So because last week had a long weekend, we had a shorter working week this time. And yet I still don’t feel like I had a good rest. I feel like I might need a good vacation xD every little problem that comes up with anything at all is just so annoying! It’s like even if we run out of coffee milk it might produce a “let’s jump out the window” kind of reaction from me 😀 I think I REALLY need a vacation from all this. Thing is, my normal vacation time is around the end of April. So… still a whole month left! And then I have to plan it too. Why don’t things get done themselves??
Anyway, there is some happy news to share though! A lot of you must have seen my follow train yesterday, and if not, leave your link and I’ll follow you:
10 follows till 1k! 😱
LET’S HAVE A #bookblogger FOLLOW TRAIN!!! 🎉
🚂 leave your link
🚂 follow some bloggers
🚂 retweet
I’ll come back in the evening and follow everyone back!
💛💚💙💜— Evelina | Avalinahsbooks (@AvalinahsBooks) March 16, 2019
But anyway, the happy news is that the blog train did help me reach 1k! FINALLY! Two and a half years later, I am finally at 1000 WordPress follows!!! 🎉🎉🎉 thank you so much everyone for following me back!!!
A WordPress badge congratulating me on getting 1000 follows
~ What I’ve Been Reading ~
Her Silhouette in Water is one of those books where the final moments either or make it, or break it. For me they absolutely made it. Up to the point of the resolution, I wasn’t quite sure about it – but the ending completely changes everything and might even blow your mind.
First of all, a lot of things have to be said about how the rep in this book! I can only judge from the outsider’s perspective (lol I haven’t even been to the US and we are a pretty homogenous society so things are different here), but I thought the Latinx characters being in center stage was awesome. Then there’s also the queer rep – the main character and two other women are all queer. In fact, they are the core characters and there’s basically no one else. And two of them are married. So, queer Latinx characters! And even aside from that, a lot of the book is about PTSD, anxiety and emotional trauma. So yes, I loved the rep.
But this book is about so much more. First of all, it’s about persecution and censorship. About the government getting into your affairs and regulating who’s safe and who is not. And who should be detained before they’ve really done anything. And the worst thing is, you don’t even know who’s telling the truth. Terrifying, no?
But even more than that, the book is about love. It’s about loving someone else, but more than that, it’s about loving yourself and forgiving yourself. We allow ourselves to feel so much guilt about things we’ve done – and even things we may have never done! This is the core of the book, and this is what made it for me. So I won’t expand – read it and find out for yourself 🙂 (Thanks to Tor.com for the free review copy and this hasn’t affected my review.)
[ Goodreads ]
~ What You’ve Been Talking About ~
There was an awesome post on Ivyclad Ideas last week – Classics Summed up in One Sentence! It was pretty hilarious xD
An oldie, but goodie at Lovely Audiobooks – are romance novels the white bread of literature?
There’s also a discussion on Open Pages about some great literary adaptations, mostly classical
If you like ranting about tropes in the comment section, knock yourself out – there’s a great post about annoying tropes on Paper Procrastinators
~ I Found Something Really Awesome ~
~ What I’ve Been Talking About ~
Last week, I posted reviews for two very magical books – Ewan Pendle and the Castle of Nightmares, book two in the Ewan Pendle series, and The Girl Who Drank the Moon, an absolutely stunning middle grade story of love, magic and lots of other things.
~ What I’ll Talk About Next Week~
Next week I will have another buddy read review! This time of a book I loved with all my heart, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. And there will be a short review for a magical and diverse short novelette – The Haunting of Tram Car 015.


~ What I’ve Been Hauling ~
Last week I got so neck deep into my Blue Door review copies that I had to buy part 4 (which wasn’t up for grabs) and find out what happens next. There is also a part 5, but I don’t know if I’ll grab it, cause the main story is wrapped up and the books are always full price, and I almost never buy them when they are. But I just had to know! It’s a really sweet series and I’ll be reviewing it soon!
So how has your week been? And what are you reading? What did you haul?
As usual, I’m linking up with the Sunday post meme at Kimba’s book blog and Stacking The Shelves over at Tynga’s Reviews.
I’m Evelina and I try to blog about books that matter, with a bit of fun there too! Disability and equality will be topics you see a lot, but there’s also a lot of scifi, fantasy and… GIFs. I’m also the proud founder of #ARCsAnonymous.
Congratulations on your milestone! Totally deserved!
