The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

• ISBN-13: 9781401341701
• Publisher: Voice
• Publication date: June 2011
• Format: Trade Paperback, 416 pgs
• Source: Personal Library

• After reading the blurb at the back of this book, I knew I have to read it as the story is about the German Occupation in Guernsey during WWII, and also it revolves around the life of a woman whose husband has gone off to war and how she has fallen in love with a German captain. 

Vivienne de la Mare knew that life is not easy during the war times, especially when she has two young daughters and an ailing mother-in-law to take care of. Before the German soldiers invaded their town, she and her daughters are supposed to have left for London but Vivienne chicken out at the last minute after seeing so many people squeezed into the small ferry and that they had to travel under bad weather. Knowing that she has no choice but to stay, she grits her teeth and continues her life back at her countryside home. 

When a few German soldiers take up residence in the house next door to hers, she thought that as long as they remain low profile and discreet, then they would be safe but alas she never expect that she would fall in love with Gunther Lehmann, a German captain who is not only their enemy but also one who has a family like her too. 

Vivienne knew she is not supposed to love this man, but her relationship with her husband has already turned cold way before he has gone off to war. Plus, Vivienne feels connected with Gunther and she has never felt so lively with a man, at least not with her husband. So there begins their secret affair, and Vivienne now has to face another fear aside from the war - for being discovered by her family and the community. 

Life continues until a day her young daughter told her about a 'ghost' she met - a prisoner who has escaped from a Nazi work camp. Either feeling sorry for the prisoner or having guilty conscious for falling in love with the enemy, she decides to help the prisoner by giving him food and a place to stay, without the knowledge to anyone except her young daughter. It is at this time that she questions herself and wonder how much she could trust Gunther. 

Filled with intensity and emotions, The Soldier's Wife is one of the best fictions I read this year to date. Aside from the writing, the setting in Guernsey interest me as I don't think I have ever read a story set in that place before (yes, I should consider reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society) and on top of that, both the plot and the characterisations are riveting and at times, I wasn't sure if I should feel angry or sympathy towards Vivienne. She isn't a strong heroine in my opinion (i.e.her indecisiveness) ; but the good thing is, she is a compassionate person. 

The scenes about her relationships between her two young daughters and her ailing mother-in-law are another highlight of this story. Through Vivienne's eyes, I understand how difficult it would be to be the only family member to take charge of the household. And finally, how would one justify her relationship with Gunther? It sounds wrong to fall in love with your enemy, but from another point, he is just an ordinary man, only with a wrong nationality. So what is Vivienne to do? I suppose you have to read this book yourself to find out, but I just want to say the ending ends well with me. 

Movie: Kaiji 2 - The Ultimate Gambler

Hello, my dear friends and readers! It has been a long while since I have updated this blog but let me assure you that I haven't forgotten you all and that I still read books and catch up on fellow bookbloggers' posts via Google Reader. I may not have commented on all the posts I read, but I do read them. 

The first moment I logged on to Blogger, I was amazed at how much changes have been made over at Blogger and I figured I would have to explore them when I have some spare time. As of now, I am going to write my thoughts on the DVD I watched lately - Kaiji 2: The Ultimate Gambler. I mentioned this before that I have been searching for the first installment but to no avail to date. However, that does not stop me from watching the second part and I was glad that it could be watched as a standalone, even though there are some flashbacks of the first part to remind the audience some of the scenes it had happened and how these would affect the second part of the story. 

Anyway, the story opens with the leading hero, Kaiji Ito (played by Tatsuya Fujiwara) again being in debt and was sent to the underground to work as labourer. There are many others like him deep in the underground and they never get to see the light of the day. Thinking that he would be struck in there forever, Kaiji is thrilled when he is offered a chance to clear his debt of 200 million Yen but there is a catch. For starters, he has only two weeks to clear off his debts and most of all, he has to play against a beast of a machine dubbed "the swamp" (which is actually a pinball machine and the balls have to go through a few levels before one ball would drop into the red winning hole). Unfortunately, no one has ever won playing against the machine as it is controlled by the illegal casino's ruthless manager, Seiya Ichijo (played by Yusuke Iseya). He has the machine manipulated so that no matter how many times the players play, no one will walk out of that casino as the winner. 

Together with a few fellow "losers" who all have their own shares of misfortunes and emotional baggage on their shoulders, they decided to think of ways on how to beat the unbeatable "swamp" while hoping that time and Lady Luck would be on their side before they lose everything, again.

While Kaiji 2 is all about gambling and survival, I have to say this movie is also about humanity and yes, courage and determination. While I do not encourage anyone to gamble and be addicted to it, I do admire the strong determination and courage in the leading hero, Kaiji, and how in the end, it is not only about the money but also to redeem the freedom of his fellow friends in the underground as well. As for the entertaining part, what really held my interest is how "the swamp" is invented by using the logic of mathematics and even the laws of gravity! While one may find it hard to grasp on how these factors could apply to the machine, still you have to marvel at the invention and the mastermind behind it. 

Released in November last year, this Japanese movie made waves in Singapore as there was a star tour following its release and interviews of the leading actor, Tatsuya Fujiwara. These bonus features are included in the DVD as well and although the movie is in Japanese, there are English and Chinese subtitles to choose from. I am expecting a Part 3 because the ending scene definitely allows one to wonder about one particular character's fate. Bring it on, Kaiji Ito!  

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

ISBN-13: 9780349123745
Publisher: Abacus
Publication Date: February 2012
Format: Paperback, 384 pgs
Source: Personal Library

With The Times quoted Keigo Higashino as the Japanese Stieg Larsson (which stated on the print copy cover), I know I just have to read The Devotion of Suspect X; a book also which many of my fellow bookbloggers raved and recommended.

