Writer's Insomnia

Rating: 4/5

Even though I have read a fair share of adult romances in my past (Nicholas Sparks, I'm looking at you), my first choice is always YA. It's usually just fluffier and easier to read in one sitting. Recently I realised my taste in books is shifting a little bit, so when I was in the public library for the first time this semester and had only room for one novel in my small backpack, I opted for Surrender to the Highlander by Lynsay Sands. You can blame it on the handsome lad with a sixpack on the cover or on the fact I have been studying Scottish literature and wanted to remain in that environment in my spare time as well. We'll never know.



Set in the Highlands, this book uncovers the love story of Edith and Niels followed by the mysterious murders around the castle.
(I've been trying to write the synopsis of this novel for a while and just nothing sounds good enough. So I'm gonna leave it secretive, let's pretend that's on purpose.)

***

The first few chapters of Surrender to the Highlander really captivated me. The writing style was flawless and allowed me to fly through the beginning of the book. Unfortunately, my interests quickly burned out and I struggled to get through the next hundred pages. There was barely any action and a few sexy moments between Niels and Edith were not enough to make me want to continue reading. I even considered dnf-ing the book altogether. The only thing keeping me going was the amazing writing style and my genuine interest in who the killer is. Thankfully!

The last hundred and fifty pages or so were so captivating I was unable to put the book down. The plot twists, secrecy, the action unravelling before my eyes were written amazingly! I never expected the ending and yet it all made perfect sense. Much, much love! I think Sands should consider writing crime fiction because she created something astonishing. 

As I mentioned at the beginning, one of my courses at uni is devoted to 19th century Scottish literature, so over the last few weeks I've gotten to know the language quite well. Sands is an American writer, but she managed to replicate Gaelic really well. It probably has to do with her slight obsession with Scotland, as I later found out Surrender... is a part of a whole series with books set in the Highlands. If I ever stumble on any of them I think I will give them a go. 

Rating: 4,5/5

I know, I know, I'm so late to jump on the bandwagon. I don't know exactly how old this series is, but I remember vividly my best friend in middle school describing the plot to me. Now I'm at uni, so The Selection has been around for quite some time. 

I decided to pick it up only because Scribd recommended it to me and I didn't know what else to listen to at that time. I'm so happy I gave it a go.

Being a part of the Selection seems like a dream come true for every girl in the country. Not only is it a competition to win Prince Maxon's heart and become a future queen, but also a chance of a lifetime to escape reality and dive into the magical world of royalty. Only thirty-five will make it into the palace and only The One will remain. 

America Singer seems to be the only girl from her town who doesn't want to become Selected. She's happy and in love with a boy one cast lower than her, Aspen, and already planning their future together, content with what her life is mapped out to be. She enters the competition just for the sake of her family never expecting to actually get in... 

As she dives into the world of rivalry, unexpected attacks from the rebels and new relationships, she is left questioning her feelings and for the first time not knowing what the future holds for her. 

***

Going into The Selection I wasn't expecting fireworks. The idea for the plot didn't really excite me; to be honest I dreaded the thought of listening to eight hours of a bunch of girls fighting for the heart of a young beautiful douche-prince. If it wasn't for boredom, I wouldn't have reached for it. 

I was positively surprised at how wrong I was about the whole thing; this is why I like going into books with only a faint image of what's to come.

America Singer, despite annoying me with her name for half of the book, turned out to be smart and funny. I loved getting to know her perspective and seeing the world through her eyes. Not once was she dramatic or acted as the hub of the universe. Instead of losing herself in the rivalry, America remained her kind and thoughtful self.

I enjoyed seeing the different characters throughout the book. Cass focused on creating very compelling side characters, from the family and other Selected to the royals and staff. Especially in YA novels, the background world tends to fade away as the main protagonist chases love. I'm glad it didn't happen in this case. I was really looking forward to learning about the history of the country and thankfully my expectations were exceeded. Not only was it not forced, but it was described to the reader in a really interesting way.

