Shari Creates

Books, languages, things I make and notes from everyday life.

Category: Books

  • Ikigai – giving everyday meaning and joy.

    Ikigai – giving everyday meaning and joy.

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    Ikigai is a traditional Japanese concept that embodies happiness in living. It is, essentially, the reason that you get up in the morning. This book is about finding your ikigai – identifying your purpose or passion and using this knowledge to achieve greater happiness in your life. Your ikigai doesn’t have to be some grand ambition or highly noble life’s purpose – it can be something simple and humble, like tending your garden or walking…

    It is not a new idea that we all need some sort of ‘motivation’ or passion in order to get up in the mornings feeling alive and motivated. The question is how to find it? Usually we were told it is supposed to be related to what you do as a job. But according to the author, it can be anything and not necessarily limited to just one’s career – it could be taking care of your family or enjoying your hobby. I particularly love the example of the cleaners of the Japanese trains. How they take pride on what they do and how they are appreciated by the Japanese society. Most societies’ perception would be that as cleaners they are at the bottom of the career chain. They are not appreciated, and who would wake up happy everyday if only to get up to a thanklrss  job? But for these Japanese cleaners, the passengers’ comforts seem to be their ‘ikigai’. They maintain a high standard of cleanliness, so that the passengers can travel to work or school in comfort and they, in return, will be able to contribute back to society through what ever they do.

    Other than the story of the Japanese train cleaners, I don’t find anything else that is interesting or extremely inspiring . My biggest qualm about this book is that, she only interviewed those people who were already deemed to be ‘successful’ and one of those lucky ones who already know what they want and need to do in their lives from a very young age. If only she could have included interviews from  those people who were ‘lost’ and actually found their ‘ikigai’ by chance or from Zero to Hero sort of story. That would have been more inspiring and more interesting.

     

  • Frostblood – Elly Blake

    Frostblood – Elly Blake

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    Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge.

    When I first got this book, I wasn’t really sure what I would be reading. I chose it based on the title instead of reading the synopsis. From the title, I was expecting it to be something like the “Game of thrones”. However, after reading the book till the end, it isn’t exactly that but it was a bit more of an Avatar’ish sort of fantasy story. With people gifted to wield an element of nature. In this first book of the series, there are mainly 2 tribes, which is the Fireblood, those who can wield the power of fire and the Frostblood, those who can conjure ice and frost.

    Other than an interesting story line, in order to enjoy a book I have to like the characters. Ruby, the Fireblood didn’t make me feel like rolling my eyeballs – no foot stomping, or demanding this and that. Instead of simply born to be good at something, just like the rest of us mere mortals, she had to really work hard to learn to bring up her powers and and control it. She had her moments when she wanted to just give up but she went back to it. I suppose, she is relatable.

    Her love interest, a Frostblood called Arcus is not your typical dashingly handsome hero. His face was badly burnt and scarred, a constant reminder for him as a survivor of a  Fireblood attack. So he didn’t have and entirely beautiful face,  but his rare to smile, brooding, fiercely loyal, hard working sort of personality made him ‘handsome’ and likable. He disliked her at the beginning and so did she because of their differences – obviously since one is a Fireblood and one is a Frostblood. But they had to fight a common enemy, therefore they had to put animosity aside. For Arcus it was to save his people and for her it was for revenge.

    Now, though enjoyed the book as it was written well, but I have to say that the storyline is okay-ish as I felt it was too predictable.  If you read the book, most probably you will know what I mean. Will I be reading the sequel? I am not sure. The first book was good enough on it’s own but it didn’t leave me wanting to know more about what will happen to the shadow for example or whether Arcus will ever marry Ruby etc.

    So I will skip the sequel for now and concentrate on other books or series first.

     

  • Goodbye Things – Fumio Sasaki

    Goodbye Things – Fumio Sasaki

    Goodbye Things
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    Fumio Sasaki is a writer in his thirties who lives in a tiny studio in Tokyo with three shirts, four pairs of trousers, four pairs of socks and not much else. A few years ago, he realized that owning so much stuff was weighing him down – so he started to get rid of it. In this hit Japanese bestseller, Sasaki explores the philosophy behind minimalism and offers a set of straightforward rules – discard…

    This is the second book I have read on Minimalism so far this year and the best yet. Written through personal experience, the author explained to us as to why and how he became one of the maximum minimalist by choice in Japan if not in the world.

