What I've Read Lately #11

It's been a while since I updated this here blog with my recents reads, so here goes:

Of course I read the fourth book in the series. However, I didn't like it as much as the others. There were some episodes where Cece's actions seemed contrary to her personality. At one point she gave herself a pep talk that sounded a lot like excusing herself and speaking for the rights women have, but it didn't read naturally. It was as if the author wanted to make a point about a topic, and Cece was the chosen medium to deliver the message. It was off, is what I'm saying.
Despite the romantic plot(s), I kept reading because now I'm invested in this series and I want to know everything. That said, I can't wait for book number five.

3*

I adored Ada's voice in this novel. She seems to forget about herself, she is honest and innocent, and brave despite her fear. It was fun to read a story from a different point of view, because I don't think I've read a novel where the main character was British, living in Britain during the early years of the War. I wish there were a third book in the series.

5*

I don't know. One day I thought of searching for read books on YouTube and found this. 

4*

And my YouTube book listening moment led me to this.

3*

I've been meaning to read this one for a long, long time. GoodReads shows that since August 2017.

Eleanor sure is quirky, as everyone says, and endearing, and it makes you sad to read about her, and it makes you want to give her a hug despite her obvious reservation towards such gestures.  The novel is funny and deep, and I wasn't expecting depth. Sure, it's a bit eyebrow-rising to see that in less than a year she manages to change so much about herself and a lot of things manage to change for her, but I was so glad! It was about time something good happened to and for her. 

Despite her cold demeanour, I didn't think of her as snobbish. I agreed with her on some observations, and where not I just laughed. It's easier to laugh with a character than it is to see the funny side when similar people show up in real life occurrences. 

Warm feelings, but not exaggerated, at the end of the novel when you see her letting people help and bring to the surface parts of her personality she lost touch years before.

As for her Mother, I figured it out about half way into the novel, but it was still sad.            4*

This is the first book in the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny. The whole bookstagram community is raving about this series, but I am not on board yet. 

I read this for a buddyread on Instagram, my first of that kind. It's a cozy mystery sort of book, with the main character a 70+ inspector who apparently is a good people reader. He's summoned to investigate the unexpected death of a beloved villager in the idyllic Three Pines, Jane. I wasn't very invested in the story to try to actively think of whodunnit, so I was surprised along with a large number of people who have read this book. 

Apparently the series gets better and better (there are currently 14 books in the series), so I hope I'll like the rest better, because yes, I do plan to read them all. 

I wish Yvette Nichol were a nicer character, but then again a wonderful female inspector would have been too predictable, I guess. 

I feel like I missed on something while reading it (maybe the pressure to finish the book for the aforementioned buddyread?), like all the mentions of food, people's personality glimpses from Gamache, the gorgeous nature in Three Pines. Maybe I'll do better for the next books.
                                                                        3*

This series surprised me pleasantly! I read the first two books one after the other and it was a good decision on my part. The third one has a different pace and tone, but I still liked it a lot. It's funny and I like funny. What I liked best was that Lara Jean was normal despite her cringe-y moments and downright embarrassing ones.

I most certainly did not like that Peter Kavinsky dude. Argh! He was arrogant even when he wanted to be cute and charming. I was not charmed. I wish there was more of John Ambrose McClaren because he was nice and respecful and not Peter Kavinsky. 

This series was the surprise of the year for me.

What made me read this series was the magic word: "letters" and my sudden interest in Young Adult novels. I plan to read the other series from Jenny Han, too. I watched the movie for this Lara Jean series and it was... weird. The characters acted unnatural, Peter was not so annoying, and her younger sister was meh compared to the novel version.
4*