Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley

Hello, everyone! How was your week? The truth is that I have only been thinking about vacations, even though I'm not sure when that will be. Anyway, today it's Friday and so we have our two bookish memes.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

Today, I'm featuring Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, which is a super-famous comic book from 1986. This is one of the comic books that I've been meaning to read for years as it's so influential. For both Book Beginnings and Friday 56 I will be focusing on the first issue of the series.

Book Beginnings

"I've got the home stretch all to myself when readings stop making sense, I switch to manual -- But the computer crosses its own circuits and refuses to let go. I coax it"

This graphic novel begins with a Bruce Wayne that has stopped being Batman for almost a decade. His urge to dress up again and fight crime hasn't gone and he's trying his best to substitute the thrill with other activities. The first panels, that these words come from, show us that Bruce Wayne is taking part in races.

Friday 56

"This should be agony. I should be a mass of aching muscle -- broken, spent, unable to move. And, were I an older man, I surely would... But I'm a man of thirty -- of twenty again. The rain on my chest is a baptism -- I'm born again..."   

In the 56% of the first issue, Batman is back! At this point, Bruce Wayne is supposed to be in his 50s, even though it hasn't been explicitly mentioned. However, when he moves as Batman again he feel younger again. The way he thinks reminds me a bit of Rorschach from Watchmen. Also, the last line "I'm born again" reminds me of another comic Daredevil: Born Again that was written by the same author in the same year as The Dark Knight Returns. 

What are some of your favourite comic books? 

What are some memorable quotes from the books you are currently reading?  

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Love, Rosie, by Cecelia Ahern

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I'm finally beginning to understand that it's summer and I can't wait for the time when I can go to the beach. Anyway, last Sunday, I did a little experiment on myself. To be more precise on my TBR list. I wrote a discussion article on how to declutter your TBR list and I had to try it out. The results were impressive, and it was also a great chance to discover books that I've been meaning to read. So, on today's bookish memes, we are going to take a look at one book I found deep on my TBR list. 

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

So, this week we're looking at some snippets from Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern. According to Goodreads, I placed this book on my TBR list in 2015 and 5 years later, I've yet to read it. But I have a confession to make: I have watched the movie adaptation. I don't really mind spoilers, so it's not going to be a problem for me. Anyway, now that I'm reminded of it, maybe it's time to finally read it. 

Book Beginnings

"To Alex

You are invited to my 7th birthday party on Tuesday the 8th of April in my house"

This novel is supposed to be epistolary, so the story is told in notes, letters, texts, and emails. I'm curious to find out how this form of narrative will work in a modern setting. However, it sounds interesting. From the beginning, we learn that the protagonists are childhood friends, so it's definitely going to be a friends to lovers trope.

Friday 56

"Divorced_1: ...Does your kid look like your ex?

Buttercup: Well thankfully she's not his so, no, she doesn't.

LonelyLady: My goodness, did he know?

Buttercup: Of course he did, I had my daughter years before I met him.

Wildflower: Oh well that's a shame, thought we were onto something good there."

Ok, I'm lost! I arrived at 56% on my Kindle. It seems like I am in the middle of a chat room conversation. I don't know who is who, but my guess is that Buttercup is Rosie. Anyway, the snippet promises a lot of drama, which is always good in a read!

Have you read Love, Rosie? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Slade House by David Mitchell

Hello, everyone! How have you been? I'm busy as ever, but there was no chance I would miss another week of blogging. The previous week, I didn't have the chance to post anything. This one, at least I managed to post another KpopXBooks instalment, this time about the music of SHINee. But with work and the finals for the journalism seminar I was attending I thought I'd lose the Friday memes. Even though I'm a little late, I decided to do them even on a Saturday.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I'm featuring a book by my favourite author, David Mitchell. I've just realized that the release of his upcoming novel is just one month away and I can hardly wait! For the bookish memes, I've chosen Slade House, which is a short horror novel that consists of five interconnected "short stories". You can read in more detail about it on my review. 

