[MPOV] The House of Doors

My rating: 5/5
Goodreads rating: 4.15/5
Published: May 4, 2023

Author: Tan Twan Eng

Genre: Historical fiction, Asian lit, LGBT

From the bestselling, Booker Prize-shortlisted author of The Garden of Evening Mists, a spellbinding novel about love and betrayal, colonialism and revolution, storytelling and redemption.

The year is 1921. Lesley Hamlyn and her husband, Robert, a lawyer and war veteran, are living at Cassowary House on the Straits Settlement of Penang. When “Willie” Somerset Maugham, a famed writer and old friend of Robert's, arrives for an extended visit with his secretary Gerald, the pair threatens a rift that could alter more lives than one.

Maugham, one of the great novelists of his day, is beleaguered: Having long hidden his homosexuality, his unhappy and expensive marriage of convenience becomes unbearable after he loses his savings-and the freedom to travel with Gerald. His career deflating, his health failing, Maugham arrives at Cassowary House in desperate need of a subject for his next book. Lesley, too, is enduring a marriage more duplicitous than it first appears. Maugham suspects an affair, and, learning of Lesley's past connection to the Chinese revolutionary, Dr. Sun Yat Sen, decides to probe deeper. But as their friendship grows and Lesley confides in him about life in the Straits, Maugham discovers a far more surprising tale than he imagined, one that involves not only war and scandal but the trial of an Englishwoman charged with murder. It is, to Maugham, a story worthy of fiction.

A mesmerizingly beautiful novel based on real events, The House of Doors traces the fault lines of race, gender, sexuality, and power under empire, and dives deep into the complicated nature of love and friendship in its shadow.

My utmost gratitude to Revitalize Books for the chance to read and savour this awesome book! It was such a pleasure reading every single chapter of this novel. I was fully transported back to the 20's... the swinging time when Penang was in its prime with many "angmohs" calling it their home.

There are many stories about Penang in the market, but this one was exceptional in my opinion. I liked how the story was told and the many characters that brought the story to life. Lesley and Robert, Willie and Gerald, even Sun Yat Sen made a cameo appearance. When Lesley decided to bare her soul to Willie, it was truly bizarre yet melancholy, a ''expect the unexpected'' moment for me. 

Mr. Tan truly knows his ways with words. Every prose so meticulously penned and yet the story flourished easily. I liked the extra touch where some Bahasa Melayu was added. It definitely localized the story more, giving it more depth and realistic. It was definitely an easy read even with the many incidents that transpired with the many characters involved.  

I am so happy to have finished this novel, one that I was looking forward to as I have enjoyed the previous 2, The Garden of Evening Mist and The Gift of Rain, a lot!!! I just hope that I don't have to wait another 8 years for the 4th one to be out LOL! If you like historical romance in Asian setting, do pick this one up. In case if you are not aware, there are some LGBT elements to the story so be forewarned ya...

[MPOV] Tuesday's Gone (Freida Klein #2)

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 3.96/5
Published: January 1, 2012
Author: Nicci French
Genre: Mystery, thriller, crime fiction

A London social worker makes a routine home visit only to discover her client serving afternoon tea to a naked, decomposing corpse. With no clues as to the dead man’s identity, Chief Inspector Karlsson again calls upon Frieda for help. She discovers that the body belongs to Robert Poole, con man extraordinaire. But Frieda can’t shake the feeling that the past isn’t done with her yet. Did someone kill Poole to embroil her in the investigation? And if so, is Frieda herself the next victim?

Nicci French used to be one of my favourite mystery crime authors. I still have a few unread titles on my bookshelf, so I thought to revisit this author. Maybe I have aged, or my palate has changed, as it has turned out to be an average read for me now.

Tuesday's Gone is the second book from the Freida Klein's series. I have not read any from this series and it can be read as a standalone as I didn't feel the gap. It somehow reminds me of the many female detective series like Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta or Ann Cleeve's Vera Stanhope, though on a different setting / premise. It definitely suited as a TV miniseries with the way it was written with all the extra fillers / subplots. Hence, I just couldn't wait to finish the book, to get to the end. The ending though, was kinda confusing for me as it sort of did a round robin and then the killer was found... so much for the anticipation. I do think that it will pan out nicely on TV though. 

Anyway, there are many new cozy mysteries popping up, I am spoilt for choice now! So, I plan to pick up books from my TBR piles on and off with the hopes to finish it all and not hoard any more books *fingers crossed* So, here's 1 of the many...

[MPOV] Finding Chika: a little girl, an earthquake, and the making of a family.

My rating: 5/5

Goodreads rating: 4.46/5
Published: November 5, 2019
Author: Mitch Albom
Genre: non-fiction, memoir. inspirational

" Mitch Albom has done it again with this moving memoir of love and loss. You can’t help but fall for Chika. A page-turner that will no doubt become a classic.” --Mary Karr, author of The Liars’ Club and The Art of Memoir From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Tuesdays With Morrie comes Mitch Albom’s most personal story to an intimate and heartwarming memoir about what it means to be a family and the young Haitian orphan whose short life would forever change his heart.  Chika Jeune was born three days before the devastating earthquake that decimated Haiti in 2010. She spent her infancy in a landscape of extreme poverty, and when her mother died giving birth to a baby brother, Chika was brought to The Have Faith Haiti Orphanage that Albom operates in Port Au Prince.

