Reflections of 2021

 

A chandelier of pens taken in a Muji store 2 years ago

How have your year been?

I can't really use one word to summarise my experience for year 2021. On one hand, I didn't experience much but on the other hand, I felt a lot has happened.

Purple Queen Fairy will end the year with 35 posts. Never before in the history of this blog that I only did 35 posts for the year. It's an all time low as I normally average around 50 to 55 posts for one year.  I guess it can't be help as I read much less this year too.

Let's see, I only read about 24 books this year. Out of these 16 are physical books and 8 books were electronic books.  This gives it an average of 2 books a month.  Much less isn't it?  If it's not because I kinda motivated myself to read more towards the final quarter of the year, it would have been much less.

I only bought 3 books this year. Here, here and here.

Favorite book of the year?  I think it would be the three Camilia Lackberg titles.  You can find them here, here and here.  

On another note, I am also glad that I finally completed The Throne of Glass Series.  It was a few years in completing it from book 1 to book 7.  3 years to be exact.

While certain parts of the country is currently suffering from the aftermath of natural disaster, I am thankful to the almighty that those close to me are well and safe.  We are still experiencing a bad news received a few months ago but we at only at this point we trust God for His peace, grace and mercy.

Covid is still very much with the world and has evolved itself so it might be here to stay.  Last year, it was everyone's hope that this year things will be better so it's this year's wish that next year would be better but I think we just need to make it better the best we can as 'better' might not mean things will be like pre-covid time.

Anyways, thank you for journeying with me this year.  I hope you have been well.  God bless and have a good new year. Stay safe everyone.

image from internet. credit to the original creator.

Newton's Fire by Will Adams

 

Synopsis :

A breathtaking thriller which weaves history and religion with action, adventure and apocalypse…

Luke Hayward is adrift. Blacklisted out of academia, he is in no position to refuse when a client asks for his expert help in recovering some lost Isaac Newton papers.

But a chance discovery in a dusty attic plunges Luke into a race to uncover the truth behind some seemingly random scribblings - a race which pits Luke against a fundamentalist madman with dangerously powerful friends.

Luke discovers connections between Oxford, London and the Old City of Jerusalem in a breathless chase to uncover a secret hidden in the eccentric ramblings of a mathematical genius; a secret that, in the wrong hands, could be used to spark the holy war to end all holy wars… 

This is what I say :

This would be the last book I read for this year.  Newton's Fire is a rather intriguing title.  It has hints of Dan Brown ala Davinci Code but then different with a Sam Bourne feel as well.  The book started excited enough with murder and chases across the county and subsequently across the continent.

I do like Luke the character. He has his own charm but he's rather a plain Joe which fits quite well cos the female character is rather plain Jane too.  

There were certain sections in the book where things gets too descriptive but if you get past that, you will enjoy the rather thrilling adventure of Newton's Fire.

Blessed Christmas 2021

Photos taken by my friend who's in Middle East for work visit. Thanks JKM for the photo

Wishing everyone near and far

A Blessed Merry Christmas 2021

May Christ's blessing be with you and your family

Stay safe always

From the love of my life, my forever Princess 

The President Is Missing : A Novel by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

 Synopsis :

As the novel opens, a threat looms. Enemies are planning an attack of unprecedented scale on America. Uncertainty and fear grip Washington. There are whispers of cyber terror and espionage and a traitor in the cabinet. The President himself becomes a suspect, and then goes missing...

Set in real time, over the course of three days, The President Is Missing is one of the most dramatic thrillers in decades. And it could all really happen.

This is What I say : 

Like most fans of thrillers, I knew of this titles since it was first released.  However, I didn't think highly of it so it wasn't really a priority to get hold of a copy.  It was by chance that I came across an electronic copy a while ago.  Even then, I did not read it immediately but kept it in my tbr (to be read) folder for quite a while (almost 1 year actually!)

Anyway, it was recently, beginning of this month actually that I thought of giving this title a try and if I didn't like it, I can delete it from my tablet folder. Surprise oh surprise or maybe I should not be surprise, I quite like The President Is Missing.

It has elements of thriller and and a who's behind it type of feel.  I guess with James Patterson providing the thrilling factor and Bill Clinton providing the white house and presidential factor, the book certainly has the winning formula for me.

President Jonathan Duncan is as fiction as any president can be. He seems naive but endearing at the same time. Vulnerable but strong at the same time.  The ideal president in an ideal situation perhaps.  Whatever it is he's pretty likable.  He certainly is a fictional character!

If you do come across The President is Missing and if you're a fan of thriller of those at the highest level of power game that can change the world, you might like to give this title a try.

Forever (#3 in The Wolves of Mercy Falls) by Maggie Stiefvater

 Synopsis :

then.
When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.
That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.
Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment--a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

This Is What I say :

Forever is the final book in the story of The Wolves of Mercy Falls.  I started reading this series towards end of November and it took me three weeks to complete all three books.

