October Wrap-Up

Hi Ladies and Gents,

I’m late again for my monthly wrap-up. I swear every time that I’ll plan it and build the post every time I’ve posted a review or wrote a post or… but I’m always getting behind. That’s what you can expect when you manage two teams, have a family with teenagers and a dog, long commuting hours and still want to read and blog I guess.

So let’s do this and remember this bookish month

My reads first

I’ve read fantastic books this month and less captivating ones. In reverse rating order

Can’t Let Go by Gena Showalters

This was a 3 stars for me and kind of a let down. I feel sorry as the publishing house contacted me specifically to read and review but I swore never to lie in my ratings and review. It’s stil true that the author knows her job perfectly and what did not work for me could very well be a success for you.

The Player and The Pixie by Penny Reid and L.H Cosway

4,5 stars

I did not expect (or maybe did I secretly hope for) to have such insufferable snobbish rugby player make me melt like a puddle confronted with his deep insecurities. Someone mean and disdainful should not make for a loveable hero surely… This book was the right balance of sweet, funny and sexy.

Sun Warrior by PC Cast

4,5 stars

Here again the publishing house contacted me as I had read and liked “Moon Chosen” the first book in the series. I was really overjoyed as I love PC Cast books in general and this time I haven’t been disappointed in the least!

Let’s establish something right away: PC Cast knows her job and its intricacies extremely well.
She’s once more made me live an extraordinary adventure right alongside Mari, Nick and a collection of fascinating side characters. Some of them truly deserve their own books!

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

5 stars!

OK this has been a buddy read with Katherine @paperbackdreamer
It was the best idea this young Lady got as I wanted to read this book for so long but never took the time to do it. Now I’m addicted!

With this book you will:

-run at break neck speed in dark alleys escaping pursuers;

-jump from rooftop to rooftop to reach the nearest shelter;

-turn mid swing with your foot connecting with nose or ankle or…when you fight some Cleaved witch;

dance an intricate, fast but sensual dance with a handsome but explosive tempered prince;

-be sore from riding a horse for hours or for fighting dirty with a Blood Monk hell bent on catching you to trade you to the highest bidder.

All that with your BFF at your side because you have her back and she has yours. Threadsisters Forever.

The Problem with Forever by Jennifer L. Armentrout

5 stars!

Have you ever wondered why some books just “click” with you? Because that’s what happened here.
For two days I did not post anything on the blog, I shut all social media (yes even Goodreads *Gasp!*) and I was in my blissful reading bubble.
I wanted to lose myself in Mallory and Ryder’s story. And I wanted to kick my behind (difficult feat I know as I’m not double-jointed) for stopping reading Jennifer L. Armentrout’s books for some years when I knew I love her writing!

Stolen by Lucy Christopher

5 stars minimum! This is one of my “little gems”.

”I’m going to tell the truth. My truth. I will say that you kidnapped me, of course. You did. I won’t shy away from the evil you can be. But I’ll tell them your other side, too. The side I saw sometimes when you spoke softly to the camel, and when you gently touched the leaves of the saltbush, only picking what you needed. And the times you rescued me.”

It’s been a complicated and beautiful journey.

I can’t recommend this book enough but know it’s not packed with action, just full of beauty.

Now here come my two winners of the month one of them being my winner of 2017 so far.

At the second place on the podium I nominate…

Forever Right Now by Emma Scott

6 stars!

I found the book toppling Full Tilt off its pedestal and I never thought it would happen one day. Emma wrote something raw, emotional, gorgeous, brilliant in its shadows and deeply human battles.

It’s been an endless emotional onslaught…

This is a tale about life and love.

About lows so low you don’t think you’ll be up again one day.

It’s about making mistakes and having second chances.

This book is simply phenomenal

And my winner of the month, Best Book of 2017 so far is:

A Charm of Finches by Suanne Laqueur

1000 stars!

This book was like being hit by an enormous emotional wave!

