Jump to content

Athena's Reading List 2016


Athena

Recommended Posts

How many books does this make this month? Not including the read a thon.

Hmm, well since I started the read-a-thon at the end of April, I only had 1 read-a-thon day in May. I read 6 books during that day. The rest of the month, so far, I read 30 books (so 36 in total). Part of that is due to the many Stiltons I read outside of the read-a-thon :P. I kind of had a sort of mini-read-a-thon halfway through the month. If I discount any children's books, the total is obviously a lot less. Of those 30 books, 7 were non-children's books (so YA books or books for adults).

 

I read Maria Semple - Where'd You Go, Bernadette. This book is told in an interesting way. Aside from 1rst person views from Bee, there are also plenty of letters, e-mails and reports, through which the story is told. I had to get used to the way of storytelling at first, and the story is a bit crazy in places, but overall I liked the book. It wasn't a perfect read, but it was enjoyable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 720
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I read Beth Revis - Across the Universe 1: Across the Universe. I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I wasn't sure if it would be good, because most of what I'd heard was about how the third book in the series got a different cover design than the first two books, which people were understandably upset about. My covers are different though than those so the three of them do match (even if they might not be as pretty covers as the originals) but anyway.. The book itself was pretty awesome. I loved all the plot twists and finding out the secrets of the ship. The book has short chapters, which I thought was quite nice, which alternate between Amy's and Elder's viewpoint. The book is about Amy, who is cryogenecally frozen aboard a spaceship, but she wakes up too early, violently, after someone tried to murder her. Elder is the heir to Eldest (who is the leader of the ship). I really liked this book and plan to read the second and third book soon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read Beth Revis - Across the Universe 2: A Million Suns. I was a bit hesistant at first, unsure if the second book would be as good as the first book. But gladly, I needn't have worried. This second book was quite good, I really enjoyed reading it. There aren't a lot of YA science-fiction books, most of futuristic YA books are dystopians. I'm really enjoying the series so far, and I look forward to see how book 3 is going to wrap things up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

May 2016 Summary

 

Books read: 40

Pages read: 10539

 

Books read in the read-a-thon: 6 (excluding 17 at the end of April)

Pages read in the read-a-thon: 1273 (exluding 2918 pages at the end of April)

Books read outside of the read-a-thon: 34

Pages read outside of the read-a-thon: 9266

 

Most impressive / Favourites of the month:

Jodi Picoult - Handle with Care

John Flanagan - Ranger's Apprentice: The Early Years 1: The Tournament at Gorlan

Thea Stilton - Heksen Van Fantasia 7: De Heks Van Al Het Kwaad (Strega Delle Streghe)

Beth Revis - Across the Universe 1: Across the Universe

Beth Revis - Across the Universe 2: A Million Suns

David Walliams - Grandpa's Great Escape

Thea Stilton - Thea Stilton 19: De Jacht Op De Zwarte Tulp (Sulle Tracce Del Tulipano Nero)

Laura Ingalls Wilder - Little House series (I've read books 1-10 except book 8)

+ reading lots of Stiltons this month

 

Biggest disappointment / Least favourite of the month:

Angie Spady and Channing Everidge - Dagboek Van Een Modemeisje 1: Vriendschap, Geloof en Modeblunders! (The Desperate Diva Diaries 1: Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendschip and Fashion Disasters!) (but it was still allright)

 

Other notes:

I expect next month to hopefully feature Beth Revis - Across the Universe 3: Shades of Earth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read the first Across The Universe book and I liked it, but I didn't like it enough to read any more. I think I had a bunch of problems with it - unfortunately I read it back when I wasn't writing as many reviews, so I don't remember the details. I read it at the same time as another book called Life As We Knew It, and I think I preferred that. But I gave both of them only 2/3 stars on Goodreads.

 

I wonder if you would like Alive by Scott Sigler, or The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers? (If you haven't already read those). The former is a semi-sci-fi, mostly dystopia YA novel and the later is a sort of sci-fi space opera - set in space/on a ship but entirely character driven. I really liked both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read the first Across The Universe book and I liked it, but I didn't like it enough to read any more. I think I had a bunch of problems with it - unfortunately I read it back when I wasn't writing as many reviews, so I don't remember the details. I read it at the same time as another book called Life As We Knew It, and I think I preferred that. But I gave both of them only 2/3 stars on Goodreads.

