The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket | Book Review

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1
First Published: 1999
Kindle
Middle Grade, Adventure
Rating:

Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect,
Lemony Snicket

This book has been on my tbr for ages. Unfortunately, this is a series that never made it to the tiny country of Israel, so I had never heard of it prior to my arrival on the internet book community in 2012. And being of a somewhat older audience than this book normally carters to, it took another two years for me to hear of it.

In all honesty, it's probably that Netflix series that truly made me interested, and that fake(?) trailer which just looked fantastically creepy. Hence, when it was on sale on amazon, I decided to give this series a shot.

Let's start by saying that this is a book I'd give my younger bookworm niece to read in a heartbeat. I can definitely understand why it captured so many hearts and minds. Why it's so well loved.

But at the same time, I also feel like I probably missed the train with this one. Because yes, it felt young to me. I don't like using this sentence, but it's the truth so what can I do.

Firstly, I was a bit taken aback by the tendency Lemony has to explain the "complicated" words he's using, much like a teacher and less like a narrator.This is something that would merit younger children the ages of the characters, as their vocabulary is bound to expend reading words like rickety and standoffish and having something fun to connect them to.

Then, there was the actual plot. Count Olaf (let them go! let them go! can't stay in that house anymore...) is an exaggerated accumulation of every stereotype imaginable that has to do with evil men... every awful thing Count Olaf can be, he is.

It was simply too much. Count Olaf can be an evil man and still keep his apartment and himself clean. He can be a bad man without drinking none stop and having empty wine bottles everywhere. He can be a bad man without having just one bed for three children. Treating them like servants, threatening them, going after their inheritance, etc... that's enough. 

Violet, Klaus and Sunny (okay, maybe not Sunny) were less of one-note characters, but they didn't jump out of the pages to me. I didn't feel them.

And than, what is the point in making your young children smart if you're going to go and have Klaus do that? For some reason, this aggravated me beyond belief. It's like, I wanted Lemony to give Klaus more credit than that.

Will this be a great read for my younger brother? again, yes.

Will I recommend my mother give it a shot? No. Because it'll be nothing more than cute to her.

Pop Culture References in Literature | Yay or Nay?

In contemporary novels a device often used by authors to place us in the here and now are pop culture references. You will not be surprised to find name drops such as One Direction, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and the likes between the pages; in conversation, thought or setting.

Now, I get why this happens. I even use it sometimes, myself. But then a question sometimes pops into my head: is there such a thing as too much pop culture references... and can they be a danger to the novel?

This originally came to me when I was reading No Interest in Love and then I dilly-dallied with it and forgot.

Anyways, in No Interest In Love a crucial part of the plot hangs on the main character's love to Barney Stinson from the show How I Met Your Mother. A show that ended two years ago. And it's mentioned a lot, and somewhat depends on the reader's love to this character as well.

Probably, this pop-culture reference can hold for about three more years, no more. Because people will forget about this show. People will no longer know who Barney Stinson is or won't know it as well. The girl who was 12 when the show ended will have no idea why it's endearing for the main character to like Barney - or what it really says about him.

So, alongside this pop-culture reference, the book will be dated too.

And at the end of the day, don't you want to create something timeless? Don't you want people to read your stories one hundred years from now? Isn't that the DREAM when it comes to writing? Aren't you afraid those pop-culture references will make your story disappear as they do?

I know that when I write, I am. There's always this voice worrying when I write a reference to something in RL.

Of course, I have seen this done (what I consider) "correctly". I've seen it sparkled sparsely so we get the times, but the story doesn't relay on it. If someone reads it ten years from now they might not know the person, but they will get what he is. Like, they may not know One Direction but from the way it's mentioned they will know it's THE boy band of this world.

My preferred method is making up pop culture references. This way, no matter when you read it, it's still "current" and paints a contemporary picture . No one is going to go "oh, I don't know what this is" because it doesn't exist in real life, yet their RL counterparts will always exist. (because, let's face it, there is always going to be the boy band, or the band or the actor).

So to me, this method is the best. So, in the end of the day, it's not Yay or Nay for me but... Sort Of?

So, anyways. Do you share my feelings? Do too many Pop Culture references make you pause? Do they make you wonder on the longevity of the story? And in short... Yay or Nay?

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas | Book Review

Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas

The Hathaways #4

First Published: 2010

Kindle Bundle

Adult, Historical Romance

Rating:

He is everything she wants to avoid...
For two years, Catherine Marks has been a paid companion to the Hathaway sisters—a pleasant position, with one caveat. Her charges' older brother, Leo Hathaway, is thoroughly exasperating. Cat can hardly believe that their constant arguing could mask a mutual attraction. But when one quarrel ends in a sudden kiss, Cat is shocked at her powerful response—and even more so when Leo proposes a dangerous liaison.
She is not at all what she seems...
Leo must marry and produce an heir within a year to save his family home. Catherine's respectable demeanor hides a secret that would utterly destroy her. But to Leo, Cat is intriguing and infernally tempting, even to a man resolved never to love again. The danger Cat tried to outrun is about to separate them forever—unless two wary lovers can find a way to banish the shadows and give in to their desires...

