My swanky wall by Zineb Bouzaaboun

The Book Thief (Book)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-02-07 16:13:00 UTC

I'm halfway through this book, and if it weren't for my deadlines, i would've finished it in 2 days. It is by far the best written work i've ever read. The story is famous, you may have watched the movie (really good as well), but the writing is just *so* good. The storytelling is beautifully done : it is narrated by DEATH, not an everyday narrator huh .. It follows a german kid, Liesel Meminger, during the second world war in Nazi Germany, as she is welcomed in a foster family after her mother ¿abandonned? (debatable) her. As the title suggests, the girl has a tendency to steal books.
This book (half book so far, i'm hoping to finish it by next week) has made me laugh and (almost) cry so many times, i can not recommand it enough.
Of course : the book is better than the movie

The Crown (Tv-show)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-02-07 16:25:34 UTC

I've just started the second season of the Netflix original series "The crown". The first season was really good, I am a big fan of historical biographies and a bigger fan of royal settings. The highlight of the first season was the character of Winston Churchill, who was portrayed in a very interesting way (thank you John Lithgow). Not the best tv-show if you want something action-driven or if you're looking for suspense, the purpose of the show is to show the growth of the monarch (queen Elizabeth) and the shenanigans that happen in court ... It is a very relaxed series and if you enjoy english accents, fancy clothing/decor, and sassy old politicians (Churchill), then i recommand The Crown.

Ted Bundy (Tv-show)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-02-17 22:00:33 UTC

Another great netflix original. It's about the story of the 70's serial killer Ted Bundy. The show is not a retelling, it actually features the real tapes of Bundy (in which he told his story in his own words) and all the people featured are those who were connected somehow to the cases.
Ted Bundy was an abductor, a rapist and a necrophile who admitted 30 homicides (the real number of his victims is unknown). His main targets were young, attractive and educated women and he used his charisma and good-looks to take advantage of his victims.
I'm amazed by the quality of these episodes, Netflix never fails to perfectly execute their original shows and you can sense all the hard work put into making this particular one. I am a fan of documentaries about serial killers (oops) and I will definitely keep on watching this one.

Tidying Up - Marie Kondo (Tv-show)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-02-23 21:11:04 UTC

I do not like watching reality TV unless it's a relaxed afternoon with my mom back home. However, when she saw and recommanded the new Netflix show "Tidying-Up" and after seeing all the hype on the internet, I've decided to give it a go.
The show is really good. It may be disappointing to some because the internet always overreacts to everything and makes people set high expectations for every single thing, but I really enjoyed it.
Marie Kondo is a Japanese author specialised in organisation. Her method consists of gathering all your belongings in one pile (to see the overwhelming amount of stuff you own ) , one category at a time, and start going through them item by item, keeping only those who "spark joy".
Although the show is obviously about people who are a little "extreme" and own a ridiculous amount of clothes / decoration / sentimentals /etc. , it is still relevant. It really encourages the audience to open their eyes on their consumerism, to hold on and cherish the things that matter the most and bring joy, and to put the remainder into good use by giving it away to people who need it more.

Harry Potter (re-read, book)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-02-24 18:51:03 UTC

Harry Potter was a big big part of my childhood/adolescence. I grew up watching the movies, I read the books in middle/highschool and I do consider myself a Potterhead to this day.
Since the movies are up on Netflix now, and having done an 8-movie marathon a few weeks ago, I've decided to re-read the books from the top (in english this time).
The nostalgia feeling while reading those books is just overwhelming. I am a huge fan of J.K Rowling, the author and the person (cf her twitter).

