PURPLE QUEEN FAIRY READS

The ceiling lights in a huge restaurant in town Year 2022 is coming to and end. It's been quite a challenging and eventful year in all aspects with it's high ups and lowest downs.... My dad passed away end of April. I left my job of 8 years also in April. Joined 2 new organisations since and have been blessed with my current work position. And for the first time since this blog started, I posted very few posts and that's also because I read very little this year.  I gave away a lot of my collections and sold off (rather cheaply) some of my collections too with more to be sold and decluttered away.   My TBR pile is not growing as I didn't purchase any new books this year but neither are they reducing as I only read  about 15 titles this year. That's about 1 title 1 month whereas it certainly was much more in previous years. I really hope I can get back my reading habits again for year 2023. I only posted of 2 travels but in actual I travelled 3 times for work a...

  Image from web I haven't forgotten about this blog It's still very much in my heart But I have been bad Not been reading much this year Will vow to do better next year So Santa, don't forget my presents please Merry Christmas everyone Image from web

  Synopsis : The members of the formidable and captivating De Vere family of London live enviable lives in the world’s most powerful and desirable places, from London’s poshest neighborhoods to influential boardrooms.  But when old secrets begin to unravel and threaten everything the De Veres have worked for, the ramifications are deadly. This is what I say : I know, I know...it's too soon for another Tilly Bagshawe title. Especially one that she wrote as Sidney Sheldon but what can I say, I got hold of another copy and if I dont read it now, I will probably forget to read it. While not that original, t he characters in The Tides of Memory  was quite refreshing. There's Alexia De Verve, Home Secretary with more than one secrets.  Hubbie Teddy and son Michael and daughter Rozie. British. On the other hand, there's daughter Summer, mum Lucy and dad Arnie. American. The focus are more on Alexia and Summer.  And someone from Alexia's past named Billie.  All cha...

  Synopsis : DCI Alan Banks reluctantly investigates DI Bill Quinn with Inspector Joanna Passero. Quinn, convalescing at St Peter’s Police Treatment Centre, was killed by a crossbow on the tranquil grounds, and left compromising photos.  Quinn may be disreputable, linked to a vicious crime in Yorkshire and to a cold case – English Rachel Hewitt 19 vanished in Estonia six years ago. This is What I Say : I have not read any titles by this author prior to this title. Watching the Dark is the first title that I read but it's the 20th installment in the universe of Chief Inspector Banks.   It's a murder/crime investigative title and it was quite good. Good enough for me to read right till the end although it took me quite a long time...over a period of months actually.  I am happy to complete it finally so that I can move on to other titles. There's a couple of murders in this story and they are in a way related so reading Watching the Dark is like watching the inv...

  Synopsis : #1  New York Times  bestselling author Sidney Sheldon’s most popular and enduring heroine—Tracy Whitney of If Tomorrow Comes and Sidney Sheldon’s Chasing Tomorrow—finds herself caught in a nefarious and far-reaching scheme involving international terrorism and corruption in this compelling thriller packed with heart-stopping twists and breathtaking action Once upon a time, Tracy Whitney was one of the best thieves in the business. Then she settled down and had a child—a beautiful, bright, mischievous boy who was the center of her life. Tracy planned to spend the rest of her days quietly, living anonymously deep in the stunning Colorado mountains, devoted to raising her son. But tragedy forces her to face her greatest nightmare. Now, with nothing left to protect, this superb con artist, jewel thief, computer wizard, and cat burglar returns to the hunt, more dangerous, ruthless, and reckless than ever. The world faces a new terror threat from Group 99, a divers...

  Synopsis : She's had to fight for it every step of the way, but Faye finally has the life she believes she deserves: she is rich, the business she built has become a global brand, and she has carefully hidden away her small family in Italy, where Jack, her ex-husband, can no longer harm them. She even has the wherewithal to occasionally turn a business trip to Rome into a steamy tryst.  But when several major investors--women Faye had trusted implicitly--suddenly sell off their shares in the company, and the police officer who helped search for her daughter discovers the dark secret of Faye's childhood, and she learns that Jack is no longer locked behind bars, Faye has no choice but to return to Stockholm. Not only does she have to fight again to keep her family safe, but now, at long last, she is forced to face the truth about her past. In this bold, mesmerizing story of seduction, deceit, and female power, a woman's secret cannot stay buried forever.   This is what I ...