I am a big sucker for good love triangles. And in The Selection I got everything I needed in order to get emotionally invested. The relationships America had with both Aspen and Maxon were really mature and cute at the same time; especially the one with Maxon. I'm so relieved America didn't throw herself in his arms the first chance she got. Through most of the book, I was glad she didn't just forget about her hometown love Aspen which did bite me in the ass towards the end of the novel. I'm not the biggest fan of Aspen at the moment.

I'm really curious to know what happens next; I have already started The Elite. The rest of the series is currently in my room looking all pretty on the shelve. If you follow me on Instagram you know that I borrowed the rest of the books from the library at once. 

My plans for the rest of the night include making some tea and disappearing for a few hours to once more lose myself in the world full of royalty, love and beautiful dresses. 

Have you read The Selection? I'm curious to know your opinions but please, no spoilers! :) 

Marty and Daisy have one thing in common: they both are hiding their true selves from the rest of the world. Pretending to everyone that everything is fine became a habit, a shield protecting them from overwhelming feelings. They created these personas that help them get through the day.
But underneath that all, it's not fine.

Marty's mum is sick, getting worse by the day. Still unable to come to terms with her husband's death she falls into a deep depression, slowly loses grip on reality. And Marty is not better himself. On the verge of depression and in denial, he rejects any kind of help. Influenced by mum's boyfriend J. he believes that other people knowing would only make things worse.

Daisy's brother has a medical condition, a muscle-wasting disease that is slowly killing him. Each day could be his last. Not to worry her parents even more, Daisy tries to be the perfect daughter and conceals all of her emotions. She spends all of her time worrying about Harry while desperately trying to behave normally around others.

They meet in a support group. Instantly they feel a special connection that allows them to finally open up and share their darkest thoughts and secrets.

***

Even though Tender is written quite simply, it was not an easy read. Books dealing with mental health usually leave me feeling drained and I need a day or two to collect my thoughts. But I still like to read them, because I think they are too important not to. In today's day and age topics like this are still considered taboo. Just yesterday I was watching a YouTube video by Alex Centomo about her new series on mental health and later found out that it got demonetized for being unsuitable. That's so not okay. It's vital to change that wrongful perception on mental health illnesses and writing, reading and talking about it will hopefully get us there one day.

As previously mentioned, the writing style in Tender is not flowery. The sentences are mostly short and simple, they don't give too much description or detail. At first, it bothered me a little, but with time I got used to it. What's more, I actually think it does the book some good, because the reader can fully focus on the story itself, give it a good think instead of getting lost in the words. Still, that being said, I would like it to be less direct at times. For me, some things are just better left unsaid.

Another aspect of Tender that I'm not particularly fond of is Marty and Daisy's relationship. The concept of two lost teenagers finally finding somebody they can openly talk to is beautiful. But I think it should take more time, happen more gradually. Here, it seems almost forced and unnatural. From the first time they meet they behave like they are already in love, caring for each other like for an old friend. I understand that they were starving for a soulmate, for a light in all that darkness, but on the other side, that should make them more sceptical and afraid to fully give in. Their relationship should be way more complicated than it actually is to feel realistic. With everything happening in their lives they should both want to fully give in and at the same time push the other person away in fear of another great loss or disappointment. 

I love how this book portrays loneliness. It’s different for everyone. A popular girl can feel the same way an outcast feels. Even though Daisy is surrounded by her girl-friends, she doesn't really connect with them. All they care about are boys and parties while Daisy's thoughts always come back to worrying about her brother. Physically she’s with them, but mentally she’s far away, trapped in her head.
Marty is alone, physically alone. Instead of facing his problems he desperately tries to run away from them. He's mom is not in the right headspace to listen to him, J. doesn't care. It feels as though there is no one that could help him, no one there to hear him out.

