welcometomylibrary
reading makes me happy
my personal book blog.
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Keep or Dump: Night Cycles (Poetry for a Dark Night of the Soul)
Night Cycles (Poetry for A Dark Night of the Soul) by Elizabeth Wilder is a collection of spiritual poems.
Pros:
beautiful cover
Cons:
had to DNF after 34 pages
had no idea what was being said
very short book (at least 100 pages, not worth the price I paid tbh)
1.0. I can’t even remember what the poems were about, but I do remember DNFing it because I didn’t understand what was being said. It just wasn’t for me. DUMP
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Keep or Dump: Wolf Bride (Lust in the Tudor Court)
Wolf Bride (Lust in the Tudor Court) by Elizabeth Moss is about a love story that blooms during the scandal of Queen Anne Boleyn. Lord Wolf, a seasoned soldier of King Henry VIII, has come to the court to claim his bride. Eloise, a lady-in-waiting of Queen Anne's, is shocked to learn her father has given her away to a man she barely knows. Eloise refuses to submit to this man, but with one seductive kiss from Lord Wolf, desire erupts within her. However, when King Henry VIII accuses Queen Anne of treason, her close friends and servants, including Eloise, are scrutinized. Wolf is determined to save his new bride from the same fate as the queen and the eyes of the lustful king. As Wolf and Eloise navigate and evade the spies of the court, they passionately fall in love.
Pros:
got the discreet cover though the other cover is hotter
really enjoyed this
has two narratives from Wolf and Eloise
liked Wolf and Eloise despite them both being very stubborn
liked Wolf's friend Hugh (he's a side character that gets the most screen time)
liked how secretive the characters had to be during and after hours of the court to avoid suspicion
Wolf and Eloise are attracted to each other but have their problems to work out on their own and together
lots of smut
happy ending for them
Cons:
there is an age gap between Wolf and Eloise. Their ages are never specific, but I suspect it's at least a 10-year difference. It's mentioned that Wolf is somewhere around 30 years old and Eloise is at least older than 18.
does Wolf even have a first name? I never saw it mentioned...
Wolf still holds resentment towards the first woman who rejected him, which is probably why he doesn't care for Eloise's feelings at first. He dislikes when Eloise disobeys him, and has a jealous streak whenever Eloise speaks to another man.
Eloise is upset at the idea of being married to breed heirs and not love. She enjoys being dominated by Wolf in the bedroom but is resentful whenever he treats her coldly and when he is rude towards her. She is often hot or cold with him and has trouble speaking her mind. She is also jealous of the woman Wolf had loved before her even though Wolf has moved on...
really felt and cried for Eloise when she was humiliated by Wolf in front of the King, though it was all done for her sake (Wolf wanted to make sure the King had no interest in Eloise so he called her cold in bed while kissing another woman). That was an awful moment. (he makes it up to her later but yeah...that stung)
Queen Anne is a background character but Henry VIII is active in the storyline
4.5. I really enjoyed this. I became invested in the love story and the court life surrounding them. KEEP
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Keep or Dump: Hitty (Her First Hundred Years)
Rachel Field’s Hitty: Her First One Hundred Years is an illustrated children’s book by Rosemary Wells and Susan Jeffers based on the 1930s book by Rachel Field. It is about a doll named Hitty, who encounters many adventures with different owners throughout the years.
Pros:
the book is huge
liked Hitty (she was charming. felt sorry for her whenever she was treated badly too)
liked the story, enjoyed the different owners she was with, how she gave them hope and happiness just for being there.
liked the pictures
makes me want to try out the original book someday
Cons:
wished she had ended up with a new home at the end but she seemed hopeful (she’s in an antique shop and is noticed by someone that she remembers from her past and they plan to buy her but then the story ends....that’s it?)
3.5. It’s been a while since I read this but I do remember it being a charming book and I recommend it. The ending is a bummer, though, which affected my rating. DUMP
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Manga Review: The Young Master’s Revenge (Complete Series)
The Young Master’s Revenge by Meca Tanaka is about Leo, a boy humiliated by Tenma, a shelter-rich girl during their childhood. Now returning from overseas and heir to a successful business, Leo plans to exact his revenge on his childhood friend with a foolproof plan- get Tenma to fall hopelessly in love with him so he can dump her and break her heart, but things don’t go as planned. Having lost her fortune, Tenma becomes a target for bullying among her peers, leaving it up to Leo to use his good looks, friendly demeanor, and other resources to protect her. Despite her losses, Tenma is graceful, resilient, and kind towards everyone, including Leo. She acknowledges Leo’s devious plans for her, though Leo is annoyed that she doesn’t take them as seriously as he hoped. As the two deal with school shenanigans, romantic suitors, and snooty relatives, they re-evaluate their feelings for each other. Leo finally understands his true feelings for Tenma. Tenma realizes that she loves Leo and wants to stay with him.
