Wednesday favorites: The Fall of Lisa Bellow

     Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here is my honest review:

     When I started reading this book, I thought it was going to be something psychological in the way All the bright places was: you go inside the characters mind, you know something is totally wrong there, you see improvement, but in the end you get an ending you sure didn’t see coming. But I got a surprise when I understood from the first chapter that the book is going to be dark, in one way or another, is going to be mind challenging, because you will start to think about things, and is going to be a masterpiece in the end.

     I think it’s a mind challenging because it makes you think, it makes you think of the book as fiction, but it makes you think it can happen in real life. And then you get in the skin of the main character and you ask yourself: how would I react if I were to be in her situation? How would I react at an age of 28 and how would I react at an age of 14? Yes, I don’t really like that person, I could care less about her/him, but what if I would have been the one in her/his place? How would I want people to react to the whole situation? How would my mind feel about the tragic events? And so on. The story takes you from one point of view, with some basic ideas, and then each idea takes you to a new point of view, with other ideas. It’s like a whole complex math formula that you unfold at chapter one, and you must solve it and get a result before the end of the last page. That’s why, we get to see both the point of view of Meredith on the situation, but also her mom’s point of view. No one wants to be in a life or death situation, so when “life” chooses you, you are relieved and happy, but you are also marked with distress because “death” could have chosen you. It didn’t happened, but there was a possibility for it to happend. 

     So, did I like it? Yes, absolutely yes! I didn’t actually knew what to expect of the book, because All the bright places kept me focused with the love story, so I was in a way afraid I might give up on the book after the first two chapters, but that wasn’t the case. I really couldn’t put the book down, unless I needed to sleep or to work.

Wednesday favorites: Fear Me, Fear Me Not

     I received this book as an ARC from Elodie herself, so here is my review.

     I freaking love this book. I can't say it's one of the best books I read so far, but it's definitely different and special: you have romance and you have thriller, all in one book. It kept me on needles as I was reading more, as I was turning from one page to the other, as the action was moving to the next stage.

     And I have to admit, I'm putting this book in the category of books that I couldn't predict. I thought the killer was someone else, but then I got the surprise of my life when I got near the end of the book. I was so not expecting that, at all. I was like "What???!!!!", as more secrets were revealed, as more action was passing. And I am good at predicting, even when authors hide their little secrets in the titles of the chapters.

     I do like when writers use a lot of details when they describe their characters or when they want you to know more about them, which is not the case right now, but I guess that didn't fit with the theme of the book. So, it definitely isn't a normal romance book. And also, I loved that the characters had a history together, and it doesn't start with your typically boy/girl meets girl/boy for the first time and they just fall in love.  

Synopsis:

SCREAM meets FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS in this new young adult romantic suspense novel by Elodie Nowodazkij. 

Fear is power. They fear me. They don’t fear me enough. Every year a girl disappears in Gavert County, Texas. Their bodies are found days, sometimes months, later with an angel wing carved on their face. They call me “the Angel Killer” and I’m on the hunt again. But this time, it’s personal. 

Seventeen-year-old cheerleader Erin Hortz has been warned about the Angel Killer all her life. She never walks alone in the dark. She doesn’t talk to strangers. She doesn’t accept drinks at parties. All she wants is to finish her senior year with a win at the Miss Junior Queen of Hearts pageant, capture the perfect light over the lake with her new camera, and finally catch the attention of her best friend Nadia’s brother—former football star Dimitri Kuklev. Since his injury, they’ve been spending a lot of time together. And getting to know the real Dimitri—not the one she put on a pedestal in her diary is better than she could ever have imagined. And she’s falling hard. 

Nineteen-year-old Dimitri’s injury brought him from football superstar with universities from all around the country knocking at his door to not knowing what he wants to do with his life. Taking classes at the local community college is supposed to get him back on track, but all he wants is to be on the field again. The only person who seems to understand him is the one he swore to keep in the friend zone: Erin. His sister Nadia’s best friend and the reason why he can’t keep a girlfriend. Between their early morning jogs, their time spent at the lake laughing, and their late night conversations, he’s having a hard time remembering why it’s such a bad idea. 

