WWW Wednesday 30-Sep-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! It has been quite a while since I did this. The past weeks has been totally busy not to mention moving our office for the third time in four years. Thankfully, I was able to squeeze in some reading in between.

Anyway… welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Let’s get started, shall we?

Recently Finished

Currently Reading

Up Next

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

The Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe

The Woman in the Dunes tells the tale about a young, amateur entomologist and teacher who took a trip to the seashores in the countryside in search of a kind of beetle he believed can be found in the sand dunes. He was unknowingly deceived by the villagers where he was lead down through a ladder to a house in very deep pits dug in the sand dunes. Soon enough, he found himself a prisoner in the house in the dunes of a young and lonely widow.

I actually thought this would be a quick read but how wrong was I? It turned out to be a very dense and also repetitive read for me. To be quite honest, it’s the kind that wears me down. Moreover, I am not very sure what to think of it. In theory, the plot was interesting, sure. But I felt like there were a lot of things going on that the author is trying to tell me but I couldn’t really quite get it? Also, it was difficult to like the characters. It was a tedious read. I felt like being trapped in the dunes like the man, I felt suffocated and thirsty. Perhaps that’s what the author exactly wants you to feel? I really don’t know.

The ending wasn’t quite satisfactory for me, too, but it left me question my place in the world and the impact I have to the people around me.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad read. This is my first Kobo Abe book so I probably just need to familiarize myself more of his works. I’ll find time to give this a second read and hopefully understand it better.

Quotable Quotes:

“One could not do without repetition in life, like the beating of the heart, but it was also true that the beating of the heart was not all there was to life.”

“Everyone has his own philosophy that doesn’t hold good for anybody else.”

“Only the happy ones return to contentment. Those who were sad return to despair.”

“I rather think the world is like sand. The fundamental nature of sand is very difficult to grasp when you think of it in its stationary state. Sand not only flows, but this very flow is the sand.”

“Loneliness was an unsatisfied thirst for illusion.”

Rating: 3/5 stars

Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

Yejide and Akin have been in love with each other since they first met in the university. After several years of being married though, Yejide has never gotten pregnant until one day, her in-laws brought a younger woman in their home and proposed that she be Akin’s second wife in order for them to have children. Yejide was pressured to get pregnant or else, she would have to share her husband with another woman.

Told in alternating views of Yejide and Akin, the book is a very honest story of love, marriage, grief and loyalty. The characters aren’t really very likable but they were written well.

It is also always very fascinating to learn more of cultures that are very different from my own and in this book Nigeria’s traditions and beliefs, more specifically the Yoruba people.

I liked Ayobami Adebayo’s writing. She has shown that her writing talent is very much beyond her years. For this, I’m adding her to my list of authors whose works I very much look forward to.

This is not a hopeful book I must say but something that will stay with me for a long time.

Quotable Quotes:

“If the burden is too much and stays too long, even love bends, cracks, comes close to breaking and sometimes does break. But when it’s in a thousand pieces around your feet, that doesn’t mean it’s no longer love.”

“So love is like a test, but in what sense? To what end? Who was carrying out the test? But I think I did believe that love had immense power to unearth all that was good in us, refine us and reveal to us the better versions of ourselves.”

“I understand how a word others use every day can become something whispered in the dark to soothe a wound that just won’t heal. I remember thinking I would never hear it spoken without unravelling a little, wondering if I would ever get to say it in the light. So I recognise the gift in this simple pronouncement, the promise of a beginning in this one word.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

The Alice Network is a fascinating historical-fiction novel about women spies headed by Louise de Bettignies. The story brings together two women — Eve, a spy in World War I, and Charlie St. Clair, an American socialite searching for her cousin who has gone missing in World War II. Both women were dealing with each world war and are connected by the past.

The story happened between 1915 and 1947 and touches different themes including revenge, forgiving one’s self and punishment. This is a great story about the world of female espionage during the first world war.

This is the first book I’ve read by Kate Quinn. She surely did a huge amount of research for this book. The storyline and timeline was quite convincing. The two storylines fit quite perfectly with each other. I liked that she gave voice to a part of history that deserves more attention.

Quotable Quotes:

“Hope was such a painful thing, far more painful than rage.”

“Poetry is like passion–it should not be merely pretty; it should overwhelm and bruise.”

“What did it matter if something scared you, when it simply had to be done?”

Rating: 4/5 stars

WWW Wednesday

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently Finished

Currently Reading

Up Next

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Loved But Never Reviewed

Hello there! Happy Tuesday and welcome to this week’s edition of Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Books I Loved but Never Reviewed.

These 10 books are all in my favorites list but I can’t exactly remember anymore why I wasn’t able to write reviews of them but I intend to do it after rereading each of these books someday.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

Murder on the Orient Express is my first introduction to Hercule Poirot mystery from Agatha Christie. I’ve read almost all of the Miss Marple books but never a single one from Poirot.

Hercule Poirot is a Belgian detective on-board the Orient Express. An American guy was found dead on his compartment while the train was halted by a snow storm. Police can’t get in the train so Poirot took charge of the investigation.

Just like the Miss Marple books, this kept me guessing as the story progresses. And I wasn’t able to guess it right. Damn! Anyway, I liked that each character was given their own chapters and all of them were suspects. All of them were realistic, too.

This turned out to be a really great introduction of Hercules Poirot to me. It was a captivating read, smart and mysterious. Looking forward to my next Poirot mystery.

Quotable Quotes:

“If you confront anyone who has lied with the truth, he will usually admit it – often out of sheer surprise. It is only necessary to guess right to produce your effect.”

“But I know human nature, my friend, and I tell you that, suddenly confronted with the possibility of being tried for murder, the most innocent person will lose his head and do the most absurd things.”

