It's been a while (Antwerp)

I know it has been quite a while since I've been blogging, and I'm sorry. It has been very busy for me at college and the pressure is only going up at the moment. However, I do have holidays this week (that I will spend partly studying) so that means a bit more time for me.

Last sunday I went to Antwerp with a couple of friends that I have known for quite some years now, but most of them I hadn't seen for over a year so it was great catching up again. We did some sightseeing in Antwerp and made quite some photos together (with the awesome SLR cameras from the others). We had dinner there in the evening as well, which we rounded off a little late, causing me not being able to catch the train home anymore (oops!) so I stayed over at one of the girls and went home the day after.


We had a lot of fun, though I had really trouble with the trains. I have never had so much delay with trains in two days time. Almost 2 hours on my way to Antwerp and another 2 hours on my way back again the next day (as the train couldn't stop at the station I had to get out due to an accident). Really it wasn't my day for travelling, but it was worth it!

Trailer Reveal + eARC giveaway of "Luminosity" and "Gravity"

Happy Trailer Reveal day for Luminosity by Stephanie Thomas and for Gravity by Melissa West!

Gravity
In the future, only one rule will matter:
Don’t. Ever. Peek.

Seventeen-year-old Ari Alexander just broke that rule and saw the last person she expected hovering above her bed — arrogant Jackson Locke, the most popular boy in her school. She expects instant execution or some kind of freak alien punishment, but instead, Jackson issues a challenge: help him, or everyone on Earth will die.
Ari knows she should report him, but everything about Jackson makes her question what
she’s been taught about his kind. And against her instincts, she’s falling for him. But Ari isn’t just any girl, and Jackson wants more than her attention. She’s a military legacy who’s been trained by her father and exposed to war strategies and societal information no one can know — especially an alien spy, like Jackson. Giving Jackson the information he needs will betray her father and her country, but keeping silent will start a war.
Goodreads // Amazon

Luminosity
My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them
win.
Goodreads // Amazon

So, shall we skip to the big reveal of the book trailers for these awesome books? Yes, I thought so too. After having watched the trailers (and after having added them to your goodreads as a must read!), keep on reading as there is chance to win eARCs of these books as well!

3...2...1...

Gravity



Luminosity



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you excited for the books, yes? Me too, spread the words about these two books and share what you think about it! 

Book review #6 The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan

The Magician's Apprentice by Trudi Canavan, is the prequel book to the 'Black Magician Trilogy'.

In the remote village of Mandryn, Tessia serves as assistant to her father, the village Healer – much to the frustration of her mother, who would rather she found a husband. Despite knowing that women aren’t readily accepted by the Guild of Healers, Tessia is determined to follow in her father’s footsteps. But her life is about to take a very unexpected turn.
When treating a patient at the residence of the local magician, Lord Dakon, Tessia is forced to fight off the advances of a visiting Sachakan mage – and instinctively uses magic. She now finds herself facing an entirely different future as Lord Dakon’s apprentice.
Although there are long hours of study and self-discipline, Tessia’s new life also offers more opportunities than she had ever hoped for, and an exciting new world opens up to her. There are fine clothes and servants – and, she is delighted to learn – regular trips to the great city of Imardin.
But along with the excitement and privilege, Tessia is about to discover that her magical gifts bring with them a great deal of responsibility. Events are brewing that will lead nations into war, rival magicians into conflict, and spark an act of sorcery so brutal that its effects will be felt for centuries.

This has been the first book I've read from Trudi Canavan. I wanted to start on the series for a while, but it never happened, as I had other books higher on priority, and then I received the prequel from Annelie for my birthday.
I think I'm glad that I got to read the prequel first, before the actual serie. I always feel a little weird when I read a prequel after reading the original serie. I know that most books are written in that order, but it was nice for a change to actually start on the prequel.

I had some trouble in the beginning of the book to get into the story. Trudi's way of writing is excellent, but I was not really used anymore to real fantasy, in a world that is totally unknown and with terms that are totally different from our own world we live in. Though, when the first "action" kicked in, about two chapters in, I was sucked into the book and didn't really want to put it away anymore.
Quite some events happen in the book, sometimes described from different point of views, and a lot of different people and places are introduced, that probably all have their significance to the other books that follow.

I really enjoyed the story and I would probably give it 4 out of 5 stars, mostly because that climax you are waiting for in a book never came. I know it is a prequel, but for me there never was that highlight where everything chances. Yes, there were significantly important things that happened, but that climax was never there. Nevertheless, I liked the story, the writing is fenomenal and I will definately give the other books a go as well.