But when Nadia doesn’t come home after a party, Dimitri and Erin know they must find her before it’s too late—even if that means risking their own lives and everything Erin’s ever known.

Because the main suspect is Erin’s father.

We are all fifty shades of fucked up

Before starting this review, you, my dearest reader, need to know this post will contain spoilers. So, if you haven't read the books, please refrain yourself from reading more than these few lines. I'm sorry, but the books are more entertaining if you don't know anything about the books, or if you know it will be full of sex.

Ok, so first thing first, I read these books because everywhere on the internet there were talks about the "Fifty shades of Grey" book, and me being me, a curious person, I got the lovely desire of reading the books. Second thing, I'm not into BDSM, and I do not judge persons that are into it. It is really hard for me to understand why would you hurt your sex partner/loved one for pleasure, to intensify pleasure or anything in that idea, but that dosen't mean I hate people who do so.

So, let's move on with this review. The books are absolutely gorgeous, because there is more than meets the eye. For example, in the beginning, I thought that there is only one book, and that it was all about sex and how someone outside the BDSM range or who didn't experienced BDSM before will turn into a submissive and that's all. Ok, I thought there will be a little romance too since I am a hopeless romantic.

But, BUT, I was so freaking wrong. Besides the sex scenes, which are present in every damn relationship that exists in this world, and more romance that I thought it will be present in this book, I found the evolution of  a person. No, scratch that, of two persons: Christian and Anastasia.

This book, basically teaches us to see more beneath the surface, to "not define our world in black and white, because there is so much hiding amongst the greys". This book makes us understand that everyone of us has a dark place in our heart, a secret, a box inside of us that awaits for the right time and the right key to open it, that we have the wrong impressions about us, that we can change, that even if we have the darkest past ever, there is someone who will illuminate our world, turn it upside down, that can love us however we are.

We have Christian Grey, a young successful business man, with a dark past, who only knows how to find pleasure in sex, how to dominate, how to be a "control freak", a person with no future in relationships. And here he is, in love with a woman, a woman that at first agrees to become his submissive, even though she has no experience in that field, a woman that changes him, that makes him understand he is not the brute he thinks he is, that loves him back even if he is "fifty shades of fucked up". We have Anastasia Steele, a young woman who just finished college, who has zero experience with boys, not to mention sex, that finds love next to a total different person, that finds out her "inner goddess", that changes the man she loves, that defies him whenever she can. Just them, these two individuals, without the Grey's, Jack Hyde, Kate or any other characters, make this story really interesting.

All in all, appearances can be deceiving, and we all need to put our demons away, or to find that one person that can help us conquer them. Whatever your demon is, you are  not a lost cause, and you can manage to evolve, to know how to move on, to find love and to love back.

Small Kpop MV review: B.A.P. - No mercy

     First of all, I'm sorry I didn't make the post about the debut MV's, but I got a job now and I don't really have that much free time as before (you can see I haven't post anything lately), and because of that I won't post about those MV's (I'm really sorry for that).

     But, I did make some time for posting today, because B.A.P. has a new MV called No Mercy:

     I have to say that this song is my new favorite song from B.A.P. I can never have a favorite song for a long time from them because they get better and better, comeback by comeback, and they will never disappoint me in terms of songs, dance and music videos.

     The song is a really cool combination of old school with good beats and some traditional (I heard those Gayageum strings - correct me if I got the name of the instrument wrong, and I guess Himchan had a word to say here ^^). I love the fact that Himchan has more lyrics (yes he is my bias) because I love his deep husky voice (not only his, but in general), and Young Jae and DaeHyun look much better with this new style. From what I read on the internet (I looked up for the english translation), the lyrics are about those singers that don't put their whole heart and soul into their songs and singing, and they are kind of dissing them for that (hence the name of the song). I forgot to mention that the whistle is not forgotten in this song as well.

