Okay, okay. How on Earth did this book go from 'okay, this is boring and I want to know what happens in Hypatia' to 'whoaaa, did Hanna Connelly just bOkay, okay. How on Earth did this book go from 'okay, this is boring and I want to know what happens in Hypatia' to 'whoaaa, did Hanna Connelly just become my favourite character in the series so far?'
When the auditors start to show up...boy, I could not put this down. Didn't care that it reads like a thriller because this book is so ahead of its time (Marvel, take note. No need to overcomplicate stuff). I know it is somewhat formulaic - Lamina is Gemina's Phobos and the big twist is there too (although I did sense that something doesn't quite add up). But now the villains actually have personalities (and we do know how they look like thanks to the book's format), and not just a ship (Lincoln) with nameless passengers.
Loved how natural the progression of Nik and Hanna's relationship. And Ella is such a breakout star lol....more
Have you ever read something so uncomfortable that the only word you can say to describe your experience is...shit? I could go a little strWell, shit.
Have you ever read something so uncomfortable that the only word you can say to describe your experience is...shit? I could go a little stronger but I try to keep it PG here.
Lemme explain, my reading experience was shit not because this book is terrible, no, no, not even close. The experience was shit because I just could not fathom how some people (the Kims, the human traffickers, the South Koreans who treated them like low-lives) could do such things to Yeonmi and other North Koreans. I am by no means an angel but jeez, humans can be such an ugly creature.
I am also not naive (at least I think so). I experienced my fair share of difficulties and witnessed other people's suffering and etc but this, this is next level, man... Like, I think the most disturbing thing is that this didn't happen during WWII or sometime way back in time, not only Yeonmi is younger that me and she's been through shit, the stuff is still going on right now in North Korea and possibly in China.
Shit. Sorry for cussing so much but I almost wish this is a work of fiction. And if let say if she became a freaking millionaire because of the sales of this book, I would not ever want to trade places with her because I don't think I could be as strong as her. To hell with all those money, I would say. And yet, some people still question her stories authenticity? ...more
Okay, okay...I did fly to Australia without knowing what the hell is Cold Chisel. And I should probably get deported for that...
Anyway, Jimmy Barnes iOkay, okay...I did fly to Australia without knowing what the hell is Cold Chisel. And I should probably get deported for that...
Anyway, Jimmy Barnes is a household name here, especially at where I live (Adelaide) and I never heard of such a polarising figure, people either think he is a legend or a swine lol. So of course I got curious.
Dammit, Jimmy. The best biography/memoir I've ever read. I seriously did not have a freaking clue how one person could have written this way, it was distinctively a unique voice from the get go. I mean, I did get the hint that he is pretty smart and sassy based on his occasional appearance on The Project but boy, the dark humour...
Needless to say, I was the 'hide the pain Harold' the entire time I was reading this.
The levels of his recollection of his past memories are just astonishing! And here I am, I can barely remember my childhood lol.
As much as I think this is a spectacular book, I don't know if I'll ever be able to re-read this. So many messed up things happened to him and his family...I shudder just to think about them....more
Just a disclaimer, I have actually read this book approximately three years ago but I didn't actually remember much before re-reading it this time (orJust a disclaimer, I have actually read this book approximately three years ago but I didn't actually remember much before re-reading it this time (or more accurately listening to the audiobook). And now I know why.
Boy, this book is difficult. No wonder I tried to erase it from my memory. No wonder even I have given it a 5-stars, I never feel compelled to own it on my bookshelf (I read a library copy the first time around).
Okay, let's rewind back. I don't really have time to actually sit down and read lately. So I rely a lot on audiobooks to keep my reading on track. But my library doesn't have that impressive of a collection and I'm too poor to buy audiobooks. So after I finished The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** (which was awesome btw), I needed a new one. And this book happened to be available straight away and I was like 'yeah, why not?' because I've heard that the audiobook narration was done really well and the hype kind of resurfaced due to the Netflix adaptation.
So it's probably my fault for exposing myself to the pain again lol.
The first time I read it, I read it so fast because I needed to know what pushes this girl over the edge. This second time around, I literally needed to take my time with it. I could only process 1/2 hr worth of the audiobook at a time because now I didn't just need to know, I remembered how I felt before and what I felt now and it was overwhelming.
