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How to Read More Pleasantly

chit-chatting with Cat, Tips January 14, 2020 Leave a comment

Introduction

Hello, folks!

Reading in itself is already fun, but what if we could make it an even more pleasant time for ourselves? There are ways I found which can accomplish that. How about I share them with you so we can all enjoy reading even more?

Here’s what I love to do.

I hope you pick a few to try them out and find more pleasure in reading.

If you're interested in learning strategies to read more, you can find them in my article How to Read More This Year

Reading Socks

I discovered these on Indigo about a year ago. They are pricey, but so gorgeous and they look super comfortable! Since I didn’t want to pay that price, I told myself I would go on a quest to find a cheaper, but as cute and comfy pair of reading socks.

Then, I stumbled upon a cute kitty pair at Ardène and fell in love right away. They were 12$, cushioned and adorable. What’s not to love? Obviously, I took them home and tried them on with a book in hand.

(Copyrighted Catherine Girard-Veilleux, 2020)

Let me tell you that it’s what I call bliss: a good book in hand (hopefully) and cozy reading socks! My feet were warm, and I felt all fuzzy, comfortable. I was genuinely happy and content all around.

Since then I forget that I’ve crossed the time limit I gave myself and just… read for hours. Due to my job as a translator and editor and serious health issues, I’ve got little time to read. But I swear the reading socks make me read longer! That’s how great they are.

Get a pair for your own sake!

Candles

This one is particular. I haven’t tried it yet, but I yearn for a good scented candle while I read. There are even thematic ones based on your tastes (like the scent of an old book), stories (Charles Dickens’s or Harry Potter’s), characters (Katniss Everdeen or Clary Fairchild), and so on. Seriously, I want one of those!

I’m a big fan of dinner at candlelight. Whenever we lose power, I’m so happy because I spend time under the candlelight; it imbues the air with mystery and a cozy sensation, which I crave. Hygge, here I am!

If you can, try this tip. You’ll smell a good scent and it’ll put you in good spirits to read. And bonus points if you turn off the lights and read at candlelight, all the cozier for you!

Bed/Cushions

I’ve got the habit of reading when I go to bed, either with a physical book in hand or on my Kobo. It’s the only time I found to read, so I take it!

I’ve noticed how fun and comfortable it is to read with an eReader in bed: you’re all wrapped up in your bed sheets, warm and tranquil. It brings peace of mind, or at least you’re just feeling calm and happy to read. If you read in the morning or during the day, try it a few times in bed, too. You might just enjoy it! If not, no worries, just go back to mornings and days, haha.

As for the cushions, this is a long story which I’ll make short. Whenever I read with a physical book in my bed (do you notice a reading pattern? Haha!), my back and arms hurt so damn much! So I keep changing positions until I’m so annoyed and tired I stop. It’s sad because more often than not, I stop reading not because I’m done reading, but because I’m aching all over. I found a cushion with arms I thought I could put against my bed wall and read with no aching.

(Copyrighted Catherine Girard-Veilleux, 2020)

Fortunately for me, I received it as a Christmas gift! (Thanks, mom!) I kept complaining about how I couldn’t read as much as I wanted in bed… So, I tried this cushion with arms and joy to the world, it works! My lower back still aches a bit, BUT it’s overall very comfortable and I don’t have to switch positions anymore!

Want to hear the best part? I can read for how long as I want with this cushion, no need to stop because I’m sick and tired of the pain!

If you’re having similar issues or just want more comfort, please try such a cushion. It will either save your reading time or upgrade it.

A Clean Space

This might sound obvious, but a clean reading space will bring you more joy. If you’re stuck tight between boxes, objects and so on, you will grow annoyed and angry and will stop reading-or at least it will be miserable.

I suggest cleaning three feet around you so you feel like your personal bubble isn’t invaded and have all the space you need to settle comfortably.

I know cleaning’s not so fun, but this is a genuine trick. A messy place can ruin your pleasant time by turning it into a lame experience as you keep thinking about the mess and how squeezed you feel.

Plushy Friends and Accessories

Now, this tip is not for everyone, but I know a lot of us love cute character plushies and Pop! figurines and other merchandise of our favourite stories and characters. I’ve got a few plushies (Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Hermione, etc.) and Funko Pop! toys like Jasmine, Mr. Burns, and Aladdin. I’ve also got a big Elsa cushion.

