Review: Upstream: Selected Essays

Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"There is something you can tell people over and over, and with feeling and eloquence, and still never say it well enough for it to be more than news from abroad-people have no readiness for it, no empathy."

I fear that my own eloquence, and feeling, for Mary Oliver's words will indeed never be enough to articulate the intense pleasure and freedom I receive when reading her work. She is the poet of my heart; she writes what I cannot, spills forth my innermost thoughts in ways that I'll never be able to do. All with eloquence.

View all my reviews

Review: The Cozy Life

The Cozy Life: Rediscover the Joy of the Simple Things Through the Danish Concept of Hygge by Pia Edberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Marketed as "the first ever book written about hygge," I expected something quite a bit more...substantial. I suppose my expectations were a little too high and I probably shouldn't have assumed that just because it is, apparently, the FIRST one written (according to whom? Any evidence?), that it would be that much better compared to the loads of others that have been written since. I had a couple big issues with this book that in the end left me with more questions than answers.

The author is half-Danish, half-Filipino, and was born and raised in Denmark until she was 5 years old when at that time she and her family moved to Vancouver, Canada. One of the main issues I had with this book is that although she spent her first 5 years living in a Scandinavian country before moving to Canada, and was raised by a Danish father, in my opinion it's a little too obvious that she is more or less completely "Canadianized" and is in a way too far removed from her homeland to have a really solid grasp on what hygge means. Now in no way do I mean to imply that she doesn't have any authority at all on the subject of being Danish or of their particular way of life - far be it for me to say that I'm the expert on who is or is not a true Scandinavian (I'm Canadian through and through, so no authority here) - but to me it does come across that her understanding of hygge is secondary and perhaps as more of an idea or as an idealized way of life than anything else. To me, Danes and other Scandinavians just live hygge, they don't have to try, and it's usually hard for them to explain it in such black-and-white terms as she does, almost like checking items off of a grocery list.

The other main issue I had is that the 'secrets' that are revealed throughout really don't feel like secrets at all; in fact, I would dare say that you could replace the word hygge with just about any other buzz word of the moment, (mindfulness, minimalism, slow-living), and you would still find that the book makes sense. Each 'secret' or lesson is superficial and lacking depth so that it really just feels like a book full of common sense - for example, when the author explains the difference between drinking tea or coffee:

"Drinking tea reminds me of slowing down my body, mind and soul ... Coffee, on the other hand, is about speeding up, increasing energy to get you through the day with that quick caffeine hit ... Both beverages are hygge in their own way. Sitting in a coffee shop with a hot latte is just as cozy as sipping on herbal tea before bedtime."

Well yes, this is true, but did it need to be written down in a book? It seems a little like stating the obvious to me. I'm not sure why this sentence in particular irks me as much as it does, but trust me when I say that it represents the overall flow of the entire book, ie. a lot of super obvious blanket statements that don't seem to make sense to specifically living hyggeligt in comparison to any other way of living 'mindfully,' or just living in general.

I'm being quite harsh, I know, and perhaps it's because I've read a handful of other awesome and informative books about hygge and Scandinavian culture, (The Year of Living Danishly and The Little Book of Hygge are my two favourites), but regardless of this fact I know I'd have still felt that this book leaves much to desire even if I hadn't yet read anything on the subject beforehand.

View all my reviews

Review: The Yoga Kitchen

The Yoga Kitchen by Parsons Kimberley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mmmmm, the fact that I only borrowed this tantalizing cookbook and don't actually own it is killing me. Every recipe both looks and sounds amazing - everything from Coconut Beet Ice-Cream to Banana, Almond & Chia Bread with Coconut Yogurt, to High-Jacked Sweet Potato with Avocado, Pomegranate & Coconut, and even Kaleola (granola with crispy kale pieces). Can you tell I'm partial to coconut? Basically, you can bet your asana my mouth was watering!!

The photography is particularly gorgeous as well, which is something I greatly appreciate in a cookbook. I'm not only there for the recipes but also for the beautiful pictures of said recipes that will inspire me to try and recreate them in my own kitchen (which honestly, they never even look half as good when I make them anyway), and the more delicious and drool-worthy the photos, the better.

What I found lacking however was the yoga aspect that's advertised in the title. While Parsons does explain her "yoga journey" briefly in the introduction as well as including information on chakras and other such yogic-terms throughout, it's definitely more of a holistic-recipe-cookbook rather than a yogic-recipe-cookbook, at least in my opinion. I expected there to be something more to do with the actual practice of yoga itself, but what exactly I'm not quite so sure. Perhaps for me it's more of an issue with the title itself than anything else because I actually like the fact that it isn't heavy on yogic philosophy and instead focuses on simple, healthy, vegetarian-based meals. Whether you're looking for some new inspiration to jazz up your Meatless Mondays or you're already a committed veggie-lover, this cookbook will definitely fill the bill.

View all my reviews

Review: Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1

Orange: The Complete Collection, Vol. 1 by Ichigo Takano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars








Regret
Loss
Suffering
First Love
Regret
Death
Happiness
Friendship
Regret

What would you do if you were given a second chance to erase some of the biggest regrets of your life? Would you use the opportunity to right the wrongs that plague your heart today? Would you do everything you could in the Present to help ease your life and the lives of those you care about in the Future, even if you weren't completely sure your actions would lead to a better future?

I think, despite the unknown of the Future, if given the chance, most of us would.

I have been completely blown away by this beautiful, heartbreaking story. To be honest, I'm surprised with how hard I fell for these characters, with how emotionally invested I am in their lives (especially Naho, Kakeru, and Suwa), and I'm absolutely aching to read the second volume (I already have it on order). It's been a terribly long time since a story has moved me so emotionally, moved me to tears, as this one has.

On the first day of school, Sixteen-year-old Naho receives a letter from herself ten years in the future, pleading with her to take heed of her warnings and to watch over a boy, Kakeru, who will be joining her class as a new student that day. According to the letter, Kakeru will become an important part of her and her friend's lives, but his life will be cut short, and it's up to Naho of the past to keep him alive. Despite Naho's belief that the letter is simply a prank, she soon second-guesses herself as the new boy, Kakeru, enters the class and sits down right next to her, just as the letter predicted. From that point onward, Naho has two choices: to believe in the letter's prophetic abilities, and in turn to believe in her future self, or to ignore the letter entirely and leave Kakeru's fate, and her own, up to the universe.