And halfway through the book, I received the news of Chester Bennington's death. As a lifelong fan of Linkin Park, this book just took a whole new meaning for me. The timing could not been any worse or more perfect, depending on the way you look at it. So yeah, the second half of the book was so bloody difficult to get through.
In my previous review, I thought that Hannah was 'selfish and horrible' and I deeply apologise for that and I definitely want to take it back now that I'm older and I understand depression better. When she was in that stage, she was no longer herself and I should've picked up on that from Bryce's tape. That made this rereading experience even more painful because of my past naivety. But hey, you live and you learn....more
If there is a so called 'life-changing' book I've read this year, it would be this. And I've read a number of self-help, motivating books this year anIf there is a so called 'life-changing' book I've read this year, it would be this. And I've read a number of self-help, motivating books this year and enjoyed pretty much all of them.
This statement is so controversial but this book makes me more religious and spiritual and I bet no one expects that from a book with that kind of title. I certainly did not see that coming. This is pretty much, the unapologetic, unfiltered guide to become a good Muslim, I kid you not. How this book just straight up tell you - why worry so much when the only certain thing in your life is death so live your life around it. And why it is important to stick with your values because your values is what makes you, you - stop trying to be damn agreeable all the time. And several other ruthless rude awakenings that actually make me feel good about being me and being alive. I particularly love the Metallica and The Beatles reference.
I seriously need to read this book as many times as it takes to make sure the lessons I've learned stick to my brain.
Damn, this book is so good I can't get over it....more
What more can I say? Except The Cursed Child (which we all agree should never exist), I am in love with every single story in the Harry Potter universWhat more can I say? Except The Cursed Child (which we all agree should never exist), I am in love with every single story in the Harry Potter universe. Reading anything from this series makes me believe that reading slump is a myth or I suddenly obtain the superpower to read non-stop.
But of course, my reading nirvana is temporary because as soon as I step out from this world, I am back to my temperamental and a slightly lazy reader self....more
I really hope Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series will be as popular as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series after the release of the MI really hope Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series will be as popular as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes series after the release of the Murder on the Orient Express movie later this year (given if the movie does a great job of adapting this!).
I am surprised at how much I was actually blown away by this book. Of course, being a reader over the years I've heard of Agatha Christie but mystery has never been my favourite genre so I was never keen to try her books before...until I saw the trailer for the movie. All these Hollywood heavyweights in one movie? I knew if I wait longer I might get spoiled and the book isn't that long either so...
Given that I don't know an ounce of French except probably croissant, I thoroughly enjoyed this book although I didn't understand what they were saying half of the time. And I really, really liked the systematic, methodological narration - going from one character to another, from what they say for themselves, what their luggage reveals about them etc. Does anyone know if all Hercule Poirot books read like this? Because I really like the style.
Anyway, of course we have to talk about the ending. I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING, DAMMIT! I'm not sure how ethical the message of the ending is sending to the readers but I personally felt a bit uncomfortable with it. I was also tad uncomfortable with the stereotypes associated with certain ethnicity and gender but I guess when you're a detective you can't help but to generalize as your starting point.
Needless to say, I am actually now even more excited for the movie! For the storyline as much as the costume and hairstyle to be honest!...more
Having Fantastic Beasts narrated by Eddie Redmayne sounded too good to be true, but it's true and it was fabulous!
Somehow I enjoyed Newt, the textbookHaving Fantastic Beasts narrated by Eddie Redmayne sounded too good to be true, but it's true and it was fabulous!
Somehow I enjoyed Newt, the textbook audiobook narrator better than movie Newt (of course they are different) but when I watched the movie I felt like Eddie Redmayne was not even close to his best (I've seen Theory of Everything and was just blown away).
This restores my faith in Redmayne. Not to mention, the sound effects were, for a lack of a better word, fantastic! CAN I ADOPT MOST OF THESE BEASTS?...more
Okay, WHAT THE HELL? MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS! This book is criminally underrated. The best book I read this year so far!
I seriously do not underOkay, WHAT THE HELL? MORE PEOPLE NEED TO READ THIS! This book is criminally underrated. The best book I read this year so far!