It’s a cute series with a silly cast: the main characters are Leo, Tenma, and Virgo, Leo's dog. Side characters pop up now and then. The Rose King is the most consistent side character though and plays a huge part in helping Leo and Tenma fall in love.
The majority of the story is in Leo’s narrative, but we get insight into Tenma’s thoughts and feelings once she realizes her feelings for Leo.
The manga spans over 4 volumes with 22 chapters.
I love this series. It’s a fun, light-hearted romantic comedy with gleaming artwork (the eyes are always shiny) and a happy ending. BTW Virgo is best dog ever!
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Manga Review: Nodame Cantabile (Complete Series)
Nodame Cantabile by Tomoko Ninomiya is about Chiaki, a talented music student who dreams of conducting an orchestra in Europe among the elites. But due to a terrifying experience, he is afraid of flying and thus is stuck in Japan. When it comes to music, Chiaki is a perfectionist and is therefore highly critical of everyone's music until he hears Nodame's piano. Nodame is an eccentric and unkempt girl who loves to play piano her way. She falls for Chiaki fast and attaches herself to him. Though it irritates Chiaki, he becomes fond of Nodame's playing and eventually Nodame herself.
The overall manga series is separated into three parts: Nodame Cantabile when they are music students in Japan, Nodame Cantabile: Paris Hen when they are studying in Europe, and Nodame Cantabile: Opera Hen when they are studying opera.
It is a fun romantic comedy series with a quirky cast of characters who experience trials and errors as musicians while the relationship between Chiaki and Nodame slowly evolves.
I enjoyed the series, but I have some personal issues with it. For one thing, Chiaki can be very mean and quite abusive towards Nodame, but it's all comical. There were also times when he would choose someone else over her whenever it came to music. This always annoyed me the most about Chiaki, but Nodame is loyal to him, and while it's not always obvious, Chiaki does show love to Nodame.
As for the artwork, I find it to be a mix of simple and detailed work but it’s really the facial expressions that will catch your eye. (They’re hilarious!)
Highly recommend watching the anime to appreciate the music.
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currently reading
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Keep or Dump: The Witch and the Tsar
The Witch and the Tsar by Olesya Salnikova Gilmore is a retelling on the legend of Baba Yaga from Slavic/Russian folklore. Yaga is an immortal woman who lives in the woods, away from humanity. When her friend Anastasia, the wife of the Tsar, visits her for healing and protection, Yaga discovers Anastasia is being poisoned. To protect her friend and the fate of Russia, Yaga travels to Moscow, where Tsar Ivan, soon to be Ivan the Terrible, reigns court. Tsar Ivan grows more violent and unstable in the following months, but unbeknown to him and Yaga, a sinister force is watching and waiting for Ivan the Terrible to emerge and wreck chaos across Russia.
Trigger Warning: gruesome animal death
Pros:
eye-catching cover
interesting premise (this is my first time reading a retelling on Baba Yaga and on Russian history)
liked the heroine Yaga (a kind, independent woman who was a healer and communicated with animals)
liked the writing
includes glossary for real people, mythical creatures/ gods, and places
Cons:
had surprising gruesome animal death. (r.i.p. little kitty and mice.)
Anastasia dies (I was upset this happened and it sort of killed my mood wanting to finish this, but I still continued)
though important for the storyline, I did not care about the interlude chapters that revolved around the mysterious character ( felt like the chapters ruined the flow of Yaga’s story)
story is slow pace and takes place over the years...
DNF at page 147
i was already losing interest due to the slow pace but then when Yaga began her training, I gave up (it was so boring)
1.5. So many time skips and yet still had a slow pace, I couldn’t stand it anymore. DUMP
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Keep or Dump: Beneath the Moon
Beneath the Moon: Fairytales, Myths, and Divine Stories from Around the World by Yoshi Yoshitani is a collection of famous fairytales, local legends, and stories from around the world, retold by the author and accompanied with beautiful illustrations.
Pros:
beautiful cover (bright and colorful that immediately captures your attention)
love the artwork for each story (liked that is was inspired from the tarot including stars, swords, cups and coins)
each story had a two-page spread; one for the artwork and the other for the story
the writing was simple
some stories I recognized while others I didn't know
most stories had happy endings
enjoyed many of the stories mentioned
great introduction to different folktales around the world
Cons:
some of the stories were sad (the little match girl is always depressing)
some stories didn’t make sense (I have no knowledge if some of them are shorten but considering they only have one page that summarizes them, I suspect not all stories are fully explored)
noticed how one particular fairytale is rewritten to be safer for the readers (I appreciated that)
4.5. Worth the read, especially for the artwork. KEEP
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Keep or Dump: Snow Country
Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata is about a man who travels to an isolated mountain covered in snow to spend time with a lowly geisha though their relationship has no future.
