Between Pages

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱. 💭💭💭

Amazon. Themyscira. Hekatombaion.

I love Greek mythology and all the stories that come from it, whether it’s deconstruction, adaptation, or whatever form it takes and I just knew now that Wonderwoman has strong Greek mythology elements. This is my first book from this author and I think I want to read her other books too.

Surprisingly, the teenagers here aren’t insufferable or whiny (which is rare, honestly). It only has a bit of resemblance to the movies, but the story is completely different. I could actually imagine this as Diana Prince’s teenage years.

Every chapter was gripping, even the early ones, and it just kept getting more intense as the story went on.

All the usual YA themes are there—friendship, loyalty, betrayal, first love—but the way they’re presented didn’t feel dragging or cringe at all.

The only downside for me is the size. It’s a large paperback, so it’s kind of bulky to bring around in a shoulder bag.

This even made me revisit the Wonder Woman movies.

Overall, 4/5 ⭐

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱. 💭💭💭

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is a story that gently reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas. It takes us back to a time when Christmas was simple--when our biggest worry was whether we had made it onto Santa’s nice list. Reading it feels like stepping into a softer past where wonder came easily and joy was uncomplicated.

I once came across a social media post asking why Christmas doesn’t feel the same anymore. This book quietly answers that question. Like the ever-changing tides of time, Christmas evolves as the world does. Christmas itself does not lose its magic—it catches up. What truly changes is our perspective.

Perhaps Christmas feels different now because we have lost someone we loved. Perhaps it is because we can no longer be with family, or because work demands our presence even on holidays. These realities shift how we experience the season, but they do not erase its essence.

No matter the perspective, Christmas always finds a way to catch up with us.

At times, we are our own Ebenezer Scrooge—though we do not always need ghosts to remind us of what truly matters. Despite everything, we still find ourselves looking forward to glossy decorations, twinkling lights, and Jose Mari Chan’s songs playing as early as September.
The anticipation remains, quietly persistent.

As I read, I felt as though I was time traveling—back to evenings filled with excitement, when my siblings and I eagerly waited for the dishes our mother prepared for Christmas Eve. I remembered accompanying her on last-minute Christmas shopping trips around Downtown Cebu, passing by the now-defunct Dimsum Manokan across Wu Trendy Salon, nestled among rows of ukay-ukay shops.

These memories surfaced gently, like old photographs brought back to life as I was reading.

This is the feeling I hope my child will carry with him someday, the kind of Christmas he will remember with tenderness when he looks back on his childhood. Reading this story feels like a salve to the soul, a quiet reminder that while time moves forward, the heart of Christmas remains.

5/5 ⭐

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