Wrap Up: August 2022

Hello readers!

I know I forgot to post the wrap-up for July, I’m sorry, I was already on vacation, I promise I will post it in the next few days!

Here’s what I read during August (click on the cover for the plot):

5 stars:

I wasn’t expecting to love L’imprevedibile viaggio di Harold Fry (The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry) so much, but it’s a heartbreaking story. Same for Lady of ashes, a great historical fiction about a female undertaker in Victorian London.

4 and 3 stars:

My dad visited Iceland this year, and brought me this beautiful book about Aurora Borealis. Do you know that I’m obsessed with Van Gogh right? L’uomo e la terra (The man and the earth) is a wonderful book about the exposition in Milan. I thought that L’isola del tesoro (Treasure island) was more adventurous, but I’m glad I’ve finally read it.

1 or 2 stars/DNF:

The sisters brothers and Devil in the darkness are the books I didn’t finish. Only The power of Poppy Pendle gains 2 stars, the other books are so bad I immediately unhaul them from shelves.

And that was my reading month, hope yours was better than mine!

Wrap up: June 2022

Hello readers, sorry for the delay, I had busy days at work!

In June I’ve read 12 books with 2 DNF, a record even for me.

4 stars:

I can say that Chad Nicholas can write a really good thriller/horror book, having already enjoyed Nightmare written by him. His stories are really dark and twisted, be aware.

3 stars:

If you have a cat, you can easily relate to the poems of I could pee on this. So hilarious.

Are you terrified of dolls like me? Demonic dolls is the book for you!

Philippe Daverio racconta Van Gogh: I was expecting more from Daverio, this book is just a general portrait of the artist.

2 stars:

3 great covers for 3 predictable books: Reign of Shadows is a dystopian/romance retelling of Rapunzel; Knock knock is a ghost story totally ruined by the prologue; The heir of Hawksclaw tried too hard to be gothic/scary, without success.

1 star/DNF:

I wouldn’t talk about each of these books, I know some are very popular, maybe it was just a bad reading month for me. You can check the GR page by clicking on the cover.

And that was my reading month, hope July will be better!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wishlist

Hello readers and welcome to another TTT.

This weekly theme is hosted by That Artsy Girl and you can check out the prompts to join in.

Here’s my wishlist on Amazon IT.

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Reading!

Goodreads Monday #7

GoodReads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Budget tales book blog. To participate, choose a random book from your TBR and show it off.

The city of Marlowe, Massachusetts is a lovely place to settle down… just ask its two resident demons.
For centuries, Iago Wick and his partner, Dante Lovelace, have meddled in the affairs of Man for the benefit of Hell—and had a damnably good time doing it.
Everything changes when a peculiar demon hunter with a murky past comes to Marlowe and sets his sights on Iago. Mr. Wick is all too happy to grant him a game of cat and mouse. After all, a little distraction from his Hellish duties does an old demon good.
But soon, Iago and Dante find themselves entangled in the mystery surrounding the strange hunter, and the line between danger and excitement becomes a blurry one. What happens when Iago gets a little too close? Is working for Hell really all it’s cracked up to be? And why is the idea of freewill suddenly so appealing?
Join a diverse and eccentric cast of demons and the hunters who hunt them in this wickedly witty tale of Victorian adventure and infernal mayhem.

Wrap up: May 2022

Hello readers and welcome to another wrap up! Sorry if I’m late, I have so much work to do right now.

During May I’ve participated in the Star Wars Challenge organized on Instagram that required books over 200 pages, so I’ve read fewer books than usual.

5 stars:

I already love another series by C.J. Archer (The ministry of curiosities) so I was excited to begin The palace of lost memories. It’s original and captivating.

I bought Un delitto al circolo polare (Murder at the polar circle) at the secondhand shop, the creepy snowman on the cover has won my curiosity. It was really good.

4 stars:

Murder at the Fitzwilliam is the first volume in a historical fiction series featuring murders in famous museums all over the UK, with a strong female co-protagonist who is also an archeologist. Perfect!

How colorful is the cover of Rainbow Grey? Laura Ellen Anderson is so good at writing fantasy middle-grade books!

2 stars:

Horrorstor has a beautiful cover and “project” but half of the plot was like an episode of SuperStore, not scary at all. This is my last attempt with Hendrix. Il bacio del Diavolo (The vampire Narcise) is erotica, and I didn’t like the genre, but I won a copy years ago, so I gave it a try. Sweep was so depressing with an MC not likable at all. I’ve loved the first quarter of The sun Down motel, and then stop.

1 star:

Both of them are full of characters, different POVs, and plots to confusional and intricated. Click on the cover for the GR page.

And that was my May in reading, how was yours?

Goodreads Monday #6

GoodReads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Budget tales book blog. To participate, choose a random book from your TBR and show it off.

London 1860

Midnight Gunn is no ordinary detective- born during a solar eclipse as Halley’s Comet blazed a trail through the sky- his supernatural birthright is both a help and a hindrance when solving crimes.
Detective Inspector Arthur Gredge, of Scotland Yard, is the only one who knows Gunn’s secret.
When the body of a young aristocrat is discovered in a backstreet alley, Gredge enlists Gunn’s help in a race to discover the identity of the notorious Spring-heeled Jack- the monster that is terrorizing London.
A trail of clues and victims leads them to discover the horrifying truth behind the killing.

The Hollows, encompasses the thrill of a traditional gothic mystery with an extra twist of paranormal, a splash of romance and a hint of horror! Dive into the past and experience the thrill of the hunt as Gunn- Scotland Yard’s best kept secret- chases down a dangerous killer making friends and enemies that will change his life forever.

