Mental Health Awarness Month. How Books Affect My Mental Health

Last week, I learned that May is the Mental Health Awareness Month (I did some research and this is mostly celebrated in the United States; however, even though I live in Europe, I want to join this initiative) and decided that I would be sharing some discussion posts on mental health/illness, focusing on books. On the first post of this discussion series, I'll be talking about how I use books to stay afloat, even though sometimes they also make me feel broken inside.

Sunday Post. A Beautiful Spring Day

Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviews.

How's everyone doing on this beautiful spring day? 🌷 At least here near the sea, it's a nice spring day. I'm still going through a blogging slump, but I'm forcing myself out of it. Since May is the Mental Health Awareness month, I decided that I'll be sharing a few post discussing mental illness/health - of course, books will play a huge role on these posts since I'll be sharing with you how books keep me afloat (and how sometimes they don't).

Seven Book-to-Series Adaptations I'd Love to Watch

Last week, it was reported that Netflix bought the rights of fifty literary projects. This book-buying spree includes Shadow and Bone and Six of Crows, both set in the Grishaverse created by Leigh Bardugo and several novels written by Roald Dahl. I'm not always fond of when books are turned into television adaptations, may it be TV series or films, because there's always something missing or the characters and the settings are too different from how I pictured them in my mind. However, today I'm pushing my doubts and fears aside and I'm sharing with you seven books I'd love to be turned into television series.

Sunday Post. Happy Easter!

Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviews.

Hello book lovers. How are you doing? 😊 Since I'm almost done with my thesis, I decided to give myself an indulgent week. But those are not only the good news. As I told you before, I'm going through a blogging slump. To battle my lack of will to write and create content, I sat in front of my laptop and forced myself to do it. Not saying the slump is over, but I did share some new posts!

The Most Delicious Book Tag. The Pancake Book Tag

I've a confession to make: I never ate pancakes. I tried to bake them many times, but there's always something wrong with the batter or then it gets stuck on the skillet. However, I could not pass up the opportunity to take part in this delicious book tag created by Becky @  Blogs of a Bookaholic. I mean, how could I ignore an opportunity to drool at yummy pancakes and ramble about books? 🥞

Disclaimer: This book tag may leave you craving for pancakes.

Is This Novel Young Adult?

Disclaim: As someone who reads mostly young adult novels, I have no prejudices against this literature. In a matter of fact, I'm a huge advocate of this literary category (it features characters and plots as complex as those in novels marketed for adults and deserves to be recognized by the critics).

Last weekend, I finished my reading of Our Dark Stars by Audrey Grey and Krystal Wade. While I was writing a short review on Goodreads, I noticed that some reviewers mentioned that the novel was young adult. It was confusing and surprising because, even though there was no smut, the novel features some sexually-charged interactions and the main male character was in his early twenties. This was not the first time I came across such a situation. I'm always left bewildered by how books that I don't read as young adult are placed in this category. As any blogger going through a blogging slump, I thought that this topic had the potential for an interesting discussion. Today, I'm asking myself (and to everyone who reads this article) what makes a novel young adult.

Book Tag. Disney Book Tag

As I mentioned in my last Sunday Post, I'm going through a blogging slump. After listening to some advices and wise words from other lovely bloggers, I began my search for book tags. I saw the Disney Book Tag for the first time on Bec&Bones and I saved it on my drafts to jong it later. I guess "later" is finally now. I won't lie, I worked on this tag for over a week (damn you, blogging slump), but I did it. Ps. I published this post last night by accident (it was not even complete), so to all the subscribers who received an e-mail, I'm so sorry. 

Sunday Post. Blogging Slump

Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviews.

Hi book lovers. How is everyone doing? 😊 Me? I'm fine. Keeping myself busy with my thesis and working on some new designs. However, I'm in a blogging slump. I've no clue about what I want to write (and I haven't been reading that much to write reviews). If this has ever happened to you, what do you do to get out of a blogging slump?

Reading & Blogging Challenges. First Quarter Update

I can't believe the first three months of the year have already come and go. They weren't really good months for me, but I hate to see time going by so fast. I want to do a thousand different things and I'm already freaking out over the fact that there will be no time to do them. *takes a deep breath* In the past three months, I've been slowly going through the challenges I decided to join. I haven't read as much as I expected to, but, hopefully, I'll get a lot more involved in these challenges in the next months. If you are part of any of the challenges mentioned bellow, let me know. 😊

Season of the Witch. Bewitching Reads

Witchcraft and covens. Curses and incantations. Potions and charms. Necromancy and blood magic. These are the some of the words that pop into my head when I think of witches. Lately, I've found myself enticed by novels that feature witches. The portrayal of these women with magical powers breaks from the old hag representation from children stories. If you're in the mood for revengeful witches, cursed towns, eerie atmospheres and deadly spells, these are some bewitching reads.

Top Five Wednesday. Spring Reads aka Retellings in Bloom

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme run by Thoughts on Tomes and Gindger Reads Lainey.

Happy Wednesday! And, if you live in the same hemisphere that me, happy first day of spring! 🌻🌼🌷🌹 I'm joining Top 5 Wednesday for the first time. Lately, I've been in a spring mood (inspired by the season of love, last week I shared a discussion post on Swoony Romance Tropes) and this week's theme is all about spring reads. After some thinking, I decided to share with your five retellings coming out this spring that I'd sacrifice my bookshelf to the bookish gods to get my hands on them. Okay, let's not overreact. But some blood might be shed.

Sunday Post. Once Again, I'm Back! Life Has Been Messy...

Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviews.

Hi! How's everyone doing? I know that I haven't shared my week with you since early February, but I haven't been okay. For those who don't know yet, my Luna passed away on February 14th after losing her fight to cancer. As I'm writing this, I'm shedding a few tears, so I apologize for any grammar mistakes. The last few months were not easy.

