Wrap-up January 2017

The Thousandth Floor
Hearts: ❤❤❤❤♡

The Fall (The Strain Trilogy #2)
Hearts: ❤❤❤❤♡

January (Calendar Girl #1)
Hearts: ❤❤❤♡♡

Final Girls
Hearts: ❤❤❤❤❤

Beyond Reach (Grant County #6)
Hearts: ❤❤❤❤❤

It
Hearts: ❤❤❤❤❤

Freeks
Hearts: ❤❤♡♡♡

• Outlander (Outlander #1)
• The Night Eternal (The Strain Trilogy #3)
• Salt to the Sea
• Pretty Girls
• February (Calendar Girl #2)

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Review: Freeks

Author: Amanda Hocking
Started reading: January 10th 2017
Finished the book: January 26nd 2017
Pages: 400
Short review: Paranormal gifts, traveling carnival, insta-love, mystery, no great plot twists
Published: January 3rd 2017
Source: Netgalley - Kindle Edition
Hearts:
❤❤♡♡♡


Got a copy of this book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Characters:
The main-character is Mara. A girl that lives with her mother. They travel with a carnival through-out the country. Mara has no special gifts, like the other members of the carnival. She just helps out with little tasks all over the place. She often has boyfriends in the places they visit, after that, she just moves on with her life. This book has a lot of side characters. You get to know a lot of the members from the carnival and also get to know some people of this little town they visit.
I really feel like the charcters all lack description. I would love to see more depth in the personality and in their appearance.

World-building:
The story takes place in Caudry, a little town the traveling carnival vistis. The story mainly takes place around the carnival, and the trailer-camp.
It isn't clear to me what the balance is between "normal" people and the people with the special powers. In this story, the people with the special powers work at a carnival, but how about the people around the world with special powers who have normal jobs. And do the "normal" people know that there are people with special powers?

Story-line:
The traveling carnival is staying in Caudry and at night, strange things happen. People from the carnival get attacked and the members don't really know what is happening. The authorities in Caudry don't do much either, even when the members of the carnival ask for help. The carnival can't leave Caudry, because they have to stay a full week to get payed and the carnival is broke. Mara gets to know Gabe, a boy from Caudry and falls in love with him. While they have secrets for each other, the carnival also tries to survive through the night.
The story just goes on, and on, and on. The "climax" of the story is in the last 20 pages. That is when everything is explained (very quickly) and those pages aren't even that exciting.

Plot-twists:
It's all just too clear that something is up with Caudry and the people living there. From the first page you get to know Gabe, the author is way too clear about the fact something is going on with him. The book isn't too exciting and while people keep getting attacked, I never really felt that anyone was in grave danger. I really hoped for a shocking ending, but that wasn't the case either.

So:
This book has a lot of promise, but it's just written too "easy". The insta-love is too easy, people getting attacked without answers is too easy. The police in Caudry isn't doing anything and when you expect a great climax it really just all collapses. The ending isn't exciting and I wasn't scared. I could see it coming from miles away. I think a traveling carnival with people who actually have "gifts" is kinda unique, so that's why I gave 2 stars.

Goodreads Review:
Review Freeks >

Review: IT

Author: Stephen King
Started reading: October 22nd 2016
Finished the book: January 15th 2017
Pages: 1376
Short review: Horror, creepy atmosphere, awesome characters, unique story
Published: October 1st 1987
Source: Bought the book
Hearts:
❤❤❤❤❤


Characters:
This book is about 7 kids who grow up in Derry and become friends.
Bill; The leader of this group, stuttering a lot, becomes a writer.
Beverly; The only girl in this group, likes to do boys stuff, is hit by her father.
Ben; The "fat-kid", he is great at building stuff.
Eddie; Has asthma and a really worried mother.
Richie; The "funny" one in the group, does weird voices all the time.
Stan; A neat Jew boy, loves bird spotting.
Mike; An African American boy, who ends up with the group because of Henry Bowers, is the only one who stays in Derry his whole life.

Derry is tormented by someting evil. The kids all feel and see this evil and try to fight it together. You get to know the characters as a kid, but also as a grown-up. 27 years later, the 7 main characters have no recollection about their childhood. It's so cool to experience the story through the eyes of kids, but also through the eyes of adults. You learn more about the childhood story, because the grown-ups start to remember slowly. I really believe that the characters are the strongest part of this book. Next tot the 7 main characters, there are great sidecharacters as well. You have IT (the evil lurking in Derry) & Henry Bowers (a bully that has an eye out for the 7 main characters).

World-building:
The story takes place in Derry, Maine. This town is described as a disturbing town. A lot has been going on in the past and it feels like it's not the safest place for someone to live. At some point I really felt like Derry was the biggest evil in this book. A lot has been happening in the past, not only a lot of disappearances, but shootings and big fires are also part of it's past. And the adults in this book don't seem to notice, in a weird way...

