The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

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Rating: 4.5 stars
The Master and Margarita is one of the seminal works of twentieth-century Russian literature. In this book, the devil is disguised as a magician who goes to Moscow in the 1930s, accompanied with a talking cat and an expert assassin. Admittedly this crazy-sounding story intimidated me, and I wasn't wrong to feel this way. As everyone has warned me, it is quite an unusual story. To be honest, I'm not even sure I fully understand it, but it has sparked my interest and I've been reading essays on this, learning more about others' take. Generally, I think it is a satirical and philosophical look on communism, religion, history, and maybe even fantasy. It is quite strange but beautiful at the same time. With a genius prose like Bulgakov's, you can't go wrong. I do this it is entertaining on its own, so if you're looking for a well-written story, go for it. However, understanding the subtext and deeper messages make it even more hauntingly substantial! Overall, I thought it was unnerving, poetic, funny, terrifying, and truly transcendent.

Recent Acquisitions: Which One To Read First?

I rarely treat myself, but after working a bit and not buying anything for myself, I decided to treat myself and buy some books. These titles have been on my wishlist for a while now. Since our local bookstore was having a 40% off sale going on, I decided to take advantage of this.

As expected and just like any other reader, I am having a hard time deciding which one to read first. Should I pick the memoir of a neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis? I keep hearing how astounding it is. Or should I finally dig into this eerie classic by Shirley Jackson that I shamefully haven't read even though I should've by now? Or maybe I should start with H is for Hawk, which has been getting all the hype and accolades lately. Help!

Just Finished and Currently Reading

I finished The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett and as it promised, it really was a "delightful tale of love and bibliophilia." This fictional novel is about a young antiquarian bookseller who relocates to the English countryside, hoping to outrun his grief from the loss of his wife and rediscover the joy he once took in collecting and restoring rare books. This premise automatically caught my attention as I was craving a bookish book.

I thought that it was an effortless page-turner that is charming and compulsively readable. It was hard to put down, and it was so easy to read that I just went through it pretty quickly. I did like the relationships in this story, especially the romantic connection between two characters as I thought it was believable. However, there were admittedly some parts of the book that were just too over the top and not as realistic as I wish it was. For a book that calls itself a mysterious thriller, I felt that it lacked that thrill I was looking for. That being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this novel. I would recommend it to readers craving for a very bookish book as it is essentially a novel for bibliophiles. 

Currently, I am reading The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. This novel is considered a phenomenon and is one of the seminal works of twentieth-century Russian literature. In this fictional story, the devil is disguised as a magician and he goes to Moscow in the 1930s, accompanied with a talking cat and an expert assassin. Yes, you read that right. A little odd? I guess you could say that. I am really liking it so far though, even though it is a bit of a strange novel. We'll just have to see what I eventually think of it when I'm finished with it. 

What was the last book you read and your current one? Would love to know! 

Books Are Everything

Books are everything. They are loyal and constant companions. They accept our unpredictable moods, understanding when we want to take a break from reading and welcoming us back with open arms when we want to start over again. They offer much-needed escapism, but they also force us to see both the beautiful and harsh realities of life. Books of course also educate and inform. They broaden minds and open worlds we otherwise would never know about. We learn about people, about situations, and different scenarios. They show pathways in life and they mirror life itself. 

Books have opened doors to endless opportunities for learning and discovery, understanding and empathy. They make us more well-rounded and more sensitive individuals. To me, books are more than just a hobby. It is a necessity. Although yes, let's be honest - it is undoubtedly one of the most fun and relatively affordable forms of entertainment. Simply put, books feed one's soul. 

Love Affair with Bookstores

I can not resist a bookstore. I support all kinds and all types from big box stores like Barnes and Noble to online stores like Book Depository. I do have a special place in my heart for independently owned book shops though, and when I can, I will buy from them specifically.

