A Reading Collection

Haven for Thoughts

2010-02-22T23:59:00.000-06:00

A Reading Collection has a new look and a new name. Check out Haven for Thoughts.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

2010-02-07T10:27:00.009-06:00

Rating: 5 out 5

First of all, I'm going to say that I've enjoyed the books written by John Steinbeck that I've read so far: Grapes of Wrath, The Pearl and Of Mice and Men. However, I believe that East of Eden is the best one. In fact, it's the best one so far I've read this year, and I'll add it to my favorite and must read list.

East of Eden is about two families - the Hamiltons and the Trasks. It's the story of their struggles and triumphs together. The majority of the story, however, is all about the Trasks. John Steinbeck adapted the Cain and Abel story and used this on his characters - Adam and Charles Trask and then later on Adam's twin sons - Caleb and Aron. I won't go into details about the plot but I will tell you that Steinbeck's adaptation worked so well. The characters were well developed. They were dynamic. Each can be both strong and weak at the same time. They weren't perfect. Because Steinbeck gave them contrasting human qualities and emotions such as the brothers' love and jealousy for each other made them so interesting and so complex.

Complex is one just one of the words I will describe Catherine Trask - the mother of the twins. She's the character that one would love to hate. She's the villainess in this story. Selfish and sadistic, Cathy destroys those who hate her and those who love her. But while Cathy was pure evil, Steinbeck also created the characters Samuel and Lee. I thought they were the most beloved characters in the book.

I cannot recommend this book enough. With its unforgettable characters and excellent storyline, East of Eden definitely shouldn't be missed.

Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch

2010-02-07T08:42:00.007-06:00

Rating: 4 out 5

Have you ever wondered about the "what ifs" in your life? I know I have. Jillian Westfield (the main character of the Time of My Life) certainly has. Interestingly enough, she was actually given a second chance to fix a certain part in her past life that apparently caused her unhappiness in her current life.

I love the book cover, and I think I mentioned before that beautiful book covers impair...I mean affects my buying book ability. When I read the synopsis at the back of the book, I got the impression that Time of My Life was a chick lit. That should have made me put the book back into the shelf, because I'm not into chick lits at all. But the cover was just so pretty. :)

So fast forward to a couple of months later...I finally got the courage take it out my bookshelf. I figured that since I bought it, I might as well read it.

I was prepared to dislike the book. First of all, I thought of how whiny and selfish Jillian seemed to be. She was married with one child. She hardly saw her husband Henry who was always away on business trips so she was horny. She does love her daughter Katie but then she was always daydreaming about her ex-boyfriend - Jackson. One day she wished she was still with Jackson...and then voila! She went back in time (seven years prior)...back to the time when she was still with Jackson... back before they broke up...back before she met her husband Henry...back before she had her daughter Katie. Since Jillian knew how unhappy she was after she and Jackson broke up, she decided that she was going to fix things in their relationship. Things just seemed to be sailing smooth...until she meets Henry again.

The several twists in the story made me stick around and finish the book in one day! It was amazing. I grew to love it...and yes, even the character Jillian because the author developed her into someone I could easily identify with. The story actually reminded me of some of the words in Sheryl Crow's song, Soak Up the Sun. "It's not having want you want. It's wanting what you got." It's the perfect description of what this story is all about.

Extremely fun read. Even if you're not a chick lit fan (and trust me, I'm not), you might enjoy this.

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

2010-02-07T07:44:00.006-06:00

Rating: 4 out of 5

As I Lay Dying (which was published waay back in 1930) is about the Bundren family who goes on a long and difficult journey to bury Addie, their wife and mother.

This was my first William Faulkner book. At first, I really didn't get into it. It was a little challenging. The story was told in many viewpoints not just by the Bundren family (and yes, that includes Addie), but also by their friends, neighbors, and even by the community. So yes, it can be a little confusing because I was trying to figure who was who and who was related to Addie. Of course, that really didn't ruin the book for me. The different point of views ( especially how the family viewed Addie's death) and the character voices were enough to hold my attention.

Recommended? Yes, if you like Southern Gothic literature, or if you like gothic stories. I actually look forward to read more of William Faulkner. I'm adding The Sound and the Fury to my to be read list.

Updates on A Reading Collection

2010-02-04T17:15:00.004-06:00

I just finished another week's worth of work. I'm amazed at how those seven days that flew by. Not that I'm complaining. Working 12 hours for seven days straight can be so exhausting. I'm glad that it's over. For now.

I'm really pleased at how I progressed with my reading this past week. I finished reading As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner and Time of My Life by Allison Winn Scotch. Both were very good books so I'll be doing my reviews on them soon.

I started reading East on Eden by John Steinbeck this past Monday but I haven't gone back to it since Tuesday. It was busy last night at work so I couldn't even take a peek at it. Bleah. Leave it work to ruin my reading schedule. ;) I can't wait to get back to it tonight. I can tell it's an awesome book.

Stay tuned. Happy reading.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2010-01-24T23:47:00.005-06:00

Rating: 4 out of 5

I was trying to find a book to give as a birthday present for my niece who's about to turn 16 years old this month (Kids sure grow fast, don't they?) when I came across 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher at the Hastings bookstore. I'm not really into YA novels, but something about the cover just made me want to pick it up and buy it. Yes, I am a sucker for nice covers.

At the beginning of the novel, high school student Clay finds a bunch of audio tapes sent to him. These tapes were recorded by Hannah, Clay's crush. However, Hannah is also dead. She committed suicide weeks before. With her voice reaching from the grave, Hannah tells her story and why she ended up committing suicide.

This is a very sad story. At first, I thought Hannah's reasons seem petty and selfish. Then I decided to put myself in her teenage shoes. That was when I began to understand her. It really wasn't until the end when I realized how she lost her belief in humanity. I'm not saying that what she did was right, but her suicide could have been prevented. I'm a healthcare worker so I've seen cases of attempted suicide and suicide. It's really easy to judge a person without knowing what's going on in their life. This book showed just that.

I breezed through this book. Even though the story was depressing, it was still good. While I recommend it, I don't think it's for everyone.

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

2010-01-24T20:12:00.007-06:00

Rating: 4 out of 5

I love thriller books. It's no surprise that even after I lost interest in In the Woods, I picked up Child 44. When I bought this book, I promised myself that I will read it right away. It took me a whole year before I plucked it out of my bookshelf where it was collecting dust. Oh, well.

In Child 44, Leo (the main character) is on a mission to find a serial child killer and bring him to justice. I think what really caught my interest in this story is that it's set in 1950's Russia (then called the Soviet Union) where fear and paranoia gripped the society.

Sometimes my reading schedule gets interrupted because I have something important to do like work, errands, and etc. There have been times when I don't get back to my reading because I lost interest, or I want to start a new book. Not so with Child 44. Even after a three day interval, I was eager to get back to the story, and my interest in it stayed.

Kudos to Mr. Tom Rob Smith. This was his first novel, and it became a bestseller, which I thought was well-deserving. Character development was right on the money. The actions scenes were great, and the descriptions were super. I really felt like I was in the scene with the characters. Some scenes were graphic, and I did cringe while reading them. That didn't stop me from reading though. I also loved how the story paced along nicely. It didn't drag. The whole story was exciting from beginning to end.

If you're looking for an excellent thriller/mystery, I would definitely recommend Child 44.

In the Woods by Tana French

2010-01-13T21:26:00.005-06:00

Pages: 429

Rating: Nada

I wanted to like this book. I really wanted to like this book. It was highly recommended by Books-A-Million. It was a New York Times bestseller and also the winner of the 2008 Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best First Novel. So many praises! How could I not like this book?

Well, I didn't like this book. In fact, I really struggled to keep myself interested, and it just didn't work. Because I didn't finish it, I'm not going to rate it. I don't think it's fair to rate something I didn't complete. I'm disappointed though since this was supposed to be my first review of the year. Sigh.

The beginning wasn't bad. In the Woods was the story about two murders that happened in the woods ( hence the title) of Knocknaree, Ireland but occurred twenty years apart of each other. The plot was interesting enough, but the story lost its steam in the middle of the book. I know mysteries were supposed to keep us readers in suspense...and if...IF they're exciting enough and hold our attention that we just can't wait to get to the end, awesome! Sure there was some suspense in the story, but the story dragged. On and on. I seriously felt like that kid in the backseat of the car who kept asking the parents, "Are we there yet?....Are we there yet?"

But I never did get to the end. After painfully trying to read it for a week and stopping page 282, I decided to close the book and put it back in my bookshelf. The end. At least for me anyway.

Next book please!

Sisters by Hulton Getty

2009-12-30T16:34:00.004-06:00

This Christmas, one of my sisters, Nikki, gave me a book titled Sisters by Hulton Getty. The book is probably not much bigger than the picture above and has 107 pages. It's not a lot to read but the content of it packs a punch. The book contains many quotes pertaining to relationships between sisters including beautiful vintage pictures.

I have plenty of favorite quotes in the book so I'll share some of them with you.

Your sister will be the first to criticize you, but if anyone else tries to, your sister will defend you until the end of the world. ~ Liselle Favier

A sister is a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~ Marion C. Garretty

Even when you are sixty, you are still six to your sister. ~ Pam Brown (So true! I'm 33, and sometimes, my sister still treats me like I'm three. Haha!)

She is your witness who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. ~ Barbara Alpert

The best thing about having a sister was that I always had a friend. ~ Cali Rae Turner (Love this!)

Having a sister means you'll never be left alone in life or left alone by your sister. ~ Felicity Martin

I could have read through the whole book in five minutes. It actually took me five days to finish. Each quote that I read made me cry because it was so touching.

This book is a definite keeper and something that will remain in my bookshelf or maybe in the drawer of my nightstand where it's easily accessible.

It is probably the best book a sister can give to another. The quotes describe the relationships (no matter how simple or complex) between sisters to a T. Having a sister, I believe, is a special and unique gift one should always treasure.

Out With the Old, In With the New

2009-12-30T16:07:00.002-06:00

The holidays are over, and so is my hiatus from my blog. I apologize to my readers for being gone. After two months without blogging, it certainly feels good to be back. I almost didn’t return to my blog. I even made a declaration of it awhile back in Facebook.

One my friends, Christy, was bewildered and she said, “I thought you enjoyed blogging.” I admitted to her that I did at first. I mean, sure. It was fun. I reviewed a book. I met some nice and interesting people and got the chance to talk to them about books.

After awhile though, I felt that I HAD to complete a book to review it. Well, sometimes, I didn’t like the book and didn’t want to review it. I’d feel guilty, and later on I felt that I HAD to blog about it whether I wanted to or not. That part of blogging wasn’t fun anymore. It became a chore.

Many bloggers post reviews everyday. I think that’s wonderful. I wish I can, but I simply can’t. There are priorities in real life that take precedence over my blog. I have a fulltime job as a medical technologist, and sometimes I have to work overtime due to a staff shortage. I also help take care of my elderly father. He’s the reason why I moved back home to Louisiana this year. I don’t and never will regret that decision. I also write part time, and I hope to become a published writer. For those of you who are curious how I did in the National Writing Novel Month, I didn’t reach the 50, 000 word quota. I was only able to complete 32, 620 words.

I know I shouldn’t have too much expectations of myself, which is hard since I’ve always been an overachiever. Just picture me as the girl with the thick glasses from school. Yeah, that was me. I realize that I’m no super woman. I can’t do everything, and I have to accept that.

I’m going to change my attitude for the new year. I’m not going to sacrifice quality over quantity. I’ll still read and review books although I’ll do it at my own pace. I’m not going to feel guilty because so and so finished 3 books in a week while I’m still struggling halfway through a book. I will also do my best to visit other blogs. Best of all, I’m going to have fun.

I look forward to a new year with a new outlook. I am excited to read new (and old books) and share my thoughts on them. I also can’t wait to see book reviews and recommendations from fellow bloggers.

Here’s to a great year! Happy 2010!

Books on Writing

2009-11-04T14:08:00.004-06:00

This year is my first year to participate in the National Novel Writing Month. So far I've made it to 5,725 words. It's been really fun so far. I say fun because so far I haven't ran out of ideas. Knock on wood.

But what happens if I suddenly run out of steam? What if I suddenly can't put the words on the screen? I know I shouldn't be worrying about getting a writer's block since it hasn't happened yet. But I do know that there were days when I just stared and stared at my monitor. Depending on my mood or events going on in my life, I couldn't write for days, weeks, months, or sometimes even years.

This month though, I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to stay in this contest. Reaching the goal of 50,000 words is hard, but I think that getting those words on paper is also a battle. So to fend of the writer's block, I've chosen three books to read in case I get to a point where I can't write anymore.

My first choice is Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg. My creative writing teacher recommended this when I took my writing class at Gotham Writer's Workshop. Natalie Goldberg encourages writers to keep writing no matter how bad it is. She also has some writing exercises. She does talk quite a lot about Zen, but I really didn't mind it too much.

The second writing book I'm keeping close by is The Writer's Idea Book by Jack Heffron. There are so many writing prompts to choose from in this book. I use this book often when I run out of ideas for my creative writing projects. It's extremely helpful.

The third book, is Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamont. I haven't read it yet, but I've heard how inspiring and funny it was so I'll give it a try.

And now...back to my writing...

Fatal by Michael Palmer

2009-11-02T00:18:00.005-06:00

Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary: Physician Matt Rutledge is looking for a score to settle with the local mining company in Belinda, West Virginia. He believed that his wife and father were victims of toxic waste exposure. In Boston, pathologist Nikki Solari is devastated of her friend's mysterious and sudden death. She goes to Belinda where her friend is originally from to investigate. A new vaccine has been developed, and Ellen Kroft is afraid that it hasn't been further tested. After disagreeing on its release with the committee, Ellen gets a visit from a stranger who threatens to harm her granddaughter. Ellen tries to find out the real source of threat, which leads her to Belinda, West Viriginia. Matt, Nikki, and Ellen find out that they are dealing with the same enemy. They join forces to seek answers and before they lose their own lives.

Review: The first Michael Palmer book I read was The Fifth Vial. I enjoyed the story so much that I decided to read The Second Opinion next.

Fatal was written before The Fifth Vial and A Second Opinion. I bought the book at a second hand store and was being sold for a couple dollars. I remembered how excited I was to read another Michael Palmer medical thriller. Now I'm relieved that I didn't spend as much.

Fatal, though it was entertaining, was just okay for me. I didn't think it was as good as the first two books I read. It started off well, but towards the end I was ready for it to be done. Maybe because I was starting to suspect the culprit was, and in the end, I was right. Although I should be pleased that I figured out who the villain was, I wasn't. Maybe because I wanted to be shocked by the ending.

Recommendation: Although Fatal wasn't the best book Michael Palmer has ever written, the story was still good. You might enjoy this if you like medical thrillers, or if you're a big Michael Palmer fan. If you haven't read any of his works, read The Fifth Vial, which was an enjoyable read from start to finish.