The Girl Who Drank The Moon // Buddy Read With Evelina @ Avalinah's Books

Title: The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Author: Kelly Barnhill 

Publisher: Picadilly

Published: August 9th 2016
Pages: 388 pages

"Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the Forest, Xan, is in fact a good witch who shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon. Xan rescues the children and delivers them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey.

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. As Luna's thirteenth birthday approaches, her magic begins to emerge - with dangerous consequences. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Deadly birds with uncertain intentions flock nearby. A volcano, quiet for centuries, rumbles just beneath the earth's surface. And the woman with the Tiger's heart is on the prowl . . ."

I always wondered how it would be to do a buddy read. So, I couldn't be more excited when Evelina @ Avalinah's Books asked me if I would like to read The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill with her. It was such a great experience! I loved sharing my bookish thoughts with Evelina and discuss with her the story as we flew through the pages. In this very long spoiler-ish review (I'm sure this is the longest review I wrote in a very long time), I answered a few questions from Evelina. To take a look at her replies to my questions, you can visit her blog post here. 

Falling In Love. Swoony Romance Tropes

And they lived happily ever after! A very long time ago, I shared with you that I was planning to write a discussion post about romance tropes. Now that Spring, aka the season of love, is fast approaching (in my hemisphere), I finally found myself polishing the text and creating the banners. Today, I'm talking about some of the most common romance tropes in books with some book recommendations. If you're planning a swoony Spring TBR pile, then this discussion is definitely for you.

Disclaim: Even though I'll not be mentioning couples (even if some of them are well-known), there might be some spoilers. Some of the novels mentioned feature more than one romance trope. Also, this discussion post is of the 2019 Book Blog Discussion Challenge hosted by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction and Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight.

ARC Review // A Spark of White Fire

Title: A Spark of White Fire

Author: Sangu Mandanna

Publisher: Sky Pony

Published: September 8th 2018
Pages: 311 pages 

"The first book in a scifi retelling of the Mahabrahata. When Esmae wins a contest of skill, she sets off events that trigger an inevitable and unwinnable war that pits her against the family she would give anything to return to.

In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.

Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.

It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.

Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White Fire is a lush, sweeping space opera about family, curses, and the endless battle between jealousy and love."

Sunday Post. Bye, Bye January

Sunday Post is a meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviews.

Long time, no see, right? It has been a couple of weeks since I last sat down and shared with your how my week went by. Or visit any blog. Or replied to any comment. I know there's a ton of stuff I must catch up with, but I'm trying to finish my thesis. I know, I know, you're tired of listening to me talking about this never ending thesis, but I did a  lot of progress and I fear if I loose track, I'll need a few more thousand years to actually finish it. Also, I've been dealing with some troubling issues that are making hard for me to not feel lethargic... I'll try to take a day off to catch up with everything. I promise. 

ARC Review // Corpse & Crown

Title: Corpse & Crown

Author: Alisa Kwitney

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Published: February 12th 2019
Pages: 320 pages

"Agatha DeLacey’s family isn’t rich or titled, so studying nursing at Ingold’s East End hospital in London is a rare opportunity for her. Despite the school’s focus on the innovative Bio-Mechanical program, Aggie cares more about the desperately poor human patients who flood the hospital, even if that means providing unauthorized treatment after-hours…and trusting a charming, endlessly resourceful thief.

But the Artful Dodger is barely a step ahead of his underworld rivals, the menacing Bill Sykes and mercurial Oliver Twist, and Aggie’s association with him soon leads her into danger. When a brutal attack leaves her blind, she and the Dodger find themselves at the mercy of an experimental Bio-Mech surgery. Though the procedure restores Aggie’s sight, her new eyes come at an unnerving cost, and the changes in Dodger are even more alarming—instead of seeing Aggie as the girl he fancies, he now views her as a potential threat.

As war between England and Germany brews on the horizon and a sinister medical conspiracy threatens to shatter the uneasy peace in Europe, Aggie and the Dodger must find a way to work together so they can protect their friends and expose the truth…even if it means risking their own survival."

Review & Blog Tour. The Antidote

Welcome to The Antidote Blog Tour hosted by The Fantastic Flying Book Club. Witches are once again taking the bookish world by storm. In The Antidote magic is forbidden and Fee must keep it hidden. However, what happens when her magic is the only thing that might save her kingdom? Scroll down to read my review (and one of my favourite quotes) and don't forget to join the Giveaway (sorry, it's US only). Also, to read more reviews, interviews  and guest posts follow the tour.

The Perks of Being an International Reader

It's the end of the month and sharing my first discussion post of the year (I'm adding this post to both blogging challenges I joined: Blog All About It and 2019 Book Blog Discussion Challenge). I wrote this post a few weeks ago, but I've been editing my thesis like crazy in the past week (and then I lost myself in some new designs, but let's not talk about it) and only found time to share it with you today (as soon as this is done, I'm back to editing this damn thesis). Anyway, I'm a pessimist. Always have been, always will be (probably). More often than not, I find myself thinking about the negative side of an issue than about the positive one. Regarding reading, it's a fact that international readers (aka readers who do not live in English speaking countries) are in disadvantage - no pre-order swag, lack to no access to books, no physical ARCs, etc. However, I searched for the silver lining and today I'll be discussing the perks of being an international reader.

TTT. 13 Backlist Books I Meant To Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl.

I know, I know... I'm constantly cheating on these lists. But I just couldn't short this one to ten books. Or perhaps I could, but I just love the number thirteen. These are books released in 2018 that I was dying to read, but for many different reasons (one of them being that I'm a really slow reader) I didn't have the chance to. Hopefully, 2019 will be the year I tackle them down from my TBR pile and give them all the love they deserve,