The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The book: The time traveler's wife

The author: Audrey Niffenegger

Pages: 373

A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant. An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.

Review from shelfari.com

The time traveler's wife is a marvelous story showing how love can survive time and space. Faith plays a big role in the events since Clair couldn't resist a normal life without it. She waits for him everytime he disappears, everytime she wakes up to find the empty side of the bed beside her empty with only his clothes and smell. She struggles and fights but their love wins, their love survives.
It's a very touching story with very moving events some of them overwhelming with joy and some of them are heartbraking.
The story is written in a simple but very good way. It was told from the point of view of both Clare and Henry the thing that gave the events a deep and emotional side.
I very much liked the book and i can't wait to watch the movie. Enjoy the trailor!

Book review: Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

The book: Girls of Riyadh

The author: Rajaa Alsanea

Pages: 300

Girls of Riyadh is the Arabic version of Sex and the city but censored. It’s about four girls that are trying to survive daily in the uptight and loose in the same time city; Riyadh.
Their stories vary between breaking laws, love and defining themselves into their traditional and strict society.
I enjoyed reading the book trying to analyse each of the main characters. Michelle; an open minded half American girl. She has a hard time adapting with the Saudi traditions and hopes she can go back to the United States where she thinks she belongs. Lamees; a kind girl who works hard for her studies. Sadeem; a naive girl who trusts people and lives in her romance novels’ world. Gamrah; an old school girl who couldn’t let go of her traditions even after watching sex and the city.

I found the book interesting because it opens on the secret behaviour of Saudi woman. I admit i was a little shocked when i first read it because i never thought that Saudi girls are living such a hard life; they can’t get into some places without man, they can’t drive and many other things that show that the country has a very conservative culture.
I am glad Rajaa is so brave to write about private lives of her friends’ and hers. I found it really brilliant.
The book caused a huge scandal in the country and Saudi people didn’t accept it and accused the writer to be very open and just trying to spread bad morals into the society.
For me, the things those four girls were doing to survive is a natural reaction to all the pressure and all the restraint they have been through all their lives so i wasn’t much surprised about the events in the book. Although the things they said about the book and the writer kind of shocked me because some reviewers was talking about it like it’s an erotic book that it should be banned.

I strongly recommend ‘Girls of Riyadh’ it gives you a great opportunity to explore another culture and go through different new minds and behaviours.

Book review: Undead and unwed by Mary Janice Davidson

The book: Undead and unwed

The author: MaryJanice Davidson

Pages: 100

Betsy had a boring annoying life; divorced parents, an evil step mother and a rich talkative friend. She joined the undead after a car accident and she just went back to her house after she woke up in her coffin.
The vampire community wasn’t okay with her letting her identity public, so they locked her with them before discovering that it was their lost queen; she didn’t burn under the sun, instead she yawned and dropped asleep.

After Sinclar; who ends up being the king; teaches her vamp 101 and persuades her to help them fighting some evil vampires as he brides her with her favourite expensive brand shoes, she finally accepts her status as the queen and tries to use it to convince other vampires to join them.

This first book of the Queen Betsy series is a lot of fun. It’s an easy read. It is weird at first to see a vampire mixing casually with human and spreading all over the news about her nature. But then she has a point, she doesn’t want to lie to her parents especially her mother, who takes the news very well, or her best friend, who was frightened at first but is happy to have her friend back.

For a paranormal comedy book, undead and unwed is not so bad, it has a lot of events going on. But the style is very simple that you can barely add any new linguistic forms into your brain.

Book review: Chocolat by Joanne Harris

The book: Chocolat

The author: Joanne Harris

Pages: 86




Chocolat, by Joanne Harris, apprises the story of Vianne Rocher and her daughter Anouchk. They spent their entire life going from town to town, from country to country, exploring new places and experiencing new relationships. It was particularly a tradition that Vianne and her mother used to do.