Okay, but what does it bring us to? Well, remember the clean space I mentioned above? Clean it, then choose which accessory and plushie you want near you while reading. It’ll make your space even more personal and you’ll appreciate it even more as you read, surrounded by what you love.

It might be silly sounding, but it genuinely works and you’ll feel good, safe even.

And who doesn’t want a safe reading haven?

In Conclusion

Whether you choose a candle, cushions, reading socks, or accessories in a clean space (or all of these!), I’m sure you’ll find your reading time optimized and more pleasant.

It’s all about treating yourself well and finding things you love which make you feel at ease. That way, reading will be a breeze and you’ll wonder where time went.

I wish you a good reading!

Please leave me a comment about what other tips you find useful for better reading times. I’d love to discuss those with you.

See you next post, lovelies!

How to Read More This Year

Tips January 7, 2020 Leave a comment

With the New Year beginning and a sweet new decade, how can we succeed at our goal of reading more?

I have structured this article according to two main reading patterns. The first readers are what I call the “Hoppers”. I’m part of them without a doubt! Hoppers will read several books at the same time, gleaning one for an hour or two, then switching to another one the same day or the next day. We take a while to finish a book because of that, but there are solutions to finishing more books, which I’ll go over in this post.

The other readers are the “Dedicated”. Why do I call them like this? Well, they are dedicated to one book and one book only when they read. They won’t switch books until they’ve finished reading that one. Obviously, they finish books more rapidly than the Hoppers, but there are still solutions to implement to read more during the year.

Now, shall we take a look at how to achieve this?

For the Hoppers

Surprisingly enough, the methods I tried which worked aren’t the ones most people will tell you to do: focusing on one book at a time. Why? Because we just can’t do it! Gosh, that’s why we’re Hoppers! It lacks diversity and surprises. Okay, but what actually works? Well, my friend, I’ve got an answer for you since I’m a Hopper too (hello fellows, if you’re one!).

The solution I found to deal with the increasing number of ARCs I received and books I bought is to trick myself with some structure. I said structure, not focus. Here’s how it works:

You pick three books (ARCs included, though I suggest one or two, not all three) that you want to hop to and from.
Pick two books that you’ll be able to hop to only when you’re sick and tired of reading the three others.
Look at how much time you can read per day, then divide it by three.
Finally, jump freely between the three chosen books from the beginning according to the divided time. Remember: it’s in the order you choose!
If you’re growing restless because you’re “always reading the same three books”, fear not for you had chosen two rescue books! Pick one and read, then go back to the three you chose first the next day.

It’s a funny system, but it completely works with me. And I’m quite the Hopper as I can read 15 books at the same time… But this system that I built from trials and errors has helped me review more books and read more in general.

Trust your Hopper friend (that’s me).

Tell me in the comments if you think this is a good idea for you or if you’ve tried it! I’d love to discuss this trick with you.

For the Dedicated

Let’s be honest here, since you’re a Dedicated person, you finish many more books than Hoppers. So what could possibly improve this situation? It seems impossible.

Well, I may have an idea: better time management, if possible. Due to our busy lives, it’s not always easy to make the time to read. I’m pretty sure you’re reading in-between meetings and a short time either in the morning or in the evening. Perhaps you’ve got an hour in total, which is good. But what if you could squeeze in fifteen more minutes, half an hour or more?

Here are my suggested steps you can take in order to free up some time for more reading:

Take note of what your typical week looks like with everything scheduled.
Observe how much reading time you have.
Then, examine which activities might not be priorities for you (let’s assume reading is one priority).
Identify which activities you could either remove or shorten in their duration.
Apply the shortened time or removal, and try to read during this newfound time, to see if it fits you better.
Enjoy reading more books!

P.S.: If this doesn’t work, try switching for different activities to shorten or remove. Perhaps the ones you cut out were actually more important than you thought. Don’t let go, you can do it!

In Conclusion

Whether you’re a Hopper or a Dedicated reader, there are ways to optimize the amount of books you read. It can be through tricking yourself in reading fewer books at the same time while still maintaining that “free roam” feeling, or it can be through better time management. I know you can do it! May your new reading year be full of achievements and pleasure.

