Thariena

I participated in the #TBRtakedown Readathon this week and it was a lot of fun. It was also the first Readathon I've ever done.

The Readathon was created by Shannon from leaninglights. Here's the link to her video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ix0n5x1DSI&feature=youtu.be

There were 5 challenges you could complete during the Readathon:

Challenge #1 A book that's been on your TBR shelf over a year: A.S. King - The Dust of a 100 Dogs.

I bought this book June last year. I've always wanted to read it, but I kept reading other books first. So I've finally read it and I loved it.

Challenge #2 An unread sequel sitting on your TBR shelf: Yuki Midorikawa - Natsume's Book of Friends volume 18.

This is my favourite manga and I got this volume in the mail this week. I had to read it immediately.

Challenge #3 A first book in a series on your TBR shelf: Leigh Bardugo - Shadow and Bone. 

I've had this book for a long time and I kind of lost my interest in it. But I'm happy I've read it, because I liked it more than I thought I would.

Challenge #4 An "out of your comfort zone" book on le TBR shelf: John Steinbeck - The Moon is Down.

I usually avoid books that are about the Second World War, but I really liked this one.

Challenge #5 A book from your most recent book haul: Astrid Lindgren - Pippi Longstocking.

I got this book in the end of May and I was really excited to read it, because I loved Pippi Longstocking as a child.

I never thought I would be able to read 5 books this week. Perhaps it was because all books were quite short and fast paced. But the biggest reason was that I really liked all the books I've read. I was pleasantly surprised by most of them.

Information

First published in 1936.

My copy has 230 pages and is published by Penguin.

The premise

A memoir of the author's time among the desperately poor and destitute in London and Paris. It documents a world of unrelenting drudgery and squalor - sleeping in bug-infested hostels and doss houses, working as a dishwasher in the vile 'Hotel X', living alongside tramps, surviving on scraps and cigarette butts.

My review

This is the second George Orwell book I've read. Animal Farm was the first one. This was also the second book he wrote and I think you notice that. It's less in depth in my opinion. That said I really liked this book. 

It is kind of written like a travel journal. He tells about the people he meets and their stories, and his day to day life being poor in Paris and London. You are introduced to all kinds of different people and you see how the author adepts and changes to way he lives. The Paris and London parts were very different and that was fun to read about.

This was not a "heavy" book to read. It was quick and easy. From time to time the author gives his opinion about things that are happening around him. And they really make you think. 

Information

First published in 1943.

My copy had 110 pages and is published by Meulenhoff (a Dutch company).

The premise

"The Moon Is Down" explores the effects of invasion on both the conquered and the conquerors. Occupied by enemy troops, a small, peaceful town comes face-to-face with evil imposed from the outside and betrayal from within the close-knit community. As he delves into the motivations and emotions of the enemy.

My review

When I picked this book up I didn't know what it was about. I have an old library copy, with nothing but the name of the author and the title on front and back of the book. But it was a book by John Steinbeck, an author I wanted to read and it cost €0,50. 

When I looked it up I read that it was about the second world war and that's a genre I don't read very often. But the premise seemed quite interesting and it's a short book.

One of the main things that I liked about this book, is that it gives you insight in both the conquered and the conquerors. And that's not something I've seen very often. 

The characters are the driving force of the book, it's all about what they think of themselves, each other and how and why they act like they do.

For such a short book there are quite a few characters and in the beginning it was a bit overwhelming, especially all the different soldiers. But I recommend reading closely, because the backgrounds of the soldiers really add to the story.

I thought it was well written and from the first few pages there are some very clear opinions about the war and the people involved. 

Information

First published in 1950

My copy has 160 pages and is published by Puffin Books.

The premise

Tommy and his sister Annika have a new neighbor, and her name is Pippi Longstocking. She has crazy red pigtails, no parents to tell her what to do, a horse that lives on her porch, and a flair for the outrageous that seems to lead to one adventure after another!

My review

I loved Pippi Longstocking as a child. But I never read the book, I always watched the movie. And I loved to read the stories now.

Pippi is a really strong character. In strenght but also mentally. She knows what she wants and isn't scared of anyone.
She isn't used to living in a village, as she grew up on a pirate ship. And this gets her into trouble occasionally. But Pippi always means the best when she does things, and people love her for it.

I thought this book was really funny and I enjoyed it a lot. The friendship between her and Tommy and Annika was really cute.
I did think that some of the stories where a bit to much or to absurd. But that's also part of the charm of the book.

I thought I'd start my booklikes with a Bookhaul. But I didn't realize that I'd bought so many books this month! (And there are even more on the way) I don't know if I should scream or do a dance because I've bought so many.

The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

These books are the first Brandon Sanderson books that I've bought. I've heard a lot of about them around Booktube lately and Book 1: The Final Empire has a 4.38 star rating on Goodreads.

So I thought I'd give them a try. And they are amazing!

I've read book 1 and 2 so far. And I love them. The way magic works in this world is very different and interesting and the main character en main side characters are great.

It also doesn't hurt that the covers are really nice. Black and white with the omnious mists.

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

I wanted to pick this book up for quite some time and I finally did it. It's my first Rainbow Rowell book. Which seems to be quite the trend in my bookhaul. A lot of first books from authors for me. 

I've heard and read a lot of great reviews. And the first 2 sentences of the synopsis made me be certain that I wanted this book: 

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

This book was one of the first books that I'd marked as to read on Goodreads. And I've finally bought it. I was really in the mood for a darker book. And throughout the whole book there are these weird pictures of peculiar children. I love the idea of pictures enhancing the story line.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

I've read Coraline by Neil Gaiman before. But that was on my kindle so this is the first Neil Gaiman book that I own. I haven't read it yet and I don't know a lot about the book. 

I occasionally like to read a book without knowing much about it, and thus reading it open minded without having a lot of expectations. That really seems to suit this book. I'll see if I'm right.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A classic in the English literature. I'm planning to read some more classics and this is one of them. I've heard a lot about it and I can't wait to read it.

Waiting for Wednesday and Thursday's Children by Nicci French

I've read book 1 and 2 in the Frieda Klein series and I really enjoyed them. When I finally got around to picking up book 3: Waiting for wednesdays, I realized that book 4 was also already available. So I picked them both up. 

The only downside is is that my copy of waiting for wednesdays smaller is than my copies of Thuesday's Gone and Thursday's Children. I'll have to live with my covers not matching in height. Grrrrr.

The Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks

I've read a part of the first book: The Way of Shadows on my kindle. But I enjoyed it a lot and I decided to buy the whole series when I found them quite cheap. I'm really happy with my kindle, but I still prefer to read a book where I can flip the pages.

This was my first bookhaul and my first article. I hope you enjoyed it, even though it was quite long. Let me know what you think. Do you prefer more short articles or just one long article?

I hope you forgive all my grammer mistakes, but I hope to improve when I write more.

I plan to do some reviews in the near future. Let me know if you have a preference for one of the books above.