Alaa Qui

Hello Everyone,  Today I am going to talk about a book I read back in 2020, and it has left such a strong impression on me since then. This book is ' The Test ' by  Sylvain Neuvel . The  emotions I went through reading this book are the same as to when I am watching an episode of Black Mirror. The whole situation is so messed up, but not impossible to see happening in the future (not necessarily near future). Even-though it is a short book, the author succeeds at making me care about the characters and root for them. It was painful reading about what Idir has to go through, especially considering he is a good person. He did not deserve what happens to him in that test. I love the brief discussion on ethics and human psychology, and I think I would have loved the book even more if the author went deeper. "When faced with a choice, humans almost invariably seek a no-action, no-change option, even when one of the presented alternatives is quantifiably and logically more adva...

Hello Netizens,  Today I finished reading another middle grade book, and this year I have been devouring them. The book I have read is called The Maiden Voyage by M.C. Goldrick and it is the first book in the TIMEFLIES series.  Book Cover I personally do not find the book cover to be appealing, and I do not think it is designed well for the target audience (children). It is related to the plot, it contains the three main characters, but if it was on a bookshelf I would not pick it up. Summary Griz, Sam and Alisha travel through time to unravel the answer behind Griz’s name, however, to do so they have to transform into flies. TIMEFLIES. Opinions For some reason, I seem to only remember that this book is about time travel, so when I was reading about the process, I was in for a surprise. I thought it was ridiculous, but it lowkey made sense, and now I stand behind this form of time travel. The author focused on family relations, and created a bittersw...

Dear Netizens,  A while ago I read The Extraordinary Etab of Julian Newcomber by Michael Seese. It is a middle grade Sci-fi novel about Julian who has an inventor for a father. His father invents for him the Etab, which by accident allows Julian to time travel. The plot is fun, the characters are quirky and the resolution is funny but satisfying.   At the beginning, I wasn't completely sold with Julian's character, because he speaks/sounds much older than his actual age, and he is quite snarky at the beginning. Another thing that bothered me is the repetitive use of "what the smart folks call" each time the author is about to use a word that is new for the target audience. However, both of the things I just complained about, grew into me and I started liking them. Julian's character and the other characters are meant to feel graphic, and this does come off the page, and "what the smart folks call" became funny.  Julian reminds me a lo...

Hello Netizens,  The Baby-sitters Club was never part of my childhood, I didn't grow up reading it. However, I was curious to why was it loved by many, hence, why I decided to give it a shot. If you don't know, The baby-sitters Club is about a group of friends who come together to create a babysitting "business". There are four girls in the book, Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia and Stacey. Each girls has strikingly different personality  and it creates for an interesting dynamic among them.  I thought this book would only be about babysitting, but it is not. Kristy's parents are divorced and she trying to come to terms with her mother's new boyfriend. The girls' friendship was going through a rough time, because Claudia's interests were diverging from Kristy's and Mary Anne's. Stacey is acting a bit weird, but in the end the girls find out why.  I love how all the different topics were handled in the book, and I am actually impressed....

Hello Netizens! Today I just finished reading Moonwalking with Eistein, which is the story of how Joshua Foer, a guy like any of us, came to learn the techniques to memorisation in six months and utalising it to compete in the USA memory championship. The book delves into various scientific topics on how the brain works, how memorisation works and discusses instances where individuals had unusual brains and brain abilities.  I enjoyed reading the narrative of the book the most, and instead of feeling like I am reading a boring non-fiction book, I was engulfed by the strong voice the author carries in his book. I was also entertained by the different personalities present in the book; Ed and Tony Buzan being my favourite to read about. This book is not a manual on how to learn memorisation techniques, but it is an experiment on whether can any one learn these techniques and how much work and time is needed to reach a decent level. The book is neutral, which I appreciate a ...

Dear Netizens,  Recently I realised that I scratch off ideas too soon, or when someone tells me about their ideas, I cannot help but think about all the possible problems arising. This worries me, because I am an industrial design student and I am supposed to be creative. So when I saw this book in the library, it felt like it was pointing its finger at me, hence I had to read it.  Creativity for Critical Thinkers is an 80 pages book, that discusses some methods on how to generate ideas quickly and it gives the reader tips on how to loosen up. I did find myself coming up with ideas as I read the book and it inspired me to look at problems from a different angle. Although that is easier said than done. The methods the author provides to generate ideas are five, and the ways to reframe problem are three.  Even though it is a short book, the author did repeat points over-and-over again (which is a trend I am seeing with almost every non-fiction book I read). I...