I will be travelling again the next couple of days. This would be the 4th trip that I am making this year. The first two trips were personal travel and the third trip was work related which I shared about here . These are all travel to the capital city although I was at different part of the city each time. This time round, it's yet another personal travel to meet up with a family member and I am looking forward to the quality time together as well places we have planned to visit. I haven't decide which book i will bring along with me. As usual, I will bring a title. There are times when I would have selected a title by now but there are times when it will be a last minute selection. this time round, it seems that it will be a last minute selection.  Let's just wait and see.

  Synopsis : Faye has loved Jack since they were students at business school. Jack, the perpetual golden boy, grew up wealthy, unlike Faye, who has worked hard to bury a dark past. When Jack needs help launching a new company, Faye leaves school to support him, waitressing by day and working as his strategist by night. With the business soaring, Faye and Jack have a baby, and Faye finds herself at home, caring for their daughter, wealthier than she ever imagined, but more and more removed from the excitement of the business world. And none of the perks of wealth make up for the fact that Jack has begun to treat her coldly, undermining her intelligence and forgetting all she sacrificed for his success.  When Faye discovers that he's having an affair, the polished facade of their life cracks wide open. Faye is alone, emotionally shattered, and financially devastated--but hell hath no fury like a woman with a violent past bent on vengeance. Jack is about to get exactly what he de...

  Synopsis : Mason "Mace" Perry was a firebrand cop on the D.C. police force until she was kidnapped and framed for a crime. She lost everything: her badge, her career, her freedom--and spent two years in prison. Now she's back on the outside and focused on one mission: to be a cop once more. Her only shot to be a true blue again is to solve a major case on her own, and prove she has the right to wear the uniform. Even with her police chief sister on her side, she has to work in the shadows: a vindictive U.S. attorney is looking for any reason to send Mace back behind bars. Then Roy Kingman enters her life. Roy is a young lawyer who aided the poor until he took a high-paying job at a law firm in Washington. Mace and Roy meet after he discovers the dead body of a female partner at the firm. As they investigate the death, they start uncovering surprising secrets. Soon, what began as a fairly routine homicide takes a terrifying and unexpected turn . . . into something comple...

  Synopsis : Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets? A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of  Reasons to Stay Alive  and  How To Stop Time . Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? In...

  Synopsis : The Harmony Silk Factory  traces the story of textile merchant Johnny Lim, a Chinese peasant living in British Malaya in the first half of the twentieth century. Johnny's factory is the most impressive structure in the region, and to the inhabitants of the Kinta Valley Johnny is a hero—a Communist who fought the Japanese when they invaded, ready to sacrifice his life for the welfare of his people. But to his son, Jasper, Johnny is a crook and a collaborator who betrayed the very people he pretended to serve, and the Harmony Silk Factory is merely a front for his father's illegal businesses. This debut novel from Tash Aw gives us an exquisitely written look into another culture at a moment of crisis. The Harmony Silk Factory  won the 2005 Whitbread First Novel Award and also made it to the 2005 Man Booker longlist This is what I say : The Harmony Silk Factory has been sitting on my shelf for years.  I always wanted to save such titles for when I am reall...

  A hangout place called Pokok I just want to have it on record that I traveled for work for the first time in years recently.  It was a 5 days trip that brought me to new places in Klang Valley.  At the same time, I was able to visit my old hunting ground in PJ so it was a good trip. While I was there, I visited a place called Mahsa Avenue for the well-known hangout Pokok but at the same time, I found a little bookshop selling pre-loved books that totally does not have any one manning the shop. Located on level 2 of Urban Living in Mahsa Avenue, the shop is operated by PJ Preloved House, they termed it a self-service preloved bookshop and it opens from 10 am to 9 pm. Each book is only RM5.00. What you do, is you go in, browse through their collection of novels, etc, choose the books that you want, and payment is cashless, either via e-wallet or bank transfer.  The instructions are very clear.   I went in, browsed through but I couldn't find any titles to b...

  Synopsis : When Murder Is the Only Option… Tara Bannister's abusive stepfather finally pushed her too far. To save herself she  had  to kill him. Or did she? As Tara's self-defense claim crumbles, attorney Leslie Conners must overcome more than first trial jitters to mount a credible defense. Leslie must save Tara’s life...against her client’s will. Can a Lawyer Save a Client from Herself? Defense attorneys expect to catch their clients lying. It’s part of the game. But nothing in law school prepared Leslie for this. Tara’s confession doesn’t add up, and the reason may be more shocking than the crime itself. In the midst of this taxing case, Leslie’s wedding plans to law partner Brad Carson are interrupted by devastating news: she suffers from a dangerous rare heart condition. Does she dare tell Brad? Before the final gavel falls, Leslie must confront the truth about herself and her mysterious client, or the darkness of the past will swallow them both. This is what I sa...