Pros:
beautiful cover
interesting premise
Cons:
DNF at page 40
dull writing
i have no idea what was going on between Shimura and the woman who I assumed was Komako because her name isn’t even mentioned when she is introduced
Shimura and Komako made no sense whenever they talked, constantly changing the topics or no flow of any conversation
both of them seem stubborn with each other and Komako was overly dramatic
i tried keeping up with this but could not comprehend what was happening so gave up
1.0. This was a let down. DUMP
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Keep or Dump: Anatomy (A Love Story)
Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz is about Hazel, a well-bred lady who is determined to be a surgeon despite the obstacles in her way. Jack is a resurrection man, digging up graves to make a living. When the two meet, Jack helps Hazel sneak into the operating theater to watch the famous Dr. Beecham's surgical presentation. Afterward, Hazel disguises herself to attend his classes but is soon discovered and kicked out. However, when she makes a deal with Dr. Beecham that she can still pass the surgeon exam, she will be allowed to enroll officially. To continue her studies, Hazel enlists the help of Jack to bring her corpses so she can study them. Due to the mysterious disappearances of other resurrection men, Jack is reluctant to dig anymore, but Hazel is determined and even offers her help in grave robbing. The two become partners in crime, but as they work together, they also grow closer and fall in love.
Trigger Warning: lots of blood, detailed gory body parts, poverty, sickness, death, rotting death, sexual assault (forced kiss), and animal death
Pros:
beautiful cover
interesting premise
includes narratives from both Hazel and Jack (Hazel’s was more prominent )
kept me interested from start to finish
Cons:
slow pace in the first half, fast pace in the last half
did not care about the characters
did not like the heroine (she was smart and had her good moments when she was helping the sick but often times I found her arrogant, ungrateful and even rude though mostly it was towards her mother or fiancée)
I know that she was an oppress girl living in a man’s world and wanted to go against the odds but I still saw her as a rich privilege girl. (maybe I just didn’t find her that likeable or relatable therefore I didn’t care about her or her problems)
there’s a conversation where Hazel’s mother tells her that marriage is her only way of survival because there’s little options for unmarried women and Hazel takes it as her mother only wants to marry her off to get rid of her (I get where Hazel’s coming from but I also get where the mother is coming from so it bothered me that that’s how Hazel took her mother’s warning...)
also how the hell her mother leaves her alone in a castle with a small staff without a chaperone? That made no sense.
Jack was a poor, romantic guy that didn’t have much going on except supporting the heroine (which is nice for a love interest but I expected him to be more of a main character since he had his own narrative)
the writing is more descriptive of what they're doing than what they're thinking (like I was reading their actions instead their inner feelings or personal thoughts)
Jack’s Pov collided with Hazel’s. One paragraph it’s Jack, next is Hazel’s.
did not care about the romance. was not even the main focus of the story despite the title
it seemed like it was attraction-at-first-sight since they did notice each other far away but they don’t interact until later in the story. then when they’re working together there’s more attraction and mutual trust all of a sudden trust. Not bonding moments at all
also imo I don’t find anything romantic about kissing in someone else’s grave
only towards the end do we see more of their romance (because Jack is more of the romantic, he vocalizes his love for her more often while Hazel makes a huge grand gesture for him)
Bernard was a creep/ jerk/ not a good guy (not only forcing that kiss but also the underhanded shit he did to Jack)
didn’t like the way Hazel handled her engagement with Bernard. She was engaged to him yet still romantically involved with Jack (by then they were already kissing and such.) I don’t like cheating unless I can support the couple and I certainly didn’t like Bernard either but I still wasn’t happy with how this situation developed (I don’t know what else she could have done in this situation except agree with the engagement and deal with it when the time came but still, it was messy)
biggest upset is that Chapters 24-26 are repeated! I can forgive a typo in a character’s name but how the hell someone miss this?? Maybe my book is a messed up copy (I don’t see anyone else mentioning this)
unsatisfying ending (not only do the bad guys get away with the shit they did, they pin everything on Jack. Then that whole plot twist with alchemy and immortal potion...and Jack and Hazel not being together though they still love each other...
apparently there’s a second book but I do not see myself continuing with this series.
2.0. I couldn’t vibe with heroine or the romance and lost interest in the plot. DUMP
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Monthly Book Count
January:
Read a total of 5 books (2 DNFs)
3 KEEPs and 2 DUMPs
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Keep or Dump: The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is about Mary, a miserable girl, who moves to England to live in her uncle’s grand mansion in the Yorkshire Moors after the death of her parents. With her uncle gone all the time and nothing to do inside the house, Mary spends her time outside on the moors. She befriends a small robin who shows her the way to a mysterious secret garden, untouched for ten years. The discovery brings a miraculous change in Mary as she sets out to restore life in the garden once again. But when Mary discovers another dark secret in the mansion, she will need the help of the magic garden to bring this secret into the world.