This book was nothing short of delightful from beginning to end. Definitely my favorite Hathaway story so far, it was everything I hoped for and more!

This story has been building up since the very first book, when we met Leo Hathaway and found a broken man who loved so fiercely he didn't know how to let go. We watched him in his lowest point, we watched him rise above it, and we watch him close his heart to the idea of love from fear afterwards.

In the following installments, we met Catherine Marks. Innovative governess, steady companion and loyal friend to the Hathaway sisters. And Leo and she hit it off immediately... by wanting to cut each other's throats out. Yes, yes, it was one of those insta hate moments, which meant we immediately knew they were meant to be.

I don't know about you, but I love relationships that start with bickering and arguing. Especially when these turn into gentle, flirtatious teasing. And guess what happens in this book? It turns into gentle, flirtatious teasing!

Seriously, their relationship? The absolute best. Because they never truly hated each other. Okay, Cat convinced herself she did, but Leo has always been fascinated by Marks. His teasing of her is so precious, especially because it's obvious as hell it's done with so much affection.

Cat takes a while longer to realize this, but not too long. If you don't consider the long two books we had prior to this one, I mean.

But while I loved Cat - and I did, she's such a sweetheart and I hate that she's been around such people in her childhood, and her love toward the Hathaways is life - Leo stole this show, big time. I have loved Leo since book one, and finally as a hero he proves I was not only right to love him, but that he is such an amazing guy.

Really. Once he kisses Marks, he's gone. And for the most part, despite his fears, he's really okay with that. So okay with that, that he will seduce Marks until she agrees to marry him and god help them all. 

I cannot explain to you all how I've waited for this novel (even though I binge read all of them) and how thrilled I am that it lived up to every single expectation I had.

Also, that epilogue? Life. 

Get Ready to Fall in Love With "Full House Thai" | Drama Review

Full House / Thai
20 out 20 Episodes, completed

Aired: Jan 11, 2014 to Mar 16, 2014
Episode Duration: 50 minutes

Romance

Rating:

Aom is a writer who got swindled out of her house during her trip to Korea. She finds out that her house was sold to Mike and in an attempt to get her possessions back, she enters a contract marriage with Mike for one year. Though she lost everything, Aom remains optimistic and takes things in strike. What started out as a business relationship between the two becomes personal as they start to care for each other.

For anyone wondering where I'd disappeared to this last weekend, I wish I had a better answer than "binge watching Full House Thai". Alas, this is the sad truth. Yes yes. Regular shows, anime, and even foreign dramas (Korean, Thai, Japanese). I watch it all.

But, to be fair, I'm not the biggest watcher of foreign drama. I finish no more than two or three a year because there is usually too much dang drama in them and after a few episodes I'm so fed up I'm full for the next three months.

But once in a while tumblr would drop such a gif-set in my lap that no matter how much I'll try to resist, I'll end up watching the show because c'mon look how adorable that was aaaaaaah! 

In this particular case, this is the gif-set the clinched the deal.

 

 

It's okay if you stop reading now and just go watch it because of it, I'll understand. Has eating ice-cream ever looked so gorgeous or hot? It's a good thing they're eating ice-cream because I suspect they will explode from the heat otherwise. 

The two in the gifs above are Mike and Om-Am. Coincidentally (or, not at all), those are the actors' real life names as well, which I find extra cool. Good job blurring the lines between fiction and reality and making us ship them in RL!

Om and Mike are the two most unlikely people ever to end up in a marriage, fake or otherwise. Or be so perfect for it. 

Sorry, I'm running ahead of myself. Om-Am is a failing script-writer who has enough optimism for all of us. She gets discouraged, but she will not let it bring her down because she has a secret her late father taught her - when you're sad, sing If you're happy and you know it clap your hands *clap clap* and everything gets better. (I swear, I had to clap along each time. It's so contagious, no matter the language!). 

And she's so... energetic! 

she's so pretty y'all!

This is why even after her sister (or cousin, the translation was a bit unclear on this) sends her on a trip to Korea only so she could steal and sell her house, Om doesn't let it get her down (much). Instead, once she realized the unpleasant super-star she met in Korea now owns her childhood home, she manages to strike a deal with him to be his housemaid until she can buy the house.

And, later, his fake (but legal) wife. Because... reasons you better watch the show for, otherwise I just over-explain everything and blah. Trust me that it kind of makes sense and even the parts that don't you won't mind because FUCK YEAH GET MARRIED AND PLEASE HAVE BABIES ON THE WAY.

