Jill and the Books Talk

Contrary to what we were made to currently believe, North Koreans are healthier mentally despite being materially insufficient. Watch Crash Landing on You. That’s more realistic because North Korea albeit under the rule of their Supreme Leader’s family, is slowly evolving and not as secluded as they once were. The famine in the 1990’s truly happened yet surprisingly, some defectors’ reason for leaving their country isn’t because of hunger. They wanted to experience what it’s like to live in a first world country. An Egyptian company provides mobile services to about 3 million subscribers as of 2016? I forgot when this book was actually published. They get to wear blue jeans although it isn’t as widely accepted due to its association to Western culture. They get to watch Hollywood movies with Titanic’s love scene omitted. They wear Lacoste and other western brands too. However, just like any other third world countries like ours, wealth isn’t evenly distributed. Astonishingly, they don’...

Author: Caroline Roberts The setting was perfect. As you read through this chicklit's pages, you will be transported to a charming castle that is falling apart. The entire novel will surely evoke cravings for the sweet tooth. It was an entertaining read up until the author seemingly decided to try her luck in writing a steamy novel which turned out to be a total disaster. The descriptive sex scenes were unnecessary in the story plot, not to mention how badly they were written. I had to browse through the pages quickly. Finally, as if the author wanted to reward her readers for enduring those cringe-worthy pages, you will find something at the end of this book that will be useful in your kitchen. 

Author: Adrian Goldsworthy I have to be honest. I bought this book because I was expecting to read factual insights on the scandalous love affair between the Roman general Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. That didn't happen. The book turned out to be a fascinating historical account of the Roman empire, it's triumphs and weaknesses based on ancient sources and archeological evidences. A story beautifully written by Goldsworthy debunking myths about Antony's indisputable military skills and Cleopatra's lineage and temptress image. If you set your expectations right in the beginning, you are in for a lengthy fill of history, astounding facts and a completely different perspective of the Roman empire, Antony, and Cleopatra interwoven with the Egyptian and Greek cultures.

A tale from the Beast’s perspective which told about how life was before he was transformed into the hideous beast in the story we all are familiar with - Beauty and the Beast. This book is full of surprises as Valentino creatively spun a weblike relationship between characters that you could never imagine. One must be a Disney fan to fully appreciate and understand the role of some characters who seemed to have magically appeared from other Disney stories. Truly an entertaining story for someone who has watched the movie but might be confusing for someone who has no background on Beauty and the Beast and Valentino’s Fairest of All book.

This is the untold story of Snow White's wicked stepmother before she became a vindictive old hag.  The author spun a great story about how a once kind-hearted girl transformed into a heartless witch as a result of life's cruelty and injustices. Surprisingly left a dull ache in my heart after reading the novel. Truly a must read for fairy tale lovers like me.

The old adage says, don't judge the book by its cover. And I did just that when I saw this hardbound, glossy and intriguing book. I thought that I was in for a treat on the explicit details of a Geisha's colorful yet secretive world. I was wrong. Instead, I found myself quickly flipping through the pages of a coffee table book with amazing photos documenting an ordinary girl's obsession to become a Geisha. I struggled with the minute font narrating the shallow details of Komomo's journey with much left to be revealed. This book left my curiosity unsated.  It is worth buying for the photos but don't expect to get any information beyond what was already written in the novel and portrayed in the film, Memoirs of Geisha. They have more substance than this book.

Poignant. Horrifying. This book is all about political upheaval and detailed historical events that led to the murder of the Romanovs. The author ensured that her readers will get to know each of the family members, as well as, their murderers by providing unbiased truths. She wrote in a way that will evoke strong emotions as the reader unconsciously empathizes with the characters. Beware! This book is absorbing, words will come alive as you flip through the pages. Allow your imagination to take you back to that tragic, bitter cold day in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

Interesting facts this book has. Spanning five hundred years of adultery, power, rivalry and revenge. Yet the author failed to captivate me with her writing style. Thoughts were disorganized. She jumped from one mistress to another. I could hardly keep track of who was who. I found myself having to flip pages backwards in order to recall roles, characters and events. If you have great patience to overlook the way this book was written, you will find yourself a wealth of intriguing facts. 

