Deconstructing Infatuation Review

Rating: 3/5

 

Title: Deconstructing Infatuation

 

Author: Merce Cardus

 

Page Count (ebook): 74

 

Official Description

Sometimes, whether you're single or with a significant one,

somebody appears in your life unexpectedly.

We feel the need to know who this person is,

the need to know exactly who this person is.

A story may offer different interpretations, even with several irreconcilable and contradictory meanings. As in Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta's story in Dante's Divine Comedy, this story is not about unfaithfulness either. This story is about infatuation: what burns inside of oneself when we let ourselves fall madly for someone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Thoughts

    The way in which Merce Cardus approached infatuation and its role in relationships was uniquely interesting. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of infatuation and its effect on the infatuated person. I would have appreciated far more description of the characters, I believe that deeper development of the characters would have certainly made the main character's emotions more understandable and easier to grasp. One thing which confused me deeply was the sudden change in perspectives. The entire novel is written in third person and then suddenly in the last the chapter the main character begins speaking from first person. I understand that this was used to enhance the reader's understanding of what had taken place in the story but it personally threw me off. Overall, I think that this story offers a unique look at infatuation and is certainly worth a read.

Buy Links

Amazon

 

Day and Starry Night Nails

        Seeing as I haven't posted a nail design in a ridiculously long time I figured it was about time I set about doing a blog-worthy manicure. This design was actually inspired by star confettti that I had gotten in one of my birthday cards and of course managed to get everywhere. Like glitter, confetti just never seemes to go away, everytime I think I've found all of the bits and gotten them tidied into a container I discover another sneakily heading under a book on my desk. That being said let's get this nail design started!

Nail Polishes I Used

• Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Base and Top Coat
• Avon Lagoon
• Sally Hansen Lustrous (the black polish)
• Star confetti (can be found at local craft stores)

Let's Get Started!

 

Step 1: Paint all of your nails a light blue base coat, something that resembles a clear blue sky.

Step 2: Paint half of your nails black diagonally by painting the black polish from one corner of your nail to the opposite corner.

Step 3: While the black nail polish is still wet place one of the confetti stars in the black portion of your nails using tweezers. Press gently on the confetti star so that it is relatively stuck in the black polish.

Step Four: Using a gold striping tool, or a thin paint brush dipped in gold nail polish make small dots around the star in the black portion of the nail to create the idea of smaller stars twinkling galaxies away. When your nail polish is dry paint a top coat over your design to ensure that it last as long as possible.

If you decide to try out this design, I'd love to know how it goes!

Highlight Poetry #3

I Hold You in My Heart

By: Gin Bourgeois







Courtesy of Gin Bourgeois





I hold you in my heart

For my arms just shan’t

From the very early start

This sickly sweet torment

A quench-less thirst

A hunger I cannot Fill

Loving anguish, turned curse

Is for you what I feel

As I daze in your eyes so green

I am consumed with you

The most beautiful I have seen

And ache the very touch of you

The heart alone has its reasons

To succumb to such forbidden silent devotion

Unbearable loving emotions

A secret unexplained I dare not to mention

You are the treasure I hide to keep

Buried in my chest’s own heartbeats

The one & only so many do seek

The one who would make me complete

A barely audible whisper

Surround my thoughts of lust & sin

A dream state I relish to linger

Shivers overtaking my skin

Desire of lips tenderly touching

Hands passionately holding

A sweet embrace quietly waiting

Patience painfully persisting…

So close yet, away from my reach

I will be waiting for all seasons passing

Shall life be kind to grant me my wish

I vow to give you my heart forever loving

What is meant to be,

Will always find its way

So I hope, beg & pray

Fate to bring you to me one day 

…I hold you in my heart…

A Brief Commentary

        This poem was submitted to me by Gin Bourgeois of Gin Rhymes for today's Highlight Poetry post. First off, being a hopeless romantic I absolutely love the subject of this poem; the torment of unrequited love which the speaker faces and her/his final decision to hold the object of their love in their heart. In this poem Bourgeois places a great focus on the tactile imagery of love, lips touching in a kiss, a 'sweet embrace' and holding hands, which only adds to the beauty of her/his love as we are confronted with her loneliness at the end as she begs for her love to take notice of her longings. I think that this is a poem which can bring each of us back to a time in our lives when we felt as the speaker does; a true mark of this poem's beauty.

      What imagery stood out for you in this poem, was it the tactile imagery of love, the audible imagery of quiet whispers, or something entirely different?