Thank you so much 🙂
Congratulations on reaching the 1k! That is really impressive 🙂
Thank you for including my post <3
I've watched the video and now I need to find someone who wears sneakers so I can make those fancy bows. It's so cool! My daughter's shoes are still too small Qq
Thank you! 🙂 and yes, I also don’t wear sneakers like that, so I was thinking the same 😀 😀
Congrats on 1k!!it’s really something!
Thank you 🙂
Congratulations on achieving this milestone you are such a force of nature in the book blogging community Also, great post!
Hahaha, what a cool way to say it 🙂 thank you!
I know what you mean about stress and needing a vacation. I’d like to hide out for a week or so! I haven’t been on Twitter for a few days. Crazy, but true! I missed your blog train. Congrats on it working so well!.
I feel like I’ve been off Twitter for weeks now! It’s also sad how quiet it gets after a while, if you don’t post for a bit.
Thanks 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MILESTONE!!!
Thank you!!! 🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about your week. Take a deep breath and think about the vacation that is waiting for you. I know there’s some planning, but the thought of free time makes everything better.
OMG! Congratulations on reaching 1000 followers. That’s amazing! You deserve it Evelina! You put so much work and heart on this blog. <3
Wishes of a happy week!
Tânia @MyLovelySecret
Thank you 🙂 well, I don’t know when that vacation will happen but we’ll see xD
Congratulations Evelina!!!! So many followers it’s just fantastic! I hope the next weeks will fly by and that you’ll be on holiday soon. Have a great Sunday!
Thank you 🙂
Wow 1000 is impressive. Congrats. I hope this week is much better for you.
Thank you 🙂
1k is such an amazing milestone! Congrats!
Thank you 🙂
Congrats on 1k . I don’t know how you manage to read all these books despite how busy you are. Take care of yourself and Im sure you’ll have a great, relaxing vacation when the time comes .
Thank you! 🙂 to be honest, I wouldn’t read as many if not for the text to speech function and that app I use for my review copies 🙂
Congratulations on the 1k followers!!! 🙂 🙂 That’s awesome!! It’s my goal too…
Thank you 🙂
Congrats on 1000 followers!
I hope when holiday time comes you do get to escape some where nice and just chill. 🙂
Thank you 🙂
Yay for the followers! Congrats!!! And I hope you have a great vacation when it gets here. Waiting for vacation is sometimes the hardest part!
Thank you 🙂
Congratulations! What an awesome milestone. You definitely earned all those followers.
Thank you 🙂
Congratulations on the followers! I hope your vacation comes quickly. I really need one of those, too.
Thank you 🙂
Yes, I think the dire weather and the fact that Easter is so very late this year is causing us all some pain… I look forward to finding out what you think of The Collapsing Empire. I must see if I can get hold of The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Have a better week, Evelina:)
Still haven’t started reading that! Thanks 🙂
Yes! We all need a good vacation! Hope yours is awesome!
Thank you 🙂
So I could watch the shoestrings for hours and now I want to find some colorful ones and do that to mine! Who knew there were so many options!
Hahaha I know right 😀
Congrats on 1000 followers! That’s amazing! And thank you for including our post in your list! I hope the time until your vacations flies by, and that you’re able to relax very soon!
Thank you 🙂
Congrats on 1k, sweets! You deserve each and every follower and many more! <3
Thank you so much! 🙂 <3
agh I understand those feels when literally EVERYTHING is super overwhelming and you just want a vacation from your own brain I hope things settle down soon!! And that Latinx book also sounds really awesome! I’ve been desperately trying to keep up with a TBR that’s determined to laugh at my attempts…plus trying to write, but the writer’s block has been intense. Also I made homemade dairy free strawberry ice cream which was absolutely delicious. So a solid win there.
Hahah, tell me about it. TBRs are meant for that, I think. But also to give us solace that we’ll always have something to read. Lol.
And I totally want the ice cream!!
Congrats on 1k followers! Well done Evelina! I understand, my vacation is also next month and I’m not sure if I’ll make it. Hang tough with some favorite music and book. ❤️❤️
Thank you 🙂 I hope you made it to that vacation 🙂
Congrats on the followers.~
“Her Silhouette, Drawin in Water” piques my interest, so I’m adding it to my TBR.
I haven’t gotten a haul as of late, but I’ve definitely been considering one. Ah—actually, I got a box of nail polish from my cousin XD Not sure if that counts as an official haul, but I surmise it’s a haul nevertheless.
Oh, glad to hear 🙂 hahaha, a box of nail polish sounds kind of fun though 😀
1K is definitely a great milestone. Kudos! And keep it going.
Thank you! 🙂