12/04/2022

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #236 – Two Burning Candles On The Second Advent

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #236

No new books this week. Am I not a good girl...

Sunday Post #193

The past week was a mix of being very busy and relaxed sitting on the couch reading a book. I went into the garden almost every day for about an hour and a half. The lawn needed a final cut – why is the grass still growing? Got my corner of the garden ready for winter and started cutting back a dead bush standing in the other garden corner with a handsaw. And I started digging out the roots of that dead bush. I hope I can cut that bush a bit deeper than the soil, so I can cover it with some fresh soil to grow (hopefully) a new lawn on it next year.

On Wednesday, I met my new doctor and got my second Covid booster. After that, I went to the supermarket for some fresh vegetables and fruits and had to reset my Giga TV boy after consultation with the technical support. I was in bed with the chickens. Very early, yes.

It was also the last day of the HoHoHo Readathon. I ended it with two read Christmas novels. I had six on my reading list when I started the Readathon. So, yes, I am happy with the result.

Thursday was a busy day. First, I noticed that my new Giga TV Cable Box was not working right. It took me half an hour before I could talk with customer service. Result: A new Giga TV box will arrive shortly at my place. The reset I had done Wednesday evening showed no success. Then I went into town to pay my bills. And another trip to the supermarket for fresh food and some stuff that´s on sale.

The following day, Friday, I went to the dentist, to get my second control appointment done. Still waiting for the new Giga Box to arrive. In the afternoon I went into the garden again to keep cutting back the dead bush. It is kind of rewarding to see the progress I am making. Even when it is with a hand saw and costs some energy. But believe it or not, it is helpful to get rid of the negative emotions I have regarding one of my neighbors. In the night from Friday to Saturday, I watched some episodes of the third season of “The Split”. And discovered to my absolute delight, that I can choose between the German version (not as much fun as the original one, to be honest) and the original English version. Well, I watched both, with growing pleasure.

I tried to sleep a bit longer on Saturday morning, with some success. It has become very chilly outside, no matter what time of day it is, and I got out my winter boots for the first time. They are deliciously warm and comfy and so the trip to the supermarket was one without getting cold or wet feet. Back home, I took care of my household while awaiting the arrival of my new Giga Box. It took all afternoon to get the new box plugged in and running *sigh* And no, it wasn´t me but it turned out that the activation link Vodafone had sent me, wasn´t working. So I had to call customer service again and had to wait almost thirty minutes before I had a service agent on the phone and got answers and the needed help. She was friendly, very supportive, and activated the box manually. Apparently, only one click was necessary, and my box was starting her work. After that, I took a shower and enjoyed another peach juice cocktail (no alcohol in it), and read some more chapters. It is only the first December week, but I am already feeling like I am running out of time for the last three books I have on my TBR for December *sigh*

My Sunday, today, is a relaxed one. I slept long, enjoyed a cup of espresso, went to the electricity box, noted the number in the display, and went online. I watched the Biathlon in Kontiolahti and will read for the rest of the day.

How was your week? Stay safe and healthy.



Happy reading

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11/30/2022

Waiting On Wednesday #201 – Gameshow by Franzi Kopka

is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

A few weeks ago, while searching through the new book program of a German publisher, my eyes were stuck with this cover. The bright-dark contrast, the modern look, and the almost clean design got me curious. The summary though sounds somewhat familiar. The Hunger Games probably? Well, this debut novel rings a bell, that´s for sure. And so, yes, I am eager to find out if it is something new or something I´ve already read by another author. One thing for sure IS sure: This author is new to me.

Gameshow-Der Preis Der Gier

Author Franzi Kopka
Publishing Date March 29, 2023
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer
Format Hardcover
Goodreads

2126, New London: When seventeen-year-old Cass is cast out into the lowest class of society, she knows there's only one way out of this hell: she must make it onto the next game show. Anyone who takes part in the game show can win a ticket to the top – or pay for the chance with their life. Cass gets unexpected help from Jax, the best gamer in the arena. The two become allies in the big game for their own lives and social advancement. But their deal and their feelings for each other are based on a lie that could bring everything they have fought for together to collapse.

And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.

Happy reading & waiting on

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11/27/2022

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #235 – First Advent With Fog And Sun

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #235

The Book for the reading challenge over at Lovelybooks came fast. 

