July 12, Friday in Memes #11

The Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop's purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog. 
This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question:

     What do you like/dislike about self-published works? (submitted by Nicki @ Nicki J. Markus/Asta Idonea)

My Answer:
      I did not happen to read a single self-published book. Most probably because there are so many published works, that I do not go lokking for something else. But if I would com across one, I gladly read it and see for myself.

Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader. A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. 

The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice. Join us every Friday and share an excerpt from a book you’ve been reading.

My Book Beginnings:

Towards the end of November, during a thaw, at nine o'clock one morning, a train on the Warsaw and Petersburg railway was approaching the latter city at full speed. The morning was so damp and misty that it was only with great difficulty that the day succeeded in breaking; and it was impossible to distinguish anything more that a few yards away from the carriage windows.

My 56:

Goodreads

"Oh, dear me, I assure you there is no need to stand on ceremony with him," the general explained hastily. "He is quite a child, not to say a pathetic-looking creature. He has fits of some sort, and has just arrived from Swizerland, straight from the station, dressed like a German and without a farthing in his pocket. I gave him twenty-five roubles to go on with, and am going to find him some easy place in one of the government offices. I should like you to ply him well with the victuals, my dears, for I should think he must be very hungry."

Outline: The beginning of the book is quite grey, there is only indication of the place, but the rest is so vague and blurry, indicating, I guess, the possibility of this story happening anytime and anywhere. The "56" extract is quite interesting, as it is probably the description of "the idiot" by someone of position and power. I can only compliment on general's compassion and intention to help.

Headhunters by Jo Nesbø

Author: Jo Nesbø
Original title: Hodejegerne
Pages: 224
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: paperback
Genres: crime
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Roger Brown is a corporate headhunter, and he’s a master of his profession. But one career simply can’t support his luxurious lifestyle and his wife’s fledgling art gallery. At an art opening one night he meets Clas Greve, who is not only the perfect candidate for a major CEO job, but also, perhaps, the answer to his financial woes: Greve just so happens to mention that he owns a priceless Peter Paul Rubens painting that’s been lost since World War II—and Roger Brown just so happens to dabble in art theft. But when he breaks into Greve’s apartment, he finds more than just the painting. And Clas Greve may turn out to be the worst thing that’s ever happened to Roger Brown.

  My thoughts: 
    I am a Nesbo fan and so this book has to be read.
    It was a good beach or airline read. It pretty much relies on one plot twist; not one character is likeable, and there is no real character development.  It is a short novel and a quick read that is well plotted and has more than a few twists and turns, most of which I did not see coming. Most of which are plausible and worked, some did not and felt forced.
    I liked that Nesbo stepped away from the police procedural detective and choose this unexpected and unlikable character. The main character is a corporate headhunter who also happens to steal fine art in order to fund a lavish lifestyle. He has no proper training or former military background to survive in the mess he was caught up, just a  proud white-collar, used to office banquets and cocktail parties, thus the more enjoyable it was to follow him on this adventure.
     Overall, this is a fast-paced novel, with some truly clever bits of shock and surprise that will keep you entertained.

Rating:  

    3/5 

WWW Wednesday and Library Loot, July 10

WWW Wednesdays is hosted by Sam over at Taking on a World of Words. A similar meme, This Week in Books is hosted by Lipsyy Lost and Found.
Description: WWW Wednesday is a weekly event where you share answers Below questions:

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

This month I am reading through my Russian and classics lists, that is why some of the books do not have an English translation.

I am currently reading 3 books:

1. The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
3. She Who Runs on the Waves by Aleksandr Grin

I have finished:
1. Hotel by Arthur Hailey 

I am planning to start with the following book:
1. Jessie and Morgiana by Aleksandr Grin

Hosted by: The Captive Reader and Silly Little Mischief
Description: Library Loot is a weekly event that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

I got 2 books from my parents' library this week:
1. Selected Short Stories by Alexander Grin
2. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

April 2019 Wrap up

Read books: 
read: 4/ listen: 0/ pages: 2178/ hours listened: 0
1. Inkspell by Cornelia Funke
2. Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
4. Runemarks by Joanne Harris

Movie watched:
1. Shazam! (2019) ****
2. Limitless (2011) ***
3. Avengers: Endgame (2019) *****

Challenges overview:
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 34/52
2017 PopSugar Reading Challenge 18/40
Pages Read Challenge: 9220/24000
Audiobook Challenge: 5/15
Russian Literature: 3/30
World of Literature: 18/50
Booker Prize Project: 7
The Backlist Reader Challenge 2019: 10/20
Classics Club: 6/50

Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel

Author: Sylvain Neuvel
Original title: Only Human
Edition Language: English
Series: Themis Files  #3
Genres:  Sci-Fi
Format: Audio book
Read by: Sylvain Neuvel, William Hope, Charlie Anson, Laurence Bouvard, Adna Sablylich, Laura Kirman
Duration: 8h41m
Goodreads