Actually, there's not much story line in the series but I do like the way the characters interact with each other.  While Sam and Grace are the main characters and their love for each other are the beautiful forever kind, the chemistry between Isabelle and Cole and rather explosive.  The author actually wrote a follow up book dedicated just to the story of Isabelle and Cole after this series.  The title is Sinner and it's set after the incidents in Forever and based in California where Isabelle is being exiled to by her parents after her involvement in the wolves hunt in Forever.

All in all, happy ending I would say.  There's a lot more I want to say about Forever but I think I just stop here.  Am glad I read this series.

Linger (#2 in The Wolves of Mercy Falls) by Maggie Stiefvater

 

Synopsis :

the longing.
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

the loss.
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being a human.

the linger.
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life a constant struggle between two forces - wolf and human - with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough? 

This is What I say :

Linger is the second book the The Wolves of Mercy Falls.  There wasn't much story line in Linger. But then there wasn't much story line in Shiver as well.

This time round, the point of view of the story are from four person. Sam, Grace, Isabelle and Cole.   The focus of the author are more towards the emotions of the characters and not so much story development.  With the additional characters' point of view, it gives the book more depth and dimension.

The whole book has a rather sad tone. It's like the characters knew that things are not going to end well but yet, there's nothing much they can do about it.  The ending was rather unexpected or expected depending on where you're coming from.

Looking forward to the final book in the series, Forever.

Shiver (#1 in The Wolves of Mercy Falls) by Maggie Stiefvater

 

Synopsis :

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without.

Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

This is What I Say :

Shiver is the 1st title in The Wolves of Mercy Falls Series. At first, it was a trilogy but then it became a 4 books series.  Each title would be from a perspective a different character.

In this first title, it was from the perspective of Grace and Sam.

This title didn't get very good review from the general readers.  Still, I think it wasn't that bad but truth be told, it actually wasn't very good either.  I guess there's just too many werewolf genre of books in the market and readers who have their favorites would tend to be overly critical about other titles.  

The storyline is pretty simple and rather straightforward which might be coined as 'boring' but it was a rather pleasant read for me.  I quite like the characters although I can't really understand them.

I will be back to share about the second title Linger when I am done with it.

She's in a Better Place (Fairlawn #3) by Angela Hunt

 

Synopsis :

Jennifer Graham is struggling to make ends meet while running the Fairlawn Funeral Home, raising two children, and studying for her national board exam.

After her assistant and mentor reveals that he has a serious illness, Jen decides to help him reconcile with his daughter.

This is what I say :

This is the final title in the Fairlawn Series of 3 titles. I like this book.  There's a couple of funny moments and a couple of sad moments too. Isn't that what life is all about?  The good and the bad. That's how life is.

Learning point in She's in a Better Place?  I would say is to appreciate the ones you love and care for before it's too late.  

If on the other hand,  you feel unappreciated, you need to voice out to those whom  you care for and care for you for they might not know how you feel.  You don't have to go and fake a funeral just to find out like one of the characters in this book.   It's rather sad she has to resort to that but it provides some funny moments for this title.

The title She's in a Better Place also make reference to Jennifer as she's very much at peace with herself and her situation and I am glad she gets to experience something good at the end of the series..

I am glad I get to read this series.

Book Purchase #3 for 2021

 

I bought a book recently.  It's this book.  

This title has a deep meaning for me this season and getting hold of this book opens up a floodgate of emotions for me.

Will my first phone call from heaven be from him?

The is my third book purchase for the year.  My first purchase is here and second is here.

I think it will be my last purchase for the year too.

She Always Wore Red (Fairlawn #2) by Angela Hunt

 

Synopsis :

Jennifer Graham--mother, student, and embalmer's apprentice-- could use a friend. She finds one in McLane Larson, a newcomer to Mt. Dora, and is delighted to learn that the young woman is expecting a baby. 

While McLane's soldier-husband serves overseas, Jen promises to support McLane and then learns that her tie to this woman goes far deeper than friendship. 

When a difference of opinion threatens their relationship, Jennifer discovers weaknesses in her own character . . . and a faith far stronger than she had imagined.

This is what I say :

This is the second book in the story of Jennifer Graham and her funeral house business. She and her family live on the top floor of the house and the ground level is where her business is.  Readers might generally feel rather morbid about the whole arrangement but the author tries to normalise death and life and that everything is natural and there should not be anything morbid about the arrangement.

Personally, I like this second story better than the first book.  Jennifer and family are more settled.  However, I felt that some storyline is rather rushed especially where McLane is involved.  I like the storyline of Clay and his friends but was rather sad about it.