    It is not simply a  How to book but  it is a story of a journey of the author’s own experience – his struggles and triumphs in letting go of his attachments to material possessions. I found myself chuckling many times and able to relate to myself and those I know, as he explained what his thoughts were and how others may think as well when it comes to throwing ‘junks’ that we take as treasures or items that we save up for our unborn grandchildren. We are different and yet the same. The more I read on I understood as to  why he did what he did – to throw away and not even store anything of ‘might be useful someday’  just made sense. To move out of one apartment to another in just 30 minutes? Or to have more time doing what you like instead of doing chores? In fact he said that doing chores is even more enjoyable as it became less of a hassle and his living area calms the nerves.

    With a bit of story telling he also gave us about 55 ways  or tips on how you can condition yourself emotionally to make it easier to say goodbye to things that no longer serve your daily life. Those greeting cards and arts and crafts given to me by kids whom I cared for during my Kindergarten working days went into the recycling bin day before. I took photos of them as suggested. I suppose it is a fear of no longer seeing something that brings me the feeling of nostalgia that made me kept them. I had piles and piles of notebooks that are waiting to be used. Simply taking away more storage and more of my living space. I packed them up and told my daughter to give them away for her friends to use. I’ll finish using the ones I am using and once I’ve utilized them I can get more then. Buy things only when I need or I really use on a daily or even monthly basis. I don’t strive to be a minimalist but I do aim for a bit more simpler life with less things that only taking up space.

    I only took a few tips and I feel that I am actually making more progress in getting my life to be less cluttered. Minimalism as he puts it is a journey and you don’t have to do it in a day or weeks. It could be years. As I remember him saying that it took him about 5 years. Get rid of the real junk out first and go on from there. Would I recommend this book? Totally. Especially if you are hoping to seek some guidance or are thinking about downsizing your worldly possessions.    

     

  • A Court of Thorn and Roses – Sarah J. Mass.

    A Court of Thorn and Roses – Sarah J. Mass.

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    Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price …

    I downloaded the book months back and forgot about it. In my effort to catch up with my book reading challenge on Goodreads, I sieved through my unread books and found it. I didn’t even remember why I downloaded it. Perhaps it was a recommendation in Goodreads. In any case, I decided to finish reading it over the weekend. Finished it I did and these are my thoughts on it.

    It is a fantasy novel with a girl called Feyre (Fayruh) as the protagonist. She came from a family that once lived in the lap of luxury but fell from grace, and the onus of keeping her family alive laid on her shoulders from a very young age. She had made a vow to her mother on her deathbed to care for the family, so she worked her fingers to the bone and hunt to provide for her family. It was during one of her hunting trips that she met an enchanted wolf and killed it, only to find out that it was in fact one of the High Faes of Prythian. For this mistake, she was taken away from her family, by the High Lord Fae, Tamlin, to live with him as a replacement for the one she murdered.

    Since I didn’t read the synopsis of this book nor reviews before I read this book I didn’t know what to expect and after reading a few chapters of this book I realized that it reminded me of “Beauty and the Beast”. Surely enough, Tamlin, who had taken Feyre as a prisoner, was under a curse. Not only his powers were curbed and controlled by an evil Fairy but he and along with those belonging in his domain were tricked and  doomed to wear half face masks for as long as the curse had a hold on them.

    I have to admit that the first few chapters of the book was a bit too slow for my taste that I almost gave up. I am sure it was just a build up so that what ever happens at the end would all make sense. The story was told rather well that after the initial boring pages and when things started to pick up pace, it was tough to put the book down. 

    Now, I enjoyed the story enough to read the book till the end in just a couple of days. But I can’t help to have mixed feelings about it as I am not sure I like the heroine of this book, Feyre.  I do like my “tsundere’ or strong female characters. However, Feyre annoys me. She was taken as a prisoner by Tamlin in exchange for killing one of his own men. She should be punished for this yet she was treated with mercy and kindness and her family was taken cared well back in the human domain. For someone expecting punishment she is rather self entitled and proud.  Perhaps also, I felt that she got it easy to just fall in love with an attractive guy with just a mask on instead of a real ugly beast. 🙂 With that sort of character, I doubt she would fall for an ugly beast. In any case, her saving grace is her loyalty to people she cared for and the trials that she had to go through had redeemed her in my eyes somewhat. Though, her pride made it more difficult to make myself to like her the way I liked Belle from Beauty and the Beast. 