With no children of their own, the forty-plus children who live, play, and go to school at the orphanage have become family to Mitch and his wife, Janine. Chika’s arrival makes a quick impression. Brave and self-assured, even as a three-year-old, she delights the other kids and teachers. But at age five, Chika is suddenly diagnosed with something a doctor there says, “No one in Haiti can help you with.”

Mitch and Janine bring Chika to Detroit, hopeful that American medical care can soon return her to her homeland. Instead, Chika becomes a permanent part of their household, and their lives, as they embark on a two-year, around-the-world journey to find a cure. As Chika’s boundless optimism and humor teach Mitch the joys of caring for a child, he learns that a relationship built on love, no matter what blows it takes, can never be lost.

Told in hindsight, and through illuminating conversations with Chika herself, this is Albom at his most poignant and vulnerable. Finding Chika is a celebration of a girl, her adoptive guardians, and the incredible bond they formed—a devastatingly beautiful portrait of what it means to be a family, regardless of how it is made.

I had recently loss my furkid, Minnie, hence it was kinda hard and yet somehow it felt right to read this memoir. Life is a cycle from when you were born to when you die. Yet at times we tend to ponder on what if's or if only's, signs of regret at times, melancholy at others... the signs of grieving. 

The most precious thing you can give someone is your time, Chika, because you can never get it back. When you don't think about getting back, you've given it in love.

Anyway, I do find that it was truly well written, much better than Morrie's, maybe experiencing it first-hand brings out the best in the author, so to speak. Infused with many details to remember Chika by, in all her finest and hoping to never forget. It sure triggers the same with my mind wandering thinking of my dad and my furkid. My dad has passed away more than 10 years ago and to this day I still misses him though it isn't as raw as Minnie's as it has eased over time.

She broke down, sobbing, and my heart snapped in two, because I knew how hard that was to say. And I knew that you would listen to her. Two breaths. One.

A book I would highly recommend but do expect lots of sadness especially towards the end. If you are like me, a tissue box should be placed next to you. Some might not like the many treatments Chika had to endure to stay alive so do skip if you are not on the same page. 

[MPOV] The Inmate

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.10/5

Published: March 5, 2024

Author: Freida McFadden

Genre: Mystery, thriller, adult fiction

A gripping, twisty thriller from Freida McFadden, the New York Times author of The Housemaid and The Coworker!

The guiltiest people aren't always the ones behind bars…

As a new nurse practitioner at a maximum-security prison, Brooke Sullivan is taught three crucial rules: 

Treat all prisoners with respect.

Never reveal any personal information. 

Never EVER become too friendly with the inmates.

But nobody knows that Brooke has already broken the rules. Nobody knows about her intimate connection to Shane Nelson, one of the penitentiary's most notorious and dangerous inmates.

They certainly don't know that Shane was Brooke's high school sweetheart—the star quarterback, the golden boy who's serving a life sentence for a series of grisly murders. Or that Brooke's testimony was what put him there.

But Shane knows. He knows more than anyone. And he will never forget.

The Inmate is a propulsive, mind-bending thriller about how we define guilt—and who has to pay for it, from New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden.

Tons of gratitude to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for this awesome e-ARC!!! I'm so glad for this chance and I've truly enjoyed the novel! Such an awesome ride to the unbeknownst!

It was an anxious start that had me felt nerve-wrecking and thinking what I have gotten myself into. The desire to stop is there as well as the anticipation on what is to come. As I flipped the pages, I slowly find it to sound a little like Sarah Michelle Gellar's 'I know what you did last summer' LOL!!! However, the more it progressed, the more confused I was on who did it?! Thankfully it's the e version so I couldn't just flip to the back to know how it ends :-)

I liked the clarity of the story, how it was written and identified past or present day. This novel does go back and forth in order to know what happened before and after. The author sure knows how to keep us guessing and guessing, without giving much away, only little nibling bits here and there! I am surprised at how it ended, not knowing who to believe from when it happened and then the unexpected suddenly pop-up! I was pleasantly surprised with the actual outcome!

I liked the overall premise of this novel though it isn't as dark or sinister, yet it was troubling and scary. I have only read her other novel, The Coworker, so I can't compare this with any of the author's work, but I did enjoy this one with a different depth to it. If you are looking for a mindboggling read, The Inmate is a good one to try from Freida McFadden.

[MPOV] Secrets of Castle Rowley (Rowley Family #1)

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 4.43/5
Published: October 31, 2023
Author: Matilda Lockwood
Genre: Historical fiction, romance, mystery

Annabel Barlow isn’t interested in handsome princes or fairytale weddings—all she wants is to curl up with a good book.

When unexpected events turn her world upside down, she enlists the help of new friends— a clever one-eyed woodcarver, a confident laundress, a sullen baron’s son, and a cheeky maid. A romance blossoms, and amidst the unfolding adventure, the group uncovers dark secrets lurking in the castle’s past.

