April Book Haul #2

Hello there!
This Book Haul is a little boring because it consists mainly in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare and one manga. So, let's start with the manga!

Ever since I was 6 I have been in love with Sailor Moon and usually you can't find the manga here, in Romania, but this year Comic Con happened! I didn't get to go because all the tickets were sold out, but a friend of mine managed to get me the 5th manga in the series (the one about Black Lady) and this lovely bookmark. While I was reading the book I remembered the episodes so well. Sailor Moon fan forever!

I've read the 1st book of the series, City of Bones, last month and even though I didn't expect to like it I ended up caring for the characters, which is lovely because the series will have a total of 6 books. The 2nd book, City of Ashes, does the series justice. We find out more about Valentine, Jace's history, how Simon is adapting to his new life and witness Clary and Jace falling deeper in love.

And then we have the 3rd book, City of Glass! This book was brilliant from the first to the last word! It was intense, the battle scene was described perfectly, the plot had so many twists! I loved it! If you want you can skip the first two and jump right into this one. And even though I am supposed to hate the evil new character, Sebastian, I can't. I actually really like him, he is manipulative, yes, but for a person with angel and a lot of demon blood, being raised by Valentine, I can understand why he acts this way. An amazing book, great job Cassie!

And then we have the 4th book, City of Fallen Angels. After the marvelous 3rd book it was clearly that the 4th will not measure up. This book concentrates more on Simon and his acceptance of his new life. Maia's boyfriend, Jordan, appears in this book and a few characters from Cassandra's Infernal Devices Series. I didn't read that series, but I will do once summer is here. The first 200-300 pages were a bit boring, but when we get to the fight scene it is a roller coaster and your love for the series will be restored.

                               

So, this is it! April's book haul.

Hope this made you want to read one of these books :)

Keep reading!

xoxo

March Book Haul

I always wanted to do one of those book hauls I keep seeing on Book Tube :) Therefore, this is what I'm doing now!

I really do love reading book, even more now that I don't have time to read as much as I would like to and that I don't really have to read.

In March I've started 2 new series: "Divergent" & "Mortal Instruments" and read a really cool Romanian novel called "All the owls" by Filip Florian.

First off, the "Divergent" series by Veronica Roth. Most people compare it with "The Hunger Games" and I tend to agree. In this case, we don't have 12 Districs but 5 Factions. The 1st book was all about getting to know the characters personalities, the main traits of every faction. The 2nd book, Insurgent was more intense. It is a very light read, you will love it if you are into YA, dystopian books.

When my friends saw the cover of the book they though I only bought it because of the owls. So wrong! Filip Florian is one of my favorite Romanian writers because his novels always cheer me up and are incredibly well written! Owls are a recurring symbol in this book. The story is written from 2 perspectives: a child's and his new friend, an elderly person that teaches him everything he know about books and life. This book was so good that one of my teachers actually caught me reading it during class. I know, it was embarrassing!

The last book from my March Haul is City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. I started this just to see what all the fuss is about and I was surprised that I actually liked it. I think you can compare it with Buffy - The Vampire Slayer, except that - and this is the tricky part for some - it is not that much about vampires. The plot involves: love - as all Fantasy books nowadays, loyalty, friendship, the eternal fight between good and evil. So, if you are looking for something to read for fun this is the book for you!

I hope this was helpful in a way and maybe you will start reading one of these books. 

Have fun reading!

A Fine Frenzy brings us Pines

Ever since her 1st album "One cell in the sea" I've been in love with Alison Sudol's music. Her lyrics are very lyrical and nurturing.

And now she will release her 3rd album, Pines, on October 9th! The album comes with a book which will tell us the story of the main character on this record - the story of an evergreen, Pine. And it is also accompanied by a short movie!

According to Alison this album is a fable. And each song is a chapter in the fable. All characters are not human.

Here is a little snippet of a lovely interview about the making of the album:

Comfort is something that Pines definitely offers, with its varying musical and lyrical textures telling the story of a tree creating a life of her own. It takes you through all of the mighty horizons and shadowy crevasses of the journey. “It’s like charging into uncharted territory,” she describes, “Thrilling, scary, fascinating. I learned so much and stretched so much. It was an amazing, amazing gift to get to do all these different things. And humbling, too.”

From the very soft, intimate, ukelele-driven “Dream In The Dark” to the booming and enchanting “They Can’t If You Don’t Let Them,” Pines is more than a record – it’s an experience. And it’s no wonder, since recording was a unique experience and process for Alison and the band, who recorded the album in just seven days. “Playing ‘They Can’t if You Don’t Let Them’ was pretty amazing,” she recalls, “… singing it was just so fun and so powerful, and we were all just going for it. Things were falling apart and rattling and falling over and I almost fell over.”

Pines is all-encompassing. The kind of record you can play when you want to be taken somewhere else entirely – an otherworldly place. There’s no doubt in my mind that the book and the film will add wonderful layers to the story of Pines. ”It’s a ride,” she says, “I wanted it to be that.”

For the original & complete interview click here!

And here is the 1st single, "Now is the start"!

Lykke Li Wounded Rhymes

I've been a fan of Lykke Li since her single "Little bit" in 2008. For the Twilight fans she is known for her song "Possibility".

Her new album, "Wounded rhymes" is somewhat of a melancholic, powerful, deep and haunting album. Her music videos are filled with symbols and metaphors. And in order to fully understand her songs you need to pay attention to the lyrics, because they can be decieving at first hearing.

With no further ado, here are my favorite tracks from the album:

I follow rivers

I know places ( with a surprising ending )

Jerome

Youth knows no pain

Sadness is a blessing

And the controversial video of Get Some

The album comes with 3 exclusive tracks: "The only" and 2 remixes for "Get some" and "I follow rivers".

Well, I hope this post will make you like the Swedish singer-songwriter, Lykke Li, some more :)

Decisions

Well, I've decided I will make this blog a sort of journal, where i'll post all of my favorite songs, books, videos, photos, etc. And maybe someone will find that interesting :) xo

About Books

Don't you just love books? Once you find that perfect one, that you read all through the night and after finishing it you feel a little incomplete and lost?
I've found some amazing videos about books and I wanted to share them with you. Here they are:

The Joy of Books

After organizing our bookshelf almost a year ago (http://youtu.be/zhRT-PM7vpA), my wife and I (Sean Ohlenkamp) decided to take it to the next level. We spent many sleepless nights moving, stacking, and animating books at Type bookstore in Toronto (883 Queen Street West, (416) 366-8973).

Birth of a book

Shakespeare & Company: Iconic Bookshop in Paris

“The object of the book is so exquisite, and beautiful…”

With a cameo appearance in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris and Richard Linklater's Before Sunset, Shakespeare and Company is arguably the most iconic bookshop in the French capital. The building, a 17th century ex-monastery has become a landmark in the 5th arrondissement. Apart from being a bookstore, it also serves as a haven where aspiring writers can stay for free - Allen Ginsberg and Anaïs Nin have both been guests in the past. Originally established in 1919 by an American called Sylvia Beach, fellow expatriate George Whitman took over Shakespeare and Company after Beach's death in 1951. Crane.tv meets with Whitman's daughter, Sylvia to hear about the future of this historical, literary gem. Address: 37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005, Paris. www.shakespeareandcompany.com

Christmas tree books

Why do old books smell so good?

Festive, cozy, warm, Christmas images to make you happy! ( part 5 )

A few more gift ideas, perfect for Christmas! I remember i never liked receiving clothes on Christmas day but the ones i've found look so darn cute! And the little papier-mache toys are very chic!