Review Copy

Sunday Post #192

My week started with a restless night and rain. For whatever reason, I was too depressed to do anything at all. Such days happen …

Tuesday a walk to the supermarket was in order. Bought some fruits and vegetables. Other than that, it was an uneventful day, and Wednesday and Thursday were kinds of the same. So I won´t bother you with details.

On Friday my schedule changed. After another sleepless night, I went for some Black Friday sales and found a pair of winter boots. Usually, I hate doing that, but I was surprised to see that I was almost alone in the store beside the staff. At 9 am. Doesn´t happen very often … After that, I went to the supermarket, which is only a few meters away, and got everything I wanted for the weekend. Back at home, I read and finished a debut thriller by a Finnish author and went to bed early. The warm and cold weather outside is exhausting. At least for me.

The next morning, Saturday, I was - again - up early. I went for a long walk, got some errands done, and enjoyed just doing nothing snuggled up in a warm blanket while sipping a cup of hot tea. I read a BBC article written by Jenny Hill titled “Ukraine war: How Germany ended reliance on Russian gas” from Thursday. Guess, my good relationship with the BBC has ended now. Don´t throw rocks while being in a glass house yourself.

My Sunday, today, started with me being up early. Again? I decorated my Advents plate, enjoyed an early breakfast, and wrote some reviews. Taking care of social media kept me busy most of the morning. I am still not sure what to do with Twitter since it seems that Mastodon is way too complicated to handle here in Germany. I am still trying to find out how I could register there. So far, no solution found yet… Now, that everything is done and updated, I think a nice cup of tea will be a good choice. And yes, for a cup of hot espresso it is definitely too late *sigh*

How was your week? Stay safe and healthy.



Happy reading

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11/25/2022

Tage Voller Zorn by Tuomas Oskari

The cover design caught my attention first. Together with the intriguing-sounding summary, it was soon clear that I wanted to read it. And how thrilled I was when I unpacked it. The embossed font and the colored body of the book inspired me from the start. Black combined with all shades of blue and red give this hardcover a fantastic look. The thriller itself turned out to be a solid reading pleasure. At least for me. It wasn´t what I had expected after reading the summary and yes, that is a bit sad. But some of the figures, the setting, and the way how the author describes the buildings show that he loves his country.

Tage Voller Zorn*

by Tuomas Oskari
Translation Anke Michler-Janhunen
Original Title Roihu
Publisher Lübbe on November 25, 2022
Genre Thriller
Pages 573
Format Hardcover
Source Lovelybooks
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

A country on the verge of collapse - and only 24 hours to stop the catastrophe...

Helsinki 2027. Leo Koski, Finland's young prime minister, is charismatic. What nobody knows: He is just the puppet of a guild of rich men. It's you who decides. They don't care about the divisions in society and the increasing poverty in large parts of the population. But when a young woman sets herself on fire in protest on the eve of a large mass rally, the power structure begins to falter. The woman had previously sent letters to shake up the country. In this heated political situation, the prime minister turns his back on his donors for the first time. But who else can he count on? To his foster father and the richest man in Finland, Pontus Ebeling? On the leading figure of the left, Emma Erola? Koski has only 24 hours to save his country from catastrophe and countless deaths. The countdown begins ...

Story

Leo is a politician who owes his office to the wealth and benevolence of his foster father. He doesn't like that, and it doesn't make his political work any easier. Because he must bring about serious changes if he wants to protect democracy and prevent a catastrophe. The only question is whether he can control things in the way necessary to save the lives of many before it's too late.

Style

The thriller starts with a real bang. It's getting really "hot" and is the prelude to a series of explosive events that will test a country's democracy to the breaking point for those in power. The author is very good at mixing fact with fiction, so it is not always easy or clear for the reader to know what fact is, and what is fiction here. Does the thriller very well in terms of the initial suspense. Unfortunately, this then flattens out after just a few chapters, and the many economic facts, no matter how helpful they may be, are presented a little too dryly for my taste. What I really like, however, is the way the scenes are presented. You notice the love for detail and the history of a country in a very entertaining and visual way.

Characters

Tuomas Oskari has created characters here that are somewhat stereotypical in places. Leo Koski, the main character, is a naïve young man who holds a position of great responsibility but shrinks from the responsibility that comes with it. His charm and smile are his trademarks, albeit without substance.