      I love when the "Don't compare yourself, who is like a parrot, to me" lyric comes, because they do reflect the music industry in the whole world, where most of the songs really sound the same (an example could be romanian songs and even kpop songs that use dubstep for the dance scene instead of being original). Here comes another thing to talk about, B.A.P. not using dubstep again and the part during the dance scene really blends well with the actual song (not like Nu'Est's "Action" - don't get me wrong, I love that even more than Face, but the song for the dance scene really does not match the whole song...like at all) and they are original once again for using traditional instruments (Psy used traditional song - Arirang - in his song for the Summer Olympics).

    All in all, the song is awesome and I really really really hope B.A.P. will stay like this (fierce and pro) forever and ever and ever. And don't forget:

Keep calm and have NO MERCY!!

Sexy back

Small Kpop MV review: Comebacks

     Like I said, and I do keep my promises (or at least I try XD), I'm going to do some kpop MV's review. Because I realized there are to many new music videos, I looked on my Youtube favorites playlist, I decided to part them all in 2 separate posts: one that is all about comebacks and one that is all about debuts. That is why the tittle of this post doesn't have a band or the name of the song in it.

     So...let's start!!

     First on my list will be Big Bang - Monster. I don't know if this is really considered a comeback, but it's not a debut for sure and I do want to talk about it. I think that this music video is really artsy and I absolutely love it. Yes, it true, that some of their "costumes" are a little weird (did you see Taeyang's hair?? o_O), but it matches really well with the concept of the song. I think they are like some kind of experiments-made-on-human, realized against their will, and when they realize what is going on they try to escape out of the building they are captured  in. The lyrics are really heartbreaking (I almost had tears in my eyes when I read the english translation) and I think it matches really well the music video.

     Next, we have f(x) - Electric Shock. Let me be a fan girl for a moment: They are freaking back!!! And they have an amazing song as comeback too. And Amber has more lyrics than usual and she's not just rapping. And Victoria looks so cute with blond hair. (fan girl mode off) Like I said the song is really great. I love how their music videos are always so colorful and that has the effect of expressing happiness (at least to me).

     The third music video I'm going to talk about is M.I.B. - Only hard for me. The boys went through an awful thing when they had their comeback with Celebrate and I'm really sorry for what happened and I'm also really sad they couldn't have the chance to enjoy that song and the promotions of that song as they should have (Kangnam said he didn't listen to Celebrate ever since the death of their stylists). As you here the new song you could feel the sadness inside the lyrics and I believe in a way it was written for the stylists even if it's not 100% related to it (the lyrics from The falling Flower are more related to them - I recommend you listen to that song too). The music video is really simple, expressing loneliness and sadness, and I'm pretty grateful to Tiger JK for having so much trust in these four boys. Why I'm saying this? Because he invests a lot of money in them: they debuted with a full album (not many kpop groups debut with a full album, I do believe they are the first group to do so), that full album was most expensive than any other album from a kpop group and now they filmed the MV in LA or something like that. But the boys do deserve every penny Tiger JK invests in them and they do prove they are worth the money.

     Number four is B1A4 - Baby good night, another fun music video from B1A4. The thing I like the most is that the MV actually tricks you a little bit. The boys have a really cute image and they are having beautiful voices, so you have the impression the song is a sweet song about the love one (I think the teasers helped them too)... but it's the other way around. They are singing about cheating the loved one. =))) I was laughing my ass off when I read the lyrics in english, realizing I was fooled by them. But even so, I like the MV and song a lot.

     Next is Teen Top - To you. I really don't know if they say To you now or Do you know during the song, because I don't understand why you would say something like To you now...when Do you know sounds ok...in english...with the lyrics from the song. Anyway, I love the rhythm of the song (I sense some old school songs in it) and I love the dance too (it seems really fun). I believe that Teen Top should be the #2 band when in comes to dancing (after Infinite) because they are so in sync that you can't see them making any mistake.