Overall, it was a historical romance fiction that is filled with many secrets and adventures. With a mix of exuberant and melancholy feels, the storyline is not the usual girl meets boy type and it did get complicated in between. Also, the many characters involved and the many things going on truly had me thinking of a Diva Channel series LOL! If not for the romance trope, I would have thought it's a Young Adult novel. I did wish for a faster pace though as it was kinda dry and slow in the middle.

If you are looking for a refreshing romance read, do give this novel a try. 

I've received this e-copy from LibraryThings with much gratitude.

[MPOV] The Dutch House

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 4.1/5
Published: September 24, 2019
Author: Ann Patchett
Genre: Historical fiction, family drama

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives, they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

This novel has won many literary awards. One would wonder why which is why I have bought it to satisfy my curiosity. Also, it has an attractive cover to boot. The story is narrated by Danny, which is about his family, the Conroys, from dad Cyril, mom Elna, sister Maeve and eventually stepmom Andrea with her daughters Norma and Bright. It revolves around the house they live in namely the Dutch House. 

Though the pace is a wee bit slow for me, I can see why it was nominated and has won many awards. The author took the time to describe the scenarios with clarity, making sure the readers understand it perfectly. The plot itself was methodically placed with care that everything falls into place neatly. Truth be told, it was like a family biography or legacy being told which happens to be surrounded around where they live in. 

If you like family dramas, then you should try The Dutch House. It was just too slow for me, slower than the usual movies on Diva channel so I tend to yawn more. It did feels like reading something educational and yet it is fiction, so to speak. 

[MPOV] Spirits Abroad

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 4.20/5
Published: June 21st, 2014
Author: Zen Cho
Genre: ghost stories, magical realism, short stories, sci-fi fantasy, anthologies

"If you live near the jungle, you will realize that what is real and what is not real is not always clear. In the forest there is not a big gap between the two."

A Datin recalls her romance with an orang bunian. A teenage pontianak struggles to balance homework, bossy aunties, first love, and eating people. An earth spirit gets entangled in protracted negotiations with an annoying landlord, and Chang E spins off into outer space, the ultimate metaphor for the Chinese diaspora.

Straddling the worlds of the mundane and the magical, Spirits Abroad collects ten science fiction and fantasy stories with a distinctively Malaysian sensibility.

This is a collection of 10 short stories about the Malaysian spirits, folklores and the likes written by Zen Cho. There is no doubt that she writes pretty well but I just wasn't into some of the stories. I seemed to be reading this in the wrong month too LOL! Overall, it was entertaining to a point, but such spirits/ghosts' stories are just not my cup of tea.

I've listed the 10 titles here so that you know what to expect lah.

1. The First Witch of Damansara

2. First National Forum on the Position of Minorities in Malaysia

3. The House of Aunts

4. One-day Travelcard for Fairyland

5. Rising Lion - The Lion Bows

6. The Mystery of the Suet Swain

7. Prudence and the Dragon

8. The Earth Spirit's Favorite Anecdote

9. Liyana

10. The Four Generations of Chang E

I've enjoyed a few like no 2, 3 and 7. If you like stories by Tunku Halim or Ee Leen Lee, then you should give this book a try.

[MPOV] Where the Crawdads Sing

My rating: 5/5

Goodreads rating: 4.39/5
Published: August 14, 2018
Author: Delia Owens
Genre: historical fiction, romance

For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her.

But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.

In Where the Crawdads Sing, Owens juxtaposes an exquisite ode to the natural world against a profound coming of age story and haunting mystery. Thought-provoking, wise, and deeply moving, Owens’s debut novel reminds us that we are forever shaped by the child within us, while also subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

The story asks how isolation influences the behavior of a young woman, who like all of us, has the genetic propensity to belong to a group. The clues to the mystery are brushed into the lush habitat and natural histories of its wild creatures.

This book reminds me of Tarzan, a female version with a different premise. It may sound unrealistic at the start but as the story progressed, it turned out to be an amazing one! Indeed, a great book to kickstart my first read of the year 2024!

In summary, Kya was abandoned by her family when she was young and has been surviving on her own in the marsh. As she grew older, Tate comes along and befriended her, teaching her how to read since she didn't attend school. When Tate did not return as promised during his university breaks, Kya was devastated as she had been abandoned again. Along came Chase who tried to woo and eventually bedded Kya successfully. Unfortunately, another sad turn as she found out that Chase was getting married from the newspapers. As the story unfolds progressively, it shows the strength and will power of a young girl who survived her childhood to adulthood on her own.

Go as far as you can - way out yonder where the crawdads sing.

The overall story was bizarre and there were gaps initially but as the story progressed once she hits adulthood, it definitely felt relevant. The little flaws do not maketh the story poor and it sure was an engaging journey learning how a little girl survived on her own. It may not sound as logical, similarly to Tarzan, and yet it was intriguing enough. I am just glad of the outcome at the end, though I had my own suspicions, I was still amazed at how it ended albeit a little rushed/short. 

I have read lots of rave reviews of this novel, so I was a little skeptical initially as I didn't want to be disappointed and felt that it's overrated. I have experienced such sad outcome of late, so I have lowered my expectations lah. Thankfully, this novel just got better and better! I liked how the author has written and paced the journey which do keep me interested. I was anxious to know how it ends and yet I did not want to flip the pages. I wanted to read it continuously until the end, not wanting to miss a thing! I'm just glad to have completed it and rated it 5/5 according to my satisfied palate. 