Tender shows that it’s okay to ask for help. There is nothing wrong with admitting you or your loved ones are not okay. What's more, you need others to survive. There are things you can't do alone, problems you won't be able to face on your own, no matter how hard you try.

Overall, I think it was a good book though I wish more thought went into the actual writing style and character development. I think I will give some of Eve's other books a try. 

While writing the book review (shameless self-promo), I realised that there are things I would love to talk about, yet I can't without reviling some juicy spoilers. Here's a list of memorable moments from the book and my not-so-important comments that I still felt the need to share. 

1. The ball

I absolutely truly loved everything about the Victorian era inspired school ball. How everything was James's idea, how he got involved in everything - love, love, looove. My little heart with jumping with excitement and I got deeply involved in the storyline. The trip to London was everything I needed it to be; the mixture of the right amount of cuteness, excitement and sparks. Even though the photoshoot idea was a bit cliche, it fitted just right in that exact moment.

I also loved how it ended badly with the parents coming in and destroying that magical moment between them, how they had to jump back to reality. I would have been too cute otherwise. 

But coming back to the ball itself, I adored how they got lost in each other and how hard they were brought back to reality yet again by the parents. Scenes like that really excite me, probably the last of my Dramione obsession.

2. James's change

Looking back it was quite obvious when James started to act a bit differently because of Ruby, but I really enjoyed how subtle it was. Until one of the characters pointed it out I completely ignored it.

It's something quite rare in books because I usually notice it instantly and am annoyed that everything is happening so fast. But as I mentioned in my book review, the pacing of everything is just right and the character development of James fits there just right.

Probably my favourite scene was when Ruby got thrown in the water and he jumped in to save her. He was protective, gentle but didn't act like a knight in shining armour all of a sudden. Be remained himself while changing. And that, my friends, is beautiful.

3. Sex scene

In that exact moment, I knew why Anna Todd blurbed this book. I think the sex scene was 3 pages long which in my opinion was definitely too much. It wasn't bad like Todd's style (thank god), but the detailed description of the foreplay killed it for me. Do I really need to know he took his shoes and socks off? And that he took them off her as well?

No.

3. The ending

The structure of the plot was predictable, like any other novel this type. It was obvious the book will end in a big dramatic breakup, I just didn't know the reason. And even in my wildest speculations, I wouldn't say Kasten will kill off James's mother and he will fall into denial and depression.

But I have to admit it was genius and perfect. It was not out of character for James to behave like he did. It is also something that is not gonna bother me later on in the series - I won't mind when Ruby forgives him.

I kinda want to make predictions, because I only read two chapters grom Save you and I have no idea how the rest of the series will play out (that was true when I was writing this book talk, but I'm still gonna leave this here)

Will Ruby get into Oxford - yes. Maybe she won't be admitted in the first round, but she will definitely get in as a reserve.

Do I want her to get into Oxford - yes. I think she worked hard for it.

Will James get into Oxford - he will, but I don't think he will actually go there. Or if he does - he will drop out like after a month. Now that he hates his father more than ever I won't be surprised if he takes the whole rebellion one step further. 

That's it. All my thoughts about Save me are on the internet now. If you read this book and feel like sharing, commenting, discussing - please do so! 

Since I kinda disappeared from social media and this blog for the whole summer, I decided to make a blog post with all the books I got over the last three months. I'm genuinely excited for each and every one of these books and I can't wait to share my reviews with you! For some of them I have already written and published reviews or book talks, for others I have them planned.

The first two novels I didn't purchase myself, they were a gift from my boyfriend for my birthday (I'm 21 now by the way, yikes).

Tender Eve Ainsworth

Book review 

As I'm writing the first draft of this post, I've read about half of this book. I can already tell even though it's a short, simply written read, it's not the easiest one. It deals with mental health, the struggles of two lost teenagers trying to cope with their difficult life situations.

