Only Time Will Tell (Book #1 of The Clifton Chronicles) by Jeffrey Archer

 

Synopsis :

The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words “I was told that my father was killed in the war.” A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he’s left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys’ school, and his life will never be the same again.

As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?

This introductory novel in Archer’s ambitious series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler’s Germany.

From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes readers on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the reader nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

This is what I say :

This post will start the review of The Clifton Chronicles of which there are about 6 to 7 titles.  Only Time Will Tell is the first title of the series which I read about a year ago.

I made much effort to gather all the physical books in the series even way before Covid. I got it from book sales, from FB marketplace and even from charity sales and they have a place in my shelf.  However,  about a year ago, I started to take them down one after another to read and now I am in book five

Only Time Will Tell started the tale of Harry Clifton.  The first book explores his identity.  Whose son is he actually?  Harry Clifton was portrayed as a rather gifted child with angelic voices who went to a prestigious school under a scholarship and met some friends and foes there who will impacting his life and the lives of his family in years to come.  The book ended with a rather cliff hanger to entice readers to quickly pick up book #2, The Sins of the Father.

The Godmother by Carrie Adams

 

Synopsis :

Tessa King is The Godmother 

And she's having the time of her life. Trouble is, she doesn't know it.

Sassy and solvent, Tessa King has nothing tying her down but her friends and her four godchidren. She could accept any invitation and go on any adventure.

But she doesn't. She's idling in neutral, waiting for her own 'happy ever after'

The her wish for domestic bliss is granted. Marriage and motherhood coud be hers if she wants them.  But as ever, the devil's in the detail and Tessa soon discovers that 'happy ever after' is just the beginning of the story because some fairytales aren't fair.

This is what I say :

This is yet another title that I read quite a while back.  It was quite entertaining but as of recent reads, I am also not too fond of the main character.  The way it's written, Tessa King just doesnt warm up to me.  

She does well enough to warm up to her godchildren especially the rebellious teen.  Along the way, she tries to find her own man to start her own family but no, it didn't end with her doing just that.

Would I recommend this title?  I dont really think I would.

The Last Secret of The Temple by Paul Sussman

 

Synopsis :

In the year 70 AD, as the Romans sacked and destroyed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, a young Jewish boy was hidden away and chosen as the guardian of a great secret. For seventy generations this secret remained safeguarded. But in present day Israel, a Jewish radical threatens to reveal this hidden truth and use it to rend apart the fragile Middle East—and only an unlikely duo of hardened detectives of very different origins and a young, enterprising Palestinian journalist can unite to ward off disaster.

A relentless and fast-paced thriller that moves from Egypt to Jerusalem to the Sinai Desert, that spans the millennia and involves Cathar heretics, Nazi prisoners, and modern-day suicide bombers, Paul Sussman’s The Last Secret of the Temple is a thrilling, roller-coaster adventure that brilliantly examines the participants on both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Timely, important, and completely absorbing, it marks Paul Sussman as one of today’s great thriller writers.

This is what I say 

(with some help from Chatgpt) :

There’s a lot to take in with this title—perhaps too much. The sheer density of the plot made it difficult for me to stay engaged. At one point, I felt completely overwhelmed and unable to follow the story anymore.

That said, the book has great potential. The storyline is thrilling, reminiscent of a Dan Brown novel, full of historical intrigue and fast-paced mystery. However, the writing can be a bit confusing, and unless you're reading it consistently, it’s easy to lose track of the plot and characters. That’s exactly what happened to me, and eventually, I chose not to finish it.

So here’s my advice - if you're planning to read The Last Secret of the Temple, commit to reading it steadily from start to finish. Otherwise, like me, you might find yourself lost in its many layers and twists.

Citizen Girl by Nicola Kraus & Emma Mclaughin

 

Synopsis :

Working in a world where a college degree qualifies her to make photocopies and color-coordinate file folders, twenty-four-year-old Girl is struggling to keep up with the essential trinity of food, shelter, and student loans. So when she finally lands the job of her dreams she ignores her misgivings and concentrates on getting the job done...whatever that may be.

Sharply observed and devastatingly funny, Citizen Girl captures with biting accuracy what it means to be young and female in the new economy. A personal glimpse into an impersonal world, Citizen Girl is edgy and heartfelt, an entertaining read that is startlingly relevant.

This is what I say :

I can't remember when I read Citizen Girl.  It must have been about a year or more ago.

