28 June 2013

37. Honeymoon in Paris: A Novella


Honeymoon in Paris: A Novella is an "ebook only" prequel to another Jojo Moyes'  novel, The Girl You Left Behind. Honeymoon in Paris is basically the gates, the opening to the wonderful and amazing stories of Sophie Lefevre and Liv Halston, two of the most strong women in the world of literature I know. The prequel, of course, talks about their marriages only and the factors that could make or break it. Sophie's story happened a century before Liv's by the way, in the First World War. 

If you fancy a Parisian honeymoon, you should read this. It's never always what you expect it to be. But the thing is, you never really know who you married once you're into your first few weeks together. Factors should be given priority in order to save a marriage since it no longer revolves around love (only) anymore. At the end of the day, it's the couple's choice that matters. It takes two to tango, after all. 


Love,
M x

01 May 2013

36. Perverse


One day, the author of this book left me a message on my book blogs page. He was inquiring if I could do a review about his new book. Since I’ve been really into YA these days, I can’t help but say yes although I honestly don’t know how to write a well-brought-up book review... Hehehe. So here’s my version of a book review for an author. Perverse is my first book to be reviewed. This will always have a spot close to my heart.

All of us go through that special tunnel between being young and vibrant and carefree AND being a full grown adult. It’s always been the other versus another, her against him. Emylene Stipe, a nineteen year old girl, is stuck in the tunnel. She is still on the verge of knowing where she really stood in the world and how to rebel against its uncertainties. Being a teenager is hard enough, but even the most superlative form of that word won’t even be apt when you’re a “second-gen” goth. Her parents, Vandy and Theo, has already exposed so many of the world’s imperfection, thus, Emylene has to decide on how rebel against a family of rebels. She is torn between becoming a civil servant or the uncivil servant.

On an event one midnight summer, Emylene found her first (and only) friend, Nancy Nostradamus. She’s also a “second-gen” goth and her family had their name changed legally. Each year, Goths gather to sort of confirm their legitimacy, to claim their rights so as to protect themselves from the cruelty of those who think Goths are antisocial, attention-seeker and stupid.

Emylene’s parents were the acknowledged leaders of the community; Emylene of course is like their princess and even if that gave her a few special privileges, it also meant having to face through certain expectations a girl her age doesn't think she’s ready enough to handle. The moment she turned 19, she moved to a new place, far enough for her to practice independence but also close enough to go back to their place when tough times come. She got a job at a textile shop located just on the ground floor of her apartment building; she depends on her salary for rent. For fun, she often has dinner with a Greek man whose nose is narrow enough it could probably slice an envelope. His name is Stelio. She thinks he’s very different and she’ll know how different he is very soon...

Things will start to turn upside-down once she purchases and brings home a very interesting painting which will soon be her home for a couple of months... and then the real story unfolds as Lazslo brings her back to the real world full untold mysteries.

Oh my goodness!!! I can really say this book by Larry Rodness is one of my favorites  It’s not just interestingly exciting but very out of the ordinary. It has a very original telltale about the history of Goths, which I’m sure every girl wants to know. If there’s one thing I've learned about the society, it’s how sick it is when it comes to judging a person because of his or her outer appearance. Goths these days aren't that much accepted because non-goths probably think they’re just a flock of attention-seekers who dresses black from head to toe. But what others can’t see on the outside is far more important, there’s more than what meets the eye.

This may be about Goths but there are lots of lessons which you can get when you spare a few hours out of your day in order to read this book... one is, a thing about love. I believe in love so much, in the idea of finding your one true love. In this story, it taught me love too has its limitations. Fate is very tricky, often very deceitful but you should love yourself so much more than the other so that you’ll know what to do in those fraudulent times. You must not let love win when you know it can lead to something that can harm the human race. You must not dwell on what used to be when you know very well that it isn’t what is anymore. Do not be selfish; think about what will happen next. (of course I’m pertaining to the story’s ending which I didn’t really expect... too much for me to handle. Hahaha. If I were Emelyne, I think I’d kill him for doing such thing. Ugh.)

Why you should read this? You’ll enjoy... you can’t find a boring chapter. If you need something that will distract you from the very cruel summer sun here in the Philippines, this would be great choice. You just won’t stop reading until you get to the last page.

PS: Thank you, Larry Rodness, for sending me a copy of this very attention-grabbing book of yours. I enjoyed it a lot. Sorry for the late review. (explanation attached on the message I sent you via book blogs) Please don’t stop writing. Kisses from the PH.

Love,
M x


26 April 2013

35. Attachments


Whether we admit it or not, it’s obvious that we often judge a book by its cover and that’s exactly what led me to reading another Rainbow Rowell novel. Attachments isn’t like Eleanor and Park. This is a more mature view on love, marriage, family, friendship, and fidelity rolled into one humorous, irresistible piece of literature.

Lincoln is your dreamy kind of guy, tall, broad and handsome. Very masculine. He’s strong-looking. Like the kind of guy you feel standing next to you before you actually see him, because he’s blocking so much ambient light. He’s 28 and very much available. He works for The Courier, IT Department. His job is to read flagged emails. Woah. ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T LIKE THE IDEA - he feels like he’s invading their privacy - the company’s paying him a lot. LIKE A LOT. And that’s enough for him, until one night, he opens a flagged email from Jennifer to Beth. He didn't send them a warning, he was supposed to, somehow he finds them alluring and he just can’t stop... there’s something about Beth.

Beth is a movie critic. She has broad shoulders, and a high heavy chest. Smallish waist. Widish hips. A soft curve at the small of her back. So pretty. So more than pretty.
It was Beth who saw him first; she was attracted to him physically, so much that she even followed him home once. Hahahaha. WHAT INFATUATION CAN DO. She’s like the normal girl/lady/woman who will do everything just to have a glimpse of her crush, whose day won’t be complete without seeing her crush even just for a single second. I should know, I’ve done that for so many times and I’m pretty sure I’m going to do those crazy stuffs again. Yes to memories!!! Yay!!!


PS: when they first met, she thinks she saw fireworks... and roman candles. OMG FTW OH AND BTW she really isn’t available, she’s living in with a lead guitarist for years now but she just can’t give him (Lincoln) up. She can’t not have some(one)thing to look forward to.
Lincoln, he fell for Beth’s soul. Every time he reads her emails to her co-workers, he feels like he’s getting a sneak peek into who she really is... it’s like buying a ticket to a train, a free passes to the windows of her soul, the doors to her very core.

Attachments is also a light read, one thing I like about Rainbow Rowell actually, you can finish her novels in one seating and you can’t even dare to put it down even for a single minute because that would mean kind of missing a very single part of Lincoln and Beth’s love story. Theirs is a story you wouldn't think will ever get a chance. But love and fate really has their own way of sending two people to a place where they’ll usually reign no matter what. And that’s what happened to them, after everything they've been through, they somehow found their ways back to The Courier where it all started as just a mere twist of luck. 


Love,
M x