August Wrap Up

Hello there! Another month coming to an end, another wrap up. I had a lot going on the past few weeks with not knowing what to do for my future (university and stuff) and it has been quite rough. Now I’ve made a small plan for the next year and am currently looking for a new job before starting University again in autumn 2018.

I’ve been to 2 Festivals this month and got to listen to amazing artists such as Imagine Dragons (my favourite band ever), The Prodigy, Flume, Mumford & Sons, Parov Stelar and so many more. I love festivals and I’m quite sad about this season already being over. (But I’ve already started making plans with my friends for next summer again :P)

I also went on a vacation for a week in Corfu, Greece. It was so amazingly relaxing and I quite miss it! I just love lying around the beach/pool the entire day and only getting up to play beach volleyball (where I hurt my hand on the 2nd day already and had to sit out playing until our last day) and go for a swim. What a dream!

I have a lot of plans for September and I really hope I’ll find a job some time soon!

BOOKS READ

    

1. Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han ★★★★★
2. A Court Of Mist And Fury by Sarah J Maas ★★★★★
3. Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh ★★★
4. The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan ★★★★
5. The Tales of Beedle The Bard by JK Rowling ★★★★★

As you can see I read a lot of books I really liked this month and I finally managed to read so many again! Since the beginning of the year I believe I haven't managed to read 5 books anymore. ACOMAF was by far my absolute favourite and it really surprised me how good it was! I'm currently working on all my reviews.

This month's theme for Of Wonderland Book Club was books in a series and as you can see I managed to read 4 books in a series which makes me pretty happy!

CURRENTLY READING

  

As you might know I’m participating in the #TheReadingQuest challenge and I took it upon me to give Glass Sword another chance after DNFing it earlier this year. Same as then, I’m not really enjoying it so I started listening to Anyone? at work, which is my first audiobook in like forever. Then two nights ago I had this really heavy urge to start Throne of Glass and I can’t stop reading it, it’s such an amazing book! If I didn’t have to work so much, I would just read it in one sitting throughout the entire night.

2017 READING CHALLENGES UPDATE

Read 5 Books from my TBR Pile
Progress: 4/5 (80 %)

Flights of Fantasy 2017
Progress: 8/10 (80 %)

2017 Alphabet Soup Challenge
Progress: 12/26 (48 %)

TV SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

   

SEASON 7 OF GAME OF THRONES HAS FINISHED. I can’t believe it. It went by so fast and it was SOOOO AMAZING! Seriously guys, I can’t believe how good this season was! Also, I watched the entire 3 seasons of Hit the Floor which upset me at first because it’s actually a series about cheerleader (not just about basketball as I thought, and I don’t like cheerleaders/cheerleading…) but it’s actually pretty good. But honestly, I only watched this series because of Jude and Zero. I nearly caught up with the entire season 7 of Modern Family. And I’ve been watching The Bold Type every week which is so good! I really recommend this one.

BLOG RECAP

❥ My Book Review of A Thousand Pieces Of You by Claudia Gray

❥ My second time cleaning out my tbr shelf on Goodreads with Down The TBR Hole #2

❥ Obsidio as my Waiting on Wednesday

❥ Another Down The TBR Hole #3

Now I want to know all about YOU! What did you read this month? What did you do? Are you watching any similar shows? What are your plans for next month? Any blog posts I should read? I would love to read all you’ve got to say in the comments :)

Down The TBR Hole #3

This meme created by Lia @ Lost in a Story helps me go through my to-read shelf on Goodreads and sort out the books that I feel no longer belong there. Check out my first post I made in for this meme Down The TBR Hole #1 - there you’ll also find the guidelines about how to do this if you want to join. So let's see which books I can remove from my shelf today.

#21 The Blade Of Shattered Hope

	This is the third book in the The 13th Reality series. As I haven’t started this series yet and the first book is on my TBR I’ll remove this as it’s not needed as a reminder. Verdict: remove from shelf

#22 A Mutiny In Time

	This book sounds rather interesting and I haven’t read a lot of time travel books yet. So it’s high time I picked one up, don’t you think? I enjoyed James Dashner’s writing in The Maze Runner series so I might like this one too. And the cover is so beautiful! Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#23 Ignite Me

	This is the third book in the Shatter Me series. As I’ve got the first book still on my TBR I’ll also remove this one. Verdict: remove from shelf

#24 Peter Pan

	I bought this book in Hamburg and I definitely plan on reading this soon. Verdict: remains on physical TBR

#25 Welcome To Shadowhunter Academy

	I’ve got the book Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy which is the collection of all these short stories. One day I’ll read this, but probably not all too soon. Verdict: remains on physical TBR

