Don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing
Forfatter: MeowPoff
I like cats, books, gaming candy and wierdness. I'm going to put up bookreviews here and maybe other book or movie/serie related things i have on my mind.
So, after reading Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda i wanted to read about Leah, since she was such a side-character and i wanted and hoped for a book about her. Mind you, i did not know that it would be a book about her before like 1,5 year after and it took me loong time to read it. But i sprang to it, and loved every moment of it. I myself, is a Slytherin by Pottermore and every other test and embraces that and it’s refreshing to see the use of ship, drarry, anime, manga and even DevantArt being used in there. I found Leah a tiny bit annoying but every character cannot be perfect, then they are robots and we do not want that. She has flaws like everybody else. But i loved the book nontheless. I got to revisit Simon and Bram and many others, in general Leah made me giggle so hard how she thought, what she did and a little bit cynical and wanting everything to be perfect, she learned that everything dosen’t nessesarily needs to be that. And i loved it. So, guess what i gave it 5 stars ❤
The Reading Rush was called BookTubeATon before and it’s where we read, get badges interact with people and have fun! You can find info about it all HERE. Since i’m terrible at explaining. Heh.
But, i actually started a bit yesterday, but i saw also that someone else did that so i thought it was okay^^ There i completed the badge «Read in the same place» with the book I’m fine and neither are you by Camillè Pagàn. Wich left a mark with me and made me very thoughtful, i gave it 4/5 stars, because i wished we could get to see more of Penny’s decisions and how it affected her later in life.
I also, decided to do «A book you wanted to read last year» and ended up wtih Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli. I didn’t manage to finish the badge tonight, since it’s soon turning 00:00 here where i live. But i got about 90 pages in, so it makes the other badge 26% fufilled, and i’ve read 360 pages today.
I call that a win win!
What are you reading? Are you participating in TRR? So
Read this week: Again, it’s just Netgalley books. if you want the link to some of them, just tell me!
Pisces hooks Taurus (#4) by Anyta Sunday 5 stars A standalone. I sat there with a grin on my face all through out the book. It was adorable, it had some serious aspects but not too much, and the characters were easy to love and adore. If you want a feel-good M/M book, this one is it! it stands it’s nr 4, but it is standalone so it’s okay.
Made for you (2#) by Anyta Sunday 5 stars It’s a standalone. I think Anyta Sunday dose it so well! this is my second book i’ve read of her and i keep smiling all throughout the book. i loved this one I adored Milo, jack and Ben and i was like «oh come on!» a while, and then «awf!» and kind of had heart-emoji eyes if that’s even possible. So freaking cute, slow burn but so worth it!
The Stars May Rise and Fall by Estella Mirai 5 stars This was a very hard book to put down, I kept thinking about it literally 24/7 but it was also a beautiful M/M love story where one ought to forgive oneself, where one open up to love and souls perfect for one another finds each other and I loved every part of it. You can read the rest of my thoughts HERE
Gotta catch her by Kelly Haworth 5 stars This was an adorable and fast-read F/F book wich made me giggle more than one time! I wish there was more, the ending seemed a little rushed – a little bit like there should be more pages but that was just because i wanted more.
The Madness of Miss Grey by Julia Bennet 1 star I DNF’ed at 24% I had a hard time connecting with the characters and could’nt seem to invest in the story or the progress of the love story, i just could’nt feel it.
His Second Chance at Forever by Lynne Marshall 2.5 stars it was an alright quick and easy read, a nice romance book with it’s required happy ending.
One of One by S. R. Cronin 2 stars DNF 28% It was starting out interesting but it went downhill after 15% and i tried to get back into it, but it seems like i could’nt, i could’nt for the life of me get interested or invested in the rest of the story and the telepathy was a little confusing.
Felice: Shield-Mates of Dar by D.V. Stone 2 stars it was a interesting story with shapeshifting axpects, but sometimes i were confused and didn’t manage to follow the story. But nontheless it was interesting.
Pirate’s Pleasure (#3) by Lisa Kessler Standalone. 1 star DNF 25% It wasn’t a book i managed to get interested or invested in. I didn’t connect with any of the characters, wich sadly made me not care.
I’m fine and neither are you by Camille Pagàn 4 stars Beautiful, heartbreaking and somewhat bittersweet. Penny got a real wake up call to change things in her life and see things differently. It was just wow.
