Book Review – Page 51 – The Constellation of Moon

The List of Real Things Review

Posted on April 24, 2018

The List of Real Things by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

A poignant and big-hearted story about love, loss and believing in the magic of the imagination. The fourth novel from bestselling Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlisted author Sarah Moore Fitzgerald, following BACK TO BLACKBRICK, THE APPLE TART OF HOPE and A VERY GOOD CHANCE.

Grace knows the difference between what’s real and the strange ideas that float around in her little sister’s mind. Their parents died – that’s real. A secret hotel on the cliff-top where their parents are waiting – definitely NOT real. So when grief strikes again, Grace is determined not to let her sister’s outlandish imagination spiral out of control. But the line between truth and fantasy is more complicated than it seems…

Rating:

I won this book on a giveaway by Team BKMRK, and the premise sounded interesting enough. However sadly it didn’t live up much, the story was confusing in trying to “confuse” you yet at the same time leave you wondering.

Gracie seems to love Bee and then she turns on everyone, and it doesn’t make much sense in general, except maybe the fact that everyone is trying to deal with grief in their own particular way and trying to cope with it. That was the bit that saved the book.

It is definitely geared to younger readers rather than older ones which makes it a quick read for me.

(As a note to myself, I am definitely picky with my contemporary reads).

Book Review

Emergency Contact Review

Posted on April 22, 2018

Emergency Contact was a spur of the moment purchase, it sounded interesting, but I hadn’t committed to it and then suddenly I made the decision to preorder it and that was that.

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi

For Penny Lee high school was a total nonevent. Her friends were okay, her grades were fine, and while she somehow managed to land a boyfriend, he doesn’t actually know anything about her. When Penny heads to college in Austin, Texas, to learn how to become a writer, it’s seventy-nine miles and a zillion light years away from everything she can’t wait to leave behind.

Sam’s stuck. Literally, figuratively, emotionally, financially. He works at a café and sleeps there too, on a mattress on the floor of an empty storage room upstairs. He knows that this is the god-awful chapter of his life that will serve as inspiration for when he’s a famous movie director but right this second the seventeen bucks in his checking account and his dying laptop are really testing him.

When Sam and Penny cross paths it’s less meet-cute and more a collision of unbearable awkwardness. Still, they swap numbers and stay in touch—via text—and soon become digitally inseparable, sharing their deepest anxieties and secret dreams without the humiliating weirdness of having to see each other.

Rating:

Warning, I usually avoid spoilers as much as possible in my reviews but this one may include some. I will still try to keep them to a minimum.

I am not the biggest fan of contemporary books, and if I do read them I tend to prefer more “magical realism” or something like that, which this does not have. However, the idea of having an “emergency contact” for panic attacks was a lovely thing (I think it is one of the things that made me preorder this book, not sure but it definitely would’ve since I have had panic attacks).

And both Sam and Penny aren’t perfect, are struggling and are learning to be “adults”, so it was refreshing to read from them, and hey look at that, the parents aren’t conveniently out of the way as such (yes it happens while Penny is in college/university but her mum is definitely a big part in this story).

I was shook when Penny’s “secret” was revealed, not because it was a bad secret but rather because it touched me as I had gone through something similar and I could understand her too well.

All in all, the book left me feeling happy to be alive, wanting to fall in love slowly and just needing an emergency contact.

Moon recommends

Reading Emergency Contact, I literally said to my friends they had to read it because it was so good! Another good book that is contemporary and gave me similar vibes is When My Heart Joins The Thousand, so I recommend reading it if this sounds interesting.

Book Review

The Apprentice Witch Review

Posted on April 20, 2018

This book was lent to me (and recommended) by the lovely Nikki, and I am glad she did.

The Apprentice Witch by James Nicol

Arianwyn has fluffed her witch’s evaluation test.

Awarded the dull bronze disc and continuing as an apprentice – to the glee of her arch-rival, mean girl Gimma – she’s sent to protect the remote, dreary town of Lull.

But her new life is far from boring. Turns out Gimma is the pompous mayor’s favourite niece – and worse, she opens a magical rift in the nearby Great Wood. As Arianwyn struggles with her spells, a mysterious darkness begins to haunt her – and it’s soon clear there’s much more than her pride at stake …

Rating:

This is such a sweet story. It reminded me of Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle (the books), The Little Leftover Witch and a few others, and it was just a cozy fun read.

This doesn’t mean bad things didn’t happen but it just somehow left me with a good feeling inside after reading it. Wyn is a spunky girl with a lot of confusion and lot to prove in a way and then Gimma appears to ruin her already frail position as an Apprentice.

Thankfully Salle is a wonderful friend and I just adored her, as I did all the spirits and creatures and the magic in general that happens in the book. (I do not have a Moon hare as prop but I do have an Easter Bunny).

And one of my favourite things was the twist of the test results. Wonderful indeed.

Moon recommends

Reading The Apprentice Witch and all the books mentioned above, because magic!

Book Review

Flawed Review

Posted on April 18, 2018

I have been trying to cull my “library” of books and also to read through old book box books (This one was part of Owlcrate) so I am reading my way through it.