“The impossible could not have happened, therefore the impossible must be possible in spite of appearances.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

WWW Wednesday 05-Aug-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

After some six-week reading hiatus, I am so glad that I am back to my books and reading at last! I don’t know what happened but once in a while, it just happens. It’s good to have a break from reading but it’s far better to be back on track.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently Finished

Currently Reading

I am almost halfway through The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and I find it a bit slow for my taste but I am enjoying the characters so that’s alright. As for Angela’s Ashes, it’s kinda sad and a bit funny at times. I really hope for a happy ending on this one.

Up Next

I have been wanting to read The Girl with the Louding Voice and The Dutch House for quite some time so I really hope to read them next. Also, a friend recommended We Need to Talk About Kevin since she recently finished it so, yeah, there it is on my list. 🙂

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Colors in the Titles

Hello there! Happy Tuesday and welcome to this week’s edition of Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Books with Colors in the Titles.

The following five books are books I’m done reading…

While these next five books are on my TBR…

Do we have the same titles? Have you read these books? Feel free to share in the comments section or leave a link of your TTTs.

Happy day, Homo sapiens!

 

Out by Natsuo Kirino

Out is my first book from Kirino Natsuo. It has been on my TBR list for quite some time and so I am glad I finally got to it.

I was initially hooked by the storyline in the first few pages/chapters of this book. There are four women who work on the night shift in a boxed lunch factory. One of them is abused by the husband and one day she found out that he used up all their savings in drinking, gambling and chasing a girl in a club. She ended up killing him. She then asked one of her co-workers to help her dispose the body and the story goes on.

I felt a bit bored after this initial action. I wasn’t sure where the story was going and it seemed like the author herself was confused where the story was heading. There were parts that I didn’t feel were relevant to the central plot. The last part of the book though brought back my initial excitement when I started reading it. I didn’t quite like the ending though. I thought it would’ve ended some other way but that’s okay.

It’s a strange book but that’s not new to me anymore when it comes to works of Japanese authors.

Quotable Quotes:

“She couldn’t live her life as someone’s prisoner the way he had lived his, caught up in a dream of the past, with no way forward and no way back, forced to dig down inside oneself.”

“When stones lying warm in the sun were turned over, they exposed the cold, damp earth underneath; and that was where Masako had burrowed deep. There was no trace of warmth in this dark earth, yet for a bug curled up tight in it, it was a peaceful and familiar world.”

Rating: 3.5 stars

 

Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Wayward Son is the sequel to one of my favorite reads, Carry On. It’s been several years ago since I’ve read it and I’m glad to finally get to this sequel a few months back.

As with Carry On, Wayward Son is written in multiple POVs. I liked the plot, sure, but I get more excited reading when it comes to Simon and Baz, of course. I love that I get to read more of their bantering because I’ve waited so long.

I was expecting this to give some closure or something to Carry On but it didn’t. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. Probably this was just a transition book because there’s one more coming? I don’t know. But I’m sure more looking forward to how Simon and Baz’s relationship will evolve. You too guys, right?

Wayward Son is an enjoyable read but not as amazing as Carry On. But that shouldn’t stop you from reading it, well if you haven’t yet. The plot was just so-so for me but Simon and Baz’s POVs and never-ending bantering was everything. For that, I’m giving this book 4 stars.

Quotable Quotes:

“Sometimes Simon kisses me like it’s the end of the world, and I worry he might believe that it is.”

“I’ve loved him through worse. I’ve loved him hopelessly… So what’s a little less hope?”

“A relationship isn’t about the end. It’s about being together every step of the way.”

“Fighting doesn’t feel good anymore. It feels like breaking something because you don’t know how to fix it.”

“He’s coming into himself. And I’m coming apart.”

 

 

 

Permanent Record by Edward Snowden

I vaguely heard of Edward Snowden but when the movie about his story came out, I was indeed intrigued. It was only several months back, though, that I had the chance to read his book. And he certainly knows how to write! The first part from which we take a glimpse of his life since he was a child was a sure fun read. The rest was like a movie and equally fun and exciting.

Permanent Record is a layman’s view of how the world changed in the birth and rise of the internet. It is an important book as it talks about many interesting topics and some of these I didn’t really have much knowledge about or know nothing at all.

I have nothing but respect for this man. He can live a dream life if he chose to but instead chose to become a whistleblower. And I could understand that. 4 stars for the book and 5 stars for his courage and attitude.

Quotable Quotes:

“The reason you’re reading this book is that I did a dangerous thing for a man in my position: I decided to tell the truth.”

“Ultimately, saying that you don’t care about privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different from saying you don’t care about freedom of speech because you have nothing to say.”

“The government should be afraid of the people, the people shouldn’t be afraid of the government.”

 

A Scarred Legacy by Suvika

1-star

Has anyone of you read this? I’m not sure how I got it on my Kindle but unfortunately, it’s not my cup of tea. Any thoughts?

Top Ten Tuesday – Books That Make Me Smile

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday! I hope you guys are all having a good day and I hope you’re all safe.

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Books That Make Me Smile.

Not all of these books had happy endings but each one make me smile nonetheless.

 

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

This is the kind of book that feels like a heart bleeding in pages. The kind of book that reminds me why I love reading.

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is Little Dog’s letter to his illiterate mother. He tries to write what he could never say out loud. It’s a difficult read, there was pain and misery all throughout, in a way, it makes me doubt this is a work of fiction. But given the kind of life he had in the story, it just couldn’t be.

Little Dog is the son and grandson of disaster. Both his mother and grandmother are mentally unstable who survived the Vietnam War. We get to read in Little Dog’s letter a wide variety of themes including violence in the family, addiction, sexual preference, identity, race, immigrants, war and more. It was brutal. It was devastating. It was beautiful. It felt so real.

This is my first book from Ocean Vuong and one of my best reads so far this year. Surely, this will definitely be not the last work I’ll read from this talented writer/poet.

