REVIEW: Cranium Retaliations (Flags, Broken Bottles and Senses Weeping Due to Exhalations)

Joanna (skavansieur) Leave a comment

I’m currently in my first semester of my second year in college! The first few weeks were tough, I had multiple submissions due around the same time but now there’s 3 weeks left till the end of the semester and I surprisingly *think* that I *might* have everything under control.

I haven’t been finding time to read much, but when I do, I hope to take it at a slow pace, enjoying each book rather than speeding through just to give a review. I have a few books that I’m juggling at the moment which I’d like to share with you guys soon.

Till then, enjoy this review of Cranium Retaliations!

Cranium Retaliations (Flags, Broken Bottles and Senses Weeping Due to Exhalations)

get it here

BOOK SUMMARY

The Flags represent some of the icons that made the human history and their values are still alive to this day.

The Broken Bottles represent the misadventures, obstacles and sad facts that can pop during a lifetime.

The image of Senses Weeping represent all kinds of emotions generated by the first two, love on top of all.

Through three symbols, sense of humour and storytelling, the Italian poet Isaak Sank talks about literature, art, history, social injustice, world politics and his roots. Please feel welcomed into the mind of a young artist.

BOOK REVIEW

2.5 STARS

*A review copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

“…I don’t say what I read, I never make notes or underline passages.”
“Can I know why?”
“Because that’s where you reveal the most about yourself, it can be a true personal diary.”

Cranium Retaliations – Isaak Sank

This is a book that I (looking at the reviews and ratings before me) wanted so badly to like. It had such high ratings but I didn’t feel the same way about it.

It is important to note that Cranium Retaliations not like most of the poetry and prose collections that I’ve read. There were lengthy text and a heavy usage of imagery, which I would usually enjoy. However, some of the poems/proses were a little difficult to understand.

I believe it was due to language. Some sentences were not grammatically correct, so I would assume it was translated from another language. Then again, my grasp of the English language isn’t that strong either so I could be wrong. The idea behind each prose was solid, however it wasn’t easy to understand. I had to read some a few times over to understand the meaning, some of them I still don’t really know what it meant but there are notes at the end of the poem indicating what it was about.

With that being said, I have mix feelings about this book. Perhaps, I was not the right target audience. There were a lot of events, words, imagery that were significant that I did not know about, causing me to be confused for half of the proses in this book. For a non-spoiler example, in Expositions Part 2, set in what I believe was 1980, it spoke of things which I knew and was familiar about, all because I had an art history lesson about the 80s and the culture of the people of that era. Which made this quite an issue – to be able to fully enjoy this book, it is necessary to be able to have a basic understanding of the eras or subjects mentioned.

However, with a lot of them, when I finally understood the meaning, it felt like a powerful poem – some reflects on humanity, some gives a mystical feeling, shares different perspectives and even challenges to think differently. I had a couple of favourties from this collection, such as Dear Collard, Penmanship, Wi…Fine?. Although I enjoyed those few, I still can’t get over the difficulty of not understand what some poems were about.

REVIEW: The Twenty-Five Memories of Viggo MacDuff

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This was sent to me by Odyssey books a while ago. This is one of the few books where I cried while reading. It was such an enjoyable book and though it was about a breakup, the way it was written, the relationships of the supporting characters with the main characters were all very wholesome.

Twenty-Five Memories of Viggo MacDuff
by Kate Gordon

get it here

BOOK SUMMARY

On Christmas Day, Connie Chase opens the twenty-fifth door on her advent calendar, eating the last chocolate as she tries to swallow the memory of her former love, Viggo MacDuff. His dazzling green eyes are everywhere; from the Christmas tree to the promise of eternal love in a sprig of mistletoe, Connie sees only her hopeless gaze reflected back at her, trapped inside an all-too-shiny bauble. When she finds that even Christmas festivities can’t erase the pain of her first heartbreak, she begins to tell her love story to her best friend Jed.

Unwrapping each piece as they go on adventures together, Connie realises how she let her internal struggles control her, accepting behaviour that she believed she deserved. Connie explores both friendships and romantic relationships, discovering the strength of her voice and the power of her individuality as she reveals her most vulnerable self.

BOOK REVIEW

4.5 STARS

*A copy of this book was given to me by Odyssey Books in exchange for an honest review.

It has been a while since I’ve received this book so when I read it, I’ve forgotten the summary and just went straight into it without knowing or expecting anything.

