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Summer Sweatalong Book Tag

Studious Saturday

This week’s Studious Saturday post is a tag which has been really fun to complete. Thank you, Lori, for tagging me! If you don’t follow Lori yet you should definitely take a look at her blog!

The Rules

  1. Link back to the original creator of the book tag (thebookwormdreamer).
  2. Start off with telling us your favourite season and why it is/isn’t summer!
  3. Tag five friends to take part.
  4. Enjoy!

My favourite season: Winter

I definitely do not enjoy the stifling summer heat here in Madrid. If I have to pick a favourite season it would most likely be winter because I always associate it with Christmas and New Year’s celebration which I love because I spend them surrounded by family. I also like being wrapped up and watching the snow fall from indoors (although we don’t get much of it around here).

Don’t Stop! A book you couldn’t stop reading:



Circe was just too good to stop reading and I had to force myself to leave it several times in order to not miss my stop and arrive to work on time!

You’re a cheetah – A book you read in just one day:



I remember starting this book during a flight and trying to rush and finish it but failing to do so. I then proceeded to finish it as soon as I arrived home.

Couldn’t let go – A book you reread straight away:

None! I don’t reread books.

Calm it down! A book that got your heart racing:



Twisted sure did get my heart racing on several occasions and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

Second best – A sequel you read faster than the first:



I am a huge fan of Cara Hunter’s writing and read the third book in the DI Adam Fawley series right after it was published!

Books on fire! A series you read straight through:

It only took me around one week to read Stieg Larsson’s Millenium series and I still remember the excitement of finishing one book and starting the next. This series is by far one of my favourites.

Midnight Madness! A book that kept you up late:



I stayed up very late several nights in a row trying to finish The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. It was tough because there are so many little details that end up being key to the story line so I was skipping pages and turning back to check facts the entire time.

 

I won’t tag anyone this time but I really encourage everyone to do this tag. It is so great to look back on books that we hurried through because they were so brilliantly written!

Studious Saturday: The Out of My Comfort Zone Book Tag

studious saturdays

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a beautiful weekend and have been able to fit in some reading. I was recently tagged by Stephen in the Out of my comfort zone book tag which looks super fun. I am generally open to reading new genres and authors but I’m sure that I’ll surprise myself with some of my answers.

Rule:

You have to pick ONE GENRE that you frequently read about… and then, you can’t use ANY books from that genre while answering the questions!

I usually lean towards books in the Mystery/Thriller genre but I am not sure that I would typically choose any books of this genre as my answer to these questions. Therefore I have decided to extend the rule out to include Contemporary Fiction too which will make it even more interesting and difficult!

1. A Book That Is An Exception When It Comes To Genres Or Elements You Don’t Typically Like


I don’t usually read Fantasy but I decided to read this as part of the book club that I recently attended and I was astounded by the unique storytelling and even more surprised by how much I enjoyed the book!

2. A Book You Enjoyed From A Genre You Previously Held Some Stigma Against


This book was everywhere a few years ago and I still remember all my friends discussing districts, characters and other elements completely unknown to me so I ultimately agreed to borrow it from my flatmate and read it in one sitting.

3. A Book You Didn’t Know Was Out Of Your Comfort Zone Until You Started Reading It


I am a huge fan of Dystopian Fiction but I honestly did not expect such a hard-hitting story and I definitely didn’t think that it would affect me as much as it did. Nevertheless, this is still one of the most memorable books I have read and I recommend it to everyone (or at least try it even if you don’t manage to finish it).

4. Pick A Friend Who Motivates You To Pick Up Books You Might Not Normally Be Interested In – Is There A Book They Convinced You To Give A Try?


Another one of my flatmates convinced me to read The Martian (and watch it afterwards too). Unfortunately we don’t have the same tastes in books or movies but I did listen to his suggestion and was glad to read something different.

5. A Book That Is Out of Your Comfort Zone, But You Would Like to Read


Although I love suspenseful thrillers, I am not a huge fan of blood and gore but I have heard so much praise for Hunter Shea’s Creature that I have decided that it’s going straight to my TBR list.

6. A Book/Genre So Outside Of Your Comfort Zone That You’ll Probably Never Give It A Chance

Although I am open to many genres I don’t expect to read any Christian Fiction any time soon.

