March 2019 wrap up

March is over and we are in full Spring mode and ready for April and the festivities it brings.

This month I managed to read  6 books and I think it's time to see them one by one.

Goldfieber - Endstation Geldspercher

It is a German reproduction of many Disney stories all around the theme of  gold, treasure and treasure haunting of course. 

I really liked reading some of my favorite stories with Scrooge McDuck  etc. Also because it is in German I could practice my long forgotten German skills. 

From Russia with love (James Bond 007 - Original Series #5) - Ian Fleming

This one was a little different from the previous books because we got to see James Bond after page 130. That of course didn't bother me and didn't affect the way I enjoyed the book. 

It has all the classic tropes that we love to hate in James Bond books and movies.

I am off to see the movie now.

Είναι αρρώστια τα τραγούδια - Μάνος Ελευθερίου 

(Einai arrostia ta tragoudia - Manos Eleftheriou)

This short book contains a collection of essays regarding the case of the Greek song industry. Of course there are also essays about composers, songwriters and singers. 

The essays were well written but this book was not for me. I am not regretting reading it though.

Vengeful (Villains #2) - V. E. Schwab

I finished Vengeful and I found it more fascinating than Vicious. I loved the plot and how everything unraveled through the end.

A will have a more detailed review soon on the blog.

Μιλώντας στην κόρη μου για την οικονομία - Γιάνης Βαρουφάκης
(Talking to my daughter about the economy - Yanis Varoufakis)

It's another book in the series Patakis Books are doing with the general title "Talking to ..." This time the theme was the economy and capitalism mainly. The author is an expert on his field but somehow I didn't enjoy this books as much as I wanted to.

Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik

I really liked this one. It's a very loose retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale and it is very well done. I wish only there were less POVs.

My full review will come soon.






Have you read any of these? If so, what were your thought? I would love to hear!

Athina

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The House of Paper by Carlos Maria Dominguez - A Review

Today's review is for a book that I really really liked and which I wanted it to be bigger. You see it's only 112 pages. The book in question is The House of Paper (La casa de papel) by Carlos Maria Dominguez which I read in it's Greek translation by Lena Fragopoulou and Patakis Publications. 

The book is about Bluma Lennon, distinguished professor of Latin American literature at Cambridge,  who is hit by a car while crossing the street, immersed in a volume of Emily Dickinson's poems. Several months after her untimely demise, a package arrives for her from Argentina-a copy of a Conrad novel, encrusted in cement and inscribed with a mysterious dedication. Bluma's successor in the department (and a former lover) travels to Buenos Aires to track down the sender, one Carlos Brauer, who turns out to have disappeared.

The last thing known is that he moved to a remote stretch of the Uruguayan coastline and built himself a house out of his enormous and valuable library. How he got there, and why, is the subject of this seductive novel-part mystery, part social comedy, and part examination of all the many forms of bibliomania.

This is a very sweet little book about our love for books which can sometimes leads us to strange situations. The book is about books and those who love books. Those who love to read them, to collect them , to smell them and even sleep with them... 

It is a very original story, in my opinion. The House of Paper is a tribute to the strange and passionate relationship between people and their books.

It's a book that I will recommend to everyone who  loves books.

Athina

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Μιλώντας στην Αθηνά για το Χάος και την Πολυπλοκότητα - Τεύκρος Μιχαηλίδης & Τάσος Μπούντης (A Review)

Σήμερα μιλάμε για το βιβλίο Μιλώντας στην Αθηνά για το Χάος και την Πολυπλοκότητα, το οποίο προέκυψε από τη συνεργασία του Τεύκρου Μιχαηλίδη και του Τάσου Μπούντη και κυκλοφορεί από τις Εκδόσεις Πατάκης στη σειρά "Μιλώντας για...".

Στο βιβλίο βλέπουμε τον κύριο Αρχιμήδη, γείτονας της Αθηνάς, καθηγητής μαθηματικών στο πανεπιστήμιο, που αναλαμβάνει να της εξηγήσει τις δυσκολίες στην πρόγνωση του καιρού εντάσσοντας το κλίμα σε μια γενικότερη κατηγορία φαινομένων που χαρακτηρίζονται ως χαοτικά. 