Initially, I was not into the writing of the first chapter. I remember feeling negative about the way Connie’s monologue was written however it provided a good backstory for the title – Twenty-Five Memories of Viggo MacDuff. I slowly got used to it around the second chapter and found the storytelling quite pleasant. Now that I think about it, perhaps I’m not used to reading a first-person type of story so it felt strange to me.

“I nodded, even though I didn’t agree with Viggo at all. I love poetry and symbolism and playing around with language. I love the beauty of a well-crafted sentence; I admire the skill needed to choose the perfect combination of words. And metaphors and similes and analogies? When they’re done well, they are … exciting.”

Twenty-Five Memories of Viggo MacDuff, Kate Gordon

Connie Chase had her heart-broken by the perfect Viggo MacDuff. He was the one Connie brought back to her parents, thinking that they’d be glad and proud that she met someone who was prim, proper and intelligent. She was head-over-heels for him, and willing to change herself to be how he’d like her to be.

It was a full 180 for Connie Chase. She said goodbye to her Vans, band t-shirts, 90s music and comic books and was introduced into a world of classical music, dresses, make up and whatever Viggo MacDuff liked.

Honestly, I thought it was going to be about some girl complaining and crying over her ex but really, it’s about finding herself again. And it is heartwarming. Especially during the formation of MOADM (Memories of a Different Me). The name itself nearly moved me to tears and was what solidified the 4 star rating.

I really liked the relationships in the story and am glad that Connie had such a wonderful group of people around her that helped her through her breakup. I also liked how her perception of the uberclones changed in the end. It ended on a high note and I’m glad it did, especially after what Connie had gone through.

The story was told through short chapters, which was refreshing. It made the book easy to read, and actually enjoyable since there wasn’t too much happening in each chapter. I would think that this is a book that could be enjoyed when you’re in a reading slump. It is paced well, with good character relationships and is a short read.

I would have to say that this was my favourite read so far this year. I would’ve finished it in two days if I didn’t have the self control. It was truly pleasant to read this.

REVIEW: Diver and Other Poems

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Diver is a collection of poems that I purchased from Lit Books back in 2018. I don’t usually purchase poetry since I’m picky about it but I was curious about this one since it was by a local author. It’s already 2020 so it’s about time that I read this.

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Diver
by Alina Rastam

get it here (from Litbooks, an independent Malaysian bookstore)

BOOK SUMMARY

A self-published poetry collection by writer and social activist Alina Rastam.

BOOK REVIEW

4 STARS

Diver is a thin book with 20 poems. It may be a quick read because of the number of poems it has but it is certainly not easy to read it all in one go.

There’s no theme for this collection but a lot of the poems were addressed to people in the poet’s life. Some felt like love letters or diary entries. I’m not entirely sure how to categorize it really but it seems as if they were letters, written from the deepest part of the heart, that wasn’t meant to meet the surface.

It is one of those poetry collections that need to be put in an art gallery. Every line feels sincere. When I read it, it feels as if the poet was pouring out her inmost thoughts and feelings from within the heart. It felt as if I was creeping and seeing something I wasn’t meant to, like as if I was reading into the poet’s diary and experiencing her feelings.

This might’ve been one of the most beautifully written poetry collection that I’ve read so far. I’ve always been more fascinated in lengthy poetry that takes up pages apiece. There were some poems that I didn’t understand and had to read a few times. Either way, I was still able to enjoy the writing.

With that, there was a handful of poetry that I enjoyed. It left a deep impact because of how raw it felt, and the choice of words amplified the emotions. Some of my favourites were ‘For My Father’, ‘For Chang on Her 50th Birthday’, ‘The Quiescent Rain’, ‘Letter to Jane’, ‘Uncle Bob’ and ‘To A Beloved Student’.

I highly recommend this poetry collection. However, it may be a little difficult to find out of Malaysia.

REVIEW: Stargazer

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Poetry collection number 3 of my little poetry reading challenge is Stargazer by Rachel M. Patterson. I’ve finished this before going on a short hiatus to focus on my finals but now I’m on a semester break until July. Hopefully, I’m able to read a bit more now.

I’ve received quite a lot of poetry collections to review in the past few months and a lot more since I’ve started this poetry reading challenge so it’s definitely gonna take me some time to get to it, especially since I’m juggling some other books too at this moment. There’s gonna be more reviews heading your way soon!

Stargazer

Stargazer
by Rachel M. Patterson (Patreon)

buy it here

BOOK SUMMARY

A series of unique and emotionally charged poems, paired with sketches from the author.