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Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

You will be punished…

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She’s a model daughter and sister, she’s well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she’s dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan.

But then Celestine encounters a situation where she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found flawed.

In her breathtaking young adult debut, bestselling author Cecelia Ahern depicts a society where perfection is paramount and flaws lead to punishment. And where one young woman decides to take a stand that could cost her everything.

Rating:

I admit I like Cecelia’s writing style and as such, this book already had a few stars in it’s pocket. The premise was quite interesting and reading through it, I felt a vibe of a very moral/religious society that dictates what makes you a saint(perfect) and what doesn’t but that also tends to be partial to whomever is the one who has the judgment voice.

However, the perfection of Celestine and everyone’s “perfection” was hard to believe and also, how do others find out you aren’t perfect if no one tells them? Is that possible? Do you get marked as Flawed only if you are a political/ideological enemy or a way to set an example? (Or like Celestine, in a very public setting where it is impossible to avoid having to judge it).

It also seemed like a critic to the fact that as a society we let things happen because we are trying to be “safe” and not cast out even if it goes against compassion and good values.

It was interesting read but it didn’t wow me nor did it hook me much.

Moon recommends

Flawed and Perfect by Cecelia Ahern (I do like her “adult” books more than her Young Adult ones). If you want a different outlook and more political and more “relevant” to today, try Outwalkers by Fiona Shaw.

Book Review

Wayward 1: String Theory Review

Posted on April 16, 2018

Apparently I have been in a reading craze, and have a lot of stuff to review, so yeah, bear with me.

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Wayward Volume 1: String Theory by Jim Zub, Steve Cummings and John Rauch

Rori Lane is trying to start a new life when she reunites with her mother in Japan, but ancient creatures lurking in the shadows of Tokyo sense something hidden deep within her, threatening everything she holds dear.

Can Rori unlock the secrets of her power before it’s too late?

Rating:

I rushed through this volume, without intending to. And it surprised me. I had added this to my list since I like graphic novels and wanted something to get my eyes into but wasn’t sold on Saga which is what others were raving about (I am more of a Monstress/Fables kinda girl). So I decided to give this a go.

I loved it, it is like a mix of American graphic novels and manga, with all the crazy and nonsense of both and the good artwork too. I quickly liked the characters and wanted to know more about what was happening and as much as you can guess a little where the story goes, it ends up surprising you at times.

I can’t wait to learn more about Rori and her group of misfits.

Moon recommends

As I mentioned above, Monstress is a definitely good one however I will warn you it is not for everyone, and then there is Fables which is more well known. And of course, this lovely first volume.

Book Review

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them: Newt Scamander A Movie Scrapbook Review

Posted on April 14, 2018

Wow, massively long title for a book and today I will deviate from my usual book cover picture because while I read this a happy accident happened. (If you want to see the cover, the book was part of this box).

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Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them: Newt Scamander A Movie Scrapbook by Rick Barba

Learn all about Newt Scamander and the incredible film from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Peer inside Newt Scamander’s enchanted suitcase, encounter marvelous creatures, roam the streets of 1920s New York City, and meet Newt’s fascinating friends! This magical scrapbook takes readers on an interactive adventure through Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Filled with removable artifacts, such as wizarding newspapers, posters, and other fascinating finds, this book has something for everyone!

Rating:

This is an adorable quick read book with the main things about the film and the “world building”. My favourite part was that it had a lot of “interactive” things to play with as you moved through the book, with cards and flip pages and little “secrets” that made it much more enjoyable to leaf through.

And of course, ti is indeed a quick look at the film, but that is helpful when you don’t want an in-depth narrative that covers everything, and this one also includes some comments from the actors and crew so ti was interesting to read bits and pieces from them too.

Moon recommends

This cute book that apparently makes doggies want to read, and of course reading Harry Potter if you haven’t yet because we all need some magic in our lives.

Book Review

The Sketchbook of Loish

Posted on April 12, 2018

This review should be of no surprise to anyone, given my love for Loish’s artwork (I was part of the kickstarter for the first book, ended up buying a PS4 and Horizon Zero Dawn because she was part of the concept art team, and now I was also part of the second book Kickstarter).

The Sketchbook of Loish: Art in progress by Lois van Baarle & 3dTotal

I sadly couldn’t afford a high tier reward, but I was pleased with all the lovely extras it came with. You can see a pack of cards, a bookmark, a colouring book (which is full of gorgeous artwork and the pages are only printed on one side so you don’t ruin the drawing on the opposite side when you choose to colour with something that may transfer to the other side of the page) and some stickers, which I am trying to decide where to stick them and can’t make up my mind.

This is less of a guide book than her first book and more of a collection of her artworks, sketches and how she has worked her way through art. I still loved the details and to see half finished pieces (it feels like you’re getting an insight into the brain of Loish). And I could gush about her artwork for ages, but I will try to be good and not go crazy about it.

If you like artwork, then I highly recommend you check her out and her books too.

Book Review

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns Review

Posted on April 8, 2018

This was one of the books that came in a FairyLoot box a while ago, and I had also had an ARC copy of it.

Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao

An East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend about one peasant girl’s quest to become Empress–and the darkness she must unleash to achieve her destiny.

