Monday, 14 December 2020

Recensie: De tijdreiziger

De tijdreiziger

geschreven door Hans Bourlon 


"Een leuke, eigenzinnige en kritische blik op de toekomst!" 


Samenvatting


Wat als je een neanderthaler ontmoet in een zoo vol uitgestorven diersoorten?

Wat als je koeien, varkens en kippen niet meer mag doden om op te eten?

Wat als mensen die lang geleden zijn ingevroren weer tot leven komen?

Wat als je verliefd bent op iemand die er dertig uitziet maar eigenlijk negentig is?

Wat als robots kunst maken die iedereen ontroert?

Wat als een ruimtereiziger afscheid neemt van vrouw en kind omdat hij
eeuwenlang ingevroren onderweg is naar een andere planeet?




Mijn recensie


Na een korte vakantie zag ik dit boekje op de keukentafel liggen. Het
gegeven van in de toekomst te reizen fascineert me enorm. Het is de
tegenhanger van de geschiedenis. 

Het boek "De tijdreiziger" is geschreven in korte stukjes van telkens
een aantal pagina's, waardoor het heel vlot leest.  Het is ook mijn 
favoriete manier van schrijven.

Toch moet ik eerlijk bekennen dat ik bij sommige stukjes een beetje op
m'n honger bleef zitten. Ik hoop dat Hans Bourlon daarmee nog verder
doet!

Ik hoop in de toekomst nog meer boeken van hem te lezen. Daarom
geef ik graag een 4 sterren op 5! 


Auteur


Hans Bourlon is gefascineerd door de toekomst. Als een volleerd tijdreiziger
pendelt hij van 2028 naar 2089 en terug naar 2040. Met veel fantasie maar
tegelijkertijd gebaseerd op de huidige wetenschappelijke en technologische
ontwikkelingen beschrijft hij hoe dat leven er in de toekomst kan uitzien.
Of juist niet.

In 1996 richtte Hans Bourlon samen met Gert Verhulst het productiehuis 
Studio 100 op. 


Knack


We kregen De tijdreiziger via het magazine Knack waar mijn echtgenoot
een abonnement op heeft (maar ook door mij met veel plezier meegelezen
wordt). 



Foto: titelpagina van boek

Sunday, 13 December 2020

Bookreview: Lamlash Street

Lamlash Street: A Portrait of 1960's Post-War
London through One Family's story


written by J.M. Phillips


"A very nice trip to memory lane" 


Summary

Explore a world that can't be visited anymore-South East London, 1963.
On Lamlash Street, Cockney families have more life and character than money,
living among the bombed out and condemned buildings. Post WWII London
will evolve swiftly into the era of The Beatles, Twiggy, and modern, swinging London.


Experience the lively true story of a girl on her way to being a young woman,
coming-of-age at a moment in London's history unlike any other.
Jill Phillips tries to capture her first kiss while navigating a world turning
upside down and the trauma that her parents and uncle experienced during the war.


It's a time when a local factory shutting down could mean more than just job loss.
As families are torn apart, they rely on questionable yet quirky neighbors and find
inventive ways to survive-like pay cigarette machines in the house and Christmas
presents "special ordered" for a fraction of the cost.


Seen-but-not-heard by the adults in her life, Jill looks for young love and
how to define herself. Stories of Nazi aircraft on the walk home from school,
watching Doodle bugs (flying bombs) drop on London from rooftop perches,
and her uncle's many unsettling stories of war as young merchant mariner give
her a unique lens of the world and what a better future could look like for her family.


Lamlash Street: A Portrait of 1960's Post-War London Through One Family's Story
is a heartfelt and funny historical memoir. If you like non-stereotypical women
characters, working-class endurance, and a biography about rallying from abundant
loss, then you'll adore Jill Phillips' moving recollection.


Buy Lamlash Street to take an emotional and touching trip down memory lane today!




My Review

Readers of my blog(s) already know that I do like (royal) history. However London
also attracks me very much. 