Εγκαινιάζεται έτσι μια σειρά συναντήσεων στη διάρκεια των οποίων η νεαρή μαθήτρια μυείται στα μυστικά της πολυπλοκότητας, ενός σχετικά νέου γνωστικού αντικειμένου που συνδυάζει τα μαθηματικά µε τις φυσικές και κοινωνικές επιστήμες σε μια προσπάθεια να ερμηνεύσει φαινόμενα που η παραδοσιακή σοφία δυσκολεύεται να διερευνήσει.

Κουβεντιάζοντας µε τον ηλικιωµένο καθηγητή, η Αθηνά και οι φίλες της θα έρθουν σε επαφή µε έννοιες όπως η αυτοοµοιότητα, τα φράκταλ, οι κλασµατικές διαστάσεις, οι παράξενοι ελκυστές και θα καταλάβουν πώς όλα αυτά εµπλέκονται στη λειτουργία του σώµατός µας, στην ανάπτυξη των φυτών, στον σχηµατισµό των ακτογραµµών, στη µορφή των νεφών. 

Αυτό το βιβλίο το αγόρασα, εκτός από το ενδιαφέρον θέμα του και για δύο άλλους προφανείς λόγους. Πρώτον είναι γραμμένο από τον Τεύκρο Μιχαηλίδη του οποίου τα βιβλία είναι από τα αγαπημένα μου και τα αγοράζω χωρίς δεύτερη σκέψη και δεύτερο περιέχει στον τίτλο το όνομά μου οπότε δεν μπορούσα να το προσπεράσω. 

Διαβάζοντάς το λοιπόν μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ. Με τον υπέροχο τρόπο που γράφει ο Τεύκρος Μιχαηλίδης μας μαθαίνει μέσα από την ιστορίας της Αθηνάς και του κ. Αρχιμήδη ότι χρειαζόμαστε να ξέρουμε για το χάος και την πολυπλοκότητα. Ότι έχει να κάνει με αυτες τις έννοιες είναι γραμμένο κατανοητά και με πολλά παραδείγματα και εικόνες με αποτέλεσμα ο αναγνώστης να μαθαίνει χωρίς να κουράζεται. 

Έχω διαβάσει και άλλα βιβλία από τη σειρά "Μιλώντας για..." των Εκδόσεων Πατάκης και θεωρώ πως αποτελούν μια πολύ καλή εισαγωγή σε πολλά ενδιαφέροντα θέματα όπως τα μαθηματικά, η φυσική , οικονομία και πολλά άλλα.

Αθηνά

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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - A Review

Today's review is about a book that we all know, even if we have read it or not. I am talking about Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It was written in 1818 and it was the first science fiction book of its time. 

If you happen to not know the premise of the book, let me tell you something about it. It's about the story of Victor Frankenstein and the monstrous creature that he created, and yes the doctor is Frankenstein not the monster as a lot of people believe. 

On the surface, it is a novel of tense and steadily mounting horror, but on a more profound level, it offers searching illumination of the human condition in its portrayal of a scientist who oversteps the bounds of conscience, and of a monster brought to life in an alien world, ever more desperately attempting to escape the torture of his solitude. A novel of hallucinatory intensity, Frankenstein represents one of the most striking flowerings of the Romantic imagination.

I read Frankenstein for the first time this autumn and I really liked it mainly because it was different from what I was expecting. It is a very beautiful but sad story and not at all scary as some people think. 

Frankenstein's creation was not as bad as it seems. In fact it had a good character but the circumstances, his appearance and the way people and his creator Victor treated him, made him act like this. The only thing he wanted was to be accepted and not to be alone. 

Victor on the other hand, wasn't a good character and I think it was very selfish and arrogant. 

Reading this book you can find out who the real monster is in the story. 

You can buy this book from Book Depository using this link (affiliate link)

Athina

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The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson - A Review

Today we are going to talk about the book The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson that comes out today (12th January 2019). You find the name of the author familiar to you and that is because she is the author of the comic Ms Marvel.

I read The Bird King in an ARC form courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher Grove Press. 

It is set in 1491 during the reign of the last sultanate in the Iberian peninsula, and it is the story of Fatima, the only remaining Circassian concubine to the sultan, and her dearest friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. Hassan has a secret. He can draw maps of places he's never seen and bend the shape of reality. 

