Reading Challenges, who doesn’t love them? This year, I’m participating in the AnderWereld Reading Challenge: 25 categories to be matched with a book (which you then have to read, obviously ;))
AnderWereld
AnderWereld is an awesome bookstore specialising in Fantasy, Science Fiction and Young Adult fiction in both Dutch and English. Next to an online store, a physical shop in Alphen (Netherlands), and their presence on Fantasy events, they also offer cool book boxes. You can even ask them to create a second hand book box especially for you!
Reading Challenge part 1: The first 9 books
1. A title or author that reminds you of your own name
For this first category, I chose a new version of Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, one of my all-time-favourite stories (I have to admit though, I didn’t like the original book by Gaston Leroux….shhh). Sing me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson tells the story of Isda, a young musical genius who hides beneath the Opera and uses her forbidden magic to stimulate ticket sales. When Emeric joins the Opera, however, she’s soon drawn in by his voice like an angel of music. Suddenly, Isda finds she’s no longer content with a life in the shadows.
This YA-fantasy and gender-swapped version of the Phantom of the Opera is a bit dark in some moments, but, nevertheless, a must-read for every Phantom-fan. 3 out of 5 gemstones (My full review can be found here).
2. A book with dragons
The name of my blog might have given it away, but I do not really lack books about dragons. For this category, I chose A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan. This first part of The Memoirs of Lady Trent is a fictional autobiography of a dragon connoisseur and mixes the concept of a novel of manners with a travel story and a whodunnit, topped with a sauce of Fantastic Beasts and where to find them. Are you still with me?
My full review of this entertaining story can be found here. 3 out of 5 gemstones.
3. A comic, manga, or graphic novel
Until a couple of years ago, I was really into manga. I hadn’t read any recently, but I decided to revisit my long lost passion for this Japanese art form for this challenge. Love Bus Stop by Ritsu Natsumizu is a collection of LGBT short stories. The first one is about a man who keeps encountering another man at the bus stop and would love to one day have the courage to address him.
I’m not planning to review manga for this blog, but if I would have to give it a score I would give it 2 out of 5 gemstones. I didn’t get a connection with any of the characters and I was also not pulled into the stories. Quite nice drawings though.
4. A book with tests, exams, or riddles
I’m probably one of the only persons on this planet that was still unaware of Sarah J. Maas and her A Court of Thorns and Roses series until quite recently. I bought the first book a couple of weeks ago and wow. Not bad at all. It wasn’t my favourite part of the series, but I finished it in two days because I simply could not put it away. This series is inspired by various fairy tales and folk stories and immediately draws the reader into a world filled with magic. The story of A Court of Thorns and Roses starts when Feyre, a human girl, (more or less) unknowingly kills a Fae and learns the price that she will have to pay for this crime. She is to leave her family behind and move into the manor of one of the High lords of the Fairy realm. Tale as old as time, right?
Now, what does this have to do with the category? I cannot say much as to not to spoil the plot, but Feyre is faced with some difficult tests at one point. If she’s unable to pass them…well, I’ll let you discover it for yourself.
A dream of a story: 4 out of 5 gemstones (Full review can be found here).
5. A book that took a lot of time/effort to get
Strangely enough, it took me quite a bit of effort to get my hands on an English edition of The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab. It was sold out everywhere online and was currently being reprinted. I needed it quite urgently, though, seeing that my book club was going to discuss it. In the end, I had to order it from the UK and wait for a couple of weeks, but I managed to read it in time.
When Addie is about to enter an arranged marriage, she begs the gods for more time and freedom. Her wish is granted, but she has to pay a steep price: eternal life, but everyone she meets will forget her. Until, a couple of centuries later, she enters a bookstore and is recognised…
I have to admit, I had little to no interest in starting this book. Kudo’s to the person who did the layout though, because once I opened it – almost sighing – I was immediately fascinated by the design of the title. Fading away, like all memories containing Addie. Nice detail. Then there was an interesting illustration, the first chapter, and there we go, I was hooked. Schwab uses such beautiful metaphors and descriptions that I was sometimes left gaping at the beauty of it all. The story itself is original, full of interesting plot twists, and really grips the reader.