And I'll hide the maid in a cypress tree, when the footstep of death is near.

I understand that it has made it to the big screen, but I have yet to watch it. If you have read the book and watch the adaptation, was it as good as the book? I have gotten my copy from Revitalize Books, an online books-for-rent shop. I'm happy to be able to read more and not own as many books. The lesser the hoarding, the better lah LOL! My reading target for this year is 30 books, an increase of 5 from 25 last year. I sure hope to read more from my TBR this time and not buy any more books *fingers crossed* LOL! What is your reading goal this new year?

[MPOV] Piranesi

My rating: 2/5

Goodreads rating: 4.23
Published: September 15, 2020
Author: Susanna Clarke
Genre: magical realism, mythology fiction, sci-fi fantasy

Piranesi’s house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. He lives to explore the house.

There is one other person in the house—a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known.

I'll admit it, I am not a fan. I practically speed read through it! Definitely one that I nearly DNF but continued just to see how it ends. At the start, I thought it's a Circe (Madeline Miller) kinda story but as it progressed, I find it a little confusing and it got me yawning mostly. This book reminds me of Tom Hank's Cast Away, a movie which I have not watch until today. It truly isn't my cup of tea. 

In a nutshell, this is my take btw, it's a story about Matthew who has been missing for more than 6 years and the police was still trying to locate him after getting a tipoff. He has been kidnapped and brainwashed into thinking he's from a different world. When he was found, he was reluctant to go home to his family thinking that the real world was not real. He sorts of becoming like Jekyll and Hyde i.e.  having 2 personalities in one body.

The author does have a way with words, as such I have rated it a little better. I would have thought that Piranesi is real until it got weirder and weirder. The story was mostly from 1 narrative until he discovers there are others in his world. That's when it slowly digressed away and I wasn't as interested, only wanting to know how the story ends. If you had enjoyed Cast Away and I am Legend, then this novel might suit your tastebud.

''The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; it's Kindness infinite.''

[MPOV] The Midnight Library

My rating: 3/5
Goodreads rating: 4/5

Published: August 13, 2020

Author: Matt Haig

Genre: Magical realism, fantasy fiction, mental health related

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 novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived.

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?

Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

Nora is feeling depressed and wanting to end her life. She finally gets her chance to die but she inadvertently ended up in a limbo. She is stuck between life and death, at 12 midnight in a library with Mrs. Elm who used to be her school librarian. Here she sees her regrets and also get to enjoy lives she has never chosen. She can then pick the one she wants to live in. Will she ever feel contented with that decision?

''Like I still wanted to die. I have wanted to die for quite a while. I have carefully calculated that the pain of me living as the bloody disaster that is myself is greater than the pain anyone else will feel if I were to die. In fact, I'm sure it would be a relief.''

The overall premise of the story dwells on Nora's mundane life and suicidal thoughts, how she finally overcame it and wanting to live her life in the end. It sure is enlightening looking from Nora's point of view, as I would never have thought of dying. It is so true that we should surround ourselves with family and friends who truly loved us and understand us, who will listen and not judge us. Suicidal topics are usually a taboo, but it is a good reminder that such mental illness must be taken seriously. It is a silent killer, and we just have to stay alert to be on the lookout of any subtle changes within our family and friends. 

Oops, back to the book. This book has received many rave reviews as such I was kinda intrigued since it's about suicide. I have enjoyed the story, but I didn't think it should be as long. At some point, I did find the process repetitive with a similar outcome. I guess the adventure should be as it is in order to fully grasps Nora's difficulty. It was also a well written book that I was able to finish it albeit a little longer time taken. I liked the clarity and easy to understand prose that I hope to pick The Radleys which is in my TBR pile.

 

I'm glad to finally read it as renting popular books are as easy as 123 nowadays. My TBR is filled with older books LOL! I've gotten mine from Revitalize Books, a local book rental shop.

My take from this novel: no matter how many lives or choices we are given, it is up to us to live it to the fullest, appreciate it, don't be judgmental and stop comparing it or we will never ever feel contented or happy. Whichever choice we make or choose, it is up to us to live it as it's a decision we made consciously.

[MPOV] The Cat Who Saved Books

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 3.72/5
Published: February 5th, 2017
Author: Sosuke Natsukawa

Translator: Louise Heal Kawai
Genre: Magical realism, fantasy fiction, Japanese young adult

The Cat Who Saved Books is a heart-warming story about finding courage, caring for others – and the tremendous power of books.

Grandpa used to say it all the time: 'books have tremendous power'. But what is that power really?

Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse.

After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people who have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone . . .

Sosuke Natsukawa's international bestseller, translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.

A magical realism about a boy who inherits a bookshop after his grandfather passed away. A quiet person who keeps to himself, Rintaro felt lost and has been moping around ever since. Even his classmate, Sayo, was not able to get him out of the bookshop until one day, a talking cat appears out of nowhere and asked for his help to save some books. The adventures Rintaro experienced with the cat finally sets him free and he is able to decide for his future.

