Elementals giveaway winners!

yessss! last sunday the Elementals: The prophecy of Shadows, giveaway ended, and I let rafflecopter pick 2 winners :)
The winners are:
Carina van Essen & Nakita P Veltman!
Congratualations to you both!

Carina was the no.1 winner so she gets the Bookmark and the Ebook, Nakita will be getting the Bookmark.

If you're one of the 2 winners please contact me, I've sent you both an E-mail :)

I'd like to thank everyone who has participated in this giveaway and I'm looking foreward to see you soon entering one again!

#FridayReads 29-01

Olaaa!

It's friday again, this week went by incredibly fast! :O

last week I didn't do a fridayreads because I spent most of my day in school and travelling to see my family in Germany (Bonn). But last weekend was a great weekend!
I had a party of my oldest cousin who turned 30 and saturday and sunday spent the day a bit with my family before heading back home by train in the sunday afternoon.
In the train I finished reading the graphic novel 'Saga volume 2', And while being in Bonn I bought 2 great books in an amazing bookstore there. The bookstore used to be an old theater and it was gorgeous! The books I bought while being in Germany are Selection by Keira Cass (read this one in English but am so excited to try it in German too!) and bought Silber, das erste buch der träume by Kerstin Gier. I'm so excited to read both of them!

So, now let's talk about this weekend. The weekend will be kinda boring. I'll be doing schoolwork all weekend long and also will try to read a bit!
At the moment I'm reading 3 books and I plan to finish at least one of them!
The books I'll be reading this weekend are:
The princess diaries by Meg Cabot
My true love gave to me by Various authors
Suske en Wiske, De ringelingschat by Willy Vandersteen

Which book will you be reading over the weekend?

Who inspired my love for books?

When I was younger (age 5 to 14) I just hated reading and just all books in general. I hated that I had to read them for school and also hated them for all of the small letters and stupid stories.

when I went to secondary school I still kinda hated books. just the look of them would have made me vomit! luckily that quickly came to an end! one day I went to school and everyone was suddenly reading the dutch translation of Twilight. That was the day my rescue came!

I was so jealous on everyone who were talking about the book and discussing parts of it. I just had to be able to do the same with my classmates. so even though I hated books I picked up 'Twilight' by Stephanie Meyer. 

At first I found it really hard to get in and understand what was happening but soon I got the hang of it and a new world opened my eyes! I was immediately sold! I read the complete book in under a week (which back then was extremely fast for me). 

That book changed my life and the way I looked to books completely. A whole new door opened and I had acces to even more of those amazing YA books!

Ever since then I started reading properly. the first couple of years (till I was 17) I read maybe 10 books a year but when I met everyone in the booktube community reading became a new addiction and a need  I had to feed.. through booktube and goodreads I met so many great people and so many lovely authors who were nice and welcoming towards their fellow readers! I made new friends and learned to know so much more about books that I just love everything about my bookish life.

I have read all the books in the Twilight series and have watched every film of it! I joined Team Edward and got to live in this magical storyland. even now, 10 years after the release of Twilight I'm reading the gender swap twilight version 'life and death'. the books had it's inpact on me.

After all those years I still have Stephanie Meyer to thank for the amazing book 'Twilight'. It was a magical adventure and you've made a difference to so many people!

in my opinion Twilight was the birth of the YA genre :)

who Inspired your love for reading?

Talk Bookish with ...... Helene! (3)

Hello everyone,

My name is Helene, I’m 28 years old, and I have a BookTube channel which goes under the name ‘Helene Jeppesen’. I live in Denmark (near Copenhagen), and obviously I love books. I’ve had my YouTube channel for over 2 years now, and what I love the most about it is that it allows for me to spread my love for books as well as connect with other people who love books as well. Sometimes, when you read a book, it’s hard to find ‘real life’ people who’ve read the same book and want to discuss it with you, but with BookTube, that’s very easy!