I hope these solutions have been helpful.

Please do leave a comment about what type of reader you are and what you think of these tips. I’d love to discuss this with you!

See you next post!

River Queens: A Book Review

Book Reviews November 4, 2019 Leave a comment

Amazon.ca

Genre: Non-fiction, memoir
Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1939710-857
Format: Hardcover
Publication date: 2018
Publisher: Orange Frazer Press
Type: Non-Fiction, memoir, travel

*I received a free hardcover copy in exchange for an honest review. No compensation has been given and I write this book review willingly. A big thanks to Alexander Watson, author of River Queens!*

Introduction:

I was kindly approached and offered a hardcover copy of River Queens by the author, Alexander Watson. He was lucky this year I discovered a love for memoirs and mostly travel memoirs, otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up. But his story, what of two men sailing the coasts of America in a boat no less, intrigued me.

I can tell you it also didn't disappoint. Reading this book brought me great pleasure as well as smiles and laughter. I hope my review entices you to give this fun ride a try.

Let's sail!

The Blurb:

The river—any river—is another planet, with its own language, rules, and culture. River Queens is a story of the unlikeliest of fellows (and a dog) coming to the river—and what happens to them once they arrive. At first glance, it seems to be a how-to manual for any adventuresome (but perhaps foolhardy) type who’s ever thought of restoring a wooden yacht and sailing it halfway across the country. Second glance, however, shows that it’s a classic travel narrative in which two intrepid (but perhaps foolhardy) explorers head out to tour what is usually called “a distant, alien world.”

To Alexander Watson and his partner, Dale Harris, the river is as exotic as any foreign locale they’d previously traversed. There is danger, of course—unpredictable nature, lurking water hazards, quickly rising human squalls—but the initial difficulty is language: can they become fluent in the argot of harbormasters, helmsmen, navigators, and the various deck hands, skippers, and swabbies?

The Positive Sides:

The most striking point of *River Queens* is how the author's voice flows and it's beautiful. It's charming, and it feels natural, like I'm right beside him and his partner during the purchase of the boat and their adventures. He's honest and raw but not mean. I often found myself thinking similar thoughts as I read his story.

There's something equally important: Watson reflects the people's speech singularities so well you can hear them in your mind and picture them easily! It might be hard to read sometimes due to some people talking really loosely, but it's amazing to see he reproduces these ways of talking so faithfully. I felt as I was meeting them myself. Besides their speeches, Watson puts the people he encounters (good and bad) on the forefront of his adventures, including his partner Dale and himself, too. It was beautiful to read and except for Frances Mayes's memoirs about Italy, I never felt so attached to real people in a book.

Moreover, learning about boats was interesting and informative. The author would tell us about the hull, how to see if there's leakage, water charges and more. Plus, he even included a glossary at the end! Priceless.

Speaking of him and Dale, I really enjoy their conversations, which makes the reading much more amusing (it even made me laugh out loud!) and so much more natural. It also shows how close they are and how well they know each other, which is adorable (and quite funny, too). The care they put into their boat (a wooden one, mind you as it's very important here) and each other. It was lovely.

The intertwined chapters of Alexander and his mother were a good addition. It explains a lot of things about how he thinks and acts. Mostly the "don't let things or events slip you by" mantra she said to him (paraphrased here by yours truly), which is something I stand by.

Something stood out personally: I see myself in him so much! I mean, Watson's got quite the flaming temper, just like I do (though he's got better comebacks, darn!) and it makes him even more charming and lovable to me.

As for their adventures: what a nice ride! All those places, all the small disasters that happened, the great descriptions and encounters they have! All keep you along for the ride. It was great to see America explored from the perspective of two men (and a sweet dog) aboard their own boat. Seriously, I loved it!

Last, I particularly enjoyed the short chapters and the formatting and layout. One chapter is even divided such as "Sightseeing: (what they saw and did)", then it's "Cooking: (how they found and cooked food)", and so on. It's visually interesting and a nice change of pace.

The Negative Sides:

All books have flaws and despite River Queens's great points, I've found a few that could be improved.

For starters, the transitions are slightly brusque, which confused me. I needed to read a few sentences twice. But it's not extremely bad nor is it overflowing with such brusque transitions. It's just annoying when it happens.