So those are my diverse and somewhat random answers to this tag. It’s been fun looking back at some of my odd choices and although I won’t tag anyone this time around, I hope those of you that decide to do the tag enjoy it!

 

Studious Saturday: 50 things that make me happy

studious saturdays

Happy Holidays! I hope that you will all get to spend a truly relaxing and peaceful time surrounded by people you love. In the spirit of Christmas and holiday time I felt that today was the perfect Saturday to post the 50 Things that Make Me Happy tag after I was tagged by the lovely Molly. Thank you, Molly, for the tag!

50 things that make me happy:
1. The spirit of Christmas
2. Meeting the New Year with high hopes of a successful coming year
3. The excitement when booking flight tickets
4. The even more exciting feeling of stepping on an airplane, ready for an adventure
5. Seeing my mum’s happy smile when I walk into Arrivals
6. Writing out and activating my out of office email at work
7. The chatter of strangers in the Madrid metro every morning
8. Hearing a song I associate with my university days
9. Skyping with a dear friend
10. Mastering a complicated dance routine after hours of practice
11. The frenzy and enthusiasm when stepping out onto the ballroom competition floor
12. The joy of a fast and fun quickstep
13. Starting a new booking
14. Sitting down and relaxing after having cleaned the whole house
15. Watching the latest episode of a TV show that I’ve been following
16. Going to the cinema with my mum
17. Coming up with a good idea for a blog post
18. The satisfying feeling of writing a blog post in advance and scheduling it
19. Watching a loved one open a gift from me
20. Spending time at my aunt’s house with the whole family
21. My aunt’s dogs – Riley and Jacob
22. Any dogs in general
23. Skiing down from the top of a mountain with friends
24. Summer BBQs
25. Seeing friends after months apart
26. Stumbling upon old photos from school and the nostalgia that follows
27. Remembering fun nights in at home with friends at university
28. Planning the next city trip with my boyfriend
29. Spending summers in Bulgaria
30. The joy in my grandma’s expression when she sees me after one year away
31. My grandma’s homemade meals
32. Finding a new favourite restaurant to eat at
33. When a difficult recipe is a success in the end
34. The relief of sitting a final exam
35. Lazy at home Sundays with my boyfriend
36. A crisp but sunny winter’s day
37. When a wish comes true
38. Picking strawberries in summer
39. Cooking a meal for my favourite people
40. Going on a walk in the park
41. Spontaneous spa nights at home on Friday evenings
42. Sleeping in on a weekend
43. Having a bath after a long day
44. Learning a new word or phrase in a different language
45. Reading in coffee shops and blocking out the rest of the world
46. Playing board games with the whole family
47. Remembering the lyrics of a song I haven’t heard in a while
48. Having three places in the world that all feel like home
49. Seeing or hearing something that reminds me of a loved one
50. The prospect of many good moments to follow in the future

This was a fun and rewarding tag to do and I highly recommend it to other bloggers! I won’t tag anyone this time as I am sure that everyone has plans to spend time with family and perhaps even schedule their blog for next year. Next Saturday’s post is the final one of the year and it has been one of the hardest ones to write although equally enjoyable. Stay tuned for more and sending you all warm wishes for the holidays!

Studious Saturday: Mystery Blogger Award

THE AWARD
“Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion. – Okoto Enigma

THE RULES
• Put the award logo/image on your blog
• List the rules.
• Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
• Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
• Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
• You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
• Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
• Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
• Share a link to your best post(s)

studious saturdays

I have been nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award by Darinda and Molly. Many thanks to both of you for thinking of me and for anyone who hasn’t yet come across their blogs I encourage you to visit and follow them because they both publish great content!

THREE THINGS ABOUT MYSELF

  1. I always struggle when answering the question “Where are you from?” because I consider myself a citizen of the world after having lived in various countries. I have friends from all around the world and am constantly changing between languages and I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way.
  2. My biggest dream in life since I was eight years old is to have a dog and I am slowly getting closer to making that dream come true.
  3. Apart from reading, my biggest passion is ballroom dancing which I started when I was seven and hope to never give up.