The main character is named Girl and she's quite a mess and being a mess lands her in many situation that could have been avoided if she's a bit more in control of her life. However, she's extremely nice and being nice is not necessary a good thing for Girl as she's gets a lot of taken advantage of especially at work.

I didn't quite like Citizen Girl but I completed it faithfully.

The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo

Synopsis :

Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, but nothing could be further than the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .

Manchuria, 1908.
In the last years of the dying Qing Empire, a courtesan is found frozen in a doorway. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and handsome men. Bao, a detective with an uncanny ability to sniff out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach—until, perhaps, now.

Meanwhile, a family who owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments but can’t escape the curse that afflicts them—their eldest sons die before their twenty-fourth birthdays. When a disruptively winsome servant named Snow enters their household, the family’s luck seems to change—or does it?

Snow is a creature of many secrets, but most of all she’s a mother seeking vengeance for her lost child. Hunting a murderer, she will follow the trail from northern China to Japan, while Bao follows doggedly behind. Navigating the myths and misconceptions of fox spirits, both Snow and Bao will encounter old friends and new foes, even as more deaths occur.

This is what I say :

This is the first book that I read recently that I completed within 1 week.   I actually saw the title in a bookstore but I managed to get the e-version.

It helps that the story is very interesting and captivating which certainly motivates me in my reading.  It also helps that I really make an effort to read this rather than to watch yet another K-drama.

I like the way it's written, which is from the perspective of Bao in one chapter and Snow in the next chapter.  I also like that while both these characters were focusing on different matters, the whole thing come together after a while and we are able to see the whole story and I was actually pretty excited when Bao and Snow met each other.

This is the second title by this author that I read, the first being The Ghost Bride which I read about 5 years ago.  

The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella

 

Synopsis :

Sasha has had it. She cannot bring herself to respond to another inane, “urgent” (but obviously not at all urgent) email or participate in the corporate employee joyfulness program. She hasn’t seen her friends in months. Sex? Seems like a lot of effort. Even cooking dinner takes far too much planning. Sasha has hit a wall.

Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga, and find peace, she heads to the seaside resort she loved as a child. But it’s the off season, the hotel is in a dilapidated shambles, and she has to share the beach with the only other a grumpy guy named Finn, who seems as stressed as Sasha. How can she commune with nature when he’s sitting on her favorite rock, watching her? Nor can they agree on how best to alleviate their burnout ( manifesting, wild swimming; drinking whisky, getting pizza delivered to the beach).

When curious messages, seemingly addressed to Sasha and Finn, begin to appear on the beach, the two are forced to talk—about everything. How did they get so burned out? Can either of them remember something they used to love? (Answer: surfing!) And the question they try and fail to ignore: what does the energy between them—flaring even in the face of their bone-deep exhaustion—signify?

My Review :

It's been a while since I last review a title.  it's been a while too since read seriously.  It's been a while since I posted here too.

It is my plan to start again, both reading and also reviewing so I really hope I can be consistent.

I always love titles by Sophie Kinsella. From the Shopaholic Series and to her other stand alone titles. Generally I am a fan.

The Burnout however doesn't really have the Sophie Kinsella that I was familiar with.   It could have been written by any other authors of this gene.  After saying that, it doesn't mean it's not entertaining. It's actually a very entertaining read. It just doesn't really have that Sophie Kinsella magic.

The characters rather bland and somehow I don't warm up to Sasha.  I felt after dragging the storyline, the author tries to end it too hurriedly and the ending felt rush. I mean, after 29 chapters of everything else, only 1 chapter to wrap everything up.  It felt rush.

Having said all that, The Burnout is still a relaxing read. Nothing I need to think too much about and yes, it does have some 'lessons' but it's quite acceptable.

Hello Again

 

A colourful photo taken in KKV KL

Hello

It's been quite a while since my last post.  In fact, without much ado, it's been slightly more than 2 years.

Honestly, my reading has taken a back seat these few years.  I just lost the interest to pick up a book. I used to be able to read more than a couple of titles in a month but over the last years, it's taken me much much longer time to to through one title.

I really hope go back to reading and to my review.  I miss doing my review too.  There are actually about 10 titles that I have read over these 2 years that I haven't done the review. I will have to start soon after this.

I also missed doing my reflection posts.  Perhaps I will do a reflection post one of these days in the near future.

I have a lot of catching up to do.