Quotable Quotes:

“I am writing because they told me to never start a sentence with because. But I wasn’t trying to make a sentence—I was trying to break free. Because freedom, I am told, is nothing but the distance between the hunter and its prey.”

“They say nothing lasts forever but they’re just scared it will last longer
than they can love it.”

“I miss you more than I remember you.”

“We try to preserve life—even when we know it has no chance of
enduring its body. We feed it, keep it comfortable, bathe it, medicate it,
caress it, even sing to it. We tend to these basic functions not because
we are brave or selfless but because, like breath, it is the most
fundamental act of our species: to sustain the body until time leaves it
behind.”

“To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be
hunted.”

Rating: 5/5 stars

WWW Wednesday

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

I haven’t posted my WWW for the last couple of weeks because of work and I’m currently on a reading hiatus. After finishing A Dance with Dragons almost 3 weeks ago, I was able to read just one more book and decided to put reading to one side for the moment.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently Finished

These are the last two books I’ve read two or three weeks ago. Both good reads.

Currently Reading

I am currently not reading any book. I don’t know how much longer this reading hiatus will take but I’m still really not back in the mood to read just yet. I’m not really sure why but well, yeah…

Next Reads

These four books are what I’m looking forward to reading next and I really, really hope soon. I need that reading mood back!

How about you guys? What are you reading this week? Feel free to share in the comments section or drop a link of your WWWs so I can check them all out!

Happy reading, Homo sapiens!

 

 

Top Ten Tuesday – Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday! It has been a long time since I last did this and so I’m really excited to get to do it again!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Authors I’ve Read the Most Books By.

Haruki Murakami – 17 books

Apparently, Haruki Murakami is my favorite author, ever. I’ve nearly read most of his books and I’ve enjoyed and loved them all. I hope there’s more to come from this brilliant author.

Agatha Christie & Jessica Zafra –  12 books each

And Then There Were None started my reading journey of Agatha Christie’s works. I was then hooked with the Miss Marple series afterwards.

Jessica Zafra is a Filipino fiction writer known for her sharp and witty writing style. I still hope to read her other books when I get back to the Philippines.

Nicholas Sparks – 9 books

Paulo Coelho & Dan Brown – 6 books each

George R.R. Martin & Mitch Albom – 5 books each

Gillian Flynn, JRR Tolkien, Rainbow Rowell, Jodi Picoult, Stephenie Meyer –  4 books each

Jose Saramago, Stephanie Perkins, Chang-Rae Lee, Khaled Hosseini, Sam Harris, John Green, Neil Gaiman, William Boyd – 3 books each

There you go guys! Do we have the same list? Share your answers in the comments section or feel free to drop a link so I can check them all out.

Happy Tuesday, Homo sapiens!

 

 

 

City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi by William Dalrymple

If you want to read about India, or more specifically Delhi, I happily recommend City of Djinns.

The book tells about about the author’s one year stay, as well as what he has learned, while in New Delhi in the 1980s. He talked about how kind people in Delhi were, different cities, his funny landlady, Mrs. Puri, Hinglish, Anglo-Indians, the partition, the scorching heat he experienced there, horoscopes, architecture, a Hindu wedding and so much about India’s culture and history.

This is my first attempt to William Dalrymple’s works and I must say, I am impressed. He’s a brilliant observer and he can very much entertain readers with his writing. I very much admire the work he’s done with this book. Wonderful.

This book can be a travel guide when I visit India someday. One of my finest reads this year.

Quotable Quotes:

“Partition was a total catastrophe for Delhi,’ she said. ‘Those who were left behind are in misery. Those who were uprooted are in misery. The Peace of Delhi is gone. Now it is all gone.”

“Whoever has built a new city in Delhi has always lost it: the Pandava brethren, Prithviraj Chauhan, Feroz Shah Tughluk, Shah Jehan … They all built new cities and they all lost them. We were no exception.”

“For all its faults we love this city.’ Then, after a pause, she added: ‘After all, we built it.”

“And it would be nice if the roof was a bit stronger. Then the peacocks wouldn’t keep falling through. I don’t mind during the day, but I hate waking up at night to find a peacock in bed with me.”

“When a dust storm blows it means the djinns are going to celebrate a marriage …”

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

 

 

 

 

Mid-Year Freak Out Tag

Hi there, Homo sapiens! I hope you are all doing well and safe wherever you are.

Welcome to the Mid-Year Freak Out Tag! This is the first time I’ll be doing this and I’m really excited to do it. Thanks to Carl, I was introduced to this. Well, this tag basically helps you reflect how good or how terrible you are on your reading at this time of the year. 😅 2020 has been a mess but I somehow found more time for reading and so let’s get started, shall we?

Best Books I’ve Read So Far in 2020

Best Sequel I’ve Read so Far in 2020New Releases but You Haven’t Read Yet but Want To

Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of the Year

Biggest Disappointment

Biggest Surprise

Favorite Authors (Debut or New to You)

Ocean Vuong

Madeline Miller

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Ayobami Adebayo

Alex Michaelides

Newest Fictional Crush

Unfortunately, there’s none so far this year… hope to have one in the books I’m about to read for the rest of the year.

Newest Favorite Character

Kainene from Half of the Yellow Sun.

Books That Made You Cry

Books That Made You Happy

Most Beautiful Books You’ve Bought So Far This Year (Or Received)

Books You Need to Read Before the End of the Year

Favorite Book Community Members

I don’t really get to interact a lot with many bloggers or book community members and I am only a part of WordPress and Goodreads. There are some very notable bloggers/members I’m glad to have met though. Carl, of course is one of them. Do visit his blog here specially if you love books/reading and you can thank me later.😊 I’ve also met Chuck here on WordPress and he’s got plenty to offer you if you like poetry. He shares poetry written by other bloggers but he writes his own as well. Check out his blog here.

