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"I am a reader not because I don't have a life but because I choose to have many"

maggio 29, 2017

Dracula by Bram Stoker - Review

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Dracula 

by Bram Stoker


If you thought that vampires were sexy creatures, hunting only at night, sparkling under the sun ray, with a kind human heart; you should stop reading Stephenie Meyer and get your hands on Bram Stoker Dracula!

Reading this classic for my English literature class, I was quite surprised how much I ended up liking it and about how ignorant I was about the original plot. After Interview With the Vampire by Anna Rice, the way we perceive these nightly creatures was totally changed from the one that Bram Stoker's contemporaries had. She made being a vampire a lifestyle, something cool, that everyone would like to experience. But we couldn't be any farther away with Dracula. He is a mean villain, ready to conquer the whole world, starting from London to create a vampire's pandemonium.

The whole book is framed within letters, diaries and journal's entries, telegraph's text. In the begging of the novel, we are introduced with Johnathan Haker, a young lawyer who is traveling from England to Transylvania to help Count Dracula purchase an estate in London. Dracula wants to immigrate to England and would like Johnathan to help him with all the legal matters. Once he arrives in Dracula's castle everything turns out to be very peculiar...
And the rest is legend!

What I loved most about this book, was Dracula description. Contrary to popular understanding, Stoker has his Draculsportingng a large, bushy Victorian mustache and having a profuse head of dense, curly hair, massive eyebrows, and peculiarly sharp white teeth, especially the canine teeth. The first time that Johnathan sees him, he notices the overgrowing hair on Dracula's hands. He is often described with features that belong to animals; moreover, he is a shapeshifter: he can transform into a wolf, a bat, mist/vapor. He doesn't appeal like a sexy character in the book; instead, people are constantly disgusted and scared in his presence.
Finally, a vampire that looks and behaves like a vampire, a real monster inside out!
The writing style is good but antiquated and redundant making the novel a heavy read. I took me a lot to finish the book - two weeks - while I'm usually a quick reader, but the story is worth the pain, so push on until the end!

4.5/5 STARS

 Dracula 1931 movie trailer:








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maggio 25, 2017

TEA TIME & SEASON'S TAG #8

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Seasons of Book Blogging Tag


We are almost entering summer and in this period of season's changing, what's better than a book tag about them.
The creator of this tab is Jordyn from J.Bookish, and I've been tagged by Elena from The Book Portal, go and pay this amazing blogger a visit. Without any further do, let's jump right in!
Rules are simple:
1. Thank the creator and the person who tagged you.
2. Begin with the month in which you have been tagged and move forward from there!
3. State the best gift you've been given after you answer the question for your birthday month.
4. Tag whoever you'd like when you're finished.
5. Have fun, of course!

  • May is the month when flowers start to bloom. Name a book that was a pleasant surprise to you.



I've never been a Science fan, but after reading the Martian it was all about space. During and after reading it I started to read more about the scientific space advancement and discoveries. All the legends and stories about the moon's landing and space's adventures will blow your mind!
The Martian is really well written, Andy Weir was able to make science not only simple but also funny and appealing.

June is the time to take a break. Name a book or genre that you like to read when you just need to check out.

When I need to plug off from everything I usually go for a Romance, better if it's about teenage drama. More than anything it has to be a light and fast read, where my brain can chill and have a good time.

  • July is the time to celebrate your independence! Name a book that made you see fireworks. (Figuratively. Please don't light books on fire)



Talking about fire certainly, Frost Blood by Elly Blake has it (REVIEW--> HERE). This new dystopian series started off quite well with a Little Red Hood reminiscence in the plot and the building of a world separated in fire and ice. A good read but still unremarkable under many aspects, I waiting for the spark in the second book!
Also July it's my birthday month, the best gift I ever received was two concert tickets for my favorite singer: The Passenger, thanks sis xx

  • August is the hottest month of the year. Pick an up-and-coming author that you think will be the next hottest thing.


Well she is already hot and if you haven't heard about her you should open Goodreads, cuz Victoria Schwab is going worldwide. A Darker Shade of Magic it's been on the top ten NewYork Times bestselling fantasy for a while, also the trilogy if starting to be translated around the world, not to mention that the right have been acquired for a possible movie-series adaptation. For me, this series is one of the best high-fantasy and dark story of all the time, all mixed up with perfect writing and clever plot, put her on the list for the next J.K Rowling.

  • September is time for students to go back to school! Pick a book you read for school that you actually enjoyed.


