The Constellation of Moon

The Girl With Ghost Eyes Review

Posted on May 28, 2018

I love urban fantasy and I have a tendency to forget how much I enjoy it until i finally end up reading a new book and voila!

The Girl With Ghost Eyes by M. H. Boroson

It is 1898 in San Francisco. When a sorcerer mainms Chinatown’s Daoshi exorcist, only his daughter Li-lin can protect the immigrant community. With a peachwood sword and a sarcastic talking eyeball to help her, Li-lin must confront evil spirits, gangsters, and soulstealers before the sorcerer summons an ancient evil that could burn Chinatown to the ground.

Full of creepy Asian monsters and authentic Chinese rituals, this critically acclaimed urban fantasy also tells the story of a young immigrant trying to find her place. In a Chinatown torn between tradition and modernity, one woman might be the key to holding everything together.

Rating:

Even though the synopsis has a slightly misleading bit in it, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. (I chose it because it was recommended by Patricia Briggs, and she’s one of my favourite Urban Fantasy writers).

It starts off with Li-lin meeting a sorcerer and entering very quickly the spirit world, and it gets a bit confusing at first if you’re not completely familiar with Chinese spirit lore (I knew some of it but not as much as there is here). It felt a bit overwhelming at first, and confusing because I kept waiting for the synopsis to happen and it just didn’t so I was doubly confused. However, it got interesting quite quickly and the “complicated bits” got easier and more familiar the more I read.

It was hard to put down as there was a lot of action, and I have to say I absolutely loved the ending and was surprised by several of the twists that happen in the book (and surprising me so much is hard to do nowadays).

Moon recommends

If you like urban fantasy and Chinese folklore, give this book a go. You can also try Written in Red by Anne Bishop, or any book by Patricia Briggs (the first one I read from her was The Hob’s Bargain and it is still one of my favourites).

Book Review

The Travelling Cat Chronicles Review

Posted on May 26, 2018

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

It’s not the journey that counts, but who’s at your side.

Nana, a cat, is devoted to Satoru, his owner. So when Satoru decides to go on a roadtrip one day to find him a new home, Nana is perplexed. They visit Satoru’s old friends from his school days and early youth. His friends may have untidy emotional lives but they are all animal lovers, and they also wonder why Satoru is trying to give his beloved cat away. Until the day Nana suddenly understands a long-held secret about his much-loved owner, and his heart begins to break.

Narrated in turns by Nana and by his owner, this funny, uplifting, heartrending story of a cat is nothing if not profoundly human.

Rating:

A perfect Japanese read (I promise this whole Japanese streak hasn’t been on purpose, it just happened). Best part, it is told from the point of view of the cat, Nana, and it was very interesting.

Nana’s voice is lovely and makes me smile to read all the antics and the way he thinks. But it also makes you wonder what is going in the heads of the humans because you really can’t know it all when it is being seen by a cat’s eyes.

It is also a heartbreaking book, and very beautiful (my edition had one or two illustrations and that made it cuter).

Moon recommends

Check out this wonderful book about a “travelling cat”.

Wrap-ups and Tags

#BeeBrave tag

Posted on May 24, 2018

I am starting this tag with a little prompt from LitJoy Crate (mostly they did a challenge and I turned it into a tag for a blog).

This is about being brave and what has taken a lot of courage for you to do/accomplish/whatever it is. And it is about loving books and being bookish. And there is no too little a thing to be considered being brave.

The rules are simple:

Answer the prompts as best as you can.
Tag a few friends/bloggers.
Congratulate yourself and celebrate your achievements, you are brave 🙂

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Introduce yourself.

Hi everyone, I am Moon. I am a book box addict, massive reader, engineer, artist, crazy person. I live in the UK, have curly hair… I am not sure what else to say about myself?

Tell us one to three things you’ve done that took courage.

First thing that took courage was to move to the UK. I packed all my life into two big suitcases and a smaller one (this last one was full of books), and left my family and friends for this new country. It was hard and it took a while to make friends. Specially since I am shy, but it was also a different culture (kissing everyone on the cheek isn’t exactly normal here).

A second thing that took a lot of courage was leaving a very abusive relationship and becoming instantly homeless, pwithout money and unemployed. It was super scary, and very difficult to do. But somehow and thanks to friends I survived and found a new family. (I didn’t have my family’s support).

