Announcement : Flea Market Sept 2013

Green Heights Mall in Kuching will be organising a flea market this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday which is 28th and 29th September.  It will take place on the ground floor of the mall from 10 am to closing time.

I will be taking part again and here's a preview of some of the books available for sales at the market.

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger - I have two copies of this book so one will have to go. Would you know that I bought one of the copies just last week? 

Man and Boy by Tony Parsons - I thought I lost this book and I actually read the last chapter in a bookstore as I didn't want to buy it just for one chapter.  Anyway, found the book in the most unlikely places at home recently while doing spring cleaning.

Memoirs of A Geisha by Arthur Golden - I read Memoirs many years ago. Should I read it again? I am still thinking if I should withdraw this from the sales!

Lovers & Players by Jackie Collins - I am very sure I wont be reading this ever again.  Perhaps if it's the Lucky Santangelo series then I might hold on to it.

 Angels Fall by Nora Roberts - This is my favourite book by Nora.  Maybe I should hold on to this.

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton - another wonderful book, the greatest hustle ever but that's just my opinion only.

 Fans of fantasy, world of wizards and warrors, there's something for you too.  Among others, I will bring with me  The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings, The Wish Wong of Shannara by Terry Brooks and probably another dozen of so titles.


I am looking forward to the flea market and would be bringing about 80 titles so do come by and check them out if you're in the neighborhood.

Voice Of The Heart by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Synopsis :

Youth taught them how to love. Betrayal taught them how to forgive.

Katherine Tempest, world-famous actress and star - a dark haried beauty with a volcanic temperament.

Francesca Cunningham, blonde, cool, distance - the aristocratic writer of bestselling historical romances.

Yet, their loves were inextricably intertwined over two decades and more.  Voice of the Heart is the spellbinding story of two unique and brilliant woman - and the charismatic men whom they loved and lost, and to whom they ransomed their hearts.

I first read this books many, many years ago.  At one time, I was rather hooked on the A Woman Of Substance Series of which Barbara Taylor Bradford is known for.  To be honest, I only read the first 3 books of the series and post the 90s, I was quite tired of Barbara's heroines.  I must have read Voice of The Heart sometimes in the 90s as well.  I can't really remember as Katherine Tempest somehow wasn't as captivating as Emma Harte.  As for Francesca Cunningham, I can't even place her at all.

Classified as a romance novel, the book is 900 pages long. That itself might deter some from even starting the book.  I must admit that I was quite reluctant to start it.  Having started it and not being one to leave a book read halfway through, I have no choice but to complete it.  There's no regrets.  I quite like the ending although I find it rather cheesy.

Reading Voice of The Heart is a bit like watching a mini series.  There's so many characters in involved and so many sub-plots and if it is rather easy to be confused as well.  It can get rather draggy at times and certain discussions between characters can just go on and one.

If you find the book rather draggy, persevere on, it's actually quite nice if you are keen on romance. It's somehow quite captivating.  Spanning over 20 years, readers will follow the story and the secret behind the lives of these characters that started in the glamorous 50s and ended in the 70s. 

There is actually a made for TV show based on this book which stars Lindsay Wagner and James Brolin.  I am not sure if it's any good as I have not seen it and I have no idea how close the movie follows the plot in the actual story.  You can check it out if you're interested but if I were you, I'll just go for the book.

A Successful Sales - July 2013

Similar event but different timeline

I just realised that I forgot to blog about a weekend flea market that I took part in few months back. recently.  This happened in early July and over a weekend in Green Heights Mall, a rather small but compact suburban mall about 15 minutes from the city.

Well, you might or you might not have read there about my previous experience prior to this that I had in a past event organised by the same mall.  Anyway, I was rather concerned that the response would be similar but one consolation that motivated me along was that the flea market would be held on the ground floor instead of the first floor of the mall this time round.

With a much longer operating hour as well, the weekend market also featured a more diverse vendors this time round with vendors from online boutiques, collectors and generally a group of people having fun sharing with the public their hobbies and interest and making some bucks at the same time :).  I really had a fun time even as a vendor.

Each vendor was given 2 tables to display your ware.  It's good enough for me to display the novels for sale as well some kiddies book that the princess was rather keen to sell as she has stopped reading them already.

First to go was Night Fall, a wonderful thriller by Nelson Demillle.  Correction, the first to go was actually Lipstick Jungle by Candace Brushnell.  It's actually a brand new copy that I have not read as I have 2 copies of the same title (bought by mistaken).  So, for RM7 (about US2), it was really worth it.  I really hope Nurul enjoys the book :)

Both Life Swap and The Other Woman by Jane Green went to the same buyer. She must be a real fan of Jane's.

The Divide also found a new owner.  I sold this book based on the fact that the author, Nicholas Evans also wrote the Award Winning Horse Whisperer and really, it is a very good read.   I said good bye to A Place of Hiding and Twilight Children to two British elderly couple.  The husband seems to be rather familiar with Elizabeth George and I kinda thought the wife would like what Torey Hayden writes.  I certainly wont recommend The Gatecrasher to her which was bought by a teen who seems to know what she wants.   I didn't really like this book and it's practically brand new so it's really a good buy.

Come day two, buyers seems to be more keen on thrillers so I sold Sleepy Head by Mark Billingham, Saving Faith by David Baldacci among others.


It is indeed a much better flea market experience and I would go as far to say that it's the best so far.  I think the mall management took the right action by placing the market on the ground floor of the mall which have higher traffic.

I really enjoyed finding new homes for my books and I look forward to the next sales.

p.s. For those from my home country - I am looking into buying books from others to supplement my stock.  if you would like to sell me your books, please let me have your name and email in the comments below and I'll get in touch with you.   Thank you.