Emma Erola, the young woman who is politically and otherwise completely opposite, is in comparison to Leo the purest power woman. She has an original conviction, and enormous ambition and can inspire the masses with a few words. As the driving force, she acts like a magnet, which then must deal with a truth that is so completely different from her political convictions.

Conclusion

A well-done thriller. Unfortunately, I wasn't as enthusiastic about the first half, and even ripped me off my stool as I would have liked. And the last third, where it gets action-packed and madness develops those questions a lot, couldn't turn things around. Too bad. There is no question that the author has created a wonderful plot here, created wonderfully constructed characters, and conjured up some chapters and scenes that were great to read. But unfortunately, it also created a few weak points that shouldn't have been there in my opinion. So it only remains with the solid reading pleasure. Just read for yourself and form your own opinion...

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Lovelybooks/ Lübbe in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Thriller legt mit einem regelrechten Paukenschlag los. Es wird richtiggehend „heiß“ und ist der Auftakt zu einem Reigen an brisanten Ereignissen, die die Demokratie eines Landes zur Zerreißprobe für diejenigen an der Macht werden lassen. Der Autor versteht es sehr gut, Fakten mit Fiktion zu vermischen, sodass es für den Leser nicht immer einfach oder klar ist, was hier Fakt und was Fiktion ist. Tut dem Thriller sehr gut, was die anfängliche Spannung angeht. Leider flacht diese dann schon nach wenigen Kapiteln ab und die vielen wirtschaftlichen Fakten, so hilfreich sie auch sein mögen, werden für meinen Geschmack ein wenig zu trocken präsentiert. Was mir hingegen gut gefällt, ist die Darstellung der Schauplätze. Da merkt man die Liebe zum Detail und zur Geschichte eines Landes auf sehr unterhaltsame und bildliche Weise.

Charaktere

Tuomas Oskari hat hier Figuren erschaffen, die streckenweise etwas stereotyp sind. Leo Koski, die Hauptfigur, ist ein naiver junger Mann, der zwar einen verantwortungsvollen Posten innehat, vor der damit einhergehenden Verantwortung aber zurückschreckt. Sein Charme und sein Lächeln sind sein Markenzeichen, allerdings ohne Substanz.

Emma Erola, die junge Frau, die politisch und auch sonst völlig entgegengesetzt steht, ist im Vergleich zu Leo die reinste Powerfrau. Sie hat eine ursprüngliche Überzeugung, enormen Ehrgeiz und kann die Massen mit wenigen Worten begeistern. Als die treibende Kraft wirkt sie wie ein Magnet, der dann aber doch mit einer Wahrheit klarkommen muss, die so ganz anders ist als ihre politische Überzeugung.

Resultat

Ein zugegeben gut gemachter Thriller. Der mich nur leider über die erste Hälfte nicht so begeistert hat oder gar vom Hocker riss, wie ich es gerne gehabt hätte. Und das letzte Drittel, wo es so richtig actionreich wird und sich ein Wahnsinn entwickelt, der vieles infrage stellt, konnte das Ruder nicht mehr herumreißen. Schade. Keine Frage, der Autor hat hier einen wundervollen Plot erschaffen, herrlich angelegte Figuren erstellt und einige großartig zu lesende Kapitel und Szenen auf das Papier gezaubert. Aber leider auch ein paar Schwachstellen fabriziert, die in meinen Augen nicht hätten sein müssen. So bleibt es nur beim soliden Lesevergnügen. Einfach selbst lesen und eigene Meinung bilden. …

Tuomas Oskari

Tuomas Oskari, born in 1980, is the pseudonym of Tuomas Niskakangas. He is a political and business journalist for Finland's largest national daily newspaper and worked for many years as a foreign correspondent in the USA. The dystopian economic thriller TAGE VOLLER ZORN is his critically acclaimed and award-winning debut novel. The thriller was enthusiastically received by the literary critics of his country and became a bestseller. In it, he describes the dangers to which democratic societies are currently exposed in a highly exciting and at the same time very well-founded manner. Tuomas Oskari lives and works in Helsinki.

