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Showing posts from May, 2019

Book Blogger Hop; Reading Books Over 400 Pages

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It's Friday yet again and probably time for yet another Book Blogger Hop post, courtesy of  Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer . The question of the week was "Do you read books over 400 pages?" . Book Blogger Hop Personally, I do read them. A few of the longer books I've read and enjoyed includes The Alphabet House by Jussi Adler-Olsen, A Dark So Deadly by Stuart MacBride and Germinal by Émile Zola.

Monthly Summary; May 2019

It's the end of the month again, which means it's time for a monthly summary of the books I've read in addition to my book haul. I've managed to read quite a number of books this month as well, with a combination of poetry, children's books, crime novels and other random titles. Quite a number of these where either press copies or ARC's I've recieved from Netgalley. My favourite secondhand bookstore in Stavanger (Løvås bruktbu) had a three day sale this month, so I managed to find a few books there this month. As it's a secondhand bookstore, the books were reasonably priced to begin with, so when they had the sale, it was possible to save a bit. Walking through that store is almost like going on a literary treasure hunt. Anyway, here's my lists. Books I've Read Grave Expectations by Sandra Gardner The Jacq of Spades by Patricia Loofbourrow Scarlet Fever by David Stever Region Six by Ian James Krender Sifting Through Clues by Daryl Wo

Book Blitz; A Shifting of Stars by Kathy Kimbray

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Top 5 Wednesday; Books Featuring Mental Health

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It's Wednesday and time for another Top 5 Wednesday post, thanks to the  Goodreads group . The theme of the week was books featuring mental health. My picks are; The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 23:27 by H. L. Roberts The Edge of Brilliance by Susan Traugh Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel

Top Ten Tuesday; Favourite Books Released In the Last Ten Years

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It's Tuesday yet again, which means it's time for another Top Ten Tuesday post courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was favourite books released in the past ten years, one for each year. My picks are these ones; 2019; Here Walk the Dead (Boneseeker #2) by Brynn Chapman 2018; Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien 2017; The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell 2016; Coffin Road by Peter May 2015: Murder in Absentia by Assaph Mehr 2014; Dirty Pretty Things by Michael Faudet 2013; Scales by Amity Green 2012; I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai 2011; The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern 2010; Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh

Omtale; Bønn for Tsjernobyl av Svetlana Aleksijevitsj

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I forbindelse med Non-fiction Reading Challenge, endte jeg opp med å lese boka Bønn for Tsjernobyl av Svetlana Aleksijevitsj og i dag kommer omtalen. Beskrivelse fra forlaget "Jeg har alltid med meg to buketter: en til ham, og den andre legger jeg i hjørnet til henne ... Jenta mi reddet meg, hun tok hele strålingsstøyten, hun ble som en strålingsavleder. Så liten. Det lille nurket ... Kan man virkelig drepe med kjærlighet?" Ljudmila Ignatenko, enken etter brannmannen Vasilij Ignatenko. På mindre enn tre døgn ble atomkrafteksplosjonen i Tsjernobyl en global katastrofe som rammet og påvirket hele verden. I dag, 30 år senere, begynner vi å danne oss et bilde av de massive ringvirkningene ulykken har fått. Journalisten Svetlana Aleksijevitj, har i tre år reist rundt i de mest utsatte områdene for å samle vitnesbyrd om livene til menneskene som kom tettest på. Hvordan lever de i dag? Hva opptar dem? Hva tenker de om fremtiden? Hva er deres historie? I Bønn for Tsjernobyl

Review; The Mutts Summer Diaries by Patrick McDonnell

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I was fortunate enough to recieve a sample ARC of The Mutts Summer Diaries by Patrick McDonnell from Netgalley and today I'll post my review. Description from Netgalley Put on your swim trunks and hit the beach with Earl and Mooch—the dog (and cat) days of summer are here! It’s summertime, and the living is easy, the ice cream is cold, and the temperature is so hot your brains will melt right out of your head. Mooch and Earl are eager to make the most of it, lounging in the backyard pool, building sandcastles on the beach, and exchanging knock-knock jokes with a dolphin. From whales and tsunamis to lemonade and Bermuda shorts, this Mutts collection is packed full of summer fun! My Thoughts on the Book Even though I only recieved a sampler from Netgalley, the comics are nontheless really cute and funny, especially if one has pets.

