Recommendations | Books I’d Sell My Soul To Read Again For The First Time (Part #2)

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Hi friends!

In my previous post, I shared with you a recommendation post with the title “Books I Would Sell My Soul to Read Again: Part 1”. And today I’m bringing you the second and last part of this mini series!

I hope you’re enjoying the recommendations! I have 5 more books to share with you today

Let’s take a look at today’s books:

In today’s list, we have mostly fantasy, with a non-fiction book and a self-development book to the mix!

1. Heartless by Marissa Meyer

A great book that I want to share with you today is the wonderful “Heartless” by Marissa Meyer. I knew this book would be somewhat tragic since it is a retelling of the origin story of the Queen of Hearts from “Alice in Wonderland”, but I was excited to see what the story was all about. I thought I was mentally prepared for it, but I was wrong – I really wasn’t. It was such an amazing emotional rollercoaster! I often think about this book and how much I wanted to read it again for the first time.

Also, I highly recommend the audiobook version for this one. The voice actor contributed very positively to the story and all the magical atmosphere was set perfectly! With that said, the book is SO slow-paced! I highly recommend this for Alice in Wonderland lovers!

Synopsis
“Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.
Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.”

2. Daughter of the Pirate King (Daughter of the Pirate King #1) by Tricia Levenseller

Another great duology that I have to share with you today is the amazing “Daughter of the Pirate King” by Tricia Levenseller. This duology stole my heart to the point that I read it in one sitting – and I would sell my soul to read it again for the first time! There are many great elements in this story, including great characters, romance, writing, plot, and pace. The story is fantastic, the female lead is inspiring and strong and the atmosphere is out of this world! Definitely recommend this one if you like pirate books!

Synopsis
“Sent on a mission to retrieve an ancient hidden map―the key to a legendary treasure trove―seventeen-year-old pirate captain Alosa deliberately allows herself to be captured by her enemies, giving her the perfect opportunity to search their ship.
More than a match for the ruthless pirate crew, Alosa has only one thing standing between her and the her captor, the unexpectedly clever and unfairly attractive first mate Riden. But not to worry, for Alosa has a few tricks up her sleeve, and no lone pirate can stop the Daughter of the Pirate King.
In Daughter of the Pirate King, author Tricia Levenseller blends action, adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic into a thrilling pirate tale.”

3. The Selection (The Selection #1) by Jay McLean

I mean… are you really surprised this series is here? There’s no surprise “The Selection” series by Kiera Cass is here since I talk about it all the time. I love this series because it has great romance and plot, accompanied by great characters! This is not a dystopian series like “The Maze Runner” or “The Hunger Games” because here the focus of the story is the love story, so I would recommend it to other romance junkies like myself.

This is 100% my comfort series, and I wish I could be swept off my feet for the first time once again – just like I was when I read this for the first time. It’s pure perfection!

Synopsis
“For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn’t want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she’s made for herself—and realizes that the life she’s always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.”

4. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

This book started it all for me! This was the first non-fiction/self-development book I’ve read that blew my mind and is still one of my favorites to this day. In this book, the author explains how she went from a broke, unsuccessful individual to a very successful writer and businesswoman. Not only was her story interesting and inspiring, but she has a great personality and is really good at story-telling! I wish I could read this again for the first time because I remember how amazed I was with what I was reading! Definitely recommend this one.

On a side note: I also recommend her other two books “You Are a Badass At Making Money” and “Badass Habits”, but for the sake of the post I decided to write only about the OG for now. They’re both amazing and worth checking out!

Synopsis
“In this refreshingly entertaining how-to guide, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author and world-traveling success coach, Jen Sincero, serves up 27 bite-sized chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word. If you’re ready to make some serious changes around here, You Are a Badass will help you: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, blast past your fears so you can take big exciting risks, figure out how to make some damn money already, learn to love yourself and others, set big goals and reach them – it will basically show you how to create a life you totally love, and how to create it now.
By the end of You Are a Badass, you’ll understand why you are how you are, how to love what you can’t change, how to change what you don’t love, and how to use The Force to kick some serious ass.”

5. Zoo Station: The Story of Christiane F. by Christiane V. Felscherinow

I have a special relationship with this book since it was one of the first-ever “serious” books I’ve read. I had a very old copy that I lent to a friend a few years ago, but I never got it back. So my sister decided to gift me a new copy so I could read it again and have it on my shelf. I wish I could read this again because I wonder what I would thought of this book reading it for the first time as an adult. I’m sure I would still love it if I’m being completely honest! I recommend you to check it out because this is such an amazing and inspiring true story. It’s shocking and raw, but it’s the kind of book you will never forget!

