A peek into Edwardian England: Cinders & Sapphires (SNEAK PEEK)

Title: Cinders & Sapphires
Author: Leila Rasheed
My Rating: 4/5

"One house, two worlds...

Sumptuous and enticing, the first novel in the At Somerton series introduces two worlds, utterly different yet entangled, where ruthless ambition, forbidden attraction, and unspoken dreams are hidden behind dutiful smiles and glittering jewels. All those secrets are waiting . . . at Somerton"

**THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON A THIRTEEN-CHAPTER PREVIEW OF CINDERS & SAPPHIRES THANSK TO DISNEY-HYPERION (ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY)**

Ah, what a book! The first thirteen chapters of Cinders & Sapphires (which I believe is the first installment of a series) is like Downton Abbey meets Mean Girls: taking place during Edwardian England, the book tells the story of people--young and old--in one house, Somerton, of their hopes, love, and ambitions. 

The characters, although clearly not from our time, are surprisingly relatable. Rose, a housemaid who is later promoted to a ladies' maid, is this young, beautiful, insecure girl who is unsure about her own place in the house. Her kindness, curiosity, and good humor makes me as a reader sympathize with her. Plus, the mystery shrouding her identity is all the more intrguing... Rose's lady, Ada, is the oldest daughter of the owner of Somerton. Although vastly different in social status, Ada and Rose share many similarities: both young and sometimes childish, they dream of opportunities they aren't supposed to have, things they aren't allowed to yearn for  (boys included, may I mention). By making them utterly human, the author brings the characters to life--they feel so endearingly close to us the readers.

The author also does a good job describing the lifestyle of Edwardian England. While reading, I found the elaboration on architecture and interior designs of Somerton quite intriguing and evocative. Details concerning the ladies' dresses, etc, are also well paid attention to.

Having read only the first thirteen chapters, I don't really know enough about the story to give much criticism. One thing about this story, though: because people during that time of history have so many titles/names (Rose, for example, is referred to as Ms.Cliffe by people "lower" than her after her promotion), it might be hard to get into the story in the beginning. However, after some getting used to, I'm sure you will find yourself enjoying the read!

xx

Vanessa :]

Who Do You Live For? - Restless (2011)

"Annabel is a terminally ill cancer patient and is quietly awaiting her death spending her time studying nature. Enoch is struggling to recover from the death of his parents and spends his time attending funerals with his only friend - a ghost named Hiroshi who was a WWII Japanese kamikaze pilot. Just as Annabel's sister is trying to cope with Annabel's impending death, Annabel and Enoch fall in love. They both finally have a reason to live, but is it too late to have a life together?"

Wow. Well let me just say that this movie is so underrated. It's a wonderful plot that is so reminiscent of The Fault in our Stars. It's such a beautiful premise complimented so thoroughly with beautiful screen pictures and a haunting soundtrack. This isn't just any cancer story. It's a tale of facing your fears and loyalty even in the hardest of times. 

The main character, Annabel Cotton, is played by the wonderful Mia Wasikowska whose acting was flawless the entire time. Henry Hopper portrayed the moody and mysterious Enoch Brae whose tragic backstory and puppy-dog eyes just make you wanna give him a hug. There's also the ghost of a Japanese kamikaze Hiroshi (Ryo Kase), from WWII and it seems that he is a story inside the story of this film. Sometimes you may think that his part is unnecessary in the plot, although, in the end it turns out that he wasn't so irrelevant after all. 

While this film isn't on my list of "Masterpieces" it is a very good movie if you like unconventional (which i do!). The cinematography is brilliant throughout the entire movie and the set-pieces are to die for (as well as the costuming, which while strange, makes the film so much better). It's full of humor and love and sadness and joy. The ending will break your heart and warm your soul.

I definitely recommend it. It's worth the time (and is a perfect flick for sleepovers or late-night movies with buckets of ice-cream).

3.8/5.0 and Sara's official thumbs up for unconventional films

[Sources: IMDB]