The ABC Book Challenge (N)

Hello! How’s everyone doing?

The challenge is to post some books that I loved and some books that are still on my TBR (please TBR, don’t hurt me), corresponding to each letter of the alphabet.

Personally, I found this challenge on A Book. A Thought. Go and check this great blog!

Please remember that maybe some books will be in Italian. I will write the English title too.

Previous Post:

The ABC Book Challenge (A)

The ABC Book Challenge (B)

The ABC Book Challenge (C)

The ABC Book Challenge (D)

The ABC Book Challenge (E)

The ABC Book Challenge (F)

The ABC Book Challenge (G)

The ABC Book Challenge (H)

The ABC Book Challenge (I)

The ABC book challenge (J)

The ABC book challenge (K)

The ABC Book Challenge (L)

The ABC Book Challenge (M)

Memorable books:

I love all these books so much!! (click on the cover for the GR page)

Books on my TBR:

I’ve different books on my TBR, as you can see, from non-fiction to middle grade, also because I’m obsessed with Nessie. Click on the cover for the GR page.

Have you read any of these books?

Tell me in the comments!

Happy reading!

Wrap Up: April 2022

Hello readers!

In April I’ve read 11 books with 1 DNF, and I managed, thanks to a readathon, to read some of the older (means I bought them years ago) books on my shelves.

5 stars:

It is always a great pleasure to come back to The ministry of curiosities, and that’s why I savor every volume. Beyond the grave wasn’t an exception. Next, we can find a great surprise, the first book an author sends to me through Instagram, you can find the review of Swallowed by a secret here.

Il tempo delle rose (Time to smell the roses) is the last volume in the Hermux Tantamoq series. I can’t express how much I love this mouse and his adventures.

The storyteller by Dave Grohl is a work of art, especially if, like me, you’ll listen to the audiobook version narrated by Grohl himself. There’s music too.

2 stars:

I can’t hide the disappointment after reading Mortal arts, it was so different from the previous The anatomist’s wife. The girl of fire and thorns is a typical YA, nothing more, and Son Goku is the original story and legend of Son Goku who inspired manga like Saiyuki or Dragonball. I no longer appreciate books like Death, the devil and the goldfish, but I gave it a try since was on my TBR for years.

1 star + DNF:

So similar to Wintersong, insta love, an illness of the Trolls that is exactly like mine, I save only the cover of Stolen Songbird. I’ve waited years to read Delia’s shadow, and didn’t like at all. The female characters are useless, the plot is boring, by again, great cover. The rib from which I remake the world is the DNF of the month, didn’t like, didn’t comprehend it, didn’t get involved by the characters.

How was your reading month?

Tell me in the comments!

Review: Swallowed by a secret

Title: Swallowed by a secret

Author: Risa Nyman

Genres: Middle grade/Mystery/Family/Grief

Pages: 198

Goodreads rating: 4.63/5

My rating: 5/5

Synopsys:

One dead father. One lying mother. One giant secret.

12-year-old Rocky’s father dies suddenly, and he learns the “his heart stopped” story he has been told is bogus. Immediately after the funeral, his mother sticks the For-Sale sign in the lawn and whisks them out of town as if living there has become too dangerous. As his trust in his one remaining parent unravels, Rocky is determined to crack the secret about how his father really died.

The road to the truth involves eavesdropping, snooping, and listening to advice from his dead father which sends Rocky on a risky journey to find the truth.

But sometimes it might be better for a secret to stay secret. Will Rocky have to rethink the father he thought he knew?

Review:

First of all, I want to thank Risa, she’s the first author who contacted me on IG after reading my bio, and gently asked me if I want to read her book. I’m grateful for this, it means that my work on bookstagram is seen by someone.

At first, I admit I wasn’t fond of the main character, Rocky, since he was so rude and ungrateful to his mother, but it was also somewhat justified but the tragedy that took away his father.

This book shows perfectly the “famous” stages of grief, and also includes one of the best character development of the MC I have ever seen in a book, even in an “adult” book.

My fave character is Olive, a great side character who easily became best friend with Rocky and helps him in more than a way.

The relationship between the characters is so heartwarming, thanks also to the development and personal growth of Rocky.

Prepare the tissues, because you’ll need them right before the ending. It was so emotional I had to pause my reading and calm myself. But don’t worry, there’s a happy ending.

Read it, you’ll not regret it.

The quarter year crisis book tag!

Hello readers! I found this tag on Kristin Kraves Books but it was created by Roisin’s reading on Booktube!

How many books have you read so far?

I’ve read 40 books so far, which means I’m 7 books ahead on the GR challenge.

Have you already found a book you think might be a 2022 favourite?

A favorite of all the time, in fact.

If not what was your favourite book you read that wasn’t quite five star?

This book made me laugh so much, but the ending could be better.

Any 1 star books / least favourite book of the year?

A lot of them, unfortunately. I’m a very difficult reader to please.

Most read genre so far?

Historical fiction for sure, also crime fiction since I’m participating in a Christie challenge on IG.

A book that surprised you?

A lovely cover for an underrated book, it was really surprising and emotional.

Book that’s come out in 2022 already that you want to read but haven’t yet?

I’m not really a book blogger who follows the latest release, so the only one in my mind is The golden Flute by Rosalie Oaks.

One goal you made that you’re succeeding at?

I’m succeeding at reading the books that are waiting for more than a year, like 3 or 4, on my shelves, sometimes I don’t even remember buying them.

And I’m more active on Instagram as a bookstagrammer!

New to you Booktubers/bookstagrammer/booktokers for 2022 you recommend?

Victoria @lostinpaperbacks

Kate @Katebrownreads

Macarena @ifollowedthatrabbit