Book Beginnings

"Whatever Mum's saying's drowned out by the grimy roar if the bus pulling away, revealing a pub called The Fox and Hounds. The sign shows three beagles cornering a fox. They're about to pounce and rip it apart."

Although I've read this book more than once, I've never realized how grim the imagery at the very beginning really is. Now that I've read it, without continuing to the rest of the page, I believe that it unconsciously sets the right tone for a horror(ish) novel. Of course, we don't learn anything about Nathan and his mother.

Friday 56

"Who gives a shit honestly? I turn off the radio, get out and lock my car. Same space as seven days ago, smack bang outside The Fox and Hounds. What a god-awful day."

So, this snippet from page 56 is from the second short story that takes place 9 years after the first story. The protagonist is different and you can easily understand that by the writing style. Let me fangirl a little and just admire the versatility of David Mitchell's writing. He's done it many times before, but it never ceases to amaze me. This inspector arrives at the same pub, since it is close to the Slade House.

Have you read Slade House? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Girl, Stop Apologizing, by Rachel Hollis

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I have to admit that mine was another hectic one. One of the challenges I face as a freelancer is that no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to make a proper schedule. Once I've settled a bit, more work always pops up and it's always "urgent", so I end up working everyday until late. But today it's Friday and I think I'll have a weekend after a long time (yay)! So, let's do our Friday bookish memes ✨

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I'm featuring a book that I got this week. Last Sunday, on my discussion post, I was talking about how we can diversify our reading. Therefore, I did a small experiment to see how many of the last 10 books I've read were written by female authors. I was disappointed by the answer and now I'm determined to fill my summer reading list with books written by women (although I'm currently reading Highfire). So, I chose to begin with Girl, Stop Apologizing because we all need some motivation sometimes. I have heard mixed things about this books, but I can't wait to read it to find out what I think about it.  

Book Beginnings

"Excuses disguise themselves as any number of things. Some people believe them with all their hearts. They really do think they’re not enough or that they don’t have time or that they’re not a “goal kind of person.” They don’t realize that every time they hold on to these beliefs, not only do they rob themselves of motivation—they give up before they even start. Let’s stop doing that. What are the excuses you’ve been believing? Chances are, one or more of these ideas has lived inside your head as justification for why you’re not able to pursue and chase your dreams. I hope that by digging into what the most common excuses are and why we don’t actually have to give them any power, you’ll be able to break the shackles currently holding you back."

So, this is the introduction of the first part of the book, which is called "Excuses to Let Go of". I guess that this part will explain various excuses that we all make, but in reality stop us from developing and achieving what we are capable of. That's certainly a good way of motivating someone!

Friday 56

"So that was my goal, and the underlying reasoning for it was something I remember thinking at a really early age: When I’m in charge, I can live whatever life I want. When you visualize your future, you have to know where it is you’re trying to get to, and you have to give yourself some motivation to keep you on course. Said another way, you have to know your why. Why does it matter to you?"

Reading this paragraph, I have to admit that I agree with it. However, I haven't read the book and I don't know the context. But if I had to judge from these two snippets, I would expect that this book will make me feel empowered.

Have you read Girl, Stop Apologizing? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Highfire by Eoin Colfer

Hello, everyone! I hope you had a wonderful week! Last Sunday I wrote a post where I discuss my favourite book genres. You can go read it and vote for your favourite ones! Anyway, it's Friday, so it's time for our weekly bookish memes.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I have chosen to feature the book I'm going to start reading next. I have yet to finish The Memory Police, but I have already picked my next read. Do you ever do that? Anyway, the book is Highfire and it's written by Eoin Colfer. I am a huge fan of the Artemis Fowl series and I have to admit that I'm very excited about this one. Highfire though is an adult novel, and I'm curious to see what Eoin Colfer does in this book!

Book Beginnings

"Vern did not trust humans was the long and short of it. Not a single one. He had known many in his life, even liked a few, but in the end they all sold him out to the angry mob."

So... the protagonist of this book is a dragon. Let's take a moment to appreciate that this is an ADULT novel with a dragon protagonist. I'm already into it! I can't wait to read what actually happens in the book.