When representatives of the newly formed Spanish monarchy arrive to negotiate the sultan's surrender, Fatima befriends one of the women, not realizing that she will see Hassan's gift as sorcery and a threat to Christian Spanish rule. With their freedoms at stake, Fatima will risk a lot to save Hassan and escape the palace walls.

As Fatima and Hassan traverse Spain with the help of a clever jinn to find safety, the book asks us to consider what love is and the price of freedom at a time when the West and the Muslim world were not yet separate.

I really liked this book and I am glad I read it. I like the story and how it progresses and also the way the author combines some historical facts and mythology with fantasy elements and makes it look natural. The characters and the world - building are  also very good. 

I really liked the friendship that is developed between our main characters. The writing is magical and beautiful. 

One negative thing I can  say is that the book is really slow paced, especially at some points. Despite that is a very good book with a well structured story that I recommend you should read. 

You can buy this book from Book Depository using this link (affiliate link)

Athina

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February 2019 Wrap up

Another month came to its end and I think it is only appropriate to talk about the books I read in February of 2019.  It was a slow month for me regarding reading but I managed to read some books that I really liked.

So, let's start...

Strange the Dreamer (Strange the Dreamer #1) - Laini Taylor

I finally read Strange the Dreamer and I loved it! The writing, the story, the world building... Everything was amazing!

I can't wait to continue the series.

The Red Address Book - Sofia Lundberg

I read this as an ebook because I had an arc from Netgalley. 

It is a very beautiful and heartwarming novel that I really liked and recommend. It can be described as a historical fiction.

You can check my review of it here

Last Descendants (Assassin's Creed : Last Descendants #1) - Matthew J. Kirby

By now you should probably know how much I like the Assassin's Creed books. 

Unfortunately this one was not one of my favorites. I liked it but I would prefer it if it took place only in the past and not at all in the present day.

Northern Lights (His Dark Materials #1) - Philip Pullman

I should have read this book earlier. I would have loved it as a child, ut I still loved it now. Philip Pullman is an incredible storyteller and everything about this book was amazing.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

Another book by an amazing storyteller. Roald Dahl knows how to tell you a story and he does it very well.

Saga vol. 3 - Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

I read another volume of the Saga graphic novel and I really really liked it as I did with the previous ones. On to the next one now...

The Bird King - G. Willow Wilson

I read this book as an ARC from Netgalley and the only thing I can say is that  it is very good. I enjoyed the story and the world-bulding and everything between.

It comes out on the 12th January.

That's all from me for February. I managed to read 7 books , 3 of them were ebooks and I can say that the majority of them were 4 and 5 stars.

Let's see what March will bring...

Athina

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The Red Address book by Sofia Lundberg - A Review

Today we will talk about a book that I was sent for review from Netgalley and the publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. The book in question is The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundeberg and it was released on January 8th 2019. 

This book is translated from Swedish by Alice Menzies and you could categorize it as a historical fiction.

It is about 96-year-old Doris, who writes down the memories of her eventful life as she pages through her decades-old address book. When Doris was a girl, she was given an address book by her father, and ever since she has carefully documented everyone she met and loved throughout the years. Looking through the little book now, Doris sees the many crossed-out names of people long gone and is struck by the urge to put pen to paper. In writing down the stories of her colorful past—working as a maid in Sweden, modelling in Paris during the 30s, fleeing to Manhattan at the dawn of the Second World War—can she help Jenny (her grandniece), haunted by a difficult childhood, unlock the secrets of their family.

Many reviews say that this book is perfect for people who liked The Little Paris Bookshop and The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.

I found The Red Address Book to be a very beautiful and heartwarming book. I really liked the way Doris narrated her story through her address book and the people in it. You could say that this some kind of a historical fiction as the author goes between past and present in a very smooth and beautiful way. When I was reading about Doris' past I could very well draw a picture of the story in my mind. You can see her story through the 30s , WWII and also her present story and the surprises her life still holds for her. 

Last but certainly not least, the ending of the book was beautifully done and also very emotional. 

I gave this book a 4 - Star rating on Goodreads.

Athina

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How to tackle your digital & physical TBR

To - Be - Read piles whether are digital or physical are always a problem because in spite of our generous attempts they seem to constantly grow and grow...