Kingdom of Ash Part 1 Sarah J. Maas 

The Polish edition of Kingdom of Ash has two parts but I'm not mad because it's a chunky read. I love big books and even split in half it satisfies me. It's the 7th instalment in the Throne of Glass series which means I still have some catching up to do before I can dive into it. I really should come back to it, but recently I've been in a mood for teenage romances rather than fantasy.

Save me Mona Kasten

Book review | Book talk (with spoilers)

Since there is already a book review up on my blog, the only thing I can really do is refer you to it. I also have prepared a book talk where in a loose form I'm talking about the juicy moments from the series. If you have read Save me, definitely check it out and leave your thoughts under!

Save you Mona Kasten

Book review [will be up 05.09] | Book talk (with spoilers) [will be up 09.09]

This is a second book from the trilogy, the review for it will be up soon (see dates above). As I'm writing this, I have already read this book and I'm a wee bit disappointed. The first book in the Maxton Hall series (the worst possible name for the whole series if you ask me) was way better both when it comes to the plot as well as the writing style.

Save us Mona Kasten

Book review [will be up 16.09] | Book talk with spoilers [will be up 21.09]

As I'm writing this, I still don't have the physical copy - I'm going to go buy it later today. As of right now, I'm excited to finish the series and keeping my fingers crossed it's better than Save you. I really need this series to end on a good note, because of how much I liked  Save me. If this is good, I'll just forget Save you ever existed. 

Zenith Sasha Aslberg and Lindsay Cummings

Even with the hype surrounding Zenith and the fact that I've been following Sasha on YouTube for quite some time now, I still don't know what this book is exactly about. All I know is that tt's a fantasy novel with many points of view. I think it takes place in space. The rest I'll know when I dive into it.

The Darkest Star Jennifer L. Armentrout

Until I saw this book in a bookstore I didn't even know it existed. I got so excited to see that I'm able to once again dive into the Lux universe. Obsidian is probably one of my favourite books and Armentrout's writing style is in my opinion, absolutely brilliant. Can't wait to finally start reading this one!

Listen to your heart by Kasie West

It was a bit of a spontaneous pick, I saw it on the shelve and decided to give it a go. I heard about Kasie West on booktube and since I'm all about summer love stories now, I decided to buy it. I don't know much about the plot, but I don't mind. Can't wait to pick it up!

Have you read any of these books? Or maybe they are still waiting on your tbr? Let me know in the comments down below!

Rating: 4.5/5

I was craving a good old fluffy ya romance for the longest time now. No magic, no 'funny business' (if you know, you know), just simple, teenage, dramatic, good girl-bad boy romance. And when I saw Save me on the shelve in a bookstore, I immediately knew it was a perfect fit. I didn't even read the description, I just grabbed the first two parts of the trilogy and happily moved over to the counter.

Ruby's life can be described in colours:

Green - important! 

Turquoise - school 

Pink - Maxton Hall's organizing committee

Purple - family

Orange - health and fitness

In her life, nothing is left to chance. Surrounded by rich spoiled kids all she wants is to go unnoticed, study hard and go over to Oxford. And by no means mix her personal life with her school life.

Nothing of that sort can be said about James - he's one of the 'rich spoiled kids'. Handsome, arrogant, the king of Maxton Hall. Nothing is impossible to him and even the headmaster seems to be wrapped around his little finger.

They are from completely different worlds, unfit for each other in every single way. Yet, when Ruby finds out about a secret that could ruin James's family, they are forced to work together. They realise that even so different there is something more between them than just pure hate.

***

I have to admit I didn't expect the plot to be as interesting as it was. It was at times a little bit cliche, but there was still an element of surprise towards the end of the novel. Even though the structure of the plot was just as I predicted it (more about it in my book talk), Save me gave me a bit of an unexpected rollercoaster of emotions and I'm here for it. Thank god I bought Save you as well... The waiting for the unravelling of the plot twist would be too much for my poor, emotionally unstable heart.