Oscars 2019 (91st)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-02-25 09:27:15 UTC

This year's ceremony was a bit particular: there was no host (Kevin Hart stepped down after the internet found some tweets he made ages ago, neglecting the fact that he acknowledged he was wrong and admitted he was evolving like any human being and even apologised for his words).
The Oscars were full of joyful and very moving moments. I particularly loved Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's performance of "Shallow".
Rami Malek won best actor as expected <3
Olivia Colman delivered the best speech in my opinion. I am a huge fan of this actress and I believe she is very genuine and down-to-earth.
The ceremony was very political as usual and I loved it. The opening line was : " ... there is no host tonight, there won't be a popular movie category and Mexico is not paying for the wall .. " . There were more subtle references to Trump that were brilliantly executed like Keegan-Michal Key's umbrella bit.
I plan on seeing most of the movies during next week's holiday (except Black Panther because I've seen some of it and it's just meh and overrated).

Abducted In Plain Sight (Documentary)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-03-01 14:40:12 UTC

This is another Netflix true-crime documentary. It's about 12yo Jan Broberg who was kidnapped and sexually abused by her family's next-door neighbor and close friend.
This show will make you want to scream "what the fudge" to your screen at least 20 times. I am not one who tries to justify or blame sexual crimes on someone, but the amount of stupidity of Jan's parents (or at least the amount displayed in the documentary, almost feels staged) is mind-blowing. Her mother literally had a sexual affair with the abuser before and after he molested her child, the father performed oral sex on the abuser, they let the abuser sleep 4 times a week in Jan's bed because "his therapist said it would be helpful for him".
I have never rolled my eyes harder in my life. I heard some very mixed reviews about this and a lot of people blamed the parents for all that's happened to their child and you bet I am now one of them.
The documentary itself is not very well executed; I understand that it's in the "true crime" hype but it's very poor in my opinion and does not compete with other really interesting shows like Ted Bundy's.
All in all, very frustrating 180 minutes, about two very stupid parents who handed their young girl to a sexual predator and cried about how "they can not forgive themselves". I would not dare show my face on TV if I were in their shoes, let alone write books and make documentaries about "the family tragedy".
I felt very sorry for Jan Broberg. She was abused physically and mentally and she was a really deranged child. Her parents were not there to listen even though MILLIONS of red flags were showing up. I am glad she survived and turned out to be a strong activist that educates the public about child abuse.

Mrs. Doubtfire (Movie)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-03-06 13:00:20 UTC

This is a re-watch, it's one of my favorite movies. It's always a pleasure to see Robin Williams perform and be the genius he was. I highly recommand this movie for anyone who wants a relaxed night-in full of laughter with loved ones.

Fahrenheit 9/11 (Documentary)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-03-07 12:45:40 UTC

I have very strong feelings about this (definitely recommand). The film, made by Michael Moore, is a critique of Georges W. Bush's regime.
The first 45min analyse the (very old) between the Bush family had the Bin Ladens, how the FBI knew an attack against the US was being planned and how the president (and his entourage) decided to turn a blind eye. The facts displayed are now, I believe, common knowledge for anyone who was curious enough to look deeper into the 9/11 events in the past years. The sharp sarcasm of Moore made it delightful to watch. It also portrays how the biased american journalism has contributed in spreading fear in the American society to make them fearful enough to get behind the president's real plan.

The remainder of the film was very overwhelming and difficult for me to watch. I had to pause several times because it was too much sometimes.
The second part was about the Iraq invasion in 2003.
The film features a scene where some US soldiers explain how they're "motivated and pumped up" and how music gets them "real fired-up and ready to do the job", because they can hook their CDs player to the the tank so they can hear it through their helmets. They even mentionned a few lyrics to one of their favorite songs : "... the roof is on fire. We dont need no water, let the motherfucker burn. Burn, motherfucker, burn... " . They said it was fitting for the job they were doing.
This was just one example of the rawness of the film. It portrays how a country, with a functioning government and president, a happy people that lived peacefully, a country that has not once attacked the US nor threatened to do so, was suddenly full of soldiers who were there "to free the people" and "save them". This part of the film made me full of rage, it shows how the US feels superior to the rest of the world, how they think that an arab country that functions differently than their way is suddenly a threat, how they don't understand how those dirty people are angry and ungrateful for all the democracy that the West wants to bring. The US was *shocked* that, after their troops have exploded and murdered thousands of civilians in a then-occupied land, those people would join forces and resist. They were shocked that their actions would have consequences. How could their invasion result in anything other than peace and joy?
Moore said at one point "Immoral behavior breeds immoral behavior". Of course chaos has been in Iraq ever since. A country was entirely destroyed because they were believed to have nuclear weapons (which were not found ofc) and was left there to rot. How is it a shock to anyone that extremism would come out of a rotten hole like that?

