Alexandra Antipa's Blog
December 8, 2020
Personalized book recommendations
Are you looking to read something but you are not sure what to choose? Do you want to discover indie authors, yet you have no idea where to start? I thought about you and I have decided to offer personalized book recommendations! Now you can register to receive a weekly newsletter, where I will include interesting book suggestions. Head on to my website! ❤
https://kimituca.wixsite.com/mysite/p...
https://kimituca.wixsite.com/mysite/p...
November 20, 2020
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - One Library. Infinite Lives.
Book synopsis:
Would you do anything different, if someone gave you the opportunity to choose a different life? Nora Seed no longer wants to live, but her decision will not bring her exactly where she expects. A library between life and death. A chance to make things right. Say goodbye to a life full of misery, undo every regret. No longer feeling like you've let everyone down. Change the things you want.
The books in the Midnight Library hold different versions of Nora's life, and, with the help of an old friend from the past, she will get to try on as many as possible. Work on each regret in search of the perfect life. Will things turn out as she imagined? Her choices will decide that, with each and every "sample" life bringing her closer to an illuminating resolution.
Opinion:
The Guardian called "The Midnight Library" a "celebration of life's possibilities", and that is quite the perfect way to describe this book. We have a book that shows us that, within each alternative life, we do not necessarily arrive to perfection but just to a different scenario.
Nora Seed has trouble seeing the value of her life, especially when perceived through other people's eyes. Every day, she loses herself more and more, opting for a grim perspective. The universe seems to conspire in bringing her to the conclusion life is not worth living. Her relationship with her brother is on the rocks and gets fired from her job. When her cat dies, she cannot longer bear life. So, she decides to kill herself.
How is death for Nora Seed? She has yet to find out. Between life and death, Nora arrives at the Midnight Library, where the shelves are filled with different versions of her life. Different choices, different outcomes. Countless possibilities. And she gets to try as many as she wants. See how her life would have turned out.
Nora becomes a rock star in a band that concerts all over the world. In another life, she pursues swimming, taking part in the Olympics. She becomes a glaciologist, living on a research vessel. In some lives, she gets married and has children. And, yet, she rarely spends more than a few minutes in each of these lives. Why? That life did not turn out as she expected either. Even when it was perfect, she felt like something was missing.
She opens one book after the other, stepping into yet another life. She does not stay, either because she wants to see how other lives would look, or because she cannot decide whether that life would be enough. When the library is close to crumbling, Nora understands that it is only her who can struggle to embrace the willingness to live. Seeing all these versions has an effect on Nora, bringing her closer to an illuminating resolution.
Verdict:
Matt Haig is a skillful writer, who has wrapped the story of Nora into a magical yarn. As we pull it apart, we find a book about hope. Nora undoes one regret after the other, only to discover you don't need to live a different life to get a second chance. A brilliant book on overcoming the disastrous, crumbling effect of depression and anxiety.
What's the best that could happen? Don't wait until the end to decide. Find your answers to the big questions and do not let yourself be brought down by the difficult moments. Welcome hope and use it to guide yourself out of the darkness.
This book might have a lot of magical elements but it reminds me of the real world, and how ordinary people struggle with finding their purpose. An infinity of worlds sounds great. But we have an infinity of possibilities in the life we are already living, all we need is to open our eyes and see them!
Would you do anything different, if someone gave you the opportunity to choose a different life? Nora Seed no longer wants to live, but her decision will not bring her exactly where she expects. A library between life and death. A chance to make things right. Say goodbye to a life full of misery, undo every regret. No longer feeling like you've let everyone down. Change the things you want.
The books in the Midnight Library hold different versions of Nora's life, and, with the help of an old friend from the past, she will get to try on as many as possible. Work on each regret in search of the perfect life. Will things turn out as she imagined? Her choices will decide that, with each and every "sample" life bringing her closer to an illuminating resolution.
Opinion:
The Guardian called "The Midnight Library" a "celebration of life's possibilities", and that is quite the perfect way to describe this book. We have a book that shows us that, within each alternative life, we do not necessarily arrive to perfection but just to a different scenario.
Nora Seed has trouble seeing the value of her life, especially when perceived through other people's eyes. Every day, she loses herself more and more, opting for a grim perspective. The universe seems to conspire in bringing her to the conclusion life is not worth living. Her relationship with her brother is on the rocks and gets fired from her job. When her cat dies, she cannot longer bear life. So, she decides to kill herself.
How is death for Nora Seed? She has yet to find out. Between life and death, Nora arrives at the Midnight Library, where the shelves are filled with different versions of her life. Different choices, different outcomes. Countless possibilities. And she gets to try as many as she wants. See how her life would have turned out.
Nora becomes a rock star in a band that concerts all over the world. In another life, she pursues swimming, taking part in the Olympics. She becomes a glaciologist, living on a research vessel. In some lives, she gets married and has children. And, yet, she rarely spends more than a few minutes in each of these lives. Why? That life did not turn out as she expected either. Even when it was perfect, she felt like something was missing.
She opens one book after the other, stepping into yet another life. She does not stay, either because she wants to see how other lives would look, or because she cannot decide whether that life would be enough. When the library is close to crumbling, Nora understands that it is only her who can struggle to embrace the willingness to live. Seeing all these versions has an effect on Nora, bringing her closer to an illuminating resolution.