So you, like me, have a TBR problem and you need a way to tackle this problem. Your unread digital books are out of control and your physical unread piles are threatening to collapse on you.

Are you overwhelmed by trying to figure out which of these books you actually

might want to read?

Here comes this post to help you with some suggestions. I believe that using one of these techniques or a combination of them will help you to reduce the number of your unread books to the ones you really want to read. 

Do you remember why you want to read this book?

This is an obvious one, but if you have a book that you don't remember why you bought it in the first place, I think it has to go away.

Did you pay for this book?

If the answer is yes, then put all those books in a different pile and start reading them first. I know it can be irresistible when you can have a book for free either through a galley from a publisher or  through a free download from the ebook store of your preference. 

Let the universe decide for you

Write your unread books on a sheet of paper and put numbers next to them. You can write numbers on small pieces of paper and put them into a jar. Then you can either pick a number from the jar or use Random.org and let fate and luck decide your next read. You can also ask your friends on social media to help you choose a book to read.

By the date

Categorize your books by the date you acquired them so that you know how many books you add every month to your tbr. If there are books that are sitting there for a long time, it's probably time to say goodbye to them  and start reading the ones you are left with.

Do you have any more suggestions we should all try?

Share them in the comments...

Athina

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21 Lessons for the 21st century by Yuval Noah Harari - A Review

Σήμερα θα μιλήσουμε για το βιβλίο 21 Lessons for the 21st century του Yuval Noah Harari. Το όνομα του συγγραφέα θα σας είναι σίγουρα γνωστό μιας και είναι ο ίδιος που έγραψε τα βιβλια Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind & Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. Και τα τρια αυτά βιβλία έχουν μεταφραστεί στα ελληνικά και κυκλοφορούν από τις Εκδόσεις Αλεξάνδρια. 

Στο Sapiens ο συγγραφέας εξερεύνησε το παρελθόν μας και στο Homo Deus κοίταξε στο μέλλον μας. Σε αυτό όμως το βιβλίο στρέφεται στο παρόν για να μας κάνει να καταλάβουμε την πραγματική ουσία των πιο πιεστικών θεμάτων του σήμερα. 

Σε 21 προσιτά κεφάλαια που είναι τόσο προκλητικά όσο και βαθιά, ο συγγραφέας βασίζεται στις ιδέες που αναπτύχθηκαν στα προηγούμενα βιβλία του και ξεδιπλώνει πολιτικά, τεχνολογικά, κοινωνικά και υπαρξιακά ζητήματα, προσφέροντας ταυτόχρονα συμβουλές για το πώς να προετοιμαστεί κανείς για ένα πολύ διαφορετικό μέλλον από τον κόσμο που εμείς τώρα ζούμε και γνωρίζουμε. 

Πρόκειται για ένα βιβλίο που μου άρεσε και που με έκανε να σκεφτώ πολλά διαφορετικά θέματα που δεν μου είχαν περάσει καν από το μυαλό. Ο τρόπος που γράφει και αναπτύσσει τις ιδέες του ο συγγραφεας είναι όπως μου αρέσει, χωρίς να σε κουράζει αλλά αντίθετα να σε κάνει να καταλαβαίνεις τι θέλει να πει. Ασχολείται με πολλά θέματα του 21ου αιώνα και το πως αυτά εξελίσσονται και θα μας επηρεάσουν. 

Περιγραφή από Goodreads:

Yuval Noah Harari's 21 Lessons for the 21st Century is a probing and visionary investigation into today's most urgent issues as we move into the uncharted territory of the future. As technology advances faster than our understanding of it, hacking becomes a tactic of war, and the world feels more polarized than ever, Harari addresses the challenge of navigating life in the face of constant and disorienting change and raises the important questions we need to ask ourselves in order to survive.

Το βιβλίο αυτό μου είχε σταλεί σαν ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) από τον εκδοτικό και το Edelweiss+. 

Μπορείτε να αγοράσετε το βιβλίο από το Book Depository πατώντας εδώ (affiliate link)

Αθηνά

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January 2019 wrap up

Νομίζω πως έχω αρκετό καιρό να κάνω ένα wrap up εδώ στο blog. Αν δεν κάνω λάθος το τελευταίο ήταν τον Οκτώβριο.