Simple in design, but brilliant in execution, this story and its characters have truly touched my heart. This is my first manga, and oh my word am I happy that I decided to pick it up. Not only is the artwork stunning, but the story truly pulls you in and demands your attention at once. Each character is so alive, so vivid, that yes even though it helps that it's illustrated, they really do leap off the page. I greatly appreciate how well the author, Ichigo Takano, presents such dark and heavier themes as death, depression, suicide, and regret. At no point did I feel that the writing is contrived or forced, in fact it's some of the best writing that I've come across in terms of bringing to light the real issues today with mental health and youth, and the kinds of support systems and open conversations we all need to be having in order to help those who are suffering. Naho and Suwa are incredibly empathetic and sensitive characters who do an amazing job of keeping the conversation open with Kakeru, having real heart-to-hearts with the kind of depth and emotion and sensitivity that he needs. I'm especially impressed with Takano's male characters overall, as Suwa's and Kakeru's friendship is honest and emotional, shedding tears and allowing one another to be vulnerable when they need to be. It's so refreshing to see an author allow her male characters to be vulnerable, to cry, to hug, and not to hide their suffering from the world. The more we normalize the act of having conversations with each other, male and female, young and old, in times of pain, or loss, or depression, the more lives we may save. The better future we may create, for everyone.

I also absolutely love how this story brought me right back to myself, ten years ago (well more, let's be honest), to what it was like to be a teenager again and to all the goofy and silly things I used to do with my friends. First crushes, embarrassing moments being so super awkward, cramming for exams and taking gym class; I wouldn't say that I miss all of it, but it's been a while since I've looked back on high-school as fondly as I have while reading Orange. These six friends, Naho, Kakeru, Suwa, Takako, Azu and Hagita, remind me of all the best parts of being young; the close, intense friendships one forms as a teenager are like nothing you'll ever experience again. It's truly a capsule in time, and as one of the main themes of the story points out repeatedly, it's an absolute shame to look back on any point in one's life with regret.

I couldn't help but see so much of myself in Naho - she being an incredibly shy, indecisive and unself-confident young girl who constantly puts others' happiness before her own. Watching her make mistakes and not speak up, simply because of her fear of rejection or of being made fun of, was particularly painful for me, as I lived out my teenage years in exactly the same way. Her future self advises her, time and again, not to let certain moments slip by because of her fear, begging her not to follow the same path she did and warning not to live a life of regrets. Ultimately, Naho begins to change and grow as she follows the letter's (her own) advice and takes more chances in her life. It is such a sweet process to witness, and one that definitely rings true for me.

As you can see by my lengthy review, I adore this story, and obviously I highly recommend it as well. Having first released a few years ago, Orange already has a large and dedicated following of fans around the world, resulting in an anime series, a live-action movie, and a spin-off story in the works. That's just fine with me because let me tell you, I'm already halfway through watching the anime series! If you've never read manga before, give this one a go. If you have but you haven't read this yet - go out and get it!


View all my reviews

Review: Perfect tree shapes

Perfect tree shapes by Fran Meneses
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVE FRAN SO MUCH!!!

Okay, now that I've gotten that out of my system, let's try to keep the fangirling to a minimum here, Chels.

Fran is a Chilean Freelance Illustrator living in England with her husband Ed, and their two amazing cats, Hamburguesa and Cereal. She owns an Etsy shop under the name Frannerd and also makes Youtube videos/vlogs about her life as a freelance illustrator, offering tutorials on different techniques used as well as reviews of art supplies, thoughts on the industry, tips for fellow artists, as well as her own hilarious fangirling over all things to do with stationary, graphic novels, Sailor Moon, and other general awesomeness. I have been following her for a couple years now and I genuinely love her. Maybe it's creepy to say this, but I think we could be friends in real life - my boyfriend has also said he could picture us getting along so maybe I'm not so creepy after all...but I digress....

She is an inspiration, to say the least; her artwork and illustrations are brilliant and the way she truly works her hiney off in such a cut-throat industry is admirable. I'm so happy to see her finally getting the recognition she deserves and this little travel journal that she has designed, illustrated, and produced completely on her own (yes, she printed and bound each and every one of the copies sold herself), is just amazing to me.

The illustrations are incredibly cute and quirky with thoughtful detail - her signature style has an almost child-like whimsy and it comes through in each page as she takes us along with her and her friend Monse during their trip to Paris and London in 2014. Fran recounts with both honesty and humour the trials and triumphs of travelling with your best friend in cities not so familiar to either of you - everything from getting lost, to getting hangry, to getting choked-up over brilliant sunsets in a city as beautiful as Paris. In between the main story, Fran also offers helpful tips on where to go and what to see, such as museums and popular attractions, complete with cutely drawn maps, as well as delicious places to eat in each iconic city.

Overall, it reads very much like an actual journal, offering the same intimate feel as a diary as Fran also reflects here and there on her life living abroad thus far and the difficulty of missing her family and friends back in Chile. She describes the tough decisions that she and Ed have had to make in order to afford to stay in Germany (where they were living at the time of her writing) and wonders whether they had made the right decision in following their dreams to live in Europe. Each illustration that accompanies the text is so thoughtful, so sweet, and I absolutely loved getting an intimate glimpse into their lives through this little graphic travel journal.

I truly encourage you to check out her artwork, videos, and her Etsy shop, and of course this travel journal as well!

View all my reviews

Review: Quotable Wilde

Quotable Wilde by Max Morris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This guy...he gets it. Every time. What else can I say?

Well I WILL say that although I've not always enjoyed actually reading his plays/novels, having only done so for school and not for my own personal pleasure, I've always really enjoyed the movie adaptations and reading his personal essays/letters. I find his general views on life to be pretty hilarious and usually spot on- his super sassy, super intelligent way of spinning phrases around to make it seem like he's paying you a compliment when really he's making fun of you/society just kills me every time. That man would have been a riot to know in real life, and if I could go back in time, or meet someone from the past, he'd be right near the top of my list of people I'd pick! Heck, I like his quotes so dang much I've even used one as the banner on my blog - total fangirl right here.

