The Bookish Island: 2019

10/23/2019

The Spice Box Letters by Eve Makis | Book Review #170

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

The Spice Box Letters by Eve Makis

Are there spoilers?

Maybe.

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Title: The Spice Box Letters

Author: Eve Makis

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Pages: 320

Published: 2015

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Adult

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Date Read: September 28, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads

Katerina inherits a scented, wooden spice box after her grandmother Mariam dies. It contains letters and a diary, written in Armenian. As she pieces together her family story, Katerina learns that Mariam's childhood was shattered by the Armenian tragedy of 1915.

Mariam was exiled from her home in Turkey and separated from her beloved brother, Gabriel, her life marred by grief and the loss of her first love. Dissatisfied and restless, Katerina tries to find resolution in her own life as she completes Mariam's story – on a journey that takes her across Cyprus and then half a world away to New York.

Miracles, it seems, can happen – for those trapped by the past, and for Katerina herself.

The Rating:

My Review:

The Spice Box Letters was a book that got sent to me by the publishers YEARS ago and I never picked it up which always made me feel bad because deep down I thought I wouldn't like it but here I am totally kicking myself for not having read it earlier. Cause damn. It's so not what thought it would be. Every page was heart wrenching and sad and I totally wanted Katarina and her family to find each other and see that they weren't alone in all of what they went through cause they went through so much.

I think this is one of the first Historical Fiction that I actually really liked.

This book isn't scary or anything but the way the author wrote about these characters terrifying stories was so that my heart was racing during certain scenes. And my heart hurt for the suffering of Katrina's grandmother and her brother.
This was such a beautiful story about sacrifice, and family.

I am happy that I finally got to it. And I just so happen to have read it on a rainy day too.

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The Bookish Island

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10/21/2019

Orange: The Complete Collection, Volume 2 by Ichigo Takano | Book Review #169

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

Orange: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 by Ichigo Takano

Are there spoilers?

Nah~.

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Title: Orange: The Complete Collection #2

Series: Orange: The Complete Collection

Author: Ichigo Takano

Translated by: Amber Tamosaitis

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Pages: 523

Published: 2016

Genre: Manga, Young Adult, Romance

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Date Read: around August 29, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads

An Epic Love Story Across Time

Naho immediately feels a connection to the new boy who has transferred to her class. Kakeru is calm, kind, and seems to like Naho as well. But their relationship gets thrown for a loop when Naho receives a letter from the future. The letter explains that Kakeru will die unless Naho does exactly as the letter says. But changing fate is no easy task. When the letter starts to get things wrong, Naho worries that she will still lose Kakeru forever. Luckily, Naho has her friends to back her up. Not only do they want to see Naho and Kakeru get together, but they also have time-traveling letters of their own...

Orange: The Complete Collection 2 also includes a bonus story, Haruiro Astronaut. This five-chapter story is about a pair of twins who discover that they can't share everything in life--or at least not an alien that suddenly becomes a part of it.

The Rating:

My Review:

I was a mess of snot and tears by the time I finished reading this manga. So much so that I got a pretty bad headache because I would not stop reading it. I also read it because Coutagonist from booktube was talking about it and I just thought it would be good to read a manga.

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The Bookish Island

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10/19/2019

Orange: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 by Ichigo Takano | Book Review #168

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

Orange: The Complete Collection, Volume 1 by Ichigo Takano

Are there spoilers?

Nah~.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Title: Orange: The Complete Collection, Volume 1

Series: Orange: The Complete Collection #1

Author: Ichigo Takano

Translated by: Amber Tamosaitis

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Pages: 523

Published: 2016

Genre: Manga, Young Adult, Romance

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Date Read: around August 29, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads

A Plea From the Future

On the day that Naho begins 11th grade, she receives a letter from herself ten years in the future. At first, she writes it off as a prank, but as the letter’s predictions come true one by one, Naho realizes that the letter might be the real deal. Her future self tells Naho that a new transfer student, a boy named Kakeru, will soon join her class. The letter begs Naho to watch over him, saying that only Naho can save Kakeru from a terrible future. Who is this mystery boy, and can Naho save him from his destiny? This is the heart-wrenching sci-fi romance that has over a million copies in print in Japan!

The Rating:

My Review:

I was both so emotional and blown away. This manga managed to be one of those stories that just broke me in a good way. I really liked it when Naho tried her best to make everyone around her happy. But I didn't like it when she took that on by herself so I really liked it when her friends noticed. I think I felt that because I notice that I'm the same way. I like to help out my friends but I don't think they would do the same for me which is a bummer but what can ya do?

I used to read a lot of manga before I ever read an actual novel so it took me back. I used to just pick out good ad manga or romance sappy manga and I would either end up crying or feeling like I had just come out of a theater after watching a rom-com. SO it was all good. And Orange had all of that. Which made me think that I had read this before but not till the end cause some of it was familiar but not enough to make me stop because I already read it.

