Book Review: Inkheart

Full Title: Inkheart (Inkheart Trilogy Bk. 1)

Author: Cornelia Funke

ISBN-13: 978-0439709101

Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks

Pub. Date: June 1, 2005

Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Pages: 560pp

Genre: Fiction, Children, Fantasy

Read: 1/20/2011 – 2/11/2011 

Where Obtained: Personal Library 

Reason for Reading: Personal Enjoyment/Read the Book, See the Movie

Rating: 8/10, 5/5

Opening Line: Rain fell that night, a fine, whispering rain.

Synopsis:

One cruel night, Meggie’s father, Mo, reads aloud from INKHEART, and an evil ruler named Capricorn escapes the boundaries of fiction, landing instead in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie’s in the middle of the kind of adventure she thought only took place in fairy tales. Somehow she must master the magic that has conjured up this nightmare. Can she change the course of the story that has changed her life forever?

“Beguiling…the story seems to have been sprinkled with some magical fairy dust.”–The New York Times Book Review

Comments:

The Book 

A lovely book harkening back to the classic likening to Tolkien. Some parts seem predictable and simplistic but hang in there. The exciting twists and turns are just around the next page and weave a wonderful story. Truly enchanting. 

The Movie

If one did not know about the book and simply watched the movie, then it would serve as a satisfying family-friendly movie that could stand on its own. However, far too many YA/Children’s books-to-movies these days, the movie version of Inkheart fails to realize it’s full potential.

Recommendation: One’s time would be much better spent snuggling up with your children and reading the book.

Quotes/Passages:

“Every book should begin with attractive endpapers,” he had once told Meggie. “Preferably in a dark color: dark red or dark blue depending on the binding. When you open it’s like going to the theater. First, you see the curtain. Then it’s pulled aside and the show begins.”

Musical Monday: Thank You for Being a Friend

IF THIS VIDEO IS UNAVAILABLE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Title:  “Thank You for Being a Friend”

Artist: Andrew Gold

Album: All This and Heaven Too

Released: February 1978

Genre: Pop rock, soft rock

Label: Asylum Records

Songwriter(s): Andrew Gold

Producer(s): Andrew Gold

Lyrics: You can find the lyrics here.

Why I chose it: There are so many, many things we have to be grateful for in our lives. There are so many things we are told that we should be grateful for. However, one of the things I think we so easily overlook when giving thanks, are our friends.  They pick us up when we fall and cheer us on in whatever we do. They listen and cry with us when we struggle. They celebrate with us when we succeed. They are our greatest supporters and the keep of our secrets. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. So, this holiday season, take a moment to call a friend, or two, or three… and thank them for being in your life. Thank them for being your friend!

Where to find the song:

On Spotify – https://tinyurl.com/t77ppdc

On Pandora – https://tinyurl.com/wobrwyn

On Google Play — https://tinyurl.com/quatx6h

On Apple Music – https://tinyurl.com/qvwnyod

On Shazam – https://tinyurl.com/vshxmyj

Currently: November 2019

What’s going on this month…

Focusing on: yearly reflections

Starting: a relationship with my inner child

Reading:  Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson,  Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer,

Listening to: Christmas music

Watching: A Million Little Things, Madam Secretary, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Perfect Harmony, This Is Us,  The Mandalorian, vintage movies and series on Disney+.

Loving: Disney+

Hating: Politics

Enjoying: Playing Dungeons & Dragons with my boys

Considering: 2020 Goals

Finishing: Neil Gaiman MasterClass

Participating in: 2019 Hug a Runner 5K for $5K Challenge

Self Care: A day of rest

Letting go of: Clutter

Looking forward to: Christmas!

Grateful for: Family time

How about you? What have you been doing this month, and what are you especially grateful for?

Namaste,

Christina

Book Review: The Little Paris Bookshop

Full Title: The Little Paris Bookshop

Author: Nina George 

ISBN-13: 9780553418798

Publisher: Broadway Books

Pub. Date: March 22, 2016

Binding: Paperback

Pages: 416 pages

Read: August 26, 2019 – September 12, 2019

Obtained from: McMillan Memorial Library

Reason for Reading:  International Reading Group (facebook)

Rating: 3/5

Opening Line: How on earth could I have let them talk me into it?