Yasuko Hanaoka is divorced and lives with her teenaged daughter, after being escaped the horror grasp of her abusive ex-husband, Togashi. Unfortunately, Togashi continues to harass Yasuko on and off even after their divorce and this made Yasuko and Misato, their daughter, both annoyed yet fearful of him at the same time.

One day when he shows up at her place to extort money and threaten her, the event has quickly turned disastrous when Yasuko and Misato murdered Togashi out of fear when their exchanges became ugly. Just when they are helpless and terrified of murdering someone, their lone neighbour, a high school mathematics teacher, Ishigami, heard of the commotion and came over to investigate. Due to his wit and his attraction towards Yasuko, Ishigami offers to help them to dispose of the body and even went out of the way to devise plans to divert the detectives from pointing the direction towards them.

Because Ishigami is Yasuko's neighbour, it is a matter of time that the detectives link him to the murder case, even though they have limited information or evidence to the case. Dr. Manabu Yukawa, a physicist and a college friend of one of the detectives, however thinks there is more than meets the eye. Although he isn't a detective and he is not asked to assist to solve the mystery, Yukawa is friends with Detective Kusanagi and he has in fact offers some insights into some of the past cases.

When Yukawa heard that Ishigami is linked to the murder case, he is both curious and doubtful; after all he knew Ishigami back during their University days and he gave him the impression of an intelligent yet reserved man who would challenge him on some mathematical questions, and vice versa since they specialise in different subjects. As the detectives begin their investigations, Yukawa has in fact, came up with a few speculations of his own which may surprise not only to the detectives but to himself as well, for Ishigami has thrown to them a simple yet complex problem to tackle which is ultimately the climax of this story.

Although this isn't much of a whodunnit thriller, what makes this story stands out is the characterisations, the issue on humanity as it taps onto the emotional struggles one may face during a circumstances, in which this case, obsession. I see the obsession in Ishigami as he works out complicated mathematics problems, for he is not only a high school mathematics teacher but a resourceful mathematician as well. I also see the obsession in him as he will patronise the bento place where Yasuko works, even though they rarely talk to each other then.

Like a mathematical problem, The Devotion of Suspect X is a thriller that will challenge your mind and makes you think outside the box. It is no wonder this book garners so much attention; I really enjoyed the reading experience and if you haven't read it, go read it now!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

• ISBN-13: 9780525423270
• Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
• Publication date: December 2010
• Format: Hardcover, 384 pgs
• Source: Personal Library

There have been a lot of rave reviews on this book, and I am sure many fellow book bloggers would understand that kind of "anticipation" and/or "need" to read a book that caused such a stir over the blogosphere. I have to confess I was curious about the hype, but more than that, I was intrigued by the plot and that the setting is Paris, a city well known for romance and it has the beauty name of "The City of Light".

Our heroine, Anna, lives in Atlanta and though her life isn't perfect, she loves her family (her parents are separated but her mother decided that they need a father figure so he still see the family occasionally) and aside from that, she has her best friend and Christopher, a guy whom she likes for a long time.

However, her world seems to come to a halt when she learnt that her father is sending her to a boarding school in Paris. Now Anna has never been away with her family for such a long time, not to mention the distance, the language barrier and all. But, she adapts quickly to her new environment and have made a few good friends along the way. Among them is a guy named Étienne St. Clair, who is not only good-looking and popular but also has a girlfriend.

Anna enjoys being friends with them, but little does she know that she is falling in love with Étienne the more they spend their time together; and it seems their friendship has turned to more after they have spent the time together for Thanksgiving and that Anna being there when his mother has cancer and has to go for treatments. The relationship between Étienne and his father is strained so he appreciates that Anna is there for moral support, plus he and his girlfriend has fallen apart but they are still together despite the lesser communications.

Just as Anna is feeling confused over their relationship, she is more shocked to learn that Christopher is going out with her best friend back home in Atlanta. Which is worse, being seeing the guy you likes is still together with his girlfriend despite the strained relationship, or being betrayed by your best friend? Needless to say, I find myself rooting for Anna throughout my reading journey and on top of the premise, what makes this book such a delightful read is learning more about Paris and its culture (the scene on French pastries, macarons . . . simply made my mouth waters). I have this longing of visiting Europe (especially Paris) for a while so reading this book has further increased that longing.

Although this book is very much about the relationship between Anna and Étienne, it also touches on issues such as the relationship between friends, between boyfriends and girlfriends, as well as between family. Both Anna and Étienne have issues with their fathers; and while Anna's father is portrayed more like an egoistical father who seems to know what is best for her (he is most proud of the books he writes), Étienne's father, however, couldn't care less about anyone's feelings (except his own) and this shows especially when Étienne's mom is diagnosed with cancer and I didn't understand why he would stop Étienne from seeing his mom (which I feel is ridiculous). Then again, I would also like to highlight that there is an allusion to teen sex and drinking but those are minimal.

As you can tell, I really enjoyed reading this book and I look forward to reading Stephanie Perkin's next book, Lola and the Boy Next Door, which I heard is equally wonderful too.

The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman

ISBN-13: 9780425244135
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Publication date: September 2011
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher

The Lost Wife opens with the ending, where readers get to read about the reunion of a pair of long lost couple being separated from WWII as they meet by chance when attending the wedding of their grandchildren. The subsequent chapters then bring readers to pre-war Prague and introduce us to these star-crossed lovers and how they fall in love and the difficult situations they encountered while they tried to escape the horrors of the war.

Josef Kohn and Lenka Maizel meet each other through his sister. Lenka and Veruska are classmates in an Arts Academy and Josef is a medical student then. They fell in love shortly but their hopes for the future was shattered when the Nazis invaded Prague. With the pressure of the war and not to mention that they couldn't bear to leave each other, they decided to get married. Josef's family even have plans to leave Prague and through Josef's cousin's assistance, they managed to get tickets to America but the sad truth is, the cousin could only sponsor Lenka but not her family considering she is Josef's wife and it is natural that they are to leave together.