I seriously do not understand why this book isn't more popular - it was published by Harper, it has great cover, it has a unique and rich fantasy settings way back before fantasy genre was 'the it genre'. I guess people might get put off by the lukewarm reception of the first book, City of Thousand Dolls (which btw was quite good in my opinion but it has nothing on Empire of Shadows).
Nothing.
This book just blew my mind. I tried to be critical and objective, people. I really tried. Throughout my reading experience, I kept asking myself 'do I like this so much because of the talking cat?',because well, I'm obsessed with cats. But no, the talking cat is not even my favorite character from this book.
Not the most fast-paced book, I admit but the politics, the romance, the mystery were all so very delicously intriguing, I didn't mind taking my time through it. And I felt for the characters so, so much - the delicate take on 'domestic violence' was so eye-opening because I always thought strong, outspoken women would never fall prey to an abusive relationship but the reasoning behind why she put up with it was understandable and realistic (which dishearten me because I know this do happen in real life).
If you thought City of Thousand Dolls read like a middle-grade, I would highly suggest that you try this one because while it's set in the same world, the writing and the characterisation were more matured and intricate. I don't even know if I would recommend reading CoTD before reading this because EoS is technically a companion novel but for me, reading CoTD prior definitely enchanced the mindf**k elements of this book....more
I am, by no means, a hardcore Lindsey fan, I don't follow her social media and I still can't tell some of her songs apart. But I do appreciate her musI am, by no means, a hardcore Lindsey fan, I don't follow her social media and I still can't tell some of her songs apart. But I do appreciate her music and her artistry. I still remember I stumbled across Crystallize when a good friend of mine (who minds you, ignorant of the kind of music that I like) sent the YouTube video link to my FB messenger back in 2012. And I remembered thinking 'What is this? Something for Uni?' (mind you I didn't even know it was a song before I clicked the link).
I watched it and I was mesmerised. I got goosebumps all over. I always liked violin (can't play it sadly!) but never imagined it would go so well with electronic music (just like about ten years ago when I was hooked with piano + rock music combo by Evanescence).
Wow...I reminisce so much I haven't even talk about the book. Anyway, I decided to pick it up because I wanted to tick off the 'read a book by written by a celebrity' for my 2016 PopSugar challenge. In case you haven't noticed, I failed the challenge (haha!) because I read the bulk of this book in 2017.
I...am just surprised by how much I actually liked this book, I even think that I'd re-read it someday. I haven't read that many memoirs/autobiographies before - this isn't as beautifully-written as Lab Girl by Hope Jahren or as hilarious as Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson (although Lindsey definitely had some wacky moments), but I felt like Lindsey's stories spoke to me more and that's weird because I have more things in common with Jahren and Lawson.
To be completely honest, being the flawed human being that I am, I started off reading this book feeling...envious. Lindsey spent her childhood and teenagehood surrounded by loving family, great friends and wonderful experiences (maybe minus the last resort undies which I did have growing up, You're right, Lindsey! I'm sure everyone have had them!). Yes, she didn't grow up with money and she was not the most popular kid at school but I guess it's the content and innocent lifestyle that I envied.
What really touched me is when she acknowledged that she did grow up well right before addressing her eating disorder. I did not expect that all because I don't know...people often forget to count their blessings. When she revealed that she is a Mormon, I was taken off-guard for a while. I mean, I seriously can't name any celebrity who is a devout, practising Christian (I'm being generic here. I know Mormon isn't equal to Christian). Scientologist or Buddhist, maybe but not Christian? I haven't had the best experience with Mormons so far - they came across as condescending to me but I only have met a handful of them so who am I to judge.
Anyway, what I wanted to say is, I FEEL YA, GIRL! Often being the only hijab-ed Muslim girl in the room, I stick like a sore thumb so I know how it feels to stand out by default, to turn away drinks all night, the frustration talking to people when they're not quite sober and the difficulties in finding appropriate things to wear! I also know some might argue that you're not really free, you don't love yourself enough if you care about what other people say about you but like Lindsey, I do care and they can hurt my feelings. I personally don't think that's because I don't love myself enough, or I'm not truly free but more about how I find it difficult to believe people would take the time and effort, to write mean comments, to insult or to be plainly rude just because I'm a Muslim when I never did any harm to them.
