Book . This Is Me: A Reckoning

I get it how someone can write an autobiography but when do you know when to write and the reason of writing? Will it still make sense even it’s already in the past? Do these celebrities track their whole life by having a journal or a diary to put a reference to or somehow rely on online sources when people keep track on their lives I honestly don’t know that Hayden Panettiere released a book until her passing. I don’t keep track of her career but I like seeing her on film but I haven’t watched any of her TV series. Gave this book 4 stars on goodreads. It could’ve been a perfect one but it’s lacking on some details that I wish she discussed or written about. Yes, you can still put some people anonymously but mostly it’s about her, I wish she did some personal touches on how her relationship with specific celebrities that she worked with or something people don't know that happened behind the scene on movies if she was allowed to There will be a documentary that they said will be released by the end of the year I’m not sure how it will be containing information or how it will be now that she’s gone. I hope there will be more personal clips behind the scene, some personal videos if she’s into taking pictures and videos. I believe she got a lot to tell and share and I hope it was shared on these pages. Sucks that he forgave this ex boyfriend and he was with her when the incident happened.

RIP Hayden Panettiere

"When you don't really fit in anywhere, all you want to do is fit somewhere"

This Is Me: A Reckoning | Hayden Panettierre

 

Book . Grief Is Love

 

Took me a while to finish this book because it feels like a very slow phase and I got distracted with TV series. I plan to have my next book something page turner or some easy and interesting read.

This book is what you need if you are experiencing losing something or someone at the moment. Well even you haven’t lost anyone, you could read this just so you get an idea on what to do if you are grieving something. It somehow feels so redundant at times but it does make sense in the end.

Rated this 3 stars on Goodreads just because it took me a while to finish.

“You need to accept the shittiness of the present moment in order to experience joy in any form”

Grief Is Love | Marisa Renee Lee

Book . The Alchemist

I’ve been wanting for so long to read a Paul Coelho book but somehow hesitant to do so just because I think I will not enjoy it or I’ll be intimidated by it. 

Since I already reached my goal for 10 books this year, I gave this a try as also recommended by someone. It just took me a while to finish it because life happened. Lol 

I enjoy it. It’s just there are some that’s lacking and feels like being rushed. Also I’m a little skeptical on translated books. 

Maybe be I’ll try another book from him. 

Gave 4 stars on Goodreads. 

“Everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time” - The Alchemist | Paul Coelho

Book . Remarkably Bright Creatures

10th book for the year! I never read 10 book in a year let alone in a span of 5 months. 

This book wasn't picked up randomly. It was on my feed then probably the next week it was already in Netflix that surprised me. So i decided it will be my next read before I can watch the movie. I didn't even know that a movie will be released. 

Now that I finished the book, I can now  watch the movie. I'm against on books turned into movies because it will never give justice to the book. But yeah it happens and that's something that we cannot control about. 

I like the book though it got other characters that can be just mentioned and focuses on the main character. I was assuming at first that Marcellus will be the center of the story but there's just a few chapter on his POV. 

Anyways,  there's a lot of people who already watched it. Doesn't make sense if you watched it first then just decided to read it. 

Rated 4 stars on goodreads.

“Human. For the most part, you are dull and blundering. But occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures” - Remarkably Bright Creatures | Shelby Van Pelt

 

Book . I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki

 

Another book that was randomly chosen but I keep on seeing this on my feed as well so I’m curious just so sad that Baek Sehee already passed. 

I like the idea of her writing about her therapy session and even a preview of their conversation. Somehow even you read a work of someone who’s having mental health problems or someone who already passed, sometimes you will still not be able to understand how deep their struggles are. Easily to judge people but to understand them I think you need to be deeply invested to them or maybe put yourself into their shoes.  

I’m a believer that if it was given to you as a challenge, you can handle them but I still somehow don’t understand how we human can have a deep struggle on mental health. Why some people can handle such situations while some just can easily give up. I understand that some of us have nothing to lose while some have everything to lose but either if a person gets tired, it’s just over and it's hard to change that. 

Also this reality of ours, it’s insane and sometimes giving up is really the only option even you don’t want to. 

Will this world be better for the next generation or we will just continue to live in a very depressing time. 

Rated this 3 stars on goodreads 

“The more your enemies grow, the more exhausted you become, and you lose morale.”

I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee

Book . The Road to Tender Hearts

 

I'm gonna be honest that it was so hard for me to move on from my last book but somehow thankful that I moved on. Lol. 

This was a light read. I enjoy it and I once again chose this randomly. 

Though there are times that it feels lile something is missing on the narrative or maybe because she focused on the events that she really wants to happen.  For me there are a lot of miscommunication on all of the characters but again it will be the challenge on the road while they're on their way to Tender Hearts. 

