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Welcome to the Ginger Pens website, your ultimate destination for book reviews, special features and the latest news from the world of literature.
We are a team of bibliophiles who created this website with great passion. In our website you will find book reviews, special features and news from the world of literature. Our love for books unites us and drives us to share thoughts, ideas and book presentations with people who share the same passion. And those people are you!
What you will find at Ginger Pens
1
Book Reviews
2
Author interviews and literary news
3
Special features and literary recommendations from our young readers
Ginger Pens Writing Community
The Writing Community is the result of a collaboration between the Tabula Rasa Creative Writing Workshop, and gingerpens.gr. Join our community and get in touch with the award-winning author Antigone Pommer, who will reveal little secrets about writing and answer your questions.
RECENT BOOK REVIEWS
Cassandra Clare “City of Bones”
By Maria Lytrivi, @marialytr_author
“City of Bones” by Cassandra Clare (published in 2007) is an urban fantasy YA novel that follows 15-year-old Clary Fray. After her mother’s disappearance, Clary gets swept up in a world full of demons, vampires, werewolves, and the legendary Shadowhunters, a secret race of humans born with angel blood, protectors of the mundane world (meaning the ordinary human world) from the monsters that lie within it. During her search for her mother, Clary will have to face her past, uncover hidden truths about her heritage, and navigate friendships and love as a not-so-regular teenager.
George Orwell "Coming Up for Air"
By Rodamanthi Sofikitou, @greek_studyholic
Orwell’s “Coming Up for Air” is an extraordinary book, which tells a story from a point in the late 1930s. It was published in 1939, just months before the start of World War II. His main character, George Bowling, represents an ordinary Englishman who tries to find himself between the wars. He is a mediocre middle-aged man married with a middle-class wife, Hilda, and they are living in a middle-class house.
Jason Rekulak “The Last One at the Wedding”
By Irene Loukisa, @irinilou_born_to_read
Frank Szatowski hasn't seen his daughter Maggie in years, and it breaks his heart every day. So when she calls him out of the blue, to tell him that she's getting married and he's invited, Frank is overjoyed. Maggie is marrying into one of the richest families in the country, and Frank finds himself overwhelmed by the social circle she now moves in. He'll do anything to reconnect, though, and arrives at their New Hampshire estate ready to bond however he can with Maggie's in-laws.
But as the wedding weekend gets underway, it becomes clear to Frank that although they have spared no expense, there's something strange about Maggie's fiancé. And maybe Frank shouldn't be celebrating just yet...
Stephanie Garber "The Ballad of Ever After"
By Irene Loukisa, @irinilou_born_to_read
"Happy endings can be caught, but they are difficult to hold on to. They are dreams that want to escape the night. They are treasure with wings. "
Stephen King "11.22.63"
By Pauline Georgiou, @littl.miss.bookworm
Another big, big King’s book!
Jake Epping is a high school English teacher, and Al is a 53-year-old diner owner. Together, they discover a way to travel back in time and decide to prevent the assassination of JFK in hopes of changing history—and perhaps the world we live in today.
Stephen King—my all-time favorite author—transports us to America in the 1950s and ’60s with remarkable ease and vivid detail. The atmosphere feels authentic, from the music and slang to the social tensions simmering beneath the surface. I loved every thread of the story, both individually and as they were woven together into a rich, immersive narrative. King takes his time developing the world and his characters, and that patience truly pays off.
Some readers might feel frustrated when the narrative seems to reset partway through, revisiting events with slight variations, but I found this structure fascinating rather than repetitive. It highlights the complexity of time travel and reinforces the idea that even small changes can ripple outward in unexpected ways. More importantly, it allows for deeper exploration of Jake’s character, his motivations, and the emotional weight of his choices.
This isn’t a horror novel; instead, it blends historical fiction with alternate reality, making it appealing even to readers who usually avoid King’s darker works. There is tension, of course, but it comes more from the stakes of altering history and the unpredictability of time itself than from supernatural terror. At times, it nods to earlier books such as "It" and "Christine", which longtime fans will especially enjoy—like me! These subtle connections add an extra layer of enjoyment without overwhelming the story.
What stayed with me most was the emotional core. Beneath the time-travel premise lies a deeply human story about love, sacrifice, and the consequences of trying to “fix” the past. Even if you never read another one of his novels, finishing this book gives you the satisfaction of proudly saying, “Yes, I’ve read Stephen King.”