Synopsis
“This book is a modern classic, finally available in English again—in a new translation—for a new generation of readers. This is a chronicle of Christiane’s life as she and other teenagers from West Berlin experienced it in the late 1970s. Her rapid descent into heroin abuse and prostitution is shocking, but the boredom, the longing for acceptance, the thrilling risks, and even the musical obsessions that fill out the rest of Christiane’s existence will be familiar to every reader. This enduring portrait of Christiane’s struggle is not just her battle with heroin addiction—it’s the story of a teenage girl trying to find herself and her place in the world. Originally published in Germany in 1979, the book was a runaway bestseller, and was made into a popular movie in 1981, also named “Christiane F.,” with a soundtrack by David Bowie, one of Christiane’s favorite musicians.“

And there you have it friends! As always, I hope you found this recommendation post interesting and I hope you found yourself some new books to read. I’m always looking for book recommendations so let me know if you have any for me!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I hope you liked what I had to share with you today. I’ll see you in the next one! 🙂

Recommendations | Books I’d Sell My Soul To Read Again For The First Time (Part #1)

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Hello my dear friends!

Did you miss my recommendation posts? I admit I’ve been slacking a little regarding my recommendation posts, so I decided to bring you a few recommendations today!

I wish I could reread some books for the first time, because after I finished them I thought to myself “I wish I could experience this book again, not knowing what was going to happen”. There’s just something so beautiful about reading a good book for the first time and going through the rollercoaster with all the twists and turns throughout the pages. This is the true definition of living in the moment!

So that’s exactly what I’m bringing you today friends! These are a few books I wish I could go back in time to read again for the first time. I’m doing a two-part series for this, so today I will share with you 5 books, and in the second part (the next post), I will share 5 more books!

Oh, I just know you are curious! Let’s dive in, shall we?

This is today’s selection. You get a little of everything in today’s list – romance, thriller, science-fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction – so hopefully you’ll find something you enjoy from the bunch. I also added the respective synopsis below each book so you can learn more about each book – you’re welcome!

1. Leo (Preston Brothers #3) by Jay McLean

I immediately thought to myself how I wish I could reread this for the first time… right after I finished it. I’ll admit, this book took me by surprise! Compared to the first two first books in the series (“Lucas” and “Logan”), this book has a very solid, complete plot – and that’s why it felt so different from the others. 

For a 600-page book, I devoured it in time record! It was fast-paced and there was so much going on that I was entertained the entire time! I finished reading this book a while ago, but I keep thinking about how memorable it was, knowing it was supposed to be a smutty romance. I can’t say the same about the other two books even though I loved them. It’s full of romance, the plot is complex and very well developed, and there is the right amount of depth and surprises… it was just perfect!

Synopsis
“One single summer changed them forever, and one moment of devastating silence destroyed it all. 
Growing up with six siblings, Leo Preston has always struggled to find his voice.
While his brothers are loud, greedy, and somewhat obnoxious, Leo is forever the quiet one.
The thinker. 
The listener. 
He watches his life pass by as an outsider in his own world, absent and alone. 
Lost.
Until he finds her. 
For Leo, Mia Kovács is like a prize, a gift wrapped in passion and devotion.
And she’s his—his very own secret he doesn’t have to share. 
Together, they can overcome anything…
heartache and destruction, guilt and regret. 
Mia gives Leo everything he didn’t know he needed, 
including her fragile heart. 
The only thing she doesn’t give him… 
are secrets of her own.”

2. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Are you really surprised this book is here? The (obvious) reason why I would want to read this book again for the first time is because of the crazy, big plot twist. I was physically shaking when I finished this book. Yes, I agree, it sounds like an extreme reaction to have while reading a book, but this mystery thriller was absolutely insane. I just remember thinking “Where is this going” while reading… until the puzzle pieces were put together. I won’t tell you too much about this book because you’ll have a better experience if you go into it without knowing too much. Just trust me on this one. Just read it… you’ll thank me later. I still can’t believe how strongly that bomb hit me…

Synopsis
“Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations—a search for the truth that threatens to consume him….”

3. Ready Player One (Ready Player One #1) by Ernest Cline

Oh, how I wish I could read “Ready Player One” for the first time – not including the sequel, let me make that clear! It was seriously one of the most amazing reading experiences I have ever had.
I was fully immersed in this book in a way that only readers could know. The funny thing is I’m not even a science-fiction reader, but Ernest Cline created the most interesting world, full of retro video games and 80’s references. 
If you have never read this, my advice is to not compare it to the movie adaptation, because it has almost nothing in common! The book is rich! I loved all the world-building, the hunt, the clues, the 80’s references, the videogames mentioned. It was such a complex, detailed, piece of art that I wish I could repeat the experience. Even though it won’t be for the first time, I’m definitely reading this again one day.

