A Plethora of Book Reviews

The ultimate happy place for people who are fond of lifting pages of bound books. A place where we can all share our views about a certain book that we liked and adore. Be nerdy, start reading!
Contributing Authors
“Loving someone always requires you to not love others.”  Summary here! My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ I first heard about Battle Royale when I recommended The Hunger Games to a friend. They said The Hunger Games is a rip-off of Battle Royale. I totally disagree with that! I think the only similarity is that teenagers kill each other and the one who will survive will become the winner. That’s it! Okay, I don’t mean to compare the two but these days when you talk about The Hunger Games, Battle Royale will be mentioned.I didn’t expect that I will like Battle Royale very much. Although there are lots of gore and violence (so warning! This book is not for the faint-hearted), the novel still able to dwell deeper on the story of the major characters and their effects on the novel as a whole. I salute the author for bravely telling us of a story like this. The book is not all about killing but more on how people naturally react when in danger or there are threats, and how one can trust other people to survive. Also, it tells how a certain kind of government, such as the Republic of Greater East Asia in the book, can affect people’s lives and how they make decisions in their lives.Battle Royale is such a thrilling read! I recommend this book to those who want to read a darker and bolder book about teens killing each other, a cruel government, and how to survive the inevitable.P.S.I don’t want to compare the two books like the others because just like what Mr. Takami said, “every novel has something to offer,” and that if  “readers find value in either book, that’s all an author can ask for.” And I love both books! :)

“Loving someone always requires you to not love others.” 

Summary here!

My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I first heard about Battle Royale when I recommended The Hunger Games to a friend. They said The Hunger Games is a rip-off of Battle Royale. I totally disagree with that! I think the only similarity is that teenagers kill each other and the one who will survive will become the winner. That’s it! Okay, I don’t mean to compare the two but these days when you talk about The Hunger Games, Battle Royale will be mentioned.

I didn’t expect that I will like Battle Royale very much. Although there are lots of gore and violence (so warning! This book is not for the faint-hearted), the novel still able to dwell deeper on the story of the major characters and their effects on the novel as a whole. I salute the author for bravely telling us of a story like this. The book is not all about killing but more on how people naturally react when in danger or there are threats, and how one can trust other people to survive. Also, it tells how a certain kind of government, such as the Republic of Greater East Asia in the book, can affect people’s lives and how they make decisions in their lives.

Battle Royale is such a thrilling read! I recommend this book to those who want to read a darker and bolder book about teens killing each other, a cruel government, and how to survive the inevitable.

P.S.

I don’t want to compare the two books like the others because just like what Mr. Takami said, “every novel has something to offer,” and that if  “readers find value in either book, that’s all an author can ask for.” And I love both books! :)

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Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is just one of those books that makes you stop and think. I found myself pausing after a few chapters and just thinking about the situation and how even though it is a fictitious novel, how many of people in real life actually feel this way on a daily basis. It starts at the end. Well sort of. The first chapter or tid-bit is a glimpse at the ending, of what has already happened and how our protagonist feels after the whole shabang. It then rewinds to the day that Clay, the main protagonist, finds a mysterious package for him. The package in question contains seven sets of cassette tapes with 13 stories as to why Hannah killed herself. It is really an intriguing book and opens your eyes as to how the smallest, insignificant action can effect someone greatly. Maybe it really moved me because recently there was a suicide committed at my school. A young high school girl, that lived not to far from the college campus jumped off a balcony, except she didn’t leave a reason as to why she did it. I wondered if maybe it was for one of the same reasons Hannah gave in the book. It just really is an eye opener, indeed. I recommend this book to the older teens, as it does contain some vulgar elements, and touchy subjects. Read it with an open mind, and don’t be afraid to make your own opinions about it. Most importantly if you find yourself struggling with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or anything that weights you down, please talk to someone about it. Anyone. I am not a licensed counselor, but I am always happy to talk as well. This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is just one of those books that makes you stop and think. I found myself pausing after a few chapters and just thinking about the situation and how even though it is a fictitious novel, how many of people in real life actually feel this way on a daily basis. It starts at the end. Well sort of. The first chapter or tid-bit is a glimpse at the ending, of what has already happened and how our protagonist feels after the whole shabang. It then rewinds to the day that Clay, the main protagonist, finds a mysterious package for him. The package in question contains seven sets of cassette tapes with 13 stories as to why Hannah killed herself.