Review; The Flexible Pescatarian by Jo Pratt

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A little while ago I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of the cookbook The Flexible Pescatarian by Jo Pratt through Netgalley. I read the book shortly afterwards, but I haven't posted my review until now. Description from Goodreads Whether you’re looking to eat less meat, a lover of seafood, or even a dedicated pescatarian, you’ll find something for you in this book filled with delicious and practical recipes for every lifestyle from celebrated chef Jo Pratt. Choose between cooking each recipe as a fish dish, or get creative with some veggie substitutes. From a curried Buddha bowl to Cornish crab pasties, aromatic cured salmon with pea blinis to a wholesome and hearty smoky mac ‘n’ cheese, the range of international recipes spans the globe and are all simple, well-balanced and packed with flavour. As well as easy approaches on how to cook your fish and hacks for vegetarian options, this original cookbook shows you how to prepare the perfect fish fillet and handle whole

Review; Passion Becomes You by Michelle Reid and Takane Yonetani

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Recently, I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC of the manga Passion Becomes You by Michelle Reid and Takane Yonetani through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads She’s scared to lose her heart. He’s a playboy and confirmed bachelor! When Jemma, a secretary, first meets Leon Stephanades, her boss’s wealthy Greek client, she’s unable to take her eyes off him. His smile almost makes her heart burst. Jemma tells herself she mustn’t fall for the playboy—he changes lovers as often as her parents and her boss do! In any case, he’s a confirmed bachelor who hates being tied down. Nevertheless, aware of Jemma’s gaze, Leon tugs her toward him and softly promises, “No conditions, no promises. But while we’re together, I’ll be yours only.” Though annoyed by his arrogance, Jemma is unable to resist his kiss. My Thoughts on the Book Passion Becomes You is a manga novel with beautiful artwork, but I honestly struggled to like Jemma

Review; The Modern Cheesemaker: Making and Cooking with Cheeses at Home by Morgan McGlynn

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Recently I was lucky enough to recieve an ARC of the book The Modern Cheesemaker: Making and Cooking with Cheeses at Home by Morgan McGlynn through Netgalley. I read it shortly afterwards and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads The Modern Cheesemaker shows you how to make 18 cheeses, from the rich and gooey, to the wonderfully stinky, and all the cheeseboard favourites – including simple, fresh cheeses such as mozzarella and ricotta, working up to salty and versatile halloumi, feta and paneer, perfect, melting Swiss cheese, through to aged Cheddar and Brie. Starting from the very basics of the making process, with a guide to milk types and the seasonal nature of cheese, The Modern Cheesemaker will deepen your understanding of this essential ingredient and its production. The equipment you will need is thoroughly explained and readily available and by following the easy-to-use instructions and Morgan McGlynn’s expert tips, you’ll soon learn how to become your

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge; Books I Love that Became Films or TV Shows

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It's Wednesday and time for another Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge thanks to  Long and Short Reviews . The theme of the week was books I love that became films or TV series. While several of my favourite books have been adapted to either film or TV, I'm not going to list them all. Here is anyway five of my favourite books that has been turned into films or TV series. Chocolat by Joanne Harris Dracula by Bram Stoker One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Top 5 Tuesday; Top 5 “Unputdownable” African Reads

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It's Tuesday again and time for a new Top 5 Tuesday, courtesy of  The Bionic Bookworm . The theme of the week was top five unputdownable reads and I decided narrowing it down to African reads as it's a vast continent and deserves some attention. My picks are these; Black Mamba Boy by Nadifa Mohamed Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta The Fishermen by Chigozie Obioma The Last Brother by Nathacha Appanah

Review; A Checkered Past by Daniella Bernett

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This is the last day for me participating in Mystery Thriller Week. I was lucky enough to recieve a press copy of the crime novel A Checkered Past by Daniella Bernett from the author and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads A looted Nazi painting…A former IRA commander…The tie that binds is murder Emmeline Kirby is back in London, determined to make a success of her new job as editorial director of investigative features at The Clarion. Three months have passed since her trip to Torquay and the devastating revelations that surfaced about her fiancé Gregory Longdon. The whole interlude has left a bitter taste in her mouth, and she is keeping him at arm’s length. But a suave and dashing jewel thief like Gregory is not easily daunted. After all, faint heart never won fair lady. It doesn’t hurt that Emmeline’s grandmother and her best friend, Maggie, are on his side. Only his shadowy past could ruin his chances. All of these relationships are threatened as Emmelin