Last but not least, it is still taking me courage to come to terms with the fact that I have hypermobility on top a few other things, so I am wrestling with this part at the moment.

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Do you like bees? Why?

I do, and I am not afraid of them (wasps is another story!). I even wanted to have a bee hive in our garden but got a definite no from my boyfriend. Shame 🙁

You are Brave, thanks for sharing! Tag some brave people 😉

I tag Nikki, Maja, Helen, and Beth.

Book Review

Shallow relationships and a possible end of the world

Posted on May 22, 2018

Out of the Blue by Sophie Cameron

Soon after 16 y.o. Jaya’s mom passes, so-called Beings (a.k.a. angels) are starting to fall from the sky. In a pattern that seems random, every now and then a Being falls down to the earth, and towards its own unavoidable death due to the collision. No one knows where the Beings are coming from, or why they’ve started to crash down on the planet. Immense panic breaks out as everyone think’s the world is ending. But as the month’s pass by and nothing happens, everything is pretty much back to normal. For most people, that is.

Jaya’s dad on the other hand soon joins the so-called Wingdings; groups of people connecting through the internet, trying to predict where the next Being is going to land. Searching for answers to life’s existential questions, or just for a lot of money, they decide to gather near Edinburgh, and Jaya and her little sister Rani has no choice but to tag along on their dad’s obsession-like adventure. This soon takes an unpredicted turn, as the fall does happen, but not in a way that anyone would’ve predicted. At the same time Jaya meets the twins Callum and Allie. Allie that’s carrying both a heavy secret, an inside fire burning for change, and maybe also the key to Jaya’s much messed up heart.

Rating: 🐖 🐖

Before I received this book from BookBoxClub I had never heard of it, neither of the author Sophie Cameron, so apart from being curious, I had no expectations for this book. However, I immediately got into the story, as it’s written in a very easy read and fast paced way. If you’re looking for a light summer read while chilling in the hammock, this might just be it.

Even though this wasn’t my favourite read, what I did like about Out of the Blue was the overall plot. The Beings starting to fall, and all of the chaos, hope, fear, but most of all afterthought, the falls creates in both the society as a whole and within the characters of the story. These are some really thought sparking and interesting questions, and I would love to read about them from like four hundred more perspectives. So all of you fanfic writers, I put my faith in you!

As to what I didn’t love, that’s unfortunately a lot. Mostly that even though I quickly got into the book, I was never really into it. Something about the whole depiction of Jaya’s unhappy love story, her feelings about her mom’s death, her relationship to Allie and her father and sister … I never felt it. Maybe it was that same fast paced writing that made the story thrilling that got in the way; I did get the feeling that the relationship part’s of the story was just hurried through, and therefore they did feel a bit shallow. So …

Dr. Bea approves but not without some hesitation

If you’re looking for more angel related adventures, leaning to the fantasy rather than the contemporary side, I strongly recommend the Penryn & the End of Days-trilogy by Susan Ee, starting with the book Angelfall.

Book Review

The House With The Chicken Legs Review

Posted on May 20, 2018

I have a soft spot for Russian fairytales or folklore inspired books, and specially about Baba Yaga, so this book had been in my list for a while until I decided to get and I am so glad I did.

The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson

All 12-year-old Marinka wants is a friend. A real friend. Not like her house with chicken legs. Sure, the house can play games like tag and hide-and-seek, but Marinka longs for a human companion. Someone she can talk to and share secrets with.
But that’s tough when your grandmother is a Yaga, a guardian who guides the dead into the afterlife. It’s even harder when you live in a house that wanders all over the world . . . carrying you with it. Even worse, Marinka is being trained to be a Yaga. That means no school, no parties–and no playmates that stick around for more than a day.
So when Marinka stumbles across the chance to make a real friend, she breaks all the rules . . . with devastating consequences. Her beloved grandmother mysteriously disappears, and it’s up to Marinka to find her–even if it means making a dangerous journey to the afterlife.
With a mix of whimsy, humor, and adventure, this debut novel will wrap itself around your heart and never let go.

Rating:

Let’s start with the fact that this book is cute, and it has illustrations inside. But it is also a book about death and dying. However, never does it feel too heavy or too difficult, it is actually very very enjoyable.

Marinka is trying to figure why she can’t have friends and she is trying to make a life for her own, fighting her “destiny” of becomings a Yaga, a guardian of the Gate. And you see her trying to make her first “living” friend, just to be soon whisked away by the house.