There are timeless stories, powerful enough to have survived through the ages. Read lots of books like this - they'll be like friends to you. They'll inspire and support you.

This is one journey that I have somewhat enjoyed and yet felt a little underwhelmed. I can empathize with Rintaro, being a bookworm myself and yet wished the adventure he embarked on were more engaging, more challenging and more exciting. It did relate to every bookworm's weakness such as book hoarding and speed reading which was so spot on! As it was translated from Japanese, maybe that is why it was not as livelier as it should be. 

A book that sits on a shelf is nothing but a bundle of paper. Unless it is opened, a book possessing great power or an epic story is a mere scrap of paper. But a book that has been cherished and loved, filled with human thoughts, has been endowed with a soul.

This book is suitable for young adult book lovers as the magical realism is akin to a children's fairytale with a simple, straightforward book related adventure. I can imagine it being adapted to the big screen whilst reading it. If you like John Connolly's The Book of Lost Things, then this book is for you.

A shoutout to Revitalize Books, an online book rental shop, where I can rent books instead of buying and hoarding more books LOL! It sure helps on saving more space at home and definitely pocket friendly saving more $$$!

Books teach us how to care about others.

[MPOV] Struck Dead (Forensic Instincts #10)

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4/5
Publish: March 5th, 2024
Author: Andrea Kane
Genre: Fiction, thriller, suspense

The fragile line between life and death… Families that will never be the same…

When a tragic hit-and-run takes the life of a hardworking family man, multi-millionaire Christopher Hillington becomes the prime suspect, and the whole city of New York alights with speculation as to what happened.

But before the NYPD can establish Hillington’s guilt, he himself is brutally murdered in his own home. As he lays dying, he scrawls the name Casey Woods with his own blood, and the Forensic Instincts team is drawn into a complex mystery that has placed its president in the sights of a desperate killer.

A millionaire’s life is full of secrets and suspects. So as the baffled NYPD investigates Casey for the murder, and the body-count ratchets up, Casey herself becomes another potential victim. The FI team’s hardcore investigation has them twisting and turning through suspects and secrets, where the stakes intensify―and so does the collateral damage. As Casey and the team get closer to finding the killer, the unthinkable happens, and the life of one of FI’s own hangs in the blood-stained balance.

They say dead men tell no tales, but blood doesn’t lie. Peeling back layer after layer of deception, the team will cross whatever lines are necessary to solve the case, get justice for the families, and make their team whole again…unless the relentless killer gets to them first.

Firstly, my gratitude to Bonnie Meadow Publishing and Edelweiss for granting me access to this awesome thriller! I have always read historical fiction from this author hence this is my first read of this genre and also my first Forensic Instincts. 

No doubt Andrea Kane is a wonderful author and I would not expect anything less. This being the 10th book of the series, I can totally read it as a standalone, not worrying of getting loss in the hype / suspense! It was engaging from the start to the end and I did not get confused even with the many characters involved. I am partial to some of the characters especially the claircognizant one! I won't mind having such natural intuition.

This novel somehow reminded me of this TV series, Unforgetable, with a mix of Criminal Minds. With the mind game leading from one case to another, it truly had me guessing on who did it. In the end, I was half right LOL! If private detective thriller is your vibe then do give this Forensic Instincts a try.

[MPOV] The Forty Rules of Love

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.13/5
Published: January 1, 2009
Author: Elif Shafak
Genre: Spiritual, literature, historical fiction

Ella Rubenstein is forty years old and unhappily married when she takes a job as a reader for a literary agent. Her first assignment is to read and report on Sweet Blasphemy, a novel written by a man named Aziz Zahara. Ella is mesmerized by his tale of Shams's search for Rumi and the dervish's role in transforming the successful but unhappy cleric into a committed mystic, passionate poet, and advocate of love. She is also taken with Shams's lessons, or rules, that offer insight into an ancient philosophy based on the unity of all people and religions, and the presence of love in each and every one of us. As she reads on, she realizes that Rumi's story mir­rors her own and that Zahara—like Shams—has come to set her free.

In this lyrical, exuberant follow-up to her 2007 novel, The Bastard of Istanbul, acclaimed Turkish author Elif Shafak unfolds two tantalizing parallel narratives—one contemporary and the other set in the thirteenth century, when Rumi encountered his spiritual mentor, the whirling dervish known as Shams of Tabriz—that together incarnate the poet's timeless message of love.

My gratitude to Revitalise Books for this copy of Elif Shafak's The Forty Rules of Love. This is my first read from this author and I'm in between 3 to 4. In the end, I've rated it 4/5 as it was well written, it was easy to navigate between the past and the present. I liked that it has been tagged or titled for each chapter, so I didn't get lost at all.

Ella's story is from the present where she is living a typical housewife with 3 kids kinda life. She was given an assignment to read and report an unknown author's book, Sweet Blasphemy, which has slowly intrigued her and changed her way of life. Sweet Blasphemy brings us to the past with the likes of Shams, Rumi, Kimya, Aladdin and lots more.