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11/24/2022

Süßer Die Herzen Nie Klingen by Debbie Macomber

Dear Santa, was on my Wishlist for a long time and I am happy that I finally had the chance to read and review it. Good, I would have wished for the English cover to be shown as the one for the German edition, and the title is very unfortunate in my opinion, but in the end, it's the story between the two book covers that counts, isn't it? And it's as magical as a story can be. I am as thrilled as one can be about this novel. Debbie Macomber wrote with Dear Santa a heart-warming story; set in a landscape you dream of around this time of year. Good, besides the snow shuffling I loved how the author takes her readers into a story you want to happen in real life. Yes, I know, Santa won´t be there as he is in the book, but wouldn´t it be nice to have magic like this happen for real these days?

Süßer Die Herzen Nie Klingen*

by Debbie Macomber
Translation Nina Bader
Original Title Dear Santa
Publisher Blanvalet on September 21, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 237
Format Paperback
Source Blanvalet
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶

The magic of the most beautiful time of the year and a new chance at love...

Lindy's Christmas spirit is lacking as she heads home to her family for the holiday season. Her boyfriend has cheated on her, and she lacks any creativity in her job as a graphic designer. But then Lindy's mother shows her a stack of old letters. They are Lindy's long-forgotten childhood wishes for Santa Claus. Lindy decides to write him a new letter to put her hopes for the future on paper. When Lindy meets her attractive former classmate Billy a short time later, she has no idea that this time her wishes might miraculously come true...

Story

Lindy is frustrated, disappointed, and hurt. The moment she discovered that her boyfriend was cheating on her with her best friend she wanted nothing more but to leave. And over the Christmas holidays, she visits her family to think about her life, her career, and what she wants to do next. But when she meets Billy again, the boy who showed her his love during school in a very awkward way, she knows that her life is about to change magically.

Style

In her own inimitable way, the author has created a Christmas story that couldn't be more magical. Because everything Lindy writes in her letters to Santa seems to come true. Well, maybe not always in the way Lindy had hoped, but things are changing in one way or another. The scenes between Lindy and Santa alone are beautifully written. I've had a big grin on my face while reading, sometimes laughed tears, and then shook my head again when Lindy was talking to her friend Peggy.

Characters

Debbie Macomber has hit the jackpot in creating all the characters in this novel. The dialogues between Lindy and Peggy alone are awesome! Quick-witted, sometimes dripping with irony, sometimes wonderfully funny. There was something of everything there.

Lindy herself has had a terrible disappointment. Emotionally not yet processed, but what she left behind in San Francisco was probably unsurpassed in terms of drama. That's why it was all the nicer to experience how she literally blossoms again at home, interacts with her family, and takes the time to experience things that she often can't do in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Conclusion

What a fantastic, magical novel. Emotions are capitalized here. In every way imaginable. I am absolutely thrilled and can only recommend everyone to read this story. Debbie Macomber has conjured up a love story that I would love to see made into a movie. Pure romance and Christmas spirit.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Blanvalet in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Auf ihre unnachahmliche Weise hat die Autorin eine Weihnachtsgeschichte erschaffen, die magischer nicht sein könnte. Denn alles, was Lindy in ihren Briefen an Santa schreibt, scheint sich zu erfüllen. Schön, vielleicht nicht immer so, wie Lindy es sich erhofft hat, aber die Dinge verändern sich auf die eine oder andere Weise. Allein die Szenen zwischen Lindy und Santa sind herrlich geschrieben. Ich hab während des Lesens mal ein breites Grinsen im Gesicht gehabt, mal Tränen gelacht und dann wieder den Kopf geschüttelt, wenn Lindy sich mit ihrer Freundin Peggy unterhalten hat.

Charaktere

Mit der Erschaffung all der Figuren in diesem Roman hat Debbie Macomber diesmal einen wahren Glücksgriff gehabt. Allein die Dialoge zwischen Lindy und Peggy sind der Hammer! Schlagfertig, mal triefend vor Ironie, mal herrlich lustig. Da war von allem, was dabei.

Lindy selbst hat eine furchtbare Enttäuschung hinter sich. Emotional noch nicht verarbeitet, aber was sie in San Francisco zurückgelassen hat, das war an Dramatik für sie wohl nicht zu überbieten. Darum war es umso schöner mitzuerleben, wie sie daheim buchstäblich wieder aufblüht, mit ihrer Familie agiert und sich die Zeit nimmt, Dinge zu erleben, die sie in der Alltagshektik oft gar nicht tun kann.