However, Lenka refuses to leave her family despite Josef's begging. Josef has no choice but to leave with his family without her, but he promised her that he would try every means to get them to leave Prague. With this promise and hope in mind, they separated but fate got into their way and each believed the other was dead under some unfortunate circumstances.

Despite the sad belief, Josef and Lenka couldn't stop thinking of each other as they grit their teeth and try to move on with their life. Lenka faces fear and death every day, as she and her family are being transported to the concentration and labour camps and are forced to work for the Germans, be it hard labour work, painting postcards or even drawing plans for the Germans. However, Lenka's nightmare doesn't end there for they are later transferred from Terezín to Auschwitz where they are faced with more brutality treatments. Lenka is lucky to survive but her family and many of her friends aren't that fortunate as they are either gassed or shot to death.

At its core, The Lost Wife is a heart-wrenching love story that tells not only the unforgettable relationship between Josef and Lenka but also the love within family and friends as well. Through Alyson Richman's skillful writing, I felt every emotions evoke in me (I still do) as I read about Josef's and Lenka's love story as well as the misery and pain the characters have to face and endure during the Holocaust. This story has the ability to smile and cry at the same time; and what I liked most about this story is aside from the love story between Josef and Lenka, it is the courage and the resilient spirit of Lenka which what makes The Lost Wife such a memorable reading experience for me. On the other end, I was also moved by Josef's patience and determination of seeking Lenka throughout the years without fail (and his letters to Lenka, in which most of them are returned mails, made my heart melt).

Finally, and most important of all, this story reminds me again the history of the Holocaust and the horrors behind all. Needless to say, The Lost Wife will stay in my mind for a while.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

ISBN-13: 9780380778553

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Published: November 1994

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 384 pgs

Source: Personal Library

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."

From its opening line, I knew Daphne du Maurier would take me for an intriguing and exciting ride with the atmospheric setting she created around Manderley, an isolated mansion on the windswept Cornish coast where the brooding hero, Mr Maxim de Winter, resides.

The narrator, a young lady whose name we never know, gets acquainted with Mr de Winter when she is a companion to Mrs Van Hooper. Shy and with no friends to mingle with, the narrator is glad to find a friend in Mr de Winter and then they got married shortly.

During their acquaintance, the narrator has heard of the late Mrs de Winter and the cause of her death and while she could accept the fact being Maxim's second wife, what she couldn't stand is Mrs Danvers' cool and demeaning attitude towards her. Mrs Danvers is the housekeeper and she is fiercely devoted to the first Mrs de Winter, Rebecca. She feels the narrator is not up to par in all ways and although she still takes instructions from the narrator, she does it simply because it is her duty and not that she has accepted her being the new mistress of Manderley. Then, things began to worsen when she began to taunt the narrator until the latter began to start thinking that Maxim still love and think of Rebecca after all this time.

But, the real climax lies in the event of Manderley's annual costume ball and the mystery surrounding Rebecca's death and why. While the issues and mystery surrounding this classic literary may seem mild to some readers as compared to today's mystery and thrillers in which there are gory death scenes all over the place, what really makes Rebecca stands out among the others is Daphne du Maurier's writing style, the characterisations and most of all, the atmospheric setting she created that will get you hooked from the beginning till the end.

What is most unforgettable about Rebecca is the character of Mrs Danvers and the narrator respectively. Mrs Danvers always gave me the chills through her cool and sinister demeanour and very often her existence reminds me of a bitter, wandering spirit waiting for her moment to strike. On the other end, the narrator lacks the confidence and wit and although she tries very hard to keep up the role as the new mistress of Manderley, Mrs Danvers always managed to squash her last bit of confidence.

I really liked the way how Daphne du Maurier crafted Rebecca as she cleverly leads you into her world of Manderley and how the story slowly unfolds as you keep flipping through the pages. I especially liked her first opening line and the last line; I think it works perfectly and really suits the narrative style. Because I enjoyed reading Rebecca and Daphne du Maurier's writing style so much, I had gone out to buy four more of her books: Jamaica Inn, Frenchman's Creek, Don't Look Now and Other Stories, as well as the book which I'm currently reading, The Doll: The Lost Short Stories, a collection of short stories which she penned prior to writing Rebecca. I am sure I would be in for another intriguing and exciting ride, or perhaps the experience would be much greater considering that this short stories collection is much darker, so I have heard.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

ISBN-13: 9781406311525

Publisher: Walker & Company
Published: May 2011

Format: Hardcover, 214pp

Source: Personal Library

I picked up Patrick Ness' A Monster Calls for Carl's R.I.P. VI Reading Challenge, thinking that the title and its cover are appropriate of the challenge's theme; and while they seemed to fit the theme, let me tell you that the story was mind-blowing and a tear-jerker as well.

Connor O'Malley, a thirteen-year-old boy, has always been the target of bullies in school. Back at home, things aren't as easy as he has to deal with the harsh fact that his mother has cancer but the worst of all is the recurring nightmare which has been tormenting him almost every night.

One night, he awoke hearing someone calling out his name and it turns out to be a human-like yew tree who walks and talks. This yew tree has been growing at the back of his house but Connor didn't take notice of it until now. The monster told him that he is ancient and has walked about the earth for some time. He also told Connor that he has three tales to share but he would want Connor to tell him the fourth tale after he has finished and that he wants the truth from his story.

At a glance, A Monster Calls may seem like an ordinary horror story but don't let that mislead you or stop you from reading it as I felt there is nothing horrible or scary about this story but more of an emotional journey of a boy who overcomes his guilt and loneliness, and learning about letting go.

(Image Credit)

When I first started this book, I was intrigued by the tone and Patrick Ness' amazing storytelling skill. However, the more I flipped through those pages that feeling of waiting for the story to unfold has slowly turned to a heartbreaking feeling for it reminds me the time when my mother was diagnosed with cancer and how we have to learn to cope and to accept the sad truth (she passed away in 2006).