  Synopsis : THEN She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone. NOW It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter. And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet. Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter. Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away. Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back. What happened to Ellie? Where did she go? Who still has secrets to hide? This is What I say : I thought I have read this title before but it turns out I have not.  For me, whatever it may be, titles on children who went missing are very difficult to read.  This was n...

  Synopsis : Oliver Stone is the most wanted man in America. No, not the maverick filmmaker Oliver Stone but the covert agent whose real name is John Carr. Men in the highest circles of power want him dead, and quickly, because he knows too many of their deepest secrets. On the other hand, the members of the secretive Camel Club not only want Stone alive, but they are willing to risk their own lives to save their leader and friend. Get ready for a David Baldacci thriller with relentless intensity, a perfect follow-up to his acclaimed "Stone Cold" - Camel Club #3. We begin with Oliver Stone taking drastic action to deal with individuals who have imposed injustices on him in his past life. He soon resorts to necessary flight and lands accidently in Divine, Virginia with a new young friend, Danny Riker. It's a strange place, fraught with secrets, criminal activities, and so much danger for Stone. This is what I say : I only read two books last month.  Both books are by David...

  Synopsis : The #1 bestselling author of "The Collectors" and "The Camel Club" returns with STONE COLD, number 3 in the series. It's an unforgettable novel of revenge, conspiracy, and murder that brings the band of unlikely heroes face-to-face with their greatest threat. Oliver Stone, the leader of the mysterious group that calls itself the Camel Club, is both feared and respected by those who've crossed his path. Keeping a vigilant watch over our leaders in Washington D.C., the club has won some allies, but it has also earned formidable enemies-including those in power who will do anything to prevent Stone and his friends from uncovering some of the hidden, secret work of the government. Annabelle Conroy, an honorary member of the Camel Club, is also the greatest con artist of her generation. She has swindled more than forty million dollars from casino king Jerry Bagger, the man who murdered her mother. Now he's hot on her trail with only one goal in m...

  To those celebrating, I wish you HAPPY TIGER NEW YEAR May your roar be greeted with success, prosperity  and good health this year 新年快乐

  Early next month, I will be going for my first travel for the year.  Like many others, travel was grounded for  more than two years and the last time I flew anywhere was in Dec 2019 and it wasn't even for a holiday.  I actually did a day trip to submit my research report in the capital city. After that, as you know it, the whole world went on lockdown. I wont say much about next week's travel other than it's another important delivery but will take me a few days to get it done. What I want to share is what I will bring along with me for this trip.  As always, I must bring along something to read. Whether I really read it or not,  that's another story. As in my previous posting, I re-organise my bookshelf and have put together all the books that I wanted to read. As such, it was rather easy to walk up to the shelf and select a copy.  This is what I selected.  I hope I get to read it the few days I am there. Don't know why I decided on this title....

  I thought I show you guys my newly arranged bookshelves.  They might not look the same a few weeks or months down the road as I put in new books and take out old ones to read. I am actually trying to downsize my collection so while re-organising them, at the same time, I tried to only keep what I really want to keep. I do not acutally arrange them in any order but I try to keep those in series together.  for the odd ones what are not a series of a few titles, I try to keep those in similar sizes together. I actually have a few shelves but let's just focus on one for now as like I say I am trying to downsize so the aim is to just end up with one shelf.  It seems like it's a rather difficult thing to do but I think I can do it. And yes, the books are all in doubles. This is a very good wooden shelf so the wood do not sag and are able to take the weight of the books. This is one of the 'inside' layer and these are my favourite chic lite collection.  Really love a...

  Synopsis : Laura Franklin bitterly resented the arrival of her younger sister Shirley, an enchanting baby loved by all the family. But Laura's emotions towards her sister changed dramatically one night, when she vowed to protect her with all her strength and love.  While young Shirley longs for freedom and romance, Laura has to learn that loving can never be a one-sided affair, and the burden of her love for her sister has a dramatic effect on both their lives. For too long she had stayed quietly in the background of her stunning sister.  Now there was a man that knew that Laura could love as passionately as her beutiful sister - if only she were given the chance. A story of consequences when love turns to obsession…. This is what I say : This would be the first title that I read in year 2022.  I read it in a sudden act impulsiveness when I saw a copy of this title for sales in a second hand book site and immediately began searching for an online copy and found it ...