Thoughts: I think, it has been a great week reading. I managed to do 8 books. Plus i’m starting my Reading Rush Challenge, a little early but that’s how we roll^^ If you want to find me there you can find me at @ Meowpoff 🙂
Current Reading: Harry Potter – Order of the pheonix (Audiobook)
I recived this ARC in exhange for a honest review by NetGalley
// NetGalley
This book kind of took me back to 2007-2009 when I first discovered visual kei and had no idea what it was about and barely had heard about it. I discovered it on YouTube after listening to an anime opening, possibly Vampire Knight and one search lead me to another and I listened to some visual kei bands then, not that I was so interested in it or managed to find some bands like that I actually liked, but it was interesting and I loved their outfits and the want to learn Japanese was stronger than before.
But enough about Storytime, The Stars may rise, and fall is apparently a phantom of the opera inspired story, though I have not watched phantom of the opera and know basically nothing about it we are dragged in to Teru and Rei’s world, which is beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. We get to know Teru who was a drummer but ended up a singer at La Rose Verboten and Rei who had been in a band before, but an accident made it clear he would never preform again, and he wants to help Teru to preform, to achieve greatness, He also vowed to never love again – because who could love someone like him? The both has their struggles and flaws, but that makes them human and very likeable and easy to connect with. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking for both characters, how they search for someone to understand them, for someone to love them… but then fright stop them from opening. Teru is unsure about his sexuality and Rei, he seems to think he’s a monster, that no one can love someone who’s broken and for him, ugly.
We progress further into the story where I internally screamed and freaked out lots of times because I want their happy ending so bad. Both deserves love, even though they sometimes are self-centered and a little dumb, but that is a very human thing to be. Especially when love makes you blind, and especially when life gives you hell and one ought to deal with it.
This was a very hard book to put down, I kept thinking about it literally 24/7 but it was also a beautiful M/M love story where one ought to forgive oneself, where one open up to love and souls perfect for one another finds each other and I loved every part of it. The book kind of broke my heart and put my heart back together again, I bet maybe 5-6 times… maybe more, I didn’t count. I just want to re-read this right away, I want to squeal, sigh, cry, yell at Teru and Rei to understand how good they are for each other and I want to hug both, especially when they are sad or frustrated. It gave me so much emotions, I loved and kind of hated every part of it, it was such an amazing book that gave me so much feels, I can’t press that enough, a 5 stars read through and through.
Another week over and that means, that i have another weekly wrap up.
Read this week: Another Arc filled week from NetGalley c:
Grease Bats by Archie Bongiovanni (Graphic Novel) My Rating: 5stars This was a very fun and interesting graphic novel, i kind of just fell in love with all the characters. I adored Ari alot. And the nicknames was so cute ❤
Minus By Lisa Naffziger (Graphic Novel) My rating: 1 stars I don’t know what i hoped for but i had no idea what i got myself into it seems and it was’nt for me. I’m not too big fan of thrillers, and it all left me confused. DNF’ed at 53%
The Avant-Guards Vol 1. By Carly Usdin and Noah Hayes (Graphic Novel) My rating: 5 stars I loved every moment of it. It was so cute and adorable. I need more of it! I cannot wait until we get next volum! I want to see what happends with the team and Charlie and Liv ❤
The Centre of the universe by Ria Voros (Kindle) My Rating: 5 stars Just wow, this was so emotional, so good. I want to re-read it right away. I’m lost for words, i had so many feels!
Sweep up the ashes by Mary Clearman Blew (Kindle) My rating: 2 stars I found the historical facts interesting but other than that it was, meh? i can’t search for a better word. I wasn’t so much interested in Diana nor the other characters around. But the facts made somewhat up for it, i guess.
Wholly Unraveled by Keele Burgin – A Memoir (Kindle) My rating: 3 stars It was a very interesting and at the same time, awful read? i mean, how her childhood was and what she had to endure through it, it was painful and i kind of had a knot in my stomach basically the whole read. Sometimes things was left unsaid and i wish bits and pieces were clearer, hence my 3 stars. But i’m glad she’s doing better now.
Ellie’s Rules By Cassie O’Brien (Kindle) My rating: 3 stars. It was a very easy fun read, liked Ellie and Mark alot. The Smut parts were alright, not too much, not to little and the story was nice and easy to follow. Though it was very fastphased and the happy ending felt kind of rushed? But i liked the story nontheless.
Where songs replaces silence by Layla Donnie My Rating: 1 stars I was intruiged by the description on netgalley, i truly was. But I just, i could’nt like the Main Character, he was cussing basically every sentence and behaved like a child who didn’t get what he wanted. Nothing interested me, at all. i DNF’ed 26%.