That said, this story isn't about depression and feeling sorry for Connor. On the contrary, it is a spirit lifting story that is bound to make you think hard about life and all. What I liked about this story is it isn't told in a preaching tone and that there are also some great illustrations done by Jim Kay and they absolutely add life to this emotional-filled story.

I have a lot more good things to say about this book but as they always say, it is always best to experience that wonderful reading journey yourself so what can I say. . . Go read this book, now!

Everything Beautiful Began After by Simon Van Booy

ISBN-13: 9780061661488
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: July 2011
Format: Paperback, 416pp
Source: Publisher

When the publicist contacted me awhile back and asked if I wanted to read Simon Van Booy's Everything Beautiful Began After, I've to confess I was a little hesitant at first; after all I've never read anything by this author. However, a little voice inside my head urged me to give him a try and you know what, I was so glad I did.

Everything Beautiful Began After tells a story about three different people and how their life changed after they met one another. At one glance of the blurb, one may dismiss it as a love story but let me tell you that there's more going on here than that.

Rebecca used to be an air stewardess before she comes to Athens to paint. When Rebecca was young, she and her sister lived with their grandfather as they were abandoned by their mother. At that time, she was also very intrigued by their grandmother since their grandfather barely mentioned her or her passing. Rebecca and her sister then grew apart when the latter got married and Rebecca began to travel around the world as an air stewardess. After working for a few years, Rebecca said goodbye to her job and arrived in Athens where she met George under coincidental circumstances.

While Rebecca seeks solace in painting, George, on the other hand came to Athens to learn ancient language. Before then, his life at New England boarding school is often lonely and only revolves around ancient language and alcohol. He began to walk out of his drunken stupor gradually, and he thinks meeting Rebecca is the best thing that happened in his life.

Henry is the last person to enter this story, yet he is the one who creates the ripples in both Rebecca's and George's life. Rebecca began to fall for him after their encounter over a book, and as you can tell their worlds collide and it is only a matter of time that the three will meet one another face to face and see where fate will take them.

Told in two different perspectives (second and third person), Simon Van Booy weaves an unforgettable story about love, friendship, loss as well as the mundane realities of life and how the characters cope when unexpected circumstances befall them. Simon Van Booy's writing is simply beautiful and lyrical; I was both entranced by his prose and his wonderful storytelling skills.

What I also liked about this story is there is an atmospheric feel to it; it is an emotional-driven story that would make you pause and think about life, and the people around you. It definitely made me think a lot about fate.

I will have to check out the rest of Simon Van Booy's books after reading this.

Stay by Deb Caletti

ISBN-13: 9781442403734
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Published: April 2011
Format: Hardcover , 320pp
Source: Personal Library



I have read many glowing reviews on Deb Caletti’s books but just haven’t got around to reading them yet. Thus I chose Stay while browsing through my bookshelves for my next read and how I wished I had read her books earlier!

Stay is about obsessive love and though it is a fiction, this happens in our everyday’s life and I think it is great that authors create awareness of this issue and not to mention as to tell the victims that it is all right to let the relationship go and to seek assistance should the other party made threats or became dangerous.

Clara Oates thinks she has found the right guy after she first met Christian at her school during a basketball game. After all, Christian is so unlike her ex-boyfriend. Christian is not only attractive but he is also a neat and organised person; and on top of that he always shows much attention towards Clara. At the beginning, Clara is flattered by his attention but the more she spends her time with him and get to know him better, the more she wants to escape from their relationship and most frightening of all, his obsessive love towards her.

Told from Clara’s perspective and with alternating chapters shifting between flashbacks and the present, Clara shares with the readers her close relationship with her single father who is a well-known crime fiction author, her new-love Finn and his family while they are staying in a rented house by the sea in Bishop Rock to escape the past (most of all, from Christian) and the secrets that her father has kept all the while relating to Clara’s late mother. From the opening of the story, Clara keeps the readers intrigued through her captivating voice and the prose used for her story:

“First off, I’ve never told this story to anyone. Not the entire thing anyway, and not entirely truthfully. I’m only telling it now for one reason, and that’s because an untold story has a weight that can submerge you, sure as a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean. I learned that. This kind of story, those kind of things kept secret—they have the power to keep you hidden forever, and most of all from yourself. The ghosts from that drowned ship, they keep haunting.”

In any way, Stay read like a suspenseful story, not the kind where we wonder about the bad and/or evil protagonist but that feeling is just the same. I could sense Clara’s fear and her strong intention of finding freedom and escaping from Christian’s grasp. From stalking Clara and tracking her at Bishop Rock, Christian’s behaviour is considered scary and viewed as a threat to Clara’s life. However, Bishop Rock is not entirely a cheery place either as Clara has heard too many ghost stories surrounding the sea and the lighthouse; are they simply rumours or are they not? And there of course, is the secret that Clara’s father harbour all this while…

Not only I find Stay is well-written but I think what makes this book a must-read is the message behind it - that no victim should feel guilty for the other party’s behaviour and she should seek assistance as quickly as possible should she sense something is wrong with the relationship. Obsessive love is not love and it could endanger one’s life should the other party decides to turn violent and causes harm.

Another thing I wanted to mention is, aside from Deb Caletti’s writing style I also loved she put footnotes on some pages for elaborations/explanations from Clara’s POV, in which I find both original and refreshing for I don’t think I have ever come across any books which did that for fictional purpose. You can be sure that I will be checking out the rest of Deb Caletti’s books in the near future.

Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

ISBN-13: 9781594485152
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: May 2011
Format: Paperback, 320pp
Source: Publisher



Do you know what's so great about coming-of-age stories? They tend to tug at your heartstring but yet at the same time, allow you to think of life in general and how one would overcome difficulties through hard work, persistence and sometimes with a bit of luck.