#26 The Darkest Minds

	The synopsis sounds so promising! And I’ve heard so many great things about this book and of course I love all kinds of dystopian stories. This is a no-brainer and is going to stay on my tbr until I come across my own copy. Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#27 The Jewel

	I’m not quite sure yet if I’m going to actually read this one, but it’s a dystopia so I’m going to keep it on my tbr for a little while longer. Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#28 The Maze Of Bones

	The synopsis sounds a lot like a mix between Endgame and Ready Player One. PLUS it’s by Rick Riordan so I’m going to keep this on my tbr, too. Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#29 Six's Legacy

	So this seems to be a companions book? I haven’t even read the series, although I quite enjoyed the movie I Am Number Four (huge Alex Pettyfer fan here). Maybe I’ll pick up the series one day. Verdict: remove from shelf

#30 The Return Of Moriarty

	Totally unsure about this one. I just don’t see myself reading this anytime soon. Verdict: remove from shelf

Have you read any of these books? Do you agree with my choices or do you think I should keep any of the books I removed from my tbr? What would you have removed from your shelf? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Waiting On Wednesday: Obsidio

"Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating."

My choice for this week is Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff.
Expected Publication Date: March 13th 2018

Goodreads Summary

Kady, Ezra, Hanna, and Nik narrowly escaped with their lives from the attacks on Heimdall station and now find themselves crammed with 2,000 refugees on the container ship, Mao. With the jump station destroyed and their resources scarce, the only option is to return to Kerenza—but who knows what they'll find seven months after the invasion? Meanwhile, Kady's cousin, Asha, survived the initial BeiTech assault and has joined Kerenza's ragtag underground resistance. When Rhys—an old flame from Asha's past—reappears on Kerenza, the two find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. With time running out, a final battle will be waged on land and in space, heros will fall, and hearts will be broken.

Why I'm so excited about this book?

I love the Illuminae series! These books are something else. It’s so refreshing to read scripts and diary entries and computer chats instead of fluent text for a change. And the graphics are amazing. Combining these elements with a gripping story = happy Yasmine. I can’t wait to see what’s next in store for my favourite characters in space and to get to know our new protagonists. I’ve got high expectations for Rhys, I mean with that name he has to be a good guy, right? (Yes, I’m still really hung up on ACOMAF which I’ve just finished a few days ago.) Honestly, 2018 feels so far away, why isn’t it being released in autumn like the other two books before? I’ve got really high hopes for this book.

Other books in the series

 

#1 Illuminae (My 4 ★ Review)
#2 Gemina (My 4.5 ★ Review)

I'd like to know

What's your WoW today? Don't forget to link me up to your post so I can check them out down below in the comments. :) Are you also waiting for Obsidio? Or do you still have to start with the Illuminae series first?

Down The TBR Hole #2

Hey there! A week ago I started joining this meme created by Lia @ Lost in a Story. In order of getting a grip on my tbr shelf which has been filling up with books and books that I’ve lost count of, I’m going through each book and deciding if I should keep it or remove it from my Goodreads shelf. Check out my first post I made for Down The TBR Hole and where you’ll find exact instructions about how to do this if you want to join.

#11 The Silver Linings Playbook

	I saw the movie a few years ago in the cinema and then added the book to my tbr shelf. I do not believe that I will pick it up, though because I wasn’t that much a fan from the movie. I just don’t believe that the story is something that interests me enough anymore to pick up the book. Verdict: remove from shelf

#12 The Night We Said Yes

	The Goodreads summary still sounds so good and I feel like this is the type of book that I would read on a summer day, lying at the pool or at the river and enjoying an ice cream while reading. Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#13 Love And Other Foreign Words

	I have the same thoughts about this book as about The Night We Said Yes. And I was really surprised to see that not many of my goodreads friends have read this book, so maybe it’s one of those underrated books that nobody really knows about yet, but actually is pretty good? I’ve got to pick this one up! Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#14 Love, Rosie

	Love, Rosie is one of my favourite movies! The cast is great and the story is just so painfully beautiful. I’ve always wanted to read a book by Cecelia Ahern, but I just haven’t managed to pick one up. One day I will definitely buy this book when the time feels right and I’ll never forget about it so I don’t feel the need to have it on my tbr as an unnecessary reminder. Verdict: remove from shelf

#15 The Cuckoo's Calling

	I wanted to read this book only because it was written by J.K. Rowling. I love that women! But after trying to read The Casual Vacancy and not really enjoying it and ultimately having to DNF it, I realised these adult crime fiction novels just aren’t for me (yet - maybe someday it will, but not right now.) Verdict: remove from shelf