Now I guess I’m done here… Feel free to do yours, too! And tag me! I’d be really glad to read your posts! Happy day, Homo sapiens!

The Cake Tree in the Ruins by Akiyuki Nosaka

The Cake Tree in the Ruins is an incredible collection of short stories all set on August 15,1945, the day Japan surrendered to the Allies in World War II.

Some of the themes tackled are war and its effects, survival, loss, love and kindness in the most difficult situations. Several of the stories highlight on how useless wars are and its effects on common/ordinary people who are the actual victims.

Most of the stories are extremely sad and heartbreaking and The Whale Who Fell In Love With the Submarine is my favorite, a beautifully tragic story.

This is my first venture on Akiyuki Nosaka’s works and he definitely has my heart. This collection is haunting and superb and one that will stay with me for a very long time.

Quotable Quotes:

“He was waiting for his mother who was sure to come back from the sky — the mother who had soared up into the sky like a kite blown by the wind.”

“Too many undernourished people and animals appear in these stories, I know, but it was wartime, after all.”

“On 15th August in the cloudless blue sky evening sky a single giant balloon left Japan and rode the jet stream headed for America. It carried no bomb… and unable to land is probably still floating around somewhere filled with the breath of school children.”

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

 

Short Story – The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

The Cask of Amontillado is a gothic short story written by Edgar Allan Poe. He was one of my favorite authors growing up. I just love the way he writes.

The story is direct to the point. Montressor, the narrator was insulted by Fortunato and so he vows for revenge. It seems normal at first but as the story progresses, it gets darker.

We never really got to learn Montressor’s purpose/reason for carrying out the revenge on Fortunato but maybe that’s not really the point in the story. Well, I dunno.

What I know is that Fortunato was buried behind a wall and  Edgar Allan Poe knows revenge at its worst and moreover, a mystery is yet to be solved.

Quotable Quotes:

“A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.”

“It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will.”

“The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

 

 

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Bridge to Terabithia is a touching and heartbreaking story with themes that include imagination, friendship, family and grief. Jesse is shy and quiet but has amazing artistic skills and Leslie is the new girl in town who beat the boys in running. Soon, they became best friends and built their secret imaginary kingdom of Terabithia.

It’s a beautiful story of friendship between these two lonely children until one day, tragedy happens. And the story tells of how to cope and come into terms with what happened. This will really touch you on so many levels. It is an engaging and memorable book with relatable characters. Children who think and talk realistically and in a very honest way.

I love books that break my heart and this was one of them. I hate it but I love it.

Quotable Quotes:

“Sometimes it seemed to him that his life was delicate as a dandelion. One little puff from any direction, and it was blown to bits.”

“You think it’s so great to die and make everyone cry and carry on. Well it ain’t.”

“He may not have been born with guts, but he didn’t have to die without them.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

 

WWW Wednesday 17-Jun-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently Finished

I recently finished these three wonderful reads and all of them received 4-⭐️ ratings from me.

Currently Reading

I decided not to read other books at the moment so I can focus and hopefully finish A Dance of Dragons soon. To be quite honest, there’s not that much action happening so far in the book that’s why I always end up reading something else but I haven’t reached half of it yet so hopefully it gets better.

Next Reads

I hope to start with these two books after I finish A Dance with Dragons. I think these are going to be great reads!

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson was a famous artist and married to a well-known photographer, Gabriel. She shot her husband and never spoke a word ever again. She was later confined in a psychiatric facility where Theo, an ambitious psychotherapist and obsessed with Alicia and her story, tried his best to get in.

This is a clever story. It grabbed my attention from the start as I was intrigued with what’s going on. I started formulating theories in my mind while reading and some came real close. But that twist, I seriously did not see coming at all.

As I write this now, I’ve realized the writing was good but I can’t really say it was amazing. The characters were not that appealing and even the plot was a little bit unlikely. However, it all worked together beautifully.

Alex Michaelides did a good job on this debut and he now belongs to my radar of authors to watch for.

Quotable Quotes:

“You know, one of the hardest things to admit is that we weren’t loved when we needed it most. It’s a terrible feeling, the pain of not being loved.”

“…we often mistake love for fireworks – for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm – and constant.”

“Remember, love that doesn’t include honesty doesn’t deserve to be called love.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

WWW Wednesday 10-Jun-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently Finished

I gave 4-star ratings for all four books.

Currently Reading

I haven’t really read much from A Dance with Dragons so I will try to put a little more time for it this week because it’s still a long way to go! Just started with Little Women yesterday, it’s been on my TBR for years. I’m enjoying The Book of Night Women so far so I really hope this ends good.

Upcoming Reads

I was supposed to start with Near to the Wild Heart but opted for Little Women instead so I hope to pick this up next. Also, I was browsing my Kindle for what else to read next and found The Member of the Wedding and Augustus. I almost totally forgot about these two books already so both will be priorities for my upcoming reads.

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

Circe by Madeline Miller

If you are into mythology, well even if you aren’t actually, you should read this book.

This is the first book I’ve read written by Madeline Miller and it’s surprisingly good. I loved her writing style as well as the character developments. The story was also packed with myths, gods and goddesses and it was fun to come across familiar names.

I haven’t heard much about Circe herself actually apart from her being a witch and turning men to pigs. Madeline Miller did a great job giving life to Circe’s character. She also was able to write the story like as if Circe was telling the story herself. I liked the way she grew and developed throughout the book and the ending was indeed meaningful.

Highly engaging, enjoyable and wonderful read.

Quotable Quotes:

“Beneath the smooth, familiar face of things is another that waits to tear the world in two.”

“I had no right to claim him, I knew it. But in a solitary life, there are rare moments when another soul dips near yours, as stars once a year brush the earth. Such a constellation was he to me.”

“Humbling women seems to me a chief pastime of poets. As if there can be no story unless we crawl and weep.”