Story-line:
The story starts with 6 people getting a call from a guy named Mike Hanlon from Derry. He tells these people that "It has started" and that they need to get back to Derry. The main characters seem to have no recollection of their past, only that they made a promise 27 years ago and they need to go back to Derry. Not all main characters arrive at Derry, but once they are there, they get some of their memories back. They spend their first night sharing stories about their childhood and that is how they all, little by little, seem to remember what happened 27 years ago...

Plot-twists:
This is not a book with big plot twists. A lot of shocking stuff is happening, but it almost feels "normal" in this book. When you're not shocked about another head ripped off or another kid that gets eaten, you really know you're reading another book from Stephen King.
The plot-twists are limited in this book, but I think you don't always need big plot-twists. The creepy ambiance and scary vibe in this book were enough to keep you reading!

So:
If you're not scared about a lot of pages and want a rich story with great characters you should read this book. Keep in mind that this is horror, and you really have to like the genre. The first 700/800 pages are slow, because Derry's past is told and the story is being set-up. It took me 4 months, allright. But I read the last 500 pages within 2 days!

Goodreads Review:
Review IT >

Review: Beyond Reach (Grant County, #6)

Author: Karin Slaughter
Started reading: January 3rd 2017
Finished the book: January 11th 2017
Pages: 427
Short review: Detective/thriller, great plot twists, want to keep reading, so much feelings.. THIS ENDING
Published: July 31st 2007
Source: Bought the book
Hearts: 
❤❤❤❤❤


Characters:
This book continues the lives of Sara, Jeffrey and Lena as the 3 main characters of the Grant County series. I don't want to spoil too much about the whole series. In this book you get to know more about Lena and the book mainly evolves around her past and the town she grew up in. Lena is in BIG trouble (as usual) in this book and Sara and Jeffrey try to find out what happened. This book is the last one in the Grant County series, so the ending of this book is the last bit you will read about these characters for a while. Karin Slaughter chose a shocking ending...

World-building:
This book evolves around the world of meth-addicted people, mixed up with the members of a racist white-power group. The story mainly takes place in Lena's place of birth. Weird things are going on in this town.

Story-line:
The story starts with a car burning out with a body in it. Next to the car is Lena Adams, one of the main characters in the Grant County series. Jeffrey, her boss, get's a call that she is arrested, because she refuses to talk to anybody. Jeffrey is taking Sara with him to this little town to figure out what is going on. Sara is asked to do the autopsy and she accepts, so both she and Jeffrey get involved in Lena's problems.

Plot-twists:
Karin Slaughter is a BOSS when it comes to ending the chapters with a cliffhanger. This keeps me reading. And I gotta tell you, the ending of this book is one big plot twist/cliffhanger... It tears me up! I can not believe that Karin chose to end the Grant County series the way she did.. I feel like I REALLY need another book right now, to get me some answers...

So:
The Grant County series is a great series to read. I highly reccomend you start with Blindsighted; book #1.
Beyond Reach is an ending you can expect from the Queen of Thrillers; Karin Slaughter. I gave the book 5 hearts, because the ending shocked me!

Goodreads Review:
Review Beyond Reach >

Review: Final Girls

Author: Riley Sager
Started reading: January 3rd 2017
Finished the book: January 8th 2017
Pages: 368
Short review: Thriller, feels like a rollercoaster ride, great characters, awesome plot.
Published: July 11th 2017
Source: Netgalley - Kindle Edition
Hearts: 
❤❤❤❤❤


Got a copy of this book via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Characters:
The main character is Quincy Carpenter. She is a so called Final Girl. She survived a massacre in a cabin in the woods when she was there with her friends. You get to know her 10 years later, when she has no memories about that night, at all. She is now living together with her loving boyfriend Jeff and she spends her days baking for an online baking-blog. The main character is so strong, because you go from loving her, to hating her, to doubting her, to loving her again. It's just a great set-up. Next to the great main character you have great side characters, who really add something to the story.

World-building:
It's a small world that Quincy is living in. It's mainly her appartment that the story takes place in. What's really cool is that you get flashbacks to that horrible night when her friends were slaughtered. With help from the flashbacks and the story evolving, you learn the truth about what happened that night...

Story-line:
The story starts with you getting to know Quincy. It takes some chapters to get to know her and then the story starts to evolve. Another Final Girl was killed and this gets the story going. With Quincy ofcourse frightened, another Final Girl is seeking out help and support from Quincy. They give each other support, start to hang out together and  that's when the plot twists get you going.. Won't spoil too much :)..

Plot-twists:
HELL YEAH! This is what I LOVE about this book. You think you've figured everything out at 60% of the book. Then you change your mind and think you've figured it out at 70%.. And then you're like WHAT?! And think you really know what happened at 80%.. But I will assure you. You won't know what hit you untill you reach 95% of the book, just the way I love it!