Kimberly Chang and her mother immigrate to Brooklyn from Hong Kong after her father's passing. They are not well-off so it is Kimberly's Aunt Paula who funded for their trip. Paula had left Hong Kong after she got married and together with her husband, they manage a clothing factory. Kimberly and her mother work at their factory but despite their kinship, they are paid miserably and the apartment which Paula got them is in poor condition and is infested with roaches.

Knowing they are mistreated, Kimberly and her mother chose to stay mum as they felt they are indebted to her. As fate allows, Kimberly is an intelligent girl and she is one who is persistent and not afraid of hard work. By day she goes to school and in the evenings she joins her mother at work in Paula's clothing factory. It is also at this time that she gets to know a Chinese boy named Matt whose life is very similiar to her but he shares none of her passion in her school work or ambition. While other students at school focus on materialistic stuff and popularity, Kimberly thinks of freedom and getting good grades so she and her mother could live a better life.

At its core of this story is the relationship between Kimberly and her mother, and how Kimberly is face with a dilemma between love and her dreams. Jean Kwok skilfully weaves this unforgettable coming-of-age story through her experience as a young girl emigrated from Hong Kong and growing up between the two cultures. Through Kimberly's eyes, I came to understand more about the life of an American immigrant and the various challenges and/or difficulties she encounters. It evoked all the emotions in me as I laughed and cried for Kimberly while reading it. Girl in Translation is not only moving but is inspiring and thought-provoking as well. I look forward to Jean Kwok's future releases.

Note: Look out for Jean Kwok's guest post tomorrow as she will share with us about cycling in Holland and a Dutch courting ritual!

Playing Hurt by Holly Schindler

ISBN-13: 9780738722870
Publisher: Flux
Published: March 2011
312 pgs
Source: Personal Library



After reading Holly Schindler’s debut novel, A Blue So Dark; a well-thought and emotional story between a fifteen-year-old girl and her schizophrenic mother (my review), I just knew I have to read her next release, Playing Hurt, which was out in March. Holly Schindler’s writing not only entices her readers but her story and the characterisations captivate you as well. You couldn’t help but to feel connected to her characters, though they are merely fictional characters. Reading Playing Hurt has once again evoked such emotions in me, but the feelings and all are very different as compared to A Blue So Dark.

Basketball player Chelsea Keyes has a bright future ahead of her and that she is ready to attend college with her athletic scholarship, but her hopes are all shattered into pieces after a horrible fall during the game. What is left of her is a fractured hip (which she has slowly recovered after the surgery) and a low morale which makes her miserable the more she thinks of it. Instead of a triumph life she has dreamt of, she now feels her life is nothing although she is comforted by the fact that she has a sweet and caring boyfriend, Gabe, who is always there for her whenever she needs it.

Hoping to restore her cheerful and positive spirit, her parents decided to send her for a three-week boot camp program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she meets her trainer named Clint; a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who like her, is haunted by his past after his girlfriend died in an accident. Truth be told, she isn’t feeling too keen about the program and her worst fear is that accidents would befall on her again if she participates in any activities.

Clint, on the other hand, feels that work is the only thing in his life ever since of the passing of his girlfriend, Rosie. Unlike Chelsea, he gave up sports because it reminds him too much of Rosie and the accident. He simply didn’t have the heart and mind to play hockey despite the fact that Rosie’s accident has nothing to do with him or anything. Nevertheless, Clint and Chelsea are drawn to each other the more they spend time together and getting to know each other along the way. But as the three-week program is almost up, does that mean that their love and togetherness is coming to an end as well?

Told through Clint’s and Chelsea’s POVs in alternating chapters, Playing Hurt is a lovely story of two young characters’ journey towards finding hope and love, and also about exploring and finding their identity. Holly Schindler has once again captivated me through her wonderful storytelling but what made this a satisfying read is that these characters seemed real and honest to me through Holly’s skilful writing as she is able to capture the feelings and every emotions through their dialogues and you couldn’t help but to feel for them. I have to say I felt refreshed after reading this book as there is an uplifting note to it. However, I have to confess I wasn’t sure about Chelsea’s attitude to love as I got the impression that she and Gabe are in love from the beginning and that how could she falls for another guy she only knew for three weeks. But as I read further, I noticed that it is the connection that she feels with Clint (and vice versa) that speaks for everything and I felt myself rooting for them thereafter.

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Did you miss reading my post on my interview with Holly Schindler? Here's the link.

Rio: The Movie

We watched Rio on Monday evening since my husband said he wanted to spend some quality time with us after being away in Austin, Texas and St. Paul, Minnesota for almost a month for his business trip and needless to say, we all missed him. He showed me some of the pictures he took while he was there and I have to say I was awed by some of the places he visited. I will share them on my Wordless Wednesday posts once he has the time to download them all (yes, he's still trying to recover from jet lag).

So onto the movie. If you have seen the trailer, you’d know that the main focus of this animation is about the birds. There is a baby male macaw lived in a jungle near the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and he has not learned how to fly yet. One day while watching his friends and neighbours singing and entertaining themselves, the smugglers came and caught some of them. Unfortunately, this baby macaw is one of them and they are being smuggled to Minnesota (can you see the coincidence? LOL). During the journey, the box that carried the baby macaw dropped off from the truck and a girl named Linda (Leslie Mann) found him. She named him Blu and decided to look after him.

Years passed and Linda became a bookstore owner. Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), which is now an adult macaw, still has not learned how to fly. Later a scientist from Brazil came to look for Linda, telling her that Blu is the last male of his species, and he wants to take him to Rio so that Blu can mate with a female in order to preserve the species. Linda refused to do so initially, but she agreed in the end for the good cause.

