Wrap-Up

July was kind of awful. Between trying not to melt, studying for my exam and writing my term paper aka analysing the catalogue pages of 345 titles – don’t do that, not ever! You won’t want to look at new releases ever again – I didn’t get much reading done.

1. Klammroth by Isa Grimm
   

   To be honest, I regret not having read this in autumn. I did start reading it when the summer seemed to drown, but then it got really hot again. That kind of destroyed the wonderful rainy and gloomy atmosphere, but it didn’t make this book less creepy. I really enjoyed it. 4/5

2. Der Pfad im Schnee (Der Clan der Otori, #2) by Lian Hearn
   [OT: Grass for His Pillow (Tales of the Otori, #2)]

   Will I ever manage to finish this series?! I really like the setting – a high fantasy version of feudal Japan -, the characters, and the story. I read the first two books at least thrice but have yet to get to the third book. I shouldn’t take a break in between these books but it happened again and now I don’t know whether I’ll get to the third anytime soon. Too many books, too little time. 4/5

3. Ein echtes Pferdemädchen by Nina Mäki-Kihniä
   [LT: A True Horse Girl]

   The tips embedded in the story were actually pretty great because some of the stuff is not your everyday horse facts. The rest, though … pretty annoying cardboard characters and a boring plot. I did expect much more from this blurb. 1/5

4. Geheimnisvolle Briefe by Sabine Giebken
   [LT: Mysterious Letters]

   I really enjoyed this one. I have a soft spot for old farm estates that harbour tragic pasts. 4/5

5. Hufschlag im Nebel by Pamela Kavanagh
   [OT: Hoofbeats in the Mist]

   I have a love-hate relationship with her books. One half I really love to pieces, the other has me bored to death. This one was one of the former. I really loved the mysteries and the overall plot. It was a really fun read. 5/5

6. The Diviners (The Diviners, #1) by Libba Bray
   [dt. Aller Anfang ist böse (The Diviners, #1)]

   It did take me long enough to get to this novel, but I made it. I had a rough time getting into it but at some point I was just totally hooked. The characters are great and so diverse, I love the 1920s as a setting, and the plot was really creepy and fascinating. Really looking forward to picking up the sequel soon. 4/5

7. The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain, #5) by Lloyd Alexander
   [dt. Der Fürst des Todes / Taran und das Zauberschwert (Taran, #5)]

   What a great way to end this series! All the questions are answered, characters from the previous novels are revisited, and the ending is very heartbreaking and beautiful. 5/5

Stats

Including pages of books I haven’t finished yet.

Newbies

Well, I’m slowly but steadily getting back to Ellie-sized book hauls. A girl can only do so much before giving in to her craving for buying books she can’t afford. But I’ve got a job now, so …

1. The Shattered Court (The Four Arts, #1) by M.J. Scott

   The premise of royal witches and their power plays had me totally hooked. Plus it’s one of those small mass market paperback I adore so much when it comes to fantasy.

2. The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain (The Chronicles of Prydain, #0) by Lloyd Alexander
   [dt. Der Findling: Geschichten aus Tarans Welt (Taran, #0)]

   I really didn’t want to leave Prydain just yet so I had to get those prequel stories.

3. Time Salvager (Time Salvager, #1) by Wesley Chu
   

   I want to read more scifi and this one sounds really good. The whole blurb makes me think of a certain Captain Jack Harkness. Would be really entertaining if the protagonist has similar character traits.

4. Viel Lärm um Liebe – Viel Liebe um nichts by Sharon Huss Roat
   [OT: Between the Notes]

   I have to admit that I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up if I’d only known the German cover and blurb. The former is pink, the latter focused on the love story. The English cover is dropdead gorgeous and the blurb focuses on her dealing with her situation through music, friends, and family. Therefore, this one deserves a chance.

5. Wenn du dich traust by Kira Gembri
   [LT: If You Dare]

   The protagonist has OCD and ends up in a shared flat with a couple of guys who’d love to get her to move out again but don’t know how to break it to her, while the love interest has to figure out what he really wants. I really like the cover and the story sounds quite interesting.

6. Aquamarin (Aquamarin, #1) by Andreas Eschbach
   [LT: Aquamarine (Aquamarine, #1)]

   Saha is an outcast. In a city that worships the sea, she’s the only one not allowed to touch the water. But when she’s forced to do so, she discovers that she might not be who she thinks she is. I’m not sure whether that indicates she’s some kind of mermaid or just someone with special powers, but I’m going to find out.

7. Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys
   [dt. Ein Glück für immer]

   Most of my friends loved this novel but I wasn’t sure whether it’d be my kind of book. After reading and loving Between Shades of Gray, it was only a matter of time till it moved in with me, though.

8. The Devil’s Detective by Simon Kurt Unsworth
   

   I’m actually not quite sure how that ended up in my shopping cart. It’s not necessarily my kind of novel but a detective in hell trying to solve a gruesome murder series just sounds very cool.

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