What's the biggest bad point? Well, this book is advertised as a travel memoir (I'm not saying it's wrong here), but it took about 50 pages of closing the deal for ownership of the boat and repairing it. Afterwards, it took the same number of pages before they finally set sail (it's at about 107 pages). In my opinion, a third of the book is a bit too long of an introduction to what the blurb seemed to say was a discovery of America's coasts from two men in a saucy boat (with a beautiful dalmatian, too!)

In Conclusion:

What do I take out from this read? Amazing voice, strikingly natural dialogues (it's like hearing your neighbour talking!), and an amusing experience on the whole!

It was always a pleasure to pick up this book and resume reading, falling into Watson and Dale's boat world and meeting these new people. I recommend this book to anyone interested in travel, memoirs, true stories, exploration, and those who just want to have a genuinely good time! I give River Queens: Saucy boat, stout mates, spotted dog, America a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 for how lovely, entertaining and engrossing this book is.

As a note, I will keep this book in my own bookshelf as I will surely reread it down my lifetime. It was worthwhile and I know I'll want to share the author's story again by reading it. Such a great journey and personality!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest (you can see pictures of his boat, Betty Jane!) Amazon author page and Goodreads. You can visit his publisher, Orange FrazerPress. You can also add River Queens to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Go Ahead, You’re Home: A Review

Book Reviews July 29, 2019 Leave a comment

Genre: Memoir, Travel, Non-Fiction

Pages: 173
ISBN: 978-0997572704
Format: Paperback, eBook (Kindle)
Publication date: May 16th, 2016
Publisher: Your Book Angel
Type: Memoir

*Thanks to BookTasters (Twitter: @BookTasters and Web site) and Miss Tirzah Libert for giving me a free ecopy of Go Ahead, You're Home in exchange for a review given on a voluntary basis. I received no compensation.*

I chose Go Ahead, You're Home because the blurb made me dream of travelling in someone else's shoes and see their life, in two vastly different countries to mine. As a polyglot and big enthusiast of cultures and travelling, this intrigued me. Also, I wanted to see what pushed her to move to the Netherlands and what she wants to accomplish.

The Positive Points:

I'll go ahead (see what I did there?) and say that the best part about this book is simply the heart she puts into telling us all about her life. It's beautiful, humbling, and inspiring, too. I rather enjoyed this side and felt somehow touched that she'd let me (and others) see her thoughts and life so closely. It was quite interesting to experience a different POV since she sounds "wilder" than I am (no offence here, I think it's fun to see) and it was amusing and eye-opening to be able to read about a different life somewhere else in the world. Here, it was in the Caribbeans. It was poignant and immersive; it was as if I could see through her very eyes. Loved it!

Moreover, the resilience and strength of this woman along with the culture and customs of her homeland are great to see! They're also admirable in their own rights.

The Negative Points:

These were very hard to order as I think they're are major points, but here goes:

The ideas and subjects are all jumbled together! It's like head-hopping (where an author switches from one character to another continuously), but with ideas! She's talking of her faith, then it brusquely switches to her aunt with no real link between the two. And it goes on and on like this. It's pretty confusing and unpleasant. There's so much to tell, I know, but a more structured approach would make this book better!

The amount of "faith" and "religion" talks in this book are annoying… I understand it's part of that part, but it's just too much for other readers who might not be like her (*GASPS*). I didn't take any points for this though since that's how she is. But there's a bit too much of it to be easily readable by others and NOT put down with a roll of our eyes or an annoyed sigh.

Lastly, the author tells us all about her actions, the events, the situations, and it's quite interesting, I must admit! I could get lost in it easily. But there is ONE major wrong point: she tells us about the actions, but not enough about her emotions. I want to know how she felt! How did finding a secretary job made her feel? How about that difficult (I assume) miscarriage? In memoirs, we're looking for the "travel" part, true, but I want the emotions, I want to feel, to connect. I don't just want to watch over her shoulder. It's a good book, but this point is severely lacking.

In Conclusion:

While it was a good insight into Miss Libert's life and allowed me to taste a different culture and experience another's life, I think it was way too topic-hopping, confusing and not detailed enough for me to really be hooked to this book. So, I give Go Ahead, You're Home a rating of 3.5 out of 5. I would recommend it to other travel memoirs and memoirs enthusiasts.