In her new town vianne opened a chocolaterie, and tried to make it a way to blend in and adapt into the new environment. But the reigning ambiance wasn’t welcoming the single mother. The town was a religious one, women were supposed to take care of their houses and husbands, and go to church. The things that Vianne wasn’t doing and was never willing to do. They considered her chocolaterie as the devil’s messenger.



Vianne fought with the narrow minded people and proved to them that chocolate is a pleasure that everyone is allowed to feel.
She made them realise that religion is not depriving its followers from the pleasures of life and that the person got its needs and craving for some fun and amusement.

Vianne decided to leave many times, but the kindness of some friends, and her need to settle down and have a stable life, made her overcome the challenges and make the change in the small town.

The plot is good, although a little boring but i feel that the movie did a great job fixing the flaws. I like the writing style. It is really mature but clear and an easy read.

Book review: Marked by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

The book: Marked

The author: P.C. Cast and  Kristin Cast

Pages: 197

Zoey Redbird was going to be one average high school student before being marked. Zoey’s life changed upside down, everything was new and weird to her. Her friends abandoned her, her family wanted to control her. She only found refuge at her grandmother that took her to the house of night that was her home from that day. She was a third former fledgling but not a regular one.

Her mark was different from the others, her affinity was powerful, and her determination to follow Nyx’s path clean and strong as it is, made her a perfect match to be a training high priestess. 

I find the story very interesting since it shows the change and the suffering of a teenage toward being a vampire. It gives us an idea about how much the change can be difficult, and how much strength and belief are needed to go through it. Friendship has a huge part in the story, the whole sticking together in good and bad helped Zoey to win her battle so far against the ex leader of the Dark Daughters.

Zoey’s holding to her family’s traditions was another point that I liked about the story. She actually turned to the Cherokee’s with prayers to help her come up with a plan; I found this brilliant because many of nowadays teenagers grow apart from their traditions and beliefs even when they need them the most.

I couldn’t help but compare the House of night series with the Harry Potter ones. The whole school thing, the fitting issue, and then the typical enemy blond people, for me that is just the same thing, this is really Harry Potter vampire version. I would love to watch it as a movie, it would be fabulous.

The style is easy to read, it is a very simple one, merely like the fanfiction’s. Which can make you bound with the book more, and feel that it was written by your close friend.

I can’t wait to read the other books of the series. It was a great deal to write what Zoey had been through and make you understand her pain and hard times because you can feel the bound between you and the main character. That certainly makes you wonder what will she do next. What changes will she do in the Dark Daughters? And if her relationship with Erik Night will be developed or not?

All that and more will be discovered in the next book. I recommend “Marked”, it’s a very catching and eventful story.

Movie review: Seven Pounds

I first heard of this movie in Barbara Walters’ show, 10 most fascinating people on 2008, since Will Smith was amongst the top ten list. His words about the movie made me want to watch it so bad. He talked about redemption, and the search of the truth. I had so much hope when i went to see the movie.

After seeing it, I feel that it was over rated. He is a good movie, but not for me. I was a little bit disappointed because I was waiting for more than what I got. The Ben Thomas’ attitude was too negative. He changed other people’s lives but not his. He helped them live happier but made himself miserable.

The end was not expected for me, I thought he would find what he was looking for and live not so happy, but at least live. A part of me though like the suicide scene, I know I’m weird.

The quality of the movie was undeniable. I liked the scenes were messed up from the beginning and then end, that made people wonder what will happen. Will Smith was mastering the role; he is always proving that he is always a great actor.
I would recommend the movie, but just don’t have your hopes high.

Book review: New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

After I read Twilight, and as for many readers, I grew attached to Edward. Bella in the other hand was just one normal character for me, even though she was the main character and the one telling the story, I had a hard time sympathizing with her. 