From the writing style, I can already tell that it's the typical of Eoin Colfer. This makes me believe that Highfire is going to be hilarious.

Friday 56

"Without a doubt the favorite hours in Squib’s jam-packed schedule were those he spent in Vern’s company. He never tired of staring at the dragon’s person, trying to memorize every scale and armored plate, seeing as photographs were absolutely forbidden. This scrutinizing pissed the dragon off a little, but he tolerated it so long as Squib kept the vodka martinis coming."

This snippet is from 56% of the ebook. I have absolutely no idea what's going on. Is Squib a second character? We do learn though the Vern has a soft spot for vodka martinis, so yay for character development (?).  

Have you read Highfire? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

Hello, everyone! How are you? This has been a pretty hectic week, although I still managed to write a review for Howards End. But today it is Friday, and it's time for our weekly bookish memes (yay!). 

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week's book is The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. I'm almost half way through it, and I have to admit that I'm enjoying it. If you've been following this blog, you already know that Yoko Ogawa has written some of my favourite books. As it seems, this book might end up there as well. Until I finish though, I'll share with you some snippets.

Book Beginnings

"I sometimes wonder what was disappeared first—among all the things that have vanished from the island."

So, the premise of this book is that random things are vanishing from everyone's memories. It could happen at any moment. For example, one morning, you wake up and realize that you have no recollection of what a bird is.

This opening sentence manages to perfectly express the premise. We are on an island and things are disappearing. It's intriguing enough to want to learn more.

Friday 56

 “The disappearance of the calendars means that we no longer have any use for days and dates. You know what happens if we keep things around us that should have gone away.” He flipped through the pages at random but apparently had no interest in what was written on them. “We need to get rid of this right away.”

The memory police deals with all the objects that need disappearing, and also that people who still remember everything. Who decides what will disappear next? I guess I will learn later on in this book. This snippet is from 56% of my ebook and it's an intense scene.

Have you read The Memory Police? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Naoko, by Keigo Higashino

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I am finally done with Howards End (it took me a while) and I'm ready to dig into The Police Thief  by Yoko Ogawa. I'll probably share some snippets from it with you the following week! For now, let's take a look at today's memes.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

As I've told you above, I will feature The Memory Police next week, as I want to first dig into it. For today, I have chosen a great Japanese mystery novel. If you like this genre, then you should get acquainted with the work of Keigo Higashino. Naoko was a book recommended to me by a friend and I was instantly fascinated by its story. Even though there is a paranormal element to it, it still is very realisting, thus making it a chilling read. I hope that the quotes from it will give you an idea.

Book Beginnings:

"He didn't see it coming. At all."

This is definitely one of those beginnings, where your attention is instantly captured. Many mysteries follow this technique but I can't complain - it works every single time! There is no better way to put you in a mystery mood, than an opening line that states that something is wrong.

Friday 56:

""Your husband is a murderer!" he cried out.

Everyone in the hall froze still and then time began to move forward as if frame by frame. Mrs. Kajikawa was about to burst into tears and Mrs. Yamamoto held her by the shoulders as she led her out the door. A few people stared at Fujisaki  while others did their best to keep their eyes averted.

It was hard for Heisuke to read the mood of the group.One thing that was certain was that nobody felt redeemed at all by Fujisaki's words. He had clearly gone too far. The group's feelings of solidarity had begun to crumble, and a slight chill pervaded the atmosphere. The elderly woman in the front row looked distinctly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, nobody could go so far as to reproach Fujisaki. All they could do was pretend that they hadn't heard what he'd said." 

So, the protagonist - Heisuke - has lost his wife in a bus accident. At the same accident many other people passed away, and one of them was the driver. The wife of the driver tries to apologize to the survivors, but faces the above reaction. This snippet is a great example of Higashino's writing style. Grief is a big part of Naoko and in the novel we get to see many expressions of this feeling. 