If you want to learn more about Tirzah Libert, visit her Web site, Twitter account, and Facebook page. You can also add the book to your Goodreads and LibraryThing TBR list(s).

The Move from WordPress (A New Adventure Begins! Beam Me Up, Scotty!)

chit-chatting with Cat July 26, 2019 1 Comment

Hello, folks!

I hope you're doing well!

I'm sorry I've been absent lately, but it was due to my moving my blog from WordPress.com (https://adlibrumaeternam.wordpress.com/) to TypePad (here). I thought it was high time I implemented an email list and have a Web site of my own for my writing and book reviews, hence the move. TypePad allows me to do this. So I switched.

If you're interested, please do follow me on here (you can use your email address or feed app!) It will delight me!

As usual, you'll see posts on writing, book reviews, languages, and anything I find of interest for you and my writing journey. 🙂

I'm preparing a few new series and surprises.

With that, I hope to see you around and

WELCOME TO MY NEW WEB SITE, AD LIBRUM AETERNAM.COM!

A Discovery of Writing Wealth

chit-chatting with Cat, Tips June 30, 2019 Leave a comment

Hello, fellow adventurers! Yesterday, I was looking for more information about the writing craft. Perhaps I was hoping to find a book that wasn't so expensive or a few online articles from trusted sources… but I hadn't expected to stumble upon podcasts.

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Now, I knew what a podcast was and I doubted listening to celebrities talk about their life and such would help me improve. What I did not know was that I had listened to the wrong podcasts a few years ago!

Let me explain: I thought podcasts were only by celebrities (from the music industry, the movie industry, etc.) and book reviewers. Why would I want to listen to that? I mean, it's good if you like this stuff as podcasts, but I don't. I was looking for something to help me improve my writing craft.

The first writing podcast I found is I Should Be Writing (ISBW) by Mur Lafferty. Since I don't have the money right now to buy her book I Should Be Writing: A Writer's Workshop, I figured I could glean some information via her podcast. And it did not disappoint! So, of course, I opened iTunes and subscribed.

Then, I looked up other writing podcasts. Just so you know, it felt like bliss because I had just found that podcasts could actually teach you important stuff instead of just wasting your precious time!

Here are the two other writing podcasts I found that are worth subscribing to:

Helping Writers Become Authors by K.M. Weiland (an indie author I personally admire).
The Self Publishing Podcast by Sterling & Stone.

They have a wealth of information and tips on the writing craft and also how to be an indie author in our years. I encourage you to at least try them.

Go on, listen to one episode and see for yourself!

Did you know about writing podcasts? If so, which ones do you like to listen to?

If not, what other free writing resources do you use?

See you next post, lovelies!

Updates on My Writing

chit-chatting with Cat, Nightshade (My Series), poetry June 30, 2019 Leave a comment

Follow my blog with Bloglovin (P.S.: I just created it, so I hope you'll check it out and help me over there! :)) Ahum. Hello, lovelies! I hope I find you all well and happy. Several major updates about my writing are coming your way! Let's start:

I'm currently working on three poems I'll soon send to a poetry journal in Ireland. The first two are nearly complete (only a quick revision and they're done) whilst I still need to write the third one. But I should be finished at the end of the weekend, so I can send them next week. Yay!

Speaking of literature magazine, I'm working on a short story that I find rather entertaining and poignant. Once it's done, I'll send it to two Canadian literature magazines (yes, they do accept simultaneous submissions). I'm excited!

As for my main writing project, I've finally found the big plot and ending of my Nightshade series! Moreover, I've even got a few extra ideas about the settings, powers, creatures, worlds, etc. featured in it. I'm so powered up and I am working hard at writing it all down and revising (a.k.a editing) what I've already done! If I didn't do that, let me tell you there would be major plot holes and stuff like that for my beta readers to… not enjoy, that's for sure. Once I'm done revising the first 7 chapters, I'm going to… WRITE! YES!