Anyway, here follows some information on me in case you’re interested J I have a full-time job as a high school teacher in French and English, and I’ve been teaching high school students for 3 ½ years now. I love my job, and I love working with teenager who develop very quickly during the three years I get to work with them.

When I’m not at work, I obviously love to read. I can’t think of a better way to relax after a long and sometimes stressful day. I have started watching quite a lot of tv shows as well (they’re very addicting!), so my spare time basically alternates between books and tv.

I also love spending time with my family and friends – especially during the weekends. I love going to cafés, restaurants and to the cinema. All in all, I think I’m a pretty normal person when it comes to free time activities – I just read more books than most people would probably say is normal J

Questions:
1. What is or are your all time favourite book(s)?

That is always the hardest question to ask a book lover. I do have some favourite books, and I think they alternate very much in genre. My favourite classic, for instance, is “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë. I reread that one recently and fell in love all over again with its honesty and its journey it takes you on. I obviously also love all of the Harry Potter books which I grew up with and which absolutely helped developing my love for books. “The Horse Bronzeman” by Paullina Simons is another favourite of mine – that one depicts a romance in Russia during the Second World War. “White Oleander” by Janet Fitch is a must-read, and last but not least I do have a favourite fantasy series, even though I don’t read a lot in that genre, and that is “The Kingkiller Chronicle” series by Patrick Rothfuss.

All of the above mentioned books are very close to my heart, and I definitely recommend that you check them out.

2. Who is your favorite author and why?

So this has got to be the second hardest question to ask a book lover ;) I love Haruki Murakami and J. K. Rowling, whose books are extremely different from each other. John Irving writes hugely intriguing stories, and the same goes for the Brontë sisters.

3. Do you have any signed books? 

I used to have a handful of signed YA books from a book convention I went to in London in Summer 2014. However, I recently decided to give them to charity because I wasn’t interested in those books anymore and I needed the bookshelf space for other books (I know, it seems pretty stupid). BUT I do have a signed copy of “Fangirl” by Rainbow Rowell which I treasure a lot.

4. What’s your favourite reading spot?

My favourite places to read are my couch and my bed. I always read with a blanket on top of me, my cat Zeus next to me and a cup of café latte near me.

5. Show us your bookshelves or bookcase!

6. What are your favourite book blogs?

I must admit that I predominantly get my bookish inspiration from booktube videos on YouTube. I would like to follow more blogs, but I think that doing both would take up too much of my time (and I need that time to read!). BUT I do have to Danish blogs that I often check out because they have very inspiring book reviews and photos – they are:

www.paperbackcastles.blogspot.com

www.windblownpages.wordpress.com

 Reading books means that you are never alone! (I think I got that quote from somewhere, and it’s stuck to my mind ever since).
Thank you for the post Claire!

Happy Reading!

XO Helene

Review: The Fault in our stars by John Green

Title/author: The Fault in our stars by John Green

Originally published/ year published: January 10th 2012

Genre: Young adult, fiction, romance, contemporary

How I got this book: bought

Why I read this book: The story looked like an amazing one!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Despite the tumor shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at cancer kid support group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten. 

Review
Amazing book, I didn't think I would like it this much!

I read this back in 2014, 2 months before my aunt died of cancer. Back when I read this I knew she wouldn't survive and just felt like wanting a connectuon between the illness and her. The reason I read this was to prepare for her death, which sadly came sooner than thought. My darling aunt, please know I've always seen you as the best mum possible and that I will always love you!

Until now I just didn't have the guts to review this book. I did on goodreads but not here. Now I am finally ready and I'll show you the thoughts on this amazingly written book! I ended up loving this book, altough the end was extremely sad and didn't see it coming!

The book is about a girl called Hazel. She meets this very handsome guy called Augustus at a cancer support group. Yea Hazel has cancer and Augustus used to have..... He immediately falls in love with her and she quite likes him too! They both like reading very much and Hazel recommends him a book. When he likes the book he decides to give his genie wish to Hazel to go to Amsterdam to meet the author of the book. They meet the man, have romantic dinner and visit museums. But soon she discovers Augustus not being well and seeing him in pain. Whe she asks he answers by telling his cancer came back worse than ever. When beeing home it just becomes very bad and suddenly he dies having left a letter from the author to Hazel.