On the Nightstand

2009-11-01T22:51:00.007-06:00

After recovering from laryngitis last week, I finally had the chance to turn my attention to reading my books. Yay! Only I soon found out that laryngitis or not, I really couldn't find the interest to read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

I know. I know. Ms. Wharton won the Pulitzer Prize for this. I really don't know what my problem is with this book. Maybe I got so bored reading all that gossiping about Madame Ellen Olenska. I am determined to finish this, however. I'm just going to set it aside for now.

I've moved on to The Portrait of A Young Lady by Henry James. Isabel is the type of person who tells it like it is. She makes the story interesting. So interesting that I didn't realize that I was already on page 120 on the first night I read it.

Here's Isable Archer from The Portrait of a Lady.

I wasn't going to read it until December, but War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy was just calling my name one chilly Friday evening. Finally, I just said, "What the heck! It can't hurt." So I plucked it out from my bookshelf and started reading. I finished the first chapter, the second...and then the third... Well, you get the picture. I was so absorbed in the story that I almost didn't take my sister's invitation to go watch Cirque du Freak The Vampire's Assistant. (She was paying. How can I say no?) I don't care how long it will take me to finish War and Peace, but I do intend to enjoy every page of it.

Saturday Loot

2009-11-01T21:53:00.004-06:00

Not only did I go Christmas shopping this Saturday, I also went book shopping. What can I say? I can never get enough books. So here's what I bought:

The first one is I, Claudius by Robert Graves. This is Peter's (from KyusiReader) favorite book. Just by reading from an excerpt of the book blurb below, it really caught my attention:

Despised as weakling ad dismissed as an idiot because of his physical infirmities, Claudius survived the intrigues and poisonings that marked the reigns of Augustus, Tiberius, and the mad Caligula to become the Emperor of Rome in 41 AD.

I love any book (fiction or non) that has anything to do with world history so this is right up my alley.

The second book shown is actually three books. They were all combined into one. It's the first three books of Cirque du Freak series by Darren Shan. They are: A Living Nightmare, The Vampire's Assistant, and Tunnels of Blood. I just watched Cirque du Freak The Vampire's Assistant in the movies this past Friday. I was really intrigued by the storyline. It's about this teen named Darren who decides to go to the Cirque du Freak show with his best friend Steve. There they meet Mr. Crepsley, a vampire. When Steve falls into a coma after being bitten by a spider that Darren stole from Mr. Crespley, Darren goes to the vampire for help. Of course, they only way Mr. Crepsley helps him is if Darren agrees to become his assistant. There's more to it, but I don't want to say too much.

Written by Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God is the life story of Janie Crawford. Janie is a black woman who is very independent. She goes through three marriages, survives poverty and challenges while trying to find herself. I've heard so many good reviews on this so I am excited to read this.

Finally there's Tana French's The Likeness. Detective Cassie Maddox investigates a murder of a young woman who turns out to be Cassie's double. The victim's name is Alexandra Madison, an alias that Cassie once used when she was undercover. Whew. Talk about weird. Still, weird stories are enough to get my interest.

Well, that's it for now...until the next loot...

Yet Another E-Reader

2009-10-21T18:13:00.007-05:00

Usually just before I start working my 12 hour/7 day schedule at the hospital, I try to review a book. Unfortunately, I've been sick with flu-like symptoms. I tried to continue The Age of the Innocence by Edith Wharton, but it was just too difficult to concentrate when my head felt like it's about to split open. So...no book finished = no review.

I decided to blog about the new e-reader that Barnes and Noble just launched. It's called the Nook. I think they could've have come with a better name, but oh well. I guess it's kind of cute in a weird way. PC Magazine released an article about the Nook. You can also learn more about the Nook at the Barnes and Noble website. You can also pre-order it. The Nook will also be available in November at the Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Am I excited that my favorite bookstore in the whole wide world is finally releasing their own e-reader? Well, yes, in a way. I wish them luck in taking on the e-book competition with Kindle 2, which everyone of my friends, but me, seems to have. Still, when I got my email from Barnes and Noble this morning, I didn't jump up and say, "Oh, boy! Let me pre-order that Nook right now!"

There are times when I wish I have an e-reader. The truth is I'm a little apprehensive shelling out $259 plus tax for something I might end up rarely using. I'm really not a gadget geek like brother who likes to buy the latest and the greatest mp3 player or laptop out there.

Even though I think that I can put that $259 to a better use, like say a monthly car payment, I do wonder if it will be worth it economically in the long run. I have read in some people's blog that if they like the e-book they bought through their e-reader, they will still buy the real book. That's fine. I just don't see any sense spending $14.95 (if it's a paperback) or $24.95 (if it's a hardback.)

I'm not trying to be an anti e-reader here, but I guess I need to be convinced a little bit more. And for those of you who have an e-reader (or e-readers), I have some questions. How often do you use your e-reader? Do you think that it was worth buying it in the long run? Has it saved you money?

I'd love to hear from you.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

2009-10-19T14:30:00.008-05:00

First Published: 1897

Pages: 422

Rating: 5 out of 5

Introduction: My original intention was to read Dracula by Bram Stoker for Halloween and review it. Then I saw this book:

I thought, "Hmm. Why not read and review all three books?" Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde were pioneers of horror tales. All their stories were very original and creative that many storytellers of today still use the ideas and adapted them to the modern standards. This is my way of reminding us to give the credit where its due.

So...let's go on with the review.

Summary: Jonathan Harker is a young lawyer who travels to Transylvania to settle a business with Count Darcula. Little does he know that Dracula is a vampire who is set on having Jonathan as his next victim. Jonathan escapes, but the Count is far from over. He is determined to unleash his bloodthirsty terror on London society.

Review: Unlike Frankenstein and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hyde, I already read Dracula. I was sixteen year old. It was one of the scariest books I'd ever read. I admit it gave me nightmares. You would think that I would stop reading it, but I didn't. The story was so amazing that it was hard to put down.

That's why seventeen years later, I decided to pick Dracula up again. While it no longer gave me nightmares, it still gave me the creeps. I do scare easily. I remember reading it this past quiet Saturday evening and familiarizing myself with the story again. While doing so, our family dog who slept next to me, got up and started barking. Startled, I nearly jumped out of my seat. Of course, I stopped there and picked up Norwegian Wood. I do have a wild imagination, and I like to immerse myself into what I'm reading...which is probably why I don't mind reading books with plenty of description.

But I digress. Like in most of my reviews, I don't really talk about what happened in the story. I like for the readers to find out about the story themselves.

Dracula is an epistolary novel. The story is told in different point of view by the characters. I didn't find myself bored or skipping through some parts. Mr. Stoker does a good job of building up one suspense after another. Even though I read it before, I thought it was exciting. I flew through this 400 plus page novel.

I love the characters here. The protagonists - Jonathan, Mina, and Van Helsing - were all very strong, and so were the minor characters who were all interesting in their own way. They are dealing with a powerful adversary here after all - Count Dracula. There are no veggie-eating vampires in this story (No offense to Twilight fans.) Just an evil, blood-sucking monster hell bent on causing his reign of terror during the night.

There are many vampires stories out there. While they are all unique in their own way, Dracula stands out as being the original and, to me, the best vampire book.

Recommendation: If you like horror, gothic, and suspenseful stories, this is the one to get especially if you are a huge vampire fan.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

EDIT: I forgot to include this in my post. I was reminded by it when Diane made a comment about the book covers. Last month while I was at the bookstore buying my copy of Dracula, I saw its illustrated version. The story, of course, was still by Bram Stoker but there were drawings made by the talented Jae Lee. For those of you who don't know, Jae Lee is a Marvel comic book artist. The drawings in the illustrated Dracula version were awesome. Anyway, below is the book cover of the Illustrated Dracula. There's Count Dracula himself on the cover.

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

2009-10-18T17:42:00.006-05:00

Publisher: Vintage International
Pub. Date: September 2000
Pages: 304
Rating: 4 out 5

Summary: Toru Watanabe is a college student who is in love with Naoko. He and Naoko are bound together by a tragedy - the suicide of Kizuki, Naoko's boyfriend and Toru's best friend. While Naoko slips into severe depression, Toru tries to live his life and meets Midori - a lively, young woman who is a classmate of Toru. They become friends, and he starts developing feelings for her. He soon becomes torn between the Naoko and Midori. Will he choose someone from his past or someone who can be with him in his future?

Review: What an incredible story! I really enjoyed this. Some books take awhile before I find out what the conflict is. Not so with Norwegian Wood. At the very first chapter, I learn that Toru is in love with Naoko yet he can't be with her.

Both Toru and Naoko have a common friend from high school - Kizuki. After he committed suicide, both Toru and Naoko tried to go on with their lives. Toru enrolls at a university in Tokyo and so does Naoko. By doing so, they hope to escape their past and their memories of Kazuki. Each of them cope with their loss their own way.

At first, I thought that Toru was headed in the wrong direction. Well, actually, I didn't agree with his coping mechanism, which was drinking and sleeping with a variety of girls. But I suppose he was living his life like he knows how. Then there's Naoko who eventually decides to seek help with her problems. I thought this was the best way...but the problem was Naoko needed far more help. The cause of her depression was far beyond her boyfriend's suicide.

In the midst of Toru going through grief and depression, he meets Midori. Although sometimes she annoyed me, and she did the craziest things, I actually liked her. Let's just say that Midori gave color to Toru's bleak world. She's like the jalapeno to his nachos. I was really quite entertained by her, and she made me laugh.

Perhaps that's why Toru is drawn to her. Heck, Toru even admitted to himself that he was more fascinated watching Midori than watching a porn film. If that ain't love, then I don't know what is. (Well, I say that for the sake of Toru's point of view.) At the same time, he really can't leave Naoko. Sometimes I got frustrated by him not being able to choose, but in the end I understood that he had to settle things with his past before he could go on with his future.

There were many things I liked about this book. Even at the beginning of the book, I really felt the emotions. Seriously, I almost cried just reading page 9 because of the foreshadowing.

Of course, it really seemed like another love story on the surface. It was more than that. It's a story about living and dying. It's about about grieving and coping. It's about knowing the difference between surviving and truly living by enjoying life.

Recommendation: If you are in the mood to read something with angst, then I would recommend Norwegian Wood.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

2009-10-18T11:44:00.009-05:00

First Published: 1818

Pages: 280

Rating: 5 out of 5

Introduction: This is the second book I'm reviewing for Halloween. I got the idea last month when I purchased this:

Three classic horror tales compiled into one book. Perfect!

Summary: This is the story of Victor Frankenstein who pushes the boundaries of science by creating a creature made of dead human remains.

Review: This book is awesome! I can't believe that Mary Shelley wrote this book when she was only 18 years old! Pure creative talent!

I was really surprised how I came to love this book. This is the original story...not some adapted version of Frankenstein...so forget about looking for Igor here or hoping that it's like any Frankenstein films/stories you have heard of.

Frankenstein is more than just a horror story. Much, much more. It is a story of discrimination, nature vs nurture, and the creator vs. the created. It shows the beauty and the ugliness of human nature.

The story is a story within a story. The first narrator is Robert Walton. He meets Victor Frankenstein while they are in the Arctic. He discovers that Victor is chasing someone. This leads to Victor who narrates his side of the story. He is ambitious and very driven. He decides to create a being made of human corpses...and later realizes the mistake he's made and the prize that comes with it. Then the creature who Victor created tells story, and I learn the pain and discrimination he goes through.

Notice that I said creature, and not monster? Well, that's because towards then middle and end of the book...I really didn't know who the true monster was. Was it Victor who spat and hated his creation? Or was it the creature who acted on the society that feared and loathed him because of his appearance?

Since I'm all about character development, this is probably one of the reasons I love this book. I love how Ms. Shelley made Victor and the creature into dynamic characters. They were both protagonists and antagonists at the same time. I thought it was brillant, and she did it so well.

This is one of the best I'd ever read this year. While it didn't change my life, Frankenstein really made me think. It's one of the books that will stay with me.

Recommendation: Highly recommended! I think this is one of the books that should be in one's library. I'm not a horror book fan, but I enjoyed this one. Don't let it scare you because it's a classic. I found it easy to follow.

New Books From the Mail

2009-10-16T09:19:00.009-05:00

After a busy week at work and catching up on some rest, I finally had the chance to go through my mail yesterday. The books I ordered from Barnes and Noble came in on Tuesday. I really prefer to buy my books at the bookstore. I like to browse through the book and decide if I like it enough to buy it. However, if I can't find a certain book, I am forced to buy online. Anyway, here are the goodies:

I do apologize for the quality of the picture. The first one is Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome. (That's some name, don't you think?) I heard good things about it from Becky's Book Reviews. The next one is Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Ever since I read After Dark, I became a Murakami fan. Then there's David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. I always wanted to read it. Finally, there's Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev. It's about a son who rebels against his father. I know. I know. There's nothing new about the plot, but this is set in 1862. In Russia, I might add. I think it will be an interesting novel.

What do you think of this haul? Have you read any of these books? What did you think about the story?

First Snow on Fuji by Yasunari Kawabata

2009-10-07T15:04:00.008-05:00

Publisher: Counterpoint
Original Pub. Year: 1958
Pub. Date: October 2000
Translated by: Michael Emmerich
Pages: 227
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: None really. This was a compilation of short stories written by Yasunari Kawabata.

Review: First Snow on Fuji was the third book I chose to read for the Japanese Literature Challenge 3 (or JLC 3 for short). To this day, I really have no idea how many books I will read for the JLC3. I'm having way too much fun! (Thanks, Ms. Bellezza!) I just might see how much I can complete until the deadline even though I had originally planned to read just one book.

Let's talk about First Snow on Fuji. I never heard of Mr. Kawabata until I decided to read this for the JLC3. My verdict: I liked it. I liked it a lot. I admit that as I write this review that I haven't even read The Boat Women, the last story (which is actually a play) in this collection. That's okay though because Mr. Kawabata had already won me over.

There were short stories that I enjoyed better than others: This Country, That Country; Nature; First Snow on Fuji; Silence; and Yumiura. Some were downright creepy like Silence, Chrysanthemum in the Rock, and Her Husband Didn't.

I noticed that there were recurring themes of cheating wives and husbands (or characters fantasizing about cheating) and life post World War II. Yet all the stories had one thing in common: beautiful and poetic words. The endings were abrupt and were left for the reader to make interpretations. That suits me fine since I like to use my imagination.

Recommendation: Mr. Kawabata used a lot of descriptive sceneries. I think that people who want their stories straight forward with solid endings might get frustrated. I would still recommend to those who enjoy stories with vivid imagery and ambiguous outcomes.

Feels like Winning the Lottery!

2009-10-06T18:46:00.010-05:00

I'm a card-carrying book addict, so naturally when my mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I replied with only two words.

A book.

Giving a book as a present to someone who loves books can be very tricky, especially if that person has piles and piles of books in their possession. I have friends and family who love to read so it's always a problem for me to buy a book for them during birthdays and Christmas. I'm always wondering if they'll like the book; if they read the book, or if they already have it in their collection.