Blurb:
   In her childhood, Rose Franklin accidentally discovered a giant metal hand buried beneath the ground outside Deadwood, South Dakota. As an adult, Dr. Rose Franklin led the team that uncovered the rest of the body parts which together form Themis: a powerful robot of mysterious alien origin. She, along with linguist Vincent, pilot Kara, and the unnamed Interviewer, protected the Earth from geopolitical conflict and alien invasion alike. Now, after nearly ten years on another world, Rose returns to find her old alliances forfeit and the planet in shambles. And she must pick up the pieces of the Earth Defense Corps as her own friends turn against each other.
My thoughts:
      I love the series, but this was my least favorite of the three. 
Firstly, some of my favorite characters were no longer around so this lacked the attachment I had before. And there was no longer the air of mystery surrounding Themis that had sucked me in from the start. We basically know everything at this point and it's just wrapping up how things might play out. 
      On the other side, the book is dealing with a lot of racial and religious issues, this is a book that will make you really think about the future. There are tons of great quotes in this book, reading this conclusion will definitely make you contemplate the situation of our world. There were an incredible amount of things talked about that I thought was very relatable and applicable to our society. 
      Unlike the previous two books, there are not a lot of giant robots fighting here, there is only one action sequence in this book. Most of the books is devouted to character development and growth. And it is greatly done and interesting to follow.

“We’re not heroes. No one is. Every movie we watch, every book we read, we see people who can solve every problem, face every danger all on their own. But in real life, Vincent, we just call the cops. That’s what I did.” 

      I listened to the audiobook and I definitely recommend this format if you're able to listen to them. The full cast is always impressive. 
      So, this was a solid ending of fast-paced series, a fun audio experience as always, but I just wasn't as into it.

Rating:  

    4/5 

Sunday Post #47, A Big Spring Break

The Sunday Post is hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  It’s a chance to share news, a post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things received, and share news about what is coming up on the blog for the week ahead. To get in on the Sunday fun, see the rules here: Sunday Post Meme. 

Something new

      Again, I fell out of my blogging for some time. It is more than 2 years I am doing it and still cannot work out a proper tempo. Either I blog a lot and read little or vice versa. So during these two months of break, I read 18 books, 4 of which were more than 500 pages.
     In June I was concentrating on my Popsugar Challenge prompts and managed to put it down to 13 main and 7 advanced prompts. I think I will not pick this challenge next year, I am struggling every year and most of the books I read for it, I do not like.
     In July I will try to tackle some of my Classic club and Russian literature books, not sure how it will go, but it is high time to do so.

Last on the Blog 

• On Monday I reviewed Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
• On Tuesday I published April 23, Top Ten Tuesday
• On Thursday I reviewed A Stranger in the House|The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
• On Friday I published Friday in Memes #10
• On Saturday I reviewed Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Next on the Blog

• On Monday I will review Only Human by Sylvain Neuvel
• On Tuesday I will publish April 2019 Wrap up
• On Wednesday I will publish WWW Wednesday and Library Loot
• On Thursday I will review Headhunters by Jo Nesbø
• On Friday I will publish Friday in Memes #11
• On Saturday I will review The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 Newcomers on my Shelf

I am not buying or taking any book this summer, in order to reduce my physical TBR)

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Author: Gustave Flaubert
Original title: Madame Bovary
Pages: 338
Edition Language: Russian
Series: no
Format: e-book
Genres: classics
Goodreads

Blurb:    
   Madame Bovary tells the story of farmgirl Emma, who marries provincial doctor, Charles Bovary, and almost immediately regrets it when she realises that it means she has to live in the provinces.

  My thoughts: 
    Finally, I finished madam Bovary. It was one of my must read classics list. I am not sure what I was expecting, another Gaskell or Austen probably, so I was totally unprepared for what I got into. Such irritating, and unpleasant main character. I was angry with her almost all of the time.
No one can deny the beauty of prose and description. The writing style captures straight away and I could only amaze with what ease and skill the author describes the nature and striving of one's soul.
As for the story, it is a good one, that depicts triviality of provincial life. The main character lives beyond her means in order to escape the trap of her marriage and is looking desperately for happiness. This driving throws her from one desperate and stupid decision to another.
 I was still sick and tired with the main character. I had no patience to all the whining and sighing. I could find no compassion for her, as her behavior, her superiority thinking, her total absence of respect to the only person who truly loved her, made me only more and more irritated.
 I must confess, that I believe, that if I would have read this novel 10 years ago, I might deeply sympathize with madam Bovary, with her unhappiness and romantic wishes. However, now from all the life experience I have no tolerance with her. A person, who failed as a wife and as a mother, in search of something that she deserves, purely based on vanity and a couple romantic books. And her stupid, selfish and dishonorable way of resolving her problems, leaving her family in the mess she created... Not my hero. I took the star from my rating purely based on my disliking of madam Bovary, which does not make a book less worth reading.

Rating:  

    4/5