Ahem. Where was I? 

look at this adorable cinnamon roll! 

If I were honest, there are a lot worse things to be than in a fake marriage with super star Mike. Sure, he's hot-headed and kind of spoiled and occasionally, he acts like a jerk. But most of the time he's just this adorable, goofy, man-child who's desperate for love and is reduced to childish pranks to get the attention of the girl he falls in love with (trust me, he's adorable. You'll forgive everything he does lol) And he's loyal to a fault. 

Bonus points? HE falls first. And I mean he is so whipped it ain't even funny! (okay, it is). 

These two have the most adorable interactions that will make you squee and ship and spaz often. Like, seriously, so much of all these. I mean the chemistry between these two... slays me. Just SLAYS. If these two hooked up in RL and produced sweet beautiful babies I will not mind and that might say something about my whacked up mind but I'll take it. 

This show was just so dang fun, added by the fact the "angst" comes at episode sixteen and ends fairly quickly, because we're never in doubt about how these two feel and they are perfect.

Also, be prepared to hate the second female lead and wish she was pushed of a cliff, and truly appreciate the second male lead because he is such a dang nice Guy! 

SOME MINOR ISSUES

I never feel fair talking about something I adore to pieces without talking about it's bad points. For Full House Thai, that's mainly the first three episodes.

Because, you see, those first three episodes... they drag. They have barely any plot and could've easily been one episode. In fact, it takes a full episode for our heroine to get to Korea, and another episode and a half for her to even realize she was scammed, because we waste a lot of time on characters that don't need it and sight-seeing and a lot of other filler.

That's way too much time to waste to get to the turning point! 

The last two episodes suffer the same syndrome, and you could skip a huge chunk of them because they're literally flashbacks (which are unnecessary when you binge watch lol) But it's worth it to get to that proposal scene. Be still my beating heart! 

It almost felt like they had a 20 episode deal but enough material for 16 episodes, and instead of adding unnecessary angst to expand this, they decided flash-backs and sight-seeing was better. I'm thankful because it is better, if there was a lot of drama I would have despaired, but at the same time... just broadcast sixteen episodes. 

One last thing I feel compelled to mention - this is a re-make of a 2004 Korean drama classic. You'll see I mentioned this no where in the actual review because to me this has no baring on the show as I watched it separate from anything else.

Cress by Marissa Meyer | Book Review

Cress  by Marissa Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles #3
First Published: 2014
Hardcover
YA, Sci-Fi
Rating:

Even in the future. there are damsels in distress...
In the third installment of the Lunar chronicles, Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Levana's evil plan, has a slight problem. She's been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress a great hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes as a high price. Meanwhile, Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Cress had the very unfortunate luck of being one of the books I got stuck on in my February book slump. It was no fault of the book, really, because it's great. I was just not feeling reading at all, so it took me ten days to read it. That's a long time, for me.

Cress starts with it's namesake, floating around space on a satellite. Finally, we get to see things from this character's perspective, which we've been teased with since book one. And guess what? She is adorable.

She pretends she's a character in a movie when she needs to hold on to hope or do something that scares her. She fantasizes about people she doesn't know and what could be (#RealFangirl). She is sweet, brave and I just loved her!

And Thorne and Cress together? OTP all the way - they had me constantly smiling and grinning the whole read. Y'all know I love Thorne. He's one of the best parts about Scarlet. And in Cress? He really gets to shine. Big chunks of this story are about this devil-may-care, carefree rouge showing his true colors - that of a really loyal, really caring, and kind of self deprecating person.

And there's no one better to show Thorne his better parts and make him the hero he should be than Cress, who's been half-way in love with him from before they ever met, and all the way in love with him by the end of this novel, because of his many faults instead of despite them #GOALS

Now, Cress has the most POVs and plot-lines to date in the series - we had Cress, the occasional Thorne, Cinder, Kai, Scarlet, the Doc, Mira... That's a lot. And while I can definitely say it's incredibly well done and weaves together seamlessly, it was also the drawback of this book to me.

The thing is, at every given time there was one POV I was interested in above the rest (and it wasn't always the same pov). And while all the POVs were interesting, every pov that wasn't the one-I-was-most-invested-at-in-the-moment dragged. I wanted it to be over quickly so I could finally return to the story-line I wanted. Those were the moments I put the book down, and coming back to it was difficult (re: February book slump)

Now. I gotta mention The best part of this novel by a landslide... Iko! This android needs her own talk show. Shine, my bright star, shine!

P.S - Wolf. My sweet child. Let me hug you. You're killing me here!

Cannot wait to Winter! We got a slight taste of Winter in this novel, and I for one want more!

 

February Round Up!