Have you read Naoko? What are some favourite quotes from the books you've been reading?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - A Lover's Discourse, by Roland Barthes

Hello, everyone! Happy May 😊🌸 What have you been reading this week? Today, it's Friday, so you know what this means! It's time for the two fun weekly memes :)

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I have chosen to show you some snippets from a book I've recently read and reviewed. It's called A Lover's Discourse and it was written by Roland Barthes. In essence, A Lover's Discourse is an essay on the language that a lover uses to describe all the nuances of love. It is an interesting and thought-provoking book, even though it's not the easiest read you'll find. 

Anyway, I hope that these snippets will convince you to give it a try!

Book Beginnings:

"The necessity for this book is to be found in the following consideration: that the lover's discourse is today of an extreme solitude. This discourse is spoken, perhaps, by thousands of subjects (who knows?), but warranted by no one; it is completely forsaken by the surrounding languages: ignored, disparaged, or derided by them, severed not only from authority but also from the mechanisms of authority (sciences, techniques, arts)."

This is actually a small part before even the prologue of the book, but it explains perfectly what this book is about. It consists of small chapters, each one explaining a different feeling/expression.

Friday 56:

(Fulfillment means an abolition of inheritances: "...Joy has no need of heirs or of children - Joy wants itself, wants eternity, the repetition of the same things, wants everything to remain eternally the same." The fulfilled lover has no need to write, to transmit, to reproduce.)

So, page 56 only included the above sentence, so here you have it. The truth is that this book is very quotable and I was sure that no matter the page I would turn, I would find something I had underlined. Indeed, the last part of this paragraph was underlined.

Anyway, this way the book of the week. Have you read A Lover's Discourse? What do you think of these quote?

Share with me some quotes from the books you are currently reading! 

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Convenience Store Woman, by Sayaka Murata

Hello, everyone! What have you been reading this week? Today, it's Friday, so you know what this means! It's time for the two fun weekly memes :)

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

This week, I'm presenting you with Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. I'm really into Japanese literature and I was eager to read this book. It is quirky, somewhat dark, but very enjoyable. It is certainly something completely different from what you've been reading. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the quotes from the book!

Book Beginnings:

"A convenience store is a world of sound. From the tinkle of the door chime to the voices of TV celebrities advertising new products over the in-store cable networks, to the calls of the store workers, the beeps of the bar code scanner, the rustle of customers picking up items and placing them in baskets, and the clacking of heels walking around the store. It all blends into the convenience store sound that ceaselessly caresses my eardrums."

In this opening paragraph, we get a very quick description of what a convenience store sounds like. To the protagonist, the convenience store is her sanctuary and so she feels the most comfortable when she is surrounded by these sounds. Of course, later on her life will be turned upside down, but this place is very important.

Friday 56:

"When something was strange, everyone thought they had the right to come stomping in all over your life to figure out why. I found that arrogant and infuriating, not to mention a pain in the neck. Sometimes I even wanted to hit them with a shovel to shut them up, like I did that time in elementary school"

So, in this paragraph taken from page 56 from this book, we discover more about the protagonist's character. This character has a rare condition where she can't understand emotions and her doesn't possess empathy. From a young age she failed to connect to people and so was always socially awkward. Now, she is much older and people keep asking her why she's not married and why she keeps working in a convenience store. (Now that I'm talking about this book, I'm feeling like I should write a review about it).

Anyway, this way the book of the week. Have you read Convenience Store Woman? What do you think of these quote?

Share with me some quotes from the books you are currently reading! 

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - Howards End, by E.M. Foster

Hello, everyone! I hope that lockdown is going well for you. What have you been reading? Today, I return to two Friday fun weekly memes, which I enjoy very much.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

So, this week I have chosen Howards End, by E.M.Foster. This book has been sitting on my shelf for a long time, but I always felt hesitant on picking it up. However, I have just started reading this classic and I have to admit that I'm already hooked.

Book Beginning:

"One may as well begin with Helen's letter to her sister."

I found this opening line very peculiar, to be honest. The first chapter is a series of letters from one sister to another. In those letters, we get to know some basic things about characters that will play a part in the story later on. But if I judge from the other E.M. Foster book I have read (A Room with a View), then this opening line is a good example of his writing style.

