[Wrap-Up] That's What Being Out of a Slump Feels Like: October 2019
What did I say last month? Apparently I'm out of a slump. And: damn, I definitely am. I need to be careful not to burn myself out. But I'm definitely back in a reading mood (except for one week but that was because I had a strong cold..). So here we are with this month's wrap-up and I finally got around to read more than I have in the last few months.
I read about 3566 pages which averages to about 115.03 pages a day. Which, let's be real, is a lot. I mean, I did read a lot of smaller books but it does make this a lot more pages read than I have read in a while. I did realize though that I probably said the wrong average page count the last few times. Well, that can happen. This time I definitely didn't get the wrong count.
I also started two other books but pushed them back to the next month or even December for various reasons. One being that I wanted to read more creepy books this month (didn't work out that well) and another reason being that I want to read one book for a book club group on goodreads. It's next month's book so I put it aside for that.
"Bücherkrieg" by Akram El-Bahay
Pages: 368
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: German
Original language: German
And the first book I finished (I actually started this one in September) is a German one. It's the last in a trilogy about a thief, Samir - called Sam -, who becomes a guard in the library of his country's king and the story involves a lot of creatures from Arabian and related mythologies and folklore. That's the short version of what this is about. There isn't a translated version out there as far as I know but for anyone who speaks German: I linked my review on Goodreads.
What I want to say here is that, I liked this series and it's the reason I finally started reading this author's works. I'm currently reading a YA novel of his and so far it's really cute. I also think it's wonderful to see how his own experiences and such most likely influenced his works. This one here has some small things on racism as well but overall it's about fairytales and mythology.
4/5★
"Even the Stars Look Lonesome" by Maya Angelou
Pages: 145
Genre: Non-Fiction, Essays
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1996
Read in: English
Original language: English
A beautiful essay collection and my introduction to the way Maya Angelou writes. Maybe it wasn't the best, maybe it was the right one for me. I can't tell yet. But I'm glad I finally have read something by her which I wanted to do for quite some time.
From racism, to general race relations, and to the experiences as a woman and especially a black woman - Maya Angelou beautifully talks about issues in a concise and easily accessible way. Some things were slightly outdated in terms of what I've heard People of Color say online so far but that's to be expected from essays that were written over 20 years ago. I can't wait to read more by Maya Angelou now. If anyone has any recommendations what I should read next that would be great.
4/5★
"The Diary of a Bookseller" by Shaun Bythell
Pages: 320
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2017
Read in: English
Original language: English
Another non-fiction book which is a surprising thing for me. I don't read enough non-fiction, which I need to change. This one though was a simple one and easy to read when I didn't have the time to properly learn other stuff than what's important for my job. The title tells you what it is, and it was so much fun.
I know this is again not for everyone. If you mind criticism towards Amazon you shouldn't read this. Also if you have issues with salespeople commenting on how annoying customers can be: don't read this! As someone who has some experience in working in sale and whose family works in that field I can relate to many points Bythell made. And I also laugh about a lot of stuff if it's told in a dry tone and as a Brit (Scottish to be exact) Bythell is very good at telling things in a dry tone. My full review is linked for you if you are interested.
3.75/5★
"Baptism of Fire" by Andrzej Sapkowski
Pages: 343
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1996
Read in: English
Original language: Polish
In preparation for the Netflix show I've been trying to catch up with the series. Don't think I will manage to but I think I'm caught up enough for it at least. Again, Sapkowski tells a wonderful story, shows us where the characters are and what they encounter. And all is interspersed with beautiful philosophical conversations. That's actually what I love so much about this series. It's definitely not common nowadays for most fantasy novels so I know people were a bit surprised at the way these books are written but I can promise you that it's worth your time. There is just so much to experience.