It was a nice trip to the author's memory lane and the book was written very clearly.
However I missed some structure in the story. 

Nevertheless, it is a wonderful story. That's why I want to give a 4 star on 5 rating. 

The Author

J.M. Phillips is an author and retired Occupational Therapist. Motivated
by the retelling of family stories, she wrote Lamlash Street, which is about
navigating family life in London after World War II. She is a storyteller with
a passion to inspire families to connect through the telling of their past.


Growing up in the UK, J.M. emigrated to Canada after working in a London
solicitor’s office for a few years. She spent 30 years working as an
Occupational Therapist and Hospital manager before retiring.

Rather than slowing down the pace of life as she neared retirement,
J.M. refocused her efforts enjoying each day with a zest for life.
 A technology and sci-fi fan with a thrill-seeking streak, she’s been
cave swimming in Mexico and hopes to swim with dolphins.

During one of her many trips to visit her family in Bexleyheath,
she was inspired to capture their memories of a way of life that is
cherished by many. Pulling from her uncle’s World War II stories and
her memories of her young life in the 1960’s, she aims to carry on his
legacy with her books.


She spent many years working in health care. She is currently splitting
her time between the UK and Canada, maintaining close contacts with
family, and at the same time discovering more fascinating family stories.
Learn more at her website on this link

BookSirens


I received an advance copy for free via BookSirens. I'm leaving this review
voluntarily. Thank you very much for giving me the chance for reading this
memoir. 

Lamlash Street is published by 'Red Damask Publishing' in 2020. It is 
available on Amazon.com in Kindle version and in paperback. 


Source picture: Book cover

Saturday, 12 December 2020

The Wraith's Memory - Between Gods and Mortals Book 2

The Wraith's Memory 

Between Gods and Mortals Book 2


written by Whitney Rines 



Summary

    The massacre of a village by a mysterious group of conspirators spreads
division and war across Liansea and chases survivors to the last
strongholds standing, Terimah and Nismyth.


When Terimah’s strict entry rules cost more refugee lives-Mortal and
Amaranthine alike, refugees turn to Nismyth and their open-gate policy.
Unaware of the corruption being cultivated in the ruling family, infecting
everyone from the upper echelon down to the lowest villagers.

When a mysterious illness brings tragedy to the village of Aritehn, wounding
both the population and trust in their rulers, many villagers including a
 young man named Chiron, seek ways to save Aritehn themselves.
An interview with Nismyth’s military recruiter sets his course when he
is sponsored for education instead, and exposed to more of the corruption
than before. Choosing to defy his sponsor costs him more than he could
ever fathom and sets a dark path ahead of him.

The Wraith’s Memory follows Chiron’s beginnings and walks the path
leading him to his future, and the one who might hold the path to his redemption.
 





My Review

When I started reading, I first was a bit sceptic about the fantasy world
however I soon wanted to know the end of the story. So, it's really a
page turner!


I look forward to read the next book! I would like to give this wonderful
book a 5 star rating! 


The Author

Whitney Rines lives in Minnesota, is married to a wonderful man, and has one son.
Their family has broad interests from computer science and biking, to cooking,
crafts movies, video, board, and card games, travel, and the arts.
They have two pets: a ball python named Archie, and a cat named Nami.
Whitney enjoys telling a good story and bringing enjoyment and adventure
to readers of all genres, preferring a mixed style in her writing.


She has a wide range of interests in Fantasy, Horror, Mythology, Occult,
and folklore from around the world, and it inspires her stories, character building,
and setting. She enjoys reading a multitude of genres including classical literature, 
horror, fantasy, and a non-fiction genres.


Whitney also enjoys other forms of the arts, and traveling to different places
 around the world. She believes that every place has something to offer in
tapping inspiration, even if it's just beauty or how plain a place can be.


Theres's always something interesting to learn and explore, whever you go,
whether in a book or in travel.


BookTasters

I received an advance copy for free by BookTasters and I'm leaving this
review voluntarily. I'm happy I could read this wonderful dark fantasy
book. 



Source picture: Book Cover