 

I wonder if you would like Alive by Scott Sigler, or The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers? (If you haven't already read those). The former is a semi-sci-fi, mostly dystopia YA novel and the later is a sort of sci-fi space opera - set in space/on a ship but entirely character driven. I really liked both.

It's a shame you didn't like it quite so much. I will put those on my wishlist, they both sound good :)! It's a shame not all the books in the series have been released according to GoodReads, as I like to read series all in one go. But they will definitely go on my list :). Thanks!

 

I read Beth Revis - Across the Universe 3: Shades of Earth. I thought this was a nice end to the trilogy, and it definitely ended differently than what I thought when I started reading this book. I really enjoyed reading this trilogy. The books have been on my shelf since 2013, and while the covers match, their sizes and other bits do not. The first one's a US edition, the second one is an ex-library edition so has some plastic over it and the third one is a UK edition. Sometimes it's quite unhandy it's hard to see if a book is a US or UK edition, and even though I live in the Netherlands sometimes there's only 1 choice, either one or the other. But it's not consistent, for some books they sell the US edition and others they sell only the UK edition. Anyway.. I'm happy the covers match at least. I really enjoyed this trilogy and its many secrets and plot twists. There is plenty of action. I really enjoyed spending time in this world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read Rainbow Rowell - Kindred Spirits, a novella about a girl who waits in line for the new Star Wars movie. I liked it but not as much as the three full-length books I've read by the author (Fangirl, Carry On, Attachments).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read Beth Revis - Across the Universe 2.5: As They Slip Away, which is a novella that takes place in the same world as the Across the Universe trilogy. It's available to read online. I liked this novella, it gave a bit of extra background into a few side characters. It wasn't as good as the full length novels, but I did enjoy reading it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read Jojo Moyes - Me Before You 1: Me Before You. This was such a good book. It was emotional and very impressive. I cried (yes, just like everyone said I would). I did guess a few things that happened, but it was still a very good read. I think it will stay in my mind for a while. I really enjoyed it. Wow, such a great book. I have to decide if I want to read the sequel, the paperback edition comes out at the end of the month. I haven't read the synopsis yet, I want to think on this book a little longer. I think someone on here has read the sequel but not that many people have?

 

Then I re-read Jacques Vriens - Een Bende in de Bovenbouw. It's the book I found in the attic a few weeks or such ago (I can't remember how long ago that was). It was great to read this book again, very nostalgic. And you can really tell the author knows what he's talking about, since he was (is?) a teacher himself. Apparently, according to Wikipedia, he's been knighted by our queen (we now have a king). I've read a lot of his books and liked all of them. I really enjoyed re-reading this book. The pages are falling apart, you can tell I've read this book a lot :P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have read After You, Gaia. I thought it was great but not quite as good as Me Before You. Worth a read. :)

I thought it was you who had read it, but I didn't want to say so in case I was wrong :blush2:. Thanks, that's good to know :). If I have some money come the end of the month (when it comes out in medium sized paperback), I might be very tempted to buy it :).

 

I was in town this weekend and went to the Terre des Hommes (charity shop). I found a couple of books:

 

Ildikó von Kürthy - De Hufter Op Het Witte Paard (Mondscheintarif)

Dan Hiscocks - Op Reis? Voor Geen Prijs! (Travellers' Tales From Heaven and Hell)

Pieter Feller - Chatgevaar

Peter Jan Rens - Sigmund de Bloedhond

Stephen King - Alles Is Eventueel (Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales) (different cover and size than the one I already had)

Amy Tan - De Vreugde- En Gelukclub (The Joy Luck Club)

Kate Jacobs - The Friday Night Knitting Club 1: The Friday Night Knitting Club

Stephenie Meyer - Twilight 2: New Moon

Greg Egan - Orthogonal 2: The Eternal Flame

David Brin - Tussen Twee Werelden (The Postman)

 

NewBooksTdH_2016-06-04_Spines_0.25.jpg

 

NewBooksTdH_2016-06-04_Covers1_0.25.jpg

 

NewBooksTdH_2016-06-04_Covers2_0.25.jpg

 

Then I went to the library and picked up my 5 reservations. After that I went upstairs and found lots more books to loan. When I wanted to check out the books using my card, there was something wrong with one of them (the Jenny Han book), so I had to run around going to several people trying to fix it so I could loan it. It was busy at the library, I spent a while queuing up to the customer service desk, the second time (the first time there was no queue).