With my birthday coming up, I gave my mom a list of some books that I would like to have. I chose about four books from my overwhelming wish list. The four books were all classics since I wanted to expand my classic book collection after I finished the Classics Challenge 2009. I told her to choose one book from any of the four, and that way I can be at least surprised when I get my birthday present.

Want to see what I got?

I got all four! Needless to say, I was shocked and very pleased. I expected one or maybe two books, but she bought four instead! Then my mom apologized (Apologized!) that she didn't give me a hardback book. She wanted it special since it was my birthday. I assured her that wasn't necessary. I was very happy with what I got.

I love books, no matter what they look like - hardback, paperback, fat, skinny, tall, or short. I even buy used books, but I draw the line if I see some notes written on the side. I think writing notes in a novel (textbooks are okay) is a sacriledge. That's just me though since I'm anal. ;)

Before ending this post, I just want to say: Thanks, Mom. You really are the best, and I love you.

Hmmmm...now what am I going to read first?

From left to right: The Age of Innocence (Wharton), Nicholas Nickelby (Dickens), The Bostonians, and The Portrait of a Lady (Both by Henry James). In the back: my coffee mug, my clock, the base part of my lamp, and two other books I'm currently reading. I think I need a bigger nightstand.

Two Book Reviews in One: Something Borrowed and Something Blue by Emily Giffin

2009-10-05T21:18:00.007-05:00

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date: April 2005
Pages: 352
ISBN-13: 9780312321192
Rating: 4 out of 5

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Pub. Date: March 2006
ISBN-13: 9780312323868
Pages: 368
Rating: 4 out 5

Summary: In Something Borrowed, Rachel sleeps with her best friend Darcy's fiancee Dex. In Something Blue, after her engagement breaks up, a pregnant Darcy decides to start over and flees to England where her old friend Ethan lives.

Review: I'm going to be very honest here. I rarely read chick-lit books. And I do mean rarely. When my sister let me borrow four of her Emily Giffin books (Something Borrowed, Somehing Blue, Love the One You're, With, and Baby Proof), I hesitated. I kept the books in my shelf for months before I finally said, "What the heck."

I read Something Borrowed first. Trust me I was ready to cringe. Well, shock of all shocks! I loved it! The story started out with Rachel who ended up sleeping with ther best friend's fiancee, Dex. Rachel and Dex were ready to put the incident behind them, but due to the laws of attraction, they just can't!

At first, I didn't like what Rachel was doing even if her best friend Darcy was a selfish, self-centered witch. Then as I kept reading, I started to understand Rachel. In fact, I was able to relate to her...and later on, I was rooting for her. The book was so good that I picked up Something Blue immediately after finishing Something Borrowed.

Something Blue was all about Darcy. I never liked Darcy but I was interested in what was going to happen next. (There's a twist in the ending of Something Borrowed that I'm not going to tell you about because that's what made me pick up Something Blue next.)

In Something Blue, Darcy's pregnant. She's still the same mean woman from the first book. However, with a baby on the way, Darcy started to change. In the end, I actually started to (gasp!) like her.

Emily Griffin developed her characters very well. Both books were so entertaining that I ended up going to bed at 3 am the next morning. I just couldn't put them down.

Recommendation: Both books were fun to read. If you're a chick lit lover, you will definitely enjoy these.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

2009-10-04T15:51:00.013-05:00

Rating: 4 out of 5

Last month, I posted that I will celebrate Halloween by reading some classic horror tales and writing reviews about them this October. Why the classics? Why not read some Stephen King novels or maybe some Dean Koontz? Well, after finishing the Classics Challenge 2009, I really began to appreciate the classics. After all, where would be the novels of today if these classics were written?

It's the same for these classic horror tales. Would we be reading the Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, or the Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice if Bram Stoker didn't write Dracula?

My book review for today is on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's a novella published back in 1886. The story is about Mr. Utterson, a lawyer and an old friend of Dr. Jekyll who decides to leave everything (money and all his possessions) to Mr. Hyde. Mr. Utterson starts to investigate after Mr. Hyde murders a man after beating him with a cane that Mr. Utterson gave to Dr. Jekyll as a gift.

I'm not going to talk about what happens next since I don't want to spoil it for you. I'm huge on characters so I'll talk about Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll is a well-respected doctor who's very mild-mannered and described as "tall, fine build of a man." On the other hand, Hyde is short, deformed, cruel, and very violent. The differences stop there.

In the story, Mr. Hyde tramples on a little girl without much thought and not caring whether she's hurt or not. I think Mr. Hyde has a bit of a superiority complex where he thinks that he is going to get away with what he did by just giving the girl's family some money. Dr. Jekyll has that same reaction after he's told that Mr. Hyde is wanted for murder. Instead of telling the truth, Dr. Jekyll lies about Mr. Hyde's whereabouts. He doesn't care that Mr. Hyde has murdered another man.

At first, I thought I would feel some pity on Dr. Jekyll. In the end, I really didn't because he's very much aware of his actions but did nothing to stop them or claim any responsibilty for them.

Was the story scary? Well, not really. It was creepy. It's more of a mystery/thriller type of story to me. I think the only time I felt there was some real suspense in the story was when Mr. Utterson and Dr. Jekyll's servants were about confront Mr. Hyde.

Would I recommend this? Absolutely! I had fun reading it. The story was simple and straight-forward. It's a good story to read if you're in the mood for some classic mystery.

Richard Mansfield (shown in the picture above) was the actor who played Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde in one of the plays that was adapted from the story. This was taken in 1895. (Source: Wikipedia)

Fire in the Blood by Irene Nemirovsky

2009-09-23T13:27:00.010-05:00

Paperback Edition

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Pub. Date: July 2008
ISBN-13: 9780307388001

Pages: 160

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: After years of traveling around the world, Silvio returned to the French countryside to take care of his family's farm. As an old man, Silvio lived alone and unmarried. A scandal involving love affairs suddenly erupted, and Silvio was reminded of the pain and the love he lost years ago when he was young...when he had fire in his blood.

Review: Fire in the Blood was written in 1942, but it was never finished by Nemirovsky who was captured by the Nazis in that same year.

I read Suite Francaise awhile back, and since I enjoyed it so much, I wanted to read more of Nemirovsky's works. (My review of Suite Francaise is here if you are interested).

I'm not going to talk too much about the plot since I might reveal some spoilers. (The story is not even 200 pages!) What I will talk about is how lovely Nemirovsky writes. Her description of the French countryside is beautiful. She also has a way of painting Silvio that perhaps the reader might emphathize , not symphatize like the characters in the book do.

The plot may be predictable, but there's a small twist in the end that I just didn't expect. I would certainly would have loved to find out what kind of closure Silvio would have had with his past. Perhaps out of respect for the late Nemirovsky and her family, no one decided to finish the manuscript, but this is just my speculation. On the other hand, I think it's kind of fun for the readers to give their own interpretation of the ending.

Recommendation: I think Nemirovsky fans might enjoy this book. If you're looking for a quick read with a simple plot, this is a good choice, but just be aware that the ending is abrupt.

Hardcover Edition

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

2009-09-18T17:43:00.009-05:00

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Pub. Date: March 2006
ISBN-13: 9781400078776
Pages: 304
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Kathy, Ruth and Tommy grew up in a boarding school called Hailsham in England. As an adult, Kathy became a carer and both Ruth and Tommy re-entered her life. Kathy remembers the bond they have shared and their life in Hailsham where they had been regarded as "special" by their guardians and teachers. This is a moving and unforgettble book about friendship, love, and betrayal.

Review: This was the first book I ever read by Mr. Ishiguro, and I loved it! Immediately, when I picked it up at the bookstore, I just had a good feeling about it. Based on the book blurb, I also knew that there was a little bit of a love story and a love triangle. I later discovered that I was right, but the love story here wasn't overbearing so I wasn't disappointed.

So what's this really all about? And what the heck is Hailsham anyway? Why are Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth "special?" Well, Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth are human clones. In Hailsham, they and other children clones are raised like "normal" children so that they can become organ donors. But not all of them become donors. Kathy (the narrator), for instance, becomes a carer - someone who takes care of the donors.

Actually, it isn't surprising for Kathy to become a carer. Even as children, Kathy has that type of personality where she takes care of everyone. It becomes a disadvantage though since she seems to forget her needs over everyone else's, even when it comes to her love for Tommy. I do like Kathy, but at the same time, she irritates me because she lets Ruth take advantage of her. Ruth is suppose to be Kathy's best friend, but because of her selfishness and insecurity, she does things to ruin their friendship and even Kathy's friendship with Tommy.

What else did I like about this book? Well, the writing, of course. I think Mr. Ishiguro is just wonderful. I have a favorite scene where Kathy and Tommy were in Norfolk, and Tommy bought this old tape that Kathy had lost when they were in Hailsham. The scene just touched me. There was also a line that Tommy said to Kathy. It's a little sad but here it is:

"I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the river moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold on to each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end, it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart."

It was just beautiful. Sad, but beautiful.

Even though the ending left me disappointed, I gave this book my highest rating. I suppose it's the issue about cloning that made me wonder if it was right to give the clones hope to have a normal human life when their sole purpose was to become organ donors. It really made me think about what our society could be capable of. I guess that's why this book will stay with me.

Recommendation: Yes, I definitely recommend it to everyone. It was an eye-opener for me.

Classic Monstrous Tales

2009-09-13T08:23:00.007-05:00

Ever since I finished The Classics Challenge, I've fallen into the classics phase. Lately, I found myself wandering to the classics aisle or section whenever I'm at the bookstore. With Halloween coming up, I thought it might be best to re-read and review Dracula by Bram Stoker. That changed, however, when I went to Hastings. Much to my delight, I recently discovered that Signet Classics decided to publish three classic horror stories of Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde into one compilation with an introduction by Stephen King. All it cost me was a measely $7.95.

Sweet!

This altered my plans a little bit. I decided to read all three books and review them in October for Halloween. I get to satisfy my classics cravings and look forward to read these scary tales. Perfect!

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

2009-09-09T20:03:00.008-05:00

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN-13: 9780385528702
Pages: 531
Rating: No rating

Summary: The Angel's Game is set during the early 1900's to 1930 in Barcelona, Spain. It is the story of David Martin, a famous writer who spins crime novels under a pseudonym while living in a mansion with a mysterious history. He later meets Andreas Corelli, a wealthy publisher from Paris, who offers him 100, 000 francs if David will write a book that will change peoples' minds and hearts. David takes the offer but later realizes he is getting more than he bargained for. What's even more intriguing is the former owner of the house, the late Diego Marlasca - a writer just like David. Diego's death also involves Andreas Corelli, and it seems that David's life mirrors Diego's. Will David be able to escape the clutches of Andreas or will he suffer the same fate as Diego?

Thoughts: I wanted to like this book. I tried to like it, but I eventually quit reading at page 300. I almost didn't review this because I didn't think it was fair to rate a book that I didn't finish. In the end, I decided to post my thoughts.

Let me talk about the good points of this book first. The blurb was catchy, and I was drawn to the story because it was about a struggling writer who wanted to be published. I thought: That's cool. I know what that's like because I'm going through the same challenges myself. Another reason why the story appealed to me was because The Angel's Game was also about books. A book about books. How neat, right?

There were three parts in this novel. I didn't have any problems going through the first part of the book. I was able to relate to David who loved books. David was abused as a child and sought refuge in books. As an adolescent, he started to work as a runner for a newspaper company and had a friend in Pedro Vidal who's a writer. Vidal became his mentor and soon David started writing stories for the paper.

The second part of the book started out well. However, it was losing its firepower towards the middle. I struggled to finish part two, and finally I just gave up. Don't get me wrong. The author's brillant. Zafon wrote beautifully about Barcelona. It almost felt like I was there. The writing was dark, but I didn't mind that at all. The description and how the author wrote in David's voice were all wonderful.

What failed to keep my attention was that I lost interest in the characters. I got to a point where I just didn't care about David's findings about Diego. I didn't care who exactly Andreas Corelli was. I especially didn't care if Cristina Sangier (David's first and only love) went crazy because she didn't love her husband Pedro Vidal. In fact, I detested Cristina because I saw her as an opportunist.

If you have read any of my reviews, I love to talk about the characters and how they're the driving force of the story. The plot in The Angel's Game was great but the characters just failed to bring the story around. This might just be a personal thing though since some might care about the plot only. I'm the type of reader who wants to symphatize with the characters and be able to connect with them.

Zafon authored The Shadow of the Wind, and from what I learned, it had very favorable reviews. I just might read it one day and hope that it's a better book.

Other thoughts I'd like to share: Usually I post my recommendations after a review, but I'm not going to do that. I don't think I'm in the position to tell people not to read this book because they might enjoy it. People have their personal preferences when it comes to books, and so do I.

A Reading Collection Gets a Facelift

2009-09-08T14:21:00.005-05:00

Fall has always been my favorite season of the year. In honor of this special time, I have decided to update the background. Thanks to The Cutest Blog on The Block, I have managed to do this. Although I have tried to choose a background that was close to my previous one, I have ended up changing the color of the fonts as well.

Maybe it's me or I'm just used to the old one, but I'm not sure I'll stick to this one. I get bored easily so only time will tell if I will find another fall theme background.

Let's Show Some Love

2009-09-08T09:24:00.003-05:00

Jules from Jules' Book Reviews gave me the Who :Heart's:You, Baby! Award. Basically, the rules of this award is to pass it on to fellow bloggers who awarded you in the past. So here they are:

1. Suzanne of Chick With Books
2. Yvette of True Crime Books
3. Shellie of Layers of Thought

Edit: I forgot to also add:

4. Book Dragon from A Dragon's Lair. For some reason, I thought I received only three awards. Anyway, I'm sorry, Book Dragon.

After Dark by Haruki Murakami

2009-08-25T16:35:00.014-05:00

Publisher: First Vintage International
Publication Date: April, 2008
Pages: 256
Ratings: 4 out of 5

Summary: After Dark is a novel that takes place in a single night at a city. Three different story arcs are omnisciently narrated yet they are linked together. At the center of the story is nineteen year old Mari who decides to spend the night alone in a city instead of going home. There’s also Mari’s older sister, the beautiful Eri, who suffers from a tragic fate. Finally, there’s Shirakawa who hides a sinister side from his work and family life.

Review: Strange things happen…after dark.

After Dark was the first Japanese literature book I’ve read, and one of the two I had chosen for the Japanese Literature Challenge 3. The book blurb really didn’t say much. I felt like I was buying Chris Cleave’s Little Bee all over again. Yes, I was a little apprehensive since I was taking a risk of buying and reading a book that was out of my comfort level. But hey, wasn’t that part of the challenge?

Surprises of surprises, I loved this book! I finished it in one day. It was that good! The book had a way of pulling and holding my attention. Even after the book was finished, and I was done with reading, I felt like I wanted more. The ending was a little ambiguous, but that’s literature fiction for you.