Also, in this book we finally meet Percival Schuttenbach, the character the band named themselves after (for those who do not know: the band with the same name participated in creating the soundtrack for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), and Regis (who we meet in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine DLC). I got so excited about this because I found Regis an interesting character in the game. And the original version of him didn't disappoint. He was definitely like in the game which tells us a lot about the people who created the game. And we also meet Zoltan in this book as well. So for anyone who loves the games, this is the perfect book to get to.
4/5★
"Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Pages: 415
Genre: 1990
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1990
Read in: English
Original language: English
After reading this book I claim the Amazon Prime series to be one of the best recent tv show adaptations I've watched. Neil Gaiman seriously made Terry Pratchett proud with that one. I'm sure.
For those who haven't read or watched this story: An angel and a demon struck up an unlikely friendship. Many millennia later they get involved in hell's and heaven's preparations for the apocalypse. And the Antichrist gets misplaced. So what should one do when one has spent a bit too much time on earth and loved that planet more than was intended by Heaven and Hell? One tries to stop the apocalypse.
This book is funny and beautiful and full of heart and love for this world. And definitely more appropriate for the time we live in than some people might think. Just to name one thing: the Four Horsemen have changed a little as Pestilence stopped working and Pollution took over. Definitely a story that resonates with what's going on in our world at the moment. Read this! Or watch the show. But consume this story!
5/5★
"Penny Dreadful: The Beauteous Evil" by Chris King
Pages: 112
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel, Horror
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2018
Read in: English
Original language: English
As I said on Goodreads: the comics don't do the story enough justice. It's a solid continuation but it's missing a bit of what it could have if it was still a tv series. Sadly. Still, I enjoy this a lot and can't wait to get my hands on the next issue. More I can't say because this would spoil the series. But if you love horror and especially Victorian Gothic Fiction you should watch the show. It's really good! Third season drags a bit in parts but it's worth it, I promise!
3/5★
"The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black" by E.B. Hudspeth
Pages: 208
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Mock Non-Fiction
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2013
Read in: English
Original language: English
This was a fun and short read with gorgeous illustrations. Definitely something for fans of Frankenstein and Tim Burton. I can't say if the Latin words used here and there are accurate. The drawings look like they could be realistic but I don't know for sure. Overall, this is a pretty book and a nice, short read. That's also why it only got three stars. I don't know how to rate it otherwise. But I definitely can recommend it!
3/5★
"Ninth House" by Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 448
Genre: Fantasy, Gothic Fiction
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: English
Original language: English
Where do I start with this without just copy-pasting my whole review? I don't know. This book got mixed reviews for a reason and I already wrote about this in my full review (linked!) but to keep it short: Character driven stories and those that could be seen as Modern Gothic Fiction aren't for everyone! So take me liking this a lot with a grain of salt. It's not perfect but it's still a great read in my opinion.
In Ninth House we meet Alex Stern who gets involved in Yales secret societies and their magic and who has a rather horrible past. The magic is creepy and disgusting in parts, there are many adult themes, and Bardugo creates parallels to many feminist issues and also a tiny bit of race relations, though that a bit less. It's more about the issues of violence against women portrayed through magic.
So if you like this kind of stuff, a writing style that for a reason made Stephen King like this, and enjoy Gothic fiction tropes: I can recommend this book to you.
4.5/5★
"The Slow Regard of Silent Things" by Patrick Rothfuss
Pages: 159
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2014
Read in: English
Original language: English
Again this is going to be a short review as this is a short book. I wouldn't specifically call this one short story as we mostly just see how Auri spends her time. But it is again a gorgeously told story that gives us a few insights into her and some aspects of the world. I won't be going into that now. Also because I need to think about this and I need to reread some parts of the main story to connect everything properly.
4/5★
"Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
Pages: 315
Genre: Crime Fiction, Classic
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1934
Read in: English
Original language: English
This book is such a delightful read! Not exactly something one should maybe say about a murder mystery but it was. It's easy to read, it is fun even if you know the story, and the characters are all so lovely in their own way. I totally understand now why this is one of the most beloved classic crime stories.