Anna Todd (the author of After) blurbed the trilogy which I saw only after I purchased the books and my first reaction was 'opp, I'm in for a toxic ride' (I hated After with passion). Thank God the relationship in Save me was everything but. Starting with the pace of the book which was absolutely perfect. Not too fast (which is usually the case in this type of books) but not too slow either. The development of the whole relationship was natural, cute and most certainly not forced. Ruby and James's characters matched each other perfectly, they complimented each other; reading about them together gave me that warm feeling of cuteness inside.

Usually, in books like Save me, the author just concentrates on the two main characters and the rest of the world is left unnoticed and forgotten. But not in this case. We have really interesting side characters that actually matter; not only do they help the storyline, but each of them is also unique, with their own background and history. I'm always happy to see representations like LGTBQ+ or disabilities in ya books, especially if they are shown, like in this case, as something normal. Even small notings are opening conversations that should be opened.

Since there is no English version instead of copying the quote I liked I'm gonna paraphrase it here. I fell in love with it and I think it's so clever everyone should give it a think.

Ruby's sister - Ember, is fat. And on her road to becoming fully proud and accepting of her body, she discovered an analogy: The word 'fat' is not a bad word. It's just like in Harry Potter, everyone is scared to say Voldemort's name because they are scared of him; the word 'Voldemort' itself doesn't mean anything bad. Same goes with 'fat'. The society made it something bad, something we are scared to say; but it's just an adjective, like skinny or thin.

I wholeheartedly agree with Ember's words. We should stop using this word as an insult and on the other end - as seeing it as one.

The book didn't get the full five stars because even though I really enjoyed it, it lacked something. It's hard to put my finger on it, maybe it's just because I've read too many books this type. I don't think I'm gonna remember Save me for too long. I don't feel a connection with the main characters and even though I'm most likely gonna finish the trilogy and the whole story quite excites me - I lacked a spark, something to make this book dear to my heart.

What's more there was another thing that irked me in this book; a minor one, but still: sometimes too much description. It reminded me a little bit of early Dramione fanfictions when everybody was describing everything and anything. It didn't affect the pacing, thank god, because it only happened a few times, but it still annoyed me a bit. I want a few things to be left unsaid for my imagination to work on.

Overall I think it's a perfect summer romance to dive into on a warm sunny evening. I'm curious to know what will happen next and will definitely keep you updated!

The-Hundred-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared is a story about... a hundred-year-old man who climbed out of the window and disappeared. Allan is bored with his life in an old people's home. On his hundredth birthday, minutes before celebrating it with others (including the Mayor and other important people), he decides to run away in his slippers. He is a brisk guy for his age, and soon enough he gets himself in a bit of trouble. 

I always felt a little scared to pick up a book about mental health. Especially one that claims to change my life in just 4 weeks, just like this one does. 

However, on the day I found this book, I just signed up for a city library. I was excited and motivated to read because I've never been to a good public library before. Of course, I have a university one, but it's mostly academic titles. And this one was huge, filled with books on topics I've always wanted to try but never really had a chance. 

So, when a saw a promising book with a nice, endearing cover, I decided to give it a go. 

Title: Anxiety free: 4 weeks to inner peace 

Author: Sam Owen 

Publisher: Onion Spring 

Pages: 274

The promises this book make are quite brave. From the beginning, Owen tries to convince the reader that she will change his life. She brings up stories of her clients and how just after one or two sessions with her, she could see a major improvement in their lives. And they could see it too.

Sorry to burst the bubble, but it doesn't work like that. 

This is why after the first few pages I wasn't so excited about it anymore. If this book was really going to help me change my life forever, why does it need to remind me about it every few sentences instead of actually helping?  

Even though my enthusiasm started to wear off, I decided to stick with it just a little while longer.

And boy, I'm happy I did. 