Pros:
beautiful cover (this is the Chiltern Edition)
listened to the audible version
quite different from the 1998 movie (Mrs. Medlock isn’t a cruel antagonist as she is in the movie)
loved Mary (she was spoiled brat in the beginning due to never being loved and cherish by her parents or by anyone else but being at the Moors really helped her grow into a better person)
loved her growth but still won’t be pushed around, not even by Colin
liked all the characters (even Colin when he grows out of his tantrums)
Dickon is absolutely sweet and kind
enjoyed the story when it focused on Mary
liked when mentions nature and animals were described
Cons:
there was a racist conversation between Mary and Martha that was unnecessary (this was written back in the day)
ending half was boring when it began to focus more on Colin
disappointed with the ending (it only focused on Colin and his reunion with his father while Mary is not mentioned.)
wish there was at least a resolution with Mary like the 1998 movie did. She was the one who found the garden and indirectly helped Colin and his father reunite
4.0. Disappointed by the ending but still liked it. I really did enjoy Mary’s transformation the most. KEEP
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Keep or Dump: Good Vibes, Good Life
Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self Love is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King is a self-help book that can inspire anyone to live a positive lifestyle and mindset by using the Law of Vibration.
Pros:
surprise how much this book resonated with me (I even began tabbing some of my favorite pages)
author mentions examples of his life that are relatable
chapters are divided to help with self-care, meditation, mindfulness, lifestyle habits and more
talks about bringing you vibrations high and doing your best to have a positive mindset and let anyone bring you down
how to overcome toxic thoughts and people in your life
how it’s ok not to please everyone
the importance of loving yourself unconditionally
trust the universe and yourself (embrace the good vibes and let things flow naturally and you’ll be harmony with the universe)
faith vs fear
rejection can be a blessing in disguise
empowering thoughts are more effective than limited ones and make a habit of this way of thinking
Cons:
the law of attraction and vibration sometimes went over my head but I got the jest of it
though I agree with sending out positive energy to receive positive energy, it’s easier said than done (changing my pessimistic mindset is difficult)
hard for me to believe and trust the universe when bad things tend to happen whenever I try to be positive
felt like the book was longer than it needed it to be and kept waiting to for it to end but I still appreciated the messages
4.0. Though there some parts I got bored with and toward the end I was ready for it to be over, I still really liked this. It resonated deeply with me and makes me want to try changing my mindset for a better life. KEEP
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Keep or Dump: The Space Between Us
The Space Between Us by Courtney Peppernell and Zack Grey is a collection of poetry and prose about the trials of being in a long distance relationship. It is divided into five chapters, both writers taking turns after each poem. They convey their feelings of love, heartache and hope.
Pros:
pretty cover
237 pages
writers take turns after each poem
enjoyed the different writing between the writers (Courtney writes paragraphs while Zack’s is more shorter and simple)
though I preferred Zack’s simple writing, Courtney’s feelings seem more intense within her writing
enjoyed the romantic poems the most
Cons:
some of these poems gave me strong co-dependency vibes
not really a con but at first I thought the writers were writing to each other but they weren’t
4.0. I liked it. Really makes you respect the people who are involved in long distance relationships and still going strong. KEEP
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Fashion Review: The Dress
The Dress: 100 Iconic Moments in Fashion by Megan Hess celebrates the most memorable dresses that have made an impact in the fashion world.
Separated into six chapters by Designers, Icons, Weddings, Music, Film, and Oscars. Each dress is detailed and colored with a short paragraph about the history behind the dress. Also includes the year the dress was showcased and who wore it at the time.
My thoughts:
I like the detailed and elegant illustrations by Megan Hess (which is why I collected many of her fashion books). Most of these dresses I never seen so it was interesting collection to read through. (though I have to say the meat dress was a strange choice). I’m surprised there was no mention of any of the Gone With the Wind dresses; IMO I considered many of them iconic dresses but okay. But what’s really weird is the color of POC celebrities’ skin are not accurate. It’s as white as the page. I have no idea if this is a book defect or on purpose. (The rest of her books have women of color so maybe it’s only on this particular book.) Otherwise it’s a interesting collection to check out. I enjoyed the designer and movie dresses as well as mentions of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Princess Diana.
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about poetry and fashion reviews
I realized I have a many poetry books that I have already read but not have been reviewed. I plan to review them with the same rating system as my book reviews since some have been a hit or miss with me.
As for fashion books, I think I’m just going to give them a general review since I don’t think its fair to rate them with my usual rating. As of right now, I only have a couple but all from the same author so we’ll see how big my collection grows.
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