November Wrap Up

Another month that passed by, just as quickly as ever… A lot happened, but here is my wrap up!

But first of all, I reached 50 followers recently, and I wanted to thank you all! I never thought I would achieve something like that with my blog!

Also I completed my challenge of 50 books in 2015 on Goodreads, which makes me really proud, conseidering the fact that in addition to all that, I also re read about 15 books or so!!

Also note that not all the books are pictured since I borrowed them from the library (I plan on purchasing them later, though… when I have money…) Or rather, my brother borrowed them from the library and I borrowed them from him…

Re reads:

Tara Duncan and the Cursed Sceptre by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian ★★★★☆

Tara Duncan and the Renegade Dragon by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian ★★★★★

Tara Duncan and the Forbidden Continent by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian ★★★★★

Tara Duncan into the trap of Magister by Sophie Audoin Mamikonian ★★★★☆

(Yes, I have decided to re read all the ones I’ve read, and complete the series, I’m in a bit of a phase so deal with it…)

Reads:

Belle’s Daughter, also by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian, and I even wrote a review about it right here ★★★★☆

More than this by Patrick Ness ★★★★★ (Upcoming review, this book was amazing!!)

Currently reading:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Movies:

I still haven’t seen either The Scorch Trials or Mockingjay part.2 just what am I doing with my life??

#NaNoWriMo:

I decided to start this on a whim and manage to write about 13,000 words… That’s not a lot, but still better than nothing! I’ll do better next time, this month has been exhausting!

Book Haul:

These are the books I got this month, presents for my birdthday, and two from a giveaway! ♥

The Hours: Book vs. Movie

I read The Hours by Michael Cunningham this summer, and found it was quite a good book. One of my friends is obsessed with it, and he lent me the movie, which I saw recently (like, a few weeks ago…) so I decided to do a little comparison of them both.

If you’re not familiar with the story, The Hours retraces one day in the life of three women at three different periods of time. The first woman is Virginia Woolf herself (played by Nicole Kidman), as she writes Mrs. Dalloway in the 1920s. The second woman, Laura Brown (played by Juliane Moore), lives in America the 1960s. She is a unhappy mother, and as she prepares the birthday of her husband, all she wants to do is escape reality and read Mrs Dalloway. The last woman, Clarissa Vaughan (played by Meryl Streep), is setting up a party for her friend Richard, who has nicknamed her Mrs Dalloway, and is a great poet who also happens to be dying because he has AIDS.

Through the book, we can see how the lives of the three women are intertwined. At first I was a little bit sceptic, but the story is very well and cleverly written, and in the end, I really enjoyed the book. I also talked about it here, by the way.

But I can hear you wonder: what about the movie?

My first impression: it is very beautiful esthaetically. It also stays true to the book, which is an extremely good point.

Book Virginia vs. Movie Virginia

I know Virginia Woolf had menal illness, so I think she was rather well depicted in the book. But her movie character had something more. I don’t know if it’s the visual, or Nicole Kidman’s acting. But she felt so real and somehow helpless… I’ll go for the movie character

Book Laura vs. Movie Laura

I thought her book character was really interesting, and though she is obviously messed up, I could somehow – to some extent – relate to her. At least I could understand in a way. In the movie, she was messed up for sure, but there was something unsure, something missing. Juliane Moore was really good at it, but in my opinion, the book character had something that didn’t reach the screen, so this time I’ll go for the book.

Book Clarissa vs. Movie Clarissa

I have to say I had a pretty clear image of Clarissa when I read the book, and Meryl Streep didn’t quite correspond it. I really like her as an actress though, but it seemed to me they were two very different characters in a way. I’ll go for the book character this time as well, because I remember really liking it in the book, while in the movie she made me feel a bit uneasy sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, she was amazing, but I think a little something was missing here as well. So once again, point goes to the book.

