wordless wednesday

 

Hello my lovely friends!

I know, it’s been forever since I posted, and I haven’t been very active on this account. I’ve been moving in to my new college and have had zero time to read or post. So, I’M SORRY ABOUT MY INACTIVITY! I love you all, I just have not been able to sit down for a solid chunk of time. I promise to get back in the swing of things, and stay connected with all you lovely people.

The next order of business: Remember, anyone can participate, and the main focus is to share aspects of our lives that may not be completely related to books. Each week, I will post a topic for a Wordless Wednesday that you may answer in whatever fashion you may like. All you need to do is link back to kimmiegg in your post so that I can also read your content! (Feel free to use the banner as well.)

Welcome to week three of my Wordless Wednesday meme! This week’s topic is: Art – What are some of your favorite pieces and genres? Which artist do you adore?

To view a list of topics for the rest of the month, click here

One of my favorite past times have been heading down to this a street filled with art galleries and exploring each art piece. Although I don’t have extensive knowledge on art, or artists, it’s always exciting to create discoveries and connect with pieces you didn’t know you could!

For my post this week, I’ll be taking a slightly different approach and listing genres and artists I’ve recently discovered, and in no particular order, will be introducing them to all of you. Let’s get started 🙂

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Sand Art

Recently, I’ve been obsessed by watching artists create their sand art. I feel oddly soothed and relaxed, and it has actually become a source of therapy for myself! It’s amazing how versatile sand is, and just watching new things form helps the art itself tell a story.

Personally, my favorite artist is Fatmir Mura. Below are a couple of stills from his masterpieces. Watching him work is very eye opening, and instills a sense of awe as he creates beautiful stills of beautiful topics.

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David Choe

David Choe is a muralist, graffiti artist, and graphic novelist. His has created covers for Jay-Z’s and Linkedin’s platinum album, and can be found on the sets of Juno and The Glass Castle.

“His figure paintings, which explore themes of desire, degradation, and exaltation, are characterized by a raw, frenetic tone that he has termed “dirty style.”

Half of the art is the back story. That’s why books on art and biographies about artists always have that wow factor in that you’re able to better appreciate the art and the reason it was created. David Choe has a background that could almost live up to others. His parents immigrated from Korea and settled in Los Angeles. After having his own bike stolen, Choe began the habit of stealing other bikes, and eventually this led to him dropping out of high school. Shoe also participated in the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, which resulted in his family store being burned down. Afterwards, Choe began hitchhiking across the country, and other countries, while stealing to make ends meet.

After enrolling in the only art college that would accept him, Choe later dropped out. I find his story to be the perfect example of why experience is much more important thank textbook knowledge. From what Choe saw and experienced, he was able to create art without learning the techniques from a standard school setting.

I love the bright colors, and the aesthetic quality Choe is able to produce by mixing very raw intense emotions together.

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Vincent Van Gogh

This is an artist we’ve all heard about, and one that I debated putting in this post. I wanted to focus mainly on modern artists, but decided to slip Van Gogh in because he is my all time favorite painter. My personal favorite from Van Gogh is his Over the Rhone. All the Starry Night has been quite popular for some time, and you can find it printed on almost anything, I love this piece, and can relate so much to the feelings that it contains.

Although Van Gogh never ate yellow paint to feel happiness, he did suffer from depression and would often try to eat paints and toxic material in hopes of ending his life. I believe that he had some sort of a bipolar mood disorder that caused him to have periods of mania in which he created phenomenal art, and times of serious lows.

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Yoskay Yamamoto

From Japan, I love the serenity all his pieces bring. Yamamoto also incorporates Japanese culture and history into his painting and sculptures while adding a modern twist that makes it very engaging and interesting for the eyes.

Yamamoto also works to combine Western elements to Asian ones, which I also appreciate. His works have a modern, clean feel. Each painting/sculpture forces me to stop and stare for some time as they all have an aura of calm that you don’t find in many paintings today.

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Cecily Brown

As most of you could probably tell, I love watercolor. Especially in pastel colors, watercolor seems so feminine and lovely. It was Brown that revealed to me how versatile watercolor (and any other art medium) is.

I love the variety of strokes she utilizes. And before, I would never have realized the different things she was telling through her paintings. (We’ve all had the “I could do that easily) But after further research and studying on my part, I’m beginning to learn how to appreciate this art.

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Did you enjoy this weeks theme? Do you think you’ll take part next week? Who’s your favorite artist/art piece? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

scavenger hunt tag

Hello my lovely friends

I was tagged by the charming Fadwa @ Word Wonders to take part in the Scavenger Hunt Tag! I love going on scavenger hunts and if there’s one involving books, I’m all in 🙂 Fadwa has just the most darling blog, so please go check out all her amazing content!