BOOK REVIEW

3 STARS

Stargazer is a poetry collection that could be read in one sitting. There are 17 poems altogether, accompanied with illustrations from the author.

There were poems about love, depression, hopelessness and hope. Some of the poems were completely heartbreaking and relatable, and some just felt magical. There isn’t a theme that could describe the whole book since it’s about different topics but don’t let that discourage you from giving this a read.

All the poems follows a structure with rhymes so melodious, it easily rolls off the tongue. It was a pleasant read, even if some of the poems were dark. Those were my favourites, actually. I enjoyed how Patterson uses beautiful metaphors and I’m absolutely blown away by each line.

My favourites were “Jagged Pit”, “Chronic”, “Spiral” and “Lunatic”. The way each line was written conveyed the feelings accurately. You are able to experience the emptiness and hopelessness in “Jagged Pit”, “Chronic” and “Spiral” but feel the curiosity and thrill in “Lunatic”. It was enjoyable and not many poems I’ve read was able to make me feel like I’ve been brought to a different dimension.

Filled with illustrations made with a pen. I’ve always admired art like that. It’s simple yet with the many strokes and shading, it looks complex and also beautiful. A good complement to the poems.

REVIEW: An Ocean of Grey

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It’s National Poetry Month in the United States and though I may not be from there, I would still love to celebrate. For this month and the next, I hope to finish reading the many poetry collections that I have. Hopefully, I’m able to make a dent in my TBR list and to increase the number of books I’ve read for my reading challenge.

This is the 3rd poetry collection that I’ve read this month. I managed to read it on Meraki Press’ Instagram as it was free to read until the 26th of April. I’m glad I remembered as this collection of poems left me at loss for words but full of emotions.

38725838._SY475_An Ocean of Grey
by Kamalia Hasni

get it here

BOOK SUMMARY
I could find peace
in an ocean
of all the shades
of the colour grey

An Ocean of Grey by Kamalia Hasni explores the pain and aftermath of a love that was promised a forever but had ended too soon. The collection of poetry and prose also includes beautiful illustrations by the author’s friends who had helped her through her healing.

BOOK REVIEW
4 STARS

I think the most beautiful part of poetry is that one way or another, it means something to us, even if it isn’t our story.

The first few poems were a little difficult to get into. I didn’t check out the blurb, I just dived into it, not knowing what it was about. A few poems in, I realised it was about heartbreak. It was difficult to read it since I didn’t understand it myself.

As I turned the pages, I was reminded of what happened to a close friend of mine recently and can’t help but to imagine her feel all this. It brought light to me that this is what she is feeling and though I may have not felt this way before, it helps me to understand what she is going through. Perhaps I may not be the suitable target audience for this book. But it makes me want to send this book to a friend, tell them it’s the best thing to read after a terrible breakup and perhaps somewhere in the poet’s words, they can find comfort that they’re not alone too.

The poems were inspired by songs, each poem with a different song title at the end, creating the ultimate breakup playlist. Most I didn’t know, but could only respect that these songs will constantly remind the author of what she went through. For a handful of those which I’ve heard, I understood and admired the way the lyrics in the song has inspired a beautifully written poem.

The illustrations in this collection were a collaborative work of different artists. Everyone had a different style but it all fit together quite well. I do have some favourites though, and those are absolutely unforgettable.

I enjoyed this poetry collection a lot. It’s very raw, very real. It shares the truth of being in a breakup and how it damages someone terribly, how a relationship can change overnight and the awful way it tears someone into bits and pieces. The words stringed together to form perfect sentences, explaining the very graphic details of what pain her heart felt.

I absolutely recommend this book to those who had recently gone through a breakup or is still in the process of healing. Perhaps you might find words of comfort through this, knowing that someone knows exactly how you feel.

REVIEW: Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose and Pictures

Joanna (skavansieur) 1 Comment

I really enjoy reading poetry since it is an opportunity to think and reflect, the way the sentence flows always makes me feel joyous and the carefully chosen words make it a work of art that never fails to brighten my day. It’s also a good way for me to reach my goal of 24 books this year. Not a very big goal, since I felt unmotivated due to my reading slump that hit in the middle of last year but I’m back and feeling more better!

Often I see my book blog buddies having a little introduction part to their book review. I’ve been trying to adopt that if you can’t tell. I’m also considering changing some things about the blog, maybe even making a new logo for myself since I’m studying a design course and wanted a more unique one.