A few witty examples of the genius that is Mr. Wilde:

"It is always a silly thing to give advice, but to give good advice is absolutely fatal"

"I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best."

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."

"There is much to be said in favour of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community."

"The people who love only once in their lives are really the shallow people. What they call their love, and their fidelity, I call either the lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination."

"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."

But then he can also be all soppy and serious:

"Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring."

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance."

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all."

Awwww Oscar!!

Anywho, you get the picture. I liked this 'lil collection of quotes and I've actually gone back a few times throughout the year to re-read some of my faves - a little chuckle here and there to brighten my day. The only thing I'd say about the book itself is that it would have been a nice touch to have added a small blurb about him somewhere, just so an audience who may not know much or anything at all about Wilde would at least have a few facts about his life to go on. Other than that, it's a cute little purple book of fun that I'm happy to own.


View all my reviews

Review: The Demon in the Wood

The Demon in the Wood by Leigh Bardugo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"He didn't move. He sat and watched as her eyes went glassy, as her hand dropped away, as at last she slumped backward, her empty gaze fastened on the moon."

Oh. My. Goodness.

This story is way too short. As in, I need more Darkling right meow please.

I would definitely read an entire book dedicated to him; the Darkling is one of my favourite characters from The Grisha Trilogy, even if he is one of the baddies. He's one of those villains-we-love-to-love you know? His actions are morally inexcusable, yes, but man just by reading this prequel I've been transported right back into all the crazyness of this world and I remember (again) why this is one of my favourite series of all time (and he one of my favourite bad guys of all time). Despite its short length, we've certainly been given a lot of information about the Darkling and his upbringing, and as such we get a much more rounded picture of why the Darkling is so troubled.

We meet his mother, who is an incredibly powerful Grisha in her own right and obviously the main source for the Darkling's similar prideful and power-hungry ways in his later years. Not only that, but we get to experience a bit of what it was like for such powerful Grisha like he and his mother to actually live amongst regular people at the time - a.k.a, they don't. Always on the run, always in hiding, always fearing for their lives and having to rely on each other and their wits to survive...what an existence. Not to mention that I'd forgotten (again!) just how gory and detailed Bardugo writes her violent scenes - let me just say they had me squirming!

Definitely check out this short prequel if you at all enjoyed the Grisha Trilogy! This made me want to re-read them all over again.

View all my reviews

The First Frosty Walk of the Year ~ A Hygge Morning

When I looked outside my window this morning I was overjoyed to see that the world had been transformed into a frosty, winter-wonderland while I slept. Nothing excites me or inspires me more than a fresh, crisp, nippy morning walk - and so I did just that. After checking to see the temperature outside (a whopping -9 degrees!) I dressed in as many layers as I could fit under my coat, donned my toque and gloves, and set off. That first breath of fresh, cold morning air is one of my very favourite things to experience, and I try to get outside as much as possible to do so, even in the dead of Winter.

As I set off down the road, admiring how much more festive the decorated houses look in preparation for Christmas with a layer of frost and snow, I couldn't help but smile giddily and I may or may not have even skipped a few steps from excitement. The sun was shining softly, still low in the sky and just barely breaking over the horizon. Sparrows, magpies and little wee ones that remind me of chickadees fluttered about, chirping and tweeting, moving swiftly to stay warm and forage. The ground sparkled and the frozen leaves and last few flowers glittered. It was quiet, save for the birds and my crunching footsteps (and maybe a squeal or two from me - it was all just so beautiful! I could barely contain myself!).

My breath visible upon the air, I kept a brisk pace and settled into my thoughts. I enjoy this part of my morning walks so much - the solitude that comes with walking alone and having the space and fresh air to reflect and savour days past, as well as the days present. When I run, I have music, but when I walk, I need no distraction or extra noise - I like to keep it au naturel if you will (see what I did there?). It's incredibly refreshing and uplifting, and I find that I have some of my most 'eureka' moments when I'm on my walks. My eyes are open and searching the landscape around me, finding visual inspiration in every leaf, every flower, and every rustle of wind or scurry of animal. My ears tune in to the minutest of movements in the bushes, to the songs of the birds in the trees, to the rushing of water in a river nearby. My senses are heightened while out and about in Nature, yet my mind is at ease, completely relaxed and soaking up every delicious moment. This is perhaps why it is so easy to find a meditative state while walking, not just for me but for many, many others. 

There are countless artists, authors, and other scholarly folk who have sworn by taking a daily jaunt to exercise not only the body but the mind. One of my most-loved and favourite 19th century poets/writers is William Wordsworth, who rejoiced in being out in Nature and found an incredible amount of inspiration from walking meditatively outdoors, not only for his poetry but for his peace of mind. He wrote often of Nature and the solace one could find while in it, and taking long, leisurely hikes around the countryside was to him his own form of religion. Charles Dickens is another, as well as Henry David Thoreau, and Ludwig van Beethoven. There are innumerable examples across all generations, including scientists and mathematicians as well, but the overall point is that we can benefit immensely from momentarily removing ourselves from our (increasingly) busy lives to take solace in a daily walkabout. 

Walking clears the mind from all the clutter that clogs our brains throughout the day, bogging us down and eventually making us feel truly uninspired and listless. It opens the mind to what is happening around us in the immediate present, without distraction or outside demands calling to our attention. Walking brings us closer to ourselves in that we have the time to ponder over things that are going on in our lives, to reflect upon the day at present, and to dream up plans for the future. Unlike forceful exercise, the kind that we do as well to stay 'in shape' and healthy and which is also important for our bodies and minds, to me walking is something a little more indulgent - an act that we choose to do for the sake of the act itself, not because we are trying to get somewhere or trying to achieve a certain bodily aesthetic. Walking asks nothing of us except to be, as we are, with no expectations and no tangible outcome - except of course the peace of mind that one will naturally feel after a good, frosty-morning amble!

