[MPOV] The Bluestockings

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.71/5
Published: January 21, 2025 by The Nook Press
Author: Wendi Nunnery
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery Fiction

A magical bookshop, a long-lost novel, and two daughters searching for the truth...

Everyone in Hawthorn, Georgia believes Vera Black is dead. Everyone, that is, except her twelve-year-old daughter, Eleanor.

Six years have passed since Vera vanished after work one day, and Eleanor, who helps her father run the family bookshop, secretly believes that Vera abandoned them. When she discovers a draft of an old novel hidden in a secret desk compartment, a story tied to the strange death of another Hawthorn woman, Eleanor finds herself caught up in a mystery that causes her to rethink everything she believes about her mother.

At eighty years old, Ruby Hurst has lived under the shadow of her mother Alice's mysterious death since she was a child. What she witnessed on the day Alice drowned has cast a shadow over everything Ruby loves, and she looks forward to the day when she will leave Hawthorn, and everyone in it, behind. Until one day, when Eleanor Black shows up with a long-lost novel and breaks apart the carefully constructed world Ruby has hidden within for decades.

A warm, tender novel exploring the bounds of family, community, and love in unexpected places, The Bluestockings is a story for everyone who has ever hoped, even when all hope seemed lost.

I’ve enjoyed this captivating novel which triggered many nostalgic moments. It sure felt like I’m reading a story out of a Diva channel, which is suitable for young readers too. 

It is so relatable, so on point especially when Ruby visited the beach, where she lost her mother, again. From that moment on, with Ruby sort of come to her senses, I find the story became more well-rounded. It was more engaging then and, though it was kinda predictable, I was reading as fast just to know how it ends. 

It is a heartwarming story that was a breeze to read with magical elements that I love, so easy to digest and a fun read indeed. 

If you are interested, you can find out more of the author here:

Wendi Nunnery | Welcome

[MPOV] Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love

My rating: 4/5
Goodreads rating: 4.57/5
Published: October 14, 2021
Author: isthisselfcare (Brigitte Knightley)
Genre: Fanfiction, romance

Hermione straddles the magical and non-magical worlds as a medical researcher and Healer about to make a Big Discovery. Draco is an Auror assigned to protect her from forces unknown -- to both of their displeasure.

Features hypercompetent, fiery Hermione and lazy, yet dangerous, Draco. Slow burn.

Rating: Explicit
Fandom: Harry Potter
Relationship: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy

Tags: Healer Hermione Granger, Researcher Hermione Granger, Auror Draco Malfoy, Slow burn, unresolved sexual tension, eventual smut, POV Draco Malfoy, Forced Collaboration, Romance, romcom, Action/Adventure, EWE, HEA, reckless overuse of author's favorite tropes, oblivious idiots, All aboard the SS Denial, late-stage pining, what is pining if not denial persevering, no first names we die like men, do not look too closely at the plot you will only hurt yourself, scandalous ankle touching, misuse of whirlpool baths, graphic depictions of competent women, eroticized arithmancy, Crookshanks will fight god or become him, human on mushroom violence, Schrodinger's ethics, nuns

A fan fiction which gave me an ending worthy than the original coupling! I have always wondered why Hermione was with Ron when I find her better off with Harry. This fanfic gave me a different perspective though and Dramione it is!!!

I've totally enjoyed the plot filled with many ups and downs, so entertaining especially when they were in Malfoy Manor! The slow pace made me so anxious, with Draco being so dense that I feel like giving him a push! I loved the ending, predictable yet so lovingly satisfying!

This fanfic totally reminds me of when I was reading Fifty Shades of Grey. Of course, that was poorly written but the gist of it, the feels whilst reading it was the same! Only difference is this Draco fanfic was well written and well explored, making it a breeze to read through even though it was a thick tome! I heard the author has been scouted to publish this book soon, with a change of names, etc. I do hope it is as good, if not better than this one :-)

Thanks to 2 Dramione fans who made sure I read this! I'm sooo sold!

[MPOV] The Housemaid, #1

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.31/5
Published: April 26, 2022
Author: Freida McFadden
Genre: thriller, mystery, suspense

“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!

Finally, I have boarded The Housemaid train and there is no turning back! It was engaging with all the plot twists, but I did find it to be predictable and it does remind me of other similar books I have read. If you like Gillian Flynn and Sandra Brown, you should pick this up before it hits the cinema. Yeah, it has been adapted into the big screen! 

I did enjoy the journey painted and how it has ended so I am rating it 4/5 from the entertainment point of view. Also, I was hooked from the start to the last page, with the way it was written and how the story moved on. It did pop up some questions in my head with some parts lackadaisical, though not as significant, like when she finally hooked up with Andrew or when it was revealed what she was capable of. Sort of missed out some polishing to the set-up IMO.