A biography of the legendary Argentine first lady Eva "Evita" Peron. The book started with a mysterious and melancholic undertone. I quickly got absorbed with how Evita rose from a nobody to a very influential woman. The author wrote about both the remarkable and undesirable qualities of Evita. This book left me wondering about what was truly in her heart when she became a champion of the masses. Was she a sincere public servant or just a power hungry social climber? Towards the end of the book, I got bored with all the details about how Evita got even with those who crossed and belittled her in the past as well as those who opposed her husband Juan Peron. There was an entire chapter that sounded like a boring history book. Evita's death and the handling of her corpse was described in a morbid but intriguing way. The photos included made up for the minor flaws of this book.

I was skeptical when my sister in law and dearest friend gave me this book. I thought to myself that I am very much aware of my identity as a woman in Christ that I don't need to know the "secrets" to capturing a man's heart. I am complete now that God wants me to be entirely His and it would be a bonus if it is His will to share me with a man who will be the physical manifestation of His love for me here on earth. And so this book sat on my shelf for a couple of years until I finally decided to read it. What made me? I needed biblical answers and real life stories apart from those of mine to share to the women whom God brought into my life. They needed answers and at times I find myself at a loss.  Never judge a book by its cover or its title for this matter. I was so wrong about this book!  The tone of the author was very straightforward, witty and oftentimes funny. Reading this book was like reading my diary. Everything I have ever felt, done and gone throu...

I should have spotted the word Scholastica before reading this book but no! It was too late before I realized that this was written for pre-teens. Still, it was entertaining enough for some light reading for a woman my age.  The author wrote a fictional diary of the young Antonia based on facts. Had this been a book for women instead of girls, I would have wanted to read all about Marie Antoinette's thoughts on becoming queen, being married and not having children for several years, the French revolution all the way to the last minutes of her life. Which reminds me that 3 books such as I've described was written by Juliet Grey. 

After watching the broadway musical Wicked at the Ford Center in Chicago, I immediately bought this book and read it during my long haul flight home. It was a challenging book for a sleep deprived and exhausted mind to read. Overwhelming details, uncommon words and the descriptions were too lengthy for my liking. I was left with unanswered questions long after I finished reading. Still, I was captivated by the whole story plot.   In the children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the story was centered on Dorothy Gale who killed the Wicked Witch of the West. That was the story that everyone was familiar with during their childhood.  In Gregory Maguire's Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the story is all about a green-skinned little girl named Elphaba who grew up to be the Wicked Witch of the West. She's more than just wicked. She was an outcast who was befriended by a popular girl in school, fell in love, fought for what she believed in and ...

This book helped me see the purpose of my sufferings in the past. The words discipline and pruning found meaning in my life. This book vastly explains the meaning of John 15 (The Vine and the Branches) and it's relevance to the trials and triumphs that come our way. Enlightening. Enriching. Encouraging.

It has touched my heart back then and again after 2 decades. The author did an amazing job by merging science fiction and romance. Will Riker and Deanna Troi shared a love that surpasses time and space. Big fan! Bought this book in May 1994

I love history and royalty. Stories about the Tudors were mostly centered on Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. His first wife Catherine of Aragon had always been depicted as a plain, matronly and saintly queen.  I never liked her that much. I always thought that she and Henry VIII were ill-matched. Until I came across Philippa Gregory's version of her in The Constant Princess. Catherine of Aragon had character. She was capable of loving intensely. She was proud, courageous, passionate and even capable of deception. She actually had a spine! Very different from the Catherine in other Tudor stories I've read and watched in the past. The author of this book believes that her marriage to Henry VIII's brother Prince Arthur was consummated contrary to what history and other stories about her claim. Intriguing. Exciting! The story plot will surely evoke mixed emotions. A must read for people who love the Tudors and are curious about what lies beneath the serene character of Ca...

 The last days of Marie Antoinette's life. Poignant. Heartbreaking. Bloody! I never thought people could be so barbaric. I found myself holding my breath most of the time. Moving enough to make tears trickle down my cheeks a couple of times. 

My love for books started once upon a time. My best friends were Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, The Little Match Girl, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and oh I had so many imaginary friends from far, far away. I was three. One of my earliest memories was opening a huge pink tote bag full of fairy tale books from my dad.  As far as I can remember, I prefer going to the 3-storey building of National Bookstore to shopping at SM Department Store or Rustan's in Cubao. I was a bookworm even before I became a shopaholic! As the years passed and with the seasons of my life constantly changing, naturally my interest went from little princess stories to teenage books, science-fiction, mystery and historical romance novels, more mature books, autobiographies, self-help books, leadership books, inspirational books and oh my maturity level is now starting to show. I'm Thirty-three. Times have changed and techno...