And the writing! Oh, the writing! I absolutely loved how Murakami used simple words and brought the story to life through personification. It was remarkable! I even have a favorite quote in the book, and that’s the character Takahashi’s motto which was, “Walk slowly. Drink lots of water,” That’s the same meaning of the cliché, “Take it one day at a time.”

The main character in this story was Mari. At first, I didn’t know what to make of her. In other words, I didn’t know if I was going to like her since she seemed so cold and unfeeling. In fact, she wasn’t. She helped a total stranger who was in need, and she showed how much she really loved her sister Eri. I would say that Mari’s more guarded because perhaps she had such cold parents who didn’t pay much attention to her, and she had a sibling rivalry with Eri.

Sometimes I thought the book was a little creepy especially when I was reading the parts on Eri because it seemed like Murakami wanted readers to believe what was happening in the story was real, but later it seemed like a dream. Or was it? It was hard to distinguish, and it wasn’t revealed what really happened to Eri until towards the ending. The mood can be dark at times, but there’s humor sprinkled here and there.

Honestly, I would have given it my highest rating, but I was hoping for a happier ending. I wanted to see if Takahashi and Mari were going to get together. Or if Mr. Shirakawa’s secret was going to be discovered. What was going to happen to Eri? Still, even if the ending was left to interpret for my imagination, I believed that After Dark was worth it. I really enjoyed it. If there was someone who will ask me if there will there be another Murakami book added to my shelf in the future? I’d tell them, “Yes! Absolutely!”

Recommendation: I think this is a nice starter if you’ve never read any Japanese literature or if you’d like to try to read something new. I don’t think I would recommend it though if you’re looking for something light and heart-warming. It’s just not that type of book. This is still a good story even though it is depressing and eerie at the same time.

This is the cover of the first US edition of After Dark. (Source: Wikipedia)

Another Challenge Bites the Dust

2009-08-23T22:00:00.004-05:00

Yippeee! I didn't think I was going to finish the Classics Challenge this weekend but I did! After I joined this challenge, I thought I was going to regret being ambitious by choosing seven books. Actually, I almost did since there were books that were a little difficult to continue. I kept going though because the stories got better.

I was surprised at how much fun I had. Now that I'm done, I also have a new appreciation for these classics. To read my musings about this challenge, check out what I had to say here. To see the reviews of what I read in this challenge, go to my Classics Challenge 2009 page. I had to categorize the challenges I joined in different pages in order to keep track of how much progress I'm making in each challenge. Also, I'm kinda anal. Okay, I am anal.

Now it's time to turn my attention to the Japanese Literature Challenge 3 where I originally had one book to read, but I decided to have two instead. My copy of First Snow in Fuji hadn't arrived in the mail yet so I will start on After Dark. I'm so excited to read this book and tell you guys all about it so check back here for my review.

A Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

2009-08-23T19:57:00.004-05:00

Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Pub. Date: January 2006
ISBN-13: 9780800794057
Pages: 272
Rank: 5 out of 5

Summary: A Hiding Place is a true story of the Ten Booms who helped saved the Jews by helping them escape and hiding them during Nazi Germany’s occupation of Holland.

Review: I absolutely loved this book! Though Ten Boom’s writing style was first person narrative, it made me feel like I was sitting in front of her having coffee by the fireplace, listening to her wonderful tale. Her descriptions just drew me in, and I felt like I was right there in 1940’s Holland.

I flew through this book. I just marveled at the simplicity of her life before Holland was invaded by Nazi Germany. Towards the middle of the book, I felt so tense because I already knew something terrible was going to happen when Corrie and her family started hiding the Jews, but I kept reading.

What truly amazed me was Corrie’s and her sister Betsie’s undying faith, and their ability to forgive and to love their enemies no matter how things went from bad to worse. They remained spiritually strong and so was their belief in God even after they starved and suffered in the concentration camp in Germany.

The Hiding Place is a remarkable story of courage, strength, forgiveness, and hope. It will be forever in my collection. It is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

Recommendation: This is a great book to read if you are looking for a World War II story or if you are looking for something inspiring.

When Judging A Book By Its Cover

2009-08-23T09:27:00.014-05:00

Growing up in a multi-cultural background (Filipino, American, Irish, Italian), one of the first things I learned was to be open-minded and learn to accept people by who they are and their appearance. Part of my childhood was in the American South, and I've learned very quickly that it's easy to be judged by how I look since I have light brown skin.

I admit that sometimes I do judge people by their appearance, even though I try not to. When it comes to books, I am very guilty of such. Yesterday, I went to the bookstore and found a copy of After Dark by Haruki Murakami. I was very intrigued by the cover where there was a picture of an attractive Japanese girl. The colors of her make-up and her flawless face blended well against the dark background.

After Dark was one of the books listed in the Japanese Literature Challenge. I wasn't going to buy this book since I had already chosen (and bought!) First Snow in Fuji by Yasunari Kawabata. Since I liked the story synopsis and heard good reviews about After Dark, I bought it. I was thinking about adding another book to read for the challenge, so why not After Dark? However, I do think that the cover had a lot to do with my decision. I don't think I would have picked it up if I didn't think if it was so pretty.

This isn't the first time I picked up a book based on its beautiful cover. Check out the cover of April and Oliver by Tess Callahan. I love how those different shades of blue and gray blended together.

So how about you? Do you sometimes buy a book because of its cover?

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

2009-08-22T18:45:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Barnes & Noble
Pub. Date: August 2004
First Publication Date: 1859
ISBN-13: 9781593081386
Pages: 404
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: A Tale of Two Cities is set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution. It is the story of the French peasants who suffered under the French aristocrats. England provided as a refuge for the oppressed French yet the social injustices towards the poor in England were no different. In the French Revolution, the aristocrats were brutalized by the revolutionaries who made them pay heavily for their lives.

Review: What an excellent book! After reading, I was really surprised how this became one of my favorite books. However, it didn’t seem that way in the beginning. It started out slow, and I felt that Charles Dickens can be overly descriptive in his scenes. This was his way of laying the groundwork of the story. It worked for me (and the story, of course) because I was hooked.

The book was divided into three parts. In part one, the characters were introduced, and the setting was before the French Revolution. In part two, more characters came into play and events slowly led towards the revolution. Finally, part three was set during the French Revolution, and I thought this was the most exciting and suspenseful part of the book.

The story was more than just about the madness that led to the chaotic French Revolution. As I read on, I discovered that it was also about second chances. One of the characters who experienced this was Dr. Manette. He was released after being in jail for eighteen years. He was traumatized so severely that his mental state deteriorated. With the love and support he received from his daughter Lucie, he slowly recovered.

Charles Darnay started over with his life by denouncing his French aristocratic family. Like Dr. Manette, he moved England to leave his past behind.

I also came to love all the characters in this book, but I was mostly impressed with Sydney Carton. He became my favorite. He wasn’t perfect, but he, nonetheless, had a good heart. His love for Lucie was rivaled by Charles, the virtuous gentleman. Ah, to love someone you can’t have! I really felt for Sydney. That’s probably why I had a soft spot for him.

The description of how the poor and the prisoners were brutalized was gruesome. Honestly, I had second thoughts about continuing, but my curiosity got the best of me. I thought that perhaps Dickens felt that he had to write these horrific descriptions because he wanted the readers to understand why the revolutionaries were so angry and vengeful towards the aristocrats.

Even though some parts were gross, I got past it because the story was getting better, and I was eager to see how the ending was going to be. Still, I shivered when I read that women, men, young or old, peasant or not were “all red wine for La Guillotine….Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death; the last much easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!”

The ending was astonishing. I shouldn’t have been surprised because there had been some foreshadowing. I was equally shocked as the story revealed how and why Dr. Manette was jailed, why Charles Darnay never hesitated to denounce his family, and how Madame Defarge became such a vindictive, evil character. I was really sad at the ending. Yet, it had so many twists that I wasn’t disappointed with the whole book. There’s no doubt in my mind why this was one of the best classics ever written.

Recommendation: If you’re looking for a serious book with powerful themes, this is it. Be prepared though because some descriptions can be disturbing.

TGIF

2009-08-21T13:39:00.001-05:00

Ah! Friday, you're finally here.

Today I joined the Friday Feud from Cathy's Kittling: Books for the first time. Friday Feud is a weekly meme. Today's question was: Name an award you would like to win.

I would like to win the Discover Award for new writers. Although it might be years before I could actually write a book, I can only dream at this point. I've often come across a book where it would leave breathless, and I would say to myself, "Boy, I wish I can write a good story like that!" I hope that one day a reader would express that same sentiment about my work.

Okay. Now that I'm done daydreaming, I guess I better pick up that pen and start writing.

My pen and writing journal

An Interview with Dr. Preetham Grandhi

2009-08-12T19:45:00.001-05:00

Last month I just finished reading A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi. A Circle of Souls is a psychological thriller where a child is brutally murdered in the sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut.

A little bit about the author: Preetham Grandhi is a child psychiatrist who resides in Westchester County, New York. A Circle of Souls is his debut novel. The book has received great reviews so congratulations on his success.

As busy as his schedule is, Dr. Grandhi was generous enough to allow me to interview him. This was my first time interviewing an author so this was such an honor. So here's the question and answer session between me and Dr. Grandhi.

1. What inspired you to write A Circle of Souls?

It was a few months post 9/11, and I was looking at the biographies of the people who had lost their lives. I began to wonder if there was a larger meaning to their lives. All of a sudden, a story flashed into my mind, and I quickly wrote it on a piece of paper. I knew then that I needed to write a story that was larger than life. It needed to communicate the essence that there is a bigger purpose and meaning to our passage on earth. I knew that in order to capture and convey such a message, the book needed to be captivating, interesting, and thrilling. I realized that a story based on the work I do would be the right place to begin.

I am a child psychiatrist and had just started a new job. During my fellowship, I worked with children with numerous psychosocial issues and had many life stories to tell. It was at that moment that I decided I could write a book that would capture all these thoughts. That was how A Circle of Souls was born.This book will keep you on the edge until the very end and will leave you thinking about the larger sense of individual purpose and destiny.

2. Do you think you will write another book that is in the similar nature as A Circle of Souls, or would you like to do something different?

I do have ideas for books with Peter, (the main character) that I hope to write soon after I have this one up and running on it's own.

3. I believed that Naya was one of the most interesting characters int he book. Would you like to meet someone as special as she is? How would you handle her case?

Naya is one of those characters that is completely fictional compared to some of the other characters. I think every child I work with is as special as she is and I treat all of them with the same respect and care.

4. How did you come to choose your specialty?

I believe it was destiny. I don't know why, but it was meant to be.

5. Dr. Grandhi, I know you must be busy as a physician. How did you find the time to write A Circle of Souls? What's your writing schedule like?

It is very difficult to write a book when one has a full time, tiresome job. The irony is without my job there is no book. But I came up with ideas as I drove to and from work and put them on paper when I got a chance. Now it gets only harder as promoting this book is by itself a full time job.

6. Did you always want to write a book? Or was that something you decided later?

I never dreamt I would write a book. I always wanted to make movies. Maybe I will make this a movie one day.

7. What is your advice to writers who are trying to get published?

It's a lot of hard work and a lot of luck. Just do your part and hope that destiny takes care of the other half.

Many thanks to Dr. Preetham Grandhi for devoting his time to answer these questions. For more information on A Circle of Souls and Dr. Preetham Grandhi, check out A Circle of Souls website. The book is also available in Amazon and in Barnes and Noble.

The Japanese Literature Challenge 3

2009-08-12T18:11:00.001-05:00

One reading challenge done. One reading challenge to start.

I know I'm crazy to join another challenge, but I decided that this was just too good to pass! Belezza of Dolce Belezza is hosting the Japanese Literature Challenge 3. The requirement to this challenge is to read one work of Japanese origin. How could I pass that up?

The time frame of this challenge is from July 31, 2009 to January 30, 2010.

Belezza also set up a site for readers to do their reviews and provided the challengers a reading list of Japanese Literature to choose from.

Need more information? Check it out!

In the past I have read and enjoyed Japanese manga. I thought joining this challenge would help me broaden my reading horizons, if there is such a thing. I've always been fascinated by Japanese culture so I think reading a Japanese literature would be wonderful. I think this is going to be fun, and I'm really excited to join.

As for my reading list challenge, I'm going to choose First Snow on Fuji by Yasunari Kawabata. It's a book of short stories. I'm thinking about choosing one more but we'll see. Schedule is tight these days.

So if you are a fan of Japanese literature or if you just want to try something new, come and join the challenge!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

2009-08-12T16:33:00.001-05:00

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pub. Date: January 2005
First Publication Date: 1943
ISBN-13: 9780060736262
Pages: 528
Ratings: 4 out of 5

Summary: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the story of Francie Nolan, a thirteen year old growing up in Brooklyn at the turn of the century. It is also the story of her family struggling to get out of poverty.

Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was one of the books I chose to read in the Classical Challenge this year. The main character was Francie Nolan who dreamed of having a better life. As the oldest of the three children, she continued to study and work hard so she can become the first one in her family to go to college.

At first, I really didn’t know where the book was going. The beginning was fine, but towards the middle, my interest started to wane. Things began to pick up after a death in the family. The tragedy made the Nolan family closer, and it also made me feel closer to the characters. The author also included some humor towards the end, and the ending was really great. I felt that the author kind of let loose by then because the majority of the book was very serious.

Probably one of the most admirable characters in the book was Katie Nolan. As a wife of an alcoholic, she had to be the strength of the family. I really liked the part where Francie and Katie became close even after their misunderstandings.

Even though it took me awhile to warm up to this book, I consider this as a great read.

Recommendation: I recommend this if you like...
1. A coming of age story
2. A story of triumph even after heartaches and hardships
3. Historical fiction

Author Interview

2009-08-11T18:48:00.001-05:00

Dr. Preetham Grandhi, author of A Circle of Souls, has agreed to do an interview. I contacted Dr. Grandhi a few weeks ago and asked for an interview after I reviewed his book. I was surprised he said okay, and he was just so nice about it. I'm pretty excited about the interview since it's my first time doing one.

So... stay tuned for the interview.

One Down, Two to Go

2009-08-11T18:19:00.001-05:00

Yippee! I finished the War Through the Generations Challenge! Now I only have two more challenges to do - the Classical Challenge and the One Hundred Plus Books to Read Challenge. I really should have finished the Classical Challenge first since the deadline is in October, but the WWII books were just so much interesting. I actually started on A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, but it's kind of dragging. I doubt that I will ever finish the One Hundred Books to Read Challenge because of my work schedule, but it doesn't really matter since I still have fun reading books. I started late in the challenge but it would have been a different story if I didn't. I would hate to come to a point where I would be miserable trying to complete an X amount of books in an X amount of time. Reading wouldn't be as fun anymore, and I read for fun and for relaxation...not to add more stress in my life.