BookCoverLines by Leon
by Leon Stevens

get it here

BOOK SUMMARY
Lines by Leon is a selection of poems, prose, and short stories that address the subjects of loss, struggle, and reflection. Inside these thoughtful contemplations are original observations about ego, behaviour, human relations, places, and the environment. Many of the pieces feature a lighthearted and even humorous take on a subject, and the author invites his readers to laugh, think, cry, and meditate on the wide variety of thoughts.
Scattered throughout the book are sketches of various subjects, many that relate to the poems and stories they illustrate; others speak for themselves.

BOOK REVIEW
*A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

3 STARS

I enjoyed the illustrations that Stevens made. It was enjoyable to see and it makes it the story feel a bit more personal since the author made the illustration himself.

The poems are split into 11 sections, possibly the most I’ve seen so far in my very few years of reading poetry. Poems about human behaviour, the environment, struggles and a short story. It was a very quick read.

My favourite has to be the whole of People and Places. I believed that it was because most of the places mentioned and poems were about things that I knew, and perhaps if I didn’t, I may not have enjoyed it that much. Some other poems that I really enjoyed were Cycle, The Tendency to Cluster, Ego (Part IV), If (The Refugee). These were poems that I related to and some that I felt were artistically written.

I would describe this book as balanced. There were some poems that I thought were amazing and there was a handful that I really loved, however, there were also some that I didn’t enjoy reading. This poetry collection contains many observations, I guess I prefer poems that invoke deeper feelings, more intense and causes me to think more. It’s my personal preference and not many may feel the same.

From a design perspective, the cover is simple and stunning. The watercolour paper texture – absolutely brilliant! However the font for the text may not be the best font for this book, though the intention may be to have a handwriting sort of font, I believe there were probably better fonts out there that suited this book more. Some of the sketches were a little too light when compared to the text, and it may be difficult to see. I believe it shouldn’t be so since the drawings were beautifully drawn.

Overall, I have neutral feelings about this poetry collection. Not many poems stood out to me but it still was a pleasant read and the drawings were such a great complement to the poems. Perhaps it just wasn’t for me.

REVIEW: Express Pursuit

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It has been 2 months since my last review and I’m glad to be out of my reading slump. I believe my biggest motivator was the Restricted Movement Order and my friends on Twitter who, somehow in the past 14 days read 8 books, whereas it has been almost 3 months and I’ve only read 3.

Today I’m reviewing Express Pursuit, a romantic thriller that takes place following Mara Ellington’s trip across Europe riding the Orient Express where she suddenly gets entangled in a complicated terrorist attack threat.

Express Pursuit will be launching on the 3rd of April, so do get yourself a copy of it!

vseopursuit_ebook copy copy copy (1)Express Pursuit
by Caroline Beauregard

BOOK SUMMARY
As she rushed down London’s Victoria Station, feisty Air Traffic Controller Mara Ellington fought her apprehensions about this journey. It was no longer the trip of a lifetime she had dreamed about with her best friend. Instead, fate had turned this exciting adventure into a lonely voyage to honour her deathbed’s wish. After arriving at the train’s platform, a strange incident will leave her baffled but not as much as her unexpected confrontation with Counter-Terrorist Agent Drake Steinfield who has also boarded the legendary Orient-Express, on a mission to thwart a terrorist threat.

The sexy and tenacious agent is on the tail of an elusive Al-Qaeda Extremist leader who has planned a string of massive explosions along the train’s route. Additionally, he may be using the tourist as a pawn in his schemes and according to the CT agent, this makes her his best lead to stop him. Mara and Steinfield will need to join their forces and race against the terrorist’s deadline to prevent these massive tragedies, if they can put aside their clashing personalities and growing attraction. What destiny awaits them down the line of this Express Pursuit?

BOOK REVIEW
*A copy of this book was given in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 STARS

*book t/w: terrorism, religion, 9/11 attacks

It has been a while since I’ve read romance novels so this was definitely a change of pace. It’s refreshing to read something different once and a while and this was in between my comfort space (thriller/crime) as well as something new.

I can’t deny that the mention of the Orient Express made me interested in the story. I read it last year and absolutely loved it and it helped me picture the setting better. Being a fan of the book, I can’t help but also feel as if I’m one of the other passengers on the trip, enjoying the Orient Express themed journey.

Beauregard’s detailed descriptions of the scenes give the illusion that I’m travelling along with Mara across Europe, especially since there’s a Restricted Movement Order from the government and I’m trying to compensate for not being able to go outside. It felt nice to be able to pretend that I’m with them on this journey, well, the tourism part, not the ‘I’m-in-terrible-danger’ part.