Thoughts: Another great reading week, i think. Managed to read 3 graphic novels and 5 arc books on kindle, well some was DNF. But that’s life c:
Current Reading: Pisces Hooks Taurus (Sign of Love #4) By Antya Sunday Tamamo the Fox Maiden and Other Asian Stories by Kel McDonald (Graphic Novel) Harry Potter and The order of the pheonix by J.K Rowling
This wrap up came late again, because i was gone the weekend and didn’t have the time to upload it.
But how did your week go? have you read anything that i have? What did you think?
I’ve seen other people doing it for a while and since i’m not putting up every book i review/read on here, i thought it was a great idea to do it myself also 🙂 But the plan was to put it up on sunday, but i wasn’t too much in the mood so i pushed it to today. But you can expect it to come every sunday evening (my evening, since i live in norway, though) So, here we go!
Read this week: NB! All of these are ARC’s i requested at NetGalley!
Flickers of Fortune by Sherrie. R. Chron My rating: 1 star. I Dnf’ed it at 25% because it wasn’t for me, i didn’t like any of the characters or found it fun to read.
Control Freak By Brianne Hale My Rating: 4 stars. I loved this book to pieces, my only concern is that it should maybe had had a trigger warning about eating disorder/Anorexia, because sometimes it came very to life and that might be triggering for someone, and i think that is what lead me to give it 4 stars.
The Things i know by Amanda Prowse My rating: 5 stars!! As you must have known by now i loved it, and the reason why you can read HERE 😀
The Golden Bride By Kimberly Woodhouse My rating: 3 stars It was a bit long some times, but i really liked that Olivia had what’s the saying? bone in the nose? i’m not sure if that’s the right word. But she wasn’t fragile, she was a strong independent woman.
The (Secret) Baby By Leddy Harper My Rating: 3 stars I found Kelsey very annoying and that she jumped to conclucion and pushed Aaron away all the time when he tried…. it was annoying and sad. I gave it 3 stars, because it ended good, even though it felt kind of rushed + I loved how Aaron didn’t give up.
SIO by C.A Blocke My Rating: 2 stars The book was alright, but i had a hard time connecting with the characters. They were running around all the time, plus James basically threw himself over Michael almost just after meeting him. It was just lots of running around and characters we didn’t get to spend so much time with. So, sadly this book wasn’t for me.
Red Zone by Janet Elisabeth Henderson My rating: 2 stars DNF’ed at 40% I had problems connecting with the characters and didn’t find them interesting, mostly annoying.
Books read this week: 7 Thoughts: Sometimes i might be too nice and give the books 2 stars instead of 1 because i kind of feel bad, and that it might be a «it’s not you, it’s me» – type of thing.
Current Reading: The Centre of the Universe by Ria Voros (Kindle) Grease Bats by Archie Bongiovanni (Graphic Novel) Harry Potter and the order of the pheonix (Audiobook)
What are you currently reading? How was the week for you? What do you think about my weekly update? anything you’d like me to remove or add?
I’ve been thinking a little about starting a weekly or monthly wrap up about the books i’ve read and then maybe give links to some i’ve reviewed on the blog. I will rate the books as well and write some sentences why i liked/didn’t like them and also maybe a little update on what i’ve been doing.
But, i’m not sure if i should do a weekly or monthly update? What do you think? Please leave your thoughts in the comments! 😀
I recived this ARC in exhange for a honest review by NetGalley
«You make me feel beautiful» -Thomasina
You know when you just sit back, and feel your heart swell a few sizes Grinch-style and you just loved every part of the book? That is how i feel, right at this moment. ARcs are very hit and miss, but sometimes you hit gold, and for me this was one of them.
«Because life was all about courage, about making the changes that would make you happy, and taking chances, recongnising oppertunities and being the kid of person who just bought the damn shoes.»
This book, this book. It made me cry, it made my heart swell (Grinch-Style). I «watched» how Hitch/Thomsina grew through out the book. She is a person who has a bad cut by her lip up to her nose on one side, and one arm and foot wich isin’t very good. So she feels stuck, scared and possibly a little alone util Grayson comes into her life and shows her that for him she’s beautiful, she matters and that she should find courage and do what she wants.
But also, stand up to a bully. I myself know how hard it is to actually do that. Being bullied over the years by both student and teachers, it’s hard to find a voice and speak… becaue let’s face it…bullies makes us not matter, bullies makes us small and feel useless, pathetic and worthless. But, Grayson saw Thomasina for who she was, her voice mattered, she was beautiful in her own way, and that is extremely important… to find someone who loves you for you and find you beautiful. But also, one who wants to fight for you and support you in the decicion you make and wants a life with you.