Synopsis
“In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.”

4. Damsel by Elana K. Arnold

Oh my God, this book… This was SO GOOD! This was one of the most interesting books I have ever read, and I wish it got more recognition and popularity because I never saw anyone talking about it. It’s a darker kind of book, but the basis is a very well-known typical fairytale – but with a feminist twist. Please read the synopsis below so you can see what I’m saying! It deserves all the hype, and I wish I could read it for the first time to be blown away once again! And before you ask, no this is not the book that inspired the Netflix movie with Millie Bobby Brown.

Synopsis
“The rite has existed for as long as anyone can remember: when the prince-who-will-be-king comes of age, he must venture out into the gray lands, slay a fierce dragon, and rescue a damsel to be his bride. This is the way things have always been.
When Ama wakes in the arms of Prince Emory, however, she knows none of this. She has no memory of what came before she was captured by the dragon, or what horrors she has faced in its lair. She knows only this handsome prince, the story he tells of her rescue, and her destiny to sit on the throne beside him. Ama comes with Emory back to the kingdom of Harding, hailed as the new princess, welcomed to the court.
However, as soon as her first night falls, she begins to realize that not all is as it seems, that there is more to the legends of the dragons and the damsels than anyone knows–and that the greatest threats to her life may not be behind her, but here, in front of her.”

5. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

My dear friends, I present you… my favorite book of all time. No, I’m not kidding, this is it. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love this book – so of course, I’ve thought many times of how I wish I could read it for the first time. It’s a wonderful book, with a beautifully written story that is engaging until the very end. I’m sure you have heard about this book at least once – or even heard about the movie adaptation! If you decide to read any of the books from this post, it needs to be this one! Let yourself enjoy this beauty for the first time because I wish I could do the same!

Synopsis
“A literary sensation and runaway bestseller, this brilliant novel presents with seamless authenticity and exquisite lyricism the true confessions of one of Japan’s most celebrated geisha.
In “Memoirs of a Geisha,” we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl’s virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction – at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful – and completely unforgettable.”

And there you have it friends! As always, I hope you found this recommendation post interesting and I hope you found yourself some new books to read. I’m always looking for book recommendations so let me know if you have any for me!

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I hope you liked what I had to share with you today. I’ll see you in the next one! 🙂

Review | Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

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“Most of the time now, if I see someone I know, the face comes together pretty fast. But not always. If it’s been a while since I’ve seen that person. Or if I’m tired or preoccupied. I’ve walked up to Joe in Maria’s grocery store more than once and put my arms around him—only to realize I’ve just freaked out a total stranger. It happens. But I find the antidote to that is just keeping a sense of humor. And staying humble. And laughing a lot. And doubling down on smiling. We’re all just muddling through, after all. We’re all just doing the best we can. We’re all struggling with our struggles. Nobody has the answers. And everybody, deep down, is a little bit lost.” – 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: portraits, bowling jackets, face blindness, nerdy glasses, cute dogs, evil stepsisters, and a lot of distorted faces.

Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

This was such a fun and unique book!

After reading “The Bodyguard”, I was immediately interested in reading more from this author, so I picked up this story – I didn’t think I would like this as much as I did, but here we are!

What I liked the most about this book was how unique and original it was. Who would even remember to make a love story with a main character who acquired temporary face blindness… and has to look at faces for a living? That was genius and led to many funny and heartwarming events.

I think it was pretty easy to predict the situations in the book, but I’m sure that was exactly the point: to know before the main character did and enjoy the ride by seeing her trying to navigate this new condition!I’m interested to read more from the author, Katherine Center. I first read “The Bodyguard” and loved it, and now I fell in love with this book! I’m going to keep an eye out for new releases from this author! I highly recommend either one of them.

Update | What I’ve Read So Far From My “Oldest 30 Books On My TBR” List + New List (Update #1)

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Hello friends!

How are you doing? I hope you’re peachy!

It has been a few months since I’ve talked to you about my 30 Oldest Books on my TBR List, so I thought I would give you an update on how that is going.

To give you some context if you’re new here: I’ve been pilling up books from my TBR for a very long time, and I have noticed my oldest books don’t get a lot of attention in comparison to my newer books. So I decided to create this list to start tackling some of these books that have been on my TBR for the longest.