"Although it clearly says in the Qur'an that slandering is one of the gravest sins ever, most people make hardly any effort to avoid it. They always condemn those who drink wine, or are on the lookout for adulterous women to stone, but when it comes to gossiping, which is a far more serious sin in the eyes of the God, they take no notice of any wrongdoing."

This may not be a popular opinion as I did find the religious teachings incorporated into the story kinda dragging as such I tend to skip more. However, the overall story is actually quite interesting with each individual sharing their side of the story. This is where I find myself more engrossed especially when they share their thoughts of Shams and his relationship with Rumi. Who would have known, bromance from way back then!

The one thing which is hard for me to grasp was Ella's choice after reading Sweet Blasphemy and having communicated with the author, Aziz. It's a little hard to accept that each time we read something enlightening that will lead us to a life-changing decision. A little too farfetched in my opinion. It was her decision to get married in the first place and also her choice not to question her husband's infidelity. So, to suddenly follow Aziz after having read Sweet Blasphemy was more of Ella running away IMO. 

Other than that, it was an interesting read with much of its religious context differed from the local ones which was eye-opening for me. I thought it should be universal but then again, many preachers have preached it differently, so it has changed through the years. If you are looking for something spiritual, unorthodox historical, this is a choice for you. 

"Love is the water of life. And a lover is a soul of fire!

The universe turns differently when fire loves water."

[MPOV] The Lives Between Us

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.86/5
Published: August 15th, 2023
Author: Leah Omar
Genre: Romance, women's fiction

Can two shattered survivors find healing in one another?

Carrie is a survivor, and if there’s one thing growing up with an eccentric mother taught her, it was how to chase her dreams. After beating cancer, things are finally looking up for her. She buys a fixer-upper on the idyllic Lake Traverse with plans to convert it into a bed and breakfast. When her hometown crush, Dax Abram, begins to notice her, Carrie is starting to believe that her future is full of hope.

Dax is lost and shattered. When the confident, successful, and charismatic basketball player became a widower, he threw himself into being the best single dad possible. His daughter, Kylie, kept him going when he lost all hope. Now, he’s sworn off relationships, thinking he could never find the happiness he had before cancer ripped his life to shreds. Dax is caught entirely off guard when he starts to notice Carrie in a new way. He’s known her his entire life, but after losing the love of his life, he can’t fathom having feelings for another woman.

Carrie and Dax fall into an easy friendship, but they must heal from their pasts if they are to find happiness together.

Thanks to Bronzewood Books and LibraryThing for this reader's copy. I'm glad I have requested for it as The Lives Between Us turns out to be an enlightening and engaging read. 

Carrie is a cancer survivor. Her best friend Malik pushes her to create and fulfill her wishlist in lieu of her beating cancer. Everything turns out to be good for her until Dax, her crush from high school, started to look her way and tumbles her life upside down. Dax has not recovered from the loss of his wife to cancer as such having difficulty in committing to a relationship. With his daughter in tow, he tries to be a good dad. When he started having feelings for Carrie, he became more cautious and paranoid that flips both his and Carries lives.

This novel reminds me of Nicholas Sparks - John Green type of books. Grief. Sickness. Love lost and love found. I do enjoy Leah Omar's version but with each dilly dally, I became a little more anxious to know how it ends! The self-discovery of their own individual fault was very slow indeed, thus added a little depth to the climax of the story. I liked how it ended and glad that it is a HEA one.

"You'll always be grieving, but you don't always have to be sad. You get to live life, Dax. Why waste that? What happened wasn't fair. But you're here. And there's a reason for that."

The story is told in alternate views of Carrie and Dax. Carrie is headstrong and yet vulnerable to Dax. Dax is such an insecure guy that I truly felt like shaking him up LOL! It truly was an engaging read and with the alternate views, I didn't get lost through both Carrie and Dax journey. It sure felt like the author has experienced both sides of the story, keeping me so in tuned to their plight and grievances. Definitely one to pick up if you are looking for a HEA romance fiction.

[MPOV] Crown of Salt and Bone (The Azantian Trilogy #3)

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 4.77/5

Published: September 26th, 2023

Author: Katherine Quinn

Genre: fantasy, romance, historical, adventure

This is the last installment of The Azantian Trilogy. You can read my previous reviews here:

The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea (The Azantian Trilogy #1)

On These Wicked Shores (The Azantian Trilogy #2)

A heartfelt Thank You to the publisher, City Owl Press, and LibraryThing for this advance copy! I am a happy bunny having to complete this awesome journey of Margrete and Bash!

This is a continuation from where we left off with Margrete becoming a god and ploughing through the Underworld to retrieve Bash's soul. Margrete is coming to terms with her newfound power and still being optimistic to find Bash's soul to reunite with his body which Minthe, Bash's mother, has hidden. She meets Halio, the god of death, who was kind to guide her through the Underworld and meeting the rest of the gods. In her pursue to rescue Bash's soul, she has made a pact with Halio. In order for the pact to succeed, she has to make another pact with Darius, the sea god, who has a hand in killing Bash. Another adventure begins to reunite Bash's soul with his body that involves selfishness, empathy, true love and forgiveness.

It sure was a rollercoaster ride that I find the pace to be inconsistent yet when it reaches the climax, it was well worth enduring it. A lot of details with the usual camaraderie that made this novel wholesome. When I thought it's reaching the end, another twist plot hinders the couple from HEA. It may not be as perfect, but it was good enough.

Even though there were many characters in this trilogy, Katherine has a knack to weave the plots together seamlessly. It was a while back when I last read the second book, but I didn't get lost reading this third one! I do have a short memory span so to not get lost is somewhat surprising! I liked how it ends, expected and yet with a little drama that is so engagingly warm and rosy.

If you are looking for an adventure - romance - fantasy with pirates and sea monsters, this trilogy should fit the bill.

[MPOV] The Crooked Little Pieces volume 3

My rating: 3/5
Goodreads rating: 4.33/5
Published: June 2nd, 2023
Author: Sophia Lambton
Genre: fiction, family saga

Dreams are a red flag for the danger-prone.

Postwar van der Holts. Sophistication sticks to Head of Music Isabel – and so does new headmaster, the mysterious and semi-dictatorial Richard Schneider. Dissent from doctorly conventionality leads Anneliese into digressions deviant even for her as she squares off not just against Susanna but a serial offender of the law. Sparks fly between old flames; new fears prove equally exciting. Loyalties are switched and cravings itched in this compendium of the forbidden driven by foreboding: a mere taste of the temptations still to come.

Treats are aplenty for the reader who prefers vicarious living in The Crooked Little Pieces: Volume 3: a world abundant in the traps of passion’s shackles.

Into the higher stakes we go.

Thank you, The Crepuscular Press, for this opportunity to continue where the van der Holts twins, Annaliese and Isabel, have left off. This is volume 3 of The Crooked Little Pieces. You can read my earlier reviews of volume 1 and 2 here:

The Crooked Little Pieces volume 1

The Crooked Little Pieces volume 2

The story picked up after the war with Isabel separated from her abusive husband and staying together with Annaliese and her husband. Isabel is now a full-fledged music teacher whereas Annaliese is a practicing psychiatrist. Their lives go on as usual until some changes in their line of work triggered a different obstacle. A new headmaster, a culprit hidden in plain sight and more corruptions added to their mundane lives making it more adventurous.

This book requires a slow reading pace, to slowly devour and understand the drama within. It is written in alternate views of the sisters about their respective side of the stories. There are so many plots going on that I had to keep up vigilantly or I would have been lost LOL! The way it's written sure feels like I am in a TV series of Downtown Abbey or some sort of drama from Diva channel. 

A walk down memory lane of the day's way back then. I've always had a soft spot for historical fiction which is one of the reasons I've requested for The Crooked Little Pieces. Reading through the twin's journey have been eye-opening indeed. A little lengthy in my opinion as I did wish it was shorter at times. Other than that, it was a nice novel to divulge in during my commute home.

[MPOV] The Coworker

My rating: 4/5

Goodreads rating: 3.98/5

Published: August 29th, 2023

Author: Freida McFadden

Genre: Mystery fiction, psychological thriller, suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this early copy of The Coworker by Freida McFadden. A member of the book club I am in highly recommended this author and she has been raving about the books she has read thus far! It has piqued my interest as she usually raves about Asian Lits and very rarely of other genres. 

This story has 2 timelines, one is from Natalie's current view and the other is from Dawn's. Natalie is the top salesperson in the company she works in. Dawn, her coworker, recently joined the company 9 months ago and sits next to her cubicle. Dawn is always punctual and has a weird craze over turtles that her colleagues snubbed her. When Dawn didn't turn up for work one day, Natalie was so concerned that she eventually went over to Dawn's house and discovered a crime scene instead!

This is my first Freida McFadden and it will not be the last, that's for sure! I am so amazed with the intense story telling from the start, that is on a consistent pace with lots of heart pumping question marks that left me anxious and on my toes! It truly had me thinking ''who did it?'' and then it went south, twisted in another direction and then got me confused "who did it?" again! I didn't expect it to turn out the way it did but when the story finally ends, I was definitely relieved!