Resultat

Was für ein fantastischer, magischer Roman. Emotionen werden hier großgeschrieben. Auf jede nur erdenkliche Weise. Ich bin absolut begeistert und kann nur jedem empfehlen, diese Geschichte zu lesen. Debbie Macomber hat hier eine Liebesgeschichte auf das Papier gezaubert, die ich liebend gerne mal als Film sehen würde. Romantik und weihnachtliche Stimmung pur.

*This book was published in the English language by Ballantine Books on October 19, 2021

Debbie Macomber

Debbie Macomber is the owner of the Victorian Tea Room and the yarn shop A Good Yarn, which was named after the store in her successful book Blossom Street. She is the author of Sweet Tomorrows, among many other books, and a leading voice in women´s fiction. Ten of her novels have reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and five of her beloved Christmas novels have been hit movies on the Hallmark Channel, including Mrs. Miracle and Mr. Miracle. Hallmark Channel also produced the original series Debbie Macomber´s Cedar Cove, based on Macomber´s Cedar Cove books. She has more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Debbie Macomber, who likes to be a grandmother, lives with her husband Wayne in Port Orchard, Washington, where her novels play, and spends the winter in Florida.

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11/22/2022

Sternschnuppenfunkeln by Sue Moorcroft

The cover of the German edition was responsible for my yearning to read and review this novel. I like it much better than the original cover design. The novel itself wasn´t so thrilling. And I am not talking about the two heavy topics the author shows her readers during the ongoing plot. At first, I was impressed to read all the information the author gives about agoraphobia. Not a theme I would normally expect to find in a Christmas novel. But here you will have to deal with it, as a reader and Sue Moorcroft fan. The sad thing, both themes gave the story a dark tone, too dark at times, for me. So, yes, I am a bit torn between the novel itself and the dark side of it.

Sternschnuppenfunkeln*

by Sue Moorcroft
Translation Tanja Hamer
Original Title Under The Mistletoe
Publisher Fischer TB on September 28, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 442
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶½

When Laurel, newly divorced, returns to her home village, what she wants most of all is to find peace. But life in Middledip is anything but tranquil because her family keeps her busy. Then Laurel's childhood sweetheart Grady shows up again - and old feelings are awakened. It soon feels like the two have never been apart. But Laurel keeps thinking about why she left Middledip. It's about a dark night many years ago... Can Laurel put the past behind her? Or will a Christmas party with Grady just remain a dream?

Story

Laurel is on her way home when she reconnects with her childhood sweetheart, Grady. Only this time, she has no excuse to leave him again. He´s become a man, shows her how much he still loves her and that he doesn´t need any answers. But there is also his brother Mac and so Grady feels torn between Laurel and him and finally asks Laurel about the things which happened in the past.

Style

A no-frills novel that tackles two intense themes, agoraphobia, and sexual assault. Not an easy task for the main character, as she must change her life completely to help her sister and niece. On the one hand, I thought it was great how delicately and sensitively the author deals with both topics, but on the other hand, it unfortunately also gave the novel a very dark note. And for a Christmas novel, it was a bit too dark for my taste. I don't want to downplay or simplify anything here. For those affected and their families, neither the one nor the other topic is something that can be easily processed and dealt with. A lot of help, understanding, and time from the outside is needed. And author Sue Moorcroft shows that beautifully in this novel. The scenes between Laurel and her niece are often hilarious, as Daisy seems to feel like she has her aunt's time at her disposal. This leads to many a funny scene and delicious dialogue and a big grin from me. And that brightened up the novel again.

Characters

It's amazing that teenagers around the world seem to feel like they have control over their family members' time. What tears did I have when Daisy planned her Aunt Laurel for various Advent activities as a matter of course and planned her time without informing her beforehand, let alone obtaining her consent. Laurel's reactions were often priceless.

What I didn't like so much were the many clichés the author used to add some tension to her story. Unfortunately, that's where it got predictable, and the novel ended up being average.