I’ve read a few of them already, and I want to tell you all about it! I think this strategy is working because I ended up reading 5 books/series (10 books in total) from the list. Now that’s what I call progress, my friends!

So without further ado, let’s review the books together. Here’s a quick overview of all 30 books, from oldest to newest:

Is it just me, or those “DONE” tags are very satisfying? As you can see, I finished 5 books/series from the list, and I removed one book – I’ll tell you all about it in a second. Just a small note for the books that are part of a series: I only marked the books with “DONE” if I have read the entire series. Meaning, that I didn’t only read 5 books, I ended up reading 10 books in total. That’s crazy!

Ok, let me tell you all about the books/series that I touched!

I’ve read these books/series in the last few months. I can’t believe I’ve read so many so far! I’m more motivated to keep reading. Let’s take a closer look!

1. Anna and the French Kiss series by Stephanie Perkins

The oldest from the book I have read from the list! Although I’m a little late to the party, I ended up enjoying this series for what it was. The first book (“Anna and the French Kiss“) was my favorite, then the second one (“Lola and the Boy Next Door”), and the third one (“Isla and the Happily Ever After”) was my least favorite. I completely understand the hype around these books now, especially for the first one. It was sweet and the perfect way to start reading YA romance. I’m glad I finally read this series and now I understand why it was so popular!

2. Divergent series by Veronica Roth

So this is the series I removed from my list. No, I haven’t read it, in case you’re wondering. In fact, I decided to remove it altogether from my TBR for a very simple reason: I just don’t want to read it anymore. When I first added it to my TBR a few years ago, I was really into YA dystopian series so I started adding the most popular series to my TBR. And even though I have the other popular series on my shelves, this one sounds very boring. I don’t want to waste time on books I’m not interested in reading, so I decided to remove it from my TBR altogether. Sayonara “Divergent”!

3. Sea Witch series by Sarah Henning

I also finished reading the “Sea Witch” duology! In case you don’t know what this is about, it is essentially a “Little Mermaid” retelling. The first book is focused on the sea witch, and the second book is more focused on the little mermaid (but the story is told from the sister’s perspective). I mean… it an okay duology? Definitely not my favorite, I think there are better mermaid books out there.

4. November 9 by Colleen Hoover

Another Colleen Hoover book read! I feel like every romance reader has a Colleen Hoover phase at some point in their reading life, and I definitely had mine a few years ago. Even though I have read a lot of her books, this was the one that was constantly being pushed back. Also, a fun fact: I actually started this book before, but I wasn’t feeling it at the time, so I thought I would try again another day. And that day came. One less Colleen Hoover book on my TBR!

5. Entwined by Heather Dixon Wallwork

I’ve had this book on my TBR since I watched a YouTuber raving about how much she loved this book. To be honest, I can’t say I had the same experience. For starters, I’m not the biggest fan of the original “Twelve Dancing Princesses” story, let alone a retelling of the same story. In truth, I found the book a little boring. I didn’t have any expectations anyway, but I wish this was a little more entertaining. I’ve read another retelling of the same story, and it was a little better – check out “House of Salt and Sorrows”, just know this is on the darker side.

6. Skin Books series by Alice Broadway

Probably the most disappointing of the books I’ve read from the list. But I guess that’s on me because I had really high expectations for this series. The concept was very unique and interesting… but the execution fell flat for me. I believe the story had great potential to be the base of an incredible series, but the writing ruined it for me. Either way, I’m glad I finally read it!

I’m very happy I was able to finish so many books (and series) by focusing on this list! I want to continue focusing on my oldest books, so I have updated the list with a few new additions. This means 6 more books/series were added to the list! Here is the new and updated 30 Oldest Books on my TBR List:

Oh, how beautiful it is! The previous 24 books/series are still there, but now 6 more books have been added to the bunch, adding a full new row to my TBR. How exciting! Here are the new books that made the list:

1. Rebel of the Sands trilogy by Alwyn Hamilton

2. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

3. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

4. The Hazel Wood duology by Melissa Albert

5. Seafire trilogy by Natalie C. Parker

6. The Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

So basically a few different fantasy series, a memoir, and a thriller were added to the mix! I’ve started the Malala book and Harry Potter series before, but never concluded them. Now that they have been added to the list and have the spotlight, I might finish them this time!

I’m very excited about this strategy because it’s working well for me! I’m happy my older books are getting recognition and attention, and that I’m giving them a fair chance. Definitely recommend doing something like this if this is a struggle for you. Make a game out of it and have fun 🙂

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post! As usual, I’m always open to book recommendations, so if you have any for me, let me know!