"I really wanted to write a book where the 'guilty' party was thoroughly punished for their misdeeds, so I want my readers to finish the book with a deep sense of satisfaction and smiles on their faces."

~~~ Freida McFadden ~~~

Freida is truly a master at plotting and twisting crime mystery fiction. She's good at keeping the readers wanting to know more yet letting us nibble it bit by bit. I had my suspicions but when it reached that part, I was still in a daze thinking "that's such a psychotic episode!!!" I can't reveal names or plots, else it's a dead spoiler! Pun intended LOL! Either way, you are in for a treat if you are new to Freida's work of art! It sure is addictive and unputdownable!

Aside from all the mystery, the background of how it all started made it more relatable and understandable. I sure hope that current social ills in novels like this one will create more awareness, not only to the readers but to the world as a whole.

MPOV: The Nightingale

My rating: 5/5

Goodreads rating: 4.61/5
Published: October 8th, 2015

Author: Kristin Hannah

Genre: Historical fiction, World War 2

In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

This was one of the highly rated books I've come across with many rave reviews so much so that I had a very high expectation of it. Once I've received the stack of books from Revitalize Books, I immediately picked Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale to start with. 

Having a very high expectation, it does put a toll on the deliverable of this novel. It started off with the background of 2 sisters, Vianne and Isabelle. Both sisters were eventually left with a caretaker by their father once their mother passed away. Their father has since became more elusive, scarred by the first world war. The sisters grew up drifting apart with Vianne getting married early to Antoine and Isabelle was sent to boarding school. With the Nazi's creeping into France, both sisters found each other again with the same purpose: to save France and humanity.

A book filled with so many details from WW2 that I cannot fathom how these people survived during those torturous years. I felt their pain and sorrow. So much sadness and anguish, lost family and heirloom. I was brought back to a world where we would definitely not want to be at all. I can literally felt the painful torture Isabelle had! How she had lasted until then was truly a miracle as I would have succumbed to it. I know it's fiction but you get what I mean... The mental torture Viane has to endure, goodness, though fragile yet so strong!

This is my first read from Kristin Hannah and I am truly amazed with how well she has written this novel. She even had me crying when the inevitable happened! I was in the train on my way home after work and I was in a chapter towards the end where the plot was expected; yet I started to tear up and had to stop reading then LOL! 

Overall, it was an exceptional read for me though midway through it was a little slow. I was thinking it was slowly going downhill but before I knew it, everything started picking up and then that ending! I had actually thought otherwise by the way it was written. Some may like it, some may not but if you are looking for a war story, do give this novel a try.

[MPOV] Troubled by Love (A Too Busy Romance Novella)

My Rating: 3/5
Goodreads rating: 4/5
Publish: August 24th, 2023
Author: Tara Kennedy
Genre: contemporary romance, novella

Amy's now ex sent Dan to her instead of himself. Living in a new city and having to go get an abortion and dump her ex was not how Amy imagined this new chapter of her life going. Dan has been working hard to get his food truck going. Picking up ride shares, bartending, and barely sleeping, has all been to support that goal. Amy is the first person to make him wonder if he should be finding time for things that aren't work. After a few months of texting they decide to make a go of it. But when her ex shows up, Amy will have to figure out have things really changed?

Thanks to LibraryThing for this e-ARC in return for my honest review. I had wanted to read a romance book but I also wanted a short one which is why I've requested for this. 

Amy is living her new life in Washington DC after ditching her ex, Ryder, who has abandoned her while getting an abortion. Ryder has sent his buddy, Dan, instead to accompany her. Slowly, Amy and Dan's friendship grows, becoming more serious and they took the plunge to be committed. Unfortunately, Ryder returned thinking they could rekindle their relationship which in turned gotten Amy and Dan into a situation where they have to decide where their relationship is heading towards.

"I was hurt when I found out it was your birthday. I assumed it was a big deal and I was being penalized for not making an event I didn't have all the info on. But I'm falling in love with you too. Actually, I'm already in love with you. I can wait for you to catch up"

Fortunately, it was such a breeze reading this novella! Fast paced yet in detail, this author truly knows how to tweak it! Truly was an engaging read until the end and I liked that it was not the typical damsel in distress kinda romance. But yeah... be aware that not many may like the abortion part and it is just a story. The ending was expected but worth my time and effort finishing this novella in 2 seatings!

[MPOV] The Seafarer's Secret

My rating: 3/5

Goodreads rating: 4.04/5

Published: January 30, 2024

Author: Carol Ann Collins

Genre: mystery, thriller fiction

Secrets are revealed. Lies are exposed. And in order to have a future, William and Eva will have to delve into the past.

William Templeton, widower and police chief of Eden, North Carolina is working the scene of a local woman's drowning when the body is found with an old gold coin in her pocket – identical to a coin that was discovered on Catherine's body, his estranged wife, over a year ago. Catherine's case, originally deemed a tragic accident, has been reopened, forcing William to step down as police chief.

Historian and Blackbeard expert, Eva Knightly, is brought into the investigation to help identify the coins and can't understand why her good friend Catherine never mentioned anything about it. When more coins surface at a local church, Eva and William know it's more than mere coincidence. With the entire town whispering about Blackbeard, cursed coins, and lost treasure, it becomes hard to separate what is true and what is a myth.

The Seafarer's Secret is a thrilling cinematic mystery featuring the exigent slow-burning romance between William and Eva as they work together to reveal the secrets and lies of Eden, North Carolina. Though, in order to have a future, they'll have to look deep into the past to keep from being a modern-day killer's next victim.

Thanks to BookSirens and Beaufort Books for this e-ARC in return for my honest review. I've requested this novel due to the interesting blurb and thankfully, it was an enjoyable read.

"For anyone who ever dreamed about growing up to be a pirate, fighting a pirate, or falling in love with a pirate."

I'm glad to have read this novel as I did enjoy the storyline. I liked how the author has paced the story and not going overboard especially for the romance part. It was a straightforward one that does not confuse at all even though this was her first novel. It has a little excerpt at the end of each chapter, from a ''Journal of an unknown woman, early 1700s", that adds on more to the mystery. With the added mystery of the deaths and the exciting plot towards the end, overall, it was and enjoyable read!

"That's the best part of love. Being tied to something and knowing you're finally home."

If you are looking for a refreshing new author with crime and mystery plot then this is definitely one you can give a go at.