I was lucky enough this year to read all good books - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Dr.Jekyll & Mr.Hyde by Robert Luis Stevenson, Hamlet and The Tempest by Shakespeare, Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, Dracula by Bram Stoker- I enjoyed all of them but if I had to pick one, I'll say Hamlet. I still can't believe how much I liked this tragedy, I did revalue Shakespeare a lot and found myself in love with his plays.

  • October is time to celebrate Halloween! Pick a character that you would love to dress up as for Halloween.


Inej from Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. She is a kickass famle character with kickass ability, what else do you want!?!

  • November is the month when we're reminded of how much we have to be thankful for. Choose one book you're grateful for having read and give a shout-out to the person who recommended it!



Cinder by Marissa Meyer and I'm super thankful to @bright_star91 for recommending it. I would have never though that classic fairytale could be swept into a sci-fi universe and still work so well.I loved the book and I loved the series.

  • December is a time when friends and families come together and celebrate. Name one book you would give as a gift.




A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, this book I surely one of my must-gift. I did give it already to almost all my friends, I love the book, it's a short beautiful story and the illustration from Jim Kay are amazing.

  • January begins a new year. Name a resolution you made this year and if you've kept it or not.
Well, has every year I usually promise myself that I'll be more healthy, I'll do more sport, go on a diet, get out more, study harder, and has every year it turns out that I have all good intentions but the universe is plotting against me. Like if I want to go on a diet, my sister will pop by my house with cake; if I wanna go running, it will start to rain, if I want to study, a book will start screaming to be picked up from my bookshelf. So yes, it's not that I'm not persistent in my goals, it the universe!

  • February is the month for relationships. Name your favorite book relationship: romantic, platonic, or familial, your choice!


Jenny Han is one of the best in creating a real net of characters, you can touch the connection existing between the characters in To All the boys I've loved before. The love and feelings between the character are at hand, you feel them ahs your own.


  • March is the month for luck and new beginnings. Name a book or series that you would like to re-experience as if you'd never read it. 




Harry Potter for sure, It was my first fantasy series and I do reread it from time to time so I would love to experience again all that wonder and anxiety.

  • April is a spectacularly ordinary month. Name a book that was so over-hyped that it just could not live up to your expectations.


I was expecting way more from a Wintersong by S.Jae-Jones (REVIEW-->HERE), though I loved the whole idea about the goblin wife, the development and the boring description about music made it so that it was a struggle to get to its end.

I TAG:

@andreasbookishthoughts
@bookishadvisor
@divoratoridilibri
@leggendo-viaggiando

They are all amazing blog, check them out!I really enjoyed doing this tag. Of course, don't feel forced to do it, it's to have fun if you have the time ;).


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maggio 21, 2017

Summer Books - 2017

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The sun's out, the weather is nice and I can't wait to pick up all my books and lay out in the garden to read. I'm already planning my summer reads and I want to share with you some of the books I'm planning on reading in this hot weather!

1- Always and Forever, Lara Jean (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #3) by Jenny Han
It wouldn't be summer without a good romance and for me, that means Jenny Han. Her writing skills are amazing, and the simple and cosy story she creates are just perfect. Always and Forever, Lara Jean is the follow-up to the New York Times bestselling To All the Boys I've Loved Before. it still nowadays one of the best romance series I ever read, maybe because more than romance we are talking about love. Love for our family, love for our friends, love for ourselves and of course also passionate love. 

In this third instellement in the series, Lara Jean is having the best year a girl could hope for. She is head over heels in love with her boyfriend, Peter; her dad's finally getting remarried to their next door neighbor, Ms. Rothschild; and Margot's coming home for the summer just in time for the wedding.
But change is looming on the horizon.And while Lara Jean is having fun and keeping busy helping plan her father's wedding, she can't ignore the big life decisions she has to make. most pressingly, where she wants to go to college and what that means fro her relationship with Peter. She watched her sister Margot go through these growing pains. Now Lara Jean's the one who'll be graduating school leaving for college and leaving her family - and possibly the boy she loves - behind.
When your heart and your head are saying two different things, which one should you listen to?

I just order it on Book Depository and I can't wait to relax and read it!

2- Release by Patrick Ness


If you have been following me for a while you'll know my blind love for Patrick Ness, I was craving something new from him this whole year and finally Release come out this month. Patrick Ness is such an amazing writer, he is able to create unique stories while always portraying themes like diversity, discrimination, friendship and love. (--> Check out A Monster Calls review and the BOOK vs MOVIE review)


Inspired by Mrs. Dalloway and Judy Blume's Forever, Release is one day in the life of Adam Thorn, 17. It's a big day. Things go wrong. It's intense, and all the while, weirdness approaches...

