Tick Tock by Dean Koontz 📚 BOOK REVIEW

Dean Koontz

I listened to an audiobook version of Tick Tock on Audible.

Genre: Horror, fiction.

Publisher: Bantam

Originally published: January 1st, 1996

Pages: 340 (paperback)

Audiobook length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Synopsis by the publisher:

Tommy Phan is a successful detective novelist living the American Dream in southern California. One evening he comes home to find a small rag doll on his doorstep. It’s a simple doll, covered entirely in white cloth, with crossed black stitches for the eyes and mouth, and another pair forming an X over the heart. Curious, he brings it inside.
That night Tommy hears an odd popping sound and looks up to see the stitches breaking over the doll’s heart. And in minutes the fabric of Tommy Phan’s reality will be torn apart. Something terrifying emerges from the pristine white cloth, something that will follow Tommy wherever he goes. Something that he can’t destroy. It wants Tommy’s life, and he doesn’t know why. He has only one ally, a beautiful, strangely intuitive waitress he meets by chance–or by a design far beyond his comprehension. He has too many questions, no answers, and very little time. Because the vicious and demonically clever doll has left this warning on Tommy’s computer screen:
“The deadline is dawn.”
Ticktock
Time is running out.

My thoughts:

Dean Koontz is an author who’s been on my radar for a long time, but for some reason, I haven’t gotten around to give his books a chance. That was until my good friend Alex talked about Tick Tock, and I found the premise to sound very much up my alley.

Wonderfully horrific with its Ragdoll that comes to life with what seems like a mission to kill Tommy Phan.

The whole story kicks into drive pretty quickly, and it didn’t take me long for the story to grab hold and take me along on its journey of horror and wonder. And the story took another interesting turn when the character Del was introduced into the whole mix. I found her to be brilliantly weird, but also the kind of open-minded person that gave depth to the whole story. Kudos to Koontz for introducing an absolutely wonderful female companion character.

I’ve come to find that the horror that I enjoy the most are the ones that focus more on the people in the stories, and what the monsters or the horrific setting makes those people do. Because it’s in the times of despair and fear that our true selves often gets a chance to come out and play, for good or bad.

The other thing that really made this into such an enjoyable read was the humor that’s present throughout the whole book.
It’s hard to review this story in much more detail without spoiling the plot. So, it’s fast-paced, funny, creepy, and stays true to the horror genre.

I highly recommend Tick Tock to the horror lovers out there!

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May 2019 📚 Wrap Up

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January 2019 📚 Wrap Up

One Day in December by Josie Silver 📚 BOOK REVIEW

I listen to an audiobook version of One Day in December on Audible. 

Josie Silver

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary

Publisher: Random House Audio (audiobook)

Originally published: October 16th, 2018

Pages: 416 (paperback)

Audiobook length: 10 Hours 27 Minutes

Blurb by the publisher:

Laurie is pretty sure love at first sight doesn’t exist. After all, life isn’t a scene from the movies, is it? But then, through a misted-up bus window one snowy winter’s day, she sees a man she knows instantly is the one. Their eyes meet, there’s a moment of pure magic…and then her bus drives away. 

Laurie thinks she’ll never see the boy from the bus again. But at a party a year later, her best friend Sarah introduces her to the new love of her life. Who is, of course, the boy from the bus.

Determined to let him go, Laurie gets on with her life. But what if fate has other plans?

Following Laurie, Sarah and Jack through ten years of love, heartbreak, and friendship, One Day in December is an uplifting, heart-warming and immensely moving love story that you’ll want to escape into forever, for fans of Jojo Moyes, Lucy Diamond, and Nicholas Sparks.

My Thoughts:

Right before Christmas 2018, I felt like I saw the cover of this book everywhere! I don’t know what it is about that, but sometimes it just completely puts me off wanting to read it. It was kind of like that with One Day in December as well. I didn’t feel drawn to it, I was so sure it was just some cheesy romance with a whole lot of too much Christmas crammed into it.

I judged the book by its cover (come on, all of us book lovers do from time to time), and I was wrong.

I found myself searching for my lacking Christmas spirit and decided that I was going to use my Audible credit on a Christmassy audiobook, but I didn’t want to go for one of the classics. Suddenly this book popped up again, and I took the time to read some of the non-spoiler reviews, and I was convinced to give it a go.

Where I thought I would we overwhelmed by an overly cheesy back and forth love story, I got so much more. This is a story about friendship, as much as it is about love. I loved hearing about Laurie and Sarah’s friendship, as I could relate to a lot of the struggle and the wonders of having such a strong friendship with someone.

The characters developed a lot through the story as well, and it was nice to see a set of characters that were actually quite relatable. They had the ups and downs of normal life.

And I got to say, Josie Silver sure added some funny and somewhat cringey scenes that had me giggling.

Yes, it is a romance novel! Yes, it has Christmas in it, but a lot less than I expected!