All in all, a top-notch documentary, not at all objective (it's a critique) and very eye-opening (i hope).

How To Get Away With Murder (Tv-show)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-03-25 09:02:10 UTC

This is one of my all-time favorite tv-shows, and i'm currently watching it for a second time. It is intense from start to finish and will keep you on the edge of your seat for 4 seasons (there's a 5th, but season 4 gave me enough closure that i stopped watching to not ruin it, will watch eventually though).
The show is about 5 law students and their teacher who become involved in a murder (spoiler, murderssss).
It's one of the very few, if not only, shows with a ridiculously diverse cast, and where the diversity is completely natural and not at all forced to check some political boxes.
It is produced by the amazing Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Scandal) and the lead is the amazing Viola Davis (The Help). Four of the main characters are black, two are LGBT, one is latino, and that's only the main characters. The representation is really dominant and very well-executed. Amazing show, amazing cast, 200% recommand !

Getting ready for April 14th

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-03-31 13:10:50 UTC

I haven't watched or listened to anything new because im in a binge watching phase trying to squeeze 7 seasons of rewatching GOT in the remaining 14 days. I've decided to rewatch from the top because the show will only end once and work can wait. I am glad to be alive in the same time as one of the greatest cinematographic works of all time.
I've also started the books this week but do not intend on finishing them before april 14th.

Tarab Andalusi (Music)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-04-06 18:04:10 UTC

Tarab Andalusi is a style of arabic music mainly found in the Maghreb countries. I have been brought up listening to this music and have always been the biggest fan of it. It holds a very important place in my culture.
This music style was born in Al-Andalus and has been maintained by the Muslims and Jews alike in Morocco for almost 12 centuries now. The lyrics are fancy poems written in excellent arabic language that even I find hard to understand sometimes.
My favorite songs are in this genre and I have enjoyed the beauty of this music with my family for as long as I can remember.
Feeling very homesick and counting the days till I get to go home, I have found my comfort in the safety of my childhood songs.
A few links for those who wish to discover the genre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ6wiD4gRvc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHKrnU4FCiQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO1fQ6iW13k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYGHpOluV1w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q5Rd8PThjQ

O.W.L.'s Magical Readathon (Reading)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-04-11 11:48:10 UTC

For anyone who doesn't know what a readathon is : there's a youtube community called booktube (about books and reading). Sometimes a Booktuber would create a readathon : a marathon of reading. For example, for a 24-hour-readathon, you should select a few books you want to read and from midnight to midnight, you read as much as you can.
The O.W.L.'s Magical Readathon is a very elaborated readathon created by the booktuber G. (Book Roast) and it's inspired by Harry Potter (The O.W.L.'s are the fifth-year exams in HP). She created a guidebook with many wizarding careers (alchemist, astronomer, hogwarts professor, etc) and each career requires certain O.W.L.'s to be taken (tranfiguration, potions, defence against the dark arts, etc).
To pass each O.W.L, you have to read a book with certain specifications (to pass herbology, you have to read a book with a plant on the cover; to pass astronomy, you have to read a book with "star" on the title,etc.)
The readathon lasts for the whole month of april and i'm really enjoying it so far.
However, you have to be into Harry Potter and a lot more into reading, otherwise this will juslook too nerdy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk-wc72whn4&t=1046s

Game of Thrones

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-04-15 09:24:54 UTC

It's not fun waking up at 3am but it's totally worth it. No spoilers allowed though so i cant say anything.