The ending was so sad. I know having cried for days back when I read this, mostly because I was in the cancer situation myself. Cancer is an illness you see so obviously but you can't do anything about. It just kills you seeing someone else in such a pain. Hazel and Augustus made the story really alive and worth living for.

Thank you so much for writing this book John Green!
I gave the book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Review: Of Triton by Anna Banks

Title/author: Of triton by Anna Banks

Originally published/ year published: May 28th 2013 by Square fish

Genre: Fantasy, young adult, Romance

How I got this book: bought

Why I read this book: Loved the 1st one so had to try this one as well!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a half-breed, she's a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all half-breeds should be put to death.

As if that's not bad enough, her mother's reappearance among the syrena turns two kingdoms - poseidon and triton - against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with galen's request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? or should she risk it all and reveal her - and her gift - to save people she's never known?

Once again, Anna Banks infuses Emma and Galen's points of view with humor, intrigue and waves of romance.

Review
So, after a year I finally read book 2 in the syrena legacy series by Anna Banks, and I have to say I loved it! Finished the book in less than 3 days!

This book starts where the 1st book left off, Emma's Mum is the lost poseidon princess. And now Galen and his brother Grom want to reach out to her by coming on land. Grom can't believe she still is alive and wants to see it with his own eyes. At first she runs and doesn't believe it but soon she stops running and meets Grom again after more than 70 years. Now they must convince both courts and the parliament that she is the real one. But there is one man who wants his daughter to mate king Grom and tries to ruin it all! In the end everything will be all right and Emma's mom will leave to the sea again.

Galen has decided to stay on land with Emma and will be together. 

Wowow I just can't believe I finished this book so quickly! It was an amazing read, like the 1st book! I kinda forgot how much I loved this book. Soon I will read the 3rd and last one in the series :) 

I bought this book in paperback which is a really comfortable one to read. The cover is so nice  and I have to admit that it's just gorgeously designed! Definitly a huge recommendation if you like mythical and mermaid stories! 

As you might have guessed, I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars!

#FridayReads 15-01

Hi people!
Happy weekend!
As I told you last friday I wouldn't be reading much this past week, and as I had predicted I didn't. Although I did read a children's picture book by Charlotte Dematons called the yellow balloon (de gele ballon) and I enjoyed this a lot! Gave it 4 out of 5 stars and already made a review on the book.

This weekend I'll be trying to read a bit. Hopefully I'll finish saga volume 2 and will read 'my true love gave to me'. I'm half into saga and just looooove it! I kinda think the storyline is more clear to me than it was in the 1st volume. Can't wait to finish it :)

This weekend I'll also be studying again. I have 2 resits on thursday. On saturday I'll go to Knokke to get the new MAC cosmetics limited edition lipstick from the Ellie Goulding collection in the colour 'only you'. I'm kinda addicted to MAC cosmetics products. On sunday I will be studying and trying to have some time off for reading ;)

What will you do and read this weekend?