Thank you for reading friends, I’ll see you in the next one!

Review | Isla and the Happily Ever After (Anna and the French Kiss #3) by Stephanie Perkins

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“What are you working on?” I ask.
“The last page.” He gestures towards the table, where a pencilled sketch is being turned into inked brushstrokes. It’s a drawing of us, in this café, in this moment.
I smile up at him “It’s beautiful. But what comes next?”
“The best part.” And he pulls me back into his arms. “The happily ever after.” – 2/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: drawings, college applications, drivers, TV appearances, and a ton of drama, insecurity, and jealousy.

Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.

This was such a weird book. I was having a great time reading this trilogy, but this book was very disappointing. If I had to rate the books of the trilogy, I would say the first one (with Anna and Etienne) is my favorite and this one was my least favorite, without a doubt.

I didn’t like the plot and I didn’t care about the characters. Actually, I was excited to read about Josh, and to be honest he was fine and seemed realistic throughout the book… but Isla? Not so much. Isla was OBSESSED with her crush in a very toxic way, and it was too much! Eventually, she finds out he had always liked her back, which seemed very unrealistic to me, to be honest. I kind of hoped there was a message here like “Don’t be obsessed with boys and focus on you”, but it felt like it was being portrayed with a quirky, cute quality. She’s also very jealous and insecure, and it was painful to read – and worse, it was just glossed over like it didn’t matter. I’m okay with some infantility and immaturity while reading YA, but I seriously couldn’t stop cringing while reading this book! Isla is probably the most immature character I have ever read in YA – and that’s saying a lot, knowing I’ve read a LOT of YA books. 

If you like the miscommunication trope, oh boy, this book is for you! It was super annoying because there was a lot of drama… but no actual issue between them. It was very infantile.

With all of that said one thing I did like was the ending. I loved how all the trilogy characters gathered at the end! It was sweet and a great way of wrapping up the series. Also, a really cute thing happened at the very end that involved all of them – I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was probably one of my favorite moments of the book. 

I really wanted to give this book a positive rating, but I honestly couldn’t get over the immaturity and it kind of ruined the book for me. Too bad this is how I concluded the series!

Wrap-Up | What I Read in April 2024

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Hello hello!

How are you doing, friends? I hope you’re doing well! I also have news for you: April’s Wrap Up is here! Well, expected news, I guess.

I was able to read a bunch of books from my April TBR and even get a random picks in. Now with that said, it was not a good reading month because even though I read a lot, I had multiple negative ratings this month – which is not a very common thing to happen!

One very exciting thing was the fact that I finally finished reading the manga “Pita-Ten”! I’m very excited to start a new manga in May and finally put this story to rest (literally). Now I can finally start a brand new manga.

Another exciting thing that happened in April is that I was able to read a few books from my “30 Oldest Books From My TBR” List! I finished 3 books (two standalones and the last book of a trilogy) from the list, so I couldn’t be happier with my progress!

Once again, my physical books are suffering a little because I’m still not picking them a lot… but that’s just life, so what can I do? I’ll keep reading whatever formats my little heart wants!

Ok, enough rambling, let’s take a look at the books:

As you can see, I ended up reading 11 books in April. Let’s take a closer look!

1. I’ll Just Be Five More Minutes by Emily Farris: 2.5/5⭐

This was the book I picked randomly during the month. How to describe this book? It’s mostly an autobiographical collection of stories, focused on the author’s experience living with ADHD. While it was interesting to read about some of her experiences, it was a little too all over the place for me. I get that that’s the point – showing how her brain works – but that could also be achieved if the book was a little more organized and structured. There are a lot of stories in the book that weren’t relevant and at some point, it felt like the author was just rambling talking about random events that happened. It felt a little weird, but I’ll tell you more when I publish the review!

2. The Practice Kiss (My K-Drama Life #1) by Sara Martin: 3.75/5⭐

I was excited to start this series, and fortunately, I was able to start it this past month! I didn’t hate it, but I also can’t say I loved it. Maybe I had high expectations, but there were some moments here and there that didn’t feel quite right. Especially the hot-n-cold behavior coming from the male character. I still think the book was entertaining, though! Funny enough, I didn’t know the second book was an actual continuation of the first book! I thought it was a companion novel kind of series. Oh well, I just hope it’s good!

3. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins: 2/5⭐

This was such a weird book. I’m okay with some infantility and immaturity while reading YA, but I seriously couldn’t stop cringing while reading this book! Isla is probably the most immature character I have ever read in YA – and that’s saying a lot, knowing I’ve read a LOT of YA books. I wanted to give this book a positive rating, but I honestly couldn’t get over it and it kind of ruined the book for me. Too bad this is how I concluded the series!