The story was predictable. There were a few clues here and there so it all made sense when it was explained in the end. Maybe it could have been a little bit more complex but overall it’s quite tame. Then again, if I would be an innocent civilian being entangled in a situation where thousands of lives will be lost, I’d say otherwise.

I liked how the love story blossomed. It’s cheesy, expected but still very enjoyable. The two of them complemented each other. I liked how Mara was able to think under pressure which is probably a skill that she developed from her Air Traffic job. I liked that she wasn’t a damsel in distress and was able to take care of herself. Agent Drake Steinfield’s character on the hand provided a light-hearted feeling with his teasing as Mara’s character felt a little dry. I enjoyed the scenes where they interact with one another as it felt sincere despite Agent Steinfield was just an agent going about on his job. There were also many times where I squealed in delight while reading from his point of view. I can’t help but be invested in their love.

Occasionally, the point of view will switch between Mara and Drake. It’s a little confusing though since there’s no clear division so I’ll have to reread it. Overall, it’s an easy and enjoyable read.

MINI REVIEWS (#1): A potential new series

Joanna (skavansieur) 6 Comments

Like most reviewers, I read more (and faster) than I review. With school work piling up and life spiralling out of hand, I feel less motivated to put my thoughts and feelings into words that make sense. This makes me feel a little guilty though since I feel inclined to review every book I read but I don’t have much to say about it. Most often than not, I drag it out for months and months until I lose the motivation and delete the draft, trying to forget it ever happened.

In a recent chat with a fellow reviewer that I deeply admire, Xueh Wei (check out her blog!) brought up the idea of mini-reviews – a place where I can give a short review for the books I’ve read but don’t have much to say in order to make it a fleshed-out review.

Don’t worry! These mini-reviews are for the books that are on my bookshelf and just books that I read for fun.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
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“Maybe the books can get us half out of the cave. They just might stop us from making the same damn insane mistakes” – Ray Bradbury

4 STARS

I’ve searched high and low for a copy of this book ever since hearing about it. I loved the idea of a dystopian world surrounding the idea of books. Especially when it’s a banned book!

It was surprising to me that this book was banned, but now when I think of it, it’s more ironic instead.

I went into this book knowing the main events that happened but still really enjoyed it. With this one, it feels like the themes and messages were the core rather than the storytelling itself.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
9780007527526

 

“Oh! Money! All the troubles in the world can be put down to money—or the lack of it.”
― Agatha Christie

5 STARS

Incredibly brilliant.

After reading my first Christie mystery, Murder on the Orient Express, I went into this with the intention to try to solve the case as I was reading the book, carefully taking note of the characters, their alibis and the events that were happening. I wanted to solve it.

But oh this was brilliant. The ending caught me by surprise and instantly made this into a 5 star read, one of the best of last year. It was nothing that I can even imagine and I screamed out of delight in how amazed I was at the ending.

The Four by Scott Galloway
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“Don’t follow your passion, follow your talent. Determine what you are good at (early), and commit to becoming great at it. You don’t have to love it, just don’t hate it. If practice takes you from good to great, the recognition and compensation you will command will make you start to love it.”
– Scott Galloway

4 STARS

I’ve been interested in hearing about what goes on in the inside of these big companies. Galloway describes them in a way where it makes you question how much power they have over society. He views these companies in a negative light, which is what makes a lot of the reviews on this book quite negative too.

In this book, he shares some essential skills in order to make a business grow, which I admire as I feel these are good for all of us to learn even if we aren’t interested in starting our own business and can even help us become a better employee and co-worker.

As for me, I do understand both the positive and negative reviews that this book gets. It shows a negative side of the four companies and Galloway’s humour may not rub people the right way. All I have to say is to read this book with a grain of salt.

My reasons for liking it so highly is that, though I do not entirely agree with Galloway, he may not be wrong. I had a pleasant time reading this and understanding things from his point of view. My only issue is that it gets a little boring towards the last few chapters but that’s all I can say.

This marks the end of my first mini-review series. I believe these will appear once in a while on the blog, where I do not have incredibly in-depth thoughts on a book but do have a little to say before one spends their money on it.

I hope you enjoy it still!

-J

 

REVIEW: Stumptown

Joanna (skavansieur) 1 Comment

*Last time, I shared how the year is almost ending and I am nowhere near my goal of 45 books. For the month of October, I believe I’ll be reading more poetry collections as well as graphic novels to increase the number. That, and a lot more books that don’t require me to focus so much energy and thought into it.

