Reading Challenge of 2018 Part 2




This is the second part of my reading challenge so if you haven't read the first blog post, follow the link: Reading Challenge of 2018 Part 1 and then come back to this article for the wrap-up.

My GoodReads Challenge for this year was to read twelve books; one book per month. I set this up because I didn't want to pressure myself or stress out about the reading goal. Reading is supposed to be fun so as soon as you stress about it something is wrong. I felt like this goal is realistic and doable but I will have to push myself a little bit to achieve it... frankly it was the opposite I dived in reading and it consumed me; so it happened that I finished this goal already in July.

Here is the list including few words about the books I read in the second half of my challenge:

8. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine 
- Let's say this book is out of my comfort zone. It is not the genre that I would normally read but I saw the costa coffee bookclub sticker and I decided to give it a try because it is my most favourite coffee and cafe in the world. I gave this book three stars because it is simply not my cup of tea. It made me depressed although I believe that was the purpose of the book I read to feel better to be amused and entertained and escape reality which is sometimes too much to handle. If you want to read the full book review, here is the link: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine Book Review

9. Crown of Midnight 
- The second part of the Throne of Glass series was exactly what I needed after Elanor. It was a great adventure and good fun to read with magic and fantasy world. One of my friends said that this book series is the guilty pleasure kind of book. And I love it! I plan to read the whole series by the end of this year... so stay with me if you want to be part of this journey.


10. The Night Circus 
- This book club read is compared to Caraval a lot but I think the only similarity is the environment. While Caraval is light and amazing read that you go through in few days, the Night Circus has a deeper meaning and is more complicated, time doesn't flow in the book as you would expect it and I think I need to re-read it to completely understand what was going on. The only reason for three stars is that I feel like I missed a lot in the book and hence I didn't get the full picture.
So if I do re-read the Night Circus I will update my book review too.
Link: The Night Circus Book Review

11. Trhlina 
- Trhlina is supposed to be the best book Jozef Karika wrote so far. I don't usually read Slovakian authors but this book captured my attention when it came in the bookstore (Martinus) newsletter so I purchased it at the first opportunity. I was expecting a scarier story. Don't get me wrong I am a scaredy-cat so it did frighten me but I was expecting to be up during the nights and I was expecting to be scared to go to the toilet alone. None of that happened but I still enjoyed the book. I am not going to read all of Jozef Karika's books but if one of them will stand out like this one I will pick it up.
Trhlina Book Review

12. Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race 
- Do you know of OurSharedShelf on GoodReads? No? Then check it out, it is a book club lead by amazing Emma Watson who picks a book every two months, anyone can join, the book club is selecting feminism books such as The Handmaid's Tale or the Heart Berries. In January and February the read was Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge I finally got the chance to read this book and OMG! It opened my eyes to completely new horizons and left me completely stunned at the situation that is all around us which I was blind to before. Well written and perfectly described book that I recommend to everyone. 

My Reading challenge for 2018 is finished but my reading continues. I am currently reading The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas so you can expect a review soon and after that, I am planning to dive into the Throne of Glass series as I would like to finish it this year. 

Have you read any of these books? Let me know your opinion. 
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Bookish Manchester Adventure


                                                                                                                                                            Manchester Cathedral

Manchester has always had a bad reputation in my mind; I plus Manchester equals bad karma. When someone mentioned Manchester all I thought about were football hooligans and famous New Year’s Eve Photo from 2016. 
Instead of moving to Amsterdam with me, my best friend Egle moved to Manchester about a year ago so you can imagine that just a mention of this city and my brain was giving me the red warning lights. 

As it happens you do face your fears eventually and so did I. Tickets were booked and the suitcase was packed and my-hesitant-self went on the weekend break to this football ruled city. 

Before I continue, let me mention some cool facts about Manchester that I found online before my trip (Wikipedia); 
- Manchester is a city where vegetarianism was born.
- This is a place where Atom was first split and the University of Manchester can say that they raised 25 Nobel Prize winners.
- The first British free public library was opened in the Manchester in 1652 by Charles Dickens himself; it is opened until today what makes it the oldest public library in England. 

It is obvious now that this weekend break was all about Books. I am a book lover and I am trying to visit one famous library a year. Last year I went to the Livralia Lello in Porto, Portugal; which is one of the most beautiful libraries/bookshops in the world also used in Harry Potter movies as Dumbledore’s office, but that is the topic for another blog article. This article is about Manchester and its famous public library.

I arrived in Manchester late Friday night, Egle and her boyfriend picked me up at the airport. We went straight home to her lovely house and had a proper catch-up. As we haven't seen each other for more than a year, you can imagine there was a lot to talk about.

Next Morning, right after breakfast we went to Manchester city centre. The Public Library has several locations through the city (24 to be precise) we visited two most iconic ones.

The Manchester Central library is a huge white building made of stone that looks respectfully at the first glance as it's round shape is inspired by the Rome Pantheon.
Inside is a maze of study rooms and corridors full of books! Paradise! But this library was not quiet and calm with a librarian giving you the evil eye if you sneeze. This library was alive, full of energy and events, always changing and providing up to day knowledge to people in search of information.
The main study room, Wolfson Reading Room, is a round place located just under the dome with a magnificiant clock stand in the centre. There was a classical quartet playing soft pieces by famous composers. The acoustic of the room is perfect and the atmosphere was almost heavenly; it felt magical and peaceful.
As soon as we left the main study room and entered corridors we encountered lots of children lead by librarians in costumes. They were running around and searching for the information and knowledge in some kind of game. As we passed photography exhibition we came across a group of children and parents playing on the tambourines and little drums supervised by a man who was leading the song on the flute and let me tell you, this room was far from being quiet.
It almost seemed that the library had its own personality, it wasn't this boring old and grumpy person it was a playful welcoming and fun friend who is always changing and is full of life and surprises.

After such an overwhelming and warm welcome, we walked across the city to visit the second location: John Rylands Library. This piece of stunning architecture was opened to the public in 1900 and today is a part of the University of Manchester Library. The absolute treasures are being hidden inside such as Guttenberg Bible or personal letters of John Dalton.
Officially the architecture style is Neo-gothic I believe, but for us bookies... it is Hogwarts! Interior is full of arches and staircases that remind of the magical school and the study room itself breaths of power as you enter. The library is quiet and with all the vintage books it almost feels like a museum, until you meet someone who is actually studying and you are reminded that this is still an open free library. What a great reason to study! No surprise that there are 25 Nobel Prize winners from the University of Manchester.

                                                                       
After the overwhelming library trips and journey back to the house we sat down for a little drink and discussed everything possible and impossible, we went for dinner into the local pub which I loved. I miss English pub food so much. 

Sunday flight to Amsterdam was planned for seven in the evening which gave us a good time window for book shopping. Egle took me to my favourite bookshop of all times - Waterstones. 

I knew I have to buy The Hate U Give as it was selected by my book club for this month but I couldn't resist and I also purchased some new books for my Tolkien appreciation bookshelf. 
I behaved and I am proud of myself. I left with the total of three books.
With the suitcase stuffed with books, I was happy to just sit down for classic Sunday English roast and enjoy the sunny weather before my return to the Netherlands. 

I am very grateful for this trip; bad karma was erased and a new city was discovered. I had a great time with my best friend and I am hoping that one day she will visit me in Amsterdam and we can do it all over again. 

Statue in the Central Library                                                                                                                                                                                        Pretty building in the city centre






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