4. Break You (Boys of Trinity Hall #1) by M.V. Ellis: 2/5⭐

Yeah, I didn’t like this too much. I can’t even describe to you how over the place this book is. It was super dramatic, and not in a good way! The guy traumatizes her for a weird revenge that vanishes with a short conversation near the end… Also, no relationship was actually developed – just smut -, and at the end of the book they said “I love you” to one another. Nothing really made sense, and it wasn’t even enjoyable. I wouldn’t recommend this one.

5. Pita-Ten, Vol. 7 by Koge-Donbo: 3/5⭐

I planned on reading this volume for April, and I was able to reach my goal in only a few hours!

The mood got a little better since the previous volume so I read this a little faster. There was a sad moment there that I didn’t really expect, but the story got a little better afterward.

6. Pita-Ten, Vol. 8 by Koge-Donbo: 3/5⭐

And I’m officially done with the “Pita-Ten” series friends! I can’t believe I finally finished this – I was reading this for a few months now and I’m finally free from it. Like I said a few times before, I prefer the anime version of this story, because I had more fun watching it than reading it. The manga version gets a little too serious and confusing, and at some point, I was really confused about what was going on. At the end of the day, it was an okay-ish series and it was entertaining for what it was… and now I’m ready to move on!

7. Twisted Lies (Twisted #4) by Ana Huang: 4.25/5⭐

I FINALLY finished the “Twisted” series! If you don’t know, I actually started this book a few months ago, but I kind of lost interest in this universe, so I put it down for a while. But I was only 1 book away from finishing the series so I decided that I needed to read it for once and for all! For the first time ever, I read a book in 3 formats: audiobook, paperback, and digital copy! Funny enough, I actually enjoyed this story a lot, and I dare to say it’s probably my favorite from the series. I thought it would be boring, but I had fun reading it! The romance between Stella and Christian was very well developed, and I was interested to keep on reading. It was a longer book compared to the others, but I’m glad I finally read it.

8. How to Keep House While Drowning by K.C. Davis: 5/5⭐

I absolutely looooved this book! I think its superpower is to validate that it’s okay if you don’t have everything figured out. It’s probably one of the most humble and validating books I have ever read! There are some practical tips that I’ve taken from it, but I mostly feel that I’m actually doing a good job maintaining the house clean and clutter-free. Highly recommend this one if you’re struggling in this area.

9. The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo: 2.5/5⭐

I can’t believe I was tricked into reading “The Great Gatsby” again. I picked this up randomly during the month but did not love it. It’s not that it’s bad, I just don’t see the point of writing the exact same story from a different POV and adding random magical elements here and there. I’m not the biggest fan of the original book either, so I can’t say I enjoyed reading the story once again. Sure, it was a good way for me to remember the details of the original story because I honestly didn’t remember almost anything. But other than that, it was boring and not my cup of tea!

10. Entwined by Heather Dixon Wallwork: 2.5/5⭐

Another book I picked randomly this month from my “30 Oldest Books From My TBR” List! I personally didn’t love this story if I’m being honest. This was a retelling of the “Twelve Dancing Princesses” story, which I’m not the biggest fan of (just like what happened with the previous book). I also don’t think it was necessarily a bad book, but I was bored and couldn’t wait for it to be over. Anyway, it was part of my TBR and I finally read it! And now I finally know what it was all about, so that’s all that matters!

11. November 9 by Colleen Hoover: 4/5⭐

Just like the last book, this was also from my “30 Oldest Books From My TBR” List! I’ve had this book on my TBR for a very long time, and I even attempted to read it once – but I wasn’t in the mood for it at the time, to be honest! I actually enjoyed this a lot, and in true Colleen fashion, this had a few plot twists in the mix! It was fast-paced, and every year something dramatic happened so I was always invested in the story. This was the only Colleen Hoover book I was missing from her first ever books, so now I’m good! I still have a few books to read from her that are more recent, but we’ll get there eventually. For now, I’m just happy I finished another book from my TBR oldies!

As usual, I’ll be posting the reviews for these books soon.

What about you guys? How was your reading month? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading friends, I’ll catch you guys later!

TBR | May 2024

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Hello friends!

It’s time for our monthly TBR List, so let me present to you my May TBR!

If you read my post on How I Create My Monthly TBR Lists, you already know my magical formula to create a reading month. This is the formula I’m planning on keeping for 2024, so the goal is to read 2 paperbacks, 2 audiobooks, 1 ebook, and 1 manga volume every month.