Interview with Saga Berg (author of the Nordic Faries Series)

You may have noticed (or not) that within the past week or so I’ve been writing a lot of reviews on the Nordic Fairies series. If you have been reading those reviews than you’ll know I completely fell in love with series! So naturally, I’m super excited to be able to share my interview with Saga Berg (a.k.a the author of the Nordic Fairies series) today! Go ahead scroll down and check out the interview for yourself!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

     I live with my boyfriend in the south of Sweden, in a small village on the country side, population approximately 1 000. My house is from the 1920‘s and from the window where I sit and write Nordic Fairies I have a view over an old church from the tenth century, which is the same century Svala and Viggo turned Liosálfar.

      I’ve studied and worked in marketing for many years, and even though I’ve written stories all my life, Nordic Fairies is my first published work. Writing is definitely what defines me.

      English is only my second language, but I learned it early, and I’ve always been fascinated by what a rich language it is. My native tongue is Swedish, as is Svala and Viggo’s.

       I’m currently working on the fourth part of Nordic Fairies. There will be a fifth part as well, and then we’ll see.

Why did you decide to become a writer?

    According to my parents, I said I wanted to become a writer at the age of 7. I don’t recall having said this, but I’ve created stories in my head for as long as I can remember. When I was 13, my father gave me an electric typewriter, and I started writing my first novel on it.

Why did you decide to write a series of novellas instead of one novel?

     It was how the story about Viggo and Svala made sense to me. I liked the idea of going back in to one specific moment in time in each part and explore that it separately. Dividing the novel into parts helped structure the plot better. I suppose when all parts are out it would also work as a full novel.

     I initially had the idea for part one, two and four, and I came up with the idea for part three and five while writing the first two parts.

What was your main inspiration to write Nordic Fairies series?

     This was one of those stories that just came to me. It happens sometimes and it is something of a mystery even to me.

If you could sum Svala into five words, what would they be?

    Strong, independent, kind, unselfish and loyal

What is your all-time favorite book and why?

    Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood. I love Atwood’s writing style, and especially her ability to unfold a story by going back and forward in time in a seamless manner. She’s the author who has inspired me most. There is something about the way she tells a story that appeals to me, she is very subtle and never obvious, which I like. I love almost all of the Atwood books I’ve read, but with Cat’s Eye I could relate a lot to her main character.

What were your main challenges in writing the Nordic Fairies series?

    Currently, how to end it; I still haven’t decided. I have a few different outcomes in mind, both happy and sad, but I simply can’t decide on which one to go with.

     I also keep getting new ideas, so it’s sometimes difficult to limit myself to the plot and staying on track, but other than that, the Nordic Fairies series has been an absolute joy to write.

What is your advice to new authors and aspiring writers?

     To write. I know this sounds evident, but writing a lot is the best way to develop and grow as a writer. Also to ask someone who is not a close friend or family to give honest feedback on your work. Don’t get offended by harsh criticism, take it in and learn from it.

What do you do in your spare-time when you’re not writing?

     I love to travel and learn about other cultures. I also spend a lot of time with my friends and family. Though, to be honest, I never completely let go of my writing, it’s always there in the back of my head. If I’m not writing, I’m usually plotting in my mind.

Is there anything else you would like to say to your fans and readers?

     I want to thank everyone who’s read the series and given me such wonderful feedback. I’m overwhelmed by the response on The Nordic Fairies series so far, and I never dreamed so many would fall in love with the story and its characters. I’ve always created stories because I love to write, and learning that others love what I write as well came as a pleasant surprise to me. It is such a strong motivator to continue writing on the story.

     The fourth part will be out sometime after the summer, though I can’t say when since I’m still working on it, Part four will take us back to the 80’s where Svala and Viggo end up in High School together with their daughter, Freja, who is then the same age as Svala.

     For those of you who haven’t read Nordic Fairies yet, you can go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and get the first copy for free, then decide from there if you want to continue reading the story.

My Reviews of the Nordic Fairies Series

The links to the novellas on Amazon Barnes & Nobles etc. can be found at the bottom of the respective review.



Nordic Fairies (the first novella)



Freja (the second novella)





Döckálfar (the third novella)

Döckálfar

Rating: 3/5

Title: Döckálfar

Series: Book Three of Nordic Fairies

Author: Saga Berg

Page Count (ebook): 53

Official Goodreads Description

     The third part of Nordic Fairies, Döckálfar, continues where the second part, Freja, left off. Alrik comes to visit Svala and warns her about the dangerous path Viggo is on, infiltrating himself with the Döckálfar. We learn what happened to Viggo during World War II and get more information about his relationship with Amanda Jones. Viggo also contacts Svala with some unexpected news and insist they meet up. Svala then receives some more unexpected information about Amanda and Viggo, leaving her unsure about who she can trust.

My Thoughts

    I think perhaps that my opinion and rating of Döckálfar would have been higher had Freja and Döckálfar both been one book. I think that the main problem with Döckálfar was that, if it was torn apart from the series, the reader would be entirely lost. Though all books in a series will inevitably have very close ties between them and they usually make far more sense when read together, they also need to be able to stand on their own because whether they are novella or novel length each book in a series is just that, its own story.