Here is a picture featuring an interview with Rosellia's father, Ryan Lovelace:

Surprise: I've decided to write a free novella for you! Yes, I'll distribute it for free on via sites like Instafreebie, etc. once it's ready. You'll have nothing to purchase. Nada. Exciting, isn't it?! I ran a poll on Twitter (The Novella Poll) in order to know which story idea between two I had people prefer. The answer was straightforward: the two of my poll participants voted for a retelling of Persephone's kidnapping! Yes, the Persephone from Greek mythology. I've always been a huge Greek and Egyptian mythology nerd, so I was quite surprised and immensely overjoyed they chose that particular idea (I promise, I didn't sway them! Otherwise, what's the point of a poll?)

I intend on using a new angle—something we've yet to see done with Persephone's kidnapping. Oh, and it's not a romance story! I didn't want to do what most of the other authors are doing with it. It'll be more an adventure/drama story. I already have the main storyline, so I just need to come up with a few scenes and the outline, then I'm on my way!

I'll keep you updated about all this, don't you fret! Pinky swear! What do you all think of my progress? Are you as interested in the free novella idea as I am? Please tell me in the comment section! See you next post, lovelies. Muah!

The Initiation: A Book Review

Book Reviews June 30, 2019 Leave a comment

by Chris Babu

Genre: YA,Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopian

Pages: 320
ISBN: 978-1682615935
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook (Kindle & Kobo)
Publication date: February 27th, 2018
Publisher: Permuted Press
Type: Novel (1st in a trilogy)

A special thanks to Chris Babu and Permuted Press for providing me with an eCopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Blurb:

Everyone is equal. But no one is safe.

In a ruined world, Manhattan is now New America, a walled-in society based on equality. But the perfect facade hides a dark truth.

A timid math geek, sixteen-year-old Drayden watches his life crumble when his beloved mother is exiled. The mystery of her banishment leads him to a sinister secret: New America is in trouble, and every one of its citizens is in jeopardy.

With time running out, he enters the Initiation. It’s a test within the empty subway tunnels—a perilous journey of puzzles and deadly physical trials. Winners join the ruling Bureau and move to its safe haven. But failure means death. Can Drayden conquer the Initiation, or is salvation out of his grasp?

Introduction:

I was offered the opportunity to review the first two books in Chris Babu’s dystopian trilogy by Permuted Press. I jumped on it because, as you lads and lasses know, I’m a big lover of dystopian. The blurb appealed to me. It seemed to have anything I love: logic, realism, courage, quests, trials, a dystopian setting… and I could go on! So, here’s my review of the first book, The Initiation. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for this pleasant opportunity, Chris Babu and Permuted Press!

The Positive Sides:

There are many things I liked and even loved about this book so hold tight. The book starts with a heartbreaking moment, Drayden’s mother’s exile from the Dorms into the wilderness that New York has become. This moment is crucial in establishing the stakes, the plot, and the characters. It was also pretty sad and I loved it! It didn’t wait and wait… until something happened. No, it did right upon opening the book! Speaking of writing, Babu, the author, knows how the describe the emotions and events in poignant manner. Kudos to him! I often found myself affected emotionally, so that’s a very good thing. I kept hoping and feeling torn with the protagonist.

Okay, hang on even tighter here because I have A LOT to say about the protagonist, Drayden. Here goes:

Drayden is LOVELY. He’s kind, considerate, affectionate, AND very clever. I don’t know how someone could even dislike him. He’s mine, okay? Mine! His origins makes me so happy: he’s biracial, with a Korean mother and a Caucasian father. It’s so original because authors usually write about the most widely used ethnic groups such as Chinese or Afro-American communities. So, reading about a Korean protagonist is inspiring and a much needed fresh air to the YA category. Moreover, the actual display of Drayden’s intelligence and logic process. It is so well done! I rarely saw this before, except in the Sherlock Holmes books, which is an important point (I’m a huge Sherlock Holmes fan). It shows and feels that he is intelligent. Most of the times, authors claim their main character is clever but seldom show it. It’s one of the things I love most about "The Initiation" : the truth of Drayden’s intelligence.