I don’t see any rules for this tag, and it’s pretty intuitive, so I’ll go ahead and get started!

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Find a book with the letter ‘Z’ in its title or the author’s name.

Though I haven’t read this one, the synopsis always piques my attention each time I read it.

The Godfather – Mario Puzo

The epic tale of crime and betrayal that became a global phenomenon.

Almost fifty years ago, a classic was born. A searing portrayal of the Mafia underworld, The Godfather introduced readers to the first family of American crime fiction, the Corleones, and their powerful legacy of tradition, blood, and honor. The seduction of power, the pitfalls of greed, and the allegiance to family—these are the themes that have resonated with millions of readers around the world and made The Godfather the definitive novel of the violent subculture that, steeped in intrigue and controversy, remains indelibly etched in our collective consciousness.

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Find me a classic

I loved this classic and garnered so much knowledge about poverty, wealth and love.

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Young, handsome and fabulously rich, Jay Gatsby is the bright star of the Jazz Age, but as writer Nick Carraway is drawn into the decadent orbit of his Long Island mansion, where the party never seems to end, he finds himself faced by the mystery of Gatsby’s origins and desires. Beneath the shimmering surface of his life, Gatsby is hiding a secret: a silent longing that can never be fulfilled. And soon, this destructive obsession will force his world to unravel.

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Find A Book with a Key in the cover

I’m so glad that I had the chance to do this tag and rediscover this series I so enjoyed as a young girl. I loved this book, and hope to revisit it someday!

Incarceron – Catherine Fisher

Incarceron — a futuristic prison, sealed from view, where the descendants of the original prisoners live in a dark world torn by rivalry and savagery. It is a terrifying mix of high technology — a living building which pervades the novel as an ever-watchful, ever-vengeful character, and a typical medieval torture chamber — chains, great halls, dungeons.

A young prisoner, Finn, has haunting visions of an earlier life, and cannot believe he was born here and has always been here. In the outer world, Claudia, daughter of the Warden of Incarceron, is trapped in her own form of prison — a futuristic world constructed beautifully to look like a past era, an imminent marriage she dreads. She knows nothing of Incarceron, except that it exists.

But there comes a moment when Finn, inside Incarceron, and Claudia, outside, simultaneously find a device — a crystal key, through which they can talk to each other. And so the plan for Finn’s escape is born

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Find something on your shelves that isn’t a book.

I would take a picture, but I’m in the midst of packing, and everything is quite bare. On my bookshelf, I carry not only books, but photographs, stationary and make up. I promise to show this to you all some day as soon as I get settled in!

 

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Find a book with an animal on the cover.

My childhood favorite series, I read all these books multiple times, and watched all the movies! True fan here :p

The Chronicles of Narnia – C.S Lewis

‘They say Aslan is on the move. Perhaps he has already landed,’ whispered the Beaver. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delightful strain of music had just floated by. And Lucy got that feeling when you realize it’s the beginning of summer. So, deep in the bewitched land of Narnia, the adventure begins.

They opened a door and entered a world–Narnia–the land beyond the wardrobe, the secret country known only to Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Lucy is the first to stumble through the back of the enormous wardrobe in the professor’s mysterious old country house, discovering the magic world beyond. At first, no one believes her. But soon Edmund, Peter and Susan, too, discover the magic and meet Aslan, the Great Lion, for themselves. And in the blink of an eye, they are changed forever.

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Find a book with a girl on its cover.

This book I grabbed during my huge eBook haul. I love the combination of orange and blue on this cover, and find it just captivating.

Whispers in Autumn – Trisha Leigh

In 2015, a race of alien Others conquered Earth. They enslaved humanity not by force, but through an aggressive mind control that turned people into contented, unquestioning robots.

Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone.

Then she meets Lucas, everything changes.

Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race.

It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what.

And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good.

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Find a non-YA book.

Though I have yet to watch the movie, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. One page to the next, I found myself laughing, crying and just falling in love with each character.

The Help – Kathryn Stockett

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step….

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

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Find a book with stars on its cover.

A classic with a cute illustration on the cover. I love reading this short story, and have always loved this darling cover.

 

The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.

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Find a book with golden letters.

This series was one of the first that I started reading since I started this blog. I really enjoyed, and this book will always bring back great memories.

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats – Jan-Philipp Sendker

A poignant and inspirational love story set in Burma, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats spans the decades between the 1950s and the present.  When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be…until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago, to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father’s past, Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and passion that will reaffirm the reader’s belief in the power of love to move mountains.

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I Tag:

CW @ Read Think and Ponder

Teacher of YA

Ola @ Ola Reads Books

Melanie @ Mel to the Any

The Jouska

And anyone out there ready for an adventure!

