Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J Maas

Synopsis  :

From the throne of glass rules a king with a fist of iron and a soul as black as pitch. Assassin Celaena Sardothien won a brutal contest to become his Champion. Yet Celaena is far from loyal to the crown. She hides her secret vigilantly; she knows that the man she serves is bent on evil.

Keeping up the deadly charade becomes increasingly difficult when Celaena realizes she is not the only one seeking justice. As she tries to untangle the mysteries buried deep within the glass castle, her closest relationships suffer. It seems no one is above questioning her allegiances—not the Crown Prince Dorian; not Chaol, the Captain of the Guard; not even her best friend, Nehemia, a foreign princess with a rebel heart.

Then one terrible night, the secrets they have all been keeping lead to an unspeakable tragedy. As Celaena's world shatters, she will be forced to give up the very thing most precious to her and decide once and for all where her true loyalties lie... and whom she is ultimately willing to fight for.

This is what I say :

I first read Throne of Glass in November last year.  It was the first book in the series but I stop at book one as I was just 'giving it a try'.

I quite enjoy the story and the characters.in books one.  Thus when opportunity present itself for me to get hold of book two and the rest of the titles in the series, I was quick to grab it,  Crown of Midnight is the second book in the series.

Book two is all about things that happen in teh castle where Caleana is the King's champion and carries out his assassination on his behalf.  It also explores her relationship between Princess Nehemia, Prince Dorian and Captain Chaol.  However, no one, even Caleana are who they seems to be be and each and everyone of them has secrets to hide from the true intention of Pricess Nehemia, the secret power of Prince Diorian, and even Celaena is not who she said she is.

I guess you can even say that Crown of Midnight was a better read than Throne of Glass but then it would not be very fair to say such as both books are equally good.

Next up would be Heir of Fire.

The Wife by Alafair Burke

Synopsis :

When Angela met Jason Powell while catering a dinner party in East Hampton, she assumed their romance would be a short-lived fling, like so many relationships between locals and summer visitors. To her surprise, Jason, a brilliant economics professor at NYU, had other plans, and they married the following summer.

 For Angela, the marriage turned out to be a chance to reboot her life. She and her son were finally able to move out of her mother’s home to Manhattan, where no one knew about her tragic past.

Six years later, thanks to a bestselling book and a growing media career, Jason has become a cultural lightning rod, placing Angela near the spotlight she worked so carefully to avoid. When a college intern makes an accusation against Jason, and another woman, Kerry Lynch, comes forward with an even more troubling allegation, their perfect life begins to unravel. Jason insists he is innocent, and Angela believes him. But when Kerry disappears, Angela is forced to take a closer look at the man she married. 

And when she is asked to defend Jason in court, she realizes that her loyalty to her husband could unearth old secrets.


This is what I say :

Alafair Burke is a brilliant crime writer.  I read The Wife soon after reading The Ex.  While The Ex was so good that it brought me to read The Wife. The Wife is even better.  

There are unexpected disclosure along the story-line that made the plot of The Wife extremely fresh. 

Angela was initially painted as a boring housewife.  Your opinion of her will change at the end of the book.  She is not who you think she is.

I am so glad I rediscover the author.  Let me see if I can get hold of her other titles.

The Drowning by Camilla Lackberg

Synopsis :

Christian Thydell’s dream has come true. His debut novel, The Mermaid, has been published to rave reviews. So why is he as distant and unhappy as ever?

When crime writer Erica Falck, who helped Christian discover and develop his talents, learns he has been receiving anonymous threats, she investigates not just the messages but also the young author mysterious past. Then, one of Christian’s closet friends, Magnus, goes missing.

Erica’s husband, Detective Patrik Hedström, has his worst suspicions confirmed as the mind-games aimed at Christian become a disturbing reality. Christian's group of friends—a “gang of four” from childhood—is a tangled web of relationships, love triangles, and family secrets that Erica and Patrick must unravel in order to discover what really happened to Magnus and who is still threatening Christian.

But, with the victims themselves concealing evidence, the investigation is going nowhere. Is their silence driven by fear or guilt? What is the secret they would rather die to protect than live to see revealed? 


