19 Reviews (sort of)

I haven't yet shared with you the reviews of the books I've read so far this year (I did share some, but not in the way I usually do it), so I'll use this post to catch up.

I will share all of my Goodreads reviews (because I think it's much more fun to read the reviews I've written right after I finished the books), but there are some (a lot actually, whoops) books that I only rated with stars, so I'll just start with those and you can be like "oh, how nice" and move on.

Don't get me wrong though: this by no means, means (I hate it when this happens) that you should not read them!

The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

The Inexplicable Logic of My Life by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Thoughts Alight Poetry by Kawtar Elmrabti

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Embrace Your Weird by Felicia Day

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Pena ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Okay, let's move on to:

Heidi Cullinan! (I've read so many of her books that I just had to make a separate section.)

Carry the Ocean (The Roosevelt #1)

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ High school graduate Jeremey Samson is looking forward to burying his head under the covers and sleeping until it’s time to leave for college. Then a tornado named Emmet Washington enters his life. The double major in math and computer science is handsome, forward, wicked smart, interested in Jeremey—and he’s autistic.

But Jeremey doesn’t judge him for that. He’s too busy judging himself, as are his parents, who don’t believe in things like clinical depression. When his untreated illness reaches a critical breaking point, Emmet is the white knight who rescues him and brings him along as a roommate to The Roosevelt, a quirky new assisted living facility nearby.

Everyone, please, I urge you to read this wonderful piece of art. Then (or do it first, whatever floats your boat), watch this and listen to this.

Also, I think that Jeremey is the character that's most like me out of all book characters (okay, that's not true, Aaron Seavers already is, but this quote by Jeremey describes me perfectly):

"This year I learned I'm good at feelings. Emmet calls these our superpowers--his are listening and seeing and math and remembering. Mine is feelings. I can tell what everyone is feeling all the time, and I almost feel it with them. So I have to be careful, because if there are too many feelings around me at once, I get overwhelmed . . . There is nothing wrong with me and who I am, but [...] I have to fight every day, and some days I can't win."

RIGHT!?

Okay, next.

Shelter the Sea (The Roosevelt #2) I didn't think it was possible but I loved this book even more than the first one!! I cried, I laughed and I cried some more, but right now the smile on my face is bigger than ever because of that perfect ending.

Then there's the Love Lessons series. In February, I have been spamming a lot of people about this series (#sorrynotsorry). I enjoyed the first and third book immensely, but the second was by far my favourite (and reached my top 5 of favourite books of all time).

In a nutshell: each book is about two guys (#1 is about Kelly and Walter, #2 is about Aaron and Giles and #3 is about Baz and Elijah, though they all know and are friends with each other), dealing with their problems as they go through college life, and finding love in the process.

Love Lessons (Love Lessons #1) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ This was 100% adorable. I am not even sure if it was meant to be that way. Was it? (It totally was!)

Frozen Heart (Love Lessons #1.5) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This was kind of weird, but in a good way.

Fever Pitch (Love Lessons #2) ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I am in love with Aaron Seavers, this book, the music in it, Aaron Seavers, the other characters (especially Baz), the setting, the writing style and...oh, Aaron Seavers!

I could read thousands of books about this perfect little being. At moments I just wanted to literally dive into the book so I could give him a big bear hug and we could become besties. He is just too precious.😭

Okay, so now my love for Aaron is made clear, I must continue by saying that this book was such an emotional rollercoaster for me (in a good way) and I am pretty sure I will reread it so many times that I will be able to quote the entire thing at some point. I liked the first book, but this one was everything. I can't wait to read the next one!

Lonely Hearts (Love Lessons #3) ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Am I the only one who still ships Baz with Aaron? Yes? Okay, never mind then. (I do love Elijah though, don't get me wrong!)

Short Stay (Love Lessons #3.5)

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ This book was definitely my least favourite of the series. I liked reading about Baz and Elijah again, but it was too much of the same. If the series had ended with Lonely Hearts, it would've been fine by me.

OTHER REVIEWS:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I've already shared this review with you in an earlier post, but I'll share it again. (You're welcome.)

This book is everything!!! I tried to read it as slowly as possible because I did not want it to end, but here I am, about a day later and it's over and I am not okay, because it's impossible to read it again for the very first time.

I loved the characters, I adored the writing style, the plot was so good. I know there are more great and amazing books, and yet, I have never read one quite like this one before.

5 stars!! It was perfect.

The Worldship Humility by R.R. Haywood (and the audiobook is narrated by Colin Morgan! Yep, that's the guy from Merlin!)

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

I loved this audiobook! I really liked the story and the way Colin narrated it made it so much fun to listen to!

Small Is The New Big by Sonali Sharma

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Thanks to Sonali Sharma for the free copy!

This little book is filled with great life lessons, which makes it an interesting read. I must say that there were a lot of grammatical errors, which made it less enjoyable to read, but that could (and should) be improved in the future.

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

My review after reading this book was: "I hate this book with a passion, because it made me care so much about the main characters and now I don't know if and when I will be able to stop crying."

Later on I tried another book by the author. I did not finish it, not because it wasn't good, but simply because I cannot handle it. Silvera's books are amazing, but I am too sensitive/empathic/who even knows. I would recommend his books to anyone, unless you are like me, then please don't.

Cinder & Ella (Cinder & Ella #1) by Kelly Oram

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This book was a real page-turner for me! What made it so good was the fact that, though it was sweet and cheesy (in a good way, but still cheesy), the characters had real depth. I loved it.

Say Car For Me (Cinder & Ella #2) by Kelly Oram

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (I don't know why I rated this with 5 stars and #1 with 4. I guess I was in a better mood? But honestly I love both so much!!)

The Beach at Night by Elena Ferrante

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

This was so weird...I loved it!

That last review was so short that it was kind of useless, but then the story was also really short so it fits.

Anyway...that brings us to a total of... (wait a second so I can count them...oh wait, Goodreads has already counted them for me, I totally forgot!) ...19 books!

How many books have you read so far? Let me know in the comments (or somewhere else). I will try to figure out how to respond on here as I still haven't mastered that art.

Also, (I completely forgot to mention this last time, but) if you would like to buy a book and support writers, translators, publishers and bookstores (and if you buy a physical copy, then, in a small way also me) while you are at it, you can do it via this link: https://bazarow.com/?a=107&s=136.

Be kind & do good!

Love,

Annabel