I’m now writing this in January. To be very transparent, I’ve been in a reading slump for the past few months and even more so in the blogging slump where though I had opinions on a book, it was difficult for me to put it into words. I sincerely respect and applaud those who are able to write reviews weekly and even monthly!

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Stumptown (#1, The Case of the Girl Who Took Her Shampoo)
by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth

get it here

BOOK SUMMARY
Dex is the proprietor of Stumptown Investigations, and a fairly talented P.I. Unfortunately, she’s less adept at throwing dice than solving cases. Her recent streak has left her beyond broke – she’s into the Confederated Tribes of the Wind Coast for 18 large. But maybe Dex’s luck is about to change. Sue-Lynne, head of the Wind Coast’s casino operation, will clear Dex’ debt if she can locate Sue-Lynne’s missing granddaughter. But is this job Dex’s way out of the hole or a shove down one much much deeper?

BOOK REVIEW

*A copy of this book was given by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

4.5 stars

“I gamble, I drink, I smoke, and I’ve got a car that runs half the time. I just took out my second mortgage, half my bills are past due, and my mentally retarded brother pulls a steadier income than me [….] My word is all I have.”

It opens in a strange way, with Dex getting into so much trouble I wondered if I had been given the wrong volume. It starts with flashbacks, 24 hours, 8 hours, then it only becomes chronological. I didn’t hate it, but I was very confused.

Dex is around 30, gambled a number close to 5 digits, reckless, flirtatious, and has close to nothing going well in her life. When she receives a mission from Sue-Lynne to find her missing granddaughter in return to pay back her debts, she is left with close to no choice. The chase results in hitmen, bad luck for Dex, family drama, more bad luck for Dex and elements that hold a lot more depth than I expected this graphic novel to have.

The protagonist, Dex, has made some questionable life decisions however she is incredibly brilliant. She isn’t Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Poirot, instead, she is more of a mess however her misfortune and personality pays off. Despite her tough exterior, she has a caring side that she shows towards her brother. I hope to understand their relationship more in the next few volumes of the series as it did strike me as odd how her brother reacts to Dex coming back all bloodied and beaten up from time to time.

I believe the best part of the book is the second half of it. The first half was rocky, it was difficult to understand what was happening due to the time jumps, it was difficult to differentiate some characters but the second half becomes raw. You’re able to see things from the other characters’ perspective and it makes you (well, me) feel sorry for them and try to understand them in a way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I’m still blown away by the ending despite it being a few months since I read it.

9 Books I’m Excited to Read in 2020 + Updates

Joanna (skavansieur) 3 Comments

Hello there. It’s 2020 and for my first blog post, I’d like to share some of my bookish plans for the year ahead!

Before that, I’d like to sincerely apologize for my unannounced hiatus. I fell into a slump. It was expected, finishing my foundations, starting an internship, starting my first year of degree, all this happened in 2019 and it was difficult for me to balance my work and make time for reading. Instead, I spent a lot more time on YouTube and Netflix, which I really didn’t mind but need to find a balance between the three this year.

Note: I’m still on a hiatus and will be back after the 10th of January, as I am still in my college semester. I’m only here now to greet you guys with a Happy New Year and share about some books I’m interested in reading.

Last year, my goal for my Goodreads Reading Challenge was 45. Although I thought it was doable (since I was able to achieve 42 in 2018), I overestimated myself.

This year, I will be making time for some side projects, possibly trying to see if I can build up my portfolio, spend time to learn new things as well as not procrastinate for my assignments. Hence, with this in mind, I’d like to read 24 books.

It’s a rather low amount, however, I’d like to be more carefree and not feel forced to read or achieve my target. Instead, I am trying to achieve many things this year and this is only one aspect. I’ve hit a reading slump quite badly in 2019, so why not take baby steps and rekindle my love and habit for reading again.

Some Books I’m Excited to Read in 2020

ON THE BLOG.png

As I’m typing about this right now while having Big Bang Theory playing in the background, my assignment tab open, the dread of week 14 nearing and the thought of failing my Advertising class in mind, I’m itching to pick up The Architect of Flowers.

This sparked the beginning of this post.

Some of these books are re-reads, some are half-read from 2019 (a terrible habit that I definitely need to stop), some of these are also sent by authors for a review. Others I’ve had on my shelf for a long time or may be newly bought from Big Bad Wolf last month. Either way, I’ve been excited for these books for a while and I cannot wait for my semester to be over so I can start reading!

Have you heard of any of these? Have you read them? Let me know down in the comments below!

I’ll see you next time!
-J