Last point about Drayden: he’s oblivious about his own courage. He thinks he’s a coward, but really he keeps facing the challenges and being brave despite the terrible situations he’s in. All in order to find the answer as to why his mom was exiled. He’s also quite helpful to others. He always calls himself a coward, but he’ll do anything that is required of him to either help others or achieve his goals. It’s beautiful to see his actions and words are two different things, in the most positive of ways. In my opinion, he’s quite brave. I particularly love how we see him slowly acknowledge this side of him that was there all along. It’s character discovery at its finest.

Now, what about the other characters? Well, the most distinctive trait is how diverse they are! I mean, their personalities pop from one another and they even clash. It’s refreshing to read such characters; they really seem alive to me and I can never wait jumping back into my reading to join them again. It’s like they became my friends! And that’s so amazing. Usually, characters share a few traits and all sound very similar. Not here, nuh huh.

Let’s talk about “The Initiation”, or more precisely, the challenges it involves. They’re so intense I shuddered here and there and was genuinely relieved when no one was hurt, and so on. There are the physical challenges which are seriously hard and made me shiver with disgust and fear. Then, there are my favorites: the intelligence trials. I love, love, love love love the puzzles! They’re not easy and they’re highly entertaining AND stressful. Wonderful! As I’m not one for math, I was quite surprised to find myself actively working to decipher the puzzles! Seriously, that’s exactly what I’m looking for in book challenges.

I’ve got the tackle the New America’s swear words and vocabulary. They’re so amusing and funny! It goes like: shkat, chotch, wetchop, etc. They sound and look funny and I just love it. It’s varied, it sounds good, and they replace our own swear words. Thinking of it, it just makes sense that they’d have their own lingo because they’ve been living secluded from the rest of the world, or what is left of it. So, bonus points for this creative vocabulary!

Also, the division between the Dorms and the Palace (and other districts) in New America is painfully realistic. It features the never-ending inequality issue and you can see it worsens as you read on. A big issue reflected well and exaggerated (or is it?) in the story. I love this side of it, even though it’s not “positive” per say, but I think it really helps in setting the world up.

Speaking of the world, the Confluence (the confluence of four major issues such as hacked communications and superbugs, etc.) sounds way too realistic to me. It’s a very good but scary thing. Because it could totally happen! And another thing I particularly enjoyed: it’s that FINALLY there’s a YA dystopian story that EXPLAINS what happened before that led to this crappy state of the world now like New America. Bravo! It made it all better, I swear. Much more understandable, too.

The Negative Sides:

It took me a while (the good half of the book) to get accustomed to the writing. It is straight-to-the-point, though emotional (which is good!), and it doesn’t use flowery sentences nor the beauty of language. The writing is practical and functional. It has its own style. It’s not bad, but it’s quite different. So it takes a bit of getting used to. Nevertheless, I ended up rolling with it and liking it for its straightforwardness.

But that’s really the only bad side and it’s not so bad.

Give it a try. Not everyone likes the same things, so you might enjoy it right away.

In Conclusion:

I’m SO glad of having read this book! It’s right next to the Hunger Games and the Maze Runner in my favorite dystopians. All the positive sides definitely beat the semi-negative point. I’m giving “The Initiation” a rating of 5 out of 5 for all the fun I had reading this book and living the actual Initiation with the characters. I was finally shown great puzzles in a book AND explanations as to why the world was dystopian now. And Drayden… I just love him, okay? He’s such a sweetie. And a courageous (though oblivious) one at that!

What’s not to love?

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit his Web site, you can also follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads. You can visit his publisher, Permuted Press, https://permutedpress.com/. You can also add "The Initiation" to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

Unwritten: A Review

Book Reviews June 17, 2019 Leave a comment

Genre: Middle Grade, Magic, Fantasy, Adventure, Quest for Self, Modern, Fairy Tale

Pages: 198
ISBN: 9781631631771
Format: Paperback, eBook
Publication date: October 16th, 2018
Publisher: Jolly Fish Press
Type: Novel

*A special thanks to NetGalley and Jolly Fish Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

The Blurb:

Gracie lives with her mother in our world, though she suffers from “story glimmers”, which are memories from what happened in the book Gertrude Winters wrote about her. Indeed, Gracie and her family as well as her best friend Walter are all characters from Bondoff, a magical world that Winters created. They got out of the story, unbeknownst to the author, in order to save themselves from Cassandra, the evil stepmother who wants to get her hands on the magical book and control everything.

