Summary of this year: 2013

What a year.

No I mean it, what a YEAR!

Really good things have happened it my life:

I got invited to Sweden's biggest Literature gala
I started cooperation with the Swedish Divergent (movie) team)!
I got very good grades in school
I started taking driving lessons

... Less great things:
I got a tumor
Physical illness
among other things.

But let's not focus on that. Let's just smile and let go of this year, no matter your ups and downs. I will do that.

Last year I read 50 books. And that was BARELY it. on the 31th I'd read 47 books, but I finished 3 books that exact day before midnight. I had to succeed in my new year challenge ;)

No way on earth would I be able to read more than 50 books this year so I set the same goal
2013 - read 50 books.

Surprisingly I actually made it!
......
.....
.....
In June.
Yep. In June I finished my 50th book of the year. I still do not know how I managed that, because I could barely make it in 2012 haha.
Wanna know how many books I've read this year?
EIGHTY. 80.

some books I've reviewed <3

I've reviewed EIGHY books this year, that's more than 1 book a week.
This year I've also written 371 blogposts,   which is more than one blogpost a day.
Don't ask me how I managed school, because I don't know that myself (or the gym, or social life or sleep....)
But I made It all work so who cares really?

I'm also going to take this moment to be sentimental and tell you guys how much I appreciate you.

Every time I read one of these "thank you so much" posts I'm like eegh that's not me they are talking about.

But you wanna know something?

Everytime one of you followers comment I get so happy, just one comment from any of my reads makes me happy. It makes my day to be honest.

Every time a reader comments/writes to me on any of my other social networks I get just as happy. I see you share my posts and how awesome you think I am at what I do etc. and it's so crazy because I don't think that about my blogposts / reviews at all. The fact that you guys see how much time I put into every posts.. words cannot describe how blessed that makes me feel. I have the best readers in the entire world.

And to you who just read my blog day after day (or week after week) without commenting or showing yourself to me, you guys mean eqally much to me as the ones who comment. 

I would not have gotten all these stuff that I've been getting trough my blog without you guys. I don't blog to make my readers happy but I blog because I think it's fun, but this blog wouldn't have been much without actual readers. Without you.

From the bottom of my chocolate covered strawberry heart; 

Thank you. 

Let's have another great year together

For the last time this year

xoxo Lihini

Miss Peregrines hem för besynnerliga barn / Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children REVIEW

Av Ransom Riggs

Sidor: 384

Förlag: Raben & Sjögren

En ödslig ö. Ett övergivet barnhem. Och en samling märkliga fotografier. Sextonårige Jacob tror inte längre på de historier hans farfar brukade berätta för honom.

Skrönorna om barnen med märkliga förmågor är bedrägliga minnen från hans farfars barndom, och samlingen med sepiatonade fotografier är såklart bara ett av farfars alla påhitt. Men omständigheterna kring farfaderns död tar Jacob till en avlägsen ö utanför Wales kust och till de fallfärdiga ruinerna av Miss Peregrines hem för underliga barn.

Bland dess övergivna rum och ekande korridorer kan Jacob inte motstå en djupdykning i sin farfars förflutna och snart inser han att barnen i huset kan ha funnits i verkligheten. Att de måste ha varit mer än bara märkliga - kanske till och med farliga - och att de inte skeppades iväg till en enslig ö helt utan anledning. Men framförallt står det klart: De underliga barnen kan fortfarande vara vid liv.

Jag kommer inte ihåg när jag senast läste en nyutgiven ungdomsbok med bilder.

Bra var den i alla fall! Jag tycker att boken började väldigt spännande, det var en bra grund till historien. Början på en bok är enligt min mening lika viktig som slutet. Det är början som fångar in läsaren och slutet som släpper läsaren.

Som sagt innan tyckte jag att boken började väldigt bra, jag gillade Jacobs farfar väldigt mycket, fast vi inte fick så jätte mycket tid med honom. Dock så är han alltid närvarande genom boken då det ändå var han som började allt. 

 
Jag skulle dock inte bli ledsen eller så om vi hade fått lära känna honom i hans levande stadium haha.

Barnhemmet. Det besynnerliga barnhemmet. Eller jag kanske bör säga, barnhemmet med de besynnerliga barnen. Speciellt hem det där. Vet ni, jag vart faktiskt lite besviken på just den delen…
jag tyckte inte att det var så värst intressant där, det äventyret Jacob kände att det var gjorde inte jag, och jag fann mig själv sucka lite för mig själv när han gick dit. Jag ville hellre att han skulle göra andra saker än att gå dit.

