It has been a while since I last posted on my blog. But it is okay with me because I had a lot to do with family, friends, work and my personal life overall. Still I can’t get my mind off of blogging (or reading for that matter). So with the new year still in blooming I decided to participate in something I never did before – a buddy read, hosted by my fellow german instagrammer Ariana over at @solaire_writing. Because this is all new to me, I decided to share my experience with you in a post series of four parts.

First of all I want to give a shoutout to all the amazing girls that share this experience with me:

Ariana / @solaire_writing
Beatrice / @aspiderpigsreadings
Courtney / @posey_and_print
Frances / @ladybugbooks
Jen / @jenetlemonde
Karina / @karibookreader

We were all pretty excited to read The Cruel Prince by Holly Black after it got published in January. It was Ariana who asked for the buddy read while the rest of us wanted to take part. It was amazing with how much love Ariana organized everything and how none of us could really wait to start. Quickly it was decided that the buddy read would have a time span of 4 weeks so nobody would have to rush and we could take our time to discuss the book (to be honest – this was already the most amazing bookish thing happening this year because I have always dreamed to be part of a book club and this buddy read just feels like it!). Since the book is almost 400 pages thick, we agreed on reading 100 pages per week and discuss some main questions on sunday (but of course with being able to talk about it every time we want to).

– The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
– 384 pages / 4 weeks
– discussions on sunday
– 19.02. – 18.03.18

The first week was somehow hard for me – first because I hadn’t finished my current read yet and I am absolutely incapable to read several books at once. And secondly because after I finally started reading The Cruel Prince, I didn’t want to stop. It was hard for me to stop after 100 pages because the story was really intriguing and I wanted to know more. But I stopped nonetheless and was rewarded with an awesome discussion with the girls (at least with some of them because we started when Courtney had to go to bed – Australian an European timezones are hella hard to unite – and Bea had to delay her reading for a week). It is actually pretty hard to discuss a quarter of a book without being spoiler-y for the sake of the other ones. But all in all it has been a great first week and I didn’t want to do it without the girls I got to know.

I am beyond excited for the next week to come in terms of reading, discussing and the next blog post about it. Have you ever participated in a buddy read and if so, did you like it? If you haven’t made this experience by now but want to – please feel free to simply ask me about it. I throughly appreciate this form of reading and exchanging.

In case you’re interested in our discussion, I listed our first questions which were put together by Ariana. And because I enjoy this buddy read so much, I am going to share my answers with you. Until now there might be minor spoilers to the characters and plot so please stop reading if you haven’t read the book by now and don’t want to be spoiled. In case you don’t own the book by now, you can get it via Book Depository* (right now you can save 21% on the hardback!).

As always from the bottom of my – take care and stay safe, book dragons!

BEWARE: SPOILERS BELOW.

1. Who is your favorite character?
So far I’m really liking Vivi – probably because of her rebellious being – as well as Locke – even though I can’t quite pinpoint why. I am also sure that I like Cardan but that might be because I’m easily caught up with dark-haired and moody characters. Still I am waiting for some kind of redemption from his side.

2. Do you like the writing style?
I needed some time to adept to the writing style but until now I really enjoy it!

3. What do you expect to happen?
Phew, this will be a longer one. I think of Jude being somehow compelled by prince Dain in one way or another while Taryn falls in love with the wrong person. I am also afraid that Locke will betray everyone (including me because until now I like him) and Vivi will leave to live her own life without appearing once again. Of course I hope that Cardan will redeem himself – probably in rescuing or helping Jude from/with a task she has to fulfill. And maybe (hopefully) I’ll get to see a Madoc who’s even more the father figure than he is now. Oh, and maybe less of Oriana because she definitely annoys me.

4. What do you like most about the book?
I am extremely caught up by the switching between the real world and the faerie realm. It’s interesting to see how the mortals have to deal with the fantasy world while not fitting into the mortal world either.

5. What don’t you like at all?
While I’m kind of rooting for Cardan and Locke, I don’t like the whole faerie ‘gang’ and their bullying. Or the fact that fact that the last prince in the line of succession can obviously do what he wants without anybody interrupting. But I guess we’ll see how this will end. Until now I am sadly not on good terms with Jude. I can’t say why but I don’t enjoy her as a character right now.

6. Which special quote made you think further?
“What they don’t realize is: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was raised by the man who murdered my parents, reared in a land of monsters. I live with that fear, let it settle into my bones, and ignore it.”

7. Is there something you can’t stop thinking about from it?
Well, again the answer is Cardan. Probably because he reminds me of other beloved characters (e.g. Rhysand or the Darkling) and I want to see more of him. As I already mentioned, I really love this type of character but I hope he’ll get more depth throughout the plot.