To me, the takeaway in this book is on choice and prayers and how God answers prayer is not necessary our ways but His ways.  It is also about acceptance especially accepting someone whom you are not keen to accept in the first place.  The choice we make is a reflection on ourselves and sometimes we cannot force our  view point on others and expect them to react in the same way.

You can read this as a stand alone title too if you happen to have a copy and not the first book.  It's quite easy to understand and follow the plot.

After this would be book #3 which is the final book in the series.  Review coming up next!

Doesn't She Look Natural? (Fairlawn #1) by Angela Hunt

 

Synopsis :

How do you cope when God asks you to bury a dream? In this new series by best-selling author Angela Hunt, readers will meet Jennifer Graham, the no-nonsense chief of staff for a Virginia senator who quits her job after a divorce and finds herself an unemployed single mom. 

Forced to live with her mother until she can find work on Capitol Hill that does not involve her gregarious ex-husband, her efforts are stymied until she learns that she has inherited a funeral home in picturesque Mt. Dora. 

Jennifer journeys to the small Florida town with her two sons and her mother, never dreaming that within a mortuary she will discover she has inherited a rewarding career that teaches her far more about life than death.

This is what I say :

It's been a while since my last post. Much has happen to the family as the dreaded covid paid a visit and caused some serious damage in the health of myself and a family member.  Am glad that we are all recovering although some side effect still lingers on.  You would have thought that I would be reading a lot during the time of forced rest but no, I was so exhausted most of the time and just too sick to read or do anything.  The fact that a beloved family member was admitted in hospital and there's nothing much I can do except to grab stuff over and to pray.  It was during those times that I do try to read a bit and I was drawn to the Fairlawn Series by Angela Hunt.

A series of 3 titles, the book are in extremely new condition as I bought them from the floating bookstore years ago and have been keeping them on my bookshelves all these while.  Am glad I started on the series during the above challenging time as these are Christian novels and certainly most uplifting with the messages of encouragement, forgiveness, trusting in divine intervention and such.

I didn't quite like the first title which is this one Doesn't She Look Natural? as I thought too much happened in just one book but then, I do like the message in this book.  Indeed let go and let God made a lot of sense here.

I always believe there's a time a season for everything, even what we read and this was the time and season for me to read these titles.

One down two to go.

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught (#5) by Neta Jackson

 

Synopsis :

For the Yada Yadas, gettin' caught up in troubles isn't the problem; it's how to get free.

Only weeks ago, we Yadas toughened our prayer knees when one of our own was the victim of a vicious racial attack. Now it seems each household is being thrown into even bigger and badder circumstances. It especially worries me, Jodi Baxter, because I'm a fixer by nature, and the prayer list is getting out of control . . .

Ruth and Ben are caught up in an unplanned pregnancy--in their fifties! Chanda is deluded by the glitter of her lottery dream come true. Florida wants to move her family, hoping to leave trouble behind, but it looks like it may catch up to her anyway. And I'm finding that even good things like prayer group can consume me in no time flat.

If there is an upside, it's that all this trouble is revealing the subtle lies we Yadas believe about God, ourselves, each other, and life. Maybe our best hope is to catch on to what God's doing--and catch on quick!--before the enemy can take any prisoners. That'd be a freedom worth celebrating. And celebrating is what my spiritual sisters and I do best. 

This is what I say :

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught is a Christian novel on the power of prayer.  It's actually the fifth book in the series but it's still readable as a single book by itself.  

It's not my first time reading what Neta Jackson wrote.  The last time was ten years ago when I read Who is My Shelter?  

It was really nice reading such book at this time.  Reminded me of the importance of prayer and the need to pray at all times for all things.  Something positive and edifying God that speaks on the power of God.  It would have been nice to be able to read the titles in sequence in order to follow the lives and developments of the characters but even if not, the single book alone is a blessing in itself.

I don't mind reading the other titles in the series in future if I can get hold of them.

The Devil and The River by R. J. Ellory

 

Synopsis :

When Sheriff John Gaines is called to the riverside, it is to supervise the recovery of the body of a teenage girl. The corpse is perfectly preserved, she could have died yesterday. But the locals of Whytesburg are in for a shock. For Nancy Denton, missing for two decades, has come back to them from the cold embrace of the riverbank.

This is what I say :

I wasn't really sure what I would be in for when I decided to start on this title.  Actually, I had meant to start on this title for quite a while but I kinda favor other titles over this until about a month ago that I decided to just go ahead with it.

This is my first time reading R. J. Ellory.  I was pleasantly surprise as I quite like the way this author writes.  He is quite eloquent with his writing and thus with an interested premise of a body that was preserved naturally for twenty years by nature itself, I thought this title as great potential.

Indeed, it was a good read.  Again, I really like the way this author writes and the way he described situation.  That is the saving grace for the book, for as the story develops, the plot kinda took a downward dive and I didn't like the progression of the story as much as when I first started reading it.