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Have you gone on any scavenger hunts lately? Or read any of the listed books? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

review: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

 

:: author:: Stephen Chbosky :: published: 2010 :: my rating: 4/5 :: genre: novel :: young adult :: contemporary :: goodreads

Hello my lovely friends!

I’m trying something new today and posting a movie and book review all rolled in one post! I recently watched The Perks of Being a Wallflower, something I had been meaning to do for some time, and because I had finished the book fairly recently as well, I decided to kill two birds with one stone. Lets go ahead and get started 🙂

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Synopsis from goodreads:

Charlie is a freshman.

And while he’s not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it.

Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But he can’t stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.

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My Review: (No Spoilers)

The first time I read this book, was during my pre-teen years when I can’t say I was emotionally or mentally prepared to broach the topics presented. However, after revisiting the book, I was better able to grasp and appreciate the topics and issues that were being addressed. If there was were issues with the book, it would be the following.

1. There was too much going on in the book. I felt like Chobsky tried too hard to include too many topics, and often times it felt overwhelming. Although this could have been done on purpose, I still felt myself having to stop periodically and just think. 
2. I had to remind myself that Charlie was only a freshman and that this book took place in high school. 
3. I had trouble understanding why Charlie was unable to identify any emotion other than sadness and regret. Although this is how depression works, I felt that this cycle of whining and inability to understand his situation to be monotonous.

However, I loved how real the book was. How it illustrated mental issues, and the realistic perspective into the struggles adolescents have.

First lines in the book:

“August 25, 1991
Dear Friend,

I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn’t try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don’t try to figure out who she is because then you might figure out who I am, and I really don’t want you to do that. I will call people by different names or generic names because I don’t want you to find me. I didn’t enclose a return address for the same reason. I mean nothing bad by this. Honest.

I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands and doesn’t try to sleep with people even if they could have. I need to know that these people exist.“

The movie, was equally as good, and I found myself falling in love with Emma Watson and surprisingly, I felt like Charlie became so much more real to me. The movie, however, expounded upon the drug culture, and I found myself thinking that this seemed to be more of a college setting than that of high school. This could be in part because my high school experience was so much different, but it was difficult to grasp that these kids were merely high schoolers, as they had so much terrible history behind them.

Characters:

I believe that Chobsky’s characterization and descriptions of the characters were the highlights of the book, and what made the book so lovable. By the end of both the book and the movie, I felt as if I knew each character at a personal and deep level. Each were multifaceted and brought so much dimension to the book.

Charlie is the embodiment of all that adolescents are afraid to admit and be. Innocent and honest, he works as the perfect narrator, providing insight into all the ugly and terrible things that accompany growing up, while also showing the beauty of friendship and love. Suffering from childhood trauma, and depression, Charlie is simply trying to make his way through high school as a normal student. Not only does Charlie have an ugly past that always threatens to ruin his social life, Charlie finds himself to be smarter, and more insightful than the rest of his class. Although his complaints and inability to function correctly in society grew to be annoying, I could understand and empathize with his plight.

In the movie: Charlie is everything I imagined him to be in the book. I had trouble grasping what sort of exterior Charlie exuded at school, and the movie helped me to realize that even with his conflicting interior, he was just that kid in school that we never talked to. This prompted me to realize that these people suffering from problems are all around us.

Contrasting sharply to Charlie’s naivety is Sam. Patrick and Sam take Charlie under their wings, and teach him about life. I believe that it is Charlie’s interactions with these characters that develop him, and expose him to the reader. I won’t say much about the supporting characters, as I found myself enjoying reading and learning about them the most.

The Plot:

There are a series of love stories in this book, all very different from each other. I loved this aspect of this book, as the reader is shown the pain and hardship that accompany any sort of relationship. There were relationships that didn’t work out, a LGBT relationship, one without love, and an abusive one as well. This helped me realize that it’s not always happily ever, and that in the world, there is always a lot more under the surface.

Though I won’t say much about the plot, as I found the characters to be what made the book amazing, I never was bored, and found myself devouring each page to discover more about each character.

Final Thoughts:

This story provided moments to cry, learn and empathize. This coming to age novel taught me a lot about mental health, as well as allowed me to realize that some of the thoughts and issues I was having was not exclusive to me. I was able to better grasp the value of friendship, and what love is. I recommend this to everyone and anyone!

Both the book and movie were wonderful, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to reread and watch.

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Have you watched or read either The Perks of Being a Wallflower? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

why EVERYONE should read

Hello my lovely friends!

I know, I know, most of you are probably rolling your eyes, wondering why I’m even bothering to post this!