That got way off-tangent. Oh well, at least I got it off my chest.
Okay, back to the book. I seriously had fun reading it because it almost felt interactive. Whenever she mentions a milestone in her career (America's Got Talent, the Zelda Medley or the Stars Align music video) I couldn't help but to watch the said video before continue reading, even I've watched it before. I even googled some of the 'baddies' mentioned like. what the hell, Andrea Bocelli? I thought people with disability would have more empathy.
Anyway, I think Lindsey is a good role model for young girls today. And the desire to buy a new car while the one you have is still working fairly well? Yeah, I don't get it either (maybe not in terms of clothes and make up hehe).
Wow, this is a long-ass review. Haven't done one of these in a while. I'm exhausted!...more
I haven't actually watched the movie...(I know, the horror!). I actually tried to be consistent with my motto of 'read the book first before watching I haven't actually watched the movie...(I know, the horror!). I actually tried to be consistent with my motto of 'read the book first before watching the movie' but in this case, uh, I think I might have gotten the order wrong because technically this is a screenplay and it was kinda hard imagining and remembering all these beasts without the on-screen portrayals.
Upon finishing this, of course my initial reaction was 'this isn't as good as Harry Potter' but come on, did you think that 'this is going to be such a spectacular saga' after reading The Philosopher's Stone?
Knowing that the Fantastic Beasts universe would comprised of five movies, there are so much left to explore and expand, so I wouldn't worry if this first one was a bit underwhelming (but thank God not nearly as bad as The Cursed Child).
Okay, I lied. I am a bit worried because a movie can stretch for so long so are we not going to see long-ass books/screenplays like the final three Harry Potter books because I don't think I can ever get enough of this wizarding world? And since we know eventually what's going to happen with Grindelward, how is Rowling going to make it interesting enough for us if he stays as the main antagonist? I'm just thinking out loud here. I can't help but to try not to get my hopes too high because prequels are so hard to get right.
But seriously, a Hufflepuff protagonist + cute and cheeky beasts + 1920s New York + an incredibly entertaining Muggle/No-Maj sidekick = I cannot NOT give this a five-stars rating....more
Another book that I would probably have not found out about if I was not actively seeking 'a book with protagonist who has your occupation' to completAnother book that I would probably have not found out about if I was not actively seeking 'a book with protagonist who has your occupation' to complete my Popsugar challenge.
Just a disclaimer - I am a PhD student in Microbiology (almost at the end! hurrah!) so although Jahren's field is in Botany, we do have a lot in common, well, at least I do vaguely know how mass spectrometry works.
Jahren would probably never read this review but in case she does - THANK YOU. Thank you for your honesty and your bravery and your dry wit. I read this book alternately with Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson and they are the best combo and exactly what I needed during these rough patches of my candidature/life. In a way, these books are similar - they unapologetically talk about being a woman, mental illness and motherhood. I did expect such themes with Furiously Happy but I didn't expect them from Lab Girl at all.
Throughout my extremely brief experience as a female scientist, I agree that we do have it tough. Unfortunately, we don't talk about our struggles enough even among ourselves because at least in my case, there's always that expectation that as a scientist, you're not supposed to be emotional and unstable. Everyone expects you to get your shit together and suck it up if your experiment didn't work and if anyone thinks you-re emotional and unstable, people start to question the validity of your data.
It's not all that bad actually. I like the freedom, the independence and the novelty of being a scientist. After all, I am a super-curious person. But I'm not sure if I have the right temperament to stay as a scientist. And this book definitely made me think hard about my future life decisions. This may actually sound very cheesy but this book has definitely changed my life.
Anyway, my favourite part of this book is actually the short chapters where Jahren described trees and plants like her oldest, wisest friends. It has that almost ethereal quality to it - let's just say I don't look at plants and trees the same way again ;) ...more
So...I need to read a self-improvement book for my Popsugar Reading Challenge this year and I picked this. Totally legit, right?
You just can tell thatSo...I need to read a self-improvement book for my Popsugar Reading Challenge this year and I picked this. Totally legit, right?