Review; Scarlet Fever by David Stever

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Mystery Thriller Week isn't over quite yet luckily. Earlier I was fortunate enough to recieve an ARC of Scarlet Fever by David Stever through Netgalley. As it was a book listed for Mystery Thriller Week, I ended up reading it and today I'll post my review. Description from Goodreads He’s a hard-drinking ex-cop with nothing to prove. She’s a gorgeous mystery woman with everything to lose. She needs his help. He just needs HER. The mobsters won’t know what hit them. Private investigator Johnny Delarosa’s seen it all. Cheating spouses, greedy embezzlers, insurance scammers—it’s all part of the game to him. But when a drop-dead gorgeous redheaded mystery woman walks into his bar and drops a $20,000 retainer in his lap, he knows he’s met his match. Claire Dixon wants the hard-drinking Johnny to find $2 million that was stolen from her mob-wife mother thirty years ago, but the money is only half the mystery. When every lowlife in Port City suddenly comes out of the woodwork to

Review; The Jacq of Spades by Patricia Loofbourrow

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Mystery Thriller Week isn't over quite yet. I've read The Jacq of Spades by Patricia Loofbourrow for this occasion and today I will post my review of the book. I was also lucky enough to recieve a digital copy of this book from the author. Description from Goodreads The once-beautiful domed neo-Victorian city of Bridges is split between four crime families in an uneasy cease-fire. Social disparity increasing and its steam-driven infrastructure failing, a new faction is on the rise: the Red Dogs. Jacqueline Spadros has a dream life: a wealthy husband, a powerful family. But her life is not what it seems. Kidnapped from her mother's brothel and forced to marry, the murder of her best friend Air ten years before haunts her nightmares. She finds moments of freedom in a small-time private eye business, which she hides in fear of her sadistic father-in-law. Air's little brother disappears off his back porch and the Red Dogs are framed for it. With the help of a mysteriou

Book Blitz; Paladin by Sarah MacTavish

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Book Blogger Hop; Which Author Would I Most Like To Interview and Why?

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It's Friday and probably time for a new Book Blogger Hop post, courtesy of  Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer . The question of the week was "Which author would you most like to interview, and why?" . Book Blogger Hop There's a bunch of authors I would love to interview, but one I would love to interview is James Holland, who's both an author and a historian. He seems both down to earth, intelligent and interesting, so I suspect it would be a treat interviewing him.

Review, Grave Expectations by Sandra Gardner

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It's time for another book review for Mystery Thriller Week. This time it is Grave Expectations by Sandra Gardner and I was lucky enough to recieve a digital press copy from the author. Description from Goodreads When Marabella Vinegar’s favorite neighbor, Sam Lipschitz, dies, everyone, including the NYPD, thinks it was natural causes. After all, Sam was pushing eighty, with a heart condition. But Marabella knows Sam’s heart problem was mild and under control with medication—and she’s already acquainted with Sam’s greedy relatives—so she doesn’t think there was anything natural about it. Neither does her sleuthing sidekick, her mother-the-ghost-detective, who has recently dropped back into Marabella’s life, happy to interfere again. Not only that, but Rose, another elderly neighbor, tells Marabella she overheard Sam arguing with someone in his apartment about money, and was threatening to change his will. Rose caught a shadowy glimpse of the person fleeing Sam’s apartment and

Review; Chasing Symmetry by Tempeste Blake

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It's time for another review in relation to Mystery Thriller Week and today it's Chasing Symmetry by Tempeste Blake, in which I was fortunate enough to recieve as a press copy from the author. Description from Goodreads Someone had been trying for the perfect shade of red . . . When art professor Bianca James tries to save a dying woman, the grudge-holding chief of police is all too quick to catapult her to the top of the suspect list. As if that isn’t enough, her ex-boyfriend’s younger brother, Finn Tierny, is assigned to the case, and she’s faced with a trilogy of dilemmas: go head to head with the chief, stop a cold-blooded killer on her own, or trust another Tierny. Finn’s return to Riley’s Peak is bittersweet. He’s flooded with memories, both good and bad, as he battles doubts about being a cop, a cantankerous father, a jealous brother, and a drug dealer with a rap-sheet longer than the list of addicts he’s been supplying. Threats escalate, the suspect list grows,

Top Ten Tuesday; Crime and Thriller Books That Should be Adapted to Movies

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It's yet another Tuesday, which means it's time for a new Top Ten Tuesday post courtesy of  That Artsy Reader Girl . The theme of the week was a page to screen freebie, so I decided to write a list of crime, mystery and thriller novels I would love to see being adapted into a movie. My picks are; The Fire Child by S. K. Tremayne The Teacher by Katerina Diamond Redemption Road by John Hart Silent Scream by Angela Marsons The Secrets of the Lazarus Club by Tony Pollard Night School by C. J. Daugherty The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne Boneseeker by Brynn Chapman Down River by John Hart The Reading Buddy by Bryce Gibson