Book ending vs. Movie ending

Once again, the movie is extremely faithful to the book – in a good way of course – and the ending was no exception. When I read the book, I was a bit shocked and surprised by the ending, and it also left me that special feeling of “oh my god I didn’t see that coming, but it was so obvious how could I miss it” which was especially satisfying and even made me want to re read the entire book to point out the clues (which I didn’t do because I’m lazy, and I struggled a lot with the beginning. But maybe I’ll re read it some day for the sake of it.) So of course, I knew how it would end in the movie, but it was really well made. I could see the hints, but some things stil got me by surprise, so I have to to admit it was extemely well done. No winner this time!

Overall:

As I said, I think the movie was excellent esthaetically. The side characters are really good too, especially Richard. He is such an interesting and moving character (he made me scream and cry…) The book was well-written, and the movie was beautiful. If you haven’t read the book nor watched the movie, I advise you to read the book first, it will help understand the movie better! The ending is rather unexpected, and it’s so well done in the book it would be a pity to spoil it. I think they both complete each other in a way. The movie is a great illustration of the book, and meanwhile the book helps understand the movie better.

Have you read the book? Have you seen the movie? I would love to see your opinion!

Life update: as you know, suff is happening in Paris

I haven’t posted a life update in a while, and since (as usual it seems) a lot of stuff in happening, I thought it was time I made another one!

I wanted to share a few words about what happened in Paris recently, as I haven’t done it yet. I live in the suburbs of Paris, and go to Paris every day, since it’s where my college is. I’m there all the time, and I can’t help but feel I could have been there. Thankfully, I was not. I’m also grateful because no one from my family or friend were touched, but I can feel the grief everywhere. Students from my college have been touched, friends from friends have been touched, and some of them are still in the hospital… I check the news every day in the morning to make sure nothing happened, which is something I never did before.

But now, life is slowly getting back to normal, and I’m trying not to be paranoiac. I’m still taking the train everyday to Paris, with just the usual amount of troubles. I’m back to eating junk food and laughing with my friends. Because that’s what matters the most. I have never felt more alive than now. Somehow, it made me realise how important life is.

I also wanted to add that yes, thins kind of horrible things is happening in a lot of other places. The world is going crazy. Of course I am more shocked because it is happening right next to me. But I don’t forget that other places suffer, even though some people seem to. Why does the world always make such a big deal about it when it happens in Paris? I figured out it must be because we are some kind of symbol. I read stuff like that in articles. Personally, it is more of a shock to me because Paris used to feel like such a safe and free city. And we will continue to spread love, happiness and equality. At least I hope so.

Wherever you are, I hope you stay safe ♥

I originally wanted to talk about other stuff too, but this was too important and I’m going to leave it like that. Aside from that, nothing much is happening anyway…

Liebster Award

Liebster award is given to smaller bloggers to help gain recognition and also bring the book community closer together.
The rules for the award are:

• Acknowledge the blog that nominated you and display the award.
• Answer 11 question that the blog gives you.
• Give 11 random facts about yourself.
• Nominate 5-11 blogs you think are deserving of the award that have less than 200 followers.
• Let the blogs know you have nominated them.
• Give them 11 questions to answer.

I was nominated by Jen from My Bookie Journey, thank you so much dear!

Here are my answers:

1. What is the last book you gave 5 stars to?

I actually had to check my Goodreads to answer that, and it’s The Elite by Kiera Cass! I just love this series so much, and I can’t wait to get my hands on The One…

2. If you can work in a book related job, what do you have in mind?

All I want to do (aside from reading book) is writing books. So yeah, I’d love to get my books published. And if I can’t get enough money with that, I think I would really enjoy working in the publishing industry!

3. What children book do you think everyone should read?

If the Harry Potter series is considered children books, then definitely that.

4. How do you organise your bookshelves?

I have three shelves organised by color, and the rest is a bit of a mess, I need to do something about it…

5. What is the last thing that made you smile?

I saw one of my middle school friends this morning and I hadn’t seen her in a while, so that was a nice surprise.