As some of you may know, I also write for The Odyssey Online. This is “a social discovery platform committed to democratizing content creation while personalizing discovery” This past week, I listed some scientifically proven reasons as to why everyone should read! If you guys want to check it out and share on facebook, twitter or reddit, click here. Otherwise, enjoy this quick, fun article as to how reading is beneficial in every type of way.

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This summer, I created a book blog in hopes to keep myself accountable in reading and so that I could occupy myself with a project. It’s only been three months since I’ve begun, and my love for books have grown along with my TBR (to be read) list. I personally did not even know this section of the internet existed, but now that I’ve discovered it’s magic, I’m finding it difficult to pull myself away from a book, or my blog. I mean, what a great excuse to stay home all the time. Right?

In hopes to excuse my reclusive behavior for the past few months, I decided to research some benefits of reading. I mean, I get it. We’re all busy with life that it’s nearly impossible to crack open a book. Especially with technology constantly begging us to be used, reading sounds like it would be a great pastime, IF THERE WAS TIME. No matter what type of aversion you may have towards books, or excuse for not reading, here are a couple of reasons you should put everything down and read.

1.You’ll become smarter

Yes, you did indeed read that correctly. According to a study from the University of California, Berkeley by Anne E. Cunningham,explains the Mathews effect in which reading at a young age, and reading a lot, can expand vocabulary and increase the pleasure of reading. This can also work in the opposite way, so encourage your kids or siblings to read! Reading also helps in oral conversations as it was found that those who could easily read at a young age, had greater verbal abilities at an older age. Plus, reading helps keep the mind sharper.

2. You’ll become a nicer person

Even those hopeless causes now have a chance! Reading can make it easier for you to relate to others and therefore, make you more empathetic. Another study published by Science, by David Comer Kidd and Emanuele Castano states that literary fiction especially will allow readers to better read others emotions. Through reading, readers are able to connect with characters and connect how people think to how they act. This can help in real life when dealing with what others may be thinking or feeling.

We all know what we’re going to gifting to our siblings this year…

3. You Can Become Sherlock Holmes

Well maybe not, but you can obtain better analytical skills. Following the plot, analyzing the characters and forming an opinion about books is a great way to boost your brain stimulation. Being able to critique a book requires brain power, and helps your analytical skills. Often, it takes a couple of days before an opinion can be solidly made about a book, and discussing books with others forces you to understand and meditate about the book.

4. You can battle Alzheimer

Inactivity in your brain is often the cause for Alzheimer. Keeping parts of your brain engaged through various activities such as puzzles or READING can help fight against Alzheimers at an early age. One study showed that Alzheimer patients often had reduced activities during their midlife. In the study, it was concluded that there must be a diversity in the activities you take part in, along with intensity, meaning the time devoted to each activity. The study also showed that taking part in educational activities was most effective.

5. Improved focus and concentration

When was the last time you sat down for thirty minutes straight and worked, totally immersed, on something without checking your phone? Reading helps you focus on a book for an extended time, and reading before work or school for twenty minutes straight, can help you have a more focused day.

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I hoped you guys enjoyed this, something a tad different from what I normally post, but related to books in a way!

Did you know about all these benefits to reading? Will you be using this to convince others to read as well? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

pokemon go tag

Hello my lovely friends!

Whew, it’s been forever since I last did a tag! I have to thank Lashaan and Trang @ Bookidote for tagging me, and giving me the opportunity to take part in the newest, trending tag: Pokemon GO. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE needs to go check out their blog right now! They post amazing content, and I’m always inspired by their design and love for books. Go go go check them out!

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Rules

There are no specific rules for this tag, but I am linking back to Aentee @ Read at Midnight, the creator of this fun tag because I didn’t answer ALL the prompts. For a full list, make sure to go visit 🙂

Alrighty then, with all the logistics out of the way, lets go ahead and get started!

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Hmmm, I’ve always loved reading, and ever since I was able to read, you could find me about anywhere with a book in my hands. I guess the one book that reminded me of my love for reading this past year was when I reread Pride and Prejudice. I was reminded of how timeless books are and the beauty of literature.

 

I remember reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer back in the good old elementary school days and falling head over heels for Tom and Huckleberry Finn. I still miss their daily adventures, and wish I could have been a part of their friendship.

 

 

Sorry John Greene, I love your crash course videos, and you seem like a great person. I just don’t like overly hyped books! The Fault in Our Stars could possibly be the best book ever, I’ll just never read it..

 

 

 

 

Harry Potter… Since I hate reading books when they’re popular, I just put off the series, and now I’m just not sure if I’m ready for that type of commitment. (My apologies to avid fans…)

 

Since I’m constantly sleep deprived, I tend to nod off sooner than I want, but a book that I could not put down and therefore was forced to lay on my floor and read nonstop is Vicious by V.E Scwabb.