When Blu meets Jewel (Anne Hathaway), the female macaw, he is smitten by her beauty but the latter thinks of nothing but to escape from their prison. While she is thinking of ways to escape, the place is raided with the help of the smuggler’s cockatoo, Nigel, which posed as a sick bird and once again, Blu is forced to flee. However, bad luck continues to befall on Blu and this time around, he and Jewel are caught and chained together. There is a short history of why Nigel helps the smuggler but I’m not going there.

Blu and Jewel then managed to escape, but they couldn’t travel far since Blu doesn’t know how to fly. They met a family of toucans in a jungle and the father toucan brought them to a friend named Luiz (which is a bulldog) for he believes he could remove the chain that binds them together. Meanwhile, Linda and the scientist are frantically looking for the pair of macaws and they would do anything to find them, including sneaking into a Brazilian carnival and posed as dancers after learning from Fernando, a poor boy who is feeling remorse for helping the smugglers to smuggle the macaws.

The above scenarios are just parts of the film and there are far more exciting adventures in which I’d rather not spoil for you. I also enjoyed seeing how Blu’s and Jewel’s feelings towards each other changes (the same goes to Linda and the scientist) as the story progresses. On top of that, the musicals totally rock and I felt myself tapping my feet away whenever a Brazilian number is being played (the carnival scene is the most spectacular). What can I say? We had a great time watching this animation; it was so cute and hilarious. I’d go for the 3D effects if it doesn’t make me feeling giddy (I must be getting old!).

Let Me In (aka Let the Right One In)

Based on Swedish film Let the Right One in and the novel of the same name by John Ajvide Lindqvist, Let Me In tells a story of a relationship between a 12-year-old boy and a vampire girl set in a New Mexico town during the early 80s. I had no prior knowledge of the story having not read the book first so you can well imagine the anticipation I have had for this film.

The film opens with a police detective questioning a disfigured man in a hospital room in which he is believed to be a suspect of a murder case which took place lately. The story then fast forwarded to two weeks earlier where we see 12-year-old Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) being lonely and unhappy as he is neglected by his divorcing parents. On top of that, he is constantly being bullied in school which added to his misery.

One evening, while sitting alone in the courtyard, he meets a girl called Abby (Chloë Moretz). Abby is his new neighbour and despite she had claimed that she and Owen couldn't be friends, their friendship blossoms the more they see each other at night in the courtyard. Aside from that, the story also proceeds to show a various of murder cases first performed by the suspect and later to show Abby kills should we know that she is a vampire (this is not a spoiler). Meanwhile, Owen and Abby got really close and this has set off Owen's emotions especially after knowing that she is a vampire.

I'd say that aside from being a horror story, Let Me In is also a terrific psychological story which is both haunting and touching in ways. The feelings and emotions between Owen and Abby are beautifully captured in the film, and what I think of their relationship is both frightening yet truly genuine at the same time. Although I felt that the entire film doesn't have that kind of eerie feel which many horror films are trying to create, still the setting and the atmosphere and knowing what Abby is capable of doing to anyone are suffice to make your hairs stand. And finally a side note, don't watch this with your younger children due to the bloody and some violent scenes.

Dreaming in English by Laura Fitzgerald

ISBN-13: 9780451232144
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Published: February 2011
432 pgs
Source: Publisher



When the publisher contacted me awhile back and asked if I want to review Dreaming in English by Laura Fitzgerald, I jumped at the chance because this novel is the sequel of Veil of Roses and I enjoyed that book so much!

Dreaming in English continues the story of Tamila Soroush, a spirited Iranian young woman who wants to break free of the confine life in her country and finding her dreams in America. In this novel, we finally see her finding her true love - an American man named Ike Hanson; but as in life in general, there are always obstacles and challenges finding their ways into our life. In Tami's case, it is getting the approval of his parents (whom they think she's marrying Ike for a reason), meeting face-to-face with Ike's ex-girlfriend (whom she and Ike thought she'd never return to Tucson) and then comes the biggest obstacle - to gain her U.S. residency through an immigration interview.

I find myself rooting for Tami all the way while reading this novel. She is a likeable character and though she is not an outspoken person (due to the culture and her family tradition), she definitely has dreams and she is not afraid to fight for it given the circumstances.

While Dreaming in English is a fiction of a young woman pursuing her dreams, it is also very much about learning more of Iranian culture through Tami's eyes. Through her point of view, she shares with her readers her lifestyle in America and how much it differs from Iran in which they would never allow the freedom of speech or any other things for that matter. Readers would also read about the joys and challenges of cross-cultural marriage and like any other marriage, this requires trust, effort (and sensitivity) from both parties no matter what race or religion a person is. Reading this book also gives me the satisfaction of learning other cultures and be appreciative of the life I have. Dreaming in English is also very much a story about faith and hope on top of the love and the cultural issue and that we need to have those more than blind luck to fulfil our dreams.

Gone by Mo Hayder

ISBN-13: 9780593063811
Publisher: Bantam Press
Published: February 2010
416 pgs
Source: Personal Library



Gone is the fifth instalment of Mo Hayder's Jack Caffery series. If you'd follow this series, you'd know that DI Jack Caffery of Bristol's Major Crime Investigation Unit and Phoebe "Flea" Marley of the Underwater Search Unit are the protagonists of this series.

Anyway, Jack Caffery is once again called upon to solve a case involving child kidnapping. When the story opens, Jack and the readers are given the impression that it was a car-jacking case, but as the story picks up and more clues are shown do we realise that there are more than meets the eye. And when they received news that the kidnapper had abducted a second victim, it sent them all into hysteria because apparently he doesn't pick his little victims randomly and that he is enjoying playing hide-and-seek with them. And no matter how much time and efforts Jack and his team spent on tracking him, at the end the kidnapper is always a step ahead of them.

Flea Marley, on the other hand, has a hunch of the case but Jack Caffery as well as her team do not see her views. Call her stubborn or courageous, her next step is to follow her instincts and without assistance from anyone, explore a secret tunnel which she believes the kidnapper has hid or buried his victims away. It is also at this time that Jack has found some clues on the kidnapper and this entitle him a search warrant, but then is he the right person?

