WIWT FOR STROLLING MOSTAR CITY+ A BOOK REVIEW

 Hello dear readers! Today I will share with you two outfits that I wore today. Moreover, I'll share a book review for The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans. I hope you're in a mood for a virtual stroll though Mostar city because that is on agenda today as well. It is a beautiful sunny day today. It's amazing what a beautiful day can do for one's mood sometimes. When I to finished my chores in the morning, I couldn't resist strolling the city with my significant other and official blog photographer. I'd love to take you along, if you're in the mood. Scroll down to read and see more. 

HR *Hrvatski prijevod ovog članka još u tijeku. 

 There are similarities between these two outfits, mostly in that they both feature this semi-plaid skirt from a local designer brand Bellissima (link neither sponsored nor affiliated). In case you want to buy clothing that is made in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this is a good local brand to check out and you can order both online or find it in local malls. I love to support local artists and designers when I can. My outfits today show two different ways to wear this skirt. I wore the first styling for a long walk around the city and the second one for a lunch date with my husband. Once again I shopped my closet (with the exception of 'new to me' suede heels that were passed on to me by my sister-in-law yesterday). Bellow I included links to my previous looks with these items (both for fashion inspiration and sustainability reasons). 

OUTFIT #1- STYLING A BELLISSIMA SKIRT OVER A RED DRESS

This first outfit was all about the red dress with statement sleeves. I wanted to wear this dress again before Autumn (and colder weather arrives). Layering this dress under jackets is a bit tricky because of its statement sleeves. It's not impossible, though. I layered this dress under oversized blazers in the past and I would easily wear it under jackets and coats provided they are not too tailored or tight. Today I wore a scarf over it because there was a breeze in the air, but I had no need for a jacket. Speaking of layering this dress, this is not the the first time I have worn a skirt over it. In fact, I think I prefer to wear it this way. However, this was the first time I wore the ruffled sleeves higher up. 

HOW I WORE IT BEFORE?

THE RED DRESS WITH RUFFLED SLEEVES AND TASSELS (no brand, bought in a local store in Mostar) - last worn HERE, when I also shared a link to several posts devoted to this dress. Bellow are links to numerous posts about this dress. 

A RED DRESS FOR A DINNER DATE AT RESTAURANT ASIA 2019

MY FASHION ILLUSTRATIONS WITH RED DRESSES 2018

FASHION ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY : TRANSITIONAL 2019

LAYERING A RED MIDI DRESS WITH RUFFLED SLEEVES 2019

HOW TO STYLE A RED DRESS WITH RUFFLES 2018

THE RED & BLACK BELLISSIMA SEMI-PLAID SKIRT- last worn HERE and HERE. 

THE BEIGE DRIVING LOAFERS (no name)-worn HERE and HERE.

THE BROWN VINTAGE MINI BAG - worn HERE and HERE.

THE STRIPED SCARF WORN AS A BELT (second hand)- worn HERE.

THE VICHY PRINT FABRIC BROOCH- DIY project, I can't remember have I worn it on blog before. I made it a few months ago. 

THE YELLOW AND GREEN SCARF- HERE.

As I already explained this second styling is what I wore for a lunch date with my husband. I changed into a long sleeved t-shirt because the breeze turned into a wind and I decided to wear the suede heels with this look. I thought the suede matches nicely with this brown leather vintage mini bag and my DIY feather necklace. 

OUTFIT #2- STYLING A BELLISSIMA SKIRT WITH A FEATHER PRINT TOP

THE RED & BLACK BELLISSIMA SEMI-PLAID SKIRT- links above. 

THE SUEDE PEEP A TOE HEELS (second hand)- worn for the first time!

THE BROWN VINTAGE MINI BAG- links above. 

THE STRIPED SCARF WORN AS A BELT- links above.

THE FEATHER PINT LONG SLEEVED T-SHIRT (old)- I had it in my closet for years, but I cannot find a link for how I wore it before.  