It is really an intriguing book and opens your eyes as to how the smallest, insignificant action can effect someone greatly. Maybe it really moved me because recently there was a suicide committed at my school. A young high school girl, that lived not to far from the college campus jumped off a balcony, except she didn’t leave a reason as to why she did it. I wondered if maybe it was for one of the same reasons Hannah gave in the book. It just really is an eye opener, indeed.

I recommend this book to the older teens, as it does contain some vulgar elements, and touchy subjects. Read it with an open mind, and don’t be afraid to make your own opinions about it. Most importantly if you find yourself struggling with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or anything that weights you down, please talk to someone about it. Anyone. I am not a licensed counselor, but I am always happy to talk as well.

This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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acupofwhippedcream: Ermita Cross. Ermita Hill, Baler, Aurora. It is only through the cross of Christ and through the blood of His cross that we have our salvation.

acupofwhippedcream:

Ermita Cross. Ermita Hill, Baler, Aurora.

It is only through the cross of Christ and through the blood of His cross that we have our salvation.

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This book gets a 5/5 oxygen tanks. I never wish to stay up late and wake up at 5 in the morning to finish reading a book again, the consequences are great, but if it’s for a book like The Fault in Our Stars, I can bear with the pain with a little help from an Advil. When I read the Goodread’s summary of what the book is about, I had already expected a lot of things. I expected to cry, already having a theory at how the ending will turn out (I was..kind of right, I just got the character wrong). I expected to smile idiotically to myself because I could already feel a love story coming up. I expected to laugh, somehow knowing that a book that is centered around “a match made in cancer kid support group” couldn’t possibly be filled to the brim with sad moments, hey, everybody deserves a good day sometime. And last but not least, I expected to look up the meanings of words (don’t laugh or you’ll be disturbing my soliloquy) I was not disappointed by 6 o’ clock this morning when I actually, finally, finished the book. But I did not know the intensity of these feelings once I finished the book. I was expecting that I’d still be crying right about now but I can’t. I’m filled with so much warm fuzziness (and I can’t believe I used that phrase) inside that I can’t do anything but smile to myself. Though the ending of The Fault in Our Stars was supposed to be a sad one, I can not bring a tear to well up in my eyes. Somehow…don’t get me wrong, I’m not religious or anything, but somehow I just felt that everything happened because they were supposed to happen. We deserve one great love and regardless of what the movies say, there is a chance that we get disappointed in the long run if that great love actually lasts (example, Van Houten and how his true form is sadder than what Hazel has conjured up). Remember how “People get used to beauty”? I think the ending was, in a way, portraying that, while we are extremely saddened by it, the greatest beauty is one that is lost - one that we can never hold no matter how we wish, one that lives only in our memory. The Fault in Our Stars was a beautiful novel. Masterfully spun and deeply-touching. It made me happy in a way the simplest acts of kindness by a stranger can. Of course, I may be spouting nonsense. I am only 15 years of age. Pardon me, please.

This book gets a 5/5 oxygen tanks.

I never wish to stay up late and wake up at 5 in the morning to finish reading a book again, the consequences are great, but if it’s for a book like The Fault in Our Stars, I can bear with the pain with a little help from an Advil. 

When I read the Goodread’s summary of what the book is about, I had already expected a lot of things. I expected to cry, already having a theory at how the ending will turn out (I was..kind of right, I just got the character wrong). I expected to smile idiotically to myself because I could already feel a love story coming up. I expected to laugh, somehow knowing that a book that is centered around “a match made in cancer kid support group” couldn’t possibly be filled to the brim with sad moments, hey, everybody deserves a good day sometime. And last but not least, I expected to look up the meanings of words (don’t laugh or you’ll be disturbing my soliloquy) 

I was not disappointed by 6 o’ clock this morning when I actually, finally, finished the book. But I did not know the intensity of these feelings once I finished the book. I was expecting that I’d still be crying right about now but I can’t. I’m filled with so much warm fuzziness (and I can’t believe I used that phrase) inside that I can’t do anything but smile to myself. 

Though the ending of The Fault in Our Stars was supposed to be a sad one, I can not bring a tear to well up in my eyes. Somehow…don’t get me wrong, I’m not religious or anything, but somehow I just felt that everything happened because they were supposed to happen. We deserve one great love and regardless of what the movies say, there is a chance that we get disappointed in the long run if that great love actually lasts (example, Van Houten and how his true form is sadder than what Hazel has conjured up). Remember how “People get used to beauty”? I think the ending was, in a way, portraying that, while we are extremely saddened by it, the greatest beauty is one that is lost - one that we can never hold no matter how we wish, one that lives only in our memory. 