Slutet då? Dramatiskt var det, väldigtdramatiskt. Actionpackat och det är inte fören slutet som jag känner att jag verkligen får grepp om dessa besynnerliga barn. Dessa trasiga varelser.

Det här är inte direkt en komisk bok, så om du verkligen vill ha en bok men som får dig att skratta lite då och då är inte detta en bok för dig, men om du gillar mysterier och lite mörka historier med kusliga bilder är detta en bok för dig!

 English||English|| English||English|| English||English|| English||English|| English||English|| English

By Ransom Riggs

Pages: 352

Publisher: Quirk

As a kid, Jacob formed a special bond with his grandfather over his bizarre tales and photos of levitating girls and invisible boys. Now at 16, he is reeling from the old man's unexpected death. Then Jacob is given a mysterious letter that propels him on a journey to the remote Welsh island where his grandfather grew up. There, he finds the children from the photographs--alive and well--despite the islanders’ assertion that all were killed decades ago. As Jacob begins to unravel more about his grandfather’s childhood, he suspects he is being trailed by a monster only he can see.

I cannot remember when I last read a newly released young adult book with pictures.

Good thing was it anyway! I think the book started very exciting, it was a good foundation for the story. The beginning of a book is in my opinion just as important as the end. It's beginning that has to capture the reader and the end that releases the reader.

As I said before, I thought the book started very good, I liked Jacob's grandfather very much, though we did not get very much time with him. However, he is always present through the book as it still was he who started it all.

However, I would not be sad or so if we had gotten to know him in his live stage haha.

The peculiar home. Or perhaps I should say, the home with the peculiar children. Special home that. I was actually quite disappointed with the whole peculiar home idea.

I did not think it was terribly interesting there, the adventure Jacob felt it was I didn’t., and I found myself sighing a little to myself when he went there. I would rather that he would do things other than go there.

The end then? Dramatic, it was, very dramatic. Action-packed and it was around the end that  I felt like I REALLY got a grasp of the peculiar children.

This is not exactly a comic book, so if you really want a book that makes you laugh every now and then then this is not a book for you, but if you like mysteries and little dark stories with spooky pictures, this is a book for you!

xoxo Lihini

  

Authors on Instagram

Howdy.
Piano covers are seriously the best, it's such a strong and powerful instrument don't you think?
I've been on instagram for  A WHILE now, and I love it. And apparently authors do too. I've listed some of my favorite IG authors, click on the links if you want to follow them. The pictures are taken from their Instagram's.

Ransom Riggs (Wrote Miss Peregrine's home for Peculiar Children)

@Ransomriggs

http://instagram.com/ransomriggs

Tahereh Mafi (Wrote Shatter Me)

@Taherehmafi

http://instagram.com/taherehmafi

John Green (Wrote The Fault in our Stars)

@johngreenwritesbooks

http://instagram.com/johngreenwritesbooks

Cassandra Clare (Wrote City of Bones)

@cassieclare1

http://instagram.com/cassieclare1

Veronica Roth (Wrote Divergent)

@vrothbooks

http:www.instagram.com/vrothbooks/

Sarah Dessen (Wrote This Lullaby)

@sdessen

http://instagram.com/sdessen

Jamie Mcguire (Wrote Beautiful Disaster)

@Jamiemcguire_

http://instagram.com/jamiemcguire_

Richelle Mead (Wrote Vampire Academy)

@Reallyrichelle

http://instagram.com/reallyrichelle

Simone Elkeles (Wrote Perfect Chemistry)

@Simoneelkeles

http://instagram.com/simoneelkeles

Rick Riordan (Wrote Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief)

@Rickriordan

http://instagram.com/rickriordan

xoxo Lihini

Var är Nicke Nyfiken? / Where is Curious George? REVIEW

Av Margret G.H.A. Rey

Sidor: 28

Förlag: Rabén & Sjögren

Nicke är en mycket nyfiken liten apa. Nu har han hittat olika hus, det ena mer fantastiskt än det andra: en koja, ett slott, en husvagn, en fyr ...

"Vad finns det där inne? Det undrar vi så. Vi följer med Nicke som nu knackar på!"

