Another last page was turned... A Song In The Daylight

"Nothing is what it seems..."

O God. What a book.

I really don't believe some hated it. I do understand hardly caring for the main character, but hating the book? What for? It was so... Shocking? Outrageous? Heartbreaking? Heart wrenching? Yeah!
Please allow me to unload what is weighing on my shoulder concerning the self-absorbed Larissa Stark. A woman that isn't a wife, not a friend, nor a mother. A woman who thinks only for herself and does only what's good for her. (I do have my doubts about whether it was good for her what she did) Remarkable, a mother who is ready to give up on her family, her loving husband, her adorable kids, her friends, in order to collect few of her belongings, to hop on her lover's Ducati with him driving it, to press herself to his back and to runaway with him to find adventures and excitement.

In the first half of the book I was actually rooting for Larissa, thinking, "what the heck, she's following her heart. Her husband is so mundane, her kids are too annoying, her friends are self-concerned... She deserves to be happy."
I hate myself for thinking this way, and luckily the second half of the book came to prove me wrong, came to slap me for thinking Larissa was right. She was so wrong!

I don't think fate brought Larissa and Kai (her lover) together, they met as people meet, obviously Larissa doesn't sit all day at her house, she does go out, she meets people. Yes, she found Kai to be quite attractive, it's not unremarkable to meet someone who is good looking.
It was her lack of judgment that led her to commit adultery and eventually have an affair with Kai...
It wasn't an impossible bond they had with each other, it wasn't some magical power, or irresistible passion they had from the very beginning, at least it wasn't like that with Larissa. I honestly don't think you meet someone and immediately you want to go to bed with him, it's a process, a process Larissa never cared to cut or stop for the sake of her family and life. And that's what she did wrong, she would've stopped everything had she said, "Kai, I have a husband and three kids. It's not right."
But no! She had to have lunches with him, she had to sit with him in her car, she had to go to his apartment with him.
I might be talking nonsense, I'm still a child with no experience whatsoever, but I do believe fate had nothing to do with what happened to Larissa, it was the consequences of her acts and, yeah, sins.

In the end, they all got what they deserved. Larissa got what she deserved. What she did to her family, what she did to her husband came around like a boomerang and punched her right in her pretty face.
Her husband got over his wife's betrayal. Her kids... I'm pretty sure they are still waiting for her to come back... But they will eventually stop waiting.

I still need to do some thinking over this book. Hmm...
Have a great day.
Love,
Khulood <3

Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult (mmmm...)

When the back cover of a book says: "Lacy searches the past for clues and begins to realise that despite, or perhaps, because of, her every effort, she never really knew her son at all..." would it be so stupid or dumb to assume that a major part of the book will be discussing this "search"? Apparently, yeah! Because, a very tiny part *Ehm-2-3 pages-ehm* of the book dealt with this so-called "search".
Yes, I know... details... details, what difference does it make if the book didn't really match my expectaions, so what? The book was still a great read, a perfect eye-opener, just as every book by this author.

Nineteen Minutes, tells the story of Peter Houghton, who was compulsively bullied throughout his whole life, since the very first day of kindergarten 'til he decides that he had had enough, and drives to school with a backpack full of handguns instead of books and notebooks.
It took him nineteen minutes to kill ten people and to wound nineteen others, he was arrested and so a new chapter of his life began.
You couldn't but to feel sympathy with the shooter, Peter, has suffered the worse from his classmates and his own brother, being pushed into lockers, having his privacy being invaded without mercy, being beaten and humiliated and what not? I was very close to tears reading some parts of the book. This book raises this very hurtful topic into consideration, I began to think and recall some of the moments I remember from high school, luckily, I wasn't... "bullied" but I've witnessed some unfortunate incidents when some kids in my classes were bullied and teased by other. What is so sad about this is that this happened also in classes, not only in the halls, or the yard. And now I'm really aware of the dangers following this phenomenon.

Good book, very well-written enjoyed it a bit more than My Sister's Keeper by the same author.
Recommended to parents, kids in high school, and even junior high, no matter which side of the coin you're in.

I'm really excited about the new design of the blog, many thanks to: Leelou Free Blog Layouts
Have a wonderful day!
Khulood

The Bronze Horseman trilogy - My journey

In one of her interviews, Paullina Simons has revealed how she first thought of writing this book; It was night, she could not sleep. While staring through her window she all of a sudden saw the two of them - Tatiana and Alexander; she was staring up at him and he was glancing down at her - for he was extremely tall. They were very much in love, and they were starving.