I can’t say with 100% certainty that this is still my OTP, but as a young child I was obsessed with the idea of a Prince falling in love with a girl who was not the prettiest in the kingdom. All fairytales seemed to revolve around a beauty that captivated the prince. In Fairest, Aza is considered one of the uglier citizens. After reading several reviews, I”m sure if I were to reread the book, I may have different opinions.

 

 

I loooooved the Maximum Ride series! My brother introduced me to this series, and I was hooked, finishing book after book. I think this is the series I went through the most quickly, reading one book a day.

 

I don’t particularly like it when a series or book is over hyped, but a series I’ve been dying to read is The Lunar Chronicles. If anyone ever wants to send me the whole thing, I’ll love you forever and ever.

 

 

Buy me this collection, and I’ll love you forever… Juniper Book’s Penguin Classics just all have simple, vintage covers that I’ve just been loving!

 

 

The Crown’s Game is one I’ve been seeing around, and been looking forward to reading. I love the synopsis for this book, and have read some great reviews about it as well. There’s a lot of similarities to the hunger games, although the fight is not about surviving but about ascending to the throne.

 

 

 

 

Never Never by James Patterson is going to be released in a week. Need I say more? I love Patterson, and am so excited to snag this book as it is released!

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Tag! You’re next!

Paige @ Paige’s Pages

Aimal @ Bookshelves and Paperbacks

Megan @ Bookslayer Reads

Beth @ Reading Every Night

The Orangutan Librarian

Reg @ She Latitude

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Have you been a part of this Pokemon GO craze? Or read any of these books? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

review: blood orchids by toby neal

 

:: author:: Toby Neal :: published: 2011 :: my rating: 4/5 :: genre: mystery :: fiction :: thriller :: goodreads

Hello my lovely friends!

First order of business, I’M NOT IGNORING YOUR COMMENTS! I’ve found that a lot of the comments you have been leaving have been falling under my “spam” and have not been posted. I’m slowly going back through and replying to these comments. Please check your spam boxes as well!

I decided it was time to entertain myself with a mystery, something I had not done for quite some time. When the title Blood Orchids popped up, I was intrigued for two reasons. 1. because it takes place in Hawaii

2. I love orchids

And what a coincidence that I was looking for a mystery right about then. Lets jump on in to the review.

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Synopsis from goodreads:

Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water—but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there’s a dark side to paradise.

Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers—one of whom she’d recently busted. With its echoes of her own past, the murdered girl’s harsh life and tragic death affect Lei deeply. She becomes obsessed—even as the killer is drawn to Lei’s intensity, feeding off her vulnerabilities and toying with her sanity.

Despite her obsession with the case and fear that she’s being stalked, Lei finds herself falling in love for the first time. Steaming volcanoes, black sand beaches and shrouded fern forests are the backdrop to Lei’s quest for answers—and the stalker is closer than she can imagine, as threads of the past tangle in her future. Lei is determined to find the killer—but he knows where to find her first.

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My Review: (No Spoilers)

All potential spoilers marked.

This debut thriller doesn’t ease you into the mystery at hand, but takes off running from the first line and never stops. Even the first sentence is made to grab the readers attention.

“Drowning isn’t pretty, even in paradise”

The pace never slows down for the reader, and I was constantly amazed by the series of plot twists and the way every detail weaved together to create a story line that had me frantically reading to finish. What I enjoyed about this mystery, was how unpredictable it ended up being. Characters I wished to dislike ended up finding their way into my good graces, and those that I initially found to be disagreeable, later became a favorite. I also appreciated the depiction of a strong, young, female character. Although there were times in which I felt annoyance for her paranoiac behavior, I was able to reason why she must act in that manner.

This is not your typical thriller. Very jarring topics such as rape and murder are addressed, and not in a flowery manner. I found this to add to the story, and although none of the descriptions went very in depth, there was just enough to keep you on your seats, and beg for the perpetrator to be caught.

A couple of things that I found to detract from the book were:

1. Lei’s constant sense of mistrust and constant attempts to push people away. I know, this is just part of her character. But often times, this bad girl act became frustrating and I found myself wanting her to have some human feelings rather than constantly chasing after her definition of justice.
2. How many problems were caused just by Lei’s unwillingness to listen. (Is it obvious that most of the problems I had simply stem from Lei’s personality?) Though her pushy, nosy personality helped solve the mystery, I still found it disappointing that so many pages were made up of others fixing her mistakes.
3. The ending. It was to fairy tale-esque. Everything ended perfectly, people ended up where they were supposed to be. And I felt empty when something so suspenseful and exciting came to a screeching halt for a perfect ending.