Recensie: De gele ballon door Charlotte Dematons

Titel/Auteur: De gele ballon door Charlotte Dematons

Jaar gepubliceerd: 2003 door  Lemniscaat

Genre: Kinderboek, tekstloos prentenboek

Hoe heb ik dit boek verkregen: bibliotheek

Waarom las ik dit boek: het boek vond ik erg mooi vormgegeven

Rating: 4 van de 5 sterren

Dit schitterende prentenboek van Charlotte Dematons heeft geen tekst en een verhaal lijkt te ontbreken. Maar de goede kijker ontdekt al snel dat de verschillende platen van de stad, de woestijn, het oerwoud en de zee iets met elkaar te maken hebben. Telkens opnieuw duikt er een blauw Autootje op, een fakir op een vliegend taptijtje, een boef in gevangenistenue, en een gele ballon. Jong en oud zal met plezier op zoek gaan naar deze terugkerende elementen en zo zelf het verhaal reconstrueren.
In de gele ballon toon Dematons zich niet allen als een meesteres van het scheppen van sfeer, zij heeft in dit boek ook talloze kleine grapjes verwerkt.  Niels Holgersson, de baron von Münchhausen, Pippi langkous, Toetanchamon, de kerstman, Repelsteeltje en vele andere bekende figuren uit de (kinder)literatuur wandelen vrolijk over de pagina's en maken dit prentenboek een feest van herkenning. Om eindeloos te bekijken!

Recensie:
Dit boek gaat over een gele Ballon. Deze ballon stijgt op, samen met een aantal andere ballonnen maar gaat dan zijn eigen weg. Hij Vliegt over steden, Het platteland, bergen, woestijn, over de savanne, de zee, ijs, oerwoud, bossen, een haven en als laatste door het heelal. Als hij over al deze bestemmingen vliegt ziet hij iedere keer iets anders en iets nieuws.

Doordat dit een tekstloos prentenboek is kunnen ouders en leerkrachten zelf invullen welk verhaal zij aan kinderen willen vertellen. Daardoor creëren zij op een unieke manier een eigen verhaal bij deze prachtige afbeeldingen en kinderen gaan ervan smullen! De afbeeldingen zijn zeer mooi weergegeven en ook zeker aantrekkelijk getekend. Het is een feest voor de ogen!

Het boek heb ik gelezen in de zeer grote kartonnen versie. Deze versie is uitstekend te gebruiken in het onderwijs, omdat het vooral lang mee gaat en groot genoeg is om in een kring aan de kinderen te vertellen.

Een prachtig boek met een geweldig avontuur! Ik vond het boek 4 van de 5 sterren waard. 

January YA book releases

Happy new year!
It's january! can't believe December went so fast! In December some great books came out:
- Their fractured light by Amie Kaufman
- see how they run by Allie Carter
- The trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill
- Did I mention I love you by Estelle Maskame

Now it's January I'll be showing the books coming out this month. There are tons of amazing ones!

The one I'm most excited for is 'Passenger' by Alexandra Bracken. The story sounds so goooood! it will be the 1st book in the passenger series. It's a book about love, history, pirates and ships. I'm so excited! This book will be released January 5th.


The next one is 'truthwitch' by Susan Dennard. This book is about witches living in 3 seperate kingdoms and this one witch needs to hide her powers. This book totally sounds awesome and had many good reviews from booktubers! This book comes out January 5th.

The next book is 'This is where it ends' by Marieke Nijkamp. This is a story about a pretty normal highschool in Alabama. Suddenly someone walks in and starts shooting. This book is a 54 minute story. The 54 minutes there was terror in the school. 4 people tell what's happening.
this book sounds kinda scary, but very realistic! This book will be released January 5th.

The last book I'm going to mention is 'The Siren' by Keira Cass. This book was once self published by her but now is being released again. The book is about a girl with secrets and the boy of her dreams. I kinda assume it is a story about mermaids. The girl being a creature of the ocean and the boy being human. The story sounds amazing! This book will be released January 26th!

Are you excited for any of the books above?
I have to say I'm most excited for passenger and The siren!

#FridayReads 08-01

It's time for a new #FridayReads! Unfortunately it will be a short one. I won't be reading many books over the weekend because on monday very important exams and tests start. I'm having a total of 7 tests in the 1st week and the 2nd week I have 2 resits! ohmy, I'm getting little stressed .....

BUT, yolo ;) nooo... joke! haha.

I'll be reading the book Saga volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughn. I already started it so it should be a quick read. If I have some time left I'll also be reading 'my true love gave to me'. I'm reading the 2nd book for weeks now, but just didn't have proper time for it! :O

Anyone else having important tests next week? let me know! we can support each other haha!
Have a great weekend!