Definitely a discovery: 4 out of 5 gemstones (The full review can be found here).
6. A book based on a true story
Horrible category. When I think about true stories, only books about kidnappings, abuse, and wars come to mind. As if nothing good ever happens in the world that you can write about. On the other end of the spectrum, you get the books about spiritual bike rides in Asia, “Fifty life lessons inspired by my time on a vineyard” or “my life among mountain goats” or whatever boring things they can come up with. If there isn’t at least one dragon in it, it’s usually not the story for me. So you can imagine this wasn’t my favourite category on the list.
Luckily, a second hand bookstore rescued me. Shopping, Seduction & Mr Selfridge by Lindy Woodhead transports the reader to turn of the century London and tells the story of Henry Selfridge, self-made man, commercial genius, and founder of Selfridge’s department store. Interesting book that frames his life and work within the larger economic and historical context. Personally, I would have appreciated an extra chapter to analyse the TV-series and I sometimes felt that the framework was a bit too extensive, but it was quite a nice read: 2 out of 5 gemstones.
7. A re-read
Some of you might have already read my review of A Curse so Dark and Lonely (Brigid Kemmerer) and know that I instantly fell in love with the first part of the Cursebreakers series. As a re-read, I chose part three, A Vow so Bold and Deadly. This final part brings together part one (with narration by prince Rhen and Harper) and part two (with most of the narration being done by commander Grey and Lia Mara) by switching between the four main characters’ point of views. All secrets have now been uncovered and Rhen and Grey have to find a way to deal with the revelations of book two. But when war is on their doorsteps and an old evil stirs, who will fight to defend what?
This series definitely took another direction than I would have hoped, but it remains one of my absolute favourites. Although the situation is very dire, silly situations and dry humour cut through the tension and make it a very entertaining read. I for one cannot wait until the new series set in the same world is released. I will probably have to make do with rereading this one for the third time in the meanwhile. 5 out of 5 gemstones (Full review).
8. A book containing mythology
If you would ask me about my current obsession, I would definitely answer “The Crows“. This duology by Leigh Bardugo stole my heart before even having read it. You really do not want to know how often I’ve re-watched the crow scenes in the Shadow & Bone series on Netflix. “You need the watch the first episode, Jess! There are some characters in it that you will like”. Thanks a lot for the new obsession, Ine 😉
Part one, Six of Crows, tells the story of a band of thieves on an impossible mission. But if they manage to pull of the heist, they will receive a very large sum of money. And money is what makes the world go round in Ketterdam. For some, it’s their only hope of freedom, for others it’s an addiction, and, for others still, it’s revenge.
The writing is so fluent and the reader gets lost in the adventure as of chapter 1. Not to mention the romance <3 Maybe not romance like you would expect it, but so touching. 5 out of 5 gemstones and definitely a contender for Best book of the Year (Full review can be found here).
I would almost forget to mention it in all of my enthusiasm, but I choose this book for this category because myths play an important part in their masterplan. But I will not say more about it!
9. A book inspired by a fairytale
I was SO looking forward to A Whole New World by Liz Braswell. I’m always a fairytale fanatic, but Aladdin holds a special place in my heart. But…this book didn’t deliver on its promise. Although it starts out in a beautiful 1001-nights atmosphere, you suddenly start to be kicked out of the story by various strange situations like Aladdin discussing the economy and inflation with Jasmine. Huh?
The concept of the series is fun though. Twisted Tales are new versions of fairytales, published by Disney and written by several authors. These are “what if” stories. In this case, what if Aladdin had never found the lamp?
Maybe I’ll give another part written by another author a chance, but for now I’m still too ashamed that I also bought this book for my sister-in-law. 1 out of 5 gemstones.
Would you like to read the full review to help you make up your mind? You can find it here.
Want to know which other books I picked? Follow my blog on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest to get notified when part 2 and part 3 are published!