Now, let's get to the book reviews.....

BOOK REVIEW OF THE DAY

THE SMOKE JUMPER BY NICOLAS EVANS, 1/5

We'll start with a novel that I didn't enjoy. Why did I read this monster of a book (plus 600 pages) if I didn't enjoy it? Well, mostly because I hate to abandon a book.  I did almost abandon reading it, but I decided to pick it up again during one of insomniac nights. I was hoping that the predictability of the plot would make me fall asleep but it didn't happen. It might have to do with the fact that I was rolling my eyes a lot- too much to fall asleep apparently. Maybe I was also hoping (against all hope) the story would grown less sentimental and cliche as it progressed but it actually got worse. I'm not a romance reader. When I picked up this novel, the cover had me believe this book is about smoke jumping and adventure, not a sentimental love triangle. Another thing that made me pick up this book was the mention of The Horse Whisperer novel. Now I haven't read that other novel by Nicolas Evans, but I remember seeing the movie version many years ago and from I remembered I kind of liked it. 

I don't enjoy giving books a one star rating, but I honestly didn't enjoy this novel at all. The very beginning of the novel wasn't that bad. The novel opens with the character of Ed, a young piano player. However, soon things started to be get cheesy, sentimental and melodramatic. I knew I wouldn't like it after page 70, but half way through I realized that I really dislike this novel. I dislike everything about it: the clumsy and wordy writing style, the self-centered principal characters and the unbelievable plot. If one of these things wasn't so bad, maybe I could have enjoyed the novel a bit, but this way it was a no-no.  The writing was quite disappointing. What irked me the most was the way the writer doesn't know how to use a comma and writes sentences that are half a page long and lack syntax. If I wrote a sentence like in one of my essays back when I was a student, my teachers would have failed me at every exam and there would have been hell to pay. 

There is an audience for every book and I'm definitely not the right kind of audience for this novel. Romance is the only genre I actively avoid, I'm pretty open to reading just as about everything else. This novel reminded me why  I dislike romance. It just isn't my cup of tea. I can understand some people might like this book, but I found nothing in it for me. I'm not a romance reader, so maybe that is it. I don't see the point in listing every thing that irked me the wrong way because I would be here all day. 

This book is basically a love triangle between two smoke jumpers and best friends ( Ed and Connon) and Julie. Ed is a diabetic piano player who never did any sports and was teased all his life for his feminine hobbies and interests. Ed one day decides he likes the outdoors and becomes a smoke jumper during his summer- not unbelievable at all. Connor is Ed's best friend, a macho sort of guy, but very devoted to Ed. However,  Connor falls madly in love with Ed's girlfriend Julia as soon as he sees her. Naturally Julia feels the same way about Connor, despite loving Ed and being the perfect girlfriend to him. Julia is a well meaning individual but she sure knows how to cause trouble. 

Seriously, Julia is one of the most stupid female protagonist I have ever came across. She is supposedly an educator of some kind, but she thinks it is a great idea to drag a minority (half native American) abused fifteen year old girl Skye across wildness with a group of problematic seventeen year old boys (many of whom are recovering addicts and criminals). The idea is that peer pressure and wildness helps. How exactly? How did peer pressure and bullying ever help anyone?  Why anyone would think that putting a fifteen year old girl in wildness with a group of young criminals with a lot of opportunities to assault her, will result in anything else than an assault on her is beyond me. That whole part of the book doesn't make sense. The worst thing is how Julia goes on about how she has grown so attached to Skye but does absolutely nothing to protect this poor traumatized fifteen year girl. It all seems to be lip service on Julia's part for either Julia doesn't care about Skype or she is incredibly dumb.

