Blogmas Day #10 – This or That Book Tag II

Hello lovelies!

Welcome to day #10 of Blogmas! I hope you’re all well and safe.

I have been tagged by my wonderful and supportive friend Meghan @Whimsically Meghan to do the This or Tag Book tag! Please go check out her blog if you are unfamiliar with it and thank you again Meghan for tagging me! 💕

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Read on the bed or the couch?

Reading in bed BUT not between 2pm and 4 pm because I always end up falling asleep! I can’t help it.

Read at night or in the morning?

I love reading at night because everything is so quiet and calm. I like the fact that everyone is asleep and that I am going to be invested in a story without being distracted by daily events.

Male main character or female main character?

I honestly don’t mind male characters but I usually read more books with female main characters for some reason.

First person POV or third person POV?

I usually like first-person POV more but lately I’ve read more books with third-person POV and I’ve been enjoying it more than I thought.

Trilogies or quartets?

I like trilogies better but the problem is that usually book two is not as good as the other two books. My favourite book series format are duologies. They’re perfect

Libraries or bookstore?

I love love love bookstores. I like owning books even if I don’t necessarily have the means to do so haha.

Books that make you laugh or cry?

One thing you have to know about me is that I cry a lot; I used to cry everyday and now it’s once or twice a month so if I cry for a book that means that it’s really good because I’m invested in the story enough to care. I can cry when good things happen, sad things or even kind gestures, sacrifices etc. – anything.

Black book covers or white book covers?

When I was younger I used to read vampire stories exclusively and most – if not all of my covers were black. But I also had a “contemporary books phase” later so I used to buy very colourful covers; so a little bit of both!

Character-driven or plot-driven?

I will have to say character-driven because I love book characters more than anything. Usually when the characters are well-built and fleshed out the plot automatically interests me even if nothing happens.

Tag, You’re It

Rae, Saoudia, Leyanis,

What did you think? What would you have chosen? Let me know in the comments!

Blogmas Day #8 – Top 5 Tuesday -Top 5 books on my holiday wishlist

Hello lovelies!

Happy day #8 of Blogmas! Sorry for the late and short post today, I was swamped by homework.

Here’s my weekly Top 5 Tuesday created by the wonderful Shannah @Bionic Bookworm Blog and hosted by Meeghan @Meeghan Reads (go check out their blogs; they’re amazing!). This week’s topic is really fun and it seems like all I’ve been doing lately is making lists for Christmas Here are the five books on my holiday wishlist! At this point the books featured shouldn’t be a surprise, it’s all I’ve been talking about in my later posts.

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These books are much talked about in the book community and most of them have been nomintaed in the Goodreads Choice Awards (see my post tomorrow). I al sadly on a book buying ban and hoping a family memeber gifts me at least one of these and as soon as the stars are aligned I’m buying these books first!

I want to read Legendborn because it’s a retelling of the Arthurian myth with POC!!

Cementary Boys has been everywhere and I’m really excited for the plot and I have been meaning to read more books featuring trans characters.

These Violent Delights: I see Shakespeare, I see Asian representation, I want.

From Blood and Ash contains my favourite genre ever: Romance Fantasy. This girl needs nothing more.

Fable: I’m going to be honest and say that this cover deifnitely drew my eyes and one of my favourite auhtors said that it was one of her husband’s fvaourite read this year so I decided I would check it out; I know this is a little weird haha.

Goodreads Monday – Monday, 7th, 2020

Hello lovelies!

I am back with a Goodreads Monday tag! Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme that was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners. The meme is pretty easy to follow, to participate simply choose a random book from your TBR and explain why you want to read it!

TW: sexual assault.

Title: Know My Name, a memoir

Author: Chanel Miller

Synopsis from Goodreads: She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Stanford’s campus. Her victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed, where it instantly went viral–viewed by eleven million people within four days, it was translated globally and read on the floor of Congress; it inspired changes in California law and the recall of the judge in the case. Thousands wrote to say that she had given them the courage to share their own experiences of assault for the first time. Now she reclaims her identity to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words. It was the perfect case, in many ways–there were eyewitnesses, Turner ran away, physical evidence was immediately secured. But her struggles with isolation and shame during the aftermath and the trial reveal the oppression victims face in even the best-case scenarios. Her story illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicts a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life. Know My Name will forever transform the way we think about sexual assault, challenging our beliefs about what is acceptable and speaking truth to the tumultuous reality of healing. It also introduces readers to an extraordinary writer, one whose words have already changed our world. Entwining pain, resilience, and humor, this memoir will stand as a modern classic. 