     Though I don't think Döckálfar is capable of being a stand alone novella as it reads more like the next chapter of Freja it was nevertheless, a good read. When you pick up Döckálfar expect a well-written novella that goes much deeper into Viggo's past, even switching to his perspective at times (rather than continuing from Svala's perspective which is more prominent in the first two novellas). Being a huge stickler for character development, something which I never seem to stop talking about, I tuly appreciated how Berg placed a lot of emphasis on Viggo in this novella. Overall, I
think Döckálfar is definitley worth a read, though to fully appreciate it you really have to read the first two novellas in the series first.

Click Below to Read it Yourself

Amazon
Smashwords
Goodreads


My Previous Reviews of This Series

 

 Nordic Fairies (the first novella) 

Freja (the second novella)


 

Pearl Lover- A Peek at the Cover

Author: Kea Noli

A Comment on The Cover

    Recently I received a request to review Pearl Lover by Kea Noli, I have to confess I haven't started it just yet but with a cover like this I can hardly wait! I always find it so refreshing when I self-published book has a good cover. There are just too many good, self-published books out there with horrendous covers that don't get nearly enough attention because the cover isn't enticing. Just looking at this cover and her mysterious eyes, I feel like I want to know more about her, who is she? what is she thinking?

    I know your not supposed to judge a book by its cover but for some reason everybody does anyways. So I'm curious, what do you think makes a good cover?

If this cover makes you want to read the book as much as me click on the link below; Pearl Lover is going to be free this weekend on Amazon!

Amazon

This Side of Paradise

Rating: 5/5

Title: This Side of Paradise

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

Page Count (Paperback): 276

Official Amazon Description

     This Side of Paradise is the book that established F. Scott Fitzgerald as the prophet and golden boy of the newly dawned Jazz Age. Published in 1920, when he was just twenty-three, the novel catapulted him to instant fame and financial success. The story of Amory Blaine, a privileged, aimless, and self-absorbed Princeton student, This Side of Paradise closely reflects Fitzgerald's own experiences as an undergraduate. Amory Blaine's journey from prep school to college to the First World War is an account of "the lost generation." The young "romantic egotist" symbolizes what Fitzgerald so memorably described as "a new generation grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken." A pastiche of literary styles, this dazzling chronicle of youth remains bitingly relevant decades later.

My Thoughts

     This Side of Paradise can only be described as a literary masterpiece and a brilliant commentary on Fitzgerald's society. Like The Old Curiosity Shop I loved the character development in This Side of Paradise. Though physically the plot followed the life of Amory from his childhood to around his early thirtes or late twenties, Fitgerald also went into great depth about the transition from boy to man that Amory made mentally. I really enjoyed following this progression as he delved deeper and deeper into Amory's inner journey to discover himself. I definitley didn't agree with all of Amory's opinions on the world but in his philosophical musings both within himself and with the other thinkers around him, Amory presented strong arguments to back all of his opinions.

        One of the wonderful things about Fitgerald's focus on the mind in This Side of Paradise was that it got me thinking. Whenever Amory presented one of his well supported opinions, I would have to stop and think about how I felt and why; in every sense of the phrase This Side of Paradise was most certainly thought provoking.

       Beyond the philosophical and thought provoking nature of this work I also extremely enjoyed the wry wit and candid thoughts of Amory. One of my favourite quotes from the novel was,  "Every author ought to write a book as if he were going to be beheaded the day he finished it" (211). I suppose one of the reasons I was so struck by this quote was because I absolutley agreed with the philosophy behind it, so many authors hold back when writing for fear of what people might think,  truly lessening the impact of their work. But if authors wrote as if they were going to be beheaded the day they finished it there would be no need to hold back for fear of society's reaction and in my opinion, there would be a lot more thought provoking and truly great books in the world today.

Click below to read it yourself:

Amazon

     

Freja

Rating: 4/5

Title: Freja

Series: Book Two of the Nordic Fairies

Author: Saga Berg

Page Count (ebook/novella): 43

Official Amazon Description

     Four months have passed since Svala met Viggo in New York, and she hasn’t heard from him since. When Viggo appears in a popular interview on TV, Svala and her friends gather in Svala’s and Trym’s living room to watch. Svala with the hope Viggo will give her a sign, and let her know how he is doing. He doesn’t. Instead, something happens during the interview that takes Svala completely off guard. On national television, she is reminded of a painful memory from their past.

     In the second part of Nordic Fairies, the public display of Viggo and Svala’s most painful secret from their past forces Svala to remember her past. Driven by guilt, Viggo breaks the rules and tries to contact her, but his attempt leaves Svala with more questions than answers.

     What is he up to? And what exactly is going on between Viggo and his co-star actress, Amanda Jones?