While reading these three books I was constantly thinking what am I going to write when sitting to prepare my review of these books, and honestly now, after I have finished The Summer Garden cannot word my thoughts, however, I am going to try to sum up this journey, for it was long, heartbreaking and beautiful.
Beginning with the fantastic characters; Tatiana on the one hand - so young and freckled, small and blond with the deep ocean green eyes. She is surrounded by a halo of joy and immortal youth.
And we have Alexander on the other hand - Dark and tall (vera tall!!!) with a striking look and presence, Creme Brulee eyes. Strong and manly, simply any females' fantasy guy.
They meet, on the fateful very first day of the Nazi invasion to the Soviet Union, on June 22, 1941. Despite all the obstacles and all the horrible things these two go through their love grows deeper and stronger.
From the very start, and obviously without any warnings you are brutally drawn to the plot, becoming obsessed with the characters and having absolutely nothing else to do but to root and cheer for these two lovers.
A book is measured by the impacts it's left on you, and here I am, a very simple example of an obsessed and addicted fan of this author and this trilogy in particular. I'm now left with a journal FULL of quotes from the three books, FULL of my thoughts and opinion of this trilogy. I'm going to admit - I was skeptical at the beginning, thinking The Bronze Horseman was going to be just another book I will read and eventually put on my bookshelf next to other books I've read, and how was I wrong! Even now, after finishing the third book I'm still unable to let go of Tatiana and Alexander.

It's amazing how a book can change you and what you believe in, I personally never really showed any desire or interest in learning about WWII, but this book has made me want to study and read about this war.
It's amazing how you can be convinced, simply hooked by the believe that a character you've read about in a book might be real. For how could Alexander not exist?!?! For how could my precious Tania have been only a vision? That idea is simply absurd, having Shura and Tatia simply as two characters in a book, I feel like I've known them my whole life!
The Bronze Horseman has made me want to visit Russia, a country I have never showed any interest in, I want to visit St. Petersburg, to walk through the Summer Garden, in The Field of Mars, I want to buy a crème brulée ice cream, to sit on a bench waiting on a bus, to cross and uncross my legs all dressed in a white dress with red dancing roses and green smiling leaves, to hum: "We'll meet again in Lvov, my love and I..." and I want to raise my glance to notice an officer staring at me from across the street...

Obsessed.

The Bronze Horseman has opened my eyes and convinced me of finding a true love, now after reading this book I have realised that a true love has been laying in front of my eyes my whole life, the love my parents share for one another, a love that continued to stand force against the cruelty of fate and life.
Baba, Mama, may God bless you with his never ending grace and love.

Leningrad, the white nights of this city, fifth Soviet, The Fields of Mars, St. Isaac's cathedral, The Summer Garden, Lazarevo, Luga, Morozovo Hospital, The Neva, The Kama, Lake Ladoga, The Bronze Horseman sculpture...
All these are going to accompany me day after day for the rest of my life...

And now, two names are added to the list of people I owe them my life:
Paullina Simons: For giving us, her devoted readers the opportunity to fall in love with her amazing characters, and to hope for a love as great as the one our beloved Tania and Shura has.

And to that young fella who introduced me to this book, and begged me in that crowded bookstore to read it "It's the most beautiful historical love story you'll read." He said, and how was he right!

Do yourself a favor, go pick these books from the nearest bookstore, you will not regret it.
Have a great day/night (It's night over here...)

XOXO

A teaser ;) Tatiana & Alexander

While reading Tatiana and Alexander I have already stumbled across so many parts that present such an amazing teasers for all of you who haven't got a chance to read the book! And I'm on page 121 only! So it means that I still have more than 400 pages of pleasure! Weeee...!
What I love so much about Paullinas' writing, is that she manages to write sentences that easily engrave in your brain and you'll spend a day or two craving to read them again and again, here is a part of Tatiana And Alexander that kept me mesmerized, unable to stop my tears. I couldn't consider this a spoiler, but if you're in the beginning of the 1st book, maybe you should skip reading.
Anyhow, here you go:

As Stepanov turned to go, Alexander said, "Sir..." He was so weak he almost couldn't get the words out. He didn't care how cold the wall was, he could not stand on his own anymore. He pressed his body against the icy concrete and then sank down to the floor. "Did you see her?"
He lifted his gaze to Stepanov, who nodded.
"How was she?"
"Don't ask, Alexander."
"Was she-"
"Don't ask."
"Tell me."
"Do you remember when you brought my son back to me?" Stepanov asked, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "Because of you I had comfort. I was able to see him before he died, I was able to bury him."
"All right, no more," said Alexander.
"Who was going to give that comfort to your wife?"
Alexander put his face into his hands.
Stepanov left.
Alexander sat motionlessly on the floor. He didn't need morphine, he didn't need drugs, he didn't need phenobarbital. He needed a bullet in his fucking chest.