Page 56:

“Ruskin had visited Torcello by this time, and was ordering his gondoliers to take him to Murano.  It occurred to him, as he glided over the whispering lagoons, that the power of Nature could not be shortened by the folly, nor her beauty altogether saddened by the misery, of such as Leonard.”

Page 56 takes us in a chapter that introduces us to Leonard - one of the main heroes of the book. In this chapter, we get to know who Leonard and what his situation in life is. He believes that he can break the barrier of his middle-class life through a deeper understanding of the arts and literature. For this reason, he reads Ruskin in this chapter. I rather liked the way that E.M. Foster used the narration of this book in his own narration. I found it unique and refreshing.

Have you read Howards End? Which of classics sits on your TBR list for a long time?

Book Beginnings / Friday 56 - The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams

Hello, everyone! I hope you are well and reading interesting things. Today, I'm participating in two fun weekly memes, which I'm very excited about.

First, we have Book Beginnings on Fridays, hosted by Rose City Reads. In this meme, we have to share the first sentence (or a bit more) from the book we are currently reading. The second meme is called Friday 56 and it is hosted by Freda's Voice. For this one, we have to share a small snippet from a book, taken from page 56 (or 56% on an e-reader).

So, this week I'm presenting you with the book The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams. It is the second installment of the book series Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and it is a hilarious book.

Book Beginning:

"The story so far:

In the beginning the Universe was created.

This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move."

Ok, so I ended up sharing three sentences. However, I wanted you to understand the writing of this book. It has plenty of laugh out loud moments, and it captures you from the very beginning (which as we know is called the Big Bang). Anyway, let's see what page 56 holds for us! 

Page 56:

“Delay?” he cried. “Have you seen the world outside this ship? It’s a wasteland, a desert. Civilization’s been and gone, man. There are no lemon-soaked paper napkins on the way from anywhere!”

“The statistical likelihood,” continued the autopilot primly, “is that other civilizations will arise. There will one day be lemon-soaked paper napkins. Till then there will be a short delay. Please return to your seat.”

Page 56 takes us in the middle of the action. It's a strange place and a strange situation that Zaphod Beeblebrox finds himself in. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series is funny because it features some of the more absurd situations, and this particular scene is definitely one of them.

Have you read any of the books of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series? Which was one of the funniest books you have read?

The Reading Book Post, November 30th

Hello, everyone! The last day of autumn is here and I'm ready for the winter and the holiday season (I know it's early, but I can't wait for Christmas to arrive). Anyway, like every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• Hatchards, the oldest bookshop in London, released a list of the best novels of the last 200 years, After this list, they asked all the customers to vote, in order to decide which one of them is the best. The results are finally announced and the readers have chosen The Warden by Anthony Trollope as their favourite novel of the last 200 years.

• The Ladybird book series is getting an adult remake! Penguin has released eight news instalments for the series, which will be penned by Joel Morris and Jason Hazeley.They were published on November 19.

• A new audiobook version of Pride and Prejudice is been prepared, narrated by Rosamund Pike. You can listen to a small recording!

• A list of the best-selling manga for 2015 is now available. There is no surprise here, as One Piece was the top-selling manga for the seventh year in a row.

• Those of you who have read Oliver Twist are familiar with Fagin. This character is said to be based on a real-life figure named Isaac "Ikey" Solomon. You can read his story in this very interesting article.   

• What Book Universe Do You Belong In? Take the quiz to find out! I got Wonderland, how about you?

Weeckies: The Door in the Wall by H.G. Wells

Hello, everybody! This week's short story is The Door in the Wall by H.G. Wells. It was first published in 1911 in the collection The Door in the Wall, and Other Stories. But the edition I read is none other than Penguin's Little Black Classics #77, A Slip Under the Microscope. 