Inuti husen finns det många fina saker som är svåra att hitta. Kan du hjälpa honom att leta? Och ser du var han själv gömmer sig någonstans? Kom och följ med Nicke Nyfiken på upptäcktsfärd i denna leta-och-hitta-bok på vers!

Before you ask, no I didn't read this as a bedtime story. Well yes I did, but I read it aloud for my cousin. 

Nicke är en härlig nyfiken liten filur som tar allt med en nypa salt. Han är en karaktär i sig som får en att verkligen skratta, och som även får små barn att skratta. Den här bilderboken tyckte jag var väldigt fint illustrerad, fina bilder och behaglig text som var väldigt lätt att förstå. Nicole tyckte jätte mycket om boken, som ett stort Nicke Nyfiken fan är väl det lätt att förstå haha...

Dock tror jag att det hade varit lite roligare om boken gav utrymme för lite diskussioner, nu kunde jag känna att boken inte var så jätte lärorik, en rolig var den i alla fall!

Jag ger denna bok 3/5 jag tycker definitivt att detta är en bok att läsa tillsammans med sitt barn/syskon/småbarn in general! 

English review |||English review |||English review |||English review |||English review |||English review |||English review |||

By Margret H.A. Rey

Pages: 32

Publisher: HMH Books

Nick is a very curious little monkey. Now he has found different houses, each one more amazing than the others: a house, a castle, a caravan, a lighthouse ...

"What's in there? That we wonder so. We follow with George now knocking on!"

Inside the houses, there are many fine things that are hard to find. Can you help him to look? And can you see where he is hiding somewhere? Come and join Curious George exploring in this search-and-find book of verse!

Before you ask, no I didn't read this as a bedtime story. Well yes I did, but I read it aloud for my cousin. 

George is a lovely curious little fellow who takes everything with a grain of salt. He is a character in itself that makes you really laugh, and even get little kids to laugh. This picture book I thought was very nicely illustrated, nice pictures and agreeable text that was very easy to understand. Nicole liked this story very much, which as a huge Curious George fan I can understand haha...

However, I think it would have been more fun if the book gave room for some discussion, now, I could feel that the book was not so very educational, but at least it was fun!

I give this book 3/5 I definitely think this is a book to read with your child / sibling / toddlers in general!

xoxo Lihini

Reviews I'm most proud of.

Hi loves!
My arms hurt soooo much, my muscles are sore after my gym session yesterday, AND IT FEELS SO GOOD! (I'm crazy, I know)

Like the title here says I'm going to present the reviews I'm most proud of. Everytime  I write a post I'm like neeh, that review could have been better, but you know what? It's only in my head, I know that most of my reviews are pretty amazeballs, Just like me!

I'm going to mark the Swedish / English reviews with a +

Allegiant (Divergent #3)
Excerpt
People talk about the ending and how amazing it was because she took a risk. How she is so brave for doing so and that more YA authors should do so but do you know what I think? I call it bull.


What I saw and How I lied +
Excerpt
And the award for the world's weirdest book goes to .... What I Saw And How I Lied!!!
The book was good, really good to page 50. Then everything went down the drain. I do not know how to express myself without spoiling the book completely, but I can try.


Frigid (Frigid #1)
Excerpt
Oh, okay. he's been with every single girl you know, and you still want him? He's never showed you interest in that way but you still want him? And better yet, you want to be another one of his girls? 
Oh no, I see nothing wrong in that. 
Not at all. 


Origin (Lux #4)
Excerpt
So freaking much happened in this book, I'm not kidding, I had super duper high hopes on this book, but Jen really stepped out from her comfort zone when writing this book, things I would NEVER imagine happening happened in Origin, and may I tell you that it just made this book so much better.


Beautiful Disaster (beautiful#1) +
Excerpt
In the beginning I couldn't put it down. The book became a drug, I could read for hours because i wanted to just finish it and love it. 
The book had some really strong characters that you either loved or hated. 
Personally - Loved. 







xoxo Lihini

From me to you: may you have the best Christmas ever.

HEALTHY & DELICIOUS: Banana pancakes ♥

HEALTHY & DELICIOUS

I have to get back on my healthy eating routine again and I'm going to take you guys with me!

I've decided to name this food series HEALTHY & DELICIOUS ♥♥♥♥

This is not bookish related at all, but I like to spice up this blog now and then!

Have you ever tried banana pancakes? I have, and the first time I tried it I didn't like it. The batter had banana chunks in it and I didn't like that, everything was just so not pancakeish.