Review: The iron knight by Julie Kagawa

Title/author: The iron knight by Julie Kagawa

Originally published/ year published: October 2011 by Mira Ink

Genre: Fantasy,fairytale, young adult

How I got this book: bought

Why I read this book: the final book in this series which I just had to read!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl.

Love is a weakness for mortals and fools. And Ash, Heir to the winter court, is no mere mortal. But when he swore to be Meghan Chase's knight, his oath bound him to her irrevocably. Now the girl Ash loves is a ruler of a realm no winter Prince can ever survive. To be with her he must have a soul and a mortal body, yet the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible.

There is one thing stronger than his will to live: His vow to Meghan. As Ash battles he learns truths that challenge his darkest beliefs and show him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.


Review

Oh my, I can't believe I've finished this series... This book was really really good, in fact, I loved it so much!

This was the 4th and final book in the Iron fey series by Julie Kagawa and she made something amazing of it. In stead of being written from Megan's point of view this one is written of Ash's. This book is all about him and his quest to earn a soul to be with Megan.

In the book Puck and Ash start together to go on a quest. Ash swore in the previous book to Megan he would be her knight and made a vow. As the normal feys can't go into the iron realm Ash decides he wants to earn his soul. Therefore he needs to go to the end of the world. On his way he meets someone he lost a long time ago and also the cat Grimalkin, Puck and a wolf accompany him on his quest. He learns to know his true self and also learns the dangers of earning a soul. In the end he has a choice, be human or not? He makes his choice. Megan in the end finally got her knight back, and even better, the man she loves.

“You're here," I murmured, reaching out to touch him, hardly believing this was real. "You came back." Ash's breath hitched, and he put his hand over mine.
"I came home.” 

I just have so much praise for this book. Kagawa's writing style takes you into the story and makes you understand the characters. Each character is unique and has it's best sides but also dark ones. She wrote this perfectly. The worldbuilding was as great as in the other books. I literally could see the end of the world in my mind. 

The book is published by Mira Ink. And i have to say that my paperback edition is really nice and easy to hold when reading. It's a bit of a shame the glitters on the cover keep getting of though, haha. Luckily this doesn't effect the story xD

But yes, this story was amazing! I just can't be more sad this series is over. All the characters were amazing and Ash will always have a special place in my heart.

This book I give 5 out of 5 stars. One of the best books I read in 2015!

December Wrap-up and January TBR

Hi hi!
It's January... December went so fast! Can't believe Christmas and New year is over :O but this month it's time for a new wrap-up and TBR.

In the month of December I didn't quite read all the books on my TBR. The festivities were just so hectic and planned full. I did however read several books! I read a total of 3 books. I know I know, I feel ashamed xD
The books I read are:
- Soms laat ik je even achter door Daan Remmerts de vries
Recensie: soms laat ik je even achter
- De stem van de zee door Mara Li (didn't finish this one...)
- The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

I haven't reviewed the other 2 books but they will soon :)

Now, for January I'd like to read a small amount of books, because I have pretty important exams at school. The ones I'd like to read are:
- Saga Volume 2 by Brian K. Vaughn
- My true love gave to me by Various Auhors
- The Heir by Keira Cass
- De gele olifant door Loes Riphagen
- De gele ballon door Charlotte Dematons

This month I already read 'Of triton' by Anna banks and am currently reading 'My true love gave to me'.
Which books will you be reading?

#FridayReads 01-01

                                        

First of all I want to wish you all a very happy new year! My night was amazing and celebrated it with the people I love most, my family! Torey, if you read this, I love you!

                                         

And now move on to #FridayReads. 

This weekend I'll be reading 'of triton' by Anna Banks and also 'my true love gave to me' by various authors.

At the moment I'm halfway through of triton and I just love it so much! The characters are amazing! 

Not only will I be reading but also will be watching the new Sherlock episode tonight, which starts in about an hour!!!

I'm so excited. Sherlock and victorian times? Omg hell yeah! 

What will you be reading over the weekend?