I've enjoyed immensely the H.G. Wells' novels that I've read, The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man. Also, The Door in the Wall wasn't my first attempt to read Wells' short stories, since I've read Empire of the Ants, and Other Stories. So, I had an idea what to expect although this story isn't as hard science fiction as are some of the author's other stories.                                                                                                                                                           Lionel, a promising politician, confides in his friend a secret that he carries almost all of his life. When he was just a little boy, he wandered alone and found a white wall and a green door. His urge to enter this door was so great that in the end he ended up opening it. It turned out that the door led to a different world with a different quality, a warmer, more penetrating and mellower light. After this experience, he tried to find this door again but he couldn't. It only appeared to him at random moments and for one reason or another he didn't open it again. The knowledge of what he was missing was devastating to him.

Only one person is of interest in The Door in the Wall and that is Lionel. For this reason, we learn nothing about the narrator of the story. He is just the one that passes along the story, without judging or offering his own view. Indeed, the reader is the one to ultimately decide whether Lionel's story was real or fantasy. The reactions of the politician are intense, the agony and frustration that this door makes him feel seem real. But this is an extraordinary story, something that cannot be explained with science and the mind can't quite grasp.

   We see our world fair and common, the hoarding and the pit. By our daylight standard he walked out of security into darkness, danger, and death.    But did he see like that? 

Confession Saturday: Dear Jane Eyre

Hello, everyone! Confession Saturday is a weekly feature, in which we will have the chance to express our feelings towards certain characters. This time of the week we will choose one character and write to him/her about all the things we would like to say. We can explain why we like or dislike each character, which of his/her actions we don't understand and generally whatever comes to mind. 

This week, my letter will be addressed to none other than Jane Eyre, the beloved protagonist of the novel with the same name by Charlotte Bronte. I've always felt a great admiration for Jane, you might even say that she is one of my role models. 

Dear Jane,

I admire you! From the very beginning, you had a difficult life. Nothing was given to you and the way your aunt and cousins treated you was just awful. But you worked hard and you became a woman of her own mind. You never hesitated to speak out your mind and how beautiful it proved to be!

You got mixed in a really complicated situation with Mr. Rochester. You fell in love and you almost reached happiness, but reality hit you and you had to make an important decision. This is one of the things that I try to adopt in my life. You could stay with Mr. Rochester and become his mistress, but instead you chose to leave him, although he begged you to stay. I love the way that you demanded what was right to you. You were certainly hurt, but you followed your beliefs. 

The strength of your mind wasn't born by your status or your riches. You were determined enough to cultivate yourself. And being a woman in that time was difficult. I love how you had the courage to say to your lover and employer the courage to say that you are "a free human with an independent will". I wish I can be more like you in the future.

Yours,

Aeriko 

The Reading Book Post, November 16th

Hello, everybody! It's been a pretty busy week for me, but I'm very content with the results of my efforts. I've settled down in my new apartment and I've found a job that I'm very interested in. Anyway, as every Monday, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• So, Amazon has released the list of the 100 Best Books of 2015, according to its editors. Number 1 is Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies. Is your favourite book of the year (so far) in the list? Which one would you add?

• An unpublished short story AND a poem by Charlotte Brontë? Yes, please! The Brontë Society has discovered the manuscripts inside a much-treasured book by Charlotte's mother.

• You can now see the cover of the upcoming novel of John Corey Whaley, Illogical Behavior, which is stunning! You can also read an exclusive excerpt from the novel, which is due on May 10, 2016.

• Author Josh Spero has an amazing concept for his upcoming book, Second-Hand Stories. He tracks down the previous owners of books he got at second-hand bookshops. Second-Hand Stories will be released on November 25, 2015 and I can't wait! 

• Any Quentin Tarantino fan? Well, I've got news for you. The director has collaborated with Playboy and the artist Zach Meyer, in order to create a comic set in the same world of his upcoming film The Hateful Eight. The comic is only 8 pages long and it's supposed to work as a sneak peak of the film. You can read it online, right now!

• Which Famous Author Should Write Your Biography? Take the quiz to find out! I got Johnathan Safran Foer, which one did you get?

Weeckies: During the Dance by Mark Lawrence

Hello, everybody! This week our short story is none other than During the Dance by Mark Lawrence. You can find it and read it for free on Amazon and you can also listen to the audiobook, read by T.O. Munro. It's a short story written on 2004, after the birth of the author's fourth child, which is very disabled. 