I was prepared to not like this book, and I did not go in with high expectations, but I ended up really enjoying this one! I was immersed in the story of Laurie and Jack, told by both perspectives. I found it to be an addictive read (or listen on my part) and one that I just flew through.

The only thing that took it down from a top-rated review for me was that everything kind of resolved whirlwind quick at the end.

But still, this is a story that has stuck with me more so than any other love story I’ve read in a while. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something light, fun and romantic!

Click on the Bookdepository link below to get your own copy, and let me know what you think of the book!

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How I Take Care of Myself

I feel at my best mentally when I take the time to take care of my body as well as my mind. These two are very much connected, and I’ve always been able to tell a significant difference in how I feel mentally when I workout regularly and when I don’t.

My workout routines have come and gone a bit over the last year. I had a really good summer/fall last year, got my heart broken in November, fell out of it all (as one often do), got back on track again this spring, and then I’ve been a bit back and forth. I started to get back on track with the good routines again a few weeks before I went on my summer vacation, and while I’ve been away, I’ve slowly, but surely been finding my way back into a good routine when it comes to both what I do with my body and my mind, as well as what I put into my body.

A lot of people have the misconception about veganism as a form of lifestyle that just automatically makes you eat only healthy food. Yes, I eat a lot of greens, but there is plenty of unhealthy vegan food as well. Let’s just mention Orio’s and Ben & Jerry’s. I’m not saying I don’t enjoy those things, because I do, but in moderation.

So now that I’m getting into a good routine, what does that mean for me?

Yoga

I love yoga. Not just for the physical results it gives me, but for how it makes me feel. The focus on breathing and getting rid of the tension in the muscles is amazing. When I actively do yoga, I manage stress so much better. I take the time to check in with my body more often, and I’m a better listener whenever my body tries to tell me something.

You can do yoga pretty much anywhere and without any equipment. A mat is nice to have, but definitely not a must. You can easily use a towel or just soft grass.

And if you need a little bit of guidance, then I would recommend YouTube. When I need a little bit of a push and guidance back into yoga, I always turn to Yoga with Adrienne. She’s amazing, and I love how easy her guided yoga sessions are to keep up with.

Meditation

When it comes to coping with stress, meditation is also a great way to train oneself to handle it better. I usually do a meditation session in the morning before I get out of bed. It’s a great way to start the day and to set your focus for the day.

If you feel like you could use some guidance through your meditations, there are numerous videos on YouTube and apps for both Android and iPhone. One of my favorites is Headspace. Headspace is a great way to start getting into meditation, and you can choose the length of the session so it fits the time that you have available.

Click the Headspace logo if you want to find out more:

Run and walk

I’m finally getting back into running, which is something that I love to do when I just get into the routine of it. It’s such an amazing feeling to just turn the music on and run. I prefer to run in the forest. It’s easier on the body than running on asphalt, and I love being so close to nature.

Another great way to just stay active is to walk. I often choose to walk instead of using public transportation if I can. It’s a great walk to workout without even feeling like that’s what you’re doing. And with a good audiobook or some great music, it’s even better!

I use Audible for listening to audiobooks when I walk. If you want to try Audible, you can click the on the box below and you’ll get a 30-day free trial with 2 audiobooks of your own choosing included!

❈❈ If you buy via my affiliate links, I get a small commission ❈❈

 

Take Time Off

This is something that I’m not always really good at. I tend to get lost in all of my projects and I will work and work until I’m on the edge of getting burned out. After getting completely burned out a couple of times though, I’ve learned to listen to my body more, and I prioritize taking much needed time off. I disconnect from social media, I read, I spend time with people that I love and I devour art as a way to recharge. And sleep, don’t forget to sleep and get your rest! It’s so important for your body and your mind!

❤️

And the last, but maybe the most important things that I do to take care of myself is to LOVE, to practice GRATITUDE, and to LAUGH!

Don’t underestimate the power of the simple things in life💛

 

Blackwater: The Complete Caskey Family Saga by Michael McDowell 📚 BOOK REVIEW

Michael McDowell

I listened to an audiobook version Blackwater on Audible.

Genre: Horror

Publisher: Valancourt Books

Originally published: August 28th, 1983

Pages: 800 (Paperback)

Audiobook length: 30 hrs, 9 mins

 

Blurb by the publisher:

Blackwater is the saga of a small town, Perdido, Alabama, and Elinor Dammert, the stranger who arrives there under mysterious circumstances on Easter Sunday, 1919.

On the surface, Elinor is gracious, charming, anxious to belong in Perdido, and eager to marry Oscar Caskey, the eldest son of Perdido’s first family. But her beautiful exterior hides a shocking secret. Beneath the waters of the Perdido River, she turns into something terrifying, a creature whispered about in stories that have chilled the residents of Perdido for generations. Some of those who observe her rituals in the river will never be seen again …

☼

Blackwater is a slow burner, and took me a bit of time to get fully into it,
but the embers never died out, and it had a really nice build to it that
made it increasingly more interesting as you go.