I have to admit I was on pins and needles while reading Gone. Though child kidnapping is a common theme in a crime thriller, I have to say what's so great about this book is aside from the emotional intense and the suspense, Mo Hayder has further explore the nature of humanity and that there's only a fine, thin line between the good and the evil. Because I was a huge fan of this series, I was hoping to see some developments between Jack and Flea but there isn't much going on between them, and that is due to a misunderstanding which I'd rather not mention here but all I can say is I am happy to note that there is still some hope flickering between them.

Another thing I wish to mention is it touches me a lot to see the strength and the emotional support among the victims' mothers. Because I am a mother of two, I could totally understand their feelings of losing their little girls and my heart went out to them. Their role may be minor to the story, but they do play a crucial part in some ways so in my opinion, this story is very much about them other than the cops and the bad guy.

Needless to say, I highly recommend Gone. If you are new to Mo Hayder's books and would like to get a gist of her writing style, perhaps I can point you to the direction of a few of her stand-alone books: The Devil of Nanking (aka Tokyo), Pig Island and her upcoming new release next month, Hanging Hill, in which I am eagerly anticipating.

Jack Caffery Series in order:

Birdman

The Treatment

Ritual

Skin

Heart's Blood by Juliet Marillier

ISBN-13: 9780451463265
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: October 2010
403 pgs
Source: Library




I have heard lots of good things about Juliet Marillier's Sevenwater Series, but just haven't got around to reading them yet. So when I visited the library and found Heart's Blood instead, I decided to borrow it and read this first.

The story opens with a 18-year-old Caitrin running away from home after her father had died and she was being forced to marry a man she didn't love. With her sister being married off to a traveling musician, she has no one to turn to but to rely on herself and hoping that the craft she has mastered (she is well trained by her father as a scribe) would offer her a roof for shelter and meals to keep her full. Her journey eventually brings her to Whistling Tor, a place where no one dares to cross or even mention it for it was believed to be haunted by the host.

When Caitrin finds out that Anluan, the chieftain of the Whistling Tor needs a scribe, she asks for the task despite that the place gives her the creeps and that Anluan intrigues her with his brooding moods. Crippled and cursed, Anluan is a man whom the people hate and fear at the same time, for they think what had happened to Whistling Tor is the deed done by his family many, many years ago when Anluan's great grandfather performed some dark sorcery and many people had suffered and couldn't rest their souls. They were also cursed so that they could not leave Whistling Tor and be forever at the bidding of the chieftain heirs of Whistling Tor.

While Caitrin is drawn to the heart's blood (which makes fine writing ink when the petals are crushed and concocted) grown in Anluan's household, she also finds herself drawn into his family's history and the man himself. She believes that under that cold and brooding mask is a man who has a kind and loving heart, and she intends to break free of his will through her love and patience. Her efforts are paid off in the end, but secrets and vengeance still linger strongly within the household and it seems history is about to repeat itself again. Will Caitrin and Anluan be able to break the hundred-year-old curse or will they suffer the same fate like Anluan's ancestors?

Heart's Blood is one of the best fantasy I read for awhile. It has elements like mystery, fantasy, romance mixed with bits of Irish history which have kept me intrigued and hooked from the beginning of the book till the end. Juliet Marillier is a great storyteller, and through her prose and writing style she tells a great love story with her unforgettable characters. Aside from the characterisations, I have to say the overall setting and atmosphere are well crafted too, for they gave me a foreboding feeling while reading it. Another thing I liked is that it breaks away the tradition of featuring a hero who thinks he is superior above others. Don't get me wrong, Anluan is certainly a hero in his own rights, but what makes him real is the feelings he portrays in the story, regardless they are traits of his strength or his flaws.

As you can tell, I really enjoyed reading Heart's Blood and would recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy tale. Meanwhile, I am going to get a copy for my keeper's shelf after returning this to the library.

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

ISBN-13: 9780241144251
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2009
341 pgs
Source: Personal Library

Eating Animals may sound like a dry reading material at a glance, but let me assure you that this is not the case. Jonathan Safran Foer wrote this book with a personal, memoir approach in an honest and straightforward manner (in other words - pull no punches) and I find the tone fitting to the subject.

Since his teenage years, Jonathan Safran Foer struggles with the decisions between an omnivore and a vegetarian. He also shares with us bits of his teenage years with his grandmother who had survived the holocaust and her perspective on food thereafter. While their opinions may not be the same, it has made him question on the meaning of food, the consumption and everything else that comes with it. It was only on the brink of fatherhood that prompts Foer to search for the answers to his questions instead of listening to myths and making assumptions. Eating Animals is the end result after his several visits to the factory farms and through his extensive research (not to mention doing his own detective work and getting some workers' opinions from the factory farms and slaughterhouses).

His topics varies from the general aspects of the agriculture industry (all meat products such as cattle, pigs and poultry) as well as commercial fisheries, and how they attribute to the world global warming right down to the slaughtering methods and how the biological effects on the animals (feeding them with growth hormones, antibiotics even though they are not sick and so forth) will all affect us in return.

I understand that the facts are not pretty and they are totally mind-blowing, and while I am definitely not writing this to try to convince you to become a vegetarian or a vegan (though I’d be glad if you do) but I feel it is important that we should be cautious and pay more attention to the food we are eating, where they come from and how they are being handled (treated). I have been an omnivorous person in all my life until two years ago I decided to become a vegetarian, and reading this book has further strengthened my decision of becoming one.

Thank you, Mr Foer, for making this book an engrossing and an ‘eye-opening’ reading experience for me!

