Hello everyone
♥
Last summer I
posted my overview on the books I’ve read recently here and today is time for part 2.
Let’s start with
Classic literature:
1.“Perfume. The story of a murderer“, author Patrick Süskind
Resume:
An acclaimed bestseller and international sensation,
Patrick Suskind's classic novel provokes a terrifying examination of what
happens when one man's indulgence in his greatest passion — his sense of smell
— leads to murder.
In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift — an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume" — the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brillance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.
In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift — an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille's genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the "ultimate perfume" — the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brillance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.
My thoughts:
Unique book!
I got so much into it that I
read it for day and a half. No doubt this is such an odd and controversial book
that not everyone might enjoy reading it, but if you are into this type of peculiar readings then I highly recommend it.
It has that strong French vibe
in it – dark, obscure, gloomy and every then and now disgusting story… Attention! You must be really interested in
the olfactive science & perfumes to enjoy it – there are a lot of technical
terms as well as long and in depth descriptions of scents & notes. This
book went straight to my all-time favorite books that I’ve read and I’ll
definitely reread it at some point – I enjoyed it so much. I even plan watching
the movie although I’m not a movie fan, but I’m curious how this literature
masterpiece is recreated.
Crime
stories:
1.”Endless night”, author Agatha
Christie
Resume:
„Strapped by a
chauffeur's wages, Michael Rogers' want of a better life seems out of reach.
Especially elusive is a magnificent piece of property in Kingston Bishop--unil
a chance meeting with a beautiful heiress makes his dreams possible. Marrying
her is the first step. Building the perfect home is the next. Unfortunately,
Michael ignored the local warnings about the deadly curse buried in the tract
of land, and living out his dreams may exact a higher price than he ever
imagined.
Praised as one of Agatha Christie's most unusual forays into gothic, psychological suspense, this novel of fate, chance, and the nature of evil was a personal favorite of the author's as well.
Praised as one of Agatha Christie's most unusual forays into gothic, psychological suspense, this novel of fate, chance, and the nature of evil was a personal favorite of the author's as well.
My thoughts:
„Endless night” made it automatically into my top 10
all-time favorite crime stories – it’s so dark, obscure and suppressive that is almost creepy. The story has incredibly
unexpected dénouement that amazed me!
2.”A
pocket full of rye”,
author
Agatha
Christie
Resume:
A handful of grain is
found in the pocket of a murdered businessman! Rex Fortescue, king of a
financial empire, was sipping tea in his 'counting house' when he suffered an
agonising and sudden death. On later inspection, the pockets of the deceased
were found to contain traces of cereals. Yet, it was the incident in the
parlour which confirmed Jane Marple's suspicion that here she was looking at a
case of crime by rhyme!
My thoughts:
The
resume is quite intriguing! The storyline is masterly précised – it’s
impossible to guess who is the actual murderer and the end is absolutely
unexpected (typical for Agatha Christie). Highly recommend!
3.”After
the funeral”,
author Agata Christie
Resume:
Hercule Poirot is called on to
investigate the murder of a brother and sister in this classic from the Queen
of Mystery.
When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered, the odd remark she made the day before at her brother's funeral becomes chillingly important: "It's been hushed up very nicely, hasn't it. . . . But he was murdered, wasn't he?"
Desperate to learn more about both deaths, the family solicitor turns to detective extraordinaire Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. . . .
When Cora Lansquenet is savagely murdered, the odd remark she made the day before at her brother's funeral becomes chillingly important: "It's been hushed up very nicely, hasn't it. . . . But he was murdered, wasn't he?"
Desperate to learn more about both deaths, the family solicitor turns to detective extraordinaire Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery. . . .
My thoughts:
Quite usuall
storyline that took into unusual turn and ended with illogical dénouement: murders are less than they firstly announced.
Recommend it!
Graphic novel:
1„ A Thousand Splendid Suns”, author Khaled Hosseini
Resume:
At once an incredible chronicle
of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family,
friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them - in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul - they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them - in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul - they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
My thoughts:
In my previous post “Books I’ve read
recently” I mentioned that I’m really impressed by Khaled Hosseini and after I
finished “The kite runner” I went straight to „A
Thousand Splendid Suns” which enchanted me so much! It is
really impressive and strong book in a unique kind of way and for me is one of
the best books I’ve ever read. I’ll definitely re-read it over and over again
(actually I already read it twice) and I think it should be classified as
modern classic literature. “A thousand splendid suns” is no as oppressive as “The kite runner” but it is still quite sad in
general. The storyline is quite dynamic and intriguing.