Comments & Recommendation:  I had heard so much about this book that I really thought it would be a win for me. I loved the concept of the floating bookstore and “book doctor.” I would have loved to read more of that play out in greater depth along the journey, rather than the journal entries. While the diary played a small part in the end, I don’t think the passages throughout added much and actually slowed the story down. They just felt like filler.

I felt this book had so much potential but fell flat. While I didn’t hate it, I found it predictable, anti-climatic, and uninspiring.  In the end, I was left disappointing and wanting something more. 

If you like stories about books, you might like it. If you’re looking for a really meaty book with references to other books worked into the plot, or, you’re one of those “so many books, so little time” kind of people… skip this one and move on.

Quotes: 

Books are more than doctors, of course. Some novels are loving, lifelong companions; some give you a clip around the ear; others are friends who wrap you in warm towels when you’ve got those autumn blues. And some… well, some are pink candy floss that tingles in your brain for three seconds and leaves a blissful void. Like a short, torrid love affair. (p.29)

Do we only decide in retrospect that we’ve been happy? Don’t we notice when we’re happy, or do we realize only much later that we were? (p.252)

Isn’t it amazing how physical love is? Our body is better at recalling what it felt like to touch someone than our brain is at remembering the things that person said. (p.252)

I think – and correct me if I’m getting too carried away with my ideas about the goal sisterhood— that first there is the love in which we think with our knickers. I know all about that. It’s fine for about fifteen minutes. Second, there’s logical love, the type we create in our head; I’ve experienced that too. You look for men who objectively suit your setup or who won’t upset your life plans too much, but you don’t feel any magic. And third, there’s the love that comes from your chest or your solar plexus, or somewhere in between. That’s the type I want. It’s got to have the magic that sets my lifeblood alight, right down to the tiniest little globule. What do you think? (p. 255)

Musical Monday: Blessed

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Title:  “Blessed”

Artist: Martina McBride

Album: Greatest Hits

Released: September 18, 2001

Genre: Country

Label: Sony Legacy

Songwriter(s): Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges

Producer(s): Paul Worley

Lyrics: You can find the lyrics here.

Why I chose it: I recently came across this song while research songs about gratitude, and I instantly fell in love with it. I liked the fact that it was not just another song about romantic love. I really appreciated that it celebrated the many blessing in our everyday lives.

Where to find the song:

On Spotify – https://tinyurl.com/uyawupm

On Pandora – https://tinyurl.com/rggce5s

On Google Play — https://tinyurl.com/u9non45

On Apple Music – https://tinyurl.com/t6b3fou

On Shazam – https://tinyurl.com/rqzxwb4

Book Review: The Last Testament

Complete Title: The Last Testament: A Memoir by God

Author: David Javerbaum

ISBN-13: 9781451640182

Publisher: Simon Schuster

Pub. Date: January 1, 2011

Binding: Hardcover

Pages: 383 pages

Read: September 2, 2018 –  January 7, 2019

Obtained from: McMillan Memorial Library

Reason for Reading: Brain Candy

Rating: 3/5

Opening Line: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Comments & Recommendation: This book was a fun read. It was very reminiscent of Christoper Moore’s Lamb: the Gospel according to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal. Although, due to the occasional political preaching, not quite as “laugh out loud” funny as Lamb. 

People are way too serious these days, especially when it comes to religion and politics. We need to get over ourselves and learn to laugh more. If you’re someone who enjoys a funny, entertaining read, then you should definitely pick up this book. And if not, lighten up and read it anyway. It might be good for you. And you might just enjoy it!

Musical Monday: Hakuna Matata

IF THIS VIDEO IS UNAVAILABLE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Title:  “Hakuna Matata”

Artist: Lebo M,  Jimmy Cliff

Album: Rhythm of the Pride Lands

Released: January 1, 1995

Genre: Soundtrack

Label: Walt Disney Records

Songwriter(s): Elton John, Tim Rice

Producer(s): Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Fabian Cooke

Lyrics: You can find the lyrics here.