    So, I would say if you like stories where the girl needs to break the curse on a mysterious and sexy prince charming, this is for you. Will I be reading the sequel? Perhaps yes, when I can forget how I disliked the main character. 🙂

     

     

  • Choose to Change: It´s your life: 25 steps to self-discovery and peace of mind by Jacqui Penn

    Choose to Change: It´s your life: 25 steps to self-discovery and peace of mind by Jacqui Penn

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    Choose to Change offers 25 valid life principles in a straightforward, accessible style. Although I found little here that I had not encountered in similar self-help books, I still appreciated it as a reminder of ideas worth practising. The author’s tone can feel emotional and rather pressuring at times, almost as though the reader is being lectured. It did not change my outlook or give me a “wow” moment, but it may still be worth…

    I downloaded this book for free in March of this year on Amazon kindle. Finishing this book, I felt like its one of those self-help books that you read one you’ve read them all. Nothing new here that I’ve never read else where in other self-help books of its likeness. Despite that, I still like to read these sort of books no matter how many time I’ve come across the same advice or idea, simply as a reminder to myself. And as some people would say, sometimes it just takes one particular book that would click or resonate enough for you that would change your entire world. Like how some people would say the book “Think and Grow rich” had changed their lives or how “The alchemist” did that for them or as the book “The color Purple” did for Oprah Winfrey. They all teach about the same thing in different ways. Though I would not say this book gave me the ‘WOW’ effect or changed me inside out, but it did remind me of those life principles worth emulating.

    The 25 points given are valid and the writing style is straight forward but a bit emotional. As someone else did point this out as well, that you can’t help feel like you are being lectured on.

    I bet you’ve raised your eyebrows at some of the things I’ve suggested; be honest, I bet you have! But you know what? It doesn’t matter to my life whether you try my suggestions or not, but it does matter to yours. Actually, it does matter to me if you try my suggestions. I want you to know how good life can be, and if you don’t even try, I’ve wasted my time.

    I haven’t raised my eyebrows till I read that though. 😀With good intentions perhaps but it did come out a bit emotional and strong. I am not sure many readers would be comfortable with such style. 

    As a reminder of what is good for us, I still think it is worth to give the book a go. Though it would have been nicer if it was written in a less “pressuring” way. 

     

     

  • Vengeance of the vampire Bride – Rhiannon Frater

    Vengeance of the vampire Bride – Rhiannon Frater

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    After listening to the audiobook version of the first book, I went and downloaded the second audiobook of the series. However, I ended up going for the ebook instead, which, I will tell the reason why later on.

    Just like the first book, it is a continuation of the diary of Lady Glynis Wright as she embraced her life as the Countess of Dracula. In this second installment of the series, she tells her story as she fights on for her freedom and also save whatever humanity that it left in her.

    I still like the Bram Stoker, Victorian times vibe of the novel and the fact that the story sets in Buda Hungary in the early 1800. I have to admit that living in Budapest helps me to imagine the old city described in the book. From the very beginning I was much impressed that the author did make effort to make references to something Hungarian – Like the Margit Island and Szilvásgomboc (prune dumpling).

    Hungarian Parliament

    The novel introduced us with more characters and a little bit more history of the vampires but I find it nothing much more was added. Also there seemed to be an error in the creation of her progeny, Laura that I cannot shake off. From the first book I understood that to the point of death of the dying person, if he or she drank vampire blood directly from the maker, then only he or she will become one of the undead. But in Laura’s case, Glynis took 3 sips of her blood and Laura died. And yet she became a vampire. Like how?? Glynis even mentioned that her bite only hasten Laura’s death. I don’t describe myself as a stickler for details but for the creation of a character as important as Glynis’s first progeny, I do care for this.