During the Dance is a short story about 2000 words long. But, despite its length, it manages to be a very emotional journey. Many of you might be familiar with Mark Lawrence, author of series such as The Broken Empire and The Red Queen's War. The writing style is totally different, yet it's still magnificent.                                                                                                                                             The story is about a boy and his little sister, who is able to see other people's auras in the form of tiny people. She is a very energetic girl, one that could make everybody's day and she's constantly talking about the creatures she sees, or dancers as she calls them. She can even predict things that will happen based on what these creatures tell her. But there was only one problem, she can't see her brother's dancer because he doesn't let it out.                                                                                                               

During the Dance is a story about memories, loss and embracing who you are. It's a really quick read, but one I can guarantee that it will linger on your mind for much longer. It can surely touch anyone who happens to read it, so if you have a few minutes give it a chance. It was also great to see another side of Mark Lawrence. 

Weeckies: How the Marquis Got His Coat Back by Neil Gaiman

Hello, everybody! I've been preparing this feature for quite some time and today it's finally the day for the first post. In Weeckies, which is a mixture of weekly and quickies, I'll be talking about short stories. For the first week of Weeckies, I have chosen a story by one of my favourite authors, Neil Gaiman. It's called How The Marquis Got His Coat Back and you can find in the short story collection Rogues which was co-edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois.

If you're a Neil Gaiman fan, then the title of this short story alone lets you know that we have the return of a character previously known to us. The Marquis refers, of course, to Marquis de Carabas, a character that first appeared in Neverwhere. I was more than happy to read more of his adventures, as Marquis is one of the characters I instantly liked from the novel. Plus, returning to London Below was more than appealing to me. It's a totally different world located below London simultaneously to our own and has its own rules. The paths of London Below are not the paths of London Above: they rely to no little extent on things like belief and opinion and tradition as much as they rely upon the realities of maps.   

But don't worry if you haven't read Neverwhere. This short story takes place after the novel and it just borrows the fact that the Marquis lost his coat (I'm not going to reveal anything more, as I'm urging you to pick up Neverwhere). What is so special about this coat anyway? It's what gives Marquis the confidence to be the person who has become. Someone that reminds a picture of a cat wearing two boots. Indeed, without it Marquis de Carabas seems a little lost. He has at times his usual wit, but going in the dangerous territory of Shepherd's Bush with even an obvious plan? That's unheard! Marquis was always the one that out planned everybody, he could get to places and obtain things that were impossible. In this short story, though, he has an unlikely ally: his brother Peregrine. From the little we encounter him, he picked my interest and I'd gladly find out more about him. 

All in all, this was an excellent short story, about 30 pages long. Despite its length, it managed to suck me into this unique world of London Below. The truth is that it made me want to re-read Neverwhere. It also made me realize that I'd love to read more stories about the adventures of Marquis de Carabas, he is a favourite of mine after all. 

The Reading Book Post, October 26th

Hello, everyone! I'm back! It took me longer than I expected but due to technical problems, I couldn't really help it. But I've prepared many exciting things for the following week, so wait for them. With a few weeks' absent. let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• A map of Middle Earth annotated by Tolkien himself was found inside a copy of The Lord of the Rings. The copy belongs to the illustrator Pauline Baynes. Through this map we learn, for example, that Hobbiton is at the same latitude as Oxford. 

• The cover of the upcoming Stephen King novel was revealed last week. The novel will be called End of Watch and it is due on June 7th, 2016. I have to admit that this cover has left an impression on me!

• On October 20 we celebrated the National Day on Writing. On this day, many authors used the hashtag #WhyIWrite on twitter. Very interesting thought! 

• We also have some Mark Millar news this week (Yay!). The creator announced that sequels for his well-known works are under their way. So we should expect Chrononauts 2: Futureshock on July 2016, Jupiter's Legacy in the spring and Hit-Girl, although this will be written by a new author.