General Stuff

February was kind of a busy month. On the one hand, I can barely remember what I did; on the other, I have the embedded impression of a lot. I feel like I never got any time for myself and my interests, always running from one social event to the other. It was exhausting. I'm kind of an introvert; too much social encounters makes me feel drained to my core. 

As for the blog, I was greatly disappointed this month. I'm not going to lie; this blog effects my general mood. I don't care about views too much (because I've come to realize views hardly translate to discussion and what I'm looking for here is discussions), but I posted some of those posts I'm really proud of or really excited about such as my Harry Potter post or my bookish story or my Hush, Hush rant extravaganza and not many people read/commented on them.

This makes me think - are these not the type of posts that interests you guys? Should I change their format? What do you think? 

MY READING MONTH

Has been pretty crappy. I was in a book slump from the middle of January to the middle of February which sucked up my reading schedule big time. I've read 7 book in February and finished three manga, all of whom will be reviewed on the blog at some point. But I felt like I read nothing at all. It was depressing! 7 books is not a bad number (though I'm used to reading 15 books a month, which hasn't happened for Jan or Feb!) but it felt like nothing at all. Gah! 

AND NOW, IN CASE YOU MISSED MY AWESOME POSTS THIS MONTH (*wink wink*)

POSTS

REVIEWS

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer | Book Review

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
The Lunar Chronicles #2
First Published: 2013
Paperback
Young Adult, Fantasy
Rating:

This is not the fairytale you remember.
But it’s one you won’t forget.
Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.
Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.
As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

You see, I had a plan. A very meticulous, well-thought out plan that I am kind of hating right now because it made me wait three years to read this book. The plan was very simple: as Cinder already promised this series would become one of my favorites, I would just... wait. Until it was over. So I could binge read.

DID I MENTION HOW MUCH I HATE THAT PLAN NOW?? 

This book... just... asdfghjkl is the best adjective. The feels, man. The feels. Much in the fashion of Cinder, Scarlet doesn't beat around the bush of introducing us to the next duo in the series we're going to adore. Thy name is Scarlet Wolf (stfu I don't care this is not their official ship name, it's my official ship name for them).

Scarlet Benoit is looking for her grandma. Remember way back in Cinder when Nainsi booted up again mid-sentence and relayed information about the possibility of an ex-military pilot from the EF hiding the Lunar Princess? That's the one. Yeah, I had to rack my brain to remember, too. Way to go Meyer.

So, Scarlet was delightful. She's the kind of hot-headed firecracker that's got brains on her, which is a deadly combination. And she's really not afraid to shot you. All the girl wants is her grandma, her farm, and peace. Why can't anyone give that to her?!

Now Wolf....

I'M TAKING HIM AND NEVER GIVING HIM BACK! Seriously, what is this adorableness!? I wasn't expecting it, but I highly approve! Wolf is such a sweetheart! Yes, sometimes he shows some of that first gif but mostly he's just a precious cinnamon roll and I love him so dearly and asdfghjkjhgfd

And together??? The shipping is real guys. It's like, Cinder and Kai? Cuties. Wolf and Scarlet?

only with less rage and more heart-eyes

Seriously. Ruining me here Meyer!

Not only with Wolf, but with Cadet Captain Thorne too! Like, I didn't expect him to be in this book. I didn't expect half the novel to be about Cinder and him at all and I loved it. And him. Again, expectation versus reality and reality is so much better! He is such a goofball! He made me laugh, and I kind of think Cinder really needs someone like him around *heart eyes*

ALL the males in this world ruin me. Take Kai for example - I was so afraid that he was going to go the bitter "she played me" route, and while he entertains the thoughts (because how can you not) he is not that at all. He still cares for Cinder, still can't think she's anything less than what she showed herself to be. He is listening to his heart and I HEART IT.

Is this a review? Is this a lovefest? I don't even know but I don't even care!

Speaking of things that ruin me negatively - Adri and Levana. I hate them both.

Like, I didn't hate Adri in Cinder (I really, really pitted her existence), but now I'm genuinely hoping Winter has a scene where Cinder becomes empress and Adri tries to mooch of it by saying she's always cared for Cinder and Kai steps up and be all like "remember that time you tried to send her to her death, accused her of all sort of things and said you wanted nothing to do with this aberration? yeah, fun times. GOODBYE BIYOTCH".

As for Levana... she is horrifying. And the scene from her pov? nope nope nope nope nope nope nope. Like, I don't want to read Fairest because that sounds so disturbing but now I kinda feel like I have to??

And finally, this book moves from the cutest thing ever to gloom and doom in like three seconds flat. Be prepared to not be prepared for it coming at all.

FUN LUNAR CHRONICLES FACTS!
Levana in Hebrew means Moon. She is literally Queen Moon.
Ze'ev in Hebrew means Wolf. So Wolf's name is... Wolf. lol.