After all of that mess of a review, I just have to say that if you haven't read this then you totally should close its really good.
I know I see myself re-reading it in the future.

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The Bookish Island

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10/17/2019

Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy | Book Review #167

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Are there spoilers?

Nope.

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Title: Him

Author: Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

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Pages: 360

Published: 2015

Genre: Romance, Sports, New Adult, Contemporary

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Date Read: March 29, 2019

Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads

They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend... and a big one to learn about himself.

Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.

The Rating:

My Review:

There was so much going on in this book and I enjoyed every page.
It was both a fun read and a great romance.

Now I was supposed to write this review months ago so I barely remember what I was going to say about this book but I really did love it.

It was also my first M/M romance so that was interesting. Although I have read yaoi before, so it wasn't that weird. I really liked it. Reading Jaime and Ryans' story of how they went from friends to strangers, to friends and so much more. So much love for these two that I couldn't wait to read the sequel and I got my hands on it and read that too.

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The Bookish Island
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9/04/2019

Classicsathon | Read-a-thon

Classicsathon

💖🎀📔💖🎀📔📚📖📚📔🎀💖📔🎀💖

About the Readathon:

#classicsathon

YouTube | Instagram | Twitter

This is a readathon that takes place in the month of August where all you have to do is read a classic.

The only challenge is to read at least one classic during the month, but you can pretty much read however many you want.

You can read novels, poetry, plays or non-fiction, as well as modern classics and children's classics, and you can read translations or books written in your native language too.

Host:

@lucythereader

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My TBR:

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

Goodreads

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Goodreads

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Goodreads

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Goodreads

*I had originally planned on finishing the manga classic version of this that was given to me through NetGalley but I let it go for too long and hadn't noticed it had expired*

The Actual Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher by Jessica Lawson

Goodreads

*I also planned on sneaking in this book because it's a sort of "in the same world" book.*

Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island

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9/03/2019

Heidi by Johanna Spyri | Book Review #166

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Are there spoilers?

Maybe.

It is a classic so spoilers shouldn't be that much of a big deal.

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Title: Heidi

Author: Johanna Spyri

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Pages: 336

Published: 2015

First Published: 1880

Genre: Classics, Fiction, Children's

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Date Read: September 3, 2019

Rating: ★★★★☆

Goodreads

Little orphan Heidi has been sent to live with her grandfather in the Alps. Everyone in the village is afraid of him, but Heidi is fascinated by his long beard and bushy eyebrows. Then one terrible day Heidi is collected by her aunt and made to work for a new family in town. Heidi can't bear to be away from her grandfather; can she find her way back up the mountain, where she belongs?

The Rating:

My Review:

Heidi was such an easy book for me to read through. I had actual fun reading it too. Which is such a rarety with me and classics.

I found myself yelling at the ignorance of the town and the people who misjudged grandpa were extra nosy about his past and were so wrong about how he treated Heidi.

I liked that Hedi was a real child. Despite the time, this was written in, Heidi was an actual child. Yeah, she was a smart and serious kid, but she had moments of feeling lonely and sad for being away from her guardian and pets.

This is one of those books that I would love to pass on to my children and let them experience because it has good life lessons or just all-around good things to know.

Like, don't judge someone quickly because of how they look or act because that person could be so much more than what you thought of them.

And, to let children and adults have a breather, run around, breath fresh air, and be happier and more at peace.

To not be quick to judge because of your emotions.

To now that it's okay to share with your friends who have less and to help out as long as its with good intentions.

To let a child feel because if you dont it will stay inside and hurt them.

And a bunch of other things that I can't think of right now but felt in the moment.

Heidi was such a good book. It's also important to me because I was in a 2-month reading rut. I wanted so badly to get back to reading, but my heart just wasn't in it. So I picked out a book hoping that it will lift me up and that was Heidi.

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The Bookish Island

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8/22/2019

UsedBook-A-Thon TBR | Read-a-thon

UsedBook-A-Thon

🌳📚📚📚📚💐🍰💐📚📚📚📚🌳

About the Readathon:

#usedbookathon

Instagram

📔

UsedBook-a-Thon is a readathon that lets you enjoy used books in a fun way. t takes place from August 3rd to the 9th.

Hosts:

@peacelovebooksxo & @literatureads_

The Challenges:

🌳📚📚📚📚💐🍰💐📚📚📚📚🌳

My TBR:

99 Days (99 Days #1) by Katie Cotugno

Goodreads

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Goodreads

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (The Adventures of Tom and Huck #1) by Mark Twain

Goodreads

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (The Adventures of Tom and Huck #2) by Mark Twain

Goodreads

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Goodreads

Proof of Forever by Lexa Hillyer

Goodreads

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

Goodreads

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The Bookish Island

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7/28/2019

Hungry For More by Alexa Riley | Book Review #165

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

Hungry For More by Alexa Riley

Are there spoilers?

Nope.

