Where there is a book, there is hope.
Hello readers!
I’m here today to tell you that I will be on vacation until the 10th of August!
I hope to find a lovely weather, but not as hot as in Italy right now. I hope to find new delicious foods, and I hope to buy a lot of new fabulous books!
I will be back with regular posts in August! Happy summer holidays to all of you!
You can still find me on Twitter and Instagram.
Hello readers! Today I will talk about another one of my passion: food. Like, who doesn’t love food?
I’m (nearly) obsessed with food: as an Italian I can say we have a lot of fantastic foods, recipes and flavours. But I also love to try and experiment food from other countries, like Japan.
In the past years I was a compulsive reader of manga and manhwa, a cosplayer (here’s my DeviantArt page with my cosplays) and I was always watching anime, etc…
One day, an ads pop up on my Instagram feed about Umai Crate, a monthly subscription box about Japanese ramen, noodles and soba. I decided to try it.
This is in the photo is the May Umai Crate Box. I pick this because I would try the Lipton tea special edition with Sakura (the cherry flowers). It’s delicious. (the pink box)
Everything I tried in this box is absolutely delicious: there are spicy ramen if you like to test your resistance; cold udon perfect to eat in the summer heat, and this delicious sweet and perfumed sakura tea.
The green one in the right corner was a wasabi soup that I gifted to my dad: he loves Japanese soup so much!
I’m addicted, so obviously I ordered the June box too, that I will show to you in the next post.
Don’t worry if you can’t read Japanese: the box comes with a pamphlet with all the instructions in English and even suggestion and a special recipe.
Are you like me? Do you enjoy to try food from different countries?
Tell me in the comments below!
Hello! How’s everyone doing?
The challenge is to post some books that I loved and some books that are still on my TBR (please TBR, don’t hurt me), corresponding to each letter of the alphabet.
Personally, I found this challenge on A Book. A Thought. Go and check this great blog!
Please remember that maybe some books will be in Italian. I will write the English title too.
The Hound of the Baskerville by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: still my favourite adventure with Sherlock Holmes!
Hour of mischief by Aimee Hyndman: a funny adventure, one of my first Book Blog tour!
Honey and Clover by Chica Umino: this manga series of 10 volumes is a bittersweet tale of friendship and love, art and human relations. I love it so much.
Holy cow by David Duchovny: it seems that the only person who liked this book is me. I don’t care.
It seems that The Hanged Man is the first in a series that is incomplete.
And Hag-seed? Everyone talks positively about it!
Have you read some of these books?
Tell me in the comments!
Hello readers!
Right now in Italy we are literally melting, the last Friday we had 38°C. in my town. Unbelievable.
In June I’ve read 9 books, finally I read a 5 stars book (yeeee) and at the young age of 32, I’ve read Pride and Prejudice (in Italian).
The wingsnatchers, that’s the title, even if it’s written so small on the cover, it’s an amazing steampunk/fantasy middle grade. I love it!
The lady in the coppergate tower is a steampunk retelling of Dracula/Rapunzel: interesting but a little boring in the middle.
Mom’s perfect boyfriend is a contemporary really cute with a lot of family dynamics.
Old Dark is a fantasy with a chapter narrated by Dragons: interesting but really violent.
Barnabas Tew and the case of the missing scarab is the first volume in the series: it’s a little boring, maybe it’s your cup of tea if you’re interested in Egyptian Mythology.
The nine worlds is the same as the first book, only with the Gods of Asgard.
Karma (2.5/5) is an urban fantasy for adult (there are mature contents) with characters like Karma and Murphy’s law.
A fat shaming book with a stupid male main character and some scenes really WTF? The green dressed ghost is a big NO for me.
Original Title: Momo e no Tegami / A letter to Momo
Produced by: Production I. G., Pierrot
Date of release: 2011
My rating: 4/5
Clinging to an unfinished letter written by her recently deceased father, young Momo moves with her mother from bustling Tokyo to the remote Japanese island of Shio. Upon their arrival, she begins to explore her new habitat, meeting local children and learning their routines and customs. However, it’s not long before several bizarre occurrences crop up around the previously tranquil island. Orchards are found ransacked, prized trinkets start disappearing and, worst of all, each morning after her mother leaves for work, Momo hears strange mumblings coming from the attic of their home. Annoyed by these creepy goings-on and her mother’s refusal to believe them, Momo embarks on a strange and supernatural adventure to discover the source of the mischief, which leads her to a trio of troublesome imps: the flatulent lizard Kawa, the childlike Mame and their hulking ogre leader Iwa. Momo also learns that her visit to the island is in some way connected to her father’s mysterious letter.