As I walked towards the park, I couldn't help but stop a zillion times to take photos of every frozen, sparkly thing I saw. There's just something about the way the frost curls itself around a solitary leaf or a cluster of wild berries that makes my heart sing and my eyes light up with child-like delight (honestly, I've been told that my excitement for a pretty flower or a sunset or a tree full of orange and golden leaves is comparable to that of an honest-to-goodness child on Christmas morning). Sometimes the beauty around me is just so overwhelming that I can't help but swoon and squeal and spend five minutes attempting to somehow capture with my camera exactly how I see it - whether it's so I can look back on the moment another day or because I just don't want to forget how beautiful that moment really was, I don't know exactly, but I always try to capture it. Much like an artist might sketch a scene they're witnessing or a musician might jot down a few words or notes when they come to them, I feel compelled deep in my bones to somehow honour the moment by taking a photo. It's all a part of the walking experience, and it all leads to the greater enjoyment of the world around me.

After my fingers were nearly frozen themselves, just about matching those frosty branches I was taking pictures of, I decided it was time to make my way back home - to cozy sweaters, warm woollen socks, tea, and my favourite books. With rosy cheeks and a sniffly nose, I felt refreshed, energized, and an easy calm. It may sound a little silly, but I feel like a lot of our smaller problems in life can be solved quite nicely by a good, long walk followed by a hot cuppa.

Here's to Winter, and to new beginnings!

Review: How to Hygge

How to Hygge by Signe Johansen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars!

This is a lovely cookbook/lifestyle guide on how to live the 'Scandinavian' way, complete with loads of beautiful photos, stories, recipes, and snappy lists at the end of each chapter to really sum up each concept. Scandinavia is all the rage these days, slowly replacing très chic France and the Mediterranean as the new-best-way-to-live-long-and-be-happy. As a self-professed 'Scandophile' I was super excited to delve into this book to learn just how exactly one may bring more hygge, or 'cosiness' into one's life. Though of course, much like the Dutch gezellig, trying to attain hygge almost defeats the point of it entirely, and it really is an overall feeling than an actual event or a 'thing' to accomplish. Want a less convoluted explanation than what I just gave you? Read this book! Need more explanation/inspiration on living hygge after reading this book? Read The Year of Living Danishly: My Twelve Months Unearthing the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country, one that I enjoyed immensely and which also satisfied my Scandi-cravings.

I recommend reading this in actual book form if you can - I read it on my Kindle and although I could see the photos, I can only imagine how gorgeous they'd be in colour and in print. The recipes sound scrumptious and mostly pretty easy to prepare, while the lifestyle and home decor suggestions highlight both the practical and laid back approach one can only expect from some of the coolest (in my humble opinion) countries in the world.

View all my reviews

Review: Bloom: navigating Life and Style

Bloom: navigating life and style by Estée Lalonde
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I've been following Estée for years on YouTube (back when she was still called Essie Button!) though mostly her vlog channel over her main channel as I'm not incredibly interested in beauty and fashion, but even still, I'll watch just about anything she posts because I just love her personality so so much. She is a genuinely kind person as well as hilarious, awkward, and self-deprecating, all things I love in a human and can totally relate to myself. I would seriously love to be her friend in real life (doesn't everybody??) so of course when I found out that she was writing a book I had to pre-order it, and I'm so glad I did!

First of all, the book is aesthetically beautiful, with it's pastel colour scheme and that gorgeous cover photo! It's full of photos from her personal life that correspond to the content of each of the eight chapters - everything from beauty and fashion to food, home decor, travel, life, work, and my personal favourite, "People," specifically her relationship with her boyfriend Aslan. The letter he wrote to her is super sweet and you can just tell that they have an incredibly strong bond and love for each other. She writes about the people in her life with both honesty and pure love and admiration - you can tell that she is genuinely inspired by the special people in her life. I also really enjoyed the 'letters' that she wrote to specific people in her life, like her brother and childhood best friend. These sweet touches add to the overall appeal of the book and make it feel that much more personal and heartfelt - quite a lot like watching one of her many, many YouTube videos, which are always a joy to me.

Estée also spends some time talking about the more difficult moments in her life, for example her strained relationship with her father, growing up as more of an outcast among her peers, and her own battle with depression and anxiety later in life. These stories are not particularly heavy nor do they bring the overall feeling of the book down, rather they add to its depth and make for a more rounded look into her life and who she is as a person. Everyone has gone through hard moments in their life and I feel like these stories are great for younger people, perhaps pre-teens and teenagers, who are experiencing those awkward and trying moments firsthand. It's comforting to see where she was in life and where she is now, and definitely easy to relate to for me.

Estée has put a lot of effort and love into her work outside of this book, building her career from the ground up while never compromising on her own personal style, and in saying that it's clear that this book is a labour of love as well. As someone who has gone through many similar ups and downs in my own life, Estée is an inspiration to me, and in watching her own life unfold on screen I strive to be as genuine, kind, and determined in my own life as well. She definitely lives a charmed life now, but she's worked for it, and I admire her gumption.

I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars because although I absolutely love her and her message (and again the book is just so dang BEAUTIFUL), I had expected a bit more as far as content goes. I would have liked more of the actual writing, more about her stance on gender equality and feminism and more stories from her life; though then again I may have just expected the wrong thing out of the book overall. I also can't ignore that she is much better on camera than as a writer, so for that reason alone I just can't give this book a higher rating. That said, it's a lovely 'coffee table' book and one I know I'll return to when I need a little pick-me-up or inspiration. I will continue to support her and I'm excited to see where she'll take her career next.

View all my reviews

Review: The Miniaturist

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautifully written and highly imaginative story that reads so easily I continuously lost track of time whenever I picked it up. I truly could not get this one out of my head - the characters alone are captivating, mysterious, and almost frustratingly elusive. For the book's entirety I was spell-bound not only by the unexplainable magic of Nella's cabinet-house and life-like dolls but also by the human characters and their constant presence, lurking in the passageways and shadows just beyond our reach, guarding their many secrets, indulgences, and guilty pleasures.

Heart-wrenching and sensitive, dark and mysterious, I loved getting to know the few characters throughout this story whose lives centred almost entirely around the cultivating and maintaining of each others most precious secrets. Fear of the Church, of the Burgermasters, and of themselves, I felt that Jessie Burton did a wonderful job of keeping us just beyond grasping what made these characters tick - many remained a complete mystery up to the very end.