 

Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton 17: Het Spook van de Metro (Il Fantasma del Metrò)

Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton 27: Een Muizenissige Vakantie (Quella Stratopica Vacanza Alle Pensione Mirasorci...)

Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton 32: Het Geheim van Kerstmis (Il Mistero Degli Elfi)

Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton 35: Geheim Agent Nul Nul K (Agente Segeto Zero Zero Kappa)

Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton 69: Bombarie in Brazilië (Grosso Guaio in Mato Grosso)

Geronimo Stilton - Groene Reeks 5: Muis Overboord! (Allarme... Topo in Mare!)

Geronimo Stilton - Het Boekje over Geluk (Il Piccolo Libro della Felicità) (reservation)

Thea Stilton - Thea Stilton 5: De Verborgen Stad (La Città Segreta) (reservation)

Geronimo Stilton - Fantasia IX: De Fenomenale Reis (Grande Ritorno nel Regno della Fantasia) (reservation)

Geronimo Stilton - Fantasia X (Nono Viaggio nel Regno della Fantasia) (reservation)

Geronimo Stilton and Thea Stilton - De 12 Zwaarden 1: De Spiegel der Duisternis (Il Segreto del Draco) (reservation)

Kate Pankhurst - Mariella Mystery 7: Mariella Mystery Investigates The Disappearing Dinner Lady

Michael Morpurgo - Clare and her Captain

Jeff Kinney - Het Leven van een Loser 8: Gedumpt (Diary of a Wimpy Kid 8: Hard Luck)

Lincoln Peirce - Niek de Groot 4: Niek de Groot Kladt Erop Los (Big Nate Goes For Broke)

Sebastien Perez and Benjamin Lacombe - Superhelden Lusten Geen Spruitjes (Les Super-héros Détestent les Artichauts)

Monica Furlong - Doran 3: Colman (Dutch)

Jenny Han - Aan Alle Jongens Van Wie Ik Hield 1: Aan Alle Jongens Van Wie Ik Hield (To All The Boys I've Loved Before 1: To All The Boys I've Loved Before)

Julie Kagawa - The Iron Fey 1: De Ijzerkoning (The Iron King)

Julie Kagawa - The Iron Fey 2: De Ijzerprinses (The Iron Daughter)

Julie Kagawa - The Iron Fey 3: De Ijzerkoningin (The Iron Queen)

(book 4 wasn't there)

Julia Kagawa - The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten 1: De Verloren Prins (The Lost Prince)

Julia Kagawa - The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten 2: De Duistere Fae (The Iron Traitor)

 

NewLibraryLoans_2016-06-04_Spines_0.25.jpg

 

NewLibraryLoans_2016-06-04_Covers1_0.25.jpg

 

NewLibraryLoans_2016-06-04_Covers2_0.220.jpg

 

NewLibraryLoans_2016-06-04_Covers3_0.25.jpg

 

NewLibraryLoans_2016-06-04_Covers4_0.25.jpg

 

NewLibraryLoans_2016-06-04_Covers5_0.25.jpg

 

There was also this whole stack of free cards, so I took one:

 

Card_2016-06-04_0.25.jpg

 

I had lots of fun going to the library :D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another great book haul !  :D

 

I hope you like the Amy Tan book ; she`s one of my favourite authors.  :smile:

Thanks :D! Good to hear that :). I haven't read anything by Amy Tan before, but I hope I will enjoy the book :).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked The Joy Luck Club...it's fun too, if you've ever played the game mahjong. I've only played the computer version, but with the actual tiles- wow! I'd love it (although I'm sure it's hard!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I liked The Joy Luck Club...it's fun too, if you've ever played the game mahjong. I've only played the computer version, but with the actual tiles- wow! I'd love it (although I'm sure it's hard!).

I'm glad to hear you liked it :). Yes, I've played that game, but like you only on the computer, many years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...