You just can tell that this book was written by an Austen fangirl for another Austen fangirl. What wouldn't I give to travel back in time and visit this era (not sure if I'd like to live there permanently. You know, no wifi, gender equality and stuff.
And bonus point for mentioning Kandukondain Kandukondain - the cinematography of the songs in this movie is just stunning! Watch them even if you don't watch Tamil movies!...more
I RATED THIS ELEVEN STARS if that’s even possible?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this is probably my favourite YA high fantasy seriesI RATED THIS ELEVEN STARS if that’s even possible?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that this is probably my favourite YA high fantasy series ever (yes, even better than Throne of Glass series and The Falling Kingdom series and I know, they are not even finished yet).
THREE BOOKS (albeit a really long final book) IS ACTUALLY ENOUGH TO MAKE FOR AN EPIC, EXHILIRIATING, RICH FANTASY SERIES. Yes, I am throwing shades at Sarah J Maas and Morgan Rhodes. I respect their decisions as authors to write a spin-off series or colouring books or whatever but sorry to say, their main, original series are not without fault and I wish they had focused on finishing these series first before starting the other prequels/novella/spin-offs/etc.
Sorry if you disagree. I liked Throne of Glass series and The Falling Kingdom series a lot but I don’t think there are enough materials to stretch them to a six books series based on I’ve read so far.
I know The Remnant Chronicles series is quite popular BUT IT DESERVES MORE HYPE, PEOPLE! I liked how the first book was not even amazingly good but the series just exponentially gets better after that and it is still wholesome and coherent i.e. I would still read The Kiss of Deception if I ever re-read this series unlike A Court of Thornes and Roses which I would never pick up if I’d like to re-read A Court of Mist and Fury.
I don’t know why I’m so critical towards Sarah J Maas. I guess I’m still not okay with how she is doing what Cassandra Clare has been doing if you know I mean.
Anyway, I’m just amazed at how much The Remnant Chronicles is really a characters-driven story. That’s a rare feat for a fantasy series which usually relies on plot. And it’s not as if the plot itself isn’t good. A true all-rounder series right here, guys.
For people who got turned off by the love triangle in the first book, maybe you should give it a go and continue on because the bonds that formed between Lia, Rafe and Kaden are so unique and far deeper than romantic fling by the end of the series. Even the side characters especially the antagonists (whom kept me guessing about their true intentions until the climax) are so colourful and human-like. I cried, I laughed with these characters. They are unlike invisible and godlike characters we often see in fantasy books.
Wow, I can’t remember the last time I write a review this long. I REALLY LOVE THIS SERIES! I liked how while there are definitely magical aspects in these books, the characters never rely on pure magic to figure things out, there are lot of deductions and strategizing and human lives always matter when making these decisions.
Gah, I’m just speechless…I’m just so grateful that I found this series :’)...more
I actually forgot this book exists until I saw it on one of the booktube videos. I never watched the original The Secret Garden movie but I just recenI actually forgot this book exists until I saw it on one of the booktube videos. I never watched the original The Secret Garden movie but I just recently remembered watching Back to the Secret Garden movie with my sister when I was a kid and thought it was the most magical movie ever.
*gets teary*
Reading this book was a nice break in between all the dark, twisted books I've been reading lately. I liked how the book isn't all sunshine and rainbow and yet gives me that warm and cosy feelings I usually get when reading children books.
I had to take a star off just because I don't understand Yorkshire dialect :(...more
Okay, okay. My brain is going 200 km/h trying to review this.
I HAVE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
Yes, yes, Publisher's Weekly called this "A Okay, okay. My brain is going 200 km/h trying to review this.
I HAVE NEVER READ ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
Yes, yes, Publisher's Weekly called this "A teenage Game of Thrones set in the Ottoman Empire" which I'm not totally opposed of but this, in my opinion is better than Game of Thrones.