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

2009-08-11T17:46:00.002-05:00

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Pub. Date: May 2009
ISBN-13: 9781400067114
Pages: 314
Ratings: 4 out of 5

Summary: 1937. Pearl and May Chin are sisters who live in Shanghai, China. They lived the modern, glamorous lives of beautiful girls - models who pose for pictures. Their happy lives are threatened after their father forced them into arranged marriages after he came into financial ruin. Things go from bad to worse when the Japanese invade China. After a horrifying tragedy, the sisters survive, and they go to Angel Island where they are detained to go to America to join their husbands. Once they reach America, they face even more challenges and discrimination.
The storyline spans from the 1930’s Shanghai to 1950’s Los Angeles, going from World War II to the Communism that lead to paranoia and frenzy which gripped America during the early years of the Cold War.

Review: This was probably one of the saddest books I have ever read. The storyline had one adversity after another, and after awhile I wondered: Will Pearl and May ever find any happiness?

Pearl is older than May. She is May's protector and will do anything for her younger sister. She is the narrator of the story and she bears all the weight of the responsibility of the older sister. In the beginning, she starts out as a strong, wise character, but that changes after Japan invaded China. Although she survives from a terrible fate, Pearl becomes traumatized from the memories of the war and stops living. She spirals into depression even though she has a daughter and eventually comes to love her husband, Sam.

May, on the other hand, has her share of tragedy. At the beginning of the story, she is considered to be naïve and sheltered by her sister and her parents. She survives the war with her sister. Yet, unlike Pearl who clings to the past even after they have a chance to start over in America, May embraces her new life. She shows strength and perseverance which thrills and delights me. I think she is misunderstood by her sister and sometimes by me. Surprisingly, I came to like her just as I like Pearl.

What I really liked about this book is how Ms. See shows the loving relationship between Pearl and May. They love each other and will do anything for each other. They are friends as well as rivals. I think those who have siblings can somewhat relate to their close relationship. I have an older sister myself and our bond is somewhat similar to Pearl and May’s.

The ending was abrupt, at least to me. My reaction was like: Was that it? I also felt that another tragedy was too much for Pearl. It made me wonder if the author liked Pearl at all, but that’s just me.

Recommendation: I strongly recommend this book especially to all historical fiction lovers.

A Dark History: The Popes by Brenda Ralph Lewis

2009-07-29T17:29:00.003-05:00

Publisher: Metro Books
Pub. Date: March 2009
ISBN-13: 9781435102101

Pages: 256

Ratings: 5 out of 5

Summary: The pope is considered to be the sucessor of Saint Peter and the leader of the Catholic Church. Throughout the centuries, there have been good popes...and unfortunately some bad ones too. In this book, Brenda Ralph Lewis tells us the some the pontiffs' immoral and scandalous deeds from bribery, nepotism, sexual affairs, and even mass murders.

Review: Just when I thought Ms. Lewis was through amazing me with her other book A Dark History: The Kings and Queens of Europe, here's another book that trumped it. In A Dark History: The Popes, readers are introduced to the most shocking and controversial stories of the papal history.

Just to name a few, readers are introduced to John XII (955 - 964) who ran a brothel in the Vatican. It was said that he drank toasts to the Devil when drunk. If you think that's not shocking enough, how about Alexander VI, (1492 - 1503) who had eight children with his mistresses?(Yes, you read right...mistresses as in plural.) Just as Hitler was responisble for killing six million Jews during WWII, Innocent III was responsible for killing a million Cathars whom he believed were heretics. I guess he's not so innocent after all.

Readers will also be interested in the chapter called The Galileo Affair. Galileo defied the church teachings by saying that the earth orbited around the sun and not the other way around. He was accused of heresy and therefore was found guilty during his Inquisition. He was almost 70 years old.

This book also has plenty of illustrations and pictures. Some pictures were gruesome enough to make my skin crawl. This book was also well-researched. I learned so much. I believed that Ms. Lewis outdid herself.

Recommendation: If you're in the mood to get creeeped out or just reading some weird history, you will not be disappointed if you get this book.

A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

2009-07-29T15:36:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Publishing Date: June 2009

ISBN-13: 978-1599552354

Pages: 352

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: In Newbury, Connecticut, ten year old Janet Troy is murdered. Leia Bines, an FBI agent, is called in to help the local detectives to solve the case. In the same town, Dr. Peter Gram, a child psychiatrist, admits Naya into the hospital after a near fatal incident. Naya is also having some disturbing nightmares that involves Janet. Leia and Peter are forced to work together. Will they find the murderer before he claims his next victim?

Review: A Circle of Souls is Dr. Preetham Grandi's debut novel, and it's such a priviledge to read it. The book is a real page turner that has kept me at the edge of my seat. If I didn't have any commitments that afternoon, I think I would have finished the book in one day. The pacing is fast as if the author isn't likely to waste time. The book takes the reader for a thrilling ride.

The book also explores the subject of the paranormal. Naya is a gifted child who is able to talk to the dead. Through her drawings she is able to express the dreams she has about Janet. Her drawings also become the only clues to what really happened to Janet. Having very little leads, Leia has no choice but to go with Naya's drawings.

The character I liked best aside from Naya, who I thought was interesting, was Peter. He was a workaholic doctor who genuinely cared for the well-being of his young patients. His ability to be culturally sensitive of Naya, who's from India, made me like him even more.

I think that the only issue I had about this book was that how quickly I suspected who the murderer was...and even though the author tried to lead me on to different direction, I still wasn't surprised who the killer was.

Still, I thought it was a very good debut novel. Great read and awesome plot.

Recommendation: Wonderful book! If you like psychological, mystery thrillers and some mysticism, then this book is for you.

Additional note: I want to thank Dr. Preetham Grandhi for sending me the advanced reader copy so that I had the chance to enjoy this fascinating story. I look forward for more of his work.

Christmas in July

2009-07-17T08:31:00.001-05:00

Doesn't that cake look scrumptious?

The books that I ordered finally came yesterday. What a treat it was! I came home past 11 PM after working a twelve hour shift, and I was sooo tired that I just wanted to crawl into bed and forget the whole world existed. Of course, that changed when I saw the packages sitting in the living room. Well, not really. I still wanted to sleep, but I figured that could wait after I opened up the packages.

What's in the mail? I realized that not only did I receive the books I ordered online from Barnes and Noble, I also got the books from the Naval Institute Press. Sweet! I tore those packages like a kid tearing through presents on Christmas Day.

The books that I ordered from Barnes and Noble (and they're still having their clearance sale, by the way) were Heartsick by Chelsea Cain, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Bloom, North River by Pete Hamill, The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty, and The Best American Short Stories (2008 Edition edited by Salman Rushdie and Heidi Pitlor).

The books I received from the Naval Institute Press were the Women of the OSS Sisterhood of Spies by Elizabeth P. MacIntosh and Stranded in the Philippines by Scott A. Mills. I am especially excited to read Stranded in the Philippines. I'm not sure if I should ditch the books I am currently reading now and start reading this one.

Even though my To Be Read pile list had gotten longer, I can't wait to read them. The next question is: Which one should I read first? Oh, the life of a bookaholic.

Kreativ Blogger Award

2009-07-15T19:08:00.002-05:00

Woo-hoo! I have just been given a Kreativ Blogger Award by Shellie of Layers of Thought. It's so wonderful to get an award, don't you think? So what is the Kreativ Blogger Award?

The award is a meme. Here's what you do if you decide to accept it. List seven of your favorite things...and then choose seven people who deserve this. Whether it's their writing style, their background layout, or blog content, decide whatever factor or factors that make the nominees' blog creative and stand out.

So...I'll start with my 7 favorite things. You don't have to say why these are your favorites, but I just wanted to share.
1. Books, books, and more books - I can never get enough books.
2. Writing - I love, love, LOVE to write.
3. World History - Some people might groan at this, but to each his own. Heehee. :)
4. Chocolate - ice cream, cake, candy...you name it. I am a chocaholic as much as a bookaholic.
5. Mocha cappuccino - I love coffee but this is my favorite kind.
6. Fall season - I like how the leaves turn into different colors. The weather is not too hot or cold either.
7. The scent of Gain Original Scent detergent - Hands down, it is the best smelling detergent I have ever used. If it was a drug, I will probably get high on it.

Now I'm going to list the nominees. Honestly, there were so many creative blogs out there. I ended choosing eight instead of seven. I also included why I picked them.

1. Shesten of I Heart Monster.
I love her blog. Shesten titles the categories in her blog rather differently. For example, the title of her book reviews is Book Inspection. Creative? Yes, definitely.

2. Jules of Jules' Book Review.
I love the background of her blog. It's so pretty...and her layout is so organized. When I first visited her blog, I stayed there for hours. She also joined these reading challenges. I don't know how she does it but wow.

3. Sheila of One Person's Journey through a World of Books.
Sheila seems to do it all in her blog - reviews, giveaways, author interviews, and guest bloggers. There's just a wealth of information there. I think her blog is one of the coolest blogs I've ever come across upon.

4. Fantaghiro23 of Coffeespoons.
I've always liked the title of her blog. It's very original. Most of the books she's reviewed are books I've never even heard of...so it's very interesting whenever I visit her blog. I also love the heading of her blog - very cool, very hip.

5. Amy of Chic Book Reviews.
The picture of the chick is always such a nice welcome whenever I visit her blog. It's so cute with its glasses. She also hosts giveaways like Self Help Sundays and Free Fridays. Great titles and very original. What I like about her blog best is her enthusiasm...especially the way she ends every entry with, "Read on Chicks." Delightful!

6. Sumthinblue of Bookmarked!
Talk about variety! Sumthinblue reads and reviews different kinds of books and also blogs about her book adventures which makes her blog very interesting and enjoyable. When I visit her blog, there's always something new.

7. Nana of Everything Victorian.
Books, poems, even pictures - Nana blogs about anything that has to do with the Victorian Age. It's a fairly young blog, but I'm really fascinated by its content. I love the poems of the different poets she posts and pictures of the Victorian ladies she posts are so beautiful. So if you like anything or everything Victorian...give her blog a visit.

8. Peter of Kyusireader.
I've nominated Peter before for the Lemonade Award since he always has such a good attitude when he blogs. Now I'm nominating him for a second award for the creativity in his writing style and his blog subjects. This guy just never seems to run out of ideas to blog about books. I'm never bored whenever I visit his blog, and I get good laugh when he writes something hilarious.

That's it, folks. Congratulations to everyone.

What's On Your Desk Wednesday?

2009-07-15T17:30:00.001-05:00

What's On Your Desk Wednesday is a weekly book blog meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.Com. Here are the rules, and they are pretty straight-forward.

You can do one of two things or both.

1. Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk. Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying! Add this photo to your blog.Tag at least 5 people.

2. List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (Examples are TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...) List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (Like some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?) Tag at least 5 people to do the same.

Once you're done, go to Sassy's blog and post your link. That way people can visit your blog and see the pictures you have posted.

Peter from KyusiReader tagged me last Wednesday, but due to time zone differences and my work schedule, I wasn't able to post pictures of my desk and tag people. If you can't do it this Wednesday as I am already late posting this (at least according to my time zone), no problem. Just post your pictures and tag your fellow bloggers next Wednesday. It's a lot of fun though.

So here's my desk:

Yes, I know. It's small, but it has so much junk on it.

I have more than five bookish things: three how to write novels/short story books; a writer's idea book which I use when I have a writer's block or if I need to do any writing exercise; and two books that I'm currently reading, Shanghai Girls and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. As for non-bookish things (and I have more than five in this category), I have a red notebook sandwiched between the books. Piled on top of the books is a see-through plastic case where I put all of my essential writing tools: index cards, pens, pencils, highlighters, post-it markers and notes, and etc. Behind that is my printer, scanner, and copier. I also have my red cellphone, my coffee cup, and my mouse.

More non-bookish things: my HP desktop PC with a red (my favorite color) background; my MP3 player; and my bills, which I pay mostly online. I also have a cushion for my wrists in front of my keyboard since I have arthritis in my hands.

Tag! You're it! Here are the 5 people I've chosen for this fun activity.

1. Yvette of True Crime Books Reviews.

2. Suzanne of Chick With Books.

3. Alaine of Queen of Happy Endings.

4. Anna of Diary of an Eccentric.

5. Okbolover of Okbo Lover.

No cheating, guys. And remember...have fun. :D

Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

2009-07-11T09:39:00.002-05:00

Publisher: Random House Inc
Pub. Date: April 2007
ISBN-13: 9781400096275
Pages: 431
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: In 1940, Nazi Germany invaded France. In Suite Francaise, Nemirovsky wrote about the French evacuation of Paris. Chaos among the Parisians set in as they try to escape their enemy. Moving from Paris to the occupied German town of Bussy, the French were forced to live with the enemy in their own homes. It’s a story of strength and survival and of people at their worst and at their best.

Review: Suite Francaise is divided into two parts: Storm in June and Dolce. In part one, Storm in June, the story opens in the eve of Nazi occupation of Paris. A series of characters are introduced such as the Pericand family; the writer Gabriel Corte and his mistress Florence; the married couple Jeanne and Maurice including their son Maurice; and Charlie Langelet. Each of them deals with survival as they go on their exodus from Paris and into the countryside. What I loved about this book was how the author brought me right into scenes. I could feel the panic they felt as they tried to leave Paris. The author was also quick to point out how the poor, the middle class, and the rich dealt with the evacuation. While the rich were quick to prey on the poor, war had no boundaries and everyone no matter what class they came from was greatly affected. I felt that the poor suffered more though.

The evacuation scenes did remind me of Byron Henry and Natalie Jastrow while they tried to escape Poland during the Nazi invasion from Herman Wouk’s Winds of War. That’s another great book, by the way, if you haven’t read it.

Part two is titled Dolce. Some of the characters from Storm in June are included here, but the story has proceeded into the rural town of Bussy. By now the Nazis have invaded Bussy and the townspeople are forced to open their homes so that the soldiers have a place to stay. The town has no choice but to let the enemy in their lives or else they will face death. Although it is engaging to read Storm in June, I found Dolce to be more fascinating. I’m not sure if it’s because of the forbidden attraction of the German officer, Bruno, and Lucille, a French woman who’s trapped in a loveless marriage but it certainly does add a twist into the story. One thing I’m certain why I like it is because I felt closer to the characters than I did from Storm in June, but perhaps that was the author’s intent. There were far more characters in the first part than in the second. I felt that Lucille from Dolce was the most dynamic character of all. Although she befriended a German officer, she showed that she was a French patriot first by aiding a troubled family friend to escape the hands of the Nazis.

Recommendation: If you’re a die hard fan of WWII- related books like me, do not miss this book.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

2009-07-11T09:12:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: April 2004
ISBN-13: 9781594480003
Pages: 400
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Amir and Hassan are childhood best friends and are close as brothers but each belong to a different class. Amir is a son of wealthy businessman while Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant, and therefore Amir’s servant as well. Hassan also belongs to the minority group of Hazaras who are despised in Afghanistan. Their friendship is torn apart by an unspeakable and heinous crime that will forever haunt Amir even after he tries to escape the past. America becomes his haven, but he returns to Afghanistan to face his sins and atone for them.