The House, is one of my favourite characters and definitely it has a life of it’s own (part of me wants a house with chicken legs) and that made it a great delight to read. Each character is “alive”(ok, some are dead, but let’s not go into semantics) and real, and that was lovely to read.

I absolutely loved the end of the book and it left me full of hope for Marinka’s and the other character’s future, which was a nice thing. It is definitely a lovely book, and it a lot about growing up, being yourself, finding your passion, but it is also about life and death and what you do with your life.

Moon recommends

Buy and read The House With Chicken Legs right now! Then go read The Bear and The Nightingale, because it is also inspired by Russia, and then go read The Crown’s Game.

Book Review

Japonisme Review

Posted on May 18, 2018

On one of my visits to Waterstones Piccadilly, I stumbled upon several Japanese themed books, with so many choices it was hard to see which one would be more interesting for me to read (and also which one I would actually be interesting in applying to myself).

I did try the Marie Kondo one and wasn’t wowed by it, so I have been wary to do this crazy trend thing (mostly because I already only keep useful or joyful things, try to keep things to minimal except books, tsundoku).

Thankfully while I was browsing online the options, I stumbled upon this little gem. (I say little because it is a relatively little book).

Japonisme by Erin Niimi Longhurst

A Japanese-inspired guide to living a happier, more fulfilled life.

Japonisme explores the Japanese art of finding contentment and includes practical tips and tricks to live a happier, healthier, more thoughtful life.
What is your ikigai (purpose)? How do you practice mindfulness in the unpredictability and chaos of everyday life?
From shinrinyoku (forest bathing), calligraphy, ikebana (fl ower arranging) to tea ceremonies and their approach to food, the Japanese have found contentment through traditions, philosophies, and the practice of art. This book shows how we can all incorporate aspects of Japonisme into our daily lives.
Enhance your lifestyle and enrich your mind by looking at life through the lens of wabi-sabi (the transient nature of life), kintsugi (repairing broken ceramics with gold) or kaizen (habit-forming techniques), in an accessible, practical way.

Rating:

I preordered this little book hoping it’d give me a good panorama of Japanese ways and traditions, and I have to say I was not wrong. It does so beautifully, to the point that it includes tips, ideas and little prompts on how to do some of the things (for example, it has a few recipes).

It felt like a very good summary of all the possible philosophies and ways of life that are unique to the Japanese, and as such, it was a great read, it also helped me think which ones I would like to explore more and which ones I didn’t have much of an interest in. (Not that I don’t, just priorities, basically).

All in all a good read, it was relatively quick to read and easy to do so, and it has a lot of pictures which make it easier on the eyes and also to see the things that are being referred to.

Moon recommends

Checking this lovely book out. Otherwise, you can try Marie Kondo’s tidying method, or go search for other Japanese traditions.

Book Review

Always Forever Maybe Review

Posted on May 16, 2018

This book was kindly provided to me by Shrina from Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review, and I promise this will be one.

Before I start, however, I need to say two warnings:

TW: abuse, gaslighting, manipulation
This review will contain spoilers, I will strike them but just to make you aware.

Always Forever Maybe by Anica Mrose Rissi

When Betts meets Aiden at the candy store where she works, their connection is like a sugar rush to the heart. Betts already knows the two of them are infinite. Inevitable. Destined to become an us.

Betts has only ever kept one secret from her best friend, Jo, but suddenly there’s a long list of things she won’t tell her, things Jo wouldn’t understand. Because Jo doesn’t see how good Aiden is for Betts. She finds him needy. Possessive. Controlling.

She’s wrong. With a love like this, nothing else matters.

Rating:

This book is an intense read, and it excels at that. It was hard for me, since I have been in a relationship similar to the one Aiden and Betts have in the book.

They meet up at a sweets shop and everything is “sweet” at the beginning, but then it becomes a possessive controlling thing. Aiden wants her to spend time with him, gets jealous if she spends time with her family, or her best friends, or whatever happens, he wants all her free time for him.

And he starts playing games with Betts, making her feel guilty for things he says are wrong (they aren’t) and how he can’t cope with all of this. Jo, her best friend, sees things are not okay and tries to help but somehow fails. I do not blame her, it is hard to see once you’re inside a relationship like this, things become blurry and you aren’t ever sure if it is you that’s the one that’s the problem or not.