The story began on a huge “bang!” and I was panting, heart galloping like a wild horse inside my rib cage. I was having a panic attack. I WAS Geronimo and I wanted someone anyone to come save me. It was the worse betrayal you could ever imagine. One hitting you in the flesh. Earth shattering aftermaths.

That’s how talented Suanne is: immediately sucking you in her story barely releasing you from her clutches from time to time just to let you breathe a little and give you a false security feeling before the next blow.

Now I also did two authors interviews this month.

I love interviewing writers as the writing process is fascinating! Each time I realize everyone has his/her own way of processing thoughts, building a story, finding inspiration etc.

My first interview was Meredith A. Walters and you can read it HERE.

My second one was Suanne Laqueur and it’s been a lavish interview! She’s been very generous in her answers and I learned a lot about an author I’m speaking with nearly every day. Stalk her on Facebook I swear you won’t be disappointed. Read it HERE.

Having fun: Meme, Tags, Discussions….

It’s been an incredible month when it comes to interacting with other bloggers! I’ve discovered new gorgeous blogs thanks to Blogger in the Spotlight at BionicBookWorm (Shanah is a generous person) and also thanks to the Hallo-we-en fest at MNBrenardBooks.

Melanie organised a “guest post” month where each day a blogger got to rave about his or her favorite supernatural creature. I had a blast reading many well written blogs (she knows many writers!) and I really feared for my own post as I’m so not a writer! But I had fun writing my little piece of “I want to be a witch” that I posted here days after.

Melanie is also behind the monthly event Calendar Girls with Flavia @flaviathebibliophile and this month’s theme was Best Paranormal Novel

I also took part in Top 5 Tuesday hosted and thought out by Shanah @bionicbookworm.

I love this weekly event as Shanah always comes up with interesting topics! This month’s topics were: Most Read Authors, Favorite Covers (a dream for a cover junkie like me!), Favorite Book Quotes (it had a lot of success!) and Creepy Characters (I had to enroll my daughter’s help to find 5 creeps and ended with more ;-))

Shanah also nominated me for the Halloween Creatures Book Tag! One that I did immediately as I was so enthusiastic about this one!

Now I also had a BLAST collaborating with Talia @redhotink writing something that was meant to be a unique post but ended being a mini series about USA and the Americans viewed by two European chicks. When we confronted our ideas we had too much for a single post and it’s been a weekly rendez-vous every Friday for three weeks now. Only one more week to go to enjoy “USA: The Good The Bad The Quirky”. Honestly we’ve worked effortlessly together and now I understand how authors write books with four hands!

Collaboration wise I published another Mini Me pick with my daughter Julie. She explained why she loved Caraval by Stephanie Garber so much! I love doing these posts with my daughter. Our love for books is a great bond! Maybe one day I’ll convince my son who is also a bookworm!

October was also the month of my very first Fairyloot box! I was overjoyed as it’s been my first book crate ever and it contained Forest of A Thousand Lanterns by Julie C Dao (I reviewed this one today) as well as The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo and other goodies. I’ve been spoiled!

Last but not least after months and months of searching, asking WP specialists etc. I asked my IT husband’s help to solve this huge problem: I was not on the WP Reader. Miracle our hard work got me on the Reader! It’s a huge improvement as now I can interact more easily with other bloggers and they finally see my posts! Before Reader it was like shouting in a desert.

I got so many questions from other bloggers having similar problems that I wrote a post about it: WordPress Reader Here I Am Backstage blogging.

It really boosted my confidence and morale and inspired me to write another discussion post about : Does Blogging Help reach your Dreams?

That’s it! October has been my best blogging month so far, not because I have read so many books but because I finally got to discuss my posts with you guys! For that I am grateful. You are all inspiring me and giving me new ideas about discussion topics, books to read, ways to make my blog prettier. Truly I would not be this far today without all your help.

Special thanks to Shanah as she highlighted my blog, Melanie as she gave me the opportunity to publish on her blog, Talia as we worked so well together and Poulami @daydreamingbooks as she was one of the first to invite me to post on her blog!

And you how was your month? Read anything great? Epic event? I would love to read your comments!

Thanks for reading