Review: I’ve read books where I’ve shed a tear or two, but this book was the one of the two (Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was the other) that made me cry in buckets. If I had read this book in a café or library, people might have thought I was crazy. Seriously, though, The Kite Runner made me grab the tissue box. There were books that touched me and inspired me. The Kite Runner was different. This book punched me in the gut. I felt so many emotions: shock, anger, sadness, and pity.

Though what began as an innocent, happy and carefree childhood for Amir, he witnessed a horrible crime that involved Hassan. Consumed with guilt, he became a tortured soul even though he escaped to America, married a beautiful and kind Afghani woman, and obtained a successful career as writer.

As an adult, Amir was forced to go back to Afghanistan to save Hassan’s son, Sohrab, who was suffering from the hands of the Taliban. Yet, even after he and Sohrab escaped the Taliban, Amir still faced challenges which included gaining the trust of the traumatized Sohrab.

I have to admit that Amir was not my favorite character, but that slowly changed as he transformed and redeemed himself which didn’t happen until the end of the novel. The plot was very original. Hosseini’s a wonderful author. Although I enjoyed A Thousand Splendid Suns, I think that The Kite Runner was his masterpiece.

Recommendation: Read it if you haven’t already. You are missing a lot. This book is already a modern classic in my eyes.

Sites to See

2009-07-10T23:25:00.001-05:00

It's been almost a week since my last entry. Apologies, my dear readers. My new work schedule is a little weird. I work for seven days straight and then I'm off for seven days. Yesterday, which was my first day off, all I did was sleep all day. I remember using the bathroom and eating once, but the rest of the time, I devoted it to rest.

I'm supposed to do my reviews tonight, but my mind is just in a fog right now. I will do them sometime this weekend.

I have been doing absolutely nothing tonight except visiting other sites, and I found two that may just be added to my reading collection. My blog is mostly about books and book reviews but sometimes I'd like to talk about other things. Otherwise, it can get boring, don't you think?

Since I live in America, most of the books I have read are by American authors. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I feel that my reading material is pretty limited. Every once in awhile, I wonder about what kind of stories do international authors have to tell about their country, their people, their customs, and their history. This is where Words Without Borders come in.

Based here in the US, Words Without Borders is a nonprofit online magazine from international authors. The stories posted here are translated into English. They also published a book called Literature from the Axis of Evil, which is made of writings from Iran, Iraq, North Korea, and other countries that the US have had some bad relations with. I think that would be an interesting read though. Sometimes, I think that we are so blinded by the everyday headlines of these countries that we forget that they are people too. And maybe...there are those who love to read just like us.

If you're like me who loves to read anything that has to do with world history, you might enjoy visiting History World. It's a giant online encyclopedia devoted to world history. There are timelines and articles. The articles written vary from broad to specific subjects of history. Being in the medical field, I particularly found the History of Medicine very informative. Under the subject of Surgery, they featured articles such as Minoans performing trephination, which is the scraping of the skull to let the demons escape. They also have an article titled John of Ardene and Anal Fistula. Anal fistula is a surgical procedure done if there's an abscess in the anus which is caused by prolonged horse riding. Ouch! It's a good thing cars were invented.

There you have it, fellow readaholics. Two sites to check out when you're out and about the web. I've definitely added them to my reading collection...although I probably won't read the anal fistula article again. Ugh.

Happy reading. ^_~

April and Oliver by Tess Callahan

2009-06-28T03:25:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Pub. Date: June 2009
ISBN-13: 9780446540599

Pages: 336

Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary: April and Oliver have been childhood best friends. As adults, they drifted but later reconnected after April's younger brother Buddy died. Oliver, now engaged, fights his attraction towards April who's vulnerable after being in relationships with abusive men. April, who believes she is incapable of finding love, also has feelings for Oliver. It's a story of love and loss. Will Oliver and April finally confront their feelings for each other, or will they live with the unspoken truth?

Review: When I saw this book while I was browsing through Books A Million, my first thought was: Hm. April and Oliver. Probably a love story about an old couple or a married couple and their obstacles through the years. I'm not really huge on romance or love stories, but there was something about this book that made me reach for it. I didn't know if it was the cover, but it was certainly pretty.

At first, I found myself annoyed with April. She was a beautiful young woman who chose to get involved with men who abused her physically and sexually. It was like a vicious cycle, and no matter how bad things got, she never asked for help. Drama surrounded her like a moth to a flame. I didn't like her because she didn't appear to have common sense. It went on like this throughout half of the book (maybe even more), and I thought this book should be titled April, not April and Oliver. When she realized that she still had hope to find herself and starting over, finally...finally, that's when I realized that she wasn't so bad. And...surprise! I actually started to respect her.

April's counterpart, Oliver, was a nice guy with a nice fiancee. Their life seemed so perfect, but Oliver has an attraction towards April. Her wild ways should have driven him away, and he afraid of her, yet he continues to try to help her and rescue her when needed. Still he had a fiancee to think about and he found the courage to "wash" his hands off April.

Of course, the story didn't end there. They reconciled but things between Oliver and his fiancee Bernadette were changing. Will they marry or not?

April's character went through more character development than Oliver's. I thought both of their characters should have been equally developed because they shared the title of the book. The ending surprised me, but I also thought it ended too soon. I didn't know if the author was in a rush to finish it or not, but it did feel that way. I wished there could have been more though.

Recommendation: Great book! I enjoyed this. Be prepared to sit down for awhile because it's a real page turner. You will end up getting pulled in and wanting more.

City of Thieves by David Benioff

2009-06-28T01:53:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: March 2009
ISBN-13: 9780452295292

Pages: 272

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: It is 1942, and Leningrad is under siege by the Nazi Germany. Lev Beniov, a Russian Jew, is thrown into jail after being caught for looting. While in jail, he meets the tall, handsome, and confident Kolya who's jailed for deserting his Army. A Soviet colonel decides to spare their lives if they accomplish an outrageous mission: They must obtain a dozen eggs for the colonel's daughter's wedding cake. Sure, a dozen eggs can't be too hard to find, but Leningrad is torn by the war where food supplies had been cut off, forcing Lev and Kolya to go behind the enemy lines.

Review: After reading The Bell Jar and Of Mice and Men, City of Thieves was a breath of fresh air. I was absolutely entertained by this story. It had adventure, suspense, and comedy. I was immediately hooked by the story, and it was impossible for me to put the book down. Mr. Benioff is an awesome writer.

The story started out with Lev who got caught after trying to loot a dead (yes, dead) German soldier whose life ended due to the cold. (This is in the dead of winter in Russia, after all.) He was sent to jail since the dead soldier was actually the Russian government's property, and therefore Lev was stealing from the Russian government. By the way, did I mention that the soldier was dead?

Just when I thought the reason for Lev's incarceration was ridiculous, a Soviet colonel decided to spare him and his companion in jail, Kolya, from execution if they accomplish this amazing feat: Get a dozen eggs so the colonel's wife can bake a cake for their daughter's wedding. Getting a dozen eggs ought to be simple, but unfortunately this was war time. Invaded by the Nazis, Leningrad was cut off from food supplies. The Russians were dying either from getting killed or starving to death.

Lev and Kolya go through plenty of near death experiences such as escaping from Russian cannibals and also from the Nazis. Yet despite the odds of the odds against them, Kolya's humor remained intact. I thought Kolya was a lovable and unforgettable character with his easy going attitude and wise-cracking remarks. Lev, however, held up on his own as a main character. Only seventeen, he was a naive city boy but later showed courage when danger was imminent.

Recommendation: I love this book and it's a keeper. It is highly recommended if you are looking for the following in a book:

1. Action and adventure

2. Comedy

3. A coming of age story

4. A story of friendship

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

2009-06-28T00:33:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Pub. Date: January 1993
ISBN-13: 9780140177398

Pages: 112

Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Of Mice and Men was a novella that was first published in 1937. This is a story of two ranchers in California, George Milton and Lennie Small. They dreamed of owning their own ranch until an unexpected tragedy happened.

Review: I read John Steinbeck's works before when I was in junior high like The Pearl and Grapes of Wrath. John Steinbeck's a brillant author, and his delivery Of Mice and Men was excellent.

The characters, George Milton and Lennie Small could not be any different. George is a tough, street smart man who acts like a father figure to Lennie who has a mind of a child. Both are determined to work hard and earn money so they can buy a ranch of their own. I really feel for Lennie who is mentally disabled. He loves to pet soft things. In a previous ranch where George and Lennie worked at, an event occurred where Lennie was accused of raping a young girl since he touched a young woman's dress. Both George and Lennie fled to Salinas, and George became extremely over-protective of Lennie. However, despite of George's efforts, Lennie soon gets involved in a dangerous incident.

I was really shocked and sad at the ending, and it raised some ethical questions. I did feel that what George did was reasonable, but was it right? I had some mixed feelings about it. I still gave this story my highest rating only because it's one of the most controversial and interesting stories I've read this year.

Recommendations: This isn't really for the faint of heart. If you're looking for something cheerful to read, Of Mice and Men will probably not be your cup of tea. It comes highly recommended from me if you're looking for a short book to read and if you don't mind reading something thought-provoking.

Read, Reflect, Repeat

2009-06-26T22:04:00.001-05:00

One day after work, I decided to check out a small independent bookstore in Deridder, which is about 20 miles away from my town. The bookstore not only offered bestsellers and new books, but also sold used books. Since my funds were pretty limited due to moving out of state, I decided to walk over to the used books section. Lo and behold, I saw the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.

How I loved the Anne of Green Gables series! I read the first two books when I was in the fifth grade. By the seventh grade, I had read all the series. (It took me awhile to find the rest of the books.) Never tired of Anne Shirley, I re-read them again when I was in the eighth grade.

The Anne of Green Gables series weren't the only books I read multiple times. I enjoyed The Little Women by Louisa May Alcott so much that I lost count how many times I borrowed it from the library. I was in the sixth grade then. Of course, now I own a copy of the Little Women and the Anne of Green Gables series so there's no more frequent trips to the school library.

I never got tired re-reading Sidney Sheldon's The Stars Shine Down. It was a rags to riches story of a woman named Lara. The story was simple but the character, though successful, had her flaws. Lara was someone I was able to relate to (though I'm not, by all means, rich) so I believed that was why I kept re-reading the book.

Even though I knew who the perpetrators were in Michael Palmer's The Fifth Vial, I still kept coming back to this book. The story had so many twists, and it was exciting from the beginning to the end.

How about you, fellow reader? What books have you re-read? How many times? Once? Twice? Perhaps you've read more than that? And why? What made you keep coming back to this book? Was it the plot? Was it the character? Please share. I'd love to hear your comments.

World War II Books Wish List

2009-06-21T21:22:00.001-05:00

I was sitting at my Dad's desk today, hoping to find the Sunday paper, when I stumbled upon a catalog of the Naval Institute Press. I kind of rolled my eyes to myself, wondering what exactly could be interesting about US Navy ships, and who would want to write about books about ships? Well, the US Navy, of course...but that's beside the point. I flipped the catalog open since I was curious what they had to sell.

I was pleasantly surprised that I found some books that held my interest. One such book is called the Sisterhood of Spies: The Women of the OSS by Elizabeth P. McIntosh.

Since I am a big fan of World War II books (fiction and nonfiction books), I just had to get this book. Icons such as Julia Child and Marlene Dietrich actually served in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services) which was a US intelligence agency back in World War II.

Other books that are on my wish list are Germany's Last Mission to Japan by Joseph Mark Scalia and Hitler's Navy by Jak P. Mallmann Showell. I may wait to get Hitler's Navy though since it's almost $70. Yikes!

There's also the fighting Admirals of World War II by David Wragg where he wrote the biographies of admirals that served on both Allied and Axis Powers.

I also plan to buy Manila and Santiago by Jim Leeke, which accounts the naval warfare of the Spanish American War. I know it's not about World War II, but it does tell a little bit of history of my birthplace, the Philippines.

I definitely want to read Stranded in the Philippines by Scott Mills. It's a true story of Henry Roy Bell, who's a missionary, and his family who became stranded in the Philippines during the Japanese invasion in World War II. I think these would be very interesting to read. I remember my grandma used to tell me how she and her family hid from the Japanese soldiers because they were afraid of getting raped or killed or both. They were truly horrible times.

I'm excited to get these books. I may do a review on a couple of them like Standed in the Philippines and Sisterhood of the Spies and I can't wait to share them with you guys.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

2009-06-21T21:00:00.002-05:00

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pub. Date: October 2006
First Edition published: 1963
ISBN-13: 9780061148514
Pages: 288
Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: The Bell Jar is the story of Esther Greenwood who is a junior editor of a magazine begins her descent towards depression. It became so severe that she tries to commit suicide, and she goes through therapy. This is a semi-autobiographical book about Sylvia Plath, who also battled her own demons of depression. She committed suicide in 1963.

Review: This was probably one of the darkest books I had ever read. It was very interesting, but there were some things that weren’t clear. For instance, it was never explained why Esther hated her mother in the first place. Esther’s mother obviously played some part that made her childhood terrible, but there were no specifics. Esther never really got over her father’s death either, and she somehow blamed her mother. Again, it was ambiguous.

Some parts were very disturbing like how Esther planned to kill herself a few times. I felt sorry for her especially when she was misdiagnosed by a doctor for mental illness instead of severe depression. The result harmed Esther instead of helping her, and eventually she almost succeeded in committing suicide.

Recommendation: It’s not the kind of story that everyone would like to read, and I think Sylvia Plath was bold to write this. If you are looking for a fun-filled or uplifting book to read, I suggest that you read something else. Esther’s story is the kind of story that no one likes to talk about. I do think it is an interesting book to be discussed in a book club though.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

2009-06-20T23:11:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Random House Audio Publishing Group
Pub. Date: August 2008
ISBN-13: 9780739328958
Edition Description: Unabridged, 16 CDs
Narrated by: Lincoln Hoppe
Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: A man gets into a terrible car accident where he is badly burned. In the hospital, he hovers between life and death. When he contemplates suicide, a woman by the name of Marianne Engle appears in his room. She claims that they have known each other and have been lovers back in the 1350’s! He doesn’t believe her, and she is determined to prove it to him. He finds himself entranced by her and later realizes that he is falling in love with her.

Review: I really enjoyed this book. This was my first audio, and Lincoln Hoppe did an excellent job on the narration. I listened to this audio book the whole time I drove from South Carolina to Louisiana. That’s a 16 hour drive. Not once did I even feel sleepy because I was hanging by every word that was being said. Andrew Davidson’s a wonderful writer. He not only brought me into the story but he also brought me into the main character’s pain. The male protagonist (and I thought it was strange that the author never gave his name) was a drug abuser, alcoholic, porn star, and an atheist. He’s not exactly an ideal main character, but the author wrote him enough for the readers to be sympathetic towards him. The author wrote the burn scenes and the hospital scenes in such detail that I almost thought I was the character. I really couldn’t blame him for wanting to commit suicide.