6. Do you prefer material things or experience?

That’s a hard one. But I love travelling and going out with my friends so I’ll go for experience. And reading books is an experience too isn’t it?

7. Do you have any reading habits?

Not really, but sometimes I like to have a hot chocolate to drink when I read.

8. What do you enjoy doing? (aside from reading related activities)

Since I’m not allowed to say reading and writing, I’ll say cooking! I just love making cakes ♥

9. What is your favorite drink?

Probably hot chocolate (though I also love sparklink elderflower and sodas in general!)

10. What are the 5 things that you’re grateful to have?

My family, my friends, my love for books, and let’s be a bit materialistic: my computer and my books!

11. Would you rather work long hours (higher salary) or shorter hour (low salary) but with more leisure time?

It depends. To be honest I’m probably gonna end up working long hous with a low salary… As long as I have time for reading and writing, that will do!

11 random facts about me:

1. I’m currently obsessed with Adele’s song Hello

2. I’m currently taking part in #NaNoWriMo but as of today I have only written 12,000 words… I am far behind

3. I started this blog on a whim, and I’m actually enjoying way more than I thought I would!

4. I’m French, and my name means mercy

5. I turned 20 earlier this month and I’m not getting used to it

6. I saw Mockingjay part 1 at the premiere with my friends last year in Paris, but we didn’t get tickets this year so I’m just sitting here, dying to see it

7. It’s currently raining and I hate rainy days

8. I’m currently reading Gone Girl and More than this and they are both amazing

9. The first time I got drunk I almost passed out, and my friends had to help me walk home, I cried during the entire walk and wouldn’t stop for like half an hour, and then I proceeded to drink an entire bottle of water (which was really smart because I was barely hungover the next day) and then I ate an entire plate of pasta with my hands because that seemed like such a bright idea. Yup that’s a pretty random fact, but I find it rather hilarious now that it’s over.

10. In case you didn’t know, this is my bookstagram account: Clemireads

11. Aside from books, I also love watching series and kdramas ♥

I nominate the following blogs:

Rachel from One Little Bookshelf

Melissa from Melissa Discovers the Secrets of Reading

Jessica from Jessica Bookshops

Silanur from Aloofbooks

Aimée from Aimée likes to ramble

My questions are:

1. What made you start reading?

2. What is your favourite book?

3. What are you studying/did you study?

4. Any song recommendation?

5. A book you can’t wait to read?

6. Do you like poetry?

7. Where do you usually read?

8. If you have any reading habits, what are they?

9. Are you more of a morning or an evening person?

10. Would you rather working in a bookshop or in the publishing industry?

11. Do you tab your books?

Belle’s Daughter: My Review

I am currently in a Tara Duncan series mood, which means that I’m re reading all the books, and actually reading the ones I haven’t read yet. I started this series ages ago (it’s written by a French author) and I never got to finish it. The author keeps publishing new books, so I still have the time.

It’s full of magic, and it’s abosutely hilarious. The first 11 tomes have been translated in English if you want to check it out (there are 13 books so far, and this is a prequel). You may feel like it’s something you’ve already read about or heard about at first, but it’s so much more in my opinion. If you’re looking for a light read, with humour and magic, I really recommend this series! (Also I’m talking about the first book here)

But let’s get down to business.

So, as I said, this is a prequel to the Tara Duncan series, written by Sophie Audoin-Mamikonian (aka SAM, and I’m going to call her SAM from now on because it’s much faster and easier) and it has not yet been translated in English. In this book, set 450 before the original series, on OtherWorld, the main character, Isabelle, is the daughter of Belle and the Beast, aka Damien, the king of the realm of Lancovit. SAM has cleverly rewritten the tale of Beauty and the Beast, and adapted it to OtherWorld, a magical world familiar to the fans of the series, where elves, dwarves, vampires, dragons, humans, spellbinders and many other spieces live together.