The Fault in Our Stars was a beautiful novel. Masterfully spun and deeply-touching. It made me happy in a way the simplest acts of kindness by a stranger can. 

Of course, I may be spouting nonsense. I am only 15 years of age. Pardon me, please.

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Anna and the French Kiss Stephanie Perkins A sort of book review by bibliophobic Rating: *** Let me start this by telling how I rate books:5 stars: Bookgasmic (mostly it has a tragic ending or sort of) 4 stars: I liked it. (you’d know that a book got a 4-star-rating from me if I couldn’t stop talking about it for days, or weeks, even months. Go figure if it was 5. Yes, I am an annoying friend. Just like this, see I can’t stop myself from) 3 stars: Okay. 2 stars: The book’s not for me (some might find okay or even like it.) 1 star: Blimey! What a waste of dead trees (or even recycled papers) I know, my 2 star rating is lame. To each is own, right? But I find it really hard to give a book a low rating. Because… writing is hard. (You see, it was really challenging to put up this paragraph). If this book was not set to Paris, it’d definetly get 2 stars. I was squirming on my seat when I was on the part when Anna (The lead who was sent to a boarding school in Paris by his father, Nicholas Sparks, and was actually complaining about not having a choice of going there or staying at Atlanta. I could almost see this as a tweet with hashtag firstworldpains) was fangirling over St. Clair (Anna’s best friend. Clue: this is a romantic novel, so I think you know the rest). Describing how gorgeous he is, the smell of his hair, his smell, his perfectly-sized hands, and how cute his accent is, every-freaking-chapter! I mean, I didn’t sign for this. (So why pick this, huh? Oh, shut up inner voice) Good thing, there’s Paris. It was like reading a travel guide, which was good, I mean, for me. If not for trivia and being smart, this would receive 2 stars. I am a trivia freak. My friends, if we don’t have anything to talk about, will always ask me to give some trivia (about anything. Like the first toilet seat or where the traffic lights originated. Stuff I spent hours googling.) I liked how the characters (St. Clair, a History freak and Anna, a movie freak) here shared information. I mean, they’re actually listening to someone’s nerdiness. All in all, it’s good. But really, if I am just into romantic stuff, I’ll really dig Perkins.

Anna and the French Kiss

Stephanie Perkins

A sort of book review by bibliophobic

Rating: ***

Let me start this by telling how I rate books:

5 stars: Bookgasmic (mostly it has a tragic ending or sort of)
4 stars: I liked it. (you’d know that a book got a 4-star-rating from me if I couldn’t stop talking about it for days, or weeks, even months. Go figure if it was 5. Yes, I am an annoying friend. Just like this, see I can’t stop myself from)
3 stars: Okay.
2 stars: The book’s not for me (some might find okay or even like it.)
1 star: Blimey! What a waste of dead trees (or even recycled papers)

I know, my 2 star rating is lame. To each is own, right? But I find it really hard to give a book a low rating. Because… writing is hard. (You see, it was really challenging to put up this paragraph).

If this book was not set to Paris, it’d definetly get 2 stars. I was squirming on my seat when I was on the part when Anna (The lead who was sent to a boarding school in Paris by his father, Nicholas Sparks, and was actually complaining about not having a choice of going there or staying at Atlanta. I could almost see this as a tweet with hashtag firstworldpains) was fangirling over St. Clair (Anna’s best friend. Clue: this is a romantic novel, so I think you know the rest). Describing how gorgeous he is, the smell of his hair, his smell, his perfectly-sized hands, and how cute his accent is, every-freaking-chapter! I mean, I didn’t sign for this. (So why pick this, huh? Oh, shut up inner voice) Good thing, there’s Paris. It was like reading a travel guide, which was good, I mean, for me.

If not for trivia and being smart, this would receive 2 stars. I am a trivia freak. My friends, if we don’t have anything to talk about, will always ask me to give some trivia (about anything. Like the first toilet seat or where the traffic lights originated. Stuff I spent hours googling.) I liked how the characters (St. Clair, a History freak and Anna, a movie freak) here shared information. I mean, they’re actually listening to someone’s nerdiness.

All in all, it’s good. But really, if I am just into romantic stuff, I’ll really dig Perkins.