I watched the latest movie adaptation a while ago and enjoyed it and have to say it's definitely a good one. Yes, they made some changes to the characters and where they come from except for certain characters, but I think for a modern audience that was a good choice. Overall, if you love Cluedo (Clue in North-America) style murder mysteries you should read this book.
4/5★
"The Bone Houses" by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Young Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: English
Original language: English
I went into this not knowing anything and I'm not disappointed. It wasn't the greatest or newest thing but I found it to be a solid read. The Bone Houses is the story of Ryn who is a gravedigger in a small village. And she's one of the few people who actually doesn't just believe but also knows that bone houses exist: dead people that wander through the forest next to the village. One day they also start to come closer to the village which was unheard of. During that time a young man appears as well who is a mapmaker and wants to map the mountain area where the fae folk supposedly had lived. Together they embark on an adventure into the mountains. He to map the place and she because she wants to end the curse that makes the dead wander around.
I enjoyed the concept. The bone houses are creepy and interesting. The characters are fine. The romance was not my cup of tea. To be honest, I found the interactions between the characters lacking in part and that's also why the romance didn't work for me. Also because there were some instances when one of them thought about the other, commenting on something that's part of their behavior, and I just sat there thinking "You've known each other for like five seconds. You can't know that yet!".Like I said, the way the story moves is nothing new or spectacular. But it was fun. There are some funny elements to it and I loved the way fae folk mythology was woven into it. It's a cute read and I guess if you like a lot of YA you will like this as well.
3/5★
"Herzenmacher" by Akram El-Bahay
Pages: 384
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Young Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: German
Original language: German
And after starting this month with a German novel, I also ended it with one. And by the same author as well. This book had been on my TBR since May or so and I only now got around to actually reading it. It's a cute story about a teen boy finding out about a magical world and his ability to create mechanical hearts in a way no one else can except for the few others like him. There is also something about an evil witch because apparently El-Bahay loves his fairytales. I'm not complaining because I think it's fun.
It's a magical story and for anyone who speaks German: I linked my (short) German review again. I do think though that this book would be great for those who like Cornelia Funke's Inkheart trilogy. Not to compare them because they are different. But something about it made me think of that trilogy. Probably how it involves stories and fairytales. I also thought of The Nutcracker because of the feeling I got reading this book.
4/5★
More:
I also read The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe and I enjoyed it a lot. But as it is a very short read and part of a collection I own I don't list it as it's own read. I wanted to read so much more but I didn't get to it. Still, I read a lot as we can see above. Let's hope I can keep this up without burning myself out. I gave The Masque of the Red Death 4/5★.
___
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"Even the Stars Look Lonesome" by Maya Angelou
Pages: 145
Genre: Non-Fiction, Essays
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1996
Read in: English
Original language: English
A beautiful essay collection and my introduction to the way Maya Angelou writes. Maybe it wasn't the best, maybe it was the right one for me. I can't tell yet. But I'm glad I finally have read something by her which I wanted to do for quite some time.
From racism, to general race relations, and to the experiences as a woman and especially a black woman - Maya Angelou beautifully talks about issues in a concise and easily accessible way. Some things were slightly outdated in terms of what I've heard People of Color say online so far but that's to be expected from essays that were written over 20 years ago. I can't wait to read more by Maya Angelou now. If anyone has any recommendations what I should read next that would be great.
4/5★
"The Diary of a Bookseller" by Shaun Bythell
Pages: 320
Genre: Non-Fiction
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2017
Read in: English
Original language: English
Another non-fiction book which is a surprising thing for me. I don't read enough non-fiction, which I need to change. This one though was a simple one and easy to read when I didn't have the time to properly learn other stuff than what's important for my job. The title tells you what it is, and it was so much fun.