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Why I want to read it

First I want to read more non-fiction books in 2021 and second I feel like this book is extremely important because it gives a voice to victims of sexual assault. I love how she’s trying to reclaim her story and how brave she is. She is an inspiring woman and I’m so sorry somethings as awful as her assault happened to her and I also cannot imagine how awful the victim blaming was on top of everything. This book also reflects how society protects abusers and blames the victim and we have to make it stop at our own scale and if there’s anything we can do it’s at least read this story.

Why I haven’t read it yet

I think this book will be triggering in some aspects but if Chanel Miller was brave enough to write her story, the least I can do is read it.

Did you read this? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

Karla xx

Blogmas Day #2 -The Joy of Christmas Book Tag

Hello lovelies! Welcome to day #2 of Blogmas!

I found this tag from Sam’s Nonsense‘s Youtube Channel and I thought it might be nice to properly kick off this Christmas season with a Christmas- related book tag! Let’s go!

1) Anticipation: The Christmas excitement is real, what book release(s) are you most anticipating? ❆☃

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I’m going to dedicate a post to my most anticipated releases soon, but to name a few I’m really excited for A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas, Excuse me While I ugly Cry by Joya Goffney One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, Act your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert and Gods and Monster by Shelby Mahurin!

2) Christmas Songs & Carols: What book or author can you not help but sing its praises? ❅☃

Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey Mcquiston! Last Christmas I gifted it to my sister (who loved it) and recently gave it to a friend who wanted to get back into reading; cannot recommend this enough!

3) Gingerbread Houses: What book or series has wonderful world building? ❅☃

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The Folk of the Air series and the A Court Of Thorns and Roses series have incredible world building! Have you noticed a pattern? I seem to love the Fae and I wish I lived in a world where they were present.

4) A Christmas Carol: Favorite classic or one that you want to read ❅☃

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I have a few favourites that are perfect for this season: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Perfect cozy holiday reads.

5) Christmas Sweets: What book would you love to receive for Christmas ❅☃

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These Violent Delights, From Blood and Ash, Fable more than anything! (Kerstin my sister if you read this….you know what to get me for Christmas haha) -; These are the books I’m going to buy as soon as I get through my current TBR.

6) Candles in the Window: What book gives you that warm fuzzy feeling ❅☃

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, always.

7) Christmas Trees & Decorations: What are some of your favorite book covers? ❅☃

Some of my favourite covers are these:

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I really like intricate designs as well as art on my covers!

8) Christmas Joy: What are some of your favorite things about Christmas And/Or some of your favorite Christmas memories? ❅☃

I know it’s weird since I’m dedicating a whole blogging month to Christmas but I’m not a fan of Christmas in itself, but rather, the feeling, the happiness in the air, the songs, the snow, Christmas lights and Christmas markets..It’s not really about Christmas but more what it represents.

What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

Karla xx

Mystery Blogger Award

Hello lovelies!

I have been nominated by the wonderful Azrah @azyouread for the Mystery Blogger award. If you’re still unfamiliar with her blog, please check it out! She always posts unique and well-written content! Thank you Azrah! ❤

What is the Mystery Blogger Award?

The Mystery Blogger Award is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.

This award was originally created by Okoto @ Okoto Enigma’s Blog. 

The Rules

1. Put the award logo/image on your blog
2. List the rules.
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
6. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best post(s)

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 What made you start your blog?

I just wanted to talk about the books that made me laugh, cry, swoon or scream and my sister got very sick of hearing my rants so I thought I’d start a blog where people would actually be interested in my bookish rants.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of starting a blog?

It takes a lot of work! It’s really hard to balance blogging with other things. You have to write posts in advance, actually sit down to write reviews, participate in tags, support other blogs… but all the time and effort is really worth it. I’m so grateful for all the friends I made along the way and the wonderful books I discovered and got to talk about. I really feel like I belong even if it is *virtual*.

What are your go-to remedies for when you’re in a reading slump?

I was actually in a big reading slump so I asked for adive and here’s what I discoverd:

• Take a break: we don’t actually have to read. It’s supposed to make us happy and when it becomes a chore for whatever reason then there’s no point in doing it. Take your time to find your way back to books.
• Social media with a bookish community. What I mean is that book blogs, Booktube or even bookstagram always motivate me to read especially when I see how other people are so passionate.
• Pick a book you’re actually interested in: drop the book that has put you in a reading slump or come back to it later. Pick up a shorter book, a romance novel, a graphic book or just book you’re really interested in.
• Audiobooks and e-readers: changing the “reading format” is always helpful. Sometimes picking up a physical book is daunting and I like to change my reading ways.