After the rocky start, it got better pretty quickly. I love the way it is written. I've never had any other psychology books in my hand before, the closest encounter I've had with this subject has been through my roommates who study counselling at uni. The language is simple, the experiments and data are presented in a familiar style. For a muggle like me, the worst thing that could have happened was reading a scientific book with words I've never seen before in my life.

The big question you are probably asking yourself is: Does this book really work? Did I get rid of my anxiety as quickly as she promised? 
The answer is not as simple as you might think.
Overall, I think this book improved my life and made taming my anxiety a bit easier on a daily basis. With simple exercises and a lot of different ideas and tricks, it was quite easy to find things that specifically work for me. It also inspired me to look deeper, focus on what feels right.
One of the most important things this book taught me is that anxiety is normal; everybody experiences it, just on different levels. Anxiety is there to help you and guide you. Even though there was a part of me that already knew this, Anxiety free actually helped me to understand it and most importantly - believe it.

I still struggle with anxiety, some days are better, some are worse. However, thanks to this book I'm actually more aware of what's going on. I'm learning and working on getting better.

Now, I don't think Anxiety free will magically cure you. Nor, is it a substitute for asking for help and going to therapy. But I do believe it is a step worth considering. Maybe you'll also find something there for yourself, something that will help you manage your anxiety a little better. 

I can honestly say this book inspired me to start reading about anxiety and mental health in general. I can't wait to go back to the library for more!

Rating: 4/5 

Have you ever read books about mental health, and specifically about anxiety? Let me know in the comments if you have any recommendations about what I should reach for next! 

I have to admit I'm pretty proud of myself and how my reading is going. If only I had as much motivation to write as I have to read would make my life so much better, haha! But I'm trying to push through this slump and get creating! 

That being said, let's talk about the books I finished this week which also helped break my record of 7 books read in a month. As of right now, I read 8 books! Whoop, whoop! 

My Heart And Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga was the first book I finished while at work. As I mentioned in my previous reading update, it was promising at the beginning. The main protagonist is a teenage girl, lost in the big world, confident that she doesn't belong in it and she would do everyone a favour if she just killed herself. The description of her depression felt real, painful almost. However, as the story progressed, it started getting more and more predictable and cringy. At least I didn't have high hopes for it cause the ending sucked! (Rating: 2.5/5)

The second audiobook I listened to while at work was Every Heart A Doorway by Seanan McGuire and I have to admit it was painful. Thank God it was short. The plot was hard to follow at times and sometimes it would get so unexpected that it became a flaw. I honestly don't even know how to describe it right now. A school, some doors... I don't know. Probably the only good aspect of this book was the diversity of the characters. (Rating: 1.5/5)

Last but by no means least is Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. An amazing book to finish up the mediocre week. It was such a cute and captivating romance! I just couldn't stop listening to it. And now all I want to do is to go to Italy and get myself a big scoop of gelato and run around Florence on a scooter with a cute boy. (Rating: 4.5/5)

Currently reading:

I might have said that I will make this book a priority... I didn't but at least I read a big chunk of it: We'll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson (53% of the book read). I have a long journey back to uni ahead of me so I'll have a lot of time to hopefully finish it this week!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (29% of the book read). I'm coming back to it! I read some of it quite a while ago but left it without any good reason. So I'm picking it up! I really want to move forward with my ginormous tbr pile on my nightstand. 

Unfortunately, I start my exams on Friday so I won't be reading much after that. Good news - they only last a week and then my summer break starts; I will have all the time in the world to focus on my reading and writing!

When are your exams? Do you have any plans for the summer break? 

I have to admit I have seen Mamma Mia at least five times already. It's fun and heartwarming and so beautifully shot... Each song, each scene interosculate to create a great film that is always always there to lift you up. It is one of my go-to picks when I'm in need of something to smile at.

When I heard about the Mamma Mia sequel I was sceptical from the very beginning. Probably the only good film made after a few years is Bridget Jones's Baby (I even think I liked it better than the second one). The rest of them are cheaply made, basing on the feeling and memories of the fans of the previous parts. And after watching the sequel for Mamma Mia, it seems that I still stand by this opinion.

Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again SUCKED.

Warning: this text contains spoilers

(but honestly, if you haven't seen it, don't bother, so read on haha)

(also if you were ever interested in seeing this film you would have done it already, it's not a new release, so enjoy)

In my opinion, the biggest flaw of this film is its mood. As I said at the beginning, the first Mamma Mia is wonderfully sweet and optimistic. However, this one turns out to be just the opposite. It's really sad and too heavy for what it's supposed to be and what I have imagined. Most of the songs even the hits like Dancing Queen are not the perfect tune to jam to anymore. They are wistful, bringing back what the characters lost rather than the fun times they had. 

If you haven't heard anything about this film: Donna died.

And what truly bothers me is we even don't know what happened to her. Was it sickness, tragic accident? All her friends and even her mother (who was supposed to be dead but oh well, who cares, not the screenwriters) are alive so it's not of natural circumstances. The film is mainly about Donna's story, I think we (or if you don't care, at least I) deserve some closure.

I knew from the beginning Meryl Streep wasn't there to rock our worlds, but I still missed her throughout the film. When she appeared in the last scene, singing with Amanda Seyfried, it instantly became my favourite part. It was sad (I got to admit I was close to crying) and somewhat beautiful. Actual emotions finally appeared, ready to touch my heart. Now, thinking about it I'm asking myself: is this moment good enough to watch the boring, stupid two hours before it?

No.

So if you want to see what I'm talking about, watch it on YouTube. It makes it less painful, and not in a good way. 

If you know the plot of the first film and can more or less remember Donna's journal entries, after this film you will be left disappointed and slightly annoyed. Her diary doesn't make ANY sense anymore. It's all just wrong; the order she meets the guys, even the way she finds the freaking island. Whoever decided that a sequel was a good idea clearly does not know what continuity is.

And honestly, it's all just sloppy. Plot is too big of a word for this film. It didn't captivate me in any way and I was happy when it finally ended. 

Also, can we talk about young Harry?

Cause what the actual hell.

This was another great and successful reading week. This month I already finished 5 books and we're only halfway through the month. There is still so much time left so I'm positive I'll be able to beat my highest score of 7 books in a month! 

The first book I finished at the beginning of the week was Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Better Browning. I decided to give it a go because it fitted perfectly in my reading tbr for the Magical Readathon (more about it here) as well as it was one of the set books for my English literature class at uni. And with exams approaching I decided not leaving it for the last minute was a smart choice. 

I did not enjoy it. It was borning and since I was listening to the audiobook my mind would quite often wander off in a different direction. The main character is annoying, the same goes for the so-called romance. But I got it over with, all that's left to do it pray I won't need it for my final essay. 

(Rating: 1.5/5)

The second book I finished was The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, another book for my reading challenge. At first, I wanted to read just the physical book, but since I needed something to listen to while at work I decided to alternate between it and the audiobook. That is probably the only reason I managed to finish it. It was good, but not too captivating. I'm not the biggest fan of multiple narrators and in this one, I found them super confusing. I have to admit though, the world created by Rick is fascinating and the ending makes me want to reach for the next book in the series. 

(Rating: 4/5) 

The last book I read (or listened to, to be precise) is Defy me by Taharah Mafi. I totally forgot about it and when I saw it in the recommended tab on Scribd I screamed. The Shatter me series has to be one of my favourites, it's beautifully written, smart and filled with emotions. I loved how this book explained all the holes and questions and made me even closer to Juliette and Warner. I need the next book asap! (Rating: 5/5)

What I'm currently reading: 

We'll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson (28% of the book read). Haven't made that much progress with this one, but I'm finally starting to enjoy the characters and I'm interested to see what comes next. It's definitely my priority next week. 

