Reading in progress December 2017

This December I’m counting down how many books I’m behind on my reading goals for GR and how did I do for this year in general. I’m barely half trough my reading goal and I’ve made my peace with the fact that I will not complete my GR reading goal. This year was not a good reading year for me. Some big changes happened and I had trouble copping. Out of 100 book goal I read only 52 so far. For now I’m making myself busy with reading more books at the same time this December.

Here are the books I am reading at the moment:

Sweet Ruin (Immortals After Dark, #16) by Kresley Cole

This book is one of the more recent additions to my collection from this summer. I actually started reading it only because I am really looking forward to the book Shadow’s Seduction that is the next one in the Immortals After Dark book series. I’m halfway trough and I did not expect to enjoy it this much. There are some cringe worthy phrasing but I’m having fun reading this book and that is all that matters for me right now. Hopefully I will make a book review on this one soon.

Kings Rising (Captive Prince, #3) by C.S. Pacat

Not that long ago I’ve devoured the first two books of this trilogy. I had some problems getting the third book. I went trough first two books at a fast pace and now I had some trouble getting into the third book. I’m halfway trough and this is a very suspenseful book.

A Man for Himself: An Inquiry into the Psychology of Ethics by Erich Fromm

I’m taking my time with this book. It takes concentration and I’m trying to savor some thoughts while I evaluate the meaning they carry. So far most of this book can be used as motivational/demotivational quotes one can find across the Internet. Contempalting and meditating required.

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) by Philip Pullman

This month’s TBR Draw has been on my reading list for a few years now. I put it on the pile with the other books I’m reading this month but have barely openned it so far. I’m kinda apprehensive about starting this book since I will probably want to finish off the whole trilogy right away.

Aside from the books above that I’ve already started here are some books I’m planning to squeeze in my reading this December as well:

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia (Publication Order) #1) by C.S. Lewis

This is actually one of the books for my book club! I’m looking forward to it and at the same time I’m thinking about how could I add other books from the series to my TBR. I just hope mix the movies or the TV series with the books too much…

Shadow’s Seduction (Immortals After Dark, #17; The Dacians, #2) by Kresley Cole

While I did not expect to enjoy Sweet Ruin as much as I’m hoping to enjoy this one I really want to read Shadow’s Seduction by the end of the year! Immortals After Dark book series brings me joy and I love reading this series. The reason I’m soo looking forward to this books is  that one of my favorite characters of all time is in it!

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

This is the last book I’ve bought! I waited for the super fancy Croatian edition to come out. Croatian edition one the right in the picture glows in the dark and has a custom box. This edition is the first book from a new publisher and they are trying to set some new standards in the publishing industry by creating a really beautiful book editions. Every book is numbered and they are published in a limited quantity. This book is like a delicate piece of art to be enjoyed on more than one level!

The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #3) by Rick Riordan

This book goes in hand with Norse Mythology. I’m not sure if this series is meant to be just a trilogy and if that is so this could be the last book! I’ve loved Magnus since his first book and hope to read more books about him.

The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo #2) by Rick Riordan

Thematicaly I wish to finish this years reading in fun and adventure. While not so high on my reading list by the end of the year; this book will be a perfect fit for my reading repertoire. Festus and Leo making an appearance is an added bonus!

Monthly reading review – October 2017

Monthly reading review – October 2017

This October I have read:

Second Nature by Alice Hoffman ★★★★

The Frog Prince by Elle Lothlorien ★★

Lord Wraybourne’s Betrothed (Lovers and Ladies, #2) by Jo Beverly ★★★★

Captive Prince (Captive Prince, #1) by C.S. Pacat ★★★★★

Prince’s Gambit (Captive Prince, #2) by C.S. Pacat ★★★★★

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde ★★

1. How many books you’ve read last month? Are you happy with the amount you read?

This October I’ve read six books. The amount is equal to the books I’ve read in September. If I take into account that I’ve lost a whole week of reading due to the trip to Germany this October I think I did OK.

2. What was the best of all the books you’ve read in October? Any scenes or characters that made a lasting impression?

The books I’ve enjoyed the most in October were most definitely Captive Prince books! Both books had me on a small reading spree with late night reading and reading hype in general. Hope to get my hands on the third book soon.

3. Were there any not so good books for you last month? What made it hard or not enjoyable to read?

There were two books in October I did not enjoy as much. First was The Frog Prince because of my own misconceptions about the book – I really thought it had some fantasy elements and magic which is simply not the case. The other book that I did not enjoy reading was The Picture of Dorian Gray. It was a second reading and I just could not stand the decadence of the characters and themes in general.

4. How did the books you were reading last month fit in your reading plans if you had any?

I was actually very pleased with the books I’ve read in record time for my TBR Jar Draw challenge. The book club assignments I was a bit slower with.

5. Any updates on the series you are reading or are you starting any new series?

I dived into The Captive Prince trilogy and finished first two books quickly. Hopefully I will finish the trilogy soon by reading the last book.

6. Would you like to recommend any books or authors you’ve been reading this last month?

I’m still aboard The Captive Prince hype train so that is definitely a recommendation. The theme is slightly fantastical due to the imagined world and cultures the author describes. Some might not enjoy the M/M pairing in the book but the book is very well written!

Final thoughts on October reading

I have posted a one review on the book I’ve read in October:

The Frog Prince by Elle Lothlorien ★★ – REVIEW

The books I enjoyed reading had more positive impact on me this October than the books that I did not like or simply endured. The number of books I’ve read is the same as the previous month with the distinction of having one whole week lost to the trip to Essen Spiel in Germany. It was a satisfying month for reading. I am hopeful that the next month is going to be even better!