     I don't have what to say about Boyfriend - Love Style and Myname - Hello and Good bye. Well, just that I love the songs, and that the Myname members have really really really beautiful voices and that they should sing more ballads and slow rhythm songs.

     Tomorrow I'm going to talk about the debut music videos of VIXX, A-jax, Cross Gene and 4K.

Small Kpop MV review: JJ Project - Bounce

     I know that lately most of my post are about Kpop, but there are so many comebacks and debuts of bands I love that I can't help to write about them. Today I'm going to make a review for JJ Project. JJ Project (because of the last word, it makes me think this is a subgroup of a future to debut band - something like how things were in B.A.P.'s case - or this is made just for the fun and the members will be actually be apart of two separate bands) is a band created by JYP, with two members: JB and JR that we all got to know in Dream High 2.

     They really showed their skills in the drama, JR is like a dance machine and JB has a really cool voice, so I was expecting a great debut from them. And I got it, with a few bad things attached to it.

     The song has a fast rhythm, one that I love, but I have the impression that I'm listening to 4 different songs: a hip-hop song (I think I can hear a little bit of old school hip-hop and it makes me think of Lil Mama's songs), a rock song (even if JB says "rock'n roll" there is no freaking rock'n roll, because it's actually pure rock), a house song (it does not make me remember of the club songs these days but the old house songs - like Basshunter songs) and I guess a pop song (I really can't name JB's part anything else but pop). The things is, because these music genres, the flow of the song changes and you can feel it right way because the difference is so big from one genre to another. Overall, the song is really good, but if I were in JYP's place, I wouldn't have tried to put 4 music genres in 1. Maybe two the most, but definitely not four.

    The fast rhythm makes you want to dance, which is a good thing (you don't want to see me dancing right now). I really enjoy the part where they go "Now everybody bounce bounce let it bounce bounce" and I'm like jumping with them and when the rock part starts I go all headbanging (this song gets the rocker out of me). After listening to the song for a couple times (what couple?? I'm at my 6th listening right now :)) ), I realized it's really catchy. That's a good thing, because catchy songs makes you listen to them more and more.

     Anyway, remember people:

Keep calm and bounce!!!

Small Kpop MV review: B.A.P. - Power

     It's late (10:57 pm), I went to bed last night at 1:00 am, I didn't fall asleep right away so by the time I was sleeping I'm pretty sure it was 2 or 3 am, I wake up at 8:30 in the morning, but I really really really can not ignore this MV and not make a post about it.

     Ladies and gentlemen, I'm proud to present you B.A.P.'s new music video:

     Let me tell you this: these boys are rookies, but for someone who sees them the first time, I'm sure they don't think that way. Even I think they are better than some other kpop bands that are on the market from a couple of years ago. And TS Entertainment, you really know how to invest your money. The music videos of B.A.P. really represent them and the song. B.A.P. is fierce, powerful, and the members are like true warriors (hence their debut song name). When they invested money in these boys, I don't think that TS Ent. ever thought they were going to come out like this.

     Even their dance is powerful. The moves, especially the one when they put one foot up all of the sudden (I really moved back a little bit at that part because of the way it was filmed, the scene look real, like their foot will come out of the screen), are absolutely awesome, even the part with the ass slap :))) (I'm a perv and I know it. Himchan tonight you will be in my dream =))) ). 

     And it's not only that. No people, there is more. The dance part with the spray cans, when they just dance near end of the MV (at minute 2:58), is so out of the normal. Lately kpop songs use dubstep for that part, but what did B.A.P. used? A freaking spray sound. Not dubstep, just spray. I don't have a problem with dubstep, I really enjoy it, but kpop composers, please keep it out of kpop. 

     And the parts I love the most are Himchan's parts. He really is my number one when it comes to B.A.P. He really can't give up his psycho bunny eyes at all. I had seen them in this MV too and I liked it. I'm curious in how many MVs he will make those eyes, but I'm sure I won't be mad for him making them. I will be angry with him if he doesn't make them. ^^

That's all. Now keep calm and listen to B.A.P.!!!