Having lived in Amsterdam myself for almost a year at the time of reading this, it was as if I was rediscovering the city all over again through Nella's 17th-century eyes, strolling familiar streets whose existence remain today. Although drastically different now than the Amsterdam of long ago, Burton's incredible historical accuracy throughout shed so much light on the Dutch's idiosyncrasies and often times frustrating hypocrisies that I felt comforted and armed with a new knowledge of the complicated, sordid past of my new home.

My only reservations would be with how the story ended. Without giving anything away, I would have loved to come away from this story with more closure for certain characters, more answers, and more about the Miniaturist!

Although I would guess that this was exactly Burton's aim. The story began in mystery and shadow, and so it ends in mystery and shadow.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction - bonus if you love a good mystery as well as some elements of magic / fantasy.


View all my reviews

Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Mindy Kaling has convinced me to be her best friend.

I'm ashamed to admit that back in the day when the (American) television show The Office was at its height and I called myself a fan, I was also completely unaware that Kaling had any claim to the show other than her character Kelly Kapoor. I know, I know, I'm a bit of a space-cadet sometimes and apparently failed to notice her name in the writing and producing credits the countless times that it appeared. When her new show The Mindy Project came out I decided to give it a try, having by now realized her contributions to The Office, and assumed it'd be equally gut-bustingly hilarious and witty. Alas, I was both disappointed and let down. Maybe I didn't watch enough episodes to really get into it, maybe I just didn't 'get' what the show was trying to do; either way, it was not Mindy's and my time. So Mindy and I took a break - we just 'weren't that into each other.'

Now all of that has changed. Reading Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?... is like reading my diary from high school. In fact the title of the book itself sums up my entire high school experience. I am more than sure that I said those exact words at least once between the ages of 14 and 18. Mindy gets it. She gets what it's like to be 16, 21, 25, and still feel like everyone is hanging out without you. But instead of playing the victim card, Mindy tells us that it's okay to be the odd one in a sea of conformists, to be the quiet one, the shy one:

"I just want ambitious teenagers to know it is totally fine to be quiet, observant kids. Besides being a delight to your parents, you will find you have plenty of time later to catch up."

MAN if I had had someone to tell me this when I was a teenager! Well to be honest I probably wouldn't have listened to them anyway being a teenager and all, but still! It's the sentiment that counts! It's kind of funny (or sad) that now, after almost 10 years since I graduated, I'm finally coming to terms with the fact that high school sucked and that is a-okay! I have noticed a bit of a trend in memoirs released by female comedians (Amy Poehler and Tina Fey to name two of my favs) in which they recount embarrassing, awkward, and yet totally relatable stories from their teenage selves. They're the kind of stories that make you laugh out loud and exclaim "that's so true!" and suddenly you don't feel so weird/crazy/alone. Mindy's own tales had me giggling and rolling my eyes as I remembered just how important high school and high school related events seemed to us all at the time, as if we were all living a version of the famous song "Jack & Diane":

"Are you kidding me? The thrill of living was high school? Come on, Mr. Cougar Mellencamp. Get a life."

Ooh Mindy, preach it girl.

The book is divided up into a number of bigger sections and then again into a bunch of smaller, cuter, sections. This worked out fine for me once I got used to it as I just didn't expect there to be so many mini-essays among the essays. At first I found the flow to be a bit jarring - we'll be reading about her fondness for Irish goodbyes one minute and then jump into a chapter about how "hooking up is confusing" the next, so yes it's a bit all over the place which did bring my own rating down a bit.

Despite the over-all jumpiness of the book, the hilarious essays often made up for it, some notable ones being "I Forget Nothing: A Sensitive Kid Looks Back," and "I Love New York And It Likes Me Okay," and "Hollywood: My Good Friend Who Is Also A Little Embarrassing." Those titles alone have some pretty amazing potential for a stand-alone.
I particularly enjoyed "Types of Women in Romantic Comedies Who Are Not Real" and "Non-Traumatic Things That Have Made Me Cry" (this last one had me fist-pumping in agreement like crazy, especially over our shared love for the A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack...the tears are real people!).

Basically, I could go on and on but I have definitely already over-stayed my welcome on this one. You get it. This book is funny.

My fan-girlish and favourable review aside, I'm only giving this book 3.5 stars. Out of the whole thing, I really only loved a handful of the essays, while the rest of them fell a little flat and felt a bit forced, like she was just filling in pages with random thoughts (hilarious yes, but random).

View all my reviews

Review: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, #2)

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just under one week has passed since I finished Crown of Midnight and in the mean time I've been frantically listening to the audio book for Heir of Fire in preparation for the release of Queen of Shadows. Although my initial reaction of shock and excitement to COM has slightly subsided, I'm still quite heavily invested in the characters and the story and stand by my rating of 5 stars.

Here's why:

Sarah J. Maas has completely changed my mind not only about her ability as a writer and story-teller, but also of the quality and necessity of the story being told. Now, I say "necessity" because just one book prior, Throne of Glass, I was completely unconvinced and quite annoyed that yet another author was writing a supposed "fantasy" or even "high fantasy" that feels so much like yet another angsty love story merely disguised as fantasy - to me, there was more jealousy and love triangles than actual world-building, magic and lore, not to mention a lack of character development. I had enjoyed it enough to give TOG 3 stars, but had little hope for the following books.

It took months for me to finally pick up Crown of Midnight, I just hadn't cared enough for the characters to find out what happened next. But with the release of the fourth book approaching and everyone's excited banter I decided to give the series another shot.

I was blown away.

It starts off slow, building steadily, as piece after piece of information about the pasts and carefully guarded secrets of the characters are revealed. Motives are discussed and explored, the plot becomes more and more tangled and hard to predict. Throughout I felt a growing dread and tension as we learn just what is at stake for everyone should the King of Adarlan succeed. I grew to love and respect Celaena, to cheer and root for Chaol, and to fear for and worry over Dorian and Nehemia.