I know this is again not for everyone. If you mind criticism towards Amazon you shouldn't read this. Also if you have issues with salespeople commenting on how annoying customers can be: don't read this! As someone who has some experience in working in sale and whose family works in that field I can relate to many points Bythell made. And I also laugh about a lot of stuff if it's told in a dry tone and as a Brit (Scottish to be exact) Bythell is very good at telling things in a dry tone. My full review is linked for you if you are interested.
3.75/5★
"Baptism of Fire" by Andrzej Sapkowski
Pages: 343
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1996
Read in: English
Original language: Polish
In preparation for the Netflix show I've been trying to catch up with the series. Don't think I will manage to but I think I'm caught up enough for it at least. Again, Sapkowski tells a wonderful story, shows us where the characters are and what they encounter. And all is interspersed with beautiful philosophical conversations. That's actually what I love so much about this series. It's definitely not common nowadays for most fantasy novels so I know people were a bit surprised at the way these books are written but I can promise you that it's worth your time. There is just so much to experience.
Also, in this book we finally meet Percival Schuttenbach, the character the band named themselves after (for those who do not know: the band with the same name participated in creating the soundtrack for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), and Regis (who we meet in The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine DLC). I got so excited about this because I found Regis an interesting character in the game. And the original version of him didn't disappoint. He was definitely like in the game which tells us a lot about the people who created the game. And we also meet Zoltan in this book as well. So for anyone who loves the games, this is the perfect book to get to.
4/5★
"Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Pages: 415
Genre: 1990
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1990
Read in: English
Original language: English
After reading this book I claim the Amazon Prime series to be one of the best recent tv show adaptations I've watched. Neil Gaiman seriously made Terry Pratchett proud with that one. I'm sure.
For those who haven't read or watched this story: An angel and a demon struck up an unlikely friendship. Many millennia later they get involved in hell's and heaven's preparations for the apocalypse. And the Antichrist gets misplaced. So what should one do when one has spent a bit too much time on earth and loved that planet more than was intended by Heaven and Hell? One tries to stop the apocalypse.
This book is funny and beautiful and full of heart and love for this world. And definitely more appropriate for the time we live in than some people might think. Just to name one thing: the Four Horsemen have changed a little as Pestilence stopped working and Pollution took over. Definitely a story that resonates with what's going on in our world at the moment. Read this! Or watch the show. But consume this story!
5/5★
"Penny Dreadful: The Beauteous Evil" by Chris King
Pages: 112
Genre: Comic/Graphic Novel, Horror
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2018
Read in: English
Original language: English
As I said on Goodreads: the comics don't do the story enough justice. It's a solid continuation but it's missing a bit of what it could have if it was still a tv series. Sadly. Still, I enjoy this a lot and can't wait to get my hands on the next issue. More I can't say because this would spoil the series. But if you love horror and especially Victorian Gothic Fiction you should watch the show. It's really good! Third season drags a bit in parts but it's worth it, I promise!
3/5★
"The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black" by E.B. Hudspeth
Pages: 208
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Mock Non-Fiction
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2013
Read in: English
Original language: English
This was a fun and short read with gorgeous illustrations. Definitely something for fans of Frankenstein and Tim Burton. I can't say if the Latin words used here and there are accurate. The drawings look like they could be realistic but I don't know for sure. Overall, this is a pretty book and a nice, short read. That's also why it only got three stars. I don't know how to rate it otherwise. But I definitely can recommend it!
3/5★
"Ninth House" by Leigh Bardugo
Pages: 448
Genre: Fantasy, Gothic Fiction
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: English
Original language: English
Where do I start with this without just copy-pasting my whole review? I don't know. This book got mixed reviews for a reason and I already wrote about this in my full review (linked!) but to keep it short: Character driven stories and those that could be seen as Modern Gothic Fiction aren't for everyone! So take me liking this a lot with a grain of salt. It's not perfect but it's still a great read in my opinion.
In Ninth House we meet Alex Stern who gets involved in Yales secret societies and their magic and who has a rather horrible past. The magic is creepy and disgusting in parts, there are many adult themes, and Bardugo creates parallels to many feminist issues and also a tiny bit of race relations, though that a bit less. It's more about the issues of violence against women portrayed through magic.