#16 The Book Thief

	I bought The Book Thief in Spanish in Mallorca two years ago. So far I haven’t come around to reading it, but it’s still waiting patiently on my shelves and I believe one day I will pick it up. Verdict: remains on phyiscal tbr pile

#17 The Rule Of Thoughts

	This is the second book in the The Mortality Doctrine series and I haven’t read the first book yet, so I’m going to remove this from my tbr. Verdict: remove from shelf

#18 The Eye Of Minds

	This sounds so good!! It reminds me of Ready Player One and I loved that book, so I really need to read this series. I enjoyed The Maze Runner series by James Dashner and I like his writing style. So I need to order this book asap! Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#19 The Journal Of Curious Letters

	Another series by James Dashner that I haven’t started yet and it sounds pretty good. Going to keep this on my shelf to remind me about it. Verdict: remains on Goodreads shelf

#20 The Hunt For Dark Infinity

	Another second installment in a series I haven’t started so I’m going to remove this from my shelf, too. Verdict: remove from shelf

I managed to remove a total of 6 books from my Goodreads shelf today! How awesome is that. I’m so glad Down The TBR Hole is actually helping me going through my shelf and getting a better overview over things! Have you guys tried to go through your tbr shelves? How did you go about it? Are you considering joining me in this meme? Do we still have any of the same books on our tbr? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Book Review: A Thousand Pieces Of You

About the book

Title: A Thousand Pieces Of You
Author: Claudia Gray
Series: Firebird #1
Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Expected Publication: November 3rd, 2015
Read: July 2017

My Copy

Publisher: HarperTeen
Edition: Paperback
Purchase Location: Thalia, Hamburg

My Rating:

Goodreads Summary

Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer—her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him. Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected.

My Spoiler Free Review

I’m so happy to write my first review in months about this great book! I loved reading A Thousand Pieces of You and it totally brought me out of my reading hiatus. If you ever find yourself in a reading slump I recommend you pick up this book because I couldn’t stop reading it even though I was on a city getaway in Hamburg (and spent way too much time in our apartment reading, instead of discovering the city).

No regrets, though, none at all! Claudia Gray’s writing enchanted me from the very beginning. I have to admit I bought this book because of its cover. Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous? How glad was I to discover that the content was just as great. Traveling through different dimensions, experiencing alternative universes, chasing a murderer and discovering that nothing is as it seems. What more turbulence do you need in a gripping story?

Although Marguerite happened upon this adventure due to a devastating event, the very detailed experiences she goes through lets her develop herself as an even stronger character and lets her bond with her friends and family on so many new levels. Gray did an amazing job in creating an enthralling reading environment from page one on.

This was my first dimension-travel-book that I’ve read. (We’re just going to ignore the entire Marvel and DC comics because let’s face it, the amount of alternate universes and earths they have is giving me a headache. ) I’m so intrigued by this entire premise, I mean can you even imagine what it would be like to travel to another dimension, where your sister might have been a brother or you actually did manage to overcome your phobia of needles and get that tattoo you dreamed of? (These universes would be harmless in comparison to all the other things that could have gone different in our world, but I’m gonna stay positive here.)

I’m so surprised that I didn’t pick up a book with this kind of background earlier, but I’m glad that ATPOY (see what I did there?) was my first in this “genre”. There were some things I’m not all too comfortable with, though. When the characters jump to another dimension, they inhabit that version-of-them’s body. Now that’s just wrong. I mean, it’s still very unclear to me how much those people remember when the intruders leave their bodies and hop to the next dimension (and I wished it would have been explained better), but in theory they could lose months of their lives. How would you feel when you come to yourself, discovering you’re on the other side of earth with no clue how you got there in the first place? I’d feel robbed. I could go on about free will and all the immoral things about this, but luckily, this is just fiction.

Okay, I think I need to stop here. There are so many illogical happenings and plot twists I could talk about, you’d be sitting in front of your screen reading my review three days on. Nonetheless, I really liked this book and I need to get my hands on the sequel Ten Thousand Skies Above You.

Isn’t the entire series just gorgeous? Have you read ATPOY or even the entire series already? What are your thoughts on it or are you going to pick it up? How equally scary and awesome would it be if we could actually travel through dimension? (I have to be honest though, I’d like things to stay the way they are and hope that this is something we’ll never achieve.) If you leave your thoughts in the comments section I’d love to discuss this further with you guys! Also, I’d like to read your reviews, so link them up as well!