The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli

ISBN-13: 9780312611576
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: March 2010
400 pgs
Source: Personal Library

I didn't know why it took me awhile to read The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli, after all I have seen lots of good reviews of it. Nevertheless, it is always good to be late than never and with a little push by C.B. James' TBR Dare, I figured this is a good chance for me to pick up this book and read it.

Helen Adams is not your ordinary heroine. While other women trembled and scrambled for their life with the war raging in Vietnam, Helen chose to pick up her camera and risk her life shooting pictures during this chaotic times. But aside from this, Helen's main reason for going to Vietnam is to find out more about the death of her brother, Michael; who had lost his life in the war. However, she didn't expect that she would find solace in love amidst the war - whether it is fellow photojournalist Sam Darrow or Vietnamese ex-soldier and Darrow's assistant Linh.

Although the main focus of this story is on Helen, there is also a glimpse of Darrow and Linh's life as readers could read about their emotions and their struggles through Tatjana Soli's skilful writing. While reading this book, I felt there are so many issues are packed in this hauntingly beautiful story - relationships, ambitions, as well as loyalties. One could also feel a state of uncertainty as you can see from the following passage:

It was this way in Vietnam during the war - sometimes Darrow felt all powerful, felt he could ride fate like a flying carpet, like a helicopter, will it to do his bidding. Other times fate reminded him that he was only a toy, blown this way and that, swept away or destroyed on a whim. (Pg 249)

Through Helen's eyes, I see the cruelty of war and how this affected the civilians and the soldiers and all. I felt her struggle between duty and principle (which I'm sure many photojournalists will feel the same), and I also felt her happiness in love at times despite it falls under the most unfortunate circumstances. And because of The Lotus Eaters, now I began to understand more about the Vietnam War (I also want to extend my thanks to a good friend, Julia, for explaining the history to me.)

Despite the saddening mood and despair of the war and everything, I have to say I enjoyed this book immensely because author Tatjana Soli's prose and storytelling is simply wonderful. She has captured the essence of the wartime through research which what makes the entire reading experience so much enriching. I am sure The Lotus Eaters will be on my list as one of my most memorable reads this year. I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to see what the author has in store next.

Not That Kind Of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

ISBN-13: 9780545169158
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Published: September 2010
336 pgs
Source: Personal Library

I have to admit that this book didn't really catch my attention at the beginning; I think it has got something to do with the cover or probably the title but nevertheless I picked it up after reading a few reviews from other bookbloggers and you know what, I am glad that I did that! I really, really enjoyed reading this book!

Natalie Sterling takes her studies seriously. She is the kind of girl whom I think every teacher would like in a student. In short, she is sensible, responsible and she knows what she wants for herself. She has dreams, and at this point she badly wants to be Student Council President and she would perform her best to get this position. After all, she is sitting for her SAT and she wants to get into the best college. However, the competition isn't easy when you have a handsome football player who knows how to play dirty and one who has many supporters behind him.

But Natalie is not going to give up. With the help of her best friend, Autumn, they try every means to get all the votes they want. The friendship between Natalie and Autumn has come a long way, ever since Natalie has backed Autumn up after an embarrassing moment with a boy she hooked up with awhile back. That incident has changed Autumn's life forever, and due to this Natalie has further make it a point not to get involved with boys and love.

However, Natalie's life gets complicated after that a freshman girl whom she used to babysit goes to the same school as her, and Natalie is most mortified by Spencer's outspoken and outrageous behaviour that sometimes get herself into trouble. Well you see, Spencer believes that sexiness empowers girls and she feels that they should make full good use of it to get what they want. Natalie, on the other hand, feels that they could be liberated feminists through other methods that are not involving sex and sexiness. But then some things happened when you least expected it and soon Natalie finds herself caring for Connor Hughes, another football player and a friend of her rival more than she knows. Has she beginning to lose respect for herself, or is she just simply following her heart?

Not That Kind Of Girl is a compelling read about friendship, love, choices and well, girl power. I just loved the themes of this story; it is so honest and the characters felt so real to me. Natalie may come across as a girl who knows it all from the beginning, but that's what make her stand out in this story. I liked her postitive attitude, and she has that girl power attribute in her which will make any girl agree with her resolutions.

As you can guess from the plot, Natalie definitely has some tough decisions to make towards the end. And what makes this book such a worthwhile read is reading about Natalie's experience and what or how she deals with it in the end. In my opinion this is not just a YA romance but is also a book that makes you think about your choices in life and be ready to face the world no matter what choices you have made.

I'd be sure to check out the other books by this author.

Adventures of Rusty & Ginger Fox by Timothy Ostermeyer

ISBN-13: 9780984504008
Publisher: Synergy Books
Published: November 2010
48 pgs
Source: Publicist

Adventures of Rusty & Ginger Fox is one of the most interesting children book I have came across lately. What makes this book such a lovely reading experience to me is aside from the cute story, author Tim Ostermeyer has captured the essence of the wildlife animals through his excellent photography skills.

Rusty and Ginger belong to the red foxes species. The story opens with them exploring the forest and they encounter all kinds of other wildlife animals (such as deers, wolves, cougars, black bears, bobcats) along their way; another thing I loved is it has a fact page of wildlife information for every animal introduced in the book so readers are able to learn a little more about them as they read along.

Rusty and Ginger then stumbled upon an island where they got to meet two little adorable girls and to explore a treasure chest. Finally, there is also a message about sharing towards the end of the story which I find all so meaningful and endearing. This is absolutely a charming book to be read by readers of all ages.

About the Author: Tim Ostermeyer has spent the last 20 years taking pictures of wildlife worldwide and winning over 250 first-place awards for his photography. Currently living in Allen, Texas, Ostermeyer works as a structural analyst for the engineering firm Raytheon and continues his passion for photography while operating his photography studio. For more information on Ostermeyer and his photography, please visit http://www.rustyandgingerfox.com/ or http://www.ostermeyer-photography.com/.

(Many thanks to the publicist for sending this book to me for review.)