Conclusion

Pleasant to read, with well-developed characters, but unfortunately not stunning in its effect. If you just want to be entertained, despite the two dark background themes, and don't expect too much, you'll be well served here. I usually like her books, but this is definitely not one of the author's best works.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Ein schnörkelloser Roman, der sich mit zwei heftigen Themen, der Agoraphobie und sexuellem Übergriff, auseinandersetzt. Für die Hauptfigur keine einfache Sache, da sie ihr Leben komplett umkrempeln muss, um ihrer Schwester und ihrer Nichte zu helfen. Einerseits fand ich es großartig, wie feinfühlig und sensibel die Autorin mit beiden Themen umgeht, andererseits hat es dem Roman leider aber auch eine sehr dunkle Note verliehen. Und für einen Weihnachtsroman war es mir dann doch eine Spur zu dunkel. Ich möchte hier nichts kleinreden oder vereinfachen. Sowohl das eine als auch das andere Thema sind für die Betroffenen und deren Familien nichts, was man mal so einfach abarbeitet und bewältigt. Da sind viel Hilfe, Verständnis und Zeit von außen gefragt und benötigt. Und das zeigt die Autorin Sue Moorcroft in diesem Roman auf wundervolle Weise. Die Szenen zwischen Laurel und ihrer Nichte sind oft herrlich amüsant, da Daisy scheinbar der Meinung ist, über die Zeit ihrer Tante frei verfügen zu können. Das führt zu so manch lustiger Szene und köstlichem Dialog und bei mir zu einem breiten Grinsen. Und das hat den Roman dann wieder aufgehellt.

Charaktere

Es ist schon erstaunlich, dass Teenager offenbar überall auf der Welt der Meinung sind, über die Zeit ihrer Familienmitglieder einfach so verfügen zu können. Was habe ich Tränen gelacht, als Daisy wie selbstverständlich ihre Tante Laurel für diverse Adventsaktivitäten einplant, und deren Zeit verplant, ohne diese vorher darüber zu informieren, geschweige denn deren Einverständnis einzuholen. Laurels Reaktionen waren oft unbezahlbar.

Was mir nicht ganz so gut gefiel, waren die vielen Klischees, auf die die Autorin zurückgriff, um etwas Spannung in ihre Geschichte zu bringen. Da wurde es leider vorhersehbar und der Roman wurde durchschnittlich.

Resultat

Angenehm zu lesen, mit gut ausgearbeiteten Figuren, aber leider nicht umwerfend in seiner Wirkung. Wer einfach nur etwas unterhalten werden will, trotz der zwei dunklen Hintergrundthemen, und nicht zu viel erwartet, der wird hier gut bedient. Normalerweise mag ich ihre Bücher, aber zu den besten Werken der Autorin gehört dieser Roman eindeutig nicht.

 

**The book was originally published by Avon on October 28, 2021 

Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times and internationally bestselling author of contemporary fiction and reached the coveted Number 1 spot on Amazon Kindle UK with THE CHRISTMAS PROMISE. She's won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, the Readers Best Romantic Read Award, and the Katie Fforde Bursary. She writes contemporary fiction of life and love and is a past Vice-Chair of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and editor of its short story anthologies. Her novels, short stories, serials, and columns have appeared around the world. She has created writing courses for the London School of Journalism and DigitalSea and is the author of a writing guide. An army child, Sue was born in Germany then lived in Cyprus, Malta, and the UK. She's worked in a bank, as a bookkeeper (probably a mistake), as a copytaker for Motor Cycle News, and for a typesetter, but is pleased to have wriggled out of all 'proper jobs.

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11/21/2022

Das Glück Hat Acht Arme by Shelby Van Pelt

The gorgeous-looking cover with white, red, orange, and purple caught my attention first. And I fell in love with the beautiful Octopus, the German edition shows in the design of the dust jacket. Little did I know at that moment how fantastic, emotional, and sensitive the novel behind it would be. To make a long story short: I read this book overnight. It left me with all the emotions one could have. If you are looking for a story about a family, love, and loss combined with some great figures and some hilarious dialogues set in a fantastic landscape – this is your book.

Das Glück Hat Acht Arme*

by Shelby Van Pelt
Translation Andrea Fischer
Original Title Remarkably Bright Creatures**
Publisher Fischer Krüger on September 28, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 460
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Krüger
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶

And then happiness embraces you.

"Who am I? My name is Marcellus, but few call me that. I'm a giant Pacific octopus. That's what the sign next to my tank says. I know what objection is coming. Yes, I can read. I can do many things, which no one would expect."

Marcellus is a curious, cheeky giant octopus. And very smart. He finds people rather uninteresting. Except for Tova, the old lady who greets him when she cleans in front of his aquarium and talks about her son who disappeared on a boat decades ago. Smart as he is, Marcellus discovers a secret that the Tova does not know. Now he has eight arms full to uncover the truth for Tova... before it's too late.