But then someone on Youtube found a solution, and I tried it and omg, the pancakes taste like heaven.

You will need: (2 - 4 pancakes)

1 banana

2 eggs

a dash of milk/almond milk/coconut milk etc...

1 teaspoon butter/coconut oil

A blender (you can use a fork)

and a pan

Alternative:

Blueberries

Strawberries

Maple syrup

Peanut butter

How to make the pancakes

Chop the banana. You don't have to cut tiny small pieces but maybe so you have around 5 - 7 pieces. 

Put the chopped banana pieces into a mixer, along with the eggs, and mix everything until you get a 

nice smooth batter. 

Put the stove at medium temperature and add butter/ oil into the pan, and I'm just going to assume from here that you know how to fry pancakes. 

I like to add some berries on top and drizzle some honey, just to get that sweet nice taste.

YUM!

xoxo Lihini

En Julsaga / A Christmas Carol REVIEW

Av Charles Dickens
Sidor: 192 (med bilder)
Förlag: B. Wahlströms

Den gamle, snåle, girige Ebenezer Scrooge får under julaftons natt möta tre vålnader. Scrooge tvingas minnas sin olyckliga barndom och hur han valde bort kärleken för profiten. Han tvingas också se hur människor trots sin nöd kan glädjas åt familjens gemenskap. Och julens budskap görs uppenbart i denna tidlösa och rysliga sägen. 

Vilken härlig bok! Jag och min kompis Maria har läst denna bok högt för varandra, med levande ljus och varm choklad har vi verkligen fått upp den juliga stämningen, och den här boken bara intensifierar den stämningen till max! 

Detta är en sann julbok, som borde läsas en bit i taget varje dag fram tills julafton. Det är såhär en klassiker ska vara! Ingen mesig kärlekshistoria här inte (Stolthet och Fördom), utan det handlar mer om den vilkorslösa kärleken alla sprider under juldagarna. Charles Dickens, du kan din sak. 

============================== English ==============================

By Charles Dickens

Pages: 104

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn’t like...and hardly a man he does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill. 

What a lovely book! Me and my friend Maria have read this book aloud to each other, with candles and hot chocolate, we really got up the Christmassy mood, and this book only intensifies the atmosphere to the max!

This is a true Christmas book that should be read a bit at a time every day until Christmas Eve. This is how a classic should be! No wimpy love story here no (Pride and Prejudice), but it's more about the unconditional love we spread over this festive period. Charles Dickens, you know your thing.

Yours truly

xoxo Lihini

WINTER BREAK!

YEP, MY WINTER BREAK STARTS TODAY!
I will miss ALLLL my friends from school so very painfully much, especially the ones I won't see until school starts again... I'll miss some more than others...

So what will I do with ALL THIS FREE TIME OF MINE?

I will be studying.
I'm very much behind in practically everything so I'll have to work very hard, but I won't have to GO TO SCHOOL which is a huge + which also mean that I will have some free time.

I will obviously be reading books.

The books I wan't to read this break

The Key, By Sara & Mats which is a 800 something pages fantasy book, and it's the
last book int the series!

The Fiery Heart (Bloodlines #4) by Richelle Mead, I can't believe I still haven't read this one, I really need
to set my priorities straight. This is not OK.

The Evolution of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #2) - Michelle Hodkin
I've been wanting to read this book for SO LONG but I can't find it anywhere here in Sweden, It's crazy!

Celebrate Christmas

In Sweden we celebrate Christmas on the 24th, don't ask me why, i think you guys are crazy for celebrating it on the 25th. Why wait an extra day? I'm going to eat so much Christmas food that I'll be rolling out the door. Swedish Christmas food is the best, no matter what Will Ferrell says.

Start going to the gym again

I never quit. I was forced to quit because of other health issues, but I never quit. I made a promise to myself on the 1th January: Start taking care of my body and start going to the gym. And sweat I will! (and it's super fun to feel like your dying when you are not)

I've been good this year, please give me 

this for christmas. 

Start eating grass healthy food again

No more chocolate, candy canes (okay maybe like one candy cane a week) no junk no nada, only healthy stuff again! I feel the best when I eat healthy because when my body is happy, I'm happy! :)

Sleep

Now I know how zombies must feel all the time, poor creatures. It really sucks walking around when you are asleep. Because that is literary what it's felt like this month. I need to start take my vitamins and SLEEP. God I love to sleep. 

Good night!

xoxo Lihini