Ήρθε η ώρα όμως για το επόμενο και αυτή τη φορά θα μιλήσουμε για τα βιβλία που διάβασα τον Ιανουάριο. Όπως πάντα όπου υπάρχει κάποιο review θα σας παραπέμπω σε αυτό. 

The Gilded Wolves - Roshani Chockshi

Το πρώτο βιβλίο που διάβασα το 2019 και μου άρεσε πάρα πολύ. Το διάβασα λίγο πριν την κυκλοφορία του, χάρη στο Netgalley και ανυπομονώ ήδη για το επόμενο. 

Μου άρεσε η ιστορία, οι χαρακτήρες, το world building, όλα.

Δείτε και το σχετικό review εδώ

Μιλώντας στην Άννα για τα μαθηματικά - Τεύκρος Μιχαηλίδης

Ο Μιχαηλίδης είναι ένας από τους συγγραφείς που δεν μπορώ να αντισταθώ σε ότι γράφει. Το βιβλίο αυτό είναι καλογραμμένο και σου εξηγεί με κατανοητό τρόπο βασικές έννοιες των μαθηματικών χωρίς να σε κουράζει.

Illuminae (The Illuminae files #1) - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Είχα μεγάλες προσδοκίες για αυτή τη σειρά και ευτυχώς δε με απογοήτευσε. Είναι γεμάτη δράση, πολλές ανατροπές και γραμμένη με τέτοιο τρόπο που δε θες να το αφήσεις από τα χέρια σου μέχρι να δεις τι θα συμβει.

Gemina (The Illuminae files #2) - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Πρόκειται γαι το δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς, το οποίο νομίζω πως μου άρεσε ένα κάτι παραπάνω από το πρώτο. Και αυτό ήταν γεμάτο ανατροπές και δράση. 

Να μην ξεχάσω να πω ότι τα βιβλία είναι γραμμένα με τη μορφή mix media που τα κάνει ακόμα πιο ενδιαφέροντα στο διάβασμα.

Η κότα που ονειρευόταν να πετάξει - Sun-mi Hwang

Μια πολύ όμορφη και συγκινητική ιστορία με ήρωα μια κοτούλα που έχει σαν όνειρό της, μεταξύ άλλων, να κλωσήσει ένα κοτοπουλάκι και να το δει να μεγαλώνει.

Μιλώντας για το σύμπαν στα εγγόνια μου - Hubert Reeves

Ο συγγραφέας εξηγεί με απλό και κατανοητό τρόπο βασικές έννοιες του σύμπαντος. Νομίζω πως ταιριάζει σε όποιον θέλει να μάθει τα βασικά για το θέμα. 

The Wizard of Oz - L. Frank Baum

Το διαβασα για πρώτη φορά και μου άρεσε ιδιαίτερα. Ήξερα τη βασική ιστορία αλλά μου άρεσε που έμαθα και τις λεπτομέρειές της.

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files #3) - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

Τελείωσα την τριλογία και μου φάνηκε εκπληκτική. Το τρίτο βιβλίο μου άρεσε εξίσου με τα άλλα δύο αν και βρήκα λίγο αργή την αρχή του.

Θα ακολουθήσει και πιο αναλυτικό review.

Με μολύβι φάμπερ νούμερο δύο - Άλκη Ζέη

Πρόκειται για την αυτοβιογραφία της Άλκη Ζέη, την οποία επικεντρώνει  από τα παιδικά της χρόνια και μέχρι μετά το τέλος της Κατοχής. Υπέροχη αφήγηση από την ίδια.

Η Κατάσκοπος - Paulo Coelho

Πρόκειται για ένα πορτρέτο της Μάτα Χάρι που συνδυάζει αρμονικά τα πραγματικά ιστορικά στοιχεία που την αφορούν μαζί με τα μυθιστορηματικά στοιχεία που εισήγαγε ο συγγραφέας.







Αυτά ήταν τα βιβλία που διάβασα λοιπόν μέσα στον Ιανουάριο. Καθόλου άσχημος τρόπος για να ξεκινήσει η χρονιά.
Εσείς πως τα πήγατε;

Αθηνά

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