All of the missing pieces from TOG--the lack of a developed world and magic and the backstories to many of the main characters--were presented with such detail and care in COM, much to my relief. It's not like I enjoy giving books less-than favorable ratings nor did I want to knock Maas's writing before - I genuinely want to enjoy each book I read and try to find the good in everything. So, not surprisingly with all the hype surrounding TOG I was definitely disappointed. There was potential, for sure, but little else to hold my interest.

I could not be happier to say that Crown of Midnight is an excellent book. It took me on a wild ride through darkened tunnels and dungeons where monsters lurk, through to the highest ecstasies of love and passion, and down again into the depths of utter despair of loss. Magic explodes off the pages, friendships are cemented and then broken. Each chapter is built upon the next and an entire world is opened up before us.

I am thrilled that Maas has changed my mind and stolen my heart for this series. In one book she managed to convince me that her writing is worth 5 stars instead of 3. It is beautifully and lovingly written, the detail thoughtful and the characters so wonderfully real. This is also what I mean when I say above that this story is a "necessity" because that is how this story feels to me, like it is necessary. The story truly leaps off the page and demands to be both written and read. I adore this world and these characters and I will definitely be finishing this series.
View all my reviews

Review: Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Elegance

Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Elegance by Jennifer L. Scott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

*1.5 Stars*

It's a good thing that I only borrowed this from the library, as I would have been quite disappointed had I bought it instead! I've read Scott's previous two books and enjoyed both, however this one fell flat for me.

Lessons from Madame Chic, Scott's first book, is part-memoir-part-how-to-guide centered around her time living abroad with a host family in Paris, France when she was young and the "lessons" that her host mother, "Madame Chic," taught her about being a confident, self-actualized, and poised young lady 'the French way.' In her second book At Home with Madame Chic, Scott expands upon her first book and demonstrates how she uses the lessons she learned while in Paris in her now Californian home as a wife and new mother, with plenty more 'how-to's' on running a smooth home while remaining always 'chic'. While not at all revolutionary in content and a bit on the preachy side, both are an easy, light read and her stories about living in Paris are entertaining if you can look past the 1950's house-wife aspect that appears in each. I am by no means a supporter of such clearly gendered roles in the home, nor do I consider myself 'chic' or 'posh' in any way, but she means well and I've kept on with her books due to my love of all things French.

However in reading her third book, I may just have to call it quits on Scott. Her material is already stretched pretty thin in her second book, and now with the third, I feel like I just re-read books one and two. Not only that, but it reads like an early 19th-century etiquette book for girls - complete with lists of "DO's" and "DON'TS" at the dinner table or while entertaining friends, how to eat particularly difficult foods like artichokes and spaghetti, and (perhaps most adamantly) to NEVER wear lounge-wear when at home. I get it - wearing pj's in public is lazy, but if I want to change into my comfy pants when I get home...I'm going to do it!

So, like I said, Scott means well in her quest to "elevate the arts" and rid the world of the slovenly-dressed, poorly-mannered heathens (which is how I believe she'd say it, not me), but I also couldn't help but think while reading this last book in particular that although we could all use a little reminder in how to be polite humans, there are far more pressing matters in the world that actually need our attention, non?

View all my reviews

Review: Lady Midnight

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

*2.5 stars* My rating just keeps going down...
There is too much to talk about with this book and everyone has already said it all a million times over and frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn (right now), so I'm leaving it at this:

I thought this was an adequate opener to a new series, and I enjoyed being back in the Shadowhunter world again. I love the Blackthorn children the most, Julian second, and Christina before Emma. Yes she is strong and sassy but she is also compulsively getting herself into bad/stupid/dangerous situations (especially the ending, what is she thinking??!) <-- Mark isn't that much better in that final decision come to think of it, but I digress. I didn't enjoy the overly dramatic writing or the super-sappy, 'sexy' scenes - to me they were overwritten and awkward and too much. How is it that kissing someone is always some version of the earth shattering or splitting open or the stars aligning. I also didn't like the "Perfect Diego" parts AT ALL. We got it, the first 30 times, that he is "Perfect Diego." Even in serious scenes he's known to everyone as "Perfect Diego," oh my goodness please stop. Oh, and what is with all the boys these days having faces that are "all sharp angles and lines"...WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! They must have very bony faces, all these YA boys. How is that fun to kiss? Wouldn't it hurt, getting jabbed in the eye by a bony, angular cheekbone? What's wrong with a nice round, soft face? Can we get a heck yea for all the round-faced folks out there?! Also, the story itself didn't seem all that compelling to me, I mean, the main plot-line, the whole reason for their struggles, didn't hold much weight in my opinion. It felt like background noise to all the romance-y angst and lust and scheming going on between everyone, sort of like elevator music - it's there, you recognize the tune, but you can't put your finger on it. ALSO I know everyone pees their pants when Clary or Jace or Tessa or Jem show up, even at the mere mention of their names, but I reallllllly felt like it was all forced, again, and just...cheesy!!! Okay I better stop now or I am going to go overboard.

Let's end on a nice comment shall we? Other than all the stuff I have said above, the story moved along at a decent pace (still about 150-200 pages too long, maybe cut out some "Perfect Diego's") and I thought Clare did a great job characterizing everyone, including the secondary characters, so she is getting better at something. There, that was sort of nice at least.

View all my reviews

Review: I Was Here

I Was Here by Gayle Forman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


After having a few days to let this story sink in, I'm sticking with my original rating of 4. I think I was feeling a little emotionally vulnerable when I first finished it which likely clouded my judgement.

The truth is that I usually stay away from books with such a heavy subject matter - it's not that I'm afraid to read a book about depression, suicide and grief, I just have a pretty good hunch that it's a tricky subject to write about and so I'd rather not chance it by reading a book that deals with it poorly...if that makes any sense. These subjects are dear to my heart and I want to know I'm reading from an author whom I can trust. Anyway I had heard so many great things about Gayle Forman's other books that I decided to give her a try, so this is my first time reading her work.

For me, one of the strengths of this book lies in how well Forman portrays the overwhelming, bottomless grief that comes with losing someone so close to you - especially when it is a young life cut short. I could feel Cody's grief coming off the page, feel her frustration and confusion, her desire to understand her best friend Meg's decision to end her life and in turn her obsession to uncover the truth, any truth, to why she chose suicide.