So if you like this kind of stuff, a writing style that for a reason made Stephen King like this, and enjoy Gothic fiction tropes: I can recommend this book to you.
4.5/5★
"The Slow Regard of Silent Things" by Patrick Rothfuss
Pages: 159
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 2014
Read in: English
Original language: English
Again this is going to be a short review as this is a short book. I wouldn't specifically call this one short story as we mostly just see how Auri spends her time. But it is again a gorgeously told story that gives us a few insights into her and some aspects of the world. I won't be going into that now. Also because I need to think about this and I need to reread some parts of the main story to connect everything properly.
4/5★
"Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie
Pages: 315
Genre: Crime Fiction, Classic
Age Range: Adult
Year of Release: 1934
Read in: English
Original language: English
This book is such a delightful read! Not exactly something one should maybe say about a murder mystery but it was. It's easy to read, it is fun even if you know the story, and the characters are all so lovely in their own way. I totally understand now why this is one of the most beloved classic crime stories.
I watched the latest movie adaptation a while ago and enjoyed it and have to say it's definitely a good one. Yes, they made some changes to the characters and where they come from except for certain characters, but I think for a modern audience that was a good choice. Overall, if you love Cluedo (Clue in North-America) style murder mysteries you should read this book.
4/5★
"The Bone Houses" by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Pages: 352
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Young Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: English
Original language: English
I went into this not knowing anything and I'm not disappointed. It wasn't the greatest or newest thing but I found it to be a solid read. The Bone Houses is the story of Ryn who is a gravedigger in a small village. And she's one of the few people who actually doesn't just believe but also knows that bone houses exist: dead people that wander through the forest next to the village. One day they also start to come closer to the village which was unheard of. During that time a young man appears as well who is a mapmaker and wants to map the mountain area where the fae folk supposedly had lived. Together they embark on an adventure into the mountains. He to map the place and she because she wants to end the curse that makes the dead wander around.
I enjoyed the concept. The bone houses are creepy and interesting. The characters are fine. The romance was not my cup of tea. To be honest, I found the interactions between the characters lacking in part and that's also why the romance didn't work for me. Also because there were some instances when one of them thought about the other, commenting on something that's part of their behavior, and I just sat there thinking "You've known each other for like five seconds. You can't know that yet!".Like I said, the way the story moves is nothing new or spectacular. But it was fun. There are some funny elements to it and I loved the way fae folk mythology was woven into it. It's a cute read and I guess if you like a lot of YA you will like this as well.
3/5★
"Herzenmacher" by Akram El-Bahay
Pages: 384
Genre: Fantasy
Age Range: Young Adult
Year of Release: 2019
Read in: German
Original language: German
And after starting this month with a German novel, I also ended it with one. And by the same author as well. This book had been on my TBR since May or so and I only now got around to actually reading it. It's a cute story about a teen boy finding out about a magical world and his ability to create mechanical hearts in a way no one else can except for the few others like him. There is also something about an evil witch because apparently El-Bahay loves his fairytales. I'm not complaining because I think it's fun.
It's a magical story and for anyone who speaks German: I linked my (short) German review again. I do think though that this book would be great for those who like Cornelia Funke's Inkheart trilogy. Not to compare them because they are different. But something about it made me think of that trilogy. Probably how it involves stories and fairytales. I also thought of The Nutcracker because of the feeling I got reading this book.
4/5★
More:
I also read The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe and I enjoyed it a lot. But as it is a very short read and part of a collection I own I don't list it as it's own read. I wanted to read so much more but I didn't get to it. Still, I read a lot as we can see above. Let's hope I can keep this up without burning myself out. I gave The Masque of the Red Death 4/5★.
___
Disclaimer: I wasn't asked or payed to talk about any book or author mentioned. Everything is my own opinion.
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