    I am not much into cruel characters, but throughout the book Vlad did mellowed down a lot of notches. And how he could forgive her and save her after what she did to him showed something that could be called as love. Perhaps I am suffering from the Stockholm syndrome or just like the bad boys gone good type, that after a while I kind of preferred Vlad more to be with Glynis😆. I just don’t like the way how the bad ass, Vlad the Impaler could be reduced to a ‘beggar’ after being rejected by Glynis, right after he saved her ass. It is just a contradiction of what his initial character was depicted in the first book.

    I managed to finish the book in a couple of days and as to why I had preferred the book instead of the audiobook is the narrator’s style of reading annoyed me. This time the narrator is Rebecca McKernan instead of Carol Hendrickson. I couldn’t finish even the first chapter as the narrator’s style is a bit over the top and the Hungarian accent she made up sounded like an Indian accent instead. Just about ‘killed’ the vibe for me. I mean, Really? A Hungarian guy with an accent that sounded like an Indian guy? 😂 It could be just me. I know it is not an easy job but still, I just couldn’t go on with the audiobook.

    So, would I go on with the third and final installment? After the second book I lost interest in what will happen to Glynis. Though I was curious whether she will get back with Vlad. I found a post written by the author herself saying that she knew how many readers were hoping this but being a survivor of a bad relationship herself she didn’t care of what people want and would continue on her first idea of how the story should end. So I too end my reading of this series here.

  • BR: Tale of the Vampire Bride – Rhiannon Frater

    BR: Tale of the Vampire Bride – Rhiannon Frater

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    A few days ago I started to listen to the audiobook. This is the first time I have listened to or read one of the books by this author. Now lets see what I think of it, but thread carefully, as there may be a bit of a spoiler ahead.

    Lady Glynis and her family were invited by the Count Dracula himself to his castle in Transylvania. She was of the age ready to be married and her parents were desperate to find her a husband despite her many protests. So much so, that when Count Dracula extended his invitation to them and had made known of his interest to court Lady Glynis, both the parents were excited to meet him. Little did they know what were in store for them.

    I have to admit that the Bram Stoker vibe really kept me on the edge of my seat, and it was engaging from the beginning till end. It indeed kept me coming back and wanting to know what is going to happen to Lady Glynis.

    I read that it was supposed to be a Gothic horror but being a historical romance fan I appreciate that it has a touch of romance in it as well, with not only one but two love interests for Lady Glynis – Vlad Dracula and Father Ignatius.

    I like that it doesn’t stray away from folklore like many vampire novels do – the vampires in this book can’t walk in broad daylight, nor they sparkle, and they are afraid of crucifixes – The one of a few reasons I never read any of the Twilight series nor watched any of the movies.

    The author didn’t waste too much time going into details about the architecture and deco. Good Lord, how many a times I had simply skipped through those lines in some other books. But I am glad we are spared of that in this one. A bit of a detail is good, but not too much in my case.

    Now that what I like about the book is out of the way, I will share my opinion about what I dislike about it. I must say that I do not have many bad things to say about this book considering that I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads.

    But like people, books are not perfect and so here I state what I thought was some of the imperfections I felt.

    The heroine, Lady Glynis just ‘stomps her foot’ way too may times in this entire book that it got a bit irritating. I want to think that this heroine is a mature and strong woman with a will of her own. But honestly, every time she ‘stomped her foot’ to show her indignance I just felt like slapping her silly. All I could imagine is a spoilt brat.

    Something about the storyline didn’t make sense to me. Vlad Dracula was depicted as an ancient, formidable, strong vampire yet why did he need to find an English bride in order to move to England? He had an English solicitor who, I am sure could have easily paved the way for him, introduce him to those who can help him get into the aristocrat society of England. He was a Count after all.

    Now, a little bit about the narrating of the audiobook. It was narrated by Carol Hendrickson. Overall, her style was engaging and she did make the effort to try to change the accents and tones. But the accent was a bit too exaggerated sometimes. Why in the world she pronounced “Andrew” which is an English name, that in the book belonged to an English guy, as “Ándru’ – the ‘A’ as the ‘A’ in Father. I am not English, yet I don’t think an English person would pronounce that name that way. It was a wee bit disturbing to me. 🙂

    If you can overlook the flaws, I would say that you may enjoy this book as much as I did if not more. In fact, I enjoyed the audiobook enough to look for audiobook 2 of the trilogy. So another review will come up soon.