My Heart and  Other Black Holes by Jasmine Warga (17% of the book read). Even though it's already captivating I don't have high hopes for it. Let's all pray it will be a pleasant surprise. I'm listening to the audiobook and since I'm working Monday and Tuesday I will most likely finish it soon.

I wasn't a big fan of audiobooks before but now they are such lifesavers. They make mundane chores exciting and work bearable. And if I keep up this pace I will hit my yearly reading goal on Goodreads faster than I ever anticipated. 

Do you like listening to audiobooks? What is the last one you have listened to? 

On Youtube, one of my favourite types of videos is reading vlogs. I could watch them for hours on end and when I'm done I'm left feeling utterly inspired to do my own reading (check out Hailey in Bookland and her videos; they are absolutely one of my favourites!). 

However, I've never seen this type of content in a blog post style (if you have any good recommendations make sure to comment them down below!) so I decided to give it a go! 

The first week of April was quite productive reading-wise. I decided to join #owlsreadathon2019 held by Book Roast. I heard about it last minute, but I just couldn't let a chance to participate in a Harry Potter themed reading challenge go past me. I'm studying to become a writer (shocking, I know) and to pass my exams I need to complete the prompts of three subjects. Just for my own pleasure and satisfaction, I will be taking four exams, even though it doesn't affect my grade final. 

My TBR for this reading marathon is: 

We'll Always Have Paris by Sue Watson as part of Muggle Studies (the prompt is contemporary) 

Aurora Leigh by Elizabeth Barrett Browning as part of History of Magic (the prompt is published at least 10 years ago)

P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han as part of Potions (the prompt is: next ingredient sequel)

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey as part of Divination  (the prompt is set in the future)

I will try to update my reading progress in this readathon regularly on my Instagram page (@writers.insomnia).   

Now, moving forward to my reading updates for this week! 

The first book I finished reading is Summer in San Remo by Evonne Wareham. I borrowed this book from the library when I was in need of something, light, fluffy and maybe a little stupid. Both the title and the cover looked sunny and inviting so I grabbed it hoping it would get me out of my reading slump. 

It turned out to be everything I expected. The characters are not annoying, but I also didn't care for them in the slightest. The storyline is quite stupid and naive, maybe a little too much at times. But overall I liked it for its simplicity and cute romance. I am planning to write a review, but I don't know when; I have so many of them in mind! (Rating: 3/5)

The second book which I started and finished last week was P.S. I Still Love You and OMG. I listened to the audiobook and I absolutely freaking adored every second of it! So many laughs, heartbreaks, feels! It was everything I expected it to be; and even more. Even though I'm technically an adult I'm still a sucker for cute romances like this. Now I'm getting emotionally ready to start the last book in the series. My heart doesn't want to say goodbye to Lara and Peter just yet (I know the movie is coming out probably, hopefully, this year but still). Again, this is another strong contestant for a review, but I have to write To All The Boys I've Loved Before first. (Rating: 5/5)

I started reading another three books last week. 

We'll Always Have Paris (13% of the book read), a cute contemporary I chose for the reading marathon. As you can see I haven't read much of it but I can already say now I absolutely love the writing style of it! I am, however, having some trouble getting into it. 

Aurora Leigh (66% of the book read), killing two birds with one stone because it's both for my English class at uni and for the reading challenge. But I think I kinda hate it. It's so... not my type. Can't wait to just finish it and move on. 

The 5th Wave (8% of the book read), feels like everyone and their mother have already read this book ages ago. I've had a physical copy of it for a while now so I'm finally giving it a go. I'm reading it in Polish and I haven't done that in a while. It might sound strange but it brings me back to the old times when I would read this type of books in high school before making English my first choice when reading. Feels good. 

This week I want to focus on moving forward in all of those books and finishing at least one of them (spoiler alert: I did). I might also reach for Frankenstein (the 1818 version) by Mary Shelly and Always and Forever, Lara Jean. 

What books have you read this month so far? Are you participating in the Magical Readathon? Let me know in the comments down below!