Marianne Engel was probably one of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever read. At first, I thought she was weird but as I learned more about her past and with the male protagonist, I began to understand her more.

If you hadn’t notice already, I’m all about character development. I think if the characters weren’t interesting enough, then so was the plot. The character development in this book was an A plus. I had never read such an inspiring story about unconditional love.

Recommendation: I had trouble rating this book. It was really between a four and five, but in the end I rated it as 4 out of 5. There were a few things that bothered me such as how the ending dragged on and the details of the burn scenes. It was gory at some parts, and I actually had to skip them. I hate to say that you shouldn’t read it because some parts were difficult to go through because you would be missing out on an excellent story.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2009-06-15T22:52:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
Publishing Date: February 2009
ISBN-13: 9780399155345
Pages: 464
Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis: Meet three women from Jackson, Mississippi: Skeeter, Aibilene, and Minnie. They lived in the turbulent times of the civil rights movement during the 1960’s. It was a time of change, a time of fear, and time of new opportunities. Despite the whole country was transforming its laws for equality, Mississippi still clung to its segregation laws.

Although Skeeter, Aibilene, and Minnie came from different backgrounds, their desire for change united them. They decided to write a book that will voice their experiences and their pain. Yet the book could cause them grave consequences that will affect the rest of their lives.

Review: If you want to read a book that will make you think for days, this is it. I became so engrossed in it when I started reading that I actually finished the first half of it in one day. It was that good.

The characters are unforgettable, even the minor characters. One of them is Hilly Holbrook who I love to hate. I admire Skeeter, who decides to stand up in what she believes in even though it hurt her relationships with her friends. Then there’s Aibilene, a black maid who takes care of the infant Mae Mobley with so much love because the mother refuses to pay attention to her. Another pair of characters that provided the comedy relief is Minnie and Celia. They are hilarious! I could not help but root for Celia, the underdog; and I am in awe of Minnie who despite her belief not to get into “white people’s business”, decides to help Celia.

I think Kathyrn Stockett does a wonderful job of telling the characters own stories in their voices. She tells the story so well without being stereotypical. This book is enjoyable to read from the beginning to the end. It’s very hard to put down.

Recommendation: Truly an excellent story! If you like to read about the South, or even if you don’t, get this book. It’s keeper.

The Lemonade Award

2009-06-15T07:14:00.001-05:00

I received an award from Book Dragon of Book Dragon's Lair. Thank you so much! It is such an honor to be nominated.

The Lemonade Award is a feel good award that shows great attitude or gratitude. Here are the rules for accepting the award:

1) Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post.

2) Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.

3) Link to your nominees within your post.

4) Let the nominees know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5) Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.

Here's a few that I have nominated:

Chick with Books

True Crime Book Reviews

Kyusireader

I will be looking out for blogs since I need 7 more to nominate. I have to go to work now so I will leave this list as is.

Congratulations to the winners. :)

Edit:

Here's three more I've nominated:

Alaine - Queen of Happy Endings

Diary of an Eccentric

A Reader's Respite

Congratulations to Alaine, Anna and Michele! :)

Reviews Posted and Some Updates

2009-06-13T22:20:00.001-05:00

As promised, I posted my reviews on Tallgrass and Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of the Baskervilles. These reviews were done last night, but it was getting late so I didn't bother posting the links until this evening.

I have also decided to set aside Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum for now. Currently, I am reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

I have also updated my blog, One Hundred Books to Read 2009. I've completed 27 books so far. As much as I would love to do reviews on all the books I've read, I don't think I can or will. I started the challenge pretty late and I was right in the middle of moving. I think that if I try to review every book I've read since January, it will take the fun out of blogging. Isn't that why we started blogging in the first place? For fun? I know I did. :)

I mentioned that I will do a review on The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, but I will also do a review on The Help by Kathryn Stockett. They are both excellent books. So stay tuned and come back soon.

Back from the Dead

2009-06-11T21:07:00.001-05:00

Okay. So the title is a bit morbid, but after a month without any updates, I certainly feel like this blog is being resurrected. I surely hope I haven't lost any readers. Now that I have internet access again, I can update more often like I used to.

Is everyone having a great summer so far? Summers in Louisiana arrive early and stay late during the year. Honestly, this is my least favorite time of the year. Fall has always been and always will be my favorite season.

This weekend I will be posting a couple of reviews on The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas. I have written them by longhand since I didn't have access to my computer for awhile. I also plan to do a review of the The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson sometime in the future.

Right now, I am reading Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blume. I'm just not sure if I should continue reading it though and it's not because the story's bad. The plot is actually good but some parts are too degrading to read. I'll have to decide whether or not I should set it aside for now and read it later.

There you have it. My first post after one month. I apologize for taking so long, and I hope to see you all here again soon.

Columbine by David Cullen

2009-05-16T20:51:00.001-05:00

Yvette of True Crime Book Reviews is hosting another free book giveaway. Details are here. You don't need a blog to join. You can sign up with your email if you are interested. And it's free book, y'all. So why not join? Contest ends on May 21,2009. Good luck.

Shhh! I'm Reading...or Listening?

2009-05-16T20:10:00.001-05:00

I finally got my audio book of The Gargoyle. My friend Suzanne from Chick with Books recommended this to me since I needed to listen to something while I drive home to Louisiana. Even though I have an abundance of mp3s and music CDs, they can get pretty old during a 16 hour drive.
I don't usually "listen" to books since I do prefer reading a real book with my feet up while taking a few sips of french vanilla creamed coffee from my Shhh! I'm Reading mug.

What can I say? I'm old school. I'll probably be the last person on earth to get the Kindle. I realized that I needed to be open minded so I downloaded a free audio book of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. I thought it was going to be boring, but it wasn't! I actually enjoyed it. I listened to it while I was packing and by doing so made my task bearable. The narrator's voice was engaging, and I can tell she enjoyed doing the narration and the voice overs. I haven't finished listening to it yet, but I look forward listening to the next chapter.

So...do you listen to your books often? Are you like me who prefers to read? Do you have any audio book recommendations? Please share your comments below. I would love to hear them.

Two Weeks and Counting

2009-05-13T12:00:00.001-05:00

I can't believe this month had flown off the page of my calendar. In about two weeks, I will be moving back to Louisiana...and I still have a long way to go in regards to packing. Seriously, why does it feel like when I've packed a bunch of stuff, it feels like there's more? Well, at least that's how it is with my books. Yesterday, I sent a text to one of my friends at work to save some boxes for me just so I can have a place for my precious books.

Even after donating 35 books (12 hardcovers and 23 paperbacks) to my local library (and I have four more sitting in the trunk of my car) and sent 5 boxes of books to my parents' house, I still have these boxes sitting on my kitchen floor...and yes, those are all books inside.

Some of these books I had just bought in the past six months, and some of them I haven't read yet like the Suite Francaise. I still haven't packed The Elements of Style because I use that for my reference when I'm writing my short stories.

Then there's my reference books. Even though I haven't read any of my books from med tech school in years (and who reads their old school books anyway?), I still keep them. I thought about just keeping Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods and donating my blood bank, immunology, chemistry, and urinalysis atlas books to the library. In the end, I kept them because I just didn't have the heart to give them away. And I call my parents pack rats...yeesh. I guess it takes one to know one.

More books....

And some more...

And then I found these sitting in my storage closet outside. My manga books...and seeing them were like seeing old friends.

I used to watch Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2 when I was in the Philippines. I LOVED THEM! Well, really I loved Mamuro/Darren/Tuxedo Mask/Tuxedo Kamen back then. I thought he was hot while running around in that tuxedo while throwing roses. I wish they would have made him stronger in the anime though because they made him such a wimp. On that note, I couldn't get into the English-translated Sailor Moon anime...and they couldn't stay true to the manga version. Mainly because some of the parts were homosexual themes though there weren't any graphic sexual scenes, and the show was geared towards children. Seriously though, who would believe that Haruka/Amara/Sailor Uranus and Michiru/Michelle/Sailor Neptune are really just cousins? Well, maybe kissing cousins. Ahem.

Still as controversial and strange the stories these mangas may be, I enjoyed them. I was entranced by the romance between Usagi (Sailor Moon) and Mamuro, and laughed out loud on the antics of Ranma and his fiancees from Ranma 1/2. Of course, even though I don't read them anymore, they will always be my favorite classic manga books (if there is such a thing).

So now I must go back to packing, my friends. I probably won't be updating my blog/blogs as much as I would like to in the following weeks. Moving is always tough, but I'll be glad once I'm settled in Louisiana.

Maybe I should invest in the Kindle 2 or in the Sony Reader. Hmmmm.

New Reads and a New Review

2009-05-04T21:32:00.001-05:00

I've decided to kick off my Classics Challenge list by reading The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I've also written a review that was very favorable. I was afraid I was going to be bored by this book. Maybe because I thought it was just about fishing...and of course, I'm really not the "outdoorsy" type. Yet, the book really surprised me because of the several themes it touched.

Another classic I've started reading was Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Dialogue is very abundant here so it's an easy read. I may be finished with it by the end of this week.

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas was listed in my WWII challenge book. The book touched on Japanese internment during WWII. Very interesting read...but disturbing also. It is part historical fiction and mystery.

I wasn't going to start reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett until later but after reading just a few sentences I was sucked right into the book. It's about three women - Skeeter (who's white and fresh off college), Aibilene (a black maid whose pain which she had bottled for so long but afraid to speak up) and Minny (a black cook whose outspoken ways landed her into trouble at times.)

I'm already halfway through the book and so far I've enjoyed the drama and the humor. I fell in love with the characters immediately. The setting's in Mississippi, 1962, around the Civil Rights Movement. It's a definite must read.

I WON!!

2009-05-01T20:37:00.001-05:00

I didn't expect to win a free book but I did! This was my first contest to join, and my first contest to win. Sweet! The book I won was Ann Rule's Mortal Danger and Other True Cases. Thanks to Yvette of True Crime Book Reviews for holding this free book giveaway contest.

She is also holding another free true crime book giveaway. The book is Anna Nicole Smith A Blonde Ambition by Rita Cosby. The details are in Yvette's blog if you are interested in joining. One of the rules for joining is to describe Anna Nicole in one word. Frankly, I think she is just a lost little girl in a grown up body. I'm not a fan of hers but it's really sad what happened to her.

Books, books, books!

2009-04-27T23:35:00.002-05:00

So...today after work, I went to the mall to go to the Hallmark store so I can buy some Mother's Day cards for my mom and my sister. I should have gone straight home...but instead I took a detour to Borders Bookstore...just to check out some books. Big mistake.

Borders was having a "buy four and get the fifth book for free" sale. O, Dios mio. Well, being a card carrying bookaholic I am...of course, I did get five books. But I didn't get just one book for free...but two because I had a free $5 coupon for being a member! Sweet!

Here were the books that I bought:

1. The Help by Kathyrn Stockett

I have wanted this book from the get-go! The book is about three women living in the 1960's South. It's similar in The Secret Life of the Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, and since I loved that book, I got The Help.

2. The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff

Y'all know about my WWII obsession right? Well, this was why I bought this book. It's part romance and part war novel. It should be good.

3. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle It's a mystery classic featuring Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick, Dr. Watson. This was my free $5.00 book. Heehee.

4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Platt

The first time I saw this on the shelf, I just grabbed it and never looked back.

5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Finally! I got his first novel. Yay!

I can't wait to read these books. I hope I will not be disappointed although I think they all got pretty good reviews.

More Challenges and Changes

2009-04-27T22:47:00.001-05:00

I have decided to join two more reading challenges. First off, I signed up for the 100+ Reading Challenge. I didn't think J. Kaye of J. Kaye's Book Blog was going to let me join since it's already April...but she did. Thanks, J. Kaye! The challenge is that the reader has to read 100 plus books before the year ends. I posted a link on the side if anyone is interested. Or you can click on the picture below.

Another reading challenge I've joined is the War Through Generations Reading Challenge which Anne and Selena are hosting. I just couldn't pass up this chance. I love, love, LOVE learning about World War II. I record any documentary that the History Channel and History Channel International feature. Can you see Geek Girl written across my forehead? Yes, I know I don't have a life but I don't care.

I'm digressing again. The challenge is that at least 5 books related to WWII have to be read before the year ends, but more than five is allowed. I also posted a link on the side but you can click on the button below to sign up. There's a reading list to choose from that includes both fiction and nonfiction books.

So...now I guess you are wondering...what do these challenges have to the with the changes I'm making? Go ahead...let me hear it.

"Helen, you crazy girl...what do these challenges you've joined have to do with the changes with the blog?"

Well, I've decided to create three more blogs where I will be doing reviews of each of the books I have read for each challenge. I've already provided links so just check them out. I honestly never thought I would start another blog. Let alone 3 more...but I want to organize my reviews a little better and keep track of what I've read. I also want those blogs to be strictly about reviews.

So what does this mean for A Reading Collection? Nothing, really...except I will keep blogging about books I've read...and post anything related to reading. This is my first baby so this blog will always be special to me.

I hope you will stick with me throughout these changes. Like I said before, I'm still learning the ropes around here and making some improvements. So just bear with me here...and thanks to everyone who have been following this blog. I really appreciate your visits.

2009-04-25T18:47:00.000-05:00

Change is Good

This is just a short update on one of the changes I will be making in this blog. I will no longer be posting what I'm reading nor will I be posting what will I be reading in the future. Instead, I will be listing what I have read this year. I just feel like I HAVE to read what's on my future reading list...but this is more of a personal thing. I just get so anal sometimes. LOL. Sometimes, I don't get to update my list too. For example, I had finished The Rose of Sebastopol days ago, and I didn't realize it was still in my current reading list. I also finished World War I by H. P. Wilmott and it's listed as a future reading. I guess I read faster than I get to update my blog.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend.

The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon

2009-04-25T18:22:00.001-05:00

The Rose of Sebastopol is set during the Victorian Era. Brave and adventurous Rosa Barr follows her calling as a nurse and joins Florence Nightingale with her nurse corps during the Crimean War of the 1850’s. When Rosa becomes missing, her first cousin Mariella Lingwood dashes to Turkey to find her.

The novel opens with Mariella arriving in Italy from London to be with her sick fiancee Henry Thewell. Henry is a surgeon who serves in the Crimean War. When Mariella is reunited with Henry, it is Rosa’s name that Henry calls for and not Mariella’s in his delirium. What has happened to Rosa? Has she and Henry fallen in love? Has Rosa betrayed Mariella?

No two people could be more different than Mariella and Rosa. It’s a surprise how these two could get along. They are the best of friends and the best of cousins. Mariella is a Victorian lady who is conservative and lives a sheltered life. In London, she has a sewing circle and keeps a scrapbook about the Crimean War. Rosa, however, is a rebel and out-spoken. Unlike Mariella, she isn’t satisfied by watching the war in Turkey from London. She wants to be a part of it.