But is everything as it’s been told to Gracie? She wants to talk to Gertrude Winters to ask more about Bondoff and the book, but what she will find will be more dangerous and life-altering than she could have imagined.

Will Gracie come out it strong?

Is there a choice to make to be who you truly are?

Introduction:

You know when a book cover grabs your attention, then the blurb just compels you to read the book and the story just amazes you? That’s exactly what happened for me with Unwritten by Tara Gilboy. As soon as I saw it on NetGalley, I knew I had to request it. Fortunately (to me, at least, haha), my request was granted.

Thanks a lot, NetGalley and Jolly Fish Press!

The Positive Sides:

The best positive side has to be how this story tells of an identity quest. It asks important questions while never being boring and it gives the reader the sentiment/feeling of being in control of one’s destiny and actions, to choose who we want to be. Perfect and extremely moving!

As for the writing itself, it is sweet but honest with an emphasis (rightfully so) on Gracie’s turmoil of emotions. What a ride! Speaking of Gracie, I extend my thought to the characters because they felt alive to me. Gertrude did feel off sometimes and sounded trite in her dialogue, but Walter (Gracie’s friend), her mother, Cassandra, and the rest popped out of the story to me (see what I did here?).

Now, I can’t reveal spoilers (goddammit, how I hate those pesky nuisances!), BUT I can tell you two things:

1- The plot twist with Gracie halfway down the road is PER.FECT.ION!

2- The very last sentence gave me so many feels I had tears in my eyes! It sums up the story pretty well and it’s quite a nice touch there.

Moreover, the theme of Unwritten is fundamental and wonderful at the same time. Fear not, it is NOT force-fed to us, no. It flows with the rhythm of the story and it’s just so precious. It focuses on choosing who you want to be and staying true to that person. Amazing! And so vital.

Oh, and I wasn’t bored even ONCE! It captured my attention from cover to end, never failing. It held my interest all the while. There were enough action scenes (yes, where Gracie has to make quick and hard decisions) and emotional insights to her. I loved her relationships with the different characters and her own nature. She was fun and strong in her own right, looking for her true identity with admirable determination.

In the end, this is the story I was personally looking for as a child and teenager! Unfortunately, there was nothing like it at the time and I felt so alone. I believe this book can help others like me who are too different and have so many doubts about themselves and who they should be versus who they are. Needless to say that’s a huge point to me.

The Negative Sides:

What about them?

Where are they?

Honestly, I don’t know. I was waiting for a negative side to show up but it never did. In my opinion, it’s a flawless middle-grade book.

In Conclusion:

I have so many excellent things to say about this book, but since numbers help too, here you are: I give it a rating of 5 out of 5 no less. And trust me, if I could, I would give it way more! But alas, rating has to be contained to a specific number… I can’t rate 10 out of 5, even though I genuinely want to with Unwritten by Tara Gilboy.

To me, it’s such a good MG story, it goes with the likes of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. If that’s not grand, I don’t know what is. But don’t take my word for it: try it for yourself. You’ll see, it’s pretty darn great!

Here’s a bonus great news I found on Goodreads from the author, Tara Gilboy, herself: Is this a stand-alone or the first in a series? “I’ve been dying to answer this question and wasn’t able to announce it until now! Yes, there will be a sequel! I am hard at work on it right now, and it will release in spring 2020!”

I couldn’t be happier! We’re getting a sequel, woohoot!

If you want to learn more about the author, you can visit her Web site, you can also follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads. You can visit her publisher, Jolly Fish Press. You can also add Unwritten to your bookshelves on Goodreads and LibraryThing.

The Big Surprise: Interview with Author Chris Babu

Book Reviews, Interviews May 13, 2019 Leave a comment

Hello, hello, folks!

Remember a few months back when I foreshadowed some big reveal on Twitter? Well, here we are:

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Chris Babu, author of The Initiation and The Expedition, both YA sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, dystopian first books in the trilogy with Permuted Press.

PLEASE NOTE that this is an audio interview (I’m sorry I said “video” in it).

On this, I really hope you enjoy this interview with Chris Babu! It was a fun experience for me (my very first interview!) and I won’t stop there.

Thank you to the awesome Chris Babu and Permuted Press for this glorious experience!

Listen here: