Reflections 2018

The time has come to pause and just think back on 2018.  

How fast 2018 went.  I still clearly remember this time last year and with a blink, more than three hundred and sixty over days have gone by...

2018 is a relatively emotional year...

Trust was broken and mended but will it be the same? I really can't tell. I really hope for it to be.

Stress level was high due to personal yearning for excellence and which is measured in the form of grade points....am glad to report that I am getting there...

I broke some barriers in my travel adventure when I went on a solo trip to the land of street food and bubble tea.  It was quite common for me to travel solo for work in my previous work but it's my first for a leisure trip.  I quite like it! haha..  It was also a wonderful time I had with the princess in the lion city even though it's just for a couple of days over the weekend.

I bought twelve books this year, the purchase of which is recorded in this blog here, here, here and here and oh...here too.

I read only about 36 books this year is is rather all time low but it's been like that for couple of years already so I guess I have to accept it.

PurpleQueenFairyReads will end the year with 55 posts which is 5 posts more than last two years which is rather unexpected but a pleasant unexpectation.  I would be happy to end with equal number of posts with the previous years but to be more is indeed a bonus.  Here's a cheer to an equally good reading year for 2019 and hopefully I can achieve target of 60 posts for the year.

I don't have any specific favourite book this year but I quite like Blood Sister by Jane Corry and Beach Music by Pat Conroy.

Reflecting back, there is 'something' that I though would be established this year but perhaps this is not the season for it to be so.

Come what may, I am thankful for all that happen in 2018 but it's time to say good bye and close the page and start a new page for 2019.

Merry Christmas 2018

In three days time, it's CHRISTMAS!

I can't believe how time flies as after Christmas it's NEW YEAR! and I can't say I am ready for it!

It's been a busy month so am looking forward to some QUIET TIME for Christmas with my books and I.

Here's wishing each and everyone of you

JOYOUS CHRISTMAS

AND

BLESSINGS BE WITH YOU 

AND

YOUR FAMILY

MUCH LOVE 

& 

THANKS 

FROM ME

and to the Chinese, Happy Winter Solstice Celebration for today...

Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

Synopsis :

Audrey develops a anxiety disorder as a result of an unpleasant incident and she can't leave the house. she can't even take off her dark glasses inside the house.

Then Audrey meets Linus, her brother's gaming teammate and she finds that she can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she's never been able to do with anyone before.

With his friendly, orange-slice smile and his funny notes, he starts to entice Audrey out again - well, Starbucks is a start. And with Linus at her side, Audrey feels like she can do the things she'd thought were too scary. Suddenly, finding her way back to the real world seems achievable.


This is what I say :

This is Sophie's first YA genre.

I can't say I like it.  I actually got a bit confused with it as I was waiting to find out what 'unpleasant incident' that caused Audrey to develop such disorder.  It was never mentioned.  It was just hinted that it was truly, really unpleasant and that quite a few girls were involved.  I think Audrey was bullied in some ways by these girls and it was be a horrifying experience.

Even then, I can't really find the 'umph' in this title.  Perhaps the author is being careful on how she would write this seeing it's a bit off the beaten track fro her.

The script narration part was unique and interesting and certain gave the book some dimensions.  

Other than that, I still prefer the 'old' Sophie Kinsella although I guess it's a good try by the author to attempt something different.

I read this during my recent weekend gateaway and it was just the right book...neither too light nor too heavy.

Second Time Around Books - Book purchase #5

Image from my insta-story

The Second time Around Book Fair is annual event in my city for the past ten or so years.

Initially, when the fair was here, there would be quite an excitement in the household for the princess and I.  Unfortunately, as time goes by, the excitement also got less and less and this year, we didn't even talk about going at all.

This could due to the fact that the titles and selections are not very exciting after a while as the books are not very new and for me it's also due to the fact that I have many unread books lying around that I am not motivated to go.

Having said that, I nearly purchased a few titles while in Kinokuniya in the capital city last week.  Kinokuniya's selection is just too fantastic.  I found books that I am not able to find in mainstream bookstores.  I have to physically forced myself out of the bookstore!

Anyway, I did have a bit of time the other day after dinner and since I was in that part of the city, I decided to drop by The Second Time Around Book Fair just to 'check it out'

'Check it out' I did and I walked away with two books :

• Room by Emma Monoghue which is a best seller and this particular copy is super new.

• The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos  Ruiz Zafon.  I love this series originally written in Spanish and translated to English.  I read The Shadow of the Wind years ago (more than 10 years) and and I read the second title the Angel's Games about 5 years ago and what I really want is the third book Prisoner of Heaven but I can't seems to come across it all these years.  Anyway, I am happy to get my hands on The Shadow of The Wind.  Going to read it again...soon.....

Anyway, both titles cost about US$4 only for both copies so it's a good purchase.

With that, this made my books purchases for the year at 12 books. *pretty happy".

Work Trip To The Capital City

I will have to make a trip to the capital city early December.

It is a most unexpected trip as I wasn't sure if I can obtained the approval to attend an event to which I wanted to, similar to what I attended last year.  To my pleasant surprise, boss gave approval.  (so, boss, in reading, thank you very much! Much appreciated for the opportunity).

The event will be held in the same venue as last year's but I have booked myself in a better hotel nearer to the venue and hopefully much safer.  It was a pay '2 nights for 3 nights offer' so it is an extremely good deal as it's just 5 mins walk to the event venue.

At the same time, I am extremely excited to check out the wonderful year end Christmas decorations which will be be up especially at the two bigger malls in the city as both malls are within walking distance from the hotel too.

Since I am on my reading marathon, one of the titles is coming along with me.  Just don't know which one yet!