Hey everyone! I cannot believe that it has been slightly more than three months since I have blogged. wow. I clearly have not had sufficient inspiration for a very long time.
Today, I am gonna share with you some of the books that I have finished reading so far in the year 2021. Of course, 2021 is only ALMOST half-way done, so I do not have that many book recommendations just yet.
I started a reading challenge on Goodreads to read 100 books this year, but unfortunately I have only read 21 books. I am so far behind that I am hoping and hoping that I can read at least 30-50 books during the summer holidays.
Have you read One Of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus? If no, go read it. If yes, in case you did not know, Karen released a new book in December 2020! The Cousins is yet another mystery story filled with suspense. Frankly speaking, it was not as good as One Of Us Is Lying but it is definitely better than other mystery stories I have read. Go check out The Cousins to see what I am talking about!
Do you enjoy reading books about war? How about go check out My Survival: A Girl on Schindler's List by Rena Finder and John F. Greene? Does the name Schindler ring any bells? Have you heard of the man Oskar Schindler or the movie Schindler's List? Well, this book is about Rena and her journey as she struggles through WW2, but makes it out alive with the help of Oskar Schindler.
Fire, books, and censorship. Creeeepyyyy. As a bookworm, this book reiterated to me about how many people around the world are still suffering from book censorship. Although Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is based on fiction, it is extremely applicable even now. Read about Guy Montag's journey as a fireman, as he burns books and houses instead of putting out fires. If you're a Christian, try to spot some biblical references that Bradbury makes in the book.
THE HATE U GIVE!! Such an awesome book. Since I loved Angie Thomas' writing style, I came across another of her book, Concrete Rose, which was actually just recently published in January. It is something like a prequel to The Hate U Give, talking about what happens in the neighborhood of Garden Heights 17 years before, during the time of Starr's (main character of The Hate U Give) father.
The Tempest. So hard to understand, yet filled with the important truth of the effects of power. Is it more powerful to forgive, or is it more powerful to gain revenge? William Shakespeare writes profoundly about royalty, love, and greed in this short play, with power flying through the acts and scenes. Do you love archaic forms of English? Definitely read this play to improve your understanding skills! I had such a hard time understanding it at first, but as I gradually read through the play, I learnt so much! (One ship sank while another "ship" sailed 😉)
Cross My Heart and hope to live by Carmen Reid. This is my favorite book of all time. I am pretty sure that if you have looked through my recommended books list, you would have seen it. I reread it a few days ago for like the 7th time?? I am not even sure - I have lost count. I will definitely spoil the book for you if I try to summarize it so here's a summary from Goodreads: "Brussels, 1940. Fifteen-year-old Nicole watches as the Nazis invade Belgium. Determined not to stand by as her country is brought to its knees, Nicole vows to fight back and joins the Belgian Resistance. Under her new alias - Coco - Nicole embarks on a dangerous new life as a spy, where the only question is not if you'll be caught, but when..." What happens next? Find out more by reading the book!
Let me be super honest- I barely understood the story. Man, I am not even very sure of what happened in the end. So who is this author that is giving me a confuzzled head? Do you happen to recognize the name Sir Author Conan Doyle? Yesss, you have got it! SHERLOCKKK HOLMESSS. The Hound of the Baskervilles, such an intriguing murder, detective mystery that I was so hooked throughout the book because I had to read on just to understand the context. Of course, Sherlock and Watson have another case to tackle, just this time, it is not in the city, but in the eerie moor. What happens there? Read the book from start to finish to find out the plot twist between the detective and his assistant!
Three books this time. From different authors, but serving similar purposes. They were my school textbooks😂 Why do I count them in the books that I have read/recommend? Surely, I do not recommend school textbooks, but here I am, asking you to read them. Hehe, they are actually proper books, and not in the form of a textbook at all. Asia: A Concise History by Arthur Cotterell, Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary, and lastly, The Promise and The Blessing by Michael A. Harbin are the three books. Super informative if you would like to learn more about history, and the last book gives an overview of the Bible. I have learnt so much from them through the authors' interactive writing style.
And, this is it, folks, for our recommended books so far! (I have to remember to add some of them into my recommendation list hehe)
Bye for now,
Erika 🥰