The Characters:

The main protagonist in this story, Lei served as an amazing central character. She was not only complex, but there were multiple layers to her personality and as Toby Neal did a phenomenal job of putting the reader inside Lei’s head. At first, I found Lei’s brash, tough front annoying. It felt as if she was pushing everyone away, and refusing to trust or listen to others. I greatly abhor these characters, and it takes me a long time for them to grow on me. As Lei’s history slowly was revealed, I was better able to understand the reason behind her callous facade, and this helped greatly in making this thriller more interesting. I especially loved how Neal took his time in revealing Lei’s childhood secrets, as this added to the suspense of the book.

Each supporting character had his/her own unique personality and I found myself falling in love with them. One of my favorite characters in this book was Lei’s dog Keiki.A giant rottweiler that serves to protect Lei, and her only confidante. I felt as if Lei was extremely lucky as she had many people around her that were so willing to help and love her, if she would allow them. The walls that Lei built up to protect herself were frustrating at times, but necessary as you learn of her past. From Pono, her beloved partner in the police force, to her supportive friend Mary and auntie, I found all these characters lovable in their own way. Each had demons they were facing, and problems the had to deal with, but each had great love for Lei, and watching them support her through the times in which she had to deal with intense problems, was touching. (Even if they were quite brash in the way they showed it.)

The characters had real emotions, and expressed them in real ways. Pono’s gruff exterior, through his actions showed his soft, caring interior. *SPOILER* Lei’s aunt, who initially seems to be the perfect aunt taking in her niece, later has a dirty secret revealed. *SPOILER*  and a down to earth therapist all served to spice up the story. This added a more relateable edge to the story which I enjoyed.

The Plot:

I appreciated the fast paced plot, as I was never bored or skimming throughout this book. Neal does an excellent job of introducing various scenarios for the mystery, and each caused me to suspect/mistrust each character. This greatly added to the suspense. However, the downside to this was that it forced Lei to look much to suspecting and at a certain point I began to become annoyed at her obvious distrust towards everyone (except her dog). At no point was the plot ever at a standstill, and each new page seemed like a revelation abut a character. I really wanted to enter the book and help solve the mystery!

I’ll leave the plot review here, as I’m worried I’ll divulge too much and spoil the mystery…

Final Thoughts:

I loved the setting, loved the mystery, and found this book to be everything I expected. So why not the five stars? I felt as if it was too difficult to connect with Lei, and I had problems with her character. But I’ve always had problems with “tough girls” in book, and thus unable to appreciate the book as much as I would have (as I found myself becoming frustrate throughout the book.)

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Quotes

One thing I liked about Lei was how she left little quotes hanging around so that she could read and ground herself in reality. Although the following quotes are not a part of the collection she had, they are little lines that caught my eye.

“It seemed like she was always too little, to late”

That feeling of helplessness and loss of self worth are perfectly summarized in this one line.

“There were apparently still beautiful things in the world”

Even as Lei is surrounded by crime and terrible things, she manages to find beauty and pleasure, which I very much appreciated.

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Have you read any mysteries lately? What mystery do you recommend me? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

wordless wednesday: wanderlust

Hello my lovely friends!

It’s week two of Wordless Wednesday, and this week, we’re looking at places we want to go/places we’ve been to. Anyone can participate, and the main focus is to share aspects of our lives that may not be completely related to books. Each week, I will post a topic for a Wordless Wednesday that you may answer in whatever fashion you may like. All you need to do is link back to kimmiegg in your post so that I can also read your content! (Feel free to use the banner as well.)

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The topic for this week is: Wanderlust – Whats on your travel bucket lists? Or tell of your last travel adventure.

To view a list of topics for the rest of the month, click here

Traveling has always been something I’ve always wanted to do more of. I greatly dislike the huge tours people go on, in which they visit many places in a short period of time. Instead, I enjoy staying in one place and being totally immersed in a new culture so that I can really learn as much as possible about a certain place and get a feel for the atmosphere for wherever I’m staying.

Feel free to go anywhere you’d like with this prompt, and I can’t wait to visit your blogs and see what creative things you come up with 🙂

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Greece

Romantic Sunset in Santorini

I know I should be more specific, but I honestly just want to explore this whole country. We all know of Greece due to their economic crises, but I’ve been in love with this country due to their history, geography and LOOK AT HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS IS! From the architecture to all the various islands, I’d be fine with spending the rest of my life exploring this country. I’d love to study the language if I ever get the chance to have an extended stay in this amazing country. Also, I loveeee Greek food. We have a small restaurant in the town I live in, but I can imagine that it doesn’t do justice to the authentic thing.

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Cancun

Luftbildaufnahmen von Cancun.

