Imagoala

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue  (Guide #1) by Mackenzi Lee Blurb: Henry "Monty" Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless deci...

The Revenge Playbook  by Rachael Allen Blurb: Four  girls. One plan. And the night that changes everything. Liv is the girl everyone gossips about. But when the rumors threaten to crack her relationship with her longtime boyfriend, she's desperate to prove that not everything you hear is true. Peyton is the girl no one knows. But flying under the radar doesn't mean she's willing to let people walk all over her. Melanie Jane is the girl everyone wants to be or be with. Beautiful, sassy, and untouchable she breaks hearts before hers gets broken. Most of the time. Ana is the girl no one talks to. Not after what happened at the party that ended her friendship with Melanie Jane. They have nothing in common … except for revenge. Review: She  rehashes a story that makes me want to hunt down every Varsity football player, especially Chad. I can just picture him tearing down Liv with that smug smile of his. His grin is the reason why Germany invente...

On the Fence  by Kasie West Blurb: For  sixteen-year-old Charlotte Reynolds, aka Charlie, being raised by a single dad and three older brothers has its perks. She can outrun, outscore, and outwit every boy she knows – including her longtime neighbor and honorary fourth brother, Braden. But when it comes to being a girl, Charlie doesn't know the first thing about anything. So when she starts working at chichi boutique to pay off a speeding ticket, she finds herself in a strange new world of makeup, lacy skirts, and BeDazzlers. Even stranger, she's spending time with a boy who has never seen her tear it up in a pickup game. Review: " A  girl who plays disc golf?" Jerom said. "That's hot." Gage curled his lip. "I don't know. A girl who plays disc golf? She's probably a dog. Some aggressive, burly thing." The guys laugh, not seeming to realize I was standing right there … playing disc golf. Something  you need to...

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag  (Flavia de Luce #2) by Alan Bradley Blurb: In  1950s English bucolic Bishop's Lacy, narrator Flavia de Luce, 11, has a passion for chemistry and a genius for solving murders. Pupeteer Rupert Porson has his strings sizzled, his charming helper Nialla suspect. Astride trusty bicycle Gladys, she investigates Gibbet Wood madwoman, icar, German pilot, and poisoned chocolates. Review: Of the many phrases that came to mind to describe Cynthia Richardson, "good sport" was not among them; "ogress," however, was. To  a certain degree I got what I wanted from this book: A cheeky, murder solving eleven-year-old being arrogant. Sadly, this is about everything this book managed and it might have overdone it to a point where it was more annoying than endearing. That doesn't mean that this book was terrible but it also wasn't my cup of tea. Personally, I couldn't hold interest in it at all, even tho...

We Were Liars  by E. Lockhart Blurb: A  beautiful and distinguished family. A private island. A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy. A group of four friends – the Liars – whose friendship turns destructive. A revolution. An accident. A secret. Lies upon lies. True love. The truth. Review: It was important, she said; it was kind; it was best. Don't cause distress, she said. Don't remind people of a loss. "Do you understand, Cady? Silence is a protective coating over pain." I  hadn't planned on reading this book so quickly. On the contrary, I currently need to read so many books for university that I've been meaning to concentrate on those; I only decided to read something "just for fun" when I noticed that I was spending less and less time reading because after studying for hours I simply felt like I didn't have the energy to read something like Gulliver's Travels , which irked me. "N...

Robinson Crusoe  by Daniel Defoe Blurb: The  sole survivor of a shipwreck, Robinson Crusoe is washed up on a desert island. In his journal he chronicles his daily battle to stay alive, as he conquers isolation, fashions shelter and clothes, first encounters another human being and fights off cannibals and mutineers. Review: ( Quick disclaimer: I usually don't like writing reviews for books I read for university but I have a lot to say about this so I decided to also put this very rambly collection of thoughts into a blog-post. It's also full of spoilers. You might not want to read this.) Urgh . Ok, look, I've read enough classics to be somewhat ok with their 17th century morals. I might not approve but I can at least ignore how ugly they sound. Somewhat. Usually. At first, I thought it was kind of funny, Robinson goes: "Daaaaad, I want to go on an adventure! At sea!", his dad tells him he shouldn't do that so naturally Robinson runs...