With each new frightening realization about Meg, whom Cody thought she had known like a sister, she goes through some extremely disturbing and terrifying moments herself, visiting places in the darkest parts of her mind that have her question her own existence and sanity. I loved that Forman went there with Cody, that she has her go through these moments of asking oneself 'what is the point to anything, to life?' and that she allowed Cody to explore those questions that we all, at some point, have asked ourselves. It's such an honest, vulnerable process that we witness Cody going through as she grieves not only Meg but also the person who Cody believed she was, and I really, really enjoyed the sensitivity that went into creating these characters.

The romance involving Cody and Ben did not bother me as much as it seems to have bothered some others. I was a little disappointed when Ben was introduced and right away Cody notices his crazy blues eyes and pretty face - of course I knew that a romance was to ensue but honestly I felt that their relationship developed slowly and realistically enough that I wasn't totally turned off. Despite the road trip that they take together and everything else that happens, I felt that their relationship took more of a back-seat to the bigger picture of what was going on in the book. Their romance felt like more of a tool through which to help both Cody and Ben grieve and heal together, as these things do happen in real life, so again, not such an unrealistic aspect of the story for me.

Overall this was exactly the kind of emotional, sensitive contemporary that I was looking for when I picked it up. I am a convert of Gayle Forman and I'll definitely be checking out other books by her in the near future.


View all my reviews

Review: Never Never

Never Never: Part Two by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a bit of a difficult "book" to review as it's really only one part of a whole. If I were to try and review this as a standalone book then I'd say that it has done it's job of keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout! Silas' anxiety leaps off the page as he desperately searches for answers to his and Charlie's recurrent memory loss, not to mention his search for Charlie herself before their memories are erased in 48 hours. Each new clue he uncovers only leads to more questions - questions that continue to mount faster than they can be answered in the short amount of time he has, all adding to an overwhelming atmosphere rife with suspense and dread as time ticks down to that final minute, those final seconds...until I read the line "to be continued."

If I were to compare the two parts separately so far, I'd say that I enjoyed Part One more in terms of the initial build-up of suspense and mystery surrounding their memory loss. I feel that both Silas' and Charlie's desperation and anxiety in this impossible situation that they find themselves in is felt so much more in Part One than Part Two, even despite the fact that Charlie is M.I.A. in Part Two. Obviously the mystery surrounding her whereabouts adds to the overall sense of dread and confusion of the story, especially for Silas as he basically flies solo in trying to find her, yet I still feel that Part Two is weaker in terms of keeping up that same level of suspense that I felt in Part One. Or maybe it's because the two parts are separated that I feel a decided lack of suspense in Part Two, as I had to try to dive back into the same feelings that I had forgotten about previously.

Perhaps if the parts were instead complied together as one I might change my mind about the coherence of their story and how it flows...I'm left simply imagining how I might react if this were the case and so I'm guessing that I would feel a more sustainable thread of fear and emotion towards these characters throughout had it instead been one book. The thing is that it's hard to jump back into their story and into that feeling of "eep, what's happening next!?" when it's been a while in between the parts and I do think that I'll feel the same way once Part Three is released. Also, this time around I found it harder to believe Silas' love for Charlie even though he keeps saying he just sort of "knows" he loves her...I mean all he has to go on this time when he "wakes up" are the letters explaining their unending love without a physical Charlie around and it just doesn't feel as compelling or realistic to me without them actually being face to face.

In the same situation, how would any one of us react?? (And yes I know this is completely a work of fiction!!) But still, IF this happened to you, would you blindly believe these letters and go it alone or would you turn yourself into the police or a crazy hospital? That's one question I kept asking myself and I'm still not quite sure of the answer. Either way, although the story is incredibly interesting and I do want to figure out how it ends, I'm just not sure I can follow or accept how believable the character's reactions are each time. Well, aside from Charlie because I'm pretty sure I'd do exactly what she does in order to find my own answers!

So despite some reservations I do think it is well written and I will be reading the last one just to find out how it ends. There is enough of a cliffhanger (again) that it's kind of hard not to be curious. Though it might have been wiser to wait for all three to be released and read them all at once!

View all my reviews

Review: Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass, #3)

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm lowering my initial rating of 4.5-4.75 down to a solid 4. This means that I still loved Heir of Fire but not in a blew-me-away-amazing-new-favourite kind of way.

Like many, Crown of Midnight had me on the edge of my seat from page one. I dove straight into Heir of Fire after finishing COM with the expectation that this fast-paced, action-packed fantasy would only get better. And in some ways it does. In others, I found it lacking.

Sarah J. Maas truly outdoes herself with the quality of her writing in this third book. Compared to Throne of Glass and even COM, she has certainly come into her own style and has definitely honed her craft to feature her strongest abilities, ie. a beautiful descriptive prose throughout coupled with authentic, strong voices for her most fleshed-out characters. That being said, with the addition of multiple POV's and the introduction of a number of new characters, at times it feels that some previous characters suffer at the hands of the newer ones.

For example Dorian, with whom I've never really connected (sorry ladies), could have benefited from a better story-line considering he has his own POV. Sure he gets to run around with Sorscha and we see him struggle a little here and there with his power (both literally and figuratively), yet there is a decided lack of a character-arc or growth. He's still the same Dorian, kind of lazy, kind of wishy-washy, cannot stand up for himself or to his father, refuses to accept who he is, seeks comfort in others and ignores taking action--you get the picture. Yes he's always been flawed and that's okay if it adds to the story or if he eventually has some kind of character growth, but I feel that Dorian's POV almost feels non-essential to the plot - as if Chaol or someone else could have shown us what was happening with Dorian through their eyes and it would have had the same effect on the story overall. I expected more from Dorian and so I am left disappointed.
[[I felt the same with Sorscha, whose character and POV does not add to or aid the plot except to play as an anchor or crutch for more of Dorian's suffering]].