The king Damien has been affected by a spell that turned him into a beast, and manage to escape it when he was saved by Belle, his wife-to-be. The have a child, Isabelle, and the girl turns out to be affected by the spell as well. When she is scared or in danger, she turns into a beast. Later on, she can also control this power, and change whenever she wants.

She’s smart, strong, and full of good intentions, but will the realm accept her as the heir to the throne?

As princes Tames of Omois, the third son of the queen of the greatest realm on the planet arrives in the Lancovit castle, Isabelle discovers love and hope. But the realm is in danger, and she is the only one who can help…

What about my opinion?

I thoroughly enjoyed it and gave it 4 stars ♥

It was really pleasant and refreshing, though sometimes a bit slow. This is a clever twist on the original tale, and I really liked the idea. I know there is going to be a sequel, and I can’t wait to read it!

The story aims at an audience who knows the Tara Duncan series, it’s full of little references to the world we know, but at the same time – and since it’s a prequel – it’s not completely necessary to have read them.

The main character, Isabelle, is extremely relatable – even though, you know, we don’t all turn into a beast when we are mad – and it’s something I really like in books.

The love line is not extremely original, but SAM put some interesting twists on the general story. It’s a rather unique book because of this whole different universe.

I know it’s aimed for a young adults public, but I think it’s enjoyable for everyone (my dad loves this series, and he doesn’t even read that much).

So yeah, I’ve got nothing left to say, except that I hope it will be translated in English soon so you all can enjoy it!

Real Neat Blogger Award

I was nominated by Jen @mybookiejourney for the Real Neat Blogger Award, thank you dear ♥

The rules:

1. Thank and link the blogger who nominated you.
2. Answer the 7 questions the nomination has provided.
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers.
4. Create 7 questions for your nominees.

Here are my answers to Jen’s questions:

1. What made you start reading?

I don’t remember! I started reading books when I learnt how to read, and I guess I just never stopped…

2. What is your favorite stand alone book of all time? (feel free to make a list if you can’t decide on one)

My favourite stand alone has to be One Day by David Nicholls but I’m also a huge fan of The Fault in our Stars by John Green and Along for the ride by Sarah Dessen!

3. Any favorite Booktuber/blogger?

I picked one youtuber who is Sasha from abookutopia and two bookstagrammers, Mara from bookmarauder and Michelle from madamereadsalot ♥

4. What series would you recommend to someone who is new to reading?

Definitely the Harry Potter series, though I know it’s not exactly original!!

5. Do you have a specific time everyday you set aside for reading or do you only read when you have time? 

I actually read on the train on my way to college, since it takes more than an hour, and I also love reading before bedtime.

6. Do you do other things while reading? (example: eating, listening to music, watching TV & bathing?)

I listen to music all the time, so reading is no exception! I like to browse playlists on 8tracks which go along my current read.

7. Do you have plans to expand your interest into a career? (becoming a author, work in a book publishing industry & other book related jobs).

I would love to get my books published, and maybe work in the publishing industry (since that would allow me to read more books!!)

I nominate:

elle.biblio

allydewing

onelittlebookshelf

marinesbooks

readforevermore

bookishnessandtea

redheadedbooklover

My questions:

1. What made you start your blog?

2. What is your favourite book to movie adaptation?

3. Do you read fanfictions?

4. Do you have any book recommendation?

5. Hardbacks or paperbacks?

6. Do you like bookmarks?

7. When did you start reading?

November TBR

Yes, I know, it’s late but since I haven’t posted it yet, this is my November TBR.

I have read so far this months (both rereads):

Tara Duncan and the Cursed Sceptre by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian

Tara Duncan and the Renegade Dragon by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian

I have started:

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I plan to read:

Belle’s Daughter (which is another book in the Tara Duncan series) by Sophie Audoin Mamokonian

The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner (for college)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (reread before the movie comes out!!)

I don’t know how much I will be able to read this month, since I am doing #NaNoWriMo and I am already far behind it… But it’s such an interesting thing to do!! Who else is writing a novel this month?

