Bookish challenges are one of my favorite hobbies I partake in from time to time.
For today’s post, I thought I would get my inspiration from a recent challenge on Instagram. It’s short and sweet, but a post I very much enjoyed preparing.
It’s about random books that I’ve liked in the last little while, but I thought I would expand on that a little here. We all love getting tagged for those fun challenges. I find it’s a nice way to connect with fellow readers and get to know each other a little more.
So let’s get right down to this latest bookish challenge. If you read this, please let me know what your answers are.
The Last Book I Read:
I simultaneously finished The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenhauf on my e-reader, and Hello, Transcriber by Hannah Morrisey, my physical book.
As you all know, I often have two books going on at the same time, one physical and an e-book. Especially because I carry my e-reader to work with me all the time since my bag is usually pretty heavy.
The Overnight Guest is an atmospheric book about a true-crime writer who receives an uninvited guest at her old farm during the biggest storm of the year. As the story unfolds, so do the many secrets that were kept buried for years. The ending was decent, but the story set-up was a bit too slow-paced for my liking.
I much preferred Hello, Transcriber, by Hannah Morrisey. Not only because she’s super cool on Instagram, but because the book is well-written and captivating. The debut mystery-suspense book follows Hazel, a police transcriber, who gets too tangled up in a case she’s working on. The tone of the book is dark and melancholic, and it may trigger some buried emotions that were dormant for years. At least, that was the case for me. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The month is not over yet, but it may well be my favorite book I read in June.
Current Read
At the moment, I’m reading a physical book, The Spectacular by Zoe Whittal, and on my e-reader, The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley.
I heard lots of positive reviews about The Paris Apartment. I’m only about a quarter in, and so far it’s just ok. I think so far I like the cover better than the actual story. I hope it will improve as it advances!
On the other hand, The Spectacular is not talked about much on Instagram. It is about three generations of women, mother, daughter, and grandmother, and the way they deal with feminism, sexuality, and motherhood. Told from three perspectives, it is an evocative, authentic book that is narrated with a hint of sarcasm. Her previous novel, The Best Kind of People, was one of my favorite books I read at the beginning of 2019. She’s becoming one of my favorite writers, and she’s Canadian too, which is always a plus.
Next Read
I’m hoping to get to In My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley Winstead soon since it’s a library loan that is due next week.
Short synopsis: Six friends are back for a reunion ten years after graduation. The dark secrets they’ve kept from each other involve the murder of their old friend and roommate. Will the killer get caught? I can’t wait to get to this one, it seems very intriguing. If I listen to what other reviewers said about it, I should expect a fast-paced, unputdownable dark thriller.
Last Book that Made Me Cry
I would have to say that the last book that made me cry was It Ends With Us, by Colleen Hoover. Yes, I know, way overrated, but I actually enjoyed her writing very much. As the first book by the author, I was very impressed. It was a love story that touched on some topics that may trigger some unpleasant feelings.
Last Book that Made Me Laugh
I would have to say that the last book that made me chuckle out loud was Finlay Donavan, by Elle Cosimano. Although it is considered to be a thriller, it is witty and funny, and it depicts how hard being a single mother is. The first in a series is a quick read that you will fly through.
Last Book That I Couldn’t Put Down
The Ballerinas, by Rachel Kapelke-Dale, is an intriguing narration of three ballerinas from the time they were in school until their thirties. What I loved most about this book is the character development and the complexities female friendships endure. With a culminating twist at the end, it is a great book that does include lots of ballet references. The way they strive for perfection, their competitiveness, and their drive and dedication. Definitely will end up high on my favorite books of the year.
Last Book that Stayed on my Mind
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara is a book that will stay on my mind for a while longer still. I read it at the beginning of 2021, and I still think about it every now and then. I already mentioned this one in one of my previous posts. It’s a very heavy read, one that will not leave you unmoved. That’s if you’re in the right frame of mind to tackle. And it was reviewed to death on many platforms, so I’ll leave it at that.
Books that I Bought Recently
Ok, so here the list keeps growing every week since before my birthday. I tried really hard to be reasonable, but it was not easy.
So, let me sum it up for you:
The first couple of books I bought were from a secondhand bookstore close to my work. I go there regularly on my breaks, as they have a great selection for amazing prices. I purposely left the price tags on just to see what a great bargain I got.
The Maid, by Nita Prose, was in almost mint condition. The first novel by the author is a sort of locked-room mystery. Sounds interesting, I’ll post my thoughts whenever I get to it.
The Glass Hotel, by Emily St.John Mandel, is by the same author that wrote Station Eleven. They’re both on my bookshelf, patiently waiting to be read. I hear somewhat mixed reactions about this book, I shall see. I’m going in blind for this one, I hope I will like it.
The Princess of Burundi, by Kjell Erikson, is the fourth installment in the Ann Lindell series. I didn’t know that, but I was ogling it for a while. This is one of those books I definitely bought because I loved the cover. Will probably have to get the previous three before I get to this one. Not going to lie, it might be a long wait, friends.
Pre-Orders
Then there are two of them that I pre-ordered around my birthday but haven’t received yet. The first is The Binding Room, by Nadine Matheson, then there’s Trapped, by one of my favorite Scandinavian writers, Camilla Lackberg.
This is the second in the Angelica Henley series. The first book by Nadine Matheson, the Jigsaw Man, I absolutely adored. I can’t wait to see what she cooked up for us this time.
Trapped is a new series Lackberg co-wrote with Henrik Fexeus. If you’re not familiar with Camilla Lackberg’s work, you’re missing out. Her Erica Falck and Patrik Hedstrom series is one of the best Scandinavian books you can get your hands on. There are ten books in this installment. They can be read as stand-alone, but I love the character development. So if that is also something that’s important to you, I suggest you follow the order they were written.
Favorite Book of the Year, So Far
Once again, it will have to be The Ballerinas, by Rachel Kapelke-Dale. And have I raved enough about the gorgeous cover? In case you’re not tired of listening to me rant about it, read this book. It’s great! That’s all.
Concluding Words
I don’t know about you, but those types of challenges have always been my jam. Do you like to partake in them?
I shall do those types of posts every now and then when those challenges pop up on Instagram. Let me know if you enjoy them as much as I clearly do.
Until next time, keep reading fellow bookworms!