Mind you I only have read the first two books in the Song of Ice and Fire series and don't watch the TV show but if it wasn't for the hype, I wouldn't even finish the first book. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Game of Thrones relies too much on the shock values but really, out of the hundreds characters introduced, I could really connect with a handful (and even some of them got killed just like that haha). But the characters and the dynamics between the characters in And I Darken are so intricate and mesmerizing and uh, just unlike anything I've ever read before. I didn't exactly like any of the characters (they are not meant to be likeable) but I appreciated them. The storyline has that Game of Thrones feeling where I really never knew what's going to happen and when it happened, I was left gobsmacked and pondering the meaning of my existence.
Okay, maybe not that dramatic but seriously guys, I didn't expect to like this book this much. I've read the first chapter of Paranormalcy and I never got past that so I thought Kiersten White? Ermm...maybe never again. But I guess Kiersten White has evolved into this rare pokemon with superpower of making a multilayered epic fantasy series (had to do a pokemon joke, guys. Sorry!).
Just be aware that at the end of the day (like stated in the author's note), this is a work of fiction. Please go into it with an open mind because as someone who is quite familiar with Islam, I can tell you that there are a few inaccuracies in terms of how the actual laws are but I won't get butthurt over it, so neither should you....more
I had actually tried reading this book two years ago and I couldn't even get past the second chapter.
Then, Illuminae came along and I knew I NEED TO I had actually tried reading this book two years ago and I couldn't even get past the second chapter.
Then, Illuminae came along and I knew I NEED TO READ MORE FROM AMIE KAUFMAN AND JAY KRISTOFF. My library had the audiobook of These Broken Stars so I went with it first.
AND IT WAS GLORIOUS.
I went into it not knowing anything except I remembered people have been dubbing this as 'Titanic in space'. Well, not quite accurate but the epic love story part is spot on!
If there is one YA troupe that I can't get enough of, it's the tale of the star-crossed lovers. And it so hard to get it right but Amie and Megs slaaaayed it. I was a bit annoyed with Lilac at first because she tried so hard to be difficult but by the end of the book, she had me in tears dammit. I don't usually like very romance-heavy books but with this one it was almost all I cared about.
I also liked how at certain times, this book had me like 'is this paranormal?', 'psychological thriller?', 'dystopia?' or 'horror?' - I never knew what to expect.
One last question - please tell me that Amie secretly works in NASA because SHE IS THE QUEEN OF OUTER-SPACE BOOKS....more
This is a re-read for me and somehow, the second time around was more magnificent.
I first received this book as an ARC in 2012. I didn't expect to getThis is a re-read for me and somehow, the second time around was more magnificent.
I first received this book as an ARC in 2012. I didn't expect to get approved so it was quite stressful (yes, greed is never good) because I had to meet the publisher dateline and form coherent thoughts on a book that was quite complicated for me at that time.
Yeah, I have long decided that reviewing ARCs is not something for me - it takes the fun out of reading.
When I also found out that Falling Kingdoms would be a six-book series, being the old me, I chose to abandon the series. Sorry, commitments scared me haha.
Fast forward four years later, as you know - THE HYPE from Booktube community renewed my interest in this series and since I couldn't remember a damn thing about this first book, I decided to re-read this. Skim-read to be honest 'cause my 'ain't nobody got time for that' sort of principle. Next thing I knew, I was no longer skim-reading, I was clinging to every word and I FLEW THROUGH IT.
I don't know if I'm just a better fantasy reader now, or I have a stronger stomach now (having read A Game of Thrones and Gone Girl changes you!) or I'm just in the mood for books with heavy political intrigues - I'm reading Rebel Spring already at the moment. So shit, that means I'm most likely to pick up Gathering Darkness and Frozen Tides next but my holiday is almost overrrrrrr!!!!...more
So...so good! If this is the last book I'll completed in 2015, then I could say that the year ended with a bang!
I'm surprised this series is not more So...so good! If this is the last book I'll completed in 2015, then I could say that the year ended with a bang!
I'm surprised this series is not more popular. I mean, it's middle grade so maybe people expect it to be too juvenile and simplistic.
Trust me, IT'S NOT.
This is like a PG-13-rated A Game of Thrones (I can say this now because I've read it hah!) told from just one character POV and that character is as brave and kick-ass as Celeana Sardothein and as witty and as smart-mouthed as Tyrion Lannister - with a different plot of course.
Thanks for making me feel like a child predator, Jaron. How old are you again?...more