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The Fault In Our Stars by John Green SPOILER ALERT. “I shall say you will die and none will remember you” - Archibald MacLeish, Not Marble Nor the Gilden Monuments (also quoted in the book) How do I even begin writing this review? Well, first of all, my mother died a little over three weeks ago. And I guess that’s part of the reason I was greatly affected by this book. I hate preachy books about death. (Mitch Albom, ehem.) But this one is just so honest. Death is inevitable. There is no life after death (even if we all want to delude ourselves into believing that an afterlife exists). We will all fade into oblivion someday. And everything just seems useless. I know, “the meaning of life” is in every teenager’s (or adult’s) thoughts before sleeping (after fantasizing about their favorite actors and/or fictional characters, of course). And I know thinking about the inevitability of death is pretty useless since it is, well, inevitable, but this is just one of those things we can’t really help thinking about. This book tries to tackle that sensitive topic in a smart, honest and somewhat lighthearted way.  And no, my life wasn’t changed or transformed by this book. But it touched me. And at the end of the day, that’s what I look for in a book: its ability to touch something inside of me.  “I am,” he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.” Call me sappy and predictable, but I loved this line. My Rating: 4/5

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

SPOILER ALERT.

“I shall say you will die and none will remember you”

- Archibald MacLeish, Not Marble Nor the Gilden Monuments (also quoted in the book)

How do I even begin writing this review?

Well, first of all, my mother died a little over three weeks ago. And I guess that’s part of the reason I was greatly affected by this book.

I hate preachy books about death. (Mitch Albom, ehem.) But this one is just so honest. Death is inevitable. There is no life after death (even if we all want to delude ourselves into believing that an afterlife exists). We will all fade into oblivion someday. And everything just seems useless.

I know, “the meaning of life” is in every teenager’s (or adult’s) thoughts before sleeping (after fantasizing about their favorite actors and/or fictional characters, of course). And I know thinking about the inevitability of death is pretty useless since it is, well, inevitable, but this is just one of those things we can’t really help thinking about. This book tries to tackle that sensitive topic in a smart, honest and somewhat lighthearted way. 

And no, my life wasn’t changed or transformed by this book. But it touched me. And at the end of the day, that’s what I look for in a book: its ability to touch something inside of me.

 “I am,” he said. He was staring at me, and I could see the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.”

Call me sappy and predictable, but I loved this line.

My Rating: 4/5

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antheadidthat: The Fault in Our Starsby John Green  “You do not immortalize the lost by writing about them. Language buries, but does not resurrect.”  One of the most celebrated author of today releases his latest book, The Fault in Our Stars. This is about Hazel, a cancer survivor, a “side effect”. A girl, who met a fellow cancer survivor, Augustus Waters. And then all at once, the stars seems to lost its alignment. It reminds me of “A Walk to Remember” by Nicholas Sparks. Very much. And yes, it is depressing to read. As I finished the book, I just stared at the ceiling for a couple of minutes, thinking about making a real “Phalanxifor”. With a few medical jargon, indeed I quite enjoyed the book, and reminding myself that cancer boggles every health personnel. It is mind-boggling and at the same time, heart-breaking. With the knowledge of it, you just can’t stop thinking of what you can do about the disease. You wish there is a drug that really kills it. But killing the cancer cells also means killing your healthy cells. That is always the truth that you can’t totally accept. Let’s end the cancer part. So yes, the author always made me think that teenagers are geniuses. His characters are always like, they can explain every detail in life. But they’re still teenagers. Sometimes, there very own ideals breaks them. That’s what I like about the characters, because maybe, I feel what they have felt, and I nod at every dialogue they made. I read most people’s review of this as not that satisfactory. Well, I haven’t cried or anything, but I can’t stop thinking about it. I realize that you’ll never understand the person when you’re not really going through what they’ve been through. The lesson I learned. So yes, I am applauding for this book, and a little bit of depressed for the reality of life. 5/5(2/52) 

antheadidthat:

The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green 

“You do not immortalize the lost by writing about them. Language buries, but does not resurrect.” 

One of the most celebrated author of today releases his latest book, The Fault in Our Stars. This is about Hazel, a cancer survivor, a “side effect”. A girl, who met a fellow cancer survivor, Augustus Waters. And then all at once, the stars seems to lost its alignment.