MY TOP POSTS

Exploring bookshops in London

Book review: The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Disappointing books and managing high expectations

MY ANSWERS TO DARINDA’S QUESTIONS:

  1. How many books are on your TBR, and how long will it take you to read them? – I currently have 99 books on my TBR list, which I know for many isn’t a lot but it’s the most I’ve ever had! I usually read around 50 books per year on average so it would probably take me around 2 years to read them but unfortunately the list keeps growing so I don’t know when I’ll ever finish them!
  2. Who is an author you will read without reading the book blurb first? – Jodi Picoult
  3. Name a fictional character you love to read about, but would find insufferable in real life. – Robert Langdon because I can just imagine how technical our discussions would be!
  4. What are three things on your bucket list? – Have a dog, travel the world, start my own business
  5. Funny: If you could have a superpower, what would it be? – Teleport so I could visit my family who are scattered around the world all in one day

MY ANSWERS TO MOLLY’S QUESTIONS:

  1. Do you have any favourite festive reads? if so, what are they? – I don’t unfortunately but I have seen some great reviews for Josie Silver’s One Day in December so I am planning on making it my festive read for this year!
  2. Who is your all time favourite book character? – Lisbeth Salander
  3. Are you planning on posting Christmassy content in December? – I sure am!
  4. What is the one book you would recommend to anyone? – The Great Gatsby
  5. Do you have any Christmas traditions? – Oh, so many! We still have a Bulgarian Christmas on the 24th where we make an odd number of dishes as tradition calls for and on Christmas Day we tend to have a leisurely morning with cake (it’s my mum’s birthday) before we open the presents and start preparing our usual lunchtime roast.

NOMINATIONS

Asha

TheBookReader

Mani

Reyna

Nikola

Naty

Kelly

(As always there is no pressure to do this tag at all!)

MY QUESTIONS:

  1. Which is your favourite ever book series?
  2. Do you ever go to the cinema more than once to watch a movie you really loved?
  3. Where is the most unusual place you have fallen asleep? *weird/funny question
  4. Which is the best birthday/Christmas gift you have received to date?
  5. Do you play any musical instruments? If so, which, and if not would you like to learn?

Three Days, Three Quotes Challenge: Day 3

Three Days Three Quotes Challenge

RULES:

  • Thank the person who nominated you.
  • Post one quote per day for three days.
  • Nominate three blogs per day to take part in this challenge.

Today is the last day in this challenge and I wanted to thank Stephen one more time for tagging me! For the final day I chose a quote which describes the magic of books perfectly:

“Cada libro, cada tomo que ves, tiene alma. El alma de quién lo escribió, y el alma de quiénes lo leyeron y vivieron y soñaron con él. Cada vez que un libro cambia de manos, cada vez que alguien desliza la mirada por sus páginas, su espíritu crece y se hace fuerte.”

-La Sombra del Viento de Carlos Ruiz Zafón

“Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul. The soul of the person who wrote it and of those who read it and lived and dreamed with it. Every time a book changes hands, every time someone runs his eyes down its pages, its spirit grows and strengthens.”

-The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

I adore this quote and I think it’s the perfect one to end this challenge.

Here are my nominations for the final day:

Simant

Evelina

Raya

There is no need to do this challenge if you have done so already or if you don’t feel like it but if you decide to do it please link back to me so I can read your chosen quotes. Thanks to all who read my posts during these past three days!

 

Three Days, Three Quotes Challenge: Day 2

Three Days Three Quotes Challenge

RULES:

  • Thank the person who nominated you.
  • Post one quote per day for three days.
  • Nominate three blogs per day to take part in this challenge.

Hi and welcome to Day Two of the Three Days, Three Quotes challenge! I would like to thank Stephen once again for the tag, it’s definitely challenging but also a lot of fun. Today’s quote was one I had thought about for days after finishing this book and I wanted to share it with you and find out your thoughts on it.

“What if the puzzle of the world was a shape you didn’t fit into? And the only way to survive was to mutilate yourself, carve away your corners, sand yourself down, modify yourself to fit? How come we haven’t been able to change the puzzle instead?”

– Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult often explores complex themes and I think that this one rings true in many ways. Do you agree with what she says here?

My nominations are:

Darinda

Mandy

Christina

Tomorrow is the final day in this challenge and I have just the perfect quote for bookworms. Stay tuned!

Three Days, Three Quotes Challenge: Day 1

Three Days Three Quotes Challenge

RULES:

  • Thank the person who nominated you.
  • Post one quote per day for three days.
  • Nominate three blogs per day to take part in this challenge.