Julia is clearly familiar with the fact Skye was abused all her life, but does little to actually help Skye except to take her on some quest where they all cry and become instantly close in the most unbelievable way. When this abused girl is clearly assaulted by one of the boys while they were alone (why was that even an option?) and returns to the group traumatized, Julia does NOTHING! Well, not exactly nothing, Julia makes it possible for the boy to insult and make fun of Skye in front of the whole group....and then it is a big surprise that the girl runs away in the wilderness. That isn't good enough for Julia for there are more child lives to risk in this novel! Taking a child into a war zone because she cannot wait for a certain person to call her back is another 'genius' part on Julia's part (especially when it was obvious he would have come back eventually as he always has had). Does the author really think that women are this stupid? Don't get me even started on the way this author kills his characters every time when it is convenient for the plot. I call it lazy writing!

This is just the beginning of the book. I tried to avoid spoilers, so I didn't reveal what happens to Skye after she runs away from Julia or how the love triangle develops, but I think you can gather why this book frustrated me. Connor and Julia are among the most selfish, self-righteous characters I have ever seen. They both seem to have the hero complex. Ed was more bearable as a character, which only made what happened to him worse. Anyhow, I definitely do not recommend this novel. I cannot pass a a definite judgement on this writer based on one book, though. I might read more of Nicholas Evans given the chance.

STROLLING MOSTAR CITY- THE INCREDIBLE PLANE TREES AND HISTORICAL VILLAS FROM THE TIMES OF AUSTO- HUNGARIAN EMPIRE

 When I first came into Mostar, I have fallen in love with one particular street. It was the trees that so enamored me. They belong to the Platanus family of trees. In English they are called plane or plane trees. These trees were planted in 1889 to welcome Belgian Crown princess Stephanie and Crown prince Rudolf of Austria and to celebrate their visit to Mostar. You see, many villas in this street date from the nineteen century. This street with these two rows of these wonderful plane trees was named Stephanie Alle in honour of the visiting Belgian princess (today it is known as street of prince Branimir). Interesting, isn't it? Maybe you never thought about this street as a historical sight to see, but it really is. Read more here and HERE.

MOSTAR'S CATHEDRAL OF MARY QUEEN OF SKY AND MOTHER OF CHURCH

Behind me (in the photographs bellow), you can Mostar's city cathedral. It's quite modern in design.  Its official name is Cathedral of Mary, Queen of the Sky and Mother of Church. Mostar's city cathedral was build in the eighties and the time period marked it in many ways. It is because it was build during the communism that its size was limited. The bell tower was added later on because of the same reason: communism. Despite the legal restrictions for religious building that existed during communism,  the cathedral has a nice and elegant design. Personally, I always prefer seeing historical cathedrals, but for a modern one this one isn't bad. 

MORE POSTS FROM MOSTAR CITY, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

 Here are some links in case you want to revisit or visit some of my older posts. 

1. You can see Mostar from the bird perspective in my previous posts (here, here and here).

2. One of my favourite streets in Mostar here and here.
3. Musala bridge (also known under its old name Tito's bridge here and here)
4. You can see photographs of Mostar's catholic cathedral here.
5. You can see images of Mostar and its famous Nertva river here, here and here.
6. You can see the surrounds of one of its most iconic catholic churches here.
7. You can see both photographs of old bridge and my drawing of it here.
8. Another one of my favourites when it comes to streets here.
9. You can see photographs of Croatian cultural centre/theater here , here , here , here and here.
10. You can see photographs of the main city park here here, here, here and here.
11. You can see images of Spanish square here, here , here , here and here.
12. You can see photographs of Custom's bridge here and here.
13. You can see photographs of the new bridge here and here.

14. A few photographs from old city centre (2018) here.

15. What to wear for sightseeing Mostar in summer here.

16. This post is focused on 7 outfits I wore but you can see many of Mostar's attractions there as well. I suppose the same can be said for most of my outfit posts.

17. Mostar as an Easter destionation (2019) here.

18. Mostar dinning and cafe recommendations here.

19. Hiking options in Mostar here.

20. My drawing of Mostar old bridge here.

21. University campus in Mostar here.

22. How I have fallen in love with Mostar here.

As always, thank you for stopping by. Have a lovely day!