I read poetry

I have been reading a lot of poetry for college recently, and I thought I could share my thoughts on the blog a little bit, since I’m here to talk about books, and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.

Here is the list of the books I’m going to talk about, which are incidentally the ones we are studying in class:

TS Eliot’s Collected Poems

Apollinaire’s Calligrammes

Nelly Sachs’ In Der Wohnung der Todes and Sternverdunkelung

Giuseppe Ungaretti’s Vita d’un uomo

And a selection of Owen’s poetry which is a bilingual edition and was translated as Et chaque lent crépuscule

Since I am French, I know a bit about French poetry, and not so much about the rest of it, except for a few poems we studied in class (like Erlkönig or Die Lorelei in German, or The road not taken by Robert Frost in English, since for some reason it has stayed in a corner of my head ever since 11th grade when we studied it).

I am also a huge fan of Arthur Rimbaud’s poetry ever since I discovered him (that was in 11th grade too) and I have read all his poems. His work is so interesting.

But let’s get down to business. First of all, we are studying TS Eliot’s Collected Poems in American Literature. I didn’t quite know what to expect from it since as far as I can recall, I had never heard of him (shame on me). I still don’t know why literature teachers always want to “explain” or “comment” poems so much. As far as I’m concerned I’m just fine with finding them beautiful, and that was 100% the case with Eliot. Northrop Frye said about Eliot that “Whether he is liked or disliked is of no importance, but he must be read.” and somehow I really agree with that statement. The poems were truly fascinating, I couldn’t put the book down. (And yes, I am talking about poetry there. I don’t know if I’m doing this right or wrong, but I read it like a story somehow, and I enjoyed it, which is all that matter to me.)

We are studying war poets in comparative literature, which explains the 4 other books. I have to admit I find it a bit strange to study foreign poets in a translation, but at least I found they were a very interesting read. I read Apollinaire in French, and Owen in English, but Nelly Sachs and Giuseppe Ungaretti were both translated (though I’m going to search for the original poems since I can read German and Italian).

Did you know? Nelly Sachs won the Nobel Price for Literature in 1966.

I’m not sure what I wanted to say when I started this article. I wanted to say that I liked poetry, and enjoyed those reads more than I thought I would. What’s important? I think everyone should read a bit of poetry at some point. It can move you, it can change you. You don’t need to be “educated” or anything. Poetry goes straight to your heart and that’s what makes it so powerful.

(Also I’m back to college so I’m not sure I’ll be able to post a lot for the time being, at least I’ll try!)

October Wrap Up

October has come and gone already, I can’t believe time flies so fast…

First of all, this is my October haul (yes I bought all this, I can hardly believe it myself… But I have my excuses! Some were on sale, some were for school, and in the end, it became all this.)

Now let’s get to business: my actual wrap up.

I finished:

Collected Poems by TS Eliot ★★★★☆

I read:

The Elite by Kiera Cass ★★★★★

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury ★★★☆☆ (wrote a review for this here)

Calligrammes by Guillaume Apollinaire ★★★★☆

Et chaque lent crépuscule, which is a selection of poems by Wilfred Owen ★★★★☆

Vita d’un uomo by Giuseppe Ungaretti ★★★★★

Sternverdunkelung by Nelly Sachs ★★★★☆

Re reads:

Tara Duncan and the Forbidden Book by Sophie Audoin Mamikonian (this one got 4 or 5 stars, I always feel like re reads have a special status…)

I didn’t quite respect my TBR, but at the same time, I’m quite proud of myself since I managed to read a lot.

On the blog: I managed to write a total of 9 articles, if you haven’t read them yet, you can still check them out!

Song of the month: Hello by Adele

Movie of the month: I don’t watch a lot of movies, but I saw The Hours recently and found it extremely beautiful.

Series of the month: It’s a 50 episodes long Kdrama called What happens to my family, I just finished it and it was absolutely amazing!