Heimwee naar 2008 en twilight met meisjes van vijftig

Midnight Sun takes me back to 2008. And Twilight

It was the year 2008,  my daughter was at the sweet age of 16 and we were desperately awaiting the release of the final book in the Twilight saga: Breaking Dawn. For three years we had been living and breathing the adventures of Bella Swan and the Cullen family through the books of Stephenie Meyer. The release of  Breaking Dawn meant an end to an era for us. Not unlike what happened with the release of the final Harry Potter book in 2007. And just like with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, we ordered two copies of the book, so we didn’t have to wait for the other one to finish. Continue reading “Midnight Sun takes me back to 2008. And Twilight”

meisjes van vijftig houden van reizen

Review: Celebrity Silhouette Holy Land Cruise September 24, 2016

Ladies, I know this to be true: cruise travel is not for everybody. If you love nothing more than waking up in a tent and cooking your own dinner at night on a little travel stove and if you don’t mind sweeping the sand out of your sleeping bag, along with a lost spider, then by all means, please do so.  I too love active vacations. I love to get up with the sun and run a couple of miles before breakfast. But every once in a while, there is nothing so grand as being completely spoilt, while visiting five countries and eight harbors. In 14 days. There is nothing better than waking up in a new city. To explore a new place. To make new friends every day. And all this while your cabin is getting cleaned, your bed made and your breakfast, supper, lunch and diner are served. And guess what? There is even enough space to run a couple of miles before breakfast. A very extensive breakfast. Besides, did you know that traveling, any kind of traveling, can improve your health in more than one way? Positivehealthwellness gives you 8 reasons to travel. Cruising as medicine, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Continue reading “Review: Celebrity Silhouette Holy Land Cruise September 24, 2016”

Review: We’re all damaged by Matthew Norman

I love books. You can’t have missed that part of me if you follow this blog for a while now. I read in phases. There are periods I only read biographies. Or thrillers. Or just fantasy. Scratch that, I will always find time for fantasy books. But sometimes I just have to read all Jane Austen books, one after another. Followed by Charlotte Brontë. Apparently I am now in a period I just want to read books that make me happy. Like the Discworld books. Furiously Happy of Jenny “the Blogess” Lawson is one of those.  Just like You’re never weird on the Internet (almost) of Felicia Day. But it is not for every book that I write a review. The book, or the writer, has got to have touched me, one way or another. Matthew Norman did just that with his debut novel. Continue reading “Review: We’re all damaged by Matthew Norman”

Furiously Happy is a happy book. About depression.

I like to read. As much as I can. Online, paper, books, blogs, magazines. My Kindle is almost burnt out right now. I can honestly say that reading is important to me. Books, well written books, will introduce you to a whole new world. They will bring you in contact with people you wouldn’t have got to know otherwise. You live with them, love them, breath with them. If lucky, you sleep with them. You’re sad if they die – Dobby anyone?. Continue reading “Furiously Happy is a happy book. About depression.”

Review: Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

Today I received the message that Matthew Norman will be publishing his second novel. Yeah! I received his first novel as an advanced reader copy through American Book Store in Amsterdam. And they published my review in their review section in 2011. Time to dust off that review and publish it here again. Maybe even read Domestic Violets again. In anticipation of his next novel We’re all Damaged. Girls! You all should read Domestic violets. You won’t be disappointed. Continue reading “Review: Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman”

Voor mij geen Vijftig Tinten Grijs

Ik loop nu het risico heleboel lezers tegen me in het harnas te jagen. Maar ik wil  toch een oprechte vraag stellen: wat is er zo goed aan Vijftig tinten Grijs? Kan iemand mij dat uitleggen? Begrijp me niet verkeerd: mijn vraag komt niet voort uit afgunst over het succes van E.L. James. Ik gun E.L. James alle succes. Het is niet E.L. James die ik wil begrijpen. Ik wil die mensen begrijpen die het boek gekocht hebben, waar komen die vandaan? Het hele boek was in 2010 al gratis te lezen op internet. Wij downloaden ons een gekte hier in Nederland. Aan films, software, boeken en muziek.

FunFact:De Nederlandse filmindustrie verliest jaarlijks minimaal 78,4 miljoen euro omzet als gevolg van het illegaal downloaden van films. Zegt Joop.

En dan ineens gaan wij, als Nederlander, betalen voor een boek. Dat gratis te lezen is was op internet. Een fanfiction notabene! Hoe komt dat? Continue reading “Voor mij geen Vijftig Tinten Grijs”

My hero, Felicia Day

Felicia Who? Well, you know, that actrice/writer/director/producer that still looks like a 16 year old girl. And no, she is NOT my hero, because she looks like a 16 year old. That could only make me jealous. No, she is my hero, because she does what she likes. And thrives on it. She is successful with it. A creative genius, that’s what she is. It can be a small role in Buffy the Vampire Slayer is or a lead in Dr. Horrible Sing Along Blog. Or she can be writing, producing AND directing an internet series. (If you never watched you should watch The Guild!).

Really everything she does is a success. Or makes her famous, if only situational. But if she makes it looks easy, that doesn’t mean it IS easy. And that is what she lets us know with her latest project. A book. You’re never weird on the internet (almost). It’s a biography. Real life memoires.  Continue reading “My hero, Felicia Day”