2015 was no different. I visited many bookstores. There's just something about walking through rows and rows of shelves filled with stories written by passionate storytellers. It's such a simple thing, but sometimes it's the little things like this in life that make everyday much more special.

first week of December; I think I already know my favorite book of the year

I may sound like a broken record for talking about this book one more time, but I can't help myself. I loved this book so much that even though there's still a few weeks until the end of the year, I have already made up my mind that this book is definitely my favorite from this year. 

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction novel set in France during WWII and tells the story of two women during this time period. I already wrote a full review on this, so if you would like to read that, click here, but basically, I can not rave about this book enough. I have to recommend it to you if you haven't picked it up yet, because it is completely worth your time! 

It is just such a perfect and beautiful story; it is eloquently told and is such a page-turner that you may find it difficult to put down. At the same time, you would probably want to force yourself to put it down, for fear of the story ending. While I can go on and on about it, I still would not be able to give justice to the purity and very essence of the story. There simply aren't enough words to say about it without sounding repetitive and cliche. What I will focus on is how much it moved me. It moved me to tears as I was reading it, and it broke my heart so many times that I've lost count. And when I was done with it, all I wanted to do was talk to the characters, hug them, as I felt that they become my friends; they have become my sisters. 

On that note, I would like your top favorite reads this year so far. I am just starting to get back into reading after a bit of a break so I'm excited to pick one and read it before the year ends. Maybe it will become my favorite too. 

Christmas Wishlist

I've never made a wish list before, and I always have a hard time picking my gifts when asked what I want. Honestly, I would be pretty happy with fuzzy socks, candles, books, and pajamas! But hey, just because, I thought it would be fun to make an actual list for a change, here's mine. 

• Yosi Samra flats
  These have become my favorite flats. They are so cute but more importantly, they are comfortable.
• Banned Books pouch 
  MAKEUP BAG. That's all. 
• Le Petit Prince tank top
  The Little Prince is one of my favorite books!
• Marauder's Map dress
  Because it's perfect. 
• the perfect pink pea coat
  This specific one is from Romwe, but unfortunately they don't sell it anymore. 
• Frostbeard Studio candles! 
  I think the scents I would like are: Winterfell, Sexy Librarian, and Bookstore.

As for books, the only thing on my list right now is definitely Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Illustrated version! It is just so beautiful and beautiful and beautiful and I just want it but I can't justify buying it because I don't really need it, but let's be honest, I do.
I also would very much love to have The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones because I love that expansive world so much. 

What's on top of your list this holiday season? 

On Grief and Coping

One of my close friends passed away in late August, and three months later, I still feel completely lost and heartbroken. I don't want to give away more details, out of respect to her family, who are also my friends, but basically, a tragic accident took her life. It was and still is devastating. There aren't words to describe the shock and the pain, but here I am, wanting to share, because I think at the very least, people should know who she is and how much of an impact she has made on so many people.

My friend, Medina, was 20 years old. She was young, carefree, and incredibly beautiful inside and out. Whether you were close to her or not, everyone felt her strong and confident presence. She was vibrant - a true beauty and a go-getter with a nurturing quality. At times, she would get into this mom-mode in which she would speak with such maturity and authority that I sometimes forgot how young she still was.

Why am I writing this blog post? I'm not sure. Maybe I'm writing this because I am not sure how else to cope. I've always found this blog to be a great outlet, and countless times I've gotten genuine feedback and conversations here, and I feel like talking about my friend and remembering her are the only things I can do right now. So here I am. 

That being said, I do also want to take my time to thank those that left me nice comments and messages on Instagram and Twitter when I shared the news in August; your support was not left unnoticed. I really appreciate having a group of people online that I've never even met in real life, help me through this tough time. 

While I'm not sure I am 100% there yet, I feel I've made some progress as I'm blogging again. I'm reading again, which was the hardest thing to do after it happened because she used to love my book posts on my IG. I'm also considering going on trips to places similar to the place she was once last, which is a big deal. Will I actually go? Maybe not, maybe yes, but like they say... baby steps.