Saturday 26 September 2015

Stupid Perfect World by Scott Westerfel: review

Stupid Perfect World
Why is this a novella? I could've read a whole book, a long one, even a series. Scott Westerfeld has a vivid imagination, especially when it comes to creating alternative futures, in fact , his series Uglies is among my favourite novels ever.


I loved the idea of the perfect future in this book : no health issues, no poverty nor wars. A reality which is questioned by teenagers, who would rather dream and fall in love than enjoy a life without all the "inconveniences" of our century.


Stupid Perfect World is definitely a novella worth reading and recommending to all YA dystopian fans.

Tuesday 22 September 2015

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake
I read this book in one day I had a lot of time in my hands , the PSU in my computer had burnt because of a power surge during a storm. So I was grateful for the book ,which made me forget about the smell of burnt plastic and wires that lingered at home and think of all the delicious meals you can have in Milwaukee, where the story takes place.

DON'T read this book if you are on a diet , or if you are hungry or if you live very far from Milwaukee and there is no way on earth you can get cheese curds.

DO read this book if you feel like having a good time while reading a nice novel with a happy ending.

DON'T read this book if you expect a shallow romance with weak brainless characters.

DO read this book if you can cook, it will inspire you and at the end of the book there is a recipe for an incredible coconut cake.

Amy E. Reichert has written a delightful combination of a love ,cooking and sightseeing novel .


Thursday 17 September 2015

Myeongdong Street Food in Seoul , South Korea

Myeongdong is one of the most popular streets in Seoul.While you shop until you drop for cosmetics and clothes you may as well have a bite and try the local food available in the evenings . If you want to avoid the crowds go early in the morning , the food stalls won't be there but you'll enjoy a more relaxed shopping spree.


Sunday 13 September 2015

The Good Neighbor by A.J. Banner :review

The Good Neighbor

I am reluctant to write negative reviews but unfortunately IMHO this book doesn't deserve a very positive one. It wasn't really bad; it was just OK, a quick read but not a memorable one.
 I didn't like any of the characters and the way the plot unfolded didn't appeal to me either. I finished the book to know who the bad guy was and guess what? It disappointed me as well.

It goes without saying that other people may find the book interesting and the characters riveting.

Sunday 6 September 2015

Friday 4 September 2015

The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim : review.

The Calligrapher's Daughter

I hadn't read historical fiction in a long time and I only started this novel because it was about Korea , which I was planning on visiting.

I didn't know anything about the Japanese invasion of Korea and I really liked the way it was explained through the eyes of the main character , a girl and then a woman without a name. Their traditional way of living before the Japanese , the influence of religion and their fight for freedom are vividly described by Eugenia Kim. Women's rights and education also play an important role in the novel .

I would recommend this book to fans of historical novels and strong female characters. It is not an easy read, since it describes a very hard period of time for Korea ; the worst but also the best of humankind appear in the story.

The Calligrapher's Daughter is inspired by the life of the author's parents and I think this is what gives greater value to the book.On the beautiful website  created for the novel you can see amazing black and white photographs of the author and her family .