I am stepping away from my usual posting schedule of Wednesdays and Saturdays as I have been tagged by Stephen in the “Three Days Three Quotes” Challenge. Thank you for tagging me, Stephen! This definitely looks like a fun challenge although I must admit that it has been difficult to narrow down my favourite quotes to only three.

For day one I decided to share a moving quote from one of my favourite books:

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”

– Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee

I still remember highlighting this quote in my Year 10 English Literature class as our teacher explained the meaning behind Atticus’ words. There are so many things I have forgotten about school since then but I still remember this minor moment, it’s strange how our mind works.

Today I have decided to nominate (as always, no pressure to do this tag if you don’t feel like it):

Jenny

India

Roxanne

See you all tomorrow for Day Two of the Three Days, Three Quotes Challenge.

Studious Saturday: The Sunshine Blogger Award

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Many thanks to Beth at About a Book Club for tagging me! Go and check out her answers and hop over to her blog!

This Studious Saturday post will be a tag.

What is The Sunshine Blogger Award?

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to bloggers who are creative, positive, and inspiring. Once nominated, the blogger is required to write a post in which they:

• Thank the blogger who nominated them and link back to their blog.

• Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated them.

• Nominate 11 other blogs and give them 11 new questions to answer.

• Notify your nominees and display the Sunshine Blogger Award in your post.

studious saturdays

Here are my answers to Beth’s questions:

1) What has been your favourite book of the month so far?
I have to go for The Fix by David Baldacci. This book was published last year but I started reading it at the beginning of this month and finished it in 3 days. I love the Amos Decker series and highly recommend it to any readers who enjoy a fast-paced detective mystery.

2) Name a book that you have recently bought solely from a blogger’s review.
I am currently reading The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers after buying it when I read Kristin‘s review and I’m really glad I did. It’s entertaining and adventurous and even though I don’t usually read Sci-Fi I’m really enjoying this one!

3) Do you read multiple books at a time? Or just one?
I usually read just one on my kindle unless I also have a paperback that I’m also reading in which case I alternate between the two.

4) Name a book that you were disappointed by/felt had been over-hyped.
I was disappointed by Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee. I expected another thought-provoking read with controversial topics discussed but I thought it was average and it left me feeling empty.

5) Give an ‘unpopular opinion’ on a book/series that everyone else seems to love.
I don’t think that The Girl on the train by Paula Hawkins is as great as others make it out to be. It was interesting but I found it difficult to relate to the main character and follow the story line until the end.

6) What book have you read the most times cover to cover?
I read To Kill a Mockingbird several times at school and also a few times afterwards as well and it never disappoints. It’s usually the first book I recommend to anyone who is looking to read a Classic.

7) Favourite cover art of a book you own (include a picture, if you can!)
I love the cover of The Sisterhood. It’s a simple but beautiful design which also goes perfectly with the story:
The Sisterhood

8) Name a stand-alone book that you WISH had a sequel.
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

9) What setting of a book would you love to visit?
I’d love to visit the circus described in The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. There would be so much to explore!

10) Name something that bugs you about the book blogging community.
I would say the international blogger debate. I have seen so many discussions lately on this and I can relate to many points made.

11) Name something you LOVE about the book blogging community.

I love how inclusive and welcoming the community is. We all have different tastes in reading depending on age, genre, location etc. but we also all share our love of books and it’s so wonderful how book bloggers are always so supportive and helpful.

I nominate:

Recipe and a Read

Umut Reviews

Excuse my reading

Drizzle and Hurricane Books

Books and Dachschunds

Books and Me!

Brunching Bookworms

Not-so-modern Girl

Bookathon

Between the Pages

Dee Reads Things

My questions:

1. What was your favourite book when you were a child?

2. Name a book that you wish was made into a film/series.

3. Do you prefer to buy or borrow books? Why?

4. What language do you prefer reading in?

5. How do you get over a reading slump?

6. What would you say to your favourite author if you ever get the chance to meet him/her?

7. Name a character that you feel could have been developed more.

8. Which book that you read this year has pleasantly surprised you?

9. Share a quote that you like from the book you are currently reading.

10. Imagine that you meet your favourite character by chance. How do you react?

11. Has any book ever made you cry? Share a passage or your thoughts on it.

Thank you for reading my answers and I hope those of you nominated enjoy this tag. Please don’t feel obliged to do it but if you do decide to publish the award, please tag me in the post because I would love to read it!