I didn't like the way the sheriff investigated the case. To me he didn't do much investigation. He practically just zeroed in on his hunch and bulldozed his way through without much consideration.  He kinda thought this person was the murderer and tried for the most part of the book to proof himself right.  Well, he was wrong!  Extremely annoying person!

Anyway, The Devil and The River is worth reading just to experience the way R. J. Ellory writes.

October Musing

 

Image from web

To think that it's October already and in less than 3 months, we would say good bye to this year.  I have been wfh on and off too these few months since June and life rhythm has been pretty disrupted these few months and life was actually starting beating to a new tune and rhythm.  

Couple of months ago also saw a shift to the current norm that we have been experiencing in the homefront and things will continue to change and shift again.  This is especially so over the last two months to say the least and honestly I have not really come to terms with the change.  Maybe as I slow down to think and muse, I can be in touch with myself. Maybe I am being dramatic here but whatever it is, I just want to keep note here as a note-to-self.

I might be back to update this post and to correct my thoughts again.

I also wasn't aware that October is the National Book Month.  So, ya happy national book month to all!  I really should catch up with my reading again. It's not that I stop totally but I have been slowing down in my reading habits and a book that used to take me about 1 week to complete is now taking me about 3 to 4 weeks.

I also want to start to declutter my books again.  I used to be able to sell them at my local flea market but I have not been doing so for the past 2 years due to covid.  I used to post them to sell at social media but I have not done so for quite a while.  I should start again soon. It's a lot of work to list them and post them but I guess there's no choice unless I can come up with another way to sell them.  Let me muse further on this.

Hopefully I can post on a book review  by the next post within the next few days as I have a book that I have almost finish reading.

The Girl in the Woods by Camilla Lackberg

 

Synopsis :

A MISSING CHILD…
When a four-year-old girl disappears from in the woods just outside Fjällbacka, the community is horror-struck. Thirty years ago, a young girl went missing from the exact same spot, and was later discovered, murdered.

A MURDER…
Back then, two teenage girls were found guilty of the killing. Could it really be a coincidence that one of the girls – now a world-famous actress – has just returned to Fjällbacka? Detective Patrik Hedström starts investigating, with his fearless wife, Erica Falck, by his side.

A TRUTH BURIED LONG AGO…
But as Patrik and Erica dig deeper, the truth becomes ever murkier. For centuries ago, a woman burned at the stake for witchcraft cursed the Fjällbacka families who accused her, and now it seems the past may be coming back to haunt them…

This is what I say :

This is the tenth title in the universe of Erika and Patrik of Fjallbacka.  I am happy to share that I have read all ten titles and the crime thrillers by Camilla Lackberg are all very good.  They are well written with just enough excitement and also give an opportunity to sleuth out the killer(s).

However, in The Girls in the Woods, it got a bit confusing at times and the back story of yesteryear do not really linked to the current timeline story.  The author try to justify the linkage at the final chapter but I find it rather vague. I mean she can use almost any backstory and it might have worked equally well.  If she had only linked it in earlier chapters and elaborate on it, I feel it might have worked better.  I always loved all this back stories from yesteryear from Camilla so this time round, I am super disappointed.

I also do not know her intention with the story on the refuge (maybe she just want to highlight the plight of refuges) but I can't find the connection to the story and it could have been omitted totally.

Having said that, it was a good story anyhow. It wasn't the best but it was still nice.

I think at this point, there are no other new titles under the Fjallbacka series. By the way, all her titles under this universe are stand alone titles and you can just read them independently.  However, you might then get confuse on the development of the personal stories of the regular characters  but that's quite ok. 

I will be checking out Camilla's other titles which is independent of this series soon. Stay tune!

Forever In Blue (The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood) by Ann Brashares

 

Synopsis :

With unraveled embroidery and fraying hems, the Traveling Pants are back for one last, glorious summer.

Lena: Immerses herself in her painting and an intoxicating summer fling, fearing that the moment she forgets about Kostos will be the moment she sees him again.

Carmen: Falls under the spell of a sophisticated college friend for whom a theatrical role means everything and the heritage of the Pants means nothing.

Bridget: Joins a dig for an ancient city on the coast of Turkey and discovers that her archaeology professor is available in every way except one.

Tibby: Leaves behind someone she loves, wrongly believing he will stay where she has left him.

Join Ann Brashares's beloved sisterhood once again in a dazzling, fearless novel. It's a summer that will forever change the lives of Lena, Carmen, Bee, and Tibby, here and now, past and future, together and apart.

This is what I say :

At one point in my reading habits, I felt like collecting all the titles in the Sisterhood of The Travelling Pants Series just because.  And I want to purchase them second hand and they have to be in pristine condition.

I started with the fourth book because it's the only copy that fitted my conditions.  For a while, I will faithfully be on a lookout for the other titles but after a while I got bored and I ended up with just this sole copy and the last book of the series.

Having spent the past few years living in my bedroom shelf (yes, I have a a book shelf in my bedroom, I have a couple in the study room and I have one in the main hall. Don't judge me.)  I just felt like giving it a read to see if I can just read this last story without knowing the earlier stories.

It was doable.  It will not be the ideal thing to do if you happen to be emotionally invested in the characters but since I was not and with totally no expectations, Forever in Blue was a rather ok read.

It is the last book in the series and the girls are more grown and more matured in their thinking and in dealing with lives.  There are characters who popped out for a while (must be from the other titles) probably to give everything a closure.

It would be advisable for you  to read from the first title, Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants which was made into a motion picture and then progress on from there for different reading experience.

Thanks for the Memories by Cecelia Ahern

 

Synopsis :

How can you know someone you’ve never met?

Joyce Conway remembers things she shouldn't. She knows about tiny cobbled streets in Paris, which she has never visited. And every night she dreams about an unknown little girl with blonde hair.

Justin Hitchcock is divorced, lonely and restless. He arrives in Dublin to give a lecture on art and meets an attractive doctor, who persuades him to donate blood. It's the first thing to come straight from his heart in a long time.

When Joyce leaves hospital after a terrible accident, with her life and her marriage in pieces, she moves back in with her elderly father. All the while, a strong sense of déjà vu is overwhelming her and she can't figure out why … 

This is what I say :

Cecelia Ahern delivers when it comes to interesting and unexpected whimsical plot.  Thanks for the Memories is no difference.  There's something magical in what she wrote and I meant that literally and figuratively.  That's her magic formula I think, to take something ordinary like blood donation (in this case) and something simple like missing socks in A Place Called Here and turn it into something magical through her writing.

Joyce and Justin never really met except for a short while  in the har saloon but the story is about them and they only met like towards the end of the story.  I can't say I really like the plot.  I would have like it better if he know how she felt and what she went through instead of just her knowing how he felt and what he went through.  I also didn't like it when he didn't turn up for the opera and went to the dinner date instead.  I didn't like it when he told her off on the phone and left her feeling sad (even though he made up for it.).

It's not my favourite title out of Cecelia's titles that I have read over the years but it's not the worst either.

The Ice Child by Camilla Lackberg

 

Synopsis :

SEE NO EVIL
It’s January in the peaceful seaside resort of Fjällbacka. A semi-naked girl wanders through the woods in freezing cold weather. When she finally reaches the road, a car comes out of nowhere. It doesn’t manage to stop.

HEAR NO EVIL
The victim, a girl who went missing four months ago, has been subjected to unimaginably brutal treatment – and Detective Patrik Hedström suspects this is just the start.

SPEAK NO EVIL
The police soon discover that three other girls are missing from nearby towns, but there are no fresh leads. And when Patrik’s wife stumbles across a link to an old murder case, the detective is forced to see his investigation in a whole new light. 

This is what I say :

First of all, it wasn't really a young child that was described in sypnosis above and as shown in the cover image.  It was a girl, a teenage girl and the title The Ice Child...I have a feeling it wasn't referring to her but to the child of years ago.

That musing aside, I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Ice Child.  I read it over the weekend when I was quarantined at home awaiting the result of a family member who came in contact with a covid positive person.  Thank God the family member was cleared of covid and while it was a stressful weekend, it was good to direct the tension into the book.

This is the 9th installment in the series of Erika and Patrik, wife's a nosy writer and husband's a police investigator extraordinaire and as both are good in getting cases solved.  This happened months after the incidents of Buried Angels .

Camilla Lackberg is just amazing in her plot development and I think this is a winner too.  She is just so good in lacing all characters and different plots together and then at the end of the book, even right up to the last chapter, she would throw a whammy that causes one to recoil back in surprise and in the book, she did just that when we are least expecting it.  

I thoroughly enjoyed The Ice Child.  Next is The Girl In The Woods.  Let me take a breather and be back with that review soon.

In the meantime, stay safe.

Buried Angels by Camilla Lackberg

 

Synopsis :

Easter, 1974. A family vanishes without a trace from the island of Valö outside of Fjällbacka. The dinner table has been exquisitely set, but everyone except the one year-old daughter Ebba is gone. Are they victims of a crime or have they voluntarily disappeared?

Years later Ebba returns to the island and the old summer camp where her father ruled a boarding school with an iron hand. She and her husband Marten have recently lost their three year-old son, and in an attempt to overcome their grief they have decided to renovate the house and open a B&B.

They've barely settled in before they are subjected to an attempt of arson. And when they begin to remove the floor boards in the dining room, they find dried blood underneath ... 