Hello Netizens,  Recently I read a new book, and it is  Effective Presentation Skills by Steve Mandel.  Effective Presentation Skills by Steve Mandel, is a book that offers tips on how to improve and conduct a successful presentation.  It is a quick read and a short book.  The content of the book is direct and sufficient. I usually complain about nonfiction books, because they tend to repeat points and over-explain topics, however, this book did not do this. The writing style is simple; Easy to read. I flew through this book in less than an hour.  I did find the skills the book contains to be useful. I haven't applied them yet, nevertheless, the book made me aware in which area I am lacking and it has opened my eyes on what I should do to better my presentations. I would recommend you this book if you need to do presentations. Although the book is old, it did not come across as outdated, as it teaches skills that can be applied on the technol...

Dear Netizens, Yesterday night, I stayed up quite late to finish a novel I have been enjoying the past couple days. I had fun reading Cell by Stephen King, hence, I have got a lot of opinions to express along. Clayton Riddell is a comic artist hoping to have his big hit with his latest work, unfortunately, the Pulse hits the world before he could. In his journey of survival, Clay, meets a couple stranger who would become his friends for the long journey to find his son.  Cell is a zombie novel, that wants to tackle various topics in only 400+ pages. These themes ranged from fatherhood, programming, Zombies, humanity, Herd Mentality, and Friendship. I have enjoyed all the aspect of the book, but they barely scrapped the surface for most part.  'At bottom, you see, we are not Homo sapiens at all. Our core is madness. The prime directive is murder. What Darwin was too polite to say,my friend, is that we came to rule the Earth not because we were the smartest, or even ...

Hello Netizens, This week I finished reading 'Ergonomics For Beginners: A Quick Reference Guide by Jan Dul and Bernard A.Weerdmeester'. This book is an introduction to Ergonomics and provides a wide understanding of how ergonomics is applied or incorporated in various fields.  I didn't know much about ergonomics, and this book provided me with a brief and direct introduction to the ever-expanding field. I like the writing style, it is direct and to the point and there is no beating around the bush or repetition of the same points. Keep in mind, this book was first published in 1963, hence, some of the information regarding technology (and computers) are extremely outdated. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this book if you have no idea what ergonomics is and you would like to start reading about it. I gave this book 4/5 stars  ⭐ Thank you for reading!

Hello Beautiful People,  Use Your Perfect Memory by Tony Buzan is a self help book on how to improve your memory, or in better words 'Use it'.  I decided to pick this book up, because I am learning a new language and it is difficult for me to retain new vocabulary. Hence, I though this book would help me improve my memory. The book covers various ways and systems you could do and use to put your brain into better use.   The author goes through the Link System, The Peg memory system, The alphabet system, The major system and finally Mindmaps. The Link system is what I normal would use to memories difficult words (with weird spelling), however, the extent of the use of this system discussed by the author is beyond what I regularly would do. The system is actually very useful; For instance, if you want to memories your shopping list in order, you create a storyline that contain all the items. The storyline should contain elements from all your senses to aid in me...

Hello beautiful people, Last night I ended up staying up until 2 am reading this cute and fun book. I had to sleep to wake up early the next day, but I couldn't bring myself to put it down. I kept on telling myself I am just gonna read a few more pages, or I am gonna stop at the end of this chapter. I kept on setting new deadlines, until I reached the end of the novel. The book that made me stay up at night is 'Lulu The Broadway Mouse' by Jenna Gavigan. it is a middle grade novel about a mouse called Lucy Louise or Lulu. Lulu, lives with her family in Broadway, THE Broadway! and she dreams of having her debut in a theatre she calls Home.  Lulu narrates her story and I enjoyed reading from her perspective. She is sassy, witty and the biggest fangirl. I loved her personality. She isn't perfect, which is great. It makes Lulu, the mouse, more "human". Because the story is narrated by a witty young mouse, it allows for a very simple yet engaging w...

Hello Beautiful People For this month, I have decided to have a tbr. I usually don't do TBRs, because I am a mood reader and I might not feel in the mood to read a book I have picked at the beginning at the month. What brought me to a change in mind is, I want to read more and maybe a tbr would help me do so. The first book on my list is a book I am currently reading and it is 'Rasputine: A Short History by Frances Welch'. I started reading this book a while ago and I ended up finding a lot of issues with it. So, for this month, I would like to finish it and get it over with.  I recently started reading Cell by Stephen King, and I am impressed by the writing. So far, the book is continuing with the scene it started with, but it doesn't feel stretched out at all. The story is fast paced and thrilling, and I am all for it. This is going to be my third Stephen King book, I have read Carrie and On Writing before, and I can't wait to devour it.  A...

Hello Beautiful People  Today, I finished reading I novel I have been reading for a while, but unable to finish due to University. Now that I've finished, let me share my opinions on it.  The novel I have finished reading is Murder Makes Waves by Anne George; it is the fourth book in the Southern Sisters series. The genre is cozy mystery.  I have tried to pitch this book to a friend of mine who enjoys reading crime/mysteries too, however, the fact that the characters are in their sixties and on a vacations seemed too obscure. The plot attracted me, and I was in the mood for a crime novel but without the dark and heavy atmosphere. I wanted something light and mysterious at the same time. This book is basically that. 'Murder Makes Waves' is about two sisters who go on vacation and then a friend of theirs gets killed. I enjoyed the many aspects the author involves in her story, and it makes the book more enjoyable. I enjoyed the mystery, but after 200 pages I was ...