Story

Tova does everything to give her life some sense. She loves old things, especially those her father had created a long time ago. But she also appreciates it very much, that she can decide what to do when she wants to do it. The cleaning at the local aquarium is something she loves. It is a simple but meaningful job and the daily talk with Octopus Marcellus frankly said her highlight. Little does Tova know that Marcellus wants to help her because he is seeing something, Tova doesn´t see. And his life is much shorter than hers.

Style

I was fascinated from the start by the sensitive style that Shelby Van Pelt shows here. Even the saddest moments are provided with a touch of lightness and yet remain appropriate to the situation. The unique scenery completes the sincerity and liveliness of the story. What I particularly liked are the many moments where the older characters keep talking about the past and comparing it with the present action. I found it particularly nice that the main character doesn't know much about modern technology but is willing to make friends with it and deal with it. It was mainly the way the main character not only thought about it but also how she came to terms with it that often brought a smile to my face.

And of course, the octopus Marcellus gave the novel his view of things and thus put his very own stamp on the story. I found him almost the best thing about the whole book *smile*

Characters

It was so nice getting to know Tova and the other characters and watching their actions throughout the storyline. I was particularly impressed by how Tova faces the changes. How she thinks about modern achievements such as the Internet, smartphones, or even computers and is reluctant or hesitant to let them into her life. She is by no means old-fashioned. Tova just assesses the value of things very differently than the younger generation does. She is always pragmatic, has a wonderful sense of humor, and is so ironic that I often had to laugh heartily. And her conversations with Marcellus - were delicious!

Conclusion

A wonderfully sensitive novel from start to finish, which scores with fantastically developed characters and a grandiose setting. The story made me laugh as well as cry and everything that lies emotionally in between. That was great cinema and for me the perfect reading for a nice afternoon on the couch. Definitely read!

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Krüger in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Mich hat der feinfühlige Stil von Beginn an fasziniert, den Shelby Van Pelt hier zeigt. Selbst die traurigsten Momente sind mit einem Hauch Leichtigkeit versehen und bleiben doch der Situation angemessen. Das einzigartige Landschaftsbild vervollständigt die Aufrichtigkeit und Lebendigkeit der Geschichte. Was ich besonders gerne mochte, sind die vielen Augenblicke, wo die älteren Figuren immer wieder von der Vergangenheit erzählen und dabei mit der Handlungsgegenwart vergleichen. Dass die Hauptfigur mit der modernen Technik nicht viel anfangen kann, aber bereit ist, sich damit anzufreunden und zu beschäftigen, das fand ich besonders schön. Es war hauptsächlich die Art und Weise, wie die Hauptfigur nicht nur darüber dachte, sondern auch, wie sie sich damit angefreundet hat, die mir oft ein Schmunzeln ins Gesicht gezaubert haben.

Und natürlich hat der Oktopus Marcellus dem Roman dann noch seine Ansicht der Dinge gegeben und der Story damit seinen ganz eigenen Stempel aufgedrückt. Ihn fand ich fast das Beste am ganzen Buch *schmunzel*

Charaktere

Es war so schön, Tova und die anderen Figuren kennenzulernen und deren Agieren während des Handlungsverlaufs zu beobachten. Mich hat vor allem beeindruckt, wie Tova sich den Veränderungen stellt. Wie sie über die modernen Errungenschaften wie Internet, Smartphones oder gar Computer denkt und diese nur ungern bzw. zögerlich in ihr Leben lässt. Dabei ist sie keineswegs altmodisch. Sie schätzt nur den Wert der Dinge ganz anders ein, als es die junge Generation tut. Dabei ist sie stets pragmatisch, hat einen herrlichen Humor und gibt eine Ironie zum Besten, dass ich oftmals herzlich Lache musste. Und ihre Gespräche mit Marcellus – köstlich!

Resultat

Von Anfang bis Ende ein herrlich einfühlsamer Roman, der mit fantastisch ausgearbeiteten Figuren und einem grandiosen Schauplatz zu punkten weiß. Die Geschichte hat mich sowohl zum Lachen gebracht als auch zum Weinen und alles, was gefühlsmäßig dazwischen liegt. Das war ganz großes Kino und für mich die perfekte Lektüre für einen schönen Nachmittag auf der Couch. Unbedingt lesen!

