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.
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.
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!
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| Image taken from organiser's FB page |
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.
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?
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.
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.
Synopsis : An ISIS attack on America is narrowly averted when the FBI uncovers a plot to detonate a weapon of mass destruction in Cowboys ...