EDIT: After listening to the song more carefully, I realized that when they sing "warning warning warning" in Power, you can heard in the background something that has the same rhythm, but like a faint sound, with the whistle part from "get down get down get down" from Warrior. 

EDIT2: You can hear it much better when Zelo starts to sing.

Small Kpop MV review: Big Bang - Blue

"I'm singing my blues"

I'm really not going to get tired of this song, ever!! I really love it. As you all know, Big Bang are having their comeback after all the bad stuff that happened to the band. I'm really happy to see Daesung being OK and smiling like he always did before the car accident, and GD suprresing the marijuana scandal. Like they said on "Healing camp", these bad things made the band even more united than before.

 

 Basically, you can feel the sorrow in the melody, the lyrics and how the music video was filmed. Sure, the song is not exactly about the problems they have been through, but you can feel all the sadness they have felt during that time. The melody is really calming, like the boys are tying to tell us, their fans, that they are ok and that we should not be afraid of them falling apart and that the band won't disband anytime soon.

The lyrics are really cool. From the beginning they are talking about the winter that passed (well, more like it's about to pass) and that spring comes ("The winter had passed and the spring has come"), meaning they did manage to move on, even if their hearts are still bruised ("And our hearts are bruised from longing"). If you think about it, during the winter most of the animals are either hibernating or have left to warm countries, the plants look like lifeless, but then spring comes and everything comes back to life. This is what happened to Big Bang. They went through hard times, they meditate about what happened, and now they are coming back, full of life.

If you look on the internet, you will see that "Blues" means, among others, "A feeling of sadness or depression" and "One's particular life experience, particularly including the hardships one has faced". So, from the start this song is meant to talk about hardships. In other words, for someone who just started to listen to Big Bang, this song will be just another song about the loss of the loved one, but for the fans, this has a total different meaning.

All in all, even if it's a sad song, I'm glad they choosed this as the first song to be promoted, and I can't wait for the other songs to be released.

Small Kpop MV review: MBLAQ - It's war

This time I'll talk about a kpop band, because today they released a new music video that tops all it's previous music videos.

Even though my number one kpop band will always be Super Junior, I can't help and love other bands too. Super Junior were already pretty famous when I came across their songs. But MBLAQ was just at their biginning. So I saw them growing as a band, as individuals, I saw their talent coming more to the surface. I didn't see a band that was great already, like Super Junior, but I saw them becoming a great band.

As I was saying, today they released a new music video, and a new min album.

I have to say I was really impressed with this song. Like I said, they are growing more and more. Every song is better than the previous song, that was great too. This is now my favourite song from MBLAQ. The rhythm is so different than Mona Lisa, a song that sounded a lot like song from Romania, like club songs. Don't get me wrong, despite all that I still loved that song. "It's war" has a rhythm that really expresses anger and sadness, feelings you would feel during a war. Now, I know the song and the music video doesn't actually refers to an actual war, between countries, but a war someone, in this case Lee Joon, feels inside. Yes, and internal war between his feeling for the girl and the feelings for his friend, Cheondoong, and anger towards the fact that he has to choose.

I may be wrong, I don't know what the lyrics mean right now, but this is what the music video makes me think of. Lee Joon is put in a situation where he has to choose between hurting his friend by taking the girl Cheondoong loves, to run away from the one that sent him to kill the girl, and helping them escape together, to live a better life. Oh, and I think that Lee Joon has feelings for the girl too. ^^

I know it may be a little bit complicated, but the idea is really beautiful. I'm sure most of you already recognize the idea of the bullet going where the one that shoot it wants to go. Yes, it's from "Wanted", a movie with Angelina Jolie (great movie by the way).

I'm sad Lee Joon has to die in this video, him being my favourite member of MBLAQ, but his acting skills are getting better and better. Cheondoong did a great thing too. All in all, this music video is a succes, and I hope that they will win at least once during their promotions of this mini album, because they deserve it.