[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.

Bangkok: my thought on my recent travel there

As I have been to Bangkok a few times with some written posts in the past, I shall not dwell on as usual. Hence this post are my thoughts on my recent trip post pandemic. If you are interested on the places that I've visited, you can check out my posts on TikTok or Instagram here:
Sholee’s🌷Chill🌈Pill📚 (@sholee68) | TikTok
Susan Lee (@sholeesphere) • Instagram photos and videos

So, here's a brief of what I have liked from that trip:

1. I am so glad I get to save on transportation especially now that they have the SRT  Red Line train from Don Mueang Airport to BangSue Grand Station. From there, we boarded the MRT to Sukhumvit station and then walked about 10 mins to our hotel. Traffic free, less stress and cheaper compared to taking the taxi or limo. It's the same, vice versa, when we head back to the airport to go home.

2. We enjoyed staying around Terminal 21 Mall as 2 train lines run through the station there, MRT and BTS. Wherever we visited, we just had to make sure we know our routes first before heading out. As we are used to taking the train back in KL, it works similarly in BKK and we just need to know our stops. Even if we don't have many coins, we can buy our tickets from the counter. It is very convenient and hassle free.

3. Thankfully, we don't see many cannabis clinics here compared to Phuket. So, it was a drug-free experience wherever we go as we walked a lot! At least 10k steps per day!

4. The economy here seemed to have tripled! Every nook and cranny are filled with retail. The Thais really do know how to optimize their space and monetize it wisely. Totally the opposite in KL where there are still so many abandoned buildings and vacant malls. They even monetize the Chao Phraya River unlike the Klang River here.

What I wished was better:

1. Food. Overall, the street food we had pre-pandemic was way better than post-pandemic. Not many street food available that appealed to us. Somehow it seemed overrated now. Not sure if Covid got our tongue or our palate has changed since, but the food is of average variety and taste IMO.

2. Chatuchak Market. We used to scour the insides of the market looking for good bargains. This time around, we got cold shoulders instead. It sure felt like they only entertain the locals who would buy in bundles, more for wholesaling and not retail. We have to look around the outside for retail. So lesser variety and less bargain hunting.

3. MBK. It sure has a different vibe compared to pre-pandemic. It totally reminded me of a mall in KL i.e. Sg Wang Plaza. Our usual stalls selling good quality and affordable clothes were missing too. They used to have good food at the food court but now, it's incomparable. So, in the end, we left the mall empty handed with unhappy tummy.

Anyway, a quick recap of our hotel. This time we stayed at The Fusion Suites Hotel.

What I've liked:

i) A huge bathtub

ii) A superb hot shower

iii) A large comfy bed with firm pillows

iv) Efficient room service

v) Well-kept and clean even though dated

vi) Even the one and only elevator is efficient 

What I wished was better:

i) More lightings! The hotel itself is quite dark. I find that it has insufficient lighting in the room too especially during the night.

ii) More street food! We didn't have breakfast bundle thinking there will be street food outside BUT sadly, no.

iii) More English channels! There's nothing much to watch on the tele with mostly Thai speaking channels only. Tried to YouTube but I think WiFi wasn't as strong, so it always gets disconnected.

Other than that, overall, it was an awesome trip and we've discovered more places we haven't been to or covered. So, my list has since expanded exponentially and hoping for another few more trips to Bangkok soon! Sawadee kap!!!

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.

Barbie and girl power!

Recently, I've watched Barbie with my girl in the cinema. Halfway through the movie, a few guys left the cinema, leaving their loved ones to continue watching. It sure does show how bored they were of the movie, especially since it's about women empowerment, wokeness, girl power, etc. Moreover, the movie started off with Ken being aloof, living by Barbie's rules. I guess it sure hurts their manly ego. I've also come across comments about similar type of movies, their shallow mentality was a definite red flag with regards to such topic. 

So, it got me thinking, how come women don't leave the cinema when the opposite type of movies was shown? Also, women don't comment negatively of such scenarios where men reigned the world. Even when men owned some ''man cave'' with all their dolls which supposedly cost a lot of money. The same for women but when we own a few Barbies, we are deemed to be childish, and these dolls are a waste of money. I cannot understand such double standards.

After years of hardship and mistreatment, is it wrong for women to seek such recognition and justification? Must women always play the damsel in distress card? Must women always wear revealing clothes so that these men can ogle for free? Must women always have to stroke these men's ego? Don't these men have mothers or sisters at home? How do these men treat women? Equally or secondary? Nuff said... such topic / scenarios can go on and on...

This leads me to the character, Gloria, played by America Ferrera in Barbie. Her monologue sure hits the chord for me, totally spot on. Sharing them here for future me and also for all to view:

Here is Gloria’s monologue in its entirety:

It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong.

You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin. You have to have money, but you can’t ask for money because that’s crass. You have to be a boss, but you can’t be mean. You have to lead, but you can’t squash other people’s ideas. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but don’t talk about your kids all the damn time. You have to be a career woman, but also always be looking out for other people. You have to answer for men’s bad behavior, which is insane, but if you point that out, you’re accused of complaining. You’re supposed to stay pretty for men, but not so pretty that you tempt them too much or that you threaten other women because you’re supposed to be a part of the sisterhood. But always stand out and always be grateful. But never forget that the system is rigged. So find a way to acknowledge that but also always be grateful. You have to never get old, never be rude, never show off, never be selfish, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never get out of line. It’s too hard! It’s too contradictory and nobody gives you a medal or says thank you! And it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault.

I’m just so tired of watching myself and every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us. And if all of that is also true for a doll just representing women, then I don’t even know.

The above monologue taken from the article here:

Read full America Ferrera monologue from 'Barbie' movie - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

Respect people's culture

With the recent fiasco of a few mat sallehs who do not respect and understand people's culture, I honestly felt that they should not be allowed to travel. Such simple and basic civic etiquette has been taught when we were young, and we grow mature with such values in mind. However, there are some who are purely rude and do not respect others such as those few in the limelight. 

Me thinks they want such cheap publicity to promote themselves. I honestly have not heard of them LOL! Anyway, they should not be allowed to travel since they do not know how to respect others. It truly shows they poor upbringing, bringing shame to their family. Such bad manners are not to be tolerated. 

Every single country, be it Asian or African or British, has their own laws and cultures. Most countries do not condone LGBT so please do not blame Malaysia alone. You had a choice, to accept or to decline, and since it was accepted meaning you have to abide the terms and conditions. If you are not happy being here, then you should have declined! Why bother in the first place? And then acted lackadaisical as though you are innocent! I just cannot brain this!

There is this saying, ''masuk kandang kambing mengembek, masuk kandang kerbau menguak'' which literally means that when you travel to other countries, you must respect their customs and cultures of the respective countries. Such teaching is universal, so I wonder if these mat sallehs have learnt this in school or at home. Go figure!

These are just my observations; my thoughts so please respect them.

[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!