Verdict:
Matt Haig is a skillful writer, who has wrapped the story of Nora into a magical yarn. As we pull it apart, we find a book about hope. Nora undoes one regret after the other, only to discover you don't need to live a different life to get a second chance. A brilliant book on overcoming the disastrous, crumbling effect of depression and anxiety.
What's the best that could happen? Don't wait until the end to decide. Find your answers to the big questions and do not let yourself be brought down by the difficult moments. Welcome hope and use it to guide yourself out of the darkness.
This book might have a lot of magical elements but it reminds me of the real world, and how ordinary people struggle with finding their purpose. An infinity of worlds sounds great. But we have an infinity of possibilities in the life we are already living, all we need is to open our eyes and see them!
September 28, 2020
Who is Lorelai?
Who is Lorelai?
Let's start at the beginning. Lorelai is a little girl who adores mysteries. Equipped with all the attributes of a skilled detective, she has decided to found a detective agency, together with her best friend. You might know them as "The LittleBig Detectives".
Ever since she was a baby, Lorelai has dreamt of becoming a detective. She has made it her mission to catch toys that misbehave, so as to teach them a lesson. However, she is not unforgiving, as you might think. On the contrary, the little detective is ready to give every toy a much needed second chance.
She couldn't have known that there would be so many misbehaving toys in her apartment. So, when she saw that one toy after the other disturbed the peace, she proceeded to uphold justice and catch the "bad guys". Of course, she is also doing her best to protect those in need.
In reading the "The LittleBig Detectives", you will discover Lorelai to be "a seeker of justice, unwilling to bow down in the face of danger". She is naturally curious, intelligent and never stops pursuing the truth. And, believe it or not, the inquisitive detective has solved her first case a few days after the she was born, right on the maternity ward. How amazing is that?
Before she met Niami, her partner, she solved a few cases on her own. You might not know it but she helped a doll to sing again, while teaching a threatening rat a lesson on proper behavior. She found missing socks and became good friends with a toy horse in the process. And, around Christmas, she was involved in a peculiar case, getting some help from... Santa!
Together with Niami, her partner, she solved some pretty interesting cases. You have to read the mysterious affair of the blue desk clock, and discover how ingenious Lorelai's plan turned out to be. Or the story about the tiny pea that bothered the detective at night, discovering how a tiny mouse can lead to so many problems.
Wherever Lorelai goes, adventure is bound to follow. Newspapers disappear, only to reappear in the form of dresses. Snowflakes seem to vanish from her favorite snow globe, and a canary seems to be involved in the misdeed. Riddles are written with toothpaste on the mirror and the little detective has the time of her life, trying to solve them. Books get the wrong treatment and it is up to Lorelai to identify the suspect yet again.
Every day, the detective ends up involved in one mystery after the other. Often times, her favorite things are involved in a case, as it happens with the number one game she likes, Color Adventure. Not to mention, you have the opportunity to find out about the latest innovation out there, cooking aerobics. How fun!
If you want to find out more about the undertaking of Lorelai and her partner, the knitted cat called Niami, I recommend you to read the book.
"The LittleBig Detectives" is available on Amazon, as eBook and paperback. You can also order directly from the author, using the contact form on the website or by direct message on social media.
Let's start at the beginning. Lorelai is a little girl who adores mysteries. Equipped with all the attributes of a skilled detective, she has decided to found a detective agency, together with her best friend. You might know them as "The LittleBig Detectives".
Ever since she was a baby, Lorelai has dreamt of becoming a detective. She has made it her mission to catch toys that misbehave, so as to teach them a lesson. However, she is not unforgiving, as you might think. On the contrary, the little detective is ready to give every toy a much needed second chance.
She couldn't have known that there would be so many misbehaving toys in her apartment. So, when she saw that one toy after the other disturbed the peace, she proceeded to uphold justice and catch the "bad guys". Of course, she is also doing her best to protect those in need.
In reading the "The LittleBig Detectives", you will discover Lorelai to be "a seeker of justice, unwilling to bow down in the face of danger". She is naturally curious, intelligent and never stops pursuing the truth. And, believe it or not, the inquisitive detective has solved her first case a few days after the she was born, right on the maternity ward. How amazing is that?
Before she met Niami, her partner, she solved a few cases on her own. You might not know it but she helped a doll to sing again, while teaching a threatening rat a lesson on proper behavior. She found missing socks and became good friends with a toy horse in the process. And, around Christmas, she was involved in a peculiar case, getting some help from... Santa!
Together with Niami, her partner, she solved some pretty interesting cases. You have to read the mysterious affair of the blue desk clock, and discover how ingenious Lorelai's plan turned out to be. Or the story about the tiny pea that bothered the detective at night, discovering how a tiny mouse can lead to so many problems.
Wherever Lorelai goes, adventure is bound to follow. Newspapers disappear, only to reappear in the form of dresses. Snowflakes seem to vanish from her favorite snow globe, and a canary seems to be involved in the misdeed. Riddles are written with toothpaste on the mirror and the little detective has the time of her life, trying to solve them. Books get the wrong treatment and it is up to Lorelai to identify the suspect yet again.
Every day, the detective ends up involved in one mystery after the other. Often times, her favorite things are involved in a case, as it happens with the number one game she likes, Color Adventure. Not to mention, you have the opportunity to find out about the latest innovation out there, cooking aerobics. How fun!
If you want to find out more about the undertaking of Lorelai and her partner, the knitted cat called Niami, I recommend you to read the book.
"The LittleBig Detectives" is available on Amazon, as eBook and paperback. You can also order directly from the author, using the contact form on the website or by direct message on social media.