Roadtrip is one of the things that I want to do unfortunately there are limited places in here to do it unless you are free to island hop as well. Oh well gas are really expensive lately. Lol

Its a good book still and if you want a light read. Though I still  made some effort to read despite of being tempted to just watch a TV series. Lol 

I have my next book and hoping to start it as soon as possible and of course the goal is to finish this month and then maybe one more if possible. 

Gave this 4 stars on goodreads

"Sometimes it's good to cry instead. The important thing is feeling something"

The Road to Tender Hearts | Annie Hartnett

Book . The Dead Romantics

How to start this review. 

I honestly don’t know why the book gods let me choose this book. I randomly choose my next book to read unless I’m eyeing something to read next. 

Ashley Poston has been recommended by people on my feed and I’m somehow looking forward reading this when I chose it randomly. Little did I know all the feelings that this book contains. Also mostly I don’t read anything about the book unless I’m few pages in. 

Is it early to tell that this is so far my current favorite from all the book I read this year. 

I don’t want to spoil anything but everything was so unexpected. All the feelings and emotions. 

The way I was able to relate to it like 80% of the time. 

I was continuously crying during my last stretch of reading for 5 hours. I can’t help it, tears are flowing. I can’t stop reading during the weekend that I decided to finish it because same with my tears, I can’t stop reading! 

Sadly, I can’t read another Ashley Poston book soon since I want to cover more authors. But also, I’m not sure if I’m ready for all the feelings of another Ashley book. 

Rated this 5 star on goodreads and this is highly recommended.

"I guess if everyone found their big love, then the world wouldn't be such a terrible place most of the time"

The Dead Romantics | Ashley Poston

Book . The Confidence Blueprint

 

Such a good read.

I’ve been a fan of Maggie Wilson since forever but also I have a different approach when I said “fan”. I’m not the usual fan that goes crazy when I see someone I admire from afar. 

We might be born on the same year but her life is far from mine. She was quiet for a while and I’m happy that she’s breaking her silence starting on some social media posts and now this book. 

An easy read since it’s also PDF file but somehow I always have a hard time reading PDF on my kindle. I knew I will still finish it soon enough though I started this while I was still reading another book so it took me a while. Then I read 40% in one sitting but I had to put it away for a few days. 

The issues on this book hurts so much as a woman in this country. Luckily I’m not married but you don’t need to be married or even have a son or daughter to not feel how unfair our laws are. I remember getting teared up on some parts of the book. How unfair the justice system to everyone. How money and power can work and somehow just be almost inhumane. 

She can’t even communicate with his son for years and how long it will be before they see each other again? How inconsiderate is that? Yes it’s sad but also it will make you angry. Angry how this is our government and our laws. 

Sad reality 

It’s worth reading even you don’t know her. Can’t wait for the 2nd book. 

Gave this book 5 stars on goodreads.

“You are never starting from zero. You are starting from wisdom”

The Confidence Blueprint - Maggie Wilson

Book . What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

I enjoyed this book and even I’m not sure how Haruki Murakami on his fictional books. I chose this book randomly as I always do unless I want to read something specific. Not even sure if I’ll choose this as my first Murakami book but I’m glad I read this probably on the right time because it distracted me from my over thinker self. 

Although I read this at night I honestly wanted to run. Lol unfortunately we don’t have nice pedestrian or a good sidewalk.  

I’m open to read other works by Murakami  but as of the moment I don’t want to repeat an author as my back-to-back read. I just want to read books from different authors this year for a change.

As much as I wanted to run or even just walk there are certain conditions to consider like a nice pedestrian, a field or even an uphill that’s safe. Without those, I really consider buying a walking pad but still that’s different and I’m not sure if I’ll be going to maximize it. 

Anyway, gave this book 4 stars on goodreads 

“As long as I continue to live I’ll always discover something new about myself” 

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running - Haruki Murakami

Book . The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

 

First off, I love that I was able to finish this before February ends. So proud of myself because this is my 4th book of the year! Yay. 

When I was picking my 3rd book, I was going back and forth with The Housemaid and this and I read first The Housemaid because it’s always on my feed and I already decided that I will read this next. 

I don’t have much expectation with this book and I’m not sure if it’s worth the hype since this is also everywhere. 

I love it. I rated 5 stars on Goodreads

Upon the last part of the book I think I was somehow rushed some parts but everything makes sense on the end. It feels like Evelyn Hugo is part of all of us if you ever read the book.

The book was very well written and hopefully some books of Taylor Jenkins Reid will not feel repetitive. I’m not going to read another book by her for now but definitely will be reading some of her works again maybe one more or so this year. 

