Friday 26 December 2014

Blue Lily Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater: Review

Blue Lily, Lily Blue (The Raven Cycle, #3)
I finally have in my hands Maggie Stiefvater's long awaited novel Blue Lily Lily Blue. I am thrilled , just can't wait to start reading the third book of this incredible saga. Will my expectations prove to be too high? I hope not.

I envy Blue and the boys because they share a" friendship of the unshakable kind . Friendship you could swear on. That could be busted nearly to breaking and come back stronger than before".That is the kind of friendships books are written about and so precious and rare that very few people are blessed with it.We can consider ourselves fortunate if we can really count on one or two true friends in our lifetime.

I was thoroughly enjoying the novel but something happened that made me quite upset.The characters spend a long time inside caves in this book , which may not be relevant at all for most readers, however, it is for me . As a matter of fact and unfortunately I suffer from strange fear of caves, I just can't stand the idea of being trapped underground.This fact has made me realise that I can't write an honest review since I must admit that I went through some pages really fast and had a hard time finishing the book. I was just about to DNF it because of that irrational feeling.So I am going to give it four stars since I know it deserves them for so many reasons that make Maggie Stiefvater one of the best YA writers ever.

I am also going to read the next book, I just hope they get out of that cave, but even if they don't I will read it.


Monday 15 December 2014

Split Second by Kasie West :Review

Split Second (Pivot Point, #2)
The sequel of Pivot Point starts with a huge gap in Addie's memories , no boyfriend and a tense relationship with her BFF. However,a trip to Dallas proves that there is also some kind of magic in Norm world where she doesn't belong due to her special abilities.

The author expresses her concerns about writing a sequel in the last pages of the book ,she fears not being able to fulfil the readers expectations. Well, the novel rises to the challenge and some parts are even more entertaining that the first one.

Split Second is all in all a very nice read with action,romance and super powers which will appeal to most YA readers.


Sunday 14 December 2014

Coca Cola Christmas Commercial

I have mixed feelings towards Coca Cola. On the one hand fizzy drinks with lots of sugar or sweetener are not healthy at all but on the other hand while you are travelling and you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, it is safer to drink a glass of coke than a glass of local tap water that may not agree with you. Anyway ,they make wonderful ads.


Thursday 4 December 2014

On the Road to Cafayate , Argentina

From Salta to Cafayate following route 68 you can find surprising rock formations . The peculiar  landscape in this area attracts many visitors and it is an unforgettable road trip.

The so-called Hill of  Seven Colours (El Cerro de los Siete Colores) is one of the popular mountains in the area.

 
 

The Devil's Throat ( La Garganta del Diablo) is another spot you cannot miss.

 
 
 
 

The Amphitheatre is worth some pictures as well.

 
 
 
 
 
 

The  gorge in this area is called Quebrada de las Conchas  or Quebrada del Cafayate and wherever you look you can find incredible shapes caused by wind erosion.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This poor llama was available there for tourists to take a picture by its side. I thought that it had a nice face and therefore I was unable to eat llama in the local restaurant we visited after the excursion.

 

By Pibe

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Herbal Garden in Asia :Limau Kesturi


                                                                   Picture of the fruit

Sunday 23 November 2014

Atlantia by Allie Condie : Review

Atlantia

Having started this book with considerable misgivings , I must say I am not enthusiastic about sirens, the new novel my Allie Condie greatly surprised me .I expected a romantic fairy tale and instead I found a compelling story about love,sacrifice and the never ending human thirst for power.

The novel depicts a world divided between the citizens living above on the ground and the ones living below the surface of the sea.The descriptions of the submerged city of Atlantia , the temple with its metal trees, the deepmarket with stalls selling saffron scented pure air, the gondolas and the plaza conjure up images of an underwater Venice.A wonderful place to live in ,except for the lack of sunlight ; a miracle of engineering and collaborative work which unfortunately is on the brink of extinction.

Rio, the main character , whose name means river in Spanish ,is a strong-willed girl who has lost everything and everyone that mattered to her. She is the last siren in a world where being a mermaid is considered threatening.However, after spending her whole life in silence to keep her secret , she finds the strength to speak up and fend for herself .It is difficult to explain the learning process Rio goes through without giving away too much, I will only reveal that she overcomes prejudices and misconceptions that abound both in our society and in our own families.


What fascinated me about this novel ,apart from the beautiful setting, was the idea that despite evil and greed humankind has a chance to live peacefully, that enemies can manage to live together and help each other. Neither the ones above nor  the ones below  are  defeated , they find a way for both societies to thrive.I guess I am a dreamer!

Ally Condie has written a novel worth a film adaptation, that will appeal to readers of many genres , a tale told by a siren ,full of sea water and hope.

I bought this shell when I was a foolish tourist travelling around in Cartagena de Indias, I keep it as a reminder of how the greed of some and the stupidity of others can destroy the environment.

Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano : Short Review

Perfect Ruin (Internment Chronicles, #1)


I liked the beginning a lot and also the originality of the world they lived in, but towards the end, due to the appearance of some annoying characters I found it less interesting.

Saturday 22 November 2014

Vietnam: Life in the Mekong

Imagine a market place on a busy day, vendors and shoppers carrying goods around, bargaining , shouting and rushing home to prepare the daily meal.

Picture the houses around the market , families with children doing regular household chores ,washing up, cleaning, having a bath, cooking and eating.

Think of a busy road packed with traffic during the rush hour, vehicles going to and fro ,speeding up and slowing down. Everything full of people waving at each other, busy citizens minding their own business, naughty teenagers hanging out with their friends...

 Now , all of this in a river, boats instead of houses and cars, everybody is a sailor.The Mekong is  full of life .Tourists watch this incredible display with their mouths open, it is impossible to capture in a photograph or in a hundred how mundane and at the same time incredibly beatiful the river is.

By P.B.