Adam Thorn is having what will turn out to be the most unsettling, difficult day of his life, with relationships fracturing, a harrowing incident at work, and a showdown between this gay teen and his preacher father that changes everything. It's a day of confrontation, running, sex, love, heartbreak, and maybe, just maybe, hope. He won't come out of it unchanged. And all the while, lurking at the edges of the story extraordinary and unsettling is on a collision course.

 3- A Court of Wings and Ruin (A Court of Thorns and Roses #3) by Sarah J.Maas

Sarah J.Maas is a must read if you love the YA  and High-Fantasy genre. The writing is beautiful, the action is engaging, the plot are well developed and the characters have a good psychological depths.
I really enjoyed the ACOTAR series so far, it starts of has a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast but develops as an independent story.( --> Check out the 2017 Beauty and the Beast movie review, and if you love retellings I made a post on The Beauty and The Beast ones) 

Looming war threatens all Feyre hold dear in the third volume of the New York Times bestselling A Court of Thorns and Roses series.  
Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin's maneuverings and the invading king threatening to bring Prythian to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit-and one slip may spell doom not only for Feyre, but for her world as well.
As war bears down upon them all, Feyre must decide who to trust amongst the dazzling and lethal High Lords - and hunt fro allies in unexpected places.

Sounds exciting, right? I can't wait for it! 

4- The Circle by Dave Eggers


The movie (--> Check out Book to Movie adaptations 2017) it's in the theater right now and I wasn't able to read the book in time for the release - thanks to my uni exams - so I'll probably gonna catch up with everything this summer.

The Circle is about a young women, Mae Holland, who takes up a job at a Google-like tech company where she quickly climbs the corporate ladder. But the new technology that they are developing is threatening the freedom and autonomy of the human king.

The plot had me at the hook at the breaking of every privacy criteria, something that we have to consider more every day.

5- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Every summer I pick up a book about an adventure or a travel, as I usually say - if you can't live it, read it-, last summer I pick up Wild by Cheryl Strayed and loved it (--> Check out Wild review, BOOK vs MOVIE review), so this year I want to finally read the book icon of the Beat generation.
On the Road chronicles Jack Kerouac's years traveling the north American continent with his friend Neal Cassady, "a sideburned hero of the snowy West." As "Sal Paradise" and "Dean Moriarty", the two roam the country in a quest for self-knowledge and experience. Kerouac's love of America, his compassion for humanity, and his sense of language as jazz combine to make On the Road an inspirational work of lasting importance.

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This  is a part of my TBR for the summer. What about you? Any book to recommend?
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maggio 20, 2017

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones - Review

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Wintersong
by S. Jae-Jones


While I was still looking for some Beauty and the Beast retelling this book pop out. A crossover between a German folk story and the myth of Persephone and Hades, so instead of finding a beast we are rewarded with the beautiful and damn Lord of the Underworld: the Goblin King.

 "Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell"

The story is about Liesl, a young woman, who since she was a kid has heard the legends and stories of the mysterious Goblin King, who is also the muse around which her music is composed. While growing up she had to set aside her music in favor of more practical concerns, helping to run the family inn.
But when her sister suddenly disappears taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to the Underworld and cuts a deal with the Goblin King, to exchange her sister life for hers. She becomes the goblin wife; both physical and emotional passions are revived, she is free to be herself again, goes to write and play music. The goes on and while the world above is moving forward be becomes slowly weaker and longer while the goblins feed on her energy.
As the Goblin king and Liesl become closer, they must learn just what is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

The first half of the book has a nice pace, the story was well presented and the first encounter with the male protagonist is exciting, but once we get to the center of the action nothing is really happening. All the reference about music could easily appeal to anyone interested in classic music and even though I felt like they get kind of repetitive after a while, they were poetic. I wasn't able to enjoy the descriptions and I was constantly craving for more action. To summarize my feeling: I felt bored the whole time.


The Heroine is presented as an uncommon beauty, which did charm the Goblin King with her inner passion rather than her external appearance. I liked this new perspective, where a female heroine doesn't have to be extremely beautiful but rather develop her inner self and intelligence, becoming a more interesting character. What I didn't like was that she constantly reminds the reader that she is ugly, so instead of creating a self-conscious and strong heroine, the author built this insecure girl that need reassurance from her lover about her inner beauty.
The writing is beautiful and crafted but the story doesn't develop well, at times I also found it hard to follow and contradictory.

In short: two many beautiful words and so little action!
I'll keep a watch on this writer I'm sure she can do better than this.

2.75/5 STARS

Check out S.Jae-Jones Website!--> HERE
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