[WEEKEND READS] where I am finally back (again)

Hi,

Remember when I said a couple of weeks back that was drowned with work stuff? Things finally got overwhelming that I stop to drop doing blog things and reading. I barely read these past two weeks until last Friday which felt really good. I still have a couple of things I need to work on before the long weekend for the Holy Week but I can probably manage it now.

I'm thankful for scheduled post. lmao. In case you missed my reviews, I shared my thoughts on Waking Gods and The Lost Village. Both are good in their own way but Waking Gods is absolutely amazing! I'm gonna try and schedule a couple of things today so that I'll have something up throughout the week :)

On other things, since I'm not reading much and generally doing work, I watched Breaking Bad last week and finished it real fast. IT IS AMAZING! WHY DID IT TAKE ME THIS LONG TO FINALLY WATCH IT!? I immediately watched the follow up movie, El Camino and loved it! THEN I watched the spin-off prequel, Better Call Saul which is also really gooooood! Tell me what should I watch next on Netflix. I feel that I'm finally in the mood to actually watch stuff there other than replaying Big Bang Theory over and over. lmao.

[REVIEW] The Lost Village

title: The Lost Village

author: Camilla Sten, Alex Fleming (translator)
genre: adult fiction, mystery
published: March 23rd 2021 by Minotaur Books
my copy: eGalley, 352 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 3.5 / 5 stars
goodreads

The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar in this brilliantly disturbing thriller from Camilla Sten, an electrifying new voice in suspense.

Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.

But there will be no turning back.

Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:

They are not alone.

They’re looking for the truth…

But what if it finds them first?

an absolutely atmospheric and intriguing read

That ominous cover! That intriguing synopsis! What else do I really need from this book? Does it live up to how it looks and sounds?

[REVIEW] Waking Gods

title: Waking Gods (Themis Files #2)

author: Sylvain Neuvel 

genre: adult, science fiction
published: April 4th 2017 by Del Rey
my copy: hardcover, 336 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 5 / 5 stars
goodreads

As a child, Rose Franklin made an astonishing discovery: a giant metallic hand, buried deep within the earth. As an adult, she’s dedicated her brilliant scientific career to solving the mystery that began that fateful day: Why was a titanic robot of unknown origin buried in pieces around the world? Years of investigation have produced intriguing answers—and even more perplexing questions. But the truth is closer than ever before when a second robot, more massive than the first, materializes and lashes out with deadly force. 

Now humankind faces a nightmare invasion scenario made real, as more colossal machines touch down across the globe. But Rose and her team at the Earth Defense Corps refuse to surrender. They can turn the tide if they can unlock the last secrets of an advanced alien technology. The greatest weapon humanity wields is knowledge in a do-or-die battle to inherit the Earth . . . and maybe even the stars.

ABSOLUTELY UNPUTDOWNABLE

This is one of those books I really just have to say, WHY DID IT TAKE ME FOREVER TO PICK THIS UP!? 

[WEEKEND READS] where I was drowned with work but still read enough

rare evening photo because I'm that preoccupied recently. haha. will bloghop soon!

Hi,

It has been a crazy work week for me. I'm trying to go through with one layout at a time and it feels endless at this point. I sent several layouts last Friday and I still have a lot more to do come Monday. It's been exhausting these last few days that I didn't even have the energy to open my laptop yesterday. I just read and took a bit of rest yesterday.

This week, after watching Hailey from Hailey in Bookland's video, I decided to actually log my daily pages read. I've been trying to read at least 50 pages a day although I never really seriously check it and decided for myself if I've actually read enough for the day (where is the system? HAHAHA). So when I started actually logging my pages, I find myself really reading more (or maybe it's just how easy and quick to read the book I was reading then? who knows?). But I really like to keep this up and maybe from 50 pages, I can push it to 100 pages a day next time. I mean I've had days where I read more than 100 pages so we're getting there, I guess.

This past week, I read 466 pages (since I started my log in Tuesday). I finished The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Switch and started The Lonely Hearts Hotel. This coming week, I plan to get through The Lonely Hearts Hotel, Mother May I, and start (and hopefully finish The Ask and The Answer). 

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG #25

Hi,

Books from the Backlog is a weekly feature hosted by Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books.

[REVIEW] The Dirty Book Club

title: The Dirty Book Club

author: Lisi Harrison
genre: adult fiction, chick lit
published: October 10, 2017 by Gallery Books
my copy: paperback, 313 pages
purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
rating: 4 / 5 stars
goodreads

You know you want to join. 