I highly recommend it – both with “Perfume. Story of a murderer” are my
favorites books from all mentioned in this post!
2.”My
name is Salma”,
author
Fadia
Faquir
Resume:
In her village of Hima
in the Levant, Salma, a young goat-herd, has violated the code of her Bedouin
tribe by becoming pregnant before marriage. To restore their honour, the
villagers set out to kill her. Now a runaway from the men of her tribe, Salma's
days playing the pipe for her goats and swimming in the spring are over. She is
placed in prison for her own protection, and to the sound of her deafening
screams, her newborn baby is taken away. After several years, when it seems the
men have given up on their chase, she moves to England to seek asylum. So
begins her new life in the permissive West. In the middle of the most English
of English towns, Exeter, she learns good manners from her ancient landlady,
and strives to have a social life at the local pub. But it is with the help of
Parvin, a feisty Pakistani girl on the run from an arranged marriage, that
Salma is finally able to forge a new identity. But deep in her heart the cries
of her baby daughter still echo. When she can no longer bear them, she decides
to go back to her village to find her. It is a journey that will change
everything - and nothing. Slipping seamlessly back and forth between the olive
groves of the Levant and the rain-slicked streets of Exeter, "My Name is
Salma" is a searing novel of forbidden love, violated honour and a woman's
courage in the face of insurmountable odds. Fadia Faqir's portrait of the
fractured lives of immigrants caught up in a painful yet exhilarating
cross-cultural encounter is both heartbreaking and humorous. It is a story that
will leave no-one unmoved.
My thoughts:
”My name is Salma” it the biggest disappointment in
this overview and one of the worst books I ever read! Resume got my attention
and I was intrigued by the comparison with “the style of Khaled Hosseini” but
on my opinion this book is so poor and bad in general. The storyline is quite
intriguing but the writing style of Fadia Faquir is t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e!!! The
information is served in portions, which is quite confusing – Salma tells about
her youth in the past, about her life now and about the future at the same time
and I had troubles following & understanding what is going on and in
general the story sounds like idle talk. I understand what really is going on
the last 20 pages: who is who in this book, why is there and what does it
stands for. During the whole time I had the feeling I’m listening
someone’s ravings. If the
storyline was placed chronological I might like this book, but this way – no,
no and again: no. I highly don’t recommend this book to anyone, better go for
Khaled Hosseini. I found it senselessly to lose your time trying to understand what Fadia Faquir
wanted to say.
3.„The
School for dangerous girls”,
author
Eliot
Schrefer
Resume:
Angela's parents think
she's on the road to ruin because she's dating a "bad boy." After her
behavior gets too much for them, they ship her off to Hidden Oak. Isolated and
isolating, Hidden Oak promises to rehabilitate "dangerous girls." But
as Angela gets drawn in further and further, she discovers that recovery is
only on the agenda for the "better" girls. The other girls --
designated as "the purple thread" - will
instead be manipulated to become more and more dangerous . . . and more and
more reliant on Hidden Oak's care.
My thoughts:
This
book is quite intriguing at the beginning, but I lost my interest after the ~40th
page. Maybe the reason I didn’t like it it’s because I expected some kind of
crime story with a bit of teenage drama, but while I was reading I felt like I
am reading “Pretty Little Liars” (which I pretty much enjoyed back in the days
when I was 15). Flat dénouement and quite thoughtless epilogue that feels almost unfinished. If you are 12-15 years old and you are into
PLL – then you might enjoy this book. If you are older, just skip it, it does
not worth your time.
Chicklit:
1.”Remember
me?”, author Sophie Kinsella
Resume:
When
twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a
big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton.
Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk
of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how
much things have changed.
Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all.
Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?
With the same wicked humor and delicious charm that have won her millions of devoted fans, Sophie Kinsella, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Shopaholic & Baby, returns with an irresistible new novel and a fresh new heroine who finds herself in a life-changing and utterly hilarious predicament…
Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all.
Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?
With the same wicked humor and delicious charm that have won her millions of devoted fans, Sophie Kinsella, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Shopaholic & Baby, returns with an irresistible new novel and a fresh new heroine who finds herself in a life-changing and utterly hilarious predicament…
My thoughts:
I simply adore Sophie Kinsella and her books ♥ “Remember me” storyline
is quite unusual and unpredictable till the end. On my opinion this book is a
bit more mature and serious compared to the rest of Kinsella’s books. There is
constant dynamic in the development of the storyline, as well in the
development of Lexi’s character. The storyline offers intriguing combination of
every 20 and so year old girl: luxury, hot man and huge amount of romantic,
with no excess drama or silly nonsense. Such a relaxing book that I highly
recommend!