Why I chose it: The Lion King (the original animated film) was the first movie I took my oldest son to see at the movies. It holds a special place in our hearts. Who doesn’t love the duo of Timon and Pumba teaching young Simba to let his cares go and not bother having any worries? This version of the song was on an album that came out later called Rythm of the Pride Lands.  It as a beautiful album of music inspired by the movie. I love this version of the song. I like being able to listen to it (and singing) without feeling like I’m just belting out a movie soundtrack song. It makes me want to move. It’s an inspiring version of the song.

Where to find the song:

On Spotify – https://tinyurl.com/y52lz7jd

On Pandora – https://tinyurl.com/yyg2xwld

On Google Play — https://tinyurl.com/y2xa3q39

On Apple Music – https://tinyurl.com/yxnsxart

On Shazam – https://tinyurl.com/yyzmbgpo

Book Review: Sharp Objects

Title: Sharp Objects

Author: Gillian Flynn

ISBN-13: 9780606367226

Publisher: Turtleback Books

Pub. Date: September 26, 2006

Binding: Hardcover

Pages: 254 pages

Read: October 10-16 2018

Obtained from: McMillan Memorial Library

Reason for Reading: Brain Candy, Book-to-Screen

Rating: 2/5

Opening Line: My sweater was new, stinging red and ugly. 

Comments & Recommendation: I really didn’t love this book, but I didn’t hate it either. I guess that with all the hype of it being a Flynn novel, I expected more. I was disappointed. I was more intrigued by the psychologic aspects of the main character’s cutting disorder than I was by the main plot lines. As a whole, I found it predictable and a bit boring. 

I pushed through this book because I wanted to watch the HBO series that was based on the book. Unfortunately, I found that to be worse than the book.

If you’re a Flynn fan or like this kinda thing, go for it. Otherwise, skip it. There’s really nothing new here. 

Musical Monday: November Playlist

I thought I’d change it up a little bit today. Instead of simply sharing one song that I like, I’ve decided to share a whole playlist. Think of it as a soundtrack for your month of thankfulness and gratitude…

If this playlist is not available, please click HERE.

I tried to make this list as diverse as possible. I was quite disappointed that the majority of songs I found had to do with romantic love, rather than life and blessings in general. Sure, love is important, but there is so much more to be grateful for than romantic love. Maybe my search was simply too short-sighted or simplistic? I certainly hope that is the case. I did the best I could to mix it up.

What about you? What are your favorite songs about gratitude? And what are you most grateful for today? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Today, I am so incredibly grateful you stopped by and read this blog post. I hope you find a song that brings you joy and reminds you of your blessing.

Have a wonderfully abundant day!

Namaste,

Christina

Book Review: Dracul

Title: Dracul (Stoker’s Dracula series #1)

Author: Dacre Stoker,  J.D. Barker

ISBN-13: 978-0735219342

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Pub. Date: October 2, 2018

Binding: Hardcover

Pages: 512 pages

Read: November 10-15, 2018

Obtained from: McMillan Memorial Library

Reason for Reading: Fall Brain Candy

Rating: 4/5

Opening Line:

From Goodreads:

The prequel and continuation of the classic work “Dracula” by Bram Stoker written by his descendant Dacre Stoker and international bestselling author, J.D. Barker.

Comments: Written by a descendant of Bram Stoker along with J.D. Barker, Dracul is advertised as a prequel to the infamous gothic novel Dracula. It tells the (fictional) tale of how young Bram grew up and was influenced by life events which lead to the writing of his famous novel. Dracula is one of my favorite novels. I love it for the way Stoker tells the story and not for the fact it’s a vampire tale. I feel this book as a new dimension to the tale and makes to whole thing more enjoyable. It was a wonderful accompaniment to the original novel. 

Recommendation: If you looking for a pop culture fluff read like current vamp novels on the market (I’m looking at you Twilight and True Blood) this may not be for you. If you are looking for something a little more substance and mystery, a Stoker fan or simply lover of gothic novels then this would definitely be worth your time.