Angels Fall by Nora Roberts

Synopsis :

The sole survivor of a brutal crime back East, Reese Gilmore settles in Angel's Fist, Wyoming - temporarily, at least - and takes a job at a local diner. One day, while hiking in the mountains, she peers through her binoculars and sees a couple arguing on the bank of the churning Snake River. Suddenly, the man is on top of the woman, his hand around her throat.

No one in Angel's Fist seems to believe Reese and what she saw, except for Brody, a gruff loner.  When a series of menacing events making it clear that someone wants her out of the way, Reese must put her trust in Brody and herself to find out if there is a killer in Angel's Fist, before it's too late.

My first introduction to Angels Fall was the movie adaptation which starts Heather Locklear.  I think I watched it twice over the years.  It wasn't that bad but after reading the book, the book certainly reigns supreme.

Because I have seen the movie, it was a very easy read when I read this book as I quite know the storyline.  Even so, I was still very much captivated by it. I didn't really like any of the characters, including Reese and Bordy but I really like the way Nora weaves the story and if you have never watched the show, you would have enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer is or even if there's a killer or is it just all Reese's imagination.

The only saving grace for the movie is seeing the wonderful and majestic view which I understand was filmed on location in Canada.

I think this is one of Nora's best book ever and I won't mind reading it again in years to come.  So, if you have not read any of Nora's book, this would be a great book to start.

One Door Away From Heaven by Dean Koontz

Synopsis :

In a dusty trailer park on the far edge of the California dream, Michelina Bellsong contemplates the choices she has made. At twenty-eight, she wants to change the direction of her troubled life but can’t find her way—until a new family settles into the rental trailer next door and she meets the young girl who will lead her on a remarkable quest that will change Micky herself and everything she knows—or thinks she knows—forever.

Despite the brace she must wear on her deformed left leg, and her withered left hand, nine-year-old Leilani Klonk radiates a buoyant and indomitable spirit that inspires Micky. Beneath Leilani’s effervescence, however, Micky comes to sense a quiet desperation that the girl dares not express.

Leilani’s mother is little more than a child herself. And the girl’s stepfather, Preston Maddoc, is educated but threatening. He has moved the family from place to place as he fanatically investigates UFO sightings, striving to make contact, claiming to have had a vision that by Leilani’s tenth birthday aliens will either heal her or take her away to a better life on their world.

Slowly, ever more troubling details emerge in Leilani’s conversations with Micky. Most chilling is Micky’s discovery that Leilani had an older brother, also disabled, who vanished after Maddoc took him into the woods one night and is now “gone to the stars.”

Leilani’s tenth birthday is approaching. Micky is convinced the girl will be dead by that day. While the child-protection bureaucracy gives Micky the runaround, the Maddoc family slips away into the night. Micky sets out across America to track and find them, alone and afraid but for the first time living for something bigger than herself.

She finds herself pitted against an adversary, Preston Maddoc, as fearsome as he is cunning. The passion and disregard for danger with which Micky pursues her quest bring to her side a burned-out detective who joins her on a journey of incredible peril and startling discoveries, a journey through terrible darkness to unexpected light.


I have to type out all the synopsis above as I don't have much else to say about this book.

I really...seriously really  wanted to like this book.  I used to love books by Dean Koontz years and years ago and I really... seriously really, wanted to like them again but the last few books that I read, I didn't like much so once again, I really, seriously really wanted to like this one.  If I have a magic potion to make me like a book, I would use it on this book  but I don't and end up not liking it much.

I must admit that the storyline is rather unique and certainly something I have not read before but yet I just wasn't sold on it.  There's actually two more characters in the book other than Micky and Leilani about.  One of them is Curtis, a little boy who's not a little boy who's on the run with a dog.  The other one is Noah, who's a PI and who's sister was a victim of mercy killing.  They were only all brought together the last few chapters of the book.

If you are looking for something different, you will certainly find it in One Door Away From Heaven.

Chapatti or Chips? by Nisha Minhas

Synopsis :

For twenty-three years, Naina has saved herself for the man her parents have chosen for her to marry.  They've chosen well; Ashok is handsome, kind and considerate.  Although she's met him only twice, Naina knows he will make a good husband.

Dave, on the other hand, would not.  Although, like Ashok, he's good looking and charming, he's also unreliable, thoughtless - and an incorrigible womaniser! Dave is Trouble with capital 'T'.  and with six months to go until her wedding day, Naina knows she should keep well away from him.  So why can't she stop herself?

I have fun reading about Naina who's so torn between two cultures and between two men. Ashok sounds like the perfect man, except he's the perfect man for her parents. He is not Naina's choice and Dave is Naina's choice but Dave is every womens' nightmare.  He's cocky and chauvinistic to the extreme degree.  He thinks highly of himself and doesn't believe in love.  That's maybe because he was never loved. 

The sidekicks in the books are also quite an amusing bunch and added some 'gravy' and 'ketchup'. Although everyone's pretty flat, it's kinda expected for a book such as this.

This is pure chic lite, Indian version.  It's quite enjoyable actually although it's rather cliche too.  Somehow, I have this naggy feeling that Naina's is the author's alter ego.  The way she made her out to be beautiful and super sexy and yet so vulnerable.  Traditional yet rebellious.  And Dave...totally an unbelievable character. Thinks with his 'other brain' and yet so super rich.  The author really went to the market with this one.  And her (author's mate) is also named Dave. Coincidence? No way.

For some fun read, Chapatti or Chips? passed the test but expect anything more, you better try another 'dish'.  Would I read another Nisha Minhas book?  Not likely in the near future but give me a some time and I might.