M.J. Stark's life is perfect. But behind her success, there is a debilitating sense of loneliness. So when her boyfriend offers her a new life in California, she gives it a try. Once there, M.J. is left to fend for herself in a small beach town, with only the company of her elderly neighbor, Gloria. 

One afternoon, M.J. discovers that Gloria has moved to Paris to honor a fifty-year-old pact. And in lieu of a good-bye, she's left an invitation to a secret club--one that reads only erotic books. Curious, M.J. accepts and meets the other members: Addie, who avoids responsibility at all costs. Britt, an overworked mom who's feeling lonely and desperate. And romantic Jules, whose fairy-tale life is slowly unraveling. As they bond over naughty bestsellers and the letters they inherit from the original club members, the strangers start to divulge the details of their own lives... and as they open up, they learn that friendship might be the key to rewriting their own stories.

[WEEKEND READS] where I tried doing my monthly readathon and failing

Hi,

Throughout the week, I've been majorly unmotivated with work and have been very slugging with doing generally anything (but of course I still do the things I need to do because I don't really have much of a choice). I had an ugly sleep schedule that up to now I'm still trying to let my body take a pretty decent sleeping time (aka sleeping on or before 12mn and waking up on or before 8am). I've been sleeping at 3AM and waking up at 7AM only to fully get up at 10AM. what is wrong with me? 😩😩😩

Yesterday, I tried doing an impromptu 24hr readathon because I realized that I don't really have much chores for the day. At 12mn, I continuously read Waking Gods, took a rest after a few hours (4AM-ish) then continued reading and ultimately finishing the book in the afternoon (with a lot of naps in between probably because of my lack for the last few days). I started The Knife of Never Letting Go and I've only gotten like three chapters because my sister and I watched a movie in the evening.

I kind of see it as an okay readathon but not what I was expecting. haha. Because I wanted an actual whole day reading for myself but I guess since I did finish a book, it's all pretty good.

SO this past week, I finished both books I was reading last weekend, Waking Gods and The Lost Village. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED WAKING GODS!! NOT A DULL MOMENT!! I REALLY NEED BOOK 3 NOW!!! As for The Lost Village, it was okay. I have my review schedule a day before the released date. So expect it March 22nd 😀

9 Books I Borrowed and NEED to Finish

thicc books this month

Hi,

Wow. February was quick. I barely read from my tbr. lmao.

Last month I only read two of the ten books I listed in my tbr. One of them I finished early this month. But I did finish five books in February which I posted on my wrap up. I somehow still look at it as how slow I'm reading in Kindle recently. I'm still pushing through with my goal to finish twenty ebooks this year though. I still have the remaining ebooks from that tbr downloaded on my Kindle just so I'm still reminded to read them this month.

This month, I'm circling back to my first prompt for this monthly tbr challenge. Yes, the prompt that started this challenge idea: reading the books I borrowed (so I can return them and borrow new ones. hahaha). 

BOOKS FROM THE BACKLOG #24

Hi,

Books from the Backlog is a weekly feature hosted by Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books.

FEBRUARY WRAP UP (aka the month of slow reading and consistent blogging)

Hi,

February was quick.

For most of it, I think I've been pre-occupied with work which I talked about early on. 

This past couple of days, I'm just glad baseball is finally back! But spring training game hours doesn't quite agree with my time because omg, game starts at around 1PM-ish EST which is 2AM-ish my time. SO I only get to watch the beginning of the games. But all is good spring training games don't really matter and most times my faves don't play a full game. I'm just glad that it's there.

I shared a few weeks back that I did a bookish drawing set and somehow I'm disappointed at myself for not being able to follow that up with another one. I have so many ideas in my head but I usually don't have the time or energy or motivation to actually put them into an actual art. 

Reading-wise, I finished four full novels and a comic. So that's five books. I thought I can finish another ebook but I wasn't able to do it (I just finished it last night actually). That and Waking Gods. I thought I can sneak in Waking Gods for February but that's fine. I'll finish it this week. I really blame Dune for all of this. That got me stuck for a couple of weeks. I will not let that happen again. When I'm stuck in a book for more than a week, I need to put it off and pick up a different one.

Blogging-wise, I'm happy with my entire February. I've been somewhat consistent and I really want to carry it over to the next months ahead. I did miss one post for this week but all is good. I was able to post stuff I've been meaning to have up in January like: (1) my personal tbr challenge, (2) the 10 books I want to read in 2021, and (3) my reading stats.

books read

Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke | The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms | Stranger Planet (Strange Planet #2) by Nathan W. Pyle | Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica | Map of Fates (Conspiracy of Us #2) by Maggie Hall