“I would say, some people are like constellations that only touch the earth for a season.”

“You cannot know how frightened gods are of pain. There is nothing more foreign to them, and so nothing they ache more deeply to see.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

I was not suppose to read this book because I don’t like cats. But it’s a book written by Hiro Arikawa, a Japanese author whose works I haven’t ventured on yet so I thought it’s unfair not to give it a try after seeing lots of good reviews about it and just because I don’t like cats. Plus, it was translated by Philip Gabriel so I know the translation would be a good one.

So… Nana was a stray cat and was soon taken in by a kind-hearted guy named Satoru after he found it injured by a car. They lived together for years until one day, Satoru can no longer take care of Nana so they found themselves traveling together to find a new home for her. They visited several of Satoru’s friends and slowly Satoru’s story unfolds. The more they travel, the more their love for each other grew.

Well, there’s not much of a plot here and the writing was slow for my taste but simple and engaging which I like. I love Satoru and Nana and cared enough what will happen to them so it was okay that the story went a bit slow for me.

This is a beautiful story of friendship, companionship, love and kindness. The part towards the end of the book was quite lovely. Tissues required while reading.

Quotable Quotes:

“My story will be over soon. But it’s not something to be sad about. Remembering those who went ahead. Remembering those who will follow after. And someday, we will meet all those people again, out beyond the horizon.”

“If you have to consider what’s going to happen after you die, life becomes doubly troublesome.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

 

WWW Wednesday 27-May-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

~Recently Finished~

~Currently Reading~

~Up Next~

Have you read any of these books? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller

This is Helen Keller’s autobiography written while she was attending Radcliffe College. Despite being blind and deaf, she was very lucky to get proper education and use what she learned to help others in the same situation as hers. This is also a tribute to her teacher, Anne Sullivan, who was very devoted to her and made such a big difference in her life.

Since she wrote this book while still attending college, I would like to read more about her later life and somehow know more about her as a person. I’m afraid I didn’t really get that from this book. I would also probably read something about her through another’s viewpoint, say Anne Sullivan’s for example, who contributed greatly to what she has become.

I’m giving this book 3-stars for its inspiring and interesting story though the second part of the book was a bit redundant. I’m giving 5-stars to Helen Keller for her passion, her commitment and eagerness to learn and for her achievements.

Quotable Quotes:

“One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.”

“I wonder what becomes of lost opportunities? Perhaps our guardian angel gathers them up as we drop them, and will give them back to us in the beautiful sometime when we have grown wiser, and learned how to use them rightly.”

“Trying to write is very much like trying to put a Chinese puzzle together. We have a pattern in mind which we wish to work out in words; but the words will not fit the spaces, or, if they do, they will not match the design.”

WWW Wednesday 20-May-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What did you recently finish reading?
2. What are you currently reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Recently Finished

Currently Reading

Up Next

Have you read any of these books? Or is there anything you want to recommend? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

 

Top 5 Tuesday – Top Opening Lines

Hello there, homo sapiens! It’s time for Top 5 Tuesday.

This tag is hosted by Shannah over at Bionic Book Worm.

Top 5 Opening Lines

“Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday; I can’t be sure.”

 “It was a pleasure to burn.”

 “All this happened, more or less.”

 “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

“History has failed us, but no matter.”

 

 

 

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh where his areas of expertise were computer science and virtual reality. He worked for Disney as an Imagineer. He died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 47.

Overall, the book is inspiring though not mind-blowing. The wisdom within this book makes it an important book to read. It is indeed a good lecture for him to leave to his children and to inspire many others.

While I enjoyed Randy Pausch’s positive attitude during the most difficult time of his life, I also felt that the book was a lot more about him proving how great he and his life had been. I don’t want to speak ill of the dead and I will probably burn in hell to say this but he appeared to be cocky, arrogant and so full of himself. Death is always a tragedy but his was a fairytale having been able to bid goodbye to everyone he loves and leaving a mark in the world. I personally think he should have hired a writer to assist him in writing this book, maybe it would touch more hearts and won’t sound or appear the way it did.

Nevertheless, you’d still have to admire Randy.

Quotable Quotes:

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer.”

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”

“Find the best in everybody. Just keep waiting no matter how long it takes. No one is all evil. Everybody has a good side, just keep waiting, it will come out.”

Rating: 3/5 stars

 

A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

A Dog’s Purpose is one dog’s story trying to find and understand his life’s purpose through four different lives. He was first born as a stray dog and was later named when caught and kept in a dog pound. In his second life he was a golden retriever named Bailey. This is my favorite part of the book, aside from being a golden retriever which is my favorite dog breed, this is where he met Ethan. Come his third life, he became a she, a female German Shepherd named Ellie and was part of of the Search and K-9 unit. He was back to being a male dog in his fourth life and this time a Labrador.

Told from a dog’s perspective, every thought that enters the dog’s mind were realistic. The way the author has written the dog’s thoughts made me feel like I am actually in a dog’s mind. It felt like the dog was really the one telling the story.

A Dog’s Purpose is a roller coaster of emotions — I laughed, I cried, it was happy and sad, it made me nervous and scared, it made me hopeful. I just so love this book from beginning to end.

W. Bruce Cameron did a brilliant job in this book. Whether you’re a dog/animal lover or not, I highly recommend this book. You will not be disappointed. I can’t give enough praises to this work. Read it. It’s a paw-fect book!

Quotable Quotes:

“The job of a good dog was ultimately to be with them, remaining by their sides no matter what course their lives might take. All I could do now was offer him comfort, the assurance that as he left this life he was not alone but rather was tended by the dog who loved him more than anything in the whole world.”

“Because failure isn’t an option if success is just a matter of more effort.”

“Humans were capable of so many amazing things, but too often they just sat making words, not doing anything.”

