Cova Reviews | Ronit & Jamil, by Pamela L. Laskin | 2017 Diverse Reads Challenge

Hello, everyone! And welcome to this review of lyrical narration Ronit and Jamil, by Pamela L. Laskin. I picked up this book for 2017 Diverse Reads Challenge for the month of May (it's July, I know - but I only managed to read it this month!). The topic for the month of May was:

Religious Diversity

and this book fits perfectly as it is a retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in a Palestinian-Israeli setting. 

"Ronit, an Israeli girl, lives on one side of the barrier fence. Jamil, a Palestinian boy, lives on the other side. Only miles apart but separated by generations of conflict—much more than just the concrete blockade between them. Their fathers, however, work in a distrusting but mutually beneficial business arrangement, a relationship that brings Ronit and Jamil together. And lightning strikes. The kind of lightning that transcends barrier fences, war, and hatred. Ronit and Jamil fall desperately into the throes of forbidden love, one that would create an irreparable rift between their families if it were discovered. But a love this big can be kept secret for only so long. Soon, the teenage lovers must face the fateful choice to save their lives or their loves, as it may not be possible to save both." (Goodreads)

Top 5 Wednesday 6 | Series that got worse with each book/season

Hello, guys! It's Wednesday again, which means a new T5W post must be written. Top 5 Wednesday is a Goodreads meme created by Lainey and now managed by Sam in which there is a different topic each Wednesday for us to write out top 5 about.

Last week I decided to write about a topic that I had missed because I wasn't able to write about the one I was supposed to write about. Well, it might be becoming somewhat a thing now? This week I'm going to do the same - I was meant to make a post about book series that got better with each book, series you had to push through the first few books to get to the good stuff, but, honestly, I can't think of that many because although I am kind of a masochist in the way I make myself finish books I don't really like that much in case they get better at the end (I am trying to quit, believe me), if I finish a book I haven't really enjoyed I won't get the next one. It's a fact. So I thought I'd look for the opposite topic in the group's archive, and I found it! It was the topic for the 14th December 2016 :) I'm a mastermind!

Therefore this week's topic is:

Series that got worse with each book/season

Let's dive right in!

Cova Reviews | All the Bright Places, Jeniffer Niven | 2017 Diverse Reads

Hello, everyone! I hope you're all doing as well as I was the morning after I finished reading this book. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven left my poor, fragile heart broken to pieces, but it was so freaking beautiful. As you may have notised, it is the read I was supposed to complete for the 2017 Diverse Reads Challenge for the month of April, but because of the number of ARCs I had to read and because I hadn't gotten around to reading the one for March, I only read it during the last half of June. I am going back on track now, though! I am so glad I chose this book for the challenge - I don't think I would have read it anytime soon otherwise. It is a YA contemporary about mental health (the topic for the month of April was mental health), love and moving forward. I loved it!

"Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven." (Goodreads)

The Comment Challenge | August 2017

Hello, everyone! I just wanted to make a quick announcement today and say that I am participating in The Comment Challenge - summer edition, hosted by Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense and Lonna @ FLYLēF. This post is meant to be for my participation during the month of August, although I am truly ashamed to admit I am also participating in this month's challenge but I forgot to write a blog post about it! I'm so, so sorry, girls! D:

It's easy! You sign up for the challenge in either host's page and they pair you with another blogger according to the type of books you read more often and the number of posts you plan to write during the month. Once you are paired, you just have to comment on your partner's blog posts, and they will comment on yours! It's a win-win, and a great way to connect with fellow bookworms and bloggers.  

Hope you guys decide to join in on the fun!

Happy reading!

Top 5 Wednesday 5 | Books Without Romance

Hello one Wednesday more! It's Top 5 Wednesday time and, although this week's topic is "Books That Aren't Set In/Inspired By The Western World", I am going to write a post about the topic of two Wednesdays ago because I've come to the astonishing realisation that I can only talk about three books that I've read that aren't set in the Western World - thus those would be my top 3, but also my least favourite 3! These are all the books I've ever read that are not set in or inspired by the Western World:

       The Wrath & the Dawn                         Arena Roja                              Ronit & Jamil

                                                                                           

So while I put a solution to this literary whole of mine, I will write a blog post about the T5W topic of the 5th July, which I missed:

Books Without Romance

This post is going to be hard too because I do love books with at least a romantic side-story to spice them up... But let's do this!

Mini Review | Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo | 2017 Diverse Reads Challenge

Hello, everyone! I know I'm super, super, super late for this, but here's my mini review of the book I was supposed to read in March for the 2017 Diverse Reads Challenge! I hadn't had the chance to even read Six of Crows before last month because of the amount of ARCs I had to read (which, by the way, I was also late for). I had this challenge surprisingly well-planned, but I think it's pretty obvious I am not good at following my reading plans through! Anyway - it's summer now, and I do plan on getting back on track during the following months, so hopefully I'll be all set for September!

This will be a mini review because Six of Crows is the first book in a YA, fantasy duology - the second part of which I will be reading soon. I will post a full review for the two books once I finish the second part :)

This book falls within March's topic:

Disability

because its main character (Kaz) has a limp.  

"Criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker has been offered wealth beyond his wildest dreams. But to claim it, he'll have to pull off a seemingly impossible heist:

Break into the notorious Ice Court
(a military stronghold that has never been breached)

Retrieve a hostage
(who could unleash magical havoc on the world)

Survive long enough to collect his reward
(and spend it)

Kaz needs a crew desperate enough to take on this suicide mission and dangerous enough to get the job done - and he knows exactly who: six of the deadliest outcasts the city has to offer. Together, they just might be unstoppable - if they don't kill each other first." (Goodreads)

Top 5 Wednesday 4 | Children's Books

Hello, everyone! I know it's been quite a long time since I last posted - I've been doing some studying and some traveling :D In the past two weeks I've been to Newcastle and London in the UK and to Pamplona in Spain (San Fermines party!). Now I am back home, and I plan to do a lot of reading and a lot of blogging, either of which I haven't really had the time to do whilst in my adventures. 

Top 5 Wednesday is a Goodreads meme created by Lainey and now managed by Sam in which there is a different topic each Wednesday for us to write out top 5 about. This week's topic is 

Children's Books

I wrote a very similar post a few months back (5 Book Series of my Childhood), but I'll try to include different books this time around. 

All book covers are linked to their respective Goodreads page.