What has been your favourite book or series of 2020 so far?

If you could meet one author in person who would it be?

I would love to meet Talia Hibbert, Gayle Forman, Shakespeare, and Sarah J, Maas. They all changed my life in a way or another and I would love to meet them!

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My Questions:

• Have you ever had a dream come true?
• What is a book that made you cry (in a good or bad way)?
• What is a character’s name that you really like?
• Where is your favourite place to be?
• What is one of your favourite (book) quotes?

Tag, You’re It

• Meghan @Whimsically Meghan
• Jenna @ Bookmark Your Thoughts
• Margaret @ Weird Zeal
• Rendz @Reading With Rendz
• SOFII @ A BOOK. A THOUGHT.
• Rae @Rae’s Reads and Reviews
• Asha @ Rose Gold Reader
• Laurie @Readbetweentheskylines
• erin @ Reading On A Star
• Ari @Read With Ari
• Liza @The Inharmonious Heroine!

Thank you for reading!

Book Beginnings weekly meme

Hello lovelies!

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Gilion @Rose City Reader. The idea is to share the beginning of a book.

You pick up a book and read the first few sentences. Will it hook you straight away? Does it have significant meaning that will be revealed later? Good. Book. Beginnings. Are. Crucial.

For this challenge I wanted to begin with Isla and the happily ever after by Stephenie perkins. I remember reading the first lines and immediately ordering it. No second thoughts. I was hooked.

“It’s midnight, it’s sweltering, and i might be high on Vicodin, but that guy, – that guy right over there – that’s him.

The him.”

I mean these first few lines sum up the book for me because it is a romance novel but I have scarcely read beginnings that good. Even reading these sentences makes me want to reread it immediately. Josh and Isla are some of my all-time favourite couples and they took a trip to Barcelona (in the book) and they were the reason I also went there on holiday in that summer. When a book, a work of fiction, influences real life, you know it’s good.

Do these first lines make you want to read the book? Have you read it? Let me know in the comments!

Karla xx

Goodreads Monday – August, 24th 2020

Hello lovelies!

I am back with a Goodreads Monday tag! Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme that was started by @Lauren’s Page Turners. The meme is pretty easy to follow, to participate simply choose a random book from your TBR and explain why you want to read it.

Title: The Poppy War

Author: R.F Kuang

Synopsis: (Goodreads)

When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising. Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.

WHY I WANT TO READ IT

I recently joined book twitter and everyone, and I mean everyone said to read this book. I would be a fool to ignore that advice especially since I haven’t seen a single bad review about this one yet. The synopsis seems really promising and exactly the kind of story I enjoy reading.

WHY I HAVEN’T READ IT YET

I want to reach my Goodreads challenge by the end of the month by reading shorter books so I can dedicate the rest of the year reading bigger books and taking my time with them. I want to savor every single page of this promising book.

Have you read it yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

Karla x

Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 characters I would dress up as!

Hello lovelies!

Here’s my weekly Top 5 Tuesday created by the wonderful Shannah @Bionic Bookworm Blog and hosted by Meeghan @Meeghan Reads (go check out their blogs; they’re amazing!). I am extremely excited for this week’s topic; I love fashion and I love books so this is basically a match made in heaven!

Nehemia Ytger from Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

art by Vivien Gintner

Look at the art; need I say more? I loved the description of her hairstyle in the books and I mean, she is a queen. I would love to have a queen’s wardrobe. They could made custom pieces for me.

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Jude Duarte from The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Art by wictorianart

Let’s be clear here: I want to be Jude. Any reason to channel her is a good enough reason for me. I love the beautiful gowns she gets to wear and her hair styled in horns is iconic.

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Lola Nolan from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola is a costume designer! Of course I would want to dress up as her! Her style is eccentric, daring and colorful; which is not how I usually dress but I would still enjoy dressing up as her. I really like clothes from other eras and Lola mixes them into her own style and i just like how confident she is.

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Lara Jean Covey Song from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Edit by Gorly Gorl on Picsart

Lara Jean as the cutest style ever. She’s very preppy and put together and I like all the dresses and pastel colors she wears. I would love to dress up as her! I think the movie did her justice and Lana Condor really made the style work.