My Thoughts

     I had a few minor concerns about Berg being able to live up to the promising start that was the first nordic fairies novella. But after finishing Freja, the second installment in the series, all of my doubts were banished, and I am now hopelessly addicted to the series! In my opinion Freja was even better than the first novella in the series. Not only is the transition from the first novella to Freja seemless but the plot develops wonderfully. This novella goes into greater depth as to what it means to be a Nordic Fairy and places a larger emphasis on character development (a.k.a. you get to learn more about the intriguing romance between Viggo and Svala!!). In total Freja is a must read for any fans and sceptics of the first novella, and anyone who is looking for a way to break out of reading the vampire/werewolf young adult trend.

Click Below to Read it Yourself

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords
Goodreads

My Previous Reviews of this Series

Nordic Fairies (the first novella)

Fading Green Glitter

     While perusing the internet for a new, different nail art design that I hadn't tried before I came across a youtube video published by, frmheadtotoe (From Head to Toe), which showed how to do a fading effect on nails (she referred to it as the gradient effect). I've seen this technique used quite a bit in various nail art blogs and so I decided I should finally give it a try. To see frmheadtotoes's video click here.

The finished fading effect on my nails.

Nail Polishes I Used:

• Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Base and Top Coat
• Wet n Wild Wild Shine in Hallucinate (Sparkley polish)
• Simply Sweet (the green nail polish, no colour name was given on the bottle)
• Sally Hansen Clear

Let's Get Started!

Step 1: Paint all of your nails with a clear polish to protect your natural nail and to add shine to the lower portion of the nail which won't be painted with the coloured polish.

Step 2: Using a translucent (not opaque) polish (I used the simply sweet green polish), paint the top three quarters of your nail making sure you have left a portion of your nail unpainted near the base;  do not paint the entire nail!

Step 3: Next paint a second coat of your coloured polish in the top portion of your first coat. Make sure you leave the lower part of the first coat of polish visible.

Step 4: Continue this pattern of painting just above the bottom of the previous coat of polish until the tip of your nail has a much darker colour than the base.

Step 5: Add Sparkles!!!!! Paint a sparkly coat of polish over the entire nail once it has dried to make the fading appear more natural and thats it, you now have a beautiful fading effect on your nails!

Life is a Review

Rating: 3/5

Title: Life is a Review- Observations and Collections of My Passages through the Times

Author: Deborah L. Parker

Page Count: 108 pages

Official Amazon Summary:

Life Stages, Transitions, Lessons. From our first steps or words, to relationships, education and careers, there are assigned instructors who take note of our progress in these events. Yet eventually, there’s a time for us to personally examine what we’ve learned, and how we gained our perspectives. In Life is a Review, Parker does this type of reflection. Gleaning lessons from her varied life stages such as watching the careful way in which her grandfather grew collard greens in her youth, to the emotions of seeing a fellow soldier and friend off to war for the first time, Parker vividly brings readers to her experiences. Join her as she warps time through this compilation of articles, essays, blogs, poems, and speeches from the past 25 years. And in assessing her own journey, she shares, “like many of us, I’ve passed some exams and flunked others; educationally as well as experientially, as I also wondered and wandered. Then Parker looks at the final review of her loved ones, those who’ve passed in human finality, while leaving enduring teachings for her life’s purpose.

My Thoughts:

        To be honest I do not usually read memoirs that often, so when I was requested by the author to review Life is a Review, I was hesitant at first. However after thinking it over, I decided that it couldn't hurt to step outside of my literary comfort zone once in a while. I guess I sort of expected that all memoirs followed the cookie-cutter pattern of a first person narrative that smoothly, and chronologically followed the author's perception of their life. As I started reading Life is a Review I quickly realized this was not to be the case, just as the summary had said Life is a Review contained mostly "articles, essays, blogs, poems, and speeches" with the occasional interlude of first person narrated self reflection.

       Stepping outside the box is not necessarily a bad thing and in the case of Life is a Review, Parker's decision to deviate from the cookie cutter memoir added some very postive aspects to the story. I enjoyed reading many of the speeches, and life guidelines that were included in the collection, they were well written and I felt at times as if Parker herself was reading them to me. I must say however that I did find the continuity of the book wanting, I felt that the transitions between the different articles, blog posts, and speeches were a bit bumpy, which in my opinion made it harder to stay focused on the book's message. But despite this and the occasional spelling mistake, something nearly unavoidable when self-publishing, I thought it was presentable.

     Though I recieved the book for free in exchange for a review, I feel that I should note that in my opinion the kindle price of $6.99 for this book is too expensive, as I have noticed many ebooks of similar length sell for $0.99-$4.99. What do you (guys) think is the best price for an ebook around 100-110 pages in length?

If you want to check out this book follow the links below:
Goodreads
Amazon/Kindle