“she wanted to be pleased instead of being desperate to please” 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Taylor Jenkins Reid

Book . The Housemaid

 

For my third book this year, I personally chose this because I’m getting curious about it since I’m seeing it regularly on my feed. When I started researching I didn’t know that there’s already a movie adaptation that was release last month. I watched the trailer, I didn’t know if that’s a full giveaway but I want to read. 

Started reading it and I’m surprised how it’s an easy read and omg I haven’t read a page turner for maybe almost 2 years. I like it. I like the author but I don’t think I’ll read her books back-to-back because stories might be predictable. Yes, I don’t plan to read the 2nd book right away and I already have plan on what’s my next read. 

The book was good, the twist is surprising but towards the end I think it was rushed somehow.

When I found out that there was already a movie, I watched the trailer before reading the book and comments says that the trailer don’t giveaway on what was the ending or what really happened. Maybe but that excites me to read it. After reading the book I watched the trailer again and .. yeah obviously some scene or script on that trailer isn’t said on the book! Disappointed but not surprised. 

I had time to read and the book is exciting when I hit 50% progress then I realized that I can still finish it by the end of January so I really pushed myself to finish it but it’s also exciting can’t put it down. Lol

Another trending author / book for my 4th book this year

“Not yet” - The Housemaid | Freida McFadden

Book . The Book Of Ichigo Ichie

 

Tons of book on my library and for my 2nd book of the year, I decided to just pick randomly and surprise that I somehow end up with a Japanese themed book. Ikigai is also on my list but I don’t want to cheat on reading so I went through it even I’m not sure if I’m going to enjoy it or on how long it will take me to finish. 

Theres a good reason why I chose poetry as my first book of the year and randomly choosing the second one. 

Surprisingly this is an easy read but also forced myself to read every night if I can even with just few pages. I was honestly inspired by people from reddit on how many some people read in a year, hundreds! Really inspired how they are so disciplined on reading. 

Ichigo Ichie is simple - live in the present, don’t dwell on the past even on the future. 

Sometimes even the book is so simple, it reminded me to live in the present because what is happening right at this very moment, it will never happen again.

It still took me some time to finish this but I’m glad I did some effort to read this month.

“Only when we are fully present with others can we truly receive everything they have to offer”

Book . Pillow Thoughts II: Healing The Heart

First book of the year! I chose this since I finished the first book in November and I really want to start this year with an easy read and my go to for that, poetry. 

Omg just like the first book this also hit on the right spot. Everything is just so relatable. I almost highlight everything, every single word. I can’t even choose a favorite line! 

I’m so inspired to read more this year so hopefully we can hit my goal without cheating or shortcuts and maybe the next book of Pillow Thoughts in between some long read or other poetry books if I can find some  

To more books and different genre this year. 

It is said that artists paint portraits of the ones they love. Well, writers do it too.

Only they string together sentences about all the things that might be too hard to say in person. Writers don't just write about nothing. They write about the things kept in the deepest part of their hearts. They write with passion, with meaning. They write to show you that they care. And more than that, they trust you with their words. They give you their words, because they are trying to say "I love you."

Pillow Thoughts II: Healing The Heart  | Courtney Peppernell

 

Book . Before Your Memory Fades

Book 1 | Book 2

I decided to read 2 books from this series back to back for a reason that I don't want to forget the charcters but obviously, you can still read each of them even you haven't read the first one of the series. 

The past 2 books, I have different thoughts if I am given a chance to go back on the past and go to the future this time, I have a different thought. 

Originally, I think there was a scenario in the book about on what I'm going to type but maybe it is also a little different.

I should’ve been done with this book mid-December but then eveything went chaotic and I really want to finish this before the year ends do I finished the last few pages by the 31st. 

Just a thought, on the cafe you can go back in the past and somehow go to the future. I wonder what if you want to talk to someone who has been to the cafe but already dead and you want to know their current opinion on whatever you want to share with them. It’s a long shot a very long one of course it is impossible but this is fiction what if. Somehow it is kind of brutal that we want to get their opiniion on something but you can’t talk to them anymore. Or what if you love how they look on things and their opinion mattered but they are not here anymore for you to know. 

Just what if I can still talk to my dad and know his current opinion on things.

Not sure on where the story of the rest of the series but I plan to read the next one maybe next year but I have to change course on my genre and try a lot of books and hopefully I will be very into reading again next year. 

This series never fails to made me tear up. 

“Something I strongly believe is that we mustn't allow the death of a person to be the cause of unhappiness. The reason for that is simple: if we let everyone who dies be a cause for unhappiness, that would mean people are being born to become unhappy. But the opposite in fact is true. People are always born for the sake of happiness.

Yukari Tokita, Author” 

 Before Your Memory Fades | Toshikazu Kawaguchi