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Daisy Jones from Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

art by @ritwells (twitter)

Daisy wears men’s button down shirts as dresses, huge and gold bracelets and earrings and is often barefoot. I like how effortless and “cool” her style is. She exudes confidence and dressing up as her would help me channel that. Fake it until you make it right?

Who would you like to dress up as?

The HOWL Book Tag

Hello lovelies!

It has been a while since I have done a book tag on my blog. I have been tagged by the wonderful Meghan @Whimsically Meghan. Meghan is the kindest and most supportive person ever! She’s always the first one to comment on my posts and support me and I’m very grateful for her. Everyone go check out her blog and return the love!

The HOWL Book Tag was created by Tova (Petyr Baeish Books) and is inspired by Rachel Lynn Solomon’s forthcoming enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance, Today Tonight Tomorrow!

1. Rowan: Name a book that features your favourite romance trope

The enemies to lovers trope is the superior trope. I’m ready to fight anyone on this.

Salome Totladze, @morgana0anagrom on instagram

I instantly thought about so many characters but I think Jude Duarte and Cardan Greenbriar from The Folk of the Air series and especially in The Cruel Prince represent this trope in a perfect way. The angst? confusion? hatred? and…love? Yes, please and thank you!

2. Neil: Name a fictional character, who turns out to be a lot more than you initially thought

Augustus “Gus Everett from Beach Read. He is rude and cold at first but he is really a soft boi™️ (and I love him for it).

3. Cinerama: Name a book that transports you back in time

I read The Selection series back in high school when it was the peak of my YA addiction and I miss those days, man.

4. The Fremont Troll: Name a fictional character who is always there for you, no matter what. In other words, what fictional character is the centre of your universe?

So this book is my all-time favorite book. And I used to pretend I was the main character  Allyson “LuLu” Healey because I wanted to be her so bad. What would Lulu do? What would she say? That’s pretty much it.

5. Pike Place Market: Name a book from your past that is kind of basic (popular), but will always remain special

The Hunger Games series is a very well-known and popular (rightfully so) series , and I miss waiting for the next movie installment to come out and the cast announcements etc. I loved that era. Finnick will forever have a place in my heart.

6. Starbucks (with your name wildly misspelled): Name a book that features a character who has the same name as you—especially if the name is spelled slightly differently

So my name is Karla and I haven’t come across a single character with that name and spelling. However Carla is derived from the name Claire so I went with Claire Fraser.

7. Seattle Public Library: Name a book that holds a special connection in relation to the library for you

I’m very ashamed to say it but I don’t go to libraries for the very good reason that I live in France and most of the books I read are written in English and I hate translations. However since I am moving to Paris in a few weeks I will try to find a library with a large selection of English books. The prompt made me think of Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson where the main character wants to become a librarian and has a close relationship with libraries and books.

8. Delilah Park & Nora Roberts: Name an author you’ve met and/or an author you’d love to meet!

I met Anna Todd!!! It was a very awkward experience for me because I was flustered and self-conscious about my French accent. And I’m sad to say that she wasn’t very….welcoming?

I would LOVE to meet Gayle Forman, Tahereh Mafi, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Holly Black, Stephanie Perkins, Gail Honeyman, Casey McQuinston, Jasmine Guillory, Talia Hibbert, Sarah J. Maas, Marissa Meyer and many others!!

9. The Seattle Skyline: A book that features a location that has a personal connection for you

My family and I went on holiday a few years ago in Barcelona because Isla and Josh went on a romantic getaway there. I went to every single place the characters went and I really felt connected to them somehow. It was a very beautiful time.

10. HOWL: Name a book that features a game that kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time

I was hooked from the beginning and I wanted to know who killed Simon. It was extremely interesting and made me want to explore the mystery genre further.

TAGS

 SOFII ⏐Rae ⏐Tanya⏐

Project – Reading 10 books in 3 weeks!

Hello lovelies!

I created a new book-related twitter account and it has highly inspired me to read more books this summer, especially since I now have the time to do so. This project is inspired by Laurie @ReadBetweentheSkylines who herself was inspired by Sasha @abookutopia (on youtube) who wanted to read 10 books in 21 days!

Here’s what I would like to accomplish:

• I would like to read (at least) 10 books
• Read most of the books on my physical and digital TBR
• Get ahead on my Goodreads reading challenge
• Post about the challenge
• Review the books read for the challenge