Bella Swan, the daughter of the town’s sheriff, fell in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. She went through many problems because of her boyfriend’s nature. The Cullens decided to leave town to make Bella safe and get her normal life back. That's how the second book of the Twilight series begins and left me in big disappointment as Edward had to leave the pages and left me and Bella face to face. 

When I started reading more, I found that that's how Bella succeeded to get my attention, and make me feel her pain during what she was going through. I actually had been drowned by those pages, and attracted by the style and the use of the description. 

But after thinking things through, I could see that Bella was over reacting during the absence of her vampire. She was a lot negative and suicidal than it should be. And she didn’t calm down until another guy came giving her care and attention. It was bad example for teenage girls, to make them believe that they can’t live without the one they love. 

As for Edward, he was one dependant vampire that I’ve never seen anyone alike. Usually vampires are not that attached to their lovers, even the ones that are mainstreaming. But Edward broke the tradition and grew more dependant and attached to his “prey”. He put it the right way when he said “The lion fell for the lamb.” For me that's not a bad thing, but for other vampires... that is breaking the law. But Bella had already made up her mind when it comes to crossing to dark side and entering the mysterious world.

Jacob, the werewolf from La Push, couldn’t get me to like him. Him being a werewolf was another reason for me not to like him. I’m more a vampire girl. 
The events were expected but the smoothness of the story made it enjoyable and pleasant. 

Edward and Bella, the famous couple, had moved me by the sacrifices that they did for each other. The death was going to be the price for not living without each other. 

The scenes were touching, and the events were in row that you can’t let go of the pages to do anything else. It was like nibbling on a piece of an ice cream bar not willing to let it finish.
To sum it up, I really enjoyed the book more than I expected. The story is easy to read and the events made it easy to follow.

I just felt like I have to review this music video, because I was stunned when I first saw it. Seung ri, known also by Victory, from the boy band “Big Bang” made a solo song named “Strong Baby”. I usually never pay attention to him in the other MVs of the band, because I like Tae Yang better, but when I saw this song I was surprised.

The boy showed some personality. The song is catchy and upbeat, and the music video is mature and showed a new side of Victory. He used Justin Timberlake’s style, cloths and moves but it fitted him very well. He looked mature and classy, especially in the black shirt.

The scene where the whole group dances it’s like the dance scene “my love” by Justin Timberlake. The moves are different though. They chose simple but sexy moves suited the mood of the song.
The last sexy scene was taken from “cry me a river” also by Justin Timberlake. The girl (that was in “Lies”; Big Bang’s song) looked good and sexy on Victory’s lap.

To sum it up, Victory did a good job for a first music video. The upbeat song is successful and the high quality music video is surprisingly sensual and grown up, compared to Victory’s old style. I usually don’t like the boy but he got me this time.

MV review: Hot Girl by SeeYa

From the slow sad songs to the electronic upbeat rhythm, the Korean female band SeeYa changed radically the singing style making their new song “Hot girl” reveal the girls’ fun, hot and sexy side.

The music video got a fun spirit, with a colourful set and cloths, some wigs and easy but great dance moves. The girls were having fun dancing all over the place repeating as a chorus “One more time” in an electronic sweet voice. That chorus reminded me of “One more time” the song by Daft punk, they keep repeating that phrase in an electronic voice and it’s almost the same beat and rhythm too, I used to love that song.

So the three female changed their destined listeners from depressing sad and heart broken ones to cheerful, fun, and life loving ones. They’re apparently, and correct me if I’m wrong, trying to take off that image that they’ve been representing since their first album in 2006. I personally know few songs of them, like two or three, and they made me sad and broke my heart. So I wasn’t so much of a listener because I don’t like sad songs, but when I saw that music video I liked it, and I liked the idea of changing the style and losing it up sometimes.

I was browsing in a Japanese music web site when I found SeeYa’s MV and I noticed that 61 viewers have seen the video but for their other songs the highest number was 6. I believe that this song will make a big difference in the girls’ career, they had so many awards and prices for their previous albums and singles but this time it’s going to be their big hit.

