My Birthday Book Haul

My birthday was in September and I asked for some books! So I got this pile from a bunch of friends and my sister in law! I can't wait to read them all :)

I've bought this leather satchel from Dr. Martens with the money I got on my birthday. I love it, it's perfect to take with me to the office!

My sister in law also got me this amazing tote.

Loose Leaf Teas from HEMA

HEMA has been selling loose leaf tea for a long time, but never in a cute package like this. So when I saw a blogpost about this tea on Belessa.nl, I had to get some myself! I had to look for it, because it wasn't in the tea and coffee section, but eventually I found it. I chose a package with these two flavors: Green Tea Pomegranate and Oolong Peach. It sure sounds tasty, doesn't it?

When we got home, I had to try it right away and I started with the Green Tea Pomegranate, I really like the taste! I don't drink my tea really strong and this tea is perfect for me. The next day I had family over, so I had to share my new tea. This time I chose the other one and that one is definitely my favorite! Oolong Peach tastes like fall. A perfect tea flavor to drink under a blanket and stare at my candles, lol! A set of two flavors costs € 5,-.

I also bought this cute tea infuser, which floats! Also at HEMA (€ 3,00).

Book Review: Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant

Subject: Juvenile Fiction, Horror & Ghost Stories ISBN: 9780062207401 | ISBN-10: 0062207407
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date: 09/2014
US Edition | Hardcover | 272 pages

Mara wakes up surrounded by a strange mist with no memories. She meets a strange young man who calls himself Messenger of Fear and she’s supposed to be his apprentice. They move through time and space, observing people who need punishment for crimes of wickedness, bullying and thoughtless teenage cruelty, when human law isn’t enough. They give the people a choice: play a game the horrific Game Master devised, or face your biggest fear. If the players win the game, they go free – though they’ll be changed by the experience of the game. If they lose, they must face their biggest fear anyway.


Messenger of Fear by Michael Grant is about the good and the evil in humans and the thin line between the two, the cruelty people choose to inflict on others and how they justify it in their heads. It shows the hard reality of today’s world, but also a scary new fictional world. Real life problems are mixed with fiction and I really loved that.

There are three subplots and I felt so sad reading them. My heart broke a little, especially with Samantha’s story. The three plots are very different, but they’re all involved in the same terrifying situation. Messenger paid all of them a visit, but everything else was anything but similar. This book has important lessons about life and the biggest lesson is that you should be careful of the way you act. Unless you want a visit from the Messenger of Fear and you don’t want that, trust me.

 I really enjoyed reading this book, the plot twist at the end was very interesting and I didn’t see it coming. I did felt like this book was more like an exploration of an idea than a story, but it’s the beginning of a series, so this book was a good introduction and I’m very curious about the rest of the series. I’d love to know more about the other characters like Daniel, I feel like he’s got a lot going on that we didn’t see. This horror book will make you think.

October TBR

Not really a spooky TBR for October. But these are books I can't wait to read and I'm kinda on a book buying ban. Partly because I have to save for our house that's being build right now (with room for a tiny library!) and because I got lots of books for my birthday and I'm gonna put some books on my wishlist for Christmas!

This is what I want to read this month, no matter what:

Veronica Rossi - Trough the ever night (Under the Never Sky, #2)
It's been months since Aria last saw Perry. Months since Perry was named Blood Lord of the Tides, and Aria was charged with an impossible mission. Now, finally, they are about to be reunited. But their reunion is far from perfect. The Tides don't take kindly to Aria, a former Dweller. And with the worsening Aether storms threatening the tribe's precarious existence, Aria begins to fear that leaving Perry behind might be the only way to save them both.
Threatened by false friends and powerful temptations, Aria and Perry wonder, Can their love survive through the ever night?

Cassandra Clare - City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)
What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Benjamin Alire Sáenz - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe 
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

September wrap up

September wasn't really a reading month for me, maybe you've seen it in my September monthly review post on my other blog, Dainty Dream, but I was super busy, not only did I had a lot of birthdays (including my own), I also had a lot of funtime with friends. Even though I love seeing and meeting everybody, I can't wait for a more quieter time, when I have time to read and cuddle on the couch by candlelight ;). But I did read 3 books and I enjoyed them all.

Karen Slaughter - Fallen (Will Trent, #5) ♥♥♥
Another book by Karin Slaughter from the Will Trent series. I enjoyed this book very much, but I'm kinda in a slump. I'm rereading all of her books and sometimes all the violence and criminality get a bit too much. I'm glad when I'm all caught up and just read her books when they come out, like once a year and enjoy it a bit more.

Emmy Laybourne - Sky on Fire (Monument 14, #2) ♥♥♥
 I've read the first book in this series last month and I loved it. I also liked this book very much, but it was a bit short. I'm very curious how it will all end, so I'm definitely ordering the 3th book soon!

Veronica Rossi - Under the Never Sky (Under the Never Sky, #1) ♥♥♥♥
I got this series for my birthday and I started it right away. I really like this story in a distopian world. I can't wait to read the rest of the series, can you believe it took me this long to read it?

August wrap up

Wow, august is already gone and it's September. I feel like I keep saying that time flies, but it really does. I did read a bunch of books, thanks to the read-a-thon. So let me share my wrap up and my mini reviews right away!

Karin Slaughter - Broken ♥♥♥
It's a good mystery, I love Will Trent and his struggles. But this book wasn't really a page-turner for me. Maybe I've read to much of her novels in a too short amount of time, but sometimes I'm getting a bit tired from all the bad things that happen in a little town. But it's a good story anyway and worth the read.

Cassandra Clare - City of Fallen Angels ♥♥♥♥
I just loved getting back into the world of the Mortal Instruments. Some bits like the difficulties in the relationships were a bit annoying and took to long. But overall I liked this book and I was shocked by the ending and I can't wait to read more! City of Lost Souls will definitely on my TBR pile for September.

Corinne Duyvis - Otherbound ♥♥♥♥♥
I loved this book, that's all I'm gonna say, because I'm planning to write a full book review about it. I went to the book presentation last sunday and I got to meet the author. It was awesome. I felt super awkward going there alone, but I survived :p

Rainbow Rowell - Landline ♥♥♥
I really enjoyed reading this book. But it isn't really my thing. It was beautiful written, but that's what Rainbow does. The plot was a little slow and the book was easy to put down. After reading Fangirl I look forward to reading this one. I liked it, but I didn't love it.

Emmy Laybourne - Monument 14 ♥♥♥♥
Who doesn't love an apocalyptic story about ending up in a huge warehouse? It's the best place to end up, right? I loved reading this book. It made me wonder how I would do things if I would end up in that situation. I already ordered the next book in the series, can't wait for it to arrive!

Morgan Matson - Since you've been gone ♥♥♥♥♥
What a wonderful happy story, I needed a feel good book and this was definitely one. Perfect for summer. I would love to read more books like this in between the other books I've read (lot's of blood, ending worlds, distopians etc.) so if you have any recommendations let me know.

Bout of Books: Snippets of my week

1. The house we stayed in for the week 2. started Otherbound 3. A delicious lunch 4. Buddha wants to read too 5. Breakfast time! 6. Started Landline 7. More breakfast and reading 8. Reading together 9. My view from the house

1. On our way to Amsterdam 2. Started this graphic novel series 3. Lunch at Bagels & Beans, yum! 4. Reading in my Star Wars PJ's 5. Rice crackers for two 6. Started Monument 14 7. Snuggling with Buddha 8. Started since you've been gone 9. Cheese and wine