Rating: 5/5 stars

 

WWW Wednesday 06-May-2020

Hello there, Homo sapiens! It’s the month of May! How are all of you doing? I hope you’re all safe wherever you are. I’ve been kind of busy the past couple of weeks, I moved to a new apartment and have to arrange stuff here and there plus work, of course. Well, thank God everything’s almost in place now. So…

Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next

Currently Reading

Recently Finished

Up Next

Have you read any of these books? Or is there anything you want to recommend? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

I’ve been seeing this book almost everywhere both online and offline and so I’ve finally decided to purchase an ebook and see why people are so raving about it.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is Lale’s true story during the second world war. It tells us how he became the tattooist in Auschwitz and the trials and sufferings he and the others experienced there.

I liked the story, I do, but I didn’t quite like the writing. I’m a big fan of world war reads but this just came a bit flat for me. I also wasn’t able to connect with the characters and there was no character development. I also didn’t feel that much emotion while reading this unlike the other books I’ve read about the war. I did felt some but I would have loved it more if I were able to feel a connection with the characters or between Lale and Gita. I kinda felt like the bond between them was missing, an opportunity missed for a beautiful love story. Or is it just me? Don’t get me wrong, this would have really been a great story but I really felt the writing didn’t do it justice.

Any holocaust-related story is a gripping tale but I wasn’t blown away with this one. Still I’m glad I’ve read it.

Quotable Quotes:

“I know he is not perfect, but I also know he will always put me first.”

“To save one is to save the world.”

“Remember the small things and the big things will work themselves out.”

Rating: 3/5 stars

Top 5 Tuesday – Series I Want to Start

Hello there, homo sapiens! It’s time for Top 5 Tuesday.

This tag is hosted by Shannah over at Bionic Book Worm.

Series I Want to Start

To be honest, I’m not very fond of series. I’m a bit dismissive about it. Why? First and foremost, I’m impatient. Second, I hate too much or too little backstories. Third, I, well, forget several details from the previous books. This is why I have only read very few series like A Song of Ice & Fire and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

I hope to start with a new one this year and hopefully finish the entire series, too, and here are my choices:

1. The Sea of Fertility by Yukio Mishima

2. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

3. Time Quintet by Madeleine L’engle

4. War of the Roses by Conn Iggulden

5. Earth’s Children by Jean M. Auel

 Have you read any of these series? What did you think of them? Do you think these are great choices? What’s on your list? Feel free to leave a link or share in the comments sections. I’d be glad to read them. 

Happy Tuesday and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

Demian by Hermann Hesse

Demian is my second Hermanne Hesse piece and he was certainly able to capture my attention with a captivating start and lost me somewhere halfway through the story. The ending? Either entranced or disappointed I guess.

This is the complex coming-of-age story of Emil Sinclair and his journey in search of his true self. It started with a lie in order to impress his friends which however turned so bad thus the threats and bullying began. He started to believe he doesn’t belong to the society until he met Demian and his life was changed forever.

Demian really started strong but slowly lost me midway through. It’s not a bad book, there were interesting concepts actually but the ending just didn’t seem to answer the questions asked all throughout the story.

Maybe I just don’t get it. Or perhaps Hesse’s works are just not my cup of tea.

Quotable Quotes:

“If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.”

“Those who are too lazy and comfortable to think for themselves and be their own judges obey the laws. Others sense their own laws within them.”

“I wanted only to live in accord with the promptings which came from my true self. Why was that so very difficult?”

Rating: 2/5 stars

 

 

 

 

WWW Wednesday 22-April-2020

Hello there! It’s April! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

Out by Natsuo Kirino is interesting so far while I’m not very much enjoying A Scarred Legacy, maybe it’s too early to give up on it so I’ll continue reading a few more chapters then decide.

Recently Finished

I recently finished Permanent Record which was a very eye-opening and educational read. Wayward Son was a good read though it wasn’t what I was expecting. It didn’t give any closure to Carry On. But I think it was meant to be like this to make readers look forward to the third book. I’m giving both reads 4 stars.

Up Next

These three books are on top of my TBR this week. So let’s see if I’ll get to them as planned.

Have you read any of these books? Or is there anything you want to recommend? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, homo sapiens!

Top 5 Tuesday – Popular Books I Haven’t Read Yet

Hello there, homo sapiens! It’s time for Top 5 Tuesday.

This tag is hosted by Shannah over at Bionic Book Worm. 

Today’s topic is:

Popular Books I Haven’t Read Yet

Now this would be a really long list but I’m choosing the first five that comes to mind while writing this.

1. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

1. Little Women by Louisa M. Alcott

1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

1. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

1. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino

Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them? Which ones do you recommend? Feel free to share a link of your Top 5 Tuesdays or let me know in the comments section.

Happy Tuesday and keep safe, homo sapiens! 

Top Ten Tuesday – Titles That Would Make Good Band Names

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Titles That Would Make Good Band Names.

1. Thousand Cranes (Yasunari Kawabata)

2. After Dark (Haruki Murakami)

3. Republic of Shade (Thomas J. Campanella)

4. Fight Club (Chuck Palahniuk)

5. Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel)

6. Stoner (John Williams)

7. Paper Towns (John Green)

8. Half Broke Horses (Jeannette Walls)

9. River of Shadows (Valerio Valesi)

10. The House of Mirth (Edith Wharton)

Do you agree with my list? Do we have the same titles? Feel free to share your TTTs or simply share your list in the comments section. I’d be delightful to see your lists!

Happy Tuesday and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

Half of the Yellow Sun by Adichie Chimamanda Ngozi

I have to admit, I have very little knowledge of Nigeria and of the Republic of Biafra and its states so reading a book like Half of a Yellow Sun was very educational and informative for me. I know very little about Africa actually with the exception of Egypt perhaps, so this really was a wonderful pick.