By the way, I have to agree with some reviewers that said that Tatiana And Alexander stands for its own, I mean, for you to understand the story line you don't need to read The Bronze Horseman before Tatiana And Alexander, but for you to enjoy the book as much as possible, I highly recommend you do.

Back to reading!
Love, love and love,
Khulood

A second life?

I stumbled across a sentence mentioning that reading a book is like leading a second life, I couldn't but to agree with this saying, I nodded and thought 'Completely!'! I believe that while reading, (of course if the book is well-written and captivating) you are thrown to the lives of the characters being able to live the story with them and experience whatever they might.
But the question that has immediately popped in my brain was: 'Could I ever say it's a top secret life? A kind of life I want to keep for myself?' because hey, isn't what a Second Life is all about?

For me reading is not perfect without being able to annoy my little sister with the plot (Hey, isn't that the job of a little sister?!) When I'm excited with a book, or if I'm simply reading, everyone in the house knows that. Without paying attention I would tell my Mom what book I'm reading and what it talks about, my dad would sneak to my room and check what book is laying besides my bed. Actually, sometimes I read out loud for my sister who can't manage to hold a book because she's too lazy.

Reading a book is comparable with having a second life. For me, it's a life I love to share with my family, friends and Internet fellows. It's a life full of adventures and excitement I wouldn't dare to give up.


Tatiana And Alexander; hold still, I'll be coming very soon!
See you soon,
~Khulood.

New book; The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

This book has been standing on my bookshelf for over a year, between The Kite Runner by Khalid Husseini and Prep, by Curtis Sittinfeld, I got it from a relative who highly recommended this book to me; The Da Vinci Code. I started reading it last year, and stopped. Then I tried again and yes, I stopped once again. I can't explain why this book has managed to turn me off each time I tried to start reading it. However, yesterday I wanted to give it another try, just to say 'I have at least tried!' and so I began reading it and surprisingly, found out that it wasn't the book, it was me. Definitely me, because now I can't let this book down.

I have read over than one hundred pages in less than a day, and I can't let go of it! I've sunk so deep down in the mystery surrounding this book and it's plot I can't rise my eyes from it's pages. I'm lucky I had to "teach" for two hours because if I didn't, I wouldn't have stopped reading (I give private lessons for some pupils that need some help with their homework, or ones that only need some reassurance).
Anyhow, I'm quite sure the reason for my addiction is the plot rather than the characters, unlike The Bronze Horseman, in The Da Vince Code I still didn't get so much attached to the characters, for me they are no more than some mannequins for the author so the plot could advance. Nevertheless, the story is so stunning and thrilling you can't manage to leave the book.

Have you read the book? What do you think of it?

See you soon, keep on reading!
Khulood~

Nice to meet you

My name is Khulood (Which means eternity) I'm 18 years old and I love books. I've finished high school last year and I'm taking this year off to prepare myself mentally for college. I have always loved books and reading, but this year my love has increased since I don't really have anything to do with myself beside sitting all day and reading. And so this blog was created to document my reading process, my reading list and my reviews for some books I liked.

Currently I'm reading Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, which if you don't know tells the story of two marriage couple; Frank and April Wheeler. Boy, these two are the perfect example for deluded people. The book is nothing I expected, I thought I'm going to be captivated by it, unable to put it down not until I finish all it's 463 pages. However, that's not happened, and I have already read more than 160 pages. So I won't be so surprised if I abandon the book eventually.

Anyways, here's a list of books I really really really want to read:
Tatiana And Alexander - Paullina Simons (I read The Bronze Horseman which is the first book in a trilogy of an amazing love story in the middle of the second world war. It's probably the best book I've read in my life! If you haven't heard of it\haven't read it, you must must must read it, it has everything you would wish for in a book)
The Summer Garden - Paullina Simons (The third book in The Bronze Horseman trilogy)
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger (I've read the author's 1st Novel: The Time Traveler's Wife and fell in love with her style)
Handle With care - Judi Picoult (Sad book, I love sad books. Not to mention I loved My Sister's Keeper)

OK, so that's it. Nice to meet you. If you love books as much as I do I hope to hear from you.
Have a nice day everyone.
Bye.