• Until now, we thought that a sketch by Charlotte Bronte that was found on her school atlas was the picture of a classmate. Now experts say that it might be a portrait of the author herself, years before she wrote Jane Eyre. There is indeed a similar scene in the novel.

• The hotel that inspired The Shining will be turned into the world's first horror museum. Until now, it hosted the Stanley Film Festival. Now that's a thing I'd like to see!

• The Girl in the Spider's Web was published last September. But fans of the Millenium series rejoice: David Lagercrantz has just revealed that there will be at least two more sequels. I'm curious!

• Tomorrow the long-awaited new novel by David Mitchell will be published. The novel will be called The Slade House and it's a ghost story. But read this interview of the writer talking about it.

• Just for fun! This is a random plot generator. You just insert some random facts and it generates a plot. I chose a horror story and the result was really funny (we're talking about a killer pot here!). Try it out and let me know the result! 

• How Would You Die in a Stephen King Horror? Take this creepy quiz to find out! I got that I would be sacrificed by the religiously fanatic kids from Children of the Corn. What did you get?

Thursday Quotables: Assassin's Creed, Renaissance

Hello, everyone! Welcome to Thursday Quotables! This weekly feature is hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies. Every week we highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.

So, this week I'll share with you a passage from the first book of the Assassin's Creed series, Renaissance (2009) by Oliver Bowden. This is the first time that we see Ezio climb the walls, which is also a very important element in the game.

By the time Ezio had reached the rooftops, his brother was twenty yards ahead. He set off in pursuit, his pain forgotten in the adrenaline-fuelled excitement of the chase. Then he saw Federico take an almighty leap across a pitch-black void, to land lightly on the flat roof of a grey palazzo slightly below the level of the one he had jumped from. He ran a little further and waited. Ezio felt a glimmer of fear as the chasm of the street eight stories below loomed before him, but he knew that he would die rather than hesitate in front of his brother, and so, summoning up his courage, he took a massive leap of faith, seeing, as he soared across, the hard granite cobbles in the moonlight far beneath his feet as they flailed the air. For a split second, he wondered of he'd judged it right, as the hard grey wall of the palazzo seemed to rise up to meet him, but then, somehow, it sank below him and he was on the new roof, sprawling slightly it was true, but still on his feet, and elated, though breathing hard. 

Have you read any of the Assassin's Creed books? Have you played any of the games?

The Reading Book Post, September 21st

Hello, everyone! How was your week? I'm in the mood for fall, hot tea and lots of books and finally it's started to get chillier. Anyway, let's see what happened in the literary world the previous week.

• It's Stephen King's birthday today! To celebrate let's take a look to 20 things we probably didn't know about the famous author. I sure didn't know some of them and I really really with that Danny Boyle would make a remake of Pet Sematary.

• But today, I have some more Stephen King to share with you. In this video, the writer is talking with Lee Child about the latter's very successful (and I have to admit favourite) series of books, Jack Reacher. Hurray!

• The seventh novel of Kate DiCamillo will be published on April 12, 2016. The novel will be called Raymie Nightingale and you can read an exclusive excerpt. Plus the cover is so beautiful! 

• Another exclusive excerpt you can read right now is from the upcoming novel of Ruta Sepetys, which is call Salt to the Sea. The book will be published on February 2, 2016.

• Sad news this week. Jackie Collins has passed away at the age of 77. Some of her most popular novels are Lucky, Hollywood Wives and  Rock Star.

• More than 40 authors have signed a letter addressed to Xi Jinping concerning the freedom of expression in China. Among the authors are Neil Gaiman, Jonathan Franzen and Ian McEwan.

• Any John Green fans? You can watch his TED talk on Paper Towns and Why Learning is Awesome. Very interesting talk.

• My favourite article this week is about folklore (as you may know I love folklore). English Magic: how folklore haunts the British landscape. Check it out!

• A vending machine that delivers random used books? Yes, please! Biblio-mat is such a great idea...

• This week's quiz is a little tricky! Is it a Twilight quote or a Fifty Shades of Grey quote? I have to admit that I had trouble with some of these.