Now with that said… I’m not going to follow this format for May. I’m behind on my paperbacks, so I decided to keep it simple and I’ve picked up only audiobooks and digital copies. To be honest with you, I definitely didn’t plan for my year to go this way, but I’m just going to accept it and roll with it. It is what it is! At the end of the day, I’m still reading so that’s all that matters.

Without further ado, here are the books I’m planning on reading in May:

1. Beyond the Story by BTS

This is probably the book I’m the most excited to read from the bunch! I love BTS and I miss them terribly, so I thought I would read their official biography. I’m pretty sure this came out last year, during the same time the younger members started their military service. I’ve heard great things about this! It’s about their 10-year journey as idols, and I’m very curious to discover new things about them. My hope is that they have opened their hearts and let themselves be vulnerable. Super excited for this one!

2. The Dating Drama (My K-Drama Life #2) by Sara Martin

I started this romance series on my e-reader in April, so my goal is to read the second book of the series in May! I’ve noticed this was originally a duology, but recently it became a trilogy – I’m not sure if I’ll read the third book yet, to be honest. For now, my focus is to read the second book. We’ll see how that goes!

3. The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté

This was a book recommended to me a few months ago by my therapist! I decided not to look too much into it, but I’m sure this will be a very interesting read. I’m very excited to see what this is all about, so I’ll be listening to this book in the audiobook format.

4. Death Note, Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba

I’m finally starting a new manga (yeeey)! For the last few months I’ve been reading the “Pita-Ten” manga series, and I needed something fresh! I decided to start the “Death Note” manga series this month. This series consists of 12 volumes, so that means I’ll be reading this for a while – I just hope this will be a fun series! I’m compromising on reading a single volume in May.

5. The IT Girl by Ruth Ware

Since I’ve not been reading a lot of thrillers in the past few months, I’m going to pick up one from my TBR: “The It Girl” by Ruth Ware. I don’t know that much about this, but the synopsis seemed interesting, so why not? I’m listening to this as an audiobook.

6. The Duke and I (Bridgertons #1) by Julia Quinn

I’ve already added this book to my TBR a few months ago because I have the first two books in paperback. The truth is that I’m very excited to read these books, so I just want to start them right away!

Aaaand there you have it friends, my TBR list for May! As usual, I hope you liked this post! Let me know if you have any recommendations for me. You know I’m always grateful for those!

Thank you for reading, have a great day!

Review | Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss #2) by Stephanie Perkins

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“Just because something isn’t practical doesn’t mean it’s not worth creating. Sometimes beauty and real-life magic are enough.” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: mean sisters, rock bands, fortune-telling, strict parents, colorful wigs, figure skating, babies, a boy next door, Marie Antoinette gowns, and… cherries.

Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion… she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit – the more sparkly, more wild – the better. And life is pretty close to perfect for Lola, especially with her hot rocker boyfriend.

That is, until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket return to the neighbourhood and unearth a past of hurt that Lola thought was long buried. So when talented inventor Cricket steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally face up to a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door. Could the boy from Lola’s past be the love of her future?

Fall in love with the international bestseller from queen of young adult fiction, Stephanie Perkins.

After finishing “Anna and the French Kiss“, I immediately picked up “Lola and the Boy Next Door” because I was hoping it would be as good as the first book. While it wasn’t, I still think this was a cute read – I just liked the first book better in comparison.

Lola was a fun character and quirky to read! She is very into fashion and designing outfits, and I really enjoyed reading about that. Of course, there were some moments here and there that showed some immaturity from Lola but I had to remind myself they’re still pretty young and this is still a YA novel! I also want to mention Lola’s parents, Andy and Nathan, because I loved them as characters! Even though they are strict with her, they are great parents.

I feel like there’s a more… adult feel to this one. Her boyfriend Max is 22 and she’s only 16 years old, so that was a little creepy to me. Also, he was a jerk to her, always trying to control her and only liking her because she was young.

The romance was cute! I really liked Cricket Bell as a love interest. They liked each other for a very long time, and only now they’re starting to express their feelings for each other. Who doesn’t love a good first love story? Compared to her boyfriend Max, Cricket is very sweet and kind to her.

Since this is a crossover kind of trilogy, Anna and St. Clair from “Anna and the French Kiss” were part of the book! They made a few appearances here and there, so it was cool to see their “happily ever after”.Overall, I had fun reading this. It was a cute story and I enjoyed it for what it was, but so far the first book is still my favorite. I liked the first story better and I found it more entertaining and engaging than the second book. Let’s see how “Isla and the Happily Ever After” goes!

