The Emerald Atlas - John Stephens

Title: The Emerald Atlas (The Books of Beginning #1)
Author: John Stephens
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 2.5/5
# pages: 429
Date read: April, 2016

They were taken from their beds one frozen night, when the world was covered in snow. The silhouette of a tall, thin man has haunted Kate ever since.

Ten years on, Kate, Michael and Emma have grown up in a string of miserable orphanages, and all memories of their parents have faded to a blur. Arriving at Cambridge Falls, the children quickly realise there is something different about this place - and Kate feels sure she has seen the dark, crooked house before.

As they explore, they discover an old, empty leather book. The moment they touch it, an ancient magical prophecy is set irrevocably in motion, and the children are thrown into a dangerous alternate reality of dark enchantments and terrifying monsters. Only they can prevent the terrible event that will ruin Cambridge Falls - and stop the world from falling into complete devastation


Really weird reading experience. I liked the book well enough while actually reading it, but when I put it down, days could go by before I felt like picking it up again. I guess I just never got to care properly about the children.

Decent enough fantasy, however, so when I finally got stubborn and sat down to finish it, I rather enjoyed it - especially once the kids started to get into the thick of things. But all in all, it required too much effort to get through, and even with the obvious lead into the next book, I just don't care enough to continue.

Spark Joy - Marie Kondo

Title: Spark Joy
Author: Marie Kondo
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 256
Date read: April, 2016

Marie Kondo's unique KonMari Method of tidying up is nothing short of life-changing - and her first book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has become a worldwide sensation. In Spark Joy, Kondo presents an in-depth, illustrated manual on how to declutter and organize specific items throughout the house, from kitchen and bathroom items to work-related papers and hobby collections. User-friendly line drawings illustrate Kondo's patented folding method as it applies to shirts, pants, socks, and jackets, as well as images of properly organized drawers, closets, and cabinets. This book is perfect for anyone who wants a home - and life - that sparks joy.


Not as good as her first book, but a decent follow-up/companion novel. There were some things she'd glossed over somewhat in her first book, and it was nice to have those elaborated on.

I still roll my eyes at some of her ideas, but think that's probably cultural more than anything else, and she does have some good points on how to simplify and keep things organized, that I'm going to try to implement.