This is what I say :

First of all, just to be clear, there's another title for this book which is The Angelmaker's Wife.  Also readers must be aware that the author is Swedish and this title was originally written in Swedish and subsequently translated to English.  Also, Although this is an independent title/story, it is the eighth book in the universe of Erica and Patrik.  As such, there's no so much character development to some of the main characters in the books especially friends, families and colleagues of Erica and Patrik as their background story would have been told over the other seven earlier titles.

I last read the earlier titles was when I kinda marathon over the titles over a few months about two years ago.  They were physical paper-bag version which I have since passed them onto a friend who also enjoys what Camilla writes.

I read Buried Angels and the subsequent titles The Ice Child as an e-book through my mobile devises.  I read Buried Angels over the weekend and took me about four days to finish all the chapters.  Camilla just gets better and better and while The Lost Boy will be my favourite title, Buried Angels is not far behind.  

As usual, Camilla surprised me plot and while certain storyline was quite easy to guess, especially on who 'G' was, the other storyline was quite unexpected.  I was quite exasperate with Erica as she can be over zealous in her curiosity and put herself and others in danger.  

All in all, it was a great re-introduction back to the work produced by Camilla Lackburg.

Kingdom of Ash (Throne of Glass #7) by Sarah J Maas

 

Synopsis :

Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people ― but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day…

With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.

This is what I say :

Finally I reached the last book/title in the series.  A reading journey that took me almost 3 years starting with the first title Throne of Glass in November 2018 and ends with Kingdom of Ash in July 2021.

I didn't know what I was in for when I starting this series but I must say it's been an interesting reading journey, one which I really like.

Aelin started off as a thief and an assassin, going by the name Caleana Sardothien and by the series progress, she's Queen Aelin Galathynius.  There's more of her adventures in about six novellas about her time as a thief and assassin but I haven't read those yet.

It's not the perfect series. There are non and at times I really do not like some of the characters (even the good one and even the queen, there are moments which I think she's rather silly) but generally it was a good series.  I didn't like all the hype with the wyrdkeys but in the end, it's like misused in the hands of Aelin.

I didn't think much of Manon Blackbeak and the Thirteen at the earlier part of the series and kinda skip over them but surprisingly Manon became my favorite character towards the later part of the series and yes, the yielding of the thirteen was a very sad part in the book.

Lorcan and Elide became my favorite couple and Lysandra became my favorite hero together with King Dorian Havillaird.

Anyway, am glad I completed the series.

Goodbye Aelin and Rowan, Manon and Dorian, Lysandra and Aedion, Lorcan and Elide, Chaol and Yrene, Nesryn and Sartaq. 

The Year I Met You by Cecelia Ahern

Synopsis :

Jasmine know two things: one, she loves her vulnerable sister unconditionally, and will fight to the death to protect her from anyone who upsets her. Two, she's only ever been good at one thing – her job helping business start-ups.

So when she’s sacked and put on gardening leave, Jasmine realises that she has nothing else to fill her life. Insomnia keeps her staring out of her bedroom window, and she finds herself watching the antics of her neighbour, shock jock Matt, with more than a casual eye. Matt is also taking a forced leave of absence from work, after one of his controversial chat shows went too far…

Jasmine has every reason to dislike Matt, and the feeling appears to be mutual. But not everything is as it seems, and soon Jasmine and Matt are forced to think again… 

This is what I say :

Hello. I am back. Finally with a title that took me 1 month to read this.  I could have read in within a week but it took me 1 month as I wasn't as committed to reading as previously.  I am however, slowing picking up my pace.

The Year I Met You is a rather quaint title.  I quite expect that from Cecelia Ahern as she does write stories that are no the run of mill but in her own way.  If you are expecting this to be a love story between Jasmine and Matt, you will be quite disappointed.  However, there is a connection between Jasmine and Matt that's rather endearing and perhaps in another time and at another place and in the hands of another author, the story could have run differently.

The story span over four seasons starting with Winter and ends with Fall and the changes the Jasmine and Matt faces and encounter from being neighborhood strangers to rather neighborly friends.

If you are expecting plots, there's really none.  It's just a view of the lives of two rather lost individuals dealing with something they have never dealt with in their lives and learning about themselves and about each other along the way.

I didn't like it while reading it but only like it after I read it.

Taking A Break

 

With the world under lock down and with my area under MCO (Movement Control Order) for the past 14 days in attempts to fight the virus and with very high possibility of an extension and with the vaccine still not within my sight (still waiting for my turn), I have not been motivated to read.

With that, the blog seems to be taking a break too.

Hopefully, things (including reading for me) will be back to norm soon.

Take care all and stay safe.

God bless us all.

The Break by Marian Keyes

 

Synopsis :

'Myself and Hugh . . . We're taking a break.'
'A city-with-fancy-food sort of break?'

If only.

Amy's husband Hugh says he isn't leaving her.

He still loves her, he's just taking a break - from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together. Six months to lose himself in south-east Asia. And there is nothing Amy can say or do about it.

