2020/01/31
2020/01/30
BOOK HAUL:
JANUARY
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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The first month of the new year is coming to an end and it's time to show you the books I got! January has been pretty calm and filled with rain, but at least the days are getting lighter and I'm starting to look forward to spring.
The books in this haul are a combination of books I've bought myself and some were belated Christmas presents and I can't wait to read them all, as always! I always feel a bit of extra motivation when it comes to reading in the beginning of the year, so hopefully that'll actually turn into me reading more than usual.
( a f f i l i a t e l i n k s )
2020/01/29
THINGS I LIKE NO. 27
I think in another one of these "Things I Like" posts that I mentioned a face cleanser from L'Occitane that I loved, but after trying to make the switch to only cruelty free products, that had to go and I had to find something else. And I have!
Rituals opened a store quite near me last year and since then I've been going in there loads and trying stuff out and one of my favorite things I've found in there is this Namasté Cleansing Balm, which is a gel-to-oil cleanser. I use this as my second cleanse in the evening and it's really, really effective!
I don't use this to remove eye makeup, so I can't comment on what it's like for that, but for the skin it's lovely! I also love the smell of it, as it has moringa in it, which is one of my favorite things.
Rituals opened a store quite near me last year and since then I've been going in there loads and trying stuff out and one of my favorite things I've found in there is this Namasté Cleansing Balm, which is a gel-to-oil cleanser. I use this as my second cleanse in the evening and it's really, really effective!
2020/01/28
2020/01/26
2020/01/25
2020/01/24
2020/01/23
2020/01/22
BOOK REVIEW:
10 MINUTES 38 SECONDS IN THIS STRANGE WORLD BY ELIF SHAFAK
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange WorldAuthor: Elif Shafak
Published: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 312
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
As Leila lies dead in a back alley in Istanbul, before her brain completely shuts down, she recalls memories from her life and remembers each of her closest friends, all of whom are desperately trying to find her.
Review:
This was an intense and fantastic book.
This story really brings its setting and especially Istanbul with all of its different parts to life and I loved that. The writing brings forth scents and sounds and it's all full of color, and amidst all of this, we meet all these different characters, with the main one at the centre, and get to know them and their lives.
The setup of the main character looking back at different parts of her life and reflecting on it as she's slowly passing away works really well. I really like the themes this story explores and how this group of characters are sort of on the outside of society and we see their pain and suffering, but also beauty and happiness. It's a tender story filled with compassion.
My only slight complaint with this is that I think the first part of the story worked better than the second, and I kind of wish the book been an extended version of the first part, because it was just so, so good.
This is my first book by Shafak and after having finished it, I definitely want to look into her other works as well. Well worth the read.
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2020/01/21
EVERYMAN'S POCKET POETS:
SHELLEY
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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The wonderful Poems by Shelley from Everyman's Library! The color of this one is my fave!
2020/01/20
BOOK REVIEW:
SHADOWS OF WINTERSPELL BY AMY WILSON
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: Shadows of WinterspellAuthor: Amy Wilson
Published: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 320
Rating: 2/5
Summary:
Set in a world with fae and fairies, we meet a young girl who has lived her whole life in isolation, just outside Winterspell Forest, but as she eventually ventures out and expands her world by going to school, she realises there's more to the magical world and the forest than she knew.
Review:
I'm well aware that I'm not the target audience for this book, but I picked it up anyway because I wanted something light to read; and it was light and kind of fun and somewhat entertaining, but not a book that made much of an impression on me. Sometimes middle grade and children's books can be read and enjoyed by older readers as well, but for me, this wasn't it.
I like stories with magic and fairies and forests, so those aspects of the book I did really like. especially the atmosphere of the forests and the shadows. I do think this is a very simple story though, with simple characters and quite filled with tropes and cliche's and I couldn't help but just be a little bit bored by all of that.
I don't really have much more to say about it than that! Not a bad book by any means, just not something that I necessarily love. I think for readers of the right age though, this could be a lovely read.
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2020/01/19
2020/01/18
BOOK REVIEW:
LONG BRIGHT RIVER BY LIZ MOORE
S P O N S O R E D : B O O K S E N T B Y P U B L I S H E R
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: Long Bright RiverAuthor: Liz Moore
Published: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 496
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
Set in Philadelphia, two sisters, once inseparable, have grown up and gone in completely different directions; one has become a police officer and the other is out on the streets, victim to her own addiction. Then, one of them goes missing at the height of a series of murders.
Review:
I thought this was interesting and this is the kind of story that has a lot of elements that I generally really like it books, so it's no surprise that I very much enjoyed this.
