October Wrap up - Book Haul & What to Expect Next Month

Welcome, welcome my dear readers.

Welcome to the blog.

Yes! Autumn is here. I love the wind, the rain and the beautiful colors. I love the tastes that fit this season. I love sitting in a corner of the couch with a cup of tea and a good book. It's been amazing.

Sadly, things are getting worse again with COVID in the Netherlands. All restaurants and other fun things that were allowed, are closed again. I'm so sad, since I bought a lot of theatre tickets and I finally had the go from my doctor to play handball again.

I am very happy that I'm still allowed to work. The Primary Schools are still open. We, teachers, wear masks outside of our classrooms and the kids use hand gel. No parents in schools, no staff meetings and trying to do all the administrative tasks from home.

It's a weird world, but I try to still see friends, one at a time. I try to enjoy every day that I'm allowed to work, because I know not everybody gets to do that. I do hope we can all stay positive and see the small things that bring us joy.

Thanks for sticking with my blog and for reading!

Have a great month with loads beautiful Autumn days.

🍂

Review: In the Realm of Ash and Sorrow

Author: Kenneth W. Harmon

Started reading: October 18th 2020

Finished the book: DNF

Pages: 352

Genres: Historical, War, Japan

Published: January 2nd 2020

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads score: 4.49

My score:

Synopsis

When bombardier Micah Lund dies on a mission over Hiroshima, his spirit remains trapped in the land of his enemies. Dazed, he follows Kiyomi Oshiro, a war widow struggling to care for her young daughter, Ai. Food is scarce, work at the factory is brutal, and her in-laws treat her like a servant.

Watching Kiyomi and Ai together, Micah reconsiders his intolerance for the people he’d called the enemy. As his concern for the mother and daughter grows, so does his guilt for his part in their suffering. Micah finds a new reality when Kiyomi and Ai dream—one which allows him to interact with them. While his feelings for Kiyomi deepen, imminent destruction looms. Hiroshima is about to be bombed, and Micah must warn Kiyomi and her daughter. In a place where dreams are real, Micah races against time to save the ones he loves the most.

Sunday Post #23

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead.

Review: Tarnished Crown (The Royals, #3.5)

Author: Erin Watt

Started reading: September 20th 2020

Finished the book: October 1st 2020

Pages: 192 / 4:45:00

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Novella

Published: August 18th 2017

Source: Storytel

Goodreads score: 3.61

My score:

Synopsis

Two years ago, one mistake cost Gideon Royal the girl of his dreams. Since then he’s become jaded and stoic, caught in a spiral that has him dealing with blackmail, heartache and loss. When he left for college, he hoped to start over. But fate has other ideas, placing Savannah Montgomery in his path again.

Savannah believes there’s no coming back from Gideon’s betrayal. He thinks she’s wrong.
Forgiveness. Hope. Redemption. Gideon has vowed to win back the only girl who owns his heart. And when a Royal makes a promise, he’ll go to the ends of the earth to keep it.

Two Short Stories #16

Today I will be highlighting two short stories.

Both of them are picture books with beautiful life lessons behind the story.

Let's dive right in.

Review: Red Rising (Red Rising Saga #1)

Author: Pierce Brown

Started reading: August 24th 2020

Finished the book: October 1st 2020

Pages: 382

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Published: January 28th 2014

Source: Ebook

Goodreads score: 4.25

My score:

Synopsis

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations.Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children.
But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class.

Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity's overlords struggle for power.

Review: Perfect (Pretty Little Liars #3)

Author: Sara Shepard

Started reading: September 13th 2020

Finished the book: September 27th 2020

Pages: 276

Genres: YA, Mystery

Published: September 1st 2007

Source: Books2Door

Goodreads score: 3.99

My score:

Synopsis

IN ROSEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, FOUR PERFECT-LOOKING GIRLS AREN'T NEARLY AS PERFECT AS THEY SEEM.

Aria can't resist her forbidden ex. Hanna is on the verge of losing her BFF. Emily is freaking out over a simple kiss. And Spencer can't keep her hands off anything that belongs to her sister.

Lucky me. I know these pretty little liars better than they know themselves. But it's hard keeping all of their secrets to myself. They better do as I say... or else!

Sunday Post #22

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead.

Review: Crusade in Jeans

Author: Thea Beckman

Started reading: September 4th 2020

Finished the book: September 26th 2020

Pages: 307

Genres: Historical, YA, Adventure

Published: 1973

Source: Physical copy

Goodreads score: 4.03

My score:

Synopsis

Fifteen-year-old Dolf uses a prototype time machine and gets stuck in the Middle Ages. Trying to find his way back to the twentieth century, he joins a children's crusade of almost ten thousand children on their way to the Holy Land. Dolf helps the children defy the terrible mountains, conquer disease and fight evil knights. Slowly, Dolf begins to realize that the real danger does not lurk behind the next mountaintop, but rather within the crusade itself.