Hello Beautiful People,  Today, I finally decided to DNF a book that I have been trying to read for three months, and I feel so much lighter already. So here are my thoughts on this book.  (Because I DNFed this book, I am not going to give it a rating.)  'In another country, and besides' is a 266 page novel, although it is short it took me months to read it and even then I had to DNF it. I wanted to finish this novel, because I received a review copy of it and it sounded interesting. My proble ms with the book are the slow pace and the unnecessary details. From reading the summary, I expected the revenge plot to start sooner, but even after 133+ pages (which is more than halfway through the book) the revenge plot doesn't take place yet. I believe the revenge plot begins late, because random things keep on happening before getting to anything juicy. For example; the MC goes to a hiking trip with his friend and the book chooses to describe the actual trip...

Hello Beautiful People,  A while ago I've picked up this book on architecture and design from the library, and I finally finished reading it now. The topic interested me, and I thought I would find something useful for my major (I am taking Industrial Design). The book started on a good note, talking about CAD, the software used and how they function. I find the later unnecessary, nevertheless, it is great to read about if you don't know how the software processes your inputs. The book slowly progresses toward techniques architects have used to create their designs. it is interesting, but so much of what is tackled in the book I already knew about. Especially the second half. The book switches to discuss topics such as; interface design, interactivity and VR, which isn't why I have picked this book up for . Moreover, everything the book mentions about VR is generally known knowledge, but written obnoxiously. The writing style makes the book an extreme...

Hello Beautiful People,  I have just finished reading Orca Rising by Chris Hannon , and here are my thoughts about it! Ocra Rising revolves around Ocean, a 16 years old high school student who just finished his IGCSEs and decides to spend his summer vacation at a not so ordinary school. This is a fast paced, thrilling novel with an engaging mystery. The characters in the novel are diverse, as they come from various spots in the world. The conversations can help you remember where each is from. For instance, Dante - who is from Spain - slips in Spanish in his dialog. The characters keep you entertained while reading the book, and I just wish that we've have gotten to know them better. The plot contains clichés to the genre, but this doesn't necessarily makes it "bad". I enjoy reading spy book and there are certain clichés I like when present and done well. Some of the plot twists toward the end of the book took me by surprise, however, the ones at th...

Hello Beautiful people,  I first came to know about Frida Khalo, through my studies in University. I had to write an essay about Surrealism, and she was one of the artists that popped up during my research. When I read about Khalo online, I have become interested in her artworks and in her, the artist. To know more about Frida Khalo, I decided to read this biography about her life, art and country. The biography also tries to show a spiritual side to Frida Khalo and her artworks, although she was an atheist. The writing in this biography is fun to read through, and I simply found myself flying through it. I am always worried I might not end up finishing a nonfiction book, because of the writing style, however, in this one, all my worries were gone. The writer manages to hold my interest and make me enjoy reading the book. Although it is a biography about Frida Khalo, it also covers the political situation of Mexico (and the world), and relates it to Khalo's beliefs a...

Hello beautiful people,  Recently I have just finished reading 'Design Handbook' by Charlotte Fiell and Peter Fiell, and here are my thoughts about it.  I flipped through this book in the library, and it looked pretty interesting, so I picked it up. The Design Handbook is a beginner's guide to design, and it covers various concepts, materials and styles through time (mainly modern time). The writing in this book is clear and easy to read through. Non-fiction books can be boring for me, and I didn't find this one boring (almost). Moreover, the topics in this book are quite interesting, however, multiple topics are repeated a lot through out the book, making it a little irritating. I don't want to re-read about the same topic. I am personally not well-knowledged about design, design trends and materials, so this book is an eye-opening read for my case. Nevertheless, I was hoping to receive more from this book (which didn't happen), and...

Hello Beautiful people,  I have just finished reading a thriller, and here are my thoughts. "The Last Thing She Ever Did" is a mystery thriller that revolves around the disappearance of Charlie, a three years old child. Liz is our protagonist, and we are introduced to her when she is a young kid and then we continue with her in her adulthood. The characters in this book are all horrible. None of them are good in the slightest. Even the "good guy" is extremely negative (salty 24/7). At some instances I do align with the characters' stances, but then they have to do, say or think something extreme. I didn't mind the morally wrong character, but I can't deny that they made me wanna smash my phone or wish they are just a tiny bit grounded. I wouldn't recommend you this book if you can't handle straight out appalling people.  I like Detective Esther and Jake. I am all up for reading a book with this duo (they reminded me with the ...