Yes, it's a mid-life crisis, but let's be clear: a break isn't a break up - yet . . .

However, for Amy it's enough to send her - along with her extended family of gossips, misfits and troublemakers - teetering over the edge.

For a lot can happen in six-months. When Hugh returns if he returns, will he be the same man she married? And will Amy be the same woman?

Because if Hugh is on a break from their marriage, then isn't she?

The Break isn't a story about falling in love but about staying in love.

The is what I say :

I am still having the Marian Keyes feel so I though I check out this title The Break.  I believe it's quite a new title by Marian although it's not the latest.

I started off not liking it. I just hate what Hugh and Amy are doing to each other and I ended up being curious as to how they would fare. At the end of the day, I was rooting for them but I can't actually say that I warm up to either of them.

I am actually quite surprised to read something like this from Marian but I dont know. I guess if one delves deep into the subject, there's a lot to discuss and point fingers at but no one is perfect and one just has to try as best as one can, embrace the imperfection and move on. 

The Break will not be a title that I would recommend.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (book #1) by J.K. Rowling

 

Synopsis :

Harry Potter's life is miserable. His parents are dead and he's stuck with his heartless relatives, who force him to live in a tiny closet under the stairs. But his fortune changes when he receives a letter that tells him the truth about himself: he's a wizard. A mysterious visitor rescues him from his relatives and takes him to his new home, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

After a lifetime of bottling up his magical powers, Harry finally feels like a normal kid. But even within the Wizarding community, he is special. He is the boy who lived: the only person to have ever survived a killing curse inflicted by the evil Lord Voldemort, who launched a brutal takeover of the Wizarding world, only to vanish after failing to kill Harry.

Though Harry's first year at Hogwarts is the best of his life, not everything is perfect. There is a dangerous secret object hidden within the castle walls, and Harry believes it's his responsibility to prevent it from falling into evil hands. But doing so will bring him into contact with forces more terrifying than he ever could have imagined.

Full of sympathetic characters, wildly imaginative situations, and countless exciting details, the first installment in the series assembles an unforgettable magical world and sets the stage for many high-stakes adventures to come.

This is what I say :

Actually, what can I say?  This title is so well know all over the world and read by millions since it was first published in year 2003....a good 18 years. 

Nothing much to say actually. I think this is my second or third time reading this title but my first time time giving it a space in this little universe of mine.  Since I have all the books in my collections, I though I revisit the titles once again.  However, it wasn't an easy visit as I have a lot of distractions along the way.  I think it will take me a long time to complete all seven titles.

The magic of Harry Potter is still very much captivating the attention and imagination of  readers all over the world.  However, I would love to have a chance to visit his world in land of the rising sun one of these days when travels are allowed..  I can't wait to "Expelliarmus!!" someone!

Second Time Around Books Comes Around Again

Image taken from organiser's FB page

 Second Time Around Books will be making its round in my city once again after the unfortunate break caused by the pandemic last year.  If I am not mistaken, the last time they made an appearance was in year 2019 and early 2020 and they were not able to do so for their annual end 2020 sales due to C19.

Well, starting yesterday and for about 6 weeks, they will attempt to tempt you with many titles of novels, paperbacks, hardcovers, children's book, non fictions like self help book, cookery books and many more genre and titles.

There will be folks making their way there and pick up titles that interest them or titles that they want to just try reading or even titles that just attracts their attention but of which they will never read.

I used to look forward to this yearly sales that had been making their rounds in the city yearly for the past 10 years or so.  However, in recent years, my interest in going to the book sales waned and I don't think I went at all the last round they were here.

Partly because I still have a lot of TBR at home, partly due to me being more selective in what I buy and read now and partly I prefer to purchase my read from local individuals who are selling from their personal collections.

Anyway, to each his or her own. So, if you are keen to check out these second hand books brought for you all the way from the states, do make your way to The Hills at the date stated above.

 

 

The Other Side of The Story by Marian Keyes

 

Synopsis :

Jojo Harvey is a dead ringer for Jessica Rabbit and the most ferocious literary agent in town. A former NYPD cop, she now lives in London making million-dollar book deals while trying to make partner at her firm . . . all the while sleeping with the boss man.

Lily Wright is an author who believes in karma, and is waiting for the sky to fall after stealing her former best friend's man. Though her first book failed to sell, her life turns upside down when her most recent book becomes a huge bestseller.

Gemma Hogan is an event designer extraordinaire, but her personal life is nonexistent after losing the love of her life and her best friend in one fell swoop. To make matters worse, her father has just left her mother. While taking care of her mother, she e-mails a close colleague about her frustrations, who in turn forwards the hilarious e-mails to a famous literary agent named Jojo Harvey, who just happens to represent her former friend, now enemy, Lily Wright. . . .