This is my first experience with Adichie Chimamanda Ngozi and I understand now what people are raving about. I must say the writing was excellent. She was able to make me feel like I’ve just lived through the experience. She was able to show how manipulative a propaganda can get and how people change as the war continues. I will surely read more of her works.

The story is about the war in Nigeria in 1960s when Biafra was trying to establish itself as a separate state/republic from Nigeria. Written in alternating points of view from several characters, the book provides a good insight of Nigerian life. My favorite characters were Kainene and Ugwu. I am still wondering where Kainene is and what happened to her.

The book title was based from the Biafran flag where red symbolizes blood of the massacred in the North, black for mourning, green for prosperity and the half of a yellow sun symbolizes a glorious future which was sadly never seen.

I enjoyed reading this book as I was exposed to something I knew very little about and I am excited to read more pieces from this author and see how they compare.

Quotable Quotes:

“There are some things that are so unforgivable that they make other things easily forgivable.”

“You can’t write a script in your mind and then force yourself to follow it. You have to let yourself be.”

“Why do I love him?…I don’t think love has a reason…I think love comes first and then the reasons follow.”

“Grief was the celebration of love, those who could feel real grief were lucky to have loved.”

“You must never behave as if your life belongs to a man. Do you hear me?” Aunty Ifeka said. “Your life belongs to you and you alone.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

 

 

 

 

Prediction Book Tag

It’s been ten days since the area where my office is located has been locked down so I’m working from home. It’s been ten days of excessive eating, too. I really hope things get better and back to normal. I’m not used to staying at home like this but I’m coping up, I guess. 😅 How are you, Homo sapiens? I hope you are all safe.

Anyways, there’s some good news for me in the blogosphere. I was recently tagged by Cassie @ Books With Cassie to do the Prediction Book Tag. Isn’t that sweet? Thanks, Cassie! 😊 Do visit her wonderful blog if you haven’t yet.

The original creator of this tag is Book Princess Reviews and the rules are as follows:

• Tag the person who tagged you.
• Tag the creator.
• Find an answer to match each prompt.
• Have Fun!

Prediction for my next read:

At the moment, I am in the mood to start with Out by Natsuo Kirino which has actually been on my TBR for a couple of years.

Prediction for my next 5-star read:

Prediction for my next 1-star read:

I haven’t given any book a 1-star rating as far as I can remember and I hope to never have to.

Prediction for my next love interest/cool character:

I’m planning to read Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series so I think and I hope Percy Jackson will be my next cool character.

Prediction for my next book buy:

I really want to read this book on paperback that’s why I’m not buying the Kindle version. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it in bookstores here before the lockdown so I will have to wait for now.

Now I don’t know how many I should be tagging so I’m tagging all of you who gets to read this. Create a post or simply answer in the comments section. I’d be delighted!

Happy Tuesday and keep safe, Homo sapiens!

 

 

 

Top 5 Tuesday – Books That Made Me Laugh

Hello there, homo sapiens! It’s time for Top 5 Tuesday.

This tag is hosted by Shannah over at Bionic Book Worm. 

Books That Made Me Laugh

1. The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson

This is my first experience of Jonas Jonasson’s works and I smiled and laughed most of the way through this book. If absurd adventures with some dark humor is okay with you, then you’ll enjoy this.

2. A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

This book really touched my heart and also also made me laugh a lot of times throughout. One of my best reads so far this year.

3. The Princess and the Penis by R.J. Silver

This was a cute and silly read that made me giggle and smile like an idiot for a good half an hour! A story with a naughty twist of your childhood fairy tale.

4. Cain by Jose Saramago

Cain is a laugh out loud funny little read but at the same time makes us chew on several profound moral questions about the nature of God and events in the Old Testament.

5. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Carry On is a cute and funny read with a really cool plot. Even though I’m not a big fan of fantasy and chosen one stories, I was amazed by this one! It’s super gay and I think that is why I enjoyed it so much. The cute, silly banters were a lot of fun, Rainbow Rowell really struck me with her sarcastic wit.

Have you read any of these books? Which books gave you a good laugh? Please feel free to share a link of your Top 5 Tuesdays or share which books made you laugh in the comments section.

Keep safe, Homo sapiens!

The Russian Concubine by Kate Furnivall

The Russian Concubine started out quite interestingly for me then somehow got a bit slow for my taste in the middle then started to pick up the pace again in the last third of the book.

The plot was quite interesting. A mother and daughter who escaped from the Russian bolsheviks and ended up in an international settlement in China. Nice to have gained insights about China during the days of Chiang Kai Shek, Sun Yat-sen and Mao Tse-tung.

Lydia, the daughter is fiery and eventually fell in love with a Chinese communist boy who has been trying to protect her whenever he can.

The title was a bit misleading though. The main character, is no concubine. There was a mention of a concubine after some 200 pages in the book but I don’t know why or how the author decided on it, go figure.

Anyhow, I ended up really liking this story more when there was only a third left in the story. I was already thinking about putting it on-hold but I’m glad that I went on. Moreover, I’m happy that the end is a beginning of another story, I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

Quotable Quotes:

“The sight of you brings joy to my heart and makes my blood thunder in my veins. I know not how long I will be allowed to stand here. So there are words I must say. That you are the moon and the stars to me, and the air I breathe. To love you is to live. So if I die…. I will still live in you.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

WWW Wednesday 08-April-2020

Hello there! It’s April! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading

I’m halfway through Permanent Record and I find it fascinating so far. Also, I’ve started with Wayward Son. I haven’t read a Rainbow Rowell for quite some time now and it’s really nice to be reading about Simon, Baz and Agatha again.

Recently Finished

I’ve finally finished City of Djinns and it was a really informative and interesting read. A mix of history, myth, religion, travel, etc. I don’t know what to say about On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. I managed to read this in the office and would’ve finished it in a day if it weren’t for some urgent work. It was brutal. It was devastating. It was beautiful. It felt so real. One of my best reads so far this year.