This is what I say :

Oh my....what is wrong with me?  I actually read this book and totally forgot all about it.  I can't even find this copy at home until I realised that I have sold it to a friend! hahah...and all of these escape my mind for the past month.

Anyway, The Drowning is the last copy that I have in this fictional universe and right after this would be The Lost Boy which was the first book that I read.  So basically the ending of The Drowning will lead to the beginning of The Lost Boy.

Storywise, The Drowning was just pretty standard Camilla Lackberg style.  It would not have been a story if not for the interference of Erica into something that honestly in my opinion, doesn't concern her.  With her being in the final trimester of pregnancy, I think she should just take it easy instead of investigating things that doesn't want to be investigated.

On another note, it was a rather sad story and one can't feel sorry for the antagonist.

Overall, it was a good story as it's the last that I have of Camilla Lackberg in my collection, I am trying to be generous here :).  So until I get myself more titles of Camilla Lackberg, this would be the last that you heard of her here. :)

The Ex by Alafair Burke

Synopsis :

Twenty years ago she ruined his life. Now she has the chance to save it.

Widower Jack Harris has resisted the dating scene ever since the shooting of his wife Molly by a fifteen-year-old boy three years ago. An early morning run along the Hudson River changes that when he spots a woman in last night’s party dress, barefoot, enjoying a champagne picnic alone, reading his favorite novel. Everything about her reminds him of what he used to have with Molly. Eager to help Jack find love again, his best friend posts a message on a popular website after he mentions the encounter. Days later, that same beautiful stranger responds and invites Jack to meet her in person at the waterfront. That’s when Jack’s world falls apart.

Olivia Randall is one of New York City’s best criminal defense lawyers. When she hears that her former fiancé, Jack Harris, has been arrested for a triple homicide—and that one of the victims was connected to his wife’s murder—there is no doubt in her mind as to his innocence. The only question is who would go to such great lengths to frame him—and why?

For Olivia, representing Jack is a way to make up for past regrets, to absolve herself of guilt from a tragic decision, a secret she has held for twenty years. But as the evidence against him mounts, she is forced to confront her doubts. The man she knew could not have done this. But what if she never really knew him? 


This is what I say :

I remember reading a title by Alafair Burke many many years ago but I have forgotten what I read.  A visit to my post here tells me that I had liked what I read.  That is why I am giving The Ex a chance here.


Fortunately, The Ex delivers.  It has a rather interesting storyline and honestly, the story could go many places and I certainly did not see this ending the way it was.  The author is also good in keeping the plot rather simple but yet once the final clue is revealed, it's rather brilliant.

There's many food for thoughts as well.  For example, does haboring the desire to murder someone whom you love for the wrongs they did to you will result in you carrying out the act?  Although this was discussed between the main character and a doctor, the underlying current of this thoughts being turned into another totally new story is possible.

I am glad I read The Ex.  Don't be surprised if I read another of her title real soon.

Nostalgic Gateaway (#1 2019)

Image from the web. Credit to the creator.
Love the colour

I am doing a weekend gateaway. It's the first time I am travelling out of town for this year so even though it's just for 2D/1N, it's something to look forward too.

However, it s not a fun trip though. More to attend to some personal matters rather than holiday.   At the same time, it's a chance to meet up with a friend whom I have not seen for more than 10 years.  She has invited me to bunk in at her new condo and I surprised myself for accepting!  Normally, I value my privacy and would normally prefer to stay on my own even if it's in an airbnb.  Anyway, it's would be nice to 'catch up' after so many years and we'll probably be visiting some of our old 'hound' late into the night!  Yup, the 'good old days'

I also want to check out some Korean grocery stores to see if I can get some produce that I need to make something that I have been wanting to make but I don't have that ingredient locally.

So, even though it's a short trip, how can I travel without my reading companion.  Due to luggage weight limitation, a book that's not too heavy is one of the main consideration.

With all things considered, I was greatly attracted to read Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill which I bought from a friend as a pre-loved copy early last year.  Yup, it's under the horror genre and when better time to read this than during the horror month but to read this while on travel? Am I out of my mind?

At the same time, I have started on The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl so the desire to just bring this book along and continue it is very strong.  But what if I finish reading it during the trip itself? I don't wish to bring another title?

Which shall it be?  I shall reveal when I do the review for the above titles after I return.