This is what I say :

Yes, I read this at the same time as I read The Mystery of Mercy Close.  I can't remember when did I buy this copy of The Other Side of The Story but as I read it, I do realise that it's not my first time reading it.  I probably read it years ago but I quite forgot. 

Anyway, this story portrays a totally different set of characters from the Walsh family. However, the style of Marian's writing shines through and it was an enjoyable book through and through.

It is indeed a fun read and while the issues were not fun issues, Marian made it light and enjoyable, the way a chic lite should be.

What other titles by Marian should I read next or should I read again?

The Mystery of Mercy Close by Marian Keyes

 

Sypnosis :

Helen Walsh doesn’t believe in fear – it’s just a thing invented by men to get all the money and good job – and yet she’s sinking. Her work as a Private Investigator has dried up, her flat has been repossessed and now some old demons have resurfaced.

Not least in the form of her charming but dodgy ex-boyfriend Jay Parker, who shows up with a missing persons case. Money is tight – so tight Helen’s had to move back in with her elderly parents – and Jay is awash with cash. The missing person is Wayne Diffney, the ‘Wacky One’ from boyband Laddz. He’s vanished from his house in Mercy Close and it’s vital that he’s found – Laddz have a sell-out comeback gig in five days’ time.

Things ended messily with Jay. And she’s never going back there. Besides she has a new boyfriend now, the very sexy detective Artie Devlin and it’s all going well, even though his ex-wife isn’t quite ‘ex’ enough and his teenage son hates her. But the reappearance of Jay is stirring up all kinds of stuff she thought she’d left behind.

Playing by her own rules, Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world, where her worst enemy is her own head and where increasingly the only person she feels connected to is Wayne, a man she’s never even met. 

This is what I say :

It's been a long while since I read any titles by Marian Keyes.  I used to love her books and have almost all her titles at one point in time.  I actually have quite a lot of her titles in my collection which I intend to keep and re-read them again.  That was my plan once upon a time.  As at now, am not sure if I would have get round to doing that.

Anyway, I have been wanting to get hold of a copy of The Mystery of Mercy Close for quite a few years already. Published almost 9 years ago, it's about the youngest (I think) of the Walsh sisters, Helen Walsh.  There are five sisters in the Walsh family and each sister has their own story.

Claire's story is in Watermelon, the only title that I have reviewed.  Rachel's story is in Rachel's Holiday, Margaret in Angels, Anna in Anybody Out There and we have here Helen with The Mystery of Mercy Close.

Each title also has a social issue and in The Mystery of Mercy Close, Anna actually has to deal with depression and suicidal thoughts.  Marian handles such issue in a very delicate manner, neither play up or play down the issues but treated them importantly but not too heavily.  That's what I like about Marian's writing throughout most of her books.

Just for the record, I am also currently another of her title, The Other Side of The Story which I think I read previously but I cant remember.

Her other titles that I read and reviewed are Last Chance Saloon, Sushi for Beginners and This Charming Man.

Back to Mystery, it's quite quaint and I do like it but I can't really relate to Helen (I never have even when she made appearance in her sisters' stories).  I was glad she finally has a own title.  She really needs help and her family are supporting her in their own way, the best they know how but she has to deal with a lot of issues on her own but she does it the Helen Walsh way so good for her.

It was quite enchanting to read Marian Keye's titles again.

Tower of Dawn (Throne of Glass #6) by Sarah J Maas

 Synopsis :

Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.

After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.

In this sweeping parallel novel to the New York Times bestselling Empire of Storms, Chaol, Nesryn, and Yrene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience if they wish to save their friends. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, deep in the shadows of mighty mountains where warriors soar on legendary ruks, long-awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival—or doom them all . . . 

This is what I say :

Finally this series is about to come to an end. This would be the second last book.  This book also brings readers away from the war and from Aelin Galathynius.  Instead, this title allows readers to journey with Chaol Westfall, the previous Captain of the Guard and the current Hand of the King to another Kingdom in the South.

There Chaol met with Yrene Towers, the healer who's attempting to heal Chaol of his injury. His companion to the Southern Kingdom was Nesryn Faliq who instead spent a lot of time with Prince Sartaq, heir to the Southern Kingdom.

While some readers was upset of this deviation from the main story, I rather like it as I am keen to see where the story will bring Chaol to as I do see him as a main character in the series. While he wasn't really well liked by some fans, I quite like him as I feel he's a rather misunderstood character and I am glad he has a book to himself.

There are news about Aelin and the battle in Skull Bay being mentioned as part of the story line but it wasn't the main story.  The main story is about Chaol and Yrene as well as Nesryn and Sartaq and there's not prize to see where the plot is heading.

I also enjoyed Tower of Dawn as it's acts as the calm before the storm...before the finale battle in Kingdom of Ashes. Can't wait to start on the final book.