A Dirty Job (Book)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-04-24 19:23:32 UTC

This was my first completed book for the OWL's Readathon (and third completed in April). It was read for the History Of Magic OWL, the prompt was to read a book published over 10 years ago, and this was published in 2006.
I adored this book. It is delightfully hilarious and had me laughing out loud so many times. It's the story of Charlie Asher, a not particulary remarkable Beta Male, who overthinks everything and is so insecure, and how he becomes ... Death. He is now in charge of collecting souls from the dying and giving them to other people, all the while dealing with being a newly-single dad.
The book is very light and such a fun read. I often read physical books while listening to the audio version (helps me concentrate) and I highly recommand the audiobook read by Fisher Stevens.
Trigger warning : the book gets real sometimes about dealing with grief and facing death, and it does contain a lot of swearing.
Probably one of my favorite books of 2019 so far, and I will definitely pick up the sequel and more books by Christopher Moore :)

The Sun Is Also A Star (Book)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-04-28 18:31:37 UTC

This was my second completed book for the OWL's Readathon, and fourth in the month. It was read for the Astronomy OWL, the prompt was to read a book with "star" on the title.
The book is about Natasha, a Jamaïcan-American girl, who believes in science and facts and is very practical, and how she meets Daniel, a very poetic and dreamy boy, a day before she is supposed to be deported. The book is about how they're gonna fall in love in 24 hours.
I finished this book in almost a day. It was such a quick read, the story happens within 24 hours so it's VERY hard to put down. Each chapter is from the perspective of either Natasha, Daniel or the narrator, so the pace is very fast and the book is not boring at all.
However, I think I would've enjoyed the book more if i were 15. Although I really liked the first third of the book, the story and the romance gets wayyyyyy too cheesy and over-the-top. The book is so predictable, and the clash between a "science" person and a "fate" person is so meh. I was cringing every 10 pages. There's literally a moment where the girl says the eyes are iris and pupils and the boy says the eyes are the windows of the soul. This kind of clash is very 2012 and made the book less enjoyable for me.
I rated it 3/5 on Goodreads. A movie adaptation will come out on 17/05.

The Illuminae Files 1 (Book)

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-05-20 08:15:37 UTC

This was the third and last book completed for the OWL's readathon, for the arithmacy class for which the prompt was to read a book written by more than one author.
This book blew my mind, I read the physical book while listening to the audiobook which was such a wholesome experience, since the physical book has some important illustrated details, and the audiobook has sound effect and a whole cast doing the voices. I highly recommand using both to enjoy it fully.
I began reading it with very low expectations because : it's sci-fi (not my favorite genre), it's fairly long (i don't mind in my favorite genres), and it's written in an irregular manner, like a compiled dossier full of emails, security footage, and notes (and God knows i love regularity).
The story is about Kady Grant and Ezra Mason, two teens who have just broken up, and how they had to flee their planet aboard a space fleet after an attack by a megacorporation.
It's got space crap, a mad computer (AI), a deadly virus, intergalactical war, and two teens trying to save the universe.
This is the first book in a trilogy and I will definitely pick up the sequel very soon.

Game of thrones

ZinebBouzaaboun — 2019-05-20 08:21:18 UTC

I feel great sadness today for seeing my favorite fantasy series end. I have invested myself body and soul for years now in the story, the characters and the universe.
I don't think there will ever be a series which will matter to me as much as GOT did, and I feel like it's gonna be one of those things that I will pass on to my children and force them to love it (when they come of age).
Despite the negative comments that were made about this season by a lot of people (not totally agreeing with them), I still believe that this series has made wonders and changed the course of television.
Although I wish some things were done differently, I still respect the path the writers chose simply because the finale made me lose sleep after watching it (or lose a short nap) and I think that's what they were aiming for.
I will continue on reading the books (which i've started a little more than a month ago) and wait for GRRM's version of the finale, hoping some parts won't match the show's.
Farewell good friends.