So:
If you like a good thriller, that is fast paced, you should read this book. It's one of those books where you tell yourself that you will stop reading when you finish this chapter.. But at the end of the chapter you're like: ONE MORE!

Goodreads Review:
Review Final Girls >

Review: The Fall (The Strain Trilogy, #2)

Author: Guillermo del Toro & Chuck Hogan
Started reading: December 24th 2016
Finished the book: January 3rd 2017
Pages: 316
Short review: Creepy, plot twists, shocking, vampires, end of the world
Published: April 8th 2008
Source: Bought the book
Hearts:
❤❤❤❤♡


Characters:
You follow the characters that you got to know in the first book. The book mainly evolves around Setrakian, Fet, Gus, Eph, Nora and Zack. You also get to know Palmer a bit better and ofcourse The Master could not lack presence in this book.
Don't forget the creepy blood thirsting vampires that crawl through the story. Be prepared to say goodbye to some of your beloved characters in this book...

World-building:
Well.. That what's left of the world is pretty shitty. All around the world are people infected with this weird virus that lives inside creepy worms. As soon as people transform, they get a weird prickle/thorn in their throat and they need blood. The blood of their beloved ones, by preference.
All the governments, armies and other high ranked people in the world are way too slow to react to this virus. Quarantaine is not even an option anymore and the world crubmles to pieces every page you step further into this world.

Story-line:
This is the main reason I was going to give this book 3 hearts instead of 4. The story line is just sooooooo slow at first. It lacks the whole creepy horror ambiance the first book has. And the lack of abmiance was the reason I was a little dissapointed at first. I truly loved the last 80/100 pages, but before that, it's just slow. People talking to people, killing some vampires in the way. This book was mainly evolved around Palmer and his co-operation with The Master and the other main characters trying to stay alive. The last part of the book saved it, and made me give the story 4 hearts.

Plot-twists:
Last 100 pages? DAYUM. There were 3 events that I did not see coming.. Not gonna spoil but the ending had me racing through the pages like crazy. Like I said, be prepared to say goodbye to some of your beloved characters...
The first 200 pages lack plot twists but the ending makes up for it!

So:
Less ambiance than the first book, but a lot of action and a great set-up for the last book in this trilogy. Can't wait to read the 3rd book. And if you love creepy horror stories, I suggest you read the first book!

Goodreads Review:
Review The Fall >

Review: January (Calendar Girl, #1)

Author: Audrey Carlan
Started reading: January 2nd 2017
Finished the book: January 3rd 2017
Pages: 136
Short review: Short book, sexy, not much depth, quick read, erotic.
Published: January 15th 2015
Source: Kindle
Hearts:

❤❤❤♡♡

Characters:

Mia is the main character. A girl who is going to work as an escorte to pay off her fathers debts, one million dollars. She gets the job because of her rich aunt, who doesn't seem to care that much about Mia's personal feelings. Mia is set as a "tough" chick, riding her motorbike. She doesn't seem to believe in true love and has a high libido because of a lack of sex the last year.

Mia is going to work for Wes the first month, January. She is attracted to him right away and he also seems pretty interested in her. Wes hired her because he is not interested in all the women who are after him for his money. Mia is supposed to scare all the girls away.

As you may expect, Wes and Mia like each other much more than they would like to admit.

World-building

Mia is getting to know the world of people who have a few millions to spare. You don't get too much details about the parties, the focus is mainly on Mia and Wes and their interaction. Mia is visiting some of the parties with Wes, but the whole story takes place the most in the bedroom. (as you would expect). The story stays at Wes' house the main part of the book. Expecially the bedroom, hers and his, and the pool.

Story-line

Mia is going to work for Wes the largest part of the book. She is supposed to be there 24 days. The main parts of this book are about the hot and steamy sex Wes and Mia have and some of the parties they attend. After a month, Mia is supposed to go to another client.

Plot-twists

Not much. You wonder if Mia is really going to go to the next client, since she and Wes really like each other and Wes has a million to spare, so he can pay for the debts of her father. But you already know there is a second book, February, so the plot is figured out pretty quick.

So..

A book with a lot of hot steamy sex scenes. I would clasify this book as an erotic book. I truly hope the other books will not be just rip offs of January and actualy suprise me sometimes.

Goodreads Review:
Review January

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Minute Made Decision

So.. This is all just a minute made decision.

I like to read, a lot. I have books, a lot. I buy books.. Way to many.

Love to review books on Goodreads. Usually I just type in my thoughts about abook, but I would like to give some more depth to my reviews using this blog.

If you have tips, thoughts or questions, you know how to find me :).

Thanks for reading and spread the booklove!

Find me on Goodreads: Goodreads Esther
Find me on Instagram: Instagram Esther

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