July 31, 2012

"Heart of the Matter" by Emily Giffin

Two of the most popular schools of thought as to how the world works are referred to as order and chaos. While I am not going to go on a philosophical rant and try to prove one case or the other, I will say that in some cases, the events which are unfolding seem chaotic only because we do not know where they originated from. 

It looks like they are happening randomly, but that is only because we are not aware of the logical chain of events which led up to that point. In the end, everyone is the protagonist in his or her own story, and we all set events in motion, and in some cases they collide; perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised at unlikely and seemingly-chaotic events occurring.

July 29, 2012

"To Heaven and Back" by Mary C. Neal M.D.

Regardless of what path we may take in life or who we turn to for guidance, most of us are still pondering from time to time on the great existential questions which surround our existence: why are we here? 

What happens after death? 

Is there really a God out there? 

Chances are that as long as we live, we will never learn the undisputable truth, but it doesn’t mean that you should just lie in bed until you die without trying to figure it out… you’ll always have the time keel over and see everything for yourself.

July 27, 2012

"Where We Belong" by Emily Giffin

For those who are not familiar with Emily Griffin, it suffices to say that she has already written numerous highly-acclaimed novels such as Something Blue and Heart of the Matter. Emily has once again used her great talents as a writer to bring a new, original and simply unforgettable story to life in her newest book titled Where We Belong

In short, it is the story of two women, the lives they live, their families, and more importantly, the unbreakable bond of loyalty that keeps them together.In greater detail, Marian Caldwell is a television producer, thirty-six years of age, living in New York. She has a great career, a relationship that leaves her satisfied, and so she ends up becoming utterly convinced that this is the life she wants.

July 24, 2012

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

Most of us tend to separate humans from animals, being quite convinced that we have evolved beyond being an animal. Well, according to the good-ole dictionary, an animal refers to any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well-defined shape and usually limited growth, can move voluntarily… and so on and so forth.

Well, apart from learning that animals actually have a kingdom, this definition also makes a case for humans still being animals, and so does The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

July 22, 2012

"The Fallen Angel" by Daniel Silva

The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva (Book cover)
In The Fallen Angel, Gabriel Allon is an Israeli Intelligence officer who isn't happy with a life full of danger, death and explosions, and so after nearly losing his life in his last operation he decided to defect and seek refuge with the Vatican.

Surprisingly, Gabriel is also a capable art restorer (a mandatory skill for Israeli Intelligence officers) and thus decides to spend his time at the Vatican by restoring one of Caravaggio’s masterpieces.

July 20, 2012

"The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

A quaint little town stands still on the Earth. Yesterday, nothing of note happened, and nothing was supposed to happen anytime soon. Today, a majestic circus, called Le Cirque des Rêves has appeared without a warning, and strangely, it is only open at night.

But little do the people of this quaint little town know, beneath the black and white stripes on the tents hides something as grandiose as it is sinister: the game… or more precisely, the duel.

July 18, 2012

"Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

It seems that ever since the Poltergeist movie came out small and creepy children have become somewhat of a necessity in most horror stories. I don’t know what makes them so scary. 

Maybe people are afraid of things they aren’t legally allowed to kick away for being annoying… maybe they remind some unfortunate souls of child support. Whatever the case may be, it is undeniable that they can be really scary little bastards, and Ransom Riggs makes use of that to his heart’s content in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

July 16, 2012

"Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography" by Andrew Morton

Regardless of whether you love or hate him, chances are that you know of Tom Cruise, who he is, what he does, and most importantly, what his views are on various existential questions, such as which religion to follow for example. 

However, most of us have never taken the time to really look at the man behind the screen, mostly because we have our own lives to worry about. Nevertheless, if you put aside the fact that Cruise took some big risks in his career which have earned him three Academy Awards as well as numerous Golden Globe nominations, then his life starts to get just a bit weird.

July 14, 2012

"The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry" by Jon Ronson

Quickly, off the top of your head, how many psychopaths have you seen in your lifetime? Three? Two? One? None? Well, the truth is that you have seen hundreds… maybe even thousands of them… heck, chances are that you’ve seen one today when you were walking down the street.

It is estimated that one in every hundred people is actually a psychopath a person who doesn’t feel empathy, is charming, manipulative, seductive, and worst of all, delusional.

July 11, 2012

"Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn

Already having made a name for herself with her two previous books, Sharp Objects and Dark Places, Gillian Flynn decided to venture once again into the world of literature and came out with her latest book, Gone Girl. The story starts off innocently enough as Nick and Amy Dunne are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary. 

While all the presents are being prepared and the reservations are being made for the hotels and restaurants, Nick’s wife suddenly disappears from their mansion. Not as panicked as we would expect him to be, Nick isn’t really helping the situation as he spends a lot of his time coming up with cheesy daydreams about his wife and her head. 

July 9, 2012

"Dark Places" by Gillian Flynn

It’s a cold, January night at a secluded farm. Little Libby is only seven years old, and yet she watches as her older brother, Ben, macabrely sacrifices her mother and two sisters in what become known as "The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas". Libby found a way to escape her farmhouse and made her way through the snow. Although she lost a few toes and fingers, she lived.

Now, more than twenty-five years later, Libby, now a troubled and tormented woman, is living off what remains of a trust created to help her while her brother still sits in jail.Everything was going on its course until one day Libby is approached by The Kill Club, a society which is interested in notorious crimes.

July 7, 2012

"Sharp Objects" by Gillian Flynn

For many, tattoos are only works of art with which to decorate their bodies. For others however, the ink serves as a symbol of the kind of life they had, the events they went through in their past.

Camille Preaker, a young journalist who had a brief stint in a psychiatric hospital, has a body covered in tattoos: GIRL across her heart, HARMFUL on her wrist, WICKED above her hipbone, BABYDOLL on her leg, NASTY on her kneecap, and WHORE on her ankle. This is Camille’s story.

July 5, 2012

"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak

With the increased place electronics are taking in our daily lives it is quite easy to forget that only a few decades ago, books where most people’s favorite form of entertainment. After all, just like video games and movies, books allow the reader to escape reality, travel to a completely different universe… without forgetting that books are way more effective than any kind of media when it comes to feeding the mind and the soul. 

July 3, 2012

"The Amateur" by Edward Klein

Presidents have always been fascinating figures for the public to observe. It can be kind of weird to process the fact that even though at the base they are regular humans just like the rest of us, they managed to raise themselves above everyone else and become leaders of an entire nation.

As such, it should come as no surprise that millions and millions of people are actively observing and absorbing news about the president which fascinates them the most.