Review | Anna and the French Kiss (Anna and the French Kiss #1) by Stephanie Perkins

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“Seriously, I don’t know any American girl who can resist an English accent.” – 4.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: movie reviews, new friendships, colorful pastries, boarding schools, English accents, terrifying diagnoses, cinemas in every corner, sweet wine grapes, a fear of heights, and the many steps of the Eiffel Tower.

Can Anna find love in the City of Light?

Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she’s less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.

But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he’s taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she’s waiting for?

I finally read the epitome of YA Romance: “Anna and the French Kiss”!

I know I’m super late to the “Anna and the French Kiss” party, but I am happy I finally started this series. I’ll admit I had low expectations for this book because I thought this was probably overhyped. Well… I’m thrilled to say I was wrong.

Oh, the charms of Paris. I was excited when I found out the setting was in Paris! I was afraid this was going to be a very stereotypical view of Paris, but I liked the details that made this story escape the usual stereotypes – like the mention of the sweet wine grapes and the cinemas on every corner! Of course, you still have the staples, but the mention of different things was a pleasant surprise and made me think the author was actually in Paris and took inspiration from personal experience.

The romance was cute! I liked Anna as a main character and Étienne was a cute and interesting romantic interest. The word that best describes the characters in this would be “adorable”. The only thing that I didn’t like was the fact he had a girlfriend for most of the book. Without giving too many details, there’s a lot of emotional (and even some physical) cheating. I admit this wasn’t my favorite thing, but the rest of the story made up for it.

Surprisingly, there is some depth to the book. I thought this would be a full-on fluff book, but there were a few elements here that I wasn’t expecting. The lighter topics are well-balanced with the heavier topics mentioned –  it’s a fluffy read on the one hand with the cutesy romance while discovering Paris, but on the other side, we have one of the characters dealing with cancer. So not everything was butterflies and roses!

Overall, I was entertained and I was curious to see how the story ended. I heard the other two books are not as good as this one, but I’m still curious and I’ll be continuing the series to find out for myself.

Review | Never Grow Up by Jackie Chan

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“I never wanted to be the next Bruce Lee. I just wanted to be the first Jackie Chan.” (not from the book) – 3.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: dangerous stunts, amazing movies, being kind, terrible mistakes, and martial arts.

A candid, thrilling memoir from one of the most recognizable, influential, and beloved cinematic personalities in the world.

Everyone knows Jackie Chan. Whether it’s from Rush Hour, Shanghai Noon, The Karate Kid, or Kung Fu Panda, Jackie is admired by generations of moviegoers for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and mind-bending stunts. In 2016—after fifty-six years in the industry, over 200 films, and many broken bones—he received an honorary Academy Award for his lifetime achievement in film. But at 64 years-old, Jackie is just getting started.

Now, in Never Grow Up, the global superstar reflects on his early life, including his childhood years at the China Drama Academy (in which he was enrolled at the age of six), his big breaks (and setbacks) in Hong Kong and Hollywood, his numerous brushes with death (both on and off film sets), and his life as a husband and father (which has been, admittedly and regrettably, imperfect).

Jackie has never shied away from his mistakes. Since The Young Master in 1980, Jackie’s films have ended with a bloopers reel in which he stumbles over his lines, misses his mark, or crashes to the ground in a stunt gone south. In Never Grow Up, Jackie applies the same spirit of openness to his life, proving time and time again why he’s beloved the world over: he’s honest, funny, kind, brave beyond reckoning and—after all this time—still young at heart.

This was probably one of the most surprising memoirs I have ever read.

I can’t say I’m a huge Jackie Chan fan since I haven’t seen a lot of his movies – and apparently there are a lot of them -, but I’m a fan of the person he is. I always admired his work ethic and humble background, especially knowing how far he has come.

As I was expecting, he started his martial arts training very young and he did it for about 10 years. He soon started working on films as a stuntman, and he quickly became more and more popular because he was very hard-working and was always pushing his limits! He also talks about how every part of his body was broken at some point – he even goes into detail about every single lesion, which was insane to read about!

Now let me tell what surprised me the most about his story: I always saw him as a humble person, but he admits he wasn’t always like that. He talked a lot about his mistakes and how he mistreated people a lot. I can’t lie, my view of him changed a little! That was very surprising to me, but he was very open about it, which also tells us how much he has changed.

I really liked reading about his story, his passion for creating high-quality movies and always pushing his limits. I still admire him.