Another character who suffers in my mind is Chaol. I've liked him from book one and have always felt that his loyalty and objective way of viewing the world has played well against Celaena's own wild and blood-rimmed, often brash, way of viewing the same. As a team, they're great--he helps her keep her head on straight and her feet solidly on the ground, while she in turn instills a sense of urgency and stirs the much-needed rebellious spirit in him to take action. Yet when they are apart, these two sort of fall...apart. I'm not sure if it was Maas' intention to have so fundamentally changed Chaol from who he is in the previous two books to now. I feel that Chaol really loses his balance in this book and becomes totally flat as character...perhaps because of Celaena's absence or perhaps not. When he is finally the most helpful it takes up all of a few pages throughout the whole book and always comes too late and when the stakes are already too high. His POV bothers me to no end and again, maybe that is intentional, but if it is I want to know for what purpose.

Where Maas' writing does shine is with Celaena. She goes through an amazing transformation that leaves me feeling so proud and so hopeful for the future of Erilea. Without giving too much away, Celaena falls and falls into the depths of despair, self-hate and guilt only to build herself back up again as the woman she truly is meant to be, with all of the power and bad-ass reputation that has always been a part of her. She is an inspirational character, to say the least, and with the help of new character Rowan (a fierce and unrelentingly stoic warrior fae-prince), she goes through the much needed and much appreciated character-arc to end all character-arcs. I loved, loved, loved her chapters the most of any in this book. Maas has done an incredible job of creating this beautiful, strong, deeply sympathetic character who is so redeemable and full of life. I'm happy to say that I have completely changed my mind from book one as far as Celaena is concerned.

Watching Celaena and Rowan's unlikely friendship grow from rocky to rock-solid filled my heart. He is exactly the kind of man Celaena needs in her life when she can no longer rely on Chaol, Dorian, or even herself. He's a jerk, for sure, but then again so is she at times, and the two play off of each other like fire and ice, forcing one another to come to terms with their disturbing, dark pasts before then encouraging each other to look to their futures straight on. He is by far the best 'love-interest' for her to date and I look forward to getting to know him better. He doesn't try to stifle Celaena, to change her or cage her, and he isn't afraid of her. He is the only one capable and willing to force her into the darkest corners of herself and push her enough so that she is faced with every terrible deed she has ever done, and in turn he is the only one who teaches her to forgive herself. He helps her grow immensely and I seriously love these two.

I will quickly add that Manon's POV was interesting and I actually did enjoy having another completely unrelated view of the game plan - especially the POV of one of the 'baddies' so to speak. Despite her evil witchiness I still like her and I'm pretty sure I'll continue to like her into the next books.

For some people the length of Heir of Fire is bothersome and I have to say that I agree. In general I never shy away from thick books, but considering what I've said above about the non-essential POV's and the fact that there is a lot of descriptive prose and it is much, much slower paced overall...I do think that this book could have been shaved down by at least a hundred pages or more. Like I've said before, if there is a real point to all the writing and it's not just for show or filler or for the author's desire to exercise their own creative license to the detriment of the plot etc. than there's probably no real need for such length. It does feel like a 'middle' book, a stepping stone to the next and the next, and that isn't necessarily a good thing.

Just looking at the size of book four I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that from here on out we should probably expect fairly dense books to finish off the series.

Overall though, a wonderful story and I do plan on reading the next!


View all my reviews

Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow. This book is an incredible mixture of both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I'm blown away by how much this story has moved me. I am in awe of the difficulty, the pain, the struggle, and the paralyzing fear that Christopher went through in order to solve not only the mystery of "Who Killed Wellington?," the neighbour's dog, but also that of his recently deceased mother.

Mark Haddon has seized my brain and shaken it all up, leaving me feeling grateful for the normal life that I lead and yet also terrible for not having realized, to this detailed extent, the difficulty in living life with Asperger's. I've never met anyone with Asperger's, although my grandmother, being a High school art teacher, has had many kids with special needs over the years, so I could at least recognize some of Christopher's unique traits. But honestly, none of that prepared me to feel as emotionally attached as I did with his journey, to the point where I found myself anxiously turning page after page in order to find out as fast as I could whether he finally made it out of his incredible adventure safely!

I will say that I wasn't completely sold on the book when I first began reading it. I found the narrative style a bit hard to get into as it's told completely in Christopher's POV, which is unique in that he speaks either in very short, curt sentences or in long winded paragraphs, both highly logical and 'matter-of-fact' and at times almost robot-like, often repeating himself. Obviously this is on purpose and it lends a believable voice to how a person with Asperger's actually speaks, thinks and rationalizes. After I got used to his way of thinking I found the story to hum along quite easily and smoothly. He is incredibly intelligent and treats us to many mathematical and scientific facts throughout that sure interested me! His view of the world, including life and death, the human brain, the universe and the eventual extinction of humankind was eerie and yet so true and practical that I was fascinated right through to the end with his examples and unique perspective.

Christopher's relationship with his parents broke my heart and yet this aspect is what really drove the whole story home for me. I love that even though we are seeing his parent's through his eyes, we as the audience are able to discern through what they say to him and their gestures that he observes that they truly love him and care so deeply for his safety and his well-being. The subtext of what they say or do may usually be lost on Christopher but it is certainly not lost on us. I cannot even imagine the true struggle and frustration that his parents, or any parents of a child with special needs, have to go through. Of course as a reader we may not agree with everything that his parents do - both his father and mother lose it a bit and make some rash, irreversible decisions that have quite damaging consequences - but having never been in their situation I can't say that I would be any better at coping. This story and these characters will stay with me for quite some time.

If you at all enjoy mystery, humour, true-to-life struggles and a realistic look into the lives of those living with or caring for someone with unique abilities, then this will likely do the trick.


View all my reviews

Review: Un Peu de Paris

Un peu de Paris by Jean-Jacques Sempé
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely adore this collection of cartoons by one of my favourite authors/cartoonists, Sempé.

Although I have read this folio a number of times, each time I open it again I cannot help but smile in wonder at each new detail I find within these illustrations. Sempé perfectly captures the essence of Paris in these playful yet poignant drawings of everyday life, often with true Sempé-esque satirical humour. Anyone who has ever traveled to the French capital will both love and long for quaint café terraces, markets, baguettes, and the ever-beautiful Eiffel Tower.

View all my reviews