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high?

Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute.

Rating:

This is a difficult rating and review decision, mostly because I loved the writing, world building and ambience of the book. However, I did not actually love the story. And I just couldn’t get to feel for Xifeng. So to be clear, the “low rating” in this case is more of a “this kind of story/MC doesn’t agree with me, rather than a “this is bad writing” because seriously, that is the furthest away from the truth it could get.

Julie does a masterful work at setting the story in East Asia, and I was hooked with the world, however, the shift of Xifeng never really clicked. She felt a bit like she was being mostly manipulated and never actually made choices, her choices were basically motivated by a “prophecy” of “destiny” and when it shows that she can’t have her cake and eat it, she goes completely against herself because of the Serpent God. That I just couldn’t understand, and Wei perfectly describes her in their last meeting.

All in all, I was fond of Shiro, Wei and the ladies in general, and it was really interesting to read it. Sadly, I knew where the story was going and that it would not be a happy story/ending. I am curious to see the next book and see what goes on with Jade, but then, I think I will prefer Jade as MC than Xifeng, we shall see.

Moon recommends

I am not an antihero reader in general. It’s not that I dislike good villains, but rather than I like villains that either have a good motive or antiheroes that just are in their way of being. The only books that come to mind is And I Darken and the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson. And of course, this one 🙂

Book Review

In Search of Us Review

Posted on April 2, 2018

Another lovely book provided by the publishers in exchange for an honest review, so here we go:

In Search of Us by Ava Dellaira

The author of the beloved Love Letters to the Dead returns with a parallel story of a mother and daughter each at age seventeen. Marilyn’s tale recounts the summer she fell in love and set out on her own path. Angie’s story is about her search for her unknown father.

This sweeping multi-generational love story introduces readers to mother-and-daughter pair Marilyn and Angie. To seventeen-year-old Angie, who is mixed-race, Marilyn is her hardworking, devoted white single mother. But Marilyn was once young, too. When Marilyn was seventeen, she fell in love with Angie’s father, James, who was African-American. But Angie’s never met him, and Marilyn has always told her he died before she was born. When Angie discovers evidence of an uncle she’s never met she starts to wonder: What if her dad is still alive, too? So she sets off on a journey to find him, hitching a ride to LA from her home in New Mexico with her ex-boyfriend, Sam. Along the way, she uncovers some hard truths about herself, her mother, and what truly happened to her father.

Rating:

I started this book without many expectations mostly because I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I admit I wasn’t Angie’s biggest fan all through this, but I did love Marilyn and kept rooting for her.

The story spans through two generations, both of them at 17 and trying to figure out what to do next. Marilyn is trying to go to college while her mother keeps trying to get her to become a model and a wonderful Hollywood success (something that Marilyn isn’t too fussed about). After moving with her uncle, she ends up falling in love and you follow her story alongisde her daughter’s story (Angie).

It was interesting to see the generational change despite them being the same age while they tell their story. And I loved the little quirks of each character that made them their very own. I wasn’t too happy with Marilyn’s decision to move on and hide the truth from Angie, but otherwise, it was a lovely read.

Moon recommends

I’d say if you’re into family tales, try The Dissapearances or The Memory Trees, but In Search of Us is also a good choice (obviously).

Book Review

The Gift of Silence Review

Posted on March 29, 2018

This little book was provided to me thanks to bookbridgr and the publisher, and it took me a while to pick it up (mostly because I wanted to give it the proper attention).

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The Gift of Silence by Kankyo Tannier

Do you struggle to find peace and quiet? Do you yearn to disconnect, find an escape, slow down and just breathe? Are you overwhelmed by modern life?

The simple solution lies in this book.

Rooted in the ancient Zen philosophies that ground her work, French Buddhist nun, Kankyo Tannier, will show you how to channel the power of SILENCE to get back in control of your thoughts and access the refuge that lies in your mind. Using her practical on-the-go tools, you’ll learn how to overcome stress and capture the moments of golden stillness that will transform all areas of your life, for an enhanced wellbeing and sense of fulfilment. Kankyo’s warm and engaging voice, spiritual insights, plus a sprinkling of French charm make this an accessible pleasure to read.

Switch off the noise and discover the calm and comfort you need to navigate this fast-paced world.

Unlock and practise the wisdom of SILENCE; stop surviving, pause, listen, and start thriving.

Rating:

Once I picked it up and actually started reading, I was hooked. I have read other meditation books and similar but most of them make it sound so “easy” when it just doesn’t click for me.

That wasn’t the case with this one. Kankyo actually gives you examples of how she failed and how she struggled and what made the difference in her case, which helps you try to figure out what works best. As I read, silence was more appreciated (I usually do a few of the things she suggests, so it wasn’t new to me, but put together it was a nice read).

I felt like I was chatting with a friend about silence and medcitation rather than a guru, and that made it a lot more approachable, more “human” and just nicer to read. It is also relatively short and full of resources which is a nice turn to it.

Moon recommends

I don’t usually review books similar to hers, so I have to say that I can only recommend hers as it is one I ahve enjoyed reding and found that it reminded me to make pockets of silence and mind peace.