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

Welcome, welcome my dear readers.

Welcome to the blog.

December was a really weird month for me. I was so excited for all the festivities and ready to celebrate Christmas in my classroom, when the schools abruptly closed. Instead of having a Christmas Lunch, singing Christmas songs and watching Christmas movies, I was preparing to home-teach again. Home schooling starts at January 4th and I'm not sure for how long it will be this time.

Luckily, I got to do meet loads of friends in during my Christmas break. We're in Lockdown in The Netherlands, so we couldn't do anything outside the house, but I got to see my friends and that's what counts. Of course, I only had 1 or 2 visitors at a time, because that's also one of the rules.

Then, it was time for Christmas. This was different too, but still lovely! We went to my boyfriends parents on first Christmas day. Usually his brother and sister and their partners are there too, but not this time. We did have a lovely dinner, went for a walk in beautiful nature and played some games with the four of us.

The day after we celebrate Second Christmas Day in The Netherlands. We went for a brunch at my moms house and celebrated Christmas with the two of us that day. I ordered an amazing Christmas Dinner from one of the local restaurants and we bought presents.

On Third Christmas Day, which is nothing official, but we love to celebrate it. We usually have an amazing feast with all our friends and are with a big group of 18 people with food, drinks and a beautifully layered table. Not this time. We went to my moms house again and played a game with presents and had snacks. It was lovely!

My boyfriends birthday was yesterday, so I made him a beautiful cake and we had 2 of his friends over. Today is the last day of the year, and today we're also celebrating with friends! I love the sounds of fireworks that already sound in the neighborhood, because one of our biggest traditions is carbidschieten, which you can see if you click the link here.

Have a GREAT New Years Eve and an even better 2021. Love to see you back at the blog next year.

🎇🎆

My Top 20 Books of 2020

Lists, lists, lists. I just LOVE lists. Who doesn't?! In this post you'll find my 20 favorite reads of 2020!

With this final list I hope to recommend some awesome books that you maybe haven't read. Want to know why I loved the book so much? You can click the cover to go to the full review!

I hope you'll find some nice books to read next year. Have fun reading this list and have a great 2021!

Sunday Post #25

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: Merry Fuckin' Christmas and Other Yuletide Shit

Author: Kevin J. Kennedy

Started reading: December 21st 2020

Finished the book: December 23rd 2020

Pages: Unknown

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

Published: December 16th 2020

Source: Digital copy from the author

Goodreads score: Not enough ratings

My score:

Synopsis

Kevin J. Kennedy has brought the horror world three bestselling Christmas horror anthologies. Now, for the first time ever he collects his own tales of Christmas madness between these pages. You will find a mix of extreme, comedy, gross and bizarro Christmas horror, and there is even a few drabbles thrown in.

WARNING: This book isn't for everyone. If you are easily offended, it's not going to be for you.

Review: Rising Tide (Eden's Wake #1)

Author: Lynn Steigleder

Started reading: December 6th 2020

Finished the book: December 14th 2020

Pages: 240

Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy

Published: June 17th 2015

Source: Physical copy from author

Goodreads score: 3.12

My score:

Synopsis

Rising Tide depicts a world in which land is at a premium due to the advancing sea, where man’s attempt to adapt has led to a decay of morals into survival of the fittest. In the midst of the ocean, a crew of racketeers rescues a stranded diver, Ben Adams. Is the rescue just a fortunate coincidence for Ben, or has he been led to this rendezvous with fate for a common goal? A mysterious island inhabited by a primitive yet advanced race of people. A devious ship captain’s metamorphosis into the essence of evil and a ship’s container discovered by itself in a billion square miles of ocean all play a role in this tale of rebirth for a world corrupted by the collapse of morality..

Goodreads: Your Year In Books Meme 2020

Hi there and welcome to the blog!

I'm so excited to do the Your Year in Books Meme. This is a meme that I created three years ago. It is a way to write a blogpost about the Goodreads Your Year in Books and to share it with others.

I was hoping that bloggers would participate, and that worked out pretty well last year! I hope I can get it even bigger this year.

This is actually a yearly meme where you write your final 2020 wrap up. Instead of the usual monthly or weekly memes.

I'd love for people to participate so please share your link at the end of this post!

You're free to write the blogpost in any way you like just to wrap up 2020.

I usually take the time to update my Year in Books Meme Blogpost every two days, so I keep it up to date! That way, you can participate whenever you like.

Review: Golden Son (Red Rising Saga #2)

Author: Pierce Brown

Started reading: October 27t 2020

Finished the book: December 13th 2020

Pages: 430

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, YA

Published: January 6th 2015

Source: E-book

Goodreads score: 4.44

My score:

Synopsis

As a Red, Darrow grew up working the mines deep beneath the surface of Mars, enduring backbreaking labor while dreaming of the better future he was building for his descendants. But the Society he faithfully served was built on lies. Darrow’s kind have been betrayed and denied by their elitist masters, the Golds—and their only path to liberation is revolution. And so Darrow sacrifices himself in the name of the greater good for which Eo, his true love and inspiration, laid down her own life. He becomes a Gold, infiltrating their privileged realm so that he can destroy it from within.

A lamb among wolves in a cruel world, Darrow finds friendship, respect, and even love—but also the wrath of powerful rivals. To wage and win the war that will change humankind’s destiny, Darrow must confront the treachery arrayed against him, overcome his all-too-human desire for retribution—and strive not for violent revolt but a hopeful rebirth. Though the road ahead is fraught with danger and deceit, Darrow must choose to follow Eo’s principles of love and justice to free his people.

He must live for more.

Two Short Stories #18

Today I will be highlighting two short stories.

One of them is a fun picture book where you can explore New York the other one is a short horror story, inspired by the game "Tag, you're it!"

Let's dive right in.

Review: Harmony's Embrace (Deerbourne Inn, #23)

Author: Amber Daulton

Started reading: November 23rd 2020

Finished the book: November 29th 2020

Pages: 126

Genres: Romance, Christmas

Published: November 16th 2020

Source: Digital copy from the author

Goodreads score: Not enough ratings

My score:

Synopsis

Divorced dad Birley Haynes is too busy raising his children and running his family’s music academy to start a relationship. Then Harmony Holdich, his high school sweetheart, returns home to Willow Springs, Vermont for Christmas and falls into his bed. She brings light and fun back into his life, but he can’t brush aside the threatening incidents around his workplace.

Harmony hadn’t expected a complication like Birley, especially so soon after the death of her unfaithful husband. With her life a mess, she plans to move across the country and start over. All she can offer him is a fling, but her heart yearns for more.
When the threats rise, how will Birley keep his children safe and convince Harmony to give love another chance?.