It reminds me of “A Walk to Remember” by Nicholas Sparks. Very much. And yes, it is depressing to read. As I finished the book, I just stared at the ceiling for a couple of minutes, thinking about making a real “Phalanxifor”. With a few medical jargon, indeed I quite enjoyed the book, and reminding myself that cancer boggles every health personnel. It is mind-boggling and at the same time, heart-breaking. With the knowledge of it, you just can’t stop thinking of what you can do about the disease. You wish there is a drug that really kills it. But killing the cancer cells also means killing your healthy cells. That is always the truth that you can’t totally accept.

Let’s end the cancer part.

So yes, the author always made me think that teenagers are geniuses. His characters are always like, they can explain every detail in life. But they’re still teenagers. Sometimes, there very own ideals breaks them. That’s what I like about the characters, because maybe, I feel what they have felt, and I nod at every dialogue they made.

I read most people’s review of this as not that satisfactory. Well, I haven’t cried or anything, but I can’t stop thinking about it. I realize that you’ll never understand the person when you’re not really going through what they’ve been through. The lesson I learned.

So yes, I am applauding for this book, and a little bit of depressed for the reality of life.

5/5
(2/52) 

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antheadidthat: The Adventures of Tom Sawyerby Mark Twain  “Have the initiation.” “What’s that?” “it’s to swear to stand by one another, and never tell the gang’s secrets, even if you’re chopped all to flinders, and kill anybody and all his family that hurts one of the gang.”  As I started the year(Or rather at the end of year 2011), I chose to read a classic.  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about a boy who has done mischief, who had crushes and heartbreaks, and gets to know the true meaning of friendship. He drew his dreams and ambitions in liberty, and even did heroic acts. This is a novel of a juvenile, a story of innocence and curiosity on such a young age, in a setting where kids still play outside.  I’ve never been very fond of the classics, yet I’ve been curious with them. I am not an English Literature major, and this explains I’m having difficulty reading classics. Though in this novel, I can read and understand it, for it used moderate old English words. It feels like being a kid again, reading this novel. And I felt being a boy with a freedom of exploring the environment. I appreciate how it portrays the meaning of friendship and infatuation. Especially how a little mischief lead to great heroic deeds. And also, the very important lesson I learned and will always bear in mind and be etched in my heart, that in every bad or worst person, there is a spot of goodness in them. You just have to find it. 3/5(1/52)

antheadidthat:

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain 

“Have the initiation.”

“What’s that?”

“it’s to swear to stand by one another, and never tell the gang’s secrets, even if you’re chopped all to flinders, and kill anybody and all his family that hurts one of the gang.” 

As I started the year(Or rather at the end of year 2011), I chose to read a classic. 

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about a boy who has done mischief, who had crushes and heartbreaks, and gets to know the true meaning of friendship. He drew his dreams and ambitions in liberty, and even did heroic acts. This is a novel of a juvenile, a story of innocence and curiosity on such a young age, in a setting where kids still play outside. 

I’ve never been very fond of the classics, yet I’ve been curious with them. I am not an English Literature major, and this explains I’m having difficulty reading classics. Though in this novel, I can read and understand it, for it used moderate old English words.

It feels like being a kid again, reading this novel. And I felt being a boy with a freedom of exploring the environment. I appreciate how it portrays the meaning of friendship and infatuation. Especially how a little mischief lead to great heroic deeds.

And also, the very important lesson I learned and will always bear in mind and be etched in my heart, that in every bad or worst person, there is a spot of goodness in them. You just have to find it.
 
3/5
(1/52)

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Book: The Lost HeroAuthor: Rick RiordanMy Rating: ★★★★★ ——————————————————————————- The Percy Jackson’s pentalogy left us a compelling prophecy that was awaited to be fulfilled. I must say, Rick Riordan did a good start with it in The Lost Hero. It was indeed a heart pumping page turner book! I was a little nervous that I will lost the spark that I got from reading The Percy Jackson Pentalogy ‘cause I’ve finished it last Christmas and I started with this book just this month. But thank God I didn’t lost it, actually it even sparked more!I was amazed how Mr. Rick Riordan wove the storyline, it was really a roller coaster ride of emotions! I keep on screaming, jumping and saying things that the people here in our house thought I was crazy as I was flipping those pages. A set of fresh new characters. A new budding romance! It took me only a chapter until was hooked. Swear, I’ve only felt this before when I was reading my ultimate favorite trilogy, The Hunger Games. I loved how the author created a unique way of putting twists and interlocking those Greek and Roman gods. This book’s gonna be included on my favorites! I can’t wait to lay my hands and drown myself with its second installment, The Son of Neptune! If you have read this, I’m sure you’ll be yearning for its second book!