For some of you, this picture may be jarring with the juxtaposition of natural beauty and the modernity of humans. Although I’d much rather stay in a more humble abode that isn’t dominated by ulterior motives, I thought this picture was sure thought worthy. My dad has been to many business trips in this area, and my friends have often visited. They always come back with great stories! I love beaches, and I’ve heard that as soon as you go in, you pay a flat fee and then are able to eat whatever you’d like. Thus, the food quality is always great. The only downside, is that locals are unable to share this goodness..

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Sydney, Australia

Sydney, Australia

I know many of the book bloggers that I have met are from Australia, and thus I began some research about the area. I love it. This city is surrounded by the world’s largest natural harbor and I want to go to both the opera and the bridge there. The architecture is just stunning, and if this picture is not screaming at you to come visit, I don’t know what will ever convince you to travel.

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Puerto Rico

El Yunque National Forest

Lastly, a place to appreciate mother nature and the beauty of natural, untouched land, I present to you El Yunque National Forest. I love national parks, and love visiting, but each time I leave, I feel as if I was unable to fully grasp and appreciate the beauty of it all. Exploring and adventuring is always fun, but I believe more time needs to be spent discovering all the amazing secrets to that place.

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Did you enjoy this post? Please consider taking part next week, as I’d love to learn about your art interests. Feel free to use the topics in any way/order you’d like, and I can’t wait to learn more about your non-bookish sides

the versatile blogger award

Hello my lovely friends 🙂

I’m back today with a nomination to another award! I was nominated by the sweet Megan @ bookslayer reads. Although the time I’ve known her is quite short, her blog is really a great place and worth of your visit, so make sure to check her blog out as well!

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Rules

• Show the award on your blog
• Thank the person that has nominated you
• Share 7 different facts about yourself
• Nominate 15 blogs of your choice (I will be nominating five blogs)
• Link your nominees and let them know of your nomination

The rules here are short and sweet so lets go ahead and get started!

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7 Facts About Me

1. My favorite animal is the giraffe. I’m literally obsessed with their elegance, and find them to be so cute! They look so genial, yet regal. One day, I want to become a zookeeper just so I can be near them.
2. I’m very meticulous and obsessive when it comes to watching a TV show. I have to watch every minute in the correct order… I also can’t handle cliffhangers so I always have to stop in the middle of an episode. This is why I can never watch anything with anyone. It’s also why I can only watch a TV show when all the episodes are out.
3. I love food, but I’m not picky. I’ll eat anything and everything, and really can’t tell the difference in the quality of food unless someone points it out to me.
4. Though I follow recipes, I never actually use the designated measurements. Maybe it’s cause I’m too lazy to actually measure things out. Or maybe it’s because I like to pretend I’m a professional chef.
5. I love fashion/lifestyle vloggers. They’re what I watch before falling asleep or during my workouts.
6. I love listening to people talk. Voices are my favorite things about people, and I can normally identify a person by their voices.
7. I can’t remember names to save my life, so if I remember your name, consider yourself honored.

Sorry for boring you with miscellaneous facts about myself, but I hope you enjoyed nonetheless!

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I nominate:

Lashaan and Trang @ Bookidote

Beth @ Reading Every Night

Holly @ Nut Free Nerd

Sammie @ Books and Biros

Donna @ ChocolatenWaffles

These are some of my personal favorite book blogs. They are very worthy of this award, and everyone needs to go check them out 🙂

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What are some facts about you that others may not know? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

review: To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

:: author:: Jenny Han :: published: 2014 :: my rating: 3/5 :: genre: novel :: romance novel :: contemporary :: goodreads

Hello my lovely friends!

Just another shameless plug: my twitter account @_kimmiegg is up and running! I’d love to catch up on your daily lives, and am looking forward to meeting you guys through twitter.

This book has been on my TBR list for a while, due to the plethora of amazing reviews about this book. Furthermore, after learning that it was a book based on a Korean-American family, I immediately included it in my eBook haul. I know many of you have read this book, but I can’t wait to share my thoughts on why this book doesn’t deserve the five stars I wanted to give it with you 🙂

(Since many of you have read this book, I have included a few could-be-spoilers. None divulge main plot twists or details. Read on at your own risk.)

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Synopsis from goodreads:

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

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My Review:

The aspect about this book that I loved was how relateable and realistic Lara Jean (the main character) was. Her struggle with finding love, and maneuvering through relationships, though often immature, were still always in character. I appreciated how Jenny Han included dialogue that was not only there to fill up space, but to provide insight into each personality and really develop each character into something real.

However, there were aspects of this book that made me question the hype.