My Thoughts:

I came across Blackwater quite randomly while browsing around on Audible. I got curious, and then I also found out that Stephen King had said this about the author:

“the finest writer of paperback originals in America today”

So I decided to give the audiobook a chance.

I found the story of the Caskey family to be very interesting, and especially the way that we got to follow them for several generations throughout the book. This was originally a 6 book series, and you definitely get to see a lot of character development.

The horror element is very subtle, but it’s there. I would’ve loved to have seen a little more of it to be honest, and I there was quite a few questions that were left unanswered. Nevertheless, the story never got boring, and I got invested in the characters.

McDowell did a really good job of giving each character life, and made it easy to follow even though there were quite a lot of them. And I have to give some extra credit to Matt Godfrey, the narrater, for doing such a fantastic job with giving all of the different characters a distinct voice!

Blackwater is a slow burner, and took me a bit of time to get fully into it, but the embers never died out, and it had a really nice build to it that made it increasingly more interesting as you go.

I was very satisfied with the ending as well. The perfect one to a dark and different family saga.

Do you want to make up your own opinion about the book?

Click on the Book Depository or Amazon logo below to go and get your own copy!

**If you buy via my affiliate links, I get a small commission**

Learning a New Language

For a while now, I’ve been using Duolingo to practice a new language. As you may have noticed, my last name isn’t all that Norwegian! But it is as common in the Netherlands as many of the most common Norwegian last names are.

My Dutch heritage (on my father’s side) goes pretty far back, and from what I know, none of us here in Norway can speak Dutch as of now. But I want to change that.

I started learning Dutch a few months back, and I’ve been doing it on and off. I need to get into a better routine of it, and I think one of the ways to do that is to listen to Dutch audiobooks and watch Dutch television. This has proven to be a bit more difficult to do than I first anticipated. First off, I can’t seem to download Dutch audiobooks on my Audible, which was a bummer.

My plan was to read and listen to the first Harry Potter book in Dutch. I bought the Kindle edition with that in mind, but haven’t been able to get my hands on the audiobook yet.

But as many of you know, I am going to Amsterdam in just a few weeks! There I intend to get my hands on some Dutch books, and keep on practicing. I don’t expect to be talking much Dutch while I’m there this time around, but I really want to try. So there might be some awkward video footage of me butchering Dutch words to be seen after the trip!

Do you have any tips for learning a new language? Any apps, games, books or movies you would recommend? Let me know 😊

Wens me geluk!

Henry and June by Anaïs Nin 📚 BOOK REVIEW

“What can I do with my happiness? How can I keep it, conceal it, bury it where I may never lose it? I want to kneel as it falls over me like rain, gather it up with lace and silk, and press it over myself again.” 
― Anaïs Nin, Henry & June

---

 

I read a paperback version of Henry and June.

 

Genre: Memoir/Nonfiction

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd.

First Published: 1986

Pages: 273 (paperback)

Audiobook length: 2 hrs and 51 mins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blurb by the publisher:

Drawn from the original, uncensored journals of Anais Nin, “Henry and June” is an intimate account of a woman’s sexual awakening. It covers a single momentous year – from late 1931 to the end of 1932 – during Nin’s life in Paris, when she met Henry Miller and his wife, June. She fell in love with June’s beauty and Henry’s writing and, soon after June’s departure for New York, began a fiery affair with Henry, which liberated her sexually and morally but undermined her marriage and led her into psychoanalysis. One question dominated her thoughts: what would happen when June returned to Paris? That event took place in October 1932, leaving Nin trapped between two loves

– Henry and June.

Anaïs Nin

"A woman with so much love to give, and so much lust to share, 
makes for interesting reading."

My Thoughts

When I first started my Exploring Erotica project, Anaïs Nin was one of the authors that I first came across. I read Delta of Venus, which I really enjoyed. And when I was recommended Henry and June by a good friend, I just had to check it out.

There’s no doubt about the fact that Nin writes beautifully. She has a very straightforwardness combined with poetic writing that I find quite fascinating. Knowing that this was first written in the early 30s makes it even more special.

This is a story of sexual awakening, and I found Nin’s journey to be a very interesting one. A woman with so much love to give, and so much lust to share, makes for interesting reading. Her emotions are so raw and unfiltered that it’s easy to feel some of her frustration and her love/lust.

That being said, when I got through the first 100 pages I found my mind to often drift afterwards when reading it. The beautiful writing is still very much present, but it does get a bit repetitive. It goes back and forth, and then back again multiple times. It sometimes felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again, just written in a slightly different way.

Because I found myself drifting, it took me way longer than normal to finish this book, even though it’s quite a short one. I enjoyed Nin’s openness, her boldness and fascinating mindset around open relationships. I love her writing style, but this memoir fell a bit short when it came to grabbing my attention unfortunately.

Do you want to make up your own opinion about the book? Click on the Bookdepository or Amazon logo below to go and get your own copy!

September 2017 🍁 Wrap Up