There is a bit of mystery in this book but that's not what makes it good; the characters and the relationship between them is. Getting to know the main character and seeing her navigate both her professional life and her family life was fascinating and, at times, infuriating. She's a complicated and complex character and one you don't always agree with and sometimes you don't like.
I think the setting of this is also excellently captured, the atmosphere is great and I like how it explores the opioid crisis and addiction head on. The story feels dark and heavy a lot of the time, but I really like that. I also really like how the story flips back and forward between present day and the past, I felt like that worked really well.
I do think the book got off to a very slow start and I think overall, it's quite a slow story (and maybe a little too slow). I also thought the mystery aspect of this book was perhaps not that well executed and the conclusion of that part of the story felt a little hasty and underdeveloped.
This is an emotional story about two sisters and everything that goes on around them, and I think it's definitely worth the read if you like literary fiction and suspense, although beware this does feel quite serious and gloomy for the most part, so you should maybe be in the mood for that.
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2020/01/17
2020/01/16
2020/01/15
BOOK REVIEW:
EVENTYRLIG EVOLUSJON BY HANNA NYBORG STØSTAD
Title: Eventyrlig Evolusjon
Author: Hanna Nyborg StøstadPublished: 2019
Language: Norwegian
Pages: 223
Rating: 3/5
Summary:
This book explores evolution by taking a look at all kinds of different animals and why they do the things they do.
Review:
This was a fun and interesting little book to read!
I love reading about evolution and learning about animals and their behavior and it was really interesting to look at it from an evolutionary standpoint in this book. There were many creatures in here I had never heard about (like a frog exploding its eyes to shoot blood, what on earth!). I also really liked the last few chapters that took a look at how animals can or can't survive in a rapidly changing world and with climate change.
I did find the book a little bit more basic than I'd perhaps initially hoped and I wished we had delved a little deeper into some of the things discussed in here. I also think the book would have been raised to a whole new level by having illustrations or pictures in it.
Either way though, this was a fun and fascinating read and definitely worth picking up if you like reading and learning about nature and animals!
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2020/01/14
BOOKSTAGRAM SPOTLIGHT:
@XCRINI
It's time for 2020's first bookstagram spotlight, so allow me to divert your attention to the lovely @xcrini! She's got a great account with loads of science fiction and fantasy books on her feed, a lot of which I've added to my ever-growing TBR.
Go follow!
2020/01/13
BOOK REVIEW:
WASHINGTON BLACK BY ESI EDUGYAN
I N C L U D E S A F F I L I A T E L I N K S
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Title: Washington BlackAuthor: Esi Edugyan
Published: 2018
Language: English
Pages: 384
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
In this story, we meet an eleven-year old slave from Barbados who is chosen to become the manservant of his master's brother, which changes the course of his life forever.
Review:
This was quite an interesting book and I very much enjoyed most of it.
This is a sort of coming of age story wrapped up in an adventure, all the while exploring themes of slavery, science, love, humanity and family, and I really like that. I really liked reading about our main characters and following them on this journey.
I loved seeing the different settings as well and I generally really love stories set in this era, especially when it involves science and discovery. I think the writing is, for the most part, really strong and there are many parts that are excellently and beautifully written.
I do think this book starts of stronger than it finishes; for the two thirds, I was deeply immersed and then the closer we got to the end, the more I felt like the story was slipping a little bit. I can't really put my finger on what it was, but the story started feeling harder to get through and not in a good way. I also don't really know if I liked the ending; it felt like it tied up all the strings of the story and yet it was a little unsatisfactory.
Normally, I'd give this kind of book three stars, but I'm upping it to four mostly because of the writing and the fact that I think this book will stay with me for a good while. I think it's definitely a book worth reading if you like the sound of the story.
You can read more about it on Goodreads
2020/01/12
2020/01/11
THINGS I LIKE NO. 26
For the past six months, I've been using this amazing Shea Butter Replenishing Hair Mask and I just wanted to share it with you! I actually think I've mentioned this in a favorites video as well, but I thought I'd do a dedicated post to it since I use it all the time and really like it.
I've got kind of damaged and dry hair, which is why I started using this and it's so lovely. It makes my hair really soft and less frizzy than before.
I've got kind of damaged and dry hair, which is why I started using this and it's so lovely. It makes my hair really soft and less frizzy than before.
I use this about once a week and leave it in for 5-10 minutes (you can leave it in for longer if you want to, which I've done on a few occasions, but I can't really tell that much of a difference between 10 minutes and 45 minutes to be honest). It's made with community trade shea butter and is, of course, cruelty free!
2020/01/10
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