Overall, an entertaining read and I do hope that book 2, The Housemaid's Secret, would be better! 

[MPOV] Love, Lies, Lunar New Year

My rating: 4/5
Goodreads rating: 3.83/5
Published: December 11, 2024
Author: Grace Tang
Genre: Asian romcom

Lily Wong is an animal activist whose main goal in life is to save reptiles from being turned into purses. Scarred by a broken engagement, she is resolutely single at thirty-five, which doesn’t sit well with her overbearing Chinese parents. The pressure to find a partner intensifies after her brother brings home a new girlfriend just before the Lunar New Year. So when Charles Chen–dashing heir to a multi-million dollar shark fin empire–asks to fake-date her while she’s protesting at the mall, she agrees on the condition that he fake-date her in return, to get her parents off her back for the holiday.

Charles is faking a relationship with Lily to solve his own his parents can’t stand his spoiled, social media-famous girlfriend, Margaux. After a bad fight with Margaux leaves him alone for the Lunar New Year, Charles convinces Lily to pose as his girlfriend. Charles hopes that by bringing the obstinately plain, shark fin-hating Lily home as a contrast, his parents will appreciate Margaux and accept her, helping him win Margaux back.

Charles’s plan backfires when his parents unexpectedly take a liking to Lily. The more they try to remedy the situation, the deeper their lie gets–and the more their real feelings for each other grow. As their families threaten to unravel their increasingly-less-fake relationship, Lily has to confront her fear of getting hurt again, and Charles has to decide between his family and his feelings. When Margaux reappears to reclaim her wealthy boyfriend, Lily and Charles are forced to make a decision between going back to the lives they knew before, or following their hearts into the new and unknown.

Truth be told, I totally enjoyed this novel. IMO, it is a mix of Kevin Kwan and Sophie Kinsella, so Asian romantic comedy... somewhat akin to Bridget Jones, LOL! I liked how the story flourished from when Lily met Charles to fake-dating to slowly falling for each other. It was like a Diva movie vibe that I couldn't wait for the Happy Ever After!

Love, Lies, Lunar New Year was an easy read, a breeze to finish it though it took me awhile due to the Chinese New Year break :-) Yeah, I chose to read this during the Lunar New Year LOL! I also find that it is a great effort from the author since it is her debut novel! Not forgetting, a cool storyline to boot!

Anyway, thanks to LibraryThing and the author, Grace Tang, for this e-book. If you are looking for something light and fun to read, why not give this novel a try.

[MPOV] The Accidental Malay

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 3.52/5

Published: January 1, 2022

Author: Karina Robles Bahrin

Genre: Asian lit, romance, fiction

Jasmine Leong wants to be the next CEO of Phoenix, her family's billion-ringgit company known especially for its bak kwa. But when Jasmine discovers she is actually a Malay Muslim, her newfound identity threatens to upend her life and ambitions. Set in Kuala Lumpur and other areas of Malaysia, The Accidental Malay examines the human cost of a country's racial policies, and paints a portrait of a woman unwilling to accept the fate history has designated for her.

Initially, I was kinda uninterested to read this novel even though the title has caught my attention. It's influenced by the fact that the author has won an award for it. Ya, I'm a little doubtful with award winning titles as I usually find it overrated. I was gifted this by chance, so I took the plunge and read it. 

"You can never do enough. You will always need to do better. Nothing is ever promised to girls."

Lo and behold, I found it to be funny, predictable yet entertaining, similarly to Kevin Kwan's Lies and Weddings. It was a well written novel, but I was taken aback with its overly mentioned religious coup and the stereotype upbringing. That aside, it is an easy read with an engaging prose that definitely had me wanting to finish it. It took me a while to finish it as I stopped during the festive period and then picking it up where I left off was a breeze!

"You're only in love with the idea of us," she says, gathering herself and sitting up. She turns to him, holding his wan face in her hand. "We should have ended a long time ago. Neither of us can save the other."

I do understand why it is a controversial book especially since it is related to religion. As I have mentioned, it was insinuated a little too often. Luckily, the overall premise of the story is entertaining for me and though it may or may not be a truthful depiction, this is a work of fiction. I'm more to the romance aspect of this novel which I find a little weird. Why weird? Well, the way how Jasmine fell out of Iskandar (who has been stringing her along) and fell in love with Kuan Yew (the swoon worthy one). I guess I would have wanted more flourish LOL! I know, too much Harlequins, LOL!!!

Oh well, I've enjoyed it and now moving on to my next read!