It was also awful to read how he is violent to her or possessive, and then read how Betts questions her own mind. Part of her knows it is wrong but she feels in love and she thinks this is it, that this is what it should be. It kept breaking my heart to read this, however, I would recommend others to read it, so you don’t fall for a man like Aiden or let him get away with it!

I was also happy that there was no “romance” in the end of the book (yes, I know the book is about Aiden and Betts but there is no “I just ended one relationship, started a new one 3 seconds later”)

Moon recommends

I don’t actually have a specific recommendation, except that if you experience anything like what Betts does here, to reach out to others. And do read this book, you can find it here.

Subscription Boxes

Whimsical Journeys Fairyloot Unboxing

Posted on May 14, 2018

When I saw the theme and that it had a unicorn I couldn’t resist this box from Fairyloot.

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Starting from the theme card and going clockwise, let’s unbox this!:

Theme card, with a unicorn so win for me!
Artwork and authors letter (the letter is on the other side)
Ace of shades badge
Magical Beasts luggage tag by Lovely Owls Books, which I found to be a fun item and useful (part of me doesn’t want to use it because I don’t it to be stolen!)
Themed bookmark
Blackjack Enamel Pin by Taratjah.
Beyond A Darkened Shore by Jessica Leake. This looks right up my street and I am eager to read it!
Fictional Places Print by Fiction Tea Designs.
Narnia Reusable Travel Mug by Ink and Wonder. I was so pleased with this because I only have one now and had been looking into getting a new one. 🙂
Carpe Diem notepad, this was a bit odd and I haven’t read The Darkest Minds, but it is a pad so it will be used/
Leif’s Ship Candle by Flick The Wick, smells delicious and I totally want to burn it forever.

Subscription Boxes

Darlings and Deception LitJoy Crate Unboxing

Posted on May 12, 2018

I admit I had completely forgotten that my LitJoy Crate was on the way, so it was such a nice thing to realise that it was at the post office (it was less nice that postie didn’t leave it at home and made me go pick it up next day, which means waking up at silly o’clock).

Starting from the bottom left corner, and going clockwise:

Theme card, it gives me a Disney vibe and I love it! It also includes a photo challenge, and explanations on why each item was chosen (this is one of my favourite things about LitJoy, they always explain why they chose the items and how they match the theme/book).
Suitors and Sabotage by Cindy Anstey. I didn’t have this book in my radar but it looks interesting and I have instant cover love. It also included a letter from the author and a signed bookplate.
Double-sided colouring page (I love the book side, the other side is flowers).
A Midsummer Night #nofilter, it is a weird and funny amusing look at Shakespeare. Not exactly up my street but interesting nevertheless.
Out of This World Swoon bookmark.
Colouring Pencils to help colour the page (and I like that the box is like a colouring page).
Bee Brave bee pin. This is my absolute favourite item in the box, and I think I got very excited while I was unboxing this particular item. It is so cute and awesome!
Underneath it all is a Marie Antoinette apron, which was awesome because my usual apron is in dire need of repair and I have been in need of a new one, so this came at perfect timing!

I was happily surprised by this box and it was a good way to start the day.

Subscription Boxes

Eat, Drink & Be Merry Fanmail Unboxing

Posted on May 10, 2018

I love food, I have been craving teacakes for the whole previous week due to a book I read (review will come, promise). So food in fiction definitely has an effect on me, what about you guys?

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The fanmail box was full of nice things and I was very pleased with it. Let’s go around clockwise starting on the theme card:

Eat, Drink and Be Merry theme card, it includes shows and activities to see/do/eat.
Fandom Foods book, which has a series of possible foods to cook, from a couple of food nerds which I absolutely love and want to cook from.
A sampler Menu from The Book of Dust, it is all fancy fancy.
Mushu engraved chopsticks, they are metallic and beautiful and the cute engraving is at the top of the chopsticks and they came in a handy sleeve to hold them. Probably my favourite item in the box because I really find Mushu fun.
Three Broomsticks lunch bag(box?), it is insulated which is awesome because it is and I am happy for this since I only have a japanese lunch “bag” and now I have this one too!
Pop’s pot holders, made me very happy because we needed some new ones and it was just awesome!

All in all I was very happy with the box and definitely recommend it if you like fandom things that are thought well.