2.”I’ve
got your number”,
author
Sophie Kinsella
Resume:
I’ve lost it. :( The
only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s
been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now the very same day his
parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day! Do not hyperventilate,
Poppy. Stay positive :) !!
Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!
Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.
Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry her ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her “happily ever after” begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring in a hotel fire drill but in the panic that follows, her phone is stolen. As she paces shakily around the lobby, she spots an abandoned phone in a trash can. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!
Well, perfect except that the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading his messages and wading into his personal life.
What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other’s lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls, and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents . . . she soon realizes that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.
My
thoughts:
Excellent book! (No doubt
the book is excellent due to the author :))
Such a funny and relaxing
book that has unusual storyline and totally unexpected dénouement. Highly recommend!
3.”The Single Girls To-Do List”, author LindseyKelk
Resume:
A hilarious and
romantic standalone novel from the bestselling author of the I Heart series - Rachel Summers loves a to-do list:
• Boyfriend
• Flat
• Great job
NOT on the list:
• Being dumped
Best friends Emelie and Matthew ride to her rescue with an entirely new kind of list – The Single Girl’s To-Do List. Rachel doesn’t know it, but it will take her on all kinds of wild adventures – and get her in some romantic pickles too. And then it won't be a case of what but who she decides to tick off…
• Mr. bendy yoga instructor
• Mr. teenage sweetheart
• Mr. persistent ex
• Mr. deeply unsuitable
The Single Girl’s To-Do List gives Rachel the perfect heartbreak cure – and proves love is out there if you’re willing to take a chance.
• Boyfriend
• Flat
• Great job
NOT on the list:
• Being dumped
Best friends Emelie and Matthew ride to her rescue with an entirely new kind of list – The Single Girl’s To-Do List. Rachel doesn’t know it, but it will take her on all kinds of wild adventures – and get her in some romantic pickles too. And then it won't be a case of what but who she decides to tick off…
• Mr. bendy yoga instructor
• Mr. teenage sweetheart
• Mr. persistent ex
• Mr. deeply unsuitable
The Single Girl’s To-Do List gives Rachel the perfect heartbreak cure – and proves love is out there if you’re willing to take a chance.
My
thoughts:
Lindsey Kelk is my other
favorite chicklit author beside S. Kinsella – actually L. Kelk’s writing style
is quite similar to S. Kinsella’s but the difference is that Kelk pays a lot of
attention to the cosmetic part (always pays attention to the makeup, perfumes
and fashion pieces the characters are rocking, which is simply g-r-e-a-t!) The
break-up storyline is quite simple and boring but L. Kelk gives it an
unexpected turn! Rachel Summers survives in quite untraditional way after the
breakup with her boyfriend so the storyline guaranties you intense laugh and
fun! Highly recommend!
Modern literature:
1.”50
shades
freed”,,
author
E. L. James
Resume:
When unworldly student
Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur
Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives
irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian’s
singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep
her, Christian agrees.
Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.
Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.
Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past.
Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle, misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.
My thoughts:
This book is such a silly
nonsense that has ridiculous unrealistic final.
Anna and Christians relations escalated so quickly that the book could
be categorized as soap opera. Marriage, baby, Christian’s change – I said in my
previous post that this trilogy could be modern hardcore version of Cinderella,
well for this particular book we can skip the word “hardcore” :D It is okay if you are looking for something non-committed and easy going read, but if you’re looking for
something deeper that’s worth the time – skip it. Due to the fact I’ve read the
trilogy I decided that I have to finish E. L. James’s creative so I give a
chance to
2.”Grey”, author E. L. James
Resume:
See the world of Fifty Shades of Grey anew through the eyes of Christian Grey.
In Christian's own words, and through his thoughts, reflections, and dreams, E L James offers a fresh perspective on the love story that has enthralled millions of readers around the world.
Christian Grey exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty—until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him—past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.
Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?
In Christian's own words, and through his thoughts, reflections, and dreams, E L James offers a fresh perspective on the love story that has enthralled millions of readers around the world.
Christian Grey exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty—until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him—past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.
Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?
My thoughts:
Actually this
book shouldn’t be included in this post because…hm, I didn’t finished it. It
sucks! (Not that I expected something worthy) Overall: this is the storyline
from the first book (50 shades of grey) but from Grey’s point of view which
automatically means it does not worth the time reading it. Short & simple:
don’t read it.
So that was my
overview on the books I’ve read recently. Which was the last book you’ve read
and what are your thoughts?
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are downloaded from Internet and I don’t own them
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Have a nice evening ♥
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