Original title: Kimi no na wa / Your Name
Produced by: Comix Wave films
Date of release: 2016
My rating: 2.75/5
From director Makoto Shinkai, the innovative mind behind Voices of a Distant Star and 5 Centimeters Per Second, comes a beautiful masterpiece about time, the thread of fate, and the hearts of two young souls. The day the stars fell, two lives changed forever. High-schoolers Mitsuha and Taki are complete strangers living separate lives. But one night, they suddenly switch places. Mitsuha wakes up in Taki’s body, and he in hers. This bizarre occurrence continues to happen randomly, and the two must adjust their lives around each other. Yet, somehow, it works. They build a connection and communicate by leaving notes, messages, and more importantly, an imprint. When a dazzling comet lights up the night’s sky, something shifts, and they seek each other out wanting something more – a chance to finally meet. But try as they might, something more daunting than distance prevents them. Is the string of fate between Mitsuha and Taki strong enough to bring them together, or will forces outside their control leave them forever separated?
I watched these two movies recently, so I decided to do a mash-up review. As you can see from my rating, I’ve loved A Letter to Momo, and I like it Your Name, but not so much.
But Your Name is famous, and Momo is totally underrated.
Let me explain: the great strength of A Letter to Momo is the story, the animation and visual effects are more classics. It’s a story who I can relate much more than Your Name, there is a lot of emotions going through, from the sadness of the beginning, when Momo’s father died, to the anger for the troubles due to the demons, and finally to the fun and the friendship between the three demons and Momo.
It’s a little too long however, but the ending is really emotional and satisfying.
The strength of Your Name is visual: the plot is a little too romantic and “weird” to me, even if I had appreciated the plot twist. But oh my… the scenes of the night sky, with the cometh, the classic Japanese village with their summer festival and traditions, in contrast with Taki’s life in a modern city. Every scene is a masterpiece, with the colours, the music, the particular shot. You really a big TV with a high resolution to better see this movie!
I appreciated both of this movies, and I will recommend both: A Letter to Momo if you want a “classic” movie full of human emotions and Japanese mythology; Your Name if you prefer a more romantic story with a touch of angst.
Both of the movies are available on Netflix.
Hello readers! We are in the middle of June, and for me, also in the middle of my Goodreads reading challenge. I read 52 books at the moment, so probably I already read a new favourite book or two, right?
I found this tag on Kristin Kraves Books, please go and check her blog!
Check my Mid-Year Freak Out Tag of the last year!
The Wingsnatchers (Carmer and Grit #1) by Sarah Jean Horwitz
Just finished this book and it’s incredible! I’ve loved every character, the plot is so well done, and look at the cover!
Il bacio del vampiro (As shadows fade) by Colleen Gleason
The last book in the Gardella Chronicles is the perfect ending for this series!
The boy from tomorrow by Camille Deangelis
I still need to read for Edelweiss The boy From Tomorrow, but I don’t think it’s a new release.
Find me their bones by Sara Wolf
It’s curious: my best book of the previous tag was Bring me their hearts, and now, my most anticipated release is its sequel.
La lama sottile (the subtle knife) by Philip Pullman
It’s impossible for me to say out loud how La lama sottile(The Subtle Knife) the sequel of The Golden Compass, bad it is. I hated the main character, I hated how Lyra is treated, I hated the angels and God and whatsoever turn of the plot. I hated it so much that I refuse to read the third book of the series.
The Yard by Alex Grecian
Everyone seems to dislike this book, but hey, it’s great!
Alex Grecian for sure, Sarah Jean Horwitz and Ross MacKenzie!
Neville Hammersmith, the lovely and Oh_my_God_I’m_so_scared_He_will_die_in_the_next_books from The Yard.
Grit (don’t call her Grettifrida) from Carmer and Grit and Kadka, the half-human half-orc from The Flaw in all magic.
I’m sorry, but none of the books I read this year has made me cry.
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton
I’m happy because usually I don’t like hyped books, but I really liked Camellia’s story.
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
I agree with Kristin: Good Omens it’s spectacular!! I’m in love with Aziraphale/Sheen and Crowley/Tennant!
Even if I hated the book, writing down the review of Just One Damned Thing After Another was really liberating.
The boy, the bird & the coffin maker by Matilda Woods
This year I’m really a good book blogger and I’ve bought only a dozen of books. This, in particular, has a shiny but a little rough cover.
All of them?
Hello readers!
Here I am with a review of an ARC I request through Edelweiss. I liked the cover and the title, and I’ve thought that, as an introvert, I will see myself in the main character and maybe learn to be less introvert.
Spoiler: I learn nothing.
Title: Sorry I’m late, I didn’t want to come. One introvert’s year of saying yes.