The book has been first published by Scribner publishing house on November 8th, 2011, https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/11-22-63/Stephen-King/9781451627299
The book is no longer available in Greek, but it has been translated by Giannis Spandonis for Bell publishing house, https://www.protoporia.gr/kingk-stefen-22-11-63-367846.html?srsltid=AfmBOorlVDkhyWj_CQ8uHrluVjoxbfqyZDwihnQ9kUwmY1zsGh9m1D3D.
Rebecca Yarros "Onyx Storm"
By Pauline Georgiou @littl.miss.bookworm
The final book of the trilogy is without a doubt my favorite! From the very first pages, it delivers exactly what I had been waiting for: action. The story opens with an intense battle against the dark wielders and their dragons, filled with powerful magic, brutal hand-to-hand combat, devastating losses, and hard-won victories. It immediately pulls you in and refuses to let go. The pacing is relentless, and the tension never truly fades. Every chapter leaves you holding your breath, wondering who will survive and what sacrifice will be required next.
Rebecca Yarros "Iron Flame"
By Pauline Georgiou, @littl.miss.bookworm
The second year at Basgiath War College is usually more relaxed for all riders. Not so for Violet. She has become entwined in a dangerous secret, which not only exposes her to stronger enemies but also puts her in the path of even more assassination attempts. The growing distance between her and Xaden does little to ease her burden, and the brutal, relentless training imposed by the college only adds to her challenges. Every day is a test of strength, courage, and resilience, and Violet must navigate it all while keeping her deepest secrets hidden.
Freida McFadden "Never lie"
By Irene Loukisa @irinilou_born_to_read
"How are you? The three most useless words in the universe of communication. Nobody who asks that question wants to know the answer. And nobody who answers ever tells the truth."
Newlyweds Tricia and Ethan are searching for the house of their dreams. But when they visit the remote manor that once belonged to Dr. Adrienne Hale, a renowned psychiatrist who vanished without a trace four years earlier, a violent winter storm traps them at the estate… with no chance of escape until the blizzard comes to an end. Tricia feels uneasy and starts serching the house. During her search she discovers a secret room in which Dr. Hale stored tapes containing the interviews with her patients... Tricia cannot help herself and starts listening to them. And the dreadful truth, among other hair-raising events begin to unravel!
RECENT SPECIAL FEATURES
Booktok: Getaway to Literature
By Rodamanthi Sofikitou, @greek_studyholic
This article's idea came to me while I was teaching literature in Greece, where many highschool students were enthusiastic readers of Booktok novels. In this article, I will develop three main arguments to explain why Booktok novels could have a place in the high school literature classroom, as a way of building a stronger relationship with books and literature.
Recommended by Rosa: My Favorite Fantasy and Fiction Book Series
By Rodamanthi Sofikitou, @greek_studyholic
One of the best decisions I have ever made in my bookish life is to only read book series during the summer. This happens for a lot of reasons, but the most important is that summer is the only period in my life when I have plenty of time to sit back and relax with a book, let alone a whole series! So, in this article, which belongs to my new project named "Recommended by Rosa", I am going to share my favorite fantasy and fiction book series with you.
The ReadUp Club
By Rodamanthi Sofikitou @greek_studyholic
The ReadUp Club is a community that organizes events for book lovers in cities across Germany and Austria. The core idea is “Silent Reading” in cafés, where each participant reads their own book, surrounded by others who share the same interest.
I had the pleasure of participating in their event in Bielefeld, and let me tell you: it was amazing!
The Aunts and Discipline in The Handmaid’s Tale
By Rodamanthi Sofikitou, @greek_studyholic
In this articleI am going to show how the Aunts in “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood relate to Foucault’s concept of discipline. In particular, this article explores the relationship between Aunts and Foucault’s notion of power about Panopticon, where people behave as if they are always under surveillance, even when they are not sure someone is watching.
Tribute to Crime Fiction: When Secrets Are Born in the Shadows
Written by Rodamanthi Sofikitou, @greek_studyholic
Within the pages of crime fiction pulses a world where the unseen meets the light — where the human soul stands naked before Justice, and passions unfold like secret manuscripts in forgotten drawers. It is the world of crime literature.
Ginger Pens present 30 of the most beloved classic children's books*
By Irene Loukisa @irinilou_born_to_read
We all aware of the beneficial qualities of reading literary works is, as it frees the imagination and sharpens the mind. This is something that should be cultivated from an early age. That’s why Ginger Pens recommend classic children’s books that have been read by generations and are still enjoyed today, without ever losing their charm!
5+1 Books we wish were translated into Greek
By Rodamanthi Sofikitou, @greek_studyholic
Reading books in English has a plethora of advantages, but one huge disadvantage: I constantly think that it should be translated into Greek!
So, here are my 5+1 book reccomendations for the greek publishing companies.