**The English edition was published by Ecco Harper Collins UK on May 3, 2022 

Shelby Van Pelt

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Shelby Van Pelt lives in the suburbs of Chicago with her husband and two children. Remarkably Bright Creatures is her first novel.

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11/20/2022

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #234 – Wet Feet

With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.

Stacking The Shelves #234

No new books this week.

Sunday Post #191

My week started with some wet feet. It is no fun to walk around while discovering that the shoes you are wearing aren´t water-repellent. And of course, the spray can at home was empty *sigh* Well, well … Disney Channel Germany and another TV station have started airing Christmas movies every evening, and I watched one while sorting out my Christmas decorations. Not sure if my Advents plate this year will look the same as it does every year or if it is time for something new… But with the first Advent being on 11/27/22 Christmas seems to come closer with rapid speed.

I used Tuesday, to write some new blog content. Visited some blogs and went to town to get some errands done. And I spend all night from Tuesday to Wednesday, reading the novel Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

On Wednesday I continued to mow the rest of the lawn. This time, I used my hand grass shears. It is a nice workout for my legs and a great way to get rid of aggression *lol* Back upstairs I applied for a book called "Tage voller Zorn" (which could be translated into “Days of Wrath” by Tuomas Oskari), a Finnish author. And got accepted, woohoo!

The next day, Thursday I tried to mow the rest of the lawn. But the grass trimmer probably had a different opinion. First, both cutting blades broke, which I was able to replace. But then the black disc which the cutting blades are attached to said goodbye. Imagine me staring down watching the black disc literally dancing away while still rotating. It took me a few seconds to realize what I was watching. In the twilight, I couldn't see exactly what the plug connection looked like, and nothing worked without a real screwdriver anyway. And I didn´t want to damage the tool because it isn´t mine. Instead, I started cleaning the paths, took care of the leaves, and called it a day. Upstairs, I finished and published a new review. Seems that I do that lately mostly at the last minute…

I started my first read for the HoHoHo Readathon early Friday night. While reading it, I got thirsty and went into the kitchen for some fresh water. And while getting that, a light bulb broke, and the kitchen went dark. Well…

Guess, this weekend is one that will stay in my mind for a long time. First, I slept long on Saturday morning, after another night reading a book. Then, around lunchtime, I decided to go to the supermarket for fresh fruits, vegetables, and a new light bulb. Back home, I noticed that I had forgotten to buy that bulb. Damn. So I'm off again as I can't handle cooking in a dark kitchen. After that, I was literally worn out, completely wet despite using an umbrella and so tired, that I needed an espresso to be able to watch "Wetten, dass …?" later that evening.

My Sunday, today, started with the loud cleaning noise my neighbor, one floor below me, was making while vacuuming her apartment. Ugh! I wrote this post, started preparing some other content, voted for a debut novel at the Goodreads Choice Awards 2022, and watched some TV.

How was your week? Stay safe and healthy.



Happy reading

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11/18/2022

I Grab My Books For The Start Of The Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon 2022

Today started the HoHoHo Readathon. During the #HoHoHoRAT, hosted by Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer, I can listen to any holiday and winter-themed book. No matter if audiobook, eBook or physical book. The readathon runs from November 18th 12:01 am to November 30th, 2022 at 11:59 pm in my time zone. That means thirteen days of reading with two weekends in between. Enough reading time for a book or a few, don´t you think? My list of planned books for this readathon is short. But maybe this year I will be able to read more than one book for this thon.

The Books I Am Planning To Read

      

            

 

      

               

      

          

I will use the Hashtag #HoHoHoRAT, when I post on social media about my updates, comments, etc. In case you like to follow it. I try to follow all the lovely Elves if I am not already doing it. My list contains mainly novels with a winterly setting and is holiday themed. It is good to know, that there are no length requirements and that re-reads are permitted.

Challenges

  

HoHoHo Readathon Instagram Challenge

 

Kimberly is doing with “Twelve Days of Bookstagram“

Below you will see the Elven hosts. They have prepared fun challenges for us to take part in. Each will offer the chance to win some goodies!

Angela with “Ho-Ho-Ho Read-A-Thon Holiday Bingo Mini-Challenge“
Maureen with “Christmassy Wordsearch“
Ruth with “Ruth’s Holiday Puzzles”
Marie with “Santa’s Scavenger Hunt“



Happy reading

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