To make it short, the song is one of those hits that you could listen to all the time without getting tired. You could just put it in your car and raise the volume to the max and drive around to prove you’re cool and fun.

the video:

Book Review: Dead until Dark by Charlaine Harris

Dead until dark is the first book of the Southern Vampire Mysteries. The story is told by Sookie Stackhouse, a telepathic waitress that lives in Bon Temps a small town in northern Louisianna. The young lady is in a relationship with Bill, the only vampire that was tempted by that town because it happens to be his hometown.

The vampire is trying to mainstream so he could live in his father’s house, but some crimes were occurred in that quiet small town the thing that made all the suspicious eyes around him.
Being capable to hear people’s thoughts got Sookie to not feel much as a human and meeting Bill got her the consolation that she needed especially that she can’t hear his thoughts, so she found the peace and relief that she always missed.

I liked the line of the story and the way Bill treated Sookie, I just loved it. Even with all the problems and the disapprovement that Sookie’s friends and colleagues had expressed towards their relationship, Bill didn’t seem to be intimidated, he showed his love in different ways and so did she.

At the end of the book, a very supernatural fact happened that made the story be less believable, and that made me feel uncomfortable at first, because I was starting to believe the story and I am not into supernatural things very much.

Charlaine Harris is one of the best writers that write about vampires in a very deep way, and the Sookie Stackhouse series are one of the series that are believable and make you feel like it is real. The story makes you love vampires through Bill’s trusting character and I personally grew attached to him as the story was going on.

Sookie’s character in the other hand doesn’t influence the readers even if she is the one telling the story from her point of view; I just didn’t sympathise with her.

Dead until dark treats the classical problem of relationships between two races and the issues that they get from both races and how they stand in front of them for their love. A very important matter that is real yet common that Harris expressed it in a very well written, smooth reading novel.

Review: Wonder Girls' new MV

After the success of their last music video “So Hot” that had the style of spoiled, fine, cool, HOT girls, Wonder Girls are back with a new music video yet a new style, that I personally like so much.

“Nobody” it’s the title of their new song. The song is catchy and got a nice beat, with those little english words that you can find in it, like all the Korean pop songs.

The music video got the “dream girls” style; you know the cloths, the hair, the stage and everything from the 60s.

The MV starts with Park Jin Young, the director of JYP entertainment, singing, I don’t know why I find his voice funny. Maybe it is. But the funny thing is that he already released a music video of his own last year named "Kiss". The song that he sang in the begining of the girls' MV it's one of his, and as indicated in the music video it called "Honey", and it was released in 2006.

JYP is the singer who got stuck in the bathroom because of the lack of the toilet paper, and got replaced by his background singers. The girls did great, so they formed a group named Wonder Girls (like we didn’t know). They got famous, and sang in television, wearing their glorious dresses, that made them so skinny with flat tummies, and with their fabulous haircuts.

The girls looked beautiful and sexy, even Sohee (the only one that I don’t like in the group) was looking good. The dancing was simple and nice, as they always do, quick little moves that we could learn very fast, and that people could imitate and joke about.

Everything was good, and the minute I thought “that’s good Yoobin didn’t do her rap part, it’s not gonna be suitable anyway” Yoobin actually started her rap part, see how lucky I am. It wasn’t bad though, just not suitable, for the era, the clothes, even the dance.

I liked the finishing though (before JYP and the toilet, part 2), the last move and position, they looked nice. I’m one of the fans of K pop and I like JYP entertainment because they got more than a good artist like Big Bang (my favourite band) 2Am and 2Pm the new boy bands and Rain the one who’s making his debut soon in the United States

Apparently everyone admitted that the Wonder girls looked beautiful, and even if the idea of the music video is not new but it’s nice for a Korean group.

Even the famous Hollywood blogger Perez Hilton, called the song fab! and said that he loved it