Up Next

I’m thinking of reading Kokoro first among these three but a friend recommended The Alice Network and two others suggested the The Secret Keeper.

Have you read any of these books? Or is there anything you want to recommend? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, homo sapiens!

 

Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Bought/Borrowed Because…

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is Books I Bought/Borrowed Because…

Let’s get started!

I bought the next three books because they were highly recommended:

Recommended by a friend – A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. This is a great book. One of my all-time favorites.

1. Recommended by my boss – Demian by Hermann Hesse. I’m still not quite sure whether I really liked it or not but it was okay as a whole.
2. Recommended by a stranger – City of Djinns by William Dalrymple. I was in the bus reading on my way home one night when the lady beside me started a conversation. She said she also likes to read and her favorite so far was the City of Djinns and she thinks I will enjoy it, too. So I’m currently reading it know and yeah, so far so good.

I bought the next three books because of the cover:

I bought the next book because it’s been showing both in my WordPress feeds and in Goodreads quite a lot:

I bought this book because of the best sidekick ever:

Yes, the one and only Fermin Romero de Torres in The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Fermin is my favorite character in The Shadow of the Wind and it is said that he will be taking center stage in this book. I’ll be reading this maybe next month.

Lastly, I bought these two books because they were on sale:

Both Stoner and Mornings in Jenin were 5-star reads for me so I’m very delighted that I bought them.

Have you read any of these books? What were your reasons for buying them? Share a link of your TTTs so I can check them out, too, or simply share your lists on the comments section. I’d be delighted to read them all!

Happy Tuesday, homo sapiens!

The Driver’s Seat by Muriel Spark

I’m not very sure what to make of this novella just yet even after reading it months ago. The plot and ending didn’t really make sense to me. Perhaps a reread would help?

A reread, indeed. Thankfully, it’s a short read.

One can tell from the beginning that there’s something wrong with Lise. I can’t say I was enjoying it. Lise was actually getting into my nerves. I spent the whole time reading it wanting to slap her hard.

To summarize the story, Lise is crazy and she will be murdered. And yes, she was. I couldn’t see any point in the characters or the story itself so it was definitely a good thing that it’s a really short read.

This was the weirdest book I’ve read as far as I can remember. Weird in a way I didn’t really like or enjoy.

Apparently, I wasn’t satisfied in my first foray of Muriel Spark’s works but I’m still inclined to familiarize myself more of her. The more perceptive readers could probably get more from this book. Any suggestions for a better one, please?

Rating: 2/5 stars

WWW Wednesday 01-April-2020

Hello there! It’s April! Welcome to another WWW Wednesday, hosted by Sam from Taking On A World of Words.

As usual, just answer the three W questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Currently Reading:

Recently Finished:

Up Next:

Have you read any of these books? Or is there anything you want to recommend? What have you been reading this past week? I’d be delighted if you share your WWWs, too. Leave a link or share your lists on the comments section so I can check them all out!

Happy reading and keep safe, homo sapiens!

Top Ten Tuesday – Ten Signs You’re a Book Lover

Hello there! It’s another edition of Top Ten Tuesday!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and is currently being hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s given topic is:

Ten Signs You’re a Book-Lover

Here it goes!

1. Books are always great gifts.

2. Saving money to buy new books.

3. It’s hard not to read several books at one time.

4. You wish some fictional characters were real.

5. You tend to become emotionally invested in characters.

6. Nothing makes better company than coffee when reading.

7. You love the smell of books.

8. You spend sleepless nights sobbing, laughing or simply enjoying a different world.

9. You can spend hours in a bookshop, library or book fair because they’re your personal heaven.

10. You  own more books than your space can hold.

These are just ten of the many signs you’re a book-lover. Do we have the same list? Feel free to drop a link of your TTTs or share your list in the comments section. I’d be delighted to read them.

Happy Tuesday, homo sapiens!

Top 5 Tuesday – Authors from A-Z (U, V, W, X, Y, Z)

Hello there, homo sapiens! It’s time for Top 5 Tuesday.

This tag is hosted by Shannah over at Bionic Book Worm.

March is a themed month and this month’s theme is Authors from A-Z. Last week. we had authors with names starting with the letters P, Q, R, S & T. Today we’ll be having authors whose names start with U, V, W, X, Y & Z. Again, I opted for family names.

U – John Updike

John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet and short-story writer. He is one of the three other writers who have won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once. Apart from his novels and short-story collections, many of his works were published in The New Yorker.

V – Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was an American writer. He’s best known for his satirical novel Slaughterhouse-Five. It is in fact the only work of his that I’ve read so far. It is the story of Billy Pilgrim who was born in 1922 like Vonnegut himself who survived the bombing of Dresden.

W – John Williams

John Edward Williams author, editor and professor. He is the author of Stoner, a tragic fictional tale of a university professor — one of my top all-time favorite novels. His novel Augustus won a US national book award.

X – Xue Xinran

Xue Xinran is a British-Chinese journalist and author. She is also a known advocate for women’s issues. Her book The Good Women of China is on my TBR so I hope to get to it soon.

Y – Hanya Yanagihara

Hanya Yanagihara is a novelist, editor and travel writer. She is the author of A Little Life, winner of the 2015 Kirkus prize for fiction. She also was a National Book Award and Man Booker Prize finalist in 2015.

Z – Markus Zusak

Markus Zusak is an Australian writer of German origin and is best known for his books The Book Thief and The Messenger. Bridge of Clay is on my TBR and I hope it to be as his other works.

Have you heard of these authors before? (I doubt you haven’t!) Have you read any of their works? Any recommendations? I look forward to reading your Top 5 Tuesdays so drop a link on the comments section so I can check them all out.

Happy Tuesday and keep safe, homo sapiens!

All photos downloaded from Google. Credit to the owners.