling, but I did learn more about Westinghouse & Edison’s rivalry.

» The Silver Chair (Chronicles of Narnia #4 – Publication Order) by C.S. Lewis

Feelings in a few thoughts:

• Puddleglum is probably my favorite character in this series thus far!
• What else could I possibly say about this series?  I am so happy I decided to read the whole series for the first time.

» Ogre Enchanted (Ella Enchanted 0.5) by Gail Carson Levine

Feelings in a few thoughts:

• Since Ella Enchanted was my favorite book as a kid, of course I was going to read the prequel.
• I went into this book without high expectations.  Many of the early reviews & ratings were fairly low, so I prepared myself for disappointment.
• This did feel like a prequel per-se, but a book set in the same world as Ella Enchanted, with a few characters from Ella making an appearance.  If you go into this book knowing this, it will help.
• This biggest issue I had with this book was the fact that Evie had to find someone to propose to her to lift her curse.  It made it so that “insta-love” was a big part of this book.  The majority of the book Evie is looking for anyone to fall in love with her… Had Evie had to lift her curse a different way, this book would have been much better.  I liked the message that Levine was trying to convey: that beauty is on the inside & not to judge a person on outward appearance, BUT I wish she hadn’t used the angle of “love” to try to express the message.
• Evie was an excellent main character.  I loved Evie’s resourcefulness, dedication, hard work, and kindness.  I also enjoyed that she was a healer & took her job very seriously.
• Overall this was a fun book, but unfortunately came up short in comparison with Ella Enchanted.

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Currently Reading:

» The German Girl by Armando Lucas Correa

Status: 10%

» A Hat Full of Sky (Tiffany Aching #2) by Terry Pratchett

Status: 50%

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What Am I Reading Next?:

» Where the River Parts by Radhika Swarup

‘Blood had begun to trickle down Asha’s starched cotton salwar, and once more she tried to will herself to stay calm. It was nothing. These things happened. ‘

But these things haven’t happened before. It’s August 1947, the night before India’s independence. It is also the night before Pakistan’s creation and the brutal Partition of the two countries.

Asha, a Hindu in a newly Muslim land, must flee to safety. She carries with her a secret she has kept even from Firoze, her Muslim lover, but Firoze must remain in Pakistan, and increasing tensions between the two countries mean the couple can never reunite.

Fifty years later in New York, Asha’s Indian granddaughter falls in love with a Pakistani, and Asha and Firoze, meeting again at last, are faced with one more – final – choice.

Spanning continents and generations, Where the River Parts is an epic tale of love, loss and longing.

» CW @The Quiet Pond shares book recs ⇒ Book Recommendations: Diverse Anthologies

» Jackie @Death by Tsundoku talks about the absence of platonic relationships in literature & why it’s important ⇒ Between the Lines: The Importance of Platonic Relationships in Literature

» @The Orangutan Librarian discusses strong female characters ⇒ Strong Female Characters, Mary Sues and Manic Pixie Dream Girls… What the Heck is Up with Female Characters in Books?

» Evelina @Avalinah’s Books shares advice on how to get review copies approved ⇒ Real Publicist Advice on How to Get Review Copies Approved

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» The Best Books of the Year: An Ultimate List

» The Must-Read Books of Winter 2019

» The Best Historical Fiction Books of 2018

» Quiz: Which Literary Family Should You Spend the Holidays With?

» 31 Bookish Gift Ideas for Book Lovers

» Bookworm Gift Guide: The Perfect Book for Every Type of Reader

» ‘Forbes’ Announces the Highest-Paid Authors of the Year

» Best Books of 2018: Young Adult

» Best Books of 2018: Children’s Books

» The Best YA Science Fiction and Fantasy of 2018

What are you currently reading?

What will you read next?

Have a wonderful week & happy reading