At first, I admit that Rosa is annoying. I think it is selfish of her to leave her sick mother with Mariella’s family. I start to understand her when she claims that nursing is her calling and feels that she could do more where she is needed. My view of her changed from irritation to admiration.

My sympathy goes to Mariella. Jilted by her fiancee, Mariella at first hesitates to find her cousin Rosa. At first, I could not blame her since she is feeling betrayed and suspicious since both Henry and Rosa have left her to go to war. Yet not all is what it seems as the novel progresses. One of the best parts in this book is how Mariella’s character blooms as she remains in Turkey.

The author does a great job of pulling readers to the scenes. While reading, I feel like I am transported to 1855 with the sounds of cannon booming in the background. I could also see the sick and the dying with the rotting flesh as Mariella goes from hospital to hospital to find her cousin. I have to add that back then more people have died from infection rather than in battle. Hand washing is almost unheard of so I’m sure viruses and bacteria have had such a party back then.

Another note, I should mention that the tone of the language here is affectionate at times. I think I read someone’s review saying that Rosa is a lesbian. LOL. Far from it. Back in the Victorian era, people have used more words of affection compared to today. McMahon has such eloquence in her words. It’s almost as if she lived in the Victorian period herself.

One of my favorite characters there is Captain Max Stukely, Rosa’s stepbrother. He is cavalry officer in the war. He’s very charismatic and is admired. I feel like I’m being swept off my feet myself. LOL. Mariella develops complex feelings for him, and he seems to care for her a great deal too.

Sometimes the book seems to drag a bit. It isn’t boring though. Pay attention before starting a new chapter because of the timelines and the places. One chapter I will be in London, 1854. The next chapter I will be in Turkey, 1855. Sometimes, the book goes back to Derbyshire, 1844. I have a habit of not looking at title chapters sometimes since I get too impatient to get to the next chapter, especially if the book is really good.

The ending…well, I can’t say that I like it too much. Readers might be disappointed especially if they are looking for a happy ending. So…beware.

I would recommend this book if you like character-driven novels and not plot driven. I’m not saying that there isn’t a plot but I wish there is more information about Rosa while she is in Crimea. However, I wouldn’t read this book if you are looking for something light. If someone asks me to rate this between a scale of one to five, I would rate this as a four.

The Classics Challenge 2009

2009-04-23T22:17:00.001-05:00

I love a challenge...so when I saw the Classics Challenge for this year, I just had to join.

I picked these books to read:

1. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.
As a true blue historical fiction reader fanatic, I had planned to read this book from the get-go.

2. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Funny enough, I have never read this book even though Hemingway is one of my favorite authors.

3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Everytime I go to Starbucks Cafe in Barnes and Noble in Florence, I would look at the posters of the great classics. One of them was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I told myself that one day I was going to read it. Well, that one day will come soon enough.

4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath. Enough said.

5. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Bloom
Ten Bloom recounts her horrific days in a Nazi concentration camp in this book.

6. Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
I love mysteries...so I chose this book which starred Doyle's best known character - Sherlock Holmes.

As a bonus selection, I chose The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I once saw my friend Christy reading it. I've read Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns and I was completely blown away. If you haven't read it, you should.

For a future classic, I suggested Little Bee by Chris Cleave. The novel stayed with me for days after I read it. Suzanne of Chick with Books did a review if you want to read it. We both enjoyed the book so much that we went on and on about it. LOL. Reading that book felt like riding an emotional roller coaster. The book was funny that I had to laugh out loud, but some parts were so sad and terrifying that I just wanted to cry. There was also a portion of the book where I felt just as vindictive as Little Bee. The book had so much impact that it was unforgettable. It was excellent and will forever stay in my book collection.

If you would like to join the Classic Challenge of 2009. Check it out. You don't have to have a blog to sign up. You just have to love reading. Have fun! See you there!

World Digital Library, I Love You!

2009-04-21T18:58:00.001-05:00

As a Filipino who became a US citizen at such a young age, I've always been curious about my Filipino heritage. Thanks to the internet, I can research about the history of the Filipino Americans and the Philippine culture and history without leaving my home office and spending over $2000 worth of roundtrip ticket to the Philippines.

I recently visited the World Digital Library where they posted online some of history's earliest works such as the Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog which was the first book printed in the Philippines. It was published in Manila in 1593. (FYI, Tagalog is one of the dialects that is commonly spoken in the Philippines. There are 170 dialects in the country.)

One of the pages featured online in Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog

Sources: World Digital Library and the Library of Congress

I was in complete amazement as I viewed the scanned pages of this book that was nearly five centuries old. The book showed the Tagalog alphabet, which were the same alphabets that I learned from my early childhood education in the Philippines. It also featured the Our Father prayer both in Spanish and Tagalog.

The real (not scanned) Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog can be located in the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. I found it strange that this book was not in the Philippines or in Spain.

Curious to know more about the doctrine? Check it out here. This link will also feature the scanned pages of the book.

I strongly urge you to visit the World Digital Library. Journals, maps, and even old videos are just some of the media featured from all over the world. If you love history or if you just want to itch that scratch, run. Don't walk there. I promise that you won't regret it, and it's worth your time.

Just one of the manuscripts that was featured online from World Digital Library. It was written by Antonio Pigafetta who journeyed with Ferdinand Magellan when the latter discovered the Philippines in 1521.

An Oracle Bone from China made between 1200 to 1180 B.C.

Two Awards

2009-04-21T16:58:00.001-05:00

I received two awards for my blog. Woot! Woot! I want to thank Suzanne of Chick With Books and Yvette of True Crime Book Reviews. They have been so sweet to consider this blog since it's still in its infancy stage. I had to figure out how to add the awards to my blog since I'm not that blog savvy yet. LOL.

Here are my awards:

The Premio Dardos Award

Our Lovely Blog Award

Thanks again for everyone's support. Your visits mean a lot to me.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair: A Short Story by F. Scott Fitzgerald

2009-04-15T18:09:00.002-05:00

Best known for writing The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald was a member of the "Lost Generation" who were a group of authors and poets that included (just to name a few) Ernest Hemingway (one of my favorite authors), Ezra Pound, and John Steinbeck.

F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1921

Bernice Bobs Her Hair was written in 1920. It first appeared in The Saturday Evening Post and later in Flappers and Philosophers. I had a wonderful opportunity of reading this selection in Great American Short Stories from Hawthorne to Hemingway.

The cover of Saturday Evening Post in which Bernice Bobs Her Hair was published back in May 1, 1920.

In the story, Bernice had trouble fitting in with her cousin's friends. Her cousin Marjorie was embarassed to be around her. To make herself appear more interesting, Bernice told them that she was going to get her hair bobbed. Back in 1920, for a woman to get her hair bobbed, it was considered to be outrageous, and it gave an impression that she was "loose." The ending was so funny, and I thought I should share this because I enjoyed the story.

Pages from The Saturday Evening Post

If you would like to read it, here's Bernice Bobs Her Hair. Have fun! Let me know what you think!

Monogamous Reading

2009-04-14T11:34:00.002-05:00

I just started reading The Rose of Sebastopol by Katherine McMahon. I was curious to see why it became an interenational best-seller so I ended up buying it.

I began reading this on Sunday while I was at work (It was Easter so I had some downtime), and I learned very quickly that this was one of the books that you can't "cheat" with others. This was a book that was not to be played around with. I'm not saying that I'm not enjoying it, but this novel confused the heck out of me because there were not just two story timelines that needed to be followed…but three! Oh, good grief.

The Rose of Sebastopol reminded me when I was reading The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. (Haven’t read it? You should.) The Time Traveler’s Wife was complicated to read at first because they were told in different timelines by two different characters, Henry and Claire. I later decided to read it in Claire’s point of view, even though some chapters were told in Henry’s. Sounds confusing? Yes. Great read? You bet!

I usually "cheat" and read two or three books at a time, but I am going to be faithful to The Rose of Sebastopol.

A Lion in the White House: A Life of Theodore Roosevelt by Aida D. Donald

2009-04-14T11:06:00.003-05:00

“I rose like a rocket.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Indeed, before he became the youngest president in U.S. history at age 42, Theodore Roosevelt had done it all. He was a New York assemblyman, assistant secretary of the Navy, New York governor, a Rough Rider, New York police commissioner, a cowboy, and an author.

This was why I had a problem with this book. For a man who accomplished so much for the American people and later the world, I didn’t think a 269 page biography was enough to cover his life. In my opinion, a timeline would have been a nice addition to the book. I also felt like the book was rushed through and the language, though simple, was very mechanical. It was boring, even though Theodore Roosevelt was an interesting person.

I found that this book only excelled in giving a generalized view of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, but unfortunately it didn’t give me a chance to find out more about the former president.

I actually bought Edmund Morris’ The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt which chronicled his from his childhood to being the vice president of the United States. I also plan to buy Morris’ Theodore Rex which talked about his years in the White House as president.

I think that A Lion in the White House: A Life of Theodore Roosevelt could have been written better. Theodore Roosevelt was larger than life so I was very disappointed when I finished this book.

My take: Save your money. Don’t buy this book.

Blog Renovation

2009-04-14T11:05:00.002-05:00

I’m thinking about giving my blog a facelift. I might change the background. I have looked at the Cutest Blog On the Block. They have wonderful freebies and some tips to improve blogs

I have also decided to add some links to the side for easier navigation. Blogging is fun but I’m still learning how to improve this blog. I’ll have to take this one step at a time. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Buy Two, Get One Free

2009-04-14T10:55:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday, I went to Barnes and Noble. They were having a “Buy Two Books, get One for Free” sale. As a card-carrying book addict, how can I pass up the chance?

When I arrived at the bookstore, I had a difficult time trying to choose which books to buy. The books on sale were all piled on one table. I was hoping for more selections, but I suppose the branch was trying to get rid of these books. I thought of buying from their website since there were more choices, but I always hesitated to buy books online.

Before choosing a book, I scanned a few pages. I looked at the first few sentences of a novel to see how much of an impact they have. Check out the beginning of Michael Palmer’s The Fifth Vial:

Hold still, now. This won’t hurt a bit.

They're simple words, but immediately the reader is pulled right away into the novel, and hopefully, the interest is held throughout the story.

I’ve digressed a little…so…here were the books I’ve added to my book collection:

1. Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian
2. The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz
3. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

I’m pretty excited to read them. They’re all historical novels and best sellers. I’m not sure if which one I should do a review on though. I’m leaning towards Skeletons at the Feast, since I’m a huge fan of reading about World War II, whether it’s pre, during or post. On the other hand, I’ve heard some great reviews about Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, and I’m enthusiastic to see what the fuss was all about. I’ll know soon enough.

The Rule of 50

2009-04-08T21:28:00.003-05:00

Ever bought a book where you thought you would enjoy it, and then later realized it was awful? Then you wonder if you should continue. Well, why not follow The Rule of 50?

I’ve never heard of the Rule of 50 until I picked up my copy of Book Lust. This was the rule Nancy Pearl had always gone by, and I thought this was great advice. Simply put, the rule went like this:
“If you’re 50 years old or younger, give every book about 50 pages before you decide to commit yourself to reading it or give it up. If you’re over 50, which is when time gets even shorter, subtract your age from 100 - the result is the number of pages you should read before deciding.” - Nancy Pearl from Book Lust

Nancy Pearl also suggested to consider your mood. Do you feel that you should give up reading that book or come back to it later at another time?

Ninety percent of the time, if I don’t like the book, I stop reading it. I suppose the saying, “First impressions lasts,” rings true to me. My time is valuable. I don't like to waste it. I believe I could use that time to find other books that I will enjoy reading. It doesn’t matter whether or not the book received good reviews. Each of us is unique so we're not always going to like the same thing.

So how about you? Would you return and continue to read the book even if you don’t enjoy it? Or do you just give it up? Your thoughts?

Book Lust

2009-04-08T21:19:00.001-05:00

Last week, I bought a book journal called the Book Lust by Nancy Pearl. Small and portable, the journal is divided into four sections:

1. Book Notes - This is where I can jot down my notes and thoughts about the books I’ve read. On the top of the page, I can write down the title and author.
2. Book Passages to Remember- This is my favorite part of the journal. Sometimes when I am reading, the words of the author are so beautifully written that it hits home for me. In this section, I can write down the passages. What’s nice about it is that I can go back and read them when I feel the need to be inspired.
3. Books I Want to Read - Self-explanatory. I can list the title, author and brief synopsis. The only thing I don’t like about it is that there’s not enough pages for my wish list.
4. Books on Loan - This an easy way to keep tabs on the books I’ve lent to family and friends.

The Book Lust also includes Nancy Pearl’s A List of Great Read. I have never read any of the books in her list. Let alone heard of. I expected some classics to be in this list, but they’re not. I recognize David Sedaris’ Me Talk Pretty One Day and T.C. Boyle’s After the Plague and Other Stories. Frankly, I don't like After the Plague too much. Way too bizarre for me.

Other things I like about Book Lust: Its pages are smooth and made of quality paper. I like that I am able to use a roller pen and the ink doesn’t seep through the pages. It also includes a bookmark.

The Book Lust is a great journal to have during book club discussions to write down notes or for simply recording your personal thoughts.

A Dark History: The Kings and Queens of Europe by Brenda Ralph Lewis

2009-04-05T18:49:00.003-05:00

"This is not a book for the faint-hearted. It took a strong stomach to write it. It could require another to read it." - Brenda Ralph Lewis

Mass murders of virgins. Burning people alive at the stake. Debauchery. Insanity. Incest. These are the tragedies that some of European monarchs that Ms. Lewis mentioned in her book. I can't say that I enjoyed this book because some parts were so difficult to read. However, it is a well-written book with illustrations.

I normally don't read horror books, but I love history so much that I ended up buying this. It also helped that I got it at a great bargain from Barnes and Nobles. I thought the book might be an interesting addition to my history book collection. Although I skipped (and later returned) some of the beginning chapters due to its content, the end of the book wasn't all too bad. At least I was able to keep my dinner.

All in all, I did like the author's writing approach because it felt like she was right there telling me the story. Due to its subject matter, I don't think this is history book that everyone would like to read. but if you like shocking and intriguing stories, then this book is for you.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

2009-04-05T17:40:00.004-05:00

Now a national best seller, this debut novel has become one of my favorite books. Set in Seattle during the 1940's, this is the story of Henry Lee, son of Chinese immigrants. Though he is an American citizen, he endures the prejudice of his peers. Yet he gains a friend in Keiko Okabe, a Japanese American. Their friendship blossoms into something deeper but their happiness doesn't last long after Keiko is forced to be separated from Henry.

I won't go any further than that because I don't want to ruin the ending. I was so touched by this book that I actually emailed the author (something I had never done before) and thanked him for writing such marvelous work. Mr. Ford was nice enough to reply.

This book gets high recommendations from me. I think readers will find this enjoyable and well worth reading.