Book: The Lost Hero
Author: Rick Riordan
My Rating: ★★★★★

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The Percy Jackson’s pentalogy left us a compelling prophecy that was awaited to be fulfilled. I must say, Rick Riordan did a good start with it in The Lost Hero. It was indeed a heart pumping page turner book! I was a little nervous that I will lost the spark that I got from reading The Percy Jackson Pentalogy ‘cause I’ve finished it last Christmas and I started with this book just this month. But thank God I didn’t lost it, actually it even sparked more!

I was amazed how Mr. Rick Riordan wove the storyline, it was really a roller coaster ride of emotions! I keep on screaming, jumping and saying things that the people here in our house thought I was crazy as I was flipping those pages. 

A set of fresh new characters. A new budding romance! It took me only a chapter until was hooked. Swear, I’ve only felt this before when I was reading my ultimate favorite trilogy, The Hunger Games. I loved how the author created a unique way of putting twists and interlocking those Greek and Roman gods. This book’s gonna be included on my favorites! I can’t wait to lay my hands and drown myself with its second installment, The Son of Neptune! If you have read this, I’m sure you’ll be yearning for its second book!

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My sixth sense is tickling me with the feeling that people are reading less (forgive me - no offense intended). This may be due to my surroundings, the exponential growth of e-readers or just the lack of reviews posted these months, so here, I present a quick & appealing read: Yakuza Moon, Memoirs of a Gangster’s Daughter by Shoko Tendo Yakuza? One of the simplest explanations is that it is equivalent of the Japanese Mafia” This is a story about Tendo’s childhood and early adulthood, which were filled with ostracism and abuse. Despite the countless bad encounters she faced, and the wrong crowds she fell into, her struggles to regain control over her life are remarkable. Her pivotal moment to get tattooed (“an act of empowerment”) makes you find that a spark of hope can kindle a fallen person back onto their feet. “But this book is not just about the yakuza. It’s the story of my life […] that anyone of any walk of life, of any nationality, can relate to: bullying, delinquency, drugs, imprisonment, love, violence, marriage, divorce, debt, eating disorders, attempted suicide, sickness, and death. However happy and perfect our lives may look from the outside, we all have our problems. I think many readers have […] been able to relate in some way to the hardships that I have experienced.” Since it’s best to read her life in one go (and trust me, you can do it in one sitting), I’ve only quoted her 2008 foreword. And the part that spoke legions to me after I read her story was this: “My father was a yakuza boss. That was one of the truths of my life. I don’t look back on my yakuza childhood with longing, and I’m well aware of the ugly things that yakuza do, but on the other hand I love my father and I don’t disrespect him for choosing the life he did.” I hope you have time to gaze into her world.

My sixth sense is tickling me with the feeling that people are reading less (forgive me - no offense intended). This may be due to my surroundings, the exponential growth of e-readers or just the lack of reviews posted these months, so here, I present a quick & appealing read:

Yakuza Moon, Memoirs of a Gangster’s Daughter by Shoko Tendo

Yakuza?

One of the simplest explanations is that it is equivalent of the Japanese Mafia”

This is a story about Tendo’s childhood and early adulthood, which were filled with ostracism and abuse. Despite the countless bad encounters she faced, and the wrong crowds she fell into, her struggles to regain control over her life are remarkable. Her pivotal moment to get tattooed (“an act of empowerment”) makes you find that a spark of hope can kindle a fallen person back onto their feet.

“But this book is not just about the yakuza. It’s the story of my life […] that anyone of any walk of life, of any nationality, can relate to: bullying, delinquency, drugs, imprisonment, love, violence, marriage, divorce, debt, eating disorders, attempted suicide, sickness, and death.

However happy and perfect our lives may look from the outside, we all have our problems.

I think many readers have […] been able to relate in some way to the hardships that I have experienced.”

Since it’s best to read her life in one go (and trust me, you can do it in one sitting), I’ve only quoted her 2008 foreword. And the part that spoke legions to me after I read her story was this:

“My father was a yakuza boss. That was one of the truths of my life. I don’t look back on my yakuza childhood with longing, and I’m well aware of the ugly things that yakuza do, but on the other hand I love my father and I don’t disrespect him for choosing the life he did.”

I hope you have time to gaze into her world.

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