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Title: Hungry For More

Author: Alexa Riley

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Pages:?

Published: 2018

Genre: Romance, Novella, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

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Date Read: April 30, 2019

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads

Sage Carter has spent her whole life surrounded by her family that treats her like a child. When she finally decides to live life on her own, it’s still under the shelter of her brother's apartment. But the day before Thanksgiving, his business partner comes to visit and just so happens to find her in the kitchen…in her underwear. Can she make it through the holiday without dying of embarrassment? Or will the incident be the spark that lights the fire from within?

Jensen Powell has done things in his own way on his own timeline. When he’s forced to go home with his business partner for Thanksgiving, he doesn’t expect to find a curvy bombshell waiting for him. One look and she belongs to him if only she’ll give in. He hasn’t had a reason to be thankful until now, and he’s making the most of it.

Warning: This Turkey Day romance is stuffed full of all your favorites. It’s warm and sweet with all the guilty pleasures you’re after. Go ahead and get second helpings. Nobody is looking.

The Rating:

My Review:

Hungry For More is apparently a Thanksgiving-themed novella. And I totally in not read it during Thanksgiving but I still enjoyed it.

It's very much an insta-love story. Very sexy and steamy. And even though Jensen was a little too intense at the beginning I totally got into it and felt that he truly cared for Sage.
And after a few pages of reading their story, I got into it and found myself cheering them on...
to be happy (I didn't intentionally write it this way but let's keep it).

I also liked that Jensen and Sage had the perect amout of backstorry to let their stry make sense even though it as a short novella. And I kinda thik I like Alexa Riley's writing so I might go looking for more of her novels.

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The Bookish Island
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7/26/2019

100 Days of Cake by Shari Goldhagen | Book Review #164

The Bookish Island's Book Review:

100 Days of Cake by Shari Goldhagen

Are there spoilers?

Nope.

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Title: 100 Days of Cake

Author: Shari Goldhagen

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Pages: 339

Published: 2016

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary Mental Health,

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Date Read: June 21, 2019

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Goodreads

There are only three things that can get seventeen-year-old Molly Byrne out of bed these days: her job at FishTopia, the promise of endless episodes of Golden Girls, and some delicious lo mien. You see, for the past two years, Molly’s been struggling with something more than your usual teenage angst. Her shrink, Dr. Brooks isn’t helping much, and neither is her mom who is convinced that baking the perfect cake will cure Molly of her depression—as if cake can magically make her rejoin the swim team, get along with her promiscuous sister, or care about the SATs.

Um, no. Never going to happen.

But Molly plays along, stomaching her mother’s failed culinary experiments, because, whatever—as long as it makes someone happy, right? Besides, as far as Molly’s concerned, hanging out with Alex at the rundown exotic fish store makes life tolerable enough. Even if he does ask her out every…single…day. But—sarcastic drum roll, please—nothing can stay the same forever. When Molly finds out FishTopia is turning into a bleak country diner, her whole life seems to fall apart at once. Soon she has to figure out what—if anything—is worth fighting for.

The Rating:

My Review:

100 Days of Cake managed to end up being a book I read during the Summerathon. One I was very much looking forward to reading and thought I would enjoy it. I mean it is supposed to be about different kinds of cakes being around for 100 days. The sounds like its gonna be a cool story with just that.

But it was so much more than just cake.

It's about a girl going through depression and other mental health problems. Something that we learn started since her father's death. But she isnt the only one who got affected by that.

Her sister held a heavy burden and their mother took to getting everything new in the house and baking cakes with the thought that it was helping her daughter and our main character, Molly.

But Molly wasn't getting the help she needed despite the doctor who was supposed to be helping her out (the doctor along with how a situation was dealt with regarding him is a big part of me not liking this book. I just wish it was treated better). She was still very much weak and trying to keep everything as it was. No change, no drama.

But that all starts to change when the fish store she works at with her friend, Max (who she has feelings for) is about to be gone and the building sold to a couple who want to make it into a restaurant. And on top of that, her friend Elle wants to talk about college and moving out. Something that scares Molly.

There's also a bunch of other things that happen but despite how good the book sounds and just how much potential it had to be great. I felt that there was something missing in the story or the characters. I couldn't ever pinpoint what it was that bothered me. But it did bother me. Enough for me to give it a 3 out of 5 stars. Still, I think it was good.

I should also mention that as a warning there are some uncomfortable scenes that could count as rapey with the doctor. Its a spoiler but I wanted to mention it just so everyone knows that it's there.

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The Bookish Island
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7/22/2019

Summerathon Wrap Up | Read-a-thon

summerathon

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The Readathon:

The TBR

The Vlogs

Part 1 || Part 2

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The Results:

My Stats:

Out of the 5 challenges I did 6. So I feel like I did good and I'm so happy with the results for this readathon.

I didn't 100% accomplish the challenge for Sunrise colors on the cover because I didn't have a book that could clearly represent the colors of the sunrise but I got close.