I just loved this book so much. Some memories came to me whilst reading it. But it also reminded me that i am loved and that my love finds me to be beautiful.
I recived this ARC in exhange for a honest review by NetGalley
I was dragged in to want to read the book because i liked how their cover looked and the summary of the book sounded like. But, this book did not meet my expetations at all, sadly. At first, i was very interested in the prolouge and the building that happend there but we changed scenery and i got confused (note this: you shall see that i get confused lots through out the book). Read further on, on your own behalf. It might be spoilers, and if you don’t like it stop reading.
We jumped right into a scenery where Jamie, is and trying to be a good at his job – but there is this phantoms or monsters of sorts that he can see, and we get no information until later why he can see them: But he dosen’t seem to fear it or question it too much. It is what it is? Regardless of this : Jamie was the character with most character development and basically the only character i truly liked through the book. He seemed to be always true to his heart, speak his mind and he showed emotions.
Next thing that annoyed the heck out of me is, that Alexandrea or Drea as she is called, is just accsepting what she is a heir of sorts. We don’t get a backround where she interacted with Marelynn other than in the prolouge where Marelynn decided that Drea was the child to be the heir. It just seemed like, yeah this was a thing to accsept and we should just agree to it. I wanted more insight like when did she tell her? why? how did she react?
But, we didn’t get that. Instead i feel like it’s pushed upon me so much world building and information i can’t keep up, plus most of the information i didn’t need nor want. I feel like that the information we ge and the things that happends, it is too fast – we should maybe have gotten some more time a page or two to work it out, get to see more of for example Jamie and his friends or that other thing could bee explained in a not so rushed matter. At least that is how i felt how it was.
But i liked that they added that Marelynn had been at the court with Arthur and Merlin and that this was somewhat connected to the Phoenix Grail, but i would have loved to see some «past-memories» or happenings as we see how Marelynn was at the court, how she interacted with Merlin & Arthur. How she came to support them and want the same as they did, so many centuries ago.
I were interested at first, but i got lost and confused with all the world building and too much information and happenings in such short time. This also made it hard to like any of the characters, i didn’t get the time to form an opinion before we moved on to the next scenery, this bothered me a great deal.
I also had some problems where the reality meet fantasy type thing? First of Jamie set himself in danger with «chasing» FakeDrea into the woods, wich ended up suddenly beng a monster of sorts.. and Jamie had times there things happend and he feared for his life, it was like his friend died and it was another monster there…but then, he is actually just standing there – zooming out or something. What is up with that? what dose that help with the story at all? why dosen’t he tell anybody about it? why dose he just shut his mouth about it? I mean, maybe he talked a little about the tentacle fake-drea thing, wich honestly he set up for himself.
The last thing i want to mention is that, sometimes Drea dosen’t accsept how Jamie cares about her and just sometimes is refusing, grumpy cry-baby but sometimes Jamie is also just a lovesick puppy and even though i adore puppy/dogs, that…just ain’t cute. Maybe it is supposed to be slow burning, maybe it isin’t. All i know, this book is not for me.
I recived this ARC in exhange for a honest review by NetGalley
This was a very cute and easy read for me. I fell in love with all the characters over a short amount of time, espesically Logan who was funny and adorable and made me laugh out loud too many times to count. This book focused on falling in love with each other, espesically when you don’t mean to do so and taking the consequenses of it. But also talking about grief, moving on and those touchy subject and i think it did a good job. I actually hands down have nothing bad to say about it, other than i wish it was more to it.. i wish it wasn’t the end of it, that it was a series, but sadly it is not. I just went «aww» and snorted a few times i guess. I got wierd looks from my cat, he even turned his butt against me because he thought i was being wierd. But what the hell. I had fun, and the book was fun – a very Friend to lovers type of book that it should be.
Also the character i disliked because of her bitchyness, Daniella. We got to see character devolopment.. a reason for her bitchyness. I mean, she might still be bitchy but she had a good reason for it. Though, one character i started to dislike was Ben, and ugh he was so boring and seriously French movies on a first date? i mean, could have checked if she wanted to see it and idk, plan better? But his plan was to make Danielle jealous so i guess the two of them deserve each other. But you know, you can’t love ALL characters then life would be extra boring 😛
So, i decided to give this book a 4.5. Just because i wanted more here and there.
Moony MeowPoff 