Another month has passed (+ the next one is almost over, too, I don't think I'm not going to write any more monthly throwbacks but just a semester/season-throwback, maybe. I'll think about it some more) , my semester has just started (5 weeks ago – feels more like 5 months already) , I'm in constant stress, I should be sleeping right now (actually, when I started writing this blogpost I should have been sleeping, meanwhile a couple of weeks have passed – I really have a lot to do – and now it's Saturday morning and I can be as wide awake as I please) , I haven't really managed to read (m)any books last month, this will be fun. *Cue just a minimal amount of screeching.* (intensify that screeching just a little bit because my first exam is next week) The good news is: I managed to read a book within these first two weeks of the semester  (again, it has been 5 weeks and I've managed to read 2.5 books so far but that's probably going to increase qu...

Choke  by Chuck Palahniuk Blurb: Victor Mancini, a medical-school dropout, is an antihero for our deranged times. Needing to pay elder care for his mother, Victor has devised an ingenious scam: he pretends to choke on pieces of food while dining in upscale restaurants. He then allows himself to be “saved” by fellow patrons who, feeling responsible for Victor’s life, go on to send checks to support him. When he’s not pulling this stunt, Victor cruises sexual addiction recovery workshops for action, visits his addled mom, and spends his days working at a colonial theme park. His creator, Chuck Palahniuk, is the visionary we need and the satirist we deserve. Review: The question is always: So what do you feel like chocking on tonight? The first half of this book was great! I felt like I was flying through it (although I wasn’t because I currently pretty much exclusively read before/between lectures/seminars) because it was fast paced and filled with such an i...

Talk Talk by T. C. Boyle Blurb: It was not until their first date that Bridger Martin learned that Dana Halter's deafness was profound and permanent. By then he was falling in love. Now she is in a courtroom, accused of assault with a deadly weapon, auto theft, and passing bad checks, among other things. As Dana and Bridger eventually learn, William "Peck" Wilson has stolen Dana's identity and has been living a blameless life of criminal excess at her expense. And as they set out to find him, they begin to test to its very limits the life they have begun to build together. Review: " I  am," he said. "I am a nice guy." And he meant it. I picked Talk Talk up on the basis of previous knowledge of Boyle's short stories and The Tortilla Curtain, all of which I have enjoyed (to different extents but they've definitely left a good impression) and was, therefore, excited to start a new book of his. But, sadly, this book ...

The Selection (The Selection #1) by Kiera Cass Blurb: For  thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon. But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks. Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined. Review: Knee-jerk  reaction. Literally. I kneed His Majesty in the thigh. Hard. So , here's the deal: I never actually wanted to read this...

The Unexpected Everything  by Morgan Matson Blurb: Andie  had it all planned out. When you are a politician's daughter who's pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks). But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that? Review: " No ," Toby said firmly. "You're fired from ever being my wingwoman again. Last time you tried, everyone asked you  out, and Tom got really mad at me." I've been planning to read my first Morgan Matson book this summer and it was supposed to be The Unexpect...

And I Darken  (The Conqueror's Saga #1) by Kiersten White Blurb: No  one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets. Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion. But Mehmed is heir to the very emp...

Blurb: Last  summer, Mackenzie Bishop, a Keeper tasked with stopping violent Histories from escaping the Archive, almost lost her life to one. Now, as she starts her junior year at Hyde School, she's struggling to get her life back. But moving on isn't easy – not when her dreams are hunted by what happened. She knows the past is past, knows it cannot hurt her, but it feels so real, and when her nightmares begin to creep into her waking hours, she starts to wonder if she's really safe. Review: " It's  okay to not be okay," she says. "When you've been through things – whatever those things are – and you don't allow yourself to not be okay, then you only make it worse. Our problems will tear us apart if we try to ignore them. They demand attention because they need it. Now, are you okay?" Where do I start? I guess I start by stating the simple fact that this book is really up my alley. As soon as I started reading I lost my...

Another  month passes, summer is coming to an end, September (finally!) hits us with some much needed rain and a direly wished for drop in temperature (or maybe that's just me). Soon, my semester is going to start so I tried to cram a lot of books into one month, which kinda worked well? So , in total I read 21.25 books, which includes 5 graphic novels/mangas, and listened to 3-and-something audiobooks. I don't know how many hours/minutes of audiobooks that makes a day but I do know that I read a total of 6478 pages or about 209 pages a day, which I'm very happy with. But let's wind back a bit and actually look at what it is that I've read in the month of August: Maus  by Art Spiegelman (4 Stars) A pretty fantastic Comic (or Graphic Novel? I guess because I read the bind-up it is a Graphic Novel but I believe it was published as Comics? I'm really not good at differentiating the two) about WWII. Touching and brutal, as most WW-stories tend to be...