Author: Jessica Pan
Editor: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Pages: 272
Genre: Non-fiction, memoir
Goodreads Rating: 4.00/5
My rating: 2.5/5
What would happen if a shy introvert lived like a gregarious extrovert for one year? If she knowingly and willingly put herself in perilous social situations that she’d normally avoid at all costs? Writer Jessica Pan intends to find out. With the help of various extrovert mentors, Jessica sets up a series of personal challenges (talk to strangers, perform stand-up comedy, host a dinner party, travel alone, make friends on the road, and much, much worse) to explore whether living like an extrovert can teach her lessons that might improve the quality of her life. Chronicling the author’s hilarious and painful year of misadventures, this book explores what happens when one introvert fights her natural tendencies, takes the plunge, and tries (and sometimes fails) to be a little bit braver.
Have you ever read a book that makes you uncomfortable?
I am an introvert, I was always an introvert, and I was really uneasy reading this memoir. I’m not really a memoir person, because I never find a person who has the same experiences as me, but I admit that the beginning of this book was promising.
I saw a lot of myself in Jessica and her social introversion, and I laughed on some scenes, remembering how I acted pretty similar to her.
But the more she pushes herself doing something more extrovert, the more I began to analyze the book.
Because I’m also a shy person, and I suffer from social anxiety from a very young age, and I was thinking, due to some scenes in this book, that also Jessica suffers from social anxiety, maybe a little less than me. But she also lives and does something that I will never do, and her experiences during her extrovert’s year are specifically (in my vision) for people living in a big city and living a healthy life. If you live in London and have money and good health, you can go out, or participate in a show, or take an aeroplane and goes to a “surprise weekend” in a random city. But not everyone is like you, Jessica!
So this restricts a lot the people who can apply to her lifestyle.
I will also say that I found her “racist” vision of the population of a city very disgusting. She stands very clearly about the flaws of Londoners, or people of Budapest or Hong Kong. I’m not a citizen of these cities, but I don’t think it’s polite to talk so harsh about them. She’s very harsh to Budapest especially, so please be prepare.
I know that I have a vision of the world really different from most of the people, so please do not be offended by this review. It’s only my opinion and my feelings.
Hello readers!
Do you remember my post with the books with the lowest rating on my TBR?
I really appreciated the interest you showed with that post, so today I’m here to show you the 5 books with the highest rating on GR that are already on my Owned TBR!
Alfie Brown: the boy with purple eyes: only 16 ratings on this fantasy/middle grade book that I received for free through Instafreebie. Seems interesting, right?
The Godgame collection: I bought it on Amazon for 0,99€. It has only 4 ratings but they are all super positive!
The electrical menagerie: I bought it last week! Give me a good steampunk/historical fiction book and I’m a happy reader!
The Hobbit Chronicles V: The battle of the five armies Art & design: the last book in this series that I own. I’m still not over the ending of the battle of the five armies.
The hollows: a detective who’s searching for a monster in London in 1860? I’m in.
And these are the five books with the highest rating that I need to read! Have you read one or more of these books?
What’s the book with the highest rating on your TBR?
Tell me in the comments!
Hello readers!
How are you? Have you read something good in May?
I read 10 books in May, but unfortunately only one was really good, and it’s in Italian, so there wouldn’t be a 5 stars read in this post!
I’m really excited about A Game Of Booksathon that will begin today! Are you participating?
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Chapter 2 is missing is a funny children’s comic that I received as an ARC.
The stone of the tenth realm is the first book in a fantasy series: it’s original and the rating on Goodreads is really high!
Another ARC, a memoir of an introvert person trying to be more extrovert. I didn’t like it so much.
Hello, it’s me, always disliking the super-hyped books. With Carry on I decided to stop reading Rainbow Rowell’s books.
Magic of thieves has a beautiful cover, but an insipid story.
I had high expectations for The land of Yesterday, and I was really disappointing. But the cover is lovely.
The whimsyless tale of Firstname Lastname was just bad. Really bad.
And that was my reading month!
Tell me your best read of May in the comments!
Hello! How’s everyone doing?
The challenge is to post some books that I loved and some books that are still on my TBR (please TBR, don’t hurt me), corresponding to each letter of the alphabet.
Personally, I found this challenge on A Book. A Thought. Go and check this great blog!
Please remember that maybe some books will be in Italian. I will write the English title too.
Gone girlgirl was an amazing thriller, but I didn’t like the movie so much.
Global garden is a really strange and original manga, but it’s also sweet.
Godchild is a work of Kaori Yuki, less famous then Angel Sanctuary, but with a great plot.
Il Grande Inverno is the second part of A Game Of Thrones. They printed the books all separated, then decided to re printed them with better covers and reunited.
I’m totally in love with the cover of Ghost Talkers, and I can’t wait to read Greenglass House!
Do you know some of these titles?
See you for the next post of the ABC book challenge!