1. There didn’t seem to be any TRUE romance throughout the book. Especially because the relationship that permeated throughout the book was simply one that was supposed to be fake. I felt as if the various relationships presented in this book served to show Lara’s development. Although the majority of this book was devoted to her interaction with boys, I felt as if no real spark was found between any of them.
2. I disliked how each sister seemed to have a romantic interest in their older sister’s significant other. Sure, it’s better to like your sister’s boyfriend, but not to crush after him… And mutually, if you’re dating someone, please don’t crush on her younger sister.. That’s just so, wrong…

The Characters

Each character is the typical archetype of a middle class family dealing with some sort of problem. In this case, it’s the death of a mother. Starting with the typical overworked father who loves his daughters and is always trying to find ways to give them the love and attention they deserve while trying to figure them out. I loved the attention and effort this father put into raising his family of three girls. Then there’s Margot, the oldest, most mature responsible and organized sister. She is the one who has kept the family together and running smoothly, and it is her departure that throws this book into motion. Kitty is the youngest of the group, and naturally plays one of the most vital (and predictable) parts in this story. Lastly, we have Lara Jean. The protagonist of this story.

Lara Jean is a sheltered, romantic teen trying to make it through the most important years of high school. Not only is she facing the hardships of exceeding her sister’s footsteps, but she has an issue with not ever truly expressing her feelings for others, but rather, choosing to lock them away in a box. In a way, I appreciated this side of Lara, as I found myself being able to relate to her inability to open up and share how she felt with others.

Then of course, we need to add in a troubled friend who always sticks up for the main character. Chris is the typical “this is not a phase mom” character who  helps Lara through her difficult times. To thicken the plot, we add Genevieve, the beautiful, flawless mean girl who adds drama to the story. And her perfect boyfriend, Peter, who enters Lara Jean’s life with a lot of emotional baggage.

The Plot

Although the characters were not very unique and this story was lacking in that department, the plot was very unique. There were times I really had to wonder what was going to happen next, and what choice Lara Jean was going to make. I was also constantly curious as to how each character would react to the actions of others. Because the characters are quite archetypal, I thought I would be able to predict how each of them reacted… Surprisingly, my conjectures were proved false.

Although these small aspects of the plot really made the book, I failed to find much romance. As stated before, I felt as if this book explored more of Lara’s development through failed relationships. When before, Lara measured her ability and worth against her sister Margot, we see her beginning to break free of that. I believe that was the best part of the book, and what made it so readable/relateable.

Ending Thoughts

This book was a light, fun read that I did finish in one sitting. It was hard to put down, and although there were parts that I wish had been dealt with better, I found myself really enjoying this quirky fun romance. *SPOILER*  I was disgusted by how Lara so easily cheated on her sisters boyfriend. Especially after she learned that they had had sex. *SPOILER* All in all, I wish that she had taken more control over her own life, although from my own personal experiences, I can relate to how difficult that could be.

This book was definitely a fun read, but I can’t give it the five star rating that I want to give it for the above reasons. Although I can’t say that I agreed and loved the book 100%, I will be reading the sequel as I have to know how Lara ends up!

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Quotes

“I do this to feign confidence, because the more I fake it, the more it’s supposed to feel true.”

So, this is me all the time, and it really works! Sort of like the smiling theory that if you force yourself to smile, you’ll become happier.

“It’s scary when it’s real. When it’s not just thinking about a person, but, like having  a real live person in front of you, with , like, expectations. And wants.”

Love is a hard concept to grasp, and I think that often we read or watch stuff about it and think we know what love is. That we have a tangible definition only to find that explanation falling apart when we actually fall in love.

“A hundred years ago eighteen-year-old guys were out there fighting wars with bayonets and holding a man’s life n their hands! They lived a lot of life by the time they were our age. What do kids our age know about love and life”

This was said by Peter, and I just had to agree. Context is such a vital part in creating expectations.

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Have you read any books by Jenny Han? What do you think about the book? Have you ever written any love letters yourself? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

101 followers, ramblings, and an update

Hello my lovely friends!

I’m so excited to announce that I have reached my first milestone of 100 followers! (101 to be exact…)

This blog that I started on a whim, has quickly turned into a favorite hobby of mine, and has helped me to appreciate and love books even more. I’m so glad to have been able to connect with all of you and to discover more facets to this corner of the internet. The two months I’ve been blogging have truly been a memorable time in my life and I’ve learned and experienced so much, (even with a month long hiatus in there somewhere)  Thank you for your support and love, and I can’t wait to expand and grow even more.

As most of you know, I will be heading off to college in five days. FIVE DAYS! Although I’m very excited, I’m also immensely nervous for the big change this entails. Through all of this, I’m excited to be bringing along with me, my love for books and blogging.

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Do you  have any advice for college freshman? What are some books I should cram in before leaving? Let me know in the comments below 🙂